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Thanks to Bourque’s leadership – and the acquisition of 205 acres – everyone in Willow Lake Métis Nation will soon be able to do the same. Until recently, the Willow Lake Métis were people without land, but had an independent spirit and ambition to spare. When Bourque’s uncle, who was Vice President of the board, passed away, they asked Bourque to take over his position. At first, he was reluctant.
Astisiy engaged ATB to facilitate their participation in the deal. With guarantees from the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, a provincial entity with the resources to back $1B in loans, ATB was able to finance Willow Lake’s buy-in below market rates.
Operating with a business mindset, Bourque’s team set goals and started taking steps to achieve them. They restructured their not-for-profit. Deposits were placed on land near Anzac. They pursued Credible Assertion – a lengthy process that would officially recognize Willow Lake’s Métis Aboriginal rights, so they would be consulted about future Crown land decisions that affect them.
“I had a very successful career in oil and gas,” he said, “And I always kind of saw myself as wanting to be a CEO one day. But then we started talking about our chance to do something different. We have the ability and knowledge from my skill set in the industry to talk to them at the same level.”
The values and passions he pursues in his personal life are perfectly parallel to those of his public life, as the CEO of Willow Lake Métis Nation. Sharing photos of last year’s trap line haul, he grins ear to ear.
“Best of both worlds, my friend. If it’s not business, I’m working on maintaining my cultural connection and my lifestyle as a Métis.”
And then, four remarkable things happened in succession.
First, TC Energy Corporation sold its 85 per cent stake in the Northern Courier Pipeline to Alberta Investment Management Corporation. It chose to sell the remaining 15 per cent to a partnership called Astisiy, that includes Suncor Energy Inc. and eight Indigenous communities – Willow Lake Métis Nation among them.
Pipeline ownership meant that Willow Lake would have a guaranteed source of revenue for the next 50 years. Seeing a path forward, Bourque then asked ATB how they could leverage those cash flows to purchase land. ATB structured a mortgage that would be debt-serviced as dividends from the pipeline are received.
ABOVE: JUSTIN BOURQUE, CEO OF WILLOW LAKE MÉTIS NATION. FROM OPPORTUNITY TO SOHKASTWÂWIN
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS WILLOW LAKE MÉTIS NATION’S JOURNEY
A t his lakeside cabin near Anzac, south of Fort McMurray, Justin Bourque is busy upgrading his solar panels from 24V to 48V. He lives at the cabin year-round, working his family’s trap line and living on the land as sustainably as possible.
“Our purpose is to be an integrated, self-governing Indigenous community. Within 10 years, we believe we can be a nationally recognized model Indigenous community. Those are our key drivers that we set two and a half years ago.”
The name means resilience, and it’s well-suited to a people who have struggled to reach a place where they can reshape their daily lives and restore what they once had, generations earlier. It begins with bison. “This land was shaped by bison. So, every single insect, plant, animal, vegetable – every organism once had some sort of connection and was reliant on an animal that touched every acre of this land. As we reintroduce those to the land, the effects on biodiversity will ripple outward.”
Both hint that more deals may already be in the works.
“Partnerships and relationships are how we as a nation get to move forward. Our business savvy and our ability to provide for our community relies on our ability to engage in relationships.”
“We’re moving and leading in so many areas right now,” Bourque teases. “The best is yet to come.”
“Often what we do is very transactional,” adds Carmen Maslowski, ATB’s Director of Energy Services, who facilitated the land purchase. “It’s exciting when we can do something that’s business-oriented, but also feels really good at the same time.”
Bourque’s advisors at ATB Financial echo his sentiment and expressed admiration for what Willow Lake Métis Nation has been able to achieve.
If Willow Lake Métis Nation’s recent successes can serve as a model for other Indigenous communities to follow, Bourque points to collaboration as a key element of what his community has been able to accomplish.
ABOVE: WLMN BOARD WITH DEAN SETOGUCHI, KEYERA PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. ATB is pleased to present a 2022 profile series on the businesses and people who are facing challenges head-on to build a strong Alberta.
“They have such a good perspective about how they can help their community, and they’re insightful about creating strong partnerships with industry. That’s going to lead to more opportunities,” says William Vu, the Senior Relationship Manager of Indigenous Banking.
And finally, Willow Lake Métis Nation purchased 205 acres on the shores of Willow Lake and named it Sohkastwâwin.
Sohkastwâwin’s eco-bison ranch is a meaningful step towards food sovereignty for the nation. The planned Community Culture Centre will be a net-zero facility with meat processing capabilities and a greenhouse. Housing and power generation are in the works.
Bourque lists health and dental care, support for elders and youth, post-secondary tuition, entrepreneurial bursaries and other social supports as just some of the benefits that his community members can look forward to in their modern and recognized settlement.
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6 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM STORY TITLE // SECTION Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time. FIND US ONLINE! BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM @BUSINEDMONTONBUSINESS IN BUSINESSINEDMONTONEDMONTON 33CONTENTSONOURCOVER : COVER FEATURE 32 Always Ready for Action! It’s been nearly 50 years of service but Action Electrical keeps picking up the pace By Nerissa McNaughton REGULAR COLUMNS 11 “It’s Amazing!” By John Liston 12 Investing in Ment al Health Makes Business Sense By Elan MacDonald 45 Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Volume 10 | Number 9 ABOVE: BLAKE BUNTING AND DON BUNTING PHOTO SOURCE: PRODUCTION WORLD
8 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM STORY TITLE // SECTION Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time. 59 THIS MONTH’S FEATURES 18 The LRT Factor A boost for Edmonton real estate? By John Hardy 24 Clear the Way! Great expectations for Edmonton’s manufacturing industry dimmed by labour and supply issues By Natalie Noble 38 BOMA Edmonton News Fall 2022 49 The Lynchpin of Edmonton’s Economy By John Hardy COMPANY PROFILES 52 Access Automotive Celebrates 25 Years 55 Jadler Industries Celebrates 60 Years 59 Knotty Pines Cabins Celebrates 15 Years 63 Pegasus Paper Celebrates 25 Years 67 ONE Properties Celebrates 35 Years CONTENTS 18 Volume 10 | Number 9
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As the world economy demands a more diverse supply of technology, energy and expertise, there is a team forming in Edmonton and area made up of some extraordinary leaders in a variety of groups that are driving significant levels of success.
Edmonton is at a tipping point of success. The foundation has been built by you, the business leaders creating jobs and paying taxes to drive the engine of growth. Now let’s make sure we use all of the resources available to maximize the potential of this great city.
BY JOHN LISTON, MEMBER, ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP
Be prepared though; as business folks we must deliver on our parts with the same accountability as we ask of them.
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 11 ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP (AEG) PUTS ALBERTA BUSINESSES FIRST BY SHARING INFORMATION, ADVOCACY AND BUILDING BRIDGES TO NEW MARKETS. AEG MEMBERS ARE BUSINESS OWNERS, SENIOR EXECUTIVES, INVESTORS AND ENTREPRENEURS REPRESENTING FIRMS IN EVERY MAJOR ALBERTA INDUSTRY. AEG MEMBERS EMPLOY OVER 100,000 ALBERTANS AND GENERATE BILLIONS IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY EACH YEAR. “It’s Amazing!” “IT’S AMAZING!” // JOHN LISTON
Ihave always believed that business and team sports have a lot in common. The greatest Canadian coach of all time, Claire Drake used to say, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.”
The Chamber of Commerce in Edmonton has a new leader in Jeff Sundquist. Mr. Sunquist, an experienced international ambassador, has really activated his team and they have been in the community asking how they can help businesses.
Edmonton Global collaborates with all levels of government and economic development agencies including 14 municipalities, Invest Alberta, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association, the Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton Health City, the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute and Invest in Canada. The leaders of all these groups are integral to the success of the Edmonton region.
Explore Edmonton, under the leadership of Traci Bednard, helps tell Edmonton’s story, elevate the Edmonton experience and drive visitation year-round. They manage the Edmonton Convention Centre and the Edmonton EXPO Centre and are vital to our hospitality industry.
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit.”
Edmonton Global led by Malcom Bruce, promotes the Edmonton Metropolitan region globally and is focused on attracting and retaining business investment and trade right here. They are the first ever regional economic development corporation in the region, working to create local, regional, provincial, national and global partnerships.
City of Edmonton manager Andre Corbould has created a culture of “can do.” His team leaders are challenging business leaders to bring them the problem and they will get after it.
The Chambers’ history goes well back to the Board of Trade on the early 1900s and can play a huge role in representing businesses in Edmonton. Sign up for their information, join them and get involved!
Innovation has always been needed, and we have two groups with a laser focus on that. Innovate Edmonton led by Catherine Warren, and Alberta Innovates led by Laura Kilcrease, focus on both innovating within our current industries like agriculture and agtech, as well as developing and encouraging emerging fields of work. A great success story is, the investment made 20 years ago into machine learning research has produced world class expertise in Edmonton at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute lead by Cam Linke. A key voice for business with all these groups is Alberta Enterprise Group. A provincially focused group that began in 2007 with Cal Nichols and other business leaders, our role is to advocate for your business to government and the organizations mentioned above. AEG has just appointed a new leader, Catherine Brownlee as president.
“Closely monitoring upticks in the use of benefits like our employee assistance program and long-term disability allows us to ensure resources are in place,” says Melissa Murphy.
As the U of A’s director of talent management, Murphy spearheaded the university’s work-from-home program. Early intervention is key, and helps reduce absenteeism, she says.
ven before the pandemic, employee mental health was a concern. The pandemic made a serious problem even worse, and mental health is now top of mind for the business leaders I speak to across the Edmonton region. The costs are staggering. In 2016, the Mental Health Commission of Canada estimated that psychological health problems or illnesses cost the Canadian economy $51 billion annually. One in five Canadians experienced these issues. Solutions and investments are needed right now – because the stakes are high. But so are the opportunities.
ELAN MACDONALD IS PAST CHAIR OF THE EDMONTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND A FOUNDING DIRECTOR WITH EDMONTON GLOBAL. SHE ALSO SITS ON THE BOARDS OF COVENANT HEALTH, ATLAS BIOTECHNOLOGIES AND ALBERTA BALLET. SHE IS THE VICE-PRESIDENT (EXTERNAL RELATIONS) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA. HER COLUMN APPEARS MONTHLY IN BUSINESS IN EDMONTON.
Investing in the mental wellbeing of employees has always made business sense, says Andrew Greenshaw. He’s a University of Alberta professor of psychiatry and scientific director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Digital Hub for Best Practices in Mental Health. In fact, every $1 spent on employee mental health nets $4 in regained health and productivity, according to the World Health Organization. But, Greenshaw says: “There’s a bigger opportunity now, because we’ve been pushed over the digital divide.” Your employees are probably more willing to accept mental health support, like counselling, over phone and video than they were before the pandemic. Digital tools are more cost-effective, which means that investing in mental health support for your employees makes more business sense than ever before. Digital tools can also help you assess, and even anticipate, mental health concerns in your workplace – whether employees are in the office or not.
Investments in workplace mental health have a positive effect on the wider community. Ultimately, there is no daylight between workplace health and community health.
“Which is why we’ve developed tools for managers to increase conversations around mental health with their employees.”
INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH MAKES BUSINESS SENSE // ELAN MACDONALD
“But it’s worth investing in,” says Greenshaw. “A harmonious workplace means greater ideas and business is going to prosper.”
Investing in Mental Health Makes Business Sense
At the U of A, researchers are making remarkable strides in leveraging digital tools to assess and address mental health issues. By analyzing social media data and the kind of language people use, researchers are better able to identify opportunities for intervention and support. But, even without AI, we can still check in on our employees.
BY ELAN MACDONALD, VP EXTERNAL RELATIONS, U OF A
12 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
Overcoming systemic biases and stigma around mental health in the workplace is hard work. The Mental Health Commission of Canada says only one-quarter of Canadian workers feel comfortable talking to their boss about their psychological health.
Exciting developments in mental health interventions and diagnoses are on the horizon at the U of A, especially in the area of artificial intelligence. The goal is to make mental health investments more economical, which should allow you, as a business owner, to more easily reap the rewards of a happy, productive workforce.
I witnessed the power of such conversations firsthand when a colleague of mine once shared with his staff the mental health challenges he’d faced in his career. To be so vulnerable took bravery – the kind of bravery that saves lives, because it creates safe space for employees to share their own struggles, and potentially get help.
E
Mark Komlenic, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Blue Cross, is pleased to announce the appointment of Marcia Nelson as chair of the Board of Directors of ABC Benefits Corporation.
Marcia is passionate about health care. She received her ICD.D in 2013 and has served on several national, provincial and community-based non-profit boards, including the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the Institute for Health Economics, the Public Policy Forum Advisory Committee on Innovation during COVID- 19, Alberta’s Expert Panel on Affordable Housing and the Institute for Public Administration of Canada. At the same time, we are also pleased to announce the appointment of Alice Reimer and Katherine Emberly to the Alberta Blue Cross Board of Directors.
ABC 81514 2022/07 ab.bluecross.ca CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENT
Alice is an accomplished senior executive with demonstrated year-after-year success in achieving revenue and business objectives within start-up, turnaround and rapidly changing environments. She is the CEO of Fillip Fleet and is a director of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund and Syantra Inc.
Katherine is a seasoned executive with over 19 years at Shaw Communications navigating through a variety of diverse leadership roles. She is currently the president of Shaw Business and also sits on the board of Calgary Economic Development.
®*
Marcia has served on the board since 2020 and has over 20 years of public sector executive leadership experience including as Alberta’s Deputy Minister of Health. She is a senior strategic advisor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, serves on the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans Board of Directors, is a member of the City of Calgary’s Greenline LRT Board and is an executive fellow with the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.
The Blue Cross symbol and name are registered marks of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans, an association of independent Blue Cross plans. Licensed to ABC Benefits Corporation for use in operating the Alberta Blue Cross Plan. ®† Blue Shield is a registered trade-mark of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Play On! Canada has received significant support from various partners including federal, provincial and municipal governments, strategic partners, corporate sponsors, grassroots sports organizations and vendors/suppliers. A number of community partners – including members of the Aboriginal Sport Circle, Hockey4Youth, Hockey Diversity Alliance, Kids Help Phone and SheIs – have come together to help ensure diverse and underrepresented communities receive opportunities to participate in Play On! For more information, visit www.playon.ca and www. boosterjuice.com.
On!
Source: Play On! Canada Communications PHOTO SOURCE: PLAY ON!
Play Canada and Booster Juice Announce Partnership
Multi-Year
“We are proud to partner with Booster Juice to deliver exciting experiences for Play On! Canada participants, including players, officials and volunteers, along with their families, who will need fuel to perform at their best,” said Scott Hill, chairman, Play On! Canada. “At a time when prioritizing our health is more important than ever before, we look forward to collaborating with Booster Juice to build engaging programs that help improve the quality of life of participants coast to coast for years to come.”
As part of the wide-ranging partnership, Booster Juice will be featured at all Play On! events through rink board branding, promotional announcements, sampling activity and on-site sales of products, as well as on Play On! Canada’s digital platforms, communication and marketing materials. This partnership will build affinity and retail foot traffic for Booster Juice, while allowing stores to play a role in enhancing the quality of life of participants and the health of communities across the country now and in the future.
The agreement with Booster Juice – an original and longstanding partner of Play On! Canada – designates the beloved Canadian brand as a national partner and comes at a time when Canadians are showing strong interest in coming together again to play, through a shared passion for street hockey. It further builds on Booster Juice’s ongoing commitment to creating healthy and vibrant communities across Canada.
14 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM OFF THE
As part of the partnership, Booster Juice and Play Canada will collaborate to pioneer the new TournPro™ retail reward technology beginning in 2023.
As Play On! returns to communities across Canada this summer, Play On! Canada and Booster Juice, Canada’s original juice and smoothie bar, announced today a multifaceted partnership.
“Whether a player, official, volunteer or a supporter, proper nutrition is needed for optimum performance and Booster Juice is the right product, offering to provide participants with the energy they need through our stores in event cities and across Canada,” said Dale Wishewan, chief executive officer and president, Booster Juice. “This partnership enables us to show the benefits of proper nutrition and our quality ingredients for peak performance, not only at Play On!, but in everyday activities that matter most to participants and their families as we resume our lives post-pandemic.”
The exciting partnership aligns with the need for Canadians’ health to recover, physically and mentally, after over two years of isolation, shuttered recreational facilities and cancelled sport competitions. With a shared vision for creating unique experiences that bring people together, the Play On! Canada-Booster Juice partnership will forge a deeper connection with hockey lovers and families alike, all while providing them a delicious, convenient and nutritious product perfectly suited for active lifestyles.
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The Innovator in Residence will serve a one-year term supporting EPL until June 2023. During Catherine’s residency, she aims to meet and nurture visionary entrepreneurs in Edmonton and support their diverse needs.
“Innovation is a team pursuit and we’re pleased to partner with the Edmonton Public Library to offer this one-of-akind public program and residency to inspire Edmontonians to explore their innovation potential,” said Warren.
The Edmonton Public Library (EPL) and Innovate Edmonton are delighted to announce a new partnership with a focus on encouraging and developing new entrepreneurs in the city. Edmontonians with big ideas will have access to a series of four classes and can seek advice from the first Innovator in Residence at the Stanley A. Milner Library.
“The Edmonton Public Library has been a place for learning and development for many of us and I am happy to see that EPL and Innovate Edmonton are partnering to make innovation advice more accessible,” said Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of Edmonton. “The Innovator in Residence program is another exciting initiative to support entrepreneurs looking to make the most of this city’s booming business ecosystem.”
EPL and Innovate Edmonton Announce Partnership Source: Innovate Edmonton and Edmonton Public Library
“We are pleased to welcome entrepreneurial powerhouse and Innovate Edmonton CEO Catherine Warren as our first Innovator in Residence,” said Pilar Martinez, CEO of EPL. “There is a culture of innovation in Edmonton including at EPL, and we are looking forward to Catherine sharing her collaborative vision and invaluable knowledge in this role. We are excited to welcome Catherine to EPL as she supports and inspires entrepreneurs in our city.” While in residence, Catherine will be available on the second floor of the Stanley A. Milner Library. Budding entrepreneurs are encouraged to meet with Catherine one-on-one during her office hours and ask for insights, advice or feedback. In addition to the residency, Edmontonians are encouraged to register for Innovation U: An Entrepreneurial Series, which consists of four in-person and online classes focused on innovation and entrepreneurship basics. This program is adapted from Innovate Edmonton’s Startup Foundation to Preflight programs and aims to appeal to a broad audience.
This continues EPL’s long-standing record for developing award-winning library innovations, including awards for Capital City Records, outreach services, digital literacy, Indigenous programming and more. EPL is also the first public library in North America to produce a vinyl anthology, a two-storey interactive digital wall, and was the first Canadian library to be named Library of the Year by Library Journal magazine and Gale Cengage Learning in 2014.
16 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM OFF THE
“Edmonton’s award-winning library offers a whole toolkit for budding innovators, from Makerspaces, including game development studios and 3D printers, not to mention the latest books, data and business intelligence. As a tech entrepreneur and urban innovator, I’m especially excited to hear from Edmontonians and offer my support in taking the first steps on their entrepreneurial path – as we capitalize together on all the Library has to offer.”
Taught by the Innovate Edmonton program team, each class can be taken in sequence or as a stand-alone session and is designed to build upon one another.
t’s still a bit of a bumpy ride for Edmonton real estate, but the market may get a boost from the opening of the Valley Line Southeast LRT this fall, and the under-construction Valley Line West LRT.
“Taken together, the Canadian housing markets are expected to experience a downturn by mid-2023. Estimating what is needed to solve Canada’s housing affordability crisis by 2030, this would then lead to more pressure on the rental segment. Potential homeowners will stay renting longer and rental vacancy rates will be even lower,” he adds. Despite the hot market, Edmonton continues its determined focus on affordable housing. City stats show that Edmonton BY JOHN HARDY
For now, spiked mortgage rates and other factors are impacting real estate markets across Canada: prices, listings and “Risingsales.rates will cause economic growth to slow. This leads to higher unemployment and less wage growth, which, coupled with higher mortgage rates, will make access to home ownership more challenging,” cautions Bob Dugan, chief economist at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
18 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
THE LRT FACTOR // REAL ESTATE
ABOVE: TRAIN ON THE TAWATINÂ BRIDGE. PHOTO SOURCE: CITY OF EDMONTON BELOW: BOB DUGAN, CHIEF ECONOMIST AT CANADA MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION (CMHC).
I
“EQUALLY, RISING RATES WILL INCREASE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, MAINLY DUE TO INCREASED FINANCING COSTS. COMPOUNDED WITH SURGING MATERIAL COSTS AND LABOUR SHORTAGES, THIS CONSTRAINS HOUSING SUPPLY,” SAYS DUGAN. FOR REAL ESTATE?
“Equally, rising rates will increase construction costs, mainly due to increased financing costs. Compounded with surging material costs and labour shortages, this constrains housing supply.
A BOOST
EDMONTON
THE FACTORLRT
Eat, drink, mingle, and give! Join us for an evening of fundraising, hors d’oeuvres and entertainment to celebrate the community of supporters that transform the lives of women studying at NorQuest College. Thursday, October 13, 2022 Your donation to the 1000 Women movement will support our goal of providing fully funded STEM education to 150 women. The 1000 Women movement has raised more than $3.5 million since 2010, transforming lives in our community by removing barriers to education and supporting women to flourish. Celebrate and support women Purchase your ticket at norquest.ca/1000women
20 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM THE LRT FACTOR // REAL ESTATE is on track to meet – and likely exceed – the affordable housing targets it set four years ago. In 2018, the city committed to spend $132 million for 600 supportive housing units, which includes helping tenants with a range of services, and 2,500 new or renovated affordable housing units from 2019 through 2022.”
Comparing to 2019 (the last year for a normal, pre-COVID Edmonton market) it was a more conventional market, with more market activity into the spring and summer months. Prices were steadily declining since 2017, but average prices held steadily throughout most of the year. Single family home average prices were $425,068, with sales hitting 10,375 for the year. Condos came in at $227,429.
IS ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE MAJOR CITIES IN CANADA AND THE INCREASED MORTGAGE RATES TO A MORE NORMAL RANGE WILL SLOW SOME BUYERS’ ABILITY TO BUY,” NOTES SHEARER. ABOVE: TOM SHEARER, BROKER/OWNER OF ROYAL LEPAGE NORALTA REAL ESTATE.
“In the high interest rate scenario, the national average price remains elevated but is set to decline by 5 per cent by mid-2023 compared to its level in early 2022. In the same forecast period, the moderate interest rate scenario sees a 3 per cent
Most stats and indicators suggest that, when it comes to Canada’s roller coaster real estate market, Edmonton may be a slight “Edmontonanomaly.isone of the most affordable major cities in Canada and the increased mortgage rates to a more normal range will slow some buyers’ ability to buy,” notes the knowledgeable and plugged-in Tom Shearer, Broker/Owner of Edmonton’s Royal LePage Noralta Real Estate and former REALTORS® Association of Alberta (RAE) chair. “The strong local economy could counter the effects of rate hikes while some people are migrating to affordable housing and strong jobs from pricier locations within Canada.”
“The residential real estate market in the Edmonton region had a busy start to the year as we saw continued activity from the previous year,” says realtor Paul Gravelle of MaxWell Progressive and the current RAE chair. “The average price for single-family homes hit a record high of $510,988 in “NewApril.listings and sales were fairly consistent in the first half of 2022, before starting to decrease in June. Activity has started to slow down somewhat into the summer months. Average prices for single family homes, condos and rowhouse/duplexes started to decline in June.”
The Edmonton market, like most real estate markets throughout Canada, is cooling off. The hot market’s prices and low interest rates were unsustainable. CMHC’s Dugan points out that, “The cost of housing reached levels that are unaffordable for a large share of new home buyers, translating into a slowdown in 2022. The expected increases in borrowing costs will contribute to a further slowdown in house price growth in 2022 and 2023.
The rebounding from the past two years and the realities of post-pandemic business is a factor for all Edmonton business, particularly the prices, listings and sales of the Edmonton real estate market.
“EDMONTONdecline.
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ABOVE: PAUL GRAVELLE OF MAXWELL PROGRESSIVE AND RAE CHAIR.
Edmonton’s new LRT connections may trigger momentum in Edmonton’s real estate market. “With interest rates and inflation on the rise, people are looking to get more bang for their buck and may look towards the suburbs or bedroom communities as an option for more affordable housing opportunities,” Gravelle suggests.
“More accessible transit, like the LRT, could make it more appealing to move farther away from the city centre. We have also seen an increase in the total net migration, with more than 16,000 new people calling Alberta home so far this year. With an increase in new people, always comes more demand for housing.”
“When it comes to Valley Line Southeast - downtown to Mill Woods, an interesting aspect will be the effect on the South East Industrial Area, along with how many people return to work “Theredowntown.isalsoadesire for increased densification around LRT hubs, and this has already been happening in neighbourhoods like Strathearn and Bonnie Doon,” he notes.
Despite uncontrollable factors, like mortgage rates and home prices, there is a uniquely Edmonton factor which may impact Edmonton’s real estate market: LRT – the Valley Line Southeast, opening this fall, and the work-in-progress Valley Line West. Both LRT lines will increase mobility options for Edmontonians to access key destinations throughout the city. “The new LRT line will benefit commuters along the line by allowing more affordable transportation costs to work. This allows for additional buying power along these corridors,” Shearer says. “These two lines will connect two major residential areas to downtown and the southeast industrial area. It will allow folks to live in more affordable housing a little further from work, yet still have a reasonable and reliable commute. We observed this when the LRT first connected to the U of A. It allowed workers and students to live in more affordable housing in the northeast when it wasn’t possible before.
“Mortgage rates eventually start to stabilize in 2024,” Dugan projects. “Supported by rising household income and higher immigration, house prices are expected to return to positive but moderate growth. Elevated price levels persist over the forecast horizon, placing pressure on homeownership Whileaffordability.”theEdmonton market shows signs of being consistent with national averages, Gravelle adds that, “Anytime we see a change to interest rates, we expect to see a domino effect across many industries, including the housing market. As interest rates increase, the amount of homes that prospective homeowners can buy decreases. This can cause some buyers to be priced out of the market or pushed into buying something smaller than they expected. Interest rates and inflation are also on the rise. Toronto and Vancouver are no longer the only markets feeling the effects.” He continues, “These increases will be felt more and more in the coming months. We expect to continue seeing a pattern of decline in average prices and sales in the Edmonton region.”
“THERE IS ALSO A DESIRE FOR INCREASED DENSIFICATION AROUND LRT HUBS, AND THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING IN NEIGHBOURHOODS LIKE STRATHEARN AND BONNIE DOON,” NOTES GRAVELLE.
22 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM THE LRT FACTOR // REAL ESTATE
“Generally speaking, we have seen prices increase in suburban areas that provide comfortable housing with access to good paying jobs.
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24 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM CLEAR THE WAY! // SKILLED TRADES Edmonton’s energy manufacturers are breathing a sigh of relief in 2022 with rebounding oil prices and pandemic-related inertia ending. Global demand and attractive prices for their products drives opportunity but it also creates challenges for businesses struggling to make up for years of slowed activity. BY NATALIE NOBLE GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR EDMONTON’S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY DIMMED BY LABOUR AND SUPPLY ISSUES CLEARWAY!THE
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“Throughout the downturn of oil pricing, contractors worked a minimum amount of their equipment,” says UnityRig’s equipment manager, Jason Mitchell. “When everything started heating up and more rigs started back to work again, all that parked equipment had to be certified. We’ve had a massive influx of work over this past year and a half, trying to catch up on all these things that weren’t done over the last five to six years.”
ABOVE: CME PRESIDENT & CEO DENNIS DARBY SAYS 80 PER CENT OF MEM BERS CAN’T FIND THE SKILLED LABOURERS THEY NEED, WHILE ROAD, RAIL AND PORT CAPACITY TO GET GOODS IN AND OUT OF CANADA IS CRITICAL.
Overcoming these hurdles is paramount to recovering from a long economic recession, but also to seizing opportunity knocking on Alberta’s door – especially when 90 per cent of manufactured products are exported. “It’s so important that our infrastructure works; we make sure things can get across borders; we have the road, the rail and the port capacity to get things in and out of Canada,” says Darby.
There’s much to celebrate. “In March, it was highly encouraging to see manufacturing sales in petroleum and coal products double from last year’s level,” says Dennis Darby, president and CEO with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. “Part of it is due to higher prices, but volumes are up as well and the Russia-Ukraine situation is also driving activity here. With all of this, it’s not surprising at all to see strong growth in this sector right now.”
However, all that potential may be impeded as the manufacturing industry continues to experience supply chain problems and skilled labour shortages. “Canada and the U.S. tend to have very efficient supply chains but when it comes to resilience, they lack the ability to deal with hiccups,” says Darby. “Additionally, 80 per cent of our members cannot find people with the skills they need. That, more than anything, is holding back even more growth in production.”
Edmonton manufacturers echo Darby’s perspective.
For Nisku’s UnityRig Equipment, increased drilling activity brings great expectations as rising oil prices see oilfield equipment leave long yard stays to return to the field. They’re also facing the same challenges as fellow manufacturers, namely labour and supply issues.
It’s a good problem to have, but it brings challenges.
“We’re working as many hours as we can, but we have our limitations,” says Mitchell.
THERE’S MUCH TO CELEBRATE. “IN MARCH, IT WAS HIGHLY ENCOURAGING TO SEE MANUFACTURING SALES IN PETROLEUM AND COAL PRODUCTS DOUBLE FROM LAST YEAR’S LEVEL,” SAYS DARBY.
It’s a critical challenge that has industry members calling on all levels of government to address. They want progress in immigration, bringing more people to Canada to fill the void. They also see need for more training, including retraining.
Founded in 1986 by Mitchell’s father Bob, UnityRig has held fairly steady with approximately 20 full-time employees. Today, three generations of Mitchells repair, service, manufacture and certify well service equipment, including blowout prevention and overhead equipment. Throughout the downturn, they were reduced to a team of 12 in a highly technical business.
26 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM CLEAR THE WAY! // SKILLED TRADES
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“That’s continued to drive the long-term success of this business,” says Mitchell. “I’m incredibly optimistic about the future of western Canada’s oilfield industry. I think we’re going to start to see a change in some of the people running these companies as some of the older generation starts to phase themselves out of it if they have an opportunity to sell. We’ll see a new younger generation coming in.”
ABOVE: UNITYRIG EQUIPMENT’S JASON MITCHELL SAYS LABOUR IS THE BIG GEST ISSUE IN THE ENERGY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW. THE HIGHLY TECHNICAL WORK TAKES INTENSE IN-HOUSE TRAINING.
As for the future, Mitchell sees continued opportunity and growth in an industry that is constantly changing, always creating new problems that customers bring to UnityRig to solve.
28 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM CLEAR THE WAY! // SKILLED TRADES
The company’s homebase in the Edmonton area is a central spot for UnityRig’s customers ranging from northern B.C., across northern and southern Alberta and a large market into southern Saskatchewan. It’s also well saturated with the product vendors the team works with.
“Trying to add on to the staff has been a real challenge for sure,” says Mitchell. “It’s not just for us, labour is the biggest issue in our industry right now. This is specialized work. Yes, there are technical trades programs people can take that overlap our work, but it takes a fair amount of in-house training for us to get people.”
To the northwest, Gambit Machining (Gambit) confirms the need to address supply and labour challenges. Incorporated in 1961, Gambit’s founding family set up shop in the early
With that investment into staff, UnityRig did everything they could to retain people when the industry nearly halted, including taking on different equipment to service beyond oilfield iron. It’s a fix for one problem that comes with a different challenge – supply, especially availability, reliability, timing and pricing.
“For raw materials like steel, our lead times have become so much greater than they used to be,” says Mitchell. “The price of steel changes weekly. We have to plan everything out weeks in advance because of supply issues. This is definitely a fluid situation, it changes day-to-day.”
“For us to have the raw materials and other products we need to do our work, Edmonton is by far the best hub for that and it’s the most central for the area of customers we work with,” says Mitchell.
Mitchell says strong relationships and a commitment to transparency with their long-term customers has kept things mostly business as usual. “We’re grateful to have a really good relationship with all of our customers and they’re facing the same thing all across the board. They understand what we’re dealing with because they’re going through it themselves,” he says.
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30 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM CLEAR THE WAY! // SKILLED TRADES
The company didn’t see recovery until early 2022. “We can happily say revenues have finally returned to pre-COVID numbers,” says Albert. “There’s renewed optimism in the business. This is connected to the world opening up again and the price of oil climbing.”
Based in Edmonton, much of Gambit’s work is destined for the energy industry, including precision components for valves or downhole tools. It’s all custom work, and extreme precision is critical to safety and production. “When we make a component, usually hundreds or thousands of them, we can guarantee they will measure within tight tolerances,” says Albert. “The parts we make are often complex and it’s critical they meet our customers specs.”
In terms of labour, NAIT continues to be an appreciated resource. “Their proximity and programming are real strengths aligned with what we do in our business,” says Albert.
THE COMPANY DIDN’T SEE RECOVERY UNTIL EARLY 2022. “WE CAN HAPPILY SAY REVENUES HAVE FINALLY RETURNED TO PRE-COVID NUMBERS,” SAYS ALBERT. “THERE’S RENEWED OPTIMISM IN THE BUSINESS. THIS IS CONNECTED TO THE WORLD OPENING UP AGAIN AND THE PRICE OF OIL CLIMBING.”
While Gambit-machined parts ship 70 per cent within Canada, the majority of their OEM customers’ products are sold around the world. Here again, global demand is presenting opportunity for these businesses, but the same challenges loom.
With 60-plus years’ experience, Gambit is focused on the next 60, especially in remaining a stable employer for their community. “Companies that survive these downturns and recessions, regardless of the cause, tend to come out leaner, stronger and better,” says Albert.
In early 2020, the precision component manufacturing company was busy with a full order book. The declaration of the pandemic halted most ongoing orders as well as new purchase orders. “We had a customer who laid off 10,000 people in one day,” says co-owner Tracy Albert. “Of course, that trickles down and affects whole supply chains all over the world.”
1900s as blacksmiths where the Citadel Theatre sits today. Their history has seen them through most every imaginable challenge and recovery. But this one is unique.
Most of the products Gambit manufactures fit in the palm of a hand. Their customers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), design and engineer their own products top to bottom and then contract out their various components to specialized manufacturers like Gambit. Then, they assemble and sell the end products.
“Like many other businesses, we are really struggling with access to skilled labour, raw materials and inflation,” says Albert. “Not so long ago, a vendor quote would be good for a month, which shortened to a week, then a day. These factors all add to an already competitive market.”
ABOVE: GAMBIT MACHINING’S TRACY ALBERT SAYS THE KEY TO LONGEVITY AND SUCCESS THROUGH CHALLENGE IS EXPERIENCE, SEIZING AVAILABLE OPPORTU NITIES AND FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO MAINTAIN LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES.
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One of the draws, for Blake, is the different way he and the management team run the company. There is no “top down” style of management. Rather, the approach is very holistic. Each division is run and managed independently with teams fully empowered to make choices and try strategies as they see fit. Success is not measured as much in sales or targets, but the overall health of the organization.
I
When I think of success, it means the health of our team, the health of our culture, the health of the finances and the interpersonal and client relationships.”
“Dad launched Action Electrical a year after I was born,” Blake explains, “so it’s always been part of my life. I had some other avenues to pursue, but I kept coming home to the family business.”
Blake attended university in Missouri where he earned a business and marketing degree, and where he also met his wife. There was never any pressure to return to the family business, but he felt drawn to it and returned in 1996.
Health, for both Don and Blake, includes work/life balance for themselves and their team. This is encouraged in every department. For Blake, that balance includes hunting, fishing, time at the lake and bonding with Don over their shared passion for classic cars. They share a passion for keeping pace with the changing industry landscape too, weighing new trends against viability and striking while the iron is hot. Nowhere is this more evident in the company’s history than Action Electrical’s entry into the energy market. Why? Because it is focused squarely on renewable energy.
ALWAYSCOVER READY FOR ACTION!
PHOTO SOURCE: PRODUCTION WORLD BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON 32 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM IT’S BEEN NEARLY 50 YEARS OF SERVICE BUT ACTION ELECTRICAL KEEPS PICKING UP THE PACE
n 1973 Don Bunting had an entrepreneurial spirit, a drive to create, and a basement that was ideal for a home office. With that, he launched Action Electrical. The rest, as they say, is history. Forty-nine years have passed and the home-based business is now a thriving corporation. Don’s son, Blake, General Manager, helps to oversee four divisions (Projects, Service, TEGG, Energy) and along with a team of dedicated individuals, Action Electrical continues to grow and thrive. Action’s story started with Don; Blake is driving the next chapter – and it’s an exciting one.
Blake points out, “Yes, there have been some professional and personal milestones, but what I have achieved is thoroughly trumped by having a healthy organization.
RIGHT: BLAKE BUNTING AND DON BUNTING
ALWAYS READY FOR ACTION! //
He continues, “Health is vital to the success of a company in so many ways. Nothing is more detrimental to a business than a dysfunctional team. It is part of my responsibility to ensure we remain a healthy organization.”
“I had looked into the solar industry a number of years ago, but we lacked the resources and government incentives and consumer interest was low at that time,” Blake points out.
“I started working at Action Electrical during my grade 8 summer,” Blake reflects. “I was doing inventory in the shop, cleaning the floors and tracking tools. That lead me to working full-time in the summers until university.”
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 33 ALWAYS READY FOR ACTION! // COVER
“IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE DIVERSIFICATION IN THE INDUSTRY,” SAYS BLAKE. “WITHOUT DIVERSIFICATION, HOW DO YOU KEEP 100 STAFF CONSISTENTLY EMPLOYED? WHAT DO YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS LOOK LIKE? WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE THIS DIVERSE BUSINESS MODEL, WHICH ACTUALLY LED TO SOME OF OUR BEST YEARS OCCURRING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
34 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM ALWAYS READY FOR ACTION! // COVER
“It’s important to have diversification in the industry,” says Blake. “Without diversification, how do you keep 100 staff consistently employed? What do your financial statements look like? We are blessed to have this diverse business model, which actually led to some of our best years occurring through the pandemic. That was not typical for many businesses; we maintained our staffing levels during the thick of the pandemic. When we saw that, we knew we were built right and have grown the right way.”
“We choose our key people and allow them to grow into their positions so they can be successful in ways that are meaningful and attainable for them,” says Don of the way
“That is the biggest reward,” Blake agrees, “watching our teams flourish in their roles and maximize their strengths. It goes back to healthy growth. To have a healthy, happy workforce is, for me, the most satisfying aspect.”
As with every challenge Action Electrical has faced over the years, they take this one head on. For father and son, it all comes right back to the team.
Unlike many companies right now battling staffing challenges, the main issue for Action Electrical is the broken supply “Commoditieschain. are uncontrollable in a way I have never seen before,” sighs Don. “In our project division, the challenge is to control costs and estimate prices when steel and copper increase almost daily. That is a big risk. On the supply chain side, we are at the mercy of manufacturers and raw materials. We have a schedule that depends on getting certain products in by a specified time.”
Don, the founder, agrees and includes the team in the reason for the company’s continued success.
“However, recently things have changed in the market and we made the choice to engage. We hired a manager last year to lead our newest division. We are focusing on solar, EV charging and other sustainable energy methods.”
“We overcome challenges by having the right people in the right positions,” continues Don. “Even when deadlines are tight or new markets are entered, we do not impulse hire. We talk to people for months, even years. When they feel ready to join, we know we have someone that won’t let the company, or themselves, down. No matter what goes on around us, we succeed by having the right people in the right seats.”
Don regards his son with paternal pride, “I have to include Blake in that. To see him grow from someone working in the
Action Electrical has always hired and maintained a growing pool of talent. “This strategy has proven successful as we have people we hired and trained right out of school. Many have been here past the 20-year mark. We look for individuals who want to learn, grow and bust out of the status quo. When we find those people, we put them into positions of trust, then step out of their way. For the most part we hire right and hire the people who appreciate and see what they can achieve longterm in their empowered positions.”
Each time Action Electrical launches a division, he says it feels like a startup all over again. Well, this startup has taken off as it will achieve more than 50 completed projects in its first year. It’s all part of the larger plan.
Blake couldn’t agree more. “A lot of people talk about the challenges of manpower and building a cohesive team, but that is one our greatest strengths. We don’t often have the issues of losing years of talent and we keep fresh ideas infusing into the brand through new hires.”
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That’s not to say mistakes have been avoided. Mistakes are inevitable and they cost the company, at times, money, talent and a bit of sanity.
“I’ve been in the industry since 1962,” Don says with a wry grin. “I’ve seen everything, including missteps we have made along the way. I’ve wondered sometimes, ‘why did we do this or that,’ but that is how you learn. You observe, you learn, you transition, you correct and you work through your challenges together.”
36 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM ALWAYS READY FOR ACTION! // COVER
The business model, diversity and teamwork are vital to Action Electrical, but for Don and Blake there is another, very humble, aspect that drives personal and professional success.
back of the shop counting screws to where he is now, well, we are very proud.”
“We are a faith-based organization,” says Don. “We don’t push that on anyone but it is an integral part of who we are.” Blake nods, “Our faith is part of our DNA and part of our culture. It influences our decisions and drives my personal belief in service leadership. I find the biggest fault in leadership is ego. Our success is not about us. It is about our people. My role is to be a sounding board and to provide direction while being of service to our staff and our customers.”
A process that is unique to the construction industry is Action’s Full Circle Commitment. At the completion of each project, Action’s TEGG technicians go to work. These level 1 and 2 thermographers utilize state-of-the art equipment to perform infrared scanning and ultrasonic testing on
With all these pieces of the puzzle in place, it is no wonder why Action Electrical can proudly showcase work on some of Canada’s most innovative and recognizable spaces. Along with Remington Development Corporation, Action Electrical has completed a series of design assist warehouses for Amazon, FedEx, Fountain Tire, Weatherford International and numerous others. Telus Communications Inc. is another vital partner for Action Electrical and has been for more than 35 years.
“We have longstanding relationships with numerous general contractors and work closely with them to provide budgeting, pre-qualifications and requests for proposals. This approach has been effective in showcasing our team, our capabilities and our unique business model. We also take on the role of prime contractor for projects across the province with heavy electrical scopes,” adds Blake. “We have completed numerous prime contracts for Telus, ATB Place Towers, ATCO Centre Tower, NAIT, various WCB buildings, CFB Wainwright and many more. We take on the liability, the risk and the management of those contracts, leveraging our niche areas of expertise.”
TOP: ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONDUIT INSTALLATION AT THE VARSCONA THEATRE (DESIGN ASSIST PROJECT WITH PCL CONSTRUCTION). MIDDLE: ACTION’S SERVICE TECHNICIANS PERFORMING EXTERIOR LIGHTING MAINTENANCE AT SHELL CANADA. BOTTOM: ACTION ELECTRICAL’S TEGG TECHNICIANS COMPLETING ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SERVICES.
“In addition to our team, clients, vendors, suppliers and manufactures, I would like to acknowledge my father for letting me put my handprint on the company. I thank my parents, my wife Jill, my children and the core management and field team, all of whom have been vital to our success,” says Blake.
Action Electrical helps build communities too. Don is the chair of Birch Bay Ranch, where children can enjoy summer camp and meet positive role models. Alongside their church family they help support children in Cambodia and have seen children through to adulthood thanks to the donations towards their care and education. TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, Hope Mission, LeaderImpact, Vanguard College and more are also supported by the Buntings and Action Electrical. In keeping with their humble nature, the pair concludes with a long list of people to thank for Action’s nearly 50 years of service.
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 37 ALWAYS READY FOR ACTION! // COVER electrical distribution in order to detect abnormally high thermal patterns. These quality control steps allow Action to check for any electrical anomalies and to repair any electrical deficiencies and workmanship issues. Once the testing has been completed, a detailed online report is presented to the general contractor and owner, showing the completed repairs along with the electrical distribution inventory. At that time, Action’s service department will oversee the warranty period specific to the project and continue maintaining the building for years to come.
Don smiles, “And I thank you, Blake. You earned your spot here, not because you are my son, but because you went away, graduated, got married in the States then chose to come back here and put Action Electrical into your long-term plans. I also thank my wife Grace and our three other sons, Brooks, Brad and Damon. Brooks was our oldest son and we lost him to an imparied driver in 1992. He also worked for us. Brad and Damon are successful in both of their careers. When we started the company in our home’s basement with little kids running around and me travelling often – that was hard. I had a lot of people at home and at work supporting me. When I look back, I know none of this happened by me doing anything on my own. Numerous people uprooted their lives and moved to various locations to support the company. It is because of them that we are always ready for ‘Action.’”
A leading Canadian industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) with a significant presence in Alberta is being recognized as a leader in gender diversity for the second year in a row.Summit Industrial Income REIT has again earned a place on the Women Lead Here list by The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine. The annual editorial benchmark, established in 2020, identifies Canadian corporations with the highest degree of gender diversity among executive ranks. For the 2022 ranking, nearly 500 large, publicly traded Canadian companies were analyzed and the ratio of female-identifying to male-identifying executives was evaluated. Ultimately, 84 companies earned the 2022 Women Lead Here seal; those companies have a combined average of 46 per cent of executive roles held by female-identifying individuals.DaynaGibbs is the chief operating officer at Summit Industrial Income REIT, where she is one of two women on the five-person senior executive team. “The fact women make up 40 per cent of the company’s executives is something we’re quite proud of,” Gibbs says.
Gibbs attributes the recognition from Women Lead Here to the company’s broader focus on an
Dayna Gibbs is the chief operating officer at Summit Industrial Income REIT, where she is one of two women on the five-person senior executive team. “The fact women make up 40 per cent of the company’s executives is something we’re quite proud of,” Gibbs says. Dayna Gibbs
SUMMIT INDUSTRIAL INCOME REIT LEADS IN GENDER DIVERSITY
38 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
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“If I think about where I am professionally, right now, it’s constantly trying to learn and evolve, and having that hunger for knowledge and improving yourself,” she says. “I think to be a strong communicator is also something that’s extremely important.”
For Gibbs, she credits her own rise to an executive position in a male-dominated industry to numerous factors, including a lot of hard work.
In addition to the senior executive team, women are also strongly represented at the Board level.
For other companies looking to diversify their senior ranks, Gibbs has some advice. “You have to really make an investment in people that you think are potentially strong candidates,” she says. For Gibbs, she credits her own rise to an executive position in a male-dominated industry to numerous factors, including a lot of hard work. “If I think about where I am professionally, right now, it’s constantly trying to learn and evolve, and having that hunger for knowledge and improving yourself,” she says. “I think to be a strong communicator is also something that’s extremely important.”
“Two of five trustees are female, which is fantastic,” GibbsCulturalsays.diversity and female representation are also important across the entire firm that has five property management offices across Canada. “This is something we’ve always been doing; it’s just part of the culture of our firm,” Gibbs said.
40 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
An Alberta property owned by Summit Industrial Income REIT.
environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) approach, with diversity being a priority under the social pillar.
PACE TECHNOLOGIES INC. 24HR 1-877-HI-VOLTSEdmonton:(1-877-448-6587)780-450-0404 9604 41 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6E 6G9 www.pacetechnologies.com Pace Technologies Inc. provides a complete portfolio of electrical testing and inspection services required to install and maintain safe, reliable power systems. Our goal is to provide our customers and business partners with a condition-based service strategy that increases the safety for your equipment, plant, and most importantly, your people. • Commissioning&Start-up • Acceptance Testing • Cable Terminating & Testing • Upgrades & Retrofits • Predictive Maintenance Testing • Emergency Response Services • Infrared ScanningThermal • Corona Detection • Gas Leak Detection • Equipment Testing • Equipment Repairs • Onsite Electrical PPE Recertification • Partial TestingDischarge • High Voltage CommissioningT&D • Insulating Fluid Analysis • Fault Locating • Harmonic & Power Quality Analysis • Arc Flash Solutions NETA Accredited Company Instead of needing to fill a spot and only looking at who’s in front of you right now, Gibbs suggests having a longer term view and focusing on nurturing, growing and mentoring people. “It’s looking further down the road, which is sometimes a tough thing to do,” she says. Report on Business magazine notes that there’s still a long way to go, as just over one-fifth of the companies on their list have a woman in the top job, and all but two of those women areGibbswhite.agrees.
“There’s still really a lot of work to do,” said. “I’d love to see more focus on that, more push to try to have women in the top executive chairs.”
she
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 41
“This is a first step in understanding where those emissions are coming from, and that beginning piece of how can we lower them,” says Marni Devlin Moses, Commercial Energy Program Coordinator at the City of Edmonton and manager of the benchmarking program. BOMA Edmonton is a founding partner of the Building Energy Benchmarking Program.
The voluntary program started in 2017 as a way to combat climate change, by addressing the greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings. In Edmonton, commercial and institutional buildings account for more than 20 per cent of Edmonton’s emissions. To achieve the city’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 50 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, energy efficient commercial buildings
Across the city, building owners and operators are using benchmarking to understand the energy and greenhouse gas impacts and performance of their buildings. In the program’s fifth year, there were 419 properties representing 704 individual buildings, up from 328 properties representing 424 individual buildings during year four. The year five buildings were benchmarked on their annual energy use from January to December 2020. There is a diversity of properties, with 41 different end-uses represented in year five, such as offices, multifamily residential, retail stores, and libraries.
The program involves calculating an energy use intensity score — essentially the energy used per square foot of the building. “It’s really hard to improve things if you don’t even know your baseline. So, this is really giving you that baseline,” Devlin Moses says. The score gives building owners and operators a sense of how their building is performing, and that number is also compared to other similar buildings.
Peer learning is important, says Devlin Moses, as it helps people see what others are doing and what’s ultimately possible. “We’re talking about energy and energy costs money, and so these are all things you
THROUGH BENCHMARKING, COMMERCIAL BUILDING OWNERS TAKE A FIRST STEP TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE CLEANINGHEALTHFOR KEEPING YOUR FACILITIES CLEAN AND SAFE 1.888.985.7141 | WWW.SERVANTAGE.CA 42 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
The City of Edmonton’s free Building Energy Benchmarking Program, now accepting registrations for year six, compares a building’s energy and emissions performance to similar buildings — and to itself — over time. Benchmarking allows participants to identify opportunities for energy efficiency measures, ultimately saving both energy and money.
Every year in Edmonton, at hundreds of commercial buildings across the city, building owners and operators are taking a critical first step to understanding their property’s energy performance and reducing energy use through a city benchmarking program.
HOW IT WORKS
For properties that participated in both year four and year five of the program, the average building improved its year-over-year energy efficiency, with an average change in energy use intensity of 3.73 per cent.
The free and voluntary program is for owners and operators of buildings over 1,000 square feet in Edmonton. Anyone can register, but the building owner must consent to participation. Registration involves a quick online sign up with the City of Edmonton, covering basic building details. Next, participants create an online account to use a tool called ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, the industry standard tool used in benchmarking programs across North America. More building details are collected, such as utility bills for electricity and natural gas. The information collected on that platform can be shared with the City of Edmonton, allowing for a comparison of building energy use.
could do to save money,” she says. For buildings that have participated in all five years of the benchmarking program, there’s been an average reduction in their energy use intensity of around 15 per cent.
“Just that awareness can make them make small decisions that lower their energy use. This is a starting point,” Devlin Moses says.
Program participants receive an annual scorecard to see how their buildings measure up. The program is also a gateway to other energy reduction initiatives from the city. “This program is integrated with other programs and things that we do to try to encourage businesses to make change,” says Devlin Moses. Participants can access financial incentives to help offset the cost of an energy audit, which involves a detailed look at an entire building and specific suggestions on what owners and operators can do to improve the building’s energy use. They’re also eligible for Edmonton’s Building Energy Retrofit Accelerator, a rebate program that provides financial incentives for energy efficiency upgrades to commercial and institutional buildings. Select energyefficient equipment is eligible, with solar panels recently added to the program’s eligible items.
• • • • • • • • • • BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 43
Another value of the program is an online dashboard, an interactive tool sharing building benchmarking data for buildings in the program. That includes 135 City of Edmonton buildings, in a bid to be as transparent as possible, says The online dashboard is an easy way for anyone to explore energy performance data, see trends, and to find category and building-specific details.
“That dashboard really lets people drill down into what they’re interested in,” Devlin Moses says. Potential tenants, for example, may be looking for energy efficient buildings to align with their company’s values, or maybe just because of the cost savings.
“Enterprise-based solutions for your growing business” isn’t just a catch phrase, it’s been our reason for existing since 200 . time and resources on IT so you can focus on what you love… growing your business With leading partners like and Ranchlands provides professional technology choices and the best buying decisions to gain maximum value from your IT investments . service@ranchlandsgroup.com780.809.2999 www.ranchlandsgroup.com W e look forward to d is cu ss ing your n eed s! 44 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
Year six of the Building Energy Benchmarking Program launched June 28, with new registrations accepted until October 15, 2022 at smallparticipationfeetbuildingsizeopportunities.participantswithprogramca/energybenchmarking.edmonton.Thecontinuestogrow,changesmadesomorecanaccessmoreThebuildinghasbeenreducedtoanyover1,000squaretoencouragehigherfromEdmonton’sbusinesses.Theprogram is also piloting the benchmarking of building water use, a feature offered to any interested participant.Forprogram manager Devlin Moses, the program’s high retention rate — 75 per cent of properties that participated in year one continued to participate in year 5 — speaks to the value for building owners and operators. “There’s lots of interest in this first step,” she says. Courtesy of Lenovo™
Edmonton Board
Sam ChiefKembleOperating Officer, Workforce Delivery Inc.
Amir
Bobbi
Jeffrey Sundquist, President & CEO
During the past two years as a result of the pandemic, passenger flight volumes drastically decreased (down 60% in 2020), while simultaneously cargo volumes drastically increased, to a point where cargo contributed 49% of all airline total revenue in 2020. Until passenger volumes return to pre-pandemic levels, airlines have had to adapt and transition their emphasis toward the deliverability of air cargo to meet the soaring demands of e-commerce. Despite having lost 39 destinations during the pandemic, a healthy recovery is on the way thanks to Tom Ruth’s phenomenal leadership.
This investment represents a long-term commitment by the federal government to work with stakeholders on strategic infrastructure projects to address transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, and congestion along Canada’s trade Bycorridors.investing in expanding our cargo capacity, our air pipelines, we’re well positioned for more flights, more jobs, more investment to benefit everyone,” said Tom Ruth, outgoing president and CEO of Edmonton International Airport.
Ltd.
Jonathan Gallo Managing Partner, Gallo LLP Chartered Professional
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 45 Share your thoughts on business issues with the Edmonton Chamber at policy@edmontonchamber.com
RichardsonViceSandyAccountantsJacobsonPresident,Executive Search
Nathan Carter Vice President, Projects and Construction, ATCO Energy Solutions
Annemarie Petrov President and CEO, Francis Winspear Centre for Music PresidentShamiand CEO, ChiefCeliaRotaflowWanderleyCustomerOfficer and Head of AltaML Invent, AltaML
Past Chair: Elan MacDonald Vice President (External Relations), University of Alberta
Edmonton Chamber Executive Cadence Bergman Director, Director,AlexandraPolicyHryciwStrategy and External Affairs
Jeffrey EdmontonPresidentSundquist&CEO,Chamber and World Trade Centre Directors
The Edmonton International Airport (EIA) serves as a key economic driver to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region and northern Canada. Given that airports globally are a key element in transportation infrastructure to move goods and people to other markets and such infrastructure provides a key competitive strength to surrounding cities and regions, thus enabling them to weather any potential economic downturns and take an active part in economic recovery.
In July, Minister of Transport, Honorable Omar Alghabra announced up to $100 million in funding under the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) to increase cargo and logistics handling operations at the EIA’s Cargo Village. With this investment, the EIA will convert approximately 2,000 acres of land into a new global cargo handling operation thus help increase the amount of cargo that moves through the airport and strengthen distribution to the rest of Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Having well-functioning trade corridors helps the Edmonton region, and Canadians at large, compete in key global markets, trade more efficiently with international partners, and keep Canada’s supply chain competitive.
2022 Board of Directors Board Executive
Secretary-Treasurer:EngineeringJason Pincock CEO, DynaLIFE Medical Labs
ExecutiveElliottDirector, Finance and Operations Amin Director,SamjiMember Services Contact Edmonton Chamber of Commerce #600 World Trade Centre 9990 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB T5J 1P7 T: 780.426.4620 | F: edmontonchamber.com780.424.7946
Aziz ManagingBootwalaPrincipal, Edmonton, Vice President, Business Development, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning
An investment in transport is an investment in your business Chair: Dennis R. Schmidt Principal, ALTURA Legal Advisory Vice-Chair: Haydar Al Dahhan President and CEO, Design Works
Leslie Kwasny, EIA’s chief financial officer and vice president Culture and Risk, said “with 55 non-stop destinations, we expect this summer will be our busiest time since 2019. Many of our partners and tenants are hiring new talent to match the demand for travel and investment in tourism.” Connecting with international hubs is a crucial step in restimulating the Albertan economy.
As the Edmonton region works towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, investments in our airport infrastructure are essential to maintain safety, security, and connectivity for travellers, workers, and communities. It should be noted that commitments and investments from the federal government help ensure our local aviation industry is well positioned to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Around the world, economic stimulus packages have stressed the need for investment in transport infrastructure of all types. In other words, investment in airports is precisely that – an investment. It is an investment in developing trade, encouraging economic growth, and creating value and jobs.
Nicole RsvpOwner,BirdDesign Inc.
• Edmonton has the most northern major airport in North America that operates 24-7 and can provide direct circumpolar access to and from Asian markets. It is well positioned to operate as a gateway into North America for air cargo access from Asia and distribute across North America from its proximity to major rail and highway infrastructure.
• Executive Flight Centre and other EIA partners provided the facilities and services required to move not only passengers but cargo as well, ensuring the reliable movement of goods in the dynamic world of shipping and logistics.
As evidenced by Alghabra’s announcement, EIA plays a critical role in global supply chains as a major hub for the movement of medical supplies, food, and e-commerce across North America and into remote communities and the Canadian North. This investment in cargo and logistics handling will be incredibly beneficial to local businesses by providing lower-cost air capacity to access global markets.
Our northern location is a significant advantage, and this investment is a major boost to create long-term opportunities for both exports and imports. The Edmonton region has and will continue to play a significant role in the movement of goods by air, rail and road. A strong economy requires a strong airport.
During Tom Ruth’s visionary leadership of Airport City over the last nine years, major changes, growth and innovation have become synonymous with Edmonton’s airports. Tom’s replacement from a recently launched global search will have big shoes to fill and will build on the great foundation that’s been built by his team while capitalizing on the tremendous opportunities ahead.
46 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
Edmonton’s major air cargo advantages
• As we all know, Edmonton has the second largest airspace in the world with uncongested facilities. We also have one of the fastestgrowing cargo airports in Canada. This is something to be proud of!
• EIA is the only airport in Canada with the globally recognized CEIV Pharma certification from the International Air Transport Association. This means it meets the highest standards in the world for handling temperature-sensitive cargo such as agriculture and food products, pharmaceutical and medical cargo.
• This airport’s cargo operations were a critical operation for the Edmonton region in 2020. In 2021 alone, the airport and its cargo partners handled 46,000 metric tons of cargo, a 7.5% increase from 2019. This included medical PPE supplies as well as increases in e-commerce. These flights involve multiple private companies based at the airport who provide loading, unloading and freight forwarding services. Each flight supports private-sector jobs and helps attract investment.
The transportation and logistics industry in the Edmonton metro region supports between 63,000 and 73,000 jobs. From 2014 to 2018, EIA recorded a 25-times increase in international overseas exports from its facilities. EIA’s enhanced cargo capabilities will further strengthen the region’s international competitiveness for attracting businesses looking for a North American base to develop and manufacture products to meet global demand.
GET INVOLVED AT edmontonchamber.com/smallbusinessweek
Local small businesses, makers, entrepreneurs and creators drive our economy. We're celebrating YOUthis October. Join us for a week of events, tours and more.
JW Marriott® Edmonton ICE District | 10344 102 Street | Edmonton , Alberta | 780.784.7950 jwmarriottedmonton.com | @jwmarriottedm on Twitter/Facebook and Instagram
Earl is a key contributor to his community, donating many hours and much expertise to charities and not for profits. He believes in giving back to his community. He donates a lot of his time and resources to organizations that serve the community. He is past board chair of the NPO Collective, as well as being a founding board member of the Meningitis Foundation of Alberta and 100Men YEG. His legacy includes sharing knowledge and expertise. For over 11 years he was an instructor in Employee Benefits and Human Resources at MacEwan University, and is often a guest speaker there as well as at the University of Alberta, CPHR Alberta and IPMA.
What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce? I really enjoy all of the events, where you can network with other business owners and leaders in Edmonton and area. One is able to meet people from various industries and company size.
Earl Shindruk,
48 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM
What has been your biggest challenge in business, and how did you overcome it? Some of the biggest challenges in business have been business disruptions, such as the pandemic.
We were able to create new ways of managing our business and having multiple annual touchpoints with all of our clients. What is your favourite thing to do in Edmonton? My favourite thing to do in Edmonton is to take in professional NHL games and to watch the Edmonton Oilers in action at Rogers Place. If you could make one substantial improvement to Edmonton’s business environment, what would it be? One thing that would benefit all businesses is to focus on more collaboration and cooperation. Businessses of all sizes should initiate these activities and would certainly benefit from them.
Member Profile
Optimaxwww.optimaxbenefits.caPresidentBenefits
What is one thing people are surprised to learn about your business? They are surprised to know that we are locally owned and that we have been founded by an TheyEdmontonian.arealsosurprised to know that we are independent and not owned by a larger corporation. Who is your ideal client? Our ideal client size is 100 or more employees with decision making capabilities in Alberta.
What’s your story? Successful businessman and community leader, Earl Shindruk, launched Optimax Benefits in 1998 after a vast career at TransAlta, Laidlaw Waste Systems and with Lafrentz Road Services. He combined a wealth of experience and his natural ability to deal with people when he founded Optimax. He has grown Optimax by harnessing people skills, ‘being accessible’, ‘getting to know your client’, and ‘being innovative’.
Earl Shindruk
THE LYNCHPIN OF EDMONTON’S ECONOMY
In the Edmonton region, despite most business’ focus tending to be on oil and gas and related services, small business is undisputedly the pulse of the Edmonton economy.
More than 98 per cent of all Canadian private sector businesses have fewer than 100 employees. It’s one reason why it may be a jarring revelation for some, that small businesses are the key driving force of the Canadian and Edmonton economy, partially because they employ more than 6.8 million people across the country.
I
According to Statistics Canada, there are more than 1.2 million SMEs in Canada. After the past two years of pandemic disruptions, unfortunately some are struggling. Contrary to common assumptions and stereotypes, the criteria that determines small or big business does not depend solely on balance sheets. The number of employees defines the category of “small business.”
BY JOHN HARDY
“As of 2021, more than 94 per cent of businesses in Edmonton were small and medium sized enterprises,” notes Alexandra Hryciw, director, Strategy and External Affairs with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. “They play a huge role in generating economic impact throughout our region. They are the job creators, the vibrancy makers. SMEs
BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // SEPTEMBER 2022 49 THE LYNCHPIN OF EDMONTON’S ECONOMY // SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
t’s often an overlooked fact of Canadian business but statistics, business analysts and economists are unanimous –small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are the lynchpin of the Canadian economy and translate into big success.
In Edmonton, SBW 2022 will be a particularly special celebration, because Edmonton’s SMEs have been severely broadsided in the past two years. “Small and medium sized enterprises really rely on foot traffic, word of mouth and customer loyalty,” Hryciw explains, “and COVID had a huge impact on our local economy. At the beginning of the lockdowns, many had not activated their businesses online yet and had to pivot quickly.
BDC also notes that “confronting challenges is essential if the business wants to win in today’s competitive global environment. It’s not only about having the will, but also about having the tools and resources, both financial and non-financial.”
“Our local entrepreneurs have struggled the past two years. While normally we work to educate and provide business supports like accounting, legal and more, this year we’re bringing our members, board, politicians and partners out of their offices and into the local businesses we all love.
“While much positive work has been done on the permitting side within the City of Edmonton, we’re still often hearing that it is a slow process for local businesses looking to start up here. The Edmonton Chamber is working with local businesses and community partners within the city to advocate for these needs. We’d like to see more flexibility –especially in the restaurant space – to allow for businesses to get off the ground in a much faster fashion. Some of this falls to the province as well; there are several regulations that need to be revisited in a post-pandemic context.”
are what make a city unique. They provide an experience that creates memories for residents and visitors. And ultimately, they are driving our economic success.”
Small Business Week is a national program started 43 years ago by BDC (the Business Development Bank of Canada) while the planning and co-ordination of specific Small Business Weeks are done locally, usually by area Chambers of AccordingCommerce.toBDC, Small Business Week is an annual celebration of entrepreneurship. Every year, close to 10,000 entrepreneurs gather to learn, network and celebrate the people building businesses across the country.
Dealing with red tape and delays is part of routine for small businesses. “Navigating the permitting space at both orders of government can and should be easier,” she says. “We’ll continue to champion these kinds of issues on behalf of the broader business community with the overarching goal being a city where you can start up, build your business and thrive.”
As a generalized overview, BDC coaches small business with three do’s and don’ts for growing a small business and achieving success.
While next month’s Edmonton SBW will be a celebration and motivation for small business and Edmonton’s small business recovery, there are some unique advantages and challenges for Edmonton small businesses.
50 SEPTEMBER 2022 // BUSINESS IN EDMONTON // BUSINESSINEDMONTON.COM THE LYNCHPIN OF EDMONTON’S ECONOMY // SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
The original SBW purpose was about inspiring small businesses and daring to motivate, inspire and help small businesses grow and succeed. It is never an easy task. Inevitably, there are often barriers that need to be knocked down as entrepreneurs navigate the path to success.
It’s what Edmonton will be celebrating during Small Business Week (SBW).
The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Better When it’s YEG and we have a week of activities planned to engage and celebrate our favourite small businesses.”
BDC acknowledges that, as the economy roars back to life, it’s become clear that the past 18 months have fastforwarded long-term disruption. From growing labour shortages and the rise of remote work, to the expansion of digital business and increasingly frequent climate events; Canadian entrepreneurs will need to focus on innovation, inclusion and sustainability to maintain their growth amidst these changes.
“The interesting thing about the Edmonton economy is how loyal our customer base truly is. We saw Edmontonians go the extra mile to ensure their favourite boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants survived the pandemic. There were influxes of gift cards being purchased, takeout being ordered and gifts procured for future events. Edmonton really rallied behind our local scene to ensure our local gems survived. On the recovery side, our SMEs are still struggling,” she adds. “Many haven’t had a full year of normal revenue yet. Hiring staff in a dwindling labour market is another huge issue they are facing.”
• Leverage existing clients: Existing clients can be the best opportunities for small business expansion success. It’s usually much easier to find new business from current clients than to start afresh with untested ones. Listen to existing clients and see what they need. • Grow smart: Make sure a growth opportunity is the right path for the small business; don’t expand into new • Don’t micromanage: Too often, growing companies end up in trouble when the entrepreneur has trouble delegating decisions to staff. Hire good people and trust them! SBW will be an exciting Edmonton opportunity for the Chamber to celebrate and motivate Edmonton small businesses. Hryciw has some valuable Edmonton small business advice, // SMALL BUSINESS WEEK EDMONTON’S BEST STEAK HOUSE Edmonton | 780.990.0123 Calgary | 403.246.3636 ww w. r uthsch r issteakhouse.c a TH IS IS HO W ISBUSINESSDONE. SEALING BUSINESS DEALS SINCE 1965
“It is common for me to spend half an hour, and sometimes well over an hour in the back showing a client the ins and outs of their vehicle. No one will ever feel like they left my shop
Access Automotive provides a wide range of services to keep your ride working efficiently on the road. It’s the place to go for oil changes, suspension repairs, tire chang es/tire storage, inspections, transmission work – and more.
DRIVINGJoshMacFarlane,DoaneDewitt,RobMusic,GinaMusic,SeanMcKenzieandMitchLien.
ACCESS AUTOMOTIVE
He even goes a step above for clients whose vehicle no longer suits their lifestyle.
For Music and his team, client engagement is always the top priority.
By Nerissa McNaughton with photos by Rebecca Lippiatt
President Robert L. Music acquired Access Automotive after a very thoughtful and diligent search.
“It’s not uncommon for us to help our clients sell their vehicle when it no longer fits their plans, which is a convenience they really appreciate,” says Music. “Oftentimes I know that another client is looking for the exact car that another one of our clients wants to sell. Because they know our maintenance philosophy and quality, they trust that they are getting a thorough, informed opinion of the vehicle’s condition.”
He couldn’t be happier with the acquisition or his career path. It suits him on every level. Music confirms, “I love quality repairs and I am very detail oriented. I love teaching my clients why we do the repairs and maintenance. I think one of my strengths is making personal connections with my clients. It’s very import ant to me that they have a great experience when they come to visit us and that they feel valued as a person. I love making new friends. I can’t help it!”
“THE COMPLETE CAR CARE CENTRE” CELEBRATES 25 YEARS STRIVING TO KEEP YOU
“I was a one-man operation for my first four months in business, and then hired an automotive technician to help support my growing business. Two years later I hired another technician, and recently added a third. We also have a service advisor along with my wife Gina, who is the co-owner of Access Automotive. She is our bookkeeper, shuttle driver and treasurer for the company.”
Once he found, and made the decision to acquire Access Auto motive, things moved quickly.
Music makes sure Access Automotive stands out in the very competitive industry. “We strive to provide both extraordinary service to our clients and a safe, ethical and enjoyable work place for our employees to create positive opportunities and outcomes for everyone. We aim to make your car ownership ex perience as easy and predictable as possible, and often provide advice on tailoring long-term maintenance to your financial and personal needs.”
“I had worked at a few different automotive shops and wanted to have more freedom to talk in greater detail to clients and give them customized maintenance recommendations that empha sized quality and preventative vehicle care,” Music explains. “I had a belief that I still have to this day: that quality service and main tenance will decrease the overall cost of ownership of a vehicle and increase its reliability and safety on the road. I noticed that clients were following me from shop-to-shop, which gave me the confidence to take the plunge and purchase Access Automotive.”
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without knowing exactly which services should be done on their vehicle, and why. I also instill in my technicians the importance of going the extra mile to make sure that everything is included in diagnosing current and potential future problems. We are diligent in tracking a vehicle’s history, and often pick up on things that would otherwise be hard to recognize without a thorough knowledge of the vehicle.”
Music adds, “I’ve learned a lot from some automotive consul tants I have worked with over the years. In particular, I would like to acknowledge Total Automotive Training & Consulting (TACT) including David Meunier, Murray Voth and Richard Dansereau who taught me a lot about pricing benchmarks in the industry, how to handle HR, becoming a better manager and business owner and increasing our productivity and efficiency. I’d also
The team empowers their clients to stay informed outside of the shop as well. “We share tips and tricks on servicing your vehicle on our website (accessautomotive.ca) and on our Instagram (@ accessautomotiveedmonton) and Facebook accounts (@acces sautomotive). We are also active on YouTube.”
Congratulations Rob, Gina, and team at Access Automotive, for 25 years of excellent service. From your friends at DA Performance. Parts for all makes and models 780-454-065518521-105AVE Omnicraft@daperformance.ca 2022-07-dennyandrewsford-13291952.indd 1 7/29/22 2:20 PM 12122 163 St NW Edmonton, AB, Canada (780) 484-1194 • service@accessautomotive.ca accessautomotive.ca Access Automotive • Celebrating 25 years
Suite 212, 1524 – 91 Street S.W. Edmonton, AB T6X 1M5 Telephone: (780)489-4424 • Facsimile: (780)489-4420 info@appllp.ca • www.appllp.ca At APP & Associates LLP, our objective is to provide value added business advisory services including: • Accounting and Assurance • Tax and Estate Planning • Advisory and Consulting Your local Edmonton firm that thinks regionally, nationally and globally
Curtis Reynolds, Michelle deVries, Kolton Dixon and Vernon Victoor. Photo by Riverwood Photography
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Jadler Industries • 40 Years
Jadler evolved from predominantly serving the food and beverage sector to providing quality process equipment whatever the liquid.
Small Business Delivers Big
After 40 years in business, it’s clear Jadler Industries holds the secrets of maintaining a successful company. The current ownership team took the reins in 2018 and has built on Jadler’s foundation to finetune the business and make it more resilient, more collaborative and even more successful.
JADLER INDUSTRIES
ResultsbyRennayCraats
“They focused on equipment and instrumentation that could be used in any sort of liquid processing – any process that had liquid being pumped, measured or analyzed by sensors,” says Brad Smith, president of Jadler Industries.
Back row – Kolton Dixon, Karl Halvorsen, Curtis Reynolds, Dakota Boyer and Gary Copeland. Front row – Levi Braithwaite, Ronan Harrington, Sherry Bonn, Nathan Pozyluzny, Vernon Victoor, Michelle deVries and Brad Smith. Photo by Riverwood Photography
For 15 years, the Fishers established a reputation for superior products and service, and they wanted to ensure that continued after they retired. Sherry Bonn and Levi Braithwaite, who had proven themselves as key experienced employees at Jadler, were interested in buying the owners out. They just needed another piece to complete the leadership triad and the Fishers’ son-in-law, Brad Smith, was the perfect addition. The result was a seamless ownership transition that created a collaborative team to carry Jadler into the future.
John and Carol Sadler started the liquid process equipment company in 1981 and grew the business until 2003 when they sold to Greg and Katie Fisher. The Fishers expanded Jadler’s product lines and began to serve industries outside the food and beverage market such as oil and gas, agriculture, construction and water treatment.
Gary Copeland. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
Ronan Harrington. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
Ronan Harrington and Karl Halvorsen. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
The entire team, from welders to sales professionals to administrative staff, works well together, is supportive and truly enjoys socializing during team building events. Jadler built responsibility overlap into processes so everyone knows what others have in the works and they can step in to help if necessary. It’s a positive environment and to protect it the management team continues to be selective about new hires. They want to ensure the candidate’s character aligns with the team focus and that they are up to the challenges of Jadler’s unique work. No two days are the same. Through diversification, the company has again tapped opportunities in the food and beverage sector as well as varied projects in construction, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, water transfer and mining. On top of rebuilding systems, customizing solutions and installing products, Jadler is also exploring remote monitoring and wireless automation and control, helping clients capture data remotely without having to dispatch employees to far-off sites. It’s just part of the comprehensive service offerings that clients have come to expect from Jadler. They also expect to reap the benefits of Jadler’s specialized knowledge, from TIG welding proficiency to an all-encompassing understanding of how a client’s facility works. The team prides itself on knowing its own extensive product lines and how they can be applied to a client’s facility so they can provide solutions and not merely take orders.
Jadler Industries
• 40 Years • 2
And from start to finish, it’s relationships that fuel Jadler, whether that’s the long-time relationships with key suppliers like SPX Flow, Seametrics and Flowline, the collaborative relationship between staff, or the relationships with clients who know Jadler will exceed expectations on every project.
The team implements the best solutions for a project, often designing an integrated system that clients didn’t even know was possible, and they see the project through to the end to make sure it operates as promised.
“It’s not a fab shop pumping out widgets. We go right from the design stage to building and installing it, so we’re there from start to finish,” says Karl Halvorsen, shop manager.
“We really try to understand what their application is because maybe they don’t really need what they think they do, or maybe it won’t work. We figure out exactly what’s going to work best so we’re selling them a solution moreso than just a product off the shelf,” says Levi Braithwaite, general manager at Jadler.
The team maintains small-company service levels seametrics.com
Congratulations to Our Valued Partner Helping Business Flow for 40 Years Water Level/Depth/Pressure Sensors Measure up to 200 meters of water depth Integrated Datalogger Battery TemperaturePoweredMeasurement included Full Bore Magmeters Measure liquid flow without moving parts 2”-12” Line Battery/DC/ACSizesPowered CSA Approved Insertion Magmeters & Paddlewheel 1/2”-48” Line Sizes Easy Installation Magmeter: no moving parts Paddlewheel:mechanicalintuitive,cost-effective,serviceable,flowmeter Multi-Jet Water Meters Totalized liquid flow Cold, Hot, and Potable Water Meters Low Flow Meters 3/8”-1” Line Sizes Polypro & Teflon Material Builds Flow Rate/Total Indicators Readout any Seametrics’ flow meter Multi-Parameter Water Quality Sensors Measure pH, ORP, temperature, conductivity, salinity, TDS, pressure level, and dissolved oxygen or turbidity Jadler Industries • 40 Years • 3 Ronan Harrington. Photo by Riverwood Photography.
Jadler welcomes small projects but has grown to the point where it can take on large projects too.
“We always go the extra mile. And it doesn’t matter the size of the project – we stand behind every product we sell and we treat each sale equally,” says Kolton Dixon, technical salesperson at Jadler.
Afterall, client satisfaction is critical, and Jadler maintains these relationships long-term through quality products and incredible service during and after a project. The sales team has a full instrumentation cart in the shop and if there’s an issue they can video conference with a client and troubleshoot a problem on screen in real time. If that doesn’t resolve it, someone from the team visits the site and services the equipment there.
Water Solutions for Life The Best Value in Flow & Level Measurement Solutions
“As we are looking for new product lines or diving into new markets, we always look for product lines that work with our existing ones so we can customize a package and integrate it to make us a one-stop shop,” says Sherry Bonn, office manager at Jadler.
Jadler Industries • 40 Years • 4
For 40 years, Jadler Industries has been that go-to one-stop shop for liquid processing for a wide range of clients across Western Canada, offering design, service, integration and installation. With a huge list of products and the ability to customize solutions, Jadler truly is a small company that delivers big.
pH Discharge monitoring with remote monitoring for BC Environmental Service company.
TOLL FREE:1-800-524-9229 (AB, BC, SK only) jadler.ca
Bay 106, 10615 48 Street SE Calgary, AB T2C PHONE:403-275-36012B7
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larger one. As a stocking distributor for about 15 exclusive product lines, Jadler operates as a big business by carrying about $1 million in inventory to ensure they can meet clients’ delivery demands to limit downtime. Jadler is always open to new products that complement its current lines to offer clients an incredible experience.
By Nerissa McNaughton
Knotty Pine Cabins • 15 Years Jeremy Comartin and Alana Comartin. Photo by Kesara Kimo, Production World. 59
Knotty Pine Cabins continues to evolve in the custom build market
Those One-of-a-Kind Cabins… and so Much More!
“My father always had the drive and talent to work with wood, and to build,” says Alana Comartin, Vice President. “He has always had that entrepreneurial spirit. All his life he thought about designing and building cabins. Then one day, in 2007, he sketched a little cabin and shed. He then proceeded to build it and used it as the company’s first advertising prototype.
Knotty Pine Cabins is a family owned and operated business that serves clients coast to coast. While known for their signature pine cabins, the brand offers a variety of services and products to suit everyone. From complete custom designs to stock plans, from shipping a home kit to doing the build, Knotty Pine Cabins does it all. It all started 15 years ago when founder Andre Depelteau was building and selling sheds.
VisualProspectorbyprovidedPhoto
Pine Cabins • 15 Years • 2
Knotty
That one step led to an explosion of growth.
“We soon moved the business from the garage to Riel Industrial Park in St. Albert,” says Comartin, “but we grew out of there in two years! From there we moved to 184 Street in Edmonton and after that, to our larger, current location. We’ve now been at 12720 126 Ave for the past eight years.”
The growth of Knotty Pine Cabins was driven by the high quality of the products and the focus on customer service, along with the ability of the family, whose members all got involved, to work as a cohesive team. With a firm base to operate from, Depelteau started expanding the product range.
Photo provided by Knotty Pines client
Comartin explains, “He started with tiny cabins and sheds, but customers started asking for bigger homes and cottages and some wanted custom designs. So, we moved from twoseason cabins into four-season cabins.”
With the four-season cabins on the market, customers clamored for more. That is when
Photo provided by Knotty Pines client
“This allows those with construction knowledge to save money on the project, or DIY enthusiasts to do part of it but bring in electricians or plumbers, etc., for the rest – or to have it assembled by us or a contractor. For those wanting to do it themselves but lack the experience, we offer a step-by-step guide.”
Manufacturing Locations Across Western Canada METAL ROOFING - METAL SIDING COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURAL onKnottyCongratulationsPineCabins15YearsofSuccess! METAL ROOFING - METAL SIDING Suite 212, 1524 – 91 Street S.W. Edmonton, AB T6X 1M5 Telephone: (780)489-4424 • Fax: (780)489-4420 info@appllp.ca • www.appllp.ca At APP & Associates LLP, our objective is to provide value added business advisory services including: • Accounting and Assurance • Tax and Estate Planning • Advisory and Consulting Your local Edmonton firm that thinks regionally, nationally and globally Congratulations to Andre and everyone at Knotty Pine Cabins on their 15th Anniversary. Knotty Pine Cabins • 15 Years • 3 Photo provided by Sona Visual
“Our customers can have their home custom designed from the ground up, or they can choose or customize one of our plans. From there we create a package and start the process, all working within their budget. We prefab in our shop and ship the package unassembled to the site. The client decides if they want to do the build on their own, hire a contractor for all or part of the build, or have us do the build to lock up. We can build to lock up in Western Canada and take on many styles of turnkey projects for clients in and around Edmonton.
Knotty Pine Cabins expanded into custom designs, year-round homes and now, infill builds. While they remain known for their signature pine cabins, their homes, sheds, workshops and offices, made from pine or other building materials, are found in communities coast to coast – and into the U.S.
“We are a small, family-run business with a national and cross border impact. What sets us apart is that we can deliver whatever a customer wants, and they can have as much or as little involvement as they desire.
“We are proud of our evolution,” says Comartin.
She continues, “We pride ourselves on our customer service. If a client is building on a weekend or evening, we don’t want them to have to wait until Monday or the next business day when they have questions. There is a number they can call anytime.” Comartin was finishing her university degree when her father launched the company, but she enjoyed 1-877-463-8256www.versaframe.ca
“We want to be the ones to call if someone wants a cabin in a rural location, a custom dream home, or a vacation home,” concludes Comartin. “We get to be a part of families’ memories and journeys as they work with us to create a place where they will spend a big part of their lives. Our repeat clients and growing business show our high level of service and product quality. We are excited for the next 15 years.
Over the years the founder stepped back into semiretirement and his brother, Chuck, who drove for the company, recently retired. The family business continues with Alana and Jeremy at the helm.
“Our team is a very big factor in our success,” praises Comartin. “They empower the company to grow sustainably while allowing all of us to find that elusive work/life balance. When you can trust and rely on your team – as we can – there is responsible growth.”
During the rapid growth, the family has never taken their eyes off their goals or overlooked what is the most important: the family bond, the growing team, the customer commitment and giving back to the community.
fortoCongratulationsKnottyPineCabins15yearsinbusiness. Anders Insurance 780-944-6710Services Factory & Head Office Located at 12720 126 Ave Edmonton, AB T5L 3C8 www.knottypinecabins.ca780.484.2224 Knotty Pine Cabins • 15 Years • 4
working at Knotty Pine Cabins during the summers. Her boyfriend at the time (now husband) also worked for Depelteau during the summer months.
“It is truly a family business with family values,” smiles Comartin. “By working together, we all leverage our strengths. Before my husband and I started our family, we did all the office work from accounting to marketing to customer-facing service. My brother oversees the shop and all of the home shipments. My father is always on hand to provide direction and advice. That bond and deep level of involvement allows us to experience and work in every aspect of the company. It empowers us to now hire and fill some key roles as we continue to grow, as we understand who would be the best fit, and why, for the company and for the team.”
From a shed built in a garage to offering yearround homes coast to coast and across the border, Knotty Pine Cabins has truly evolved in just 15 short years. What comes next is building new showhomes and expanding into more markets and locations.
Learn more about Knotty Pine Cabins at knottypinecabins.ca, @KnottyPineCabins on Facebook and Twitter, @knotty_pine_cabins on Instagram and @knottypinecabin on Pinterest.
25 years THE BEHINDPOWERHOUSETHESCENES Pegasus Paper celebrating 25 years 63
On September 14, 1997, Brian Blacklock opened Pegasus Paper. Today, the company is a fixture in the wholesale TNTTO (tissue, napkins, towels and takeout containers) business, primarily serving restaurants across northern Alberta. This locally owned and operated, Groupex approved supplier provides one-stop shopping for a wide range of products. There are no minimum order requirements. Regularly scheduled deliveries from several convenient warehouses ensures prompt and efficient delivery that empowers small businesses to manage costs and run efficiently.
“We started by providing paper and packaging to restaurants, food service, hospitality and some meat shops,” says Blacklock. “Over the years we grew a stronger presence in the food business. Now we also sell produce, meat and frozen food.” He is no stranger to the industry. Before opening Pegasus Paper, Blacklock worked for a TNTTO company and had enjoyed management roles throughout his career. When the business he was working for was purchased by an international company, he decided to strike out on his own; and his new employers were incredibly supportive. “The new owners wanted to focus on large supply contracts, and I wanted to focus on the small, independent business model. I was able to start out with a customer base as the businesses that followed me were not in the international company’s demographic model. That company would then sell products to me, and I provided for the customers outside of their base. They never interfered with my target market – the plan worked great for all of us and they were always very supportive.”
Pegasus Paper celebrates
By Nerissa McNaughton with photos by Rebecca Lippiatt
Blacklock is a founding member of the Independent Purchasing Alliance of Canada (IPAC) Inc.
partnerships
“Through our IPAC affiliation, we have been able to leverage the purchasing power of 15 different companies to provide us with the prices and supplies of a huge corporation. Thanks to IPAC, we don’t have to apologize to customers for to our friends at Pegasus Paper Ltd. for 240-2540triplethreetrading.com
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“Within three months I realized that with just me and my wife Delcy running things, we would never go on a holiday again! We needed help. My first employee had worked for me in my previous career. Well, that worked out. Having more hands meant I could increase the business. In fact, with one extra person we doubled our business but when he took holidays, we were back to square one. So, now I had to bring in a driver. Honestly, it just grew organically like that. We brought people in as needed and as they became available. Now we have 35 employees.” Through the years, the company has had partners come in and then move on. The current ownership group of two, in addition to Blacklock, each bring strengths in areas that help Blacklock run the company, whether it is in IT and computers or human resources and government interactions.
Blacklock, however, very quickly discovered one of the main challenges of entrepreneurship. It is 24/7, 365 days a year.
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R3 Redistribution. We wish you many more years of success! Pegasus Paper celebrating 25 years || 2
Another key to Pegasus Paper’s success stems from Delcy’s philosophy. Blacklock explains, “My wife has this philosophy that goes like this: ‘say it, mean it, do it.’ We use that to drive every interaction across all the aspects of our brand. It influences how we work with our customers, vendors, manufactures and among our team. If we make a commitment, we honour it, even if it costs us money. It is important for us to keep our word. Because of that, we excel in customer service. Are we perfect? No. But do we provide an outstanding service model? I believe we do, and I believe it is a model that surpasses many of our competitors.”
to
personalized service, cost effective product solutions and
Redistribution is proud to celebrate Pegasus Paper’s 25 years of business. Their
It wasn’t just the team that was expanding. Pegasus Paper started in a 1,200 square foot warehouse in Sherwood Park. Today they operate out of a 24,000 square foot facility in Edmonton, with branches in Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and St. Paul.
“We have been very fortunate,” says Blacklock. “A large part of our success is due to the people who have come to work with us. We have some that have been with us for close to 20 years. We are also very appreciative of our customers who, like us, are small and independent operators that love to support local businesses.”
R3 commitment exceptional strong business makes business to Pegasus from your friends at
them an exceptional business and a terrific
“We went through the economic downturn in 2014/2015 only to be impacted in our Fort McMurray branch by The Beast fire in 2016. With The Beast behind us, the warehouse in Fort McMurray took another hit when floods in 2020 left our facility in five feet of standing water. And then the pandemic hit, which was – and still is – a major issue for anyone in the hospitality, restaurant and food service business.”
Pegasus Paper celebrating 25 years || 3
pricing. The association is one of our greatest accomplishments. It puts small companies like us on equal footing with our much larger competitors. The value of IPAC really comes through during this time of inflation and challenges. Supply chains are broken. The shortages and previous restrictions drove up costs. IPAC protects the suppliers in the network so our pricing is not unfairly impacted. The vision we started with all those years ago is paying off now during the crisis.” It’s a crisis with far-reaching effects and it started long before COVID.
The challenges, he admits, are there as they are for every business during these changing times; but the good times are just as strong.
“We dug-in and we dealt with the problems. We have a great team that, for every challenge, just pulls together to get things done. For example, after the flood I filled a truck with supplies and drove to Fort McMurray. The branch manager and I operated out of the truck until we could get back into the warehouse. You just do what you need to do.
Pegasus Paper engages strongly in community support and is proud to contribute to Santas Anonymous, Bissell Centre, Hope Mission and Mustard Seed.
“It is important for communities to supply services that people need but it is impossible for charities to do it on their own. Communities accomplish more when we all work together.”
He also thanks the customers, suppliers, vendors and communities for their long-term support of Pegasus Paper.
“What comes next,” Blacklock muses. “I don’t know… personally, perhaps retirement. Maybe it is up to the younger people in the company to take the reigns but right now we are still focused on growth and expansion. No matter what happens, Pegasus Paper will always be a locally owned and operated company focused on customer service.”
“Retaining the small, independent business model paid off for us too, as with this model you don’t need corporate approval or someone to make decisions on your behalf. You see the problem. You find a solution. Five minutes later you are actively working on the solution. That is what we do.”
CONGRATULATIONS PEGASUS PAPER ON 25 EXCELLENCE!BUSINESSOFYEARS Pegasus Paper celebrating 25 years || 4
“In any community in our service area I can go to a local restaurant and have a meal with friends. I have come to personally know so many small business owners in Northern Alberta. We are not – and will never be – a big, nameless and faceless corporation. Our customers know us, and I listen to, and learn from, them. That is the part of the job I love the most.”
It’s enough to cripple a business and force doors to close, but Pegasus Paper had the tenacity, business model and team in place to solidier on.
Blacklock says a big and heartfelt thank you to the team. “They have stuck with us through floods, fires and a pandemic. We have the experience of those that have been with us for more than a decade, and the enthusiasm and new ideas of those that have recently joined us.”
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ PegasusPaperLtd/ Proud partner of Pegasus Paper.
Headquartered in Edmonton and founded by Peter Edgar and Guy Scott (originally as Western Asset Management), ONE Properties has grown substantially over the past 35 years and now has more than 48 million square feet of space that’s developed or under development, more than 16 million square feet under management, and more than 140 employees in three major Canadian cities.
Darren Durstling, President and CEO, has been with ONE Properties since 1998. He says, “Edgar and Scott formed the company with the simple goal of making a difference in people’s lives through real estate.
ONE Properties • 35 on Whyte
Since 1987, ONE Properties has been creating spaces where people live, work and play by developing, owning and managing the properties that define their communities.
Southpark
ONE Properties celebrates 35 years
Darren Durstling, President & CEO
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Building, and Serving, the Communities Where People Thrive
I joined the firm nearly 25 years ago and alongside the partners and team, we have continued to build this privately owned, integrated real estate investment firm to what it has become today; developing and managing a range of high-quality assets across Canada.” by Nerissa McNaughton
ONE Properties • 35 2 Citizen on Jasper. Photo by Kesara Kimo.
Durstling continues, “We are proud of our growth through the last few years and excited about the new partners and people who have joined us as well as the new properties we have brought into our portfolio for development and management. We are also proud of our tenant service model, which helps businesses succeed, and of our resident experience model, providing high-quality living environments inspired by top hospitality standards.”
The property management business is fast-paced and brimming with competition. ONE Properties stands out by building high-trust relationships based on values of alignment, collaboration and integrity. Being agile and retaining their entrepreneurial spirit allows the team to tackle challenges quickly and find creative, out-of-the-box solutions.
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Henday Industrial Park
In 2013, ONE Properties, in partnership with Alberta Investment Management Corporation, was awarded one of the first LEED certifications for an industrial building, recognizing Stoney Industrial Centre’s Building 4 for its environmental sustainability. Just a year later, in 2014, ONE Properties entered a new province by opening their Toronto office. The pace didn’t stop – 2015 saw the start of the ICE District Joint Venture in partnership with Katz Group. Since then, additional milestones include the Amazon distribution centre (in partnership with TD Greystone) in Nisku and becoming a management partner for Edmonton International Airport.
The team members operating out of Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto are key in the company’s success. According to Durstling, “Our more than 140 employees represent an incredibly diverse community. The team of individuals who have joined us along our journey come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, enriching the day-today culture of our workplace. We are proud of our environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and grow, regardless of their identity.”
There have been important milestones along the way.
“Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and considerations are embedded in our operations,” says Durstling, “On the development side of our business, we are committed to staying at the forefront of innovation and performance and achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications wherever possible. On the property management side of our business, we execute on programs to secure building certifications, such as ENERGY STAR benchmarking and BOMA BEST. We work with our clients to attain Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) goals, including utility tracking, tenant engagement, building retrofits and green procurement programs.”
Those challenges, Durstling notes, only help the company grow stronger. “We are not alone in facing the headwinds of inflation and the pressures that come with that,” he says. “We have a track record of successfully weathering the economic cycles of the past 30 years and are confident in our future with strong people and great partners.”
Durstling adds, “We have a team of exceptional professionals who are skilled in every aspect and sector of the business. I would like to recognize and acknowledge our CFO, Laurie Anderson, who has been with ONE Properties for over 20 years and has been instrumental in our growth and success.”
Together, Durstling and the team have contributed to the innovation and establishment of new development standards in Canada. This includes master-planned industrial parks such as Henday Industrial Park, Border Business Park and Stonegate Industrial, along with iconic buildings and communities including ICE District, Edmonton Tower and BLVD Beltline.
HENDAY INDUSTRIAL PARK (in partnership with CPP Investment Board and Walton)
SOUTHPARK ON WHYTE (in partnership with Wheaton Properties) Located on Whyte Avenue and in Edmonton’s popular and lively neighbourhood of Old Strathcona, the Southpark on Whyte mixed-use development offers 98 high-end rental suites plus 15,900 square feet of retail. Learn more at www. SouthparkOnWhyte.com.
used development in central Edmonton is located in one of Edmonton’s most popular downtown neighbourhoods. Citizen marks an exciting addition to Jasper Avenue with 344 premier apartment suites and 8,600 square feet of retail space. Learn more at www.CitizenOnJasper.com.
Fronting Yellowhead Trail between Anthony Henday Drive and Winterburn Road (215 Street), Henday Industrial Park is a 238-acre development featuring attractive, state-of-the-art and environmentally sustainable buildings providing immediate access to arterial roads and national transportation through the nearby CN Intermodal Yard. Phase 1, comprised of three industrial buildings (618,363 square feet) and 3.5 acres of outdoor storage was developed then sold to BentallGreenOak.
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Just a few notable developments in Edmonton where ONE Properties’ commitment to high quality shines, include:
GLENORA PARK (in partnership with Revera) Glenora Park retirement residence offers the best of city living amidst the elegance of Edmonton’s River Valley. The 290-suite development features on-site, premium amenities and services including an outdoor terrace, golf simulator, fitness centre, pool, art studio, lounge, theatre, spa and salon, bistro, restaurants, and more. Designed to support
ONE Properties Revera Glenora Park (Rendering) ICE District
ICE DISTRICT (in partnership with Katz Group) Upon completion, ICE District will be one of the largest and most advanced mixed-use sports and entertainment districts in Canada. The development delivers a new era of entertainment in the form of epic concerts, heart-stopping NHL and WHL hockey games and events, world-class gaming, boutique shopping, trendy dining, and more. Learn more at www.IceDistrict.com.
ONE Properties • 35 • Page 4 Edmonton
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Last year, ONE Properties was awarded a management role for EIA’s Airport Sustainability Campus, which encompasses entertainment, tourism, shopping and light industrial developments. For ONE Properties, the role of industry leader also means supporting the communities that allow them to thrive.
EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT –PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Airport
Learn more at www.ReveraLiving.com.
Durstling concludes by speaking to the past while focusing on the future. “We thank our partners who put their trust in us with their investments and our lenders who have been very loyal,” He adds what comes next, “We will be focusing on investment and development in our core competencies of industrial, multi-family and retail real estate, and our capabilities in property and asset management to create economic value in our communities for our partners and our employees.”
Learn more at oneproperties.com and follow on LinkedIn at oneproperties.linkedin.com/company/ Suite 2500, 10111 - 104 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4 Tel: 780.423.5525 info@oneproperties.com oneproperties.com International
“We believe in the transformational power of people coming together to build strong and caring communities,” Durstling explains. “We are focused on giving back to local communities where we live and work and are supporters of Food Banks Canada and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. We are always seeking out opportunities to partner with unique Canadian-led businesses. We work with Montreal-based company Alvéole to introduce urban beekeeping at properties we manage.”
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