Ottawa Business Journal Spring 2022

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2022

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342% Sampford Advisors

flat out

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HR UPDATE

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INSIDE: CELEBRATING OTTAWA’S ELEVATED OFFICE SPACES SPRING 2022 Vol. 23, NO. 09

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Succeeding at succession: How clear is your picture?

SPRING 2022

Dear family business owner(s): “Can you paint a clear picture of the employment, management and ownership opportunities in your business for the next 50 years?”

Most family businesses are plagued with unknowns. The current and future owners (successors) have unanswered questions that can challenge their day-to-day work. For example, will I ever get to be a manager or owner in the family business and, if so, when?

How will my ownership be funded? Will I have to share ownership with my non-active siblings? These questions need to be answered to paint a clear picture and minimize conflict.

Conflict in the family due to the business is usually because of differing expectations. When certain topics are avoided, the likelihood of varying expectations or opinions increases—as does the likelihood of conflict. Owners have an obligation to address these tough questions before it’s too late.

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Establish a set of family rules If you create a set of Family Business Rules that stipulate the qualifications to be an employee along with the criteria to be management and ownership, the next generation will know what is expected of them. For instance, many families stipulate that only

“If you create a set of Family Business Rules that stipulate the qualifications to be an employee along with the criteria to be management and ownership, the next generation will know what is expected of them.” direct descendants of the founders can own shares of the company. This establishes a clear pool of potential owners while dealing with the sensitive issue of spouses, in-laws and employees becoming owners.

Furthermore, some families insist that any family member

aspiring to be management must have a certain number of years of external work experience as well as a certain level of education. This ensures that family members that make it to management are competent.

Additionally, for family

members who have made it into management and aspire to ownership, the Family Business Rules often require they have at least 10 years of full-time experience in the company, with five years in management. This ensures that those entering the ranks of ownership have earned it. It also means that only those that work in the business will be owners.

Another rule family businesses often implement is the purchase of the business at fair market value by the next generation successor(s). This is an important consideration when there is more than one sibling and not all siblings are active in the business. It ensures that no sibling(s) has been privileged, safeguarding family harmony.

The rules will differ from family to family but their purpose is to minimize conflict by outlining what is expected and required. The rules should be communicated to the broader family (active and nonactive in the business) so there is a common understanding among all.

By establishing and applying a set of Family Business Rules, owners can paint a clear picture for generations to come with respect to employment, management and ownership opportunities, increasing the likelihood of long-term success.

Talk to your family business advisor about developing your Family Business Rules today so you can set your family up for years of success.

To learn more, contact Danielle Walsh, CPA, CA, at 613-558-6859 or danielle.walsh@mnp.ca

Great River Media PO Box 91585, Ottawa, ON K1W 1KO obj.ca TELEPHONE Phone: 613-696-9494 News Fax: No faxes, email editor@obj.ca PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 613-696-9491 publisher@obj.ca PUBLISHER EASTERN ONTARIO BUSINESS JOURNAL Terry Tyo, 613-696-9581 terry@greatriver.ca EDITOR IN CHIEF Anne Howland, 613-696-9480 anne@obj.ca SENIOR WRITER David Sali, 613-696-9481 david@obj.ca WEB COORDINATOR/REPORTER Sarah MacFarlane, 613-696-9492 sarah@obj.ca CONTENT CREATOR & CAMPAIGN MANAGER Lisa Thibodeau, 613-696-9482 lisa@obj.ca NEWS RELEASES Please e-mail to editor@obj.ca.

ADVERTISING SALES General inquiries, 613-696-9494 sales@obj.ca Wendy Baily, 613-696-9483 wbaily@obj.ca Eric Dupuis, 613-696-9485 eric@obj.ca Victoria Stewart, 613-696-9484 victoria@obj.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 613-696-9487 creative@greatriver.ca DESIGN DEPARTMENT Celine Paquette, 613-696-9486 celine@greatriver.ca Deborah Ekuma, 613-696-9493 deborah@greatriver.ca FINANCE Cheryl Schunk, 613-696-9490 cheryl@greatriver.ca PRINTED BY Transcontinental Transmag 10807 Rue Mirabeau, Anjou, QC H1J 1T7

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CONTENTS 6 14

INSIDE

BEST OFFICES OTTAWA

Inspiring office spaces

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2022

34 HR Update: The new world of work 49 Techopia: Deals galore 58 OBJ.social: Back in person!

61 The List: Largest accounting firms 62 People on the Move

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.

04 Prospectus and Editor’s note 05 Datebook 06 Profile: Andrew Reeves 09 Mark Sutcliffe 10 Great Resignation?

11 Ageism and HR 12 Family succession Q&A 14 Profile: Yann Darevic

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PRESIDENT Michael Curran

Spencerville’s Doug Cleary installed a digester almost 10 years ago at a cost of $2 million. The digester earns its keep by treating manure and other bio-degradable inputs. PHOTOS BY TOM VAN DUSEN

Spreading the news about barn scrapings

Technology and manure meet to make fertilizer

BY TOM VAN DUSEN news@obj.ca

T

here’s gold in them there farm fields and barnyards! Different shades of brown gold! Pungent gold!

We’re talking livestock manure, often seen – and smelled – by non-farmers as an odiferous nuisance they wish could somehow be removed from the countryside with no muss, no fuss.

But for farmers, the product that comes out the other end of the cow, hog,

or chicken is a valuable fertilizer to be processed and distributed on grain fields, according to several provincial advisories.

At a much lower cost than chemical fertilizers, which have experienced a price bump lately, treated scrapings from the barn can supply valuable nutrients and organic matter necessary in crop production.

The nutrients reduce production costs while leading to better soil structure and higher yields, all of which is well known in agricultural circles. Now Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO) has launched a new survey

to further investigate manure management and how to make it more efficient through modern technology and revamped practices.

“We’ll explore how to ally the latest science to improve storage, handling, processing and application systems … and anything else that comes up,” said FFCO program consultant Bruce Kelly, adding that existing strengths, weaknesses and opportunities will be examined.

“What equipment is working well? How have livestock farmers already improved the environment and their bottom lines?

What are the weak links? What crazy piece of technology or process would improve the situation?”

Kelly emphasized it isn’t a policy exercise but an opportunity for funding partner the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to enter into a productive discussion with the industry and perhaps come up with some “cutting edge

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A guaranteed minimum of 10,000 copies are printed and distributed.

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Eastern Ontario is springing back to life post-pandemic and becoming a hub for innovations of all types.

SPRING 2022

All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2022. 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.

SPRING 2022

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe

ideas” for improving manure management.

Everything is on the table, including storage design, odour control, mixing, hauling, processing, bio-digesting, dewatering, composting, application, recordkeeping, testing and evaluating.

The Ontario Professional Agricultural Contractors Association is also partnered in the project. During information sessions, Christine Brown, an OMAFRA field crop sustainability specialist, has been highlighting how to use special software to do nutrient calculations.

It’s all old hat to experienced hands such as Spencerville’s Doug Cleary, who has 420 Holsteins, including 180 he’s milking, and 1,300 acres of cropland upon which he spreads treated manure from his digester, which was installed close to a decade ago at a cost of $2 million.

The digester treats manure and other bio-degradable inputs, for which Cleary is paid a drop-off fee, removing contaminants while preserving nutrients and creating heat and methane gas that can be siphoned off for other uses.

While odours are greatly reduced in the process, sometimes Cleary receives a complaint. An inquiry from the Ministry of Environment was resolved when the smell dissipated.

At Clearydale Farms, digester methane is converted into electricity to power up the entire operation with enough to spare to sell 500 kw/hr a day to the grid, supplying 400 homes. Last year, that spinoff business earned $570,000 from Hydro One. Meanwhile, the heat generated dried 1,500 tons of corn last year and Cleary has entered into an arrangement with a local sawmill to erect two kilns on the farm for drying green boards with excess heat.

All this while the digester purifies manure to the point it can be used for bedding in the barn before being spread in the fields, the ultimate in recycling. It also has an off-farm value, with Cleary selling $20,000 worth of the treated brown stuff to neighbours in 2021.

The bottom line, the Grenville County farmer said, is that commercial fertilizers would have cost him $200,000 last year, more than twice the cost of processing and spreading manure. However, he did give the fertilizer business $30,000 in 2021 to top up nitrogen as required.

SPRING 2022

PROSPECTUS

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Fastest Growing Companies tell the ‘rest of the story’

The pandemic has helped us kick many outdated HR practices to the curb

I’m a sucker for anything historical, particularly when it’s wrapped in a good narrative. For that reason, years ago, I got hooked on a radio series called “The Rest of the Story.”

For nearly 60 years, host Paul Harvey recounted historical stories, many of them common knowledge to his listeners. The show’s big twist came when Harvey introduced littleknown facts that completely altered your perspective on the stories.

I wonder if Paul Harvey’s approach could be used to reframe the pandemic, years from now.

The prevailing narrative, especially when it comes to the pandemic’s impact on business, will go something like this: the pandemic caused massive job loss and business failures. People will look back at the pandemic as a time of economic ruin.

OBJ’s 2022 Fastest Growing Companies – profiles start on page 17 – have a very different story to tell.

The profiles provide evidence aplenty that the pandemic was also the biggest business catalyst of this generation. Half of these companies experienced four-digit revenue growth during the pandemic and all would easily agree their businesses are far stronger today compared to three years ago.

Three themes emerge from the Fastest Growing Companies profiles.

The first seismic shift involves human resources. The rapid adoption of work-from-home, enabled by cloud computing and video conferencing, has changed the workplace forever. And that newfound flexibility is causing

It seems a paradox that the pandemic and all its restrictions and limitations has, in fact, created greater flexibility for so many of us in our professional and personal lives.

As Seema Aurora of TAG HR points out, before we were all sent home from the office in early 2020, many of us were working in ways that hadn’t changed much since the 1960s. After two years of remote work, it seems almost crazy to think back on it: waking up with the alarm clock, throwing on uncomfortable clothing, stuffing breakfast in your mouth while kicking the kids onto the school bus and the dog out into the back yard. And then jumping into your car or onto public transit to make the frenzied commute into the office. Fast forward to evening and reverse the process. Yikes! Like something out of the Flintstones.

Of course, remote work has not been without its challenges, for some more than others. Still, it has certainly shone the spotlight on the value of our own personal time and how we want to make it distinct from and yet complementary to our lives as busy professionals. To do that, we need to discard the corporate models of 60 years ago and enter a new reality.

For employers looking to retain staff who may have more wanderlust in their eyes, offering flexibility and work-life balance has become a necessity. And not just as a general company policy, but right down to each and every employee and that person’s specific situation. Not an easy task. But for companies struggling in a labour shortage, it’s a concrete way to demonstrate that

companies in Ottawa (and around the globe) to rethink what culture means and how it’s nurtured.

The second shift involves digital marketing and commerce. Take Ottawa Valley Meats, for example.

Farm-to-plate isn’t innovative enough for this butcher. They’re using e-commerce to differentiate from old-school competitors.

When a butcher says it’s inspired by Amazon, you know e-commerce has taken a giant step forward.

The final shift involves sustainability. The best example is GoFor, a company that is working to make last-mile deliveries faster and most efficient. That’s a tough goal, but GoFor is upping the challenge by adding sustainability to the mix. It’s using carbon offsets, electric vehicles and smart packaging to make the last mile “carbon negative.” Some suggest sustainability has taken root in the pandemic as people realize that, if there can be a public health crisis, there can be a climate crisis.

Three shifts that accelerated because of the pandemic. The unprecedented disruption caused equally disruptive innovation.

Just ask the Fastest Growing Companies. They know the rest of the story.

Michael Curran Publisher

valued employees really are just that, valued.

Another corporate HR model that needs to hit the dustbin relates to how we think about retirement. How ridiculous is it to send some of our most experienced, savvy employees out the door just because they have reached a certain age? Particularly when those people are healthy and energetic with a desire to continue adding value. As Helen Hirsh Spence, founder and CEO of Top Sixty Over 60, tells us, retirement is a notion of the past. Again, it comes back to flexibility. Employers looking for experienced staff in a tight labour market would do well to consider how to keep their older employees engaged and contributing. It should form part of any diversity and inclusion effort. Especially when you consider that 82 per cent of individuals between the ages of 50 and 80 experience ageism on a daily basis, according to a National Poll on Healthy Aging published in the U.S. in 2020.

The pandemic has taught harsh lessons. At the same time, when it comes to the world of work, it has helped us break free of many models and notions that are better off left in the past.

Anne Howland Editor in Chief

JUNE 4

BULLY FREE GALA

MAY 3

CITY BUILDING SUMMIT

APRIL 14

MAYOR’S BREAKFAST As NATO countries face increased volatility because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Mayor’s Breakfast will feature Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff. Gen. Wayne Eyre grew up on a farm near Wadena, Saskatchewan, and spent his high school years in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He joined Army Cadets at age 12 and has been in uniform ever since. After his schooling at RMC, he joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. He has served overseas in Korea, Cyprus, Bosnia and Afghanistan. Eyre has also participated in several domestic missions, including the 1997 Manitoba floods, B.C. wildfires in 1998 and 2016 evacuation of Fort McMurray. The April Mayor’s Breakfast will be an in-person event that takes place at Ottawa City Hall. More information at www.ottawabot.ca.

OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade are finalizing details around the third City Building Summit. This event brings business, community and political leaders together with planners, developers and economic development officials to peer into the future of Ottawa.

Mary Rowe, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute, is confirmed to speak about “downtown revitalization, urbanism and young leaders.” Attendees will also get an update on major projects such as the new Civic campus of the Ottawa Hospital, LeBreton Flats and light rail transit. The location and more details will be announced in coming weeks.

JUNE 17

FORTY UNDER 40

MAY 19

EVENING IN THE MARITIMES

Immerse yourself in an east coast experience at ABLE2’s authentic east coast kitchen party. The funfilled night includes fresh lobster, lively east coast music and dancing, and a chance to take home amazing gifts POST-BUDGET BREAKFAST and prizes. The event There is a decades-old tradition in Ottawa’s business community raises money for people of gathering leaders the morning after the release of the federal living with disabilities. budget. The event is a certainty, but its date is unknown until the For information, visit budget is announced. Check www.ottawabot.ca for updates. www.able2.org.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS!

Nominations have closed, deliberations will soon begin, and then comes the big announcement in late April. It’s all building up to a lavish celebration of young entrepreneurs in mid-June. This year marks a big milestone for the most sought-after award for young business leaders. It’s the 25th celebration. Visit www.ottawabot.ca for event information.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH

SAVE THE DATE

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2022 GALA FRIDAY JUNE 17TH

SPRING 2022

.CA SPONSORED BY

In this increasingly digital society, online bullying remains a big problem, especially for young people. Proud To Be Me is a local non-profit that started working on this issue in 2011. It says “youth with high self-esteem are less likely to be victimized, less likely to grow up to victimize others and more likely to have a positive impact within their communities.” The non-profit is bringing back its gala in June. The gala will take place at Brookstreet Hotel. Visit www.ptbm.ca for information.

PROFILE

Post-pandemic world an opportunity to redefine everything, local architect argues Shopify’s office creator envisions big changes for the city’s downtown core

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS news@obj.ca

SPRING 2022

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ttawa-based architect Andrew Reeves remembers a night about eight years ago when he was attending an industry awards dinner at the Shaw Centre. His attention had been focused not so much on the prize that he’d won for best bathroom design, but on a building off in the distance.

That building, still under construction at the time, was the landmark office tower Performance Court. It was also the future headquarters for Shopify. Reeves and his firm, Linebox Studio, had been hired to shape what would eventually become 170,000 square feet of office space spanning 10 floors for the fast-growing e-commerce company.

Reeves was holding his trophy but looking across the street at the big job that lay ahead. “I was freaking out, going ‘This is everything. This is my career. If we don’t deliver this thing…’”

Not only did Linebox get the job done on time but the end results were met with awe and excitement at the official opening of the new headquarters at 150 Elgin St. in October 2014. There was more Shopify work to come for Linebox — until the pandemic hit in 2020. That’s when the multinational company announced that the vast majority of its employees would operate remotely on a permanent basis.

“Right away, I was, like, ‘It’s over, it’s done’,” Reeves recalls of the contracts his

firm had with Shopify to design new office spaces in a handful of other Canadian cities. Reeves was disappointed but he understood and even agreed with CEO Tobi Lütke’s decision, recognizing that Shopify, a publicly traded company, was growing faster than it could build places to work for its thousands of employees. It also wanted to embrace the potential of the digital world and remote working concepts.

On one hand, Linebox lost 60 per cent of its business as a result of the announcement. On the other hand, Reeves saw an opportunity for the firm to further diversify and to reinvigorate itself with new challenges, while embracing its roots as a forward-thinking architecture and design studio. Linebox also has offices in Toronto and Montreal.

“We are better than we were before because we were forced to get outside our comfort zones,” says Reeves, who works with the commercial, residential, office, mixed-used, multi-unit and hospitality sectors. Clients include Ottawa-based CLV Group, Vancouver-based software company Hootsuite, and UK-based private health-care provider Harley Street Clinic, to name a few.

‘BAND OF BROTHERS’ FEEL Reeves says his company was able to develop a more robust and resilient business model, as one does when soldiering through a pandemic. “We kind of have that ‘Band of Brothers’ feel,” jokes

Andrew Reeves says there has never been a more exciting time as an architect, given how his industry has been reshaped by the pandemic. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Reeves, who thinks and talks fast.

The native of Windsor earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture at Carleton University.

Reeves spent 10 years with BBB Architects, which was behind the Shaw Centre and Ottawa airport expansion. In 2005, Reeves launched Linebox, which he runs with his wife, COO Melissa Reeves. They’re both former recipients of Forty Under 40 awards.

“As an architect, there’s never been more exciting times,” says Reeves of how his industry has been reshaped by COVID-19. “We’ve had an opportunity to

redefine everything — our homes, offices, hotels. They’re all being questioned.

COVID will fade away and will be something like the common flu, but the human psyche is going to remain changed for a long time.

“We’re defining who we are, we’re defining how workspace can work, we’re defining our culture. To be working with clients who are in the middle of all that is super powerful.

“That is the thing that gets me going, like in my early days with Shopify.”

Organizations are now trying to decide

what the future of the workplace will be for them, Reeves acknowledges. “I don’t have the answer to say whether you should be working digitally or not. It’s more about them figuring out what their game plan is and then coming to us.”

Linebox, which has a team of 15 people, has decided on a flex work arrangement of three days in the office and two days at home. Reeves feels the in-person interaction is important for the transfer of wisdom, knowledge and ideas and in building strong trust patterns.

“I know, personally, as a small entrepreneur, a huge part of my motivation to keeping Linebox healthy is the people that are there. The fact that ‘Jon’ just bought a new house, got married and had a kid motivates me to keep the firm going. When all that starts disappearing and I don’t even know these people anymore and they’re just a Zoom call, it changes how you do business,” says Reeves, speaking at the former headquarters of Shopify.

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It’s an investment in design that Reeves really respects. “I find Ottawa, as a city, a bit lost,” he acknowledges. “It’s frustrating as an architect to see opportunity wasted or watered down.

“We’ll be dead and gone and it’s still there, so what are you building: junk or good stuff?”

He feels the downtown core has, in recent years, constructed too many undistinguished glass towers and grey, generic buildings, leaving it lacking in character, vision and identity.

“I’m very worried about the downtown,” says Reeves. If remote work means fewer people need to come downtown, will they even come down at all, he asks. “A city without intention is just a bunch of buildings.”

Reeves believes the ByWard Market needs to be a destination spot designated solely for pedestrians, on par with Old Montreal and the historic neighbourhood of Quebec City. He’d also like to see the NHL hockey arena relocated to the city centre. “It shouldn’t be a question. It should just happen. You have to make it happen. There’s no ‘what if or maybe not’.

These are major moves for a city.”

There are promising developments, recognizes Reeves, who cites the new carbon-neutral waterfront community Zibi as an example. There are also unique features to the City of Ottawa that Reeves believes distinguishes it, including its proximity to nature and its French culture.

“One of the best things to ever happen to Ottawa is that we’re next to Quebec.”

With provincial and municipal elections around the corner and pandemic restrictions fading, the wind of change is in the air, says Reeves.

“I remain ‘negatively optimistic’. It’s a time for great change. We need to start thinking about those big moves and thinking, from every little building to every big building, how it’s something that’s permanent, it’s an investment, it’s something that outlasts us all. And we need to be proud of that because Ottawa is just sitting there and it needs a kick in the ass, maybe.”

SPRING 2022

Linebox moved into the space last year, after flexible workplace provider TCC Canada arranged to sublease up to 100,000 square feet of Shopify’s old stomping grounds. It’s currently using just under 50,000 square feet and hopes to fill the balance over the coming nine to 19 months, depending on the recovery time of the pandemic, according to TCC Canada president Sean Cochrane.

“It’s been awesome watching these offices live on for somebody else,” says Reeves, who views the office space as Shopify’s legacy. “There’s no need to tear or rip things out or reinvent the office in here. If you walk around, this is what the future office was then and what it is now.”

Hands down, Shopify ran one of the coolest offices, with its yoga room, indoor slide, gourmet cafeteria and other enviable amenities. It created themed floors with authentic details, not Disneyworld-like facades. Its internal staircase meant its employees could skip the elevator when they wanted to visit someone on another floor. Meeting rooms and office stations were created in thoughtful ways to suit all work styles and personalities. There was even a secret hidden doorway in the CEO’s office, in case he wanted some alone time.

The office wasn’t just like home, it was better than home. And that’s what made the commute worth it.

“I applaud Shopify so much,” says Reeves.

“As they take on the world, the buildings they leave behind are fostering, who knows, the next Shopify, the next great startup that may come out of this same space.”

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Shifting from survive to thrive post-pandemic

SPRING 2022

From the protests and occupation of our downtown core last month, to the tragic events in Ukraine that continue to cloud the global outlook, the tentative first steps in a postpandemic future have been anything but a celebration.

The stress and challenges of the last two years continue to be felt in our community and around the world.

Still, in spite of continued headwinds, as community leaders, organizational managers and business owners, we need to look forward, take action, and make decisions that best position our organizations and businesses for success.

As we move forward in 2022, it’s time to take stock and better understand how the adoption of pandemic changes and new business models can be embraced and harnessed to ensure your organization thrives.

As we advise our clients in Eastern Ontario, the following are a few things you should be considering as you map out business planning and strategy for the year ahead:

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TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION: To survive the pandemic, it’s quite likely your organization had to make a significant shift to online operations and service delivery – from relying on employee communications platforms such as Microsoft Teams, to changing how you sell to and communicate with clients. This technology shift serves as a critical enabler going forward. With this foundation, your organization now has the ability to be agile in making quick business adjustments, something you may not have had two years ago. It is now time to determine what has worked well, and what next steps should be implemented (i.e. migrating data to the Cloud, harnessing business analytics) to move your organization to the next level.

EMBRACE INNOVATION AND THINK “LEAPFROG”: While we associate innovation with technology firms, innovation is the ability to implement change in a way that drives efficiencies and value for you and your clients.

Organizations that never saw

themselves as innovative – the restaurant industry as an example – have embraced new ways of service delivery to be successful. The lesson learned in operating through the pandemic is that innovation and change are not as hard as you or your employees might think it is. Embrace these changes, but perhaps more importantly, don’t be afraid to move your organization to a model of continuous innovation that may help to grow and reshape your organization beyond simple next steps.

FIND BALANCE IN THE MODERN WORKPLACE: One thing we’ve all learned through the pandemic is working remotely comes with both perks and distractions.

While some organizations have moved to a fully online, remote work model, I would argue there is tremendous value in reconnecting your organization with in-person meetings, office hours and collaborative

engagements. Every organization is different, but from client relationships, to the motivation and energy that comes from working with colleagues, the next few months should include a focus on establishing back-to-work models that harness the best of both worlds.

For our BDO team in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, these considerations reflect some of what we’re focused on as we map out the year ahead.

Like you, the business plan we mapped out in early 2020 isn’t exactly the playbook we’ve relied on these past two years.

While that time has taught us you can never truly know what lies around the corner, we at BDO look forward to having a conversation about how you can be preparing your organization for what might be next.

Mike Abbott is the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario managing partner for BDO Canada.

“As we move forward in 2022, it’s time to take stock and better understand how the adoption of pandemic changes and new business models can be embraced and harnessed to ensure your organization thrives.”

PERSPECTIVES

The future of the workplace is now - and business leaders must be equipped to cope Difficult questions need answers on the road to a new normal

BY MARK SUTCLIFFE news@obj.ca

mandates and the blockade of downtown Ottawa have forced awkward conversations between managers and employees, even between fellow workers. We know more about each other’s health, medical conditions and politics than we did before.

I

n the early weeks of the pandemic, many business owners in Ottawa looked forward to a day when everything would go back to the way it was before.

They imagined reopening their offices, welcoming back their employees and reestablishing familiar routines.

Two years later, it’s clear they never will. The relationship between employers

that are driven more by outcomes than specific hours. That flexibility will appeal to a lot of employees, but it also creates the risk of a looser connection with the company and co-workers. Are you and your managers learning about how to more effectively manage remote employees? And what are you doing to inspire collaboration and spark creativity, even if everyone is not in the same physical space?

In an increasingly competitive talent market, how hard will you fight to keep an employee who gets an offer with a much higher salary? Instead of hoping

for everyone, to make sure you’re responsive and supportive when issues arise? How will you create trust and maintain a strong dialogue about health?

POLITICS A FRAUGHT TOPIC A more delicate question is how employers will handle the intrusion of politics into the workplace. We used to know very little about the health and political choices of our workers. But vaccine mandates and the downtown blockade have divided Canadians and made their decisions more evident.

Some of those cracks may surface within your team. How will you prepare for internal debate over government decisions? What policies will you put in place about how employees express themselves on social media?

The smartest local business leaders have acknowledged we will never return to the workplace of 2019. The expectations of employees have changed dramatically in the last two years. That means your company has to change as well.

Mark Sutcliffe is a co-founder of the Ottawa Business Journal and a chair with TEC Canada.

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On top of that, employers are dealing with an increasingly tight labour market and a rising level of inflation, watching employees get poached and seeing salary expectations spike.

Over the past few months, a number of themes have emerged in discussions I’ve had with experts and entrepreneurs on the future of work in Ottawa.

One consistent message is that leaders must ensure their companies are adapted to rather than fighting against the new realities. Many employers are already anticipating a much more fluid relationship with their employees, with a hybrid of in-person and remote work and expectations

SPRING 2022

and employees has been permanently altered, the workplace redefined. The pandemic has caused many business leaders to reconsider their use of space and their deployment of human resources, and many people to revisit their work ambitions and lifestyles.

And it’s not just about the pandemic itself, but the response and reaction to it.

The work-from-home dynamic created a greater level of intimacy in many organizations, as people got glimpses into each other’s residences, with kids and pets appearing in the background, and checked in on each other’s mental health. More recently, screening procedures, vaccine

NEW THEMES EMERGE

that employees won’t switch careers or leave for a better offer, can you build higher turnover into your expectations?

If the average tenure of your employees shrinks, how can you improve your recruiting and onboarding process to hire and train people faster? And with employees expecting more alignment around values, how will you communicate your company’s mission and culture to current and prospective team members?

And how will you continue to look after your workers? What steps will you take to check in on the mental and physical health of your workers, even after the pandemic is over? The wellbeing of all employees is a critical focus now for the most effective leaders. What steps will you take to manage stress

HUMAN RESOURCES

Great Resignation or Great Realignment?

A shift in power is underway between employees and employers, HR experts agree

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS news@obj.ca

SPRING 2022

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n the United States, a record 4.3 million workers voluntarily quit their jobs last August. Similar trends have been seen elsewhere in the world, including in the U.K. and Germany.

While it doesn’t appear the so-called Great Resignation is happening to the same extent in Canada, some studies show that workers are thinking about leaving or switching jobs.

The pandemic has altered people’s perception of the workplace, which has traditionally required employees to commute to an office building on a daily basis and remain there, for the most part, from nine to five.

“The way we were working hadn’t changed that much since the ‘60s,” says Seema Aurora, president and CEO of Ottawa-based recruitment specialist TAG HR, of the “corporate mentality” that focuses on the more company-serving philosophies of doing business.

“If you had things to do with your family, you had to arrange them on the weekends and in the evenings and so on. The work-life balance that everybody talks about was a constant angst for most people, but we couldn’t quite put our finger on how to change it.”

Some employees were frequently flying from Ottawa to Toronto, spending their whole day commuting for a one- to twohour meeting. “That’s just the way it was expected for in-person meetings.”

Then, the pandemic came along

and caused offices to go digital and employees to work from home. Sure, it was challenging at first, but people got used to it, says Aurora.

“It offered more flexibility. There was a sense of, ‘Oh my goodness, I have control

of my time’. When you think about it, the most valuable asset that we all have is, simply, our time.

“All of a sudden it wasn’t the matter of the nine-to-five and clocking-in and clocking-out. You could clock in when it was suitable. It was the output or the productivity that was more important.”

In Canada, it’s not so much the Great Resignation as it is the Great Realignment, Aurora argues. It’s workers “taking stock” of their lives and deciding what their priorities are, she adds.

“Everybody is looking to find a bit more meaning and purpose. Is there a reason that we have to have daily meetings at our offices? Are deadlines a little more flexible, depending on what comes up? Do I have to do this work between nine to five or, because I have a young family, if I did it between eight and 10 in the evening or early in the morning, would it matter?”

With remote and hybrid work here to stay, companies need to show more flexibility with their employees, Aurora believes. “It requires a certain amount of maturity, responsibility and, most importantly, trust.”

The hiring and onboarding process becomes more important in this “new normal” because employers need to recruit employees who are the right fit with their culture, while employees are looking for flexibility for their worklife balance, she says.

Todd Luckasavitch, president of business solutions company Business Sherpa Group, is also of the opinion that what Canada is experiencing is not a Great Resignation as much as it is a “definite shift” in the power between employers and employees. The exception remains the highly disrupted frontline workers in such sectors as

All of a sudden it wasn’t the matter of the nine-to-five and clocking-in and clocking-out.

You could clock in when it was suitable. It was the output or the productivity that was more important.

– Seema Aurora, president and CEO, Ottawa-based recruitment specialist TAG HR

hospitality and health care.

They’ve been quitting their jobs in higher numbers.

At the start of the pandemic, many employees decided to sit tight in their roles and not make a drastic career change, says Luckasavitch.

“There was still that notion of, ‘Maybe I’m not 100-per-cent happy in my job but, at the end of the day, I’m working from home, I’m comfortable, I’m virtual, I’m able to look after my aging parents or my child or walk my dog whenever I want’.

“Now, we’re seeing more and more people looking at opportunities, especially for their own personal development.”

That means employers are having to look at ways to retain their best talent. A recent survey by the Conference Board of Canada found that companies are setting aside an average of 3.9 per cent for wage increases this year, the most money since 2008.

“It’s not all about the money,” says Luckasavitch.

“A lot of employers are looking at ways to engage their people, engage their talent in ways that show value and purpose.”

Employers are also placing more focus on employee wellness, says Luckasavitch, pointing to the popularity of wellness spending accounts that allow staff to purchase items like new running shoes or gym memberships.

As well, companies are putting more effort into building a culture of collaboration and are recognizing the importance of learning and development programs, he adds. “Now, as the talent market is churning in a positive direction, we’re seeing a lot more investment in that.”

HUMAN RESOURCES

considered itself lucky when Richard Getz, workplace in some capacity, but what 67, agreed to join its business last year as they want is flexibility.” a senior advisor. It offered him the role Employers not only profit from loyal after learning that he was retiring from and engaged older employees who Colonnade BridgePort as its vice-president provide guidance, expertise and balance, of retail. With 40 years’ experience in the says Hirsh Spence, but bringing older shopping mall industry, Getz had built adults back into the workforce is also a strong relationships, established a stellar solution to the current talent shortage. reputation, accumulated considerable Research has shown that when knowledge and could serve as a mentor to companies have a multigenerational others, says Marc Morin, partner and coworkforce, it has a greater impact on the founder of Koble. retention of younger people and that “For us, it was just a gift for Richard to the different age groups learn from one want to join us. He’s got so much another, she adds. value to add,” says Morin.

In 2021, the World Health “It’s hard to just walk Organization released a global report on

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS those discussions that I away, cold turkey,” Morin aging, calling for urgent action to combat news@obj.ca realized what I was most adds. “This allows (Getz) ageism because of its widespread impacts passionate about was to contribute and to on health and well-being. Ageism is orty years ago, Carol Devenny blazed helping other women,” continue to leverage defined as “a process of systematic a path for future female accountants says Devenny, who had his networks and those stereotyping of and discrimination when she joined the Ottawa office of PwC been actively involved relationships. We’re just against people because they are old”. with the goal of becoming a partner. Today, in leadership programs thrilled that he’s there and It can be explicit or implicit and can she’s leading the way again by proving that promoted women both part of the team.” take the form of negative attitudes, Richard Getz that a second career in your 60s is not only at PwC and in the broader It was agreed that Getz discriminatory activities or institutional possible, it’s fulfilling. business community. wouldn’t have set hours. “He practices.

Devenny took on the role of chief It was Ottawa consultant comes in and meets with us Ageism is so pervasive that 82 per financial officer for Equality Fund after Bob Plamondon who brought the position once a week when we have a sales meeting cent of individuals between the ages of stepping away from PwC in 2020. at Equality Fund to Devenny’s and, aside from that, it’s on his schedule, 50 and 80 experience it on a daily basis, She didn’t have a choice; attention, thinking she might when he wants to work and how he wants according to a National Poll on Healthy she had reached the know a qualified candidate to work,” says Morin. “We’ve really left that Aging published in the U.S. in 2020. mandatory retirement to fill the role. She did: open to him.”

Remaining in the workforce also age of 60. Devenny knew herself. helps to stave off social isolation for older that she wanted to keep Equality Fund, which AGEIST BELIEFS AND MYTHS people, says Hirsh Spence. working, even as she was is based in Ottawa, More Canadians than ever before are “Women are better at staying in touch preparing to exit PwC. was launched in 2019 working past the traditional retirement age and finding people to talk to. Men, not as “I thrive on helping to with a $300-million of 65, either because they want to or they much.” solve business problems contribution from the have to.

Hirsh Spence would like to see and dealing with people and federal government. Its goal “Because we’re living more Canadian employers Carol Devenny issues and I just wanted to is to build the largest selflonger, retirement is a include older adults in continue to contribute.” sustaining fund for gender notion of the past,” says their diversity, equity She put careful thought equality in the world.

Helen Hirsh Spence, and inclusion strategies. into what she wanted to do next.

“Every single day I’m using my skill sets, founder and CEO of Top “They really do bring a Unfortunately, there weren’t many female but I’m also driving change and finding Sixty Over 60, an Ottawadifferent perspective role models she could look to. opportunities,” says Devenny, who works based social enterprise and yet we leave age off “My mother’s generation worked a little with a staff of 55, predominantly younger that offers consulting, the table because of oldbit and then had kids and stayed home,” women. “We are all on the same mission thought leadership and fashioned beliefs that we says Devenny, who joined PwC at 21, and share the same vision to help women training on age diversity and adhere to. There’s no expiry Helen Hirsh Spence become partner at 35, and held the role of and girls, which is very powerful.” inclusion. date on productivity.” office managing partner for six years. She Devenny, 61, also contributes a couple Of course, not every Ottawa has more wellalso married and started a family. of hours a month as a senior advisor seasoned professional has educated healthy older Devenny found support and guidance with consulting firm StrategyCorp. As for the assurance that, when one door closes, adults than any other city in Canada, says through a like-minded local group called volunteer work, she heads the finance another will open.

Hirsh Spence. the League of Extraordinary Women. and audit committee for the National Arts “Most people do not want to retire but “We’re not taking advantage of that.

Centre Foundation and chairs the board of they feel obliged to retire, they get forced It’s really being wasted. When you ‘WHAT NOW?’ the Ottawa Community Foundation. out because of ageist beliefs and myths, disenfranchise one of the largest growing “We’re a generation with a 40-plusall of which have been debunked by the populations in the world, you’re doing year professional career and extensive IT’S HARD TO WALK AWAY research,” says Hirsh Spence. damage to yourself. Nobody is talking experience and what now? It was out of Koble Commercial Real Estate & Brokerage “Most people would rather stay in the about ageism in Canada. Nobody.”

‘There’s no expiry date on productivity’

Ageism keeps many companies from benefiting from older workers

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BUSINESS

Taking care of (family) business uOttawa researcher tackles thorny issues of succession planning

BY DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

SPRING 2022

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hile the back-stabbing exploits of the fictional Roy clan have captivated millions of fans of the HBO series Succession, Ottawa researcher Peter Jaskiewicz knows that the message at the heart of the addictive black comedy disguised as drama rings just as true in real life: family businesses must groom the next generation or risk fading into oblivion.

With studies showing that ownership of more than 60 per cent of family owned businesses will be changing hands over the next decade, Jaskiewicz believes succession planning is more important today than ever.

The director of the University of Ottawa’s Family Enterprise Legacy Institute has devoted much of his working life to studying family owned enterprises, constantly asking himself the question: why do some succeed while many others fail?

In their new book, Enabling Next Generation Legacies: 35 Questions that Next Generation Members in Enterprising Families Ask, Jaskiewicz and co-author Sabine Rau, a visiting professor at uOttawa’s Telfer School of Management, explain why it’s vital for the country’s economic health for such businesses to remain in the family.

The economic impact of family owned enterprises is clear, the researchers say: globally, they employ 60 per cent of the world’s workforce and account for twothirds of its businesses. Yet Jaskiewicz argues that the challenges are too often overlooked and many such enterprises fail to receive the support they need to thrive over succeeding generations.

Jaskiewicz spoke with OBJ about family businesses, the pitfalls they face and the role of the Family Enterprise Legacy Institute in helping secure their long-term future.

OBJ: What exactly is the role of the Family Enterprise Legacy Institute?

PJ: The idea is to make a difference and help enterprising families. I’m not saying family business, but business families, because families can have various businesses. They are the backbone of our communities, of our economy – the restaurant around the corner or the car dealership, up to national companies.

They are, on average, a fairer version of capitalism. For example, when we interviewed prominent businesses following the 2008 financial crisis, we talked to some big (family business) owners in Europe. One of them spoke about the fact that they didn’t fire people even though all their big competitors

around the world did. I said, ‘Why?’ They said, ‘Well, if I fired people, the baker wouldn’t send me bread and the priest wouldn’t let me into church on Sunday.’

There’s a lot of truth to that. They live in the same communities as their employees and they have roots. But even though they are that important, there are very few people taking care of them.

TWO TO TANGO Most of the few advisers who are around help the senior generation – they talk to the parents. But you always need two to tango. The next generation, they have a lot of options. Few of them want to return to the family business. Of those who return, few are properly prepared and know what they’re getting into. You only transition once in life.

You might be great at running a business, that doesn’t mean you’re good at managing a family or being able to work with your own kids. We’re trying to fill that void.

OBJ: How are you trying to do that?

PJ: I think we’re doing it in three ways.

Talking about business is one thing, but talking about family is so much more personal and private. You’re maybe not proud of having conflict with your brother, or you don’t want to talk about the issues that your son is having. We are creating a safe space – we’re not here to sell things.

We’re here to create best practices and to listen – to share the good, the bad and solutions hopefully to the issues they have and share them more broadly.

The second part is that we do cuttingedge research. We work with family businesses, but we keep it confidential. We get the data, they give us some trust, we analyze the problems and we create the solutions. It takes a lot of time and effort, but you can only do it when you’re a notfor-profit entity that has the goal of creating general knowledge.

The third part is it’s in our DNA to train and to educate. We hope to pass on the insights we gain to the next generation.

Not everyone wants to go to business school, but if you want to take over the family business one day, it wouldn’t hurt to get prepared for it. You need some swimming lessons before somebody throws you into the water.

OBJ: Why is it important to ensure the next generation is prepared to run the business?

PJ: We put all this focus on startups and entrepreneurs and, out of 10, two do really well. Twenty-five years later, maybe they’ll be successful, maybe they’re doing well, but now comes the transition and they don’t know how to deal with that. Many of them eventually shut down. People lose their jobs, taxes are not paid. There will be a gap in services. It is tremendously important to help them. We always focus on starting new businesses and there’s no doubt that’s important. But the reality is we constantly lose successful businesses because they don’t know how to deal with family dynamics and how to prepare the next generation.

LOOKING FOR PURPOSE Today, there’s a lot of opportunities available for the next generation, and many of them would prefer working for Apple in Silicon Valley than running a $20-million tourism operation in Mont Tremblant. That’s the reality. But the next generation is also looking not just for a job to make money, they’re looking for something that has purpose. It’s sometimes difficult for them to imagine that in the family business, where they may have very little influence over what is happening. I think involving the next generation is an opportunity to bring some fresh ideas, but, in some cases, it also leads to conflict.

OBJ: What do you hope people get out of your new book?

PJ: The next generation has different concerns and questions, but nobody’s really engaging them. It seems absolutely essential to involve them. So we collected questions and went to another 70 prominent families and discussed the questions that we collected from nextgeneration members around the globe.

We got feedback from them. We (took) the most prominent 35 questions and we got the best academics from around the world to provide very short, succinct answers. On top of that, we asked 35 prominent families from around the globe to comment on the questions and the answers provided and see how it worked out for them. We have a book that allows you to go to 35 short chapters, hear two voices responding to each question and provide additional resources. We are receiving a lot of positive feedback from people saying, ‘Finally, somebody is filling that gap.’ It’s very humbling and satisfying.

OBJ: On a lighter note, I just finished watching the third season of Succession.

How realistic is its depiction of family business conflicts?

PJ: It’s obviously a drama, but there are families that are pretty dysfunctional, one way or the other. I’ve known families that maybe aren’t exactly like the Roys, but yes, they exist, unfortunately. We see them in the media. These conflicts erupt. Very often these things are kept secret. What is realistic about the show is that if you’re on a downward spiral because of family issues, very often these families cannot get out of these dysfunctionalities. They just perpetuate and show up in every project, and it’s a never-ending saga. The families usually need external help. We’ve seen a bit of drama in the Rogers family recently and in other families in the past. But there are also a lot of amazing families out there that make a tremendous difference over the generations and centuries after many of their competitors have come and gone.

OBJ: What impact has COVID-19 had on succession planning?

PJ: I think it’s become an opportunity for the next generation for many

brick-and-mortar family businesses.

The parents have been having daily interactions with lots of clients and are now saying, maybe we have to hand over the business a bit earlier instead of just postponing and postponing it. They realize life is precious and very uncertain.

At the same time, I think many families are also taking advantage of the next generation’s technology skills to move toward e-commerce. This has created opportunities to pass on the business earlier and opportunities for the next generation to add important skills that maybe have been shunned or ignored before.

OBJ: If there was one key piece of advice you could give to family business owners grappling with these issues, what would it be?

PJ: I’ll say three things: communication, communication, communication. We see that the inability of people to really listen to each other or just the lack of interaction causes issues. There’s no doubt that you need to have constant communication, and you need to have some trust. Without that, success is not possible.

Marc Jolicoeur

August 24, 1953 – February 28, 2022

Superb Lawyer. Selfless colleague, friend and mentor. Tireless supporter of his community.

Your innumerable admirers at BLG thank you for your passion, kindness and visionary leadership.

We offer our deepest condolences to Marc’s family.

In Marc’s memory, please consider joining us in supporting the Marc Jolicoeur & Kathleen Faulkner Legacy Endowment https://tohf.crowdchange.co/24681

“Don’t waste time trying to answer unanswerabe questions.”

- EP.71: 9-11 SURVIVOR BRIAN CLARK

A PODCAST FOR LEADERS LIKE YOU FROM THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE OTTAWA BUSINESS JOURNAL

LISTEN HERE: LETSDIGDEEP.COM

DEEP PRESENTED BY

13 OBJ.CA

AVAILABLE NOW WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS!

DIGG NG

SPRING 2022

Learn powerful lessons from entrepreneurs and other successful people.

RETAIL

Yann Darevic’s dream of a streetwear store was born when he was enrolled in the University of Ottawa’s commerce program. He took a leave from his courses and later completed his degree online. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Determination lets this entrepreneur get the jump on any opportunity The world of online business is NRML for this retailer

BY KEVIN BOURNE

SPRING 2022

news@obj.ca

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I

f you’ve ever made the trek down Rideau Street, you may have seen a long queue of dedicated individuals camping out with picnic chairs and sleeping bags and wondered what was going on. What you were witnessing is a growing trend all over the world: sneakerheads lining up outside their favourite streetwear store to get their hands on the latest “drops” from the most coveted brands.

Here in Ottawa, that store is NRML,

which, over the past 25 years, has built a reputation as one of Canada’s leading streetwear stores.

The man behind the now local institution is Windsor native and former high school basketball player Yann Darevic. His love affair with basketball culture was forged while playing regularly in exhibition games and tournaments in the Detroit area. He even played at the Palace of Auburn Hills before Detroit Pistons games in the days of legends like Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Grant Hill.

After high school, he moved to Ottawa

where he enrolled in the University of Ottawa’s commerce program. It was there that the idea for a downtown streetwear store was born.

“During my third year of studies I used a group project opportunity in the entrepreneur class to develop the concept of a streetwear store in the Byward Market setting”, he recalls. “I decided to take a leave from university life to give this a try and later completed my degree online from a different university once I had the store rolling.”

What started out as a small boutique in the Byward Market grew to a 10,000 square

foot, three-level store with various outposts over the years, from Westboro to the Bayshore Shopping Centre. The familyrun business, which Darevic operates alongside his wife Rocio, has even become a hotspot for celebrities and professional athletes visiting the capital, from NFL players Marshawn Lynch and Terrell Owens, to artists like Kid Cudi, Ghostface Killa, Jazzy Jeff, Raekwon and the late Mac Miller.

Darevic has been able to parlay his success in the sneaker world into a new community shoe drive in partnership with Soles for Souls, a North Americanwide organization that recycles old shoes by redistributing them to those in need and diverting them away from landfills.

Now, after almost 25 years in retail and fashion, Darevic has pivoted into a different line of business: real estate.

“Like many entrepreneurs, knowing there’s no cushy pension plan at the end of this run, we’re planning ahead to build future revenue streams”, he explains.

“We’ve accumulated properties downtown and have now finished a small mixed-use building in Westboro. We hope to keep padding our portfolio with more opportunities.”

While he has racked up a number of achievements over almost a quarter-century in business, his main accomplishment comes down to one thing: determination.

“I think our biggest accomplishment is our determination to continuously adapt and reinvent our business as retail evolves.

We’re approaching our 25th anniversary this fall 2022, while currently also enjoying the greatest success in our run.

“Facing the beginning of a pandemic … we weren’t sure how to prepare and what to expect. Little did we know all the time we put into our digital and social space would shine strongest during this challenge and set us apart from other retailers.

“While others were rushing to enter the online space, we were already there for 10-plus years and took this opportunity to take our business nationally to the next level. We were always preparing for this shift and moment. The pandemic accelerated the online space for everyone.”

WELCH LLP OTTAWA BUSINESS GROWTH SURVEY

Measuring the impact of a shortage economy

Local business leaders are encouraged to join OBJ at the launch of the

2022 Welch LLP Ottawa Business Growth Survey this summer to gain an unprecedented look at the health of the city’s corporate sector.

2022

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v

ttawa’s most important survey of business leaders will have a particularly significant focus this year: unpacking the impact of the shortage economy.

From supply chain disruptions and rising prices, to an ongoing labour shortage, there is no question that we are living in a shortage economy.

But what does that really mean for local businesses?

Now in its eighth year, the Welch LLP Ottawa Business Growth Survey is an opportunity for business leaders to share their priorities, experiences and perspectives on the health of their industry with policy-makers, politicians and business advocates.

The anonymized results from the online survey – the largest and most comprehensive study of

W E LC H L L P. C O M

SPRING 2022

EXPERTISE YOU CAN COUNT ON

Ottawa-area businesses – are used to calculate the confidence of the local business community and shed light on the underlying trends that are shaping the future of the city’s corporate community.

This year’s publication will be unveiled at a networking and educational event on June 6, where the findings of the survey will be presented. Other topics featured in

the annual report will include the local jobs market, market outlook and municipal issues affecting the business climate.

Assisting with this year’s Welch LLP Ottawa Business Growth Survey are primary partners Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Board of Trade, as well as research partner Abacus Data.

The 2022 Welch LLP Ottawa Business Growth Survey is also made possible through several supporting partners, including Commissionaires Ottawa, RBC, Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall, Carleton University Sprott School of Business and Regroupement des gens d’affaires, as well as with the participation of local business organizations and business improvement areas.

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— SPONSORED CONTENT —

SPRING 2022

Algonquin College Corporate Training steps up to meet the growing demand for professional IT training

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As more companies explore the advantages of remote work, there is a vital need within the business community for sophisticated IT protection against data thefts and other cyber attacks.

Algonquin College Corporate Training (ACCT) and key industry partners are expanding their efforts to meet that need with a greater range of IT security training courses offered in flexible formats on the emerging threats and trends across sectors.

“Every business is affected and aware of the urgent need to secure their data,” said Sue Schell, senior learning consultant at ACCT. “The pandemic has heightened that awareness simply due to people working from home, data sharing, and connecting over VPNs. It has been a positive learning curve for many organizations, but changes are always happening, and cybersecurity experts need to remain on top of what’s going on.”

To that end, ACCT offers a growing diversity of IT courses with a best-of-both-worlds approach. According to Schell, ACCT provides public courses and customized client-specific dedicated private classes. For unique requirements ACCT works with industry partners to find a solution to fit their specific needs.

ACCT partners include NTerOne, Web Age, and the college’s newest collaborator on IT security training, Mile2 Canada.

“Mile2 has an excellent reputation for delivering cybersecurity courses with seasoned professionals who are accredited at teaching their topics,” said Schell. “They are very proactive and responsive with their students and want to ensure they have the best learning experience and knowledge take-away.”

“Our classroom content

and certifications are based on the real-world needs of government, public, and private sector entities,” said Rick Shore, president of Mile2 Canada.

“Companies are increasingly concerned about cyber attacks, and they understand the value of knowing their enemy.”

Learning to spot the hackers Having the latest comprehensive knowledge to know the enemy well is critical.

While the financial consequence of a cyber attack on a company can easily

run into millions of dollars, Shore points out how the cost of cybersecurity training is not nearly as expensive as commonly perceived.

To ensure companies have the skills they need to stop these pricey cyber threats, the Certified Professional Ethical Hacker course offered through ACCT brings participants up to date on network security, access controls, cryptography, vulnerability assessments, malware, protection of passwords, and more.

“If victimized organizations had put 10 per cent of what they paid in ransom towards improved cybersecurity, they would significantly lower the risk and have an effective defence in place to minimize the impact of attacks,” Shore noted. “Unfortunately, there is a big skilled labour gap in this area, but we are dedicated to closing it.”

Because IT courses through ACCT are designed for employees, Schell stresses how the training delivery can accommodate just about any learning style. Currently, delivery formats include virtual classroom instructor-led courses, publicly-scheduled courses, self-paced eLearning, and dedicated sessions, all developed and delivered by an industry partner.

In addition to cybersecurity, ACCT IT training solutions include Microsoft Official Curriculum, Cisco, VMWare, networking, programming, app development, cloud, machine learning, big data, and many more.

For a complete list of IT training courses or to find out how ACCT can help you build a personalized program, visit www.algonquincollege.com/corporate/courses/it/.

6,000

5,570

5,000 4,000 3,000

1,382

2,000 1,000

244 243

450

422 342

1,721 1,185

425

Pandemic-fuelled growth brings special challenges for this year’s crop of fastest-growing companies The top 10 share the lessons they’ve learned from a tough year

BY ANNE HOWLAND

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earning about OBJ’s 10 fastestgrowing companies for 2022 is a bit like reading the story of the past two years.

With a pandemic sweeping the world - and our own neighbourhoods - what did we do as consumers? Well, we ordered stuff online and had it delivered. We

different by asking the top 10 firms about the challenges involved with their explosive growth. Their responses mirror what we already know is happening in our economy, much of which is a direct result of the pandemic. Pent-up demand is driving prices higher, creating inflation. There are shortages and bottlenecks at many stages of the supply chain. And qualified, skilled employees are an increasingly hot commodity, with employees expecting demanding - a whole new work experience.

In fact, the overwhelming message from our top 10 was that their growth simply

SPRING 2022

anne@obj.ca

pampered ourselves with personal care items and upgrades for our homes. We took “vacations” in our backyards and we indulged in tasty treats that were dropped off on our doorsteps.

As a result of these new or accelerated behaviours, some companies struggled to cope with a dramatic loss of customers and revenues. Others found themselves in completely the opposite situation: overwhelmed with demand. The latter scenario was the case for many of our fastest-growing firms for 2022.

This year, we tried something a little

couldn’t happen without the right people.

Whether they were struggling with finances, supply chain issues, or simply filling customer orders, it all came back to having the right number of employees with the right skills, willing to go that extra mile. This is especially important for fastgrowing companies, where long hours and hard work are the norm.

As one of our top 10 put it, “Supporting our employees and ensuring they are happy is our biggest priority because without them we would not be where we are.”

Similarly, “Growing a team through this type of growth has been hard, but ultimately taught us the importance of our people and team.”

In today’s business environment, where supply chain and talent availability are challenges for all companies, it’s important that fast-growing firms not only be celebrated, but also carefully nurtured. Research over the past few years shows that these firms punch well above their weight when it comes to economic impact. Federal government data indicates that high-growth companies represent about 5 per cent of Canadian businesses with 10 employees or more, but are responsible for 40 per cent of new jobs created. They contribute disproportionately to gross domestic product and to total export values. In short, they are the superstars of any country’s economy.

But they face specific obstacles, more so than their slower-moving, steadier counterparts. For example, they need strong management that can captain and control surging growth. They may need help exploring new markets abroad, much sooner than other firms. They typically have trouble accessing financing that is flexible enough to support their dynamic needs. And, of course, they struggle to find the people who are needed to fulfill and enable their growth trajectory.

Over the past couple of years, policymakers have stepped forward with much-needed assistance for companies that have been dealt a harsh blow by the pandemic. As we look down the rocky path to economic recovery, just as we need to help some companies get back on their feet, we should ensure that others have the fuel to keep running flat out, particularly in these difficult times.

2022 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

PRESENTED BY

Bushbalm Natural Skincare Bushbalm is the bikini line skincare company, specializing in all-natural and vegan products.

What makes it different is where the products are meant to be used: the ever-so-bashful pubic region.

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: What has been the biggest challenge you 5,570% have faced in relation LAST YEAR’S to the fast growth of RANK: 3 your company?

“We’re not a software company where scale can be efficient. We make physical skincare products and the global supply chain has caused havoc on our operations. By the

end of February 2021, we had experienced such rapid growth that we had already re-forecasted our revenue projections five times.

Ensuring we had components on hand and product to sell was critical.”

What did you do to address it?

“We have an excellent operations team who seamlessly managed the pandemic and actually brought many of our costs down.

From creative ways to managing components to air shipments, we made our manufacturing process work. Some costs rose significantly, while others improved with operational scale. Our ability to

LEFT TO RIGHT: Rachel Kerr, director of brand and marketing; David Gaylord, CEO; Tim Burns, COO.

forecast and make bold predictions was key to getting out of one of the fastest-paced years yet.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“As a startup growing so rapidly, we’ve had to work past our usual

workloads, taking on more than one job. Growing a team through this type of growth has been hard, but ultimately taught us the importance of our people and team. Although it may be hard to measure, we take great pride in the importance of culture.”

Noibu

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

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1,721%

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LAST YEAR’S RANK: 4

The e-commerce error monitoring platform powering the world’s best e-commerce experiences. Originally conceived as a vehicle for offering 3D virtual tours of brick-and-mortar stores, the startup changed focus in 2019 to become a bug-detection platform for e-commerce sites.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“We prioritize our culture as we fundamentally want all of our Noibots to love working at Noibu.

Our biggest challenge has been keeping up our top-quartile growth, while ensuring we don’t risk our employer net promoter score of 97.”

What did you do to address it?

“We have created an employee culture committee to drive our culture and events planning and ensure that we are focused exactly on what our people want. We also focus on maintaining our consistent feedback culture by encouraging everyone to always give feedback, regardless of role in the organization.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“Employees are everything, they are the backbone of Noibu. Supporting our employees and ensuring they are happy is our biggest priority because without them we would not be where we are.”

BACK, LEFT TO RIGHT: Filip Slatinac, CTO; Kailin Noivo, CRO. FRONT: Robert Boukine, CEO.

2022 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

GoFor Delivers GoFor provides small to big and bulky last-mile delivery services in the retail, construction and supply chain industries across North America.

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: What has been the 1,382% biggest challenge you LAST YEAR’S have faced in relation RANK: 1 to the fast growth of your company?

“The biggest challenge is being a last-mile industry leader while expanding our focus on sustainability.

Customers want convenience, speed and sustainability. GoFor is helping customers do this with carbon offsets,

PRESENTED BY

What did you do to address it?

“In 2022, we will be bringing new educational content and messaging to the front of our purpose. Breathing new life into the brand’s mission and reenergizing existing and future customers about why sustainable delivery is the path to the future.”

Ian Gardner, CEO.

electric vehicles and smart packaging to make the last mile carbon-negative.

Another challenge is doing this at a time of massive workplace change.

GoFor has implemented a 100 per cent remote workforce in North America, working diligently on how to encourage connection to one another as our company grows.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“What we hope it truly shows is that GoFor is listening and cares about the wants, needs and success of everyone we connect with, internally and externally.

More than ever, GoFor has the capability and the resources to make sure we maximize the value of our employees, drivers, customers and, most, importantly, our communities.”

Ottawa Deck and Rail Ottawa Deck and Rail supplies and installs aluminum powder coating railing for decks, balconies and front steps.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Supply chain management.”

1,185%

LAST YEAR’S RANK: NEW

What did you do to address it?

“We kept in close contact with suppliers and increased our margin of safety for minimum order requirements to create a larger buffer on time and price.”

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What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“The value of communication.”

SPRING 2022

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

2022 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

PRESENTED BY

Ottawa Valley Meats Farm-to-plate e-commerce, specializing in high-quality locally produced meats. Directto-consumer Amazon model of ordering farm meats.

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

450%

LAST YEAR’S RANK: NEW

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Hiring and maintaining high-level talent in growing divisions.”

What did you do to address it?

“We fostered talent from within and developed them into captains of their own divisions.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“The biggest lesson I learned was knowing how and when to delegate and let people use their own abilities to accomplish jobs.”

Food Cycle Science

SPRING 2022

Food Cycle Science is changing the way businesses and consumers handle food waste with its FoodCycler technology, which reduces food waste by 90 per cent at the source in hours.

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What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Securing top talent and supply chain disruptions.”

What did you do to address it?

“We work hard to create a culture that is highly desirable. Increasing

Bruce Campeau, president.

autonomy and enabling decisionmaking at all levels has made us more creative and ultimately more productive. Employees feel empowered when you encourage them to push boundaries. Creating positions where employees feel fulfilled in the work they are doing has helped us create an environment where THREE-YEAR we’re excited about the REVENUE GROWTH: work we’re doing.”

425%

What has been LAST YEAR’S RANK: NEW your biggest lesson learned?

“Hard is good. When faced with ‘hard’, if you’re able to overcome it, it’s likely less crowded and you’re stronger because of it.

Embrace the difficult, expect and plan for it.”

Bradley Crepeau, CEO.

2022 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Sidi.io Sidi.io is a digital marketing agency specializing in demand generation strategy and execution, primarily for companies in the B2B technology, SaaS, arts and entertainment and health-care industries.

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

422%

LAST YEAR’S RANK: NEW

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Being self-funded. Our company has not taken any outside investment or debt since inception. Our growth all started with that very first sale and this is extremely humbling but also comes with its own set of challenges.”

What did you do to address it?

“We are strategic in our approach, knowing that we must be resourceful and efficient to compete, while continuing to

Sampford Advisors Provides mergers and acquisitions advice for technology companies.

What did you do to address it?

“We have dramatically increased compensation but, more importantly, it’s the non-compensation items that

remain bootstrapped. We launched an advisory board which meets quarterly; we firmly embrace education, coaching and training; and we ensure we have a stellar culture where our team respects each other and how we have grown without debt or deep pockets.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“Every win or loss is an opportunity to build character, to grow stronger and to learn. As a result, we as humans are the result of our collective life experience. This gives us the strength to provide more value to our clients, to build an empathetic culture that treats its team for the special humans we are and not just as workers on a spreadsheet.”

Riaz Sidi, president.

seem to have a bigger impact. For example, we took two days off to ski as a group in Mont Tremblant, we do regular lunch one-on-ones with the team at local restaurants, we invested in full duplicate equipment to make the home and work environment the same, and we continue to recognize years of service with unique gifts.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“Businesses take a long time to really flourish. You need THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: to be patient, do amazing work 342% and over time you LAST YEAR’S will be recognized RANK: NEW for it.”

Ed Bryant , president CEO.

SPRING 2022

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Attracting and retaining quality talent has quickly become the biggest challenge.”

PRESENTED BY

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2022 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

PRESENTED BY

Keynote Group Keynote Group is the parent company of Keynote Search, which is an executive search firm with operations in both Ottawa and Toronto.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Balancing the growth while staying true to our core purpose and values.”

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

What did you do to address it?

“We focus on accountability to our LAST YEAR’S values as part of everyday business.

RANK: NEW Curiosity drives everything we do and we ensure we are always seeking to understand what we are doing well and where we can improve.”

244%

Keynote Search co-founders James and Donna Baker.

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“It is crucial to have a strong team around you both internally and

externally who can help you as you scale. Growth is impossible to maintain without structure backing up your vision and ambition.”

Purecolo Purecolo is a carrier-neutral co-location company hosting some of Ottawa’s most well-known tech darlings.

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH:

243%

SPRING 2022

LAST YEAR’S RANK: NEW

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What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in relation to the fast growth of your company?

“Meeting demand. We entered a monopoly market and, initially, it wasn’t a big challenge to meet demand as an unknown player. As we started landing large deals with large clients, scaling capacity to meet demand in line with our sustainable/bootstrap approach was a challenge.”

What did you do to address it?

“Planning was instrumental. Our most recent expansions used predominantly infrastructure being abandoned by large

LEFT TO RIGHT: James Mackenzie, COO/co-founder; Rainer Paduch, CEO/co-founder; Mike Lalonde, co-founder.

companies. This was occuring long before we were ready for these expansions, however, we knew there was huge value in getting the assets in our possession to be ready for that growth. Sure enough, three years later, all of that equipment is now operating at our site and meeting the needs of our clients, while reducing new materials required to achieve this at a fraction of the cost that most of our competitors operate with.”

What has been your biggest lesson learned?

“Believe in yourself and what you are doing. If you have that belief, it makes it easy to make decisions thinking three to five years out. If you don’t believe you’ll succeed, you likely won’t take the risks associated to be positioned for success.”

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SPRING 2022

Work with GGFL to see the opportunity behind your numbers.

Call today 613.728.5831 or visit ggfl.ca.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Fighting Back:

When an employer weaponizes mental illness

SPRING 2022

I

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t was shortly after Carrie (not her real name) disclosed a longstanding mental health issue to her supervisor that the harassment started.

A 15-year veteran of a large multinational company, Carrie was a successful regional director that had grown her line of business from its infancy into one of the company’s most successful business units. She had been the first Canadian female appointed to the firm’s board of directors. And she was one of the only women in the company’s senior leadership group.

Carrie says none of that mattered after her mental health disclosure, which triggered “two or three years of tyrannical abuse” by her supervisor – who also happened to be the president of the company’s Canadian arm.

“He started weaponizing my mental illness against me, saying I wasn’t doing my job well. That I wasn’t getting along

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with people,” she explains, despite her strong performance and long history at the company.

A CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL AND STRONG RECOMMENDATION

It wasn’t until a fateful board meeting, however, that Carrie fully realized the seriousness of the situation. She’d just delivered a board presentation when, minutes later, her boss asked her to an impromptu meeting where he in effect constructively dismissed her.

“He pulled me into a room and said, ‘You’ve got to give your business to Jerry and step aside,’” she recalls, adding that Jerry (not his real name) was her direct report. “He told me to give up my job to the person who reports to me, and that I was going to report to him from now on.”

Carrie knew her time at the company had come to an end, and that she needed legal help. So she reached out to five of her friends in Ottawa’s business community to recommend the best HR law firm in town.

“It was unanimous,” she says, noting that everyone pointed her towards Nelligan Law. Despite the strong vote of confidence, however, preparing herself for that initial meeting wasn’t easy – to the point where Carrie says she almost called the whole thing off in the parking lot. “I had serious second thoughts,” she says.

MENTAL HEALTH THE NO. 1 PRIORITY

the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But the way I was received at Nelligan is a big reason why I was able to do this.”

Carrie immediately felt at ease with Vijaykumar. “Malini was so good at creating that human connection,” Carrie says, “versus only focusing on the business side.”

While Carrie’s mistreatment by her former employer became obvious during their first meeting, Nelligan’s Vijaykumar says the priority was her client’s mental health.

“The plan was that we don’t have to push too hard right away if the client’s physical and mental health are not up to that,” she explains, adding that these types of cases rarely go to trial. “So let’s get out what we need to get out and preserve her position.”

When Carrie went on leave, Nelligan Law had initially put the company on notice – with a promise to revisit the issue once Carrie had recovered. When the time came, an official demand letter was delivered to her former employer.

“We told them, ‘Here are all the things

you’ve done wrong. You’ve discriminated against this person. You’ve constructively dismissed her. You’ve forced her out of her job. And we’re claiming all attendant entitlements from that.’”

A SIX-FIGURE SETTLEMENT

Interestingly, Vijaykumar says, the delay ended up working in Carrie’s favour: After conducting an internal investigation, her former employer came back with a muchincreased offer.

After more than a year and a half of backand-forth legal wrangling, Carrie received a tax-free, six-figure settlement – and has finally been able to move on with her life.

And her former boss that caused her so much grief? He left the company shortly afterward.

“Standing up to him was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she explains. “But the way I was received at Nelligan is a big reason why I was able to do this.”

SPRING 2022

Nelligan Law employment lawyer Malini Vijaykumar says similarly aggrieved employees often have second thoughts before speaking to counsel. In many instances they may even doubt the validity of their case entirely. That’s because “no one will ever admit to discriminating against you,” she says.

“No one will ever admit to acting in bad faith. And the person who suffers always thinks, ‘am I being the crazy one?’

“That’s why it’s important to talk to someone who can say ‘no, from everything you’re telling me, the problem isn’t with you.’”

“Standing up to him was

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— SPONSORED CONTENT —

Making smarter development decisions to ‘become the city we aspire to be’

Toon Dreessen, president, Architects DCA

through protected wetlands because of poor planning, we’re pushing today’s problems further down the road. We need to move quickly.

Change can start at the top Architecture is a political act, requiring politicians to vote to approve planning applications and funding for projects as well as support submissions for new developments. And yes, that means politicians come to grand openings to celebrate success.

Knowing that, we now need politicians to believe in architecture and its power to affect a positive social change.

That means also having a City Architect to provide guidance

and advice to council. In Ann Lui’s article Toward an Office of the Public Architect, via Azure Magazine, Lui writes that we need to consider a role in which a “public architect serves their community by protecting communities from the active enforcement and legacies of predatory municipal regulation in the built environment.”

Locally, that means investing in publicly-owned supportive housing to provide a #HousingFirst model. We need to free up publicly owned land for co-operative housing and create a land trust to provide affordable options.

The city needs to reduce barriers to planning that inhibit affordability in private sector

developments. That can, and should, include streamlined approvals for incentivized development and deferral of charges for sustainable projects. Thought should be given to reducing barriers for smaller development projects and creating supportive models for newer technologies such as mass timber, prefabrication, and modular systems.

This isn’t just a challenge for city council or for the planning department. The development industry must help to deliver on these goals. That may mean creating new types of homes; creating new designs for a new paradigm, one that confronts and challenges the crises we face. Architects must also be pushed to design differently, to challenge our clients and engage with communities.

We have to collaborate on the challenges we face in order to reduce barriers, cross divides and rethink our approach to governance. We need to understand the root causes and bring leadership to solving problems so that we become the city we aspire to be. The time is now.

Toon Dreessen is president of Ottawabased 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/DCAportfolio. Follow @ArchitectsDCA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

SPRING 2022

Just over two years ago, the City of Ottawa declared a housing emergency.

Following that declaration, on Feb. 22, 2022, the Ontario government released its Housing Affordability Task Force Report, presenting 55 recommendations for how to lower housing costs and create the 1.5 million new homes Ontario will need in the next decade.

In past articles I’ve brought some core development issues to light: how we need more ‘missing middle’ housing, essential for sustainable, moderately-dense development on main streets such as Bank Street, Wellington West, Montreal Road and Gladstone Avenue; the need for a range of development scales, from modest infill to tall towers, each sited and well designed for communities; the need to rethink the incentivization to create the development we aspire to have; and how last minute changes to building height allowances run counter to density and affordability goals.

The city enacted a new Official Plan (OP) to try and tackle some of these issues, but it will be years before a full, new, zoning bylaw is in place.

We can’t wait for every last appeal and amendment to be finalized to take action – the housing emergency, not to mention the climate crisis, isn’t going away. If we continue to use land inefficiently and unsustainably or build roads

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— SPONSORED CONTENT —

SPRING 2022

When growth opportunity knocks, GEM Health Care answers

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Amidst a growing demand for in-home care services, one Ottawa business is leveling up its headcount – and its service offerings – in order to better assist its clients, and onboard the future generation of caregivers in the capital.

GEM Health Care Services has seen steady growth since it was founded in 1994 by registered nurse Gaye Moffett, however the company experienced a notable boom during the pandemic, driving the team to hire 50 new staff and counting.

While homecare and private health services were already becoming the favoured choice of care for the aging population, fears around long-term care facilities drove more patients to explore other options, says Moffett, leading them to inhome care providers such as GEM. The family-run business, now with 150 local team members, provides home support, nursing care, personal support and sitters to eligible patients in Ottawa, as well as N95 mask fitting services and COVID-19 testing.

GEM also serves the communities in Brampton and Newmarket through separate franchise locations.

The company provides services for institutional relief staffing, private/familyfunded care, group homes and government contracts. GEM currently has contracts with the City of Ottawa, Champlain

Home and Community Care and Support Services (HCCSS) as well as with the South East HCCSS in Lanark county.

“When COVID hit, a lot of people said they wanted to keep their parents at home for as long as possible, with services coming in,” says Moffett.

“People have realized that they want to stay at home, and they need extra help.”

Top quality care To ensure it attracts top-tier employees, GEM committed to providing a continual pandemic bonus, with benefits, to its staff, says Moffett. While this brought in the talent they hoped for, the team knew they needed to do more, leading the company to spearhead its own training program for prospective caregivers.

With the help of two of its nurses, GEM developed a program which teaches participants how to become

community support workers.

The program includes modules and a practicum that takes participants through three levels: homemaking, basic personal care, and palliative/ complex care.

“We plan on expanding the program by collaborating with private vocational schools to offer personal support certificate bridging programs,” says Gavin Schnobb, Moffett’s son, who will take over the business once she retires.

“GEM is preparing for the onset of baby boomers within the healthcare system by increasing and training our staff as best we can.”

GEM’s services can also alleviate caregiver burnout by allowing family members to take a break, adds Moffett. By providing quality, trustworthy care, it makes it easier for families to step back and entrust the well-being of their loved one to a support worker.

Preparing for the future On top of training opportunities, the family-run business treats its employees, and clients, like family, even encouraging family members to apply together, adds Schnobb.

“We like hiring the family members of our workers, it creates a positive atmosphere and that is reflected in how we care for our clients,” he says.

The pair also prioritize hiring and training immigrants. GEM’s programs help immigrants integrate into the Canadian workforce by providing them with employment opportunities and a supportive work-family.

With plans of further branch expansion, Schnobb and Moffett are excited to see what the future holds for GEM and its ever-growing team.

“We do good by serving and supporting our clients and we look forward to expanding upon that assistance,” adds Schnobb.

LEGAL SERVICES

‘Champ’ion of the underdog Paul Champ is no stranger to backing protesters, but the Ottawa lawyer found himself on the other side in the ‘Freedom Convoy’ fight

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS news@obj.ca

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Paul Champ was conflicted about taking on the ‘Freedom Convoy’ case. PHOTO BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS.

to drop its public health measures against COVID-19.

“That’s not what protesting is about,” Champ said. “Protesting is about persuading government, for sure. It’s about attracting attention to your issue. In some cases it’s about civil disobedience, but it’s not about inflicting harm on other people.”

FOUNDATIONAL VALUES

Champ said he learned a tremendous amount at RavenLaw, working nearly every day during his first few years there before making partner. By 2009, he was ready to branch out on his own, hiring two young lawyers right out of the gate. He has intentionally kept his firm small in order to remain nimble, keep overhead costs down and, most importantly, focus on his cases rather than having to manage people.

The married father of three is often hired by executives to represent them in employment disputes.

“I like to see myself as a problem-solver.

If it’s someone who’s already out the door, it’s about getting them a fair amount. If they’re still in the workplace or if they’re someone with a disability, it’s about finding the right accommodation solution for the employer and for them.”

At the same time, what he “really can’t stand” is when a client has a solid case, “but the other side is being stubborn and is not being fair.”

Said Champ: “I’m not afraid to litigate cases.”

One of his precedent-setting wins involved a cross-border employment case that got upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal.

Champ is also general counsel of Canada’s first union for professional soccer players. On the subject of sports, the lawyer said his biggest challenge when it comes to work is his highly competitive streak.

“The losses burn,” he said with a chuckle. “No lawyer bats .1000, for sure. For the most part, I’ve been pretty lucky.”

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Champ is no stranger to the spotlight.

As a lawyer who’s seasoned in human rights and constitutional law, he’s handled numerous high-profile cases in his 22-year legal career. He has a strong commitment to doing pro bono work. It makes up 20 to 25 per cent of his practice.

“Access to justice is one of the foundational values in our firm,” said Champ.

READY TO BRANCH OUT

SPRING 2022

ormally, Ottawa-based labour and employment lawyer Paul Champ is all for a good protest.

He’s been on the board of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association for longer than a decade. He’s testified about the right to protest before Parliamentary committees, been consulted by the UN on the subject and given talks to lawyers in other parts of the world.

“I know that area very well,” said Champ, principal lawyer of Champ & Associates.

Shoe, meet the other foot. The 50-yearold litigator and his small but mighty firm stepped up to fight the Freedom Convoy that occupied Ottawa with its big rigs earlier this year.

“I was very conflicted on taking on that case,” he acknowledged. “I’m usually on the other side. I’m usually supporting protesters.”

Champ launched a class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of residents, seeking millions of dollars in damages on behalf of his plaintiffs for the disruption to their lives and livelihoods by the drawn-out demonstration.

As well, he persuaded the courts to successfully silence the truckers’ honking horns through a series of temporary injunctions. The loud and persistent noise took it too far, in his opinion.

“It just became more and more disturbing and dark and menacing as the week went along,” said Champ, who heard for himself the extent of the horn blasts.

“I couldn’t believe it. It was deafening. To know that that was going on from early in the morning until late at night was unbelievable.”

The demonstrators were terrorizing the public, he said, to pressure the government

“If I was focusing exclusively on paying cases, could I make 20 per cent more a year? Sure, obviously. But would I be 20 per cent happier? No. Quite the opposite, actually. I’d probably be 20 per cent less happy.”

Champ has represented detainees in foreign countries, from prisoners held in the custody of the Canadian military in Afghanistan to the long-running case of Abousfian Abdelrazik. He’s the SudaneseCanadian dual citizen who, while visiting his ailing mother back home during the post-9/11 era, was detained and tortured as a suspected terrorist. It took years for Abdelrazik to clear his name, return to Canada and reunite with his children.

“I’ve always been very interested in the exercise of state power and the way it can be very arbitrary sometimes,” said Champ, who views the law and the courts as one way of making sure governments adhere to basic principles.

The Regina native first studied journalism at Carleton University before earning his law degree at the University of British Columbia. He put himself through school through a variety of jobs. He worked at a group home for children with autism.

He went underground as a uranium miner in northern Saskatchewan. He helped mentally ill people from Vancouver’s poor Downtown Eastside by connecting them with social services after they ended up in the courts.

Champ was pursuing his master’s degree in law at McGill University when he started applying to law firms. He said he was attracted to labour law and employment law because they’re areas that deal with the imbalance of power. The law can provide some disadvantaged people “with the ability to, in some way, tip the scales a bit more in their favour.”

Champ was “very fortunate” to have

landed at RavenLaw in Ottawa. He said he learned from senior partner Andrew Raven how to persuade the courts in a professional way. It comes down to presenting the facts in a neutral manner, without exaggeration, he discovered.

“You don’t overstate the facts.”

It was important to his reputation as a reliable advocate, he knew, that the courts trust him, particularly when he was arguing a case that could be precedent-setting and pushing the boundaries of the law.

“You have to really lay your groundwork, you have to tell a compelling story, and you have to have the trust of the court that you’re not taking them out on a limb; you’re just taking them a little step further from where the law has been before.”

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Is Your Brand Hurting Your Business?

Five common branding mistakes that are keeping you from success Branding is a magical tool companies use to attract their ideal customers, charge appropriately for their services and manage their image. But how would you know if your brand is actually hurting your business? If it’s the reason your company hasn’t experienced growth last year and is losing clients to your competitors?

Often, branding problems are in the business owner’s blind spot, leaving them unaware of the consequences. Working with trusted professionals who can assess your current brand and make recommendations on how to improve your marketing can help your business find success.

Here are 5 common branding mistakes companies make and how to spot them in your own business: 1. Resembling a competitor Many companies try to copy a brand they perceive as ideal.

Oftentimes, this brand belongs to a competitor or a company with established success. While it can be helpful to know what other brands are out there, you want your brand to stand out and be memorable – not a carbon copy of someone else’s.

SPRING 2022

2. Lack of concept I’ve seen many beautiful logos during my time working in the marketing sector, and often hear the same remark: “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” and I must agree, it is. However, we have to ask a question – why? Why that colour, font, design? The brand we adopt has to say something and have a meaning that gives a company more depth. Great brands spark a conversation and inspire.

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3. Forgetting about emotions We create a brand not just for recognition, but because we want to evoke certain emotions. Nike wants to inspire you – Just do it.

At Bold Move Marketing, we want to encourage you to make bold moves that will make an impact. What’s the emotion your business needs to evoke? How does your company want to make others feel?

4. Not considering long-term goals When creating a brand, companies need to consider their longterm goals. Will you want to introduce new products and services, expand to different locations, sell your business or target a new segment of potential customers? Asking these questions early in the process will help you avoid changes down the road and losing out on customer awareness.

5. Overriding or skipping experts suggestions Participating in the brand design and asking questions is a part of the creation process. However, if you feel you need to override your designer’s suggestions, you’re not working with the right team. Find someone you can trust who understands your vision.

Making a mistake in the brand development process can cost a lot, so rely on the experts.

At Bold Move Marketing, we create impactful brands that resonate with your target audience. We have established processes that help us test our initial ideas with all the lessons we’ve learned throughout the years. If you are unsure how effective your brand is and you’d like to get our opinion, be one of the first 10 companies to reach out to Bold Move Marketing using the promo code OBJ01 for a free evaluation of your current branding: www.boldmove.ca/start.

We offer comprehensive analyses and strategic solutions that will amplify your company’s efficiency and marketing.

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we create impactful brands that resonate with your target audiences.

Khatia Karolina Odzelashvili Founder • Bold Move Marketing Inc

Evening in the Maritimes is back on May 19, 2022 at the Westin Ottawa Hotel!

Ottawa’s business community will gather for an east-coast themed event featuring good food, a good time and all for a GREAT cause – supporting people with disabilities in Ottawa.

Tickets/Tables are on sale NOW! www.EveningintheMaritimes.com

SPRING 2022

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BRIGHT SIDE OF BUSINESS The Bright Side of Business is an editorial feature focused on sharing positive stories of business success. The column is presented by Star Motors, Ottawa’s original MercedesBenz, Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes Van dealer.

Bright Side of Business: Hope and community keep ‘Little Ray’ and his critters afloat

BY NICKIE SHOBEIRY news@obj.ca

E

ver since he was a kid, Paul “Little Ray” Goulet loved reptiles — and he wanted others to love them, too. In his senior year of high school, Goulet, who aspired to be a teacher, volunteered to talk to the younger children about a few of his own pets, even bringing them into the classroom.

Before long, Goulet and his animals were in high demand with the local schools. His first real gig was in Barrhaven and, from there, requests came rolling in.

Goulet admits that his early success wasn’t due to some grand master plan. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but what I was doing naturally was really inspiring practical learning and critical thinking.”

Goulet continues to do that today as the founder and CEO of Little Ray’s Nature Centre, the largest exotic animal rescue in Canada. With locations in Ottawa, Hamilton and in the U.S., Little Ray’s offers a wide range of animal education and outreach programs, as well as rescuing, sheltering, rehabilitating, releasing or rehoming animals across Canada.

Goulet launched Little Ray’s in 2000

alongside his wife, Sheri. Before that, Goulet worked in banking and Sheri was a restaurant manager. “We really did make this incredible one-two punch,” Goulet says.

Two decades later, Little Ray’s has seen huge success, including becoming the Ontario government’s main partner for the placement of seized and unwanted reptiles.

Despite this, the pandemic brought enormous pressures.

Little Ray’s is home to 900 animals, which means that, unlike other businesses, it can’t simply send its employees home and turn off the lights. In the first five months of the pandemic, the business lost 97 per cent of its revenue. At the same time, Goulet explains, he was only able to shave less than 10 per cent off the centre’s operating budget.

“All of this weight that you’ve been carrying, that you thought you got through — (it) all comes flooding back,” Goulet says of the last round of pandemic-related closures early in 2022.

All is not lost, however. Little Ray’s has a loyal community around it, rallying for its survival. In January 2020, the business ran a bottle drive in which 250,000 bottles were donated, completely covering Little Ray’s 3,000-square-foot warehouse in Ottawa.

“We looked like a Beer Store after Canada Day,” Goulet jokes.

Amongst the donors was a young girl whose parents drove her all the way from the Glebe — about an hour round-trip — to drop off an empty six-pack, amounting to 60 cents.

In the end, Little Ray’s raised more than $450,000. Its most recent fundraising campaign, launched in January 2022, has raised $38,000 to date. Goulet and his wife also put $200,000 of their own money toward the effort.

Goulet says he’s very grateful for his community and that “small miracles happen” — like the six empty bottles the young girl brought to him. “Hope is a very, very, very, very, very powerful thing,” he says.

SPRING 2022

We

Designed to do it all.

The new GLC at Star Motors.

Designed for life, no matter what direction it takes you.

START AT STARMOTORS.CA

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32 STAR MOTORS OF OTTAWA 400 West Hunt Club Road.

During business (613) 737-7827. After hours (613) 742-8376.

VOICE OF BUSINESS Unite | Influence | Grow

A Message From the CEO

S

recovery really relies on one thing – you. Each of us has a chance to forge the future of our city with our consumer dollar and our decision to buy, promote and hire local. The small businesses in our neighbourhoods and particularly those in the downtown have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and the occupation.

You are hereby challenged to 1) assess your buying and

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS • Agilec • Altis Recruitment • Barrel Head Wine Imports • BLD Homes • Canada Maintenance Inc • CNET Building Maintenance Services • Duane Francis Wealth Creation • E & S Management Services Ltd • Embassy Hotel and Suites • Fox Tales Media Ltd • Handfashioned Fine Craft • Hertford Advisors • IDEA3 • Innergy Corporate Yoga

redirect it to support local, 2) share the message of owning our recovery, 3) promote local businesses in your networks.

And most important of all – be kind, patient and generous with giving when you can. It will take some time before many in our community are feeling safe and stable. Do your part to build our inclusive and sustainable city.

Sueling Ching, President and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade

• Integrity By McCarthy Inc • INVISION EDGE • JM Nutrition • LCO Firm Inc • Little Kitchen Academy • Mainspring Media

Maximize Your Membership Mondays at 1:30 pm | Virtual Members and Future Members Virtual Business Crews - National Registration Deadline: April 11 Curated networking program 5 Connections at 5: Speed Networking April 28 at Hyatt Place Ottawa West May 25 at Head Office Ottawa Mayor’s Breakfast April 14 | Ottawa City Hall Keynote: General Wayne Eyre, Chief of Defence – Canada City Building Summit May 3 | Location TBC Keynote: Mary Rowe President & CEO, Canadian Urban Institute Women, Wine & Wisdom May 12 | Location TBC

• Mastermind Events Inc • Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Kanata • NeoLore Networks Inc. • Norman Stein Holdings • Ottawa Safety Council • Profusion Culinary Arts, Inc. • SAIRYO • Syntronic Research and Development Canada Inc. • The Assembly Experts • The CFO Centre Limited • Triole Small Engine Repair Limited

CAPITAL Magazine Summer 2022 Launch June 16 | Location TBC Forty Under 40 June 17 | Casino Lac-Leamy Ottawa’s Best Networking Golf Day August 23 | GreyHawk Golf Club

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Details for events and programs found at www.ottawabot.ca

SPRING 2022

• Floss Dental Collective

Workforce Confidence Workshops for Employers & Employees April 7 and 8 | Virtual CAPITAL Magazine Ad Deadline: May 30 www.capitalmag.ca/advertise

ottawabot.ca

pring is in the air.

A time for renewal and reimagining our businesses, our city, and our future. The Ontario reopening plans are especially exciting for Ottawa as we continue to mitigate the impact of the downtown occupation.

We appreciate the support of every level of government along with several grassroots efforts to support the downtown businesses most affected.

However, our community prosperity and economic

Events & Programs

LEADERSHIP // CULTURE // REWARD + RECOGNITION // STRATEGY // RECRUITMENT // PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT // LEGAL MATTERS

Diversity and inclusion should be considered in all decisions True inclusiveness comes when all employees feel free to be themselves

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS news@obj.ca

SPRING 2022

D

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iversity is more than just checking off boxes, it’s about creating an environment where people can bring their whole selves to work, including their ideas, questions and insights, without fear of embarrassment or criticism. This is according to Sue Haywood, director of HR practice and head people officer at Business Sherpa Group.

“It’s not just enough to say we have people who look differently. If people look differently but are forced to act the same, then we don’t actually have diversity,” says Haywood.

Unfortunately, diversity remains an uncomfortable topic of conversation among those who worry about putting their foot in their mouth.

“A lot of it comes from fear of saying the wrong thing,” says Haywood. “People are, like, ‘What if I offend somebody? What if I say something that’s not perfect?’ People are so afraid of being viewed as racist, sexist, homophobic or any of the other ‘isms’ that they’re keeping their mouths shut.

“I think we have to step away from this idea of perfection in order to make progress. It’s far better to try, perhaps misspeak, but have a dialogue about that, than it is to do nothing because you’re afraid of not being perfect.”

Alita Fabiano, marketing communications manager, LRO Staffing

At the end of the day, companies need to take a diversity, equity and inclusion perspective with each business decision they make, rather than keep such policies a separate consideration, says Haywood, whose management consulting firm provides HR consulting, as well as bookkeeping, recruitment and executive solutions for small to medium-sized businesses across Canada. ​​ “I think if you can really instil that mindset, that’s where you can open up the dialogue and come up with new and better ways to make the workplace more inclusive. And that benefits everybody.”

DIVERSITY AND REMOTE WORK As for how remote work is advancing the cause of diversity, Haywood believes the results are mixed.

“A lot of people are working alone. I think we’re forgetting, as brilliant as we all

are as individuals, two smart people are far better than one. We’re missing out on that diversity.

“How can you actually get a diversity of opinion and perspective in a remote workplace? Reaching out to others is really important.”

At the same time, working from home has broken down barriers by allowing people to be more themselves, says Haywood.

“Before the pandemic, a lot of people were trying to live up to this facade of what is professionalism, what is the way we have to behave in the workplace.”

Employees have accepted that their professional and personal lives overlap at times. It’s not uncommon for children or pets to make unexpected guest appearances in the background of Zoom call meetings, for example.

Alita Fabiano, marketing communications manager at LRO Staffing, knows how important it is for workplaces to represent diverse cultures, generations and abilities. She became an advocate for inclusive change after a tumour left her with a hearing impairment some eight years ago.

“Workplaces owe it to their teams and, ultimately, their community to do better,” she says. “This issue deserves our attention because everyone should be able to thrive in our society.”

Taking a more inclusive approach to hiring is one solution to the current labour shortage faced by companies, Fabiano points out. “It helps them tap into a large pool of skilled talent by not overlooking anyone.”

NO PERFECT WAY There’s much to consider when trying to be diverse and inclusive, she acknowledges.

“There’s no perfect way to approach it.

What’s important is to understand that a truly inclusive workplace is always a work in progress. There’s always going to be constant learning and understanding that needs to be done.”

An inclusive workplace can mean something different to each person, she notes. A building designed for wheelchairs won’t help everyone with a disability, for example.

For a visually impaired person, a contrast in colours between the walls and floor is helpful. For Fabiano, she uses boneconduction headphones to assist her with phone conversations.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

It’s just creating an atmosphere where people feel comfortable to disclose when something is affecting them.”

There have been times in her career, before LRO Staffing, when Fabiano kept her impairment to herself. “I was so scared that it would stop me from getting a promotion or that people would look at me differently.”

Employers need to create an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up, says Fabiano.

“I don’t think anyone … expects their employer to know it all and to guess what they’re thinking. I think it’s just that willingness to constantly learn and understand.”

Fabiano credits LRO Staffing with “not just talking the talk, but walking the walk” when it comes to celebrating individual differences in the workplace. The Ottawabased firm specializes in the recruitment and placement of permanent, contract and temporary positions.

“They really have given me this platform to speak on this issue and have helped give me the tools I need to succeed,” says Fabiano.

— SPONSORED CONTENT —

PPRC: A trusted partner for employers and jobseekers with disabilities Ottawa’s Evripos Janitorial tackles its labour challenges with an open mind The pandemic has emphasized just how important, and previously taken for granted, frontline service and maintenance jobs are for the efficient function of our society.

Many employers in these industries continue to struggle with finding the reliable people they need to keep their businesses on track.

This extends to janitorial services and building management. The work is physically demanding and is essential to ensure a safe environment for a building’s occupants.

Enter Performance Plus Rehabilitative Care Ottawa’s PPRC is a bilingual rehabilitation company that serves as coach, facilitator and trainer for both employer and job seeker.

Director of Rehabilitation Linda Simpson and the entire PPRC team, which includes a growing number of persons with disabilities, are masters at matchmaking. They want to ensure sustainable winwins for all involved.

“According to Deloitte, 33 per cent of businesses are experiencing a labour shortage,” Simpson said. “Meanwhile, mental health and disability are touching the workplace more than ever before. This is a perfect time for organizations and businesses to think about their agenda for disability inclusion in the workplace.”

She considers Evripos a “Champion of Inclusion” for its

Susan Forster PPRC MentorAbility program coordinator, Cheryl Timpson Evripos HR & QA programs manager and Linda Simpson director of rehabilitation at PPRC, during the presentation of the MentorAbility Award. Photo supplied by PPRC.

efforts to hire a growing number of people with disabilities to address its labour challenges.

Reliable and hard-working This just makes good business sense, said Timpson.

“Hiring through PPRC has created a win-win scenario for everyone,” she said. “Employees are proud to have access to an accommodating, open and inclusive work culture. While Evripos is proud to be able to offer employment to individuals who have so much to give and, despite any disabilities, allow their true qualities and capabilities to shine.”

The value for Evripos also rests with the long-term support that PPRC provides.

PPRC is a partner in the

MentorAbility Program with participating employers to help jobseekers test-drive a job opportunity. PPRC also connects employers with other third-party inclusion events like The Human Library (taking place in Ottawa in November during Career Month).

“PPRC has done amazing things for people with disabilities, and for employers struggling to find reliable staff,” Timpson said. “Linda and her team build true reciprocal relationships to build those little successes that drive hope for bigger ones. Every business in Ottawa should be aware of PPRC and what it can do for them.”

For more information on PPRC, or to learn about the fee-based Disability Awareness and Etiquette Training it provides, visit www.pprc.ca.

SPRING 2022

Evripos turns to people with disabilities Founded in Ottawa in 1967, Evripos Janitorial Services Ltd. is a family-owned enterprise that operates across Ontario and Quebec. The business is anchored by the pride of a job well done and personalized attention to detail. It’s part of the company culture for staff to develop a sense of ownership in what they do and the properties they care for.

“Staffing is about finding the right fit, people-wise, personalitywise, with individuals ready for the responsibility of often being left to work independently,” said Cheryl Timpson, Evripos’s human resources and quality assurance programs manager.

The challenge in this industry, even before the pandemic, has been to find that right fit, with hires

the company could rely on for the long term and make part of its extended family. About five years ago, Evripos began to widen the scope of its recruitment efforts to include people with disabilities.

This can be daunting territory for many employers. Management and current employees may require coaching to overcome unfounded fears and biases around inclusion and accommodation. Jobseekers with disabilities face their own hurdles related to feeling confident and ready to take on what may be their first real job.

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Ask the Expert

Elinor Whitmore Vice President, Stitt Feld Handy Group

How to deal with difficult people at work Dealing with someone who talks and will not listen: 1. Sit quietly and let them run out of steam.

2. Let them know that, while you may not agree with everything they say, you would like to hear their thoughts and then let them continue.

3. Use interactive listening techniques.

4. Ask to set an agenda that includes time for both of you to speak.

5. Change the physical situation to put the focus on you (stand up or pull out a piece of paper).

SPRING 2022

Dealing with someone who lies or is untrustworthy: 1. Ask yourself whether the lie is about something important or just puffery.

2. Ask for proof/third party verification.

3. Seek verification before relying on their information.

4. Outline the impact on future interactions if the present discussion is based on lies or misinformation.

5. Build in a consequence that will occur if they have lied.

6. Test their information with good probing questions.

7. Share your own information that contradicts their statements and see what they.

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Dealing with someone who is stubborn and positional: 1. Separate the person from the problem and focus on resolving the issues.

2. Show that you are open to being persuaded by them so that you can understand why their view has merit.

3. Look for creative ways to accept their position and add in what you need.

4. Talk about the consequences if they won’t budge and no agreement is reached.

5. Explore why they are locked in.

6. Test their position by proposing ideas and, if rejected, ask them why the idea won’t work for them. Come up with ideas to deal with their concern.

7. Present them with good facts that suggest their view might be wrong, and give them time to digest that new information.

Contact information:

diffpeople.com 1.800.318.9741 contact@adr.ca

Toxic workplaces, whether remote or in-person, are always damaging Policies around intimidation, bullying and abusive language must be clear, experts say

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS news@obj.ca

COACHING MINDSET

L

esley remembers a time when she was really excited and optimistic about starting her new job at a large publicly traded Canadian company.

“I deliberately and carefully chose this company,” says the Toronto woman.

That she only lasted 16 months came not only as a crushing disappointment to her, but changed the way she now views workplace culture and leadership.

Looking back, there were red flags, such as a high turnover rate within the department she was hired into.

Over time, Lesley suffered mentally and physically. She developed insomnia.

She started grinding her teeth at night.

“It really crushed me,” she says of her general loss of confidence. “I was never the employee that I knew I could be. I just didn’t feel like I was allowed to grow or was supported.”

Lesley says she did turn to the human resources department but, to the best of her knowledge, nothing was done.

One day, her director informed her, via a virtual meeting, that he was “discontinuing” her employment. “I had no idea; it came out of left field,” says Lesley.

Lesley has since taken some time in her life to recover and recalibrate.

She’s now back interviewing for new job opportunities. Culture and leadership have climbed to the top of her wish list.

“I don’t even ask about salary right now. As weird as that may sound, that’s not even in my top three.

“I know now that I need to be in an environment where people are cared for and respected and mentored and coached and encouraged to grow and that’s a direct result of (my last job).”

toxic workplace disappears just because we’re working from home, it just appears differently.” He cites cases of people acting out in terse emails or Zoom meetings.

Karen Brownrigg, certified HR expert, founder and CEO, iHR Advisory Services

ADDRESS CONCERNS QUICKLY Certified HR expert Karen Brownrigg, founder and CEO of Ottawa-based iHR Advisory Services, says it’s important employees understand their employer’s reporting policies when navigating a toxic work environment.

She advises employees to address their concerns about a co-worker or supervisor before things snowball.

“The sooner people report it, the more they are able to be coming from a place of prevention,” says Brownrigg, whose firm is a provider of outsourced HR support to businesses of all sizes. It offers executive coaching and leadership development.

“Oftentimes, that person has been behaving a certain way for so long that they have no idea of the impact of their behaviour.

It’s become normalized in the organization.

‘Oh, that’s just so-and-so, that’s the way they behave and we need to accept it’. The response to that is, ‘No, actually’.”

Kevin Barwin, founding partner of HR consulting firm Clariti Group, says his Ottawa-based firm saw its workplace investigation services slow down when the pandemic first hit and many employees started working from home.

“Over time, it’s started to pick up,” he adds. “I don’t think harassment or the

He advises employers to make sure they have a policy that addresses workplace culture and that calls out bullying, abusive language and intimidating conduct. “It has to be updated for the virtual workplace,” says Barwin.

“I would also say make sure reporting channels are there,” he suggests. “Do you have an environment where someone feels that they’re not going to be punished, humiliated or fired if they speak up in the organization?”

The pressure to be a good leader during the pandemic has increased, Barwin notes.

“It’s harder to be a manager when fatigue has set in and everybody’s life has become harder in some ways over the past two years.

“Because you don’t have people faceto-face in this remote work environment, you’ve got to be better leaders. It’s almost a coaching mindset; you’ve got to be a really good coach to be a leader now.”

Clariti Group provides workplace harassment and psychological safety training. It also helps clients with leadership development. It’s important companies invest in their people, says Barwin.

“It’s kind of a win-win when it comes to training and development right now.

It leads to good retention. Making better leaders is super important.”

Brownrigg at iHR Advisory Services also stresses the value of coaching and mentoring leaders in helping existing and new employees understand their work environment and its attitudes.

“A high-performing employee from another organization coming into a new organization, doing a similar job, may suddenly start to experience performance challenges because they’re unaware to the degree that they need to be of the culture.”

OBJ Mar 28 2022.qxp_Layout 1 2022-03-14 9:31 AM Page 1

Join today’s leaders and invest in your team.

Planning for the future of your organization has never been more challenging than it is today. At Queen’s IRC, our in-person and virtual certicate-based programs will give your team the skills and knowledge they need to lead change in an evolving global economy.

Upcoming Spring 2022 Programs Negotiation Skills / April 25-29 (10am-5pm ET) Develop Negotiating Styles & Tactics to Master the Dynamics of Collective Bargaining

Mastering Fact Finding & Investigation / May 31-June 3 (Halifax) Build Internal Capacity to Effectively Deal with Workplace Complaints

Change Management / June 7-9 (Kingston) Build Support for Successful Change Projects Using a Time-Tested Framework

Organizational Design / June 20-24 (12pm-4:30pm ET)

Managing Unionized Environments / July 26-28 (Halifax) Living the Collective Agreement

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“Queen’s IRC has been instrumental in my quest to continually learn and improve on my professional skill sets. I have taken several courses to date, and I intend to continue in this, building my HR/LR breadth and depth of knowledge.”

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SPRING 2022

Learn a Robust Yet Practical Process to Guide Organizational Designers in Making Relevant Design Choices

“Queen’s IRC delivers quality training – effectively bridging theory and practice, and offering meaningful opportunities to engage in your learning process."

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Call: 1-888-858-7838 • Email: irc@queensu.ca • Website: irc.queensu.ca

The pandemic has created opportunity and uncertainty for new grads Finance. Payroll. Accounting.

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SPRING 2022

For more information, please visit stevensonandwhite.com or call 613-225-5417

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We believe it’s all about the fit.

Students need to be flexible and adaptable when starting a new career

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS news@obj.ca

F

or graduating culinary students at Algonquin College, the world’s their oyster (enjoyed with garlic and chili toppings, of course).

The worst of the pandemic may have led many workers to abandon the hotel, resort and restaurant industry but, since September, the college’s culinary management program has seen more job opportunities than ever.

“It’s unbelievable,” says Cory Haskins, academic chair of Algonquin’s culinary and pastry arts programs and former executive chef at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and at the prestigious Rideau Club. “Things are looking very positive. This is the time to get into this industry again.”

Many of the workers who left food services in 2020 or 2021 held jobs in the middle to senior ranks, Haskins notes, opening up opportunities for new grads.

“For new graduates of the culinary and hospitality programs, there are positions that they can rise up to over the next few years,” says Haskins.

But while the future is looking bright for future chefs, it’s still a time of uncertainty for many graduating students in need of advice when it comes to the job-searching process.

HIRING LANDSCAPE CHANGING “They want to know who is hiring and for what roles and they’re looking for guidance and clarity because the hiring landscape is changing and evolving in real time,” says Kristina Johnston, manager of the Employment Support Centre at Algonquin College.

Take a program like event management.

Initially, it was hard for graduating students

Cory Haskins, academic chair of culinary and pastry arts programs, Algonquin College

to find jobs because nobody was holding events during the worst of the pandemic.

Over time, planners found new ways to bring people together using online event platforms. Graduates who were willing to be adaptable and able to learn on the job were suddenly in demand, says Johnston.

“Events now mean something different than they did before.”

Algonquin College offers a variety of work-integrated learning opportunities that allow students to experience the work environment in real time, whether it’s on-site, in a hybrid arrangement or done remotely, says Johnston.

As well, Algonquin College provides job preparation and career readiness support to both students and graduates. “These services have been adapted to take into account the realities of today’s recruitment and hiring landscape, which has changed,” says Johnston. “One example is that we’ve placed a focus on preparing students for virtual interviews and also networking online.

“We also actively look for ways to connect students with employers both inside and outside the classroom,” says Johnston of information sessions and recruitment events hosted using a variety of online platforms.

Spencerville’s Doug Cleary installed a digester almost 10 years ago at a cost of $2 million. The digester earns its keep by treating manure and other bio-degradable inputs. PHOTOS BY TOM VAN DUSEN

Spreading the news about barn scrapings

Technology and manure meet to make fertilizer

BY TOM VAN DUSEN news@obj.ca

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here’s gold in them there farm fields and barnyards! Different shades of brown gold! Pungent gold!

We’re talking livestock manure, often seen – and smelled – by non-farmers as an odiferous nuisance they wish could somehow be removed from the countryside with no muss, no fuss.

But for farmers, the product that comes out the other end of the cow, hog,

SPRING 2022

T

or chicken is a valuable fertilizer to be processed and distributed on grain fields, according to several provincial advisories.

At a much lower cost than chemical fertilizers, which have experienced a price bump lately, treated scrapings from the barn can supply valuable nutrients and organic matter necessary in crop production.

The nutrients reduce production costs while leading to better soil structure and higher yields, all of which is well known in agricultural circles. Now Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO) has launched a new survey

to further investigate manure management and how to make it more efficient through modern technology and revamped practices.

“We’ll explore how to ally the latest science to improve storage, handling, processing and application systems … and anything else that comes up,” said FFCO program consultant Bruce Kelly, adding that existing strengths, weaknesses and opportunities will be examined.

“What equipment is working well? How have livestock farmers already improved the environment and their bottom lines?

What are the weak links? What crazy piece of technology or process would improve the situation?”

Kelly emphasized it isn’t a policy exercise but an opportunity for funding partner the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to enter into a productive discussion with the industry and perhaps come up with some “cutting edge

ideas” for improving manure management.

Everything is on the table, including storage design, odour control, mixing, hauling, processing, bio-digesting, dewatering, composting, application, recordkeeping, testing and evaluating.

The Ontario Professional Agricultural Contractors Association is also partnered in the project. During information sessions, Christine Brown, an OMAFRA field crop sustainability specialist, has been highlighting how to use special software to do nutrient calculations.

It’s all old hat to experienced hands such as Spencerville’s Doug Cleary, who has 420 Holsteins, including 180 he’s milking, and 1,300 acres of cropland upon which he spreads treated manure from his digester, which was installed close to a decade ago at a cost of $2 million.

The digester treats manure and other bio-degradable inputs, for which Cleary is paid a drop-off fee, removing contaminants while preserving nutrients and creating heat and methane gas that can be siphoned off for other uses.

While odours are greatly reduced in the process, sometimes Cleary receives a complaint. An inquiry from the Ministry of Environment was resolved when the smell dissipated.

At Clearydale Farms, digester methane is converted into electricity to power up the entire operation with enough to spare to sell 500 kw/hr a day to the grid, supplying 400 homes. Last year, that spinoff business earned $570,000 from Hydro One. Meanwhile, the heat generated dried 1,500 tons of corn last year and Cleary has entered into an arrangement with a local sawmill to erect two kilns on the farm for drying green boards with excess heat.

All this while the digester purifies manure to the point it can be used for bedding in the barn before being spread in the fields, the ultimate in recycling. It also has an off-farm value, with Cleary selling $20,000 worth of the treated brown stuff to neighbours in 2021.

The bottom line, the Grenville County farmer said, is that commercial fertilizers would have cost him $200,000 last year, more than twice the cost of processing and spreading manure. However, he did give the fertilizer business $30,000 in 2021 to top up nitrogen as required.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

CNL’s proposed Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) is the responsible solution for low-level waste.

Let’s move this environmental solution forward, and say “Yes” to NSDF!

SPRING 2022

Visit engagewithcnl.ca/NSDF to learn how you can support.

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ENGAGEWITHCNL.CA/NSDF

EASTERN ONTARIO BUSINESS JOURNAL

‘Lockdown Lovenest’ carries on through COVID New owners of The Sands weather the vagaries of the pandemic

BY TOM VAN DUSEN news@obj.ca

O

MAKING ENDS MEET

ABOVE: Joanne Lovering, owner of The Sands on Golden Lake with her son, Zach, general manager.

BELOW: Joanne standing in the dining room of The Sands that overlooks Golden Lake.

PHOTOS BY TOM VAN DUSEN

known as Squee’s Forest. They decided there were other opportunities and gravitated to the Sands with its waterfront location, 14 guest rooms, three chalets, one

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and became familiar with the area after purchasing a 30-acre property in nearby Combermere close to three years ago, where they set up an Airbnb and a campground

The asking price was $2.1 million. While Joanne wouldn’t reveal the final purchase price, she said the complex requires about $4,000 a month to sustain it, much of which has been coming out of her personal funds due only 15 per cent of winter business, which has been impacted

by COVID lockdowns and lingering fear of the virus. While takeout food service has helped, it’s far from enough income to make ends meet.

Joanne said she’s had to deal with many last-minute cancellations, some of them groups, related to health authority restrictions. Chatting in the empty Sands dining room, she said cancellations come even if the guest rooms are open but the bar is closed, with many who reserved deciding there won’t be enough going on to keep them entertained. Some wouldbe guests often claim to have contracted the virus as the reason for pulling out.

The Loverings have even attempted to capitalize on conditions by referring to the Sands as the “Lockdown Lovenest”.

Despite the setbacks, Joanne remains cheerful and hopeful for a turnaround as the virus and its rollercoaster of limitations dissipate.

In fact, she’s counting on it in order to keep the Sands up and running, in part with summer bookings of weddings and other events.

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ne of Renfrew County’s most prominent tourist accommodations has changed hands, with new owners struggling to make a go of it during the ups and downs of COVID-19.

The Sands on Golden Lake was acquired last fall by Joanne Lovering with “a lot of hope but not much faith” that trying pandemic times would ease up soon. Still, Lovering decided to roll the dice and, with son Zach serving as general manager and jack of all trades and with the help of other family members, see if she could make the Sands a paying proposition.

The resort sits invitingly on the shores of Golden Lake alongside Highway 60, one of the county’s main tourist routes. Starting at the Town of Renfrew, the two-lane link traverses the county, passes through Algonquin Park and terminates at Huntsville in Muskoka District. Along the way, it connects such charming communities as Eganville, Killaloe, Wilno and Barry’s Bay. Coincidentally, the former Pine Tree Motel at the edge of Eganville also was sold recently, getting a name change and a new sign indicating Bonnechere Valley Inn. From Greater Toronto, the new inn owners Nadir and Karima Amlani wanted the name to reflect the local area. They plan to renovate the 18-unit property, explaining that the pandemic didn’t dampen their determination to move ahead with such an investment.

The Loverings are also from Toronto

cottage, spa, dining room/bar and banquet hall in the basement.

The resort has spectacular views across the lake, two acres and 150 feet of frontage on the water and an extra 42 acres across the highway, where Zach is contemplating establishing a fitness centre, some camping spots and possibly a mini putt.

Among plans for this summer are a Tikki bar on the beach and regular live music.

A man of many skills, Zach is what you’d call a daredevil and wants to bring some of that excitement to the Sands. A former full-contact mounted medieval jouster with several years of experience, he’s considering staging some demonstrations on the extra land.

At peak times, up to 20 workers are employed at the resort, with a skeleton staff including family currently in place.

A former journalist and public relations person, Joanne said they’ve been fortunate to keep some senior staff during the transition.

SPRING 2022

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EASTERN ONTARIO BUSINESS JOURNAL

Another man’s treasure: Nova Scotia cleantech company expands into Renfrew County

BY SARAH MACFARLANE sarah@obj.ca

N

ova Scotia-based Sustane Technologies, which specializes in turning waste into recycled materials and high-value fuels, is looking to expand operations into McNabBraeside in Renfrew County.

Sustane’s current facility in Chester, N.S., is designed to turn waste into green energy products such as biomass pellets, biofertilizer, synthetic diesel and recyclable metals and plastics. Sustane’s technology is built to redirect almost 90 per cent of garbage from a landfill.

McNab-Braeside is part of what Sustane’s co-founder and president Peter Vinall calls phase two for the company. To offset the costs of production and operate

sustainably, Sustane needs around 70,000 tonnes of waste. That’s where Renfrew and neighbouring Lanark County come in.

“Our proposition is that we build, own and operate the plant, so there’s no cost to the municipality,” Vinall said. “They send us their waste on a long-term contract with a fee comparable to a landfill and we handle it from there.”

Sustane would source waste not only from residences but also from restaurants, industrial zones and commercial spaces across Renfrew and Lanark counties.

Tom Peckett, mayor of McNab-Braeside, is on board with the project. “If you take the population from Renfrew County and Lanark County at approximately 164,000 people, 150,000 people will produce in the

neighbourhood of 200 tonnes of garbage a day,” Peckett said. “This is moving forward and we’re confident we’ll be able to obtain the 200 tonnes a day, which is the minimum.”

Peckett has been in talks with Sustane for about two years.

Now that plans are moving forward, Vinall said the company hopes to break

ground on the new facility within the year.

“Now that the solid waste has been finalized and secured, we will further develop the project, go into the engineering phase, look into suitable locations and start to build the plant,” said Vinall.

Vinall said the new facility will create approximately 25 jobs, employing primarily local residents, for daily operations and that the construction phase will source local companies.

“We might bring in a supervisor for training but it makes more sense to employ locally,” said Vinall. “They’ll be more loyal employees, that’s been our experience.”

Sustane is also engaging in conversations with communities in western Canada.

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EASTERN ONTARIO BUSINESS JOURNAL: NEWS BRIEFS CLEANTECH COMPANY LI-CYCLE EXPANDS INTO KINGSTON Li-Cycle’s Centre of Excellence will be established in the Kingston Business Park.

Founded in 2016, Li-Cycle’s technologies are designed to recover 95 per cent of all materials in lithium-ion batteries sustainably. Kingston has played a “critical role in Li-Cycle’s success to date,” said Tim Johnston, Li-Cycle’s co-founder and executive chairman.

“It’s where we developed our technologies and opened our first commercial facility. We look forward to our ongoing collaboration with the city as we continue to scale our truly sustainable technologies in dedication to a circular economy.”

GFL ENVIRONMENTAL LEADS RENEWABLE GAS PROJECT GFL Environmental Inc. will be extending its existing natural gas infrastructure to the company’s Eastern Ontario Waste Handling Facility in Moose Creek.

The project will convert existing landfill gas into a fuel source to produce renewable natural gas (RNG). GFL plans to invest $60 million to build an RNG plant that would take the gases from the landfill, convert them into RNG and inject them into the North American natural gas grid.

operations in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que., Hawkesbury and Cornwall.

The deal should provide a shot in the arm to Brockville’s economy after the site’s previous occupant, consumer packaged goods giant Procter & Gamble, moved out in 2020, leaving nearly 500 people out of work.

purchasing 62 acres of land in the park for a possible distribution centre. Other firms that acquired land include Montreal-based Kingland Investment Group and Cornwall Mercedes-Benz owner Fairview Garage.

SNACK-FOOD MAKER LECLERC SNAPS UP PLANT IN BROCKVILLE

BROCCOLINI AMONG BIG BUYERS IN CORNWALL BUSINESS PARK

Leclerc Foods has acquired the former Procter & Gamble factory in Brockville from Broccolini in a deal that’s expected to create more than 100 jobs and pump millions of dollars into the local economy.

This move is part of a plan to invest more than $100 million in the facility over the next five years.

The Ontario government is giving Leclerc $1.5 million to help modernize the plant through its Eastern Ontario Development Fund.

The company says it expects the 790,000-square-foot plant to become its largest production facility, surpassing its

Construction heavyweight Broccolini is among the firms that have snapped up $7.5 million worth of land in a Cornwall business park as the city looks to capitalize on its prominence as a distribution hub.

Broccolini purchased 80 acres of fully serviced land in the industrial park for $4 million. The Montreal-based construction firm already has first-hand knowledge of Cornwall’s allure as a fulfilment centre after building a 1.3-million-square-foot warehouse for U.S. big-box retailer Target at the business park a decade ago.

Rug and home furnishing wholesaler Safavieh was among the big-name buyers,

The Nav Centre in Cornwall has been sold to Gatineau-based Devcore Group. Nav Canada will enter into a lease-back contract that will allow it to maintain a footprint at the Nav Centre, which has been for sale for several years.

“Due to the pandemic, Nav Canada has taken a closer look at all our investments to assess their viability and revenue potential,” the private, not-for-profit company said.

The Nav Centre, completed in 1979, was primarily a training facility but evolved to provide conference and food services as well as emergency room and board services.

The sale to Devcore, a property management firm with a presence in Cornwall, is expected to close in June 2022.

GATINEAU’S DEVCORE PURCHASES NAV CENTRE

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Fullscript chases $1B revenue with ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ deal DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

I

VALUABLE LESSONS

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This isn’t Fullscript’s first rodeo when it comes to M&A. The company merged with Arizonabased Natural Partners in 2018, a deal that gave it a foothold south of the border and helped propel its revenues from $40 million to $300 million.

Yet as successful as that transaction was, Braatz said it taught him and his partners valuable lessons about “being really clear who the leadership team is and what the company is” when integrating two corporate teams into one.

To that end, Emerson chief executive Ken Buttermore will become Fullscript’s chief strategy officer.

Emerson CFO Kevin Purcell will take on the newly created role of chief transformation officer, working closely with chief of staff Christy White to ensure the firms mesh into a single well-oiled machine.

Braatz, meanwhile, said he’s keeping his eye on the ball as Fullscript seeks more M&A opportunities and looks to keep evolving its technology.

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n what its CEO calls a “transformational deal,” Ottawa-based tech firm Fullscript has taken a giant step toward its goal of becoming a billion-dollar-revenue company by acquiring a U.S. competitor.

The online provider of nutritional supplements and patient treatment plans finalized the purchase of New Hampshirebased Emerson Ecologics this week.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but Fullscript CEO Kyle Braatz said Emerson’s majority owners, Liberty Lane Partners, will gain a “substantial” minority stake in the combined company.

The mammoth acquisition comes about four months after Fullscript secured a US$240-million equity investment from U.S. firms HGGC and Snapdragon Capital Partners.

At the time, Braatz said that funding raise – the largest in Ottawa since the dotcom boom of the early 2000s – would help Fullscript penetrate deeper into the lucrative U.S. market as the North American healthcare industry shifts its focus from curing illnesses to preventing them.

Braatz described the acquisition of Emerson Ecologics – a 42-year-old firm with a well-entrenched U.S. customer base and broad distribution network – a “oncein-a-lifetime opportunity” for his company.

“There’s just not enough being invested in this industry,” he told Techopia.

“If we’re really going to focus on the health-care system evolving to focus on health promotion, we should put our

resources together, get aligned and get lifestyle changes and supplements in to where we want to get to faster. That’s maintaining a patient’s well-being. ultimately the outcome here.”

With the latest acquisition, Fullscript It’s not the first time the two firms have goes from being a dominant player in the worked together. space to an industry behemoth.

From 2013 to 2018, Emerson acted as Braatz said the deal will raise Fullscript’s Fullscript’s U.S. distribution partner. annual revenues from $300 million At the time, Fullscript was to $600 million while boosting focused on developing its its headcount from about 600 software platform, while to 950.

Emerson was immersed Meanwhile, the in building out its number of health-care distribution network. professionals – including But as Emerson medical doctors, evolved into more of osteopaths, nurse a full-service software practitioners, naturopathic platform, Braatz said the doctors and chiropractors – companies began to look who subscribe to the platform KYLE BRAATZ CEO, FULLSCRIPT for ways to deepen their will jump from more than relationship.

30,000 to 70,000, and the Once Fullscript landed its historic number of patients who use its products will funding round late last year, acquisition now top five million across North America. talks heated up.

“Overnight, the company has basically doubled in size,” Braatz explained.

NORTH STAR As the popularity of supplements aimed “I think ultimately when it comes down at warding off serious illness grows, he to having two companies that have the believes Fullscript is poised to become same mission, the same vision,” Braatz the “go-to platform” for practitioners of explained. “We have the same north star.” integrative medicine.

Health-care practitioners across His “big, audacious goal” is to grow its Canada and the U.S. use Fullscript’s patient roster from five million to 25 million. software to dispense products such as Braatz, who co-founded Fullscript in vitamin supplements as well as track 2011 with partners Brad Dyment and Chris inventory, automatically refill patients’ Wise, said the billion-dollar mark in annual orders and create treatment plans. revenues “is a milestone that we think we The Ottawa firm targets practitioners can attain. But what drives us more is how of “integrative medicine” – that is, they we help more people get better.” not only treat symptoms of illness, but In addition to dramatically boosting also emphasize the role of diet, exercise, Fullscript’s existing base of practitioners

and patients, the deal gives the company instant access to Emerson’s distribution facilities in California, Kansas and Virginia.

That kind of geographic reach means many deliveries that now take two or three days to arrive at patients’ doors will get there in 24 hours or less – a huge boost for Fullscript as customers demand faster turnaround times.

“I think from a user perspective, it’s going to add a lot of value for sure,” Braatz said.

The CEO is also bullish on what Emerson’s added offerings can do for his customers’ well-being.

Besides selling supplements, the New Hampshire firm provides services such as lab tests and a platform that tracks personal eating habits – giving practitioners access to new data that will help them prescribe nutrition regimes and supplements that better suit each patient’s individual needs, Braatz said.

“I think that’s a big part of our future here – not only being the tool that delivers the treatment plan, but we want to be the platform that actually helps monitor how that treatment plan is performing and give the practitioner tools to iterate and change that treatment plan,” he said.

Techopia Briefs Five Ottawa firms on New Innovators List

SPRING 2022

Shopify headlines a new list of Canadian companies that are “forging a more progressive path forward”. Created by Canadian Business and the Torontobased Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship, the list evaluates companies based on criteria such as innovation, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Shopify topped the Best and Brightest list, with Canadian Business praising the software firm for its “openness and magnanimity.”

Ottawa-based fintech firm Brane – which develops technology to protect and store cryptocurrency assets such as bitcoin in a bid to keep them secure from hackers and other bad actors – came in at No. 5.

Meanwhile, emerging Ottawa tech giant Assent Compliance finished atop the “Environment Leaders” category and another rising local tech star, Giatec Scientific – which makes smart sensors that measure the consistency and quality of concrete – placed fifth on the

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list of “Innovation Leaders.” Also, fastgrowing Ottawa firm, online marketplace CanadaWheels.ca, cracked the top three in the “Impact Intentionality Leaders” list of companies that operate with “social and environmental purpose”.

Ericsson, Carleton establish research chair The Ericsson-Carleton University Partnership for Research and Leadership in 5G Wireless Networks is establishing a new chair in 5G wireless research to explore technology such as systems that allow drones to be controlled beyond a pilot’s line of sight using advanced wireless communications. The partnership has resulted in a $2-million project to research real-world applications for 5G networks.

“Anything that requires information transmission will happen on 5G,” Ioannis Lambadaris, the new chair in 5G wireless research and a professor in Carleton’s Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, said in a statement.

Ericsson is investing $1 million in the new initiative, an amount that’s being matched by Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Alliance Grant program.

It comes two years after the Swedish tech giant inked a partnership to establish networking labs and a new centre of excellence in 5G wireless technology on the Carleton campus.

BluMetric a TSX-V top 50 performer in 2021 BluMetric Environmental has been named one of the top performers on the TSX Venture Exchange after its shares rose 300 per cent in 2021.

The Ottawa-based cleantech firm made the TSX’s 2022 Venture 50 list of the top 50 performing companies on the TSX Venture Exchange in the last calendar year based on trading value, one-year share price change and one-year market capitalization change.

Shopify invests in logistics giant Flexport Shopify is ramping up its bid to become a global player in the fast-growing logistics industry, joining other investors in a US$935-million round of capital aimed at

scaling up global digital freight-forwarding and package-tracking company Flexport.

The San Francisco-based company said it will use the fresh funding to beef up development of its logistics platform, which is now used by customers in more than 100 countries. Flexport’s software is designed to optimize customers’ supply chains, automating the shipping process in an effort to save time and money getting merchandise from factories to stores.

YoppWorks acquired by US firm Improving Dallas-based Improving has acquired Ottawa’s YoppWorks, a digital solutions firm focused on digital transformation through building new applications utilizing the latest Cloud technology.

“This is a very exciting announcement,” said Jack Gulas, CEO of YoppWorks, in a news release.

The transaction is expected to increase Improving’s annualized revenue significantly, resulting in a collective annualized revenue exceeding US$200 million, and will expand its geographic reach within the Canadian market. Terms of the acquisition were not released.

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among owners who currently use their property in this way.”

Leveling the playing field On a related front, federal legislation has been proposed to address the negative impact of underused or vacant housing.

“For years, there has been concern about property being purchased as an investment by non-Canadians and left empty,” said Thomas, adding that this new legislation proposes charging taxes on vacant properties owned by those who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

If the bill proceeds, the desired effect is to stabilize housing prices and make buying more affordable.

The forecast for Ottawa real estate in 2022 potential changes that Ottawa buyers, sellers, renters and business owners should be aware of in 2022.

Booming market means buyer beware In residential real estate, Ottawa remains very much a seller’s market, where competing buyers are often motivated to cut corners. Thomas and Jackson warn that rising interest rates may add even more fuel to the purchasing fire.

“Much of the due diligence we used to see has been skipped by purchasers in favour of trying to get in a competitive, unconditional offer,” said

The costly urge to downsize With remote work now a reality, a growing number of employers may decide to downsize their footprint or permanently shift to virtual work, added Thomas. While that may provide cost savings, if not done correctly, business owners could face a hefty legal battle.

For any business considering breaking a lease, the first step should be to review the leasing agreement and if anything isn’t clear, seek legal help.

“Every commercial lease is unique and should be evaluated on its own contents,” explained Thomas. “If there are no termination rights present, the lawyer can evaluate what kind of damages and remedies the landlord may pursue against the tenant if the lease is broken or defaulted on. In almost all cases where a tenant wants to terminate, they should be ready to offer some sort of financial compensation.”

SPRING 2022

As Ottawa’s residential real estate market continues to break records and businesses pose the question of whether they will return to the office, the city’s real estate sector is poised to experience some notable shifts and trends within the next few months.

While projecting changes in the real estate market is no easy task, lawyers Tim Thomas and Amy Jackson of PerleyRobertson, Hill & McDougall can offer some big-picture perspectives.

Having worked in real estate law for 36 and 7 years respectively, the two suggest that there’s quite a list of

Jackson. “With the imminent increase in interest rates, we are concerned that, to lock in a current mortgage rate, buyers may approach purchasing with even more urgency.”

However, buyers frustrated by low inventory may be happy as municipal and federal changes could reduce the number of residential properties purchased for short-term rental use on platforms such as AirBnB. A new city bylaw states that, as of April 1, 2022, residential owners can only offer short-term rentals in their principal residence, legally established hotels, or in rural secondary-suites or cottage properties.

“Parties will be required to get an annual permit and can only list their rentals in platforms registered with the City of Ottawa,” explained Jackson.

“This may decrease demand for purchases as short-term rentals but, more importantly, will require new decision-making

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Building bridges between Indigenous communities and industry

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Clean drinking water, reliable housing and sustainable infrastructure – just a few of the resources we have become accustomed to in our everyday lives. Within Indigenous communities across Canada, however, these assets are not always a given.

Addressing this gap will take more than just money, it requires the right advisors and partnerships.

That’s why the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Indigenous Community Infrastructure (CICI) was founded. The Centre – part of the Faculty of Engineering – unites a wide range of engineering professors, researchers and graduate students at the university.

The goal is to study and develop solutions for a variety of issues and opportunities within Indigenous communities including: housing, airport upgrades, Arctic road building projects, COVID-19 wastewater monitoring and hydroelectric projects. Since its inception, the Centre has worked on projects in the eastern provinces and Nunavut, and is currently discussing projects in western Canada.

“The Centre started out of conversations I had with our dean about boil water advisories in Indigenous communities and the need for better water treatment solutions that work in smaller communities,” said Colin Rennie, the Centre’s director and chair of the civil engineering department at

Joseph Wabegijig, coordinator of the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Indigenous Community Infrastructure.

uOttawa. “We discovered professors within the faculty were already working on that problem, so we sought ways to take their ideas and connect them with broader communities.”

Building a lasting relationship Whether it’s undertaking studies or running tests, CICI’s primary aim is to put research into action. This is why, to take its work to the next level, the Centre is providing an opportunity for industry partners to play a stronger role in problem solving with community and academia. It is looking for organizations with the right skills, products and mindset to participate

in improving Indigenous community infrastructure.

“We collaborate with communities in determining and working towards achieving their sustainable development goals, with an aim to meet local needs, advance reconciliation and develop resilient infrastructure,” said Joseph Wabegijig, the Centre’s coordinator. “As the Centre is a place of collaboration and knowledge sharing, we foster an ecosystem of opportunity for communities to partner with industry leaders and academia.”

For instance, a clean water project is currently moving forward in collaboration with a business that is taking the work done by the Centre’s

researchers and building upon it to help communities in northern Ontario. The Centre remains attached to the project, providing guidance to the company in its collaborations with First Nations communities and assisting the team in preparing the technology to meet clean drinking water challenges both locally and globally.

In another case, a company is working with CICI and First Nations communities to help address energy needs in remote areas through renewable energy solutions.

While these partnerships are a main pillar for CICI, the Centre’s efforts do more than just bring communities together, solve infrastructure challenges and reduce carbon emissions, said Wabegijig. It also engages Indigenous youth to encourage them to pursue a career in STEM and build capacity within their communities for further improvement – helping to achieve “economic reconciliation” by improving community health and wellbeing.

“We’re excited to be a catalyst for businesses that want to be champions in the space of Indigenous reconciliation,” added Wabegijig. “We can play a substantial role in creating a stronger relationship within these areas, utilizing infrastructure as an innovation bridge to partner with Indigenous and business communities.”

Orders flow in for medical invention that helps patients on ventilators DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

A

made-in-Ottawa invention that allows patients on ventilators to be transported and switched to other equipment more safely and efficiently is poised to hit the global market with help from hundreds of thousands of dollars in provincial grants.

Southern Ontario-based McArthur Medical Sales has received nearly $380,000 from the Ontario Together Fund to ramp up production of the devices, which are manufactured in the National Capital Region at Ottawa Mould Craft and Stittsville’s L-D Tool & Die. Respiratory therapist Frank Fiorenza invented the plastic tube-like inserts – dubbed Flusso, which is Italian for “fluid flow” – while working at the Ottawa Hospital.

Demand for the devices – which seal the flow of oxygen and keep the lungs inflated while patients are being transferred from mechanical ventilators to smaller transport ventilators or resuscitation bags – soared during the pandemic, Fiorenza said.

‘BROKE THE SYSTEM’

Frank Fiorenza invented a new device that helps keep patients’ lungs inflated while they’re being transferred off ventilators to other devices. PHOTO COURTESY FRANK FIORENZA

Startup’s construction management software builds on solid foundation DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

certification documents and share them with head offices on a mobile app. Users can provide updates on how tasks are going, while managers can assign jobs to workers on site at the click of a mouse.

Watts and a pair of silent business partners have invested $400,000 of their own capital into the venture, which released its software in beta form last May. Watts says Corfix is now on the cusp of closing a half-million-dollar friends-and-family round of seed funding to carry it until it secures bigger institutional investors.

The budding software magnate says the firm’s momentum is steadily building, despite the industry’s notoriously deep-seated aversion to new technology.

“My story helps break down a lot of those barriers,” he says. “When we pitch the idea that this was built by field workers, (customers) love it.”

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Shawn Watts is a builder by nature, but the former construction workerturned-entrepreneur is now pouring his energy into knocking down barriers – metaphorically speaking, that is.

The Kanata native is the founder and CEO of Corfix, an Ottawa startup that’s out to transform the way construction labourers in the field share critical compliance documents with managers in the office.

For years, builders on job sites have been filling out “core certification” forms – for example, paperwork that explains how a trench will be dug to ensure the process follows all safety regulations – by hand.

Typically, Watts explains, workers will then take pictures of the completed forms on their smartphone and email them to an office somewhere.

In a decade-long career that eventually saw him oversee multimillion-dollar construction projects, Watts says he grew increasingly frustrated at the amount of time and effort he had to devote to tedious administrative tasks.

He remembers thinking it was “ridiculous” that massive builds would get held up because a manager back at headquarters couldn’t make out words on a blurry photograph.

Feeling the urge to tackle a new challenge, Watts decided to do something about it. The result is the Corfix platform.

“I thought that I could take 30 grand in three months and build a product to change the world,” says Watts, 36, who launched the company in 2019. “A million dollars and three years later, I got a product to market.”

In a nutshell, Corfix allows workers in the field to seamlessly complete

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The flood of orders after COVID hit Canada “broke the system, basically,” he said last year. “We couldn’t keep up.”

Fiorenza says the device, which retails for roughly $20 a unit, has two main benefits that make it a key tool in the fight against COVID – in addition to protecting health-care workers from potential exposure to infection, it also prevents patients’ lungs from potentially collapsing and suffering even more damage.

“It’s just a project that’s growing to help more and more patients and protect more and more staff,” he said. “It’s now become a mission, not just a product.”

The Flusso, which Fiorenza licensed to McArthur Medical Sales several years ago, can now be found in about 100 hospitals in Canada and 40 in the United States.

The company is investing nearly

$800,000 in new equipment that will boost production from 1,200 units a day to 6,000 as it prepares to take the device global later this year. Fiorenza said McArthur expects to announce a partnership next week with an international distributor that will sell the Flusso in more than 80 countries.

Fiorenza said the company hopes to start delivering its first orders to the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar later this spring.

It’s also eyeing countries such as Australia, Colombia, Brazil, Japan and Mexico once it gains regulatory approval in those markets, which Fiozenza expects will happen later this year. A move into Europe will likely follow down the road.

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generates more than $14 billion in annual revenues – gives his firm access to “vast range of resources, world-leading products, networks and both leadership talent and technical expertise to better service our customers and lead in the digital decade ahead.”

Marchand said Fully Managed’s IT expertise will be a “major asset” for Telus as the conglomerate looks to expand its offerings in “IT support, technology strategy and proactive network management.”

The deal puts Fully Managed on the other side of the table after years of being the buyer in a string of M&A transactions.

Formerly known as TUC, the company combined with senior care technology provider CareWorx in 2016. Three years later, the firm –​ by then rebranded as CareWorx ​– acquired Vancouver-based Fully Managed Technology as it pushed to grow its market base in Western Canada and expand its product offerings.

GAINING A FOOTHOLD

Big buy: Telus acquires Fully Managed for $137M DAVID SALI

david@obj.ca

A

SPRING 2022

55 OBJ.CA

n Ottawa-based IT enterprise that expanded across the country by snapping up companies in B.C., Alberta and southern Ontario has been acquired by Telus for $137 million.

The Vancouver-based telecommunications giant’s deal for Fully Managed closed in January, Telus spokesman François Marchand said in an email to Techopia.

Fully Managed CEO Mark Scott said in a recent blog post the company began to explore “strategic growth alternatives” over the past year – a process that eventually spawned the deal with Telus.

In an email, Scott called the acquisition

“an exciting opportunity for us to continue support workers to be physically on site. our vision of becoming the No. 1 Fully Managed also has a senior managed service provider in care division that provides IT North America.” solutions for that sector.

Launched in 2006, Fully In the blog post Managed now has 425 announcing the deal, employees in Canada and Scott said demand for the U.S., 70 of them in managed IT services has its home base of Ottawa. “exploded” during the The firm, which serves pandemic as employers more than 2,000 customers across North America across North America, shifted to a remote-first work also has offices in Calgary, model that’s driven more MARK SCOTT CEO, FULLY MANAGED Edmonton, the GTA, London, traffic to wireless networks.

Ont., Summerside, P.E.I., and The CEO said joining Vancouver. forces with Telus – a global enterprise The company uses cloud-based software that provides internet, wireless and other and remote network monitoring technology services as well as health-care software to assist customers without requiring through its various subsidiaries and

In early 2020, the company secured $25 million in venture financing. Shortly after, it purchased Calgary-based managed services provider TWT Group in a bid to establish a foothold in the Alberta market.

Fully Managed followed that up with two more deals in 2021, acquiring another Calgary IT firm, Wappo Information Services, before buying Toronto-based IT planning, project management and network security services provider Quartet Services last summer.

Chief strategy officer Joel Abramson told Techopia last spring that the company’s expansion drive was bearing fruit.

While Fully Managed’s growth slowed early in the pandemic, Abramson said the company’s revenues still rose between 15 and 20 per cent in 2020.

Although on-site work such as firewall installations dropped off in the wake of measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, Abramson said many customers began beefing up their back-end systems to handle the increased flow of wireless traffic.

He also said then that the company had ambitions of becoming a leading player in North American IT and was eyeing more acquisitions as a way to get there.

“We’re always working on what the next phase of growth looks like,” he said. “This is a high-growth story, and we’ve got some pretty lofty goals.”

VENTURE CAPITAL

founders are all different kinds of styles, come from really different backgrounds … but they’re all super passionate about the problem they’re solving and hyper-focused on solving it. As long as you see that, that has no gender,” Clark said.

Instead of having an investment fund, the Backbone angels deploy personal money. They prefer to invest alongside a colleague, but sometimes go it alone. Deal sizes typically range from $10,000 to $50,000.

While each of the Backbone women may look for different stages of company development, they have one philosophy in common. “When we look at opportunities, (we ask) can we be helpful? Yes. Do we think this person is someone who can bring their idea to life and into the world?

Yes. Alright, here’s some money, good luck,” said Clark.

CLEAR-EYED ABOUT INVESTING

The 10 founders of Backbone Angels want to share their experiences and knowledge with women and BIPOC entrepreneurs.

Backbone Angels are in the groove and looking to amp it up in 2022 Former Shopify colleagues bring their insights to female and BIPOC founders

BY ANNE HOWLAND anne@obj.ca

SPRING 2022

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espite 2021 being a boom year for venture capital in both the U.S. and Canada, female founders saw their share of the VC pie shrink. For Atlee Clark at Ottawa-based Backbone Angels, this just shows there is a lot of work to be done.

Last year, according to U.S. firm Pitchbook, female founders secured two per cent of the $330 billion US in VC deployed, the smallest share since 2016.

It was the second consecutive year that women’s percentage of VC funding shrank, even as the overall dollar value of funding

to female founders rose. It’s likely a similar story in Canada, which saw a recordbreaking $14.2 billion in VC deployed across 751 investments, more than double the record set in 2019.

Claudio Rojas, CEO of the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO), confirms that the situation in Canada for women founders mirrors that in the U.S. “COVID-19 really conspired against women entrepreneurs,” he said, explaining that founders without established networks were often left out of the VC loop once inperson events stopped.

He also points to a “scale-up bias” that

favours those who have already achieved success over those who face structural barriers. This helped lead to more money flowing last year to later-stage investments versus early stage.

Recognizing the problem, particularly for seed investments, Clark and nine of her current and past Shopify colleagues banded together last March to form Backbone Angels and get much-needed capital to under-represented founders.

“For Backbone, we’re really proud of our year,” Clark told OBJ, adding that she and her fellow angel investors were flooded with submissions from women and BIPOC entrepreneurs.

“It really is incredible how many ideas (there are) and people who want to put it all on the line,” Clark said. “It took us weeks to dig out of the first wave of responses and then we got into our groove.”

That groove resulted in the deployment

by Backbone Angels of more than $2.3 million US in 42 ventures, the majority in Canada with some in the U.S. and India. Seventy-two per cent of the capital deployed was in first-time founders and 56 per cent in women of colour.

“Out of all the companies we have invested in over the past 12 months, the

While that may sound a bit laissez-faire, Clark and her fellow investors often act as advisors and are never more than a phone call away.

“I have one founder I meet with every month, there’s another founder she just calls when she needs something, and another founder I just get updates on,” said Clark.

Of course, while angel investing is a long game, Clark said they are always looking for that elusive return, although it’s not their initial focus. “Really the spirit for Backbone is to get capital to women founders … and we know some of them might have returns, some of them might not,’” she said. “We don’t invest not to get returns, but we are clear-eyed about the reality of angel investing.”

When it comes to an exit strategy for their investments, Clark and her colleagues are inspired by their time at Shopify.

“We’re less focused on the exit and more on the build. The 10 of us sat inside Shopify in the early days and got to not just watch but participate in building that company,” explained Clark, director of operations for Shop at Shopify. “We wanted to take that experience and that insight and bring it to women founders and help them achieve the success that Shopify has had and also maybe avoid some of the mistakes that we all made early on.”

At Backbone Angels, this year will see a streamlined application process and more timely responses for anxious applicants.

Backbone Angels is accepting applications to April 19, 2022 and aims to reply to applicants within two weeks.

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OBJ.social

OBJ.social is supported by the generous patronage of Mark Motors and Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties. STORIES AND PHOTOS BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

LAUNCH EVENT

Fish Market no more: Crowds flock to new Starling restaurant in Byward Market CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Starling Restaurant & Bar features an avian theme; Bob Firestone, owner of Blue Cactus Bar and Grill, and his wife, Lindsay Firestone; Étienne LeBlanc-Cameron, Sophie Sicotte, Léon Dufour Harris, and Amanda Phillips.

John Borsten has spent decades building a restaurant empire in Ottawa that has lasting power, much like the nearly 200-year-old Byward Market where many of his eateries are situated.

In March, Borsten and his wife, Sofia Santiso-Borsten, welcomed guests to the soft opening of Starling. It’s the latest restaurant space to debut in the 12,000-square-foot Byward Market building that Borsten purchased in 2020 for $5 million. He was joined by one of his business partners, Patrick Charbonneau, president of Apollo Property Management.

The 54 York St. building is also home to their Apothecary Lounge, a cocktail

lounge, and YOW — York on William, which serves international street food.

The historic building was formerly the long-time home of the Fish Market Restaurant, at the corner of York and William streets.

Guests at the Starling soft launch included Ottawa Tourism president and CEO Michael Crockatt. Also attending was Chris Pierce, general manager of Les Suites Hotel; long-time Byward Market restaurateur Bob Firestone; Étienne LeBlanc-Cameron and Léon Dufour, the young and energetic co-owners of Lady Dive Tours and Cobblestone Tours; and Erik Lupien, owner of Ottawa Yacht Tours.

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Data CEO and founding partner David Coletto said during a presentation to nearly 100 attendees at the Centurion Conference and Event Centre on the future of Ottawa’s housing market.

The lack of affordable and accessible housing will likely be “front and centre”, both locally and across Ontario, during the 2022 municipal and provincial elections, he predicted.

SOLD OUT IN TWO DAYS

LEFT TO RIGHT: From left, David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data; David Renfroe, board president of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA); Rob Pierce, senior vice-president with sponsor Tomlinson Group of Companies; and Jason Burggraaf, executive director of GOHBA.

SPEAKING EVENT

Pollster David Coletto speaks to future of Ottawa’s housing market at breakfast social A “perfect storm” of circumstances means more millennials are migrating from urban areas to greener pastures, with one of the driving factors being a lack of

affordable and accessible housing.

That was the message for members of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) at a breakfast social

held in March.

An insufficient housing supply is no longer just a Toronto problem.

“It’s a province-wide issue,” Abacus

The Breakfast Social with Mayor Jim Watson was sponsored by Tomlinson Group of Companies, represented by its senior vice-president of planning and development, Rob Pierce.

GOHBA, which is the voice of the residential construction industry, has a board of directors led by David Renfroe, president of Renfroe Land Management.

It delayed its breakfast by one month to allow COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to further relax.

The event sold out in two days, said executive director Jason Burggraaf.

“People are itching to get back into networking and seeing their colleagues.”

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Finding your stride is easier with a great partner For the past century, BDO has been proud to be part of the fabric of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.

From our humble roots supporting founders and farmers across the region, we’ve continually evolved to match the ambition of our clients.

With over 350 employees in Eastern Ontario, and with the addition of Ottawa technology firm Lixar, we’ve taken even bigger strides to help our partners succeed.

From advising Departments and Agencies across the Government of Canada to transform their operations and adopt innovative data and AI solutions, to developing digital applications for entrepreneurs that allow them to better serve their customers, to working with Eastern Ontario farms to support their goals in sustainable agriculture, BDO continues to expand and grow our practice to ensure we’re providing our clients leading-edge advice and support.

BDO Canada and the BDO Global network are one of the world’s largest assurance, accounting, tax and advisory firms. We have the scope and scale to support the growth of any ambitious objective.

But we also recognize these seeds are planted in great relationships.

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THE LIST

LARGEST ACCOUNTING FIRMS (RANKED BY TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES)

No. of Ottawa/ Gatineau CPAs*

Local offices / Offices outside the National Capital Region

Deloitte 1600-100 Queen St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5T8 613-236-2442 / 613-236-2195 deloitte.ca

643

102

2

PwC 800-99 Bank St., Ottawa, ON K1P 1E4 613-237-3702 / 613-237-3963 pwc.com/ca

493

3

KPMG LLP 1800-150 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON K2P 2P8 613-212-5764 / 613-212-2896 kpmg.ca

4

Managing partner(s)

Year est. in Ottawa

1 22

Dan Doré

1946

Full-service firm providing audit, tax, consulting, risk management and financial advisory services.

56

2 20

Sabrina Fitzgerald

1907

Provides professional services including audit and assurance, risk assurance, tax, deals and consulting in areas such as cybersecurity and privacy, human resources, digital transformation and forensics.

474

84

2 41

Andrew Newman

1840

Full-service firm, operating through four service lines: audit, tax, advisory, enterprise (private company advisor) and law.

BDO Canada LLP 1700-180 Kent St., Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6 613-237-9331/ 613-237-9779 bdo.ca

354

57

9 118

Mike Abbott

1963

BDO Canada is a trusted partner in accounting, tax, audit, and business consulting services. From strategic tax planning, developing ESG frameworks that drive sustainable growth, to digitally transforming business operations, the BDO Ottawa team is here to support your organization.

5

Ernst & Young LLP (EY) 1200-99 Bank St., Ottawa, ON K1P 6B9 613-232-1511 / 613-232-5324 ey.com

285

115

1 17

Warren Tomlin

1906

Full-service: assurance, IT audit, fraud investigation, advisory services, cybersecurity, domestic/cross-border tax, transfer pricing, transaction advisory, emerging growth services, private client services, not-for-profit, government.

6

Welch LLP 123 Slater St., 3rd floor, Ottawa, ON K1P 5H2 613-236-9191 / 613-236-8258 welchllp.com

207

84

2 11

Jim McConnery

1918

Full-service firm providing audit and assurance, tax and advisory services; U.S./ cross border tax; SR&ED tax credits; M&A; valuation; corporate finance; cloud bookkeeping and controller/VCFO services; government audit and risk advisory; intergenerational wealth planning.

7

MNP 800-1600 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K2A 4B2 613-691-4200 / 613-726-9009 mnp.ca

197

45

2 127

Michael Dimitriou Sean Devin

1981

Accounting, tax, consulting, succession planning, enterprise risk, corporate finance, valuations, forensics, M&A, corporate recovery, bankruptcy, technology advisory, digital solutions, cyber security, data analytics.

8

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton 2505 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON K1H 1E4 613-236-2211 / 613-236-6104 rcgt.com

193

48

5 98

Jean Schnob Marco Perron Alain Tremblay Stanley Loiselle Marc Lafrenière

1947

Bilingual full-service firm specializing in audit, tax, strategy and performance consulting, IT audit, contribution audit, tax credit, business succession and continuity, business valuation, sales and acquisitions, recovery and reorganization (businesses and individuals).

9

Baker Tilly Ottawa LLP 400-301 Moodie Dr., Ottawa, ON K2H 9C4 613-820-8010 / 613-820-0465 bakertilly.ca/en/ottawa-ontario

133

53

2 49

Mike Hayward

1963

Full-service firm: audit and assurance, taxation (personal, corporate, estate, international), insolvency and debt restructuring, business valuations, financial advisory, government consulting.

10

Marcil Lavallée 400-1420 Blair Pl., Ottawa, ON K1J 9L8 613-745-8387 / 613-745-9584 marcil-lavallee.ca

100

47

2 0

Philippe Renaud

1980

Full-service bilingual firm providing audit, tax compliance and tax planning (personal, corporate, estate), consulting, risk management, business acquisitions (acquisitions and divestitures), accounting/bookkeeping and financial advisory services to a diverse group of clients.

11

GGFL LLP 287 Richmond Rd., Ottawa, ON K1Z 6X4 613-728-5831 / 613-728-8085 ggfl.ca

96

49

2 45

Josh Engel

1946

Full-service firm specializing in owner-managed businesses. Assurance, advisory, accounting and tax services; insolvency, corporate restructuring, estate and succession planning; real estate, medical and dental professionals; construction; not-for-profits.

12

Hendry Warren LLP 200-881 Lady Ellen Pl., Ottawa, ON K1Z 5L3 613-235-2000 / 613-235-2643 hwllp.ca

65

28

1 0

Marie Fraser

2002

Full-service firm for small and medium-sized entrepreneurial businesses and high net worth clients; taxation planning and compliance services including corporate restructuring, purchase and sale of business; succession and continuity and estate planning; business valuation and startup advisory services.

13

Logan Katz LLP 105-6 Gurdwara Rd., Ottawa, ON K2E 8A3 613-228-8282 / 613-228-8284 logankatz.com

58

16

1 1

Trevor Kennedy

1994

Personal, corporate, SR&ED, cross-border, U.S. taxation, tax planning and compliance; assurance, business advisory, corporate reorganization, back office support, estate and succession planning; recruiting services, bookkeeping.

14

Andrews & Co. 540 Lacolle Way, Orléans, ON K4A 0N9 613-837-8282 / 613-837-7482 andrews.ca

53

14

1 1

David Brighten Jeff LeBlanc Tim Malleau Greg Mouland

1979

Audit and assurance, business management services (outsourcing), personal, corporate and estates/trusts taxation, financial statements, bookkeeping, business succession planning, restructuring and financing, bank financing, mentoring, planning, business valuations.

15

McCay Duff LLP 141 Laurier Ave., 6th floor, Ottawa, ON K1P 5J3 613-236-2367 / 613-236-5041 mccayduff.com

47

28

1 0

Jason Howarth

1946

Full-service firm: auditing, accounting, taxation (corporate and personal), business advisory, business valuation, corporate reorganizations, estate and succession planning, fund administration, business purchase and sales, due diligence.

16 17

Envolta 102-1183 Hunt Club Rd., Ottawa, ON K1V 8S4 613-567-7088 / 613-422-2500 envolta.ca

40

0

2 0

David DiNardo

2014

Cloud accounting, corporate and personal tax, advisory services, monthly and year-end financial reporting, payroll, compliance.

SPRING 2022

Total no. of local employees

Parker Prins Lebano 1796 Courtwood Cr., Ottawa, ON K2C 2B5 613-727-7474 / 613-727-3715 parkerprinslebano.com

34

14

1 0

Steve Parker

1996

Full-service firm, except bankruptcy.

61

33

12

2 0

Luc Imbeau

1968

Full-service firm, specializing in owner-managed business. Assurance, advisory, personal and corporate tax; including estate and succession planning, real estate, HST, medical and dental professionals, not-for-profits.

30

12

1

Brian Kreisman

1980

Full-service firm providing audit and accounting, business advisory, mergers and

Company/Address/ Phone/Fax/Web"

1

Crowe BGK LLP

OBJ.CA

18

& Koshy Professional *Includes CPA,Connelly CA, CMA, CGA. Does not include CPACorp. students.

401-2934 Baseline Rd., Ottawa, ON K2H 1B2 613-224-0212 / 613-225-0730 ck-ca.com

Services offered

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Former Ottawa city planner Alain Miguelez joins NCC as senior executive

SPRING 2022

After almost 20 years as an urban planner with the City of Ottawa, most recently tasked with the job of overseeing its new official plan, Alain Miguelez has joined the National Capital Commission.

The NCC, a federal Crown corporation and the largest landowner in the region, manages almost everything there is to love about our neck of the woods: Gatineau Park, the protected greenbelt, the Rideau Canal Skateway and our scenic parkways.

It also oversees heritage buildings, urban parks and commemorative monuments.

“I think the NCC is a really important player in our city and it’s an honour and a privilege to be here,” said Miguelez, who took on the role of vice-president of capital planning and chief planner at the NCC in February.

As part of his new job, Miguelez will be involved in the future above-ground interprovincial tramway project that will connect Gatineau and downtown Ottawa via the existing Portage Bridge.

The system will be operated by Gatineau’s transit agency, the Société de Transport de l’Outaouais (STO). As well, Miguelez is working on ways for the NCC to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the National Capital Region.

The government organization has a “unique role,” said Miguelez. “It crosses

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62

both provinces and looks at the whole metropolitan area as one, which I really like.”

Miguelez left his City of Ottawa management job on the highest note possible. The official plan that he and his team completed was overwhelmingly supported by city council last October.

The new plan will guide growth and development in the municipality over the next 25 years.

The planning document abandoned the former one-size-fits-all approach by mapping out the goals and priorities of the different areas, from the downtown core, to the inner and outer urban settings, to the suburbs, to the rural communities, said Miguelez.

“We have a very large territory. Each part is valid in its own right and each has to find itself reflected in the plan for the city. At the same time, a plan needs to talk

history buff and author of two books, “A Theatre Near You: 150 years of going to the show in Ottawa-Gatineau”, and “Transforming Ottawa: Canada’s Capital in the eyes of Jacques Gréber”.

Miguelez’s interest in urban planning about not only the way things are but about can be traced back to his childhood, when the way things ought to be and why and he would visit construction sites with his give clear direction to change.” dad, an Argentinian-born, Paris-educated “To get all this right takes a very deep university professor. understanding of a number of different He can still remember when Ottawa’s things,” said Miguelez, who called the downtown shopping mall, the Rideau official plan “a high point in my career, no Centre, was just a gaping hole in the question about it”. ground.

Miguelez also praised his former “I was fascinated by how cities were colleagues, whom he described as being built,” said Miguelez, who created his “among the top” in their field. “I made own mini metropolis in the basement friendships that will last for the rest of my of his family home using Lego sets and life.”

Matchbox cars.

When the career opportunity came After high school, Miguelez majored up at the NCC, Miguelez considered in political science and history at the the progressive manner in which the University of Ottawa. He was flipping organization has been renewing its goals through university course guides when he and priorities and bringing the region more landed on urban planning. He knew what in line with 21st-century wants and needs. he wanted to do next. He got his degree “I’ve been looking at the NCC over the at the Université de Montréal and “never last few years and thinking it would be a looked back.” pretty interesting place to work,” said the Paris and Barcelona are among his favourite cities. He also admires the urban fabric of Helsinki, Dublin, Amsterdam and Berlin.

“There’s one thing I think is certainly important for an urban planner: a city will never lie to you when you walk it.

“You can drive past something and not notice it because you’re going fast but it’s important to walk around a city and feel it that way.”

It crosses both provinces and looks at the whole metropolitan area ...

– Alain Miguelez, NCC senior executive

FOR THE RECORD ACROSS OTTAWA Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) has announced its appointment of Jonathan Li to president and chief operating officer, effective this April. Li will work with Michael Waters, CEO of REIT, on the overall strategic direction, including investment performance and growth, capital structure and communication with key stakeholders. Li brings more than 20 years of capital markets experience to the REIT, having worked in investment and corporate banking at BMO Capital Markets, most recently as a managing director in the North American real estate investment banking group.

Silicon Valley tech veteran Scott Day, a former top executive at PayPal and Airbnb, has joined Corel as chief people officer. Day spent three years at PayPal as vice-president of human resources, global product

development and sales. The alumnus of the Virginia Military Institute was also previously head of global talent strategy for Airbnb.

Vanessa Kanu, CFO at TELUS International, has been appointed to the board of directors of Manulife, effective February 28. She joins the board’s audit committee and corporate governance and nominating committee.

Kanu, who has more than 20 years’ business experience, was awarded CFO of the Year in 2021 by the Ottawa Board of Trade and Ottawa Business Journal.

Marketing executive Tracy Thayne has joined revenue marketing consultancy Demand Spring as vice-president of strategy.

He brings experience in brand marketing, digital marketing, product marketing, partner marketing and demand generation.

Thayne has led transformation initiatives with HP, Schneider Electric, Motorola, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.

Landscape construction company Thunderbolt Contracting has announced the promotion of its former business manager Kyle Chadwick to vice-president and Steve Lasenby to vice-president of operations.

“It is with all of their hard work, forwardthinking and dedication that they deserve this achievement,” said president and owner Andy McNeely.

Raymond Sullivan, former executive director of Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation, has become the Ottawa Community Land Trust’s first executive director. The OCLT, which was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization in January 2021, will acquire and hold land to be used for affordable housing.

Emilio Ousset-Paciulli has joined Unreserved, an online auction platform for real estate, as general counsel, following three years at Flow Alkaline Spring Water.

IN REMEMBRANCE Marc Jolicoeur, a former managing partner of the Ottawa regional office of Borden Ladner Gervais, died Feb. 28. He was 68.

Jolicoeur devoted his professional career to BLG. Moreover, he served on numerous charitable organizations, including United Way, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Community Foundation, La Cité collegiale, the former Ottawa Civic Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors.

Jolicoeur was the recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Order of Ottawa, the Gordon F. Henderson Award, La Médaille d’excellence from Le Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la capitale nationale, and Governor Emeritus by the University of Ottawa. The Marc Jolicoeur and Kathleen Faulkner Legacy Endowment Fund has been established at The Ottawa Hospital in support of brain cancer research, with a focus on the treatment of glioblastoma.

Meet Eastern Ontario’s 49 power people Eastern Ontario is full of entrepreneurs who are quietly growing companies of all sizes and powering the economy. Meet 49 of them. Read the digital issue at www.eobj.ca SPRING 2022

Keeping you informed, connected and inspired

63 OBJ.CA

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MARANT CONSTRUCTION Building on a legacy partnership with new Dentons office

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CONFLUENCE ARCHITECTURE Remodeling an iconic Gatineau farmers market

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SIMMONDS ARCHITECTURE Putting collaboration at the centre of its own office redesign

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IDEA INC. Striking the perfect balance for hybrid work at a new government co-working site

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HOBIN ARCHITECTURE Teaming up on the Taggart Group office expansion

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FIGURR ARCHITECTS COLLECTIVE Creating a modern home for Recollective’s expanding team

Best Offices Ottawa SPRING 2022

ow is the time for organizations to reimagine, recalibrate and reinvent the way they work and do business. We have the opportunity to shape a workplace landscape that fosters community socialization, team collaboration, and individual focus to create environments where employees choose to be.

Burovision is ready to help navigate this evolution and future proof your current investment. With the help of our trusted partners, we bring forward insights, design solutions, and services to help teams feel supported at work – wherever that might be. We leverage our signature furniture products, technologies and planning strategies to create inspiring spaces that will unleash your best work.

On Feb. 9, 2022, Burovision Ottawa acquired Ottawa Business Interiors (OBI).

Together, we are now your exclusive partner for the most comprehensive suite of MillerKnoll design brands. Our combined teams will continue to deliver exceptional customer care and outstanding, creative solutions to best service our nation’s capital.

Burovision is a proud sponsor of Best Offices Ottawa, a publication that celebrates the evolving yet unwavering importance of the communal workplace as a home for culture, community and innovation.

Looking to create your own thriving workplace? Let us be your guide to the best office experience.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY

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ART BANK Helping the Global Centre for Pluralism broach difficult subjects through careful artwork curation

ART BANK

GLOBAL CENTRE FOR PLURALISM

Inspiring employees through thoughtful art SPRING 2022 Best Offices Ottawa

THE ART BANK HELPS THE GLOBAL CENTRE FOR PLURALISM BROACH DIFFICULT SUBJECTS THROUGH CAREFUL ARTWORK CURATION

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ince the pandemic, employers have been reimagining the role of the office — and it’s a shift that Rebecca Huxtable, manager of Art Rental at the Canada Council Art Bank, has been seeing first-hand.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, the Art Bank gives the public unique access to Canadian art through its programs – corporate art rental, exhibitions and outreach.

Its collection is enormous, with 17,000 modern and contemporary artworks, ranging from paintings to sculptures to photography, and inclusive of artists from Indigenous and racialized communities.

“It’s a national collection,” Huxtable says. “You really see the diversity of voices,

experiences and art practices in Canada over the last 50 years.”

Huxtable witnesses, through her clients, that employers contemplating the future of work are carefully considering the elements of an aesthetically pleasing, functional and healthy office — and art is a key element to making this happen.

“It can help a workplace communicate its values and its brand to clients,” Huxtable says. “It can make staff feel really good and contribute to employee wellness and satisfaction.”

REPRESENTING VALUES THROUGH ART

One of the Art Bank’s clients is the Global Centre for Pluralism: an international

Brandon Clarida Image Services hub for research, education and dialogue to support positive responses to diversity.

Located on Sussex Drive, the Centre’s building was previously home to the historical Dominion Archives and War Museum.

“I’m very conscious that it’s a colonial building, and we’re an organization that is devoted to inclusion and belonging,” says Meredith Preston McGhie, the Centre’s secretary general. “We really wanted to give some thought as to how we could use

ART BANK

PHOTO CREDIT: MIRA GODARD GALLERY

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN ART

Best Offices Ottawa SPRING 2022

PHOTO CREDIT: BRANDON CLARIDA IMAGE SERVICES

FACING PAGE: TOP: Andrew Lyght, Universal Picture No. 3 (1972); BOTTOM: Ruben Komangapik, Light is Life (2002).

5 GLOBAL CENTRE FOR PLURALISM

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THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE: Bob Boyer, Use Your Protection and Cover Your Rig (1994); George Littlechild, Never Again (1993); Fabian Jean, A New World (2008)

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“I’m very conscious that it’s a colonial building, and we’re an organization that is devoted to inclusion and belonging. We really wanted to give some thought as to how we could use art to express pluralism on the walls of a building that, in a way, [is] related to some really troubling legacies of our past.”

— MEREDITH PRESTON MCGHIE, SECRETARY GENERAL, GLOBAL CENTRE FOR PLURALISM

art to express pluralism on the walls of a building that, in a way, [is] related to some really troubling legacies of our past.”

McGhie’s team reached out to the Art Bank for support, eventually renting 24 artworks. A full-suite turnkey service, the Art Bank takes care of framing, preparation, delivery, and installation — but before any of that, it provides clients with an in-depth consultation.

“I felt like they understood what we were trying to get to very, very quickly,” McGhie says. “It was just a wonderful way of them bringing their extraordinary, encyclopedic knowledge of their collection and what it means, with our lens of pluralism.”

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SPARKING IDEAS AND INSPIRATION

As well as picking the art pieces, Huxtable worked with the Centre to brainstorm where each piece should be installed —

something that sounds simple, but takes a lot of thoughtful planning to ensure the right artworks are in the right space for visual impact, and to prevent the art from damage by traffic flow or light sources.

McGhie shares an example of an artwork by George Littlechild from 1993: a photograph of his mother as a young girl at an Indian Residential School, with the words ‘Never Again’ written at the top.

Originally a black-and-white photograph, Littlechild has created an unexpected contrast by treating the image with bright colours.

At first, the artwork was placed next to the lower elevator of the Centre — but after consideration, it was relocated to the lobby.

“It’s the first piece of art that you see, and we felt that was really important,” McGhie says. “It’s [reflecting] a moment we are living in Canada right now.”

In the well of the Centre’s elevator hangs a piece by Fabian Jean, whose parents immigrated to Canada from China. The painting, titled ‘New World’ (2008) shows a stage-like setting, with a young woman rowing a boat. Her expression is difficult to interpret and there are references to Asian and European elements within the painting.

“It’s exceptionally unsettling,” McGhie says. “It’s one of those pieces where you’re not sure if she’s coming or going, [and] she looks anxious.

“This piece takes up all the attention in a wonderful way. We thought this piece was important because of the themes of migration, diaspora, identity, and experience. We gave a lot of thought to the placement of this piece and we chose an elevator well, where visitors and staff can take a moment for intimate reflection.”

ENHANCE YOUR SPACE WITH ART

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Huxtable anticipates the future of work will mean there is more emphasis on the office as a space for “creativity and collaboration” — and that’s what McGhie hopes the new art pieces will encourage.

“I’ve already found that these artworks have enriched the visits of people to the building, because we’re able to pause and reflect on them,” she says.

For McGhie, the art is an incredibly useful tool to open conversations around tough issues. As well as this, “a lot of our staff have said there’s just a different energy,” she says. “There’s a lot of colour in the pieces that we selected, and each of them have these amazing stories that help us reflect on the many facets of our society.”

One of McGhie’s favourite pieces is an abstract painting by artist Rita Letendre, titled ‘Blues II’. A colourful burst of purples and greens, McGhie says she’s uplifted each time she sees it. “I have more energy to have my conversations when I am in the presence of this piece – and this is the power of art: it’s supposed to inspire you and challenge you, all at once.”

ART BANK

AN ENERGIZED RETURN TO THE OFFICE

FULL-SERVICE CORPORATE ART RENTAL ART BANK

Best Offices Ottawa SPRING 2022

CHOOSE FROM OVER 17,000 ARTWORKS

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ART BANK

MARANT CONSTRUCTION SPRING 2022 Best Offices Ottawa OBJ.CA

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MARANT Construction builds on legacy partnership with new Dentons office

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ince its inception, Dentons Ottawa has been on a notable growth journey, quickly becoming one of the largest law firms in the city. But, with great success comes the need for a great office.

Located at 99 Bank St. in the Sun Life Financial Centre, Dentons’ office boasts large windows offering sweeping panoramic views of Parliament and the downtown core. Although the firm occupies the entire fourteenth floor – giving it room to continue to expand – as Dentons’ director of talent, Lara Vos Smith, explains, the original outdated design and flow weren’t reflective of the

growing law firm’s culture or values.

“Our space was in need of a refresh,” she says.

“We had to make it open (and) collaborative to make it more reflective of who we are now.”

In order to create an office environment suited to a modern growing business, Dentons connected with a familiar partner, MARANT Construction Limited, a leader in the commercial interior construction industry and a company revered for its expertise in the renovation of legal, professional service and corporate spaces.

The law firm’s Toronto office was constructed by MARANT years earlier, creating a lasting relationship

MARANT CONSTRUCTION

between the two companies. With MARANT’s unmatched commitment to its clients – even after a project is completed – it was a natural fit for the pair to tackle the national capital office in 2019.

“It has been an honor for MARANT to support Dentons with the Ottawa renovation. The firm recognizes MARANT’s partnership approach to solutioning challenges, our expertise in leasehold improvements and commitment to high-quality,” says Matthew DiCintio, regional director of operations at MARANT. “This has allowed MARANT to support Dentons in numerous ventures and foster our relationship as a ‘building partner’ to them for the last 23 years.”

A BOLD NEW LOOK

CLEAN, MINIMALISTIC AESTHETIC

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To reflect Dentons’ innovative spirit, MARANT, in collaboration with 4té, the project’s interior design team, executed on the open-concept, industrial style the team decided on — a big departure from the office’s previous look. Vos Smith says the original space was “fairly traditional” with lots of wood tones and closed-in boardrooms and offices.

“It’s really hard to remember what was there before because it’s such a transformation,” she says. “We took it right back to the bare wall, to the bare floor, and started from scratch.”

Once on-board, MARANT managed the demolition of the entire floor, as well as the build-out itself – assessing all site conditions, providing suggestions to mitigate any possible delays, and working closely with architects and engineers to ensure a smooth process.

As a result, the office underwent a full transformation, featuring open ceilings with exposed HVAC systems, as well as epoxy and concrete flooring for a clean, minimalistic aesthetic. By shrinking the size of the private offices in favour of large, collaborative spaces and by moving those spaces from the perimeter of the space to the interior, the floorplan also has a more balanced feel.

The main area, made up of the reception and boardroom, was completely reimagined and fitted with three operable wall partitions, offering the team more flexibility in how they work within the space, says Stephanie El Azzi, project manager at MARANT. “It gives the client the option of having an open space to host their events, or to

MARANT CONSTRUCTION

EPOXY AND CONCRETE FLOORING

“We’re setting a standard for delivering modern, high-end finishes within the [private and public] sector.”

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— STEPHANIE EL AZZI, PROJECT MANAGER, MARANT

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OPEN CEILINGS WITH EXPOSED HVAC SYSTEMS

keep it closed and private for meetings,” adds El Azzi.

Glass office-fronts, quartz countertops and signature lighting combine to give the office a bright, spacious look. The new staff lounge is lined with benches and welcoming leather banquettes with a kitchen island in the middle of the room, giving a “very modern look with high-end finishes,” El Azzi says. There’s also an espresso lounge with top-of-the-line coffee machines, wine fridges and a small kitchenette, ideal for hosting smaller events.

The law firm’s work with entrepreneurial clients in the technology sector is also reflected in the architecture of the office. Angular walls and sightlines were strategically used to create the feeling of movement and momentum, capturing the idea of the firm advancing forward into the future.

Dentons’ extensive art collection brings an added element of colour and creativity to the office, which MARANT accentuated through the construction of gallery-like spaces, El Azzi says. For

MARANT CONSTRUCTION

example, in one of the board rooms, lighting is angled to emphasize an art installation featuring an orca, created by Indigenous artist Corey Bulpitt.

“When I show people the space, that’s one of the first things I want to show them: this beautiful boardroom with this beautiful piece of art,” Vos Smith says.

DYNAMIC AND NIMBLE

Having started in the fall of 2019, the office redesign was completed in 2021, a much longer timeline than anticipated due to pandemic lockdowns.

But COVID-19 wasn’t the only challenge MARANT tackled along the way; Dentons is located below the prestigious Rideau Club, meaning noise control was extremely important in order not to interrupt events. Sometimes, this meant that construction work would have to start as late as 10:00 at night.

In addition, Dentons staff were still occupying their office space during construction. To minimize the impact on hard-working employees, MARANT divided the office in two, switching sides with staff as it completed work on each section, says El Azzi. It also made sure to maintain the team’s IT connection and never obstructed the office’s iconic views of Parliament, leaving an open line of sight for employees to enjoy.

“It was a challenging period of time, but I always found that (MARANT) responded really appropriately,” Vos Smith says. “It was good to have some experienced hands at the wheel.”

AN EXCITING RETURN TO WORK

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El Azzi says that Dentons’ Ottawa location is a landmark for offices in the region, seamlessly integrating open spaces and private offices, something that is especially important for law firms dealing with sensitive client meetings. “We’re setting a standard for delivering modern, high-end finishes within the [private and public] sector,” she says.

Vos Smith is also thrilled with the new office space. Despite many employees still working from home due to COVID-19, she says that her team has shared “extremely positive” feedback already.

“There are lots of opportunities to use the space to re-engage as a team,” she says.

“It will be re-energizing for people to have a new, fresh, bright, light-filled space to come to.”

LOTS OF SPACE FOR TEAM MEETINGS

CONFLUENCE ARCHITECTURE SPRING 2022 Best Offices Ottawa

FLOOR-TOCIELING WINDOWS PROVIDE NATURAL LIGHT AND SWEEPING STREETVIEWS

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A modern community meeting place CONFLUENCE ARCHITECTURE REMODELS ICONIC GATINEAU FARMERS MARKET

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f you’ve ever driven through Old Gatineau, you likely came across the Marché NotreDame. The red, open-air wood beam structure was hard to miss, boasting colourful murals on the back building and occasionally housing local vendors selling fruit, vegetables and other artisanal goods.

When the city of Gatineau set out to revitalize a portion of the Rue Notre Dame

in 2018, updating the local market space was a key pillar in the plan. After putting out a request for proposal, the city awarded the project to Confluence Architecture, formerly Mercier Pfalzgraf Architectes, a Gatineau-based firm known for its thoughtful and sustainable approach to design.

“In terms of architecture, they wanted something innovative, contemporary and yet

CONFLUENCE ARCHITECTURE

coherent with the surrounding area,” says Vincent Renaud, partner at Confluence Architecture. “As the first step in the rejuvenation process, they also wanted to demonstrate to the community that they were aiming high with this project.”

Working closely with the city and community representatives, Confluence Architecture replaced the aging A-frame structure with a modern, glass-encased building that not only pays homage to the original marketplace, but better serves the community and its goals.

A NATURAL DESIGN APPROACH

WOOD CONNECTS THE ESSENCE OF OLD AND NEW

At the back of the new structure sits an original piece of the Marché Notre-Dame, which Confluence Architecture committed to incorporating with the new design to preserve aspects of its historical significance.

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Drawing inspiration from the original structure, Confluence Architecture created a glue-laminated timber structure, wrapped in aluminium siding that mimics the look of wood. Floor-toceiling windows on two sides of the structure offer sweeping views of the streetscape, and flood the space with natural light – an important factor in keeping with the spirit of a farmers market.

“By creating an enclosed space, it gives the community the ability to utilize the building year round, but it was important that the space still felt open and natural,” says Renaud.

For added visual interest on the front of the building, a wrap-around wooden sunshade was constructed, framing the large windows and marking a terrace around the building.

At the back of the new structure sits an original piece of the Marché NotreDame, which Confluence Architecture committed to incorporating with the new design to preserve aspects of its historical significance.

Although marrying the two could have posed a challenge, the team found a workaround by maintaining a cross section of the original structure and connecting the buildings with a new roof.

“We wanted to capture the essence of the space by using a lot of wood to connect the old and the new,” he says. “It provides continuity with what was there before.”

The spirit of the Marché Notre-Dame

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OTHER FEATURED PROJECTS TFO > As part of a collaboration between TFO Groupe Media and La Cité, space was made available for TFO to move their Ottawa office and audiovisual production activities to La Cité’s Aviation Parkway campus.

The space is divided by a street-like corridor that isolates the TV studio, AV-mixing room, and sound booth on one side while meeting rooms and open workspaces are located on the other.

The fit-up provides a diversity of ambiances and collaboration opportunities while preserving all existing production operations including equipment storage, server room, typical office spaces and a kitchenette.

< PLACE DU MARCHÉ As part of this project, Confluence Architecture revisited the traditional typology of commercial buildings. The team’s intervention is manifested through a dynamic geometry and a play on materials that aims to break up the volumes and emphasize the angles on the street corner.

In order to amplify this urban positioning, Confluence Architecture gave each of the buildings a pergola that provides cover for an outdoor public space. These dramatic and uplifting pergolas, designed with offset surfaces, generate excitement and curiosity, completing the intended dynamism for the entire project.

CONFLUENCE ARCHITECTURE

is carried through inside the new building as well, with large, structural wood beams becoming an instant focal point in the space, mimicking the rhythm of the booths at the market.

Designed to serve as both a retail space for artisanal goods, an event space and a bistro – outfitted with a modern, open-concept kitchen and pizza oven – Confluence Architecture sought to strike a balance between elevated finishings and natural elements that would ground the space.

An unobstructed sightline flows down the middle of the room, which is meant to evoke the feeling of walking through the vendor stalls, says Renaud, while polished concrete floors carry throughout the main seating area and retail space, reminiscent of the pavement which lined the market.

“The space has a signature feel that flows through the entire building,” he says.

“Using sustainable materials was really important to bridge the inside with the outdoor space and make it feel cohesive.”

ELEVATED FINISHINGS AND NATURAL ELEMENTS GROUND THE SPACE

A NEW ERA

An unobstructed sightline flows down the middle of the room, which is meant to evoke the feeling of walking through the vendor stalls, while polished concrete floors carry throughout the main seating area and retail space, reminiscent of the pavement which lined the market.

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While the team at Confluence are renowned for helping companies evolve their spaces, the Gatineau architecture firm recently underwent its own transformation, rebranding the business from Mercier Pfalzgraf Architectes to Confluence Architecture.

Under the leadership of Renaud and fellow partner Lino Alves, the pair decided to bring the firm into a new era following the retirement of former owners Mercier and Pfalzgraf.

“We believe architecture has a role to play in shaping our environment, and we incorporate that into every project we work on,” says Alves. “The firm needed to reflect that approach to community building as we look to take on new projects and challenges.”

The pair landed on Confluence Architecture as not only a reflection of their design approach, but as a geographical marker for the firm.

Translating to the meeting of two rivers, Renaud says it represents the work the team does in both Gatineau and Ontario – a bridging of the communities.

“Architecture is technical but there is a real beauty in how it serves the community,” he adds. “We look forward to continuing to merge functionality and design in every project we touch.”

SIMMONDS ARCHITECTURE SPRING 2022 Best Offices Ottawa

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Simmonds Architecture puts collaboration at the centre of its own office redesign

stablished in 1996, Simmonds Architecture is an award-winning leader in modern design.

While being best known throughout Ottawa for its custom housing, the firm has also worked on projects such as the Tomlinson Group headquarters, supportive mixed-use housing for a non-profit organization and, most recently, a specialty medical clinic with surgical operating suites.

The year 2020 was a big one for the firm: as well as undergoing a brand change, Simmonds Architecture moved its offices from Chinatown to Centretown.

Samantha Schneider, a project and design principal at Simmonds, explains that the previous office space was becoming too small for the growing company. “We were looking for a space where we could start fresh and look at our identity again.”

The team found just that in their new office located at 340 Catherine St. The building — which used to house the Canadian Red Cross — is two storeys, with Simmonds Architecture taking over the ground floor. But, while the new office was large enough, it didn’t have the modern, inspirational feel the team was aiming for, so they gutted it and started from scratch.

Led by Schneider, the firm took on its own redesign to create a space that drives creativity and innovation.

A BRAND NEW LOOK

When you enter the new office, you’re immediately met with a calm, bright atmosphere.

Oak counters and workstations run parallel along

SIMMONDS ARCHITECTURE

“We were looking for a space where we could start fresh and look at our identity again.”

MINIMAL AND MODERN COLOUR SCHEME

— SAMANTHA SCHNEIDER, PROJECT AND DESIGN PRINCIPAL

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MODERN AND INSPIRATIONAL SPACE

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CALM AND BRIGHT ATMOSPHERE

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“We wanted the design to strike a balance between contemporary and casual simplicity.”

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— CHRIS SIMMONDS, PRINCIPAL AND OWNER

two walls, with natural light flooding in through large windows.

The office has a neutral colour palette, featuring clean whites and natural greys.

Through a careful curation of different textures, including white oak accents, the space is minimalistic while also radiating warmth and dynamism.

An open ceiling shows off the building’s charcoal-grey truss work, as well as exposed mechanical systems, helping to strike a

balance between “contemporary and casual simplicity,” says Christopher Simmonds, the firm’s principal and owner.

In a unique design choice, the conference room is located in the middle of the office, instead of being tucked away in a corner. An angular, partially transparent block with detailed glass, ribbed cladding panels and white oak trim, the design of the room signals to clients that, when they come to Simmonds

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collaborative areas or go solo with single flexible standing desks.

COLLABORATION IS KEY

AN EXCITING FUTURE

The completed office received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the firm’s team. During the first week of March 2020, Simmonds Architecture moved into the newly renovated space — then, the pandemic hit. “We had a very fun first two weeks,” Simmonds says. “We were very pleased with ourselves, but then we all had to go home to work.”

Over the last few months, the team has slowly begun to return to the office.

“There’s a sense of collaboration, a sense of pride,” Schneider says about the new space.

And, as things continue to re-open, the team is once again able to meet with clients in the office. “Our new space truly demonstrates the thought and care we put into our designs,” adds Simmonds.

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Located in Centretown, the office was a rare find downtown. Simmonds explains that, usually, buildings like this one are limited to industrial parks, far away from any commercial centre.

“The idea that we could be in a spot where it’s handy to pop out, get some lunch and then take a walk — it was all-important to have that sort of amenity,” Simmonds says, adding that the location is also convenient for clients as it’s right off the Queensway.

The firm’s team can walk or bike to work, so Simmonds Architecture added bike racks and showers to the new office.

“It’s all things people asked for,” Simmonds says. “We wanted to be able to accommodate.”

Schneider adds, “I think people feel more invested in our office now than they did in our previous space.” And it makes sense that they would — the redesign was a fully collaborative process between the firm’s architects.

As experts in the field, Simmonds Architecture didn’t run into any notable challenges when redesigning the new office. However, there was one big differentiator between this project and all their others: “We always have to find solutions that satisfy a client — in this case, ourselves,” Schneider says. “The greatest challenge, though I think it’s a good one, was us.”

Schneider explains that, as part of the redesign, the team had to hone in on and define their collective identity. “Although someone may lead the process, everybody has been involved throughout,” she says.

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Architecture, they’re the main focus.

Placing the conference room in the centre of the space also ensures that no employee is isolated in the “back” of the office because, arguably, there is no back.

“We wanted to keep a certain openness and fluid connection running throughout the whole space,” Schneider says.

Simmonds jokingly adds that if anyone brings their children or dogs to work, “you can play chase — it’s fabulous.”

Through subtle design, the firm has ensured that each area of the office flows seamlessly into the next, from the modern kitchenette to the light-filled reception area.

“It’s all homogenous, in a way, because we like to be together,” Schneider says.

At the same time, privacy was top of mind during the renovation — the conference wall is soundproofed, and staff can choose whether to work in groups in

PHOTO BY MICHAEL LEM, PRIME VISUALS

IDEA INC. SPRING 2022 Best Offices Ottawa

PATTERNED WOOD WALLS CREATE VISUAL INTEREST

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Putting flexibility at the core of design ARCHITECTURE FIRM IDEA INC. STRIKES THE PERFECT BALANCE FOR HYBRID WORK AT NEW GOVERNMENT CO-WORKING SITE

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t’s not often that in-office federal government employees can edit a presentation deck while walking on a treadmill or lounging in a cozy diner-style booth. But that’s exactly the case at 141 Colonnade Rd., an older space recently renovated by the architects at IDEA Inc. for landlord Regional Group and its federal government client.

The building’s nearly 40,000 square feet of space, spread over two floors, previously had an “extremely dated” look and feel, explains Tal Scher, vice-president of Asset and Property Management at Regional

Group. “It sat vacant for a few years,” he recalls. “We struggled to fill it. It was a dated, old-looking space.”

But after Regional responded to – and won – a federal request for proposals (RFP) asking for roughly the same amount of space and a new design concept, everything changed for 141 Colonnade.

ACHIEVING THE ULTIMATE ACTIVITY-BASED WORKPLACE

Through a competitive process, Regional Group partnered with architecture firm IDEA Inc. and PCL Construction to

and interesting space.

Maximizing natural daylight in any office is important, but isn’t always easy with expansive floorplates, says Yates. That’s why IDEA placed most workstations adjacent to the office’s extensive exterior glazing, while outfitting meeting rooms with large glass fronts.

“It’s glazing all the way around in most meeting rooms,” explains IDEA architect Danica Lau. “So even though you’re in an enclosed room, you have light coming through.”

Even the most beautifully designed office can be frustrating for workers without good noise dampening, which is why acoustics were a huge consideration during the tenant fit-up.

Acoustic controls include soundabsorbing ceiling tiles, felt wall coverings and tiles used as design features. Rich wood wall cladding in a warm and rustic herringbone pattern and suspended wooden slats in many of the space’s collaborative rooms also help balance noise throughout the space.

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SERENE AESTHETIC WITH POPS OF COLOUR

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renovate the building’s two floors, right down to the studs. IDEA Inc. associate architect Debbie Yates says the team worked within the parameters of the federal government’s GCWorkplace office modernization initiative to deliver a flexible space that conforms to an activitybased workplace approach.

That meant facilitating a hybrid work environment capable of supporting multiple different ways of working that encourages workers to spread out within the space and that doesn’t tether individual workers to one workstation, she explains.

“Now that everybody has their own laptop, they’re not really tied to a desk.

So, we created a whole bunch of different spaces to work in,” says Yates.

Fittingly, 141 Colonnade’s new look and feel features design choices that encourage a more inviting and flexible workplace for up to 275 full-time employees.

The space now boasts a range of different working spots, including traditional workstations, phone booths, focus pods, support/meeting rooms and lounge-style touchdown spaces (and, yes, a couple of treadmill desks).

The office’s multiple kitchenettes were also designed as collaborative workspaces, meant to be used any time of day. The installation of decorative resin panels, not solid walls, helps demarcate these types of rooms without completely closing them to the rest of the space.

“We didn’t want to completely close off the area,” explains IDEA architect Leah Guerra, “but still wanted to provide some kind of privacy.”

A central core of employee lockers in the middle of the floor plan act as a hub and buffer zone between the office’s collaborative and quiet areas, while also providing a place for drop-in employees to store their belongings.

IDEA draped the space in rich and earthy neutral colours, wood grains and other natural finishes, bringing a comfortable feel to the office. Biophilic design, an architectural approach that connects building design with nature, has been shown to enhance worker creativity, improve workplace productivity and even reduce the number of employee sick days taken each year.

That serene aesthetic is balanced with subtle yet bright pop-up colours like blues, purples and oranges to create an inviting

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BRIGHT, SPACIOUS GALLEY KITCHEN

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MORE VARIETY AND FLEXIBILITY IN WORK SPACES

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SPECIAL EXPERTISE REQUIRED FOR A TWOPHASE RENOVATION

The current iteration of IDEA (short for Integrated Design - Engineering and Architecture) was formed two years ago, when IDEA Inc. merged with COLE + Associates Architects. Since then, the firm has tackled dozens of projects in the Ottawa area, including several for the federal government.

Regional Group’s Scher says that kind of experience is key when facing the unique considerations surrounding any federal government fit-up project.

“The architect needs an understanding of the process of working with the federal government to ensure a project doesn’t get drawn out over a long period of time,” explains Scher.

In this case, the project was a two-phase renovation, with the first phase consisting of “landlord’s work” – completely new HVAC systems, sprinklers, interior and exterior lighting, exterior glazing, flooring, walls and other base building elements – and the second involving the tenant fit-up.

“It’s always beneficial for everyone to get the work done in a very timely manner,” and the team at IDEA did that, says Scher.

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RICH WOOD ACCENTS HELP ABSORB NOISE

THE RESULT: A VERY HAPPY TENANT

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NATURAL LIGHT SHINES THROUGH MEETING ROOMS

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Even though the tenant hasn’t yet used the space to its full potential – the renovations were completed in early 2020, just as COVID hit the Ottawa area – the federal government client loves its renovated space.

“The team at IDEA is excellent,” the tenant says. “They provide impressive attention to detail, knowledge and solutions. The result is a project completed on time, on budget and most certainly with a wow factor that impresses everyone.”

Yates says the new space even has the potential to change the way the client’s employees work, with far greater flexibility and collaborative options now available – a key potential driver in getting employees back to the office.

“There are so many more points where you can interact with your colleagues,” she says. “At the same time, there are other areas, reflection points, so that if you need a little break to recharge you can sit and look out the window and you’re separated from the main office through acoustic material.

There’s just a lot more variety and flexibility built into the space.”

“It’s glazing all the way around in most meeting rooms. So even though you’re in an enclosed room, you havelight coming through.” — DANICA LAU, ARCHITECT, IDEA

HOBIN ARCHITECTURE

Bringing Taggart’s iconic HQ back to life

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ucked away behind the trees lining Johnston Road in the city’s south end sits the headquarters for one of Ottawa’s most notable residential and commercial developers.

Since the 1940s, the Taggart Group of Companies has expanded its presence in the capital, contributing to local infrastructure development and building homes for many residents in the region.

As the business grew, however, the company’s headquarters became dated and stretched to its limits – most recently housing the Taggart Construction team as well as its sister companies Tamarack and Doran Contractors.

“The original building was from the 1950s and despite creating an extension in 2006, we outgrew that too,” said Art Bonsall, director of preconstruction at Doran. “It was time to bring our headquarters into the 21st century to match who we are as a company.”

Turning to Hobin Architecture – a longstanding partner and the team who helped revamp the developer’s Albion Street office in 1984, 1998 and again in 2006 – as well as interior design firm 4té Inc., Taggart Group set out to transform its historic office space, serving as both the client on the project and the general contractor.

A DRASTICALLY NEW LAYOUT

PHOTOS BY MIV

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STRONG FOCUS ON WORK GROUPS

HOBIN ARCHITECTURE, 4TÉ INC. TEAM UP WITH TAGGART GROUP ON OFFICE EXPANSION

HISTORIC OFFICE TRANSFORMED TO MODERN SPACE

The main part of the office renovation was the construction of 12,000 square feet of additional space, referred to as building C. With Taggart’s HQ located within the company’s work yard, where it stores heavy equipment, trucks and materials, the team was limited in how far they could expand the building, says Doug van den Ham, Hobin Architecture’s lead architectural designer on the project. Instead of

HOBIN ARCHITECTURE

WARM, WELCOMING OFFICE SPACE

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building out, van den Ham suggested Taggart build up, drawing up plans for a two-storey, 6,000 square foot building addition that would seamlessly fit into the existing structure.

“Working closely with 4té, we tried to come up with a new building floor plate arrangement that would be quite flexible and open given the space constraints,” he says. “We focused more on workgroups and collaboration spaces, as opposed to their existing layout, which was segmented and built around small individual offices.”

The new building is divided into three linear bays, with the centre spine housing washrooms, printer rooms and board rooms. The exterior bays are home to open workstations, with private offices located at either end, ensuring equal access to the daylight from the window-clad exterior walls.

“Having that solid centre line through the building was a strategic organizational tool for us to make sure we created spaces around it for each of the teams,” says van den Ham. “It was a drastic departure from the original layout.”

HOBIN ARCHITECTURE

“Our goal was to create a look that was timeless, modern and reflective of Taggart’s history in the business.”

— TZOOFIT HAMMER, PRINCIPAL, 4TÉ INC.

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BRANDING AT THE FOREFRONT OF DESIGN

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FUNCTIONAL, DURABLE WORK SPACES

While the flow of the office was completely reimagined, so too was the interior design of the space.

The new office is warm and welcoming, dressed in a neutral palette of grey, white and black hues. Modern glass walls are incorporated throughout the space, tying in the industrial-style exposed ceilings, which are in turn juxtaposed by warm wood materials and pops of colourful furniture.

“Our goal was to create a look that was timeless, modern and reflective of Taggart’s history in the business,” says Tzoofit Hammer, principal at local interior design firm 4té Inc. “At the same time, it needed to be functional and durable, given that we are working with a client in the construction industry.”

To ensure longevity and sound absorption, 4té selected luxury vinyl tiles and carpeting that mimic concrete for the majority of the floor finishes – a nod to Taggart’s construction prowess. OSB

HOBIN ARCHITECTURE

plywood was used as a design feature for wall paneling in staff meeting rooms as well as in the staff lounge island millwork and ceiling treatment, creating a dynamic look and feel to the space, while materials meant to look like rusted metal and aged copper were incorporated in the lobby and in the washrooms.

“We wanted Taggart Group to feel represented in the space and for it to serve as a reminder to staff and clients of the great work they do,” says Hammer. “Their brand needed to be front and centre.”

A HISTORY OF COLLABORATION

When construction on building C wrapped up in 2020, and the reality of the pandemic set in, Taggart seized the opportunity to extend the renovation with Hobin and 4té past the new addition and into the remaining office in order to complete the next two renovation phases concurrently and expedite the overall duration of the project.

“With staff working from home, it became the perfect time to give the entire building a refresh,” says Jennilee Campbell, manager, project coordination and operations at Doran. “We ended up gutting both building A and B, which was great because now we have a cohesive look and feel through the entire space.”

While Hobin and Taggart have worked closely together on several iterations of the company headquarters over the years, the pair’s relationship extends far beyond the space at 3187 Albion Rd.

For decades, the duo has worked together on residential and commercial projects, bonding over a mutual dedication to building communities and developing impactful urban spaces. To date, Taggart and Hobin have collaborated on dozens of influential projects, such as the reinvention of 1140 Wellington W., which combines apartments, greenspace

and retail space.

“It’s great working with a team that you feel like you can be honest with and share a similar vision with,” says Campbell. “A lot of that comes from that long working history.”

Pairing that generational relationship with Hobin’s decade-long partnership with 4té and you’re left with a dynamic

team that could only lead to a successful project, says van den Ham. It’s a sentiment echoed by Hammer.

“Everyone involved understood and recognized the strength and talent of the other, which led to this amazing building,” she says. “It was a collaboration in every sense of the word and the end result truly demonstrates that.”

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FIGURR ARCHITECTS COLLECTIVE

Designing an elevated space for a growing company FIGURR ARCHITECTS COLLECTIVE CREATES A MODERN HOME FOR RECOLLECTIVE’S EXPANDING TEAM

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PHOTOS BY DAVID BOYER

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W

hen Recollective CEO Alfred Jay decided to move his research software company from Gatineau back to the capital, he knew he wanted to be in the heart of the city. But, finding a space that was not only functional for the growing team but also reflective of the company’s culture proved to be a challenge.

“We wanted to anchor down, build out our headquarters and create a home for our company,” says Jay. “If we couldn’t find a space that met our needs, we were committed to creating one that we could continue to grow into for years to come.”

After viewing several offices in the downtown area, Jay landed on a light-filled space in the World Exchange Plaza, with direct views of the courtyard amphitheatre and ample space for various workstations.

Working closely with Figurr Architects Collective and local contractor The Lake Partnership Inc. (TLPI), Recollective’s vision for the office was brought to life, transforming the suite into the modern, elevated space the team was searching for.

CREATING THE MODERN OFFICE

From the project’s onset, collaboration was key to ensuring a successful fit-up.

Figurr and TLPI have a similar approach to working that values teamwork and design excellence.

When Recollective brought TLPI on board to manage the office reconstruction, it was the perfect opportunity for the general contractor and Figurr to team up on their first project.

“It’s extremely important for us to work closely with all teams involved in a renovation, especially the client,” says Roberto Campos, partner and head of Figurr’s Ottawa office.

“It gives them ownership over the process and results in an even better design because we get to understand their goals.”

For this project, the architecture team set up a Pinterest board to gauge what design elements the client liked – and didn’t like. Very quickly, it became clear that Jay and his team were looking for an ultra-clean, modern space, says Campos.

Figurr incorporated that minimalist aesthetic into every design element, from the unobstructed

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MINIMALIST AESTHETIC AND MODERN DESIGN

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FIGURR ARCHITECTS COLLECTIVE

TURNING STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES INTO DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES

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CUSTOM LIGHT-FILLED SPACES

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sightlines throughout the space down to the light fixtures and cabinet handles.

“We wanted to achieve the level of finesse that the client was looking for, regardless of how small the detail was,” says Campos.

Upon entering the office, you’re met with a crisp, neutral palette and a glass-encased board room, all of which accentuate the large windows that surround the space. Slate grey flooring and bright white walls are contrasted by crisp black frames that outline the boardroom’s glass partitions, making it an immediate focal point.

Pops of black are incorporated throughout the office, most notably in the kitchen, which features dramatic matte black cabinets and storage units.

The modern yet warm design carries into the open-concept workstations that line the office’s main hall, with white desks and light-wood wall paneling creating a clean and sophisticated feel.

“Similarly to how we engineer our products, there is a real attention to detail in the design,” says Jay. “We wanted the space to reflect that we take our work seriously and the optimized functionality and feel of the office does just that.”

While a modern aesthetic may seem easier to achieve – with fewer elements or colours in play – executing on a minimalist design is often more intensive and leaves little to no room for error, says Christopher Alderson, partner and senior project manager at TLPI. “With this project, we were always looking at how to marry design intent and feasibility,” says Alderson, who oversaw the construction and management for the renovation. “Figurr was great at working with us to ensure that, when it was all finished, you didn’t see the challenges that went into making something complicated work.”

In this case, the L-shaped floor plate and proximity to the outdoor amphitheatre space posed some challenges during construction. Some of the walls in the office feature a slight curvature, which meant the team needed to adjust the architectural approach to ensure the lines were, in fact, straight.

Several structural pillars throughout the space also posed challenges to the layout. The design team removed the drywall cladding from the intrusive columns to leave their rough concrete exposed, integrating them as design elements in the space.

The modernity of the office is also reflected in the fine details, from the alignment of outlets and sprinkler heads, to the soundproofing tiles on the ceiling.

“It’s the little things that really matter, and if you do them right, you won’t even notice them,” says Alderson. “It was nice to watch Figurr come up with different plans to incorporate these necessary elements into the overall design.”

For Jay and the Recollective team, who are now making their return to the new office, having a space that so clearly reflects who they are as a company is paramount to their future success. And, working with a strong team able to capture the vision for the space made the process that much easier.

“Collaborating with Figurr and TLPI was phenomenal,” adds Jay. “They were very keen to listen to my ideas and objectives, and that gave me a lot of confidence that, ultimately, we’d have something that we could be really excited about and really proud of.”

FIGURR ARCHITECTS COLLECTIVE

“We wanted to achieve the level of finesse that the client was looking for, regardless of how small the detail was.” – ROBERTO CAMPOS, PARTNER AND HEAD OF FIGURR’S OTTAWA OFFICE

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SMALL DETAILS INCORPORATED INTO THE OVERALL SPACE

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A celebration of aesthetically beautiful, functional and healthy workspaces across the National Capital Region.

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SPONSORED BY

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2022

To be a part of our 2023 edition please contact Wendy Baily: wendy@obj.ca