Business in Edmonton - September 2023

FALKBUILT: DESIGNS FOR A CHANGING WORLD

by Nerissa McNaughton

Falkbuilt is an innovator in interior construction, using technology to create efficient, sustainable, high performing and acoustically sound designs for commercial, office and healthcare spaces. The key is Digital Component Construction (DCC), which takes traditional construction practices and marries them with technology to design, create, ship and install with greater efficiency, accuracy and far less job site waste. DDC is empowered by Echo, a cloudbased technology that allows Falkbuilt to deliver products and services with exacting precision.

Mogens Smed, CEO, launched Falkbuilt in 2019.

“The reason we started this business is because of one word – technology,” says Smed. “Not just the technology we use to drive our solutions, but the technology that allowed us to take our business from $0 to $100 million in three years while doing installations in Antarctica, Germany, India, Chile and across North America.”

Smed continues, “Just 10 years ago AI, big data and even the cloud were not like they are today. The timing for Falkbuilt is really good; the innovations in the digital sphere allowed us to build a business very quickly and reliably. We have more than 20,000 pieces on the factory floor and we know exactly where each one is and what it does. That is unlike anything we could have done in the past.”

He further describes how technology has changed the construction industry, saying, “Falkbuilt is in the pre-fab business and pre-fab has been around since the early 1900s. However, until recently, pre-fab has not been scalable because of the cost of freight and the weight of the products. Now, instead of factory built and assembled on site, we use a digital component that is aligned with industry standards. The cloud allows us to create a seamless connection from design to final install. We are proud to be among the first to digitize conventional construction.”

Falkbuilt is pleased to have recently completed a $2 million project for Mattamy Homes, one of Canada’s largest multifamily builders. Smed is also thrilled about the 11-floor project for Equitable Bank in Toronto.

As much as Falkbuilt relies on technology to drive its success, it also relies on its people.

“The biggest reason for our success is the team of people and the culture we have here,” says Smed. “That is a fact that trumps technology. Work culture is everything.”

For Smed, it’s not just about stopping and enjoying the growth of the business. He wants to influence the entire industry, be ready for the future of construction and use that future to change the world.

“We need to be ready for the inevitable tsunami of business. We need to prep now for the growth that is coming and be extremely agile and in tune with the needs of our environment. This doesn’t feel like work to me – we are part of an idea. There have got to be ways to build better, more affordable homes. Calgary can’t accommodate all the people coming in and young adults can’t afford to buy a home. People want to be here but there is nowhere for them to live. Falkbuilt is part of, and driving, meaningful change.”

ABOVE: MOGENS SMED, CEO, FALKBUILT.

AMONG THE SEVERAL THOUSAND PREFABRICATED INTERIOR

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FALKBUILT HAS COMPLETED AROUND THE WORLD IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS:

RIGHT TOP: A SEATTLE ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN FIRM.

RIGHT MIDDLE: A CALGARY ORAL SURGERY CLINIC.

RIGHT BOTTOM: A NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY’S NEWPORT BEACH OFFICE.

Change from within the company is evident, but far less obvious is Smed’s humble generosity. He is quietly helping to build the communities in which Falkbuilt operates. Just some of the causes and organizations Smed and Falkbuilt support include music, the arts and nature conservation.

Smed is adamant about supporting RESET Society of Calgary (formerly Servants Anonymous), which provides long-term housing, recovery and training programs for women and their children escaping human trafficking and sexual exploitation; Robin Hood Association’s Aspen Village, which provides 24/7 supports to seniors and adults who have disabilities and high or medically complex needs including end-of-life care and The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s marine wildlife efforts. Smed is perhaps most proud of being the first CEO in Calgary to sit on the board of directors for the AIDS Calgary Awareness

Association in the late 1980s. As AIDS started to spread in Calgary and homophobia, prejudice and discomfort about HIV grew, Smed was determined to lend his support and help reduce the stigma around AIDS. Most recently, he sat as a member of the Board of Directors for Sauschan Development Corporation, the economic arm of the Takla Nation in B.C..

Although the company is just three years old, Falkbuilt has been recognized and awarded numerous times for its innovative work. The company is especially proud of its first big win, the 2019 ASID Design Impact Award at the Healthcare Design Expo + Conference in New Orleans. The award came on the heels of Falkbuilt’s record-fast installation at the tradeshow, going from crate to clean up in eight hours by assembling a full medical exam and dialysis room including ceiling track, electrical and glass telescoping doors.

Dreams of this size need support, and for Falkbuilt, that support came from ATB.

“They have been absolutely delightful,” Smed says of partnering with ATB. He pauses to laugh, “There is definitely a bias! This is the first local bank I have dealt with since 1982! My previous businesses had to rely on American banks or the big banks of the past. That has always been a very tenuous relationship because they are not in touch with their clients. ATB, on the other hand, looked at how we run the business, its potential and our belief in doing what we say we are going to do. They have been different from any other bank – in a good way. ATB has done a wonderful job of staying in touch and growing with us.”

Smed concludes, “The future of this industry is not up to us. It’s for the rest of the world to catch on to what we are doing. This should be the way to build and we are proving that you can manufacture in Calgary and compete around the world with the help of technology. There is nothing complicated about it. In fact, it becomes easier and easier.”

Learn more at falkbuilt.com.

ATB is pleased to present a 2023 profile series on the businesses and people who are facing challenges head-on to build a strong Alberta.

Thank You To Our Supporters

Our supporters: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

$25,000 & Up

• AIMCo Foundation for Financial Education

• Avery Linton Legacy Foundation

• Brent & Deborah Hesje

• Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation

• Cameron Corporation

• CN Community Board

• CPA Alberta

• CPA Education Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999

• Dentons Canada LLP

• Edmonton Construction Association

• Fountain Tire

• Gordon & Diane Buchanan Family Foundation

• Grant Thornton LLP

• HSBC

• Imperial Equities Inc.

• Imperial

• KV Capital

• Newell Family

$5,000 - $9,999

• Angus Watt Advisory Group

• ATCO

• Athabasca University

• Bruce Hagstrom

• CIBC

• Collins Family Foundation

• Ernst & Young LLP

• Finning Canada

• Henrietta & Jerry Naqvi

• High Five for Kids Foundation

• Amazon

• American Express Canada

• Cantiro Group

• CAREERS

• CIBC

• Don Wheaton Ltd.

• Duncan Craig LLP

• Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

• First Industries Corporation

• FKA

• Foundation for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship

• Harold Roozen

• Jeff & Jackie Polovick

• Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP

• KMC Mining

• KV Capital

• Kurt Feigel

• Lindsay & Doug Kelly Fund at the ECF

• Melcor Developments

• Nicole & Cory Janssen

• NorQuest College

• PATTISON Outdoor Advertising

$2,500 - $4,999

• Hokanson Capital

• Huebner Family Foundation

• Jim Carter & Dr. Lorraine Bray

• KPMG

• Larry & Janet Anderson Experiential Learning Endowment Fund at the ECF

• Maclab Development Group

• Maclab Properties Group

• McCoy Family Foundation

• McLennan Ross LLP

• Nearctic

• PCL Constructors Inc.

• Pennock Acheson Nielsen Devaney

• Rohit Group of Companies

• Scandinavian Building Services Ltd.

• Scotiabank

• TD Bank

• The ManCap Foundation

• The Wheaton Family Foundation

• Tony & Daniela Franceschini Family Fund at the ECF

• Zurich Canada

• Pollock Family Foundation

• RMC Group of Companies Ltd.

• Running Room Canada Inc.

• Shopify

• SMS Equipment Inc.

• The Co-operators

• The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Edmonton

• Tim Melton

• Ralph & Gay Young Family Capital Fund at the ECF

• RBC Wealth Management

• Sequeira Partners

• Servis Realty Inc

• Shaw Communications

• Specialized Recruiting Group

• Sorrell Financial

• Sureway Construction Group

• The Family of G. Donald Love

• W.E. Greer Ltd.

• Willow Lake Metis Association

By Catherine Brownlee

PCL’s civil construction experts possess the ingenuity and experience to undertake any civil structure imaginable. The reconstruction of Jasper Avenue between 97th and 100th streets, including roadworks, storm sewer, and streetscaping is just one defining example. From bridge rehabilitation and structural repairs to water infrastructure, wastewater treatment plants and dams, we work quickly and efficiently to ensure minimal disruption to the area while providing the highest quality of workmanship. PCL.COM

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The Edmonton Edge Fund offers funding to businesses looking to start, scale, and grow in Edmonton. Grants are available for innovative projects that will help to stimulate growth and transformation in the local economy.

It’s Time to Maximize Edmonton’s Hosting Potential

BY CATHERINE BROWNLEE, PRESIDENT OF

After an incredibly successful summer festival season, it’s clear that Alberta is on the map as a go-to destination for entertainment experiences. Edmonton hosted the Junos earlier this year, bringing in more than $12 million in economic impact. Calgary hosted another incredibly successful Stampede in July, seeing a record turnaround, only topped by the 100th anniversary Stampede in 2012. K-Days was attended by 557,000 this year.

However, it isn’t just festivals and entertainment events bringing people to our province. We’re seeing more and more professional conferences and conventions drawing people to Wildrose Country. In April, the 2023 Canadian Hydrogen Convention welcomed 8,000 attendees from more than 70 countries to Edmonton, doubling last year’s numbers. Attendance is expected to double again for the 2024 convention. The event didn’t only showcase our burgeoning hydrogen sector but generated a staggering $10 million in economic impact for the city. Edmonton is also hosting Carbon Capture Canada 2023 this month, not to mention the provincial conferences that bring people to the capital, like the Alberta Municipalities Convention and Trade Show. These types of professional and industry gatherings are becoming more common in our city, and their economic impacts are felt across nearly every sector – hospitality, entertainment, restaurants and retail, arts and culture and, importantly, small business. It also brings vibrancy to our downtown core that, after a challenging few years, benefits greatly from the energy boost.

This boost will continue into the fall as Edmonton prepares to host Canada’s premier commercial real estate conference, BOMEX 2023, at the world-class ICE District. The

ENTERPRISE GROUP (AEG), CALGARY AND EDMONTON CHAPTERS

conference is hosted by BOMA Edmonton and will welcome 450 commercial property owners, managers and service providers from across the country, Mexico, the United States and China to Edmonton’s downtown core this month to experience the city for themselves. This event showcasing Edmonton’s dynamic commercial real estate industry will bring an estimated $1.5 million to Edmonton and Jasper’s economies over the four-day occasion.

What’s more, this event sold out two months in advance as the excitement grows for the opportunity to visit and explore Canada’s northernmost major city. Organizers never expected such enthusiasm but this event broke records for the 33-year-old conference. Naysayers will tell you that Alberta isn’t an ideal destination for events or conferences of significant size and that professional gatherings held in Edmonton do not have the same allure as conferences held in St. John’s, Vancouver or Montreal, but the evidence clearly demonstrates otherwise.

The question is now whether we want to continue this trend. With the numerous benefits to the city, the answer is a no-brainer. To make that happen, we need to make sure we have the infrastructure to support these events – more hotel rooms, more networking and event spaces, bigger and more modern convention centres, direct flights, rail transit from the airport to downtown and to our best tourism assets, like the Rocky Mountains.

The world wants to come here, and it’s time we developed the infrastructure to host them properly. The good news?

We happen to have 450 commercial real estate professionals here this month who can make it happen.

ENTERPRISE GROUP (AEG) PUTS ALBERTA BUSINESSES FIRST BY SHARING INFORMATION, ADVOCACY AND BUILDING BRIDGES TO NEW MARKETS. AEG MEMBERS

ALBERTA

Why Small Business Week is Crucial for Edmonton’s Economy

Small businesses are the backbone of any thriving economy. They create employment opportunities, contribute to communities and generate revenue. In Edmonton, small businesses play a crucial role in boosting the local economy.

Edmonton has a vibrant small business community, with over 33,000 small businesses, accounting for more than 80 per cent of all businesses in the city. According to the City of Edmonton’s Economic Indicators Report, small businesses in Edmonton generate around 30 per cent of the city’s GDP and provide employment to over 250,000 people. The same report states that the top industries for small businesses in Edmonton are construction, professional services and retail trade.

Just a few great reasons to support your local small businesses include:

• When you shop at a small business, your money is going directly to the business owner and their employees, which helps to create jobs in the area. Additionally, shopping locally helps to keep businesses in the community open, which can help to attract new businesses and investment to the area.

• Shopping locally allows you to discover new products that may not be available anywhere else.

• Shopping locally also gives you an opportunity to get involved in your community by supporting local causes and charities. Many small businesses will donate a portion of their profits to charities or sponsor events such as fundraisers or festivals, which can help bring people together and build stronger communities.

• Shopping locally also helps protect the environment by reducing emissions from transportation since goods don’t have to travel long distances before they reach consumers.

• When you shop locally at small businesses, you are helping create jobs in your community. Small business owners typically hire local workers who live nearby, which helps strengthen the local economy by providing more job opportunities.

Small Business Week (SWB) is celebrated annually throughout Canada in October. Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) organizes this week to recognize the invaluable contributions of small businesses to the country’s economy. With informative webinars, networking sessions and award ceremonies, small business owners can access tools and resources they need to celebrate SBW. Each province – and city – hosts their own, local SBW events and celebrations. In addition to companies accessing BDC resources for SBW, Chambers often set up their own events and networking opportunities.

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce provides support and resources for small businesses locally. You can follow the Chamber of Commerce’s website to stay updated with the upcoming events and find out how to participate locally in SBW.

Small businesses play a vital role in Edmonton’s economy, and Small Business Week is an excellent opportunity to show your support. Edmonton’s small business landscape is diverse and thriving, and it’s essential to support these enterprises to maintain a robust local economy.

PCL Proud to Support Skills Canada Competition & Partner Once Again with

Canadian and American Red Cross

PCL Construction is pleased to once again partner with the Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) for its trades and technologies showcase. Creating Possibilities is this year’s theme.

More than 550 competitors from across Canada match strengths to see who comes out on top in over 40 skilled trade and technology disciplines, including construction. SCNC is open to the public and provides visitors with hands-on experiences to introduce them to skilled trade and technology careers.

Source: PCL JW

Modern Spaces. Legendary Experiences.

At JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District, we welcome you with a warmth and authenticity that enables your meeting attendees to feel relaxed and inspired. Our meeting rooms, boardrooms and event spaces feature the latest technology with state-of-the-art audio-visual capabilities for seminars, conferences and tradeshows.

“PCL knows the importance of this annual event highlighting the immense talent these individuals possess, and at the same time showcase the career opportunities in our country all in one place. It’s no secret that the skilled trades have been and continue to be in high demand right now,” said Mike Wieninger, PCL’s COO of Canadian operations. “The next generation of our industry is crucial to ours and many other companies’ success. Plenty of opportunities await these talented men and women, especially in the construction field.”

PCL also partnered with the recently held Skills Alberta Competition where students strive for success in the trades and technologies industries to hopefully advance to the Skills Canada competition.

PCL offers opportunities for first year apprentices, including staying with PCL while finishing needed hours to complete apprenticeships and become a certified tradesperson. There are also plenty of co-op opportunities that can turn into fulltime in business technology, marketing & communications, human resources and project management, beyond the multitudes of trade work PCL has available.

Furthermore, PCL Construction is pleased to announce a combined $600,000 donation to the Canadian Red Cross and American Red Cross disaster management programs. This commitment continues a long-time partnership with Red Cross and will see $100,000 donated to each agency this year and in 2024 and 2025.

As part of its worldwide efforts, the Red Cross assists victims of weather emergencies and other catastrophic disasters across North America and supports humanitarian efforts in Ukraine

“Recent news of wildfires and other extreme weather events in Canada and the United States reminds us that a disaster can suddenly leave people without basic necessities,” said Dave Filipchuk, president and CEO, PCL Construction. “PCL is committed to leaving positive legacies in the communities where we live and work and contributing to Red Cross is just one way we do that.”

PCL’s donations provide financial support for Red Cross disaster management programs in both Canada and the United States. These programs prepare communities for crisis situations through investment in disaster-response operations, training and infrastructure. PCL has also contributed to specific disaster relief efforts, including Red Cross responses to wildfires in Fort McMurray, earthquakes in Haiti and Hurricane Katrina. This commitment will bring PCL’s total contributions to the Canadian and American Red Cross societies to $2.85 million since 2011.

To learn more about these and other news items, visit pcl.com.

FASCINATING CONVERSATIONS AND ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS ABOUT BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR, STARTING A NEW BUSINESS AND PROTECTING YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.

BOMA EDMONTON –

BRINGING CANADA TOGETHER THROUGH BOMEX 2023

DIRECTION

BY NERISSA MCNAUGHTON

When we think of corporations that drive business, warehouses that interplay with logistics, airports that move people and retail where people shop, we often think – and deservedly so – of the people inside the walls. The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) is focused on the buildings that stand as a silent partner to the innovation, decision making, livelihoods and careers within the commercial spaces that make up our cities.

“BOMA helps its members, the industry and our communities to perform better,” explains Lisa Baroldi, president and CEO of BOMA Edmonton. Baroldi took the helm of BOMA Edmonton three years ago this November –and has never looked back.

“Buildings matter to our cities. High-performing commercial buildings and property management teams enhance tenant experience and drive results for investors. When your building is smart, sustainable, healthy and operating at its best – and you combine that with a stellar team of people overseeing that building – you produce optimal results for your portfolio and for your community.”

Established in 1907, BOMA is a global network of hundreds of local commercial real estate associations representing commercial property professionals including owners, managers, service providers and more in major cities around the world. BOMA is committed to all types of commercial buildings such as offices, industrial spaces, medical facilities

and mixed-use properties. The brand is synonymous with The BOMA Standard Methods of Measurement referenced in commercial leasing agreements. BOMA is also renowned for driving building performance through initiatives such as The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY®) award and BOMA BEST sustainable, smart and healthy building certifications.

“BOMA BEST originated in Canada as a green building certification solution for cost savings and reducing water, energy and emissions for buildings,” says Baroldi. “BOMA BEST buildings have 13.8 per cent higher resale value, 7 per cent higher rents and 3.5 per cent lower vacancy. They emit 35 per cent less on average than non-BOMA BEST buildings.”

She continues, “BOMA BEST 4.0 includes sustainable, smart and healthy audits and optimization plans – it’s going to be huge. It will have a major impact on building decarbonization and optimization in North America and beyond as owners in Mexico and China are also certifying their buildings. Canadian buildings won over half of the TOBY awards at the recent BOMA International conference in Kansas

RIGHT: LISA BAROLDI, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF BOMA EDMONTON.

PHOTO SOURCE: PRODUCTION WORLD

LISA BAROLDI IS DRIVING BOMA EDMONTON’S EXCITING NEW

“BOMA HELPS ITS MEMBERS, THE INDUSTRY AND OUR COMMUNITIES TO PERFORM BETTER,” EXPLAINS BAROLDI.

City largely because BOMA BEST forces ownership and management teams to really know their buildings well and to be innovative when it comes to operations and management.

“I’m proud to say that HSBC Place in downtown Edmonton won the coveted and highly competitive international TOBY award in Kansas this year. It’s the first win in three decades for an Edmonton office tower.”

Baroldi goes on to note, “Did you know that real estate, both residential and commercial, is the second-largest contributor to Alberta’s GDP after oil and gas? Did you know that there are many diverse careers in this industry, or that our members contribute a ton to charitable causes? My job at BOMA is to be a voice of the industry, to share what is great about us with the rest of the world, and to be a part of the solutions to the issues we face as an industry and as cities. On the advocacy front, we ask others to look to us as partners. We seek a seat at the table for the issues that impact us and what our members do best, which is city building.”

Baroldi points out why it is important to think of buildings as communities, saying, “I work in EPCOR Tower where on any given day there can be 2,000 people. That is the size of a small town. Just like a town, the tower requires maintenance, strategies and policies, security and different people in different careers to make the building run. When you look closely, you see the diversity and how building management really takes all kinds of people. What I love about BOMA is that we are where the boardroom meets the boiler room.”

Baroldi lights up when she speaks of this inclusive nature of BOMA, “I grew up working in sawmills, living rural and then explored the world by living in major cities and sitting around the boardroom table with people who make billiondollar investment decisions. I’m at ease in these worlds and see how symbiotic they are. The people in this industry are talented and wonderful, and I feel lucky to work with them and learn daily.”

“When I started,” she continues, “the board was clear that we needed to collaborate with other associations in our industry and with government and other groups in economic development and the community to produce tangible results in four key areas: (1) building excellence, (2) fair and equitable taxation and regulations, (3) diversified and educated talent,

(4) safe communities and vibrant economies. For me, this meant reaching out to all kinds of different partners and experts, some of whom had little or no relationship with BOMA before. That deeper and wider collaboration has paid off. Since I joined BOMA, BOMA BEST has grown, and we have stopped legislative changes that would have created unfair taxes for the Alberta business community.

“With respect to diverse and educated talent, we have an incredibly dynamic and engaged group of professionals under 40 years of age focused on recruiting new talent to commercial real estate. With an aging workforce and some of the highest ratios of Baby Boomers to emerging leaders of all industries, emerging talent is critical for our industry’s future. Our emerging leaders have brought in 35 new youth and student members into BOMA.

TOP: BOMA EDMONTON CHAIR HILARY LUMME (REDSTONE GROUP) GIVING THE 2022 CHAIR’S AWARD TO BOMA EDMONTON VICE CHAIR CAMERON NAQVI (CAMERON DEVELOPMENT CORP).

BOTTOM: ELDER YOUNGCHIEF AND DR. SHALENE JOBIN (CENTRE) WITH THE INDIGENOUS INCLUSION IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PROJECT LEADERS.

To produce tangible results on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), we partnered with REET Institute to expose 18 BIOPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) youth to the industry through experiential learning and we are working with two fantastic Indigenous employment and training organizations – Oteenow and Tribal Chiefs Employment and Training – to train 15 Indigenous people in property management and building operations, while also providing cultural awareness and Indigenous engagement opportunities to our members who are building owners and managers. As our partners say, ‘it’s a two-way street’, and I truly believe that.”

BOMA Edmonton is active on safe communities and vibrant economies, too. The organization was one of the first to meet with the mayor and with provincial ministers on the topic of downtown safety and vibrancy and has promoted the merits of the office for corporate culture, economic and social vibrancy and employee wellness. BOMA is a strong proponent of more supports to deal with crises around mental health, addictions, housing and other social concerns. Thanks to City of Edmonton funding, BOMA Edmonton conducted primary research to fully understand the front-line experiences and increased costs facing property managers and tenants.

When Baroldi started at BOMA, it was during the height of the pandemic. Downtown was a ghost town and all over the province, economic recovery was top of mind. Former Minister Doug Schweitzer established the Edmonton Metro Region Economic Recovery (EMRER) Working Group and appointed industry representatives to shape a recovery action plan for the Edmonton region. Baroldi chaired the group along with Searle Turton, MLA for Spruce GroveStony Plain, and Malcolm Bruce, president and CEO of Edmonton Global.

“I’m passionate about what Edmonton and what Alberta have to offer the world. Now that a proper recovery action plan for our region is in place, we are sharing it with government and business leaders. It’s something we all can and should get behind. The EMRER report is 100 per cent the way forward and, honestly, we are still in recovery in so many ways in many industries,” explains Baroldi.

Currently, one of the most exciting things for BOMA Edmonton is the opportunity to host the BOMEX, BOMA Canada’s National Building Excellence Summit, from September 26-28, 2023 at the J.W. Marriott ICE District.

BOMEX is in its 33rd year and travels from city to city. BOMEX 2023 will be the first time that Edmonton hosts

ABOVE: REET INSTITUTE FOUNDERS AND SCHOLARS.

since the mid 1990s and thanks to the BOMEX team of staff, partners and volunteers, BOMEX Edmonton broke records and sold out two months prior.

Benjamin L. Shinewald, President and CEO of BOMA Canada, says, “This annual conference is returning to Edmonton after a 20-year absence – and what a moment to return, at long last! Our partners at BOMA Edmonton have convened an extraordinary few days that shows off everything from the spectacular ICE District to the landmark West Edmonton Mall to the majestic Rocky Mountains. Throughout, the education and content will be buttressed by real-world examples from the surrounding buildings – buildings as impressive as any I have ever seen. BOMEX 2023 is sold out months in advance and we are already asking ourselves, ‘what took us so long to return to Edmonton?’”

More than 450 guests will attend BOMEX and about 70 per cent of those guests are from outside the city. Baroldi notes that when BOMA Canada came to Edmonton to scout the city and help set up the conference, the representatives were very impressed to see the beautiful city and its amenities and

to see the robust support for BOMEX provided by the City of Edmonton, Explore Edmonton, Edmonton Global, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and more.

“Together with BOMA Canada, we have put together an incredible program, and we are grateful to everyone who has had a hand in making this event possible here in our great city,” Baroldi says with excitement. “We are taking the summit outside of the conference room to showcase Jasper and our region through city and building tours. Attendees from across North America will enjoy speakers such as Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, four-time Olympic gold medalist and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame; Shawn Kanungo, innovation strategist and bestselling author; Ryan Jespersen, the event’s emcee and the host of Real Talk; Bryce Starlight, vice president of Taza Development Corp, the company behind the largest First Nations owned development in North America and more. Edmonton is an amazing place to host these world-class events. The stats are speaking for themselves.”

She pauses to reflect on how the city, and the province, deliver in so many ways to the people living here.

“The Alberta advantage is the drive of the people and the diversity. There are key things that make us attractive economically but when people come here, they are charmed. Like commercial real estate, Alberta is often misunderstood, too. People unfamiliar with us don’t understand how complex we are. Then when they get here, their jaws drop. ‘The first mosque in Canada was in Alberta? You have renewable energy innovations and top medical research in Alberta? There is a JW Marriott in Edmonton? I feel like I’m in Singapore!’ are just some of the things they say.

“We have the opportunity to expose people to who we really are. All the time the conversation I’m having in Ontario, Dubai, B.C., etc., is working against the narrative of what people think about us, or the fact that they might not think about us at all. We have a lot of work to do in championing who we are and how diverse we are. Oil and gas are key, but energy has helped make us stronger in so many other areas. Commercial real estate is one of those areas and it touches every other industry. It is all connected.”

Learn more about BOMA Edmonton and BOMEX at bomaedm.ca.

TOP: BOMA CANADA CEO BENJAMIN SHINEWALD AND LISA BAROLDI. BOTTOM: BOMA EDMONTON’S ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT SELLS OUT IN MINUTES.

CHANGES AND GROWTH AT NORTHERN DEVELOPMENTS

Ssell a Spruce Grove office property to Northern Development and Investment Group. Now, 20 years later, he’s president of Northern and is overseeing a significant built-to-suit development on that same site, at 250 Diamond Avenue.

The $12.5 million project for Cam Tran, a Canadian manufacturer of electrical transformers, is one of many exciting projects underway at Northern since Waskiewich joined the rural-focused commercial real estate developer in May 2022, with a mandate for substantial growth.

Northern was founded in Fairview, Alberta, in 1963 by J.H. and Maria Boytinck. The family-run business continued to grow under the leadership of grandson Arthur Boytinck, with a portfolio including several Edmonton properties and buildings in Lethbridge, Leduc, North Battleford, Sherwood Park, Vegreville and Whitecourt.

“Northern has been quietly and strategically developing around Edmonton and throughout Alberta in some of the secondary and tertiary markets for over five decades,” Waskiewich says.

As the company moves into fourthgeneration ownership, the company brought

Waskiewich on to build the team and oversee growth for Northern’s retail, industrial and agribusiness portfolio.

“We’re targeting to go from $70 million in asset value to $250 million in the next five years,” Waskiewich says. “The goal is to substantially increase our development portfolio, while staying in the secondary and tertiary markets throughout Western & Central Canada.”

While the scale is different, the underlying strategy isn’t new for Northern.

“If you go back to the genesis of this family business 70 years ago, that’s where it started. Supporting those smaller communities in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario; that’s who we are and where we’re going to continue to be. Northern focuses on

Sidney Waskiewich

efficiently building ‘right-sized’ retail, industrial and agricultural developments, not big power centres. It could be a 5,000 square foot standalone building with three or four tenants or a larger 25,000 square foot centre with an anchor tenant.”

He adds, “Such developments are less glamorous than building shiny office towers in big cities, but they fill an important need for non-urban municipalities. Small communities are really the backbone of our country and I think those communities have been largely forgotten.”

Waskiewich brings to Northern extensive experience in commercial real estate. He started in investment sales at Avison Young before moving over to leasing, then went on to leasing/sales leadership roles at Aspen Properties, Dundee Realty Management Corp and Qualico. His start in investment sales, including underwriting assets and understanding valuations, has given him a broader view of the industry.

“My titles have been tied to leasing but I’ve always looked at real estate with an investment and ownership mindset,” Waskiewich notes.

Since joining Northern, Waskiewich’s first order of business was to move Northern’s office from the west end of Edmonton to the city’s core, in the Bell Tower.

“I just think if you’re out of sight, you’re out of mind,” he explains.

Downtown is where brokers, lenders, tenants and other industry players are, and he felt increasing Northern’s presence and profile downtown were important to the company’s ambitious growth plans, a move Northern’s board eagerly agreed with.

Next, Waskiewich prioritized growing the company’s small team. He hired Melanie Ducholke as vice president of finance and accounting and Todd Werre as vice president of development and construction. Both are great additions to an incredibly loyal and effective team.

The company is now addressing process change, aiming to build strong foundations to propel future growth.

“Next year will be all about projects,” Waskiewich says, “like the one underway at 250 Diamond Avenue in Spruce Grove.”

He’s looking forward to what such projects will mean for rural residents, growing companies and smaller communities across western Canada.

“When we go sit with these municipalities, they’re as excited to talk to us and we are with them. We are grateful to work with them in order to help keep people in their town and help their communities grow. It’s what we have always done and will continue to do for years to come.”

MANY BENEFITS OF API

Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) launched with the goal of better supporting the growth of the life sciences in Alberta by bridging the gap between academia and industry. A few years on, the industry-led not-for-profit organization is at the centre of a rapidly expanding sector that’s driving economic prosperity.

“We’re at the cusp of a transformational growth period for the life sciences,” says Andrew MacIsaac, CEO of API.

API launched in 2017, when MacIsaac was working as assistant dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta. MacIsaac had spent most of his career working at the intersection between post-secondaries, the private sector and the public good, trying to figure out ways to better support the economic development capacity that comes out of post-secondary institutes.

MacIsaac saw a persistent challenge in the life sciences sector, a highly technical field comprising companies working in spaces that affect human or animal health, including pharmaceutical companies,

natural health product companies, and medical device companies.

“As a whole, Canada does a pretty bad job of commercializing its intellectual property in that space,” he says.

The process of turning early-stage research into something that is approved and on the market is difficult, lengthy and costly. It involves many pieces, from technical expertise and raising funds to navigating clinical trials, a highly regulated market and building manufacturing capacity. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic made clear, having capacity to develop and manufacture new drugs in Canada is important.

“What we launched API to do is essentially change that paradigm and enable companies to grow and succeed here commercially in terms of their research and development. At the same time, we’re providing a system and framework to attract all sorts of companies to the region to do their work as well,” MacIsaac says.

API offers support in numerous ways, including helping companies big and small build out teams of

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skilled talent — teams, says MacIsaac, that can take an idea sketched out on a napkin and ultimately turn it into a finished product.

“Life sciences is one of those high value sectors, like oil and gas, that employs a lot of people across a lot of different backgrounds and skillsets,” he says.

API is also an incubator, working with smaller companies and providing support like shared services and facilities. API also works closely with economic development agencies to attract new companies to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.

That multi-faceted approach is working. “There’s been some big wins recently,” MacIsaac says.

He’s especially proud of the Canadian Critical Drug Initiative, a project led by API that boosts drug research, commercialization and manufacturing

in Alberta. In March, the Government of Canada invested $80.5 million in the initiative.

That same month, API finalized an agreement with Explore Edmonton to become the leaseholder and manager of the Biotechnology Business Development Centre (BBDC) in the Edmonton Research Park. The 72,000 square foot building will be a space for life science companies to incubate and grow their businesses and commercialize their products.

Life sciences is a complex lab activity, MacIsaac says, and most landlords aren’t currently equipped to provide the necessary services and equipment within their buildings. That’s where API has stepped in, to serve as a sublandlord and build out shared capacity and capabilities for life sciences companies to succeed.

“The hope here is we’ll be able to start a transition of Edmonton into a region where life science companies set up when they’re looking for lab space or manufacturing space,” MacIsaac says.

As that happens, benefits will spill over — including to commercial real estate.

Commercial spaces that can be turned into labs or manufacturing facilities, such as warehouses, often attract long-term and compliant tenants, given the regulated environment companies work in and all the equipment involved. Space in office buildings is also needed for work such as computer modelling.

“Right now, life sciences makes up about 7 per cent of the economy here, but we are a rapidly growing sector,” MacIsaac says. He sees that number doubling in the next 10 years, driving economic growth in other sectors along the way.

“The success of life sciences will have an impact for people across the economy.”

Andrew MacIsaac, CEO, API, with the API scientific staff at KATZ, U of A.

Biotechnology Business Development Centre (BBDC).

Andrew MacIsaac, CEO, API, and Launa Aspleset, Board Chair, API at the announcement of the CCDI.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

IT IS PERSONAL AND IT AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINE

BY JOHN HARDY

There is an undisputed new business fact of life about corporate health and wellness. With many employees spending a third of their day (or more) working, the employer and the transforming workplace play a significant role in employee health.

The focus on corporate health and wellness is changing, sometimes dramatically. While some companies, big and small, increase salary ranges to attract new talent, others are implementing flex times and adding to company perks, bonuses, staff discounts, upskilling and financial wellness benefits.

Recent HR studies show that it may not be enough. Many workers have changed their definition of “success.” They now prioritize work-life balance, mental health and having a meaningful job over the cliched steady paycheck.

MANY WORKERS HAVE CHANGED THEIR DEFINITION OF “SUCCESS.”

THEY NOW PRIORITIZE WORK-LIFE

BALANCE, MENTAL HEALTH AND HAVING A MEANINGFUL JOB OVER THE CLICHED STEADY PAYCHECK.

In the Edmonton workplace, and throughout North America, HR and experienced professionals are making employee mental and physical wellness a strategic priority; and, while it may be a forgettable, distant memory, the pandemic disruptions have made a dent in employee and employer

attitudes and the realization that a healthy workforce is not only important from a moral standpoint, but also from a financial and business standpoint.

Of course, the wants and needs and expectations of employees are vital to achieve and maintain personal health but the facts, figures and trendings show that health and wellness options and programs offered by Edmonton employers are also directly and indirectly important aspects of the business’ bottom line.

For employees, health and wellness is repeatedly shown to boost moods and happiness. It may sound sappy and

trite but there is proof that happy people enjoy life, are better employees and better spouses, parents, caregivers and volunteers. It is documented that people who are physically and mentally fit have the capacity, and the ability, to give more to their families, communities and to their employers.

On the company side, businesses that prioritize both mental and physical health within their work cultures reap the ROI because workplace health and wellness programs offer significant benefits. For Edmonton-based companies, while the momentum is encouraging, corporate health and wellness is a work in progress – and the Edmonton workplace continues to be redefined.

“As part of a continual process to improve the physical and psychosocial health of the workplace, health and wellness programs help promote the good physical and mental health of the employee,” explains Lin Yu, occupational health and safety specialist with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). “But it is also shown to be valuable for improving productivity, engagement, morale and also effective for impacting presenteeism and absenteeism in the workplace.”

More and more, effectively targeting company health and wellness options and programs is also a potent tool for recruitment and retention.

“We have certainly witnessed that if organizations are not prioritizing employee health and wellbeing, they are significantly struggling with the attraction and retention of valued employees,” notes Melanie Fuller, director of wellness at Alberta Blue Cross, “which is ultimately the driving engine of the business and its sustainability. In some sectors, employees are working longer hours, often due to labour shortages, and it is causing higher rates of burnout, leading to an erosion of their health and wellbeing and an increase in absenteeism, health care costs and resignations. Changing values of employees – with a greater focus on their personal wellbeing – is paramount in their decisions of what work they will do and who they will work for.”

As Edmonton’s big and small businesses are focused on employee health and wellness, “It’s important to note that a corporate health and wellness plan does not require a

ABOVE: VICTORIA GRAINGER, FOUNDER OF EDMONTON’S WELLNESS WORKS CANADA.

AS EDMONTON’S BIG AND SMALL BUSINESSES ARE FOCUSED ON EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELLNESS, “IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A CORPORATE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PLAN DOES NOT REQUIRE A LOT OF INVESTMENT, FANCY APPS OR GYMS,” SAYS THE UPBEAT AND RESPECTED GRAINGER.

lot of investment, fancy apps or gyms,” says the upbeat and respected Victoria Grainger, founder of Edmonton’s Wellness Works Canada, the respected, not-for-profit workplace health and performance association, supporting workplace wellness practitioners and employers in building healthy, high performing work cultures. “It is simply about prioritizing physical, mental and life balance with things like flexible work options, recognition, empathy, civility, respect and ultimately a culture that has a people-first lens.”

Yu adds that, “Workplace health and wellness programs typically offer health promotion tools, resources or activities that help encourage overall good health. These programs aim to help workers engage in a healthier lifestyle, both physically and mentally. For example, it may be fitness reimbursements, smoking cessation resources or substance use education and support offered as part of workplace health and wellness programs.”

She points out that with increased awareness on mental health issues in recent years, health and wellness programs may also include more resources and tools to address psychosocial issues like workplace stress or anxiety. Also, some organizations also offer employee assistance programs that connect workers with confidential, short-term, counselling services.

“More and more, when we talk about workplace health and safety, we are referring to both the physical and psychological well-being of workers. A company’s wellness program should complement the existing health and safety program to address mental health challenges at both the organization and individual levels.

“At the organization level, leaders and managers can make sure workplace psychosocial hazards like excessive workloads are identified, assessed and addressed,” Yu continues. “At

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the individual level, health and wellness programs can offer mental wellness resources, confidential counselling services and provide information on community resources for mental health support.

She acknowledges that the role of the workplace is not to diagnose or to treat any illness, mental or physical. However, the company can certainly offer support and accommodations. “Workplaces can play a supportive role by reducing the stigma attached to mental health issues. For example, education and training can help everyone understand how their actions and words matter.”

Most corporate health and wellness professionals emphasize the contemporary topic of mental health. Given the lessons learned during the pandemic disruptions, due to remote work infringing on work-life balance, an upsurge in burnout

situations and other common workplace broadsides, mental health is becoming as much of a corporate health and wellness issue for employers as conventional physical health.

Fuller tracks the workplace trends, “For at least the past three years, the largest growing demand remains mental health. Emerging from the pandemic, people are craving meaningful connections to support their social well-being but are now also struggling with financial well-being due to interest rates, increased taxation and inflation hitting everyone particularly hard. All of which have impacts on our mental health.

“Also in demand is the support for more preventative resources to enhance resiliency and self-care to protect against burnout. The pandemic has revealed the multidimensional and omnipresent nature of wellness. Self-care is no longer something that we do for an hour a day, a few times a month or only when we are on vacation. It is an essential focus to be embedded in our daily lives and priorities with expectations expanding in workplaces and workspaces.”

Grainger urges companies to – now more than ever – make corporate health and wellness a crucial priority.

“I think a must-have is business leaders supporting the physical as well as the psychological health, well-being and the performance of their people.”

The experts are unanimous. Companies that prioritize wellness create stronger connections with their employees, who are likely to be happier and more engaged. Creating a vibrant health and wellness program is good for Edmonton employers and Edmonton employees.

MAKING HOUSES INTO HOMES FOR 45 YEARS

Written by Rennay Craats

Published by Brittany Fouquette

When Avi Amir and his family immigrated to Canada in 1974, he was struck by the possibilities of Canada. While capitalizing on those possibilities wasn’t easy, Amir has always been up for a challenge. His civil engineering background opened doors to work with Anthes Equipment in Mississauga and Calgary. He settled in Calgary and decided to strike out on his own with Avi Construction in 1978.

There was only one problem: he didn’t have any money. While he had experience with concrete and steel construction, he didn’t have the funds to bid on public tenders so he shifted gears and with little more than faith in himself and a strong work ethic, entered the unknown world of single-family home construction.

Charron Ungar and Avi Amir.

Photo by Rebecca Hardcastle.

“I didn’t know much about wood construction but I learned on the job. I took out a second mortgage on my house for $30,000 and I started working,” says Avi Amir, founder and chairman of Homes by Avi.

He bought a house and razed it to build a new four-plex in its place and then repeated the process in another area. It was a steep learning curve but Amir conducted business like he conducted his life, focusing on doing what’s right to give clients the best possible quality and value. Avi Construction was ready to tackle building new homes in Calgary’s growing suburban subdivisions so in 1980, he approached developer Nu-West about purchasing home lots. He was told that would require him to build a showhome first.

As luck would have it, a builder pulled out of the showhome parade in the southwest community of Woodbine and Amir happily stepped into their place. Despite the crashing economy in Alberta in the early 1980s, Avi Construction built 12 houses in its first year as a home builder and continued to grow over the following years. By the peak of the housing boom in the 2010s, Homes by Avi was building approximately 1,000 new homes a year in Alberta.

Homes by Avi builds in the community of Evergreen.

CONGRATULATIONS Homes By Avi on 45 Years.

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That level of production was unthinkable in the early days when he and his wife, Rachel, wore many hats and sought help from their three children. It wasn’t until 1985 that they hired the first employee for the newly renamed company Homes By Avi. The Company began to grow consistently from there; building a solid reputation as more people moved into homes built by Homes by Avi.

“After our first showhome in Woodbine in 1980, we worked in Riverbend and Edgemont, Shawnessy, Millrise, Scenic Acres, Rocky Ridge, Chaparral, and on and on. As the city developed, we tried to be in every subdivision that came up,” he says.

After 20 years building homes in Calgary, one of his developer partners, Dandee Development, informed Amir that it would be several months before they would have land available for development in the city. Not one to sit back, he inquired about other opportunities and jumped at the invitation to build in Edmonton. In 1998, Homes by Avi created a branch in the province’s capital, building its first home in the hamlet of Sherwood Park. The company has continued building in exciting, vibrant communities across Edmonton ever since. The company has also maintained a presence in Austin, Texas, since 2006, building incredible single family homes, townhomes and row homes for clients south of the border.

Homes by Avi has grown into a major player in the industry and now, after 45 years, Amir is stepping back and letting the next generation take the reins. His son, Charron Ungar, has extensive experience in all levels of the company and took on the CEO role from retiring Monte Kendall in 2018, continuing to build his father’s legacy in Alberta.

LEAVING THEIR MARK ON EDMONTON

Homes by Avi has played an integral part in facilitating Alberta’s growth over the past 45 years and has helped house Edmonton’s surging population that has grown from about 894,000 when the company first came to town to more than 1.5 million today. Whether it’s a couple looking for a larger home to accommodate a family, emptynesters downsizing their space, or young professionals or newlyweds entering the housing market with a starter home, Homes by Avi is dedicated to delivering their dream space in their dream location.

“As we grew and developed, we tried to cater to the public in general, so we have something for almost everybody,” says Avi Amir. “Most communities have several different housing styles and customers can pick from our floorplans available in that particular location.”

The team is building a variety of home styles in 10 communities in and around Edmonton. Home buyers can choose to build in the new community of Marquis West

August at University District

Homes by Avi Edmonton head office.

Dear Homes By Avi,

Congratulations to Avi and his family, as well as the entire staff for 45 years of home building. Your dedication and loyalty to employees and trade partners is something that it truly unique in the construction industry and we believe it is a cornerstone to your success as a company. As a trade partner that has worked with Homes By Avi for almost 20 years, we have seen ups and downs in the economy and some crazy changes in the world, but you have always stuck with us through our ups and downs and allowed us to get better, and for that, the Management and Staff at Crystal Waters Plumbing will be eternally grateful.

Here’s to another 45 years!!!! Plumbing, Gasfitting and HVAC in both the Calgary and Edmonton markets. www.crystalwatersplumbingcompany.com

tables, tennis courts and fire pits outside. If a duplex is more appealing, they can check out the community of Maple Crest where Homes by Avi presents beautiful duplex homes with a variety of floor plans supported by shopping, parks, playgrounds, schools and a library, athletic and recreation facilities and a movie theatre. These southeast communities have it all.

throughout the province, the influential home builder has made an impact in subdivisions in every quadrant of the city. Over the past decades, Homes by Avi has invested in making their communities an amazing place for customers to put down roots and enjoy their Avi-built homes. In fact, the founder coined the company’s motto, “We mean what we say and deliver what we promise,” which has translated

Avi Amir writing personalized cards to new homeowners.

into Amir living in an Avi-built home in Garrison Woods in Calgary, modelling firsthand his heartfelt approach to customer satisfaction and trust in his product.

Garrison Woods, the award-winning redevelopment, refurbished the former Canadian Forces Base housing in Calgary while adding additional new homes that mirrored the architectural look of the original homes built in the 1960s. What was once army barracks is now one of Canada’s largest urban redevelopment projects and a great example of new urbanism in practice. These communities were designed to encourage connection and engagement by focusing on pedestrian-friendly areas and subscribing to the desire to live, work and play in one area.

“I love building great communities and bringing amazing homes to people. I live in Garrison Woods among my customers and it’s so great to see people I sold a home to on the street. They always stop and say hi,” he says.

The charismatic home builder always has time for his clients, past and present, and he even writes a personal note to every customer to thank them for choosing Homes by Avi. This genuine appreciation is one of the reasons Homes by Avi has not just survived but thrived in Alberta for 45 years.

THE SECRET TO THEIR SUCCESS

Even after its meteoric growth over the years, the company continues to operate as it did at the beginning. Through good times and challenging times, Avi Amir made decisions about how to run his business by what he thought was right, and that strategy hasn’t steered him wrong yet.

Sustainability was important to Amir long before it was trendy, and in 1983 Homes by Avi was the second

company to be R-2000 certified in Alberta. This began the builder’s practice of using different construction techniques and products in order to build highly energy-efficient homes. Since then, Homes by Avi has worked to reduce waste, reuse materials when possible, take extra care with insulation to limit heat loss, and incorporate energy-efficient appliances and high lumen LED lighting in its homes. Green considerations are always top of mind and the company is dedicated to reducing the energy consumption in the homes while working toward eventual net zero operations.

There is much for builders to consider when choosing materials to build a house, and there is even more for home owners to consider when selecting their design options. The designers at the Avi Definitions Selection Centre guide customers through thousands of details, from paint colour and tile to flooring style and cabinetry to faucets and finishings. Whether customers favour a traditional aesthetic, an urban modern feel or something in between, this talented team of certified interior designers helps customers personalize their space from top to bottom to fit their style and lifestyle. In celebration of 45 years in business, for a limited time Homes by Avi is matching upgraded finishes dollar-for-dollar up to $45,000 on all new homes, giving customers more bang for their buck in the Selection Centre.

Homes by Avi is also there to help clients through the most stressful part of buying a new home: the move itself. With the builder’s moving concierge service, customers don’t have to worry about coordinating cleaning, setting up and transferring utilities, forwarding mail or sourcing movers. This value-add service shoulders the stress of moving so customers can scrap to-do lists and just enjoy the new home experience.

“It’s our way to help our customers and I believe our customers really like it,” says Amir.

Calgary and Edmonton team celebrating annual Avi day.

The team treats every new home as if it’s the only one they are building and they strive for quality that they would want for themselves if they were going to live in it. Standards are high for the Homes by Avi team as well as the subtrades working on sites, and they all work together to ensure they are handing over a well built, well designed attractive home that will make customers proud.

“We make sure that the standard of our construction is high because that really emphasizes the comfort of living inside the house, of keeping the weather outside,” he says. “And if something is wrong, I always take care of things. I care about the value that they have in their home.”

Amir cares about his people too. It’s a family business and Amir treats the staff like part of his family. And what a big family it is. On top of the large number of long-time subcontractors who do the building there are 240 full-time employees between the Calgary and Edmonton locations. Many of the staff members have stayed with the company for decades because they feel valued, respected and believe in Amir’s customer-first business model. These incredible people work together to build quality homes for great people.

“People don’t quit companies, they quit managers, so we’ve got quality managers that keep our people here,” Amir says.

Great communication is preached from the top down, and the Homes by Avi team prides itself on keeping customers updated throughout the process, from the first meeting when they provide information to reports on progress through to hand over. After all, the team wants to keep customers excited as their house is being built so they already love it once they move in. This months-long relationship doesn’t end when they pass on the keys. The team continues to reach out through the first year to make sure everything is going well and there are no warranty issues that need to be addressed.

“Our people have to be treated well and then the customer will be treated well. And they are the people who keep us in business. Our values of friends, family, community and honesty are very important for us. These are the foundations of our company,” Amir says.

Community is a key value, and Avi Amir takes pride in giving back to the communities that have helped him so much over the decades.

780-451-0060 | www.overheaddoor.ca

COMMUNITY FIRST

In the early years in business, the company was working in a south Calgary community that had a residence association with insulation issues, so Amir stepped up and remodelled the exterior to make it a more functional space for the organization. That kick-started the company’s long history of community service.

First, a staff member asked if the company would assist with a Habitat for Humanity build to help the charity get started in the province. Homes by Avi bought a lot and sold the land to Habitat for Humanity for half its value and then worked with their volunteers to build a home at no charge.

From there, Homes by Avi took up a variety of causes and formed long relationships with organizations including Hope Mission, the Edmonton Food Bank and Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Since 2004, Homes by Avi has been a strong supporter of Stollery kids and their families, from being the title sponsor at the annual Teddy Bear Fun Fest event to inhouse fundraising events and participating in the annual Snowflake Gala, raising more than $181,400 for the Foundation.

Another huge community initiative for Homes by Avi is the Rotary Dream Home at the Calgary Stampede that is done in partnership with Calgary Stampede Lotteries and the Rotary Club of Calgary at Stampede Park. For 27 years, the builder has custom-designed and constructed a stunning home that is on display during the Stampede. This year’s Dream Home will be relocated to Rangeview by Section23 Developments, Calgary’s first garden-to-table community, and a lucky Rotary Dream Home lottery winner will move into the fully furnished $1.26 million home.

“We are involved in the communities in a big way wherever we can. We try to concentrate on education, health and

Customers tour the Avi Definitions Selection Centre.

homelessness, so anytime we are needed, we are there,” says Amir.

Homes by Avi has been a huge supporter of the industry as well and it endeavors to support educational programs that promote and facilitate the trades. Since 1998, the company has supported Jack James High School’s Knowledge and Employability program (K&E) through a joint home build. The students build a home in their school over the course of the year and then the Homes by Avi team transports this home onto a foundation on-site and finishes the build there.

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by Avi approached a few Edmonton high schools to start a similar partnership to support the next generation of Edmonton skilled trade workers entering the homebuilding industry.

To further stoke interest in the trades and battle the labour shortages that plague the industry, the company contributed $1 million to build the Trade and Technology Complex at SAIT and in addition has contributed another $1 million that is split between SAIT and NAIT. Both Amir and Ungar are active in various associations on the local and provincial levels to keep the industry strong.

THE NEXT 45

Homes by Avi will continue to evolve to meet the shifting needs of home buyers in an ever-changing market, all the while preserving what made the home builder special and successful from the beginning – providing incredible service to customers as they build their dream home

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EDMONTON’S MANUFACTURING DYNAMIC

BY JOHN HARDY

When it comes to misleading and inaccurate cliches and stereotypes, the business of manufacturing is often underrated, underestimated and glossed over. Clichés and stereotypes be darned! The facts and figures underscore that manufacturing, particularly in Edmonton, is a vitally important lynchpin of business.

“Manufacturing is one of Canada’s key economic drivers,” explains Alan Arcand, chief economist of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the national organization which represents more than 2,500 Canadian manufacturers of all sizes from coast to coast. “It is the second largest major subsector in Canada, ranking behind only real estate.

“Manufacturing directly generates almost 10 per cent of Canada’s GDP and more than 60 per cent of Canada’s merchandise exports. Including indirect and induced impacts, manufacturing’s footprint amounts to one-quarter of Canada’s total economic activity.”

Arcand also points out that manufacturing directly employs 1.7 million Canadians and supports 3.4 million additional Canadian workers through supply chain activity and employee spending.

Edmonton is certainly not immune to the stereotypes and perceptions about business but clichés are hard to change, or even modify.

While Edmonton continues with the perception of being a major centre for the oil and gas business, manufacturing continues to grow, succeed and be an underrated key driver of the city’s economy. According to Andrew Koning, senior policy and research analyst with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, “The Edmonton region is home to 40 per cent of Alberta’s manufacturing production and plays a critical role in Edmonton’s present and future. With over 280 health tech companies in Edmonton and machinery manufacturing making up 15 per cent of Edmonton’s manufacturing business, the strength of Edmonton’s manufacturing sector is a reflection of our region’s skilled and varied workforce.”

A solid example is Gambit Machining and its globally respected, 62-year reputation for machining precision.

“We like to say that anyone can make a great part once,” beams Tracy Albert, Gambit’s owner and manager. “As experts in precision, we can do it a million times. Right here in Edmonton with our experienced staff, quality control

THE UNDERRATED KEY DRIVER OF EDMONTON’S ECONOMY

ABOVE: DRADER MANUFACTURING.

processes, machining technology and our continuous improvement, Gambit can create practically anything you can imagine – and even some things you can’t!”

Another dynamic example is Drader Manufacturing, who provides large and small companies in a range of industries across Canada and the U.S. with custom or ready-made plastic parts and molds, including milk crates, bread trays, bakery baskets, warehouse bins and much more.

A recent and important component of this company’s respected manufacturing reputation is the patented Drader Injectiweld, the hand-held plastic welding fabrication kit and repair system known worldwide for its ease of use and strong welds.

“Manufacturing is vital to the Canadian economy and in addition to the products and services, manufacturing provides employment, skills and innovation,” emphasizes Kevin McTavish, Drader’s vice president of manufacturing.

“Relying on overseas supply chains can prove to be unreliable, costly and inefficient. This industry is also very important for Edmonton. As

the number of people moving into our region continues to rise, it is crucial for providing the jobs and products necessary for Edmonton’s growing and expanding population.”

The stats and the trends underscore the growing importance of manufacturing, not only for the economy but also for employment and overall quality of life.

Arcand cites CME figures which show that last year, 51,500 people were employed in Edmonton’s manufacturing sector, accounting for nearly 7 per cent of total employment.

“In 2022, manufacturing sales in Alberta hit a record high of $108.5 billion, thanks mainly to higher prices, especially

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“WE LIKE TO SAY THAT ANYONE CAN MAKE A GREAT PART ONCE,” BEAMS ALBERT. “AS EXPERTS IN PRECISION, WE CAN DO IT A MILLION TIMES.

ABOVE: TRACY ALBERT, OWNER AND MANAGER OF EDMONTON’S GAMBIT MACHINING.

for refined petroleum products. In Calgary and Edmonton, factory sales came in at $14.4 billion and $54.9 billion, respectively, in 2022. These were also record highs.”

He also acknowledges that technology is not only dramatically impacting the manufacturing sector, it is a transformation. One of the common terms used to describe this transformation is “Industry 4.0,” referring to having entered the fourth industrial revolution. This revolution is being powered by the internet and web-enabled software applications capable of processing a large amount of data, transforming the factory floor with interconnected systems that communicate, collect, analyze and exchange data.

“Relentless competitive pressures are driving manufacturers to adopt technology to lower operating costs, increase flexibility and responsiveness, reduce waste and improve product quality,” he says.

“Machine learning, robotics and AI have advanced at a rate unseen before,” Albert points out. “It makes for a very exciting time for manufacturing, particularly for Gambit. We are continually exploring and experimenting with technology to improve our operations, quality, efficiency and manufacturing capabilities.”

McTavish enthusiastically adds that, “Drader has adopted digital information for data collection and automating information gathering and reporting. Automation continues to help our production employees work more efficiently and improve ergonomics.”

Despite the solid growth and potential, there are advantages and challenges for the sector.

“Our skilled workforce is world class,” Albert says. “Favourable foreign exchange for international customers makes Canada extremely competitive internationally and Canada has an impeccable international reputation for human rights, health and safety and stability. But there are challenges, like the shrinking skilled workforce due to the demographic shift to retirement. I have been actively involved in various Alberta and Edmonton initiatives, advocating for and promoting skilled trades to youth.”

It’s the same urgent warning from McTavish.

“Our biggest challenge is finding qualified people to work in our manufacturing jobs across Canada and in Edmonton.”

Arcand emphasizes the urgency and recent slump in manufacturing’s scramble for skilled labour. “Although labour and skills shortages have been a problem in manufacturing for some time, it has recently gotten much worse. In 2021 and 2022, more than 80 per cent of Canadian manufacturers said they faced immediate labour and skills shortages, up sharply from 60 per cent in 2020 and only 39 per cent in 2016.”

CME stats show the top three skilled occupations most in manufacturing demand are welders, millwrights and machinists.

“Basically, manufacturing has four urgent and key challenges,” he says. “Labour and skills shortages, weak R&D spending, sluggish investment and slow technology adoption, weak domestic production and export growth and decarbonisation.”

Despite some sector speedbumps, Koning says Edmonton manufacturing is dynamic and offers several advantages for manufacturers.

“Our region is the key transportation and supply chain hub for the manufacturing sector in Western Canada. It is on the important CANAMEX trade corridor, providing a valuable access point to the north. Also, Edmonton is Canada’s closest major airport to Asia by circumpolar routes.”

McTavish’s positivity reflects the spirit of the manufacturing sector.

“Manufacturing has a positive outlook for 2024, with more supply chains looking to re-shore manufacturing to North America to help alleviate challenges from overseas suppliers. Canada has a strong manufacturing background and we need to continue to hire and train new Canadians to fill some of the open manufacturing positions across the country.”

ABOVE: IN THE SHOP AT GAMBIT MACHINING.

2023 Board of Directors

Board Executive Chair: Haydar Al Dahhan

President and CEO, Design Works Engineering

Vice-Chair: Aziz Bootwala

Managing Principal, Edmonton, Vice President, Business Development, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd.

Secretary-Treasurer: Jason Pincock CEO, DynaLIFE Medical Labs

Past Chair: Dennis R. Schmidt Principal, ALTURA Legal Advisory

Board Directors

Nicole Bird Owner, Rsvp Design Inc.

Nathan Carter Vice President, Projects and Construction, ATCO Energy Solutions

Jonathan Gallo Managing Partner, Gallo LLP Chartered Professional Accountants

Sandy Jacobson Vice President, Richardson Executive Search

Sam Kemble Chief Operating Officer, Workforce Delivery Inc.

Annemarie Petrov President and CEO, Francis Winspear Centre for Music

Amir Shami President and CEO, Rotaflow

Randy Allaire Chief Risk Officer, Servus Credit Union Edmonton Chamber Executive Cadence Bergman Director, Policy

Amin Samji Director, Member Services

Melissa Johnson Director, Events

Contact Edmonton Chamber of Commerce #600 World Trade Centre 9990 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB T5J 1P7

T: 780.426.4620 | F: 780.424.7946 edmontonchamber.com

Empowering Canadian Business: An Overview of Chambers’ Collaborative Efforts and the Business

Data Lab’s Tools

Haydar Al Dahhan, Board Chair

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is part of a large network of Chambers working to support businesses in their communities. These networks include the Alberta Chambers of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and together these organizations work to support and enhance a healthy environment for businesses to start and thrive.

Chambers exchange ideas, enhance offering to members and use our voices collectively to advocate on matters that are broad in scope. Chambers meet every year to participate in policy debates, discussing the opportunities and challenges that businesses are facing. As a recent example, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce joined hundreds of Chambers across Canada signing a collective letter requesting an extension of the deadline to repay the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) Loans.

Businesses across Canada often look for more detailed business data, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab (BDL) is expanding these resources in partnership with Statistics Canada. Continuing their efforts to democratize data, BDL has the intention of helping businesses navigate market conditions and has produced several easy-to-use tools including:

• Survey Insights • Business Conditions Terminal • Local Spending Tracker

• Workplace Mobility Tracker

BDL releases in-depth quarterly data based on Statistics Canada’s Canadian Survey on Business Conditions (CSBC). The data is broken down into three categories – Business Expectations, Business Obstacles and Business Outlook. Each can be broken down further by geographic region (national and provincial or territorial), industry, employment size, ownership status, minority group, international business activity, and rural versus urban. The most recent survey found top business obstacles are rising inflation, input costs and interest rates, as well as challenges recruiting skilled employees.

The Business Conditions Terminal includes seven detailed dashboards with easyto-customize, curated indicators. This includes BDL’s assessment of current business conditions, business sentiment and outlook, workforce trends, business activity (GDP, investment, real-time local conditions, etc.), business dynamics (active businesses, openings, and closings), financial conditions (interest rates, stock market performance, inflation, etc.), transportation and tourism, and trade.

The Business Data Lab has also published a Local Spending Tracker and a Workplace Mobility Tracker which share regional and national information on critical trends impacting business. Businesses can take advantage of the Business Data Lab for big-picture insights and to monitor real-time conditions, informing decisions locally and nationally.

We would love to hear more about how you use data to support your business. Please get in touch with us by emailing policy@edmontonchamber.com.

Scan here to view the Business Data Lab dashboards:

THIS IS STARTUP WEEK

Five days of community-led workshops, socials, and events showcasing Edmonton’s startup community, entrepreneurs, and culture of innovation.

PRODUCED BY

FUNDED BY

You’re invited to the tenth edition of our most anticipated innovation event of the year: Edmonton Startup Week! From October 10-14th, join the electrifying celebration produced by Edmonton Unlimited and led by Edmonton’s brightest minds and industry trailblazers.

What is Edmonton Startup Week?

Edmonton Startup Week is a five-day celebration of learning, discussion, and networking, bringing entrepreneurs, business leaders, community champions, and friends together to build momentum and opportunity around Edmonton’s unique startup culture, innovation, and entrepreneurial identity.

The 2023 edition of Edmonton Startup Week marks its 10th consecutive year, consisting of daily events centered around innovation, professional development, and more. Each year, thousands of participants choose from over 50 events, including workshops, demos, and Launch Party 14, all spanning various business, technology, and innovation topics.

Hosted at venues across the city by 50 community partners, Edmonton Startup is a week for entrepreneurs, problem solvers, and their teams to sharpen a new skill, feel a sense of community,

and showcase their local innovations, products, and teams. Build your schedule today!

Our biggest night of the year: Launch Party 14

Join us for Edmonton Startup Week’s flagship event, Launch Party 14, on Thursday, October 12th, at the Edmonton Convention Centre. Celebrate and discover the latest innovations from our community’s rockstar entrepreneurs, try their products, and celebrate everything the innovation community offers.

Since 2010, over 100 innovative companies have launched products at the event, including rapidly growing teams like Jobber, Drivewyze, Poppy Barley, and Showbie.

This year, as we mark Startup Week’s 10th anniversary, we’re giving one Launch Party company $10,000 to recognize, reward, and accelerate their startup. Don’t miss out on this unique fusion of innovation and celebration – secure your limited tickets now!

At EDMONTON UNLIMITED, we’re all about empowering Edmontonians with an idea to get started. Our top-notch programs and support services are specifically designed to help build a solid foundation for high-growth startups. From light bulb moments to scaling your company onto the global stage, we’ve got you covered every step of the way! Jump into one of our free programs today – designed to help you innovate and make an impact.

Our most popular workshop is Business Model 101. In this two-hour workshop, offered virtually or in-person, you’ll map your ideas and establish clear next steps to go to market.

We welcome all Edmonton innovators to book a free, online, 30-minute meeting with our team to learn more about all the free resources and services available to you across Edmonton.

Sign up today at EdmontonUnlimited.com.

Working Together to Drive Alberta Forward Truck-All

Depot Ltd. celebrates 50 years

Written by Nerissa McNaughton

Truck-All Depot Ltd., a Canadian-owned corporation, has been a trusted name in the transportation industry since its incorporation on September 25, 1973. Founded by several of its present carriers, the company originated from Truckers Terminal and has since established itself as a leader in distribution and consolidation programs. With a focus on customer satisfaction, Truck-All offers a wide range of services, including single billing, rate guarantees, tracing P.O.D.s and efficient pick-up and delivery services. With an impressive daily average of over 1,000 shipments and over 100 loaded trailers leaving their yard, Truck-All plays a crucial role in serving customers throughout North America.

“When people ask me to summarize Truck-All, I describe it as an airport for trucks,” smiles Wally Corse, President, General Manager and major shareholder. It’s a very apt description. Carriers from all over North America use Truck-All’s services, maneuvering comfortably on the location’s 15 acres of land and at the 110-door facility.

“We are one of the largest freight handling facilities in all of Canada,” Corse adds. “We provide pickup and delivery (P&D) services for our carriers and offer efficient freight consolidation for our shippers. Our fleet consists of pickup trucks with power tailgates, tractors

| Photos by Rebecca Lippiatt

Wally Corse

with pup trailers, and 53-foot trailers. Clients trust Truck-All to deliver promptly and reliably.”

Another advantage carriers have with Truck-All is the app-based dispatch system. Drivers confirm shipments and pickups through the app, which updates dispatch on both sides. A confirmation email is sent once the freight is secured.

“Working with us means a reduced carbon footprint,” Corse continues. “Our carriers can interline their freight seamlessly and consolidate it in the warehouse.”

The company is known for its efficiency for clients, but those processes are used for community action too. During the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016, Truck-All hauled many trailer loads of supplies from Alberta Health Services (AHS) for relief efforts. During the COVID pandemic, Truck-All once again hauled supplies for AHS, this time to assist those in remote/rural locations. Additionally, as part of its commitment to making a difference in the community, Truck-All supports the Canadian Cancer Society in its mission to fund groundbreaking research and provide support to individuals and families affected by cancer. Through donations and volunteering, Truck-All aims to contribute to the fight against cancer and help create a future where no Canadian has to face this disease alone.

For Corse, the success of Truck-All is not just in its growth and dominance in North America as a premier depot. He points out that the strength of the brand lies in the people that founded the company and the team that works hard to keep everything running smoothly daily.

“Our company was built by people with integrity, honesty and dedication. We do our best to live up to that every day in the hope of honouring their legacy. We would never have stayed in business for this long without the dedication and hard work of our employees:

• Keith Reich and his 48 years of service, along with his accounting and administrative staff

• Juanita Rolseth, 45 years, and her billing staff

• Paul Dinning, 29 years, and his warehouse staff

• George McKelive, 40 years, our warehouse foreman

• Ashley Sewell, 11 years, and her dispatch staff

• Dennis Ouellette, 12 years, our assistant manager and my right-hand man

“I also owe a lot to my dad, Walter Corse, co-founder and past President, for not only mentoring me but

“Our company was built by people with integrity, honesty and dedication. We do our best to live up to that every day in the hope of honouring their legacy. We would never have stayed in business for this long without the dedication and hard work of our employees,” says Corse.

having patience and confidence in me. Further thanks goes to Steve Doblanko, co-founder, who managed the company alongside Walter for the first 20 years. Together they were instrumental in making Truck-All what is it today.”

Corse also thanks the other founders for their contributions, hard work and for being an instrumental part of shaping and growing Truck-All: Tony Basaraba, Henry Bursminski, Len Bruder, Steve Wowk, John Grant, Orval Hayes, Nick and Barry Hlewka, Edgar MacKay, Jack Martin, Fred and Tom O’Riordan, Larry Schultz, Erwen Siemens, Fred Spendiff, Ernest St. Jean and Clarence Tebbut.

“Most importantly,” Corse continues, “is the fact that our success greatly relies on our lease operators. Many are longstanding, such as Dennis Iverson, who have been with us since the mid 1970s and Doug Hubley, who joined a few years after that. They are our most valuable assets and the face of Truck-All Depot in regards to our valued customers within the city of Edmonton. They are definitely the stick that stirs the drink!”

Truck-All is more than an efficient facility. This is a company that contributes to the efficient operation of North America’s shipping and transportation sector while being a vital resource for the trucking industry. It provides employment opportunities and fosters a positive work culture, empowering its team with great working conditions, training, and avenues to give back to the community through Truck-All’s donations and volunteerism to local causes. Truck-All’s presence in the transportation network positively impacts safety, sustainability and economic growth in the province –and far beyond.

The “airport for trucks” may seem like a humble building sitting on acres of land on the west side of Edmonton, but when you look closer it is a bustling port of activity, a vital vein in the transportation system, a workplace many people proudly called “home,” and an Alberta-born success story for 50 years… and counting.

LEADING THE WAY

LEADING EDGE PHYSIOTHERAPY CELEBRATES 15 YEARS

By Nerissa McNaughton

Leading Edge Physiotherapy is a locally owned and operated clinic that is invested in the communities it serves. Cutting edge treatments like the Alter-G Zero Gravity Treadmill, a positive and upbeat atmosphere in every location and practitioners that are passionate about the care they provide make Leading Edge stand out in the industry.

“In 2008 we purchased a small clinic in St. Albert. It was 1,200 square feet and had five beds, two professional staff and two employees,” says Grant. “By 2010 we expanded to a 4,000 square foot clinic with the first private in-house aquatic therapy facility in Western Canada.”

The growth of Leading Edge did not slow down. In 2011 the Royal Glenora Club location opened, followed by Windermere in 2015 and the Capilano Rehab Centre acquisition in 2018.

Grant and Heidi Fedoruk, along with partner Anita Cassidy, opened Leading Edge in 2008.

“We have since opened two more locations in Edmonton, one in Sherwood Park, one in Spruce Grove and we will be in Leduc by the end of 2023. We acquired Tower Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine in Calgary this year and are opening a second location in Calgary in early 2024,” Grant adds. “This is on top of the two aquatic facilities

developed early this year. Across all our locations and facilities, we now have 65 professional staff and more than 160 team members.”

Leading Edge offers a great variety of services that include everything from physiotherapy to radial shockwave, acupuncture and IMS to the zero-gravity treadmill that was originally designed for use on the International Space Station.

“We also have a TRV chair for the advanced treatment of vestibular disorders,” Grant adds. “This chair is a first in Canada and provides patients with difficult-to-manage dizziness an option when other treatments have had limited success. We offer an expansive occupational therapy services list including cognitive rehab, post-concussion care, functional capacity evaluations and orthotics and splinting.

“We offer a full suite paediatric rehabilitation service too at our Capilano site. This is a customized space, along with a physiotherapist and occupational therapist, fully dedicated to treating children of all ages. Down syndrome, autism, developmental disorders, aches, pains and injuries – we believe that children can thrive when provided the right environment.”

Leading Edge is a family of 65 professional staff who are dedicated to making a difference in their communities.

Leading Edge investments in technology include 3 aquatic therapy pools in the Edmonton area.

Leading Edge invests in advanced equipment and processes to treat patients and also holds a firm value of investing directly into the communities in which the clinics operate.

Grant explains, “We invest in technology and are proud to provide advanced rehabilitation options to patients so we can give them an opportunity to recover quickly and completely. This includes SwimEx therapy pools, Game Ready Med4 Elite swelling management technology, infrared vestibular goggles for the assessment and treatment of dizziness, Brain Enhance and Recovery System (BEARS) cognitive rehabilitation technology for patients with closed head injuries… the list continues to grow!

“On top of that we have we have raised and/or donated more than $1.8 million to community charities, sports teams and local causes over the past 15 years.

“Leading Edge is the founder and operator of RunWild. Last year we hosted more than 2,600 participants and raised more than $75,000. This event has helped to raise more than $792,000 for local charities to date.

“Giving is in the DNA of our business. In fact, we have an entire leadership team whose sole purpose is to identify where and how to best give back to the communities that have trusted us with their care.”

While Grant is passionate about making sure patients receive the best care in Leading Edge clinics, he is just

We are proud to partner with Leading Edge Physiotherapy in support of initiatives within our community.

CONGRATULATIONS ON CELEBRATING Years

as quick to point out the power of prevention and early intervention.

“Keep moving – and do everything in your power to!” he says. “I wish people knew the impact the right treatment can make on their lives and the enjoyment of it. I wish that they knew not to leave a problem for too long. Everyone knows that when the check engine light comes on in their

In total the team, families and volunteers of Leading Edge have raised more than $1.6 million for the Zebra Child Protection Centre and other charities.

Leading Edge has founded and operated RunWild since 2011 which has raised more than $750,000 for local charities.

In April, Heidi and Grant received the Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal for their service to communities in Alberta.

car, they should deal with it quickly. Pain and discomfort in our body is our check engine light. The sooner a problem is addressed the more likely and completely it can be dealt with. The little problems add up over time. We are living longer and demanding more of our body for a longer period of time. Imagine if you only had one car for life; I am pretty certain you would maintain it properly, deal with concerns quickly, use the best fuel and get the best advice for keeping it running. Now treat your body like this and choose the right mechanic to help!”

For its outstanding customer and community service, Leading Edge has been recognized numerous times,

Motion Health Rehab

including with several St. Albert Chamber of Commerce business awards, a Sherwood Park Chamber of Commerce business of the year award and many Edmonton Journal Readers Choice top physiotherapy clinic in Edmonton awards. Both Heidi and Grant were selected for the Platinum Queen’s Jubilee Medal for the couple’s community impact.

“The one that is most touching is when I was recognized with a medal of distinction as a top 100 physiotherapist in Canada over the past 100 years by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association,” smiles Grant. “This award recognized 100 physiotherapists from across Canada who have moved the profession from 1920 to 2020.”

It’s all thanks, Grant says, to the people and community that support Leading Edge.

“I have the best business partners in the world. They are each an owner and they are dear friends. They work in and on the business, while being supportive and challenging me all at the same time. One of them also happens to be my wife. I continue to work closely with our team to develop future partners in our business. I have also been blessed to have had the opportunity to care for some of the top business minds in Edmonton. They may not know it, but as much as I have helped them heal and recover, they have all been mentors to me. I like to joke that I have received an ‘MBA’ the best way possible and from some of the smartest businesspeople around – and the cool thing is that I got my MBA while making people feel better.” He chuckles, “For the record, I don’t actually have an MBA, but I do have a pretty wicked business that’s making a difference in the world!”

What comes next for Leading Edge?

“We are resolved to keep bringing this model to the rest of Canada,” Grant concludes. “Our business doesn’t exist for the sake of itself – it truly is being built by a team of people who share values and purpose and ultimately want to make our communities strong and healthy. The cool part is that caring and compassion can be contagious, which gives us an opportunity to challenge the large corporate entities that are slowly taking over not just physiotherapy, but healthcare in Canada.”

Check out the Life Shouldn’t Hurt podcast series presented by Grant on Spotify, X, Google, YouTube and weekly on 630 CHED (4 p.m. on Sundays). You can also catch him doing the Feel Good Physio Moments on CFCW every Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m.

We are proud to support Leading Edge as their trusted Employee Benefits Advisor – congratulations on the many good things you do!

ELITE DIGITAL MARKETING GIVES YOUR BUSINESS THE EDGE

Photo by Rebecca Lippiatt.

In today’s digital age, businesses need to have a strong online presence to survive and thrive. Whether you are a small business just starting or an established enterprise looking to grow, digital marketing is key. At Elite Digital Marketing, we understand that digital marketing can be overwhelming and that is why we offer local, experienced services. From SEO to lead generation, user experience to social media marketing and more, we provide a comprehensive range of services that will help you acquire new customers at a lower cost.

THE LOCAL CHOICE FOR GLOBAL RESULTS

Choosing local for your digital marketing services provides numerous benefits for your business. A local marketing team ensures that your business gets maximum visibility in local search results. This means, when people in your area search for relevant keywords, your business will appear prominently, increasing the chances of attracting local customers. While many companies around the world offer SEO services, it is your locally owned and operated SEO provider that will connect you with B2B and B2C buyers in your market. That is the hometown advantage!

Having digital marketing specialists on your side also means having the ability to organically help you acquire new customers – a must for any business but especially those engaged in e-commerce. We live, shop and play where your businesses run in Edmonton and Calgary, so we can provide those nuances that take our content and service out of the

generic space and firmly into a customized, personalized application that gets you results.

How do we prove those results? Our digital marketing speaks for itself. You’ll notice higher web traffic, clicks and conversions across all your platforms – your website, social media, Amazon, Shopify, Etsy – wherever you choose to interact with your customers online.

WHAT WE OFFER

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - SEO is a crucial part of digital marketing. It helps your website rank higher on search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find you. At Elite Digital Marketing, we use proven tactics to optimize your website for search engines. This includes optimizing your website’s content, creating backlinks, and improving site speed. Our SEO services can help you increase your website traffic and take your business to the next level.

Lead Generation - In order to grow your business, you need a steady flow of new leads. At Elite Digital Marketing, we offer lead generation services that can help you attract, nurture and convert leads. We use a variety of strategies including email marketing, content marketing and social media advertising to help you get more leads and grow your business.

Web Design and User Experience - Your website is the face of your business online. A poorly designed website can drive potential customers away. At Elite Digital Marketing, we provide web design and user experience services that can help you create a website that is both visually appealing

and user-friendly. With our services, you can improve your website’s usability and increase conversions.

E-commerce and WooCommerce Marketing - If you’re in the ecommerce industry, you need a strong digital marketing strategy to compete. At Elite Digital Marketing, we provide e-commerce and WooCommerce marketing services that can help you increase sales and grow your business. Our services include optimizing your product pages, creating effective social media ads and improving your website’s checkout process.

Social Media Marketing - Social media is an essential part of digital marketing. It provides a platform for businesses to connect with their audience, share content, and promote products/services. At Elite Digital Marketing, we offer social media marketing services that can help you build a strong social media presence. Whether you need help with paid advertising, content creation or community

In today’s competitive business world, having a strong digital marketing strategy is essential. Elite Digital Marketing will provide your business with the tools it needs to succeed. The world is online. Your business should be too – not just as a presence, but with tools that work just as

STEEL-CRAFT DOOR PRODUCTS

60 years of passion and success

By John Hardy

Sometimes success and reputation are still earned the hard way; with passion, a family legacy for hard work, innovation and engineering, uncompromising quality and design, exceptional service and tremendous national respect. This is an Edmonton story – and their 60th anniversary milestone – of the vibrant and innovative, second-generation family owned and operated business, Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd.

“Of course we’re in a dynamic and fiercely competitive industry,” explains the plugged-in and kinetic president and CEO, Kimberly Mihalcheon, who leads the Steel-Craft Door Products team. She credits her father, visionary Edmonton entrepreneur, Arthur Mihalcheon and his early driven and strongminded beginnings, with setting the foundation for the company’s 60-year focus on people, innovation, quality and service.

“It is true in life and it is true in business,” she says with passion and enthusiasm. “Where we come from matters and helps determine where we are going. Perpetuating my father’s legacy, as well as embracing today’s and tomorrow’s technology, automation and efficient new ways of doing things. We are now moving into our seventh decade of hard work and success.”

Since 2008, when Kim Mihalcheon assumed ownership of Steel-Craft, the company has grown rapidly, with dealership networks and distribution facilities across Canada.

From the beginning, she was gutsy and determined. She asked questions, she studied, reviewed and scrutinized every aspect of Steel-Craft’s operations from the people, the equipment, the automation, R&D and the limitless and exciting opportunities for emerging technology.

“My early focus was to take my father’s initial designs and work with our design team to expand on these styles and introduce new product offerings and roll-forming processes at Steel-Craft.”

Recent facts and figures show that the approach is definitely paying off. The adjustments and changes continue to spark the company into its 60th year of earning a solid reputation as Canada’s premier source of commercial and residential garage doors.

She acknowledges that, particularly the past four years or so, the pandemic, the economy, supply chain issues and more have been a challenge for many businesses.

“Our attention on vertical integration, from raw materials to finished goods, and the vision to keep moving forward, has allowed us to be agile and mostly unencumbered by various recent global and industry situations.”

While Kim Mihalcheon is supercharged and savvy about the products and the business, she is enthusiastically proud about Steel-Craft’s momentum and success.

“It’s a fact. We know garage doors top to bottom, and we make them from the inside out. A key is that we understand exactly what architects, industry leaders, developers, home builders and homeowners across Canada expect from the Steel-Craft brand.”

Although history and tradition are valuable, and perhaps because experience is such a resoundingly good teacher,

times do change. Customer wants, needs and trends change. Business and industry changes. Especially due to technology and new ways of doing things, manufacturing, products and services change.

And Steel-Craft changes. Mihalcheon underscores that transitioning Steel-Craft Door Products into its 60th year of success continues to be exciting and rewarding. She appreciatively praises the hard-working and high-achieving Steel-Craft team and emphasizes the vital importance of innovation and investment.

She underscores that business-of-business is crucial, saying, “Innovation keeps the company current and real-time relevant in a growing and competitive industry. Investment ensures our ability to constantly find solutions and efficiencies, giving us a competitive advantage. But there is no doubt about it, technology is a game changer! Infusing technology and automation into the Steel-Craft manufacturing process continues to be essential. It drives the company forward as a respected industry leader, every step of the way.”

There is a consensus among members of the company’s management team that private ownership is a vital part of Steel-Craft’s competitive advantage. It is invaluable for making changes quickly and, coupled with the in-house design and manufacturing capabilities, allows Steel-Craft to react quickly to market changes.

In management’s opinion, the flexibility of private ownership empowers Steel-Craft’s greater efficiency, reduces waste, presents raw material requirements in real-time and allows for effective and uniform manufacturing processes.

“Being Canadian-made and manufactured is a unique and core aspect of our company. We are uncompromising about quality materials and all of the hardware we make ourselves. Absolutely every piece of a Steel-Craft door, from hinges to track to weather stripping, is made on-

site, with 100 per cent Canadian steel and 100 per cent Canadian-made means ultimate quality control.”

“We skimp on nothing,” she adds with palpable gusto. “It’s a claim that no other garage door manufacturer can make!”

Although the company offers many decorative design options, the most important feature of each Steel-Craft door is the high quality, designed and manufactured for efficiency and trouble-free heavy use. From wind to rain, warm sunshine to freezing snow, the company’s reputation continues to be built on design, leading-edge engineering and manufacturing to withstand and keep out even the most extreme Canadian weather conditions.

With delight, not rote shop talk, she highlights some specific examples of the company’s uniqueness and excellence.

Innovations like the patented Steel-Craft Weatherlock System, which overlaps the interior and exterior skins, which keeps out the cold and prevents heat loss, significantly extending the life of the garage door, making our doors the most robust in the industry. The CLIMACORE insulation, which achieves the highest

possible R-value, maximizing the durability and protection of each product offering to best suit the customer’s needs.

Popular Steel-Craft residential doors like Thermo-Craft, the classic design along with the Ranch-Craft, Carriage-Craft, Flush, Contemporary and Mid-Century-Modern, all lead in thermal efficiency. The Ranch-Craft RidgeLine long panel design is a stunning standout on homes across the country. The Carriage-Craft line is distinct for connecting modern technology with a more traditional aesthetic, delivering immaculate fabrication.

And some industry-leading commercial products like the SCIndustrial, with two-inch thick polyurethane insulated panels

CONGRATULATIONS ON 60 YEARS!

and with an R-value of 19, TD-134 and the Commercial Flush, are several preferred choices for a wide range of commercial and agricultural applications. Steel-Craft’s aluminum doors, SA-6500 and SA-7500 are elegant, practical and durable – whether these doors are for car dealerships, fire halls, restaurants or contemporary homes, just to name a few.

Mihalcheon is high energy and animated, not only about the Steel-Craft products but the company’s solid track record of service. “Every aspect of every Steel-Craft garage door is expertly engineered. Combined with the various choices of finishes, lifts and hardware, it is delivered with outstanding customer service.”

She is genuine, upbeat and a bit emotional admitting that, in addition to the 60 years of innovation, quality and service and the company’s growth and success, “Much of it is personal.”

“The knowledge and experience of our people is so important. It is who we are. Our true strength is our people and our people are our family. We rely on their input and their expertise. We have more than 425 employees across the country, including Edmonton’s head office and manufacturing centre, and offices in Surrey, Toronto, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, P.A., Kelowna, Lethbridge and more.”

The motivated and accomplished, Edmonton-based business leader is also openly reverent about family

www.jacksonandjames.com

CONGRATULATONS

STEEL-CRAFT DOOR PRODUCTS ON 60 YEARS!

WE ARE PROUD TO BE A PART OF YOUR SUCCESS.

Sales & Service: 780-909-2189 | Emergency: 780-951-1548

Camrose & Area: 780-679-9409

office@cross-countrydoors.com

www.cross-countrydoors.com

“My father believed in Edmonton, in Alberta and in Canada. He was enthusiastic about supporting our local communities and our workforce. He was part of the Edmonton Ownership Group of investors, which bought the Edmonton Oilers to make sure the team stayed in Canada. We are a proud contributor to Concordia University for The Mihalcheon School of Management and our continued support of Edmonton hospitals is unconditional and spans more than four decades.”

“When it gets right down to it, we are so much more than a Canadian-owned and operated company in the residential and commercial garage door business,” Steel-Craft’s personable Kim Mihalcheon concludes. “We are family and we are community. Putting our people first and being unafraid to be bold and innovative creates success for everyone involved. I am very proud to be part of a Canadian legacy company.”

13504 St. Albert Trail

Edmonton, AB T5L 4P4

Phone: 780.453.3761 • Fax: 780.454.1584

TF: 1.800.463.3667

Email: edmonton@steel-craft.ca steel-craft.ca

Providing Edmonton & surrounding area with top quality overhead door service, maintenance and installation area since 1988.

Parkland County, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Edmonton, Camrose & Area

Door

We REALLY Care

SIRKit has been Making it Easy® to obtain effective IT solutions and protection since 2007

By Nerissa McNaughton with photos by Rebecca Lippiatt

A90 per cent client retention rate. A nearly perfect customer service rating and 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google across more than 60 reviews. A helpdesk hold time of less than 45 seconds. Who holds these outstanding records? It’s SIRKit, a team of IT professionals redefining solutions for corporate clients of all sizes. Core offerings include managed IT services and SIRKit360, a proprietary custom cloud platform that, for more than 10 years, has allowed businesses to move physical servers at their offices into SIRKit’s cloud to avoid CapEx costs.

Kris Wilkinson, CEO, founded SIRKit in 2007.

“During my employment history in various roles, I noticed that despite having access to advanced technology, businesses were struggling due to

the shortcomings of their IT partners. Everything was reactive and rarely involved a strategic plan or consideration for security. A reasonable portion of these businesses were under an incredible amount of risk, and they didn’t even know it,” says Wilkinson.

Identifying a pressing need for a more comprehensive approach, Wilkinson launched SIRKit.

“I understood that a client wasn’t just an impersonal group but a team of exceptional people with families that depended on them. IT has the potential to protect or destroy a business. Furthermore, business owners had invested everything they had, worked for decades, and could lose it all because of ineffective or inexperienced IT.”

Wilkinson envisioned a company that would emphasize proactive care and a deeply integrated approach. Protection, as he saw it, went beyond just antivirus and firewalls. It required a robust, all-encompassing strategy that incorporated judicious product and vendor selection, continual staff training, 24/7 monitoring, impactful documentation, a responsive helpdesk and a risk-based multi-year technology plan. Most of this was available to huge companies because they could afford 10-20+ person internal IT teams and advanced systems. SIRKit started offering the same services without the upfront and ongoing investment, offering a simple monthly subscription instead.

As with many successful tech companies of today, Wilkinson started his business in his basement – but that didn’t limit the scope of what he could achieve.

“From that basement I offered unique, proactive managed IT services throughout Alberta and the Northwest Territories,” he says. “Now, 16 years later and boasting a 30-member strong team, SIRKit maintains its founding ethos: prioritizing security and service over sales. We protect our partners.”

By staying true to the goals upon which the company was founded, SIRKit realized quick success. Wilkinson hired his first full-time employee and relocated to an office in 2011. Quickly outgrowing that 700 square

foot location meant another move, this time to a 2,500 square foot office in 2014. The growth did not slow down. With an increasing staff roster, long-term clients and proven track record, SIRKit relocated again in 2019 to a 6,000 square foot office.

As of 2022, SIRKit has retained 90 per cent of its managed clients for more than ten years and won several awards, including 2nd in Canada on MSP 501 and Best Managed IT Services Provider Alberta by AI International. The MSP 501 list recognizes top businesses in the industry based on performance metrics like sales, revenue, profit margins and technology. It highlights innovators driving the MSP channel forward. SIRKit is proud to be recognized as a company driving such necessary innovation.

“In this day and time, technology shouldn’t be hard,” Wilkinson says. “SIRKit is unique and genuinely prides itself on helping businesses love technology again by keeping it simple, secure and proactive. While many managed service providers (MSPs) battle on price and landing as many clients as possible, we differentiate ourselves by remaining focused on value and doing it right. If you’re looking for serious protection and a longterm partnership, SIRKit is your team!”

He continues, “We’re all about security. In fact, our number one core value is security first. It’s not just

Richard Fullbrook, Kris Wilkinson, Tyler Ripplinger and Kevin Hubbard.

a function for us, it’s an ethos that guides our every decision. From day one, we’ve championed the cause of best practices to safeguard our clients. This determination has empowered them to protect their businesses from the evolving digital threats of today. We take pride in saying that it’s been nearly a decade since ransomware affected any of our managed clients, and those who’ve adopted our proactive process have successfully dodged significant cyber security incidents.”

“Remember,” he cautions, “cyber security isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s a relentless pursuit that calls for an ongoing, comprehensive strategy. Our proactive process operates like a round-the-clock watchman, spotting gaps and running compliance checks throughout the year. As we uncover these gaps, we fold them into a project roadmap for steady progression. This approach not only tightens your security but also eases the change management process and proves to be cost effective. Think of it as tackling manageable tasks throughout the year instead of facing one mammoth project every few years.” This level of service is possible because SIRKit starts each relationship with an investment of time and resources to ensure a smooth transition.

“Rather than figuring things out as we go, we learn everything we can about your systems from the start.

This intensive discovery phase enables us to hit the ground running from day one, start our proactive process, prioritize key risks and assist with budget planning for the year ahead.”

The unique challenge for SIRKit is to help businesses understand the risk they face daily. SIRKit works hard to change perceptions about cyber security to help business owners protect their livelihoods.

“Convincing certain businesses to take cyber security and IT seriously… there are many more that do, but it’s challenging to see livelihoods at risk and it’s often when catastrophe strikes that it’s finally understood. Behind every employee is a family that depends on them. By protecting our partners, we’re protecting real lives. This is why SIRKit was founded.”

SIRKit is passionate about its community too. Wilkinson coaches female amateur hockey and the company supports and sponsors numerous charities and nonprofits each year.

As SIRKit gears up to protect corporate businesses with experienced, passionate, customer-driven, easy and affordable IT solutions for another 16 years – and beyond – Wilkinson takes a moment to thank the clients that have helped build the brand to the success it is today.

SIRKIT’s Proactive Team of vCIOs and Compliance Analysts analyzing and building project roadmaps for clients.

“We will continue to build long-term relationships, protect and empower our partners; we want to be the last IT partner you ever have,” Wilkinson concludes.

“All of our clients have been extremely helpful at providing feedback. We don’t run from it. We want it. This has allowed us to improve our services and continue maturing. Ninety per cent of them are still with us 10 years later and we owe them a lot for the support.”

The future sees SIRKit continuing its expansion into Vancouver and Calgary and launching additional services including its own Telephony Service for Business and MSSP (Managed Security Services Provider). Through the next growth phase, the mission, purpose and core values of SIRKit will remain true.

“We will continue to build long-term relationships, protect and empower our partners; we want to be the last IT partner you ever have,” Wilkinson concludes.

Kris Wilkinson, CEO

SIRKit technician assembling a server for a client.