Chamber Benefit Available To Employees of All Member Companies...
As a member company, you and your employees can enjoy special group insurance discounts and savings on your Home and Auto Insurance. Spread the good news around the office! Call Wilson Insurance today or go online to receive your Free No Obligation Quote.
Exclusive Rates for Chamber Members
Full Money Back Claims Service Guarantee
Free, Unlimited Telephone Assistance Program
5 Easy Payment Options
Experience big savings just by being an employee of a member company of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. Plus there are lots & lots of additional discounts for; claims free customers, mature citizens, short commute drivers, insuring your home & car with us, multiple vehicles, mortgage free and more...It’s that easy!
If you need to make a claim and aren’t completely satisfied with your claims service, we will refund your entire policy premium. That’s right, all of it! 24/7 help for health, home and legal questions is available to all home policy owners.
Including interest free monthly payment plan with internet & telephone banking—and no service fee!
All of the above!
For more information and a Free No Obligation Quote Call
Wilson Insurance
(506) 458-8505
Or visit www.wilsoninsurance.ca for your instant quote!
CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN PRODUCED BY EMERGE DESIGNS
Publisher
Steve Boulter – Emerge Designs
Printer
KKP Kwik Kopy Printing
Project Manager Wendy Morrell
Advertising Consultant Wendy Morrell
Contributors
Joseph O’Donnell Krista Ross Morgan Peters Stacey Murray Janet Moser Nicola Andersen Angela Chang Micheline Roy David Campbell David Eisnor
4
President’s Message
5
CEO’s Message
6
Chamber Welcomes New Members
8
The Hive/la Ruche
9
Advocacy Update
PRESIDENT
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
POLICY & RESEARCH MANAGER
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING MANAGER
10
2015 State of the Province Address
membership@frederictonchamber.ca
12
Futurepreneur Canada
13
Joint Economic Development Initiative
14
New Job Development Program
15
Brighter Futures for Businesses and Students
16
Member Profile/ Events Calendar
17
Alianco
18
Chamber Buzz
19
Service Master Clean Shines for Men’s Homeless Shelter
Joseph O’Donnell president@frederictonchamber.ca Morgan Peters advocacy@frederictonchamber. ca
EVENT MANAGER
Stacey Murray events@frederictonchamber.ca
DIRECTOR BUSINESS IMMIGRANT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM / INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS INCUBATOR
Krista Ross kristar@frederictonchamber.ca
Christine Little
OPERATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Wendy Morrell fchamber@frederictonchamber.ca
Janet Moser janetm@frederictonchamber.ca Insight is published by Emerge Designs. All content, copyright © 2014, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, all or in part without written consent from the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all content in this publication, however, the publisher nor the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce will be held responsible for omissions or errors. Please address all editorial and advertising inquiries to the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 275, 364 York Street, Suite 200, Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y9 Canada. The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is not held responsible for the loss, damage or any other injury to unsolicited material (including but not limited to manuscripts, artwork, photographs and advertisements). Unsolicited material must be included with self-addressed, overnight-delivery return envelope, postage prepaid. The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce will not give, nor rent your name, mailing address, or other contact information to third parties. Printed in Canada. Printed by KKP - Kwik Kopy Printing. Fredericton Chamber of Commerce PO Box 275, 364 York Street, Suite 200, Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y9 Tel: (506) 458-8006 Fax: (506) 451-1119 fchamber@frederictonchamber.ca www.frederictonchamber.ca Twitter - @fton_chamber Facebook – facebook.com/frederictonchamber
285 Canada Street -3rd Floor Fredericton NB, Canada E3A 4A3 Ph: 506.999.3332 creative@emergedesigns.ca www.emergedesigns.ca
N
ow that the provincial election is over it is time to focus on the path forward for the chamber, our partners, our members and the community. On behalf of the entire board of directors of the chamber I would like to personally thank all the candidates who tossed their hat in the ring in 2014 - particularly to Premier Brian Gallant, Leader of the Liberal Party, Deputy Premier Stephen Horsman, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Minister of Justice and Minister responsible for Military Affairs and to David Coon, Leader of the Green Party and MLA for Fredericton South. Your efforts to present a vision for your community and your passion for this region are thoroughly appreciated. There are plenty of ways to help build strong, resilient communities in New Brunswick - by reaching out to business organizations such as the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce with its 900 + strong members, other service clubs, non-profits, municipal committees, amongst countless others - to find a way to participate and put that passion to work. To the new and returning politicians across New Brunswick, I offer hearty congratulations and extend the offer of help and support in all things related to the business community. The chamber has a valued tradition of working with our provincial partners to ensure our local businesses have every opportunity to grow and prosper in this region and we wish to work with the new group of political leaders to continue these efforts. Another way the chamber is working to support our business community is through connecting local business with
INSIGHT
4
global opportunities. This project has accelerated and is currently reaching out to businesses, organizations and individuals across this region to gather information on business opportunities that will help spur economic growth. The information captured will be aggregated and used to help connect the dots between business and opportunities. In the public sector, the municipal government’s ultra-high speed internet and the announced increased investment in infrastructure by the provincial government are critical components that will create an environment for business to prosper. New Brunswick businesses expect that successful bids for government infrastructure projects will be selected based upon a fair and equitable formula where cost will be a determining factor. Finally I would like to announce that the chamber has received a resounding reception to the newly introduced “Business over Breakfast” networking event. “Business over Breakfast” events run from 7:30AM to 9:00AM and are an excellent opportunity to showcase your business and to meet other business owners. Call Stacey Murray at the chamber office to book your “Business over Breakfast” event. Please be sure to follow us on twitter @Fton_Chamber, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn. I encourage you all to stay in touch with us and let us know how we can help support business in Fredericton. Thank you, Joseph O’Donnell President Fredericton Chamber of Commerce
H
appy New Year! What do you hope to see in 2015?…. Jobs for New Brunswickers? Economic growth for our province? Opportunities for businesses to grow and prosper? These things should be on all of our lists of priorities for the coming year. So…. what can your chamber do to help your business in this regard? We consistently provide many tangible benefits, we pride ourselves in the wide variety of educational and networking opportunities that we provide, and your chamber also does a great deal of advocacy work on your behalf with all levels of government. But…. in these challenging economic times, we need to do more! We must work even harder as a conduit to opportunities. It is imperative that we work even more closely with you to help you connect the dots from your business… to opportunities! Recently, the chamber has jumped on board with a new initiative being led by Ignite Fredericton. We are one of the founding organizations in a “Partners Forum” that will bring together primary stakeholders for projects that include the Energy East Pipeline, the Sison Mine and other near-term large natural resource projects and opportunities. We are connecting ourselves to the proponents of these larger natural resource projects to make sure that we are finding out how our members and the business community can benefit from these projects. There is a great deal of talk about ‘supply chain’ and ‘skilling up’ but…. what does it really mean? This task force will help us to share information, align activities, collaborate and coordinate our efforts towards these near-term projects with our members. Even in the earliest stages of this initiative, we may be able to assist our members in optimizing potential benefits by helping you to connect with these projects. The Energy East Pipeline already has a portal on their website where you
can register as a potential vendor. And the Sisson project will be looking for local partners and subcontractors as well! The spinoffs of these projects for our community will be larger than just the businesses hired to do the work, or the employees hired to work there. Pierre Cleroux, BDC’s Chief Economist told us recently that when you add together the impact of these two projects, along with other mining projects, Siemens Smart Grid Project, and the impact of the new forestry strategy and other projects, the impact is $8.6 billion in our province, creating 5000 jobs. We believe it will also create other spinoffs like: inspiring our startups to develop innovative solutions and technologies to partner with these projects, create opportunities for investment, create clusters of expertise in a variety of areas, and increase our population along with many other multiplier effects. Our Economic Development Committee has spent the fall providing Presentation Day seminars on a monthly basis from various resource sectors and companies so you can learn more about opportunities and we will continue this series into the spring. Make sure you are on board with the opportunities. We will work towards doing our part to keep you informed of opportunities. When small business prospers, our entire community prospers. Wishing you the best of continued success, growth and prosperity for your business in 2015!
5
INSIGHT
New Members
Hello Newest to our
NihiNotions Tel: (506) 260-1529 Email: info@nihinotions.ca Website: www.nihinotions.ca Main Contact: Ashley Nash
Maradev Managed Services Inc. 122 Thorncastle Street Lutes Mountain, NB E1G 0S5 Tel: (506) 850-4757 Email: troyengland@gmail.com Main Contact: Troy England
Ming Gao 31 Wagonners Lane, Apt 4 Fredericton, NB E3B 2L2 Tel: (506) 999-6602 Email: mgao@unb.ca Main Contact: Ming Gao
Shoppers Drug Mart 1040 Prospect Street, Unit 1 Fredericton, NB E3B 3C1 Tel: (506) 451-1567 Email: asdm172@shoppersdrugmart.ca Website: www.shoppersdrugmart.ca Main Contact: Brian Barry
Fulton Real Estate Solutions Inc. 118 Preston Drive Fredericton, NB E3A 2L6 Tel: (506) 476-5275 Email: perley@fresi.ca Website: www.fresi.ca Main Contact: Perley Tracey-Gould
Latitude Communications Inc. 103 Melvin Street Fredericton, NB E3A 2M9 Tel: (506) 478-0596 Email: stacey@ latitudecommunications.ca Website: latitudecommunications.ca Main Contact: Stacey Pineau
Cambridge-McKnight Ltd. 676 Prospect Street / 191 Main Street Fredericton, NB E3B 6G9 Tel: (506) 458-1805 Email: michael.toole@goinsure.ca Website: gotoinsure.ca Main Contact: Mike Toole
Learn Tracker Services Inc. 38 Westbrook Lane Fredericton, NB E3G 0V5 Tel: (506) 440-7869 Email: daniel@learntracker.com Website: learntracker.com Main Contact: Daniel Picard
UNB Recreation PO Box 4400 15 Peter Kelly Drive Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3 Tel: (506) 453-4579 Email: urec@unb.ca Website: www.urec.ca Main Contact: Jill Scaplen
Esprit Aviation 12 Tamarack Terrace Fredericton, NB E3B 2S3 Tel: (506) 206-1607 Email: pamela.filby@hotmail.com Main Contact: Pamela Filby
New Brunswick Student Alliance 334 Queen Street, Suite 204 Fredericton, NB E3B 1B2 Tel: (506) 260-0584 Email: director@nbsa-acnb.ca Website: www.nbsa-acnb.ca Main Contact: Pat Joyce
Lundi Karhibahaza Email: lundi.jk@gmail.com Website: hkrpp@stu.ca Main Contact: Lundi Karhibahaza
INSIGHT
6
The New Brunswick Student Alliance is the largest student association in New Brunswick, representing over 12,000 students across the province. We advocate for accessible, affordable, high-quality post-secondary education whose students enjoy an exceptional quality of life.
New Members
Members Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc. 65 Brunswick Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1G5 Tel: (506) 462-9806 Email: info@theshelters.ca Website: www.theshelters.ca Main Contact: Warren Maddox
f6 Networks Inc. 10 Knowledge Park Drive, Fredericton, NB E3C 2M7 Tel:(506) 300-1279 Email: info@f6networks.ca Website: www.f6networks.ca Main Contact: Tom Rivingto Amy Mallais
Fredericton Firefighters Association PO Box 3272, Station B Fredericton, NB E3A 5H1 Tel: (506) 471-0369 Email: firenews@me.com Website: www.frederictonfirefighters.com Main Contact: Glen Sullivan
Skillsoft 20 Knowledge Park Drive Fredericton, NB E3C 0J1 Tel: (506) 470-9384 Email: ccummins@skillsoft.com Website: www.skillsoft.com Main Contact: Chris Cummins
iBooth Party Photo Booth 10 Mountain Drive Silverwood, NB E3C 1K2 Tel: (506) 999-0524
James Young, P.Eng, MEd 74 Adams Street Fredericton, NB E3B 7G2 Tel: (506) 262-0869 Email: wjyoung@gmail.com Main Contact: James Young
Fredericton Direct Charge Co-op PO Box 602 - 170 Doak Road Fredericton, NB E3B 5A6 Tel:(506) 453-1300
Ste. Anne’s Court 81 Duncan Lane Fredericton, NB E3B 9T1 Tel: (506) 450-9433
Email: ibooth@iboothpartyphotobooth.ca
Main Contact: Denis Chivy
Email: mhatchard@frederictoncoop.nb.ca
Email: austin.conrad@atriaretirement.ca
Phien Lan Tran 458 Priestman Street, Apt 18 Fredericton, NB E3B 3B4 Tel: (506) 471-3968 Email: phientran999@gmail.com Main Contact: Phien Lan Tran
FLOW Cleaning Services 146 Carlisle Road Douglas, NB E3G 7N4 Tel: (506) 470-3561 Email: service@flowcleaners.com Website: www.flowcleaners.com Main Contact: Monica Danielski
Website: www.frederictoncoop.nb.ca Main Contact: Murray Hatchard
Website: www.steannescourt.ca Main Contact: Austin Conrad
Son Thrinhs 9 - 44 Simpson Court Fredericton, NB E3B 2S2 Tel: (506) 259-9577 Email: josephsontt@gmail.com Main Contact: Son Thrinhs
7
INSIGHT
Hello Newest to our
Members
Errors and omissions have been noted in the November/December issue of INSIGHT we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Chess Piece Patisserie & Café 361 Queen Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1B1| Tel: (506) 897-0983 Email: chesspiecepatisserie@gmail.com Main Contact: Patti Hollenberg
East Coast Chiropractic 520 Brookside Drive, Unit D-! Fredericton, NB E3A 8V2 Tel: (506) 454-2004
Email: sayhello@eastcoastchiropractic.ca
Website: www.eastcoastchiropractic.ca Main Contact: Dr. Marie Battaglia
Cinnamon Café (Arvand Ventures Inc.) 469 King Street Fredericton, NB E3B 1E5 Tel: (506) 454-9011 Email: info@cinnamoncafe.org Website: www.cinnamoncafe.org Main Contact: Shokook Mastafaie
The Blue Door 100 Regent Street Fredericton, NB E3B 3W4 Tel: (506) 455-2583 Email: mike@thebluedoor.ca Website: www.thebluedoor.ca Main Contact: Mike Babineau
Thi Thu / Thuy Phan 87 St. Mary’s Street Fredericton, NB E3A 2R7 Tel: (506) 478-4444 Email: ngobatri@gmail.com Main Contact: Thi Thu
Studio 103 Design Inc. / Urban Threadz 103 Church Street Fredericton, NB E3B 4C8 Tel: (506) 471-2258 Email: victoria@studio103.ca Website: www.studio103.ca Main Contact: Victoria Boer
VNB Enterprises Inc. 787 Prospect Street, Apt 302 Fredericton, NB E3B 9Y5 Tel: (506) 897-2688 Email: haile.vnb@gmail.com Main Contact: Hai Le
Functional Skin Body Nutrition 927 Prospect Street Fredericton, NB E3B 2T7 Tel: (506) 262-8512 Email: karen@karennel.ca Main Contact: Karen Nel
Red Rover Brewing Company 880 Hanwell Road, Unit 305 Fredericton, NB E3B 6A2 Tel: (506) 440-7687 Email: info@redroverbrew.com Website: www.redroverbrew.com Main Contact: Adam Clawson
Blue Spurs 30 Knowledge Park Drive, Suite 200 Fredericton, NB E3C 2R0 Tel: (506) 455-4111 Email: mike.leblanc@bluespurs.com Website: www.bluespurs.com Main Contact: Mike LeBlanc
Dots NB for Kids Mental Health 110 Queen Street, Suite 101 Fredericton, NB E3B 1A5 Tel: (506) 206-1662 Email: cindy.miles@dotsnb.ca Website: www.dotsnb.ca Main Contact: Cindy Miles
InTouch Printing Inc. 110-39 Sunnybrae Fredericton, NB E3A 5M2 Tel: (506) 471-1781 Email: jeremy@beintouch.ca Website: www.intouchprint.ca Main Contact: Jeremy Deering
Hello Newest to our
Members
Errors and omissions have been noted in the November/December issue of INSIGHT we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Marijuana For Trauma Inc. 255 Restigouche Road, Unit 3 Oromocto, NB E2V 2H1 Tel: (506) 385-9332 Email: megan@mftgroup.ca Website: www.mftgroup.ca Main Contact: Fabian Henry
DirecSys INc. 835 Champlain Street, Suite 103 Dieppe, NB E1A 1P6 Tel: (506) 857-6537 Email: info@direcsys.com Website: www.direcsys.com Main Contact: Paul Richard
M & R Ventures 288 Union Street Fredericton, NB E3A 1E5 Tel: (506) 452-9333 Email: michaelcoleman110@yahoo.ca Main Contact: Michael Coleman
Stephanie Mead, RMT 212 Queen Street, Suite 305 Fredericton, NB E3B 1A8 Tel: (506) 449-2492 Email: steph.mead@hotmail.ca Website: www.stephaniemeadrmt.ca Main Contact: Stephanie Mead
Quality Engineered Solutions - QES 288 Union Street Fredericton, NB E3A 1E5 Tel: (506) 452-9333 Email: rallen@qes.ca Main Contact: Rick Allen
Nutri-Lawn 95 Prospect Street Fredericton, NB E3C 2L9 Tel: (506) 452-8471 Email: fredericton@nutrilawn.com Website: www.nutrilawn/fredericton.com Main Contact: Jim Cooper
Retreever Consulting 1409 Route 8 Nashwaak River, NB E6C 1W7 Tel: (506) 478-0221 Email: rogerbannister@xplornet.ca Main Contact: Roger Bannister
SimpTek Technologies 490 Regent Street, Unit 35 Fredericton, NB E3B 0V4 Tel: (506) 663-5637 Email: keelan.ganong@simptekinc.ca Website: simptektechnologies.ca Main Contact: Keelan Gagnon
Magnus Training & Protection Inc. 170 Garden Grove Road Lincoln, NB E3B 7G8 Tel: (506) 292-5003 Email: derek@magnusprotection.com Website: www.magnusprotection.com Main Contact: Derek Mailing
Weight Watchers Canada Ltd. 1033 Prospect Street, #2 Fredericton, NB E3B 3B9 Tel: (506) 636-0541 Email: lporter@weightwatchers.ca Website: www.weightwatchers.ca Main Contact: Lisa Porter
Stephanie Taylor 14 Angelview Court Fredericton, NB E3B 7A8 Tel: (506) 206-7006 Email: staylor74@hotmail.com
Douglas Motty 25 Theresa Street Fredericton, NB E3G 0G1 Tel: (506) 897-1612 Email: dougmotty@gmail.com Main Contact: Douglas Motty
B.I.M.P
T
he Fredericton Chamber of Commerce has proven itself once again as an innovator in the success and growth of the nationally recognized and award winning Business Immigrant Mentorship Program, which launched in Fredericton in 2009 as a pilot program. Since then the Province of New Brunswick has continued to support our efforts and in 2014 the chamber launched a second and highly innovative business incubator for immigrant investors called The Hive. Neither of these programs or their success would be possible without the support of our program volunteers, supporters, partners and of course the champions within the City of Fredericton and the Province of New Brunswick. The Fredericton Intercultural Business Centre’s first Business Person of the Year Award was presented to Leticia DeGante during the 2014 State of the City Address held on Thursday November 13, at the Fredericton Convention Centre. Leticia DeGante is originally from Mexico City. As a successful business owner in Mexico, Leticia worked along side her mother in business and was a well-known and sought after landscaper to several five star resorts along the Cancun, Mayan Riviera coast. Leticia has been recognized and awarded the level of “Master” gardener. Leticia and her husband watched as their three children left Mexico to attend school programs abroad, with Leticia’s two daughters finding their way to New Brunswick’s Miramichi for homestay school programs. Missing their children and knowing that in all likelihood the children would remain in Canada if able, Leticia and Mario found themselves packing their two homes and leaving for the unknown of a new life in in New Brunswick and they decided Fredericton was the city of choice. With little money, but a lot of determination and full support of her family, Leticia opened the doors of her truck in 2009 and began her business which she named DeGante Landscaping. Since then she has built two new businesses bringing her total to three. There is no doubt in my mind or those who know her understand that she is one of the hardest workers you would ever meet and her work ethic and talent is second to none. INSIGHT
8
Through the support of the Business Immigrant Mentorship Program and other professional business mentors, Leticia was up for the task and with determination struck the word “no” out her vocabulary and forged on. Hearing her story makes the process sound easy and seamless but for Leticia and all of our newcomers there is nothing easy in the immigration and settlement process. So this is where acceptance and community support becomes of utmost importance. Leticia’s two newest ventures are DeGante Authentic Mexican Jewelry, which is located on York Street, and House of Stone which supplies, designs and installs patio, brick and stone work for outdoor landscapes. Leticia’s jewelry has a wonderful story of social impact on a small village in Mexico where the residents are skilled silversmiths and artisans who make their living solely on the sale of their products. Leticia’s support means a great deal to their existence and to Leticia this is not only important but a driving force to succeed. she is epitome of the definition of Social Enterprise. She is also giving back to Fredericton by employing full and part time local employees both seasonally and year round. “Leticia is a remarkable woman and one of the hardest working people I have ever met. In offering this award to Leticia she has become a leader in our community, a leader by example on so many fronts. A leader to newcomers who land with plans to begin business in a new country, a leader to women in business and a leader to her peers and friends. Leticia was so deserving of this award and it was a great pleasure to offer it to her as she continue to inspire and become a welcomed member to our community”. Janet Moser, Director Business Immigrant Mentorship Program, Hive Incubator Thank you to the Province of New Brunswick for their continued support of our business settlement support programs: Business Immigrant Mentorship and Hive Incubator
Advocacy
By: Morgan Peters
A
s you know, on September 22, 2014 Brian Gallant and the New Brunswick Liberal Party were elected to lead the provincial government for the next four years. The Fredericton chamber congratulates Premier Gallant and his MLAs throughout the province and looks forward to working with the Liberal government on issues that matter most to our members and the business community. Below is a list of some of the promises made in the 2014 Liberal Party Platform document that we are going to keep a close eye on over the next four years. Obviously, this list is not exclusive and those items listed do not indicate the chamber’s support or lack thereof. Indeed, we expect that the chamber’s position on many of the promises made will depend on the details of how they play out in practice. Skills Development The skills/experience/wage gap is a persistent issue for many chamber members. Having the right people for the right jobs is critical to success and growth. Initiatives aimed at retaining young people and students are particularly enticing as it can also help to lower the province’s median age. •Providing a training tax credit to small businesses that pay for continuous learning opportunities for their employees (page 11) •Identifying workforce skills shortages and pairing companies with students in targeted programs through education contracts… (page 11) •Improving the recognition of professional credentials from other provinces and countries… (page 11) Taxes & Fiscal Policy Having a competitive tax scheme and fiscal policies that make it more appealing to do business in New Brunswick is particularly important in a sluggish economy. Many small businesses are struggling and every increase to their cost burden has a heavy toll. •...lowering the small business corporate income tax rate to 2.5%... (page 11) •...increasing the Small Business Investor Tax Credit to 50% from 30% (page 11) •Giving New Brunswick companies a better chance to win
government contracts by introducing industrial and regional benefits to procurement scoring (page 11) •...working with the Tourism Industry Association of NB and other stakeholders to support our operators and enhance this vibrant sector of our economy (page 12) •Canceling the property tax break for businesses given by the past government (page 29) •Raise the minimum wage further to $11.00 per hour by 2017 and thereafter annually by the rate of inflation (page 30) •Inviting civil servants and retirees who had pension reforms imposed upon them back to the negotiating table for an open, fair and transparent dialogue (page 36) Infrastructure Creating and maintaining infrastructure is an important cost/ benefit balance. In general, we encourage governments to take a long-term approach to infrastructure investment. Ideally, infrastructure spending is targeted at supporting economic development as well as providing New Brunswickers with needed social benefits. •Creating an infrastructure investment fund of $900 million in additional funding over six years (page 13) •Developing a multi-year infrastructure spending plan to ensure predictability for the construction industry and to prevent irresponsible spending in election years (page 13) Economic Development Creating effective economic development policies and initiatives requires a keen understanding of global forces and foresight to be able to focus on the right areas at the right time. In general, policies that focus on ‘wealth creation’ in the province rather than the traditional ‘job creation’ have a better chance of providing a lasting impact. •Empowering non-government experts to select those areas where we have the best chance to grow and succeed… (page 14) •Facilitating the establishment of locally led economic development agencies… (page 15)
Continue reading on page 15
9
INSIGHT
Province Address
2015
STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS
MOVING NEW BRUNSWICK FORWARD
O
n January 28, Premier Brian Gallant will deliver his first State of the Province Address. What should business people be looking for in this speech?
has risen more slowly than all other provinces in Canada. Premier Gallant should commit to not cutting public services to the point where we fall well behind the rest of Canada.
It’s no secret New Brunswick’s economy has been struggling in the past few years. Since Canada came out of the recession in 2008, New Brunswick has ranked last among the ten provinces for both GDP and employment growth. This is the main reason why the provincial government continues to run a substantial budget deficit. The net provincial government debt now stands at $12.2 billion. As a percentage of GDP, our public debt is the third highest among the ten provinces.
Can we expect more from the federal government? Our share of the federal transfer pie has been declining slowly but steadily for a decade. In his address, Premier Gallant should talk of strengthening the province’s relationship with the federal government. Not necessarily to increase transfer payments but to convince the feds we are all in this together.
There are four ways government can stabilize its financial position: 1) try to squeeze more taxes out of the economy; 2) continue to trim public spending; 3) find a way to get more out of the federal government; and 4) take steps to foster increased economic growth. I am not sure we have much wiggle room for higher taxes. The folks at RBC Economics forecast that provincial government revenue from all sources in 2014-2015 will be an amount equivalent to 24.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). This is the second highest rate of provincial revenue as a percentage of GDP among the 10 provinces. In Alberta, the provincial government only extracts a revenue amount equivalent to 12.5 percent of GDP. In his address, Premier Gallant should commit to ensuring New Brunswick does not end up as the most taxed jurisdiction in Canada. Premier Gallant is talking about cutting $250 million out of the budget. To extend the ‘trimming the fat’ metaphor, at some point you go beyond cutting fat and end up carving into muscle and even bone. Over the last four years, provincial government program spending in New Brunswick INSIGHT
10
To avoid large tax increases or deep cuts to public services, we need to return to at least a moderate rate of economic growth as well as a renewal of the population. Therefore, the main focus of Premier Gallant’s State of the Province address should be on how his government intends to foster a return to economic growth. Government can’t wave a magic wand to revive a moribund economy but there are several things it can do to positively influence its trajectory. First, the provincial government plays a direct role in the development of the natural resources sector. New Brunswick generates less GDP per capita from mining and oil and gas development than all but two other provinces across Canada. If we have resources that are in demand and if we can adopt best practices in their extraction and value creation, the provincial government should make a good faith effort to develop them. It makes little sense to stop natural resources development even as our young people move out in the thousands to work in similar industries in the rest of Canada.
Province Address
Second, Premier Gallant will need to convince the federal government of the strategic importance of getting the population back in growth mode. Our stagnant and rapidly aging population is the single biggest risk factor to longterm economic growth. Household spending accounts for between 60 and 70 percent of GDP. If the population is not growing it is hard to see how the province can get back to sustained economic growth. The growing number transitioning to retirement income will also limit the potential of consumer spending.
Premier Brian Gallant will have the chance on January 28 to send a clear signal that his government is determined to get the province back on the road to economic growth.
Third, New Brunswick needs a new generation of ambitious entrepreneurs. There is growing evidence we are not turning out enough entrepreneurs who want to build products or services here and then take them to the world. We do not need thousands of these ambitious entrepreneurs but we do need hundreds. The Premier should commit to this objective and support the goal of making New Brunswick an excellent place to start a new business. Fourth, New Brunswick has many assets and competitive strengths that should be leveraged into new business investment. This is the philosophy behind the new opportunities-based economic development model championed by the Premier. We should be turning over every rock to find new opportunities that could be of interest to local entrepreneurs, as well as national and international businesses. The government shouldn’t be in the business of trying to create new industries through massive subsidies or restricting competition. In the long term this approach doesn’t work. However, developing and promoting assets and competitive strengths is the proper role for government and can support the vision of long-term economic growth.
David Campbell is the President of Jupia Consultants Inc., an economic development consulting firm based in New Brunswick. He is also a columnist with the Telegraph-Journal and a Research Fellow with the Canadian Institute for Research on Public Policy and Public Administration at the UniversitĂŠ de Moncton. 11
INSIGHT
Futurepreneur
FUTURPRENEUR CANADA FUTURPRENEUR HELPED MORE THAN 6,900 ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS CANADA, WITH MORE THAN 5,750 FUTURPRENEUR CANADA-SUPPORTED START-UPS. By David Eisnor
S
tarting a business is not an easy task. It takes dedication, passion and a lot of hard work. Without the much-needed financing and services that organizations like Futurpreneur Canada offer young entrepreneurs, many people would not be able to take that leap into entrepreneurship. Futurpreneur Canada is a national non-profit organization and has been providing financing, mentoring and resources to support aspiring business owners aged 18 to 39 for nearly 20 years. It has helped more than 6,900 entrepreneurs across Canada, with more than 5,750 Futurpreneur Canadasupported start-ups. Silas Robinson is one of the many entrepreneurs that has relied on Futurpreneur Canada’s services for his start-up, Lift Personal Fitness in Fredericton. “Without the much needed capital funding provided to us through Futurpreneur Canada, starting our fitness business would have been extremely difficult.” On top of the financial support that helped Silas get his business off the ground, the mentorship that Futurpreneur Canada offers has proven to be a valuable asset to his success. “I would not have been able to cope without my business mentors. They encouraged me when I was financially unstable, on more than one occasion, to keep moving forward.” Futurpreneur’s mentorship program is internationally recognized and includes more than 2,800 dedicated volunteer business mentors. It takes much more than financing to succeed as an entrepreneur, and Futurpreneur Canada offers its services to help entrepreneurs thrive. “We encourage all aspiring young entrepreneurs that are exploring the option of launching their own business to reach out to us. We’re help to support them at every stage along their entrepreneurial journey. We have a variety of resources to help them succeed in their business. They are not alone in this, we are here to help them realize INSIGHT
12
their dream of turning their business idea into a reality” says Nicole Osmond, Regional Director in Atlantic Canada. Offering several free resources to entrepreneurs, Futurpreneur Canada has become a staple in Canada’s entrepreneurial community. “Many people come to us with an idea, but no business plan to support it. Our interactive Business Plan Writer is free and helps them through the first step of turning their idea into reality,” Osmond told us. Silas Robinson started his business three years ago, and along his journey has had many learning curves. “The most valuable lesson I’ve learned as an entrepreneur has been to spend 95 per cent of my time doing the critical 5 per cent of things that actually move the business forward. In our case that is to generate new leads and increase company revenue,” says Robinson. His advice to young entrepreneurs is to “take big risks that force you to burn the bridge to failure.” With over 1,000 Atlantic Canada start-ups and entrepreneurs assisted by Futurpreneur Canada, Silas described the entrepreneurial community in the area as unique. It is divided into two groups of people, he explained. The “scramblers,” who are trying to learn more and take little risk, and successful business minded people who have committed to running a business. “Overall the Atlantic community seems strong for young entrepreneurs with lots of opportunity” says Silas. With several resources and programs available to entrepreneurs through Futurpreneur and the network of community partners in the region who are dedicated to fueling young entrepreneurship, Silas feels that there are plenty of resources available to learn and grow professionally. For more information, visit: www.futurpreneur.ca
JEDI
Jesse Perley, from Tobique First Nation, was unsatisfied working as a van driver and maintenance person in his community. He had graduated with a Business Administration degree from UNB so he knew he could do more; he also knew he would have to look outside of his community to do so. “I graduated from Business Administration at UNB Fredericton in 2005 and was working for my community as a van driver and doing maintenance for the Headstart program,” said Jesse. “At that time, I had minimal options but I wanted a chance to apply my business knowledge and to exercise what I had learned, so that meant I had to look for work outside of my community.” Jesse began his job search for something more in line with his career goals and decided to fill out an online application for a meter reader position with NB Power. During the interview process, Jesse completed a Pathfinder Survey which determined that he was better suited to the position of Residential Customer Advisor (RCA). That was over four years ago, and today, Jesse continues to be a proud part of the NB Power First Nation Affairs team as a Residential Customer Advisor. The job had a major challenge in the beginning as Jesse had to be away from his wife and three year old daughter for four months of training. “At the beginning of my employment, the position required me to be away from home for training,” said Jesse. “At this time I was married and a father of a three year old daughter who missed her daddy and that made it hard to live out of a hotel for four months. It’s hard to commit to something that takes you away from your family for a length of time but you need to focus on the overall success of it all. If you can overcome the short-term difficulties you can create the career that you want. The four months can be a barrier if you let it, but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes you have to get outside of your comfort zone. You can’t allow for anything to take focus away and keep you from providing for your family and having a successful career.” At NB Power, Jesse works Monday to Friday from 8am – 4:30pm providing customer support to the First Nation people of New Brunswick. “The best part of my job is engaging with my First Nations’ brothers and sisters and educating them in ways that we can do better as energy users,” said Jesse. “I can assist my
people with minimizing our environmental footprint through the efficiency programs provided by the corporation and province. This is in line with our major focus of sustainable energy and looking out for our next seven generations.” Jesse is proud to recommend NB Power as a place for other First Nation people to work. “I most definitely recommend NB Power as a potential place for my people to consider employment,” said Jesse. “The corporation is coming out of a hiring freeze and more and more opportunities are available. NB Power provides an excellent support system for their employees and encourages them to enforce the code of ethics, as well as, a respectful workplace.” Jesse knows that customer service isn’t for everyone but for those interested he has some good advice: “With customer service, you either know you are a people person or you are not,” said Jesse. “If you are, you need to be able to not take things personally, and if you don’t know the answer be willing to get back to people with the proper directives. The key is to treat people the way you want to be treated and it will come back full circle.” Jesse is a firm believer in setting goals and having plans for the future. He also believes that all First Nations people are as qualified as anyone else who has the same training and education. “When setting the bar for your life’s expectations, set the bar reasonably to allow for you to reach it and then extend that bar again,” said Jesse. “We will all fail but it is what we do after we fail that makes us a better person. Learn from your mistakes! I don’t set a ceiling for myself but I always try to make my next day better than the one I just completed.” Jesse shared a quote from Michael Jordan, American professional basketball player and businessman, which inspires him on a daily basis. “I’ve missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot … and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” To learn more about the Joint Economic Development Initiative, please contact JEDI at 506-444-5650 or visit www.jedinb.ca
Job Development
NEW JOB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CONNECTS GRADUATES TO EMPLOYERS By Nicola Anderson
T
he University of New Brunswick, in partnership with the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, has launched a new Job Development Program geared at university graduate retention and increased employment in the Fredericton area. The program targets a group of 25 fourth-year students and 25 unemployed or
region with regards to the benefits of hiring graduates of the University of New Brunswick. Anderson believes the program will be very useful to employers in terms of identifying local talent. “UNB has committed students and alumni who want to live and work in New Brunswick,” said Anderson, “The graduates accepted in the Job Development Program
“The graduates accepted in the Job Development Program are a diverse group of well-educated, professional, and talented individuals who will contribute positively to the local workforce.” underemployed recent alumni from the faculties of Arts and Science to be marketed to local employers and strategically matched with job opportunities in the Fredericton area.
are a diverse group of well-educated, professional, and talented individuals who will contribute positively to the local workforce.”
“It is important that new graduates who want to live in the province be provided with the tools to enhance their employment prospects upon completion of their studies,” explained Anne Soucy, Director of the UNB Career Development and Employment Centre on the Fredericton campus, “and that is exactly what our career and employment team is doing.” Staff members, including a Job Developer and an Employment Advisor, work with each participant in the Job Development Program to assist in developing their career goals and determining their employment strengths, needs and interests. To aid in this process, participants are required to obtain a Career Development Certificate by completing seven free onehour workshops through the UNB Career Development and Employment Centre. The certificate will assist in gaining career and employment knowledge through topics including interview skills, job search strategies, career planning, employability skills and work values.
Another aspect of cultivating and strengthening relationships with local employers is to increase awareness about the services available to employers at the University of New Brunswick. The UNB Career Development and Employment Centre offers a number of employer-friendly services including a private job bank where employers can post job openings for free. Other services include on-campus career fairs, the coordination of on-campus information sessions where companies can boost brand awareness and promote their career opportunities, and the coordination of on-campus employment testing and interview scheduling. The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour also provide programs and services to local employers including wage incentives for training and hiring staff. One notable initiative is the Workforce Expansion program, a component of which is the One-job Pledge, that is offered to employers who hire a recent post-secondary graduate in a job related to his or her field of study.
In addition to working with graduates, the program’s Job Developer, Nichola Anderson, is responsible for building relationships and creating awareness among business and community organizations in the greater Fredericton
More information about the Job Development Program, as well as other employer services at the UNB Career Development and Employment Centre, can be found online at http://go.unb.ca/studentemployment.
INSIGHT
14
Education Both our K-12 and post-secondary education systems are a foundational part of our economy. Basic literacy is a key driver of the province’s productivity. Our post-secondary institutions provide world-class innovations, skilled employees and is an important employer in and of itself, particularly in the Fredericton region. •Appointing a panel of experts and stakeholders to develop a 10-year plan for all stages of education… (page 15) •Implementing a comprehensive literacy strategy… (page 16) •Broadening partnership between businesses and community groups and schools to instill entrepreneurship and create cooperative education opportunities (page 17) Natural Resources Natural resource development has been an important part of New Brunswick’s economy for centuries. Moving forward, this will continue to be the case in one form or another. Natural resource discussions in the province sometimes devolve into ‘to frack or not to frack’ arguments, but the sector is a lot more broad and nuanced.
Brighter Future • Supporting the development of new mining opportunities, including the Sisson Brook mine (page 18) • Developing a local food and beverage strategy to assist local growers… (page 18) • Immediately moving to evaluate options under the current forestry plan… (page 18) Health Healthcare costs consume approximately 40% of the provincial budget annually. Keeping those costs under control are critical to bring our debt and deficit under control. This is not an easy task while maintaining a level of care that entices people to live in the province. At the chamber, physician recruitment and access to primary care has been near the top of our members’ concerns for several years. • Improving access to primary care by maximizing the use of health professionals such as nurse practitioners, advancedcare paramedics pharmacists and midwives (page 26) • Giving all New Brunswickers access to a family doctor, by adding 50 net new general practitioners by 2018 (page 26)
• Using New Brunswick’s support for Energy East as a tool to leverage investment from Alberta-based industries… (page 18)
• Reviewing the New Brunswick Drug plan to ensure that costs are reasonable for individuals, that its coverage is sufficient, and that small businesses are not subject to an employer mandate (page 26)
• Supporting the construction of the proposed oil export terminal in Saint John (page 18)
• Completing the implementation of an electronic medical records system (page 26)
• Supporting the conversion of the Canaport LNG terminal to an export facility (page 18)
• Launching a prescription drug monitoring system (page 26)
BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR BUSINESSES & STUDENTS
By: Angela Chang
S
cience East and local schools are teaming up to put the spotlight on New Brunswick businesses and the science and technology they use. Illuminate! is an award-winning program that connects local businesses with middle school students to get them thinking about future careers. The students get to handle the tools and equipment local professionals use every day in their jobs – everything from trades and services, to research, engineering, and IT. “It gets kids excited about science and technology, and it helps them realize they don’t have to necessarily move away when they grow up in order to work in a field they’re interested in,” says Science East educator Kayoe Stewart. “It’s great to show them the variety and quality of professionals working right in their own hometown.”
By: Angela Chang
The Illuminate! events also have benefits for businesses, including free promotion to hundreds of students and their parents, as well as a chance to showcase new equipment, technology and skills. “It’s a fantastic program that allows young people to meet with our scientists and engineers,” says Smart Skin Technologies CEO Kumaran Thillainadarajah. “The employees also get practice explaining their role and what the company does in easy-tounderstand language.” A successful Illuminate! night was held in early December at Bliss Carman Middle School, and a second is being planned at another school in the new year. For more information on the Illuminate! program, or if your business is interested in taking part, please email science@ scienceeast.nb.ca
15
INSIGHT
Member Profile
Brian Gilliland LEARNSPHERE SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST Brian joined the LearnSphere team in August 2014 coming from the Business Development Group at Atlantic Growth Solutions, where he helped turn the start-up company into a full blow sales organization. At LearnSphere, he is responsible for spearheading a province-wide outreach and promotional campaign aimed at changing the way New Brunswick small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) approach training and learning. LearnSphere Canada Inc. was created as an outsourcing model in 1995 to help New Brunswick’s training and learning industry better compete on domestic and international opportunities. As an aggregator of capabilities, LearnSphere focuses on bringing unique incremental business opportunities that would otherwise be unattainable to any
single supplier. As a prime contractor LearnSphere interfaces with clients, secures the business, and then draws on the skills of its suppliers-known as associates. Brian completed a BBA from the University of New Brunswick. While at UNB he was a key player on the UNB Red Bombers club football team. Brian continues to be involved with the club as Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has helped work with football at all levels in the province including presently serving on the Football New Brunswick Tackling Committee and coaching the Capital Area Men’s Gladiators. When Brian does get away from work and football he enjoys walking his dog, sailing, and attempting to golf. E-mail: brian.gilliland@learnsphere.ca Phone : 506.292-7779
Fore more information about our events visit www.frederictonchamber.ca
January 28, 2015 State of the Province Address Held at the Fredericton Convention Centre
February 19, 2015 Fredericton North Rotary Luncheon Held at the Fredericton Inn
February 5, 2015 Business After Hours Hosted by Ability New Brunswick/Capacite NouveauBrunswick and Enbridge Gas New Brunswick
March 12, 2015 Business After Hours Hosted by Massive Graphics
February 17, 2015 Business Over Breakfast Hosted by East Coast Chiropractic INSIGHT
16
Alianco
Alianco, formerly known as Traduction NB Translation Inc., has been a leader in the translation industry for nearly 20 years. We are an alliance of professional translators based in Atlantic Canada whose mission is to partner with translators to provide high quality multilingual communications as well as efficient and friendly services to businesses and organizations. Alianco takes pride in delivering high quality translation services by having a large network of exceptional certified translators. We carefully select our suppliers to match every unique project. We also work to help grow and develop the translation industry. We are a neutral, not-for-profit organization, serving both our clients and translators. We are a one-stop shop where we do everything from annual reports to advertising materials, technical documents, legal documents, websites, and anything else your company requires. No matter the size of your translation project or the complexity, we have the knowledge and experience to help you become more competitive. We offer professional translation services in all languages including English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and far more. Over the past years, Alianco has helped many small and medium sized businesses in Atlantic Canada with their translation project needs. This allowed these businesses to better promote their goods and services; becoming more visible and accessible. A professional translation will ensure that your business is clearly defined for the potential customers; translation is an important marketing tool for any business wishing to expand and reach new horizons. For the past five years, Alianco has been delivering the Translation Assistance Program which offers financial assistance to small and medium-sized businesses in the Atlantic Region who wish to translate their promotional material. Each successful applicant can receive up to 75% of
the costs of eligible translation projects, up to a maximum of $8,000. Please note, that the translation projects must meet the minimum amount of $1,000 (approximately 4,500 words) to qualify. Costs incurred prior to application approval are not eligible. In a recent study on the impact of the Translation Assistance Program from the users of the program, some of the comments and statistics shared were: •The number of requests for material has increased between 38% (Website visits) and 52% (business and public relations material) for the organizations. •The number of requests for information in the translated language has increased between 31% (sales/promotional material) and 55% (training/conference material) for the organizations. •The number of orders in the translated language has increased between 17% (Website) and 38% for the organizations. •A ‘better customer service’ (31%) and to ‘an increase in market shares, new contracts’ (20%). For additional information, or to apply to this program, please contact: Jana Allain Boudreau, Program Coordinator, at 506753-3323 or at: jana@alianco.ca So, next time your business or organization has translation needs; do not hesitate to contact our highly experienced Alianco team. Micheline Roy Executive Director
17
INSIGHT
The Buzz
Greg Davidson and Louise Steward provided an update on the Sisson Mine Project’s progress, how smaller businesses can obtain contract work from the project, as well as the provincial and federal environmental impact assessments moving forward.
Da Vinci College (formerly the Centre For Arts and Technology)hosted Business After Hours. Now under the management of local ownership, da Vinci College has retained its core expertise in arts and technology, and will expand to include courses in Health and Human Services. This change was made to meet the growing demands of industry and changes in the New Brunswick population.
the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual State of the City Address at the Fredericton Convention Centre with His Worship, Mayor Brad Woodside. There were over 350 people in attendance at this event. Thank you to the City for all your support in planning this event, we look forward to next year!
the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and LearnSphere Canada hosted a session entitled ‘Developing Your Social Media Business Strategy’. This session was facilitated by Heather MacLean of TaylorMade Solutions. Those members who took advantage of this session now have a better understanding of how social media fits into the overall strategy of their business, as well as how it fits into the marketing, sales and communications strategies and tactics.
A big thank you also goes out to our sponsors! Freeman Audio Visual, Clowater’s Plumbing & Heating, F6 Networks, Knowledge Park, The Business Immigrant Mentorship Program and Hive Incubator, Advocate Printing, BarbaraLee Designs, The Daily Gleaner, Kiers Marketing Group, Rob Blanchard Photography and CMS Consulting Inc. UNB Conference Services hosted the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Business After Hours and annual Holiday Celebration. Santa and his helper made an appearance at this event and took photos with members at iBooth Party Photobooth. We hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday season.
Precision Pilates hosted Business Over Breakfast at their new office location at 401 York Street. They received a great turnout at their new location. Thanks for being wonderful hosts, Precision Pilates!
Servicemaster
ServiceMaster Clean Shines for
FREDERICTON MEN’S HOMELESS SHELTERS INC. (Fredericton) ServiceMaster Clean Fredericton stepped up to the plate in a big way recently at the men’s Shelter here in Fredericton. The Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc. welcomed a new Executive Director recently and as part of his revamping the organization, Warren Maddox, noticed that the floors in the men’s shelter were in terrible shape. “I honestly thought they were stained beyond all hope,” said Maddox. “But just for the heck of it, I put a call into Scott Mallaley at ServiceMaster Clean to see if there was anything that could be done to make them look a bit better. After a quick conversation, he said he would drop by and have a look. True to his words, he was there the next day and said, I would be amazed at what they could do. Also true to his words, I was amazed!” continued Maddox. ServiceMaster Clean arrived at 9:30 on a Monday morning and set to work on the floors. The process took about 6 hours to do around 2500 square feet. The floors were the standard industrial linoleum tiles that have seen a constant amount of foot traffic from the men’s shelter. Working with industrial cleaners, stripper, machines and waxes, ServiceMaster Clean
restored the floors back to an almost new level. “Though we run a place for those who are homeless, we want to create a space that is warm, clean and positive. Part of creating that really does involve having a space that looks pleasant and clean,” said Maddox. These guys did an outstanding job. The floors look fantastic and we are so grateful for ServiceMaster Clean’s donation to us. “Since I was a child, my parents always instilled in me the importance of giving back to the community at any level, I have carried that philosophy my entire life and that is why it is so important to us here at ServiceMaster Clean to be able to provide the shelter with a clean and healthy environment.” Chris Brown – President, ServiceMaster Clean. This is a great example of two members of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, ServiceMaster Clean and The Fredericton Homeless Shelter Inc. working together to make something wonderful happen. This is just one story of why being a member of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce is important to your business.
SEARCHING FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS? LOOK NO FURTHER! Call Blair or Robyn Corey 458.0102 or Ryan Boyer 452.1891 to tailor a plan suited to your needs. See what the Chamber Plan can do for you! chamberplan.ca