CNLA Newsbrief - March/April 2008 by Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief

March - April 2008

CNLA Newsbrief sponsored by:

Green Industry News!

In every single region of Canada, the availability of labour has become critical to the ongoing success of many green industry companies. In many cases availability of foreign workers has come to play a very large role in addressing a large part of the industry’s labour needs. While producers and growers have had success with programs such as the ‘Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program’ (SAWP), which literally employs thousands of foreign workers in Canada seasonally each year, the landscape and retail sector have not been quite so fortunate. Considered a major strategic priority, human resource availability, as well as other HR issues, has been on the radar of the CNLA for some time. The CNLA has worked diligently to address issues such as: Seasonality with EI; Foreign Workers Availability with Service Canada; and Management and HR Skills with its members. Provincial Associations have done and are doing the same.

Directors:

Harold Deenen, CLP - ON Jim Wotherspoon - AB Bill Hardy, CLP - BC Bruce Hunter, CHT, CLD, CLP - BC Vic Krahn, CHT - SK Gerald Boot, CLP - ON Doug Conrad, CHT, CLD, CLP - NS Dominic Angers - QC Bruce McTavish - BC Anthony O’Neill - NL Owen Vanstone - MB Rene Thiebaud, CLP - ON Peter Levelton - BC Darrell Nameth, CLP - NB Phil Paxton, CHT, CLP - AB

While the producers and growers have found solace with, and have been successful with, SAWP, what can the other sectors say? Not very much! Recently, the CNLA, following up on tremendous work done by Landscape Alberta (LANTA), has issued an ‘Executive Summary’ to assist members wishing to acquire foreign workers. Both have been compiled and published to assist members that cannot access SAWP in helping acquire foreign workers, in both an efficient and timely manner. However, there are still issues! First, the rates a member must pay a foreign worker (prevailing rates set by Service Canada regionally), even for a low-skilled worker are very high; second, the time lapse it takes to secure documentation necessary for and from Service Canada is exceedingly excessive (sometimes several months)!

Staff: Victor Santacruz, CAE

Lydia Couture-Comtois

victor@canadanursery.com

lydia@canadanursery.com

Executive Assistant

Joseph Salemi, CAE

Julia Ricottone

joseph@canadanursery.com

julia@canadanursery.com

Joel Beatson, CAE, CLP Professional & Business Development Manager

joel@canadanursery.com

Peter Isaacson, B.Sc., M.P.M.

Minor Use/IPM Co-ordinator peter@canadanursery.com

Rita Weerdenburg Growers Manager

rita@canadanursery.com

Certification Services

Rebecca Wetselaar

Atlantic Region Co-ordinator rebecca@canadanursery.com

Alanna Wolf

HortProtect Marketing Coordinator alanna@canadanursery.com

David Forero

Prairies Region Co-ordinator

Member Services Co-ordinator agnes@canadanursery.com

• • • •

So, how can members help? We all must continue working with Service Canada! Period! They - quite simply - hold the keys to accessing foreign workers. So a few tips to help: ü Always, always, always, post all of your positions available with Service Canada - by doing so you demonstrate to Service Canada the need; ü Always post a rate, an honest rate, in the posting (by doing this you help establish the industry’s prevailing rate - as indicated the prevailing rate is currently high simply because most postings are Public vs Private); ü Always document your local efforts to find labour (all advertising) - this helps with your LMO.

david@canadanursery.com

Agnes Zawartka

Look Inside:

Vol. 17 Issue 2

By: Bill Hardy, CLP, Northwest Landscape & Stone Supply

Michael Murray - NL Christene LeVatte, CLP - NS Paul Olsen - ON Bill Stensson - ON Cary van Zanten - BC

Member Services Manager

The availability of labour...

Executive Board:

Executive Director

March - April 2008

•

Greening your Office Changes to Retail Certification CLD Portfolio Submission Changes Foreign Worker Wages

• • •

By doing just these few things, we can all have a huge impact when it comes to securing foreign labour both efficiently and cost effectively for the entire industry! New National Occupational Standards Nearing Completion New Herbicide Registrations for Nurseries New AgriStability and AgriInvest forms The availability of labour

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

• • • •

CNLA Human Resources Commitee Co-Chair

CFIA revises PRA on P. ramorum Important Notice to all growers regarding Japanese beetle Are you looking for employees this season New Herbicide Registrations for Nurseries

7856 Fifth Line South Milton, ON L9T 2X8 P h : 9 0 5 - 8 7 5 - 13 9 9 T o l l F r e e : 1 - 8 8 8 - 4 4 6 - 3 4 9 9 F a x : 9 0 5 - 8 7 5 - 18 4 0 T o l l F r e e : 1 - 8 6 6 - 8 3 3 - 8 6 0 3 E m a i l : c n l a @ c a n a d a n u r s e r y. c o m

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CNLA News brief Foreign Worker Wages The CNLA has produced a primer for industry members looking to the foreign worker programs to solve the low labour situation in many areas of the country. The most commonly used program is for Low Skill Workers, falling under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code 8612. The FAQ includes information on the programs available, the process for obtaining a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) and the responsibilities for both the employer and employee. It also includes sample wage information for several cities/regions across Canada. This is the wage information that will determine what an employer is required to pay each foreign worker.

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March - April 2008

Learn, share, and think Green! The “CNLA Greenlink” is a member forum designed for CNLA members only. CNLA members can subscribe to the CNLA Greenlink via www.canadanursery.com. Simply click on the link and enter your email address. This is another value added service that CNLA is offering to members only.

the same challenges that you do. Whether you are dealing with staff recruitment struggles, or are looking for a more efficient way to track your inventory, CNLA GreenLink generates learning experiences and advice instantly. This is your online community! To post a message, simply send an email to: cnlagreenlink@lists.canadanursery.com.

If you have quessttions, want to share a successful business tip, or need to bounce an idea off others, this is the place for you. CNLA GreenLink gives you instant access to others in the industry who work on

Landscape Manitoba Green Newsletter/CNLA

This wage information is generally overinflated as the data is gathered from positions posted on the HRSDC Job Bank website. Municipalities, and other unionized, higher wage employers tend to be the most common users of the system for the landscape sector, thus inflating the average rate of pay. All members can help solve this problem. Each and every job posting you make ensure that you post it on the HRSDC Job Bank, at www.jobbank.gc.ca. It is free to post and the more private contractors that post jobs the more accurate the wage information will be, this will then give more favourable data for the employment of foreign workers in the future. The Foreign Worker Program FAQ document is available to members only, by calling the CNLA office at 1-888-446-3499 or email cnla@canadanursery.com.

A new dawn for professional mowing is coming. And it’s coming fast.

Are you looking for employees this season?

The New Z-Trak PRO. Available Spring 2008.

Many of you are in the process of looking for employees for the season. The following link provides excellent information on how to create job descriptions, job postings and job evaluations. Bookmark it. I am sure you will find it helpful. http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/ generic/JOB_DESCRIPTIONS.shtml

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CNLA News brief

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Wilfrid Laurier University MBA Students Donate Time to Project EverGreen Canada By: Joe Salemi, CAE, CNLA

Project EverGreen Canada has received a very generous gift on the behalf of Wilfrid Laurier University through their executive MBA program. Five MBA students are donating 1,000 hours of their time to further develop the strategic direction that Project EverGreen Canada will be moving toward with. Project EverGreen Canada is a registered not-for-profit organization with a mission to raise the awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of landscapes and promote the significance of those who preserve and enhance green spaces at home, work and play. Headquartered in Milton, Ontario, Project EverGreen Canada is a national non-profit organization representing green industry service (end-user) providers, associations, suppliers/distributors, media companies and other organizations. Project EverGreen Canada is committed to informing the Canadian public about the positive effects of well-maintained green spaces, including lawns and landscapes, sports turf, golf courses and parks. We want to inspire you to get involved and get passionate about green spaces! For more information on Project EverGreen Canada and how to get involved, visit: www.becausegreenmatters.ca or call toll free: 1-866-401-3875.

March - April 2008

New National Occupational Standards Nearing Completion

Community Colleges (ACCC), will soon be expediting the Red Seal application, which can take as long as 18 months before receiving final approval from the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA).

The CNLA through the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is nearing completion of an updated National Occupational Standard (NOS) for ‘Landscape Horticulturalist’. This document defines the broad scope of the trade providing useful information about the wide range of tasks that comprise the job of a high level technical employee.

For more information on any of these projects please contact Joel Beatson, CLP at the CNLA office 1-888-446-3499, ext 8610 or joel.beatson@canadanursery.com

This document will serve as the underpinning for many industry projects including industry certification (CHT), provincial apprenticeship programs, the interprovincial Red Seal standard, development of a national curriculum or learning standards, industry based training materials and a wide range of other educational and training projects.

On February 26, 2008, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered his government’s third budget. Introduction of a Tax-Free Savings Account Beginning in 2009, Canadians 18 or older will be able to make yearly contributions of up to $5,000 to a flexible, general-purpose savings account. While the contributions will not be tax deductible, there will be no tax payable on the investment income earned in the account, including dividends, interest and capital gains.

By ensuring that multiple levels of education are all working from the same ‘blueprint’ we can ensure a higher quality product and increase the professionalism and productivity of our workforce.

Update on the Federal Budget 2008

If you have any questions please call the Investment Guild at 1-800-459-8990.

Volunteer industry members, educators and related government agency representatives have all participated in the development of the standard. Industry members were also surveyed as a method of validating the data and ensuring that regional variations are accounted for in the document. The next stage in the development of the national curriculum will be completed between the end of April and November of 2008. CNLA along with the support from all provincial associations, the Canadian Association of Diploma in Agriculture Programs (CADAP), and the Association of Canadian

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief

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March - April 2008

Certification Corner Congratulations to the following people who have successfully completed a certification program recently. CLD Portfolio Submission Changes Becoming a Certified Landscape Professional (CLD) is a two step process. Candidates first need to successfully complete a written exam. Next, they are to submit a portfolio of three projects for review. After a re-evaluation of the portfolio review system that has been in place since the start of the program, the national CLD committee has developed a new submission process. CLD candidates can now submit one project for initial review from the committee. After receiving their comments from that project, they can then revise all three projects as needed and submit them as their final portfolio. The successful review of all 3 projects will determine when a candidate has obtained their CLD designation. This is great news for anyone looking to start, or complete his or her CLD, but have been hesitant because of not knowing what to expect in the portfolio process. CLD portfolios can be sent directly to the CNLA office, as well as the BCLNA or LOHTA offices for review. The Atlantic Region and Prairies will soon have their own review committees and will be able to accept portfolios in the future. Sign up for the CLD program today! When registered in the program, you are eligible to receive a student version of the DynaScape program for $100, to help you get started on your portfolio. Once you achieve your CLD Designation, you can then purchase the full version of DynaScape Software for half price.

First Name

Last Name

Duncan Roland Chris Greg Doug Gord Gllena Justin Roy Tyler Chris Christopher Ryan Ahmad Bruce Kevin Lisette Jim Lorna Mary Jamey John Lianne Chris Peter Diana

Alexander, CHT Brack, CHT Brown, CLP Cocks, CHT Conrad, CHT, CLD, CLP De Vries, CLP Deane, CHT Doran, CHT Gucciardi, CHT Hickey, CHT Huebert, CHT Huizingh, CHT Judd, CHT Mokhtari, CHT Morton, CLP O’Higgins, CHT, CLP Parkin, CHT Peckham, CLP Pond, CLP Shearman Reid, CLP Smith, CHT Stewart, CHT Unwin, CHT Urquhart, CLP Vanderley, CLP Cassidy-Bush, CLP

BC ON ON ON NS ON BC NB ON ON ON ON ON ON ON BC SK ON NB ON PE NB ON ON ON ON

Second Certification Trifecta in Canada! Doug Conrad of Creative Light and Landscape - LNS Representative, is our second person in Canada to have achieved all three horticultural certifications (CHT, CLD, and CLP). Doug is one of the volunteers on the CNLA’s Board of Directors and has been a member for many, many years. For more information on certification please visit www.canadanursery.com

Exam dates and applications are available at www.cld.canadanursery.com. Contact Julia Ricottone, 888-446-2499, julia@canadanursery.com for more information.

Province

Congratulations Doug!!!! Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief

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Greening your Office By: Julia Ricottone, CNLA

CNLA and Landscape Ontario have taken on the initiative of greening their Milton office building. You too can take some simple steps to make your office more environmentally friendly: 1. Reduce energy consumption. ü Turn off lights, computers and other electrical equipment when not in use. Install timers or motion detectors on lights in certain areas that are not occupied as often. Plug office equipment into a power bar and turn it off at night. ü Take advantage of natural light: open your blinds in the winter to catch more heat from the sun. Close the blinds on hot summer afternoons to keep the office cool. ü Consider using renewable forms of energy such as solar or wind power. These formats are becoming less expensive and produce most of the energy you would ever use. Federal and Provincial governments are offering many initiatives to get businesses to use more renewable forms of energy. Visit their websites to see if any tax incentives can apply to your business. ü Get an Energy Audit. Hire a professional to conduct an energy audit on your company to see where you can improve and become more efficient. 2. Cut back on gas emissions – encourage staff to carpool, take public transit, or walk to work. Purchase fuel-efficient vehicles to use when traveling to a job site. Use a GPS to plan the most efficient routes to job sites. Encourage your equipment dealers to offer more low-emission options. 3. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. These are 3 simple things you can do to cut back on the amount of waste your office produces. ü Reduce the amount of paper you use by printing on both sides of the page. Think twice before printing your emails. ü Recycle all paper when you are finished with it. Use reusable water bottles and recycle all bottles and cans. ü Bring reusable containers for lunch instead of disposable bags. Have your coffee in a washable mug. ü Recover the organic waste left over from work sites. Take it to a commercial compost facility, where it can be made into mulch and compost. ü Be sure to dispose of batteries, cell phones, and print cartridges properly, or purchase rechargeable batteries or refillable print cartridges.

Be a leader in the green industry by reducing your impact on the environment. Start with some small changes and then move onto bigger things. In the end, you’ll be cutting your costs, and creating a greener image for your company and the industry.

March - April 2008 been removed due to provincial licensing requirements in several provinces. Retailers are nevertheless encouraged to pick up a copy of the newly revised CHT Retail Training Manual, which is a valuable in-house training tool for retail staff. To obtain a copy, contact your regional certification coordinator.

Update on CHT Exterior Landscape Changes As a follow up to the previous article published in the Jan/Feb CNLA Newsbrief, the CNLA Certification Committee along with the International Certification Council have taken industries feedback regarding the removal of the practical pruning station and adjusted the plan for redevelopment.

Changes to Retail Certification In view of a rapidly changing retail environment, national Certification meetings held last month addressed the status of the current retail employee certification (CHT) program. The most recent occupational analysis was completed in 1995, and over the past decade or more, garden centres have become more sophisticated and less dependent on some of the skills that the CHT program was designed to evaluate. As a result, CNLA’s Garden Centres Canada group in conjunction with the Certification Committee will be conducting an in-depth review of the program, and will determine its long-range future. The group plans to poll delegates of September’s International Garden Centre Association Congress to gain a broad perspective on similar programs in use elsewhere in the world and conduct a new Occupational Analysis for the retail garden sector. In the short term, provincial associations may elect to deliver the test if there is sufficient interest; the test will stand as-is, with the exception of the forklift module, which has

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

Following the face-to-face meeting in Saint John, NB it was decided to overhaul the pruning station to include a more practical geared problem for candidates. This will ensure the pruning remains as part of the essential skills required to achieve CHT status for some specialties and that actual demonstration of skills is necessary. The changes to scoring, judging guidelines, problems and the new structure that includes four specialties, Softscape Installation, Hardscape Installation, Ornamental Maintenance, and Turf Maintenance will be in place for all exams after June 1, 2008.

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CNLA News brief New Herbicide Registrations for Nurseries

By: Peter Isaacson, CNLA, IPM Co-ordinator

Gallery 75DF Herbicide (Isoxaben), PCP#24110 Dow AgroSciences has recently registered Gallery 75DF Herbicide for use in conifer bare root and containerized nursery stock (trees, shrubs and groundcovers). It is not to be used on cut flowers. Gallery 75DF Herbicide is a selective preemergent herbicide for control of certain broadleaved weeds (including St. John’s wort, pineappleweed, common lamb’s quarters, common purslane, shepherd’s purse, low cudwell and purslane speedwell). Suggested timing include late summer to early fall, in early spring or any time prior to germination of target weeds. Existing weeds should be controlled by cultivation or with postemergent herbicides. Once applied, Gallery is stable for up to 21 days but must be activated by a single rainfall or sprinkler irrigation of 1 cm or more (or flood irrigation). If the product is not activated, erratic weed control may result. For pre-emergent control of broadleaf weeds in container grown ornamentals, apply 1.0 kg Gallery 75DF Herbicide in one application on the media surface. Apply in a spray volume of 100 to 400 litres of water per hectare using a low pressure herbicide sprayer for uniform distribution. A single application of Gallery 75DF Herbicide is permitted per season. There is a 12-hour re-entry interval for treated areas. Dual II Magnum Herbicide (s-metolachlor), PCP#25729 Dual II Magnum Herbicide (Syngenta Crop Protection Canada) has recently been registered for use on woody and herbaceous outdoor ornamental crops including container, field and liner grown plants and in landscape plantings. This herbicide provides pre-emergent control for weeds such as nightshade, annual grasses and suppression of redroot pigweed (it also has activity against sedges). This herbicide should be applied at rates of 1.25 – 1.75 L with a minimum of 150 – 200L water/ha. To avoid plant injury, do not apply to seedbeds, cutting beds, or uprooted cuttings before transplanting and to plants

sponsored by: until the soil has firmly settled around roots. When applied broadcast over-the-top of plant foliage, follow with sufficient overhead irrigation to wash Dual II Magnum from the foliage to reduce the chance of injury. Do not apply to trees or plants that will bear harvestable fruit within 12 months, or illegal residues may result. One application is permitted per year. Do not re-enter treated areas within 12 hours of treatment. Prior to using these and any herbicides please consult the pesticide label for a complete use pattern, listing of controlled weeds and tolerant plant species and varieties. It should be noted that both of these new products may be applied to other non-listed plant species. However, non-listed plant species may vary in their tolerance to herbicides. When first using these products on a non-listed plant species testing should be limited to a small number of plants to confirm plant tolerance prior to adoption as a large scale practice.

March - April 2008 businesses. This exciting program has been designed to involve the whole community with the challenge of increasing our environmental awareness while at the same time beautifying our city. A tour of the area is planned for Tuesday and the first symposium will be held on Wednesday September 17th. The next couple of days are going to be all about green; topics include sustainable and urban development. Make sure to stay around until the very end, as the event will close on Saturday September 20th with their “Blue skies and Prairie sunsets” awards ceremonies. So open your calendar and write it down – Communities in Bloom, National Symposium, September 16-20 2008, Lethbridge AB. For more information, please visit www.lethbridgecommunitiesinbloom.ca.

New AgriStability and AgriInvest forms now available By: Rita Weerdenburg, CNLA

The 2007 AgriStability and AgriInvest Harmonized Forms and Guide for individuals are now available through the AgriStability and AgriInvest websites. Please note that the delivery of these programs varies depending on the province; please be sure to refer to the advisory specific to your place of business. For more information please visit www.canadanursery.com

Communities in Bloom Mark your calendar for this event you won’t want to miss: Communities in Bloom (CiB) is holding their 2008 National Symposium on Parks and Grounds on September 16 - 20, 2008. The city of Lethbridge in Alberta is proud to host the event and CiB has selected a theme sure to attract many attendees: Vibrant Communities in a Viable Environment. The CiB national program promotes involvement and action by citizens of all ages, local government, organization and Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief Important Notice to all growers regarding Japanese beetle

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March - April 2008

By: Rita Weerdenburg, CNLA

CNLA has participated in a number of consultations with the CFIA this past winter with respect to new regulatory areas declared in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for the control of Japanese Beetle. Based on 2007 survey results, CFIA have added three counties to the two already regulated within NS and three counties are now regulated in NB. As there would be serious economic implications to all horticultural businesses located in the newly regulated counties, CFIA has agreed to industry’s request to designate the entire provinces of NS and NB as Category 3 (infested). As these regulations also have implications to the industry in Newfoundland, CFIA has also engaged in stakeholder consultations with that province, however it has been requested by industry that NL remain as a category 2. Consultations with PEI are still pending, however it is anticipated that province will also retain its category 2 designation. These changes have an impact on all nurseries in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Although CNLA is recommending that all nurseries in Category 3 with clients in the Atlantic provinces maintain their JB management programs, this is now voluntary for any nurseries that ship to NS and NB. Nurseries wishing to maintain their clients in NL or PEI will be required to participate in CFIA’s JB certification program. For those nurseries in NS or NB with clients in NL or PEI, CFIA have agreed they will review on a case by case basis applications to join the various JB Programs this spring. Allowances will be made to facilitate where possible admission to the JB programs so that material may qualify for movement this spring. It is anticipated that these changes officially designating the entire provinces of NS and NB will come into effect before the end of March, 2008. For more information, contact Rita Weerdenburg (888446-3499, ext. 8686.) Growers in the province of Quebec are invited to contact Émilie Brassard at 450-774-2228.

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CFIA revises PRA on P. ramorum By: Rita Weerdenburg, CNLA

CFIA have informed industry and other government agencies that their revised Pest Risk Assessment on P. ramorum (Sudden Oak Death) rates the risks associated with this disease lower than previously considered. Tree mortality of both live and tan oak has been confined to the coastal fog belt and in association with bay laurel. BC’s lower mainland is now considered to be a medium risk area, with the interior, as well as other regions of Canada being considered to be low risk areas. P. ramorum is considered to be a nursery disease and while many plant species

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

can be infested with P. ramorum, only a few are capable of spreading the disease. These include Rhododendron, Camillia, Kalmia, Viburnum and Pieris. Due to potential trade implications to both the nursery and forestry sectors, however, P. ramorum will continue to be regulated by CFIA as a quarantine pest. CFIA have proposed regulating only the five high-risk host plants at the genus level with all other plants will be regulated at the species level, in harmony with USDA regulations. Changes have also been made to the P. ramorum infested nursery protocol to reflect the lower risk status of the disease. Industry is invited to comment on both; they can be downloaded from the CNLA website at www.canadanursery.com

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CNLA News brief 2008 CNLA Membership Directory This annual publication is produced in the CNLA office and is sent to all members as a benefit of membership with CNLA. This is a complete listing of CNLA members from across the country. We have found that the top decision-makers keep the Directory very close and use it as a tool for locating various suppliers. If you have not received it yet, please contact the CNLA office and we will be sure to get one to you. Additional copies are $99 plus GST.

sponsored by:

A Growing CNLA Office

Association - PPH’s Perennial Marketing Contest.

The CNLA is pleased to announce the creation of a new position - Prairies Region Co-ordinator. The aim is to assist the LM, LANTA and SNLA offices to further increase the service levels to their respectitive members. We are pleased to welcome David Forero to this position. He will be working closely with the Executive Directors of the Prairies associations and with the provincial representatives on the CNLA board. To contact David, please call 1-888-446-3499 ext: 8690.

Upon announcing the sponsorship agreement, Anthony O’Neill, chair of Garden Centre’s Canada said, “We are delighted to partner with Plant Publicity Holland on their Perennials Marketing Contest. Our mandate is to organize initiatives specific to the needs of garden centres, and this annual contest is all about showcasing successful, viable and money making displays of perennials in garden centres. It’s a win win collaboration.”

Help us assess what the industry is doing... The 2007 Landscape Industry Survey is out ready for you to be filled out. We thank everyone that has taken the time to complete it. For those that haven’t got to it yet, it will take approximately 5 minutes of your time. Please visit our website at www. canadanursery.com and help us gauge what the industry is doing.

CNLA proud to employ Certified Association Executives

The CNLA is also pleased to announce Alanna Wolf as the new HortProtect Marketing Coordinator. Alanna will be working closely with the Insurance program brokers to grow plan participation with a focus on establishing and implementing a national marketing plan. To contact Alanna, please call 1-888-446-3499 ext: 8670.

The CNLA is proud to announce that Joseph Salemi - Member Services Manager and Joel Beatson - Professional & Business Development Manager both became Certified Association Executives as of February 29, 2008 through the Canadian Society of Association Executives. CNLA now employs three certified Association Executives as CNLA Executive Director, Victor Santacruz is also a CAE. We would like to congratulate them and wish them all the best.

The Perennial Marketing Contest is now entering it’s fifth year. All that’s required to enter the contest is a brief write-up about the garden centre’s perennial display accompanied by up to eight great digital photos. Entries can be made electronically, or photos can be transferred to a CD and mailed in. It couldn’t be easier. The grand prize is a trip for two to Europe, including tours to growers, garden centres and much more. The principal aim of Plant Publicity Holland is the collective, generic promotion of quality Dutch hardy nursery stock on behalf of growers and exporters. PPH has promotions offices in the UK, Japan, throughout Europe and their North American operation is based in Toronto, Canada. Details about the Perennial Marketing Contest as well as downloadable entry forms will be available in April at: www.perennialandnurserynews.com

Bernard S. Jackson Scholarship CNLA Announces Sponsorship Of The Perennial Marketing Contest Plant Publicity Holland (PPH) is pleased to announce that the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association (CNLA) will co-sponsor - along with the Perennial Plant

March - April 2008

This scholarship, of $500 annually for up to two years, is available to assist Newfoundland & Labrador-born or –resident candidates working or volunteering in horticulture to obtain horticultural qualifications from a Canadian college or university. Submit enquiries to the President, Friends of the Garden, c/o Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden Inc., St. John’s, NL, A1C 5S7.

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief Suppliers to Garden Centres: This is an opportunity for you!

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If your company markets its products to British Columbia’s garden retailers, or if you sell products to other countries around the globe, this is an opportunity for you! From September 7-12, 2008, BC Landscape & Nursery Association and Canadian Nursery Landscape Association will host as many as 300 of the world’s premier garden retailers for a tour of local garden centres. For more information on IGCA Congress, visit our website: www.igcaCongress.com

Excitement Builds for IGCA Congress By: Renata Triveri, Congress Coordinator

When BC’s retailers host the International Garden Centre Association Congress this September, they will be welcoming a garden retailing community unlike any other. This year marks, not only the 50th Congress, but also the inaugural event for Russian garden centre professionals who formally joined the IGCA at this winter’s secretariat meeting in the United Kingdom. The Russian contingent will help to round out an eastern perspective to the IGCA, which added Poland and Japan to its roster just two years ago.

March - April 2008

New IGCA members are very good news for Canada’s organizing committee, which hopes to draw as many as 300 participants to Vancouver this fall for the million-dollarbudget event. The group has been actively promoting the event on an international scale through email news bulletins and personal connections with the various country associations, but especially through U.S. events in efforts to increase American delegates. Of note was a valuable sales pitch provided by Lisa Minter-Bustin of Minter Country Gardens with added support from Corey Bordine of Bordine Nursery in Michigan and help from the American Nursery Landscape Association. The pair teamed up to promote IGCA Congress 2008 at the recent Management Clinic, and received a strong response. Says Congress coordinator, Renata Triveri, “We are nearly a third of the way to meeting our 300-person goal. The registrations have been trickling in slowly since we announced the event in South Africa, but previous organizers have reported a large influx of delegates right before the May 1 early booking deadline arrives.” She adds that committee members have gone out of their way to convince their colleagues from outside this province to get involved. The event is expected to provide local retailers with an unparalleled opportunity to network with garden centre professionals from around the world as they tour BC’s leading retailers. There are numerous ways suppliers can also get involved through modest sponsorship donations. For more information on IGCA Congress 2008, visit the website at www.igcaCongress.com, or contact Renata Triveri; rtriveri@telus.net or (604) 523-0235.

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief Lorsque la passion y est, rien n’arrête nos bénévoles By: Lydia Couture-Comtois, CNLA

L’association canadienne des pépiniéristes et des paysagistes (ACPP) a eu la chance tout au long de son histoire de bénéficier d’un solide conseil d’administration et c’est grâce aux membres de ce conseil qu’elle a su arriver où elle en est aujourd’hui. Au fil des ans, de nombreux individus se sont impliqués bénévolement pour le bien de notre industrie; ils ont offert gracieusement de leur temps, ont partagé leurs connaissances et leurs expériences et ils se sont assurés que l’association demeurait la voix de l’industrie. Au cours des dernières années, un de ces incroyables individus fut Yvette Forget. Yvette assista à sa première rencontre du conseil d’administration de l’ACPP en février 2005 en tant que représentante de l’association québécoise des producteurs en pépinière (AQPP). Dès ses débuts sur le conseil, Yvette s’impliqua corps et âme pour représenter les producteurs du Québec et pour s’assurer que leurs problématiques et leurs succès seraient entendus à l’échelle nationale. À chaque rencontre, Yvette en faisait son devoir de nous garder sur la bonne voie et de garantir que nous suivions le bon procédé. Nous avons toujours pu compter sur elle pour lire tous les rapports avec attention et en tirer des remarques et des questions pertinentes à l’avancement de l’association et ainsi de l’industrie. Il faut dire qu’Yvette est une vraie mine d’information, comme elle le dit elle-même, ce n’est pas un homme qu’elle a épousé, c’est toute une industrie et c’est à cette longue histoire d’amour que nous devons son dévouement pour la représentation de l’industrie horticole québécoise et canadienne. Yvette est l’un des fondateurs de la pépinière Les Plantons A et P inc. de Ste Christine, au Québec. Fondée en octobre 1987 par Yvette et son conjoint, Germain Desautels, la pépinière doit son nom aux deux enfants d’Yvette, Annick et Patrick. J’aimerais pouvoir écrire que tout s’enchaîna ensuite comme dans les contes de fées mais la réalité est bien différente et Yvette et sa famille ont du traversé de nombreuses épreuves pour préserver la rentabilité de la pépinière. La première crise que les Plantons A et

sponsored by: P ont dû traverser fut d’assurer que les revenus proviennent principalement de la production plutôt que des autres services offerts par Yvette et Germain, et le tout en accordant quelques heures de sommeil aux gestionnaires! Mais après quelques années, le savoir et l’ajout d’un système informatique vinrent à bout de cette première crise. Malheureusement, ça ne s’arrêta pas là et peu de temps suivit avant que le terrain ne devienne trop petit et qu’il faille songer à déménager. Trois ans de recherche pour le site idéal et les Plantons A et P et ses gestionnaires déménagèrent sur le terrain qu’ils occupent aujourd’hui. Après l’équivalent de 30 voyages en semi-remorque, des heures innombrables de préparation de terrain, des retards de production et près d’un an et demi plus tard, la pépinière est complètement re-mobilisée à Sainte-Christine. Au printemps 1997, la pépinière a repris ses activités et Yvette peut même s’offrir deux jours de congé : Noël et le Jour de l’An!

Yvette Forget Cependant, ce moment de répit ne durera pas longtemps car c’est en Janvier 1998 que la crise du verglas frappe le Québec et Yvette est loin dans être épargné. Le froid et la glace paralysèrent la province pendant de nombreuses semaines et c’est ainsi qu’Yvette se retrouva sans communication pendant plus d’une semaine et demie, sans accès de la résidence à la pépinière pendant quelques jours, sans électricité pendant 31 jours et sans chauffage adéquat pour la pépinière pendant plus de 3 semaines! Malgré la serre remplie à pleine capacité et le grand risque de perte de production, les premières demandes de génératrice sont refusées et ce n’est qu’après de nombreux efforts et suite à l’intervention de la Sûreté du Québec qu’une génératrice est finalement reçue. Trois semaines trop tard: les Plantons A et P perdent 7/8 de leur production sans compter les répercussions sur les 7 prochains années. Grâce au soutien de son entourage, Yvette passe au travers de tout cela. Mais le verglas n’a pas été le seul à frapper à

March - April 2008 ce moment. Un an suivant la crise du verglas, la production semble toujours affaiblie. Suite à l’expertise de l’IQDHO, les tables de bois sont remplacées par des tables en métal et le taux de réussite commence à remonter la pente. Il semble effectivement qu’un virus est profité de la crise pour se glisser dans les tables et ainsi mettre en péril la production. S’en suit ensuite une période de remise sur pied. Au début de l’année 2000, le budget pour l’huile de chauffage doit quadrupler pour rencontrer les prix du marché. Yvette et sa famille choisissent alors de s’équiper de fournaises au bois et d’utiliser les arbres détruits par le verglas pour se chauffer. Les coûts sont élevés sur le coup mais l’année qui suit prouve que le nouvel équipement en valait les coûts initiaux et le budget de la pépinière reprend de la forme. Les choses commencent lentement à s’améliorer. En automne 2002, les Plantons A et P sont les premiers à recevoir l’accréditation de l’ACIA pour la reproduction de l’épinevinette. Puis en 2003, le marché des EtatsUnis ouvre enfin ses portes à l’entreprise familiale. La production se remet à jour et la relève s’applique à améliorer la gestion avec des programmes informatiques. 2003 s’avère être une année prospère et la pépinière commence à se faire connaître un peu partout notamment en Ontario, en France et bien sûr au Québec. C’est en février 2004 qu’Yvette sera choisie comme présidente de l’Association québécoise des producteurs en pépinière (AQPP), poste qu’elle occupera pendant 2 ans, pour ensuite devenir présidente sortante et finalement se retirer du conseil de l’AQPP en mars 2008. L’ACPP aura eu l’honneur de l’avoir sur son conseil d’administration à partir de 2005 et ce, pendant deux belles années. Nous avons la chance de la voir s’impliquer dans plusieurs des aspects du conseil et de nombreux comités ont pu puiser dans ses connaissances, notamment le comité national sur l’environnement. Yvette a su conquérir le cœur de tous les membres du conseil avec sa personnalité, son grand cœur et sa passion pour cette industrie. Il va sans dire qu’elle fut un grand atout pour l’association canadienne des pépiniéristes et des paysagistes et nous lui souhaitons de belles années à profiter de son nouveau statut de grand-maman et à s’occuper de ses clématites! Merci Yvette pour ton dévouement à l’industrie!

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief Nothing can stop passionate CNLA volunteers…

sponsored by:

By: Lydia Couture-Comtois, CNLA

Over the years, the Canadian Nursery Landscape association (CNLA) has been supported by a strong board of directors. The volunteers on this board give an incredible amount of time and energy to help the advancement of the Canadian horticultural industry and ensure our association remains the voice of the industry. For the past few years, one of those volunteers has been Yvette Forget.

next 7 years. Thanks to the support of her family and friends, Yvette was able to get pass this crisis. Unfortunately, the ice storm wasn’t the only one to hit at that time. A year after the storm, the production was still very low. In February 2004, Yvette is elected president of the growers association in Québec (AQPP) for a 2-years period. She then becomes past president, position held until March 2008. CNLA had the honor of welcoming Yvette

March - April 2008 to its board in 2005 and to have her for 2 years as the representative of the growers in Québec. Yvette was involved in many areas of the association and many committees were able to gain from her knowledge, including the national environment committee. Yvette conquered every board member with her personality, her big heart and her great passion for the industry. She was without a doubt a great asset to our association and we wish her many wonderful years to come as a grandmother. Merci Yvette!

Say GOODBYE to Plastic Nursery Pots

Yvette attended her first CNLA meeting in February 2005 as the representative of the Québec growers association, AQPP. From the beginning of her involvement, Yvette gave the association everything she could and put her heart and soul into representing the Quebec industry at a national level. We always knew we could always count on Yvette’s true passion for this industry; as she says herself, she didn’t marry one man, she married a whole industry! Les Plantons A et P inc., a nursery in SaintChristine, Québec, was founded in October 1987 by Yvette and her husband, Germain Desautels. The nursery was a dream come true for Yvette and her family but the dream didn’t go on like in a fairy tale… The first crisis was to ensure most of the revenue came in from the production rather than by other services provided by Yvette and Germain. But that wasn’t the end of it. Before long, the production site became to small for the demand and moving the nursery was the only solution. After a three-year search, the perfect site was finally found and Les Plantons A et P were moving to Sainte-Christine. Thirty trips back and forth from one site to another, countless hours of site preparation and many production delays later, a year and a half had passed by and the nursery was completely relocated. It was the spring of 1997 and Yvette could finally enjoy 2 days off – Christmas and New Year’s day! The worst had yet to come. In January 1998, the whole province of Quebec was hit by the legendary ice storm and Yvette and her nursery were not left untouched. Les Plantons A et P lost 7/8 of their current production and would be affected for the

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Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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CNLA News brief

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March - April 2008

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CLD/CLP April 3, 2008 – Milton, ON July 17, 2008 – Milton, ON December 8, 2008 – Milton, ON Atlantic Canada CHT (Maintenance and Installation) April 18-19, 2008 – Truro, NS CHT (Retail Garden Centre) April 15, 2008 July 3, 2008 CLD/CLP November 24, 2008 – Halifax, NS

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Canadian Nursery Landscape Association