West Ottawa Living Guide 2017 by Great River Media inc.

MEET THE HUMANS OF OTTAWA WEST > STARTING ON PAGE 7

LIVING GUIDE

FROM CEO TO CEO AWARD WINNERS DISCUSS WORK, FAMILY AND BALANCE

GIVING BACK IN WEST OTTAWA

INNOVATION IN YOUR BACKYARD

live, work, play FROM NEPEAN TO WEST CARLETON: FERTILE GROUND FOR BUSINESSES

URBAN + RURAL PLACES TO PLAY AFTER WORK

MICHAEL BLACKIEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

PERSPECTIVE ON OTTAWA

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN WEST OTTAWA If you want to give back, there are plenty of options to choose from. BY LEO VALIQUETTE

table of contents 4 WELCOME TO WEST OTTAWA! BY SUELING CHING

20 A GREAT PLACE TO PLAY AFTER WORK

West Ottawa offers the perfect balance of rural and urban.

6 WEST OTTAWA FERTILE BY LEO VALIQUETTE GROUND FOR BUSINESSES 26 MY OTTAWA OF ALL STRIPES PERSPECTIVE BY LEO VALIQUETTE

14 COVER STORY FRANK TALK, CEO TO CEO Business Excellence Award winners discuss work, family and what it means to find balance. BY LEO VALIQUETTE PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

18 THE ASTOUNDING INNOVATION IN YOUR BACKYARD

There are few places where a community-minded home life and deep tech come together.

BY MICHAEL BLACKIE

28 STOP DOING AND BECOME A BETTER YOU BY AMANDA O’REILLY

38 A RISING TIDE FLOATS ALL SHIPS

The spirit and intent behind a business improvement area.

44 BE A LEADER BY SUELING CHING

10 TREFOR MUNN-VENN 12 KATRINA ANDERSON 12 KYLE TURK 16 AMMAR GULEN 22 ROBIN ANDREW 25 BOB GOHARZAD 27 MURILO TORRES 31 BRENDA REISCH 35 SAM KHATIB 37 LYNN LADD 37 ANDREA STEENBAKKERS Publisher: Great River Media Editor: Leo Valiquette Contributors: Sueling Ching, Mark Holleron, Jenna Sudds, Michael Blackie, Amanda O’Reilly Advertising Sales: Kirill Kornilov Design: Lisa Georges, Strut Strategies Ad production: Celine Beaulieu 250 City Centre Avenue, Suite 500 Ottawa, ON K1R 6K7 www.greatriver.ca

BY JENNA SUDDS WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

Welcome to

WEST OTTAWA!

e are so thrilled to be launching this campaign designed to highlight why our community is the perfect place to live, work and play. You will discover in these pages a common theme of people who have discovered you can “have it all.” We live in a community full of diversity, opportunity and life balance. And our beauty is in our contrasts. Our history and economy is well rooted in the fact that we are the nation’s capital of a G7 country and home to the embassies and high commissions of more than 130 nations. We are also home to 1,700 technology companies working in telecom, health and clean energy – many of which are global leaders. We host spectacular events featuring music, the arts and professional sport teams that help attract world attention for tourism. But you will also find many local volunteer-run events that celebrate community pride. We have world-class attractions and soon, a state-of-the-art transportation system. And yet, we are surrounded by natural beauty, including hundreds of kilometers of trails for hiking, cycling and skiing. We have a high standard of living married with a low cost of living. We enjoy access to big city amenities in an environment that is safe for raising families. West Ottawa truly is the best of all worlds. A spectacular place to invest, start a business, build a career, get an education, visit and raise a family. Any lifestyle you choose can happen here. Our mission at the West Ottawa Board of Trade is to create prosperity. This involves working with local stakeholders and business leaders to attract people to invest, work, study and visit by showcasing how West Ottawa is a great place to live.

pride and that you will feel compelled to tell the story of why West Ottawa is the best place to live, work and play. Join our community of dedicated and innovative leaders, volunteers and entrepreneurs working to ensure our global competitiveness and an outstanding quality of life. SUELING CHING, CEO, WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

So we decided to create a campaign to highlight the many wonderful aspects of West Ottawa Living. We hope you love it, that it will inspire a strong sense of community

WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

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est Ottawa is made up of several unique areas and neighborhoods; all enjoying quality lifestyle and SISSIPPI SISSIPPI SI AKE K access to opportunities. Our community only grows by working together; TA MON T A GSpecial UE community, business and government. thanks to the West Ottawa Council Members R U M M O N D / for your commitment to service leadership TH ELMSLEY and prosperity.

WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

Jim Watson, Mayor, City of Ottawa Michael Qaqish, Gloucester-South Nepean Jan Harder, Barrhaven Keith Egli, Knoxdale-Merivale Rick Chiarelli, College Mark Taylor, Bay Marianne Wilkinson, Kanata North Allan Hubley, Kanata South N GRENVILLE Scott Moffatt, Rideau-Goulbourn Shad Qadri, Stittsville L Carleton-March EEDS A RENVILL Eli El-Chantiry, West

west ottawa

FERTILE GROUND FOR BUSINESSES OF ALL STRIPES

< West Ottawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique communities strike the right balance between work and play. BY LEO VALIQUETTE >

he talent pool is highly educated and diverse. An affluent population hungers for new products and services. There is easy access to global markets and key government agencies. An enviable quality of life encourages families to put down roots. Ottawa West is fertile ground for businesses large and

small, from a mom and pop shop serving the local community, to a growing multinational technology company. But each area of Ottawa West has its own unique strengths and charms. WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

Kanata: Ever a hotbed of innovation

If there is one community in all of Ottawa that has earned the label “resilient,” it’s Kanata. The dot-com/ telecom crash of 2000 left this high-tech hub tarnished for a time, but far from beaten. Kanata continues to grow and prosper, creating opportunities for jobseekers and employers alike. According to an Economic Impact Study and Market Gap Analysis completed for the Kanata North Business Improvement Area (BIA), the area has an annual economic impact of $7.8 billion. That puts its productivity per worker at three times or more the national average. Kanata remains the backbone of Canada’s worldrenowned telecommunications industry. Ninety per cent of all communications R&D in Canada still takes place in Ottawa, and 90 per cent of that is centered in Kanata. About 60 per cent of the tech companies operating in Kanata are head office operations. Multinationals rub shoulders with a diverse mix of growing SMEs – about 97 per cent of companies in the area have fewer than 50 employees. Jim Roche has lived in Kanata for over 30 years. He began his career as a founding member of Newbridge Networks and helped grow that Kanata company to over $1 billion in annual revenue in the 1990s. He then co-founded Tundra Semiconductor, took it public and, as President and CEO, grew its market valuation to over $1.5 billion in the 2000s. Today, he runs a consultancy called Stratford Managers and works with many West Ottawa businesses. “There has been a big shift in energy here in recent years,” he said. “We’ve been on a roar with new companies getting started and older companies growing. Big names like Apple and Amazon have established design centres here … I think people underestimate the large pool of talent that names like Ericsson, Ciena and Huawei have attracted to this region and the sophistication of the technology they are working on. It’s amazing the technology that is at our core.” These multinational brands rely on the deep pool of local talent to drive the development of the nextgeneration wireless communication standard, 5G. This is the home of Canadian industry consortium Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks (CENGN). The 5G network is crucial to support the growth of smart cities, driverless cars and the Internet of Things. Meanwhile, a new crop of companies has put Kanata on the map in other sectors. For example, anchored by the L-Spark incubator and WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

companies like The Better Software Company and Fusebill, Kanata is growing a vibrant Software-as-aService (SaaS) industry. Restaurateur Sam Khatib, known to many as Papa Sam, has watched Kanata grow from 4,500 residents to almost 100,000 over the past 40 years. Aside from its tech roots, what makes Kanata such a great place to build a business is the focus on community. Residents, he says, have always had the vision to build something progressive. He serves on the local BIA board alongside technology executives and other business owners. “Customers are friends and friends are customers,” he said. “Kanata is a comfortable and clean community with no headaches. Everyone came here from around the world to work here and they loved it – many stayed and even if they left they came back.”

Stittsville: Big opportunities with small-town vibe Just down the road from Kanata lies Stittsville. This community has grown from a quiet farming village of under 500 residents in the 1970s to almost 30,000.

Stittsville offers a lifestyle close to nature that has appealed to thousands of tech workers, government employees and retirees. Its average household income is one of the highest in the National Capital Region. And while that growth has attracted its share of new retail development, the area remains a prime choice for independent business owners looking for a strong local consumer base. “Stittsville used to be thought of as a remote satellite village but today it feels a lot closer to everything else,” said Glen Gower, Director of the Stittsville Village Association. “It’s kind of a gateway between rural and urban Ottawa – a really interesting geographical spot.”

90%

of all communications R&D in Canada still takes place in Ottawa, and 90% of that is centered in Kanata.

Stittsville has attracted its own crowd of small to mid-sized commercial/industrial businesses that tap into the rich talent pool West Ottawa offers. These include Oz Optics – its proprietary fiber optic sensor systems are used for remote monitoring by 10,000 customers in more than 60 countries. Oz Optics’ employment base also speaks to the diversity of West Ottawa – more than 70 per cent of its employees are immigrants, representing 40 countries. But Stittsville still boasts a vibrant Main Street populated by owneroperator businesses. “Stittsville is a great community for supporting its businesses,” said CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 7

“I think people underestimate the large pool of talent that names like Ericsson, Ciena and Huawei have attracted to this region and the sophistication of the technology they are working on. It’s amazing the technology that is at our core.” JIM ROCHE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Amy Walker. She and husband Jim operate Walkerworks Picture Framing just off Stittsville Main Street. They relocated the business from Perth eleven years ago. “You see a lot of people just wanting to support what they find here instead of going to a big box store,” Walker said. “You can’t beat the service in an owner-operator shop … people are doing what they love and they are doing a good job at it.” Covered Bridge Brewing also calls Stittsville home. Launched four years ago by John and Kathy Van Dyk, what began has a home-based hobby has grown into a popular micro-brewery. Covered Bridge beer is on tap at many local bars and restaurants and now has shelf space at LCBO locations. John Van Dyk describes himself as a former “disgruntled public servant” who at his wife’s behest, decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Today, he also serves on a steering committee that is looking to create a BIA for Stittsville and capitalize on the area’s potential for new business. In fact, the expectation among urban planners is that the community could double in size over the next 20 years. “A common theme on that committee is we need to work on keeping people who live in Stittsville shopping here,” he said. “There are a lot of great hidden gems in Stittsville and a lot of potential because it is a growing community.” 8

Nepean/Barrhaven: No longer just a bedroom community

You can’t talk about Kanata’s technology sector without giving neighbouring Nepean its due. Over the past 30 years, Nepean was home to such tech stars as Nortel Networks, JDS Uniphase and Gandalf Technologies. Time may have marched on, but that old Nortel campus on Carling Avenue with its distinctive octagonal tower is getting a new lease on life as “Pentagon North.” Canada’s Department of Defence is consolidating its local operations there. That move is driving a flurry of new real estate activity with the expectation that public servants will relocate to West Ottawa. And then there is Algonquin College – a training ground for the talent in demand by growing tech companies. President Cheryl Jensen co-chairs a President’s Advisory Panel with Sir Terence Matthews – the man responsible for driving much of the evolution of the Kanata tech sector – to serve and anticipate local talent needs. Algonquin announced last year a new $44.9 million Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning Centre and an Institute for Indigenous Entrepreneurship. Nepean has two distinct faces. Within Ottawa’s Greenbelt are the older communities established through 1950s, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

’60s and ‘70s. Outside the Greenbelt is the rapidly growing suburb of Barrhaven. With almost 75,000 residents, Barrhaven is working to shake off the image of a sleepy bedroom community for technology and government workers who commute to Kanata or downtown. In terms of commercial and retail development, it’s come a long way since the 1990s, when it had just one shopping centre. Jason MacDonald, chair of the Barrhaven BIA and Team Leader at RE/MAX MacDonald Moussa Team real estate, is a big cheerleader for the area. “I’ve travelled all over the world and Canadians don’t realize how lucky they are and how lucky we are here in West Ottawa,” he said. “There is steady growth, comparatively speaking we have low crime rates, and in terms of doing business, there is a very concerted effort here to share business and help each other grow business.” Dr. Franco Vincelli, owner of Barrhaven’s Active Health Institute, agrees. “There is large diversity in the community, which from a business perspective I think is imperative,” he said. “New people coming in is key for any new business – it’s a factor you can’t neglect. And when you look at the amenities that

Barrhaven has now, technically you don’t have to leave the community if you don’t want to.” This opportunity extends to larger businesses with clientele outside Ottawa, added MacDonald. “The opportunities are phenomenal – we’re adjacent to two 400 series highways with a five-minute bridge to the Ottawa airport and we have a VIA Rail station,” he said. “We are the most accessible community in Ottawa – a definitive advantage in terms of development. We also have a high-quality pool of talent and all the qualities and employer would be looking for.” The potential of the area isn’t lost on local real estate developer Regional Group. This is the company behind CitiGate 416, a 170-acre business park at the intersection of Highway 416 and Strandherd Drive. Regional describes this location as “the gateway into Ottawa.” Twenty-five acres have already been sold to Trinity Developments for a retail power centre to serve CitiGate 416 and the surrounding residential area. The remaining 125+ acres are ready for office/employment uses. David Kardish, Regional Group’s Vice-President of Land Development, said the goal is to create a vibrant “work and play” environment comparable to Kanata that will bring jobs to the Barrhaven area. “The local councilor ( Jan Harder) is helping us promote CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A > and their teams. For Trefor, it all comes down to finding “alignment,” a lesson he has learned for himself.

TREFOR MUNN-VENN

Trefor Munn-Venn and business partner Eric Deschamps have built Rhapsody Strategies into a thriving business that helps high performers transform themselves 10

“You need to find alignment between who you are and what you do in your business, between the goals you have for the organization and your team, between the business that you are and the people who you serve,” he said. Finding that alignment is also the key to finding, not balance, but harmony, between life and work. “When we find harmony, that notion of alignment, when your work is an extension of who you are and what you care about, no one is counting time,” Trefor said. “But if you do that

to the exclusion of all else … people get burned out and less productive. So, enjoy the time you spend at work and with family. Find that mental, physical and spiritual balance.” Having expanded Rhapsody Strategies to eight cities, why does West Ottawa remain such an exciting area for Trefor, Eric and their team to work? “It’s all about people, either from the ideas they have or the actions that they take,” Trefor said. “There is a diversity in West Ottawa in terms of the creativity and the energy that people are putting into what they do. There is a drive to take things to market, to have dreams realized and put things in motion.” WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

Make sure the blinds in your home are safe for children. Lynne O’Neil ~ Owner, Budget Blinds of Ottawa

It takes only 15 seconds for a child to become unconscious from being strangled by a window blind cord. Strangulation is often silent. Since the 1980s, Health Canada reports that fatalities continue to occur at an average rate of slightly more than one child per year in Canada as a result of corded blinds. Over the last thirty years, Health Canada undertook a variety of efforts to try to reduce the risks posed by corded window coverings; however, these efforts have not significantly reduced the fatality rate. To help eliminate this hazard, Health Canada is proposing changes to the Corded Window Covering Products Regulations, which would prohibit the sale of corded window coverings that pose a risk of strangulation to children in the 2018-2019 timeframe. The safest window coverings are ones that have no cords that you can see or touch. Manufacturers have created many products that improve child safety, but these features increase cost. Consumers often do not see the value of the added cost, and many do not want corded blinds or shades installed properly because it means drilling into window frames, trim or a freshly painted wall to mount the child safety device. Certain types of blinds are being discontinued, or changes made to their structure to comply with these upcoming regulations. There are now less expensive motorized shades with a small wall or sill mounted button installed in the room with the shade, or wands on the window treatment where shade operation is done by pushing the button on the bottom of the wand. Add on products for existing blinds that will keep cords shielded from access by children are now available for continuous loop cord controlled roller shades with beaded chains. Currently, Health Canada strongly encourages parents and caregivers to replace window coverings with cordless options that are now available on the market, starting with children’s rooms and places where children play.

Call (613) 224-8900 to schedule your free in-home consultation.

If you cannot make an immediate switch, be sure to: • Always keep cords high and out of the reach of children. • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and read all warnings • Never place cribs, beds and playpens near a window where a child could reach a cord. • Do not place any piece of furniture that a child can climb, near a window. • Attach tension devices supplied with corded window coverings securely to the wall so children can’t place the cord around their neck. • Install a cleat or tie-down device up high on the wall and use it to keep cords out of reach. • Never tie knots in cords. Immediately untie any knots that form accidentally. • Remove any devices that form dangling loops, whether at the bottom, middle or top of the cords. If your blinds have no child safety devices, Budget Blinds provides them as a courtesy for roller, cellular and horizontal blinds. We are always available to make sure the blinds in your home are safe for children.

Style and service for every budget.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 the area for a better work life balance,” Kardish said. “We are trying to move Barrhaven up the yardstick and I think we will be successful.”

West Carleton: A country lifestyle just minutes away

On Kanata and Stittsville’s flank lies West Carleton, a vast rural area bordered by the Ottawa River. It too benefits from straddling a 400-series highway and even boasts its own airport for personal aircraft. West Carleton is part of the City of Ottawa’s rural economy – the largest of any major city in Canada, with annual gross domestic product of more than $1 billion. A popular community in West Carleton is the Village of Carp, home to Carp Fair, one of the largest agricultural fairs in the National Capital Region. Roddy Bolivar, Director of the Carp Road Corridor BIA, is quick to emphasize that West Carleton’s traditional agricultural economy is just part of the picture. His team works to attract businesses to what is Ottawa’s largest industrial area, offering easy highway access and large plots of real estate at a fraction of the cost typical of the city. This makes it ideal for transportation, logistics, construction and trades businesses. “Our area is well located by all the metrics you would use to measure a light industrial park,” Bolivar said.

Bolivar notes it’s important for urban dwellers to appreciate that the family-run and tourist oriented agricultural businesses they do find in West Carleton face the same struggles as any other business. “Rural Ottawa is not a tourist destination for urban Ottawa – it’s a place where people live work and play, they chose to live here and raise their families,” he said. “Hardworking people who have identified a niche and are working to prosper in that niche in a tough, competitive market.” And a growing number of those businesses have nothing to do with agriculture. Professional services firms and their teams are also taking to the country lifestyle. One of these is communications consultancy Syntax Strategic, under founder Jennifer Stewart. She and her team have set up shop in what were supposed to be residential apartments above Alice’s Village Café in Carp. Instead, Syntax shares the space with other business tenants. After 17 years in the military, Stewart’s husband Brett decided to get into the milling business. His local mill buys grain from West Carleton farmers and makes custom flours that ship across Canada. Stewart moved her office from Kanata and finds it easy to still travel downtown for client meetings several times a week. “We wanted a place where we could both live, work and play,” she said. “I get to operate a business that has all the excitement of being a business in downtown Ottawa. I have a lot of friends who are mid-career professionals who have moved out from central Ottawa to get that balance. It’s just a great place to raise a family.”

“I get to operate a business that has all the excitement of being a business in downtown Ottawa. I have a lot of friends who are midcareer professionals who have moved out from central Ottawa to get that balance. It’s just a great place to raise a family.” JENNIFER STEWART 12

WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A >

KATRINAANDERSON

Kinburn Farms in West Carleton isn’t only a working farm, it’s a public one that invites visitors and invests in community outreach and education. Owners Chris and Katrina Anderson pride themselves on providing healthy and ethically responsible food choices for the community at reasonable prices. “People have the right to see how their food is raised,” said Katrina. “We want to empower people to take control of their own diet, see how their food is raised and encourage them to buy local.”

The Andersons also offer workshops on gardening, raising livestock, as well as on-site consultations. “We want to encourage and educate children as well as their parents, because the children are the ones who 20 years from now will be creating legislation about food safety and food sovereignty,” Katrina said.

The Centre of a New Era Our Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning Centre and Institute for Indigenous Entrepreneurship will serve as a hub of ingenuity and harness the talent and creative energy of students and faculty. It’s a new era. This is who we are.

They have chosen to call West Ottawa home because this is where Katrina grew up, on the very farm they now operate. The Andersons are proud to raise their children in this community with its deeply rooted relationships.

KYLETURK Like many residents of West Ottawa, Kyle Turk found his way here from elsewhere, but he has embraced his new home with open arms.

Today he serves as Director of Marketing & Communications at Welch LLP, a chartered professional accounting firm founded in Ottawa 99 years ago. Before that he ran his own local marketing agency (Meerkat), and co-founded Faces Magazine, which now publishes in Ottawa and Halifax.

Opening 2018

His dive into entrepreneurship taught him a key business lesson early: “Hire people who are smarter than you,” he said. “The smarter the people around you, the more successful you’ll be.” Why did this champion ping pong player (at least in the confines of the Welch office), chose to call West Ottawa’s Stittsville area home? “Moving here to raise our family was the best decision my wife and I could have made,” Kyle said. “It’s home to a vibrant, family-oriented community, with all the amenities we could possibly need right at our fingertips. As a young family, our kids are coming to an age where they will soon be starting school. It is great to be surrounded by so many school choices that are in walking distance of our home.” WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

FRANK TALK, CEO TO CEO

James Baker, Managing Partner and CEO of Keynote Group, with Calian Group President and CEO Kevin Ford. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Business Excellence Award winners discuss work, family and what it means to find balance

BY LEO VALIQUETTE

ne CEO is more than 30 years into his career with multinational enterprises. The other is an entrepreneur who founded his own business two years ago in the staffing and recruiting industry. You could call it the old guard and the new. If given the chance, what three questions would one ask the other? In April, the West Ottawa Board of Trade handed out its 2017 Business Excellence Awards. Staffing and recruitment consultancy Keynote Group won in the New Business Category, while Managing Partner and CEO James Baker took home the Young Entrepreneur Award. He runs the business with wife Donna Baker. At the other end of the spectrum, Kevin Ford, President and CEO of 14

Calian Group, was recognized as Business Leader of the Year. Founded in 1982, Calian employs more than 2,700 people across Canada, delivering a variety of services in business, technology and systems engineering. The company has had more than 60 consecutive profitable quarters and counting. We hooked up our two award-winning CEOs to ask each other three questions. Here are the results (edited for length):

JAMES TO KEVIN: TRUST YOUR GUT, VALUE THE PRICELESS MOMENTS James: How have you managed to balance growing a publicly traded business with family and personal interests?

Kevin: Great question – I am asked often about work life balance. The phrase can indicate that one doesn’t work hard, which obviously isn’t true. Whether publically traded or privately held, I am confident most people today are finding it a challenge to balance work, family, friends and time for yourself. For me, managing the time challenge has really been through understanding that while I enjoy working hard, there MUST be time for family, friends and self. So, it comes to prioritizing those things that matter to you, whether being there for your child’s school play, to ensuring you exercise on a regular basis or just hanging out with friends and getting caught up over dinner. I am also very fortunate to having an amazing family (my wife Marlene and four boys). I have never WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

regretted ensuring I was there for a key moment in their lives as those are memories that are priceless. James: What is the best mistake you have made in business and what did you learn from it? Kevin: I love the “best mistake” connotation as it reflects the reality that not all decisions are right and that once you recognize this it can be a powerful learning moment. In today’s world with substantial data at your fingertips, there is still a requirement for trusting your gut. When I look back at some of my mistakes, the data at hand would have supported my decision at that time, but my gut was screaming perhaps I should ignore the data and trust my intuition that this wasn’t the best course forward. A good non-business example: I have been coaching hockey for over 20 years and have done many player assessments over this period. One year, I decided to automate the entire process with scoring, grids etc. When I reviewed the results of the evaluation information, my gut was that a few players who did not score as high as others were still the right choice for my team … I trusted my gut and this ended up being the right decision. So absolutely review the information presented to you for a decision, but don’t let the information dominate your ability to trust your gut. James: If you were to enter a new market/industry today and had no restrictions to doing it, what would it be? Kevin: The music industry. I have played guitar for years, including with many bands in the Ottawa area while growing up. Some of my sons are musicians and it’s frustrating to see that talented musicians really do have a hard time making a living, especially in Ottawa or smaller community areas. I would start a company that would look to highlight the amazing talent we have here, ideally with a live music venue facility, and a team that could connect into the global music WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

ecosystem to ensure these artists had the best shot of making a living doing what they love to do.

KEVIN TO JAMES: IN A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS, IT’S ALL OR NOTHING Kevin: Is there a company that you look to for either vision/direction in the growth of your company? James: Obviously Calian is my first answer – being able to sustain quarter on quarter growth for that long blows my mind – but if I had to choose one in my space, it would likely be Veritaaq. Transitioning generations as a family business, going through dramatic growth, overcoming significant challenges to becoming a market leader and being acquired by a multinational business.

and worst thing we ever did! Building a company is tough – the cash-flow challenges, unexpected hiccups and complete accountability for success. However, there is no off switch for either of us. Work and life are one and the same, we have no fallback or alternative income source or security – Keynote is who we are, our home is our office and our office is our home. It is all or nothing and you start and end your day with your business partner. With that said, there is no one I trust more in the world than my wife and business partner. We understand what we each bring to the business and never have to question engagement or commitment. We may not always agree but what married couple does? We just have more to disagree about and more to celebrate together as well. It is complete dedication to our future and the future of our family. Having worked in large multinationals, startups and midsize family environments, the main difference in family business is how real and genuine everything is. It is my opinion that decisions are made with greater consideration for their impact on the people involved. Kevin: What is your proudest moment?

That takes a combination of great vision, effort and terrific people – I have a ton of respect for that. Beyond them, I am constantly impressed by the likes of Assent Compliance who are able to maintain focus on their culture and vision while growing at a breakneck pace. The leadership has unwavering focus on excellence which is something I attempt to bring to Keynote every day. Kevin: What are the unique challenges of starting/growing a family business? Conversely, what are the strengths of family-run organizations? James: I always say that launching our own family business was the best

James: I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed some great moments in my career. Up until last year, becoming a part of the Forty under 40 alumni in 2012 was something I never thought would be bettered. That was surpassed, however, by winning Best New Business from both the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and West Ottawa Board of Trade in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Personal recognition is wonderful but being able to bring everyone together that has built this business and share that stage with them was fantastic. The simple realization that others feel we are doing the right things, in the right way, was incredibly humbling. The reassurance and relief that our choice to take a leap of faith and follow our vision and dream of building a company in our own identity was tremendous. 15

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AMMAR GULEN

Today, Ammar and Cigdem Gulen own and operate Kanata’s award-winning LUNA Crepes & Café, but it was a winding road to get here. They came to Canada 17 years ago – in the middle of winter. “I started liking it … if you don’t like cold, you are not going to stay here,” Ammar said.

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Ammar worked in the television industry in both Canada and the U.S. before Cigdem convinced him to share her dream of owning a café. That was two-and-half years ago. It was tough going at first. Ammar had to learn how to step back from the business and take time for family.

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“Owning a small family business, you have to put in 100 per cent – you put in less and your business will start going down,” he said. “I can call myself a small local business because I work in Kanata, I live in Kanata, my kids go to school in Kanata.” Why Kanata?

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West Ottawa Living Guide - Calian

“Because of my kids – I want them to get a good education, I feel the education is better here than anywhere else in Ottawa,” Ammar said. “And I like the quiet. In a five-minute drive, you can go pick your own strawberries and visit farmers to ride horses.” WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

Chartwell Retirement Residences Activities and services promoting active retirement living

healthy and inspired lifestyle, a secure environment and a wide range of recreational activities await you at Chartwell’s West Ottawa retirement residences. At Chartwell Empress Kanata, Chartwell Kanata, Chartwell Stonehaven and now Chartwell Riverpark and Stillwater Creek, residents remain active by taking classes, participating in social events and embarking on outings that are tailored to their individual interests and abilities, and designed to stimulate both mind and body. “Our daily priority is to help our residents maintain their health and independence so they can enjoy life to the fullest. We try and make it easy for them to remain physically active as well as socially engaged in their communities and with family and friends so they can enjoy happier, healthier and more vibrant retirements,” explain General Manager Yasmin Docter-Vachon, from Chartwell Stonehaven. The Lifestyle & Program Managers in our retirement communities plan a variety of interesting activities like exercise classes, charitable giving opportunities and themed events that residents can choose from to

stay entertained, active and social. Bringing together six dimensions of wellness, Chartwell’s LiveNow programming includes physical, social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and vocational pursuits. A specific program is organized for each of the six dimensions and adapted to residents’ individual needs and preferences. Chartwell retirement residences offer an extensive selection of studio to two-bedroom suites for seniors interested in independent living and assisted-living accommodations in West Ottawa. To book a personal visit at either residence, call today at 1-844-727-8679.

chartwell.com

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Chartwell Empress Kanata 170 McGibbon Drive, Kanata Chartwell Kanata 20 Shirley’s Brook Drive, Kanata Chartwell Riverpark 1 Corkstown Rd, Nepean Chartwell Stillwater Creek 2018 Robertson Rd, Nepean Chartwell Stonehaven 70 Stonehaven Drive, Kanata

THE ASTOUNDING INNOVATION IN YOUR BACKYARD BY JENNA SUDDS

hen my husband and I moved here in 2001, we were looking for a community where we could raise a family. We also wanted short commutes, access to green space and reasonably priced (and lovely) homes. That’s a lot to hope for. Ottawa West delivered in spades. We love our proximity to green space. The South March Highlands Conservation Forest trails, bike networks, sports fields, and parks like Wesley Clover are astonishing for a city this size. Second-to-none amenities include spaces like the Richcraft Recreation Complex with its pool, gym, activity programming and camps. There are so many gathering points that give my kids a sense of 18

community and belonging. It’s such a gift. When we feel like taking in some of the best sports and music in the country, we head to the Canadian Tire Centre. And with immediate highway access into the city centre, it’s easy to forge a beautiful life in Ottawa West and still take advantage of all the museums, galleries and fine dining on offer downtown. We know our neighbours and bump into friends everywhere we go, because community means everything here. To top it off, our techie souls are amazed by the growth happening in our Ottawa West backyard. From QNX to You.i TV, Ottawans are developing

ground-breaking technology and bringing it to the marketplace. If you don’t know about some of these companies already, prepare to be astounded.

QNX

Our homegrown BlackBerry QNX has its hands in some pretty interesting tech, including autonomous vehicles (AV). QNX is one of the few companies with a license to drive AVs on Ontario’s roads. QNX has also left its mark on almost every major car brand, with software in over 60 million vehicles worldwide. And the people who program that software day in and day out? They’re your talented neighbours.

eSight

eSight produces electronic glasses WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

There are few places where a community-minded home life and deep tech come together the way they do in Ottawa West. We should celebrate this rare combination with gusto! so legally blind people can see. Not surprisingly, they have a deep social conscience and work to provide their product to anyone who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay. Now those are the kind of people we like to have in our community!

You.i TV

This innovative company’s software helps media and entertainment companies create amazing visual experiences. That’s tough to achieve through an app that’s used on all kinds of devices and screens, but they do it brilliantly. Hundreds of companies rely on their software to create beautiful digital encounters.

Nuvyyo

You’ve likely heard of streaming as well as the cloud. What if I told you that Ottawa’s own Nuvyyo invented a device that creates a private mediastreaming cloud in the security of your own home? It lets folks like us use our home networks to play movies, TV shows and music wherever we use our mobile devices. Convenient, that’s for sure.

Neptec Design Group

We have a path to outer space through Neptec Design Group. They’re a NASA prime contractor that supplies operational systems to the Space Shuttle and International WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

Space Station programs. They’ve also created a laser camera system that inspects the Shuttle’s surface during flight. Such a vital contribution!

CV Diagnostix Inc.

CV Diagnostix just might save your life or that of someone you love. Their technology detects the sounds of blocked arteries to diagnose the most common form of heart disease, coronary artery disease (CAD). This technology is a non-invasive way to confirm CAD, so patients can be moved into treatment and recovery. The changing face of healthcare is changing right here.

CENGN

This impressive consortium includes a suite of telecom giants such as Cisco, Fujitsu, Nokia, Rogers and Telus. Though they’re typically competitors, they’ve set aside their rivalries to support tech’s commercialization in Canada. That means they help new and innovative tech get off the ground by offering their collective resources for the research, testing and development phases. They’re moving small and medium-sized enterprises forward through what they call co-opetition. We love it.

Nanometrics

You may not remember the Ottawa

earthquake of 2010, but these folks sure do. Nanometrics has produced world-class seismic activity monitoring equipment for over 30 years. It’s used by the world’s leading scientific institutions, universities and major corporations. We’re glad they’re here, in our (occasionally faulty) backyard.

And career opportunities, too

Given the buzz of activity these days, there’s a surge in Ottawa’s tech job offerings. Two things are happening: companies are moving into Kanata North and ramping up their teams; others are emerging from the talented pool that’s already here. Apple, Amazon, Syntronic, Qlik, Magnet Forensics, and SonicWall have all moved in, while BlackBerry QNX, You.i TV, and Amdocs, among many others, are thriving and expanding their Ottawa teams. Both are keeping the Kanata North Business Association’s job board active. You should get in on that action! With tech that is reshaping our lives and a beautiful community, life in Ottawa West is pretty sweet. What’s your favourite part of living here? I’d love to hear from you at www.serioustechliveshere.com. Jenna Sudds is the departing President and Executive Director of the Kanata North Business Improvement Area. 19

A GREAT PLACE TO

play after work <West Ottawa offers the perfect balance of rural and urban> BY LEO VALIQUETTE

uch of what makes West Ottawa such a great place to live is that it’s also a great place to play. There’s a lot to see and do throughout the year. Best of all, many of these activities straddle the divide between city and country. In West Ottawa, there really is no divide between the two. You can pick your own berries and go horse-back riding, shop at top designer outlets, and then finish the day with a fine dining experience and a world-class arena concert or pro sports event – all within a short drive of each other.

Here’s a sampling of what you can see and do in West Ottawa.

EXPLORE LOCAL AND NATIONAL HISTORY

The Diefenbunker (diefenbunker. ca) is Ottawa’s most unique historical site. This four-story, 100,000 square foot underground bunker, built during the Cold War in the Village of Carp, was intended to house 535 Canadian government officials and military officers in the event of a nuclear war. It served as Canadian Forces Station

Carp until 1994. Today, it operates as a not-for-profit, charitable museum and boasts award winning tours and programs. Goulbourn Museum (goulbournmuseum.ca) shares the story of Ottawa’s oldest military settlement and early life in the former Goulbourn Township. Located just south of Stittsville, Goulbourn Museum houses a diverse collection of artifacts and many interactive exhibitions. The Log Farm (thelogfarm.com) recreates a family farm of the mid1800s in Ottawa. This 110-acre oasis is located at 670 Cedarview Rd. between Hunt Club Road and Fallowfield Road. Visitors can get a sense of what day-to-day life was like through a casual self-guided WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

learning hub includes stables and an indoor arena, as well as several outdoor sand rings for riding, acres of pasture space, a cross-country course, a large wooded area that is home to many species of local wildlife and a campground. Wesley Clover Parks harvests over 100-acres of hay to feed the over 55 horses that call The Parks home. With the help of GeesBees Honey Company, the Parks brought in over 300,000 honey bees and now host six hives on site to help support the bee population. In addition to Wesley Clover Parks, you can try your hand at horseback riding, sign up for lessons, or just give your kids their first face-to-face encounter with a horse at any number of venues in West Ottawa. These include: Carp Fair markets itself as “The Best Little Fair in Canada!” PHOTO BY ANDREA TOMKINS

“tour through time,” enjoy the sights and sounds of the farm animals and explore all the different buildings on the homestead. The Log Farm also features its own farmers market.

THE BEST SPORTS AND MUSIC IN THE COUNTRY

From Stanley Cup contenders the Ottawa Senators, to big name music acts and other stage shows and sporting events, the Canadian Tire Centre (canadiantirecentre.com) in Kanata remains Eastern Ontario’s premier arena venue. Coming up this fall, besides the 2017-2018 NHL season, take in music icon Roger Waters and his US + Them Tour, or the Tim Horton’s Roar of the Rings curling tournament.

HIT THE SADDLE OR THE TRAIL

West Ottawa is home to Wesley Clover Parks (wesleycloverparks. com). This 500-acre recreation and WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

of animals and birds up close, from alpacas to zebus, goats to geese. Ride the Valleyview Express and enjoy the creative farm playground. Explore Bill’s Old Farm Museum to learn about our agricultural past. And then there is Saunders Farm (saundersfarm.com) in Munster Hamlet. Over the past 40 years, this family-run enterprise has grown into a premier agri-tourism destination in Eastern Canada. It offers a variety of family activities, including its worldfamous mazes, Bunnyville, pedal cart race track, gem mining, unique play

Silver Creek Ranch silvercreekranch.ca Meadowvale Farm www.meadowvalefarm.ca Fiddler’s Green Stables www.fiddlersgreenstables.com West Ottawa also features literally hundreds of acres of conservation land and hundreds of kilometres of trails that are open year around to hikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers and skiers. There is something for every age and fitness level. Options include the South March Highlands Conservation Forest and Old Quarry Trail in Kanata, and Jack Pine Trail, Stony Swamp and Beaver Trail in Nepean. Head further out into West Carleton to the Carp Hills or explore your options for motorized winter fun with the West Carleton Snowmobile Trails Association (cstai.com).

A FUN DAY (OR HORRIFYING NIGHT) AT THE FARM

Agri-tourism is big business in West Ottawa, even at the Valley View Little Animal Farm (www. vvlittleanimalfarm.com) at 4750 Fallowfield Rd. Children and adults alike will enjoy seeing a wide variety

structures and great food. With the fall comes Haunting Season and for the truly stout of heart, Fright Fest.

COUNTRY FAIRS CONTINUE TO THRIVE

West Ottawa’s agricultural fairs promote agricultural awareness and education. That’s important, considering Ottawa has the largest agricultural land base and agricultural economy of any city in Canada. Each September, hundreds of volunteers put on “The Best Little Fair in Canada!” Carp Fair (carpfaironline.ca) has grown to be one of the largest agricultural fairs in the National Capital Region. With great music, great shows, and a huge midway, there is something for the entire family. Enjoy live music, worldclass horse shows and Presidents Choice SuperDogs. Also in September, Richmond Fair (www.richmondfair.ca) features a variety of activities for the family in addition to the agricultural component and midway, including a CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 21

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A >

ROBIN ANDREW

her success. “From the beginning days of Unposed, everything we have done, everyone we have hired, every interaction with customers, every product has been consistent – fun, high quality, high energy,” she said. “It’s made us stand out and thrive in a very busy market.” She’s a big fan of the Hedgehog Concept espoused in the perennial business book, Good to Great – like the hedgehog who foils predators with one simple defence, find what you’re good at and make that your focus.

The name says it all – the idea behind Unposed Photography is let loose and have fun in front of the camera. For owner Robin Andrew, staying true to that brand has been key to

While Robin’s main studio is in Carleton Place, she finds herself regularly setting up at Kanata’s Brookstreet Hotel and Beyond Yoga to photograph clients and events. To be honest, she would much rather find the majority of her clients in West Ottawa than making the drive downtown. “West Ottawa is a great demographic for a photography business and clients find it easy to access,” she said.

CELEBRATING 14 YEARS OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Located in the heart of the Kanata Centrum, Jask is a full Salon and Day Spa offering advanced esthetics and hair design while using the finest of products from around the world. Let the creative team of Hair Stylists, Make Up Artists and Estheticians at Jask Salon & Day Spa exceed your expectations

655 Kanata Avenue, Kanata Centrum • 613-599-JASK (5275) • www.jask.ca 22

WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

<BUY AND EAT LOCAL> Buy local produce, browse unique crafts and try tasty homemade jams, pickles, preserves and baked goods. Farmer’s markets are a great way to meet people in your community and support agricultural businesses. The Carp Farmers Market (carpfarmersmarket.ca) is the largest producer-based farmers’ market in Eastern Ontario and runs from early May to late October at Carp Fair Grounds. The Kanata Farmers Market runs Saturdays at 420 Hazeldean Rd. Or check out Stittsville’s Market at the Barn at 6150 Abbott St. E.

The Log Farm Farmer’s Market

Or pick your own succulent treats and show the kids where their food comes from. West Ottawa features several family-friendly orchards, berry patches and farms that are open to the public and pride themselves on being good stewards of what nature provides. From strawberries to raspberries, apples, vegetables and preserves, check out: Acorn Creek Garden Farm (acorncreek.ca) Dekok Family Berry Farm (dekokberryfarm.com) Pinewood Orchards (pinewoodorchards.com) Richmond Nursery Strawberry Farm (richmondnursery.com) Shouldice Farms (www.shouldicefarm.com) CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

Ottawa. Residents and visitors are spoiled for choice. Other great options include:

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

demolition derby, lawn tractor pull, live music shows, aerial shows, rock climbing, reptile shows and BMX bike shows.

Amberwood Village amberwood.ca Canadian canadiangolfclub.com

IF YOU PREFER HORSEPOWER…

For almost 20 years, Kanata Cruise Night has been a meeting place for those who love classic chrome and horsepower. Come out to Hazeldean Mall at 300 Eagleson Rd. in Kanata to see classic cars, hot rods and antiques on Tuesday evenings through the summer. All proceeds are donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. South of Stittsville at 6336 Fallowfield Rd., Karters’ Korner offers all levels of fun on an almost mile-long paved track. Kiddy karts for the little karters, double karts for the more adventurous, and single karts for the full on karting experience. Karters’ Korner also features mini-put and Ottawa’s only semi-aquatic golf range, Splatterville paint ball, and coed go-kart camps and paintball camps

for kids aged eight to 15.

OR HIT THE LINKS

Kanata is home to The Marshes (marshesgolfclub.com). This top corporate play facility, set against the stunning vista of the Gatineau Hills, offers a challenging and breathtaking course for golfers of all skill levels. Putt and drive your way through generously contoured greens, tranquil lakes and peaceful streams, tucked up against the heart of Kanata’s high-tech hub and the world-class Brookstreet Hotel. But this isn’t the only green in West

Cedarhill cedarhillgolf.com Greensmere greensmere.com Irish Hills irishhillsgolf.com Kanata kanata.clublink.ca Loch March lochmarch.com Richmond richmondcentennialgolf.com Stonebridge stonebridgegc.com

<AND SHOP TIL YOU DROP> You can pretty much find it all in West Ottawa. In Nepean, the venerable Bayshore Shopping Centre, the second-most successful indoor mall in all Ottawa and the only one in West Ottawa, continues to expand. Out near the Canadian Tire Centre, a new retail hub has grown, anchored by Tanger Outlets and the recent arrivals of hunting, camping and fishing store Cabela’s, and tool and equipment specialist Princess Auto. In between, the steady growth of West Ottawa communities continues to fuel insatiable demand for new retail. According to local retail analyst Barry Nabatian, Ottawa as a whole must bring online about 610,000 square feet of new retail every year just to keep up. WO

WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

BOB GOHARZAD

Bob Goharzad’s family came to Canada in 1979 when he was 16 years old, fleeing Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

“We showed up with our suitcases and a couple of gold chains around our necks,” he said. “Ottawa became home to me,” Bob said. “When you leave a country that is war-torn, anything becomes better, but Ottawa grows on you, when you go away, you miss it.” And he’s been away often. Training for his passion has taken him to Montreal and Vancouver, as well as Los Angeles, Dallas and Vigo, Spain. Since 2003, Bob has owned and operated Jask Salon and Day Spa in Kanata. He is a senior hair stylist and master colourist. “I did interior design for a couple of years, but what I love about this industry is the gratification you can bring to somebody’s day. You make someone feel good about themselves and when you make someone feel good, they will make someone else feel good – I am all about paying it forward.” WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

DEEP ROOTS IN THE OTTAWA BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOUNDED IN 1918 613.236.9191 | welchllp.com 25

My Ottawa Perspective BY MICHAEL BLACKIE

ack in 2003, I arrived in Ottawa to open the Brookstreet, a new hotel in a west-end tech park. It was a courageous project. At the time, Ottawa had yet to see a project that aspired to establish itself not only as an independent hotel, but more importantly, a formal dining room that would be equal to a high-end, standalone restaurant. Owner Sir Terry Mathews said it so well at the opening night gala, “I must be mad to do this.” How times have changed! The Brookstreet represents the roots of my entry into the Ottawa dining scene. It was a world of brash direction and openness in creativity. I was blessed, yet humbled to take such a blank slate and be given the opportunity to shape it into something that lives on as a legacy today. For those who recall the Ottawa dining scene back in 2003, any restaurant considered an independent, fine dining experience was in the downtown. You could literally count these dining rooms on two hands. Fine dining in the suburbs just did not exist. I had just returned from six intense years of traveling and working as an expat chef, exposing myself to the food and cultures of Mexico, Hong Kong and Bali. My time in these countries was awe-inspiring. It wasn’t just about the food, but more importantly, the connections I made with the people. After being displaced by a terrorist attack in Bali Indonesia early in 2003, I decided it was time to return to Canada. Originally from Toronto, my biggest attraction to Ottawa as my new home was the size. It was perfect for my young family, coupled with affordable housing and a non-existent independent dining scene. All the markings of a brilliant and new opportunity. Back then, it was evident the public was starving for change – it’s amazing how much has changed over the past 14 years. Ottawa has boomed and established itself as a worthy food destination in North America. Residents have embraced local chefs. You see it with their loyalty, not to the name of the restaurant, but to whomever is behind the stoves and the style they bring to the table. Around 2008 something wonderful happened – chefs started to open their own restaurants. These chefs were young, already established, cared about what their guests wanted and, more importantly, pushed back against the established and dated cuisine styles that had ruled Ottawa fine dining menus forever. You know them well – shrimp 26

cocktail, caesar salad, bruschetta, kabobs, sandwiches. It was a magical time. Ottawa fell in love with its chefs. The love was so strong that the quantity of Ottawa restaurants exploded, the saturation point got to the level that we climbed to over 2,300 restaurants in the Ottawa region alone. Think about that for a second. With a population of one million, that means one restaurant for every 435 potential guests. Compare that to Toronto, which averages about 1,667 guests per restaurant. But this oversaturation created a new challenge – “empty dining room” phenomenon. It started in the ByWard Market area. Today, the ByWard Market has become more of a block of bars while great dining locations have had to shutter their doors. There are other, more obvious reasons for this change in dining downtown: Urban expansion (especially in the west end), some people just don’t want to go downtown, the hassle of getting parking, I’ve even heard the excuse that it’s no longer safe, and the list goes on. For me, I don’t buy those easy comments, I fundamentally believe it was the rise of social media that had the most WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

repercussions – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and restaurant review websites like TripAdvisor, Zomato, Google+ and Food Bloggers. This catalyst of openness and instant feedback has been a revelation, not only for people in hospitality, but also for the public. Never before have we been so tightly connected. This isn’t without its pitfalls. When you create a beautiful experience, you are instantly praised, mess up and you are equally chastised. That’s made it a very hard road for some in this business. As artists, we wear our hearts on our shirts; we passionately develop and present a performance for our guests to absorb and in doing so open ourselves to remark. Word of mouth still holds true but we have all seen comments on social media that go like this, “It’s date night this Saturday, can anyone recommend a great place to eat?” Guest will also make their decisions based on review sites. I see it every day at my current venture in Stittsville, NeXT. Tripadvisor alone represents 55 per cent of the traffic that comes to nexfood.ca. The side-effect of social media is tangible and real. Other owners in the business will tell me, “I never read that stuff because it’s too much, people are crazy.” I think this is a big mistake. I live and breathe what’s happening on social media daily. This lesson has come from having experimented with challenging the review process and being burned by it. The rise of social media has brought forth a tightness that no longer relates to your location, but rather, how you interact with your clientele.

The rule that the guest is always right isn’t true anymore. You need to be accessible and honest. If you must fire a guest, it’s OK. Don’t fret, stand by what you believe. After all, it’s your livelihood and you shouldn’t comprise on what you have set out achieve. If you get a comment, respond to it immediately, don’t brush it under the carpet. We are in a new world of instant reactions and sometimes they can be bittersweet. What comes out of social media reflects reality, even the bad stuff. I have embraced West Ottawa as my home, but the reasons for having a successful restaurant here are not what you might think. It has less to do with location and more with what I and my team have remained committed to deliver from Day One – “Unique kick ass food and service,” coupled with being accessible to my guests in the dining room. It’s about sharing my experiences with my guests and ensuring that I, along with my team, make a connection. I will always remember what my wife Jillian told me prior to opening NeXT when I was second-guessing my choice of location. In her always calm and forever faithful stance, “Michael, you make it, they will come.” How right my love was. Michael Blackie has been cooking for over 30 years on three continents. He served as the opening executive chef at Brookstreet Hotel and Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage at the National Arts Centre. In 2013, Michael developed and opened his first signature food and beverage operation in West Ottawa called NeXT.

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A > Murilo Torres may hail from Brazil, but he takes his cue on how to manage life and work from the Hindi term “Jugaad.” *Jugaad is a colloquial Hindi word meaning an innovative fix or a creative solution,” he said. “This word is often used to signify creativity to make existing things work or to create new things with meager resources.”

MURILO TORRES WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

Murilo and his family call Stittsville home, where he serves as a board member with the village association and as a mentor with Junior Achievement. “Living here in West Ottawa is amazing!” he said. “It’s peaceful but with everything we need close by.” By day, he works to humanize the job recruitment process and help organizations find the best talent.

“This is very important to me as a newcomer to Canada,” he said. “When I first arrived here I didn’t have someone looking out for my best interests. I eventually found the right connections to get me where I am today.” He has even created his own networking event to help job-seeking newcomers, Happy Friday. Earlier this year, he was recognized with a 2017 Welcoming Ambassador Award by the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP). His drive to help others connect comes from his father. “He owned a restaurant, and more than serving food, it was also a place for friends to meet and look for their advice and answers for their problems,” Murilo said. “And of course, my dad was always there to listen and help them.” 27

STOP DOING AND BECOME a better you BY AMANDA O’REILLY

Work-life balance. It’s talked about so much in magazines, in books and on talk shows. Is it achievable? Does it even exist? Well, I am here to tell you it is and it does. We just need to separate what we need to get done in our busy lives from what we should, or should not, be doing for ourselves. For 10 years now I have been helping people. My company’s superpower is giving people back the most precious commodity of all – TIME. I know firsthand that balancing parenthood and work or business can be a challenge. And I am the first to admit that I often fail to heed my own advice. The thing is, we need to give ourselves permission to “outsource” some of the things we need to get done. Remember when you were going on a school field trip as a kid and needed that permission slip from your parents? It carried such a sense of freedom, no homework or sitting at a desk. Today, the only permission you need to cut yourself free is your own. Men get this. From the start, 85 per cent of my clients were men – busy professionals, business owners and 28

executives who didn’t have time to wait at home for a repair guy to show up, find a reliable contractor, plan a vacation or shop for anything from the week’s groceries to a new car. Men often do a better job at recognizing when their work and responsibilities are squared away enough that they can carve out time some “me time” for themselves. My team is all over the city, but we recently moved our offices to Barrhaven and I can tell you that more and more of my clients in West Ottawa are now women. We are usually the last ones to ask for

Amanda O’Reilly, founder of Balance InStyle, is an awardwinning serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, writer and thought leader. She is dedicated to helping people become better versions of themselves by showing them how to uncomplicate life in general. help, but that’s changing. Women are realizing it’s not an admission of failure to acknowledge that they can’t be everything to everyone all the time. The perception that using personal services is reserved only for the One Per Cent is changing. If my neighbour down the street can do this, why can’t I? It’s a natural evolution, as we live in a society driven by dramatic changes in WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

The challenge is to separate “doing” from “being” and get over the idea that “no one can do this as good as me.” how we buy and access products and services. Just imagine going back to a time without online customer reviews to help us with purchase decisions, or even Amazon same-day/ one-day shipping.

better be left to the guys who can make a house call. Having to watch your kid’s soccer game through your partner’s social media feed just might indicate some changes need to be made.

The challenge is to separate “doing” from “being” and get over the idea that “no one can do this as good as me.” An established and bonded cleaning company likely will do a better job of cleaning your house than you. Instead of busting your knuckles in the driveway with a wrench, changing your winter tires might

Back in my Nortel Networks days, we were always talking about outsourcing – let another company do something we needed that was outside our core competency. This is no different. Shed all those to do items in which you are drowning and for which you may simply not have the expertise to do well so you can focus

WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

on what matters and what you are really good at. Or, to put it another way, make the changes that will allow you to focus 80 per cent of your time on the 20 per cent that’s most important to you. The theme of this lifestyle guide is why you would want to live, work and play in West Ottawa. But it doesn’t matter where you are or how beautiful, inviting and family friendly your community if you don’t give yourself permission to strike that balance between doing and being. 29

MAKING A DIFFERENCE in West Ottawa

If you want to give back, there are plenty of options to choose from BY LEO VALIQUETTE

o matter how affluent a community, there are always people in need. Through unforeseen circumstance, any of us, at any time, can find ourselves faced with some obstacle we can’t overcome on our own. West Ottawa is no different. From the challenges of an aging population to a life changer like cancer or raising a child with special needs, the people of West Ottawa always rally to support their neighbours when it matters most. Where can you turn when you are in need and how can you help others? Here are some of the organizations doing good in West Ottawa. 30

Kyle Turris hits the ice with the Capital City Condors as honorary captain.

Ability First Ottawa (abilityfirstottawa.org)

AFO is a community-driven program that inspires others with disabilities to reach their goals and fulfill their potential. It works with people from 10 to 70 years of age, to provide mentoring, employment skill opportunities and workshops, social programs, as well as recreational and creative activities. The driving force behind AFO is Executive Director Christina Ranieri, who herself grew up with disabilities. She and her team launched AFO just this summer after two years of planning, with programs that include adult skills training, professional mentors, youth volunteers and housing assistance. Donations and sponsors are always welcome. WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

Capital City Condors (capitalcitycondors.org)

The Capital City Condors is a family of ice hockey teams for those with developmental and/or physical disabilities. There are several teams across the National Capital Region. The West Ottawa team hits the ice at the Jack Charron Arena in Kanata. Co-Founder and General Manager Shana Perkins expressed her appreciation for the support the Condors have received from the community and the West Ottawa Board of Trade. “Our reason is hockey, but we are about so much more, which is why we coined the hashtag #biggerthanhockey,” she said. “We focus on friendships, social skills and a sense of belonging. The Condors are truly a family which includes our players, their siblings, their parents, their extended family, our volunteers and our many community members.” The Condors have the support of the Ottawa Senators Foundation and have the Sens’ own Kyle Turris as honorary captain.

Children’s Aid Foundation (cafott.ca)

The Children’s Aid Foundation of Ottawa believes that all

children and youth deserve an equal chance at growing into healthy and successful adults. The Foundation, a fundraising arm of the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa, funds education and life enrichment programs with donations from residents. Each year, more than 250 kids are sent to camp. Another 300 are placed in activities ranging from soccer to dance and art. Executive Director Walter Noble is quick to emphasize that, despite common perception, the goal of Children’s Aid is to help families in crisis and prevent children from having to be placed in foster care. Putting children in care represents less than 10 per cent of its work. “People are astounded when they learn CAF engages with 5,000 families a year in Ottawa,” he said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A > West Ottawa is known for affluent communities with highly skilled residents who work in high tech, government and professional services. But like any community, there are families who struggle with the challenges of having a child with special needs, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder.

BRENDA REISCH WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

It’s Brenda Reisch’s passion and mission in life to do all she can to help. She is Executive Director of Children at Risk - Ottawa and the mother of a child with autism. “The challenges that raising a child with autism can bring tend to narrow your circle of friends – your community – to other families facing the same,” she said. “Having experienced this first-hand, I am dedicated to trying to

offer some balance to the hundreds of families in the Ottawa area who are also raising a child with autism.” But no matter how noble the cause, a charitable organization must hold itself to the same standards as any profitdriven business. “Running a charity can be very different than running a business, but the principles are the same,” Brenda said. “You must offer the best service at the best price while remaining fiscally responsible. The main difference is that if our charity does not earn monies through fundraising and donations then we cannot offer a service. If we do not earn the money – if donations are down, fundraisers make less, and demand for the service increases – we can’t spend what we don’t have.” 31

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

Children at Risk (childrenatrisk.ca)

Cancer survivor Anne Lewis sings at the Lumière Rouge Gala. (PAUL COUVRETTE, COUVRETTE PHOTOGRAPHY)

Children at Risk provides services and programs to families of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, to develop their child’s behavioural, communications and social skills, and to advocate for their ongoing needs. “The challenges that raising a child with autism can bring tend to narrow your circle of friends – your community – to other families facing the same,” said Executive Director Brenda Reisch. “Having experienced this first-hand, I am dedicated to offering some balance to the hundreds of families in the Ottawa area that are also raising a child with autism.” Personal and corporate donations are always welcome.

Habitat for Humanity (habitatgo.com)

Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa’s (Habitat GO) future homeowners build their homes alongside volunteers and then pay an affordable mortgage. Since 1993, Habitat GO has served 60 families in the Greater Ottawa area. “We are inviting people and businesses from West Ottawa and all around the city to get involved and help our Habitat future homeowners build a better life for themselves and their families,” said Kristin Harold, Senior Director of Operations and Communications. “We also offer a range of sponsorship opportunities as well as an Adopta-Day program, which we call the ultimate team building experience.” Businesses and individuals can also be recognized for making donations of lunches for hard-working volunteers.

Kanata Food Cupboard (kanatafoodcupboard.ca)

This non-profit and volunteer-driven organization collects and distributes food products to self-identifying individuals requiring emergency food service, while treating them with respect, dignity and confidentiality. It relies on donations of cash and food items from the community. But give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. The Kanata Food Cupboard also encourages reform and social change that would eliminate the need for emergency food assistance, as well as refers individuals requesting additional services to other community-based organizations that offer such services. Hospice Care Ottawa (http://www.hospicecareottawa.ca/) Hospice Care Ottawa provides compassionate high-quality care to individuals, from the time of diagnosis through their palliative and end-of-life journey. “Hospice care is becoming even more important now as we face issues of an aging population, increased health 34

care costs, hospital budget cuts, physician-assisted death legislation and increased demands by healthcare consumers for services when and where they want them,” said Kristina Voth-Childs, Communications Coordinator. Hospice Care Ottawa is expanding its services for West Ottawa residents this fall with the new Hein House at 110 McCurdy Dr. Hein House will offer 10 in-patient hospice rooms and two palliative care respite rooms. To keep its programs and services free of charge to clients and their loved ones, Hospice Care Ottawa is always seeking volunteers and generous donors.

LiveWorkPlay (liveworkplay.ca)

LiveWorkPlay helps the community welcome people with intellectual disabilities to live, work and play as valued citizens. While it works across the region, LiveWorkPlay finds that it has a high percentage of relationships with West Ottawa communities. “This includes the many families with children in the late teen demographic, as we are specialists in supporting young adult transitions to apartments and jobs,” said Keenan Wellar, Co-Leader and Director of Communications. “The second connected reason is that we have had great success with West Ottawa employers and work with them every day to support existing employment relationships and develop new ones.” Wellar and the team welcome donations, sponsorship, and WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

volunteerism, as well as networking support to find new employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation (ottawacancer.ca)

The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation gives people living with cancer increased access to person-centered care through practical cancer coaching, health and social care service, innovative cancer research and a world-class clinical trials program. “When you are diagnosed, your doctor will give you a big binder of resources and how overwhelming is that?” said Christian McCuaig, Communications Coordinator. “You don’t have to spend hours and hours on the Internet every day trying to figure out what is right for you.” In April, the Foundation expanded its outreach in support of cancer patients and their families westward from its Maplesoft Centre on Alta Vista Boulevard. Services are now available one day a week at Beyond Yoga Studio & Wellness Centre in Kanata.

Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation (qchfoundation.ca)

The Queensway Carleton Hospital serves 400,000 residents in West Ottawa. Its Foundation inspires the community to invest in the hospital and the health and patient care that it delivers. The needs of a growing and diverse community have required large investments in recent years to expand the hospital’s facilities. Under

Ontario guidelines, the Foundation is responsible for raising the funds to cover 20 per cent of the cost of new facilities and all the cost of new modern equipment and technology. “A great healthcare facility is a pillar in every community, and West Ottawa deserves the best in patient care,” said spokesperson Michelle Groulx. “Great facilities and modern equipment are what attracts top talent to our region, West Ottawa and the Queensway Carleton Hospital.” Donations are always welcome, including legacies and bequests.

The Salvation Army (salvationarmyottawa.ca)

The Salvation Army in Ottawa supports the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of individuals and families. It offers programs and services relating to education, employment, health, parenting, housing, good food programs, personal development and growth. Why? Because when vulnerable people are supported in meeting their educational goals and developing economic independence, the whole community prospers. When children are well nourished and developmentally stimulated, the community thrives. “We are looking for assistance through program sponsorship, volunteerism and fundraising,” said spokesperson Caroline Franks. “In supporting our organization, you are helping to change the lives of vulnerable people (and) assist individuals and families in becoming healthy and valued members of your community.”

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A > Restaurateur Sam Khatib, known to many as Papa Sam, came to Kanata 40 years ago to start a new business. He already operated eateries in central Ottawa when the opportunity came to purchase an existing pizzeria in Kanata. “I said, ‘where is Kanata?’” That was 1977. He took the trip down what was then a two-lane Highway 17 to a little community that was still part of March Township and liked what he saw.

SAM KHATIB WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

“The potential was good because of these small high tech companies,” Sam said. One of those “small” companies, of course, was Mitel. “I saw a really good opportunity to live and work in a vibrant place without the hassles of the city.” Since then Sam has seen a lot of growth – the rise of the region’s tech sector,

tens of thousands of new residents – but his approach to doing business and making customers friends and friends customers has never changed. “If you have good food, good service and good people, you never lose,” he said. “Just do a good job and business will take care of itself. Do good honest work, do a good job and help people – that’s it. That’s the most important thing in life and in business – be proud of what you do and never stop helping people. You may sometimes get burned, but always keep helping.” Today, Sam still spends most of his time in the restaurant. “Hard work never killed anyone, only stress,” he said. “If you look after the business, the business looks after you.” 35

< H U M A N S O F W E S T O T TA W A > You could say Lynn Ladd is an apple who never rolled far from the tree. This Nepean resident lives two streets away from the house in which she grew up and just one street away from her husband’s parents. “I feel grounded to the area – it is definitely home for our family,” she said. “Watching this area morph and evolve over the years has been amazing.”

LYNN LADD

Today, Lynn is a business development specialist with OTUS Group, a local management consulting firm. That may not be the medical examiner (in honour of Quincy, M.E.) or the zookeeper she dreamed of being as a kid, but rewarding all the same. “What I feel I really am is a connector of people, skills and requirements,” she said. “I get to help solve people’s problems and being a part of someone

arriving at a solution is incredibly satisfying. I meet fascinating people all the time.” Being that connector rests on the strength of her reputation. “Everyone deserves to be treated respectfully (and) integrity is everything,” she said. “If you say you are going to do something, then do it.” As a professional, wife and mom of three kids “who have turned into pretty cool people,” Lynn has some sage advice on how to balance it all: “Choose who you work for intentionally – an organization that has values that mirror your own is part of finding that balance (and) make opportunities for family, even if that means letting go of things you feel obliged to do – like laundry!”

ANDREA STEENBAKKERS As the Executive Director of the Barrhaven BIA, providing effective leadership is par for the course for long-time area resident Andrea Steenbakkers. But to be a great leader, you must first surround yourself with great leaders, and mentors. “In the company of inspirational people, true growth happens when you listen more than you speak,” she said. “There is always more to learn, and a different, and possibly better, way to look at an issue from someone who has already learned this lesson and is willing to share their insight.” Becoming a better leader is a constant effort rooted in knowing thyself. Earlier this year, Andrea went through a

WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

personal values assessment to better understand her values and what underlines her decisions. “It was a very valuable exercise and I highly recommend it,” she said. “A key value for me is integrity; doing the right thing, even if it is not the easiest thing, always, both when no one is watching and when they are.” Which is interesting for a selfconfessed Game of Thrones junkie obsessed with the morally ambiguous residents of the fictional land of Westeros. But binge-watching her favourite TV show isn’t all this busy mother of three does to balance work and life.

“I love to paddle and be on the water,” Andrea said. “I get to stay active, get fit, be outdoors on the river and spend time with great friends. It is important to me that my kids learn the value of taking time out and away from commitments to connect with yourself and do what makes you happy and healthy.”

A RISING TIDE

FLOATS

The spirit and intent behind a business improvement area

mong the various stakeholder groups active throughout the City of Ottawa, business improvement areas (BIAs) are among the most poorly understood. Some business owners view financial support for their BIA as just another tax they must bear, while advocates stress the crucial 38

role a BIA can play in maintaining the unique character and economic competitiveness of the city’s villages. BIAs come into existence when local business and commercial property owners unite to improve, promote and undertake projects that will result in a stronger and more competitive commercial main street

or business district. With city hall’s support, they organize, finance and complete local improvements and promotional events such as: Marketing, to understand who the area’s customers are and create effective promotions to retain and expand the customer base. WEST OTTAWA BOARD OF TRADE

THERE ARE MORE THAN

230 BIAS

ALL SHIPS

ACROSS ONTARIO They vary in size from less than 60 members to more than 2,000. The City of Ottawa has 19 and counting. Five are located within West Ottawa: Barrhaven Bells Corners Carp Road Corridor Carp Village Kanata Central Kanata North only fair, since all the local businesses and owners will ultimately benefit from the BIA’s efforts.

Business recruitment, to reduce the number of vacant storefronts and ensure an optimal business and service mix is achieved and maintained. Streetscape improvement and other amenities, to ensure customerfriendly lighting, signage, street furniture, planters, banners and sidewalk treatment that will attract shoppers and visitors. Seasonal decorations, to create a unique and pleasant environment for customers and staff of all businesses with appropriate seasonal decorations. Special events, organized through WEST OTTAWA LIVING GUIDE

partnerships to highlight the unique attributes of the area and increase customer visits. In contrast, the municipality is responsible for ensuring the community is served with reliable infrastructure, such as water and sewer, emergency services, waste services and effective policing. There is little overlap between what a BIA is mandated to do and the services taxpayers can expect from city hall. But a BIA’s efforts require money – that’s why when a majority of local businesses and commercial property owners vote to form a BIA, the financial burden is shared by all. It’s

No two BIAs are alike, due to the unique character of the communities they serve, their size and whether than are urban, suburban or rural. But they share two things in common – big visions and limited budgets. BIAs must strike a delicate balance to pursue strategic plans that can contribute on a micro scale to their neighbourhoods. This requires close collaboration with the business community, the real estate sector, local government, residents and urban planning organizations. That’s why the best way to ensure your BIA dollars are well spent is to get involved and volunteer your time. Serve on your BIA’s Board of Management or ask about what other ways you can help. The success of a BIA to beautify its community and spur economic activity rests with the support and passion of its members. 39

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