Business Voice Magazine (April-May 2023)

Welcoming Chris Cowper-Smith and Ann Divine to the Chamber Board Pg 14

MENTAL

Getting to know the entrepreneurs working in this industry Pg 18

COUNSELLING IN HALIFAX

Meet Stacy Darku from Esinam Counselling Pg 20

Board of Directors — Officers

Faten Alshazly, WeUsThem, Chair

Chris Cowper-Smith, Spring Loaded, Vice-Chair

Mark Sidebottom, Nova Scotia Power, Past-Chair

Roger Boutilier, Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS

Ann Divine, Ashanti Leadership

Caroline Wolfe Stewart, Nova Scotia College of Nursing

Directors

Andrew de Freitas, TMSI Ltd

Christopher Googoo, Ulnooweg

Captain (N) A.S. Williams CD, Maritime Forces Atlantic

Hon. Joanne Bernard, Easter Seals Nova Scotia

David Rideout, MetroWorks

Martha Casey

Paul Way, TD Private Wealth

Kimberly Stephens, Acadian Seaplants

Donna Harding, Engel & Völkers

Heath Moore , Grant Thornton

Katherine Risley, KBRS & Meridia Recruitment Solutions

Ifeanyi Emesih, My East Coast Experience Media Group Inc.

Nancy Foran, ESG Partners

Wade Keller, Labatt Brewing

Chamber Staff

Patrick Sullivan, President and CEO

Becky Davison, Vice President, Marketing

Kent Roberts, Vice President, Policy

Sandra White, Director of Finance and Administration

Emma Menchefski, Communications Manager

The 2023-2024 Board of Directors is in effect as of the Annual General Meeting on April 26, 2023.

Volume 32 • Issue 4

Business Voice is published 8 times a year for members of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and Metro Halifax’s business community. Views expressed in Business Voice are those of the contributors and individual members, and are not necessarily endorsed by, or are a policy of, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. Please address editorial enquiries and changes to information to:

Halifax Chamber of Commerce 100-32 Akerley Boulevard

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3B 1N1 Tel: 902-468-7111 Fax: 902-468-7333

info@halifaxchamber.com www.halifaxchamber.com

Cover Image Credit: Wuliamba Productions

That time of year again

Thanking our outgoing Board members and welcoming our new ones

In this issue, we introduce you to our incoming Chair, Chris Cowper-Smith, and Vice Chair, Ann Divine. Two familiar faces to many of you, and a powerful union for the next fiscal.

PATRICK SULLIVAN PRESIDENT & CEO HALIFAX CHAMBER

Cconstants

in life, but also often the best way to keep moving forward. And so it is with the Halifax Chamber Board of Directors.

It’s been a great past year — with too many accomplishments to list, due in large part to our parting Chair, Vice Chair, and Board members. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the following individuals for their service and many hours put into assisting the crucial work of the Chamber over the last year:

• Faten Alshazly (outgoing Chair), WeUsThem

• Chris Cowper-Smith (outgoing Vice Chair/Incoming Chair), Spring Loaded Technology and Mable Health

• Mark Sidebottom, (Past Chair - 2021/2022), Nova Scotia Power

• Andrew de Freitas, TMSI

• Chris Googoo, Ulnooweg

On the heels of this good-bye, of course, is a big welcome to our incoming Board members:

• Martina Kelades, Life Out Loud

• Melissa Mbeba, Delectable Desserts

• Mohammad Ali Raza, Cox & Palmer

• René Gallant, Nova Scotia Power

We also turn our attention to Mental Health Month, taking place in May. The Halifax Chamber, in its ongoing work promoting healthy workplaces in entrepreneurship and business, continues to emphasize the importance of viewing and taking care of mental health much the way you would physical. Three local entrepreneurs give us a sense of how they approach the issue — both in business as well as in their own lives.

And finally, keep an eye on our Events Page for all the most up-to-date info on what’s coming down the pike. A few notable mentions: Our AGM, taking place on Wednesday, April 26, and our Spring Dinner, taking place at the Halifax Convention Centre on Wednesday, May 17.

As always, we’re working hard for you, our members, and are happy to hear from you. So please continue to reach out, sharing thoughts and ideas. Email me at president@halifaxchamber.com or find me on Twitter: @prezhfxchamber. president@halifaxchamber.com

EVENTS

CHAMBER EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

ANNUAL STATE OF THE MUNICIPALITY

HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE

Presented by: RBC In Partnership with: HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP

SAVE THE DATE:

For a full list of Chamber events, visit: halifaxchamber.com/events

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

SPRING DINNER: FINDING HARMONY IN PLANET AND PROFIT

HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE

Presented by: LABATT BREWING

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

POWER LUNCH: ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH

HALIFAX CHAMBER OFFICE

Presented by: ATHENA EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HALIFAX CHAMBER OFFICE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

SPRING DINNER: FINDING HARMONY IN PLANET AND PROFIT

HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE

Presented by: LABATT BREWING

FRIDAY, JUNE 9

WONDER WOMEN

HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE

Presented by: BoyneClarke LLP

THANK YOU TO OUR MARCH SPONSORS:

APRIL 28, MAY 26, JUNE 28

FREE TRAINING: GENDER EQUITY, INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY

HALIFAX CHAMBER OFFICE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24

LUNCHEON: MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS – DO YOU NEED A DAY OFF?

NEW & NOTED

We welcome our new Chamber members

Are you a new Chamber member?

Get listed in New & Noted! Contact Mandi Bowser, Administrative Specialist at mandi@halifaxchamber.com or call (902) 468-7111 to submit.

AHTPOS

Marvin Hayes

Lakeside, NS (888) 666-7074

mhayes@ahtpos.com ahtpos.com

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESMerchant Services/POS

ATHENA EXECUTIVE EDUCATION INC.

Specialists in organizational health and executive development, we work with leaders and leadership teams to transform culture, create highperforming teams, and develop core leadership skills. Reduce politics, confusion, and unwanted turnover, and increase productivity, alignment, and cohesion. Your competitive advantage is your people and your culture. We help transform both.

Dawn Frail

HRM, NS (416) 949-0075

dawn@athenaexeced.com

athenaexeced.com

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESBusiness Consulting

AWAIS KHALIDSTUDENT MEMBER, SMU

Awais Khalid

Halifax, NS

khanawais224@gmail.com

OTHER - Student Member

AYRUZ DATA MARKETING INC.

At Ayruz, we help brands meaningfully engage with their target audience with creativity and analytics. Startups to Fortune 500s across the USA, UK, EEA, MENA, and Asia trust us with their endto-end digital.

Nivin Xavier

Halifax, NS (782) 882-5111

nivin@ayruz.com ayruz.com

COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGYSoftware Consulting

B.E.S.T. ACRYLIC

Mark Blaauw

Mount Uniacke, NS (514) 962-7443

best.acrylic.ca@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONBuilding Materials

BLUENOSE HEALTH INC.

Randy Stevens

Halifax, NS (902) 430-2222

jdrandystevens@gmail.com

HEALTH CAREHealth Management

BRENDA WHITE INCORPORATED

Brenda White

Halifax, NS (902) 221-2796

brenda@bwhiteinc.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESProject Management

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT

The Canadian Association for Supported Employment is a national association of community-based service providers and stakeholders working towards employment inclusion for people experiencing disability.

Joanna Goode

Halifax, NS (800) 684-5628 x 706

joanna@supportedemployment.ca supportedemployment.ca/employers

EDUCATION & PROF.

DEVELOPMENT - Org. Development

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL

HALIFAX NS

Allyson Boyd

Halifax, NS (902) 429-3210

Allyson.Boyd@colliers.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONProperty Management

DOMINIQUE JOHNSSTUDENT MEMBER

Dominique Johns

Halifax, NS

dominique.johns@dal.ca

OTHER - Student Member

EWOMENNETWORK

HALIFAX CHAPTER

eWomenNetwork was founded in 2000 by Sandra Yancey and has grown to have international reach for individuals in business. The Halifax Chapter is new for 2023 and we offer connection, training, and referrals for businesses: in-person and online. eWomenNetwork also offers different levels of membership and training programs.

Tara MacDonald

Dartmouth, NS (902) 403-7813

TaraMacDonald@eWomenNetwork.com

ewomennetwork.com/chapters/659

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESNetworking Services

FLAR EQUINE EXPERIENCE

Flar is an innovative life skills and personal program where you can’t fool the teacher. We’ve created such a non-judgmental sanctuary – through objectively driven obstacles alongside horses as our teachers – that our learning through EAL (Equine-Assisted Learning) empowers us daily to improve both our lives and our personal skills.

Rachael Dent-Flynn

Halifax, NS

(902) 240-8527

flar-eal@outlook.com

HEALTH CARE - Health Care Services, General

THE GRATEFUL BAKER

Heidi Tremblay

Halifax, NS

(902) 414-7341

contact@the-grateful-baker.ca the-grateful-baker.ca

RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE

- Bakery

GREEN PAW

Green Paw Pet Treats is a Canadian eco-friendly pet treat business launched in 2021. We, as animal lovers, have undergone numerous studies and research processes in order to provide our pets with reliable, healthy, and highquality treats: chicken, beef liver, beef lung, and beef spleen. * No preservatives, no additives.

Chesley Greenwood

Halifax, NS

(902) 403-9620

info@greenpawtreats.ca

greenpawtreats.ca

PETS & VETERINARIANPet Supplies/Services

HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY

Cathie O’Toole

Halifax, NS (902) 490-1520

Cathie.OToole@halifax.ca halifax.ca

GOVERNMENT - Government

HALIFAX TOWER HOTEL BAYERS

LAKE

One of the newest boutique hotels in Halifax, the Halifax Tower Hotel & Conference Centre in Bayer’s Lake offers luxury, sophistication, and style — featuring over a hundred guest rooms and suites. With exceptional décor and amenities, travelers can spoil themselves in one of the newest boutique hotels in Halifax.

Halifax, NS (902) 444-3700

choicehotels.com/en-ca/nova-scotia/ halifax/ascend-hotels/cnb41 TRAVEL & TOURISM - Hotel/Motel

HARBOUR GUTTER INC.

Lorenzo Gallardo

Halifax, NS (902) 471-0415

Harbour.gutter@gmail.com

gutterhalifax.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONContractor/Construction

HIGH & DRY FLOWERS

After working in flower shops both in Halifax and on the West Coast, Ece discovered natural floral design — techniques to make dried flowers look as stunning as fresh ones. High & Dry Flowers inspires people to see the beauty of dried flowers and encourages sustainable practices in the floral industry.

Ece Gonul

Halifax, NS (514) 793-2828

Ece@highdryflowers.com

highdryflowers.com

ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT - Art

HIGH LINER FOODS INC.

High Liner Foods, a publicly traded Canadian company in business since 1899, is a leading North American processor and marketer of value-added frozen seafood, producing a wide range of products – from breaded and battered items to seafood entrées – that are sold to North American food retailers and foodservice distributors.

Kimberly Stephens

Halifax, NS (902) 499-6594

kimberly.stephens@highlinerfoods.com

AGRICULTURE, FISHING & FORESTRY - Aquaculture

HOTFIX EXPRESSSACKVILLE LOCATION

Arlene Marchand Lower Sackville, NS (902) 471-1763

sackville@hotfixexpress.com

hotfixexpress.com

PERSONAL CARE & SERVICESEsthetics

HUSSAIN JASUPURWALASTUDENT MEMBER

Hussain Jasupurwala

Halifax, NS jasupurwalahussain@gmail.com

OTHER - Student Member

HUZAIFA BHARMALSTUDENT MEMBER

Huzaifa Bharmal

Halifax, NS

bharmalh53@gmail.com

OTHER - Student Member

INDIGEVISOR LTD.

Brooke Moore

Halifax, NS (902) 271-7972

brooke@indigevisor.ca indigevisor.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESBusiness Consulting

KAZ CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATIONS

Phillip Taras

Halifax, NS (902) 471-6644

pbktaras@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONContractor/Construction

LAURIANNE DIAMONDSTUDENT MEMBER, SMU

I’m a first-year business student at Saint Mary’s University, enrolled in the bachelor of commerce program, and plan to major in entrepreneurship. Graduating from high school in 2020, I worked full time as the manager of Leonidas, our family business. I’m passionate about business management and want to learn more!

Laurianne Diamond

Halifax, NS

OTHER - Student Member

LIGNUM IMMIGRATION SERVICES LTD.

Lignum Immigration Services Ltd. is a member of the College of Canadian Immigration Consultants and the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants. Our clients are hiring managers in key industries, such as hospitality and construction. We are committed to providing high-quality service with the highest standards of professionalism.

Howard Brown

Dartmouth, NS (902) 580-8578

Info@lignumimmigration.com lignumimmigration.com

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESImmigration

LIVINGSTON INTERNATIONAL INC.

Darryl LaPierre

Halifax, NS (902) 422-9666

livingstonintl.com

TRANSPORTATION - Customs Broker/Freight Forwarders

M&M FOOD MARKET

For over thirty-six years, M&M has helped Canadians put delicious meals on the table by offering consumers easy-to-prepare, top quality foods and uniquely personalized customer service.

Christina Payne

Halifax, NS (416) 346-4322

christinap@mmfoodmarket.com mmfoodmarket.com

SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAILGrocery

MAPLE COAST HOMES INC.

We offer 3 pillars of work: 1. Maple Coast Homes is a Halifax real estate investment group focusing on quality accommodation, affordability, and sustainability. 2. Atlantic Fine art deals in quality Atlantic Canadian art. 3. Savvy Physician is a finance and money mindset coaching company.

Ketan Kulkarni

Halifax, NS

(902) 789-2007

ketanpkulkarni@gmail.com savvyphysician.ca

HEALTH CARE - Health and Wellness

MCCALLUM ENVIRONMENTAL LTD.

Jaime MacDonald

Bedford, NS (902) 446-8252

jaime@mccallumenvironmental.com mccallumenvironmental.com

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTEnergy Efficiency

MDR

STRATEGY GROUP LTD.

Daniel Roukema

Halifax, NS (902) 802-6919

daniel@mdrstrategy.ca mdrstrategy.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESManagement Consulting

METRIE CANADA

Metrie is North America’s largest wholesale manufacturer and supplier of solid wood & composite moulding, as well as Masonite interior door products. We are a family-owned business, established in 1926. Since then, we’ve honed our love of beautiful millwork into solutions that transform houses into remarkable homes.

Andrew Jessome

Dartmouth, NS (902) 471-7391

andrew.jessome@metrie.com metrie.com

INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURINGMillwork

MISTER TRANSMISSION

Brad Crowell

Beechville, NS

(902) 454-7439

mrt060@mistertransmission.com mistertransmission.com/halifax

TRANSPORTATION - Automotive Repair/Parts

NOUR’S HAIR LOUNGE

Nour Kojo

Halifax, NS (902) 956-2747

nourshairlounge@outlook.com

PERSONAL CARE & SERVICESHair Services

NOVONIX BATTERY TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INC.

With the battery industry growing, there is a shortage of facilities, infrastructure, time, capital, personnel, and knowledge.

NOVONIX provides Ultra High Precision battery testing systems and services, including pilot cell manufacturing and analytics, to help Lithium-ion battery supply chain gain the insights they need to make the right decisions.

Darcy Macdougald

Bedford, NS (902) 818-0861

darcy@novonixgroup.com novonixgroup.com

INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURINGBatteries

PAR 94 BAR AND GOLF LOUNGE

Par 94 Halifax is the ultimate downtown golf destination in the city. A 3000 square foot space with golf simulator bays, we also have three Trackman 4 golf simulators - the most accurate simulator data available. We’re fully designed for you to relax, unwind, socialize, and take a break.

Mike Morgan

Halifax, NS (902) 418-4631

mikemorgan@par94.com

par94.com

ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT - Entertainment

PCWIZRD

PCWizrd is Nova Scotia’s award-winning IT consulting team, recognized for its many accomplishments by small and medium businesses — for helping them get the best in industry products, security, and services.

Scott Pettie

Halifax Regional Municipality, NS (902) 800-4700

scott@pcwizrd.ca

pcwizrd.ca

COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGYComputer Support

PEOPLE STUFF INC.

We are People Stuff, and we take a different approach to providing HR services. We work directly with our clients as partners, and help improve engagement in a real and measurable way. We help accelerate business performance through your people: beneficial for both your employees and your bottom line.

Chad Decker

Halifax, NS (709) 765-6584

chad@peoplestuffnl.ca

peoplestuffnl.ca

HR, EMPLOYMENT & STAFFINGAdministrative Support

PHYSIO CARE AT HOME

Gillian MacIntosh

Halifax, NS (902) 404-4200

Gillian.MacIntosh@ physiocareathome.com

physiocareathome.com

HEALTH CARE - Health and Wellness

RELYON NUTEC CANADA INCORPORATED

RelyOn Nutec Canada (RONC), formerly Falck Safety Services Canada, provides a wide range of safety, survival, and emergency response training for the Oil and Gas, Maritime, Aviation, Military, and Industrial sectors. RONC also provides confined space rescue standby and equipment rental services for industrial clients across Atlantic Canada.

Brandon Harvey

Dartmouth, NS (902) 466-7878

BH@ca.relyonnutec.com

relyonnutec.com

EDUCATION & PROF.

DEVELOPMENT - Training Programs

REMEMBER WHEN HOMECARE LTD.

Remember When Homecare is a familyowned and operated homecare company offering private and affordable homecare services for seniors and persons living with disabilities in the HRM and South Shore regions. We pride ourselves on the reliability and consistency of the homecare services that we offer our clients and their families.

Ashley Boucher

Bedford, NS (902) 497-0722

info@rememberwhenhomecare.com

rememberwhenhomecare.com

HEALTH CARE - Home Care

SMARTCAT MARKETING

Turn browsers into buyers with the right message. We help service-based businesses create messaging that resonates with your ideal client. I am a marketing strategist, sales professional, and Certified StoryBrand Guide who delivers results by condensing and clarifying what your business does — for your website, sales funnels and content strategies.

Nicole Gallant

Dartmouth, NS (902) 209-9626

nicole@smartcatmarketing.ca smartcatmarketing.ca

EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT - Coaching

SEDONA DESIGNS CO.

A Black-owned branding and website design studio specializing in branding, website design, social media marketing/ management, email marketing, and print collateral, we assist businesses in effectively communicating brand message, and building brand awareness and loyalty. Brand strategy, planning, and consistency will help you to scale your brand to success.

Stephanie Rhoden

Dartmouth, NS (705) 822-7531

stephanie@sedonadesigns.ca sedonadesigns.ca

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIAGraphic Design

SOCIAL FABRIC INSTITUTE INC.

Willow Anderson

Halifax, NS (709) 770-1432

willow@socialfabricinstitute.ca socialfabricinstitute.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESBusiness Consulting

SOW LOCAL SEEDS

Erika Clarke

Head of Jeddore, NS (902) 880-5618

erika@sowlocalseeds.ca sowlocalseeds.ca

AGRICULTURE, FISHING & FORESTRY - Agriculture

STALWART METALS INTERNATIONAL INC.

Exporters of all kinds of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal from North American ports.

Mohit Sangal

Halifax, NS (902) 989-3272

mohit@metalscanada.ca

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTScrap Metal Recycling

STRONGEST FAMILIES INSTITUTE

Strongest Families Institute is an awardwinning charity offering free, bilingual, telephone-based support and coaching to children, youth, adults, and families at home. Clients learn skills-based techniques to overcome and manage life stressors such as anxiety, depression, and behavourial issues, or populationbased skills to increase confidence as a parent.

Anne Marie Shannon

Lower Sackville, NS 1-866-470-7111

amshannon@strongestfamilies.com strongestfamilies.com

NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPSCharitable Organizations

SUGARSNAP PHOTOGRAPHY INC. (BY BRANDIS)

Brandis Greene

Halifax, NS (902) 489-2566

brandis@sugarsnapphotography.ca sugarsnapphotography.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESPhotography

SUMMIT VEHICLE STORAGE

Summit Vehicle Storage & Airport Parking is a full-service, client-focused vehicle storage and parking facility. With over 500 indoor spaces available, Summit is an innovator in the vehicle storage business. Summit is currently located in Stewiacke, with a second location near the Halifax Airport opening in 2023.

Christopher Gourley Stewiacke, NS (902) 758-7625

info@summitvehiclestorage.com summitvehiclestorage.com

TRANSPORTATION - Automotive Warehousing/Processing

SUN LIFE FINANCIAL

Allie Roach

Dartmouth, NS (902) 481-0022

Allie.Roach@sunlife.com

advisor.sunlife.ca/nova.scotia

FINANCE & INSURANCEFinancial/Insurance Services

TINA GIANSANTE-MACLEANINDIVIDUAL MEMBER

Tina Giansante-Maclean Halifax, NS tina.giansante@gmail.com

HEALTH CARE - Pharmacy

TREALMONT TRADE LANE INC.

Robin Shaw

Bedford, NS (782) 409-0599

rshaw@ttlogistics.ca ttlogistics.ca

TRANSPORTATION - Customs Broker/Freight Forwarders

UPGRADE YOU ACADEMY INC.

We help female entrepreneurs achieve more freedom and fulfillment in their lives and businesses, whether through self mastery methods of life and mindset coaching, or a complete business systems overhaul, we got you!

Rigel Jones

Halifax, NS (902) 517-4060

rigel@upgradeyou.co upgradeyou.co

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESConsulting (General)

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

How our members are growing Halifax

NEW ACCREDITATION AT SMARTCAT MARKETING

Too many businesses don’t clearly explain what their company does. StoryBrand Guides across the globe have helped millions of companies create better messaging. In February 2022, Nicole Gallant received her certification in StoryBrand, one of only two people who are certified in Nova Scotia, and now in demand from businesses who want a paradigm

shifting approach to connecting with clients. The StoryBrand framework uses seven elements of storytelling to clarify their marketing message and generate engagement. Her clients love the results. This approach to creating websites, lead generators, and content strategies has made a dramatic difference in client attraction.

NOEL O’DEA INDUCTED INTO CANADA’S HALL OF FAME

Target’s president and founder, Noel O’Dea, just became the first marketer in Atlantic Canada to be inducted in Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends. The award, created by the American Marketing Association (AMA), recognizes Canadian leaders for their “remarkable leadership, vision, and achievements. The award remains a once-in-a-lifetime, one-of-a-kind achievement. Only a handful of Legends are named each year, making the honour a highly-coveted mark of distinction,” says Jacob Kessler, VP, AMA. The AMA, established over 70 years ago, is the largest not-for-profit marketing association in the world, serving organizations and individuals who practice, teach and study marketing.

DARTMOUTH GENERAL RAISES $100,000

On March 3, the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation hosted their annual Get Up There for Colorectal Cancer (GUT) fundraiser. Thanks to our generous supporters, we hit a new record and raised over $100,000 to support the fight against colorectal cancer! It was an incredible day full of stories, laughs, fun, and lots of snow. We can’t wait to see you at GUT 2024! Funds raised through GUT have helped the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation purchase state-ofthe-art equipment and technology used to screen for colorectal cancer.

CONGRATULATIONS JOANNE

Congratulations to our President and CEO, Joanne Bernard, on being awarded the Platinum Queen’s Jubilee Medal for Public and Community Service, and for receiving the Business Leader of the Year award at the Halifax Business Awards in January. Joanne has been working in the public and non-profit industries for over 25 years and has been the President & CEO of Easter Seals Nova Scotia for nearly six years. In her time at Easter Seals, Joanne has helped grow the organization in terms of capacity, space, footprint, revenue, partnerships, research, and profile. Congratulations Joanne, we are lucky to have you leading the team at Easter Seals Nova Scotia!

JUNO AWARDS HEAD EAST TO HALIFAX IN 2024

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) recently announced that the JUNO Awards are returning to Atlantic Canada, making their second visit to Halifax (Kjipuktuk) in March 2024. Halifax will host a revered lineup of JUNO Week events from March 21-24, 2024. The 53rd Annual JUNO Awards will broadcast live on CBC from Scotiabank Centre on Sunday, March 24, 2024. The JUNO Awards are being held in Nova Scotia’s capital for the first time since 2006, when Pamela Anderson hosted the ceremony. The festivities return with the support of the Province of Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Municipality, and the 2024 Host Committee. For first access to JUNO Awards Broadcast ticket on sale information and updates, sign up at junoawards.ca/halifax.

NEW TRAINING AT PARKWOOD HOMECARE

Parkwood Homecare recently hired Nurse Educator, Carol Conrad, to train our Care Team. One of the very special things about our Parkwood Home Care Team is our diversity. We’re like a family, and our clients and caregivers are our extended family. Many of our local

caregivers can meet our extended team during our dementia training classes and orientation class, providing them — especially important for the newcomers to our country — the ability to meet new friends. We welcome them all to Canada, and our clients’ feedback has been wonderful.

EXPANSION OF SKILLED TRADES TRAINING

The Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades is pleased to announce construction of a training centre for the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Workers — Local 752, recently completed at their Lakeside Training Facility. Local 752 invested $1.2 million into the project, with the shop being used to train

Ironworkers from across the province. Ironworkers Local 752 delivers the apprenticeship level training for Nova Scotia. This new state-of-the-art training centre will provide apprentices with the latest technology to support their journey to achieve their Red Seal Ironworker Journeyperson Certification.

NEW EDITOR AT ATLANTIC BOOKS TODAY

Atlantic Books Today, the East Coast’s leading literary magazine, has hired Jon Tattrie as its new editor. He’ll be familiar to Business Voice readers as a long-time contributor to this magazine, writing profiles of business leaders and articles on business developments. He’ll bring that love of business to his new position. Tattrie is the author of eight books, including The Hermit of Africville and Peace by Chocolate. His next book, Sword and Soul, will tell the extraordinary story of Charles R. Saunders, who as well as having a wellknown journalism career in Canada, was secretly one of the most important fantasy writers in his native U.S.

JOYCE CARTER NAMED ONE OF ATLANTIC CANADA’S MOST POWERFUL BUSINESSWOMEN

Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) President & CEO, Joyce Carter, has been named one of Atlantic Canada’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Business for 2023. The Atlantic Business Magazine award recognizes women making a tangible difference in their industry and community and celebrates some of Canada’s most extraordinary changemakers. Joyce joined HIAA in 1999, and since then, she has been integral in HIAA’s growth and development, becoming Chief Financial Officer in 2006, Chief Strategy Officer in 2008, and President & CEO in 2014. Under her steadfast leadership, Halifax Stanfield was one of Canada’s fastest-recovering airports in 2022, serving over three million passengers. Halifax Stanfield congratulates all award recipients, including Monette Pasher, President of the Canadian Airports Council. The award presentation ceremony was held on International Women’s Day at the Lighthouse Art Centre in Halifax. For more information, visit atlanticbusinessmagazine.com.

Upper Clements Cottages & RV Park are happy to announce that new features are now completed for our guests’ enjoyment, including heat pumps in all cottages — for year-round comfort, a level 2 electric vehicle charger by the office,

major upgrades on the Wi-Fi system, and three new RV sites. We are grateful for the Tourism Relief Fund and to ACOA for their help with implementing most of these new additions. Learn more at bunnyplace.ca/hfx.

UNBOUND MEDIA OPENS NEW STUDIO

Local media company, Unbound Media, is excited to announce the opening of their new studio in the heart of Halifax’s North End! The 1,600-square-foot studio is equipped with professional and natural light, interchangeable backdrops, and customizable space.

“We are so excited to be opening this studio, becoming a part of the North End of Halifax community,” said Ryan Williams, founder and CEO of Unbound Media. “We believe that this space will be an invaluable resource for our current and future clients, and we can’t wait to see the amazing work that will be produced here.”

NEW AT UPPER CLEMENTS COTTAGES & RV PARK

STRATEGY UP LAUNCHES A MULTIVENDOR ONLINE MARKETPLACE TO SUPPORT LOCAL SELLERS

Marc Zirka, the CEO of Strategy Up, has been supporting small businesses in Nova Scotia through consulting and training, and has identified an urgent need for local sellers to have an accessible online e-commerce platform. This is why Strategy Up has launched HELLO HALI (www.hellohali.com) — to support local sellers, helping them find a new way to grow their respective businesses. Hello Hali is the first real online multivendor marketplace where buyers can purchase from different sellers and check out with one single payment. An online info session with interested local sellers was held last week.

NEW COURSES AT THE ACRYLIC POURING STUDIO

At The Acrylic Pouring Studio, we are happy to announce that we have launched two new art courses: Acrylic Pouring: Introductory Level, and Acrylic Pouring: Working Large. Two cohorts of participants have already completed the introductory course since last November and another one is about to finish the Working Large course this month. Our studio is open to the public and offers private events for various occasions. We have organized art-focused team building workshops, wedding experiences, fundraising events, and private parties for adults and kids. To learn more about our programs, follow us on social media or visit us at the studio. Learn more at facebook.com/AcrylicPouringStudio.

INTRODUCING THE CORPORATE RELAY CHALLENGE

The Killam Marathon Team Relay is a fun event that welcomes groups to experience the exciting Blue Nose Full Marathon course, divided up into several legs, ranging from 3.2 km to 7.8 km. Gather four to eight colleagues, register a Relay Team, and be automatically entered into our Corporate Relay Challenge, with a chance to win amazing prizes. The top prize features a Benjamin Bridge Experience Heli Tour, where Relay Members can enjoy spectacular views over the Bay of Fundy, enroute to a private Benjamin Bridge tasting experience! You don’t have to be the fastest team to win, as the top prize will be won by draw. To learn more, email kelly@bluenosemarathon.com or call 902.496.1889.

A complimentary and collaborative new approach

As the world starts to get back to some semblance of “business as usual” after the chaos and challenges of the last three years, the Halifax Chamber looks to the future with a renewed hope and optimism; traits certainly reflected in its new leadership.

Incoming Chair, Chris CowperSmith, and Vice Chair, Ann Divine, though on the surface very different people with different lived experiences and backgrounds, share a set of common goals for what they hope to achieve over the next year – a year when the Chamber will develop a new 3 year strategic plan. Those common goals surround a focus on how the Chamber can help Halifax continue to grow and prosper as a community where businesses and the people that work in them can thrive. Among

their top priorities, Cowper-Smith and Divine share an interest in continuing to foster an environment — both at the Chamber as well as in the Halifax business community — of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEA&I), a now familiar theme to Halifax Chamber members. Both Cowper-Smith and Divine acknowledge that though important, DEA&I is just part of the equation in terms of ushering in a new vibrant era for a city experiencing a population and economic boom like never before.

With the Chamber’s 2019-2023 Strategic Plan coming to a close, the Board is revisiting the current plan and looking at priorities for the coming years. Many of the core goals – keeping taxes low, supporting immigration, fostering private sector growth – are likely to

remain the same.

However, with a rapidly growing and changing business climate, CowperSmith and Divine see exciting opportunities for Halifax, including with respect to how the city can tackle challenges relating to climate change, business productivity, and a fast-growing population.

Halifax’s start-up ecosystem

Chris Cowper-Smith, who 20 years ago thought he would become an actor or musician, is a successful Halifax entrepreneur and neuroscientist who realized the arts were not his professional calling when a different “actor,” so to speak, entered the stage.

“I learned how a neuron worked, my sense of curiosity took over, and that was that.”

Introducing the 2023-2024 Chair and Vice Chair of the Halifax Chamber Board by Pam Sullivan

Acquiring a PhD in Neuroscience, Cowper-Smith became involved in research focused on perception and motor control as it relates to the central nervous system’s control over the movement of our body, eventually becoming CEO of the truly innovative and inspiring Spring Loaded Technology — a technology company that reinvented the knee brace. Throughout his time at Spring Loaded, Cowper-Smith gained a wealth of experience, not only in the tech and research sectors, but also in corporate development and international commercialization strategies.

“At Spring Loaded, I had the opportunity to work with some truly brilliant people as we took the company from idea to market, raising venture capital, refining our product, establishing manufacturing,

navigating regulatory barriers, and building multiple distribution channels across North America,” he says.

His years at the company have also given him a unique perspective on how the Chamber can support the ever-growing Halifax business community.

Real world experience

That real world experience is part of what Cowper-Smith brings to the table — as a Board member and now as Chair.

Ann Divine, an expert in her field, brings her own real word skill set, complimentary and in addition to Cowper-Smith’s.

The founder and CEO of Ashanti Leadership & Professional Services Inc., Divine spent two years sitting on the Chamber Board before throwing her hat

into the ring for one of the leadership roles.

“At the time I didn’t imagine myself to be in a leadership position, as I am today, but as I continued, I felt that I could make a difference,” she says.

Born in the former British Guyana, where she spent her early childhood, Divine later moved to London, England with her parents. Eventually pursuing a career in social work, Divine then worked as a senior probation officer supporting individuals coming out of and into prison — a vocation which seems to have informed the lens through which she now views the world around her.

“I had to go to bat for those seen as ‘less desirable’ for reintegration back into the community,” she says. “I had to make sure that regardless of who they were, they were treated with dignity and respect.”

I had to go to bat for those seen as ‘less desirable’ for reintegration back into the community. I had to make sure that regardless of who they were, they were treated with dignity and respect.”

Ann Divine, Founder & CEO, Ashanti Leadership & Professional Services Inc.

Photos by Wuliamba Productions

Divine’s guiding principle, she says, is her desire to always treat all individuals with respect and dignity — a life mantra which led her, after arriving in Canada with her husband and children in 2004 — to continue to pursue a path of equity and inclusion. A job working at the NS Office of Immigration then led to work with the NS Human Rights Commission as Manager for Race Relations, Equity, and Inclusion. In 2014, Divine left government, choosing to go out on her own after challenges around finding work in her field and at her level.

“I felt I was going round and round in circles. I was applying for leadership positions, and they weren’t coming my way, so I decided to become my own CEO,” she says.

Vision for the year

Chris Cowper-Smith, when asked about why he was drawn to the position and what he hopes to accomplish during his time as Chair, harkens back to his roots in the business community and the importance of strong partnerships and organizations, like the Chamber, to not only support businesses but to create a better city overall — in which to live, work, and as Cowper-Smith puts it, “to play.”

“Without those conditions, it’s more difficult to recruit and retrain great talent, and it’s more difficult to compete on the international stage,” he says.

In terms of what he’d like to accomplish over the next year, Cowper-Smith, like Divine, emphasizes the importance

of bringing new and varied voices to the table.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my career to date, it’s that we’re strongest when we invest in hearing, understanding, and learning from a broader range of perspectives and experiences,” he says.

Ann Divine couldn’t agree more. A strong advocate for and believer in creating cultural and organizational change from the inside out, she knows the power of real inclusivity, not just paying lip service to the concept.

“We can create as much diversity as we want, but unless we’re prepared to make that cultural shift, that shift in our thinking, actions, and mindset, and be intentional about being more inclusive of others, then it’s not going to work,” she says.

Divine and Cowper-Smith both recognize the importance — as Halifax welcomes unprecedented numbers of new residents from all walks of life and backgrounds — of truly reflecting and supporting members — old and new.

Both also agree that the well-being of a business community is uniquely tied to the well-being of a city and the communities within it; a symbiotic relationship where the health and vibrancy of one has a reverberating effect in other areas.

“There has to be systemic change — from the inside out — because the people make up the culture of the organization. Those same individuals are in our communities,” Divine says.

Cowper-Smith’s newest endeavours, since stepping away from Spring Loaded Technology in 2021, include Mable Health, an investment platform focused on musculoskeletal health and Cedar Point Solutions, where he helps established organizations and early-stage companies develop and translate focused strategic plans into action, allowing them to “innovate, modernize, and achieve transformational growth.”

And true to his core values — reflected in his innovative and game changing work at Spring Loaded — Cowper-Smith, though “industry agnostic,” as he puts it, is still focused on a better tomorrow by assisting those companies working towards that same end.

“I work exclusively with organizations that are aiming to make our world a better place, whether that’s in healthcare, oceans, the green economy, or elsewhere,” he says.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my career to date, it’s that we’re strongest when we invest in hearing, understanding, and learning from a broader range of perspectives and experiences.”

— Chris Cowper-Smith, Entrepreneur and Neuroscientist

Businesses need support and leadership when it comes to the climate crisis, he continues, and the Chamber wants to be part of the solution.

Under Chris and Ann’s guidance, the organization will continue to listen to members to better understand their needs, challenges, and opportunities, to help the Chamber further shape its direction and focus.

The needs of a growing city

The Halifax Chamber, with its commitment to growing and adapting with its members as Halifax moves through the coming decades as a thriving, quickly changing and growing city, will have two progressive and forward-looking individuals in its corner. A Chair and Vice Chair who absolutely have the good of the city’s business community as well as its population as a central motivating force.

“In addition to advocating for strong economic conditions today, we need to invest in the long-term well-being of our population through advancements in healthcare, housing, critical infrastructure, education, and our environment,” says Cowper-Smith. “Those investments need to be focused on sustainable prosperity rather than the next election cycle” he adds, noting that the Chamber is non-partisan and motivated to work toward our collective wellbeing with all governments.

Ann Divine, on her end, sees the importance of open dialogue with government as Halifax faces the challenges and opportunities which come with the territory when speaking of rapid municipal growth.

“We need to be collaborative, to share our knowledge and expertise with government; to also listen to what they have to say. We might not always agree, but we still need to work together for the good of all Haligonians. At the end of the day, it’s about honest and open dialogue,” she says.

The Chamber recently submitted both its provincial and municipal pre-budget submissions, outlining its recommendations that would provide value to our businesses, improve the lives of Nova Scotians, and increase our province’s economic growth. Focusing on key issue areas, derived from conversations with our members, the submissions highlight ways to improve our fiscal position, housing supply, population needs, and economics.

Our 50/30 commitment

In response to the Canadian Government’s 50/30 challenge, the Halifax Chamber continues its commitment to putting more women and non-binary people, as well as other equity-deserving groups, in seats in the Board room and in senior leadership positions — actively promoting the commitment, both within the walls of the Halifax Chamber, as well as in its many member businesses.

Divine says she’s one of the 30 per cent they’re aspiring to. Aspiring, but not quite there, she also adds.

“The Chamber’s worked very hard, because when looking for the Board we looked at the balance and how to achieve that. At the moment we have 50 per cent women and 35 per cent diversity,” she says.

Chris Cowper-Smith’s aim in this regard, he says, is to “establish sustainable, genuine, and credible leadership as an organization where people feel welcomed, and more broadly, to help our members benefit from all that our diverse communities have to offer.”

And where do these two stand on working together over the next 12 months? One thing which was made abundantly clear by their comments is how well their mutual respect and admiration will serve the Board, Chamber members, and the city itself.

And Cowper-Smith doesn’t mince words when talking about Divine.

“Ann is a remarkable business leader and equally impressive thought leader in DEA&I and Human Rights. I look forward to having the opportunity to collaborate with Ann and all our board members over the next year, to ensure the Chamber remains the partner our members need as the city undergoes transformative growth,” he says.

And from Divine’s point of view, Cowper-Smith’s collaborative approach and sense of humility are strong traits working in his favour.

“Chris has an attitude of ‘what can I learn from you?’, and I believe he’s open to learning and will share and create opportunities for both of us to share the space,” she says.

And on a closing note, Divine’s final thoughts speak volumes about her own humility, strength, practicality, and desire to do right by the position she now holds — for the good of all Haligonians: businesses and residents alike.

“Folks are not always happy with us. It’s never a bed of roses. But it’s about sharing our expertise, working together, developing that relationship we all want, and working for the common good of the business community, because it goes beyond the business community. If our business community is happy, our community is happy, as a whole.”

Mental Health Awareness Month

Getting to know a few of the many entrepreneurs working in mental health support

In Canada, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) promotes Mental Health Awareness Week, happening May 1 – 7, 2023.

This year, the theme is My Story.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Meet Save Me Save We

Contributed by: Junior Moaku, Owner

Save Me Save We is a clothing brand that focuses on increasing mental health, awareness, and mental health literacy in communities. Now 27, I started the company in 2019, when I was 23. As an entrepreneur, I’m passionate about academia, mental health, and community development. Born in Montreal, Quebec, I was raised by parents who emigrated to Canada from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the age of 7, my family and I moved to Hamilton, Ontario, which I then called home for the next decade. For the ten years after that, I lived in five different cities across Canada and the U.S., over which time I studied accounting, eventually receiving a Business Administration degree. Formal education was not the only thing I received during that time, however. My experiences playing varsity basketball, at several collegiate institues, obliged me to learn a lot about myself and exposed me to the lack of mental health resources available for young adults. While finishing my final year of university, I started Save Me Save We, and now, four years later, we visit schools, universities, organizations, and sports clubs, offering our services.

From MentalHealthWeek.ca:

“Collectively and individually, we have multiple layers and stories that make us who we are. And while each year, 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental illness or mental health issue, 5 out of 5 of us – that’s everyone – has mental health.

We all have different, yet equally valuable stories that can be used to share one key message: universal mental health care is important and needed now!”

To celebrate and honour this week, Business Voice reached out to three local entrepreneurs — each specializing in mental health support — to hear about their organizations and learn from their experiences.

financial, social, environmental, and spiritual) and I make sure to keep inventory on all of them daily. If I slack off in one area, my wheel becomes flat, and as a result, so does my mental health.

Though I spend a lot of my time advising and offering others mental health advice, I also take care of myself by recognizing and addressing my own needs. I often ask myself whether I require sleep or peace when I feel overwhelmed. When I have the answer, I am then able to take the appropriate course of action to address those needs. Another way I take care of my health is by keeping up-to-date with my Wellness Wheel (WW). My WW comprises the eight dimensions of wellness (emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual,

When I advise others about their mental health, I encourage them to do the following things: Firstly, allow more vulnerability in their lives, because that’s the beginning of growth. Vulnerability enables us to reach down within ourselves and question our emotions and circumstances, empowering us to try new experiences — crucial to growth and emotional resiliency. The second thing I advise is to learn to recognize various emotions: identify them, explore them, and control them. Our lack of understanding or ability to communicate our feelings harms our well-being. The more nuanced and unspecific the words we use for our own emotions, the more expansive our inner worlds become. Recognizing and identifying our emotions while experiencing them allows us to appropriately respond, build on relationships, and receive the appropriate help we need. Lastly, I encourage everyone to be of service to someone. We are living in a world in need of more love, peace, and inspiration. Whether it is volunteering, mentoring, doing random acts of kindness in your community, or being an open ear for a peer, you will realize how fulfilling doing so can be.

Meet Life Beyond the Hurt

Contributed by: Khalieha Cunningham, Founder and President

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” - Lao Tzu

I’mKhalieha Cunningham, an Accounting and Business Professional, and Motivational Speaker and Founder and President of Life Beyond the Hurt Organization. As a domestic violence survivor, I decided to create a safe space, and Life Beyond the Hurt Organization was born: a non-profit organization focusing on providing hope, resources, and a place of solace to anyone experiencing/overcoming domestic violence or some form of hurt in their lives.

Life Beyond the Hurt’s mission is to raise awareness and influence social and systemic change around domestic violence — in essence, to help our community live a life beyond their hurt. In today’s world, the call to be something greater than our true selves is

Meet Flar Equine Experience

stronger than it has ever been. And with this pressure comes adverse effects on our mental health. I believe the key to understanding your mental health is recognition and action, and it’s important to understand the signs when you see them. When you are: no longer showing up as you intended to, not listening when your body speaks, or not taking steps to find the balance and inner peace you require, then there’s work to be done.

For me, this means having mirror moments. A mirror moment means sitting down in my quiet place to pause, reflect upon, and reset my life. My pause means rest, rejuvenation, and relaxation to quiet my mind. My reflection means awareness of my present state and practicing gratitude. Having these moments allows me to reset and redefine myself by being true to who I am and not to what others see or need me to be. Maintaining your mental health starts with a proactive approach to caring for your mind; of vital importance, as mental health impacts everything: your thoughts, behaviour, and actions.

My advice to anyone needing a mental health reset would be to establish a mental health fitness plan; one that encompasses physical health, a healthy diet, mindfulness and gratitude, coaching, and social connection. Remember that you are the architect of your life. Your thoughts are the blueprint to a better future. As with blueprints, which contain intricate details and oftentimes, revisions, so should the plans for your life. Determine the daily steps you need to take to better your life, then document them, envision them, and most importantly, embody them.

Contributed

by: Rachael Dent-Flynn, Owner

As the owner of Flar Equine Experience, I work, with the help of our horses, to facilitate the improvement of life skills and relationships for those looking for an alternate kind of therapy. My interest in and affinity with animals began earlier in my life while working at a doggie daycare/boarding facility. I’m currently working full-time in small option group homes while also running Flar.

In terms of my background/life history, and the challenges I’ve personally faced, my biological dad left when I was 2 yrs. old, and family members disowned me when I came out as LGBTQ+. Since talk therapy wasn’t effective for me, despite trying it many times along my journey, I ended up leaning on animals more than humans. When horses came into my life, seven years ago now — pets on the property I’d moved to — I knew

there had to be a way to offer an empowering experience through working with these amazing animals. Eight years later, in 2015, I acquired certification as an Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Facilitator and purchased my own horses. And Flar Equine Experience was born.

In terms of how I take care of my own mental health, when my tolerance is low or not there at all — due to my firefighting first responder PTS — I will head to the horses. Each horse is quite different, just like each of us, so when I’m depressed, a certain horse will come be in my space; if I’m sad a different horse will come; and if I’m in a particularly negative space, yet a different horse will come over to me. The most empowering part of each situation is that the horses force us to be present, which can be just the distraction I, myself, need to redirect my day from a negative to a positive one.

My recommendation when it comes to how to deal with mental health issues in today’s world, would be to become unapologetically authentic — trying everything out there — in your journey to finding what truly works best for you. And recognizing that just because one thing works for one situation doesn’t mean it will for the next one you face. So, overall, build your toolbox of resources so full that you have everything you need along the way, because YOU are worth the work!

Mental health for all

on how her own

experiences have helped inform her work with typically underserved communities

by Pam Sullivan

Asa child of immigrant Ghanian parents, first-generation Canadian, Stacy Darku, knows better than most the challenges that come with that equation.

The native New Brunswicker — hailing from Saint John — is a recent transplant to Halifax, arriving in the summer of 2022 after spending three years calling the Annapolis Valley home.

Once in Halifax, the registered counselling therapist candidate hung out her shingle, and Esinam Counselling Inc., which she started in 2021 — providing virtual sessions at her kitchen table — was officially open for in-person business.

Named after her late sister, Mercy Esinam Darku, she says she was initially surprised at the lack of therapists of colour in the province.

The desire to work in the field of mental health, Darku says, came from an early work experience.

“I have always had a desire to be in the mental health field. My first job was working at an emergency shelter with women who were struggling,” she says.

The loss of her sister to mental health issues, she adds, only fueled her desire to work in the field, noting that it made her “motivated to help the community more than ever.”

Darku, no stranger to racism and discrimination, says that that has proven to be both a challenge as well as a strength in terms of her practice and the people she helps.

“One of the biggest challenges I had while opening this practice was finding the funds and resources to grow. Another challenge was the discrimination that I received from various organizations, stakeholders, and others in the field, which was obviously quite disheartening,” she says.

The flip side of that coin, Darku says, is the ability her life-lived experiences give her as she works on mental health

issues with an often underserved community: specifically, people of colour, and children of immigrants, who often face a steep climb when it comes to keeping a foot in two worlds – that of their culture and heritage, and that of everyday life in this country.

“People of colour feel comfortable with someone who will understand their issues from the outset. That way we can bypass a lot and just focus on the trauma work from the start,” she says.

In terms of advice for employers and leaders looking to prioritize mental health in the workplace, Darku is straight and to the point: look at mental health the same way you’d approach any other health issue.

“Individuals are good at recognizing if their teeth hurt, for example, and go to the dentist to resolve the problem. This should be how people look at their mental

health because the impact of not addressing your mental health could result in an unhealthy relationship with not only yourself, but with the people around you,” she says.

From her days Zooming from her kitchen table, to a brick-and-mortar building in Lower Sackville, Darku is pleased with how far she’s come, having treated over 150 individuals and currently also providing counselling services and training to government agencies. Future plans include developing a partnership with Empowerment for Hope to engage in more community initiatives and offering Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), which will help provide individuals with trauma healing in as little as five sessions.

You can find Esinam Counselling Inc. at: esinamcounsellinginc.com

Stacy Darku, of Esinam Counselling,

life

People of colour feel comfortable with someone who will understand their issues from the outset. That way we can bypass a lot and just focus on the trauma work from the start.”

Stacy Darku Registered Counselling TherapistCandidate, Esinam Counselling Inc.

International recruitment of refugees

Mahone Bay to welcome 28 new residents

Contributed by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration

Mahone Bay is gearing up to welcome 28 new residents, with a possibility of 26 more. These newcomers, currently refugees in Kenya, will work as Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) with MacLeod Cares, owners of 12 longterm care facilities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

The company is building a new facility to replace the existing one in Mahone Bay, with the new facility able to accommodate 35 more residents than the old one. Doug Stephens, General Manager for Human Resources at MacLeod Cares, said the larger capacity means they need to double the workforce.

Stephens said that after doing their traditional recruiting through advertising, social media, employer referrals, and partnering with educational facilities in Nova Scotia, they still didn’t have all the workers they needed.

“We knew international recruitment would have to be part of our strategy,” he said.

Stephens turned to the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched the program so that refugees could gain permanent residency in Canada through existing economic immigration programs. Nova Scotia has two such programs: the Nova Scotia Nominee Program and the Atlantic Immigration Program. Normally, to qualify for these programs, an applicant must have legal status in their home country. EMPP does away with that requirement — opening the door to refugees.

“Refugees have excellent skills and experience,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “We want employers in Nova Scotia to be able

to match with their talent if it meets the needs of their workforce and the needs of the individuals looking to make Nova Scotia home.”

Jennifer L’Esperance, Senior Executive Director of the Immigration and Population Growth (IPG) branch of Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, said the program opens up new pools of talent for Nova Scotia employers.

“EMPP is part of our strategy to grow the province’s population to two million by 2060 through immigration and interprovincial migration,” said L’Esperance. “Settlement in Nova Scotia is a key part of our attraction and retention plan. We know that if people don’t stay, we’re not able to meet our goals.”

And the people of Mahone Bay seem excited to welcome the newcomers, if a recent community engagement session

is any indication. MacLeod Group hosted the event to ensure the community understands their role in the settlement process.

The audience was moved to sign-up for a series of tasks to support the new families, including moving, drivers, and donations of used furniture, with some even offering to give lessons to make Hodge-Podge — a Nova Scotia staple.

Last October, L’Esperance and Stephens, among others, visited refugee camps in Kenya on a recruitment mission. Stephens said he had already hired 28 refugees from the camps before the mission and offered jobs to 26 upon returning to Nova Scotia.

“MacLeod Group is committed to leading and rallying the community in welcoming these new residents and providing everything they need to make Mahone Bay their new forever home.”

Refugees have excellent skills and experience.”

— Jill Balser Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration, Province of Nova Scotia

Insights into the Francophone Mobility Program

Strengthening our communities and workforce with French-speaking foreign workers

SARAH GRAY AND SUZANNE RIX, KC IMMIGRATION LAWYERS, COX & PALMER

To promote Francophone immigration to communities throughout Canada, in 2016 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched its Francophone Mobility Program (FMP). This program provides options to make it easier for employers to hire French-speaking or bilingual workers outside Quebec. Hiring a Frenchspeaking or bilingual candidate could provide a business with a number of advantages, such as the ability to:

• Serve clients in French and English.

• Tap into new markets or new international networks.

• Benefit from support from the Francophone community.

• Increase its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion profile.

• Access an exemption through application for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Th is program is highly beneficial to large and small companies as it allows employers to fill gaps in managerial, professional, and skilled positions.

General Criteria for the FMP

The general criteria that IRCC looks for when processing FMP applications are that the foreign worker:

• Speaks fluent French or is fluently bilingual (Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 or higher).

• Is destined to work in a province or territory outside Quebec.

• Is qualified to work in a managerial, professional, technical, or skilled trade position (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3).

Options to Hire FrenchSpeaking Candidates

There are a variety of options available to employers to find, attract, and recruit French-speaking and bilingual candidates. Those options include:

1. CONTACTING THE CANADIAN VISA OFFICE IN PARIS

If you have a job opening and would like to recruit a temporary or permanent foreign worker from a Francophone country, you can send your job offer to the Canadian visa office in Paris. Include detailed information such as:

• job title

• duties

• expected start and end dates

• salary and benefits

Many countries have public employment services that specialize in international recruitment to help their citizens find work abroad. The staff at the visa office can refer you to the services that will best meet your needs. These local government services can help you find candidates and support you through the recruitment process, free of charge. Through these services, you can recruit candidates from a number of countries, including France, Belgium, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mauritius, Mexico, and more. These services are available yearround and free of charge to all Canadian employers with job offers outside Quebec.

2. ATTENDING THE DESTINATION CANADA MOBILITY FORUM

The Destination Canada Mobility Forum is an annual event organized by the Government of Canada. This job fair event connects Canadian employers with skilled French-speaking candidates in a variety of fields, such as:

• information technology

• multimedia

• marketing and communications

• finance

• hospitality

• culinary and food industries

• translation

• aeronautics and avionics

• construction

The Destination Canada Mobility Forum typically takes place in November each year. Canadian employers were not direct participants at the November 2022 forum but could communicate their job offers to representatives of their province or territory, city, or region, or to local economic development organizations who were at the forum as exhibitors. Two additional recruitment fairs were planned for 2023: one in January with a focus on IT jobs, and a second in March with a focus on hotel-restaurant-tourism jobs.

3. MAKING A JOB OFFER TO AN EXPRESS ENTRY CANDIDATE

The Express Entry system is used to manage applications to the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs.

You can make a job offer to an Express Entry candidate, supported by an LMIA, if needed. The candidate is then awarded additional points for their job offer. A job offer increases a candidate’s chances of then being invited to apply for Permanent Residence once the application process begins.

Through Express Entry, IRCC processes the majority of complete applications (those that include all supporting documents) in six to 12 months.

The general entry requirements for employees under the Federal Skilled Worker Program under Express Entry are that applicants have at least one year of work experience related to the job offer, a minimum of CLB 7 in French or English, a Canadian post-secondary education, or a valid Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), and proof of funds to settle in Canada.

If you have any questions about the Francophone Mobility Program, please reach out to the immigration team at Cox & Palmer.

Suzanne Rix, KC, is the Managing Partner of Cox & Palmer’s Halifax office. She was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1998. Suzanne assists clients with all types of Work Permit Applications, Permanent Residence Applications and Canadian Citizenship Applications. She provides services in English and German and is the Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany for the Maritime Provinces. Suzanne can be reached at srix@coxandpalmer.com.

Sarah is an associate lawyer in Cox & Palmer’s Halifax office. She was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in 2022. Sarah assists clients with various work permit, temporary residence, and permanent residence applications. Sarah can be reached at sgray@coxandpalmer.com.

You could save up to 35% of a new grad’s salary in the first year.

A decade of change

Marching towards a sustainable, inclusive, affordable, and economically strong future

550,000 by 2031 — at a time when our population was just over 410,000. Today, we are hitting (and surpassing) targets many saw as out of reach.

Halifax’s bold ambitions for a greener future.

MIKE SAVAGE MAYOR OF HALIFAX

Thispast fall marked a decade for me as Mayor — an anniversary that makes me reflect on the past and think about the future. I came to City Hall in 2012 determined to meet my campaign commitments to seize the opportunities before us and to live up to our vast potential.

I believed we could reduce the out migration of young people, and stem the brain drain of talent. That we could broaden and deepen our economy while taking better advantage of our enviable coastal location.

In short, it was long past time our city grew up and stepped into its ambitions. After all, what was the alternative, to remain a comfortable yet stagnant city, a slow march toward economic irrelevancy?

So, we chose optimism and hard work — as a community and with many great partners, including the Chamber. Ten years on it’s fair to say our successes are evident: from the cranes that dot the skyline and our expanding economy, to nation-leading population growth and impressive track record on events such as the World Junior Hockey Championship and the upcoming North American Indigenous Games.

I well recall the day we unveiled our Economic Plan 2016-2021. It included a target of achieving a population of

Between July 2021 and July 2022, Halifax grew by 20,713 people, the largest annual increase in population that Halifax has ever seen, bringing our population to 480,582. Our 4.5 per cent growth rate ranked us first among Canada’s large cities. What’s most exciting is that nearly half of our net international and interprovincial migration is from people aged 18-35, the young people we need to study, work, and build careers here.

Working with the Halifax Partnership, our new economic plan, People. Planet. Prosperity. Halifax’s Inclusive Economic Strategy 2022-27, has been informed by more than 2,500 business leaders, residents, and partners throughout the municipality.

These people are invested in Halifax’s future, but also share worries about housing affordability, climate change, and social inclusion. If we are to meet our commitments to responsible growth, we must ensure the benefits of growth are accessible to all.

We know the only true future is a green future. So, as we work to build sustainable, connected, affordable communities, we must similarly build a resilient green economy. We can turn the challenge of our lifetime into our greatest hope — for generations to come.

The last Council became the second in Canada to declare a climate emergency, and as a result we are now moving on the recommendations of the landmark HalifACT municipal climate change plan.

HalifACT is not simply about the retrofitting of our buildings and the electrification of transit and fleet, it’s about how we encourage businesses and residents to follow suit.

In November, I had the opportunity to attend COP27, in Egypt, as part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities delegation — and in my role as chair of the Big City Mayors Caucus. Wherever we went, people were keen to hear about

I am similarly heartened by the cooperation we see across orders of government, including significant increased spending for affordable housing and supportive services.

In January, Council approved the third round of federal funding under the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) — $11 million that will see at least 37 new units of permanent supportive housing constructed.

This is in addition to those we’ve already approved in the first two rounds. We’ve turned RHI funds into approvals for deeply needed affordable housing solutions for 135 people, through our work with the following community partners: The Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre, Adsum, the North End Community Health Centre, the Affordable Housing Association of NS, Akoma in Dartmouth, and Souls Harbour in West Chezzetcook.

We are taking a variety of approaches to addressing housing affordability and supply, and we will continue to do more, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Council approved the Centre Plan, which is already adding greater density approvals in designated corridors.

• We are working with the housing task force, established by the Province to examine pending projects and speed up approvals.

• And we’ve invested in modular housing projects, on both sides of the harbour, that provide safe, supportive housing to 64 people.

We are serious about addressing affordability as we build complete communities, connected by transit running on clean energy. This is the future-facing Halifax we are determined to become.

With solid plans, progressive policies, strong partnerships, and the fiscal acumen to handle our challenges, our city is well positioned to seize opportunity and grow in a sustainable, inclusive way.

Making or breaking your small business within the global market

The importance of logistics for small businesses

Contributed by SSI Logistics

Small businesses frequently ignore the importance of logistics in the global economy. But in order to remain competitive and move at the speed of the market, they must also be able to turn an eye to logistics.

Logistics is the process of planning, arranging, and carrying out the movement of goods from one location to another. It’s important for small businesses because they need to maintain their operations on both a local and global scale.

Small business logistics can be complex because they often have limited resources, staff, and funds. The biggest corporations in the world are frequently able to make use of their scale to achieve logistical efficiencies that smaller companies simply cannot match.

Prior to opening their doors, smaller companies should create a small business logistics strategy by analyzing their market, customers, and operations.

Small businesses may incur significant costs due to logistics, however, there are several methods for them to cut expenses and increase the effectiveness of their logistics management.

For a small business to grow, it must establish contacts with global suppliers and resources —unfortunately, not a simple process. The right providers and resources must be identified to offer the greatest support for the small business’s product.

It may also be challenging for small businesses to connect with international suppliers. They might need to get in touch with a lot of people and wait for each one to respond — losing important time and resources as a result of this process.

Logistics can make it easy for small businesses to join the global supply chain without any hassle, allowing them to work together with suppliers on a worldwide scale without having to be concerned about things getting lost in translation or having to waste time on unnecessary tasks.

To sustain growth, a small business must be flexible and adaptive in order to

maintain its development. If you own a small business, make sure your logistics operations can keep up by making the appropriate small business logistics solutions investments for your company’s unique needs.

For more information on logistics services, contact SSI Logistics at info@ssilogistics.ca

Photos: Discover Halifax

Corporate wellness

Shifting the status quo with progressive approaches to organizational well-being

ANN-MARIE FLINN PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, CHAMPION FOUNDATIONAL CHANGE AGENCY

As someone with a passion for the future of wellness, I am excited to see where wellness/well-being is going over the next three years.

As a bit of a stats nerd, I study all the trends and winners/losers in the wellness industry. I also think about how these trends can be embraced to grow local business within HRM and in Nova Scotia.

One major shift in the wellness industry is corporate wellness. Corporate wellness with a difference.

Have you ever been to a conference or company “lunch-and-learn” and experienced a team-building session or wellness workshop? What did the session include? Was there a tightrope? A yoga session? A trust fall?

As someone who was in the corporate world for over 30 years, I have experienced all of these.

These approaches to corporate wellness may have worked in the past, but things are changing. With the pandemic, global warming, and political unrest, wellness experts are recognizing that a compartmentalized, programmatic approach to employee well-being is not particularly effective in tackling the rising challenges of stress, work-life integration, and mental health.

Progressive organizations around the world are shifting to more meaningful, holistic approaches to employee well-being. This new approach encompasses everything from changing company culture to focusing on the internal environment of employees’ physical, mental, and emotional wellness.

The traditional metrics used to measure the success of “workplace wellness” need to shift. “Wellness” now means far more than a lunch-and-learn workshop.

The goal with wellness is to figure out a set of habit-building practices you can implement into the culture of your organization.

What corporate wellness is

In its purest form, wellness involves doing whatever you need to do to thrive and feel well daily. There is no one-sizefits-all approach to achieving a general sense of well-being and overall health, and anyone who claims otherwise is selling you something.

With that said, corporate well-being incorporates anything that:

• Improves work-life integration

• Helps you manage stress better

• Fosters a more positive mindset

• Promotes habits of consistent self-care

What corporate wellness isn’t Corporate wellness is not:

• Drinking kale smoothies

• Keeping a yoga mat under your desk

• Swearing off alcohol forever

• Re-reading your copy of The Power of Now until its pages start fraying.

Approaches to corporate wellness are unique

Wellness isn’t about making one giant change and suddenly transforming your business — it’s about continually working to improve various aspects of your organization, so you can build a more sustainable culture mentally, physically, and emotionally.

The goal with wellness is to figure out a set of habit-building practices that suits the needs of your business and your people. In other words — things that work for you.

Industry leaders hoping to limit turnover (one of the top company expenditures) need to rethink their structure and operations to allow greater mental, physical, and emotional wellness/ well-being support.

The future is bright in Nova Scotia

I’m excited that there is a great rebirth of change happening around wellness and well-being in Nova Scotia. My business has been offering progressive businesses the opportunity to bring customized wellness and well-being programs into their organizations and conferences.

To the Champion in YOU!

Learn more about Champion Foundational Change Agency at: changechamp.ca

Progressive organizations around the world are shifting to more meaningful, holistic approaches to employee well-being.”

Ann-Marie Flinn President & Co-Founder, Champion Foundational Change Agency

50 years of Breton Books & Cape Breton’s Magazine

Ronald Caplan’s persistence pays off for the people of Cape Breton

NORMA JEAN MACPHEE FREELANCE JOURNALIST, ATLANTIC PUBLISHERS MARKETING ASSOCIATION

With a thirst for stories and the passion, dedication, and patience to give them a home, Ronald Caplan has been capturing and sharing stories of Cape Breton for 50 years.

Caplan was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He moved to Cape Breton’s North Shore on a whim and at the urging of a friend in 1972. “I wasn’t here very long before I knew I had really found an exceptional place,” says Caplan. “In terms of interesting people, their kindness, generosity, and interesting backgrounds.”

Caplan had read a book about the Foxfire movement out of the Appalachians and its magazine about rural life. “I thought someone should do that in Cape Breton,” says Caplan. “In one day, driving from Wreck Cove to the Englishtown Ferry, I designed the magazine in my head.”

Cape Breton’s Magazine was first published in 1972. During the next 25 years, Caplan recorded stories, took photographs, and secured ads for 74 issues.

He started meeting with people and collecting stories in his nearby neighbourhood of Wreck Cove. “How fortunate I was that I knew so little that nobody took it for granted I knew the answer to the questions I was asking,” says Caplan. “I was a genuine explorer and people were kind to share things with me in detail, getting me to see what was going on, the context for whatever the subject was.”

Caplan says he wanted the new magazine to be the largest on the newsstand — a goal he achieved. To this day, in many living rooms, rec rooms, and

antique stores, you’ll find copies of the distinctive and large (10x14-inch) Cape Breton’s Magazine.

Its newsprint quality paper and black-and-white printing were the cheapest routes. Caplan invested his money in a good quality cover — a decision which boded well for its lasting quality.

“The stories I was hearing were remarkable, they were a new world for me,” says Caplan. “I guess I was also driven or determined to share them — first of all to save them and then out of respect for those people who had shared their stories with me, to share them with the wider world.”

When asked how he felt with that first issue in his hand, Caplan laughs and says, “Well, that’s a funny story.”

Excited with his very first issue ready to go, Caplan filled his van with magazines to drop off at stores. When he walked into a store in Glace Bay, “The fella took a look at it and said, ‘buddy, you’ve made a terrible mistake,’ and he did not put my magazine on his shelf,” says Caplan with a chuckle. “All I can say is 50 years later, his store is long gone.”

Ron Caplan’s resume glistens with prestigious awards, including the Order of Canada and Nova Scotia’s Cultural Life Award, along with other folklore and oral history accolades. He doesn’t do it for any of that.

“I believed in the power of these stories. I believed in gathering these stories. And I believed they should be shared.”

I believed in the power of these stories. I believed in gathering these stories. And I believed they should be shared.”

— Ronald Caplan Publisher, Cape Breton’s Magazine

Workplace Wellness: From Surviving to Thriving

Workplace wellness strategies for the post-pandemic world

Q: Why are organizational leaders being pushed to care more about their employee’s mental health now more than ever before?

AsNova Scotians continue to process trauma from the events of the past two and a half years, the prioritization of employee mental health continues to gain momentum.

In October 2022, Karn Nichols, Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, NS Division (CMHA) and Bradley Daye, Co-Founder and CEO Of Placemaking 4G shared wellness strategies for employers to adopt in a post-pandemic workplace. This event, held in conjunction with Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month, was offered through the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Power Lunch series.

For those who were unable to attend but are keen to strengthen employee well-being, the following Q&A summarizes Karn and Bradley’s key insights. These insights will help demystify contemporary workplace mental health strategies and inspire leaders to embrace cultural differences, lived experiences, and the vulnerabilities that come with being human at work.

Karn: The last few years of macro-stressors have left a trail of burnout and trauma in their wake: the COVID-19 pandemic, racial trauma, and return to work, to name a few. We know that one in three Canadians say they’re struggling with their mental health, and this has increased since the pandemic. During the height of it, in 2020-2021, 71 per cent of Canadian employees said they’d experienced burnout. (These numbers result from a 2021 CMHA National study as well as a study done by WorkInsights.) The stigma that surrounds mental health is still rampant and influences how people choose to reach out for support, or not. In fact, 80 per cent of employees felt the stigma was alive and well in their organizations, and 52 per cent felt that others would doubt their character if it became known that they lived with mental illness.

People are leaving jobs due to mental health challenges. In 2020, 68 per cent of millennials and 81 per cent of Gen Zers left roles because of mental health issues. In fact, a report from RBC suggests that in 2021 half of long-term disability claims for employees aged 18 to 35 were due to mental health challenges. Younger and traditionally underserved communities suffer the most from the consequences of inadequate mental health support.

Collectively, we have an opportunity to use these wake-up calls to do the right thing and create better workplaces. To me, prioritizing mental health, equity, belonging, and well-being calls for a completely revised business strategy and an entirely new way of leading. It’s no longer something leaders can relegate to HR to take care of with an EAP plan. It requires a shift in the way we lead and a fundamental change in workplace culture.

Bradley: It requires organizational leaders to clearly understand and speak to the why behind their efforts to become a more inclusive and psychologically safe place to work. Employees struggle to get behind initiatives when organizational leaders are unsure how, or hesitant to model the behaviours that align with their outward messages. If you promote equitable opportunity for people of colour, what does this look like in action at your company? How are you propelling racialized employers toward professional development or leadership opportunities? Can you speak to it with confidence when asked by stakeholders?

Doing it right requires an investment of time, learning, and investment into knowledge gaps. A simple way to think about this is how your colleagues would respond if asked about why the leadership of your organization should care about diversity and inclusion? This is a great benchmark to understanding if and how your WHY is getting through to your team. And leadership doesn’t just come in the form of people in leadership positions. For this work to progress and affect change, it needs buy-in. It needs to be valued by employees at all levels of the organization.

Doing it right requires an investment of time, learning, and investment into knowledge gaps.”

— Bradley Daye

MARGARET SCHWARTZ COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR, PLACEMAKING 4G

Q: How do you recommend adopting a more human-centric culture at work?

Bradley: In their study, “Why the future of work is human,” Deloitte found that employees who have a sense of meaning and purpose are more than 4x as likely to love their jobs, and much more likely to stay. We encourage creating intentional time for employees to explore their personal purpose and values. We do this with the support of our incredible space-maker and friend, Lauren Sears, a founding partner at P4G, an eco-system builder, and a principal at dlm consulting.

Karn: Culture is created, reinforced, and sustained by ongoing patterns of relationships and communications that influence psychological health and safety. This driver involves an organizational culture that reflects values that support mental health, such as trust, fairness, respect, diversity, inclusion, and teamwork.

There are a couple of things that leaders can do to create a ‘human-centric’ culture at work. A place where the team can not only survive, but truly thrive:

Focus on the Person. Put the “whole human” at the center of your work. Move from focusing on the ROI to cultivating a culture that prioritizes and safeguards mental wellness. This will require a different type of leadership style: one that is comfortable in slowing down to take time to listen, understand, and be vulnerable about one’s own mental health.

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A N N U A L A N N U A L

S P R I N G S P R I N G

D I N N E R D I N N E R

S E E I N G T H E F O R E S T S E E I N G T H E F O R E S T

T H R O U G H T H E T H R O U G H T H E

Be Flexible. One size never fits all. It’s important to use a trauma-informed approach that meets people where they are. Each one of us brings a unique set of worldviews and experiences to the workplace. Be thoughtful about designing programs that are not punitive and don’t reinforce stigma. In our organization, for example, each employee has access to 24 “health days,” which combine the traditional sick and mental health days, thereby reducing the stigma and reframing the focus to self-care. These can be taken at any time and do not require a doctor’s note.

Build Organizational Capacity.

We are all in this together. It’s important to provide the whole team with the tools and the language needed to support everyone on their mental health journey. Many organizations are offering courses like Mental Health First Aid, so that the entire team can grow their mental health literacy and their support for each other. Practice Vulnerability. underestimate the power of empathy and authenticity to building connection and trust. Brene Brown had it right when she said, “When you shut down vulnerability, you shut down opportunity.” It seems counterintuitive, but those who lead with vulnerability, gratitude, and empathy will quickly learn that vulnerability is a powerful force for positive change throughout the organization.

To learn more and read the whole story visit: https://p4g.ca/2022/11/08workplace-wellness-strategies-for-the-postpandemic-world/

S E E I N G T H E F O R E S T

T R E E S : T R E E S :

T H R O U G H T H E T H R O U G H T H E

F I N D I N G H A R M O N Y

F I N D I N G H A R M O N Y

T R E E S : T R E E S :

I N P L A N E T & P R O F I T I N P L A N E T & P R O F I T

F I N D I N G H A R M O N Y

F I N D I N G H A R M O N Y

I N P L A N E T & P R O F I T I N P L A N E T & P R O F I T

T H E F U T U R E O F T H E F U T U R E O F B U S I N E S S ? B U S I N E S S ?

E N V I R O N M E N T A L E N V I R O N M E N T A L

T H E F U T U R E O F T H E F U T U R E O

Karn Nichols, Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association

Bradley Daye, Co-Founder and CEO, Placemaking 4G

Supporting others

It comes down to basic human needs

YVETTE GAGNON OWNER, COMFORTING COMPANIONS

Whetherin the news, in private, or during work conversations, you’ll often hear others talk about supporting their customers, clients, a loved one, a friend, a neighbour, a cause dear to them, or even another country. The word “support” is widely used — meaning something different to everyone. Used in the context of supporting others, it’s a verb, meaning “to bear all or part of the weight of, hold up, give approval, encouragement” — to name just a few definitions. But when we think about how we support others, or even ourselves, what does that actually look like in our day-to-day lives? How do we, and how can we, support others – whether in business or privately?

I believe it starts with the following three skills:

Speak less, listen more

Listening to someone lets them know you understand and can empathize with their struggle or situation. Practicing active listening can help you gain insight into the feelings behind the words. Focus on that one person and limit your distractions to let them know you care about what they’re saying to you. You can also try reflecting key words you hear, instead of thinking of what to say next. This will help others feel heard and

supported, as people are often not looking for solutions but instead just want to be understood.

Be Compassionate and Patient

In other words, showing concern for others and seeking to understand what the person is trying to say, without passing judgement based on your own biases and values. This is not always easy but crucial to others feeling supported at any given moment. People are often living through challenges we know nothing of, and how you respond to them can greatly impact a person’s overall sense of well-being. Being patient with someone and allowing them the time they need to complete a thought, action, or story is also a great way to show support.

Focus on Relationships

Building relationships with others takes time but can also happen relatively quickly when the other person feels valued and heard by you. Think of a situation where you had a problem or issue to deal with and the simple act of someone

hearing your frustration or offering encouragement helped you through it. As a result, you likely then felt closer to that person, or more supportive of that business, knowing they’d taken the time to understand and support you through that moment, thus strengthening your relationship.

In dementia care, people often ask me how to support others when the person in question may not fully understand or have the capacity to understand what is being asked of them. The answer lies in the basic human need – which we all share – to feel valued, to be truly seen and heard. And when we extend this to others, no matter who is in front of us, they will feel supported.

Yvette Gagnon is a Positive Approach to Care Consultant, Trainer, and a Certified Dementia Care Practitioner. She owns Comforting Companions, a service dedicated to the social and emotional wellbeing of others by providing dementia education, consulting, and companion care.