Ottawa Business Journal December 2018 by Great River Media inc.

STAR POWER CITY’S TOP

PERFORMERS HONOURED AT THE BOBs P15-20

December 2018 Vol. 21, NO. 23

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NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR

BROCCOLINI’S JAMES BEACH GIVES OBJ A SNEAK PEEK AT THE PROJECT EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT PAGES 28-29

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Bringing Amazon to Ottawa

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DECEMBER 2018

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ON THE STREETS

PROSPECTUS MOVING FROM MILLIONS TO BILLIONS

Giving Guide is the region’s leading source of news and trends shaping corporate philanthropy in the nation’s capital. This year’s edition, which is available on OBJ’s racks around the city, profiles two dozen local charities, explores solutions to Ottawa’s affordable housing shortage and looks at the rise in “venture philanthropy.”

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

One of the most fascinating aspects of working at OBJ is the ability to monitor all facets of the local economy and piece together various data points. In mid-November, OBJ organized an event with the Ottawa Board of Trade that specifically looked at the region’s economic outlook. In addition to economic gurus such as BMO chief economist Doug Porter, the audience heard from City of Ottawa’s head honcho for planning and economic development, Steve Willis. Plus, there were private-sector real estate leaders, including Trinity Development Group’s Mathew Laing, Michelle Taggart of Taggart Group and finally Shawn Hamilton of CBRE. Willis hit me with one number that I continue to think about. The city of Ottawa’s population will soon click to one million people. Laing game me more to think about when he unveiled another Trinity project focused on light rail. This project on Gladstone Avenue has an estimated price tag of $350 million. When added to Trinity’s existing project at 900 Albert St., directly across from Bayview Station, this single developer has $1 billion worth of projects nested around LRT. So follow these numbers. One million people, $2.1 billion invested in phase one of the LRT and now anticipated related real estate developments that will certainly be in the billions of dollars. Does this seem like the Ottawa of the 1990s or 2000s? Millions moving to billions.

Online video is exploding. For the past couple of years, OBJ has been producing more and more video content. Today, there are more than 700 videos on OBJ’s YouTube channel. The videos generally fall into three main playlists. OBJ social editor Caroline Phillips captures narrated overviews of the city’s top events. Craig Lord produces Techopia Live with the help of Carlo Lombard. This playlist now boasts more than 100 videos, mostly on-camera interviews with many up-and-coming and established leaders from the city’s burgeoning technology sector. Finally, Peter Kovessy leads OBJ’s Ottawa Real Estate Show. Already, the show has featured such real estate heavyweights as Michael Waters of Minto, Jeff Westeinde of Zibi and Linda Sprung of KRP and also explored the rise of “urban tech” in the city’s downtown core.

ON DECK

Best Offices Ottawa is a celebration of aesthetically beautiful, functional and healthy workspaces across the National Capital Region. This year’s edition goes inside the new offices of You.i TV, SurveyMonkey and the Tomlinson Group, among others. You can read your copy on OBJ.ca or pick up a hard copy starting Nov. 30.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

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UPDATE

HARD SOFT SKILLS A INVESTMENT IN

Uncovering communication and conflict resolution talents

Michael Curran OTTAWA BUSINESS JOURNAL

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FITNESS

MASSAGE

TENNIS

VOLLEYBALL

BASKETBALL

WINTER PROGRAMMING PROGRAMMING WINTER A one-of-a-kind sports and wellness facility with restaurant in the heart of the city; discover a

SOCCER

PICKLEBALL

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YOGA

VOLUME 21 • ISSUE 23 • DECEMBER 2018

new passion at the RSC today.

R I D E A U S P O R T S C E N T R E . C O M | 6 1 3 . 7 4 9 . 6 1 2 6 | 1 D O N A L D S T , O T T A W A (At Adàwe Footbridge)

Dec. 13 Dec. 6 Nov. 28

Justin Trudeau’s new minister for Canadian Heritage and multiculturalism, Pablo Rodriguez, will take the podium at the city’s premier business breakfast, the Mayor’s Breakfast Series. Rub shoulders with leaders from the private and public sector and hear from high-profile speakers. It all takes place at City Hall. Visit www.ottawabot.ca.

By all accounts, Ottawa’s labour market is tightening. Companies are competing to win and retain talent. With this in mind, OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade unveil the top 10 companies ranked according to employee engagement. Yes, the Employees’ Choice Awards are back and recipient companies will be celebrated at a cocktail reception at The Marshes in Kanata from 4-6 p.m. The cocktail coincides with the Kanata North Business Association’s annual general meeting. For tickets, visit www.ottawabot.ca.

EMPLOYEES’

CH ARICDSE AW 2018-19

November’s municipal election resulted in several new faces that will soon take their place around the City of Ottawa council table. Two of these new councillors (and two not-so-new councillors) will participate in a panel discussion focused on Ottawa’s east end. Councillors-elect Laura Dudas (Innes ward) and Matthew Luloff (Orléans ward) as well as Stephen Blais (Cumberland ward) and Tim Tierney (Beacon HillCyrville ward) will participate in this breakfast event at Camelot Golf and Country Club. Get your tickets at www.ottawabot.ca.

Dec. 12

Very few local companies have the brand appeal of Farm Boy. Since launching its first store in Ottawa, complete with a singing animatronic farm boy (it’s true, nothing rhymes with oranges), the fresh produce and meat grocery won the hearts and wallets of local shoppers. It also attracted the attention of Canadian grocery giant Sobeys, which acquired Farm Boy for $800 million in September. To share more about Farm Boy’s future, company co-CEO Jeff York will speak at the Mayor’s Breakfast. More info at www.ottawabot.ca. Laura Dudas

to know before opening a cannabis retail store

DECEMBER 2018

FIVE THINGS

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see page 7 for the full story

EXECUTIVE BRIEFS M&A

Calian makes third buy of 2018

DECEMBER 2018

Kanata-based Calian Group announced early last month it has acquired Reginabased IntraGrain Technologies, an agritech firm that makes sensors that measure the heat and moisture content of grain storage bins. It was the local firm’s third acquisition of the year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. In an interview with OBJ, Ford said the latest deal meshes well with Calian’s strategy of diversifying its customer base and service lines through acquisitions. Pointing to a Zion Market Research study that is projecting the global agritech market to expand at a rate of 13 per cent annually through 2025, Ford said IntraGrain is a leader in a fast-growing field. “We just thought it was the right time to enter the (agritech) market,” he said, adding Calian’s global marketing muscle should help the Prairie firm expand its reach beyond Canada’s borders. IntraGrain, which has a headcount of nearly 40 and annual revenues in the $8-million range, will remain headquartered in Regina. Founder and CEO Kyle Folk will continue as head of its operations, but will also work closely with Ford and the rest of his senior management team to help develop a broader agritech strategy for Calian.

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TOURISM

Ottawa airport to launch $25M makeover

REAL ESTATE

Trinity, partners propose three-tower development along Trillium line The consortium of developers behind the trio of highrises proposed for 900 Albert St. is planning to build three more mixed-use towers just a couple of blocks to the south, the tallest of which would soar 40 storeys. Trinity Development Group said in early November it plans to build a one-million-squarefoot mix of office, retail and residential space on the northeast corner of Gladstone and Loretta avenues, just a few steps from the proposed Gladstone LRT station. A pedestrian bridge would connect the station, slated to built by 2021 as part of phase two of the LRT, to the new complex. The proposal calls for three towers of 40, 35 and 30 storeys that would include 921 residential units along with more than 140,000 square feet of office space and a bit more than 30,000 square feet of retail, which would be located on the ground floor. An underground lot would contain 548 parking spaces. Trinity is partnering on the project with InterRent REIT and PBC Real Estate Advisors –

1969-2019

www.merkburn.com

the same group of companies that is planning to build the massive $400-million mixed-use development just to the north at 900 Albert St., near Bayview Station at the intersection of the Trillium and Confederation light-rail lines. City council has already given the green light to that project, which would feature three highrises of 65, 56 and 27 storeys containing more than 1,200 apartment units. Trinity would not divulge the price tag of the latest proposal.

I could have literally been a driver, I could’ve cleaned waste bins – it wouldn’t have mattered. What I just wanted to make sure was that I was a part of this company. – TECH VETERAN ROB WOODBRIDGE, ON JOINING RIDE-SHARING SERVICE LYFT AS ITS MARKET MANAGER FOR THE OTTAWA REGION

A major redevelopment project will see $25 million in renovations to the Ottawa international airport terminal and a new hotel built next door. Under the plan, the airport will expand its food court and retail services and move passenger security screening from the second to the third floor. A new hotel with between 150 and 200 rooms will be built south of the parking garage that is attached to the airport. Construction on the airport renovations is expected to start next spring after the winning bidder of the concession contract is announced, airport spokeswoman Krista Kealey told OBJ. She said the airport authority is currently in the final stages of negotiations with a hotel operator, and construction on that project is scheduled to begin in 2019 and take up to two years.

Success

is within us.

Read our story at bit.ly/Merkburn

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FIVE THINGS to know before opening a cannabis retail store

his summer, the Ontario government performed a U-turn and announced that private retailers would be able to access a share of the province’s burgeoning cannabis market. But far from a free-for-all, private pot sales will be tightly regulated when retailers are allowed to open their doors next spring. Capitalizing on this opportunity will be a challenge for those retailers unprepared to navigate the rapidly evolving regulatory environment. Kyle Stout, an associate lawyer in Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP’s business law group, has been closely following the changes – including Ontario’s new Cannabis Licence Act, which came into effect on Nov. 14. With the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario beginning to accept applications for cannabis licences on Dec. 17, Stout shared his list of five essential tips that prospective cannabis retailers need to consider to successfully break into this brand-new market: 1. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Retail cannabis stores must be least 150 metres away from any schools, including private schools and schools on reserves. Stores must be in enclosed spaces and cannot be in shared spaces such as cafes.

5. HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN CASE YOUR LICENCE APPLICATION IS DENIED “Negotiate with your landlord to have a conditional clause that says if you don’t get the licence, you have the option to walk away,” says Stout. According to Stout, market forces and the tenant’s own leverage will dictate whether a landlord will agree to such a condition, or alternatively, a right of early termination on the part of the tenant. Stout advises that “at least prior to the Cannabis Licence Act coming into force, landlords were nervous, and in some instances, requiring some fairly eyebrow-raising nonrefundable deposits”.

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3. PICK A LANDLORD YOU CAN TRUST The AGCO considers landlords as “interested persons” in the application process, which means

4. BE PREPARED FOR A LONG WAIT BEFORE GETTING YOUR LICENCE An individual or corporation must apply for a retail operator licence before opening a store. Each store is required to have a retail store authorization licence and a cannabis retail licence manager, who must not have a criminal record, with the exception of cannabis-related offences. All store authorization licences will include a 15day public review to determine if opening the store is in the public interest. “The public review process creates uncertainty, because even if you meet all the other requirements, such as being in a safe location away from children, you still may not receive your licence,” says Stout.

If you’re looking for more information or assistance in opening a retail cannabis store, visit nelliganlaw.ca.

DECEMBER 2018

2. KEEP YOUR COMPETITION AT BAY The regulations do not specify a minimum distance between cannabis retail stores. According to Stout, this comes as a relief to first movers who were rushing to secure commercial space and get their applications in first, for fear that they might lose out on a prime location to a competitor. However, because the regulations do not prescribe a minimum distance between stores, Stout advises that those seeking a first mover advantage will need to seek other, contractual, means of keeping potential competitors at bay. For example, Stout recommends negotiating with landlords to include a clause restricting other cannabis retailers from leasing neighbouring properties owned by the landlord.

the AGCO may require detailed information from landlords about their business. “You want a landlord who will be willing to cooperate with the AGCO, because only the landlord will be able to give that information,” says Stout. In fact, Stout recommends that tenants insist upon a provision in the lease requiring the landlord to cooperate with the AGCO in connection with the tenant’s application.

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“Our deep community knowledge means we can offer a range of options and an easy process to help clients meet their charitable goals” —Bibi Patel, Vice President with the OCF

Janet McKeage, Vice-President and Investment Counsellor at RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel and Bibi Patel, Vice President, Ottawa Community Foundation.

Charitable giving beyond a tax receipt. The Ottawa Community Foundation works closely with professional advisors to help their clients make a real difference.

DECEMBER 2018

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f you work in the estate, tax, or financial planning fields, how do you start a conversation with your clients about giving back to the community? Do you know where to turn if you don’t have all the answers? Professional advisors such as accountants, financial planners, lawyers, and insurance advisors are a great resource to help clients establish goals and create a plan, but often the charitable portion of that plan is limited to the tax implications of giving. Yet research shows high net worth clients appreciate having a meaningful conversation about philanthropy. That’s where the Ottawa Community Foundation (OCF) comes in, working with professional advisors to connect their clients to hundreds of charities locally and beyond – something they’ve been doing successfully for more than 30 years. “Our deep community knowledge means we can offer a range of options and an easy process to help clients meet their charitable goals,” says Bibi

Patel, Vice President with the OCF. “There is a lot of flexibility the Foundation can offer, including a gift of cash, stock, real estate, or life insurance. Donors can be as hands-on or arms-length as they want once they start the relationship with us.” The OCF supports donors according to their interests and can also guarantee their anonymity, something it prides themselves on. “People want to give but they don’t have a plan,” says Janet McKeage, Vice-President and Investment Counsellor at RBC PH&N Investment Counsel. “This is where OCF is really helpful. Just like I build a portfolio for my clients based on their needs and objectives, we can work with OCF to build a plan for giving around their values.” Most of the OCF’s biggest donors have chosen to set up a fund with the Foundation instead of establishing their own private foundations. They don’t bear the administrative burden and enjoy the rewards of giving back and being involved in the process.

• The Ottawa Community Foundation is in a unique position to offer your clients flexible options to make meaningful charitable gifts beyond the tax receipt. • 91% of advisors say they discussed philanthropy with their affluent clients, but only 13% of the clients said that is was a meaningful conversation. When taking a more holistic approach, as recommended by the OCF, 95% agreed it helps strengthen the relationship with their clients and 90% agreed it helps extend business with their client, the client’s family and network. • For more information about how to give, please visit www.ocf-fco.ca. *2014 Canadian Survey of Financial Advisors & High Net Worth Canadians “Even if you’re able to take on the administrative costs, you won’t necessarily have all of the community connections,” says McKeage. “OCF knows the charitable needs of the community and can identify charities that you weren’t aware of.” Most of the gifts facilitated by advisors involve a transfer of stock to the Foundation, which is well set up to seamlessly accept such gifts. Not having to incur capital gains tax is a big attraction. “If you are open to learning more about the needs in the community, the Foundation can identify these needs to help you to plan your giving strategy over the long-term,” says McKeage.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Reid a true giant of Canadian retail Founder of iconic Ottawa-based discount chain Giant Tiger takes place among city’s business legends BY DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

ONE COOL CAT

of 13 still puts in five-day weeks at the office, long after most of his peers in the industry have traded in pounding the merchandise floor for strolling up the 18th green. Reid’s passion, dedication and enduring commitment to Canadian retail

When other people are terrified, my dad is calm. When other people are ecstatic, my dad is calm. – Scott Reid, on his father Gordon’s unruffled demeanour

made him the clear-cut choice to receive OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Best Ottawa Business Awards. Reid’s path to retail immortality began more than seven decades ago, when he “fell into” his job at Simpson’s as a way to

help pay the household bills. As a travelling salesman in the United States in the late 1950s, Reid noticed an emerging trend: traditional department stores were losing ground to a new class of retailers that offered a wide range of goods at discounted prices. “I thought, ‘Boy, this is going to happen in Canada, too, so I better get going,’” Reid told Canadian Retailer magazine in 2010. Reid surveyed the Canadian market and decided Ottawa, with its large proportion of workers with stable, middle-class government jobs, would make an ideal place to launch his own discount store. He found a business partner and pitched in $15,000 of his own savings to get the George Street location up and running on May 3, 1961. After struggling for a few years to establish his credit rating and buying out the original co-owner, Reid slowly began expanding Giant Tiger to nearby towns, including Brockville and Pembroke. In 1967, Reid partnered with Jean-Guy Desjardins, the manager of the outlet in Maniwaki, Que., to establish the chain’s first franchise. Today, Giant Tiger’s unusual franchise model– the company retains a 49 per cent ownership stake in all of its stores while charging just a $1 franchise fee in return – is one of its hallmarks.

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It’s just one case among many, he says, where the elder Reid’s measured, methodical approach to problem-solving paid off in spades. “Other people will panic in a crisis. He doesn’t,” Scott says. “When other people are terrified, my dad is calm. When other people are ecstatic, my dad is calm.” That even-keeled state of mind is reflected in other aspects of Gordon Reid’s personality. His unassuming style is one reason the Vancouver native is not a household name in Ottawa retail despite a business pedigree that rivals any bigname entrepreneur in the country. “He’s a man who understands humility,” says his friend Tom d’Aquino, the former president of the Ottawa-based Canadian Council of Chief Executives (now the Business Council of Canada). “Sometimes people build significant businesses and it goes to their head. Not in the case of Gordon.” Since Reid opened the first Giant Tiger store in the ByWard Market 57 years ago, the chain has expanded to more than 245 locations across the country, and the company now employs more than 8,000 people and generates annual sales well north of $1 billion. The 85-year-old who first started working at the old Simpson’s department store in Montreal at the age

Then-prime minister Stephen Harper (left) greets Gordon Reid in 2006.

DECEMBER 2018

hen the retail behemoth known as Walmart took Canada by storm in the mid-1990s, it sent shivers down the spines of countless homegrown store owners who feared they’d be trampled in its wake. But Ottawa businessman Gordon Reid, an accomplished retailer in his own right, saw things a bit differently. Instead of wasting energy worrying about Walmart, he threw himself into figuring out ways to beat the U.S. retail juggernaut at its own game. For example, the founder of discount chain Giant Tiger combined skiing trips to resorts south of the border with scouting trips to nearby towns that had been hit hard by Walmart’s arrival. He wanted to find out what competitors who’d survived the onslaught had done to adapt, and whether he could bring those approaches to Canada. “He just said, ‘I’ve got to get more information. Let’s start figuring out the solutions,’” explains his son Scott, a member of Parliament for the Eastern Ontario riding of Lanark-FrontenacKingston and vice-chair of Giant Tiger’s board of directors. Giant Tiger not only survived Walmart’s arrival, it thrived, deliberately setting up shop near its larger rival and daring the U.S. firm to beat it on price and quality of merchandise such as women’s fashion. More often than not, the nimble cat got the better of the

department store colossus. “In the end, we made more money because of Walmart,” Scott says. “They would come into town and they’d put everybody out of business except us.”

GO GLOBAL

Breaking down tech – and language – barriers DECEMBER 2018

Ottawa-based software outfit VideoShip says foreign partnerships can be both lucrative and challenging to navigate

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BY DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

ven as it helps clients around the world break down technological barriers to the swift flow of information, Ottawa’s VideoShip faces its own share of hurdles that can bog down communication with those very customers. The Richmond Road firm makes

software that helps broadcasters, including major U.S. organizations such as CNN and NBC, quickly share files or live-stream video over the internet. It now sells its products on every continent, and it recently debuted a cloud-based exchange service that allows members of news co-operatives to pick up each other’s live feeds and go straight to air with virtually no delays in transmission.

It’s high-tech stuff tailored for an industry where time is of the essence. It’s also good business: The privately held company has seen its revenues jump 250 per cent over the past five years as live-streaming and video file-sharing become more and more commonplace. Earlier this year, the firm inked what could ultimately be one of the most important deals in its 14-year

history: a partnership with a Chinese organization called CNLive to launch Ring7 FastTrack, a service that delivers authorized video content to and from the world’s most populous country. In April, China began cracking down on unauthorized private networks that allowed internet traffic to breach the country’s “Great Firewall” that aims to restrict the flow of online content such as movies and TV shows. Ring7 will provide content producers and distributors with a state-sanctioned vehicle for delivering their products to the massive Chinese audience. “It could be huge for our company,” says Colin Grimes, VideoShip’s vicepresident of business development. “It’s very difficult for a content distributor to find a potential buyer in China. Looking at media consumption, it’s one of the top markets in the world. The service that we’re attempting to provide … is something that doesn’t exist right now.” Founded in 2004 by CEO Tom Grimes, chief financial officer Michael Grimes, vice-president of development Johanne Bouchard and chief operating officer Mark Mayne, VideoShip currently has about 25 full-time employees split between the company’s Ottawa headquarters and its Florida tech support office. Colin Grimes would not reveal the firm’s revenues, but he says the employee-owned enterprise is profitable. The SaaS venture’s biggest ongoing challenge, he adds, is to “make sure we don’t get left behind with industry trends.” The company is hoping agreements such as the one with CNLive help it stay ahead of the technology curve. Yet VideoShip’s bid to help keep the internet’s pipeline to and from China open has sometimes been hampered by the language barrier between the firm’s Ottawa-based R&D team and its compatriots across the Pacific. Grimes, for example, has no comprehension of Mandarin, and many of his counterparts in China don’t speak a word of English.

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Developing that connection where we can try to work together fluidly and effectively is very difficult when we have to go through an interpreter each time we need to communicate with each other. – VideoShip vice-president of business development Colin Grimes, on working with partners in China

“Developing that connection where we can try to work together fluidly and effectively is very difficult when we have to go through an interpreter each time we need to communicate with each other,” he says. Instant messaging and texting – complete with slang and emojis – are also far more common means of business communication in China than in North America, Grimes adds. The expectation of an almost-instant reply can lead to some anxious moments. “It’s not seen as too informal,” he says of using texts to send businessrelated correspondence. “They seem to be more used to working that way – doing things really quickly, contacting each other whenever they need (to), whatever time of day, and just trying to get straight to the point with things.”

HANDS-ON APPROACH

Enhancements include a new retail, food and beverage program, airport hotel, and LRT connection

service standards representative of Canada’s Capital”. The project involves renovations, renewal of end-of-life infrastructure, new amenities, and changes to how passengers move through the terminal. Domestic and international pre-board security screening will be relocated to the thirdfloor departures area, improving passenger flow and reducing wait times. The retail, food and dining experience in the airport will be transformed over the next several years. The tender process for a new Master Concessionaire will conclude early in the new year for providers interested in offering travellers fresh options – some of which are expected to have a local flavour. Visitors will also have more options for overnight accommodations. The airport is currently in negotiation with a hotelier to build approximately 150200 rooms that will connect to the airport by an indoor skywalk. Options for airport access will also be growing. Construction of an airport terminal station will begin in 2019 as part of the Trillium Line expansion – an investment that will ensure multi-modal access to the airport, befitting Canada’s Capital. Learn more about the changes coming to the Ottawa International Airport at www.yow.ca/yow+.

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assengers flying in and out of the Ottawa International Airport should get ready for a whole new travel experience. The Authority is preparing for a five-year, multi-phase enhancement program that represents a combined investment of more than $100 million by various project stakeholders. Already a major economic driver, the airport injects $2.2 billion into the local economy each year and needs to evolve to meet the growing needs of our city and the requests of our passengers, as is expected of an award-winning airport. The airport was named Best Airport in North America among those that serve between two and five million passengers per year by Airport Service Quality (ASQ) for 2017. After several years of steady growth, the airport is on pace to surpass the five million passenger milestone by the end of 2018. The various projects will help the airport accommodate the increase in passenger traffic, while providing top-quality service. “Thanks to a robust local economy driven by strength in sectors such as technology, government, life sciences, tourism, defence and security, the region is growing”, says Mark Laroche, president and CEO of the Ottawa International Airport Authority. “This strength is reflected in our passenger volume which will set new records in 2018. As an economic driver in OttawaGatineau, YOW must keep up with demand while maintaining high

DECEMBER 2018

VideoShip now has two Chinese expatriates on staff to help navigate the language and cultural barriers between the two countries, but high-level management discussions between the two sides have continued to be a “big challenge,” Grimes concedes. Other issues have also arisen during the transatlantic courtship. With so many far-flung clients, VideoShip’s employees were used to conducting virtual meetings or holding conference calls with foreign business partners. But when they began

working on Ring7, they soon realized it was going to take a more hands-on approach. “We tried to do Skype and videoconferencing, but it didn’t lead to as much progress as we had hoped,” Grimes says. “What we’ve learned is that when trying to build the type of business relationship that you need in a partnership with a Chinese organization, you just have to bite the bullet and spend a lot of time travelling to have face-to-face meetings, at least for the first year or two, to build up the rapport and the connection.” Still, he says, the firm has been able to overcome those obstacles. “It’s a long flight, but it’s an easy country to travel to,” Grimes notes. Apart from China, VideoShip’s other major focus right now is Africa. The firm is working on establishing a foothold for its file-sharing and livefeed exchange services on the continent through a deal with the African Union of Broadcasting, a venture that includes 45 members from dozens of countries. In addition, Grimes sees Africa as fertile ground for the company’s other main product, a platform called NewsPro that’s designed to make it easier to send videos recorded on mobile phones to news outlets. The app will be free for content producers, but VideoShip plans to monetize NewsPro by charging media outlets a subscription fee.

Amid growing passenger volumes, Ottawa International Airport prepares for terminal transformation

REAL ESTATE

Mont Ste. Marie recaptures its cool factor Ski resort north of Ottawa set to launch new batch of family-friendly luxury chalets BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS caroline@obj.ca

DECEMBER 2018

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ont Ste. Marie, a quiet and relaxed ski resort located north of the nation’s capital, is seeing a resurgence of popularity as a growing number of affluent professionals and entrepreneurs from Ottawa are hitting its slopes with their young families. Construction is under way on a new subdivision, or village, of luxury ski-in, ski-out chalets. Linebox Studio architect Andrew Reeves has been drawing up seriously cool plans for his family and three more clients. As well, exclusive custom chalets are being built by Roberto

Campagna, owner of Roca Homes, together with O’Keefe Fiorenza Design Group. They’re building a family ski chalet for well-known entrepreneur Harley Finkelstein and his wife, Lindsay Taub. To date, 18 of the 24 available lots at MSM’s Village Tornade have been sold. They’re located along the doubleblack-diamond Tornade run on Vanier mountain. The first chalets will be completed this ski season, with many more popping up by spring and summer. Cumulatively, the new vacation homes are expected to be worth north of $10 million. It’s about a 70-minute drive to the ski resort from downtown Ottawa. Still, the

obvious question remains: Why choose Mont Ste. Marie when, if you’re willing to drive an extra hour, there’s a world-class ski resort at Mont Tremblant? For many, MSM is a rejection of everything that Tremblant represents, from its long lineups and crowded runs to its pricey lift passes and materialistic stigma. “Every time I go there, I feel I’ve just been ripped off and taken advantage of,” said Reeves during an interview at his firm’s Ottawa office in the ByWard Market. “Everywhere you go, it’s $40 to park and Prada stores. As soon as you have all that, I think you’ve lost me and I think you’ve lost most of the people who go to Mont Ste. Marie.” Moreover, people want to be part of something that’s new and developing,

MSM welcomed its first skiers to its slopes in 1968, but, interestingly enough, it was developed by Swiss armaments company Oerlikon. It was required to create jobs in Canada in order to do business with the Canadian government. Mont Ste. Marie hits its peak in the late ’70s and early ’80s, when it opened a hotel and conference centre and employed as many as 250 people. By 1997, Oerlikon had fulfilled its mandate to invest in Canada and sold MSM to Intrawest, which was more concerned about building up its other resort, Mont Tremblant. The MSM hotel has been vacant for so long now that only a wrecking ball could end its misery. In 2002, Sudermann purchased Mont Ste. Marie with his brother, Peter. He bought his brother out six years ago, but the Sudermanns continue to own Camp Fortune ski resort in Gatineau Park. The brothers – who learned to ski as boys on the banks of Winnipeg’s Red River – sold their stake in Mt. Norquay ski resort in Banff National Park last February.

said Reeves, who also has an interest in designing a boutique hotel. “It’s the character of the place and the people at the hill that attracted us as a family. As an architect, it’s the Swiss designs that inspired me. They’re at the heart of all the chalets that we are designing.” In recent years, MSM has become a four-season destination with its increased activity in the summer months. Along with its golf course, it has 35 kilometres of hiking and mountain biking trails, new tennis courts, plus access to a beach and swimming. Also surrounding the ski resort are huge

40 40FINDS FINDS

from Wellington from Wellington from Wellington West West West

People are finally realizing what I realized back in 2002: This is really an amazing mountain with tons to offer people. I’m just glad that people are starting to catch on.

7.7.October October22

7. October 2 FIND Uncle Bob’s rock n’ roll socks...

8. 8.October October99

8. October 9 FIND the chalk paint everyone’s raving about...

– Mont Ste. Marie owner Bob Sudermann

swaths of land owned by well-known Ottawa developer Jeff Westeinde. Campagna came to discover MSM after being invited up by friends to ski during the Family Day weekend several years ago. “It’s a hidden gem,” he said during an interview at his office in Little Italy. But good luck finding a place to hang one’s toque for the night, much less the season. The rental market is tight and many of the decades-old Swiss-style ski chalets look tired and dated. There are about 40 newer ski-in condos at MSM, but Campagna wanted a separate place of his own. The design-builder approached Bob Sudermann, owner of the ski resort since 2002, about buying land from him. The

TERMINAL R E V I TA L I Z AT I O N

pair had an après-ski discussion in the main lodge pub on a Sunday afternoon. That meeting resulted in Sudermann and Campagna carving first tracks, so to speak, on a whole new era of development at Mont Ste. Marie. “People are finally realizing what I realized back in 2002: This is really an amazing mountain with tons to offer people,” Sudermann said. “I’m just glad that people are starting to catch on.” The resort gets about 120,000 visits each winter, while the summer scene has seen a “huge jump,” going from “next to nothing” in 2012 to an estimated 30,000 visits these days, said Sudermann.

AIRPORT HOTEL

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CITY RAIL LINK

DECEMBER 2018

Last year, the Ottawa International Airport was recognized by Airport Service Quality Awards as the Best Airport by Size and Region in North America amongst those serving 2-5 million passengers. This year, YOW is on-track to reach its highest volume ever, exceeding 5 million passengers. As an economic driver in Ottawa-Gatineau, YOW must keep pace with demand while maintaining high service standards representative of Canada’s Capital. Over the next 5 years, YOW will implement a series of exciting enhancements benefitting both the passenger and the region at large.

Read more and follow our progress at yow.ca/yow+

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BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2018 RECIPIENTS

City’s top execs offer a ‘toast to Ottawa’ at the BoBs Canopy Growth CEO Linton, Giant Tiger founder Reid among dozens honoured at annual awards gala BY CRAIG LORD craig@obj.ca

Wesley Clover founder Terry Matthews, taught him. In a further show of deference, Linton went on to apologize to Matthews, his board of directors, Canopy’s Mark Zekulin – “He does the work and I cause the work,” he said of his co-CEO – and his family for his tendency to get distracted and bombard others with questions as chief executive. Reflecting on what brought him to this moment of his career, however, he recalled a colleague’s backhanded assessment of his curious nature and held it up as a paragon of leadership: “It’s not that you’re stupid, it’s just that you don’t know anything.”

REID ‘IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT’

calling to join Mitel at CFO, but caved a couple of years later. Having now served in the role for 15 years, Matthews had a few tongue-in-cheek compliments to give to the seasoned finance veteran. “With Steve, he’s still a young person, he’s still learning. I can report really good progress,” Matthews said of the 60-yearold CFO of the Year. “I’ve noticed some characteristics that say he’s going to be good,” he said, earning some laughs from the crowd. For Spooner’s part, he thanked both Matthews and another mentor, Mitel director Peter Charbonneau, for getting him to this point. Despite an onstage brain cramp in which he momentarily forgot the name of Mitel chief executive Rich McBee, he also made point to thank his boss and called him a “world-class CEO.” Accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of his father, Giant Tiger founder Gordon Reid, was member of Parliament for Lanark-FrontenacKingston Scott Reid. The proud son said

his father was not in attendance because he is a “quiet man,” but noted that the 85-year-old CEO still worked five days a week as the head of the Ottawa-born retail beast. “He’s still very much in the driver’s seat,” Reid said. He went on to read a few prepared remarks from his father, in which the senior Reid noted that the first Giant Tiger franchise opened many decades ago in Maniwaki, Que. Today, that store is operated by the original franchisee’s grandson, an example that led Reid to stress the importance of family to the Giant Tiger model and his own success across a lifetime in retail. “Family – three generations in this case – is an important factor in our success. We must take this opportunity – all of us – to look into our own mirrors and say to ourselves, ‘Congratulations on a job well done,’” he wrote. Other firms congratulated on “a job well done” are listed on pages 17-20.

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Linton wasn’t the only mentee of Matthews receiving honours at the BOBs. The local tech magnate was in attendance and interviewed onstage about Steve Spooner, chief financial officer at Mitel and the inaugural recipient of the CFO of the Year award. The story goes that Spooner turned down Matthews the first time he came

PHOTOS BY MARK HOLLERON

DECEMBER 2018

uality mentorship and family ties were major themes of the evening at the 2018 Best Ottawa Business Awards as the capital’s top companies and entrepreneurs were honoured for the past year’s achievements. Some 760 members of the Ottawa business community turned out to the Westin hotel on Nov. 16 to share in the wisdom of award recipients such as CEO of the Year Bruce Linton. The co-CEO of Smiths Falls-based marijuana producer Canopy Growth thanked OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade for the recognition, not for selfserving reasons, but for the prestige and legitimacy that the award lends to the emerging cannabis industry in Canada. “It would’ve been a lot easier not to pick me, and I’m glad you did,” Linton said in his acceptance speech. “A toast to Ottawa, because I am going to use this as a tool that opens up a whole lot around the world.” Ordinarily, Linton wouldn’t be the type to bask in the spotlight – humility was one of the first lessons that his mentor,

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2018 RECIPIENTS BEST BUSINESS Giant Tiger This great Canadian success story continues to unfold despite the shakeup of the nation’s retail landscape. Since opening its first store in Ottawa’s ByWard Market 57 years ago, Giant Tiger has grown to 240 locations across Canada. It plans to open 15-20 new locations a year for the foreseeable future. The practical business model developed by founder Gordon Reid is even more resonant today – keep operating costs low and sell a large volume of merchandise at everyday low prices. A diverse workforce of some 8,300 people work hard to deliver “outstanding value for your family’s money.”

public markets with a strong nine-year track record already in hand and a roster of management alumni that includes the likes of Terry Matthews and Bruce Linton. Martello is not your typical hightech startup. Through its partners, the company reaches more than 150 countries for its network performance management services that ensure around-the-clock uptime for cloud and enterprise networks. Customers range from the government of Canada to Volkswagen and the United Nations. Top industry research firm Frost & Sullivan has recognized Martello as No. 1 in price and value in a high-growth marketspace.

MDS Aero Support With a 30-year track record and projects Martello Technologies in more than 20 countries, Ottawa’s Best Ottawa Business Awards_Mr Reid_Ad_FINAL.pdf 1 2018-11-16 1:17 it PMcalls Few Canadian companies debut on the MDS Aero isn’t boasting when

DECEMBER 2018

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itself an “unequivocal global leader.” The company delivers customized and turnkey gas turbine engine test facilities for customers such as Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Siemens and General Electric. Now MDS Aero is blazing a fresh trail in a disruptive new area of aviation – electric aircraft. In October, the company signed with French aircraft manufacturer Airbus to supply critical test systems for a pilot program to replace gas turbine engines with electric motors. This kind of industry leadership has led to 21 per cent headcount growth in the past year, with 47 new hires in the Ottawa HQ alone. The 270-person firm has been named a Best Managed Company six years running by Deloitte.

BEST NEW BUSINESS Slice Labs On-demand, pay-as-you-go insurance products that fit your unique needs. Four years ago, the very idea was a fallacy, but three guys with a passion for insurance and years in the industry decided it could be done. They realized from personal experience that such consumer convenience was sorely overdue. Slice was born to allow customers to buy the insurance they need now, a slice at a time. The team tackled home-sharing first, giving people a means to insure their home when it was being used for commercial purposes, something that would void most home insurance policies. The company’s Ottawa operations have quickly grown to 50 staff, insurance

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2018 RECIPIENTS product sales have been growing by 30 per cent month-over-month and the business is profitable. In September, Slice raised US$35.5 million in an extended Series-A financing round led by Canadian insurer the Co-Operators. purecolo Collecting data, analyzing it and deriving useful, reliable and actionable insight from it has become big business. But you need a place to put it. Maybe you have data sovereignty concerns. Or you want choice instead of having to settle for the limited service options provided by a major telecom carrier. Enter purecolo, a carrier-neutral, purpose-built, Tier 2+ server colocation facility in Ottawa. After their previous independent data centre operation, Granite Networks, was bought out by Rogers, founders James Mackenzie and Rainer Paduch decided to try again and build on the lessons learned. This time, it’s a focus on the basics, targeting SMEs as clients and keeping operations lean. Purecolo recently reached the break-even point and became cashflow positive, and the founders are now looking to expand into other markets. 1Valet Businessman Jean Pierre Poulin, president of Devcore Group, struck on the idea while preparing to move his parents to a retirement residence. In 2017, he assembled a core team and launched 1Valet to fill an obvious

market need. With the 1Valet app, users can easily order various products and services from among participating local businesses, from a haircut to a tire change. The 1Valet platform can be used with various mobile and home automation devices. 1Valet has expanded its scope beyond the consumer to the owner-managers of retirement residences and multidwelling units, and its team has grown from zero to 25 in less than six months. Efforts are underway to expand to the Montreal and Toronto markets.

BEST PERFORMANCE Customer Experience: DS Plumbing A business that gets 70 per cent of its work from repeat customers or referrals must understand what it means to deliver a great customer experience. That’s certainly true at DS Plumbing. Dave Smythe founded the business in 2004 with the simple goal to prevent unexpected plumbing issues from becoming horrifying experiences. Live people answer the phone. Technicians are not on commission or out to scare the customer. They arrive with trucks stocked with enough inventory to fix more than 90 per cent of plumbing problems on the spot. Text messages alert customers when a plumber is on route. An optimized mobile website makes it easy to find information and book an appointment from anywhere. Employees even receive

weekly training to review customer service best practices. In the past year, DS Plumbing’s Google reviews have increased by 48 per cent, with a 4.9 out of 5 rating. It gets 4.7 stars on Facebook and a 93 per cent rating on Homestars. Marketing: Assent Compliance Thought leadership is often an untapped opportunity for a growing technology company, but not at Assent Compliance. The company has doubled sales lead volumes year-over-year through a persistent content marketing effort that showcases the insight and expertise of its top people. This has made it one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing companies. Assent Compliance’s SaaS software and data management solutions are already used by scores of S&P 500 product companies to help them meet compliance regulations in an ever-evolving regulatory landscape. In January, a new demand generation and marketing strategy team got to work to tighten the focus of marketing activities with key customers, partners and affiliates for industry verticals Assent Compliance had targeted for growth. Since then, engagement with new programs for customer and partner marketing has quadrupled, with several new joint ventures under way. A push into the aerospace and defence vertical has led to a crucial relationship with an aerospace industry association. A roster of customer advocates and case studies

to champion Assent Compliance’s products has been assembled. Reduction in customer churn has exceeded its target. An already aggressive revenue target has been exceeded. To top it off, the company is also our Private Equity Deal of the Year thanks to last month’s $130-million VC round with Warburg Pincus. Co-Op: PCL With $8 billion in annual construction volume, it is fair to say that PCL is a heavyweight. The Canadian company employs some 4,000 salaried staff and 10,000 hourly tradespeople on two continents. Attracting, retaining and grooming talent is a key priority for PCL – so much so that Ottawa’s four post-secondary institutions have chosen it as recipient of the BoBs 2018 Best Performance: Co-op Award. PCL has posted hundreds of jobs for co-op students over the past decade between Algonquin College, La Cité, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. Dozens of Ottawa-area co-op students are hired every year, many into full-time positions, where they contribute to PCL in the areas of accounting, IT and the construction and engineering areas. Export: OPIN The team at OPIN has learned that the best way to compete isn’t on price, but in providing clients with a higher standard

IDENCE BUSINESS CONFTA IN THE CAPI L HIRING INTENTIONS

WORKPLACE TRENDS

MAYOR’S RATING

Download the full report at www.ottawabusinesssurveyreport.ca

ing Ottawa businesses? minimum wage affect PLUS: How is the rising BROUGHT TO YOU BY

SURVEYREPORT.CA WWW.OTTAWABUSINESS

2018-05-14 2:35 PM

OBGS MAGAZINE 2018indd.indd

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MARKET OUTLOOK

Attracting new customers and recruiting skilled workers are the MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES facing businesses

DECEMBER 2018

om on Ec k ’s loo wa ut ta O

2018

ns the attitudes, perceptio Exclusive insights into business leaders and plans of Ottawa’s

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2018 RECIPIENTS of quality and more value-added services and keeping them involved throughout the lifecycle of a project. A revitalized sales and marketing strategy has paid off for the digital agency. Over the past year, revenues have doubled, with dozens of new clients coast to coast, while the team has grown by 30 per cent. This has fuelled expansion into the U.S. market with a new office in Albany, N.Y., and more to come. OPIN specializes in complex digital solutions using Drupal, including websites, intranets and web applications. Social Entrepreneurship: Ottawa Community Housing The vision at Ottawa Community Housing (OCHC) is to be a leader in providing safe and affordable homes and to enable OCHC tenants to fully participate in socio-economic opportunities across the city. OCHC communities are home to almost 32,000 tenants, some of whom are among the most vulnerable populations in Ottawa. OCHC pursues social enterprise partnerships that allow tenants to participate in economic activities that break down barriers, develop life skills, reduce isolation and provide income. Successful partnerships to date include a social enterprise pilot with the Somali Centre for Family Services, the Ottawa Community Foundation, The City of Ottawa and the Centre for Social

Enterprise Development that included litter pickup and flyer delivery. HR: Fullscript In the first nine months of this year, Fullscript attracted more than 5,000 candidates. That compared with only 400 in the same period last year. Fullscript launched a new career web page to better capture what it’s like to work at the company, taking to social media to drive recruiting, ditching the traditional employee handbook for an interactive digital version and helping new hires connect with each other with a three-day onboarding process that brings together people from different departments. Fullscript also added new incentives employees can enjoy from day one, including product discounts for themselves, friends and family, and a referral program for peer recognition. Employee turnover in 2017 was 11 per cent, already better than the software industry average of 13.3 per cent. To date in 2018, it’s been only 1.8 per cent. Sales: RE/MAX Affiliates Realty In a city like Ottawa, anchored by federal government employment, real estate is obviously a good business to pursue, but how much potential for rapid growth is there? For RE/MAX Affiliates Realty, there’s been plenty. The team finished 2017 with revenues in the tens of millions of dollars, more than double what they were in 2015. Under the leadership of

Kevin Grimes, RE/MAX Affiliates Realty has expanded from three to nine offices to serve a larger geographic area. Agent retention remains high and the team continues to grow. The team points to the fundamentals – a stable market with a large base of institutional employers in addition to high tech, as well as the spread of its offices to serve all areas of the region. In addition, attracting good people and investing in talent development and education are major factors in the agency’s growth. Sustainability: The Regional Group The Regional Group has developed and managed real estate in Ottawa-Gatineau for some 60 years. But the company isn’t content to rest on its laurels. It has devised a sustainability strategy to be a global leader in smart growth, new urbanism and green building. The perfect example is Regional’s Greystone Village. This 26-acre masterplanned community in Old Ottawa East has been built in accordance with the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC) and United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership and Excellence in Environmental Design standards for Neighbourhood Development (LEED ND). Earlier this year, that effort paid off when the CAGBC and USGBC awarded Greystone Village a LEED ND V4 Silver Certification. It is the first LEED for Neighbourhood Development V4

certification in Ontario, and one of only eight in all North America.

KANATA NORTH Company of the Year: Intouch Insight For more than a quarter century, Intouch Insight has helped brands stay “one step ahead” by collecting customer feedback through mystery shopping and customer satisfaction surveys, and translating that data into actionable insight. Customers include Canada Post, Alimentation Couche-Tard (Mac’s Convenience Stores) and The Beer Store. Digital technology has driven big changes in how customers are engaged. Intouch has remained a relevant leader in its industry with a heavy investment in R&D to create LiaCX. This cloud-based platform integrates machine learning, AI and predictive analytics to make it easy for brands to identify where and how they must improve, and track the effectiveness of their efforts. Intouch Insight has been recognized as a top Canadian IT company by Branham Group, and has climbed the Branham300 charts for the past nine years. It enjoys strong recurring business from existing customers (a retention rate of 97 per cent) and has doubled its headcount over the past year. Management also works hard to build a culture that ensures employees are engaged, motivated and aligned, as demonstrated by a staff retention rate of 93 per cent.

DECEMBER 2018

Westboro Village Business Improvement Area

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Annual General Meeting & Board of Management Election Wednesday January 9 2019 5:30pm-7:30pm Whispers Pub & Eatery 249 Richmond Road For details: info@westborovillage.com

SUSTAINABILITY

BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2018 RECIPIENTS

Team of the Year: Syntronic Syntronic Canada launched in 2014 with about 10 employees and one customer. Four years later, the Kanata operation has almost 220 full-time permanent employees, working on projects with 20 client companies. This design house specializes in advanced products and systems development, production and aftermarket services. Syntronic Canada’s biggest growth spurt came in the past year, thanks to several new HR and customer service initiatives. The key has been to implement a rigorous employee performance evaluation process that includes frequent one-on-one meetings and informal conversations between managers and staff. Employees are encouraged to engage directly with customers, build

IT’S ABOUT OUR PAST trust faster and be more productive. Everyone is also encouraged to play an active role in recruitment, onboarding and business development.

BEST NOT-FOR-PROFIT RA Centre Ottawa’s 75-year-old RA Centre faces challenges enough as a non-profit due to an aging demographic and competition from new City of Ottawa facilities and for-profit rivals. Three years ago, it undertook a dramatic restructuring to make it a more efficient and viable organization so that it can continue to serve local residents. But it didn’t stop there. Ottawa is home to many national sports organizations. These non-profits are the lifeblood for amateur and competitive sport in Canada, but only

AND OUR FUTURE

Thanks for the honour of awarding us this year’s BOB for Best Performance in Sustainability.

www.regionalgroup.com 613-867-2248

DECEMBER 2018

Regional Group

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BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS 2018 RECIPIENTS

2018

CONGRATULATIONS

TO ALL THE BEST OTTAWA BUSINESS (BOBS) AWARD RECIPIENTS!

#SeriousTechLivesHere Company of the Year and Team of the Year

DECEMBER 2018

Proud of our Kanata North Business Community being recognized this year

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about 46 now remain in the nation’s capital versus about 80 in the 1990s. Recognizing the value that these organizations bring to the community and how they help to draw major sporting events and drive related tourism, the RA Centre teamed up with Ottawa Tourism to create The House of Sport. This 36,000-square-foot operation has become home to 32 sports organizations to date, with more to come.

DEALS OF THE YEAR Tourism: First Air Ottawa has long been home to one of the two main airlines that serve Canada’s North – First Air has had its head offices and main base of operations in the Ottawa area for more than 70 years. Earlier this year, First Air undertook a significant rebranding as part of an effort to better connect the airline to the destinations it serves. The rebranding is also intended as a stronger tourism beacon by adopting the iconic Canadian Inuit symbol of the Inukshuk. This new branding will be used for the proposed merger with Canadian North. The combined Inuit-owned company will operate under the Canadian North name, but will still feature First Air’s new branding and logo. The head office of the merged company will remain in Ottawa. Finance: Martello Technologies Martello Technologies finished 2017 by naming a new CEO, John Proctor. This year had barely begun before Martello announced a merger with Montreal’s Elfiq to round out its product offering after considering 100 prospects. In April came news of Martello’s intention to go public through the reverse takeover of a shell company on the TSX Venture Exchange. In June, the provider of network performance management services raised $7.5 million through a private placement. The RTO closed in August and Martello formally went public on Sept. 12. That offering marked the first debut on the public markets by an Ottawa-based

tech company since Shopify’s IPO in 2015. The stock opened at 50 cents a share, for a market valuation of almost $86 million. Private Equity: Assent Compliance How’s this for an overtime win? Judging for this year’s BoBs had all but wrapped when Assent Compliance surprised with a $130-million investment from private equity firm Warburg Pincus. Assent Compliance’s SaaS software and data management solutions “automate the arduous.” Scores of large product companies around the world rely on Assent Compliance to help them simplify and meet their regulatory requirements and reduce risk across their supply chains. Customers hail from market verticals such as aerospace and defence, electronics and medical. The funding round is the third and by far the largest for the 13-year-old company, for a grand total of $190 million. Existing investors BDC Capital, Greenspring Associates, OpenText Enterprise Apps Fund and Volition Capital all contributed, with company executives retaining their ownership stakes. In May, Assent Compliance was recognized as one of Ottawa’s fastestgrowing companies with three-year revenue growth of 280 per cent. Real Estate: Broccolini Montreal-based developer Broccolini made its first foray into the Ottawa market in the mid-2000s. Earlier this year, it upped an already impressive game by announcing it will partner with Amazon on the internet giant’s new fulfilment centre in the east end. The distribution centre, slated for completion in time for the 2019 holiday shopping season, is expected to have a big economic impact on the east end and on Ottawa’s industrial real estate market in general. In addition to the facility itself, Broccolini will spend millions to extend water, gas and electricity to the site and to construct new roads, sidewalks and interchanges.

Congratulations to Mitelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steve Spooner, Ottawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First CFO of the Year!

mitel.com

DECEMBER 2018

Thank you for your focus, dedication and vision that have helped us to become a global leader in business communications and collaboration.

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companies to watch 2018

— SPONSORED CONTENT —

Inform, involve, inspire your people Vision2Voice Communications helps organizations better engage their greatest asset

DECEMBER 2018

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basic human need (after food and shelter) is to understand and be understood. That applies to your employees as well. But while organizations expend considerable time and effort on external engagement – communicating with customers, stakeholders, prospects – few are as effective at internal engagement. “Almost every organization has a pain point around internal communication,” said Andrea Gregoire, owner of Vision2Voice Communications. “But employees matter – they are the heartbeat of your organization.” Employees who are engaged, connected, loyal, happy and productive boost an organization’s performance, provide better customer service, land clients, increase quality and are more innovative. Companies that get this right increase profit, attract the best talent and lower the cost of employee turnover. How do you create such a workplace? Internal communications is often managed by an organization’s HR department, which may take a transactional and one-sided approach. Or by the marketing communications team, which, while skilled at external engagement, may not appreciate how internal communications can and should differ. Vision2Voice is unique in that it focuses exclusively on internal communications. Gregoire launched the firm 18 years ago to help mid-tolarge-sized organizations in any vertical develop and implement employee engagement and change management

strategies that are effective and innovative. It takes a lot more than office memos or a newsletter. And don’t think that lunchroom foosball table will do the job, either. Three elements must come together: Inform: Employees need more than just the essential information to do their specific jobs, they need to clearly understand what’s going on at the procedural level without having to hunt for it. Involve: People need to feel connected, that they have a voice, and that they don’t toil away in a silo isolated from other groups of employees. This is often an issue with organizations that have different locations. Inspired: People need to understand that Mission, Vision, Values piece. What is the organization doing? How is it making a difference? What does it stand for and how is that demonstrated? This gives employees a sense of pride and gives their work meaning. How can all this be achieved? “The first step is to look at your business strategy,” Gregoire said. “The next step is to understand who works in your organization, what makes them tick, and what values they share. The secret sauce is how you connect your strategy to this deeper level of understanding of your people.” Understanding what channels and tools are most effective is also important. Earlier this summer, Vision2Voice teamed up with Bonfyre to provide organizations with a modern solution to the challenge.

Barb Moffitt (left), Andrea Gregoire (right).

TESTIMONIALS “With two months to go until our SAP implementation, I wanted to be sure that our people were ready. Andrea and her team delivered a straightforward solution that helped the team get ready for the change. We really valued their help and advice.” - Adam Hendricks, Tomlinson Group of Companies “Canadian Blood Services engaged with Andrea and her team at Vision2Voice for a number of mandates, which speaks highly of the work they did for us. They delivered high-quality results that fully matched our needs and expectations, on time and on budget. Andrea is a pleasure to work with – a great relationship builder who asks the clarifying questions that ensure everyone has a deep understanding of the mandate.” - Mark Donnison, COO, Coaching Association of Canada, and former Vice-President, Donor Relations, Canadian Blood Services

Bonfyre brings the employee experience to life by providing tools that give every employee a voice, a place to build relationships with coworkers and a deeper connection to their daily work lives.

To learn more about how Vision2Voice can help your organization better inform, involve and inspire your people, visit www.vision2voice.ca

vision 2voice Inform. Involve. Inspire.

OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

www.ottawabot.ca

With LRT extension around the corner, discussions are underway for new east-end government workspace, PSPC says

rosa@obj.ca

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he promise of light rail is in the air – but Orléans business leaders say that without a major east-end employer, the trains won’t be enough to keep the borough up to speed with the rest of Ottawa. The Orléans workforce is highly educated and predominantly bilingual, says the riding’s MP, Andrew Leslie. As such, many work for the federal govern-

ment and commute elsewhere, such as downtown or the new DND headquarters at the Carling Campus. While the standard of living in Orléans is good, Leslie says what’s missing are jobs that match the demographics of the ward – a challenge being tackled by the community’s business and political leaders, many of whom see a compelling case for the federal government to establish a larger east-end presence. Continues on page 24

DECEMBER 2018

Business leaders push feds to rise in the east

BY ROSA SABA

Welcome to OBOT Connect!

a joint initiative of Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Board of Trade. This new publication takes an in-depth look at the trends and issues shaping businesses in various regions of the city, while providing highlights of Ottawa Board of Trade initiatives in the community.

Business for Breakfast A cannabis powerhouse in Cumberland’s backyard ALL PHOTOS BY MARK HOLLERON

DECEMBER 2018

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hile much attention has focused on Amazon’s new warehouse in east-end Ottawa, there is an even larger commercial development underway a few hundreds metres from Cumberland Village. HEXO Corp., formerly called Hydropothecary, is building a 1.3-million square foot facility in Massons-Angers, Que. The company has emerged as one of Canada’s hottest marijuana producers with a market capitalization of $1.15 billion. On Nov. 15, HEXO’s vice-president of corporate social responsibility,

Terry Lake, was the keynote speaker at a breakfast at the Camelot Golf & Country Club. Lake told attendees the company will eventually produce more than 100 tonnes of marijuana at the facility. Lake noted that HEXO has a stated goal of becoming the second-largest producer of licenced marijuana in Canada. HEXO is pursuing a “hub and spoke model” that will include cosmetics, edibles, vapes and beverages. HEXO has struck a joint venture with alcohol giant Molson Coors, which could start producing marijuana-infused beverages by late 2019.

DEC. 8 As Ottawa’s chambers of commerce merge into the new

SAVE THE DATE

Ottawa Board of Trade, members of the former Orléans chamber will remember their decades-old history and toast their future. They’ve planned a holiday party at OakWood’s multimillion-dollar design centre in Orléans. OCCO Kitchen, Stray Dog Brewing Company and Orléans Brewing Co. will be among the featured companies. Visit www.ottawabot.ca for more information.

Continued from page 23 “The vast majority of new jobs (in Orléans) are still created at the local level by small businesses,” Leslie says. “We need a federal building or federal jobs to be in Orléans because we have one of the highest concentrations of federal workers.” One of the issues caused by this imbalance is seen every day, says Jasmine Brown, executive director of the Heart of Orléans BIA. A study by the BIA’s Balance Orléans Task Force found around 80 per cent of rush hour traffic between Orléans and the rest of Ottawa is leaving Orléans for work. “It’s basically a bedroom community,” says Brown. “There’s no major employment hub.” The task force was established earlier in 2018. Now, the newly amalgamated Ottawa Board of Trade is addressing the same issues as part of its larger Capital Build Task Force, which Brown is also involved in. With funding for the second phase of Ottawa’s light rail line secured, including stops at Trim Road, Place d’Orléans, Jeanne d’Arc and Montreal Road at the Canotek Business Park, Brown says it’s time to mobilize and address the need for a major employer in Orléans. Yes, light rail may help relieve some pressure on the highway, says Doug Feltmate, chair of the BIA’s economic development group, but the imbalance won’t go away. Instead, the train will run full in one direction and close to empty the other way. “Building LRT will help, but it has to be done in conjunction with a further development plan,” says Feltmate. “You need a catalyst.”

BALANCING EAST AND WEST For many, that catalyst is a federal government presence, either an entire department or a workspace – the federal government has been experimenting with coworking-style workspaces meant to accommodate people from various departments. The Balance Orléans study found that there are less than 50 federal employees working in Orléans, compared to more than 13,000 in

the west end – and out of more than 130,000 overall in the National Capital Region. So, if many of those 130,000 employees live in Orléans, what has historically prevented the government from setting up shop in the east end? Broadly speaking, Shawn Hamilton – a senior vice-president at real estate brokerage firm CBRE, and a task force member – says Orléans has traditionally been residential. The development of a tech hub in the west created somewhat of a vacuum, he adds. In recent years, procurement officials have typically required any new government office space be within 600 metres of rapid transit. There’s currently development land available at Trim Road and elsewhere along the eastern part of the LRT line. Developers have plans ready for the east end, says Feltmate. But they’ve so far been unable to capture the attention of federal officials. “We’ve just never seen any interest in federal employment coming in this direction,” he says. “All the developers want is an opportunity to bid. And that’s been taken off the table.” Whether the eastern light-rail extension, scheduled to be completed in 2022, will bring the government to Orléans remains to be seen. Public Services and Procurement Canada says an east-end flexible government workspace is “being discussed.” Leslie says he’s “confident” the government will set up shop in Orléans, but doesn’t know when. “It will happen, but when and how ... I don’t yet know,” says Leslie. Feltmate is less sure – he says he’s seen previous promises, but no results. Nevertheless, members of the new task force say this year’s amalgamation of the city’s three chambers of commerce has the potential to amplify the voice of Orléans. “I think we are setting the stage for a long term balancing of east versus west,” says Hamilton. “We just need to take a few years now to change behaviors, educate people, and drive that development to the east end.”

TOP 10 reasons to join the Ottawa Board of Trade

We’ll connect you to prominent, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS;

We’ll connect you to opportunities that grow your business and RAISE YOUR PROFILE;

Skilled labour shortages, immigrants and hidden talent The 2018 Ottawa Business Growth Survey found that Ottawa businesses view immigrants as valuable to the local economy, but not necessarily to their own company. Among the findings: • 77% of businesses think that immigrants are an important source of skilled labour for Ottawa’s economy; • 46% of Ottawa businesses felt that immigrants were not an important pool of labour and skills for their own company.

Ottawa Business Growth Survey

We’ll connect you to Board of Trade-led ADVOCACY INITIATIVES;

We’ll connect you to membership-driven policy development, BOARD OF TRADE COMMITTEES and task forces;

Bank Street B.I.A

We’ll connect you to RELEVANT INFORMATION, professional development and educational opportunities;

NOTICE TO MEMBERS: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ATTN: Business Owner, Manager, Property Owner

We’ll connect you to a wealth of COST-SAVING PRODUCTS AND AFFINITY PROGRAMS;

The Bank Street B.I.A. Board of Management invites you to attend the 2018 AGM. Drinks and small bites to be served. Join us as we look at the year in review and the many exciting events and promotions we have coming up in 2019.

We’ll connect you to GROUP INSURANCE through the chambers plan;

WHERE: Eggspectation 171 BANK STREET Second Floor

We’ll connect you to ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES;

WHEN: November 28 6 PM to 8 PM

We’ll connect you to BOARD OF TRADE RECOGNITION for your business milestones and achievements.

bankstreet.ca @downtownbank

RSVP: info@bankstreet.ca

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www.ottawabusinesssurveyreport.ca

We’ll connect you to a diverse range of business NETWORKING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES;

DECEMBER 2018

Organizations that hire immigrants see the benefits. Employers reported that hiring immigrants enhances innovation, productivity and profits for their company. Tapping into immigrant talent presents a tremendous economic advantage for Ottawa businesses and an opportunity to address talent needs. Learn more at http://bit.ly/OBOTimmigrants.

A new economic vision for Ottawa East Results expected to be released in early 2019

n what’s believed to be a first for Ottawa East, consulting firm Doyletech has undertaken a survey of stakeholders in Orléans and the surrounding area to draft a new economic development strategy for one of the city’s largest communities. Doyletech partner Rick Clayton says the firm’s mandate was to gather feedback, connect stakeholders and deliver hard proposals based on local input. The results are expected in early 2019. The process began in July with the former Orléans Chamber of Commerce. “Orléans needed some revitalization in terms of its economic development prospects,” says Clayton. “Our role was to try and build some consensus.” These ideas will be used to fill Doyletech’s economic development framework, which involves three action items: growing from within; attracting

3 STEPS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ORLÉANS Grow from within: Develop Orléans businesses and attract larger employers such as the federal government. Attract inbound investment: Market Orléans as a cluster with business offerings in sectors such as arts, entertainment, technology and health. Link to another cluster: Connect Orléans companies with larger clusters such as the autonomous vehicle hub in Kanata North.

inbound investment; and linking to another cluster by becoming suppliers or other partners. For example, during one of the three focus groups held with more than 150

Marketing the Shenkman Arts Centre alongside other entertainment and dining option could be used to bolster the Ottawa East brand. businesses and stakeholders, a community member mentioned the opportunity for Orléans to advance its expertise in autonomous underwater vehicle technology. Clayton says this could involve partnering with a technology cluster such as those in Kanata North. In terms of inbound investment, he says businesses in Orléans need to grow beyond serving the local community. Stakeholders also identified a lack of

branding for Orléans as a destination. For example, marketing Orléans’ dining and entertainment offerings such as the Shenkman Arts Centre could attract people from outside the area, Clayton says. The most important part of the project are the ideas from local stakeholders, says Clayton. He says the Ottawa Board of Trade will be able to use the feedback from Orléans businesses to help develop the Ottawa East economy. — Rosa Saba

CELEBRATE THE 2018 AWARD RECIPIENTS! December 6, 2018 | 4pm DECEMBER 2018

The Marshes Golf Club Ottawa Board of Trade Member $30 | Non-Member $40

The Employees’ Choice Awards (ECA) program honors organizations within Canada’s National Capital Region that recognize employees as their greatest asset.

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26 REGISTER AT OTTAWABOT.C A

- SPONSORED CONTENT-

Cities and climate change Architect Toon Dreessen argues buildings are on the front line in Ottawa’s fight against climate change climate change through sustainable urban development in the form of energy efficiency improvements and retrofits doesn’t make financial sense, I beg to differ.

Spending marginally more to make the systems more efficient is a no-brainer; spending a fraction more to make the building use only as much energy as it can generate isn’t a lot harder.

BEYOND LEED

Toon Dreessen is president of Ottawa-based Architects DCA and past-president of the Ontario Association of Architects. For a sample of Architects DCA’s projects, check out the firm’s portfolio at bit.ly/DCA-portfolio. Follow @ArchitectsDCA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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We all know the term LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) and understand its rating system of certified, silver, gold and platinum. There is no doubt that this system has been an excellent way of raising public awareness of sustainable buildings. But it doesn’t go far enough. We’re at a tipping point in climate action and need to be much more aggressive if we are going to have a chance of hitting global targets. New buildings need to reach for more than LEED Gold; there is no reason, other than political will, to strive for zero carbon, or net zero energy, or both, on every city owned asset.

It’s not just new buildings. We spend millions of dollars every year in energy costs for aging infrastructure. Instead of little projects to repair or replace pieces of buildings, we need to look holistically and think strategically: • Look at the worst offenders in all our buildings with detailed building condition reports that assess the age of the building, operating cost and social value; this is work that should be led by architects who can see, synthesize and understand how all components of a building come together. Since we designed the building to begin with, it’s natural that we lead holistic building reviews. • Establish a long-term plan for capital investment that is depoliticized; this focuses the efforts on investment in the public interest and provides a roadmap for future budget planning. • Examine the procurement model for hiring architects and engineers. No buildings is identical to another; even similar buildings will have suffered different maintenance schedules, usage patterns and environmental conditions. If firms have similar technical abilities and experience, price becomes the selection determinant and drives down the ability to innovate, explore options and deliver best value. If Ottawa wants to continue leading, we need to take a more aggressive role in climate change. Changing how we value the built environment, making sustainable, smart, investments to build a lasting legacy is in the public interest. DECEMBER 2018

Suppose you have a building where the HVAC systems are 15-20 years old, the windows and roofing are of a similar vintage, and it’s costing you tens of thousands of dollars a year in utility bills. In order to keep attracting tenants, you have to replace, repair or upgrade the HVAC systems and provide better lighting. The No. 1 place for efficiency is in the envelope. This is the part the public sees: the windows and walls that give us the beautiful city we love also provide the insulation to keep out the cold or heat, protection from the elements, air leakage and loss of cooled air. The basic cost of upgrades or repairs is a given, since you’d have to incur that expense anyway. Spending marginally more to make the systems more efficient is a no-brainer; spending a fraction more to make the building use only as much energy as it can generate isn’t a big stretch. You can do the math and see that the payback isn’t very long and gets shorter as utility costs rise. Governments are ideally positioned to take this leadership role; they are expected to invest in buildings and hold them in the public trust for generations.

Photo by Miv Photography

hether you believe in carbon taxes or cap and trade, there is no denying that human activity is having an impact on our planet. And if you don’t believe that, or don’t believe in taking any action, this column isn’t going to change your mind. Some 80 per cent of Canada’s population lives in cities. The 10 largest cities are home to nearly half our population. According to the Architecture 2030 Challenge, the urban built environment accounts for 75 per cent of global greenhouse gases, with buildings responsible for nearly 40 per cent alone. Every car on the road today will be replaced in the next decade; every building we plan today will be here in 50 years. It is important we invest in energy efficiency where it has the biggest impact and affects half our population. Not only do we do something good for the planet, we improve our quality of life and save money. It’s easy to tackle climate change if we think strategically and plan properly. This is where C40 Cities comes into play. This is a network of cities to share data, take action and build global bridges on climate leadership. In August 2018, mayors from around the world including those from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver signed the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration. The declaration states that new buildings will operate at net zero carbon by 2030 and all buildings by 2050. Ottawa can, and should, get on board. We have significant advantages, including: • A thriving technology sector; • Independent, world-class research facilities to study and monitor projects; • Support for innovation centres of expertise; • Many publicly owned buildings; • A vibrant population that believes in taking climate action; and • An engaged political landscape. For those who argue that combating

NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR

DECEMBER 2018

Amazon project on solid ground

OBJ.CA

Broccolini’s build of 1.02M-square-foot facility for e-commerce giant a feat of endurance and engineering BY DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

s real estate wins go, a one-millionsquare-foot warehouse for the world’s largest e-commerce retailer is headlinegrabbing stuff. But it doesn’t mean much if you don’t deliver. So it’s no surprise that

construction firm Broccolini’s crews have been working day and night for months on a distribution facility in Ottawa’s southeast end that internet retail giant Amazon will occupy beginning next year. Broccolini will own the facility and lease it to Amazon in a long-term deal. The scope of the job and the sheer volume of news coverage it generated

made the Amazon-Broccolini collaboration an easy choice for OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade’s 2018 Newsmaker of the Year award. The dizzying pace of the project has amazed even James Beach, Broccolini’s veteran head of real estate and development. “Our construction team, you have to give them kudos,” he told OBJ during a recent tour of the massive facility, which stretches the length of nearly three city blocks. “They’re working their asses off. It’s unbelievable what they’ve done.” What they’ve done is sure to become part of Broccolini lore. Crews of up to 400 workers a day managed to erect the building’s steel skeleton in just two months, half the time such an operation would normally require. And even that timeline was extended when the team chose to wait a few days to put the last piece in place so it could celebrate finishing the job on a Friday.

When Broccolini officially closed the purchase of the 96-acre parcel of land on Boundary Road near Hwy. 417 in early July, it was nothing but an empty field. Less than five months later, the building that will soon see up to 150 trucks a day shuttling goods in and out is now fully closed in and taking shape at lightning-fast speed. That pace is all the more impressive considering the project, like many such developments, has been fraught with challenges. While the land is ideally located next to a major highway, for example, it’s not exactly prime real estate from a development point of view. To prevent the massive structure from sinking into the ground, it’s been fortified with 600 giant steel piles that have been pounded into bedrock 30 metres below the surface. The site’s marine clay soil just isn’t up to the job of supporting the building on its own, Beach explained.

To prevent further shifting of the ground, Broccolini turned to Gatineau firm Styro Rail, which manufactures a lightweight styrofoam-like substance that doesn’t compress under a heavy load and won’t degrade over time. A layer of the high-tech foam about 45 centimetres thick now sits underneath the concrete flooring.

EYEING THE FUTURE

Our construction team, you have to give them kudos. They’re working their asses off. It’s unbelievable what they’ve done.

PHOTOS BY MARK HOLLERON

– James Beach, Broccolini’s veteran Ottawa-based head of real estate and development

DECEMBER 2018

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The poor quality and limited quantity of well water near the site also required Broccolini to build a 100,000-litre holding tank with enough capacity to put out two major fires. A stormwater pond the size of a small lake is being dug next to the warehouse to ensure runoff has somewhere to go since it can’t be absorbed into a million square feet of concrete and surrounding asphalt. Other elements have been designed with the future in mind – including the roof, which is engineered to support solar panels should they be installed at some point down the road. “The challenge right now is solar technology,” Beach said. “It hasn’t hit the point where it’s efficient enough in our latitude to be cost-neutral at least. The hope is that in the next five to 10 years, the technology will advance.” The building can also easily be reconfigured to accommodate multiple tenants, he said, and the precast concrete panels on the north side can readily be converted into more loading bay doors to add to the 95 already on the south side should a customer request them, he added. “You’ve got to think ahead,” Beach explained. “A building of this size, you have to ensure it doesn’t sit empty. (Amazon) is here for a while, but nothing is forever.” As he continued the tour, Beach stopped to give credit to Broccolini’s employees and the other subcontractors who’ve worked on the facility. He paid special tribute to 30-year company veteran Christie Stewart, who is overseeing the project. “Everyone here is the best of the best,” Beach said. “A guy like (Stewart) is a great asset and is what allows us to build facilities like this on these (compressed) schedules.” Surveying the construction site, he said it’s unlike anything he’s ever been involved with. After all, Amazon doesn’t come calling every day. “It’s a great story, and we’re very happy to be a part of it,” he said.

TECHNOLOGY

form of a quiet reading space where employees have formed a modest, communal library. “It’s smart, it’s playful, it’s curious,” SurveyMonkey CEO Zander Lurie told OBJ during a recent visit to Ottawa. True to its nature, SurveyMonkey used its own application to survey Ottawa employees on what they’d like to see in the new office, from Canadathemed boardroom names to the gaming console of choice for the games room. The democratic design was an approach the firm also took in shaping its San Mateo headquarters, and Lurie extolled the benefits of giving employees a hand in the process. SEE MORE “When you ask people questions, of SurveyMonkey you give them an opportunity to and Ottawa’s other coolest workspaces respond. They have more ownership, in the 2018 edition of they feel more accountable, they feel Best Offices Ottawa, invested and they feel hurt,” he said. coming soon. “People really want to feel like they’re in a safe and warm environment where they can collaborate, where they can grow.” Growth remains in the cards for SurveyMonkey’s local operations, which began in 2014 with the acquisition of Ottawa’s Fluidware, then an outfit of around 90 people. Lurie says that buying Fluidware and tapping into the capital’s talent market had set the “linchpin” of SurveyMonkey’s enterprise strategy.

It’s smart, it’s playful, it’s curious. – SurveyMonkey CEO Zander Lurie

Inside SurveyMonkey’s new urban jungle BY CRAIG LORD craig@obj.ca

DECEMBER 2018

A peek inside SurveyMonkey’s new offices, including unique event and lounge spaces, at 200 Laurier Ave. W. ALL PHOTOS BY MARK HOLLERON

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our years after first coming to Ottawa, Silicon Valley tech giant SurveyMonkey has found a long-term home for its “HQ2.” Earlier this year the San Mateo-based survey software firm moved into its new downtown offices at 200 Laurier Ave. W. The firm’s 150plus employees have four floors and more than 40,000 square feet of space to monkey around in, including a first-floor gathering space for all-hands meetings and events. Accents of purple, blue and green dominate the walls, which also feature inspirational quotes from the likes of Neil deGrasse Tyson and Dave Goldberg, SurveyMonkey’s late former CEO. Though the hallmarks of a modern tech office are all there, the space also includes a departure in the

Following the acquisition, Fluidware’s base product became SurveyMonkey Apply, a tool used to help companies sort through applications. Furthering the local ties, the company also counts the University of Ottawa among its enterprise customers. Lurie said the 750-person firm is growing its Ottawa offices the most quickly, calling its Canadian home an “HQ2” of sorts. He noted it’s adding talent across all divisions of the company but especially on the technical side to build out the enterprise products. SurveyMonkey wouldn’t say exactly how long it’s holding on to the space, but confirmed that it’s a “long-term” lease with room for expansion on two adjacent floors.

The new Albert at Bay Suites Hotel Logo - November 15, 2005

You.i TV lands US$23M round BY CRAIG LORD craig@obj.ca

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With fresh funding from some highranking sports executives, You.i TV is looking to add up to 100 employees to its bench in a play to dominate the sports media market. The Kanata-based company announced Nov. 13 it has raised US$23 million in financing (a bit more than $30 million in CAD) in a round led by Massachusetts-based Causeway Media Partners. Previous investors Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, Vistara Capital Partners and WarnerMedia also joined in the financing. The series-C round is the media software developer’s largest yet. The 200-person firm previously raised $27 million between series-A and series-B rounds in the past four years. Targeting a market disrupted by the emergence of streaming services such as Netflix, You.i TV develops cross-platform video applications and advertising interfaces for customers including National Geographic, Fox and AT&T. Sports media is an emerging market for the software firm, says CEO and cofounder Jason Flick. Deals struck with the NBA, NFL and Canadian Football League in the past few years have guided You.i TV towards opportunities in sports television, where the leagues themselves are increasingly looking to take their content direct-toconsumer. Leagues and broadcast rights owners need to figure out ways to get their programming on to a variety of endpoints: tablets, game consoles, smart TV and set-top boxes. Rather than program custom apps for each device, You.i TV simplifies the problem with its singular code that can run across all of these endpoints.

STAY BIG OR STAY HOME!

2018 DECEMBER 2018

CHECK IT OUT ON NEWSTANDS NOVEMBER 30 OR VISIT BESTOFFICESOTTAWA.CA

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How Ottawa businesses kick off the holiday giving season The Caring and Sharing Exchange’s Hamper Packing Day combines creative team-building activity with corporate giving

“The best reward is delivering the hampers at the end of the day and being able to see the smiles on those people’s faces.” as well as mingle,” says Smith. “We typically have community leaders, volunteers and businesses at the event. It’s a festive event that’s a great way to kick off the Christmas holidays.” The true spirit of the holiday season is giving back, a fact the Caring and Sharing Exchange knows all too well as they prepare to provide bountiful Christmases to Ottawa families and individuals in need.

The Caring and Sharing Exchange is always looking for more businesses to participate and offers multiple sponsorship opportunities – all of which come with the opportunity to bring teams closer together.

For more information, visit caringandsharing.ca or email Heather Fraser at development@caringandsharing.ca.

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“We can get up to 20,000 people requesting assistance from us every year through the Christmas Exchange Program,” says Smith. “We’re not government funded, we’re not United Way funded, so we rely on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations to run our program.” Helping so many people requires many sets of hands. The Corporate Hamper Packing Day fills the Horticulture Building with volunteers so that the maximum number of hampers can be packed and delivered. Smith says this allows everyone to bond at an event that brings the Ottawa business community together. “It’s not just a sponsorship opportunity, it’s an opportunity for businesses to come and participate,

DECEMBER 2018

day filled with generosity and kindness is nearing as the Caring and Sharing Exchange prepares for its sixth annual Corporate Hamper Packing Day, where Ottawa’s business community comes together to support the wider community. Executive director Cindy Smith says the hamper packing day – scheduled this year for Thursday, Dec. 20 – is a key part of the local charity’s Christmas Exchange Program and is an ideal route for local businesses to give back while boosting employee engagement and strengthening ties between team members. “We have a number of businesses who will sponsor the day, and they invite their staff and clients to come and participate, and then we all gather around and pack hampers for our Christmas Exchange Program,” says Smith. Filled with everything needed for a festive meal, these hampers are then delivered to recipients who requested assistance through the Caring and Sharing Exchange. Innovapost is one local business that has been involved with Corporate Hamper Packing Day since its inception six years ago. Manager Connie Lee says delivering the packed hampers is particularly special for her team. “The best reward is delivering the hampers at the end of the day and being able to see the smiles on those people’s faces,” says Lee. In addition to the hamper packing day, Innovapost also runs workplace fundraising events throughout the holiday season, with all proceeds going to the Caring and Sharing Exchange.

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Northern Health is a publicly funded healthcare provider serving approximately 300,000 people in B.C.

Agile and responsive: Ottawa’s OPIN hired by B.C. health agency for digital transformation Project management strategy gives client constant input on website development

DECEMBER 2018

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t’s a trend that anyone with a smartphone can quickly grasp: mobile devices are overtaking desktop computers as the primary source of traffic to most websites. For organizations that require a robust online presence, this shift can present a daunting challenge as their audience demands a responsive web design that seamlessly renders content on different devices and screen sizes. This is where Northern Health needed help. The publicly funded healthcare provider for Northern British Columbia serves approximately 300,000 people,

but the organization’s websites were not optimized for mobile phones and tablets. In one month this summer, close to 73 per cent of its more than 92,000 online visitors accessed its website using a mobile phone. “We needed to make some big changes to our public-facing websites,” says Rosemary Dolman, Northern Health’s regional manager for web services. “They weren’t keeping up with the rapidly growing mobile world.” This is where OPIN Software, an Ottawa-based digital agency, stepped in. The healthcare sector is a market

“There are no surprises at the end.” – Andrea Kvasnica, director of operations, OPIN

OPIN knows well after having worked with clients such as Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Cancer Care Ontario, the New Brunswick Health Council and Accreditation Canada.

For OPIN, it was also an opportunity to introduce another client to the Agile method of project management that’s used by the Ottawa firm. The methodology ensures the client has constant feedback during the project’s execution. “The client sees progress every two weeks,” says Andrea Kvasnica, OPIN’s director of operations. “There are demos and small training sessions so that there are no surprises at the end of the week. And we know that by the time we get to the end of the project, we went in the right direction.” OPIN switched to Agile in 2016 and now

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WHAT IS AGILE? In the traditional method of project management – often called the “Waterfall method” – the customer’s requirements are gathered at the start of the project. The development team then gets to work and presents the project at the end. This involves minimal interaction between the client and the agency during the execution. By contrast, the Agile framework is based around relatively short work sequences called sprints. In the case of Northern Health, each sprint was two weeks. One of the key advantages of the Agile approach over the Waterfall methodology is that it avoids unmet expectations and unpleasant surprises at the end of the project, thanks to the constant interaction between the client and the agency.

The agency gets the chance to continually understand the client’s objectives and receive feedback. The client gets to monitor the progress of the project and make changes during the project execution, rather than only at the very end. The client is able to lay down the priorities for each sprint. This helps the project proceed in the direction that the client wants, removes confusion, helps the agency deliver a final product on time and within budget. It reduces the risks involved when handling massive projects. It helps deliver high-quality end-product that has been continuously improved based on constant client feedback. OPIN AND THE GATINEAU-OTTAWA AGILE TOUR

Key advantages for clients using Agile over the Waterfall method 1. Collaboration 2. Transparency 3. Fast results 4. Consistent feedback loop 5. No surprises

many pieces of information to be exchanged between Northern Health and OPIN at various stages of development – something that the Agile approach, with its two-week project “sprints” – facilitated. “It helps OPIN keep on track with the project and sets clear expectations as to what is being worked on during each sprint,” says Dolman. With another project successfully executed using the Agile framework, OPIN is keen to showcase its benefits to more of its clients. “Agile helps to build teams, and allows the best ideas to surface,” Kvasnica says.

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ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE Northern Health needed its websites to be accessible to all visitors, regardless of any visual, auditory, cognitive or motor impairment. This wasn’t an optional feature: B.C. is expected to introduce new accessibility legislation in 2024 and

Northern Health wanted to move early. “We want to be proactive and already provide accessible websites when the legislation comes in to place,” says Dolman. “Our old websites were not accessible to visitors with disabilities, especially our aging population.” Updating the website to make it accessible required many upgrades, including larger font sizes, colour combinations that work for colour-blind visitors or those with aging eyesight, as well as backend coding that lets visually impaired users listen to the page using a screen reader. Implementing these features required

DECEMBER 2018

follows that framework in all its projects. The agency found it could deliver projects faster and, more importantly, with higher client satisfaction. “With collaboration comes transparency. How time and money is spent is something the client is always aware of,” says Kvasnica.

OPIN honoured at Best Ottawa Business Awards In recognition of its U.S. expansion and overall growth, OPIN was recently recognized by Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Board of Trade with a Best Ottawa Business Award. OPIN was honoured in the Best Performance: Exporting category at a gala in November.

The Gatineau-Ottawa Agile Tour (GOAT) is the largest non-profit Agile conference in the Canadian capital region. The talks and workshops conducted during the event help industry professionals stay abreast with the latest Agile trends. OPIN Software is the industry leader in Agile. The agency works with clients that use Agile and those that do not. Both types of organizations benefit greatly from partnering with OPIN to leverage the benefits of Agile. For the 2018 edition of GOAT, OPIN went a step further as the event’s platinum sponsor, creating the website and volunteering at the event. For OPIN, the event is always a great chance to learn more about Agile and hear about the experiences of other organizations. “We are always excited to learn more about Agile. There’s always room to learn and grow,” says Andrea Kvasnica, OPIN’s director of operations. The event presents an opportunity to demonstrate the value of partnering with an Agile agency for enterprise digital projects. No matter where an organization is in their Agile journey, the event is a great place to share ideas and build expertise.

BACON, EGGS & A HEALTHY HELPING OF HOLIDAY CHEER

CHRISTMAS CHEER } BREAKFAST FRIDAY DECEMBER 7TH 7 AM - 9 AM

DECEMBER 2018

ABERDEEN PAVILION AT LANSDOWNE

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The annual Christmas Cheer Breakfast is one of our communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most well attended and supported charitable events. Join local business professionals and residents for a delicious breakfast and delightful time in support of local charities.

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OBJ.social STORIES AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

MOTORS

CHARITY EVENT

Casino-goers have grand old time at Welch fundraiser

was also among the 400-plus people in attendance. Welch LLP managing partner Micheal Burch was on hand to welcome guests and sponsors to the party, which was organized by the firm’s marketing team. Deserving of a special mention was Kyle Turk, the firm’s director of marketing and communications. “Kyle was instrumental in starting all of this,” said Burch, referring to the casino night. Alas, it was with great regret that Burch announced Turk was leaving Welch at the end of the year. The 2018

Forty Under 40 recipient is joining one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing companies, Keynote Group, a human resources and recruiting firm, as its vice-president of marketing. Keynote Group’s CEO and cofounder, James Baker, was at the event. There was also a silent auction. It featured such items as a private brewery tour for 20 with Brew Donkey and an acoustic guitar signed by famed Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy and his band, who gave a stellar performance at Welch LLP’s 100-year birthday bash in September at the National Gallery of Canada.

37 OBJ.CA

Proceeds were to be directed toward the cancer foundation’s unique coaching program to help people in the community whose lives have been touched by cancer, as well as its Return to Work program for cancer survivors. Heading back to the office can be challenging, particularly when one is experiencing brain fog, fatigue and other side effects of chemotherapy, Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation vice-president John Ouellette told OBJ. social. The Return to Work program provides the necessary education and support to help cancer survivors create and implement a plan for themselves, so that they can get back to work and resume a productive lifestyle. In the past, the casino night has raised a net total of between $30,000 and $40,000 each year for the cancer foundation. “We hope to continue this partnership for many years,” said Ouellette. WelchGroup Consulting president Candace Enman, who’s on the board of directors at the cancer foundation,

DECEMBER 2018

Ottawa accountants got the chance to shed their reputation as cautious, riskaverse beancounters while hosting their popular Grand Casino: Betting Against Cancer charity event. Welch LLP, an Ottawa-based, fullservice public accounting firm, and several hundred of its closest friends were back at the Shaw Centre on Nov. 16 to gamble (and hopefully win) in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. The fundraiser fell on the same night as Ottawa’s premier business gala, the Best Ottawa Business Awards, at the Westin. The BOBs night was originally slated for late November but had to be bumped up due to the limited availability of a key award recipient. On the bright side, the two events were only a hop, skip and jump away from each other, so many gala-goers were able to flit between the Shaw Centre and the Westin. Attendees of the Grand Casino night each received $500 in funny money, or “Welch dollars,” to use at various gambling tables and toward the purchase of raffle tickets.

OBJ.social STORIES AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

FUNDRAISER

MOTORS

Wishes come true at Malhotra family SHARE Party Make-A-Wish was on the receiving end of a dream come true for a change after being selected as the beneficiary of the eighth annual SHARE Party hosted by the Malhotra Family Foundation. The big bash took place Nov. 9 at the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market luxury boutique hotel at the corner of Dalhousie and York streets. Some 300 partygoers packed the second floor for a celebratory night of socializing, snacking, drinking and dancing. On hand were the Malhotras, one of the most prominent real estate developer families in Ottawa. Not only do they own Claridge Homes, which builds homes and condos, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve expanded into retirement residences and

hotel development. Since their opening of Andaz two years ago, the hotel has become a hotspot destination with its scenic rooftop terrace. Each spring, the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foundation hosts a golf tournament that brings in $250,000 for charity, followed by its autumn SHARE Party, which cuts a $100,000 cheque for another worthy cause. Co-hosting the party were Louise Malhotra and her husband Shawn Malhotra, chief operating officer at Claridge, a 2018 Forty Under 40 recipient and probably the most dapper man in the room, thanks to his purple velvety blazer and bow tie combo. The couple cofounded the charitable foundation.

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A ceremonial cheque was presented to Make-A-Wish Eastern Ontario CEO Tanya Desjardins by Shawn and Louise. Standing alongside them were his parents – Claridge Homes CEO and founder Bill Malhotra and Romina Malhotra – and his older brother Neil Malhotra, vice-president at Claridge, along with his wife, Ainsley Malhotra. The Malhotras pooled together their network of friends and business contacts, resulting in 15 gold sponsors and another 14 platinum sponsors. “From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate the generosity,” said Shawn, after some good-natured joking about how he coincided the timing of his request for sponsorship with the company’s tendering for contracts. “We’re humbled every year that this many people show up to our event.” Guests included Minto executive chairman Roger Greenberg, Tomlinson Group president Kevin Cinq-Mars and his wife, Sara, as well as hockey hero Daniel Alfredsson and his wife, Bibbi. Spotted from the ByWard Market

business community were prominent restaurateur Peter Boole (Social, Sidedoor, e18hteen, The Clarendon, Jackson Café) and Andre Schad of Schad clothing boutique, seasonal patios Tavern on the Hill and Tavern on the Falls, and the just-opened Jasper restaurant on Beechwood Avenue. Also spotted were architect Andrew Reeves and his wife Melissa Reeves, co-founders of Linebox Studio. It did the design on a privately funded, volunteerdriven community project led by Shawn to construct a new sports pad and field house in Rockcliffe Park. Funds raised from the SHARE Party allow Make-A-Wish to grant wishes to 10 more local children with life-threatening medical conditions. While trips are very popular – particularly to Disney – there are also requests for other things, such as shopping sprees, fabulous bedroom makeovers and stepping into someone else’s shoes – such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s – for the day. Anything’s possible, except for the wish of unlimited wishes.

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AWARDS

MOTORS

STORIES AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

AFP PHILANTHROPY AWARDS CELEBRATE SPIRIT OF SELFLESS GIVING Every day, there are business leaders and ordinary people who are “quietly and conscientiously” working behind the scenes to make our city a better place to live. They give of their time, money and/ or expertise, expecting nothing in return, and certainly not a prestigious award from the Ottawa chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Eight individuals, groups and businesses were fêted Nov. 14 for their contributions in front of a crowd of 400plus during the 24th annual Philanthropy Awards (colloquially known as The Phils). The awards dinner was held in the National Arts Centre’s new Canada Room overlooking the historic Rideau Canal. It was chaired by Margot Lefebvre, senior development officer at The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. It was once

again presented by Peter Nicholson’s Foundation WCPD (Wealth, Creation, Preservation & Donation), a financial services business with a specialty in philanthropic tax planning. Ferguslea Properties/Accora Village owner and past award recipient Dan Greenberg presented a special Inspiration Award in honour of Jonathan Pitre, a local hero who raised funds and awareness for his rare and painful skin disease, epidermolysis bullosa (EB). He passed away last spring at age 17. The award was graciously accepted by Pitre’s mother, Tina Boileau. When Outstanding Individual Philanthropist recipient Mike McGahan took to the stage, he emotionally described Pitre as “an amazing, amazing kid.”

meet our menu A new season brings new food and a new menu to the Shaw Centre with fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients. Chef Patrick Turcot works with local suppliers to secure the very best in farm to table produce. Our talented kitchen creates incredible, palate-pleasing dishes with élan and ﬂair. Prepare to be wowed as Canada’s Meeting Place becomes Canada’s eating place!

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Ottawa’s numbercrunch identifies how to sidestep

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As a seasoned CFO, numbercrunch cofounder Susan Richards frequently sees SaaS businesses slipping into common mistakes. Here’s her top-10 list of potentially fatal SaaSholes, as well as strategies to combat them: 1. Solving a problem that customers are not willing to pay for It’s easy to get excited about a new business idea. But before you move forward, make sure your solution is financially viable. “Test your market and validate how much customers are willing to pay for the solution you are planning to build before you start building it,” says Richards.

6. Assuming it’s not your responsibility to make sure your customers use your product properly Many SaaS companies believe sales ends with closing a deal. Businesses need to not only give customers what they want, but also give them what they need to generate results. “By continuing to engage with your customers until they experiencing results from your software you will reap the referral benefits of raving fans,” says Richards.

8. Fielding a team with the wrong players SaaS businesses move through business maturity stages very quickly. The skills needed to successfully launch may not be sufficient for leadership and management. Look at your talent pool and see if there are any gaps. 9. Running out of cash SaaS businesses generally receive little cash from customers early on and are dependent on other sources of funds for years before becoming sustainable. “To survive in SaaS, you have to obsess about cash,” says Richards. “Cash is to business what oxygen is to people.” 10. Ego Running a SaaS business is especially stressful. Richards cautions CEOs of acting from a place of over or under confidence. Take a step back and ask for feedback from your team and other business partners.

41 OBJ.CA

3. Neglecting your business model The SaaS model has distinctive financial aspects that set it apart from others. While the high gross margin and recurring revenue aspects of license fees are attractive to investors and entrepreneurs, don’t forget about process. Process management is critical for cost effectively acquiring customers.

5. Not doing enough research before taking on investor dollars Entrepreneurs are risk-takers by nature. As a result, many entrepreneurs learn the hard way that the goals of investors and founders are not always the same. For example, entrepreneurs may be open to sell their firm when they perceive a fair and attractive offer has been received but investors may not be supportive and favour gambling in hopes for a better return downstream. Richards says the key is to know your investors and understand their goals early on.

7. Ignoring competitors Entrepreneurs have a tendency to pay too much or too little attention to competition. “Keep an eye on your competitors but not too close,” says Richards. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

DECEMBER 2018

2. Building with no preparation for launch Build it and they will come does not apply to SaaS. Richards recommends having a wellthought out launch plan for your product. Lead-generating activities need to begin well before launch day so that when the product is baked there is an audience eager to consume. “Ask fellow SaaS entrepreneurs what they would do differently to get some valuable and practical guidance,” says Richards.

4. Setting unrealistic timing expectations When you commit to a financial plan and don’t achieve it, this decreases the likelihood of subsequent funding success and increases the burden of proof. “Many entrepreneurs overestimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can do in 10 years,” says Richards. “Be reasonable with your expectations.”

the time. Halogen was acquired two years later by California-based Saba in a deal worth $293 million. Loucks says he kept busy postHalogen by providing executive coaching services to growing companies, one of which happened to be Giatec. Loucks says he gradually recognized the company’s potential as he hit it off with co-founders Aali Alizadeh and Pouria Ghods, who will remain with the company and focus on product development. “Over a period of time, we just kind of found that there was a great match between them and myself, and how we kind of operate it. And they felt that I’d be able to help propel their business to better success in the future,” Loucks says.

CONNECTING TECH IN OTTAWA

A FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON

DECEMBER 2018

Giatec’s new CEO, Paul Loucks, between co-founders Aali Alizadeh (left) and Pouria Ghods (right). Photo provided

OBJ.CA

Meet Giatec’s new CEO: Ottawa tech vet Paul Loucks BY CRAIG LORD craig@obj.ca

ne of Ottawa’s hottest tech firms announced this past month that it’s bringing one of the city’s most vaunted tech executives back into the game to lead the company’s scaling efforts.

Former Halogen Software CEO Paul Loucks will take the reins at Giatec Scientific, a developer of concrete quality sensors and one of OBJ’s fastestgrowing companies in 2018. Loucks led Halogen, an Ottawa-based talent management software firm, for 15 years. Under his stewardship, Halogen grew into one of the city’s largest

tech companies with US$57 million in annual revenue and roughly 500 employees globally. The firm went public in 2013; that same year Loucks was named Ottawa’s CEO of the Year. Loucks stepped down from the company in 2015 to “spend more time with his family and consider other interests,” according to a statement at

Indeed, the veteran CEO joins a company with a solid foundation and strong momentum. Founded in 2010, Giatec develops embedded sensors for the concrete industry, which relay real-time structural data to builders via the Internet of Things. The 39-person company’s products have been used in more than 3,000 projects across 80 countries; early partnerships with PCL and Tomlinson have helped the firm find its early success. While he built his reputation as the head of a software firm, Loucks says he’s “super excited” to dig into the IoT sector. The fundamentals of business leadership are fairly consistent across industries, he says, and Giatec’s proven product-market fit gives him the confidence to lead the company going forward. Having guided Ghods and Aalizadeh through the company’s recent growth, Loucks gives the two co-founders credit for the solid foundation they’ve set up. One of the areas where he believes he can augment the firm’s success is the speed of decision-making, which he says is a skill that comes with having been there before. “Speed of decisions is easy to make when you’ve got experience in doing it. And it’s hard to make when you don’t have experience,” he says. While the company has recently received more than $3 million in federal government grants, Giatec has been

largely bootstrapped to this point. Though he wouldn’t reveal specific plans to accelerate the firm’s growth, when asked if venture capital could be in Giatec’s future, Loucks’s response was a brief, “never say never.”

HIGH DEMAND During his years away from the dayto-day of running a business, Loucks says he received “many offers” from companies hoping to scoop up some executive talent. While he and his family were open to relocating elsewhere in Canada or the United States, Loucks says none of the offers were right until the Giatec opportunity came around. Sticking around his own backyard to scale up another company wasn’t a must-have for his next gig, but it’s certainly a bonus. “I’m thrilled that I was able to help build Halogen into what I built it into for the Ottawa community. And I hope to be able to do the same with Giatec for the Ottawa community,” he says.

Who is this Paul Loucks guy?

ttawa-born Paul Loucks rose to notoriety in the local tech sector as an ambitious leader with a knack for growing companies. He launched NeoDyne Consulting in the 1990s and grew the threeperson operation to 50 employees before selling it to Compaq Canada in 1997. His career-defining work would take place at Halogen Software, which was the product division of Ottawa-based software consultancy Manta Corp. when he joined in 2001. At that time the Halogen product was struggling and in dire need of reinvention, a turnaround Loucks delivered by pivoting towards the talent management market. “Paul did a fantastic job of turning the ship (around) and identifying a market opportunity that he felt we

could succeed at. He gets 110 per cent of the acclaim for that one … it felt like a second (founding) and it was really all Paul,” said Halogen co-founder Michael Slaunwhite back in 2013 when Loucks was named OBJ’s CEO of the Year. Loucks took up the chief executive role six months after joining the company, and under his leadership, Halogen reached extraordinary heights. The 25-person firm hit 500 employees and $60 million in annual revenues; its 2013 initial public offering established the company as a sizeable player in the talent management space, butting heads with the likes of SAP and Oracle.

In the wake of his departure from Halogen in 2015, Loucks’ LinkedIn profile proudly displays a year of sabbatical travelling with his wife, Dawn. For the past two years he has returned to his consulting roots as president and CEO of Brilliant Outcomes, coaching chief executives to scale and solve their business problems. In OBJ’s CEO of the Year profile of the venerated business leader, Loucks dished out a bit of scaling advice for free: “Don’t bet on an overnight success, bet on long-term success – that’s how we’re going to build great companies. Do your hard work; do your pushups.”

“Don’t bet on an overnight success, bet on long-term success – that’s how we’re going to build great companies. Do your hard work; do your pushups.” – 2013 CEO of the Year Paul Loucks

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2019: What to watch in Ottawa’s tech sector CENGN, Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall offer predictions for the year ahead

DECEMBER 2018

What will be the biggest tech trends in Ottawa? As technology quickly evolves, startups and other tech firms will be looking for new opportunities to commercialize their technology in Canada and globally. CENGN, Canada’s Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks, is giving Canadian tech firms of all sizes the resources to build, create, and test their technology for commercialization. CENGN is a consortium made up of major national and global ICT and networking companies. The organization supports Canadian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the development of new technology, and develops world class talent and expertise. “The pace of change in networking technology continues to accelerate, and no single company can do it alone,” says CENGN’s chief executive Jean-Charles Fahmy. “Collaboration is key.”

OBJ.CA

SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORKING AND NETWORK FUNCTION VIRTUALIZATION Virtualizing networks has revolutionized our ICT industry. Now, businesses of all sizes are creating innovative products that rely on networking, computing, and memory of different networks. Before launching these products and solutions, companies need to benchmark their solution at different scales, in a commercial grade infrastructure. Testing in the public cloud can be cost prohibitive for SMEs.

(Photo by Lois Siegel) This is where CENGN steps in. Its powerful testbed enables SMEs to test their solutions in an environment that simulates their potential end users, whether they be individuals or multinational businesses. CENGN also provides the technical expertise required to support the SMEs during the projects, and to provide valuable feedback to improve their products. CENGN is set up as a not-for-profit, which gives the organization the flexibility to have competing companies support tech R&D under a body that is independent of competing interests. With this structure, CENGN is able to provide multi-vendor compatibility testing and a bipartisan testing ground for industry stakeholders. “Our members share the same goal, (which is) for Canada to be a world leader in innovation,” says Fahmy. “We have independent test labs and interoperability capabilities in a multi-vendor and opensource environment. We want to have the leading edge in technology globally.” Perley-Robertson, Hill and McDougall help maintain CENGN’s structure through its work in corporate governance and assisting in contract review. “CENGN wants to lift the calibre of the industry,” says Dirk Bouwer, partner at Perley-Robertson, Hill and McDougall LLP. MOBILE AND IOT People have become more connected to their smartphones than ever before, but mobile technology and the Internet of

The pace of change in networking technology continues to accelerate, and no single company can do it alone — CENGN’s chief executive Jean-Charles Fahmy Things (IoT) has quickly come to mean more than people on handheld devices. In fact, the future of IoT has moved past connecting people and into connecting things, manifesting in technological breakthroughs in smart cities, autonomous vehicles and smart buildings. “We now expect connectivity anytime and anywhere,” says Fahmy. “The trend to mobility and broadband connectivity will enable the digital transformation of all sectors, including traditional sectors like health, manufacturing, and agriculture. This will be key to the competitiveness of Canada’s economy. ICT networking is going to be huge with futuristic trends of AI and big data leading the way.” With more connectivity, there’s also more data. According to IBM, 90 percent of data in the world was created in the last two years. The importance of sorting and analysis of big data will continue to increase for businesses in the coming years. “Data analytics is a tremendous opportunity for companies and service

providers,” says Fahmy. “It will allow them to better serve their customers, to monetize new business models, and to automate their networks and services.” CYBERSECURITY One of the major issues facing any industry involved in information technology is cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity is being woven into telecommunications and infrastructure,” says Fahmy. “With the advent of 5G, cybersecurity will be even more important. It’s critical for Canada and Canadian companies to be able to secure their data and communications.” CENGN has already done several projects with security companies, and will be adding new services to support this increasingly important industry. “Security is a complex area where Canada can excel,” says Bouwer. “We have a strong infrastructure.”

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45 OBJ.CA

hile $130-million venture-capital rounds are no doubt exciting for any tech firm, the prospect of scaling a company that rapidly can be daunting. Following Assent Compliance’s enormous series-C round a couple weeks back, Techopia Live was curious how the fast-growing compliance software firm is maintaining its culture and focus with a big market opportunity at its doorstep. Matt Whitteker, co-founder and vice-president of marketing at Assent Compliance, told Techopia Live that the company’s trajectory changed in a bout Assent Compliance co-founder of “serendipity” four years ago when Matt Whitteker. File photo Andrew Waitman stepped into the ring. He meant that literally, too: as a boxer and the company, Whitteker said he hasn’t felt coach, Whitteker happened to be training drowned out by the new executives and Waitman when the veteran Ottawa tech board members who have joined the team CEO mentioned he was looking for work. amid the growth and equity financing. “As we’re exchanging jabs, he mentions Rather, he said he feels supported – even he’s leaving his current company and I when the firm falls short of expectations. mention we’re doing well … and say, ‘Why “The first time we closed our series-A, don’t you check out the next quarter we went what we’re doing?’” on the miss,” he said, Since that time, the adding that the investors TECHOPIA company has added didn’t panic. With the LIVE 300 employees and core business and market delivers regular raised $190 million in opportunity intact, the interviews with Ottawa’s venture capital. directors told the team to hottest startups and How has the keep investing. coolest tech execs. Visit company maintained its “We went on to hit it bit.ly/TechopiaLive for culture and focus amid out of the park the next the latest episodes. the explosive growth? few quarters,” he said. Whitteker said the first “Having more voices of those hundreds of at the table has actually hires that Waitman made as CEO was a given us more support as we’ve grown and head of human resources. Following that, scaled the company.” Assent brought in top-tier talent as chief Coming up next for Assent Compliance financial and product officers to set the firm is a leap into international waters, setting up to scale. up shop overseas to tackle markets “Companies are a product of their including Europe and Asia. leadership and these have all been “International expansion is both exciting incredible executives,” Whitteker said. and it’s like, ‘Well, we haven’t done that As one of the original co-founders of before,’” Whitteker said.

OBJ.CA

46 DECEMBER 2018

THE LIST Company/Address Phone/Fax/Web

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16

(RANKED BY NUMBER OF GUEST ROOMS)

No. of employees

Room service?/ Restaurant?/ Pool?/Fitness centre?

The Westin Ottawa* 11 Colonel By Dr. Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4 613-560-7000 / 613-560-7359 thewestinottawa.com

496

$259 to $850 $189 to $450

380

Y Y Y Y

Ottawa Marriott* 100 Kent St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5R7 613-238-1122 / 613-783-4228 ottawamarriott.com

492

$199 to $549 $129 to $299

300

Fairmont Château Laurier 1 Rideau St. Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7 613-241-1414 / 613-562-7030 fairmont.com

426

$239 to $709 $239 to $709

Delta Ottawa City Centre 101 Lyon St. Ottawa, ON K1R 5T9 613-237-3600 / 613-237-9114 marriott.com/YOWDM

410

Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East 200 Coventry Rd. Ottawa, ON K1K 4S3 613-741-9862 / 613-741-4913 marriott.com/yowoe

Free Internet?/ Parking/ CAA rating

Owner/ General manager

Amenities WestinWorkout; RunWestin; Heavenly Bed; Heavenly Bath; Service Express; Starwood Preferred Guest; express checkout; business centre; concierge; 37” LCD TV; refrigerator

Y Y Y Y

Y $27 (valet) 4

InnVest REIT Stephane Pelletier

Spin Kitchen & Bar restaurant; Starbucks; meeting room including Summit revolving room and executive meeting floor; concierge levels and lounge; Marriott Rewards Program; 24-hour fitness club; Lobby Business desk; 37” HD TV; refrigerator

400

Y Y Y Y

N $45 valet only 4

Capital Hotel LP Claude J. Sauvé

Business centre; work desk; iron/ironing board; bathrobe; hair dryer; 24-hour room service. Members of Le CLub Accor receive complimentary high-speed Internet access.

$199 to $309 $159 to $199

220

Y Y Y Y

Y $21 4

Delta Hotels & Resorts Zubair Siddiqi

Two-line phones; voicemail; in-room coffee maker; free newspaper; 42” HD TV; express checkout; business centre; Delta Privilege Program; Meeting Maestros Program and amenities; fitness centre; indoor pool; iPod/MP3 clock radio; SmartDesk

395

$159 to $289 $129 to $249

120

N Y Y Y

Y Complimentary 3

Bona Building and Management Co. Franco Falcucci

Mini-fridge, microwave and wetbar in all guest rooms; access to 43,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space; 24-hour fitness centre; full-service restaurant, The Bistro, serving Starbucks coffee

Lord Elgin Hotel 100 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5K8 613-235-3333 / 613-235-3223 lordelgin.ca

355

$189 to $699 $159 to $459

100

Y Y Y Y

Y $30 3

Gillin Engineering and Construction David Smythe

Complimentary in-room coffee/tea and local calls; free Wi-Fi; business centre access for all guests; restaurant; Starbucks; 24hour fitness centre; sauna and lap pool; 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space

Hilton Lac-Leamy 3 Casino Blvd. Gatineau, QC J8Y 6X4 819-790-6444 / 819-790-6408 hiltonlacleamy.com

349

$239 to $499 $239 to $499

315

Y Y Y Y

Y Complimentary 4

Casiloc (RestoCasino) Alain Miroux

Renovated guest rooms; 24-hour room service; mini-bar; 47” HDTV; three two-line phones; in-room safe; free newspaper; business centre; fitness and spa; heated indoor and outdoor pools open all year; 51,000 sq. ft. of conference space

Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport 2400 Alert Rd. Ottawa, ON K1V 1S1 613-288-9001 / 613-249-8729 ottawaairport.hgi.com

326

$119 to $209 $119 to $209

100

Y Y Y Y

Y Complimentary 3.5

Bona Building and Management Co. Valentina Gaca

Soundproof rooms; HDTV with cable and premium channels; secure remote printing; two-line telephones with data port and voicemail; restaurant; 7,200 sq. ft. banquet facilities; 24-hour business centre

Novotel Ottawa 33 Nicholas St. Ottawa, ON K1N 9M7 613-230-3033 / 613-760-4767 novotelottawa.com

282

$169 to $429 $169 to $429

100

Y Y Y Y

Y $28 3

SHPH Bruno Beaudoin

Albion Rooms restaurant; six meeting rooms with natural light; newly renovated fitness centre with indoor pool; complimentary HSIA; ergonomic work area; LCD TV; in-room safe; mini fridge; tea/ coffee machine; windows that open

Brookstreet 525 Legget Dr. Ottawa, ON K2K 2W2 613-271-1800 / 613-271-3541 brookstreet.com

276

$199 to $499 $119 to $399

275

Y Y Y Y

Y $13.95 4

Brookstreet Hotel Corp. Nyle Kelly

Perspectives Restaurant; The Marshes 18-hole championship golf course; Options Jazz Lounge featuring sushi and live jazz seven days a week; Au Naturel Spa with 13 treatment rooms; fitness studio; pools; games room; business centre

Holiday Inn Ottawa East 1199 Joseph Cyr St. Ottawa, ON K1J 7T4 613-744-1060 / 613-744-7845 hiottawaeast.com

261

$169 to $240 $139 to $169

Y Y Y Y

Y Complimentary N/A

Holloway Property Jean-Pierre Benjamin

7,100 sq. ft. of meeting space (up to 200 people); three boardrooms; executive floor; internet kiosk; indoor pool; Reza’s Restaurant & Bar; tuck shop; fitness centre

Cartier Place Suite Hotel 180 Cooper St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2L5 613-236-5000 / 613-238-3842 suitedreams.com

250

$169 to $399 $129 to $399

Y Y Y Y

Y $30 N/A

Heidi Webster Heidi Webster

Suites with kitchens; meeting and banquet rooms with floorto-ceiling windows; indoor pool; whirlpool; sauna; fitness room; children’s play areas; private patio. Pets welcome.

Les Suites Hotel Ottawa 130 Besserer St. Ottawa, ON K1N 9M9 613-232-2000 / 613-232-1242 les-suites.com

239

$169 to $575 $139 to $475

Y Y Y Y

Y $28 3

Westmont Hospitality Group Chris Pierce

Condo-sized suites; full kitchen; separate living/dining area; private balcony; ensuite washer/dryer; complimentary 24-hour business centre and fitness centre; indoor pool/hot tub/sauna; meeting rooms

Sheraton Ottawa Hotel 150 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5G2 613-238-1500 / 613-238-8497 sheratonottawa.com

236

$169 to $425 $139 to $325

135

Y Y Y Y

Y $27 3

Chateau Ottawa Hotel Yolaine Charette

Carleton Grill and Sasha’s Bar; restyled traditional and Sheraton Club level rooms with Sweet Sleeper bed; HD TV; Sheraton Fitness programmed by EXOS; Sheraton Club Lounge, lobby business centre

Crowne Plaza Gatineau-Ottawa 2 Montcalm St. Gatineau, QC J8X 4B4 819-778-3880 / 819-778-3309 crowneplaza.com/gatineauottawa

225

$159 to $999 $119 to $799

Y Y Y Y

Y $18 3

Michael Rosenberg Michael Lucas

12 extended-stay suites; complimentary Wi-Fi; 15,040 sq. ft. of meeting space without pillars with capacity from five to 500 guests; pool; 24-hour fitness centre; therapeutic bath and sauna; business centre with computers; La Jardiniere restaurant

Four Points by Sheraton Hotel & Conference Centre GatineauOttawa 35 Laurier St. Gatineau, QC J8X 4E9 819-778-6111 / 819-778-3647 fourpointsgatineau.com

201

$149 to $189 $115 to $149

105

N Y Y Y

Y $15 4

35 Laurier LP Jason Trottier

Breakfast, coffee and local beer; free bottled water; smoke-free; close to Canadian Museum of History; bright meeting rooms; A/V support

*These businesses did not respond to the survey in time for publication. This information is from previous years.

47 OBJ.CA

Y $42 (valet) 4

SCG Aquarius Ottawa (general partner of SWA Ottawa) Ross Meredith

DECEMBER 2018

No. of guest rooms

Price range (high season/ low season)

LARGEST HOTELS

FOR THE RECORD

ROB WOODBRIDGE/LYFT

DECEMBER 2018

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

OBJ.CA

San Francisco-based ride-hailing service Lyft has enlisted a bigname local entrepreneur in its drive to challenge Uber for supremacy in the Ottawa market. Rob Woodbridge assumed the role of Lyft’s market manager for the Ottawa region last month. A founder of several communications and tech startups in his 25-year business career, Woodbridge had previously spent the past two-and-a-half years as CEO of local tech venture Gymtrack. Lyft arrived in Ottawa last March, with the capital becoming

the company’s second expansion site outside the United States after Toronto. But Woodbridge says he was a fan long before then, having used Lyft’s service regularly during business trips down south. “I was already a brand advocate,” the 48-year-old Ottawa native says. “I loved the brand, loved what it stood for. Then the opportunity just landed.” Lyft works like Uber: Users download an app to their mobile phone, enter a payment method such as a credit card and then use the app to request a ride from a nearby driver. Launched in 2012, the service now operates in more

than 300 U.S. cities in addition to Ottawa and Toronto. Woodbridge says he was struck by Lyft’s commitment to hiring experienced drivers via a rigorous screening process and building a rapport with the markets it serves through initiatives such as its Community Grants program, through which it donates $1,000 worth of ride credits to a different local non-profit organization every month. “I just think that really, when it comes to what Lyft stands for in everything … the ideology behind the company, putting the drivers on a pedestal, putting the riders

on a pedestal, really adhering to regulations and the laws … it really resonated,” he explains. “I think that this city is ripe for that.” Woodbridge, who’s also had stints as an entrepreneurin-residence at Invest Ottawa and a senior executive at Terry Matthews’ Wesley Clover investment company, says he threw his hat into the ring as soon as he heard Lyft was looking for someone to lead its operations in the capital. “It was me basically begging to be a part of this because I just wanted to make this work in Ottawa,” he says with a chuckle.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ADGA Group has recently welcomed several new members to its team. Daniel Crossman has joined the firm as vice-president of defence, bringing more than 25 years of executive and management experience at Thales Canada, Pacific Safety Products, MedEng Systems and Impakt Protective, among others. Laurie Parent has been named director of ADGA Group’s proposal development centre. Parent brings more than 20 years of proposal management experience, including recently serving as senior proposals manager at Calian Group. Karen Ellis has been appointed to ADGA Group’s strategic advisory council. She has held many senior public service roles and was most recently an associate deputy minister at Veterans Affairs Canada. Regan Mathurin has been named CEO of Alphabet. She was previously vicepresident of the Ottawa-based creative agency and has more than 15 years of industry experience.

Anatoly Tulchinsky joins SMITH as VP of Analytics & AI. He previously worked at IBM, where he was head of technology for Watson AI and analytics. He holds 16 patents and has served a variety of clients including Toyota, GM, HBO, Universal and Live Nation. Sean Sykes has been named CEO of Peak Sales Recruiting. Prior to joining Peak, Sykes was the managing director, Americas for Avast, the global leader in digital security products for businesses and consumers.

HATS OFF ADGA Group CEO Françoise Gagnon was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network at a Top 100 awards gala. Several Ottawa businesspeople were among the 16 residents inducted into the Order of Ottawa. They include Julian Armour, artistic and executive

LiveWell Canada has appointed a pair of new executives. Gary Sidhu has been named master grower after serving as director of production with a large-scale licensed cannabis-growing operation. Sajjad Ahmad is the firm’s new quality assurance and compliance manager. He has credentials in the fields of molecular biology, plant breeding and genetics and agronomy, as well as experience leading quality assurance at two licensed producers of medical cannabis.

and

director of Music and Beyond, former Ottawa Senators and OSEG executive Bernie Ashe, planning and development consultant Graham Bird, Leikin Group president Barbara Farber, philanthropist Elizabeth Graham – who also helped build the Tony Graham Automotive Group – Greenspon Granger Hill senior partner Lawrence Greenspon and Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards director Inderpreet Singh.

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OBJ.CA

E-mail info@ottawabusinessevents.ca to receive weekly updates on all our events

LAST WORD

Few deals south of border for bargain-hungry grocery shoppers

DECEMBER 2018

OBJ consumer columnist Michael Prentice says food savings just not on the menu in New York state

OBJ.CA

Why the discrepancy between the Walmart price in Kanata and Ogdensburg? I put it down to retail MICHAEL competition. The Ottawa grocery market PRENTICE news@obj.ca is highly competitive, I believe. In little Ogdensburg, far from any big urban centre, there is not so much competition. Even with a new trade deal with the United However, I found dramatic savings States, there will probably be little, if any, in Ogdensburg on the price of milk. A savings for Ottawa-area shoppers who hop container measuring 3.78 litres of two per across the border to buy groceries in the cent milk cost $1.78 in American money United States. at the Ogdensburg Walmart. That’s the That is my conclusion after a recent equivalent of $2.28 in Canadian money. half-day trip to Ogdensburg, N.Y. – scarcely When I checked the Kanata Walmart an hour’s drive from Ottawa – to test price of two per cent milk, it was $4.47 in claims that dairy products and chicken, in the (slightly larger) four-litre size. particular, are far cheaper in the U.S. than Do the math: The Ogdensburg in Canada. Walmart was charging the equivalent of There is some truth in this claim. I about 60 Canadian cents per litre for two bought a container filled with almost four per cent milk. The Kanata Walmart’s price litres of milk for little more than half what was about $1.12 a litre. I would pay in Canada, where dairy prices The Ogdensburg Walmart also are kept artificially high by government offered savings on yogurt and ice cream, regulations on production and pricing. compared with prices at my Walmart in But other dairy products in two Kanata. But in these cases, the price gap Ogdensburg supermarkets cost little, if was much smaller. any, less than you would pay at Loblaws, I found that Dannon yogurt was only Walmart, Farm Boy or Costco in Ottawa. slightly cheaper in Ogdensburg. The price And a pound of unsalted butter at the gap was narrowed by the fact the Kanata Ogdensburg Walmart was far more Walmart had a special offer on this product expensive than at my local Walmart in – three in the 750-gram size for $2 each. Kanata. I often hear that Canadians pay more The Ogdensburg Walmart’s price for than Americans for eggs and chicken. a pound of butter was the equivalent of But do we? The Ogdensburg Walmart was $5.68 in Canadian funds. True, that was for selling 18 large eggs for $1.45 in American a name brand. The Kanata Walmart price funds, which was about $1.86 in for its own brand of unsalted butter was Canadian money. The Kanata Walmart’s $3.97. I find Walmart’s own brands to be price at that time: $2.50, not a significant just as good as name brands. price gap.

What about chicken? Ogdensburg’s Walmart does not sell chicken, so I visited a nearby competitor, Price Chopper. There, I bought a small roast chicken, immediately after it was cooked, for $5.99 in American money. My wife and I had it at home for dinner that night, and it was awful – the most scrawny, fatty chicken I’ve ever eaten. It was no comparison for larger, tastier cooked chicken that my local Costco sells for $7.99 in Canadian money. Also at Price Chopper, I bought slightly less than one litre of light cream for the equivalent of $4.59 in Canadian money – which turned out to be as big a mistake as the roast chicken. I later found I could buy an almost identical quantity of light cream for about half the price at the Kanata Walmart.

DUTY-FREE TRIP I expect consumers to see little or no difference in retail prices on either side of the border, whether or not Canada and the United States ratify their recent trade agreement. My conclusion: The cost of gas and bridge tolls – $3.50 in Canadian money each way across the St. Lawrence River – will probably wipe out any savings on groceries for cross-border shoppers. But leave Canada with a gas tank almost empty and return with a full tank, and you could save $20 – minus the fuel your vehicle consumes on the trip, of course. My advice: Combine grocery shopping in nearby New York state with a visit to any of the area’s three really great tourist attractions – the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay and the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg. All are gems. Michael Prentice is OBJ’s columnist on retail and consumer issues.

Great River Media, 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500, Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7 obj.ca TELEPHONE Phone: 613-238-1818 Sales Fax: 613-248-4564 News Fax: No faxes, email editor@obj.ca PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 terry@greatriver.ca EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca WEB EDITOR Craig Lord, 238-1818 ext. 230 craig@obj.ca HEAD OF CONTENT Peter Kovessy, 238-1818 ext. 251 pkovessy@obj.ca CONTENT CREATOR & CAMPAIGN MANAGER Julie Sobowale, 238-1818 ext. 222 julie@obj.ca NEWS RELEASES Please e-mail to editor@obj.ca. ADVERTISING SALES General Inquiries, 238-1818 ext. 286 sales@obj.ca Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 wbaily@obj.ca Cindy Cutts, 238-1818 ext. 240 cindy@obj.ca Victoria Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 victoria@obj.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@greatriver.ca DESIGN DEPARTMENT Regan Van Dusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 regan@greatriver.ca Celine Paquette, 238-1818 ext. 252 celine@greatriver.ca FINANCE Jackie Whalen, 238-1818 ext. 250 jackie@greatriver.ca PRINTED BY Transcontinental Qualimax 130 Adrien-Robert, Parc Industriel Richelieu Gatineau, QC J8Y 3S2 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome opinions about any material published in the Ottawa Business Journal or issues of interest to local businesspeople. Only letters with the writer’s full name, address and telephone number will be considered for publication. Addresses and phone numbers will not be published, but they might be used to verify authenticity. Letters can be e-mailed to editor@obj.ca.

Ottawa Business Journal is published by

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All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2018. Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement. A guaranteed minimum of 10,000 copies are printed and distributed.

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THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION

HR UPDATE

HARD SOFT SKILLS A INVESTMENT IN

Uncovering communication and conflict resolution talents

OTTAWA BUSINESS JOURNAL

VOLUME 21 • ISSUE 23 • DECEMBER 2018

Welcome

to the fall 2018 issue of HR Update, a joint publication of the Ottawa Business Journal and the HRPA Ottawa Chapter. This publication can also be accessed as a virtual edition at www.obj.ca and www.hrpaottawa.ca. If you have any questions about this publication, please contact us via email at updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca.

For individuals interested in contributing, articles must be submitted via email to updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca by no later than Feb. 25, 2019 to be considered for the next edition.

HRPA OTTAWA welcomed members and non-members alike in September for its fall kickoff cocktail reception. Attendees met and reconnected with fellow HR professionals to kick off another exciting year of programming. Photos by Mark Holleron

SAVE THE DATE JAN 28 Psychological and lifestyle resilience for HR professionals (breakfast) Speaker: Dr. Raj Bhatla

2 HR UPDATE FALL 2018

THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

@OttawaHRPA

FEB 6 Gender from a law case perspective (dinner) Speaker: Melanie Polowin

MARCH 4 The brand called YOU (student and mentoring dinner) Speaker: Julie Blais

MARCH 6 The learning equation: Increase the impact of your development programs (breakfast) Speaker: Chris Taylor

MARCH 27 Capital HR Ideas (dinner)

APRIL 11 Death by conference call: creating more engaging virtual conversations (dinner) Speaker: Jennifer Britton

APRIL 24 Debunking change management (senior executives’ dinner) Speaker: Barry Pokroy

MAY 7 Dare to lead (annual business meeting) Speaker: Richard Rochefort

MAY 30 How to fire up your culture, spark your employees’ passion and ignite your purpose (breakfast) Speaker: Carol Ring

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2018-2019 OTTAWA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR CHERYL BANKS PAST-CHAIR MELISSA BELLOCCHI-HULL TREASURER/SECRETARY ERIN TAILLEFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BRENDA KIRKWOOD MENTORING MACKENZIE SMITH COMMUNICATIONS JACQUELINE BOUDREAU STUDENT LIAISON MAURICE LE MAIRE REGULATORY LIAISON ANTHONY LAWLEY CONTACT US

PHONE: 613-224-6477 E-MAIL: infohr@hrpaottawa.ca WEBSITE: www.hrpa.ca/Ottawa MEMBERSHIP CHANGES 150 Bloor Street West, Suite 200, Toronto, ON, M5S 2X9 PHONE: 416-923-2324 TOLL-FREE: 1-800-387-1311 FAX: 416-923-7264 EMAIL: info@hrpa.ca WEBSITE: www.hrpa.ca/Ottawa Join the HRPA Ottawa Chapter Group on LinkedIn @OttawaHRPA

CHAIR: ANGELA ZIMMER EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: BRIGITTE LALONDE ERENDIRA PEREZ LARISSA VOLINETS SCHIEVEN PUBLICATION SUBMISSIONS: updatemagazine@hrpaottawa.ca SALES WENDY BAILY CINDY CUTTS VICTORIA STEWART PUBLISHED BY

Transforming from an HR professional to an HR leader STEPS TO BUILDING TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

he HRPA Ottawa Chapter theme this year is “Out with the old, in with the new” – a mindset inspired by the many businesses that are taking advantage of “old” industries and transforming them into profitable new experiences. Today’s businesses are taking advantage of new technology, artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and other tools that will make them more nimble, competitive, relevant and profitable. Think about the impact of Uber, SkipTheDishes and Airbnb, to name but just a few firms, on the traditional businesses that used to dominate these industries. Organizations are not just turning

things around, they are transforming the way they do business. Transformation implies a basic change of character and little or no resemblance to the past configuration or structure. As human resources leaders, are we ready to be part of this radical change? HR LEADERS Earlier this year, I attended the HRPA Kingston Conference and participated in a workshop that focused on transforming from an HR professional to an HR leader. HR professionals focus on standards, performance measurement, employee lifecycle and being a jack-of-all-trades. HR

Cheryl Banks is the president of HRPA Ottawa and the manager of FlexResources at PwC.

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION FALL 2018 HR UPDATE 3

HRPA OTTAWA CHAPTER, GENERAL INQUIRIES & ACCOUNTING

leaders are considered big-picture thinkers and valuable members of the executive team. In addition to having in-depth knowledge of their own organization, they also understand what other organizations are dealing with in today’s global market. How do you become an HR leader? One of the first steps is to become a designated professional by first obtaining the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation, and then gaining your experience to qualify and obtain your Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation. Becoming a CHRL is imperative in building trust and confidence in your organization. In addition to obtaining the CHRL designation, individuals need to continuously expand not only their knowledge of human resource management, but other functional groups within their organizations. Continuous professional development studies and obtaining other certifications such as a PMP, Prosci, CBAP and Prince2 are ways that Certified Human Resources Leaders can expand their education and knowledge. The HRPA Ottawa Chapter, working together with the Human Resources Professionals Association and more than 45 local volunteers, have put together a professional development program that will provide our more than 1,400 members with many opportunities to expand their knowledge of all aspects of becoming an effective human resources leader. In addition to professional development activities, the local chapter also promotes human resources management as a career at Algonquin College, Carleton University and the University of Ottawa by supporting student events and activities. Effective leaders often give credit to mentors who have helped them shape their careers. HRPA provides all members with the opportunity to become a mentor or mentee. Utilizing a program called Mentor City, members can now download the app and become a part of the group. I am very excited to be the chair of the HRPA Ottawa Chapter and to be part of the great group of local volunteer HR professionals who are working together to develop human resources leaders for today and tomorrow.

OBJ Holiday issue Nov 26.qxp_Layout 1 2018-11-13 2:49 PM Page 1

4 HR UPDATE FALL 2018

THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

@OttawaHRPA

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Start 2019 off right with a program from Queen’s IRC! At Queen’s IRC, our professional development programs in human resources, labour relations and organizational development are led by industry leaders with real-world expertise, and based on 80 years of experience and best practices that bring results. Take advantage of our 2018 prices and save $750 on 4-5 day programs and $350 on 2-3 day programs when you enrol between Nov. 12 - Dec. 31, 2018. This limited time offer applies to all 2019 2-5 day programs. Now is the time to invest in your career. Find out more today. Call toll free 1-888-858-7838 Email irc@queensu.ca Web irc.queensu.ca READERS’

CHOICE

LABOUR RELATIONS TRAINING

2018

“It is the variety of the work ... that will make employees stay with your organization.” — SOLEY SOUCIE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF HAYS CANADA’S EASTERN DIVISION

Overcoming burnout by switching gears VARIETY OF WORK KEY TO KEEPING TALENTED EMPLOYEES ENGAGED

89%

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION FALL 2018 HR UPDATE 5

workforce was looking for new opportunities. The 2017 iteration saw that number jump to 89 per cent. In other words, most employees are open to any company that can offer them something better – and different – than what they currently have. Soucie says this increased competition means employers need to do more to retain their top talent, and this new approach is a proven way to help that talent feel valued. She the temporary relief of a vacation. has seen the benefits firsthand at Hays and “It shakes their daily routine, and that’s other workplaces, and to employers worried what needs to happen,” says Soucie. about “losing” a prized employee to another role in the company, she has a stark wake-up TALENT RETENTION call: “Imagine if they just quit right now.” For the employee, a chance to learn new skills In other words, it’s worth a try, says Soucie. will help them with career development, give Sure, there are some logistical hurdles – for their brain a fresh challenge and one, she says it’s important to try make them feel supported by the concept on a case-bytheir employer. case basis, and don’t That’s not to say keep it a secret! – but vacations aren’t the risk is worth important, says the reward of Soucie. But they retaining good By Rosa Saba If a company wants to retain people, “it is shouldn’t be talent. of workers surveyed are open to rosa@obj.ca the variety of the work and being able to give used as a bandAt its core, new opportunities. In other words, them that variety that will make them stay with aid solution. this approach is most employees are open to any he age-old adage “take a break” might your organization,” says Soley Soucie, regional “If they’re about making company that can offer them not be the solution to your employees’ director of Hays Canada’s Eastern division. not engaged, sure employees workplace woes after all. Soucie says the traditional way to try the vacation want to stay, something better – and different – Instead of offering a vacation to a burntand keep employees happy is to give them isn’t going to says Soucie. than what they currently have. out, stressed employee, experts say giving a vacation when they seem tired of their keep them,” she No amount of Source: Hays 2017 What them an opportunity to try something new work. But if that feeling stems from the work says. In other vacation time will People Want survey at work might be a better long-term solution. itself, she says taking a week off will, at best, words, when an keep them if it’s the And in an increasingly competitive work postpone the inevitable. employee is feeling job itself that’s wearing economy, that new challenge could be key to Instead of offering a break to employees drained or otherwise them down – especially keeping the talent companies work so hard to feeling burnt out, bored or uninspired, Soucie disconnected from their work, with a competitive labour attract. says a more effective solution is to give the what they need is a change, not a market always promising greener Four years ago, recruitment agency Hays employee a chance to try something new. temporary escape. grass at another company. put out a survey titled What People Want. Whether it’s a new project, an internship-like In an increasingly competitive economy, “It’s not just about getting them. It’s Among its findings were that one of the most week in another role, or a more permanent employees often have many employment keeping them,” says Soucie. “Honestly, you can important factors affecting employee retention change in responsibilities, she says the longoptions, says Soucie. The original What give somebody unlimited vacation, and they’re was not salary, benefits or a short commute. term benefits of switching gears far outweigh People Want survey showed 70 per cent of the still going to leave you.”

HR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING

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6 HR UPDATE FALL 2018

THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

@OttawaHRPA

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3 DAYS

Approved for 23.25 CPD hours by the HRPA

OTTAWA: February 20 - 22, 2019 You will learn techniques to handle difficult conversations with confidence, deal with problem employees and improve productivity. BENEFITS

• • • • • • •

Minimize loss of productivity and low morale caused by conflicts that were allowed to fester Achieve more effective interaction among employees Maintain and repair workplace relationships Deal with problem employees in new and helpful ways Improve the ability of your staff to manage and lead others effectively Inject confidence in your staff by providing them with the ability to have difficult conversations productively Make your customers feel like partners

CUSTOMIZED TRAINING AND ONLINE COURSES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. 1.800.318.9741

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lines of communication close, the business suffers because so much of what we do is collaborative. Look for individuals with experience and success in teaching. A good communicator can impart a work culture that requires the full engagement of the entire organization, keeping the attention of their audience and leaving them feeling good about themselves and open to hearing more. Look for teaching, personal training, coaching or public speaking experience.

KEY QUESTIONS TO HELP REVEAL HIDDEN TALENTS

When it comes to your existing workforce, soft skill development and discovery from within is particularly exciting because of the real experience you have had with your employees that you can use to evaluate soft skills. You’ve seen your employees work alone, “ oft skills” is an understated term work in teams, lead and follow, as well as for a valuable, yet often overlooked, manage time, people, client expectations and business asset. projects. The challenge for you now is to reveal When organizations give recruiters a list of what you don’t already know. qualities they’re seeking in a candidate, it tends Ask your employees the following to be top-heavy with technical skills, academic questions to help uncover their hidden soft achievements and designations. skills: These lists are often missing well-defined soft skills, which have a direct impact on COMMUNICATION workplace morale and employee enthusiasm. Communicating directives requires one to We need to bring our focus back to the be succinct and accurate, but there is more to acquisition and development of soft skills in the equation than precision when it comes to our workforce. effective communication. When hiring, translating inflated adjectives Consider the way in which a person floating on the pages of a resume into real communicates and the feeling that is left after social abilities can be tricky. Use conversations the interaction. Do they value their audience to bring up the subjects listed below to and listen as much as they speak? Do they uncover the character of your potential new offer questions instead of demands, and hire. Help them to reveal their soft skill assets options instead of orders? by prompting them to anecdotally share their The ability to leave people wanting to experiences. communicate with you again is key. When

CONFLICT RESOLUTION Conflicts that arise in the workplace can be professional or personal in nature, so we need our talent to be well-versed in keeping the peace. Business activities such as labour relations, sales negotiations, customer service, stakeholder engagement and anything involving teamwork is required on sensitive subjects such as incident investigations. When hiring, look beyond academic experience in conflict resolution and ask questions to reveal evidence of emotional stability and mindfulness. Personal practices of discipline such as yoga or martial arts assist in the ability to resolve conflict by retaining a calm demeanor. A willingness to avoid conflict or accommodate, rather than dominate a situation, also demonstrates this soft skill. Social behaviours such as eye contact, smiling, as well as a warm and genuine tone of voice, are other indicators when seeking a peace-keeping staff member. Whether seeking new employees or assisting in the discovery and development of in-house talent, ensure you have a list of well thought-out and articulately defined descriptions of the soft skills required to make the role truly shine. The investment is clear: The soft skills you hire and nurture today will become the face of your organization tomorrow. Amanda Gorman is an EHSQ compliance, training and development manager at 3|Sixty Secure Corp.

THE HR ICU

FOUNDER & CEO 613-266-7448 Email: josee@thehricu.com

Insights into the best practices of the World’s Most Admired Companies and Best Companies for Leadership

Employers can tackle their current staffing challenges through effective succession planning. Q: Why is it important? A: People and time are the most expensive expenditure in an organization. Having a process in place to attract & retain will benefit both the employee and the organization. Q: Has the process of succession planning changed over the years? A: Yes absolutely. 15-20 years ago succession planning mainly existed to prepare and replace senior leaders because the purpose was to plan for the future. The major shift is that we need to adapt our thinking. It is no longer about planning for future and instead we need to plan for now. Q: What can organizations do ? A: Adapt to the “New Now”. Create a robust HR succession plan that will add value from the very beginning. Discuss career aspirations as soon as the employee passes probation / honeymoon phase. Incorporate quarterly performance reviews, jobhopping which gives them job security, an equal environment and no longer top down, task variety as they love to multi task, share company info as they want to be “in the know”, lastly, individual achievement oriented recognition as they are competitive. The new generation will be the Executives of today. You can prepare by coaching, mentoring and training them to be the leaders you want in your organization.

WWW.THEHRICU.COM

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION FALL 2018 HR UPDATE 7

Making a firm investment in soft skills

WILLINGNESS TO LEARN Continuous improvement indicates an employee’s commitment to quality output. An employee’s desire to learn new information means they are prepared to develop their abilities and strengthen the value they bring to your organization. It also shows adaptability, which is valuable in a constantly evolving business environment. A history of continued education efforts demonstrates the employee has a foundation for learning upon which your organization can build.

JOSÉE LAROCQUE-PATTON,

@OttawaHRPA

An HR guide to tackling the cybersecurity talent gap

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staff?

8 HR UPDATE FALL 2018

ommunity

STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING YOUR ORGANIZATION’S NEEDS AND IDENTIFYING TOP PROSPECTS Promote health and wellness

ENGAGE

LOOKING FOR A GREAT WAY TO

here was a time when having cybersecurity skills meant a candidate was a technical specialist who understood the intricate details of computer hacking tools and malware attacks. But as information has become more fluid, mobile and accessible, the range of cyber risks has overflowed into broader technical and non-technical environments. This is why Canada’s business managers are starting to put a high value on employees who have a demonstrated level of knowledge when it comes to information protection. In a recent interview with The Hill Times, Katherine Thompson, chair of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance’s cyber council, stated that clients are “pulling their hair out because they can’t find skilled talent,” and that there’s a “zero percentage” jobless rate in Canada’s cybersecurity industry. This means that businesses are going to be looking for ways to recruit and retrain technical employees that can quickly be mobilized to help their organizations combat cyber threats. There are two important factors that make this a huge challenge for businesses: • Every business has a different risk environment, which means that there is not a standard set

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technical skills your organization possesses, as well as those it is seeking, to develop your strategy for recruitment, orientation and career development. Identifying high-quality sources of cybersecurity talent, recognizing relevant security and risk management certifications, as well as utilizing trusted training organizations for cybersecurity skills will also increase the value of your HR team when it comes to addressing the cybersecurity talent gap within your organization. In the process of exploring your team’s cybersecurity risk environment, you will also be likely to develop a closer relationship with the technical teams, and be more responsive in handling urgent staffing requests. KEY QUESTIONS Here are a few questions that may be helpful in understanding your organization’s readiness for staffing cybersecurity roles in your organization. Depending on the size of the organization, some of these may not be feasible. However, having affirmative answers to these questions will reduce risks and unexpected costs due to lack of cybersecurity skills within the organization in the future. 1. Has the IT or security organization within the business performed a recent risk assessment that

identifies sensitive information assets, significant threats to those assets and likely vulnerabilities that could expose those assets? Which security industry certifications (i.e. standards such as 27001 or Cyber Essentials) are relevant to the qualifications for various key security roles within the organization?

For each security-related role in the organization, is there a logical career path where technical and non-technical candidates currently in other roles within the company can be recruited or groomed for the future to fill those current and anticipated roles?

For additional questions around HR recruiting for these skills, here are a few that could be put in job ads:

If she works for you …we should too!

www.LawyersForEmployers.com

Do you enjoy investigating the root cause of incidents or problems?

Do you think you have a generous amount of paranoia when dealing with the internet or electronic devices or information systems?

And here are a few that a recruiter could ask candidates in interviews: 1.

How do you feel about the strength of your smartphone password? (If they say they have a strong password, they at least know that this is important. If they say that it has numbers, letters and special characters, they know that these are elements of a strong password.)

What would you say is the worst thing that could happen to our business if an employee clicked on a hyperlink in an unexpected email message from a stranger? Somebody with substantial security knowledge should know that this action could cause a virus or ransomware infection on their computer, and even put corporate systems at risk of sabotage or fraud. They might even recognize that they could be taken to a fake website and tricked into disclosing passwords or other sensitive information to an attacker. Scott Wright is the CEO Click Armor.

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION FALL 2018 HR UPDATE 9

of cybersecurity skills that can be identified to screen a pool of applicants; and • There are so many businesses looking for cybersecurity skills among a small pool of candidates that each organization must start looking to develop the skills needed from within their own teams. Fortunately, there’s an important first step that can help in efficiently addressing both of these factors within any given organization. Before deciding to recruit or retrain existing staff to address the cybersecurity talent gap, each business should study and define its own risk environment. This is something management and IT teams should be able to define and communicate in fairly nontechnical terms. It may turn out that the organization does have some skills in certain preventative security technologies, but lacks depth in detecting and responding to security incidents from emerging threats. Or maybe the organization has a good internal security infrastructure, but is not ready to handle the cybersecurity risks associated with new business imperatives such as cloud computing or supply chain management. With this in mind, it can be very helpful for your HR team to understand the

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Carleton University’s READ Initiative opens untapped talent pool for Ottawa employers

10 HR UPDATE FALL 2018

THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

@OttawaHRPA

Graduates with disabilities have lower turnover

here can employers find young, skilled and motivated job candidates who stay with an employer long-term, have a low absentee rate and are great problem solvers? Students and graduates with disabilities are loyal and hard-working employees, but employers have traditionally had difficulty gaining access to this talented group. The Research, Education, Accessibility and Design (READ) Initiative at Carleton University hopes to change that. Through READ’s leadership, the new David C. Onley Initiative for Employment and Enterprise Development will focus on helping students and graduates gain valuable work experience, connecting employers with job candidates and identify a model for Ontario colleges and universities to improve career services for students with disabilities. “The goal of the initiative is to identify what we can do better for employers and for students,” says Boris Vukovic, the director of the READ Initiative. “We’re going to test out services and work out a model that can be used in postsecondary institutions across the province.”

Bridging the gap

The Onley Initiative is a partnership between Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, Algonquin College and La Cité with Carleton University taking the lead. Part of the mandate is to increase resources for students and employers. As a result, through funding from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, each of the local post-secondary schools will hire a career services counsellor focused on students with disabilities and an additional staff member in the accessibility office.

The increased staff is in response to the growing population of people with disabilities and higherthan-average unemployment rates. According to a 2012 Statistics Canada survey, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 16 per cent, compared to 7.6 per cent of people without disabilities. Additionally, more students are selfidentifying as having a mental illness. The major problem is bridging the gap between employers and employees. The Onley Initiative, led by READ, will conduct research to find the best practices to connect employers with graduates. People with disabilities tend to have higher retention rates than people without disabilities. Ninety per cent of people with disabilities who are working rate higher or better in job performance compared to people without disabilities. “When you hire people with disabilities you get a higher return on investment,” says Katie Nicholson, a recent graduate from Carleton University who also has a disability. “We’re facing a worker shortage

Find your next employee with the David C. Onley Initiative. The initiative supports employers in their recruitment efforts along with providing training and resources for HR professionals. For more information, visit http://onleyinitiative.ca/.

“People with disabilities are great problem solvers because they’ve had to solve problems all their lives.” – Dean Mellway, special advisor for the READ Initiative

within the next few years and hiring people with disabilities is a great solution.” One major myth about hiring graduates with disabilities is fear of accommodation. According to Dean Mellway, special advisor for the READ Initiative, people with disabilities have lower workers’ compensation claims because they understand their physical limitations and take fewer risks. “People with disabilities are great problem solvers because they’ve had to solve problems all their lives,” says Mellway. “The need for accommodation is lower than in an academic setting because the workplace is more flexible. We want to help HR professionals and bring more clarity about the issues.” Part of the Onley Initiative is to dispel such myths. Next year the program will launch a training and education program for HR professionals, including accommodating workers with a mental illness and how to recruit and train workers with disabilities.

ERIC ST-JEAN, CLEAHRSTRAT CONSULTING INC.

HR Technology Consultant

Spreadsheet Tips for HR

office stand out will make staff members feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. Plan team-building events such as escape room games, rock climbing or a cooking class where teams can rely on each other to reach success and have fun doing design firm in Berlin called Studio 7.5 has a it – we do! rule that all its employees must have a meal Lunch-and-learns are another great together every single work day. The meal is way to have fun and advance knowledge of shared on a communal table. This is proven to employees in areas they may not otherwise bond even the greatest of strangers who will have access to. This shows employees you’re always open up and relax over a meal or drink. invested in their success, which can pay dividends in terms of employee loyalty. 2. DECORATE YOUR OFFICE SPACE Whether you are a startup entrepreneur or 4. PRIORITIZE FUN a big technology firm, find ways to decorate With tight deadlines and tasks competing your office space to promote a positive, for attention, it’s not always easy to prioritize collaborative corporate culture. Use colours fun. Get events on the schedule and build that represent your brand and design excitement with emails and at staff meetings. meeting rooms that support creative ideas Have veteran staff speak up about how much and brainstorming. Whiteboard walls, digital fun everyone will have at office events. Invest media and comfortable lounge chairs will in an air hockey table, lounge space or a weekly facilitate people coming together to share and game lunch. Getting everyone to relax and create. enjoy a little downtime during the day will be If there is a holiday or event, get your team team builders in themselves. together and make decorating an activity. Take So get out, have fun and make memories photos and share them on social media so together. It will be the glue that bonds you that your team can celebrate the experiences together during challenging times and makes they are making together outside of the daily you more likely to become successful as a grind. company and a team.

FOUR TIPS FOR A FUN AND PRODUCTIVE CORPORATE CULTURE

t’s about 1 p.m. on a Friday as I step back into the office to the sound of foosball. Laughter is coming from the lunch room. Instructions to the latest board game are being explained and friendly competitions are reignited. In the quest for success, as in life, it is important to stop and enjoy the moments along the way. We spend a lot of our lives at work. When we bring play into our day, it can energize and encourage us to give more of ourselves to tasks. A study by Bright Horizons revealed that 89 per cent of employees with high levels of well-being reported high job satisfaction. Nearly two-thirds of those employees identified consistently putting in extra effort at work. This isn’t surprising. What is surprising is that more leaders are not capitalizing on the economic value of fun. Here are a few ways on how you can bring more fun (and productivity) into the office: 1. HAVE LUNCH TOGETHER Nothing bonds people like sharing a meal, no matter the circumstances. A 20-year-old

3. HOLD STAFF EVENTS Having a unique culture that makes your

Mike de Waal is president and founder of Ottawa-based Global IQX.

Q: What features would you recommend to HR professionals? A: At the top of my list is the VLookup function. This function makes it easy to merge data from multiple files into one sheet. Pivot Tables make summarizing and charting data quick and easy and can also be refreshed as new data is added. They can also help when validating data (ie. looking for blanks and typos). The functions containing “If” allow you to use logic in your formulas. For example, sumif can be used to calculate a total based on a condition, such as the sum of salaries for Ottawa, excluding other locations. The freeze panes feature allows you to lock rows and columns so they are always visible when you scroll down or to the right. Q: What are macros and when should you use them? A: Macros allow you to automate manual tasks and can be created in Google Sheets or Excel. Macros perform tasks much faster than a person, and since macros rely on an easy to use programming language, you can include conditions and advanced functionality. Typically, macros are used for tasks that must be performed on a regular basis, such as formatting a weekly report. Once created, the macro can be run to do the formatting for you.

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@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION FALL 2018 HR UPDATE 11

How to improve workplace productivity with fun

Q: Is it better to use Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets? A: Both spreadsheet applications provide similar functionality, however each have their own advantages. Google Sheets make it easy to share a file and allow multiple people to update it simultaneously. The look and feel of Excel is often more familiar for people who use Word and Outlook, and the functionality to write and debug macros is much better.

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THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

@OttawaHRPA

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Helping employees return to work after a mental health disability TIPS FOR ESTABLISHING A SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE

he rising number of mental healthrelated disability claims, coupled with the unique challenges of returning to work following a mental health leave, is creating new challenges for employers. The modern workplace can be a stressful environment due to mounting workloads, deadlines and competing demands layered on top of personal issues such as family and financial concerns, to name but a few. All this pressure can create an emotional strain on employees that manifests in absenteeism, reduced work performance and diminished motivation. Not all of these sources of stress are within the control of employers. However, managers can approach workplace mental health in several ways:

However, they may not be functionally ready for the demands of their job. This may be due to a lack of routine, reduced cognitive abilities (such as concentration, memory, multitasking) and mental fatigue or limited work stamina. It is essential that individuals are at a level of occupational functioning that sets them up for success when they return to work. There needs to be a fit between job demands, work environment and work capabilities. A person needs to be cognitively and emotionally ready.

STAYING AT WORK Workplace supports and job accommodations optimize work performance. Healthy lifestyle habits such as good nutrition, hydration and physical activity foster cognitive functioning and promote resiliency skills. Learning effective communication strategies enhance PREVENTION interpersonal relationships, while pacing Education is the hallmark of prevention. techniques improve work stamina. This includes education on work-life balance, A manager needs to distinguish between a strategies to manage stress as well as work performance issue and a mental health education on signs that an employee may be issue and to keep lines of communication struggling with mental health. open to address these concerns. Employers These include: are not expected to diagnose a problem, nor • Reduced work performance from an are they expected to be therapists to their employee who typically performs well; employees. • Frequent and ongoing work absences Employers need to establish work cultures by an employee who’s previously been that foster good mental health. This can be consistently present; and accomplished by recognizing the value of • Behaviour or personality changes, their employees and setting the tone for such as angry outbursts or withdrawal. appreciating employees as assets. The culture emanates from the top and trickles down. RETURNING TO WORK A healthy workplace is critical for everyone’s Returning to work after a mental health health and an organization’s bottom line. disability is challenging. Employees may be medically cleared to return to work because, Adeena Wisenthal is a registered occupational for example, their depression has improved. therapist and owner of ERGO-Wise.

Combatting ‘presenteeism’

Develop better leaders. We offer facilitated workshops for leaders and teams in both English and French on a wide range of topics and can customize any length of session to meet your requirements. Don’t have enough people or the budget to run an internal workshop? Send individual employees to our public workshops – we offer a different leadership topic each month. Want to lead your own sessions but need help with content? We have an innovative leader-led solution - no external facilitator required.

Mélissa Guimond is a human resources business partner at the International Development Research Centre

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Energy Ottawa lauded for Chaudière Falls transformation Hydro Ottawa subsidiary wins Ontario Waterpower Association 2018 Stewardship Award When Energy Ottawa set out to expand the capacity of its generating station at Chaudière Falls, officials knew the project had to be about more than just producing additional power. “We wanted to give back to the community and make the falls accessible to all,” says Greg Clarke, Energy Ottawa’s Chief Electricity Generation Officer. “We put a lot of time and thought into this project and we hope it can be a legacy for generations to enjoy.” Those efforts are now being recognized by the Ontario Waterpower Association, which recently honoured Energy Ottawa’s environmental sustainability efforts and corporate citizenship with its 2018 Stewardship Award. The expansion project provided opportunities for Energy Ottawa to collaborate with key stakeholders. The goals for the Chaudière Falls Generating Station including the protection of local wildlife while producing sustainable energy, facilitating publicly accessible space and creating a place of recognition and celebration of Canada’s First Nations and Ottawa’s industrialist past.

The facility helps to preserve the American eel and improve fish survival rates through bypass channels, temporary screens over water intake pipes and a reduced velocity of water flow. As a result of Energy Ottawa’s work, the survival rate of the American eels – which are an endangered species – increased to 99 percent. The organization also partnered with the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) and the Ottawa Riverkeeper to implant large eels with tags to track their movement and to help future projects. “We’re the first hydro plant in Canada to take these measures,” says Clarke. “We have an overall commitment to taking care of wildlife. We’re leading the pack.” Chaudière Falls is open to the public for the first time in more than 100 years. The public can walk across the top of the powerhouse or on the new pedestrian bridge above the intake for beautiful views of the river and Parliament Hill. This park pays tribute to the traditional importance of the site by First Nations peoples and Ottawa’s industrial history by incorporating

a blend of design elements of each, including traditional First Nations plantings, a gathering circle and benches composed of old logs from the dam. The design of the park was based on extensive consultation with the Algonquins of Ontario. Wayfinding points and interpretive panels are in place to educate visitors to the park on First Nations history, hydroelectric technology and environmental topics such as the American eel. Members of the public can download the Chaudière Falls app using the free WiFi access in the park and embark on selfguided tours.

@OttawaHRPA • THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION FALL 2018 HR UPDATE 13

Many of us are familiar with the concept of absenteeism at work. However, few people are aware of the phenomenon of “presenteeism” – the presence of an employee who is physically present at work, but not fully productive due to physical or psychological illness. An example that we’ve all likely faced is

when a colleague decides to comes to work while fighting a cold or flu. Presenteeism can be relatively expensive for an employer – sometimes even more expensive than a normal absence. An employee who reports to work while ill is not completely fit to perform their normal tasks and, in some cases, may contaminate other colleagues. Despite being motivated by noble intentions such as supporting their team, an employee who comes to work while ill risks aggravating their own situation as well as driving up costs to their employer. Organizations need to change their organizational culture to allow illness absences without fear of retaliation. Managers must listen to employees, and employees must make an informed decision to stay home when they feel distressed by physical or psychological illness.

@OttawaHRPA THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION OTTAWA CHAPTER PUBLICATION •

14 HR UPDATE FALL 2018

HRPA membership and CHRP, CHRL and CHRE designations tells everyone that you are committed to the highest standards of professional HR practice — just as the HRPA is. Be part of an association that champions competent and ethical HR practice. Choose professional excellence with the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP), Leader (CHRL) and Executive (CHRE) designations. HRPA offers designations for every stage of your career. Learn more at hrpa.ca

Q: How many years of experience do I need to become a mentor? A: No minimum experience is needed! Every relationship is unique and has different needs. Q: Who can participate? A: Members of HRPA’s Algoma, North Bay, Northwestern Ontario, Northumberland, Ottawa, Timmins and Sudbury chapters in good standing.

FRESH PERSPECTIVES Although good mentors help mentees navigate a course, they are not intended to tell them what the destination should be. “The role of the mentor is to make you reflect, not to give you advice or answers,” Marten Mickos, the CEO of cybersecurity firm HackerOne, wrote in Forbes. “Helping you ask the right questions – that’s real mentorship.” Having someone watching out for you, omeone may have suggested that you keeping an eye on your path and destination, give mentoring a try. Or perhaps you’ve makes a world of difference when you read about the value that mentorship encounter the inevitable challenges that come brings. But what exactly is mentoring? with constantly pushing yourself to become My favourite – and in my view, the better. most accurate – description of a mentoring When faced with such hurdles, it’s easy to relationship is outlined by Anthony Tjan, the get caught up in the details while focusing on CEO and founder of venture capital firm Cue trying to survive in the moment. We forget the Ball. Writing in the Harvest Business Review, big picture. We forget why we spent hours and he said the best mentors “shout loudly with hours perfecting our skills or why we are so (their) optimism and keep quiet with (their) passionate about our work in the first place. cynicism.” A good mentor can help one avoid I love this description because it isn’t hard becoming discouraged, reminding us of our to find critics in our hyperconnected world. potential and giving us a nudge to help us On the flip side, it shouldn’t be hard to find move forward. supporters, either – which is one reason why Looking for one more reason to become a you should become a mentor. mentor? Consider what you will gain from the Don’t think about it as filling a gap; instead, experience. understand that you have the chance to be Through their work with others, mentors someone’s biggest supporter. You have the gain a fresh perspective on common opportunity to show them what they are challenges and issues. Seeing the bigger capable of when they might not realize it picture and gaining the confidence needed themselves. As U.S. author John C. Maxwell put to tackle your next career move or other it so eloquently, “One of the greatest values of professional challenge are just some of the mentors is the ability to see ahead what others outcomes for mentors. cannot see and to help them navigate a course So ask yourself: Do you really want to pass to their destination.” up this opportunity?

HRPA OTTAWA SHINES LIGHT ON OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN FRESH PERSPECTIVES

Q: Can I get CPD hours for being a mentor? A: Yes! One hour of CPD for every hour of mentoring. There is no limit to the number of hours that can count towards recertification. Q: How much time do I need to commit? A: Generally, at least one hour per month, but this varies by relationship. Q: Do meetings have to have a specific format? A: No! They can be via Skype, phone or in person. Q: What is MentorCity? A: It’s our new application that has the same user interface as the website so it’s an easy way to get involved in mentoring! Q: How do I log in to the MentorCity App? A: Email ottawamentoring@ hrpa.ca for your login information. Q: How do I get started? A: Once you have your login info, set up your profile. Once completed, the system will match you with potential mentees.

Jacqueline Boudreau is the communications chairperson of HRPA Ottawa.

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What exactly is a mentor?

Q: Is there a cost associated with using the HRPA’s mentorship program? A: The cost of the program is built into the yearly membership. There are no additional fees to join for active HRPA members.

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