Spring Newsbrief by Canadian Nursery Landscape Association

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Green Industry News Spring 2016 Vol. 25 Issue 2

INTERNATIONAL GREEN CITY CONFERENCE, MEETINGS AND TOURS

What’s inside: • NOA for Turf Producers • What HR tools do you need? • Nursery Technician Manual launched • Top 5 Business Blogs for your garden centre • Rethinking the term ‘labour burden’ • Retail benchmarking software available

March 14 - 18, 2016 Vancouver, BC

Conference Host

March 2016, VANCOUVER - Over 100 delegates from around the world, gathered in Vancouver for the 2016 International Green City Conference and Tours in Vancouver. This was the first time that representatives from the international ornamental horticulture value chain met together face-toface. The major international groups represented were the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA), and the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA). Some of the Canadian groups were the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance and Green Roofs for Healthy

Conference Sponsor

Official media partner

Cities (GRHC) – just to name a few. The conference took place over a week, including renowned speakers, networking events, tours and the Canadian Landscape Summit. Besides being a beautiful destination, Vancouver was chosen to host this international conference because it is on track to becoming the greenest city in the world by 2020. The Green City Conference comes out of AIPH, which aims to create international dialogue between its members on green city developments. The conference is held around the world each year to give delegates the chance to see living examples of urban green environments. CNLA agreed to host the conference in part to highlight

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landscape saskatchewan

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

EXECUTIVE BOARD:

President Past President First Vice President Second Vice President

Landscape Canada Chair

Member Services & Insurance Chair

Rene Thiebaud, CLM - ON Christene LeVatte, BBA, CLM - NS Bruce Hunter, CLT, CLD, CLM - BC Gerald Boot, CLM - ON

Treasurer Phil Paxton, CLT, CLM - AB

DIRECTORS: BCLNA Representative Michael Kato - BC Landscape AB Representative Anita Heuver - AB Landscape SK Representative Aaron Krahn - SK MBNLA Representative David Hinton, CLM - MB Landscape ON Representative Alan White - ON Landscape NL Representative Krista Russell - NL Landscape NS Representative Robin Godfrey - NS Landscape NB/PEI Kevin Nauss, CLM - NB Representative Human Resources Chair Harold Deenen, CLM - ON Public Relations Chair Bill Hardy, CLM - BC Research Chair Vic Krahn, CLT - SK Government Relations Chair Michael Murray - NL Garden Centres Canada Chair Anthony O’Neill - NL Professional Development Chair Jeff Foley, CLT, CLM - BC Growers Canada Chair John Byland - BC

STAFF: Executive Director Victor Santacruz, CAE, CLM victor@cnla-acpp.ca Executive Assistant Cheryl Gall cheryl@cnla-acpp.ca Growers Manager Rita Weerdenburg rita@cnla-acpp.ca Professional Development & Julia Ricottone, CAE, EP Commodities Manager julia@cnla-acpp.ca Member Services & Rebecca Doutre, CAE Government R elations Manager rebecca@cnla-acpp.ca Industry Human Resources Stacey Porter Coordinator stacey@cnla-acpp.ca Professional Development (East) Claudia Santos & Commodities Coordinator claudia@cnla-acpp.ca Professional Development (West) Colin Vince & Apprenticeship Coordinator colin@cnla-acpp.ca Member Programs Coordinator & Christine Finn Landscape NL Executive Director christine@cnla-acpp.ca Communications Specialist Anne Beifuss anne@cnla-acpp.ca Member Services Assistant Teagan Giddings teagan@cnla-acpp.ca Professional Development Jason Young Assistant jason@cnla-acpp.ca Minor Use/IPM Coordinator Peter Isaacson, B.Sc., MPM peter@cnla-acpp.ca

CONTINUED FROM COVER... the significant role that its members play in building green cities. Both local and international speakers discussed the importance of building healthy cities and creating dialogue between decision makers across all sectors to make this happen. AIPH Green City Committee Chair, Karen Tambayong, presented on the importance of horticultural exhibitions in developing green cities. The strategy includes: branding the city, gaining political recognition,

discussed how to measure and quantify our living green infrastructure assets. His presentation started by explaining what our industry means by ‘green infrastructure’, with a picture of solar panels on a roof versus a green roof. Ronan also discussed the importance of considering the ‘costbenefit matrix’ when planning green infrastructure projects. After the formal conference, tour guides took delegates into the city to see living green infrastructure in action. Stops included green wall and roof installations, a rehabilitated brownfield site, botanical gardens and LEED certified sites. Learning from a city that is making green work both economically and socially was an important part of the event, as organizers hoped to inspire delegates to bring ideas back to their own cities. Pictures of the tour stops can be viewed at the event Facebook page (www.facebook.com/greencity2016).

developing green infrastructure, elevating property value, strengthening international relationships and the relationships between the government and community. Daniel Roehr, Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at UBC talked about alternative approaches to managing stormwater threats in cities. Paul Ronan of the Ontario Parks Association

Canadian Nursery Landscape Association / Association Canadienne des Pépiniéristes et des Paysagistes 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 | T: 1-888-446-3499 | F: 905-875-1840 | info@cnla-acpp.ca | www.cnla-acpp.ca

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

CNLA, a national body of landscape contractors, nursery growers and garden retailers, chose to host the International Green City conference to take part in this important dialogue. Canada is seeing a revival in the “green” movement, where both the public and the professionals are interested in caring for the planet through their landscapes. Extreme weather events are spurring people to seek innovative solutions to drought, urban heat islands, and flooding, just to name a few. This in turn creates more opportunities for our sector to get involved, including interior

plantscaping, green roof and wall installations, water conservation and urban planning. With the increase in technology and information transfer, it seems like anything is possible. As Karen Tambayong, reminded delegates, “working with green is a way to respond to the true needs of people.”

Industry events NORTH AMERICA June 1-4: Grey to Green Conference: Toronto, ON www.greytogreenconference.org June 5-8: Skills Canada National Competition: Moncton, NB www.skillscanada.com

Tightly integrating your design into your cost-based estimate!

July 8-9: Landscape Industry Certification Test Day: Langley, BC landscapeindustrycertifiedtechnician.ca July 9-12: Cultivate ‘16: Columbus, OH www.cultivate16.org July 23: Landscape Industry Certification Test Day: Milton, ON landscapeindustrycertifiedtechnician.ca August 1-5: Perennial Plant Symposium: Minneapolis, MN www.perennialplant.org August 8-9: Landscape Industry Certification Test Day, Retail Hort Only: Georgetown, ON landscapeindustrycertifiedtechnician.ca August 12-13: Landscape Industry Certification Test Day: Olds, AB landscapeindustrycertifiedtechnician.ca August 17: National Awards of Landscape Excellence: Kelowna, BC

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INTERNATIONAL June 7-10: Dutch Lily Days: the Netherlands www.dutchlilydays.com June 16-19: BBC Gardeners’ World Live: Birmingham, UK www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com April 23 - October 30: Expo Antalya: Antalya, Turkey www.expo2016antalya.org.tr

CNLA Newsbrief

Canadian Garden Council

Spring 2016

Conseil canadien du jardin

he Canadian Garden Council is the national umbrella body for provincial and national garden organizations. The Council manages Canada’s Garden Route, Garden Days, the North American Garden Tourism Conference, the Canadian Garden Tourism Awards and a number of other programs all designed to contribute to the development and celebration of our Canadian Garden Culture. If you would like to become a member of the Council, information is available at www.gardencouncil.ca

‘Register Your Activity’ button and follow the prompts. If you’re holding multiple events at your location, register them separately on the website so that visitors can easily identify which activities they’d like to attend, and so that you’ll have a bigger profile on the site. Garden Days is supported by vibrant national advertising, public relations and social media campaigns and has a terrific roster of high profile spokespeople on board to ‘talk up’ your event. Frankie Flowers and Larry Hodgson are the English and French, respectively, national spokespeople and you can find our great provincial spokespeople on the home page of the website. Be sure to connect with them to let them know what you’re planning.

Garden Days is an opportunity for Canadians, from young to old, to enjoy their own garden, visit or take part in their favourite garden experience, get inspired at their local garden centre or travel to a nearby destination to enjoy their favourite garden. To make Garden Days an event that touches every corner and sector of the industry, you are invited to organize something special. Last year, CNLA members, especially independent garden centres, held sales, festivals, barbeques and fundraisers. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate and highlight all the good work you do. How about a staff or volunteer appreciation day, inviting your clients to an open house or offering them a reduction on one of your products or services? How you celebrate is entirely up to you. Register your activity, at no charge, at gardendays.ca. It’s simple. Click on the

To celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday, and thanks to Vesey’s Bulbs of PEI, the Canadian Garden Council is giving away 150 gardens, each consisting of 1,000 red and white tulip bulbs. Eligible applicants for this program are communities, public gardens, muncipalities, schools, organization, horticultural societies, garden clubs and the like. The Council’s objective is to highlight that gardens are an important part of Canada’s history, culture, development and growth and to provide an opportunity for as many Canadians as possible to take part in the country’s 150th Anniversary celebrations via gardens. If you would like to support an organization in your community, or your community itself, in applying for one of these Celebration Gardens, visit canadasgardenroute.ca for program details and application form (deadline for application August 8, 2016).

June 17-19, 2016 Canada’s Annual Celebration of Gardens and Gardening, Garden Days is a joyful, three-day, country-wide celebration of the vital role that gardens and gardening play in our communities and our lives. It starts with National Garden Day, always the Friday before Father’s Day.

150th Celebration Garden Program

www.canadasgardenroute.ca Feeling blue? In need of a break? Batteries need recharging? Studies show that a simple walk in a garden, away from the hustle and bustle, surrounded by lush greenery will go a long way to curing what ails you. Canada’s Garden Route is the most comprehensive listing of our country’s garden experiences. From public gardens to garden centres, garden festivals and events to networks and trails – there’s always a garden experience close to you. The site is a well-used garden tourism resource, whether visitors come from around the corner or across the world. Complimentary listings for CNLA Garden Centres Is your garden centre listed on Canada’s Garden Route? Thanks to the collaborative agreement between the Canadian Garden Council and CNLA, CNLA’s independent garden centres can be listed on the website at no charge. If you would like to take advantage of this offer, contact Claudia Santos at claudia@cnla-acpp.ca

New resource for Canadian gardeners

re you organizing a gardening event this year or do you know of one you want to support? The Canadian Wildlife Federation has a place to list horticultural talks and workshops as well as nature walks or clean up days. Visit Your Community Events to post your event or see what is happening near you! Help us grow this new resource for Canadian gardeners. A great way to pass on the joys of horticulture to children is with CWF’s new Li’l Green Sprouts kit. It includes a tote bag with garden tools, magnifying glass, notepad and pencil PLUS an expert tested activity booklet to help adults guide and support their children to create, explore and discover in the garden and beyond. Buying the kit gives you access to online tools, activity sheets, the chance to ask Lily Ladybug questions and submit photos and videos. You can buy kits at www.cwf-fcf.org

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

KEEP UP WITH EVERY DEMAND. YOUR BUSINESS IS YOUR LIVELIHOOD. That’s why Caterpillar is built to help businesses like yours succeed every day – by supplying the right machine for the job, making parts available, offering up versatile work tool attachments and providing responsive service.

As a CNLA member, you get to take advantage of bundling the exclusive member discount on Cat® machines and attachments, along with the industry’s best financing:

Member Preferred

» Save up to $2,750 on qualifying machines* » Get 0.9% for 60 months on a new compact Cat machine OR up to a $12,800 rebate on your compact trade-in** • Plus, up to a $500 Cat dealer credit toward parts, service or rental** » $250 off select new Cat attachments*** To take advantage of these exclusive offers, go to CatResourceCenter.com/CNLA.

Offers valid from February 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016 on select new models of machines manufactured by Caterpillar Inc. Building Construction Products Division (Backhoe Loaders, Mini Hydraulic Excavators, Multi Track Loaders, Skid Steer Loaders, Compact Track Loaders, Telehandlers, Small Dozers). *To redeem your credit: Mention this ad to your local Cat dealer at time of purchase or lease quote. The purchase or lease offer applies to new Cat machines and select new Cat attachments purchased or leased by Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) members before December 31, 2016. Limit of one machine purchase or lease credit per member. **Please visit CatResourceCenter.com/Special-Offers for offer details. ***$250 off select new Cat attachments. Limit of one credit per new attachment purchased. Machine and attachment offers available on new quotes only and may be combined with published Caterpillar Inc. Building Construction Products Division U.S. and Canadian offers only. Contact your local dealer for details and to see the complete discount pricing available per model. Subject to credit approval. Valid only at Cat dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada. ©2016 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Contract Surety Five Questions You Should Ask About Your Surety Program

By: Marsh Canada Limited

n today’s economy, tightening credit conditions and an increase in the cost of debt have become the new reality of doing business, and special attention is being given to the quality of accounts receivables. In turn, the surety industry has realized reduced capacity and flexibility making it more difficult for contractors to obtain necessary project bonds. How will your contract surety program holdup? Is it flexible enough to adapt to such inevitable periods of change and turmoil in the economy? Looking for a risk advisor with a good track record in arranging coverage under challenging circumstances would certainly help. What to Look for in a Risk Advisor Specialized Construction Surety Resources – As sureties and the credit industry grow increasingly complex, there is a greater need for construction surety specialists. Look for a risk advisor that keeps pace with the changes, maintaining expertise in construction, reinsurance, environmental, design/build/finance/operate projects, longterm guarantees, balance-sheet strategies, joint ventures, international issues, claims management, and management of cosurety programs. Good Communication Among Peers – Construction surety specialists with varied backgrounds and territories should meet regularly to discuss surety issues, and these meeting should result in decisions and solutions that reflect the best ideas. Active Management – Surety specialists should actively manage and monitor your surety program in order to satisfy your contractual obligations, protect your assets, and support your current and future business needs. A Track Record of Coverage – The ability to arrange continued or new coverage under challenging underwriting conditions.

1. Are you able to access the decision-makers at sureties when you have a problem? 2. Do you have more — or less — surety capacity than you realize? 3. Do you trust — 100% — the people you contact when you have a bond problem? 4. Can you readily tap into local, regional, national, and international surety experts? 5. What is your strategy for managing relationships with sureties in good times and in bad times? Surety Risk Profile Analysis Surety underwriters and their insurance brokers should understand your contract surety risk profile in order for your company’s surety program to meet its objectives. The development of your unique risk profile, should be based on such areas as: • Benchmarking of financial ratios. • Organization and management. • Experience. • Work-in-process/backlog analysis. • Litigation review. • Contract review procedures. • Subcontractor risk analysis. • Bond form risks. • Benchmarking of surety company rates. Contract Surety Services Surety specialists should work with you to devise a service delivery system that fits your needs. The following component services should be considered crucial to a sound surety insurance program: • Consulting – Advice on your construction surety issues such as financial analysis, co-surety/ multiple surety, balance sheet strategies, proposal analysis, increases in surety capacity, joint ventures, and indemnity alternatives.

• Placement – To establish and maintain your relationship with a surety, your surety specialists should gather and present data to underwriters, facilitate underwriting meetings, respond to surety questions, and review surety rate schedules. • Transactions – Surety specialists should provide daily service items such as bond issuance, bond reports, bond premium computations, accounting and invoicing, and responses to your inquiries and requests. Experience Matters Surety advisors should have extensive brokerage and underwriting backgrounds, enabling them to provide sureties with the information they need when evaluating a bond program or specific project request. A deep working knowledge of the construction industry, including such areas as contracting and subcontracting; contract and construction law; the estimating and bidding process; accounting; and local, regional, and national construction markets is also extremely useful. Membership in groups such as the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), the B.C. Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association, and the Surety Association of Canada (SAC) show a commitment to standards and industry best practices. To learn more about contract surety programs, please contact your local Marsh Canada Limited representative. Marsh Canada Limited is the endorsed insurance broker and risk advisor to the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA). For more information on how the commercial insurance program for members of the CNLA can help reduce your total cost of risk, please call your Marsh Canada Limited licensed insurance broker at 1 888 949 4360 or email cnla.hortprotect@ marsh.com

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Do more and make more on Canada’s largest LTE network.

Choose from an amazing selection of smartphones at Bell. Devices start from $0. Visit a Bell store today and ask one of our experts for a complimentary Mobile Business Assessment.

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Hummaad Ahmed hahmed@natcel.com 416 574-8638 Available within network coverage areas available from Bell Mobility where technology permits; see bell.ca/coverage. Other conditions apply. If you end your Commitment Period early, a Cancellation Fee applies; see your Agreement for details. Subject to change without notice. (1) Based on total sq kms of coverage on the shared LTE network available from Bell vs. Rogers’ LTE network. See bell.ca/LTE for details. HTC One is a trademark of HTC Corporation. Samsung Galaxy S6 is a trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., used in Canada under license. “LG”, the “LG logo” and “LG G4” are the property of LG Corp and its affiliates.

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

landscape industry

certified

Professional Development

Recently Awarded Landscape Industry Certifications Manager Brian Cameron Jennifer Davies Anthony Furlan David Turvey

Why did I become Landscape Industry Certified? After graduating from college, for many years I thought that was enough. Why do I need to get certified? After many years of questions, I decided now was the time. Besides my degree, it gives me one other credential when talking with customers. It feels good to be certified and feels good to have staff that have also been tested and certified. It’s the best way in Nova Scotia to achieve your Red Seal Designation. Long and short, it keeps MacPhee’s Landscaping professional. ~ Paul MacPhee, CLT, MacPhee’s Landscaping Services, NS

NS ON BC ON

Technician - Hardscape Installation Gregory Loner NS Technician - Ornamental Eric Patterson Myles Roach Blayne Dunham Nikolas Rogers Julia J.K. Endicott Todd Neerhof Elizabeth Lazear Emily Weber Jamieson Pierce Thomas Lauzon Devon Morine Malcom O’Brien

ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON ON NS NS

Technician - Retail Christine Cross

Designer Jeff Rolland

Technician - Lawn Care Walter Penney

Technician - Turf Shelley Simpson Liddy-Brienne Cramm Malcolm O’Brien

NB NS NS *as of May 1, 2016

Written testing opportunities are available on the last Wednesday of the month in BC, AB, and NB. Manitoba offers exams on the third Friday of the month. For those, in NS, NL and ON, staff can accomodate your written test as requested.

Looking for test dates? See page 3 event listings.

Retail Horticulturist exam details

from there. It breaks down the plants by zone, and contains photos, which is a handy resource when preparing for your exam.

If you’d like to learn more about the Retail Horticulturist designation you can contact either Colin Vince or Claudia Santos at the CNLA offices, at 888-446-3499 extension 8625 for Colin, and extension 8635 for Claudia. Or, you can email any inquiries to certification@cnla-acpp.ca

ugust marks a new opportunity for certification within the Retail Horticulturist designation, which is the only Landscape Industry Certified evaluation specifically catered for the retail garden sector. The Sheridan Nurseries Georgetown location in Ontario will serve as this year’s host for testing on August 8-9. You know that you have the best service to offer, but now it’s time to prove it to your customers by having Retail Certified Horticultural Technicians working for you! Not familiar with the exam? The Retail Horticulturist designation tests an individual’s competency through a series of written and practical evaluations ranging from pest identification and merchandising, to Point of Sale systems and customer service. You can help prepare for the exam with the retail training manual available for purchase through CNLA. It breaks down all of the relevant sections within the exam, and serves as a great industry resource. Additionally, a test booklet is included in the exam registration fee, which describes testing stations, so that you do not encounter any surprises with the testable content. If you’re not particularly comfortable with plant identification, CNLA offers a Canadian Landscape Plant Database that you can access and use as a reference guide. Just visit cnla-acpp.ca, click on the “Resources” tab, and you can access the plant database

Upcoming BC exam

C is getting ready to kickoff its Landscape Industry Certification testing this year on the 8th and 9th of July at Kwantlen University. This test is for you if you are a landscape technician and would like to prove you are a specialist within: Softscape or Hardscape Installation, Turf or Ornamental Maintenance, Irrigation, or beginning this year, the Nursery Worker Technician. If you are interested in increasing your professionalism within the landscape industry and want to stand out from others, this is your opportunity. Here are Ryan Milligan’s thoughts on the program. “We find that Landscape Industry Certification has helped our company stand out from others in the field. It continues to be recognized as a symbol of professionalism and a dedication to the landscape trade. Our company will continue to be involved with the certification program in the future.” If you are interested in the program or want more information please contact colin@cnla-acpp.ca

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Industry Human Resources What tools do you need?

Check your local association’s website for the winners!

ow to Inspire your Employees? Hear from your own peers – Peter Van Stralen speaks on teamwork, culture and customer care. www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Jl5Zc_GVHMY How to Bring your Business to the Next Level? Elpathway.ca provides an opportunity to learn from your peers while learning best practices in your business. “We encourage our employees to be excited to climb our challenging goals mountain by communicating the quarterly strategic priorities, thus enabling them to develop a sense of direction and focus.” ~ Phil Paxton, CLT, CLM, President, Alpha Better Group of Companies, Calgary, AB www.elpathway.ca Do you Over-Think in Making Decisions? Executive Directors across the country recently participated at the NLAE Conference http://www.nlae.org/ and learned that “It’s okay to use your Gut in an Over-Thinking World”. www.shelleyrow. com/what-holds-you-back-from-trustingyour-intuition/ Let us know what YOU need to keep your toolkit current and relevant for your business. Contact stacey@cnla-acpp.ca

The Skills mission statement is simple: “To encourage and support a coordinated Canadian approach to promoting skilled trades and technologies to youth! In the words of Mike Holmes “ I don’t think anyone knows how important Skills Canada is...to me it is the beginning...to get kids into the trades...”

Green Careers Canada

eep your eye on the Green Careers Canada website (www.greencareerscanada.ca). As already reported, it was developed to provide opportunities for those who are looking for a career in a green profession to explore all options across the country including courses, scholarships, bursaries and apprenticeships. The website creates awareness for guidance counsellors, co-op teachers, policy makers and partners about green career options. We encourage everyone to join the discussions, network, share, and keep growing at www.greencareerscanada.ca. “Students can look at schools, careers and scholarships; industry can participate in looking for students and sponsorship opportunities. Secondary schools can connect with Colleges and then as an educator we can actually post material that we can share.” ~ Michael Pascoe NPD, ODH, CLT, M.Sc. - Program Coordinator, Horticulture Programs at Fanshawe

Skills Canada

ational Skills is around the corner! www.skillscompetencescanada.com

The Skills Competition for Landscape Gardening has been completed in your province!! The provincial associations have worked tirelessly to promote the industry to ensure the competition continues into the future – it is the only forum for the industry that introduces the trades to future professionals!! Check your local association’s website for the winners and good luck to all the teams moving forward to Nationals in Moncton, NB June 5th - 8th.

Do you have a plan?

t is no secret that the workforce is in for a major shift as baby boomers retire and the younger generations move to fill their place. As this process begins, it is becoming clear that many businesses have not prioritized succession planning, making it harder for both senior management to exit and new management to step in. However, this is not just a case of old and young, it is an

important consideration for all companies. If your senior manager left today, are you prepared to fill the void? Twenty years ago, there was a trend that eliminated middle managers in order to streamline business. The fallout of this decision leaves a resource gap. Not only were middle managers groomed to take senior positions, they also mentored new staff. The solution is not necessarily bringing back the middle manager, but it calls for awareness on the part of senior management to groom their successors. Another important factor is succession within family businesses. Assuming a child will take over their parents’ role exactly is not always a safe bet. While many family businesses work well in filling the mentorship gap felt by other companies, they may not necessarily consider expectations. In a Globe and Mail article, Saul Plener of PwC says, “Parents often think they know what their children want to do, but they’re not always right…Founders need to find out the interest of the next generation as a beginning of the succession process.” So what is a company to do? The key is creating a succession plan before it is an issue. The approach will vary depending on business age, size and demographic, but careful planning and preparation will enhance organizational stability and sustainability. For an easy step-by-step guide to succession planning, check out the Human Resource Toolkit, available for free at www.horttrades.com/lmpmain-page. This resource states that succession planning should be part of the yearly business planning process to assess the existing plan and identify any new employees that should be included as high potential. Another helpful article is “How to Tell if a Team Member is Ready for a Management Position” from smallbiztrends.com, which highlights the traits of a promising employee. Whether you are part of a company that’s been around the block a few times, a new family start-up, or even a volunteer position, start creating processes to make your eventual transition as smooth as possible.

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Growers Canada

National Occupation Standard for Turf Producers

he Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) and the Canadian Agricultural HR Council (CAHRC) have worked together to create a National Occupational Standard for the National Agricultural Occupational Framework (NAOF). Essentially, CNLA and CAHRC worked together to shape and define the standards of the turf industry that will be used as a benchmark for employees and employers going forward. The depth and scope of this work is designed to assist groups such as the Canadian government in the creation and updating of the National Occupation Codes (NOC) as well as help the Council develop tools and training for the industry’s employers and employees. The first step was made up of provincial focus groups that worked together to address labour needs and demands surrounding the turf industry. Specifically, breaking down the roles into major tasks and developing standardized language and job descriptions, as well as training needs, hiring tools, and student learning. The second portion of the project was a competency profiling session, with volunteers representing the industry from across Canada. The competency profile was designed to identify the underlying knowledge, skills and ability to do the tasks of a job related to the industry. In this case the roles of Entry Level Farm Worker, Experienced Farm Worker, Farm Supervisor and Farm Manager were all examined. Currently, a validation survey is in the process of being sent out to members of the industry to make sure the information is accurate and complete. There are four surveys, each designed to focus on a specific role. Each survey walks participants through two documents; one with tasks organized by overarching areas, while the other focuses on roles and observable behaviours required in the execution of tasks. Once completed, the results will be circulated.

CAHRC and CNLA would like to thank all of the participants for their time and involvement in varying stages of the National Occupational Standard. We appreciate all efforts made to identify industry best practices and expectations.

Nursery Workers Manual launched T

he Canadian Nursery Landscape Association is pleased to announce the release of the Nursery Worker Technician Manual, First Edition. This manual serves as a study guide for the Nursery Worker certification program, now available across Canada. For the first time, there is a technician manual aimed at helping technicians in the nursery sector understand and meet minimum standards for the industry. The Nursery Worker Technician Program will be added into the Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) program with the first test being launched July 2016. Thank you to everyone involved in the advisory group. To obtain a copy of the Nursery Worker Manual, please visit landscapindustrycertifiedtechnician.com Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program, this project was also undertaken in partnership with CNLA’s provincial associations.

National voluntary farmlevel biosecurity standard

new voluntary biosecurity standard that will protect Canada’s greenhouse, nursery and floriculture sectors from plant pests is now completed and available on-line for use by Canada’s wholesale nursery growers, as well as the greenhouse vegetable and greenhouse floriculture sectors. The Standard was completed as a cooperative initiative between CFIA and

various industry stakeholders, including the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, as a participant in the Greenhouse, Nursery and Floriculture Biosecurity Advisory Committee. Three sector-specific producer guidance documents which will support the new standard are currently under development. This voluntary standard will: • Provide guidelines for biosecurity, including prevention and integrated pest management; • Promote a consistent approach for managing risks of plant pests; • Improve the greenhouse, nursery and floriculture sector’s knowledge of the risks associated with plant pests; and • Help identify gaps in current biosecurity procedures. The standard can be adopted in its entirety or can supplement existing on-farm biosecurity programs. Funding to develop this standard has been provided under the Growing Forward 2 Agricultural Policy Framework. You can view the standard on the CNLA website at www.cnla-acpp.ca.

PBR office amends policy

he Plant Breeders’ Rights office has amended its policy to facilitate producer’s access to foreign varieties. The policy can be found in the 99th edition of the Plant Varieties Journal at www.inspection.gc.ca. It is the hope of the PBR office that this will make Canada a more attractive environment for foreign breeders to release their new fruit, vegetable, and ornamental varieties. Updates will be sent regarding the impact of this policy change as it relates to the number of PBR applications from foreign sources.

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Member Services Spread the word: your business is great! O

ne of the great perks of association membership is all of the extra promotion available to your business. Building awareness is a key component of any business. Word of mouth is one of the best methods; however, it can be slow or difficult for new businesses. Check out these free and easy ways to expand your reach. CNLA’s program with casaGURU allows members to list their companies on HGTV. ca under the Find a Pro section. This is an invaluable resources, as many homeowners start there when it comes time for their next landscaping project. casaGURU lets you add your logo, matches you with homeowners in your area, showcases your credentials and allows for customer reviews and testimonials. All it takes is an email to cnla-offer@casaguru. com or call the CNLA Member Services Team. Another free promotion technique is social media. Twitter is great for realtime updates and customer engagement. Facebook is largely used by the Baby Boom generation, making it a great spot for project photos and event listings. Instagram and Snapchat are useful in connecting with younger clients by sharing project pictures. A LinkedIn profile is also useful for networking. Finally, a Houzz account should be considered by all professional companies. You can even add CNLA as an affiliation to boost your profile.

Program Spotlight: NEBS Business Products Take advantage of the 15% discount on office supplies when it comes to re-stock. NEBS supplies everything you need to run your business including: cheques, forms, promotional material, personalized apparel, and other business essentials.

Hotel discounts

Administration fee change

CNLA has teamed up with Choice Hotels® to make travelling a little more enjoyable and convenient – and you will save you up to 15%! To give you some background, Choice Hotels includes Comfort™, Quality®, Clarion® and a few others like the upscale Ascend Hotel Collection®. There are over 325 Choice locations spanning all provinces – and over 6,300 worldwide. Hotels are conveniently located near major airports, key highways and business districts. www.cnla-acpp.ca/choicehotels

s of May 1, 2016, the GMC administration fee for processing membership confirmation letters has been increased to $200 per vehicle. This is the first time the fee has been raised since the program’s inception in 1998. As of June 1, 2016, the FCA Canada administration fee for processing letters on Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat vehicles will also increase to $200 per vehicle. However, FCA will pay half of that on behalf of members for the remainder of the 2016 model year (Sept. 30, 2016). The proceeds are shared between CNLA and the provincial association that the member belongs to. The GMC and FCA Canada Member Savings Programs continue to be two of the most utilized programs, offering significant discounts to CNLA members.

New format for Mark’s discount cards

ark’s is no longer providing a digital copy of the Imagewear discount card. Please keep the four physical cards inserted into this Newsbrief. Members requiring additional cards can email teagan@cnla-acpp.ca and must also state the exact number of discount cards required.

Discounts on new trucks can reach as high as $13,500 for GMC or $14,500 for Dodge Ram. Due to confidentiality agreements, the discount lists are not published. Contact our Member Services team for the latest CA amounts when it comes time to buy your next vehicle.

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CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Garden Centres Canada How are your spring IGCA Congress 2017 sales? T

f you have signed up for the new Garden Centre Benchmarking program, you might be able to answer this question with some confidence. This program was designed to help garden centres across Canada take a close look at their sales by category, over time. Users can easily track their data week by week, and year over year. It also lets stores compare their data to the aggregate data of all of the users in their region, and across the country. Imagine that your sales in a particular category have been dropping this year, and you don’t know why. The benchmarking program will allow you to easily take a look at the averages in your region and across the country to determine if the same thing is happening to others. If your results are an anomaly, you can take immediate action to get back up to par in the next week. If you see a similar decline in the averages that are shown on your reports, you can see that this is a trend that you may not be able to change with a store promotion. This new program will help garden centres across Canada better understand trends, increase efficiencies, and therefore increase profits. One of the reasons box stores have an advantage is because they have useful data from all of their locations that they can use to determine their next move. You can now take advantage of the data from the entire sector to see how other items are selling in your region, and across the country. Members told us that anonymity was important with this type of program, so please note that data from individual garden centres will remain confidential. Only aggregate data will be shared amongst the users of the program. To sign up, visit www.cnla-acpp.ca/ gccbenchmarking

he International Garden Centre Association Congress is coming to Niagara Falls from September 17-22, 2017. It is exciting to already have interest from Canadian and International delegates about the event. This five-day tour will be based in Niagara Falls, and will travel throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, visiting garden centres and nurseries in the region. The week will also provide ample opportunity for delegates to have the ultimate visitor experience with some cultural destinations and activities highlighting Canada. A dedicated local committee has been working hard to plan the week and ensure that it is a memorable experience for everyone involved. Visit www.igcacanada2017.ca for the most up to date information about the event. In the meantime, consider attending this year’s IGCA Congress in Switzerland and be part of the group of Canadians that will promote the 2017 Congress in Canada. The organizers in Switzerland have prepared a

top notch schedule, which will offer some inspiration to your garden centre. Register at www.igcc2016.ch

Garden Centre Canada gift card

re you looking for a way to make gift giving easy for your customers? With a season full of holidays underway - like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day - make sure that your garden centre has opted to accept the garden centre gift cards. Not sure what the gift card is all about? The Green for Life Garden Gift Cards allow customers to buy gifts for friends and family that can be redeemed at various garden centres across the country. Brought to you by Garden Centres Canada, the card works at participating garden centres across Canada and are sent directly to a recipient’s smartphone and they’re also redeemable on the phone, helping to make gift giving easy. If you’d like to learn more, check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/ gardengiftcard

Top 5 business blogs your garden centre should follow

he CNLA staff are often scrolling through business blogs, news sites and social media to find interesting content for our Twitter, Facebook and Flipboard accounts. We have gathered our top five blogs for garden centre members.

#1. Social Media Examiner | socialmediaexaminer.com Category: Social Media Marketing Following: Facebook – 422.6K, Twitter – 306K, Email Subscribers – 450K Articles Worth Reading: “How to Simplify the Publishing of Curated Content on Facebook with Free Tools”, “How to Advertise on LinkedIn”

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Like its name suggests, Social Media Examiner focuses on providing its readership tips to use social media to connect with customers, drive traffic, generate awareness and increase sales from small businesses all the way up to larger corporations. They also boast two podcasts, a weekly live video show, and YouTube show.

#4. Infusionsoft Blog | learn.infusionsoft.com

#2. Business Banter | businessbanter.com/blog

Category: Customer Relation Management Following: Facebook – 126.5K, Twitter – 37.5K, YouTube – 3.6K Articles Worth Reading: “5 Effective Small Business PR Tactics”, “How to Handle an Angry Customer” Category: Customer Relation Management Following: 700 unique daily readers, 9000 active subscribers Articles Worth Reading: “7 Email Marketing Tips for a Powerful Delivery”, “Sales Key Performance Indicators You Absolutely Need” Business Banter covers a variety of topics, with a focus on customer focused content – varying from marketing and growth to time management and work/life balancing. Made up of a small team of entrepreneurs, Business Banter has made it their mission statement to help likeminded individuals create, build and grow a better business. Not in the mood to sit and read blog posts? Subscribe to the Business Banter podcast to follow along.

Infusionsoft Blog breaks their content into five different categories: marketing, sales, growth, customer service, and business management. Infusionsoft delivers helpful tips and advice in addition to resources like guides, webinars, tools and courses. You can learn a thing or two about attracting and selling to customers, as well as team and personal development. There’s always content being uploaded (multiple times a day), so you’ll never feel like you’re missing out on new information.

#5. Blogtrepreneur | blogtrepreneur.com

#3. Small Business Trends | smallbiztrends.com

Category: Advice (How To, Business, Life, Technology) Following: Facebook – 5.3K, Twitter – 19.3K Articles Worth Reading: “Sleep Hacks for Increased Productivity”, “5 Recruitment Strategies for Small Businesses” Category: Small Business (Start-ups) Following: Facebook – 46K, Twitter – 135K, Pinterest – 7K Articles Worth Reading: “The Psychology of Color in Marketing”, “How to Tell If a Team Member Is Ready for a Management Position” Small Business Trends has been around since 2003, providing its readers with breaking news, advice, and information all pertaining to small businesses. The site itself is award winning, and features contributions from regular editorial staff, in addition to over 400 vetted experts that offer up daily content.

Blogtrepreneur exists to cater to the entrepreneur and business owner, by providing the insight and knowledge necessary to make the successful running of a business into a reality. The brainchild of two brothers – who in their own right are entrepreneurs and investors – their specialty is improving the profitability of underperforming businesses by focusing on a bottom line approach. The site does offer some other content as well, relating to health, life and technology, but the bulk of its content is catered to the entrepreneur.

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

Landscape Canada CANADIAN LANDSCAPE STANDARD IS LAUNCHED T

he Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects announced the release of the Canadian Landscape Standard (CLS) First Edition in Vancouver, on March 16, 2016. Based on the highly successful British Columbia Landscape Standard, the CLS is a single, authoritative resource for landscape construction projects across Canada. For the first time, there is a national guideline to set the standard of landscape work in every province across the country.

What is the Canadian Landscape Standard?

he CLS will set guidelines for landscape construction projects across Canada. It is intended for use by anyone who specifies landscape work, including landscape architects, landscape designers, and municipal parks and planning departments. It is also intended for landscape contractors to support them in the bid process. Although the standard is not a specification, it will help streamline the specification writing process by referencing one nationally recognized industry standard. The Canadian Landscape Standard recognizes and promotes: • Professional memberships (CSLA & CNLA/Provincial memberships) • Competency (designations & qualifications) • Consumer protection • Conformity, consistency and compliance • The development of standardized training

How to use the Canadian Landscape Standard?

hether you design, build or maintain, the Canadian Landscape Standard shows your clients that you work to a nationally recognized standard. • Use the CLS in project documents to support owner confidence,

•

• • •

concise communication, professional accountability and efficient project inspections through to project close out. The CLS will assist in the charrette process: quantitative take-offs, costing and efficiencies/collaborations with other trades. Make the CLS an integral part of a quality management system: Standardization of processes, training (OJT), material sourcing, project implementation. As a project benchmark, the CLS can be used for project inspections. The CLS is a tool to assist in the creation of standardized report templates. Refer to the landscape maintenance sections of the Canadian Landscape Standard to validate pricing/proposals to your clients.

The Canadian Landscape Standard can be ordered online and is available as both a hard copy and digital copy. This is a living document and a joint committee between CNLA and CSLA will continue to make additions and updates on an ongoing basis. An annual subscription will ensure you receive updates on an ongoing basis. For more information, please visit www.cslaaapc.ca/standard

Re-thinking the term Labour Burden

ll business owners know that employees cost more than just their wages. Each employee also adds a number of indirect costs like taxes, benefits, supplies, and more. For those more discretionary costs that are not mandatory, there are additional perks that can help you attract and retain employees over the long-term. Many businesses think twice before providing additional benefits because they increase that labour burden cost.

LABOUR BURDEN (AVG%) 24.82% 20.95% $3m

$0 - $500k

21.43%

25.97%

$500k - $1m

$2.5m - $3m

20.75%

21.41%

$1m - $1.5m

$2m - $2.5m

25.72%

$1.5m - $2m

According to data provided by DynaSCAPE Software, the average labour burden for a Canadian Landscape Design/Build firm is 23.01%. This data shows that the smallest

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

labour burden lies with smaller companies, but higher revenues do not necessarily dictate a higher labour burden. Although the term “labour burden” is commonly used, thinking of labour as a burden is the last thing you should do. Staff are essential to your operations and can impact the success and competitiveness of your company. Investing in your staff can result in long-term benefits for your business. It will help you grow your team, and give them more reasons to stay and advance in the company. They are the face of your business and appreciation from an employee can easily translate into happy customers and higher profits. As a member of your provincial association, you have options to access a number of member savings programs that can help you offer additional benefits to your employees, at better rates than nonmembers. This includes the HortProtect Insurance program, which is an industry specific program offering competitive pricing and coverage for your needs. Life and Health insurance is available for your employees, as well as a group RRSP Plan. Safety gear and clothing is also an added expense if a company provides this for each employee. Whether you purchase uniforms for your employees or require them to buy their own, all employees of member companies can receive discounted clothing and safety gear at Marks Work Wearhouse and Work Authority. These are just a few ideas to think about. Perhaps we should start calling this number a labour benefit instead of burden. It costs more to hire a new employee than it does to retain an existing one. A higher labour burden/benefit might result in more savings in other areas. Put a positive spin on this calculation and think of how it can benefit your business.

Practical Skills Exam law in Oregon

n March 14, Oregon’s Governor Brown signed into law measures creating modifications to the state landscape contractor license requirements making available a “License Practical Skills Examination.” Some of the revisions include:

changing the numbers of times the practical skills exam is required to be provided from three times per year for two consecutive days to one time per year for one day; allowing the combination of written sections and practical skills sections for licensure; permitting candidates to attend the business course at any time through the examination process; and, restricting the practical skills examination to be applicable only for a partial phase license. NALP supplied expertise to the discussion with the Licensing Board and Oregon Landscape Contractors Association representatives about the potential of using the Landscape Industry Certified Technician-Exterior handson exam to satisfy the requirement. OLCA continues to work out the logistics with the Licensing Board. OLCA is licensed by NALP to offer the Technician Exterior exam in Oregon.

Building Asthma Friendly School Gardens

n honour of the National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month that occurs in May, the Society for Allergy Friendly Environmental (SAFE) Gardening, a nonprofit organization, invites you to make schoolyards a healthier place for children by replacing highly allergenic producing trees and plants that incite allergies and asthma with allergy-friendly selections. When you have asthma, the typical schoolyard is not a friendly place at all. Most schoolyard gardens have pollen producing

male clonal shrubs/trees and many other plants that can provoke asthma attacks. Asthma sufferers will tell you that their asthma can be activated by many allergens, called ‘triggers’. Pollen is the number one trigger for causing an attack. Outdoor allergies are common, but they need not be. If we make some simple changes in our schoolyards, allergies caused by gardening, can be greatly reduced by building an ‘Asthma-Friendly Schoolyard Garden’. 1. Plant lots of female plants and trees. These will not shed any pollen, but will trap pollen and clean the air. 2. Use the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS®). The allergy scale runs 1-10. 1 = allergy-free and asthma-friendly; 10 = highly allergenic (worst). 3. If possible, remove any shrub or tree with a ranking over OPALS # 4. 4. Use only plants that are well-adapted to your own area or zone. 5. Use a wide variety of plants if possible. The more diverse the schoolyard, the fewer problems you will have with insects and molds. 6. Avoid plants or vines with strong fragrances or odors; they can trigger asthma. 12. A ‘Pollinator Garden’ in your schoolyard garden with allergy friendly and native plants is of great importance. For more tips, visit: www.healthyschoolyards.org

Floraculture International, a leading trade magazine serving all aspects of the ornamental horticulture industry, is pleased to offer CNLA members a free subscription to their monthly digital business magazine and as well as their biweekly FCI BloomBrief newsletter. Published by Royal FloraHolland, FCI is a one-stop source for breaking news and in-depth articles on a wide range of topics of interest to the greenhouse floriculture and nursery production sectors, ranging from breeding breakthroughs and merchandising concepts to business management, environmental issues and so much more. It’s all FREE and automatically delivered to your inbox. Visit www.floraculture.eu/subscribe to keep yourself updated on news and issues affecting your sector around the globe.

CNLA Newsbrief

Spring 2016

NEW FSA 90 R Battery-Powered Trimmer The NEW FSA 90 R professional trimmer, part of our battery-powered line-up, combines the low maintenance and cost effective benefits of STIHL lithium-ion battery technology with the renowned power of STIHL. Quiet, yet powerful, this cordless trimmer is great for professionals working in noise-sensitive or exhaust emission sensitive areas like school grounds, business districts or hospitals. It also saves users time and money by eliminating the need for gasoline and two-cycle oil. The FSA 90 R starts instantly with the squeeze of a trigger. Its innovative control handle features an ECOSPEED throttle set wheel, allowing users to set the most effective throttle speeds for a specific application such as low throttle around delicate plants, and can extend the amount of work done on a single charge.

Rated Voltage 36 V Weight* 2.8 kg/6.2 lb Run Time Up to 30 mins (with AP 180) Up to 150 mins (with AR 900) *Excluding battery..

• High cutting speeds allow more trimming in a short amount of time • Low vibration reduces fatigue on long jobs • Ergonomic loop handle makes it comfortable to operate and easy to manoeuvre • Built-in hanging slot for easy storage • Comes standard with durable AutoCut ® 25-2 mowing head loaded with .095” Quiet Line™ • Can accommodate a grass blade with optional barrier bar

QUALITY AT WORK FOR 90 YEARS. For a remarkable 90 years, STIHL has been a world market leader and innovator in outdoor power equipment. German engineered products featuring the latest pioneering technologies make STIHL the preferred choice for professionals, by consistently providing uncompromising quality. STIHL products are only available at independent STIHL Dealers who provide personal advice and expert service. Thank you for the continuous support and for making STIHL the brand you can trust.

JOIN THE CLUB that

STIHLCanada

www.stihl.ca

everyone is talking about! Canadian Nursery Landscape Association / Association Canadienne des Pépiniéristes et des Paysagistes www.STIHLCLUB.ca

7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 | T: 1-888-446-3499 | F: 905-875-1840 | info@cnla-acpp.ca | www.cnla-acpp.ca