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ith existing firms investing in new equipment and sizable industrial land tracts available for development, the head of the
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Carp Road business association is predicting that one of Ottawa’s largest manufacturing hubs is poised to double in size in the coming years. While the area’s manufacturing industry may be overshadowed at times by the local tech sector, several
APRIL 2019
BY ELIZABETH HOWELL
Advocating for business. Fuelling the future.
Skilled workers shortage threatens ongoing growth
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Carp Road manufacturers building on success
aerospace, oil and gas, defence and space sectors, among others. The company is currently seeing year-over-year growth of approximately 20 per cent, principally on the strength of sales to the U.S. defence market. In addition to hiring new employees, Camcor is investing in capital equipment including a new twin spindle lathe as well as and fourand five-axis milling machines. Legere says the equipment will increase the company’s productivity, reduce its lead time and increase revenues. Partnerships with several Ottawabased manufacturing operations are also producing results, including a collaboration with Honeywell Aerospace focused on small satellite parts. Camcor also has a strategic business alliance with Sentry Precision, a local sheet metal and fabricating company to produce housing for electronic components in airplanes and satellites. Another business that’s expanding at a similar clip is the Production Case Co., which purchases off-theshelf travel cases before modifying them for the specific needs of its clients. Company president Nigel Lever says the firm is seeing year-over-year growth of 15 to 18 per cent. Most of the company’s business comes from within Canada, particularly in the government, medical and military sectors. For example, the Canada Border Services Agency, Environment Canada and RCMP need custom cases to securely ship high-tech equipment. Both Lever and Legere say attracting more qualified employees – and talented workers to the region in general – will be one of the keys to their growth in the coming years.
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FOCUS ON KANATA AND RURAL WEST
west-end firms are reaching new milestones and expanding at a rapid clip. Profits are growing at BluMetric, which makes water purification systems, and perimeter security firm Senstar cleared a major hurdle last year in having its technology safeguard U.S. Air Force bases around the world. There’s considerable diversity among the roughly 60 manufacturers who belong to the Carp Road BIA, which works with some 250 companies along the west Ottawa corridor overall. Loosely defined as companies that “make stuff” by BIA executive director Roddy Bolivar, Carp Road’s manufacturers run the gamut of firms making everything from computer components to kitchen cutting boards. “The corridor has the largest vacant zoned employment land base in Ottawa, so our goal is to double the number of companies,” Bolivar said. While many Carp Road firms face common challenges that threaten their growth trajectories, the BIA and some individual companies are working to overcome those barriers – a shortage of skilled workers chief among them. “We have had a number of students apprentice at our shop from Algonquin College. When they have a graduating class, we have a bunch of students over to interview them,” says Bruce Legere, general manager of Camcor Industries. The company also participates in local career fairs, such as one held in late March in Carleton Place. The firm specializes in manufacturing precision-machined components, assemblies and special machinery for customers in the
ISSUE NO. 3
OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE
Congratulations to Ottawa Board of Trade members
APRIL 2019
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Talent shortage: a conscious effort to be an influencer of change
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With more than 163 years of advocacy behind us, the Ottawa Board of Trade speaks from a unique vantage point. Drawing on our history, we’re well positioned to identify trends and initiate important conversations on topics that are central to our collective success. Over the past few years, there has been intense political debate about whether Canada, overall, is suffering from a shortage of skilled labour. The Board of Trade’s own analysis of what drives economic growth in our region suggests that we do, in fact, we have a growing labour force issue that needs attention. According to our 2018 Ottawa Business Growth Survey, 63% percent of businesses cite a shortage of skilled labour as their top concern, especially within the manufacturing sector. With thousands of baby boomers preparing to retire, knowledge transfer is a growing issue. The survey also showed that despite this concern, many organizations don’t have formal succession plans in place. The Ottawa Board of Trade has taken concrete steps to educate businesses on the importance of identifying both immigrant and recent graduate talent pools to mitigate the talent shortage. In the past two years we have released two exclusive annual reports on ‘Skilled Labour Shortages, Immigrants and Hidden Talent’ and hosted a ‘Making It In Manufacturing’ summit to advance these issues. The future of our region is bright, and Ottawa’s rich cultural diversity and spectacular landscape make it an attractive place to do business, but we need the best talent to continue this thrust. We are in a very competitive environment for talent in Ontario & Canada and now is the time to make a conscious effort in our own organizations to be that influencer of change to consider new talent pools and continue our growth momentum.
Ian Faris President & CEO Ottawa Board of Trade
Congratulations Low Murchison Radnoff LLP on celebrating 80 years of business continuity. Pictured, from left, are Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Douglas Smyth, a partner at Low Murchison Radnoff LLP, Jim Jeffcott, a partner at Low Murchison Radnoff LLP, Ian Faris, the president and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade, and OBJ publisher Michael Curran.
Let your business voice be heard! Here’s your opportunity to express your views on the local economy! Now in its fifth year, the Ottawa Business Growth Survey is an annual initiative by the Ottawa Board of Trade aimed at better understanding the city’s business climate and the challenges faced by local firms. OBGS findings help the Ottawa Board of Trade establish strategic initiatives and advocacy goals, and have been extensively used by a variety of stakeholders for strategic and economic program development. This year, survey respondents have the option of entering a draw to win an exclusive tasting menu experience at Beckta, valued at $500. All it takes is 10 minutes for you to make your voice heard and help make Ottawa a better place to do business. Take the survey at ottawabusinesssurvey.ca.
Congratulations to long-standing OBOT member Binks Insurance Brokers Ltd. on 100 years of business continuity. Here’s to 100 more! Pictured above, Harry Binks, president of Binks Insurance Brokers Ltd., accepts the Board of Trade recognition from Mayor Jim Watson, left, and Ian Faris, right, president and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade.
Advocacy in action: Ottawa Board of Trade discuss talent shortage and transportation at the Local Breakfast Series Transportation and talent were on the minds of many attendees at the Local Breakfast Series: West Ottawa municipal panel, cohosted by the Ottawa Board of Trade and OBJ. The morning event featured a conversation with several west-end city councillors, including Glen Gower, Jenna Sudds, Allan Hubley and Eli El-Chantiry. Many attendess cited frustrations with traffic tie-ups in and around the Kanata North Technology Park, as well as concerns about the difficulty in finding skilled workers. Andrew Penny, the co-chair of the Ottawa Board of Trade’s economic development committee, said the two issues are connected. “Transportation can be an issue that makes it even harder to hire,” he told the CBC.
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THE OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE WELCOMES ITS NEWEST MEMBERS: • • • •
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– Megan Cornell, Founder, CEO and lawyer, Momentum Business Law Professional Corp.
Direct placement There’s a lot of pressure to make the right permanent hire. Just take that pressure and put it right on us. We can handle it.
Recruitment consulting Need help with some or all parts of the recruitment process? We’ve got just the solution. Kanata: 613.599.3151 Ottawa Professional & Government: 613.244.0241
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Membership in Ottawa’s single largest independent business organization has many benefits. To learn more about why your organization should join the all-new Ottawa Board of Trade, visit www.ottawabot.ca or contact Rob Campbell at BusinessDeveloper@ottawabot.ca or 613-236-3631 x200.
Got a big project? Short a few people? Busy season coming up? We can find the people you need — as soon as you need them.
APRIL 2019
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“I have been involved with the Ottawa Board of Trade as it has evolved over the years and have always valued the business connections I have developed through networking events, the exposure I’ve had to businesses and topics through learning events and the role that the Board of Trade has played in advocating for the business community of Ottawa. The Ottawa Board of Trade provides a venue for business leaders to meet, learn from each other and provide a collective perspective to policymakers on matters that are vital to our economic growth.”
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– Kevin Ford, president and CEO, Calian Group Ltd.
There’s no way around it; you need good people. The problem is, it takes time to find good people. The other problem is, you don’t have a lot of time.
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“It is extremely important to the Calian Group to be an active member of the local business community and to work closely with the Ottawa Board of Trade. The Board assists our organization by providing vital support and advocacy and has been a key defender on issues that affect our business. We are proud members and strongly recommend membership to those forwardthinking organizations that are trying to make an impact and manage a business in Ottawa.”
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20/eight DIGITAL Amy Pitkethly - Royal LePage Performance Realty Aon Risk Solutions Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario Broccolini Centennial Glass Citizen Advocacy Ottawa Cleland Jardine Engineering Ltd. Clickwave Com-Net Corporate Stays CoverageCorp Dealer Solutions CTM Media Group Dilfo Mechanical Ltd. ECOH Management Inc. FlexNetworks Garage Doors Unlimited Ottawa Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association H.U.B Inc Ottawa Heighten Your Business Industria Pizzeria + Bar J.L. Richards & Associates Ltd. JJ McNeil Commercial Loving Life Chiropractic Martello Technologies My Shipping Guru Inc. Nemko Canada O’Connell-Campbell Wealth Management at RBC DS OLG Ottawa Carleton District School Board Ottawa Demolition Services Rotary Club of Ottawa South SkyWave Mobile Communications Inc. Sodexo Canada Ltd. Stega Networks Storyline Productions Sysco Tannis The Growcer Inc. THINK Virtual CFO Top Performance Consulting Tungsten Collaborative Unearth Education Éveillée Zibi Master LLP ZipGrow Inc.
The benefits of OBOT membership
BILINGUALISM “C’est payant!”
Martello CEO John Proctor.
Get your marketing material translated at a low price with the RGA. Take courses in French as a second language When you provide services in the two official languages, we will promote it on our website.
APRIL 2019
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OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE
Martello Technologies provides clarity and control of complex IT infrastructures. The firm was co-founded in April 2009 by Niall Gallagher and Emilio DiLorenzo, who were introduced by Sir Terry Matthews. In September 2018, Martello opened trading on the TSX Venture Exchange. Martello’s listing was the first time a tech firm in Ottawa had gone public since Shopify in 2015. Company officials say the milestone of going public was not just about Martello, but also about drawing attention to the many exceptional tech companies growing in Ottawa. In the last year, Martello closed two
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Visit ottawabot.ca for more information and registration details on these and other upcoming business events.
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Local Breakfast Series - Mark Goudie
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OBOT member spotlight: Martello Technologies
Translation & Language Solutions
April 16 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Otto’s Club at TD Place in Lansdowne Park
acquisitions to expand the company, with employees spread out across several cities. By taking on this challenge and integrating people and systems, the company – led by president and CEO John Proctor, chief financial officer Erin Crowe, chief technology officer Doug Bellinger and vice-president of product development Rob Doucette – has created a strong platform for future expansion. FUN FACT: The name Martello is meaningful: close to Fort Henry in Kingston and on the Plains of Abraham you will find Martello towers, meant to give visibility over the environment.
The Ottawa Board of Trade and Ottawa Business Journal will host its Local Breakfast Series event with The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group at TD Place on April 16. Hear from Mark Goudie, president and CEO of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, about what lies ahead for Lansdowne, TD Place and OSEG.
Mayor’s Breakfast Series April 9, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Ottawa City Hall