Business in Calgary - February 2022

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Got You Covered Vanta Group’s Sara Haupt and Tim Bakker on Leading the Group Benefits and Retirement Services Divisions

By John Hardy

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What’s Ahead for 2022?

By Shane Wenzel

Calgary Chamber of Commerce Parker’s Pen

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Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 32 | Number 2

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CONTENTS

THIS MONTH’S FEATURES

16

COMPANY PROFILES

55 58

38

Carlson Construction

Celebrates 95 Years

Arnett & Burgess

Celebrates 65 Years

29 33 38

M arket Ups & Downs Surprising pandemic positives

By John Hardy

C algary Resales: 2022 Still booming, but…

By Parker Grant

T he New Cost of Construction Perfect storm of supply, labour and demand is re-levelling Calgary’s building industry

By Jamie Zachary

H ealthy Aging in a Time of Crisis Pandemic highlights opportunities to revisit health and wellness strategies with older adults

By Jamie Zachary

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T he Contemporary MBA Still clout?

By John Hardy

PUBLISHERS

Pat Ottmann & Tim Ottmann

EDITOR

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ART DIRECTOR

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ADMINISTRATION/ACCOUNTING Natasha Walz natasha@businessincalgary.com

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Shane Wenzel David Parker

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Melanie Darbyshire Rennay Craats Jamie Zachary John Hardy

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Business in Calgary magazine’s circulation is audited twice a year by BPA International.

WHAT’S AHEAD FOR 2022? // SHANE WENZEL

What’s Ahead for 2022?

BY SHANE WENZEL

W

here does one begin?

The ‘Ball Dropping’ New Year’s Eve in New York always brings a sense of hope for the upcoming year. But 2022 began, as did the previous year, with cancelled events due to more pandemic and another uncertain year ahead. We had hoped to bid ‘good riddance’ to 2021 and what came with it.

One would think after almost reaching a full second year of everything cancelled that could be – from travel, weddings, sports events, funerals, conferences, and everything involving human contact – what more could happen, or possibly be cancelled in 2022?

Calgary woke up January 1, 2022, to the news that the muchanticipated Event Centre scheduled to break ground early in the year had been ‘cancelled’. We heard claims of a Climate Emergency targeted at our main industry and property tax increases all in week one. But the Event Centre? No one was more surprised than members of Council besides the Mayor who voted against the final deal in July 2021.

I find it embarrassing that Calgary for all its prosperity over the years has the oldest football stadium and hockey arena in Canada. We don’t even have the field house that has been talked about for years, and for which money has been set aside – somewhere! One wonders if there is a pattern here.

We claim to like sports but have an adversity to investing in world-class facilities for the sake of economic prosperity.

Or is it that the city has difficulty working within a business partnership arrangement that believes in cost management and avoiding overruns?

The Flames, in this arrangement, would have been the largest leaseholder – nothing more. In the end, the City of Calgary would own the Event Centre but only pay for less than half – all with Rivers District Levies. The Event Centre was the anchor project to an entire revitalization plan for Victoria Park.

Contrary to ‘naysayers’, professional sports and entertainment centres do drive economic activity through company relocations, tourism and high-quality workforces. Just ask Winnipeg how giving up their team worked out for them.

It took 10 years to get another team while their population decreased, and they slipped into a non-growth economy.

While the Flames owners say they will stay and play in the Saddledome, how long will that really last in a 39-year-old building with a crumbling roof that will cost $200M alone to repair? Where is the civic pride? What happens to the Red Mile? Drive by and count the Flames shirts on people having fun cheering for ‘their’ team. Could Calgarians be forced to cheer for the Edmonton Oilers?

This isn’t just about hockey. It is about the entire planned entertainment and cultural district. What happens to the 3,000 people who won’t have work and the loss of $72 million to amateur sports, to name a few?

Is this loss worth the proclaimed Climate Emergency influence? Indeed, our climate will change – our economic climate! Entrepreneurs like to be around like-minded people in like-minded cities. It’s inspiring!

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 // FEBRUARY 2022

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OFF

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Restaurant Concept by Murrieta’s Hospitalit Coming Soon to Calgary’s University District

The new restaurant will pay homage to the boroughs of New York and is set to open summer

CALGARY (January 6, 2022) – University of Calgary Properties Group is pleased to welcome Murr Hospitality to their ever-expanding University District neighbourhood. Murrieta’s Hospitality is developing a contemporary restaurant called Borough Bar + Grill, which is set to open in Summer Inspired by the five boroughs of New York, the highly anticipated restaurant is poised to be a culi destination in Calgary.

New Restaurant Concept by Murrieta’s Hospitality

University of Calgary Properties Group President and CEO, James Robertson, explains, “We are Coming Soon to Calgary’s University District continuing to expand our culinary and entertainment offerings in University District, and Borough

Grill is going to be another great addition to our collection, truly making the neighbourhood a fan place to live, work and play.”

University of Calgary Properties Group is pleased to welcome Murrieta’s Hospitality to their ever-expanding University District neighbourhood. Murrieta’s Hospitality is developing a contemporary restaurant called Borough Bar + Grill, which is set to open in summer 2022. Inspired by the five boroughs of New York, the highly anticipated restaurant is poised to be a culinary destination in Calgary.

University of Calgary Properties Group president and CEO, James Robertson, explains, “We are continuing to expand Murrieta Hospitality’s Corporate Chef Daniel Pizarro has developed a menu as diverse as the boro our culinary and entertainment offerings in University of New York. Pizarro’s menu for Borough Bar + Grill features New York fine dining favourites such District, and Borough Bar + Grill is going to be another great chicken, prime rib and whole fish. addition to our collection, truly making the neighbourhoodrotisserie a fantastic place to live, work and play.”

Borough Bar + Grill pays homage to New York’s five boroughs.

Borough Bar + Grill pays homage to the unique North Borough Bar + Grill pays homage to the unique North American culinary tradition in a casual yet American culinary tradition in a casual yet expressive space. expressive space. The restaurant will feature a main dining room and lounge area with floating ce The restaurant will feature a main dining room and lounge intimate booths for a more private dining experience and a unique chef’s table for large parties. area with floating ceilings, intimate booths for a more private The restaurant will also include a patisserie where guests will be welcomed to grab sandwiches o dining experience and a unique chef’s table for large parties. coffee for a walk through University District’s many parks and walkways.

The restaurant will also include a patisserie where guests will be welcomed to grab sandwiches or a coffee for a walk through University District’s many parks and walkways.

Murrieta Hospitality’s corporate chef Daniel Pizarro has developed a menu as diverse as the boroughs of New York.

Pizarro’s menu for Borough Bar + Grill features New York fine dining favourites such as rotisserie chicken, prime rib Complete with retractable awning and fireplaces – Borough Bar + Grill’s patio will be the perfect s enjoy Calgary summers. and whole fish. sunshine and a welcoming urban park landscape and The new restaurant will be accessible from University Avenue with direct access to the three-acre atmosphere from the expansive patio.

Complete with retractable awning and fireplaces – Central Commons Park, as well as convenient underground parking with immediate access from th Borough Bar + Grill’s patio will be the perfect spot to plaza. Guests can also enjoy south-facing sunshine and a welcoming urban park landscape and Borough Bar + Grill will join a number of new and upcoming atmosphere from the expansive patio. enjoy Calgary summers. eateries in University District. OEB Breakfast Co. recently Borough Bar +opened Grill will join new and upcoming eateries in University theira number fourth of Calgary location and The Alley, The District. OEB Bre The new restaurant will be accessible from University Avenue Co. recently opened their fourth Calgary location and The Alley, The Banquet, Canadian Brewhous Banquet, Canadian Brewhouse and Village Ice Cream with direct access to the three-acre Central Commons Park,Village Ice Cream are expected to open early this year. The recently opened Cineplex VIP Cinemas are expected to open early this year. The recently opened as well as convenient underground parking with immediateadjacent to Borough Bar + Grill.

Cineplex VIP Cinemas is adjacent to Borough Bar + Grill. access from the plaza. Guests can also enjoy south-facing -30-

About University District TOP: BOROUGH BAR + GRILL PAYS HOMAGE TO NEW YORK’S FIVE BOROUGHS.

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

To the west of BOTTOM: the University of Calgary and overlooking the AND BowFIREPLACES River and Rocky Mountains, Univ COMPLETE WITH RETRACTABLE AWNING – BOROUGH District is a comprehensive with SPOT a bold vision for urban life in Calgary. Th BAR + GRILL’S 200-acre PATIO WILLcommunity BE THE PERFECT TOnew ENJOY CALGARY SUMMERS. a collaborative, people-first design process, the master planning and thorough engagement progra forged strong respect between local stakeholders and the organization. The neighbourhood applie best ideas in city design and incorporates the wants and needs of surrounding legacy communities weaving current aesthetic, technology and lifestyle options into the strong social fabric of the city.

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Condo Momentum Affordability makes Calgary condos attractive investments Despite several years of bumpy rides and a continuing oversupply, affordability and some other real estate factors are giving Calgary condos a boost of positivity.

Although Calgary’s real estate sector, often fixated on things like year-to-year stats and comparisons, shows that Calgary condo sales in December 2021 increased by more than 73 per cent, it is somewhat tempered by the existing oversupply and new condos at or nearing completion. According to Calgary condo numbers, there was 10 per cent more condo inventory on the market last December than the year before.

“There was a massive increase is condo sales,” says Jared Chamberlain, realtor and broker/owner of Calgary’s Chamberlain Real Estate Group. “One indicator we are always looking at is months of inventory. The condo market across Calgary was in a slight buyers market, but many buyers are now starting to look.”

Fall 2021 CREB (Calgary Real Estate Board) stats show the benchmark resale price for a Calgary apartment condo was $252,000, compared with Toronto where median condominium prices are in-excess of $700,000. And Calgary condo affordability is having an impact on sales as well as attracting the interest of investors, including out-of-town investors who traditionally look to Toronto and Vancouver for real estate investments.

“In the past six months or so, we have seen a fairly dramatic increase in out-of-town investors looking to purchase rental properties in Calgary,” Chamberlain notes. “Word is speading quickly out east and west, not only that condo prices are much more affordable here in Calgary than in other major centres and that we also have an excellent lifestyle for all ages. The Calgary quality of life and the affordability – especially compared to markets like Vancouver and Toronto – is incredible.”

Todd Throndson, principal and managing director with Calgary’s Avison Young points out that the new momentum in Calgary’s condo market is a combo of various factors.

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

“Favorable interest rates, combined with speculation about the risk of rate hikes in 2022, are pushing buyers to buy and lock-in for favorable mortgage terms. Even though Calgary’s condo supply has outpaced demand, rates and the oversupply have contributed to interest from out of province investors from especially Ontario and British Columbia.

Also, first time Calgary home buyers and downsizers are deciding to enter the condo market at activity levels we haven’t seen in the last six years.”

He cautions about the sales activity that is needed to bring down the condo over-supply, and he underscores that new inner-city projects in neighbourhoods like the University District, Trinity Hills and Greenwich are adding to Calgary’s overall condo inventory.

Contrary to the stereotypes about out-of-town investors “buying up” Calgary, the increasing investor interest in Calgary condos can be a win-win. “It will help Calgary, especially downtown condo market,” Chamberlain says, “to recover from the pre-COVID slump and will generate more rentals in the market, reducing the oversupply of Calgary’s inner-city condos.”

Todd Throndson emphasizes Calgary’s new condo positivity.

“It shows that confidence is returning to Calgary and developers who have been able to weather the storm and doubled down on Calgary following our economic decline are now being rewarded.”

ABOVE: JARED CHAMBERLAIN, REALTOR AND BROKER/OWNER OF CALGARY’S CHAMBERLAIN REAL ESTATE GROUP.

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Rachel Hughes attended Webber Academy from Junior Kindergarten all the way to Grade 12 and graduated in 2017. In 2021, she graduated from the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce (with Distinction and Co-operative Education) in Organizational Behaviour & Human Resources. For her extensive involvement in a multitude of extracurricular activities and programs, Rachel received the highly-coveted Haskayne School of Business Community Builder Award and the Haskayne School of Business Action Award. She was also awarded the Haskayne School of Business Silver Medallion in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources for graduating with the highest GPA in the program.

Webber Academy laid the foundation for her educational journey. Rachel started at Webber Academy in 2004 in Junior Kindergarten. The rigorous academic program and ample opportunities to get involved in athletics and extracurricular activities enabled her to develop a strong work ethic, recognize the value of education, and embrace opportunities to make a positive impact in the community.

During her time at Webber Academy, she took many AP courses and was involved in several extracurriculars: Model United Nations as the Secretary-General, Voices Magazine Editor, Vice-President of the Legacy Project, Graduation Committee Co-Chair, WASSU, Debate, Speech, Peer Tutoring, Mock Trial, Yearbook, Reach for the Top. After graduating from Webber Academy, she went to the University of Calgary where she enriched her knowledge and skills through a myriad of extracurricular leadership roles, pro bono consulting projects, case competitions, work placements, leadership development programs, and a study abroad program.

She also engaged in community initiatives that enabled her to use her business knowledge to make a positive difference.

Rachel was an executive with the Haskayne Consulting Club, the Haskayne Students’ Association, and World Vision

UCalgary. Through the Haskayne Students’ Association, she also served as a Mentor with the Haskayne Peer Mentorship Program. As an individual who is passionate about social entrepreneurship and using business as a force for good, Rachel also served as an executive for the University of Calgary’s chapter of Enactus, a global not-for-profit committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to create positive change.

For academic excellence, leadership in extracurricular activities, and community involvement, Rachel was inducted into the Scholars’ Academy, a prestigious and highly-selective leadership and professional development program. Through the Scholars’ Academy, she completed pro bono consulting projects, received mentorship from esteemed leaders in the Calgary business community, and mentored students in the First Year Scholars program.

Rachel was recently accepted to a number of law schools across Canada, as well as the Queen’s University Master of Industrial Relations program, but decided to advance her career in business by working as a Strategy Specialist at Connect First Credit Union (formerly known as First Calgary Financial).

Ultimately, she aspires to pursue a career where she will be intellectually challenged and can use strategic thinking and analysis to solve complex problems.

MARKET UPS & DOWNS // INVESTING

MARKET UPS & DOWNS SURPRISING PANDEMIC POSITIVES

BY JOHN HARDY

T

here’s unspoken and private consensus that investments are the ultimate equivalent of what business calls risk management. And the past two years or so have made for choppy, rough waters to navigate for brokerages, investment advisors, the financial sector and their clients.

Inflation, interest rates, directly and indirectly COVID-19 and other unpredictables are causing various speedbumps for the investing and investors.

Of course, on complex, high levels, the fallout from the pandemic impacts the markets. “Initially, the investment sector experienced a huge hit in March and April of 2020 as the uncertainty of the pandemic took hold,” explains Michael Wood, region head, TD Private Wealth Management, Prairies. “Nobody really knew what was going to happen.

And, if there’s one thing the market as a whole doesn’t like, it’s uncertainty. Then, with the rapid development and distribution of vaccines, we’ve experienced a recovery and a move upward like no other.

“IT’S TRUE THAT EACH NEW VARIANT

“It’s true that each new variant tests our optimism in the market, but I think this will be tempered as we also continue to see developments with vaccines and booster shots.”

DEVELOPMENTS WITH VACCINES AND

TESTS OUR OPTIMISM IN THE MARKET, BUT I THINK THIS WILL BE TEMPERED AS WE ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE BOOSTER SHOTS,” SAYS WOOD. ABOVE: MICHAEL WOOD, REGION HEAD, TD PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT, PRAIRIES.

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MARKET UPS & DOWNS // INVESTING

WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS A NEWFOUND INTEREST IN INVESTING, AND FINANCE MORE GENERALLY,” NOTES PANDES. “WHETHER THE REASON IS MORE PEOPLE AT HOME, WORKING OR NOT, UNABLE TO SPEND AND CONSUME, HAVING MORE MONEY TO PUT INTO SAVINGS AND GROWING THOSE SAVINGS, THERE HAS BEEN MUCH MORE ATTENTION ON INVESTING.” Ironically, the work-from-home trends triggered by the pandemic turned out to be a positive for some segments of investing. “What we’ve seen in the last couple of years is a newfound interest in investing, and finance more generally,” notes J. Ari Pandes, finance area chair and associate professor of Finance at the Haskayne School of Business of the University of Calgary. “Whether the reason is more people at home, working or not, unable to spend and consume, having more money to put into savings and growing those savings, there has been much more attention on investing.

“And it’s not necessarily about investment professionals and the wealthy. They have always been investing. It’s a new generation of regular, main street, retail

ABOVE: J. ARI PANDES, FINANCE AREA CHAIR AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF FINANCE AT THE HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY.

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// INVESTING

investors,” he says. “This is good, as it democratizes finance and investing. But there must be caution. Many people are not financially literate, and it’s not at all a matter of intelligence or capacity. Some exposure and basic knowledge of the world of investing and finance is vital. After all, investing is risky.”

According to Wood, the pandemic has also been a positive when it comes to the perception of investing. “We’ve seen amazing growth in online trading activity through our discount brokerage channel, which has experienced three times the normal trading volume compared to pre-pandemic times. Certainly, the popularity of meme stocks and social networks has increased the awareness and interest in investing, but the pandemic also provided people with some work flexibility and spurred them to take an active interest in managing their portfolios.”

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Private, personal, from-home investing continues to enjoy a boom. The respected and enthusiastic Christine Zalzal, senior vice-president and head of Qtrade Direct Investing and VirtualWealth explains that, “The impact of the pandemic on the online discount brokerage sector (also known as self-directed investing) hit record highs with double the new accounts, and broke all historic records in Canada in terms of new business and trading volumes.

“Typically, market volatility creates investment opportunities, driving consumers to seize some of these opportunities. In the case of self-directed investors, many have opened new accounts to get in on the action. We also saw a boom of self-directed investing among younger generations. As a result, the size of the market has steadily grown over the past two years.”

“After the initial nose dive in the markets, when the pandemic hit, there has been a remarkable bounceback that just continues to go up,” Pandes says. “So the perception among many inexperienced investors is that markets will continue to go up and make them wealthy.

This is where perception becomes important. I think there is a vast swath of people that have been making money because the markets keep moving up. There must be understanding that markets don’t always go up. It may seem logical and obvious but it is sometimes forgotten and rediscovered, often painfully through big losses.”

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MARKET UPS & DOWNS // INVESTING

QTRADE’S ZALZAL SUGGESTS, “WHEN CRAFTING AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY, THE KEY FACTOR FOR SELF-DIRECTED INVESTORS IS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND PORTFOLIO TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THEM. WHEN MANAGING YOUR OWN INVESTMENTS, IT’S KEY TO KEEP LEARNING IN ORDER TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.”

He points out that perceptions lead people to believe that any price can be justified if there are other investors willing to pay that price and urges the caution that financial assets are bounded by the realities of firm fundamentals.

“Perceptions of value have to be backed up the reality, which implies the prices we pay for assets should reflect the cash flows it is expected to generate.”

When it comes to the investment sector and the market focus in this new year, inflation and interest rate trends are hot topics for investment professionals and investors alike. “The investment community is watching very closely,” Wood says. “Right now, the general consensus is that the inflationary environment is more tied to supply chain disruptions caused by the global shutdown in the early stages of the pandemic, rather than reflecting a broad overall increase in inflationary pressures.

“Ideally, these supply issues should work their way out over time and this will help moderate inflation. Interest rates are still at historical lows, so we do expect upward pressure on rates as the economy starts growing again and we move towards pre-pandemic employment levels.”

Pandes underscores that interest rates and inflation are key isues for investors and investing. “There’s a lot of debate about inflation being transitory or something longer term, that central banks have to deal with. Certainly, interest rates are at all-time lows, but the question is how soon and how quickly will that ratchet up? Markets are forward looking, so they are alreadypricing in expected inflation and expected interest rate changes.

“The sectors that have been doing well in this environment – like energy, materials, commodities, financials, real estate – tend to be inflation beneficiaries or inflation-agnostic plays.

Bonds, on the other hand, get hard it with inflation as the interest rate return is eroded due to the purchasing power of money going down. As inflation fears continue, I suspect we will see inflation protection plays to continue.”

Some investment fundamentals are basic and solid. “It may sound like a cliché and boring but the importance of diversification is now more enhanced than ever, due to all the uncertainty and volatility. Markets are beginning to adapt to the expectation of higher interest rates, downward revisions to economic growth expectations due to supply ABOVE: CHRISTINE ZALZAL, SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF QTRADE DIRECT INVESTING AND VIRTUALWEALTH.

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chain disruptions and greater inflationary pressures and the unpredictability of another, new virus,” he points out. “It may be wise to go back to the basics, which is a boring but importantly diversified portfolio that is in the best position to shelter investors from the unpredictables.”

Qtrade’s Zalzal suggests, “When crafting an investment strategy, the key factor for self-directed investors is to take advantage of all the education, resources and portfolio tools available to them. When managing your own investments, it’s key to keep learning in order to make informed decisions.”

Most experienced advisors agree that, when it comes to investing, Calgary has been somewhat unique. “Calgarians and Albertans have historically invested more in the energy sector than other investors across Canada. We’re more familiar with the industry, it’s in our backyard, and it has traditionally performed quite well,” Wood points out. “Recent developments about the longterm transition to clean energy and lack of new investment in oil and gas projects and companies has created uncertainty and may be a reminder to regularly revisit portfolios to ensure it is balanced to weather any downturn.”

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VANTA GROUP’S SARA HAUPT AND TIM BAKKER ON LEADING THE GROUP BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT SERVICES DIVISIONS

BY MELANIE DARBYSHIRE

A

s a mid-sized, independent broker in the group benefits, pensions, insurance and risk man-agement industry, Vanta Group is a comparatively rare breed.

Leveraging decades-honed expertise with a sophisticated business infrastructure, Vanta’s model fosters the personal touch of a small broker, while simultaneously providing the advantages – actuarial support, analytics, technology and reporting – of a larger house.

The unique approach derives the best from both ends of the insurance industry spectrum, all for their clients’ benefit.

It’s one Vanta’s four founding partners – Rich Groom, Noah Jones, Ross Langford and John Huot – have successfully forged since opening their brokerage in 2016.

“The model allows our people to utilize our infrastructure while letting them to do what they do best,” explains Langford, “which is connect with people down in their local communities to give good advice. We manage the business administration, whether it’s accounting, IT, HR, dealing with the premises, actuarial support, technology. It’s a completely fresh approach in an old industry.”

A strong team environment devoid of strict hierarchies has been key to the firm’s growth, which today has 30 employees split evenly between offices in Calgary and Edmonton. About half of the business is on the insurance

side, while the other half is on employee benefits and retirement. This latter portion of the business is headed by partners Sara Haupt (group benefits) and Tim Bakker (group retirement services).

“It’s a good family environment here,” says Haupt, who has been at Vanta since inception. “The team members all want to make sure they’re contributing and feeling fulfilled. We all have similar objectives. And ultimately, our job is to listen to the objectives of our clients, the needs of their employees, and what their budgets allow to do our planning. It’s a really great dynamic in that it’s a team pulling on the same rope for the same objective. It’s really worked out well.”

Haupt started in the benefit space at age 22. She detoured into the individual life insurance business for several years, before being drawn back into benefits. “I started in this area about 15 years ago and have been working my way through and navigating the challenges of benefits,” she reflects. “It’s something that keeps you on your toes as it relates to risk management. And I like that. I like the challenge.”

The first female partner at Vanta, she leads the entire group benefits operation including hiring, mentoring, training and supervising the team. Bakker is laudatory: “We wouldn’t be anywhere close to where we are without Sara’s energy, professionalism and expertise.”

LEFT: VANTA GROUP’S SARA HAUPT AND TIM BAKKER. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

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SINCE MANY CLIENTS HAD Vanta’s group benefits clients come from a diverse industry range, including retail, construction and professional organizations. Typically headquartered in Alberta, they range from as small as five employees to as large as 8,000.

“We look at many different ways of funding programs,” Haupt explains. “From fully insured to flexible models like administrative services only or refund accounting. For program offerings we have a plan based on one class all the way to a full cafeteria-style, flexible benefit program to offer employees choice to meet their needs.”

“There’s a shift in the industry right now,” Langford adds, “from traditional plans – life insurance, disability, health and dental – to flexible accounts for spending and retirement savings. We’re seeing a significant shift in the demands of a younger, millennial workforce.”

Managing through the pandemic over the last two years has also posed significant challenges. “In March, April and May of 2020, when COVID hit and the lockdowns started to happen it was suspension of services,” Haupt recalls.

“So we saw artificial savings, a complete dip in the cost of the plan sponsor. And then we anticipated a surge of claims in the summer months but that didn’t quite happen.

Employees were still apprehensive. The surge took a bit more time to actually hit. That was more in the latter part of 2020 and then into 2021.”

For 2021, Haupt and her team had to manage client expectations to ensure an environment of stability in terms of the financial components of the benefit program. “And how do we ensure that going forward the program continues to meet the needs, not knowing where COVID was going to leave us?” she says. “Much of 2021 was understanding this new environment we’re in and pivoting and navigating to ensure the programs are sustainable going forward.”

Langford notes that in Alberta there is no integrated drug management plan, like in Ontario and B.C., which has forced Vanta’s team to be very active in how it manages high cost claims. “It’s a need in the Alberta market in particular,” he notes, “and we’ve positioned ourselves to solve that for our clients.”

“We also looked at innovative solutions to meet the new needs of employees in terms of our virtual platforms,” Haupt

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TO DOWNSIZE DURING THE PANDEMIC AND NO LONGER HAVE THE PERSONNEL TO FACILITATE BENEFITS PROGRAMS, VANTA’S PROFESSIONALS HAVE STEPPED IN TO SUPPORT HANDLING THE ADMINISTRATION TASKS. “WE’RE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE SUPPORT THAT CAPACITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S JOB AND CONTROL THE VOLUME AND ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN,” HAUPT EXPLAINS. continues. “Virtual counselling, telemedicine – knowing that our clients and plan sponsors wanted to ensure employees felt heard. That they had resources availa-ble to them. The virtual platforms are really the angle we’re looking at to support employees going forward.”

Since many clients had to downsize during the pandemic and no longer have the personnel to facilitate benefits programs, Vanta’s professionals have stepped in to support handling the administration tasks. “We’re really looking at how do we support that capacity of the individual’s job and control the volume and administrative burden,” she explains.

“There are significant changes in the benefit landscape right now,” Langford points out. “Costs are skyrocketing.

We’re seeing crazy volatility in terms of claiming patterns, expenses, and how carriers are adjusting overall rates. So we built technology to get in front of that. Essentially some Artificial Intelligence (AI) processes.”

For two-and-a-half years now, the Vanta team has used AI to run behind the scenes and obtain claim data from carriers in real time. Its technology allows it to build dashboards, rules and reporting mechanisms for the client that are actionable.

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“As a result of automating and creating efficiencies in our business, we have more time as to support our clients in their HR efforts, and to develop better plans as it relates to the member experience and the benefit program,” Haupt adds.

Vanta’s proprietary AI technology was the impetus for its involvement in Navacord, a large partnership of brokerages across Canada. “Navacord was looking for a technology tool and we happened to have one that suited their needs,” Langford explains. “The network gives us a larger data set from across the country to benchmark all our groups.

It allows our local clients to benefit from national data, something our competitors have difficulty offering.”

It’s an advantage Bakker uses in group retirement services as well.

“Group retirement really is the second child in the benefit space,” jokes Bakker, “but it is becoming a focus of plan administrators and senior leaders within organizations as another area where they can provide cost savings to their members. And the cost savings result in higher returns for members, so it’s a win-win scenario.”

Indeed while most companies do provide some type of group benefit, just 40 per cent of private businesses offer group retirement. “However one of the current trends is the desire by prospective employees for group retirement plans,” Bakker notes. “It’s a common question during job interviews now. In fact, it’s how we often get a lot of our new startup plans – employees in a company that ask for it because they had it at their previous employer.”

LEFT: ROSS LANGFORD, NOAH JONES, RICH GROOM AND JOHN HUOT. PHOTO SOURCE: EPIC PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

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MANAGING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC HASN’T BEEN WITHOUT CHALLENGE. “YOU CAN IMAGINE EMPLOYEES WERE IN SHEER PANIC WHEN THE MARKET WENT DOWN 40 PER CENT,” BAKKER SAYS. “THERE WAS A LOT OF MANAGING EMPLOYEES NOT TO MAKE RASH DECISIONS. AND BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, VIRTUALLY EVERY ONE OF OUR CLIENTS MAINTAINED THEIR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS.” Vanta offers any group retirement product available in Canada, including defined contribution, pension plans, group RRSPs, deferred profit sharing plans, group TFSAs, and even a group RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan).

“My role is to use my almost 25 years of experience in group retirement to find the product type that is most appropriate for the client,” Bakker explains. “To help them build a plan design that is not only attractive for membership to participate, but obviously sustainable from a corporate perspective, because there is a direct cost through any type of employer contribution.”

He notes that the way Vanta offers group retirement is different from the way financial institutions do. “We have access to a variety of offerings and are able to come up with more unique solutions in the marketplace. We have a bit more flexibility in terms of client solutions, pricing and service levels. We can go out and choose from any of the carriers. We’re not beholden to a proprietary solution from a bank or independent financial advisory firm.”

Bakker’s team works closely with Haupt’s team, which allows both to be at the heart of any is-sues that arise. “We’re really efficient in being able to get ahead of any potential issues,” he explains. “And then building education strategies that incorporate everything. Really at the end of the day it’s all about experience – for the sponsor company and the member employees.”

Managing through the pandemic hasn’t been without challenge. “You can imagine employees were in sheer panic when the market went down 40 per cent,” Bakker says. “There was a lot of managing employees not to make rash decisions. And because of some of the government programs, virtually every one of our clients maintained their employer contributions. 2021 was sort of a return to normalcy. Companies that prior to COVID were looking to start a plan have re-engaged in that process.”

“For existing plans the trend is education,” he continues, “not just on the group retirement plan but on financial literacy across the spectrum. Since COVID, employees are really craving more information and advice. So a lot of our strategies are member-focused.”

The ex-CFL football player (Bakker played 10 years in the CFL: seven for the Edmonton Eskimos, two for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and one for the B.C. Lions) previously spent 20 years at a major Canadian bank, most of which was in their group retirement business. He knew the Vanta partners from industry association and his child happened to be on the same soccer team as Haupt’s.

When it comes to product types, the desire is to offer products that have more parameters around how easily employees can access funds. “We sell a lot of Deferred Profit Sharing Plans (DPSPs) and hybrid plans (a DPSP with a group RRSP which vests in accordance with the DPSP). So an employee has to stay for a certain period of time with the employer before the money legally vests.”

“When Vanta approached me in 2019 to take over their group retirement business I said yes, and it’s been a fantastic decision,” he smiles. “We’re growing by leaps and bounds.

It’s been an exciting three years. And I know that the next decade-plus is going to be a lot of fun.”

With the resources of a large firm and the personal attention of a small one, Vanta’s Group Benefits and Retirement Services divisions enjoy a rarefied position in the marketplace, one that will serve many Calgary businesses very well. Together, Haupt and Bakker will ensure it is so.

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CALGARY RESALES: 2022 // REAL ESTATE

CALGARY RESALES:

BY PARKER GRANT

STILL BOOMING, BUT…

2022 D

espite a few minor, year-end glitches, Calgary’s beyond-expectations, hot market real estate good news continues, particularly for resales. But experts caution that Calgary (and Canadian) real estate may be headed for some 2022 speedbumps.

According to respected and knowledgable Corinne Lyall, broker and owner of Calgary’s Royal LePage Benchmark and past president of the Calgary Real Estate Board, Calgary’s booming resale market, which (according to CREB Q4 stats and figures from last fall) continues with strong momentum.

“The market was even more active in some cases in the last quarter of 2021, partially because buyers tried to lock in before interest rates are forecasted to rise this year.”

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CALGARY RESALES: 2022 // REAL ESTATE

“IT’S DEFINITELY FEASIBLE BASED ON THE CURRENT INFLATION RATES, ALTHOUGH THERE IS CONCERN THAT SOME OF THE INFLATION MAY BE DUE TO THE COVID SITUATION,” LYALL NOTES. “SO, IT’S DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF IT’S GOING TO BE SHORT-LIVED OR NOT.” Rumors suggest that mortgage rates may be hiked by this year’s Q2 but, Calgary-experienced professionals like Lyall admit that, so far, it spiking rates remain a rumor. “It’s definitely feasible based on the current inflation rates, although there is concern that some of the inflation may be due to the COVID situation,” she notes. “So, it’s difficult to determine if it’s going to be shortlived or not.”

Although it’s way too early for new year stats, CREB’s Q4 summary shows that Calgary’s housing market had a strong showing, with average home prices in the city reaching $491,160.

Whatever the reasons and the unexpected positives, year-over-year, the average sold price in Calgary is up 7.6 per cent compared to fall 2020.

The CREB numbers illustrate that, while average home prices are up in Calgary, it is not the only aspect moving towards a continuing hot real estate market. Total sales for the city are up 46.8 per cent from the year before, and total sales volume is up by 58 per cent.

The 2021 numbers show that all property types had double-digit growth in sales compared to the year before. The most significant growth was seen in Calgary condo apartments, with a 57 ABOVE: CORINNE LYALL, BROKER AND OWNER OF CALGARY’S ROYAL LEPAGE BENCHMARK.

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CALGARY RESALES: 2022 // REAL ESTATE

per cent increase in sales year-over-year. Total sales volume of condo apartments in Calgary nearly doubled with a 92 per cent year-over-year increase and the other good news for Calgary condo resales is that condos have gained momentum, having a 21 per cent price increase for an average sold price of $285,713.

Calgary’s detached homes had an average sold price of $585,922 and semi-detached homes averaged $499,599.

CREB also cautions that, as a trend, increasing home prices and sales have traditionally been followed up with a decrease in housing inventory. It’s a basic of the real estate market that higher home prices are driven by low inventory. “Without a significant boost in inventory, we will continue to see upward pressure on prices,” Lyall says. “The city’s various downtown revitalization and infrastructure projects, such as the Green Line LRT, are helping drive Calgary’s real estate boost.”

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CALGARY RESALES: 2022 // REAL ESTATE

UNPREDICTABLE PANDEMIC IMPACTS ASIDE, ECONOMISTS SUGGEST THAT RATES MAY GO UP BECAUSE THERE IS USUALLY A CATCH-UP AFTER A STEEP ECONOMIC DROP LIKE THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHICH HAVE TRIGGERED LOWERTHAN-NORMAL ALBERTA INVESTMENT AND JOB GROWTH. ALTHOUGH THE CALGARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS DOWN SLIGHTLY LAST FALL, UNFORTUNATELY IT CONTINUES TO BE THE HIGHEST AMONG MAJOR CANADIAN CITIES. She emphasizes another real estate factor “Calgary remains an affordable place to buy a home, compared to Canada’s other major cities.”

Despite Calgary house price spikes (and only for the sake of comparison) the median price of a single-detached home in Toronto is expected to spike by 11 per cent to $1,564,200, while the median price tag on a condominium is forecast to rise 12 per cent to $763,800. By comparison, the median cost of a condominium in Calgary is expected to increase by two per cent next year to $229,500. The priciest Canadian resale market is Vancouver, where the median cost of a single-detached home is $1,892,800.

Unpredictable pandemic impacts aside, economists suggest that rates may go up because there is usually a catch-up after a steep economic drop like the past couple of years which have triggered lower-than-normal Alberta investment and job growth. Although the Calgary unemployment rate was down slightly last fall, unfortunately it continues to be the highest among major Canadian cities.

“Historically, consumers tend to buy when rates are going up, and tend to wait when they are going down, to see how low they will go. So, if anything, this will continue to impact the increasing sales. Combined with the forecast of rising interest rates and that Alberta is positioned to be the only province to have a positive GDP growth, consumers may be purchasing property in speculation of prices increasing next year,” Lyall says.

“We are seeing more inter-provincial buyers who see Alberta as still affordable and a perfect place to raise their family. Hopefully, we will see more properties come on the market in the spring as consumers see equity increase in their current homes and want to take advantage of that. We haven’t had that type of opportunity in quite awhile.”

Experienced Calgary real estate professionals who have successfully weathered their share of cycles, trends and ups-and-downs, are consistently reluctant about dabbling in predictions and crytal ball gazing.

“I believe that buyers will continue to scramble to purchase before the anticipated price and interest rate increases. As well, there are still leftover buyers from 2021 who haven’t purchased yet,” Lyall suggests. “We will see increased upward pressure on prices if there continues to be low inventory, especially if more Canadians cross provincial borders to Alberta.”

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THE NEW COST OF CONSTRUCTION // CONSTRUCTION

THE NEW COST OF CONSTRUCTION Perfect storm of supply, labour and demand is re-levelling Calgary’s building industry

BY JAMIE ZACHARY

P

aul Heyens thought he had seen it all.

The CEO of Alberta Glass Company has had a front-row seat on the rollercoaster ride of booms and busts that our province has gone through over the past 20-plus years.

And through it, his Calgary-based commercial glazing company for new construction and retrofit projects has thrived as it has worked on some of the most impactful projects along the downtown skyline, including The Bow, Eighth Avenue Place and Jamieson Tower.

“Yet we haven’t ever seen anything quite this dramatic as far as challenges and moving targets with both supply chain costs and skilled labour,” he says.

While the challenge of finding qualified workers is not new, it’s being compounded by soaring material costs. For example, in the last year, Heyens notes glass prices have increased by more than 50 per cent. Aluminum, meanwhile, has increased by more than 30 per cent.

ABOVE: PAUL HEYENS, CEO OF ALBERTA GLASS COMPANY.

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THE NEW COST OF CONSTRUCTION // CONSTRUCTION

DURAN NOTES THE HIGHLY INTERCONNECTED GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN WAS HIGHLY EFFICIENT IN SUPPORTING A SYSTEM WHERE MATERIALS WERE ONLY ORDERED AND RECEIVED AS THEY WERE NEEDED. YET IT WAS NOT BUILT TO LAST, LET ALONE SURVIVE A TSUNAMI-LIKE EVENT LIKE THE PANDEMIC. “We need some predictability given that, typically for large commercial projects, you’re looking at a two-year time frame.

You want to have some stability in your costs,” says Heyens, noting shipping times for materials such as glass have also often doubled.

“We’ve never seen a sustained increases like this. We’ve seen spikes in the past, but it’s generally eased up after a couple months. We’re not seeing that now.”

A report released last year by the Calgary Construction Association (CCA) and Edmonton Construction Association notes some commodity prices have jumped more than 500 per cent over a 12-month time frame. And the prediction is that, by May, they will likely only drop by nine to 26 per cent from the highs.

It’s not just lumber that’s seen these spikes, either. The price of copper and aluminum have increased 173 and 211 per cent, respectively, while steel and glass have jumped anywhere from five to 60 per cent. This impacts everything from wiring and rebar to commercial glazing systems.

“Since this report was first issued, both construction materials and lead times impacted has only broadened,” says Bill Black, president of the Calgary Construction Association (CCA).

“And it’s been met by a huge increase in domestic demand as consumers undertook different home renovation projects.”

The building and construction segments have also had to compete for many materials with industries such as hygiene, medical and food, which are similarly seeing increased consumer demand due to the pandemic. This, in turn, has led to a traffic jam as it relates to supply.

For some materials, other factors have also come into play.

For example, a severe snowstorm and freezing temperatures

in Texas last February led to widespread shutdowns within the heart of the North American chemical industry. It took months for many plants to recover, leading to resin shortages and price increases upward of 60 per cent.

Resin is used in construction materials such as wiring, PVC pipes, siding, windows, insulation, roofing membranes and engineered wood products.

Meanwhile, Black points to other factors impacting the rising cost of construction, such as higher tariffs, rising fuel and shipping container costs, the fallout from the Suez Canal blockage and labour shortages due to furloughed employees and COVID-19 support programs such as the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB).

“It’s a lot like dominos. There’s not one reason behind today’s challenges,” he says. “A lot of people like to blame COVID-19, but it’s only one factor.

“One of the larger realizations out of this is the concept of ‘just in time’ got taken too far. The system had been finetuned to be ‘just in time,’ but with no buffer. And it only took one domino for everything else to fall down the line.”

Serasu Duran, who is an assistant professor of operations and supply chain management at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, agrees with Black.

She notes the highly interconnected global supply chain was highly efficient in supporting a system where materials were only ordered and received as they were needed. Yet it was not built to last, let alone survive a tsunami-like event like the pandemic.

In turn, Duran says this provides an opportunity for sectors such as construction to re-examine and potentially diversify traditional procurement, delivery and warehousing practices.

ABOVE: SERASU DURAN, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY’S HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

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THE NEW COST OF CONSTRUCTION // CONSTRUCTION

HOWEVER, CORNELIUS NOTES SALES FOR THE YEAR COULD HAVE BEEN STRONGER IF NOT FOR SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS. THE ZONDA REPORT NOTED A DECREASE IN STANDING INVENTORY LEVELS AS CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION INPUTS LIMITED DEVELOPERS’ ABILITIES TO RELEASE ADDITIONAL PHASES TO MEET THE LEVEL OF DEMAND IN THE MARKET.

“It’s going to require a shift in thinking. Instead of focusing on cheapest, it should be on resiliency,” she says. “For example, it could mean diversifying your supply chain and looking at alternative suppliers. Perhaps relying less on off-shore suppliers and looking more on-shore – or at least making better use of domestic manufacturing, even if only as a back-up.

“The point is to not put all your eggs in one basket.”

Duran notes panic buying, or stockpiling, won’t help in the long run either.

“It ends up creating price increases, which only further encourages panic buying. We saw that with toilet paper and hand sanitizer early on in the pandemic,” she says.

“But what happens once things level off? You’re stuck with all this higher-priced product. And in construction, margins are already quite tight. There’s not a lot of room to absorb those price increases.”

Yet not all areas of the market have been impacted equally over the past year. In its Q3 2021 report on Calgary’s multi-family sector, real estate analytics firm Zonda Urban reported sales of condos and townhomes were strong throughout 2021, yet prices remained relatively stable.

“Judging by how active most builders continue to be during the pandemic, it seems to have been more or less fine,” says Jackson Cornelius, director of advisory at Zonda Urban, which was formerly Urban Analytics. “A lot of these developers have fixed pricing in place and contracts with the suppliers. That’s allowed them to mitigate the volatility of the market … and contributed to why most pricing remained

flat. In fact, if anything, the changes have been more demand-side adjustments.”

However, Cornelius notes sales for the year could have been stronger if not for supply chain disruptions. The Zonda report noted a decrease in standing inventory levels as certain construction inputs limited developers’ abilities to release additional phases to meet the level of demand in the market.

“You can talk with any developer – (the supply chain) has been a hurdle that has ultimately caused delays,” says Cornelius, pointing to Cidex’s West Village Towers at the northeast corner of Ninth Avenue and 11th Street S.W., which he says was held up for six to eight months due to delays in getting interior finishing materials.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2022, BILD Calgary Region CEO Brian Hahn doesn’t expect disruptions in the global supply chain to soften the local housing market.

“Our members, at least in the first part of 2022, are anticipating continued growth,” he says. “As we continue to navigate COVID-19, there is a lot of uncertainty. However, our members continue to be industry leaders in adapting and innovating.”

Hahn also notes that despite rising construction costs, Calgary’s housing market continues to be one of the most affordable major centres in Canada.

“Two words: choice and affordability,” he says. “Calgary is one of the most affordable housing markets in Canada, and that is a testament to Calgary and region’s building and developer companies. It is a place where consumers can find choice and affordability, to buy what suits their specific wants and needs.”

ABOVE: JACKSON CORNELIUS, DIRECTOR, ADVISORY AT ZONDA URBAN.

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HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS // SENIOR LIVING

HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES TO REVISIT HEALTH AND WELLNESS STRATEGIES WITH OLDER ADULTS

BY JAMIE ZACHARY

M

any experts are calling it a great reset – an opportunity to challenge traditional thinking when it comes to preventative health care for older adults.

In many cases, this two-year-and-counting pandemic has forced senior living providers to take a hard look in the mirror, whether evaluating existing health and safety protocols or addressing mounting concerns around issues such as nutrition, exercise and mental health.

“The pandemic has put a spotlight on all the gaps – and not just services older adults can access, but how our societal systems are set up,” says Olivia Chubey, chief service and operations officer for Silvera for Seniors, which provides independent and supportive living options for more than 1,500 residents living in 27 of its communities spread through all four quadrants of Calgary.

“Over the past two years, many older adults have been cut off from traditional supports, whether that be timely access to practitioners or resources to maintain independence … and sometimes even natural supports such as family members.”

In turn, creating a healthy living environment has become a linchpin to Silvera’s evolving service strategy. It’s involved, among other initiatives, stepping beyond traditional programming methods and, instead, working with residents to co-design lifestyle programs more suited to their needs.

ABOVE: SILVERA LIVING HAS INTRODUCED A SILVERA FOR SCHOLARS PROGRAM THAT HAS RESIDENTS OF ITS COMMUNITIES CO-DESIGNING MUCH OF THE LIFESTYLE PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE AT ITS 27 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CALGARY. PHOTO SOURCE: SILVERA FOR SENIORS

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HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS // SENIOR LIVING

“The idea with the Silvera Scholar program is to harness the expertise of our residents to develop the right type of programming for them – and even have them co-lead or even host many of the activities they want to see in their communities,” says Chubey, noting a lot of this co-designing work was seeded as early as 2018-19.

“Instead of just having people come into our communities and wait for bingo to be presented, we want to get them engaged and do something meaningful that fits them.”

She notes feedback to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive so far, with six months of programming already developed through to mid-year that will include online, in-person and off-site learning and support opportunities.

Examples include an in-development art program that will connect residents with local artists, as well as partnerships with different community organizations that will open access to additional counselling services.

Silvera has also tapped into the power of pet therapy – whether through the introduction of pet-friendly tenancy to some of its buildings or, in the case of Silvera’s Valleyview community, a dedicated cat room that’s modelled around the cat café concept (yet without the coffee).

“We’ve seen tremendous results in reduced stress levels and ability to cope. It’s a model we’re looking at expanding to additional communities,” says Chubey, noting the concept was developed in partnership with the University of Calgary and is operated in partnership with the Calgary Humane Society.

“With all of this, we’ve tried to be creative while still keeping our residents as co-designers and front and centre so they maintain some autonomy, contribute in meaningful ways and continue to have a voice.”

Chubey maintains there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to promoting positive health and wellness with older adults “Diversity and inclusion are vital,” she says. “We have residents from many different cultures, which comes with considerations such as different culinary expectations. So it’s important that we recognize that and adapt – perhaps a customized dining program.”

Stella Chen, director of operations at Clover Living in Calgary’s Chinatown, says one of the single biggest challenges evolving from the pandemic has been mental well-being within the older adult population.

ABOVE: CLOVER LIVING IN CALGARY’S CHINATOWN HAS FOCUSED ON A COMBINATION OF FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT AND EXERCISE TO CREATE CONNECTIONS FOR ITS RESIDENTS. PHOTO SOURCE: CLOVER LIVING

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

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.

My Final Chapter O

ur journey is an amazing book, with every fascinating chapter of our life, culminating in the last chapter, our exclamation mark to a life well lived. We have choices on how we would love to live this chapter of our lives.

I want to remain in my home, with my family close, especially as I come to my final chapter. I want that for my family members as well.

With my team of caregivers, who quite possibly have been with me through earlier chapters, I am writing my story as only I can.

Hospice care is one path that can be written into this chapter of life. Hospice care is dedicated to comfort and safety, however, I want more than that. I want my family around, to be in the comfort and familiar surroundings of my home and for visiting hours to be unlimited. I want to know that when I am in need of care specialists, they are there to support me, even with pain management. I am comforted to know a palliative team is additional support to my care team.

Family members are also provided an amazing opportunity, to be fully present. They don’t miss the treasured moments, caught up in the details.

Focus on Caring delivers exceptional home care, serving Calgary and area for 28 years, providing care in every scenario imaginable. With our team of RNs, a dedicated home care team is selected who are the perfect match to specific health care needs and personality. We establish relationships in your home, based on care needs and individuality, that are seamless and ultimately as comforting and supportive as family. Regardless of the health challenges or circumstances, we deliver the support needed and are very dedicated to support in this final chapter. With a family having had the care support of this one team, and then at their most vulnerable, to change to a totally different team in a totally different environment is confusing to say the least.

Focus on Caring will walk the full path with you, fulfilling your entire journey in the script of your making. We are there to support you with love, care and concern. With this support, you and your family can write your final chapter as you wish.

I know, enabling my family to write their own chapter, enables me to deliver a powerful message… I Love You!

Providing Seniors with the home care they deserve

Call us at 403-264-3839 • www.FocusOnCaring.com

HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS // SENIOR LIVING

She says the community, which offers supportive and independent living options, has hired several additional staff over the past year whose primary focus is on promoting connections.

“As months have turned into years during this pandemic, many residents have deteriorated – not because they don’t have enough exercise or nutrition, but because they don’t feel connected to the outside world. They’ve lost a lot of the social interactions they had before the pandemic,” says Chen.

“So we’ve tried to create a sense of normal for them, even if that’s meant having to think outside of the box – for example, bringing Thailand and Japan to them through a combination of food, clothing and performances. It’s meant to excite them and provide them opportunities for interaction.”

Sometimes, it’s as simple as checking in on residents who don’t have family in the city, or country, and could be more susceptible to isolation and depression.

“Even if they’re in independent living, we want to make sure we touch base to ensure they’re safe, they’re eating well and they’re feeling well,” says Chen.

Healthy eating plays a similarly prominent role at Clover Living in promoting positive health and wellness. With most of its residents are from Calgary’s Asian community, traditional fare such as soup plays a feature role on most daily menus. “There’s a strong belief that a healthy life starts with a healthy broth filled with Chinese herbs,” says Chen, adding the intent with all dishes is to make them from scratch using natural ingredients.

“Eat well, age well, balance and be mindful. All of these things play an important role in good health and wellness,” adds Chen.

Neil Prashad, president of CEO of Origin Active Lifestyle Communities, believes the key to healthy residents starts with a healthy staff.

they’re preaching to older adults is also the wellness they’re practicing themselves.

The company – which offers independent and assisted living options at Swan Evergreen Village and Whitehorn Village in the city’s southwest and northeast, respectively, as well as Spring Creek in Canmore – has a strategy in place that looks beyond the paycheck to make sure the wellness

“You cannot deliver true health and wellness to your customers if you don’t have staff who are well, as well,” says Prashad. “You can talk until you’re blue in the face about wanting to deliver enlightened customer wellness and services, but you also have to equally show love and respect ABOVE: AT ORIGIN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES, PROGRAMMING HAS FOCUSED ON OPTIONS RANGING FROM MOVIES, COFFEE TALKS AND CRAFTING TO FITNESS CLASSES, BOOK CLUBS OR EVEN A GAME OF BILLIARDS. PHOTO SOURCE: ORIGIN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE COMMUNITIES

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

HEALTHY AGING IN A TIME OF CRISIS // SENIOR LIVING

to your staff. So they understand if you’re preaching balance and holistic wellness, that it isn’t a hollow promise – that we’re encouraging our people to also look after themselves.

When it comes to active living with its residents, Prashad says Origin’s philosophy is to remain open-minded about what that means, whether it’s physical, cognitive or spiritual. In fact, Origin’s “life-enrichment calendar” offers a proverbial smorgasbord of options ranging from movies, coffee talks and crafting to fitness classes, book clubs or even a game of billiards.

“We encourage our people to look at residents as whole people,” he says. “Some might not be unable to take part in a chair fitness activity, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have an active mind or be active in their own way. That could mean active companionship with their peers.”

Prashad believes that pandemic or not, senior living was always going to change with the first baby boomers turning 75 in 2021 – a “grey tsunami,” as he calls it. And it was always going to be important to not look at the future through the rearview mirror, but instead approach issues such as preventative health in a way that better aligns with the needs of this incoming generation.

“We think that new paradigm is home-based wellness.

Not home care, but care as a service that’s part of personal wellness like housekeeping, laundry, fitness and nutrition,” says Prashad, noting the program launched by Origin involves staff offering everything from one-on-one exercises to games and conversations with residents in their suites.

“It’s really started to take off. There seems to be an acceptance that the experience of wellness can be multifaceted.”

Cambridge Manor • Brand New Seniors’ Wellness Community

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Live life to the fullest with peace of mind Enjoy a rich and full life with the comfort and security of a true aging-in-place experience, from private independent and assisted living to private long term care.

“It gave me great comfort that our decision to move my mother into assisted living at Cambridge Manor was the best choice for her well-being and our peace of mind.”

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

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DIRECTORY // SENIOR LIVING

HOME CARE FOCUS ON CARING Focus on Caring specializes in Senior Home Care services for the Calgary elderly, enabling them to continue living in the comfort of their own home.

2467 23rd Street NW • 403-264-3839 www.focusoncaring.com

NORTHWEST ATRIA RETIREMENT, ARBOUR LAKE Atria Retirement Canada is committed serving seniors and their families, including those with disabilities, by striving to provide our services in a manner that is accessible to everyone.

900 Arbour Lake Rd NW • (587) 316-7637 www.atriaretirement.ca Amenities: Activity room, billiards lounge, chapel, computer room, fitness and exercise equipment and more.

BOW VIEW MANOR Bow View Manor is a long-term care facility dedicated to helping seniors live a fulfilling life. We provide a personalized care plan that, when combined with our comprehensive array of services, provides residents and families the kind of lifestyle they deserve.

4628 Montgomery Blvd NW • (403) 288-4446 www.bowviewmanor.ca Amenities: Outdoor space, entertainment, socialization and celebrations.

BOW-CREST LONG TERM CARE At Bow-Crest Long Term Care Home in Calgary, Alberta, we work around the clock to ensure our residents are happy and comfortable.

5927 Bowness Rd NW • (403) 288-2373 www.reveraliving.com Amenities: Lounge, beautiful garden sitting area, house keeping and laundry services.

CAMBRIDGE MANOR Opening fall 2020 253 Smith St NW • (403) 536-8675 www.cambridgemanor.ca

ROCKY RIDGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Holy Cross Manor meets the various and changing needs of residents and is located in the northwest community of Evanston, Calgary. The community features a home-like design and ensures a safe environment while promoting independence.

70 EvansPark Manor NW • (587) 230-7070 www.covenantcare.ca Amenities: Courtyards, garden areas, large dining rooms, multi-purpose space and more.

Signature Retirement Living is committed to protecting the health and safety of our residents and employees in our Retirement Communities, Retirement Residences, Seniors Apartments, and Support Office.

10715 Rocky Ridge Blvd NW • (403) 930-4848 www.rockyridgeretirement.com Amenities: Courtyards, lounge, card games, billiards, shuffleboard, salon and more.

EVANSTON GRAND VILLAGE

SAGE HILL RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

Evanston Grand Village is ideal for seniors who want an independent and active lifestyle without the worries of maintaining a home or depending on family for help.

40 Evanston Way NW • (403) 274-6416 www.evanstongrand.ca Amenities: Library, computer lab, on-site beauty salon/ barbershop, A relaxing and comfortable spa room and more.

EVANSTON SUMMIT Evanston Summit is a faith-based community, focused on creating an environment aligned with your values and your budget. We understand the importance of belonging, which is why we are dedicated to offering a safe and active community that nurtures relationships, active lifestyles and personal well-being.

150 EvansPark Manor NW • (587) 538-7511 www.evanstonsummit.ca Amenities: On-site hair salon/barber shop, exercise room, recreational social programs and more.

EXTENDICARE HILLCREST We create an atmosphere of community and family. Our caring and professional staff wants everyone to feel genuinely at home and in a place where they enjoy living.

1512 8 Ave NW • (403) 289-0236 www.extendicarehillcrest.com Amenities: Spiritual services, denturist, beautician, foot care, tuck shop and more.

CATHEDRAL MANOR ESTATES

REVERA SCENIC ACRES RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

Calgary Heritage Housing is focused on the seniors self-contained, independent living demographic. We aim to Enhancing our tenants’quality of life, preserve their independence, reducing unnecessary movement, building strong communities and advocating on our tenants’behalf.

11 Varsity Estates View NW • (403) 286-7402 www.calgaryheritagehousing.ca Amenities: Large social room, open courtyard, garden area, exercise class, library and more.

Revera Scenic Acres offers a wide range of services for those looking for a comfortable, safe and welcoming retirement residence. Enjoy the on-site salon, library and so much more. Plus, new amenities coming soon!

150 Scotia Landing NW • (403) 208-0338 www.reveraliving.com Amenities: Recreation programs, salon & barber, shop, fitness centre, Fireside lounge and more.

CHARTWELL COLONEL BELCHER RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

REVERA THE EDGEMONT RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

Chartwell Colonel Belcher Retirement Residence, where residents and staff alike are always there to warmly welcome guests. You’ll find a strong sense of friendship and community are woven through the fabric of daily life at our dynamic residence.

1945 Veteran’s Way NW • (587)-287-3937 www.chartwell.com Amenities: Elevator, housekeeping, laundry, mail and newspaper delivery.

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COVENANT CARE HOLY CROSS MANOR

This senior living residence offers the freedom of independent living with added care and security for those who need assistance.

80 Edenwold Dr NW • (403) 241-8990 www.reveraliving.com Amenities: Recreation programs, library, theatre, Fireside lounge and more.

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

Sage Hill Retirement Residence, is a luxurious, exclusive retirement community that has been designed with your highest expectations in mind and will continue our long-standing tradition of excellence in retirement living.

6 Sage Hill Gardens NW • (403)455-2273 www.allseniorscare.com Amenities: Pet friendly, indoor pool, live entertainment, crafts and more.

ST. MARGUERITE MANOR St. Marguerite Manor meets the various and changing needs of 102 residents.The center features a home-like design and ensures a safe environment while promoting independence.

110 EvansPark Manor NW • (587) 955-9788 www.covenantcare.ca Amenities: Court yards, garden areas, hair salon, large dining, spa rooms and more.

THE LODGE AT VALLEY RIDGE RETIREMENT RESIDENCE The Lodge at Valley Ridge is a place where you can continue to be you and continue to grow as an individual by being socially connected, and challenged in mind, body, and spirit.

11479 Valley Ridge Dr NW • (403) 286-4414 www.verveseniorliving.com Amenities: Pet Friendly, library, deck for bird watching, pub, billiards room and more.

THE MANOR VILLAGE AT HUNTINGTON HILLS Moving to a senior living community before you need assisted living, enhanced, or memory care has many advantages. This is especially true if you’re an active senior looking to continuously better yourself in mind and body.

6700 Hunterview Dr NW • (403) 275-5667 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

THE MANOR VILLAGE AT ROCKY RIDGE Moving to a senior living community before you need assisted living, enhanced, or memory care has many advantages. This is especially true if you’re an active senior looking to continuously better yourself in mind and body.

450 Rocky Vista Gardens NW • (403) 239-6400 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

DIRECTORY // SENIOR LIVING

DIRECTORY // SENIOR LIVING

THE MANOR VILLAGE AT VARSITY

GILCHRIST MANOR COMMUNITY

Moving to a senior living community before you need assisted living, enhanced, or memory care has many advantages. This is especially true if you’re an active senior looking to continuously better yourself in mind and body.

40 Varsity Estates Cir NW • (587) 393-9999 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

Silvera for Seniors is proud to offer several Independent Living with Basic Supports locations throughout Calgary. Our seniors communities are in all four quadrants of the city.

3003 56 St NE • (403) 276-5541 www.silvera.ca

NORTHEAST AGECARE SKYPOINTE AgeCare has been dedicated to creating vibrant communities that celebrate and support aging with dignity, independence and community interaction. We offer our residents a safe and secure home-like atmosphere where they and their families can be assured peace of mind.

179 Skyview Cir NE • (587) 619-1900 www.agecare.ca Amenities: Housecleaning, 24-hour on-site care staff, laundry and linen services and daily activities for the mind, body and soul.

BETHANY HARVEST HILLS Special homelike buildings with residential style living areas in the community of Harvest Hills, specialized for residents with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

19 Harvest Gold Manor NE • (403) 226-8200 www.bethanyseniors.com Amenities: Wandering gardens, common/private dining room with kitchen, sun room, wheelchair access secure areas for residents with dementia.

CAREWEST - GEORGE BOYACK Carewest George Boyack opened its doors to the Calgary community in 1969 and has since grown to offer programs and services for 221 long-term care residents.

1203 Centre Ave NE • (403) 267-2750 www.carewest.ca Amenities: Cafeteria, gift shop, hair salon, outdoor gardens and chapel.

CHARTWELL HARBOURS RETIRMENT RESIDENCE At Chartwell Harbours, we offer a lifestyle that strikes a balance between serenity and activity, and provides you with the independence, choice and freedom to spend your time exactly how you want to.

20 Country Village Cove NE • (587) 287-3941 www.chartwell.com Amenities: Barber-hairdresser, communal laundry, housekeeping, mail delivery, scooter parking and shuttle service.

GENERATIONS, MULTI GENERATIONAL HOUSING AND COMMUNITY CENTRE Our Generations campus includes supportive living and long-term care for 120 seniors, an early childhood development center and facilities for non-resident seniors to participate in day programs.

120 Skyview Ranch Dr • (403) 730-6440 www. generationscalgary.com Amenities: Exercise space, arts and crafts, movie theatre, table tennis, bingo and so much more.

AGECARE WALDEN HEIGHTS

INTERCARE BRENTWOOD CARE CENTRE Intercare is the provider of quality continuing care focused on serving people. We are committed to growth in response to the changing needs of those we serve in our Communities of Care.

2727 16 Ave NW • (403) 289-2576 www.intercarealberta.com

MONTEREY SENIORS VILLAGE Monterey Seniors Village provides Supportive Living options for seniors. Conveniently located in Northeast Calgary, Monterey Seniors Village provides a cozy and relaxed atmosphere for residents, while offering all of the amenities to truly make individuals feel at home.

4288 Catalina Blvd NE • (403) 207-2929 www.retirementconcepts.com Amenities: Activities and crafts room, aquacise, bingobrain fitness program, Bridge, Card Games and so much more.

ROSE MANOR

Rose Manor offers 30 one-bedroom units including one barrier free unit.

Rents are based on the income criteria set by the Alberta Government.

120 18 Ave NE • (403) 277-0958 www.bethanyseniors.com Amenities: Shopping nearby, surface Parking, one bedroom suites, rent geared to income and wheelchair access.

THE PRINCE OF PEACE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

AgeCare has been dedicated to creating vibrant communities that celebrate and support aging with dignity, independence and community interaction. We offer our residents a safe and secure home-like atmosphere where they and their families can be assured peace of mind.

250 Walden Dr SE • (403) 873-4700 www.agecare.ca Amenities: Housecleaning, laundry services, daily activities for the mind, body and soul.

AUBURN HEIGHTS RETIREMENT RESIDENCE Our person-centered philosophy creates unique and individualized care plans, ensuring that each resident receives the care and attention needed to promote a sense of warmth and independence.

With our unique focus and dedicated “Quality of Life Program”, Auburn Heights will meet all of your expectations.

21 Auburn Bay St SE • (403) 234-9695 www.allseniorscare.com Amenities: Pet friendly, Large Indoor pool, aquasize class and so much more.

BETHANY RIVERVIEW

Bethany Riverview is a purpose-built care centre designed for people with complex dementia. The care centre is located on a 12acre campus of care for seniors called Riverview Village in southeast Calgary. The campus is also home to about 400 seniors living in three affordable independent living rental apartments. #200, 2915 26 Ave SE • (587) 392-3999 www.bethanyseniors.com Amenities: Rotary atrium, wandering gardens and outdoor courtyards, spa and more.

MCKENZIE TOWNE LONG TERM CARE

The “person centered”, private care services offered for memory care and assisted living is what makes Prince of Peace Retirement Residence a choice Senior Living lifestyle for residents and their families.

285030 Luther Rose Blvd NE • (403) 285-5080 www.verveseniorliving.com Amenities: Tuck shop, hair salon, woodworking shop, chapel zumba class and more.

McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre is located in Calgary, Alberta. Our personalized care approach puts your needs first to help you feel right at home. Our experienced staff enhance your physical wellbeing with a personalized care approach and our engaging recreation programs foster a community environment.

80 Promenade Way SE • (403) 508-9808 www. reveraliving.com Amenities: Living room and library, fitness room/theatre, multi -purpose craft room, grand piano and more.

WHITEHORN VILLAGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

REVERA MCKENZIE TOWNE RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

No matter your level of care, we encourage our community members to do what they love. There is always something exciting and fun going on at Whitehorn Village.

5200 44 Ave NE • (403) 271-2277 www.originway.ca Amenities: Craft kitchen, fitness, games room, cuisine, bistro and library.

SOUTHEAST AGECARE SETON AgeCare has been dedicated to creating vibrant communities that celebrate and support aging with dignity, independence and community interaction. We offer our residents a safe and secure home-like atmosphere where they and their families can be assured peace of mind.

4963 Front St SE • (587) 349-8444 www.agecare.ca Amenities: Housecleaning, laundry services, daily activities for the mind, body and soul.

McKenzie Towne retirement community is tucked into a mature residential neighbourhood offering a full range of retirement living options. Whether you want to lead an active, independent life, or need a little assistance, the friendly community at our retirement home will support you every step of the way.

20 Promenade Park SE • (403) 257-9331 www. reveraliving.com Amenities: Living room and library, fitness room/theatre, multi -purpose craft room, grand piano and more.

UNITED ACTIVE LIVING

The two buildings at Fish Creek are masterfully designed as an integrative community to promote independence and well-being. Our United Cares program and team of professionals provide holistic, personalized care designed so you can continue your independent lifestyle.

51 Providence Boulevard SE • (403) 873-3953 www.unitedactiveliving.com Amenities: Hair and beauty salon, foot care, massage therapy, physiotherapy and so much more.

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

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DIRECTORY // SENIOR LIVING

THE JOURNEY CLUB

Freedom, security and peace of mind. Our number one priority is to help you live the highest quality of life in retirement. That means you don’t have to worry as your needs change with age, with our Age in Place program, we’re with you every step of the way.

176 Mahogany Centre SE • (403) 313-5382 www.westmanvillage.com Amenities: Dry cleaning, pet care, special events, tuck shop and more.

CLIFTON MANOR

Clifton Manor, formerly known as the Forest Grove Care Centre, is located in SE Calgary and is home to up to 250 senior and aging adult residents.

Acquired by The Foundation in 2010, in recent years Clifton Manor has undergone significant quality improvements and upgrades to site infrastructure in support of enhanced resident care and safety.

4726 8th Ave SE • (403) 272-9831 www.thebsf.ca Amenities: Activity room, billiards lounge, chapel, computer room, fitness and exercise equipment and more.

SOUTHWEST AGECARE GLENMORE

AgeCare has been dedicated to creating vibrant communities that celebrate and support aging with dignity, independence and community interaction. We offer our residents a safe and secure home-like atmosphere where they and their families can be assured peace of mind.

1729 90 Ave SW • (403) 253-8806 www.agecare.ca Amenities: Housecleaning, laundry services, daily activities for the mind, body and soul.

AMICA ASPEN WOODS

The Manor Village Life Centers is an organization of skilled people who serve the mature resident by providing opportunities to live with meaning and purpose. We care about our residents and their family members. In many cases, our staff-associates feel like part of a resident’s extended family.

2400 Sorrel Mews SW • (403) 240-3636 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

MILLRISE SENIORS VILLAGE

THE MANOR VILLAGE AT SIGNATURE PARK

Millrise Place, a Campus of Care with three levels near Fish Creek Provincial Park in Southwest Calgary. Independent living, assisted living and residential care. Millrise has the home-like atmosphere you are looking for with newly renovated common areas. You will want to call Millrise your home.

14911 5 St SW • (403) 410-9155 www.retirementconcepts.com Amenities: Gardens, courtyards, hair salon, laundry service, occupational therapy, pets welcome and more.

PROMINENCE WAY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

To establish Signature Retirement Living as Canada’s leading purveyor of retirement lifestyles where our residents receive unmatched choice and an enviable level of service in a positive, vibrant and caring environment.

905 Prominence Way SW • (403) 727-9400 www.prominencewayretirement.com Amenities: Heated salt water pool, movie theatre/chapel, fitness centre, yoga, and so much more.

REVERA CHATEAU RENOIR RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

Luxury retirement living at its finest, the Revera Chateau Renoir in Calgary has everything you could imagine. This five-star retirement home features luxury accommodations and services including pool, hot tub and elegant suites.

9229 16 St SW • (403) 255-2105 www.reveraliving.com Amenities: Pool table and shuffleboard, card room, library, theatre, fitness room, pool and hot tub.

AMICA BRITANNIA

THE MANOR VILLAGE STAYWELL

CEDARS VILLA EXTENDICARE

Cedars Villa Extendicare, has an atmosphere of community and family. Our core values courtesy, attitude, responsibility and excellence shape how we care. Providing each resident with quality care, our professional staff makes everyone to feel at home and in a place where they enjoy living.

3330 8 Ave SW • (403) 249-8915 www.extendicarecedarsvilla.com Amenities: Scenic environment, pet therapy, music and memory, Intergenerational Program, art classes and so much more.

THE MANOR VILLAGE AT GARRISON WOODS

Chartwell Eau Claire, offers independent supportive living, enhanced assisted living and memory care. Recently we underwent some beautiful renovations that further added to our comfortable, family home feel, and we still retain the hustle and bustle of an engaging community that our residents so enjoy.

301 7th St SW • (587) 287-3943 www. chartwell.com Amenities: Barber-hairdresser, communal laundry, pet friendly, secured unit, security system, towel service.

Amica Aspen Woods has a dedicated team ready to support every resident’s unique needs. Amica offers peace of mind: you’re always free to decide how to spend your day, yet you’ll have assistance and support when you need it.

10 Aspenshire Dr SW • (403) 240-4404 www.amica.ca Amenities: Exercise classes, knitting club, hair salon, brain fitness and more.

Amica Britannia is a boutique residence for seniors in Calgary. Steps from scenic parks, walking paths and exclusive shops at Britannia Plaza, here you really are close to everything. Amica Britannia offers personalized support for seniors who need assistance with daily living activities or dementia care.

750 49 Ave SW • (403) 476-8992 www.amica.ca Amenities: Exercise classes, knitting club, hair salon, brain fitness and more.

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CHARTWELL EAU CLAIRE RESIDENCE

The Manor Village Life Centers is an organization of skilled people who serve the mature resident by providing opportunities to live with meaning and purpose. We care about our residents and their family members. In many cases, our staff-associates feel like part of a resident’s extended family.

174 Ypres Green SW • (403) 242-4688 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

THE MANOR VILLAGE AT FISH CREEK PARK

The Manor Village Life Centers is an organization of skilled people who serve the mature resident by providing opportunities to live with meaning and purpose. We care about our residents and their family members. In many cases, our staff-associates feel like part of a resident’s extended family.

22 Shawnee Hill SW • (587) 392-2400 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

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

The Manor Village Life Centers is an organization of skilled people who serve the mature resident by providing opportunities to live with meaning and purpose. We care about our residents and their family members. In many cases, our staff-associates feel like part of a resident’s extended family.

1858 Sirocco Dr SW • (403) 249-7113 www.themanorvillage.com Amenities: Pet friendly, exercise classes, socialization, beauty salon, games room and more.

TRINITY LODGE RETIREMENT RESIDENCE

At Trinity Lodge Retirement Residence, be prepared to enjoy a quality of life you’ve never dreamed of with service staff on hand, elegant surroundings, including beautifully landscaped gardens and serene fountain areas.

1111 Glenmore Trail SW • (403) 253-7576 www.verveseniorliving.com Amenities: Inviting lounges, wellness centre, 24-hour bistro, cozy library, computer access and more.

UNITED ACTIVE LIVING

Living at Garrison Green, you have the choice of beautifully designed suites with floor plans of all shapes and sizes to support your lifestyle. Our buildings are designed to focus on independence and lifelong learning, encouraging good nutrition, physical activity and building strong social connections.

3028 Don Ethell Blvd SW • (403) 629-0261 www.unitedactiveliving.com Amenities: Bistro lounge, library with computer, fitness and activities room (includes spa with therapeutic tub) and more.

WENTWORTH MANOR

Wentworth Manor is a long-term care facility dedicated to helping seniors live a fulfilling life. We provide a personalized care plan that, when combined with our comprehensive array of services, provides residents and families the kind of lifestyle they deserve.

5717 14 Ave SW • (403) 242-5005 www.wentworthmanor.ca

THE EDWARD

At The Edward, you’ll savour an expertly curated collection of amenities and services customized to your preferences with the help of our dedicated team, including our Concierge, Wellness Navigator, Program Curator and Executive Chef. #375 1721 29 Ave SW • (403)265-3023 www.edwardliving.com Amenities: Fitness programs, social gatherings art or enrichment programs and more.

THE CONTEMPORARY MBA // EDUCATION MBA

THE CONTEMPORARY MBA

BY JOHN HARDY

STILL CLOUT?

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o MBA or not to MBA, that is the question being asked by students, résumés, employers, executive recruiters and HR professionals.

Traditionally, MBAs were the preferred choice for those who aimed for leadership positions and reached for the top rungs of finance or management consulting or the C-suite of large companies. An MBA was also a bit cliched as a “golden ticket” to fast-tracked, corporate success, executive salaries and vague, ladder-climbing prestige.

For various reasons, during the past decade or so, MBAs have undergone a dramatic evolution. They have been transformed from a sacred must-haves for senior management positions into contemporary nice-to-haves in corporate careers, entrepreneurship and the business galaxy of high-techs and start-ups.

“The business landscape is constantly changing,” notes the upbeat Oleksiy (“Oleks”) Osiyevskyy, MBA program

director and associate professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Haskayne School of Business. “Leading companies of today are facing accelerating environmental turbulence in the global marketplace. There are emerging disruptive technologies and business models, evolving societal perceptions of business, raising expectations about the role of business in solving global problems, digital transformations of industry value chains, challenges to international trade and misbalances in global capital markets. Not surprisingly, to remain relevant, the MBA programs need to constantly reinvent themselves.”

According to a recent benchmarking study of the MBA Roundtable Report on The Graduate Business School Curriculum, half of the surveyed business schools underwent a major curriculum revision in the last five years, and a majority expect significant further changes in the next five years. There’s consensus, in business and in academia, that MBA programs must keep evolving to address the warp-

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THE CONTEMPORARY MBA // EDUCATION MBA

“IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, HASKAYNE HAS INTRODUCED NEW MBA SPECIALIZATIONS, SUCH AS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE, DATA ANALYTICS AND MANAGEMENT ANALYTICS. DATA IS BECOMING THE NEW OIL AND OUR GRADUATES COME WELL PREPARED FOR THIS NEW REALITY,” OSIYEVSKYY ADDS.

in the marketplace. “We make sure that our MBAs graduate equipped with in-depth entrepreneurial thinking concepts, including innovation, design thinking and business modelling,” Osiyevskyy explains with enthusiasm. “It can help MBA students acquire the management competencies in creativity and innovation development to transform the toughest business challenges into opportunities.” speed changing needs of business. According to the Report, the top 10 areas of instruction in core courses are: finance, accounting/financial, marketing, strategy, accounting (management), statistics, operations management, economics (micro), organizational behavior and leadership.

“The Haskayne MBA co-evolves with the Calgary business environment,” Osiyevskyy says with enthusiasm. “In the past our MBAs would find abundant opportunities in the oil and gas industry, today we must make sure that our graduates are well prepared for the positions in the new economy, helping to reinvent, diversify and grow the Alberta’s and Canada’s economic landscape.

“In the past five years, Haskayne has introduced new MBA specializations, such as Business Intelligence, Data Analytics and Management Analytics. Data is becoming the new oil and our graduates come well prepared for this new reality,” he adds.

“We provide our MBAs with the functional tools and knowledge they need to confidently step into a leadership role. In particular, we concentrate on Leadership Development, Strategic Thinking, Entrepreneurial Thinking, Supply Chain and Business Analysis, People and Organizations and Finance and Accounting.”

Haskayne’s MBA program also added integrated entrepreneurial thinking to the core MBA curriculum, identifying and successfully exploiting novel opportunities

Despite the tremendous business focus of Haskayne MBA programs, there are differences of opinion about the value and relevance of MBAs in the real-world of contemporary (and future) business.

“The unfortunate reality is that one of the few objective measures in assessing a large pool of applicants is grades,” explains the plugged-in and experienced Adam Pekarsky, founding partner of Pekarsky & Co., a leader in recruiting executives, advising boards and offering thought leadership in Western Canada for over 20 years. “So academic achievement is still relevant but should be thought of as table stakes. Because other qualities, like emotional intelligence, network, relatability, work ethic, empathy, hustle, tech savviness, are harder to assess than academic achievement, when considering to hire someone.

“The irony, of course, is that those other skills are actually considerably more important and valuable to employers.

Employers want to know that anyone they hire, possesses the requisite grey matter and the preferred way to do that is by assessing academic achievement.”

After years of dealing with workplace employers and candidates, Pekarsky gently bursts the cliché of MBA as a golden ticket. “I wouldn’t say employers are asking for or expecting MBAs, but there’s no doubt they still have value.

If it’s a competitive situation where employers have choice, preference is going to be given to the candidate with the MBA over the candidate with, a straight B.Comm.”

ABOVE: OLEKS OSIYEVSKYY, MBA PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION AT THE HASKAYNE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

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THE CONTEMPORARY MBA // EDUCATION MBA

GAVIN POINTS OUT, “EMPLOYERS ARE EXPECTING THE REQUISITE BASELINE CREDENTIALS FOR EXECUTIVE AND FUTURE LEADERS POSITIONS. THE PRESSURES ARE HIGH IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC, COMPETITIVE, SOCIETAL, POLITICAL, ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND SHIFTS IN GLOBALIZATION.”

According to Michelle Partipilo, principal, executive search with the Calgary office of LHH, the global career solutions and talent development company: “An MBA is a good indication that the individual cares about investing in their education and is dedicated to personal and professional growth. It also provides the candidate with an additional differentiator and enhanced marketability, which could lead to better quality and quantity of jobs.

“But other qualities quickly supercede an MBA. For example, if a candidate stays with an employer long enough to have achieved corporate goals, fosters healthy working relationships, and leads with a client-first mindset.” From experience, she notes that: “The first round of a hiring process includes the identification of the relevant skills and experience in a candidate’s résumé necessary to excel in the job. These relevant skills are important to the employer to move the candidate into the next round of the evaluation process, compared to their level of education.

“Key accomplishments are more relevant than simply listing skills. Candidates can leverage their accomplishments to help demonstrate skills, such as through the completion of a challenging mandate or a project that led through to a successful conclusion.”

Ward Garven, managing director of Stanton Chase in Calgary has much experience recruiting high calibre candidates for Calgary businesses. He points out that, when

it comes to résumé protocols and contemporary recruitment, academic achievement is as relevant and important as ever.

“Employers are expecting the requisite baseline credentials for executive and future leaders positions. The pressures are high in terms of economic, competitive, societal, political, advancements in technology and shifts in globalization.

“Since the 2009 global financial crisis, employers have been checking the boxes of skills more so than experience. While this has continued, more important is the ability to identify and evaluate to experiences that can be validated in the public domain. Relying on skills listings does very little to determine what a person can actually do that contributes to realize benefits for the organization.”

Garven disputes the dated MBA-as-golden-ticket in business and adds that employers rarely, if ever, specify an MBA as requirement. “They are nice to have at the executive level but I have never seen a situation where an MBA is a mandatory minimum. In a competition, an individual with an MBA might have gained some prior special or distinct experiences and these might advantage that person to a specific need of the organization.”

With admitted and wonderful bias, Haskayne’s personable Oleks Osiyevskyy is realistic about the relevance and value of MBAs. “The three letters, MBA, next to a person’s name in themselves are rarely the main factor that determines recruitment or hiring decisions. Much more important are the opportunities for professional development and growth that an MBA program in a top university opens to a candidate. Successful MBAs take advantage of these opportunities and demonstrate this on their CVs and during the job interviews.”

ABOVE: WARD GARVEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STANTON CHASE, CALGARY.

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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.

INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE:

Attracting opportunity and capital to Alberta

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lberta’s investment climate has been very challenging in recent years. At times, it has been hard to see opportunities – particularly in Calgary, where the business environment has been negatively affected by the downturn in the energy sector, followed by the impact of COVID-19.

But now, there is reason for renewed optimism. Alberta is increasingly being seen as a leading innovator in developing clean energy solutions and is poised to benefit from a growing interest by investors increasingly focused on solving the climate crisis. Through the Pathways to Net Zero initiative, major energy companies representing 95 per cent of oil sands production have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 in alignment with Canada’s climate targets. The solutions developed through this initiative have the potential

to decarbonize the global industrial complex, which is also faced with the need to decrease emissions. In addition, investments announced by Amazon Web Services and accelerators like Plug and Play; ag tech accelerator, Thrive; and fintech startup, Neo Financial, demonstrate the growing diversity of business in Calgary.

What do global changes mean for investment in Alberta moving forward? How can we become a destination for investment that fuels strong economic recovery and growth and vibrant communities?

To realize these opportunities and understand what they represent, let’s dive deeper with investors to explore what we must do to position Alberta as a beacon for new investment to further diversify our economy and ensure long-term growth.

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OPPORTUNITY #1: PROVIDE GREATER REGULATORY CERTAINTY

in the community and governments. Fostering those relationships and a culture of collaboration often starts at the local level.

Investors need to know the rules of the game so they can make long-term decisions and justify taking risks. And they need to know the rules aren’t going to suddenly change. For investors, those rules are government regulations. Studies show regulation must be predictable, transparent and be in place beyond the election cycle to attract and encourage investment.

“The Mayor and City Council specifically play a really important role in supporting the investment ecosystem in Calgary,” says Chris McCleave, venture partner at Raiven Capital.

The importance of predictability and transparency is clear for emerging opportunities like the energy transformation in Alberta.

Richard Manley, head of Sustainable Investing at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, says regulatory certainty allows Alberta to attract investment to support the next phase of the transformation to a lower carbon future.

“When you have clarity on the rules of the road, you reduce the uncertainty of the business decision you’re about to make,” says Manley. “And among the different economies of the world, Canada has a pretty good understanding of the regulatory aspects of this transition and carbon pricing. Now, the opportunity is to focus on learning more about technologies for this transition and blending public and private finance, both of which will continue to increase certainty for investors.”

From this perspective, Canada and Alberta need to collaborate and continue to commit to fostering a predictable and transparent regulatory environment. It’s important to balance the need for regulations to keep markets fair and ensure quality goods and services are provided, against the need to enable businesses to thrive in a competitive environment.

Achieving this balance through smart regulation Policy overlaps, inconsistencies and gaps must be identified and removed. Regulation and policy should be communicated in simple language where possible.

Regulations must be responsive to technological developments, emerging research and impact analyses, while providing businesses with certainty so they can move forward and adopt new technology.

Consistent engagement with business owners detailing the challenges and opportunities faced during the pandemic has resulted in quick thinking, rapid action and successful initiatives led by government. Continuing this agile approach post-pandemic will allow investors to make deals and seed capital in Alberta.

OPPORTUNITY #2: INCREASE COLLABORATION BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND GOVERNMENTS Beyond regulatory certainty, Alberta’s investment climate can be improved through greater collaboration between organizations

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“Early on in the development and attraction of investment, it is a mayor that often gets the ball rolling, but true collaboration occurs equally between various levels of government. When you take interest in a jurisdiction elsewhere, often you immediately get a meeting with government officials at all levels and community partners like the Chamber, and they are all selling the same merits on why to invest.”

Municipal governments have a critical responsibility to advance their city, including by attracting investment, but are often constrained by their fiscal situations. It is also clear that investors are looking for alignment between municipal, provincial and national governments. Based on these realities, legislative and regulatory changes are needed to allow cities to pursue local innovation, enhance the necessary collaboration that attracts investment and improve their overall well-being and vibrancy.

OPPORTUNITY #3: FIND AND FOCUS ON WHAT TRULY BRINGS PEOPLE TO ALBERTA We can improve our investment climate by focusing on the positive stories that highlight what makes businesses, and the people they employ, choose Calgary as the place to call home.

“It’s two things – how do we tell our story, and at the of the end day, what is preventing companies from coming here?” says McCleave. “It’s not clear that we always understand the right mix of what drives these decisions. In part, it’s about livability, social programs and community, but it’s also about dollars and cents.”

Jon Horsman, senior executive vice president of ATB Financial and CEO of ATB Capital Markets, agrees. “Quality of life is a huge factor in attracting the talent that contributes to investment, and so, the question becomes: what are you competing on?” says Horsman. “Calgary and Alberta are a young and diverse place, minutes from the mountains and where you can raise a family.”

Finding the winning mix will involve collaboration between the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and will be about valuing both community vibrancy and inclusion as economic outcomes. It will also be important to reimagine Calgary’s downtown and rebalance and stabilizing property taxes. For Calgary, this is all possible and within reach. Calgary is an active city, with a young, diverse and educated population.

OPPORTUNITY #4: ENSURE POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS CAN MEET THE TALENT NEEDS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY It will be increasingly important to work with post-secondary institutions and governments at all levels to ensure there is adequate funding to equip students with the skills needed to be part of the evolution of the local economy. Whether it’s software development, machine learning or understanding how technology supports all industries to become more competitive – post-secondary education is critical to Alberta’s future economic success.

Together, let’s plant seeds of opportunity We have a chance to plant the seeds that will attract opportunity and capital to Alberta. A chance to secure a leading position in the economy of the future. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce is at the table with all levels of government, and we are interested in hearing how you believe we can attract new investment and ensure economic growth for all of us.

If you’re interested in joining the conversation and being part of the solutions, get in touch with the Calgary Chamber.

AN ECONOMIC GAME CHANGER:

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Alberta’s childcare deal

he COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lives in countless ways – physical distancing, financial stress, and job losses.

Evidence shows economic hardship is felt more acutely by certain segments of the population, particularly based on gender.

During March 2020, women were more likely to have seen a reduction in hours or to have lost their job, compared to men of the same age. Similarly, early days of the pandemic revealed the unemployment rate for women aged 25 to 54 increased 2.8 per cent compared to a 1.1 per cent increase for men.

In November 2021, Canada and Alberta governments announced a $290 million investment over four years to support the expansion of accessible, affordable and high-quality early learning and childcare. With female labour-force participation at its lowest in 30 years and nearly half a million Canadian women who left the workforce through the pandemic still not back to work, affordable childcare will be critical to our economic recovery.

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UNABLE TO STAY HOME Analysis by the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF) indicates the “vast majority” of nurses, medical lab technicians, respiratory therapists and personal support workers are women. The disproportionate number of women involved in these care positions means women often don’t have the privilege to stay or work from home; we depend on them to deliver the care needed to combat COVID-19, and so they simply cannot stay at home.

LOWER INCOME AND LESS SUPPORT With fewer jobs that are more often on the frontlines and a greater share of unpaid work, the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbates the gender wage gap. The wage gap in Canada has been longstanding and according to Statistics Canada, as of 2018, women aged 25 to 54 earn $0.87 for every $1.00 that men aged 25 to 54 earn. Furthermore, the earning gap is wider and lasts longer for women in the 25 to 29 age range than for those who have children later. The same is not true for men with children.

Predictably, with less income on average, women more often find themselves in economically challenging circumstances compared to men. Angus Reid polling shows that as of 2018, women accounted for 60 per cent of those who are “struggling” economically – Canadians who routinely cannot pay a utility bill, need to borrow money for the essentials or cannot buy new clothes when needed.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO CHILDCARE Reforms and expansion to the childcare system can reduce the amount of unpaid work women perform, and therefore allow for more paid economic opportunities. The primary reforms required to open more doors for women with children include: 1. Easy, flexible and universal access to a 24-hour system of care.

2. Income-dependent payment schemes.

3. Full subsidization for low-income parents.

Research shows from 1997 to 2016, the participation rate for Quebec women increased seven per cent, exceeding the national average, which has resulted in increased economic activity and GDP in that province.

ALBERTA’S CHILDCARE DEAL Alberta remains the youngest province in Canada and with many young children and families, the lack of quality, affordable childcare options inhibit full participation of many Albertans, particularly women, in the workforce.

A new childcare agreement between the Government of Canada and government of Alberta targets a 50 per cent

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reduction in average parent fees for children under the age of six in regulated childcare by the end of 2022 and an average of $10-a-day childcare by 2026. The investment also comes with several objectives: •Increasing access to affordable, high-quality childcare to help more parents return to work and support their families and our economy.

•Extending out-of-school care subsidies and expanding parent choice.

•Enabling parents with the greatest financial needs to be able to work to provide for their families.

•Helping employers to recruit, train and develop qualified staff.

Studies show comprehensive and affordable childcare programs offer a significant return on investment through increasing GDP and broadening the tax base. In fact, economists estimate every dollar of initial investment in early childhood education results in an additional $0.07 to $0.10 every single year – a considerable return over time. According to one estimate of Quebec’s program in 2008, $100 in childcare subsidy from the Quebec government generated a return of $104 for the provincial government and an additional $43 for the federal government.

A childcare agreement also puts Alberta on a more level playing field with other provinces. In the current context of the global competition for talent, the agreement can position Alberta as a more attractive place to build a career and have a family.

According to Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber, affordable quality childcare is also good for our national economic position: “A prosperous economy is predicated on increasing the labour force participation rate of Canadian women – which has recently seen some of the lowest levels in 30 years. An affordable childcare system from coastto-coast eliminates a significant barrier for women being part of the workforce and is an important investment in our collective economic future.”

Broad issues like childcare require governments working together toward a common goal. With the wheels in motion on more affordable, quality early learning and childcare for Canadians, we are on the precipice of introducing enduring changes that transform opportunities for women, deliver a world-class childcare system and foster a more inclusive economic recovery for all.

Stan Colville, CEO and Bruce Foster, President.

Photo by Rebecca Lippiatt.

A LEGACY LED BY

INTEGRITY AND QUALITY Carlson Construction Celebrates 95 Years

By Nerissa McNaughton

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arlson Construction has an incredible 95-year legacy in achieving exceptional results through remarkable construction experiences. The company was founded in 1927 by father and son, Arthur and Victor Carlson, shortly after their arrival in Canada. They each had experience in construction, architecture, and engineering, and they decided to combine their

skills to form one company that could offer more to its clients than what was commonplace in the Edmonton construction industry at that time. Both had experience they used to launch a company that still thrives today offering construction management, pre-construction services, general contracting and design-build across a variety of industry sectors.

Carlson Construction || Celebrating 95 years 55

Victor’s son, Donald (Don) Carlson assumed the company lead after his father passed in 1964. Don still stops in to visit and is proud to see the legacy continue with current owners Stan Colville, CEO; and Bruce Foster, President.

Together, Colville and Foster bring over 55 years of Carlson experience. Both are happy to describe why every experience with Carlson continues to be a truly memorable one.

“Carlson is headquartered in Edmonton with a branch office in Calgary. This allows us to readily serve all of Alberta. Despite being located in Alberta, Carlson has also completed projects throughout other areas across Canada to satisfy repeat client’s construction requirements,” says Foster.

Royal Vista

Paragon Building

“We provide an exceptional service,” says Colville with conviction, “and we provide that service while being very transparent and professional at all times.”

Foster agrees, adding, “We consider ourselves a boutique construction company that provides a concierge service. We provide personal value added services in the way we think, operate, and build relationships.”

Both the President and the CEO also focus on being involved in the day-to-day operations with the team and the clients, choosing a collaborative approach that empowers clear communication and increased efficiencies.

Colville notes, “The relationships that we have with our clients, consultants and subtrades are very important to us. We are only successful if our clients are happy, so we make it our goal to exceed expectations.

We are able to do so thanks to an incredible team who support each other and place just as much importance on client satisfaction as we do.”

Carlson Construction’s projects include work in the commercial, light industrial, heavy industrial, institutional, tenant improvement and multifamily sectors.

The construction industry has experienced challenges due to the recent recession and the COVID pandemic. However, Carlson is proactive about adjusting to the changing market conditions, and as the company continues to grow, it faces each challenge head on.

Colville admits, “Manpower, labour, supply chain issues … COVID has thrown a wrench into everything, including worsening the ever present shortage of trades and workers.”

However, the partners remain optimistic and focus on the aspects of the business that they appreciate and value.

Leduc Golf Clubhouse

“Every day is a new day. It is very rewarding. We feel a sense of accomplishment and are proud to see even the most complicated projects through.

We provide fantastic service for the communities in which we operate and with 95 years of service in the business, we are proud to play a role in building up the Western Canadian landscape.

People are always surprised to learn the company is 95 years old. We also find people are surprised to learn how many significant projects we have delivered around the province,” says Colville.

Some of Carlson’s impressive projects include the Citadel Theatre, AMA Kingsway Office Building, Leduc Golf Clubhouse, the majority of the retail buildings in South Edmonton Common, and the 50th Street Business Park Warehouse/ Office Buildings.

“We are excited about our current project, the $40M redevelopment of the Royal Glenora Club,” says Foster. This interesting and challenging project allows us to showcase the full range of our skills as we open, retrofit and reimagine the full potential of this facility.”

Another exciting project currently underway is the addition of the indoor tennis facility at the Derrick Golf and Winter Club. Carlson is proud to have been selected, through a competitive process, to be part of this phase of the Derrick Club’s redevelopment.

Carlson Construction || Celebrating 95 years || 2

Donald and Betty Carlson’s influence and leadership in the company reflect its current status as the contractor of choice in Alberta.

Donald, the son of one of the original founders, says, “I am very proud that Carlson Construction has reached a milestone of 95 years of business in Alberta. I know that the company continues to hold true to the same values as it did when my family founded the company in 1927: quality, honest work and a dedication to service. I trust that the legacy of Carlson Construction will continue long into the future.”

Part of thriving, for Carlson Construction, is giving back to the community. “We listen to our employees and learn about what they would like to support,” says Colville. With this in mind the company has recently raised significant funds for the Edmonton Food Bank and Santas Anonymous.

Foster concludes, “What will never change is our uncompromised quality of construction, service, and excellence. Anytime there is a building or renovation by Carlson Construction, the quality is always unsurpassed. We are committed to providing our clients with ‘A Remarkable Construction Experience.’”

Both agree, “We are looking towards 100 years. We continue to do things the ‘Carlson Way’ and don’t plan on slowing down! Our longevity speaks to who we are.”

Congratulations

Carlson Construction on 95 years!

With a 95 year history, the list of people, partners and clients Colville and Foster wish to thank is a very extensive one. “We thank them all!” they say.

“The staff, trades, consultants, clients, industry partners – we wouldn’t be here today without them. We are only as good as the people we hire that work for us.”

With nearly a century of helping to build Alberta, what comes next for Carlson Construction?

The culture at Carlson is one of entrepreneurship and accountability. As always, the team will be encouraged and supported to work with independence and to contribute to key decision making. The team is always empowered to make decisions that are essential to growth while maintaining a healthy lifestyle outside of work.

Communication and engagement amongst the team is key as management feels it needs to be confident enough to provide constructive feedback, just as the team needs to be open to receiving it and utilizing it in effective ways.

Congratulations on 95 years of excellence, Petrin Mechanical is proud to have been a partner in many of your projects!

Commercial Mechanical Contractor Serving Western Canada since 1960

Specializing in Design Build, Commercial, Industrial, Multi-Family and Construction Management

12143 40 St SE Suite 106, Calgary, AB T2Z 4E6 (403) 460-6524 • www.avcarlson.ca Follow Carlson on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Plumbing and Gas Fitting • HVAC • Controls Sprinkler • Insulation • Refrigeration Site Services 6445 10 Street SE Calgary, Alberta T2H 2Z9 Ph: (403) 279-6881 Fx: (403) 279-6898 Email: reception@pmlcalgary.com

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LONG HAULER PIPELINERS MAKE 65 YEARS IN A DYNAMIC SECTOR

by Rennay Craats

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or many people, 65 is the target age of retirement. But Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners celebrated its 65th year in business and has no thoughts of slowing down. Since it was established in 1957, A&B has been evolving along with the ever-changing industry while it helped shape the sector in Western Canada. The founders set out to do things differently and those values remain strong at all levels of the company.

“The oil fields were booming in 1957 and my grandfather (Les) and Ray Burgess, his partner in the beginning, had a vision to add a more human element, a more customer service- and people-first focus,” says Carey Arnett, president of Arnett & Burgess.

After 10 years in business, the two men had built a strong pipeline company, and Burgess decided to apply what he had learned to become a pioneer in the growing industry in Australia and New Zealand. Les Arnett scraped together enough money to buy Burgess’ shares and, along with key management, wished his ex-partner well Down Under.

Les Arnett, followed by his now semi-retired son, Tom, and then his granddaughter, Carey, focused on people and professionalism in order to create a company that would help its diverse clientele build the energy highway in Canada.

“We’ve grown from a mom-and-pop shop, a one-office homestead, while building some of the first infrastructure in Alberta and continue to make connections underground so that our energy intensity is minimized and delivered safely to society,” says Arnett.

Through its head office in Calgary and operations in Regina, Athabasca, Sedgewick, Blackfalds and Grande Prairie, A&B has become a go-to pipeline contractor specializing in construction and installation of smalland medium-diameter pipelines for upstream and midstream clients. Over the decades, A&B has forged strong relationships with Canada’s most established energy companies operating from southern Manitoba to 58

Northern British Columbia, completing everything from high-pressure natural gas lines to slurry lines in potash to gasifying coal plants to multi-line gathering systems and supporting liquids pipeline projects.

“We serve a diverse array of clients transporting various commodities in multiple sectors. We aim to work for owners with the most stringent expectations and then we can work for everyone.” Arnett says.

A&B specializes in pipeline construction and related services including facility construction, integrated fabrication-tofield module solutions, and the support systems that allow control of output. It is also a leader in pipeline integrity solutions, ensuring all components are working efficiently and safely to prevent loss of containment.

“We’re one of the largest pipeline integrity contractors in our sector,” Carey says. “We do a lot of integrity maintenance work on the asset system, so that’s a key component of our business.”

Les Arnett had a vision of greening the industry, employing an integrity engineering subsidiary back when that wasn’t the norm. The Arnetts insist that when A&B is finished a project, there should be no signs of them having been there to allow for regeneration, and they pride themselves on their history of maintaining pipelines.

The core values at Arnett & Burgess are Safety, Quality, Integrity and Community. Safety is an important part of the company’s culture, and A&B was recently awarded CEPA Foundation’s Safety Award for its F.A.M.I.L.Y. initiative. This acronym demonstrates the company’s dedication to staff, public and environmental safety: Focus, Assessment, Mentorship, Involvement, Leadership and You. This initiative ensures safety is a priority with A&B’s field family and A&B is continuously improving its practices to do better.

A&B also won CEPA Foundation’s Innovation Award a few years ago for its water recycling facility to clean heavy equipment to battle the spread of club root.

The company invests in capacity development within the communities that it operates. Its Featherstone Mentorship Program offers hands-on experience for young Indigenous people in the field, and impacts the community through things like a scholarship for Sedgewick High School students looking to enter the field. The company supports various organizations and charities in the communities in which it operates to give back to its neighbours.

A&B is a people-first company. While it’s in a traditional, somewhat static industry, A&B is an innovative, creative company that embraces technology in order to improve and grow. To achieve this, A&B carefully selects employees who align with the company’s values and embody the professionalism and dedication Arnett & Burgess is known for. Arnett is proud to have loyal, long-time employees as part of the A&B family, and the company has a balance of seasoned staff and younger employees who blend experience with innovation to find the best possible solutions for clients.

“It would make Grandpa proud to know that something they started is still around and still relevant, and to see us utilizing technology and doing what we did in the industry 65 years ago, but better,” Arnett says.

A&B has been a leader in the sector for 65 years, and Carey Arnett is proud of what A&B has accomplished, but she’s more excited by what lies ahead for Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners in the future.

Suite 2930, 715 5th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2X6 1.800.836.2772

www.abpipeliners.com

Photo by Reuben Krabbe

THE SUN PEAKS EFFECT

by Jenny Hodder

S

himmering snow clouds whirl in the chaotic wake of me and my snowboard. Cool mountain air slams into my face; I gulp it down with a smile as I whiz past a handful of picture-perfect snow ghosts. My eyes squint beneath the shade of my goggles – half because the bluebird day hosts a cloudless, glowing sky, half because I’m laughing so much. Sinking fresh tracks into feather-light, untouched powder with disarmingly friendly locals has an effect – you can’t help but smile so much it evolves into laughter.

This is what I now call, “the Sun Peaks Effect.”

Tucked into a sunny, powder-filled pocket of Interior B.C., Sun Peaks is a mountain resort municipality that’s home to 4,270 acres of skiable terrain and some of the friendliest people I’ve met – and I’m from Newfoundland. The European-style village sits in the center of three distinct mountains and is occupied by five-star cafes and restaurants and shops stocked with top-of-the-line outdoor apparel, gifts and locally crafted art. Through the doors of Vertical Café, you’ll always find a flock of rosy-cheeked, smiling ski-bums enjoying some of the finest food and vibes Sun Peaks has to offer.

The vibrant energy that buzzes throughout the

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village is contagious – people are smiling around every corner, through every door and I’ve never felt more at home.

As a new rider who’s been here for three months, the progression I’ve been able to make is incredible; the family-oriented mountains with mellow greens, cruisy blues, and deep and steep blacks keeps me on my toes every day I ride.

While Sun Peaks itself is all you could dream of for a winter vacation, it holds a spot on the esteemed Mountain Collective pass. Featuring five dreamy ski destinations across B.C., it includes two days at each. This pass is your best bet to discover the best of the best in B.C. Moving to this quaint ski community with its immense energy and endless landscape sits at the top of my list for best decisions I’ve ever made.

Sometimes I walk home with icicles for eyelashes and sometimes my legs are so sore from riding that I swear I can hear them groan at me; but always I walk through my door at the end of the day, smiling. I spend my days heavily under the charm of the Sun Peaks Effect and I’ve never been happier.

1280 Alpine Road, Sun Peaks, BC, Canada V0E 5N0 | 250.578.5474 • www.sunpeaksresort.com

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

// SKI & SNOWBOARD

CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR!

Visit skibanff.com, or call us at 1-87-SKIBANFF 1.877.542.2633

DAN EVANS PHOTOGRAPHY

The last three weeks of March have been known to be some of the best midseason like conditions with extra-long days for bonus runs!!

We’re a bit different.

Ski for yourself.

Please visit www.greatnorthernsnowcat.com for available dates or call 1-800-889-0765 5400, Highway 31, Trout Lake, B.C. Phone: 403-932-4441 | info@greatnorthersnowcat.com

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

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PARKER’S PEN // DAVID PARKER

Parker’s Pen

BY DAVID PARKER

U

nless things change drastically, this will be another year of staying-close-to-home travel. Nevermind the health issues, it’s no fun hanging around airports and then there’s the stress of worrying about getting a return flight home.

Steve Reeves and BBC Travel documentaries are good substitutes, but nothing beats a good book to get me dreaming.

I’ve never really understood mountain climbers who I thought risked their own lives – and those of other – in pursuing selfish feats of daring. But after enjoying The Spirit of the Hills by F. S. Smythe (now a top 10 in the list of the many books I’ve read), I have a better understanding of the pleasures realized in enjoying the grandeur of the British low hills to the majesty of the Alps and Himalayas, and jealously read of his experiences that include climbs on Everest and Kanchenjunga as well as in the Canadian Rockies.

We are blessed to be living so near to our spectacular mountains. I’m looking forward to another round of golf at Kananaskis where every mountain and river view bring to mind how far visitors travel to gaze in awe at what we too often take for granted.

One of our favourite holidays that continues to bring back many pleasant memories was on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

Besides the climate, magnificent scenery and wild toboggan ride from the top of the cable car down through the streets, there’s also Madeira wine. Not so popular here, but wine expert Llyn Strelau of Jewels by Design is importing some of the top labels that can be found at better liquor stores.

One of the memories was a tour of Henriques & Henriques – Vinhos, a winery founded in 1850 that is well worth a visit.

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

I was always thankful in watching protests in many countries around the world that we were not of the same ilk; demonstrating in the streets no matter how peaceful at the outset so often turn ugly. Yet, of late, it seems that people are congregating outside city hall for all manner of excuses resulting in shouting and hassling others.

Thank goodness we have not stooped to firing Kalashnikovs into the air.

I’m not much of a shopper, but I expect to be able to find want I’m looking for when I do have to venture into a store.

How disappointed to wander the aisles of a large mart in search of a bar of soap to find rows and rows of liquid hand soap and foaming hand soap and liquid hand wash, but not a single bar of soap – not a one.

I like to handle a bar of soap and rub it together to get a good lather. Thank goodness for companies like Rocky Mountain Soap whose products are worth searching for.

The New Year’s Vienna Philharmonic concert was splendid, but brought to mind the comment on violins by Somerset Maugham, “Why one should want to hear anyone scrape the hairs of a horse’s tail over the guts of a dead cat is something I shall never understand.”

Final Words A man who fails well is greater than a man who succeeds badly.

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