Business Voice Magazine (November / December 2022)

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 Emily Bednarz, Communications Coordinator

Volume 31 • Issues 11-12

Business Voice is published 11 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: Tourism Nova Scotia Photographer: Acorn Art & Photography

Reflecting, looking ahead

Highlighting the impact of small business and in-person events in Halifax this Fall

Patrick Sullivan President & CEO, Halifax Chamber

PATRICK SULLIVAN PRESIDENT & CEO HALIFAX CHAMBER

The rapidly approaching winter holidays are a time to take a break, reflect, and reinvigorate ourselves, our employees, and our businesses if we can. The last two years have been a difficult slog with the pandemic, lockdowns, and a significant hardship for our members. This has not let anyone relax and enjoy holidays for a long time. Just last year, we had the disappointing start of the omi cron phase of the pandemic rather than the beginning of the recovery we had hoped for. This year, I hope everyone has that opportunity to relax and enjoy and can take the time they need with friends and families to slow down a little.

Business and the economy don’t slow down and cooperate in giving us that break, however. For the first time in over two years, we waited with bated breath to see how the economy might start to recover from the pandemic as the summer unfolded. The initial response was encouraging. Tourism began to return, GDP growth was strong, unemployment was the lowest ever recorded, the population grew signifi cantly throughout the pandemic, and the provincial government posted a surplus last year.

But every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and this often happens in the economy as well. Though many of these reactions should not have been surprises, and the Chamber aggressively highlighted some of these reactions and

the potential economic risks to govern ment in our communications and our advocacy.

Inflation is affecting everyone and every business daily and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The new provincial government has commit ted to deficit budgets for years to come, which will lead us to record debt levels at a time of higher interest rates. The housing crisis continues and, combined with improved immigration and popu lation growth targets, sets Nova Scotia up for economic stress in the short and long term. We face some of the highest personal and business taxes in the coun try, yet we must continue to market Nova Scotia as the best place to live and work. Improving the business environment for our members will also help to meet the population targets we all hope for.

The Chamber is not immune to the challenges our businesses face. We approach budget season still facing uncertainty as costs continue to rise. But we will adapt and find new ways to exercise our influence to be a positive and critical voice in collaborative government decision making and policy development. We will continue to engage our members and non-members in new and exciting ways.

With businesses returning to somewhat normal conditions, we saw increased activity this year. In the last year, with our increased focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessi bility we have onboarded 70 businesses from under-represented groups. Josh Creighton, our Community Engagement Specialist, is continually prospecting and representing the Chamber through

hosting webinars, events, and other activities like judging the ISANS awards and presenting to international Chamber groups on our DEA&I work. Reach out to Josh Creighton at josh@halifaxchamber. com to learn more about our efforts in these areas.

We began the event season by hosting Minister Wilkinson at the Harbourfront Marriott on September 14. We also hosted Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, for a luncheon on October 6 at the Atlantica Hotel Halifax. Macklem spoke about rising inflation and interest rates in Canada and the likelihood of an approaching recession. We were appreciative that the luncheon garnered global coverage from outlets like Reuters, CBC News, Bloomberg, and the Washington Street Journal.

Business Voice, established in 1921, is an essential way to promote and inform our members, but the costs of producing the magazine have increased signifi cantly in the past year. We feel strongly that Business Voice is an important tool not only for our members but as an ave nue to reach government officials on our advocacy and policy work. To learn about how you can support this publication with editorial or advertising programs, please contact Emily Bednarz at emily@ halifaxchamber.com.

Everyone here at the Chamber looks forward to meeting the New Year with you!

Connect with me anytime at:

“We feel strongly that Business Voice is an important tool not only for our members but as an avenue to reach government officials on our advocacy and policy work.”

CHAMBER EVENTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

POWER LUNCH: ANSWERS TO YOUR MOST CHALLENGING SELLING QUESTIONS

WITH TANGENT STRATEGIES

12:00PM - 1:30PM

Halifax Chamber of Commerce

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

LUNCHEON: AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HALIFAX

11:30AM - 1:30PM

Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

ANNUAL FALL DINNER

5:00PM - 9:00PM | Halifax Convention Centre

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

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: HOLLIS HALIFAX

4:30PM - 6:30PM

1649 Hollis St, Halifax

Free for members and future members.

With labour shortages, wage discussions, and a global rethinking of how we look at work, it’s time to look at new and creative ways to attract and retain labour in Halifax.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15

HOLIDAY AFTER HOURS: BNI AT THE HALIFAX CLUB

4:30PM - 6:30PM

1682 Hollis Street, Halifax

Free for members and future members.

THANK YOU TO OUR OCTOBER EVENT

SPONSORS:

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14

CHAMBER BREAKFAST: EXPLORING INNOVATIVE ROBOTICS WITH QEII

Stay tuned for details.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26

HALIFAX BUSINESS AWARDS GALA

5:00PM - 9:30PM

Halifax Convention Centre

Launch into orbit with the Halifax business community for the most glamorous night of the year!

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.

3 P'S IN A POD ART STUDIO

Janice Webber

Dartmouth, (902) 469-2689

3psart@gmail.com

3psart.ca

ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT - Art

ANAE PROPERTIES

ANAE Properties invests in multifamily real estate, providing property management with purpose. Our mission is to provide great places for great people, serve communities by providing value to local markets, create economic activity, and increase the standard of living for those we serve.

Erika Campbell Darmouth, NS (902) 800-7969 anaeproperties@gmail.com anaeproperties.ca

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONProperty Management

APEX LANGUAGE AND CAREER COLLEGE

Since 2000, we have strived to provide quality ESL courses for students from around the world. Our college is in the perfect location for students to learn English and experience Canadian culture. We offer a variety of courses that are tailored to help students reach their language goals.

Rania Ghaly Halifax, NS (902) 446-1818 rghaly@alcc.ca alcc.ca

EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT - Education/Schools

ASCEND LLP CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

Ascend is a full service accounting firm offering accounting, assurance, advisory and tax services. As one of Canada’s fastest growing accounting firms, we are able to leverage expertise from across the country to help you reach your financial goals. Plan to make your goals come true — we can show you how. Rosemarie Lechmann Dartmouth, NS (902) 443-0834 rlechmann@ascendllp.com ascendllp.com

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESConsulting (General)

ATA PAINTING

Hazal Kara Halifax, NS (902) 809-8483 atawalldesign@gmail.com atapainting.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESImport/Export/Trading

B_BRAIDS.HFX

At Bee Braiding services, we aim to offer braiding services and customized hairdos to strike the perfect balance of looks that are enduring, yet original. Abisola Yusuff Halifax, NS (902) 943-1126 oyinkanyusuff2@gmail.com

PERSONAL CARE & SERVICES - Hair Services

BEAUMONT & CO.

Beaumont & Co. is your go-to source for creating custom exhibits and displays. Whether your company is attending an international trade show, needs a new banner, wants to revamp its retail space, or launch an experiential marketing campaign, our team will help you create the best display program to meet your needs and exceed all expectations.

Sean Court

Dartmouth, NS (902) 410-7446 sean@beaumontandco.ca beaumontandco.ca

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIASignage

BEAVERBANK ELECTRICAL SUPPLIER

BeaverBank Electrical supplier is proudly a local wholesale electrical supplier located in Halifax. We are committed to providing high-quality products, competitive prices, and support for our clients that meet customer expectations and achieve complete customer satisfaction.

Taha Mohamed Sackville, NS (902) 478-6909 taha@beaverbankelectrical.ca beaverbankelectrical.ca

SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAILWholesale

BRAWTA JAMAICAN JERK JOINT

Brawta Jamaican Jerk Joint aims to bring the best cultural experience to you! We make our own unique blend of spices that is sourced locally — as well as brought from Jamaica — to create the authentic Jamaican flavours we are known for.

Christine Allen Halifax, NS (902) 404-8282 brawta3j@gmail.com brawtajamaicanjerkjoint.ca

RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE - Restaurant

DARN YARN

Allen Pooley

Dartmouth, NS (855) 902-9276 allen@darnyarn.ca Darnyarn.ca

SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAILRetail (General)

ENVIRO MASTERS LAWN CARE

Enviro Masters Lawn Care and Pest Control is a locally owned and familyoperated company that proudly serves Halifax and surrounding areas. We specialize in lawn care services including weed control, fertilization, lime, and aeration, and offer pest control services to help protect your home and property against seasonal insects.

Cassidy Richards

Halifax Regional Municipality, NS (902) 865-6156 hrm@enviromasters.com enviromastershrm.com

HOME & GARDEN - Landscaping/ Lawn Care

EO ATLANTIC CANADA

Kaitlyn Touesnard Halifax, NS (902) 229-1707 chaptermanager@eoatlantic.com eoatlantic.com

NOT-FOR-PROFIT GROUPSAssociations/Agencies

ETHAN KIM & ASSOCIATES

Ethan Kim & Associates, located in the Halifax Professional Centre, offers a wide range of legal services including immigration law, business law, property law, civil litigation, family law, wills and estates, and notarization services. We pride ourselves on offering the highest degree of professional excellence and care for each client.

Ethan Kim Halifax, NS (902) 407-4677 ethan@ethankimLaw.com ethankimlaw.com BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES - Law

EUREKA TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Mohammed Issa Lower Sackville, NS (902) 830-8941 info@eurekatec.ca eurekatec.ca

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIA –Signage

GAJ WHOLESALE LTD. (GREG JOHNSTON)

Gregory Johnston

Truro, NS (902) 899-0599 gajjewelry@gmail.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONDeveloper

GLITTERATI COMMUNICATIONS

Duane Jones Halifax, NS (902) 220-3043 duane@artpaysme.com artpaysme.com ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT - Art

GLOBAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS (HALIFAX)

Darrell Dexter Halifax, NS (902) 877-9159 ddexter@globalpublic.com globalpublicaffairs.ca

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESConsulting (General)

GREENFOOT ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Roy Vandermaar

Dartmouth, NS (902) 706-0917 roy@greenfootenergy.ca greenfootenergy.ca

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT - Energy Efficiency

HALITUBE.CA

Will Yang

Upper Hammonds Plains, NS (902) 989-3922 will@willhalifax.com Halitube.ca

ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT - Film/Television

HBH CANADA INC.

HBH Canada is a worldwide operating freight forwarding company with excellent contacts across the globe. Our core business is importing and exporting freight from and to Canada and the United States. We can offer ocean freight, airfreight, domestic trucking, warehousing, cross border traffic and customs solutions.

Matthias Gollmann Halifax, NS (647) 336-2906 matthias.gollmann@hbh-canada. com hbh-logistics.com

TRANSPORTATION - Customs Broker/Freight Forwarders

HUAYU LI - STUDENT MEMBER, SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY

Halifax, NS

OTHER - Student Member

INSTANT IMPRINTS

Mark Macinnis Bedford, NS (902) 237-6188 markm@instantimprints.com instantimprints.com/centers/ fredericton

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIAPromotional Products

KALEIDOSCOPE NETWORK

Kardeisha Provo Halifax, NS (902) 877-2069 info@kaleidoscopenet.com kaleidoscopenet.com ARTS, CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT - Video/Multimedia

KEY SENSE SELFCARE

Keosha Provo Halifax, NS (902) 240-1217 keysensesinfo@gmail.com keysenseselfcare.ca

PERSONAL CARE & SERVICESPersonal Care

LOC INTERNATIONAL

Founded in 1988, LOC International has become a leader in the conception, manufacturing, and distribution of products for the hospitality industry. LOC International supplies electronic hotel safes, minibars and fridges, keycards, intelligent RFID door locks, radio-clocks, and phones and connectivity devices to over 10,000 satisfied clients throughout North America, the Caribbean, and Europe. Mathew Lewis Halifax, NS (902) 809-5835 mlewis@locinternational.com locinternational.com

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICES - Sales

MARIAH INTERNATIONAL

BUSINESS & VITALITY INC.

MIBV has supported small to large businesses locally and internationally for almost a decade. Our expertise is in preparing a company for its natural evolution. Our support ranges from streamlining internal communications, brand messaging, and strategic

understanding of micro-movements for sustainable success.

Mariah Pelley Smith Halifax, NS (902) 580-4388

Mariah@mariahpelleysmith.com MariahInternational.com

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIAMarketing Consulting

MARITIME ROBOTICS

Maritime Robotics is a startup tech company established in Halifax in 2018, specializing in robotic software solutions for retail, food services, events, and more. We work closely with local academic institutions and industry experts in software engineering, source components nationally and globally, and assemble locally in Dalhousie’s ACM lab.

Huijing He Halifax, NS (902) 402-8633 info@maritimerobotics.ca maritimerobotics.ca

COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGYComputer Software

MAYA SLOAN COUNSELLING

Maya Sloan is a Registered Counselling Therapist in the West End of Halifax. She offers in-person and online psychotherapy to individuals and couples based on Internal Family Systems and Relational Life Therapy. She also periodically offers support groups for women.

Maya Sloan Halifax, NS (902) 499-3428 maya.sloan@icloud.com bodyspeechmindtherapy.com

HEALTH CARE - Health and Wellness

MEASY

Measy simplifies the process of scheduling meetings with internal and external stakeholders or employees. As a company committed to security and privacy, we offer only dates and times when your invitees are available and keep the details of your calendar confidential.

Sulaimon Salako Halifax, NS (902) 999-5656 sulaimonasalako@measy.ca

measy.ca

COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGYComputer Software

MEMBERTOU TRADE AND CONVENTION CENTRE

Glen Morrison

Membertou, NS (902) 565-3262 glenmorrison@membertoutcc.com membertoutcc.com

EVENTS - Event Facilities

METACON CANADA INC.

Paul Wheeler Halifax, NS (902) 442-8050 paulw@metaconX.ca

INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURINGHeavy Equipment

NORTHLAND POWER INC.

Wendy Franks Halifax, NS (416) 962-6262 wendy.franks@northlandpower.com northlandpower.com

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT - Energy Consulting

ON IT EVENT SOLUTIONS INC.

On It Event Solutions provides a full-service and customizable event registration system to make your life easier. We put our clients’ wishes at the forefront, customizing strategic registration solutions to make your planning process as smooth as can be. We're happy to work with you to customize a solution that works for you.

Sandra Thomson Halifax, NS (902) 901-2220 sandra@onitevents.ca onitevents.ca

EVENTS- Event Registration Services

PATTERSON HILL PROPERTY SERVICES

Ashley Patterson Halifax, NS (902) 943-8088 hello@pattersonhill.ca

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONContractor/Construction

PAUL ROY CONSULTING

Paul Roy Consulting is a Nova Scotia based consultancy serving clients across Canada and the United States. We work specifically with Business Owners and CPA’s delivering consulting, training, coaching, and mentoring through three main offerings: CPA Advisory Services, Business Round Table Masterminds, and Business Coaching.

Paul Roy Halifax, NS (902) 832-5866 paul@paulroy.ca paulroy.ca

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIAMarketing Consulting

PELVICO HEALTH CENTRE

Pelvico Health Centre is a multidisciplinary clinic operating in Bedford, along with a satellite office in Bayer’s Lake. We specialize in supporting all individuals in their pelvic health journey, through the lifespan. Pelvico offers pelvic health / orthopaedic physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, personal training, group fitness, and nutrition support.

Shannon Platt Bedford, NS (902) 332-8534 shannon@pelvico.ca pelvico.ca

HEALTH CARE - Health and Wellness

PRIDE BEAUTY LOUNGE

Tori Yeomans Lower Sackville, NS (902) 329-6367 tori@pridebeautylounge.com pridebeautylounge.com

PERSONAL CARE & SERVICES - Spa

PZZA.CO

Ashley Hatcher Dartmouth, NS (902) 818-2829 Ashleylynnhatcher@gmail.com pzzaco.ca

RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE - Catering/Food/Drink

QUANTAFIC DIGITAL INC

Quantafic Digital Inc. is a subsidiary of Quantafic Business Solutions

and provides expertise in digital transformation with specialization for the financial sector. To serve North American customers, Quantafic Digital offers off-the-shelf products, components for process automation, machine learning, and BI capabilities for data analytics.

Sachin Kulkarni Halifax, NS (647) 949-9745 sachin.kulkarni@quantafic.com quantaficdigital.ca

COMPUTERS, IT & TECHNOLOGYComputer Software

RIIPEN

Michael Weber Vancouver, BC 1-833-374-4736 michael.weber@riipen.com riipen.com

HR, EMPLOYMENT & STAFFINGTemporary Services

ROMAIN BERG

Digital marketing agency delivering affordable and effective service packages for local businesses along with unique solutions for digital businesses that are growing outside of their local area. Romain Berg brings award winning competency and a data-driven approach to ensure our clients surpass their competition.

Gensen Gisborne Halifax, NS (902) 906-5858 gensengisborne@romainberg.com RomainBerg.com

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIAMarketing

SACRED HEART SCHOOL OF HALIFAX

Providing an unparalleled education and experience in Halifax for over 170 years, Sacred Heart School of Halifax is one of the top independent schools in Atlantic Canada. The only school to offer singlegender education on a co-ed campus, it is also the only school to be doubly accredited by CAIS and SHCOG.

Renée Fournier Halifax, NS (902) 422-4459

NEWSMAKERS

rfournier@shsh.ca shsh.ca

EDUCATION & PROF. DEVELOPMENT - Education/Schools

SPROUT DWELLINGS INC.

Our small homes, which we affectionately call Sprouts, are as beautiful and functional in your backyard as they are on the water or in the woods as a cottage. We have serious expertise by our side, and we strategically partner with innovative Nova Scotian companies to ensure every Sprout is built to withstand our harshest winters.

Oliver Nemeskéri Halifax, NS (902) 452-0425 oliver@sproutdwellings.com sproutdwellings.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONBuilders Residential

SSI LOGISTICS

SSI Freight & Logistics is a full-service logistics provider, headquartered in Atlantic Canada. We can handle all your import and export freight needs, whether your shipments are air, ground, or ocean. We have established a worldwide of exceptional partners to provide our customers with the highest level of service from departure to arrival.

Silah Imatrafi

Halifax Regional Municipality, NS (902) 448-2564 info@ssilogistics.ca ssilogistics.ca

TRANSPORTATION - Logistics

STARK IDENTITY DESIGN SERVICES

Stark Identity is about making good design accessible. Our band of talented illustrators, animators, writers, and designers is always looking for ways to bring brands and stories to life. The best part? We have a seat marked “client” in the cockpit.

Patricia Kobusingye Halifax, NS (902) 414-4563 starkidentity.com

ADVERTISING, PR & MEDIAGraphic Design

THE CHICKEN BURGER/ CHICKEN LITTLE CAFE & DAIRY BAR

1531 Bedford Highway Bedford, NS (902) 835-6565 chickenburger.com

RESTAURANTS, FOOD & BEVERAGE - Restaurant

THE SHOP BH

Noela Ashworth Halifax, NS (902) 404-5386 noela.ashworth@theshopbh.com theshopbh.com

REAL ESTATE/CONSTRUCTIONBuilders Commercial

VENTURE COUNSELLING THERAPY

A private counselling practice offering mental health services to the greater Halifax area and surrounding communities. Our team consists of counselling therapists dedicated to providing compassionate mental health services. We work hard to help you understand and manage challenging life experiences and develop more adaptive ways of relating to yourself, others, and the world around you.

Rose Degenhardt

Lower Sackville, NS (506) 644-9093

Rose@venturecounsellingtherapy.ca rosedegenhardt.wixsite.com/venturecounselling

HEALTH CARE - Counselling

WALMART CANADA

Dartmouth, NS (902) 401-6895 walmart.ca

SHOPPING & SPECIALTY RETAILRetail (General)

WESBEN GLOBAL LTD. Danielle Comeau Halifax, NS (902) 225-2644 dcomeau@wesbenglobal.com wesbenglobal.com

BUSINESS & PROF. SERVICESBusiness Consulting

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

How our members are growing Halifax

with an anticipated 80,000 delegates, and 30 national and international con ferences this year. For more information, visit halifaxconventioncentre.com.

MI’KMAW NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE PARTNERSHIP WITH EAST COAST LIFESTYLE

where a donation from each sandwich sold goes to food literacy programming at the Sackville branch. SBA would like to thank the Halifax Public Libraries for their support and partnership.

AIR CANADA RECONNECTING HALIFAX STANFIELD TO THE BIG APPLE

OVARIAN CANCER CANADA WALK OF HOPE

On Sunday, September 11th, Canadians walked in communities and virtually across the country, including at the Halifax Waterfront, in the 20th annual Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope. Ovarian cancer survival rates for ovarian cancer have not changed in 50 years. By participating in the Walk, our community took important steps to create a brighter future for those affected. We are excited to announce that as a community, you have helped raise over $1.4 million! Thank you for your ongoing support.

HALIFAX CONVENTION CENTRE LAUNCHES ENHANCED LOCAL PROGRAM

Halifax Convention Centre launched its new and enhanced Local Program to showcase and support local businesses, producers, and culture in Nova Scotia through the events it hosts. To deepen the Centre’s impact on our local commu nity and business and create authentic Nova Scotia experiences for guests, the reimagined Local Program includes an enhanced menu featuring 70+ Nova Scotian suppliers, farmers, and produc ers; partnerships with Taste of Nova Scotia and Craft Nova Scotia; and a series of client packages, giving event organiz ers a range of opportunities to showcase and serve local products. The Halifax Convention Centre will host 120 events

While we were disappointed we had to reschedule our TRC and Treaty Day plans, we are so happy to share our incredible partnership with East Coast Lifestyle. Our sincere thanks to Alex and the entire team for working with the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre to raise program funds through this ECL signature tee for Orange Shirt Day recog nizing the intergenerational impacts of residential schools and the importance of supporting Indigenous people in this era of Truth and Reconciliation. Get your sig nature orange shirt tee in support of our programs at eastcoastlifestyle.com.

A key location that’s been missing from Halifax Stanfield’s flight map since the pandemic began will be restored when Air Canada launches a new non-stop service between Halifax Stanfield and New York (Newark Liberty International Airport) on December 16. With a nonstop flight time gate to gate of under two hours, passengers will significantly ben efit from the new route’s reduced travel time between Halifax and New York. Leisure travellers can take advantage of this new service for a weekend getaway, while business travellers can maximize in-person time with clients. To book a flight, visit www.aircanada.ca.

BIONOVA ANNOUNCES SEAN AWALT AS NEW CEO

SBA RECEIVES COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD

The Halifax Public Library Board Impact Awards 2021-2022 took place on August 30. Sackville Business Association (SBA) was awarded the Community Impact Award. This award is presented in recognition of an individual or group that has had a significant impact on the Library and the community through collaboration. SBA collaborates with the Library during Sackville Sandwich Week,

BioNova is thrilled to announce it has selected Sean Awalt as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Awalt brings over 25 years of leadership experience working in the biopharmaceutical industry. In his previous positions as Vice President Partnership Strategy at Sequence Bio and as a Principle at Vandium Consulting, he helped small and medium biopharma enterprises establish global collaborations and scale their businesses. Awalt has also served on the board of Innovative Medicines Canada – Atlantic helping to shape the provincial life sciences policy landscape. Awalt said he views BioNova as a hub for cross-disciplinary collaboration so that innovators focused on improving health and developing sustainable solutions can thrive and change the world.

YMCA LAUNCHES ANNUAL CAMPAIGN

The YMCA annual campaign “Everyone Has a Story” launched last month. Funds raised will go toward supporting muchneeded programs and services, eliminat ing barriers, and ultimately impacting thousands of lives every year. This campaign highlights storytelling as our way to help the community learn about the impact of the Y on the lives of those who need us most. And through donor support, more stories can be told. To hear these stories and help us tell the next one, visit ymcahfx.ca/give.

Inclusive Employer can engage multiple, qualified candidates regarding potential job opportunities. Thank you to all our Inclusive Employers and our Job Seekers who joined us for the third New Leaf Reverse Job Fair!

OFFICE INTERIORS ACQUIRES

TOMMY’S FLOORING LTD.

Office Interiors is excited to announce the acquisition of Tommy’s Flooring Ltd. of Fredericton, NB. The acquisition will allow Office Interiors to expand the scope of flooring products available to their customers and provide Tommy’s Flooring customers with access to the full range of office furniture and technology products offered by Office Interiors. “We are excited to have the team at Tommy’s join our group in Fredericton as we add new products and services to our mix,” said Jim Mills, CEO of Office Interiors. “Tommy’s has a long tradition of serving customers in the Fredericton area that meshes extremely well with our values.”

Annex will ensure full physical and finan cial access to arts education. Along with lifelong learning and cultural events, The Ross Creek Annex will offer a full roster of youth and children’s programming, including cooking and music classes, art and STEAM workshops, and drama and gardening clubs.

THE NEW LEAF REVERSE JOB FAIR

The third New Leaf Reverse Job Fair was held on Friday, October 7! Put on by Easter Seals Nova Scotia’s New Leaf Enterprises, the New Leaf Reverse Job Fair is an inclusive event that supports Nova Scotians who identify as having a disability by giving them the opportunity to meet with potential employers. At the Reverse Job Fair, the Job Seeker has a booth to showcase their skillset and participate in informal interviews. The

THE ROSS CREEK ANNEX RECEIVES CANADA POST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SUPPORT

On September 26th, the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts received $25,000 from the Canada Post Community Foundation to support community outreach programming out of the new downtown Canning branch of the Centre, the Ross Creek Annex, opening in December 2022. The contribution will launch a series of after-school and weekend programs for children and youth within walking distance of the elementary and secondary schools in the village of Canning. A donor has dedi cated a building in downtown Canning to the organisation, and the centrality of the

NORTH PRESTON TO DEVELOP AN AFROCENTRIC COMMUNITY HUB TO PROMOTE LEARNING, CONNECTION AND CREATIVITY

Darrell Samson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, Associate Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for SackvillePreston-Chezzetcook, announced an investment of $121,443 through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund for North Preston's Future (NPF) Community Organization Society. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA. This sup port will allow the society to repurpose an existing building into an Afrocentric hub for local youth and the community. Upgrades will include adding signs and a historical monument carved and painted by a local artist. Partnering with the Black Business Initiative, the organiza tion will develop and deliver program ming on topics like leadership, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

McNeil Porter Hétu

Ascend LLP is pleased to announce we have recently expanded into the Halifax area. Kayhan Lotfi, Doug McNeil, Darrell Cochrane and their staff have joined Ascend. You get the same great service you are used to when dealing with your accounts, but with access to specialists across the country. Ascend has 19 offices across Canada, and we are still growing.

Services

530 Portland Street, Unit 209, Evergreen

NS B2Y 4V6

KAYHAN

DOUG MCNEIL

DARRELL COCHRANE dartmouth@ascendllp.com (902)

THERIAULT FINANCIAL INC (TFI) RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS BENEFITS BROKER

TFI of Dartmouth, NS , was recog nized in September as Sales Volume Excellence Runner Up from among national 350 agencies for the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan®. TFI is the exclusive broker of the Chambers Plan in Halifax and numerous areas throughout Nova Scotia. TFI has

been in the financial services industry for over 45 years specializing in Group Benefits, Life products and RRSPs. The Chambers Plan is the largest employee benefits program of its kind in Canada providing coverage to more than 30,000 small and medium sized businesses. The program offers stable renewals, competitive rates and many free, val ue-added features. Congratulations to the Theriault Financial Team. Shown accepting the award at the program’s national conference in Winnipeg, MB, are Keri Sheppard, Director of Sales, Don Theriault, President; Amanda Greek, Sales Associate; Jeff Theriault, Partner; Blair Corey, Regional Marketing Director and Chad Lavers, Sales Associate.

CABCO ACQUIRES 50% OF LAKEVIEW ELECTRIC

Cabco Communications Group (Cabco) and Lakeview Electric Ltd. (Lakeview) are joining forces to provide customers with an integrated one-stop shop for their electrical and commu nications needs. Founders Corey and Sarah Graves will retain 50 percent

ownership and continue in their current roles as President and Vice-President, respectively. “We have worked closely with Lakeview in the past and know that their focus on quality work and customer satisfaction aligns well with our values,” said Michael Mills, President & CEO of Cabco. “This is a great day as we position the business for significant growth with the support of our new partners at Cabco,” said Corey Graves, Lakeview’s President.

VOLTA’S FOURTH ANNUAL ECOSYSTEM IMPACT AWARDS RECOGNIZE FIVE ATLANTIC CANADIAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Five awards were distributed to the winning Atlantic Canadian indi viduals, companies and supporters at Volta’s fourth annual Ecosystem Impact Awards, proudly supported by RBC. The event took place at Volta in Halifax, NS on September 22, 2022. The Ecosystem Impact Awards were launched in 2019 to acknowledge and celebrate the changemakers, community

leaders and supporters who are rapidly transforming the startup ecosystem in Atlantic Canada. Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub received the Catalyst Award, Dr. Dhirendra Shukla received the Community Leader Award, Milk Moovement received the Disruptor Award, Impactful Health Research and Development received the Positive Impact Award — Company, and Akram Al-Otumi received the Positive Impact Award — Individual.

Fire Fighters to host the second-annual Stair Heroes event on February 19, 2023. This fun-filled family event will chal lenge participants to race up 36 flights of flight of stairs in support of local lung health programs and services. The event features various chip-timed categories and a Gear-Up Challenge for firefighters. Participants can bring their families to cheer them on while enjoying music, face painting, a bouncy castle, and more! For more info, visit stairheroes.ca.

BURNSIDE NEEDS A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

Submitted by Dee Deuville, Chair, Greater Burnside Business Association and Amy Gibson Saab, Chair of the Burnside BID Steering Committee.

PORTS OF HALIFAX AND HAMBURG WORKING TO DECARBONISE SHIPPING CORRIDOR

The Halifax Port Authority and Hamburg Port Authority are working to decarbonise the shipping corridor between Halifax, on Canada’s east coast, and Hamburg, along Germany’s northwest coast. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Halifax Port Authority and the Hamburg Port Authority is now in effect, signed in Hamburg on September 29, 2022, by Jens Meier, the CEO of the Hamburg Port Authority, and Captain Allan Gray, President and CEO of the Halifax Port Authority. The focus of this collabora tion is on working towards favourable conditions for decarbonisation, sharing knowledge and technology, and estab lishing industry contacts to enable the acceleration of decarbonisation within this route.

STEPPING UP FOR LUNG HEALTH

The Lung Association of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island is proud to once again be partnering with Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency and the Halifax International Association of

PROEDGE CELEBRATES NEW SMOOTH PARTNERSHIP

At Proedge, we firmly believe that fitness is 50% what you do and 50% what you eat. Our partnership with fellow Halifax Chamber member, Smooth Meal Prep, is the perfect fit as our values are aligned and complementary. With a fitness and health focused meal delivery service powering our trainers & members, the Proedge Community can now easily support their training with the right nutrition. To learn more about this partnership, please head to our website at proedgetraining.com. Train local, eat local!

Burnside Industrial Park and City of Lakes is a mixed sector park currently represented by the GBBA, a group of dedicated volunteer business leaders who work and operate in Burnside. Over the past 20 years, the GBBA had been respon sible for improvements to Burnside. A Business Improvement District (BID) is established by business and property owners in an area and works to promote local businesses, provide services such as security and transportation support, and advocate for the needs of businesses in the area. An active, properly funded BID will give property and business owners access to programs, supports, and advocacy specific to Burnside. BIDs receive access to programs and fund ing from various levels of government and non-government organizations to support their business community. A BID will make Burnside the largest mixed sector BID east of Montreal, and the first and only industrial BID in Canada. The GBBA engaged the services of Dunvegan Loyalty Builders, a data analytics company. Their report showed a consistent set of concerns from local business owners that justify the need for a BID. BIDs are funded by a levy, and the BID Steering Committee is propos ing a minimal levy of $0.091 per $100 of assessed commercial property value, with a minimum contribution of $50 and a maximum contribution of $3,000 per assessment account. The funds raised through this levy will be used to support businesses in Burnside. Support for the BID means support for your business –vote yes. If you have questions or ideas, we want to hear from you. We have support from local businesses and are looking for more sponsors to help support the costs of promoting and forming a BID. Learn more at greaterburnside.com

“Creating communities within communities”

Atlantic Immigration Program helping employers attract skilled newcomers to Nova Scotia

In 2021, Nova Scotia reached a land mark population of 1 million — the fast est rate of growth in the province since 1976. Yet businesses and organizations in Nova Scotia, across many industries, are currently facing a labour shortage crisis. In July 2022, the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency shared that the province will need over 11,000 skilled tradespeople by 2030. Similarly, follow ing Hurricane Fiona, the Construction Association of Nova Scotia, suggested that “about 2,000 to 3,000 additional workers were needed for ongoing projects well before the storm hit.”

One way the province has sought to address labour needs and population growth is through immigration. In 2021, Nova Scotia welcomed a record-break ing 9,025 new permanent residents. To help sustain this growth, the federal

government recently confirmed the province can approve 5,430 applicants to settle in Nova Scotia in 2022, a substan tial increase from 3,857 the previous year.

The Immigration and Population Growth branch (IPG) of LSI focuses on making these goals a reality. “The IPG branch aims to attract, integrate, and retain immigrants and newcomers to the province by taking a lead role in engaging and working with partners to ensure Nova Scotia is well-positioned for growth,” says Ava Czapalay Deputy Minister of LSI. “Our vision is a welcom ing province that sees greater numbers of immigrants and newcomers each year and recognizes the important contribu tions they make to Nova Scotia.”

One tool in their arsenal is the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), a federal program that helps employers meet their labour needs by recruiting

By Emily Bednarz

international skilled workers and interna tional graduates from Canadian institu tions. The AIP is a pathway to permanent residence for those who want to work and live in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. “It's another tool that employers can use to fill labour gaps as they work to grow their businesses and fuel the provincial economy,” says Czapalay.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program was launched in 2017 under the Atlantic Growth Strategy. “After five years as a highly successful pilot pro gram, the Atlantic Immigration Program became a permanent pathway in 2022 for designated employers to hire skilled workers,” Czapalay notes. “The pilot program attracted 5,375 people to our province to live and work. That growth is vitally important to Nova Scotia and

Atlantic Canada, filling our job vacan cies, strengthening our communities, and striving towards our goal of two million people by 2060.”

Eligibility and support

Candidates for the AIP can be living overseas or living in Canada as tempo rary residents. Czapalay says that “hav ing international workers in Nova Scotia means a diversified skillset, enriched workplace culture, and filled labour needs in our province.”

Fanny Ratisseau is the Chargée de développement at La Société de la Garderie Le Petit Voilier, a non-profit organization that manages seven fran cophone childcare centres in Halifax. “We used immigration to fill job post ings due to the lack of Francophone qualified ECEs in Nova Scotia,” says Ratisseau. “There is a high demand for

French childcare services, so interna tional recruitment is essential for us to operate.”

The Atlantic Immigration Program can also be used to retain employees who already have work permits. Carol Logan, Director of Human Resources at The Prince George Hotel & Cambridge Suites Hotel Halifax, says that the AIP is a great tool for this purpose. “Using the Atlantic Immigration Program was a retention strategy for us,” she says. “Once we started to recruit and retain people, the immigration process and pathways to Permanent Residency became a part of our regular process.”

Czapalay notes that AIP is employ er-led. Rather than the candidate, Nova Scotia businesses lead the application process — with the support of the Immigration and Population Growth Branch. Logan emphasizes how helpful

the branch has been for The Prince George Hotel & Cambridge Suites Hotel Halifax.

“We have always been able to call the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration and Population Growth and have someone pick up the phone to help walk us through the process. We've also had information sessions where Leanne Bartlett has come on site to speak and give people the opportunity to ask questions. They've also offered virtual sessions that people could attend to understand the processes — it's always a phone call away.”

The benefits of designation

To start the AIP process, businesses first apply to become designated employ ers, and they are required to participate in intercultural competency training. The training requirement is a highlight for

Logan. “The cultural competency train ing was really great,” she says. “It helps you have a different appreciation for the people joining your team. It helps you understand things like self-reflection, empathy, body language, and asking the right questions. To be an employer with competencies in cultural diversity and culture inclusion is like having First Aid and CPR training — it’s something we need to constantly be educating and refreshing ourselves in.”

The designation process also requires businesses to commit to working with a service provider organization to support welcoming workplaces and retention. Logan highlights the impor tance of partnerships when it comes to working with immigrant communi ties. “We've always been blessed with a diverse team of employees, and we recruited to fill positions working with our partners — organizations like ISANS, the YMCA, and local colleges and uni versities,” she says. “The time is now to

understand immigration and how it can have a positive impact on your business. Reach out to partners that can help connect you to resources and walk you through the process.”

Strong partnerships are also integral for IPG’s goal of reaching two million residents in Nova Scotia by 2060. “We work with partners across the province in pursuit of this goal,” says Czapalay. “Our partners include settlement provider organizations, Nova Scotian employers, Regional Enterprise Networks, Local Immigration Partnerships, federal and provincial departments and agencies, and designated learning institutions."

Getting your business designated through the Atlantic Immigration Program brings immediate perks. “Being designated is a recruitment strategy,” says Logan. “Because we know that applicants will apply to employers that are designated. Being designated publicly on the website for Nova Scotia Office of Immigration and Population Growth is

an attraction. People send us resumes from across the globe.”

While Le Petit Voilier has not yet made use of the AIP, Ratisseau agrees that there are benefits to attaining the designation. “We have used the Francophone Mobility, Skilled Worker, and Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry programs,” says Ratisseau. “We are very satisfied with these three programs but being designated under the AIP gives us access to the IRCC Dedicated Service Channel, which has been helpful to obtain answers regarding current applications and general guid ance on immigration matters.”

Building inclusive communities

After employers receive their des ignation, they can then apply to endorse candidates. “Once endorsed, those candidates submit Permanent Residency applications to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada,” says Czapalay. “They also have the option to apply for

TOP: THE TEAM AT LA SOCIÉTÉ DE LA GARDERIE LE PETIT VOILIER BOTTOM LEFT: FANNY RATISSEAU, CHARGÉE DE DÉVELOPPEMENT AT LE PETIT VOILIER.

work permits so they can come to Nova Scotia to work while awaiting Permanent Residency. Employers can then hire immigrant talent once they have demon strated that they have attempted to find workers through domestic recruitment.”

Ratisseau offers tips to employers who are welcoming newcomers to the workplace. “It is important for us to be in contact with the future employee throughout the work permit application process to answer questions and create a connection,” she says. “On arrival, we pick up the employee from the airport, offer to go grocery shopping, and accom pany them to complete administrative procedures like creating a bank account.”

Le Petit Voilier also offers networking opportunities, ESL courses, and access to bilingual virtual healthcare.

Once an employee settles into the workplace, word-of-mouth endorsements can help continue the positive trend. “Once we hire people, the positive and reputation of the hotel is set out and they

refer friends, family members, or com munity members,” says Logan. “Without immigration, we wouldn't be as strong of a business as we are now. Business came back fast to the hotel, and we were able to staff because of people who chose Nova Scotia as their new path in life or as an opportunity.”

While programs like the Atlantic Immigration Program have helped lay the groundwork to Permanent Residency, there are still roadblocks for newcomers to Canada. In a recent report, Stewart McKelvey highlighted that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) “boasted record admissions of permanent residents” in 2021, but that “at the end of July 2022, over 50% of applications in IRCC’s inventory were considered to be backlogged.”

This backlog makes support pro grams essential when it comes to helping newcomers settle and foster a sense of belonging. “In 2022, the province increased funding to Newcomer Health

Clinic, further ensuring newcomers have the supports they need when they arrive in Nova Scotia,” says Czapalay. Logan recognizes the importance of these support systems: “It helps newcomers and immigrants build relationships with employers, so they start to build commu nity connection.” These relationships are integral to success, she adds. “Really, it boils down to how we help our neighbors. How do we support each other? By creat ing communities within communities.”

Learn more about the Atlantic Immigration Program by visiting: novascotiaimmigration. com/help-for-employers/ atlantic-immigration-program

Or, contact Labour, Skills and Immigration: Immigration and Population Growth branch’s employer support team at (902)424-5230 or immigration@novascotia.ca

Agents of Change 10.0

Entrepreneurs and innovators bringing sustainability and positive change to the forefront

For the past decade, Business Voice magazine has put the spotlight on changemakers in the Halifax business community. From youth entrepreneurs to risk-takers to PPE manufacturers, our Agents of Change series has highlighted the diverse and innovative leaders that push our city forward.

This year, moving forward means facing climate change with determi nation and imagination. Our Agents of Change for 2022 have placed sustainabil ity at the core of their business policies and practices, and they have invaluable insights to share with businesses who are prioritizing a greener future.

Greener spaces

In October 2021, Nova Scotia passed The Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. The Act details 28 goals related to climate change, including the strongest 2030 greenhouse gas emis sion reduction target in Canada.

How can we meet such ambitious targets? Both Evergreen and Sprout Dwellings approach sustainability by reimagining and reconfiguring our city streets and living spaces.

Jennifer Angel is the CEO of Evergreen, a national not-for-profit. “Evergreen works across sectors to solve some of the most pressing issues cities face — like climate resilience, access to nature, public space revitalization, and building vibrant and inclusive places,” says Angel. “Our goal is to create cities

By Emily Bednarz

“There needs to be a greater focus and urgency on incentivizing businesses to solve problems, and we need to rethink our infrastructure priorities. We need to create space for experimentation in public policy and city building in pursuit of better solutions, and we need to move with much greater speed and agility.”

Jennifer Angel CEO, Evergreen evergreen.ca

that are livable, green, and prosperous for everyone.”

Reaching this goal means re-en visioning what city spaces are built to prioritize. “For the past 100 years, we’ve been building cities for cars — and we’ve achieved that,” says Angel. “Public infra structure is a powerful tool to shape the way we live, how we move, and who gets to participate.”

“Cities can be places where every one sees themselves and can feel a sense of belonging, where diverse people can come together in the social life of community,” says Angel. “They can be places that are carbon intensive, or they can be green, regenerative, and walk able. People, and increasingly policy makers, are realizing the power of public infrastructure to influence the change we need. And cities are at the centre of that for their density of people, activity, and development.”

In 2018, Evergreen launched Future Cities Canada, a national initiative that provides a collaborative platform for civic innovation. Future Cities has supported projects with focus areas like data and technology, housing affordability, and placemaking. Angel explains: “We aim to build capacity and connect city builders across the country with the resources, tools, tested solutions, people, and support networks they need to advance projects in their communities.”

The impact from Future Cities Canada can be found in places like Bridgewater. In 2019, the town won the Smart Cities Challenge for the program called Energize Bridgewater, which tackles energy poverty using community engagement activities, neighborhood energy retrofit programs, and technology solutions to manage and monitor com munity energy use.

“We see good momentum in this

work around the world and an increas ing understanding of the importance of social infrastructure,” says Angel. “We look forward to working with public and private and community partners across the country, including in Halifax, to challenge our assumptions about public infrastructure, prioritize places for people, and centre inclusion and environ mental regeneration alongside economic growth and wellbeing.”

Similarly, the team at Sprout Dwellings focuses on sustainable neigh bourhoods, one small house at a time. In September 2020, Sean Kirkwood and his business partners — Oliver Nemeskéri and Erin Crosby — founded Sprout Dwellings to develop backyard suites and cottages where families have enough

space to live, work, and escape.

The team is united by their com mitment to promoting sustainable development — environmentally, eco nomically, and socially. “We are devel oping high-performing energy efficient structures that are built-to-last with multi-generational and varied usage in mind,” explains Kirkwood.

“Passive design” is one of the prin ciples the Sprout team applies to their homes, which includes considerations like airtightness, ventilation, lighting, appliances, and insulation. “One area that we are particularly proud of is our engineered slab-on-grade process. We use a product designed by a local engi neer, where concrete is poured into the foam surrounding it without the need

“We couldn’t be more thrilled helping to contribute a sustainable solution to a current housing crisis. The interest and support we’ve received from the community has been amazing.”

Sean Kirkwood Partner, Sprout Dwellings sproutdwellings.com

for traditional wood forms. It ultimately results in a better insulated struc ture, which is a win-win for everyone involved.”

Creating homes that are built to last with ethically sourced materials is at the heart of Spout Dwellings ethos. “We source as much of our materials as possible from local or Canadian suppliers and manufacturers,” says Kirkwood. “We believe that Sprout Dwellings offers housing solutions to meet the needs of a growing population without compromis ing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs — the true defini tion of sustainability.”

Greener products

Kirkwood adds that Halifax is home to many innovators when it comes to sourcing sustainable and ethical prod ucts. Scotia Kelp Products and Reazent are two such examples.

In 2015, Darron Hill founded Scotia Kelp to treat his skin ailments and sensitivities with natural sources. Since then, the business has expanded to include products for animal and plant care. “We have created three products that offer healthy, viable alternatives to the chemical-laden products currently on the market,” says Hill. “They are 100% natural, absorbable, biodegradable and environmentally responsible.”

Sustainability is a part of Scotia Kelp’s mandate and practices. “Using natural, sustainable resources to help heal and protect our environment is a key element of our business,” says Hill. “We hand-harvest the fresh storm-tossed kelp without disturbing the habitat, thus minimizing our environmental footprint and impact.”

Sustainable means local, for Hill. “All our suppliers for bottling, packag ing, labelling and supply services are all

local,” he says. “We believe it’s vital to support local businesses as much as pos sible. Our oceans are being depleted, the air we breathe is polluted, and our land is disappearing.”

“We must consider the impact our products have on people and their com munities,” he continues. “As a business owner, it's important to take a lead role in providing consumers with healthy prod ucts that are manufactured using envi ronmentally responsible practices and delivered in environmentally-friendly packaging.”

Hill adds that Scotia Kelp products are environmentally-friendly in pack aging and purpose — their plant food can be used to deliver nutrients to plants and soil. “Kelp helps restore nutrients and condition the soil to create a fertile canvas for plant growth,” he says. “It helps plants to grow strong from root to tip, increases the yield, and increases a plant’s ability to manage a variety of stresses — like drought and frost.”

Sumit Verma, Founder and CEO of Reazent, agrees that our reliance on chemical-laden products has negatively impacted the environment, particularly when it comes to farming and fertilizers. After working in the chemical industry, Verma founded Reazent in 2019 with a desire to create positive change through innovative alternatives.

“Materials from the chemicals industry are mostly derived from petroleum sources, and so they have a huge carbon footprint,” says Verma. Consumers and businesses are look ing for sustainable solutions, but the chemicals industry is not able to fulfill that need. I realized that presented a big opportunity — and a big challenge.”

Verma and his colleagues set out to improve the environment by focusing on agriculture. “The reason we chose this industry is because agriculture uses a lot of synthetic chemicals — such as fertilizers and pesticides — that are all based on petrochemicals,” he explains.

“This region is highly dependent on natural resources and tourism, so it’s important to promote and support sustainability in businesses here. There are a lot of programs and incentives that offer opportunities to become more sustainable — but I think we need to speed up the approach.”

Darron Hill Founder, Scotia Kelp Products scotiakelp.ca

“We developed a technology that has the same effect as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, but without their harmful effects on the environment."

Verma concedes that pricing and profitability is still a hurdle for businesses looking to sell sustainable and organic products. “The general consensus from farmers about organic alternatives is that the moment you switch from conven tional fertilizers and pesticides to organic alternatives, your agricultural produc tion declines,” he says. “But that's an opportunity for companies like us. We realize that if you keep offering organic alternatives that make your operations sustainable, but reduce your profitability, that's not a good value proposition.”

Greener futures

All four of our Agents of Change have valuable insights into building greener spaces, products, and futures in Nova Scotia and beyond.

In addition to agriculture, Verma believes that improving city infrastruc ture and building practices are key to combatting climate change. Thanks to work from innovative organizations like Evergreen and Sprout Dwellings, inves tors are ready to make change happen, says Verma. “If you ask any venture capi tal firm what the hottest investment area is right now, they will certainly tell you it’s sustainability and climate change.”

Hill also sees positive movement forward when it comes to funding. “The view of sustainable business in Nova Scotia and Halifax is supportive and encouraging,” he says. “This region is highly dependent on natural resources and tourism, so it’s important to promote and support sustainability in businesses here. There are a lot of programs and incentives that offer opportunities to become more sustainable — but I think

we need to speed up the approach.”

Kirkman questions whether efforts in Nova Scotia to promote sustainability have been as proactive as they could be. “To be perfectly honest, it feels a bit reactionary,” he says. “The opportunities are there, and momentum is gaining but I believe that, as Canadians, we typically have a short-term view on cost when it comes to expense. I would hope that Nova Scotia would recognize and support efforts by smaller businesses such as ours, who are more nimble and faster to explore new technologies. But ultimately it will be large scale developers that will create lasting change and a difference for our environment.”

Angel agrees that a greater sense of speed and agility is needed on a large scale. “I think we are saying lots of the right things and making some good prog ress,” she says. “But there needs to be a greater focus and urgency on incentiv izing businesses to solve problems, and we need to rethink our infrastructure

priorities.”

While Angel suggests that we “need to be more intentional about centering people and planet in our decision mak ing,” she adds that we also need room to innovate. “We need to create space for experimentation in public policy and city building in pursuit of better solutions, and we need to move with much greater speed and agility.”

Together, our Agents of Change all highlight the importance of partnerships, cooperation, and collaboration. “If we could activate a system wide collabo ration across public and private sectors and the community, I think we would be able to meet the scale, complexity, and urgency of the challenges — and oppor tunities — before us,” says Angel. “It’s an all-hands-on deck situation, and a key win would be an activated and sup ported network of collaborators, working together to improve our communities.”

“We realize that if you keep offering organic alternatives that make your operations sustainable, but reduce your profitability, that's not a good value proposition.”

Sumit Verma Founder & CEO, Reazent reazent.com

Redefining local

TOM FLAIM REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT WALMART CANADA

If you close your eyes, you can likely visualize the entire layout of your local Walmart store. Whether it’s Bayer’s Lake, Dartmouth Crossing, or one our 18 locations in Nova Scotia, you can see the deals-of-the-day as soon as the sliding doors open. When you walk forward, you’ll probably stop to browse some sea sonal apparel before heading over to the grocery aisle to grab your favorite snacks. And before you leave, you just might loop around to Electronics to catch a quick glance at that big screen TV at the top of your Black Friday wish list.

What you probably can’t picture is how these tens of thousands of diverse products perfectly found their way to a dedicated spot on the shelf. The long answer is very complicated. It involves decades of retail experience, state of the art distribution centres, artificial intel ligence, telematics, robotics, and other futuristic technology.

The short answer is far less com plicated. It starts and finishes with our devoted associates. Walmart’s lasting success was built from boots on the ground where our hard-working associ ates meet our valued customers.

Across the province, Walmart employs more than 4,000 people who call Nova Scotia home. More than 1,300 of those associates live in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Teams in

operations, customer service, merchan dising, pharmacy, HR, compliance, and many other departments must coordi nate and cooperate to serve the needs of our customers, face to face.

When this many locals work for an organization, they develop a tremendous amount of pride for their store, their team, and their customers. They also push to give back to their community by campaigning for local charities and stay ing on the lookout for new local business partners.

Each year, with the support of our customers, Walmart Canada donates and helps raise money in-store for local chapters of our four national charity partners. Every local dollar raised for Children’s Miracle Network, Breakfast Club of Canada, Food Banks Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross, stays in Nova Scotia. This year, Walmart was the leading IWK fundraiser with more than $1.3 million raised to contribute to the incredible work of our inspiring health care professionals.

These contributions can also adapt to what the community needs. When Hurricane Fiona devastated our region earlier this fall, the Walmart Foundation donated more than $135,000 to Canadian Red Cross relief efforts and supplemented aid with food products to help those without power.

If you’re still doing some virtual shopping at that store in your mind, you’ll see a growing number of local products since your first Walmart visit. Billions of dollars in product are purchased annually from Canadian suppliers with tens of millions directly from companies based in Nova Scotia. Buying local has become a top priority for our customers and our company.

Innovation doesn’t stop at product offerings. Every part of the business must evolve to stay relevant, competitive, and a place where today’s customer wants to shop. Within the next three to five years, all five stores in the Halifax region are receiving significant upgrades. Our first Halifax store opened in 1994 and these regular investments help ensure we con tinue to provide the community with our signature everyday low prices for many years to come.

This is our city and our province. As new members of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, your priorities are our priorities and we’re excited to work even closer with our strong local business community. We’re proud to be a member of the Chamber and a partner in helping Halifax and the rest of Nova Scotia live better.

Walmart Canada continues to invest in Nova Scotia and its residents

ASSOCIATES AT WALMART CANADA’S CHAIN LAKE DRIVE LOCATION SUPPORTING THIS YEAR’S ORANGE SHIRT DAY. FOR EACH ORANGE SHIRT SOLD, 100% OF PROFITS GO TO THE ORANGE SHIRT SOCIETY.

Remembering and giving

Giving back, meaningfully and authentically

FATEN ALSHAZLY PRINCIPAL & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER WEUSTHEM

Throughout the year, we have days that we observe recognizing a variety of worthy causes and initiatives. The month of November is no different. This month, we all need to collectively observe Remembrance Day. We need to remember those heroes that made the tough choice to do what most of us could never fathom doing. It is important for us to recognize the gravity of that choice and understand what their sacrifice has meant.

We have some great activities happening all over the city in honour of Remembrance Day. You can find the full list of activities, learn more about the significance of the Poppy Campaign, and donate to the Poppy Fund at legion.ca.

Speaking of donations, the month of November holds another meaningful and selfless day. #GivingTuesday is a national movement dedicated to giving back and falls on Tuesday, November 29. If you would like to get a head start, donate to the Poppy Fund! Should you like to support another worthy cause, know that the Halifax Chamber represents more than 200 not-for-profits in the Halifax region all working towards bettering our community. Peruse our membership directory at halifaxchamber.com to learn more and connect with them.

As we also approach the holiday

season — a season I have always asso ciated with laughter, being merry, and celebration — please consider support ing the various organizations that are working tirelessly to bring joy to one and all. There are too many of them to list in this message, but pick your organization of choice and do what you can to help us come together and close off a stressful chapter in all our collective lives.

As we sign off for the year here at the Chamber, I want to thank all of you: our members, partners, sponsors, all levels of government, friends, and community members for your support. Our success in supporting you and bringing your voice to policy makers would not be possible without your support. We are grateful for your trust in our work and what we do to collectively shape the future of our fair city with various levels of government and the partners we have worked with along the way.

To my fellow board members and all our volunteers: it is your collective

work that has supported our team at the Chamber in pulling off our successes, especially after coming out of a tough two years of not being able to meet in person.

Finally, to the Chamber staff and team, without your tireless efforts, we would not be as successful as we have been. This year has seen you tirelessly hosting events; meeting with partners, stakeholders, and governments; and putting forward policies and ideas that have drastically helped our recovery here in Halifax and Nova Scotia.

To everyone: please have a safe and Happy Holiday Season. Here’s to an even brighter 2023!

Share your thoughts and recommenda tions with me at:

Inclusion beyond diversity

Organizations are diversifying their workforces, but do Black Canadians actually feel included in the workplace?

JOSH CREIGHTON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST HALIFAX CHAMBER

As part of the Black Canadian Social and Emotional Skills Strengths project, the Conference Board of Canada released a preliminary report in April 2022 titled “The Battle to Belong: What Canadian Leaders Should Know About Work, Race, Identity, and SES.”

Authors Rachel Smith and Michelle Gorea use the report to address antiBlack racism in the workplace. Their key findings indicate that “despite public discussions about anti-Black racism in Canada and calls for more diversity at work, racialized groups continue to experience workplace cultures that are accepting of racist or discriminatory behaviors.”

The Battle to Belong report also focuses on how employers evaluate social and emotional skills of Black Canadians in the workplace. Smith and Gorea indicate: “Black Canadians reported that their racial identity impacts how their social and emotional skills are recog nized and evaluated at work, leading Black workers to feel like they can’t be their authentic selves at work and also leading to perceived barriers to career advancement.”

These findings play into the larger social construct of racism as well as the innate human trait of unconscious bias that continually impact the lives of

Josh Creighton Community Engagement Specialist, Halifax Chamber

racialized peoples. As I write this piece, I cannot help but reflect on my own indi vidual experiences navigating various workplaces throughout my professional journey.

The Battle to Belong report addresses many key findings that people of colour have been vocalizing for years, including but not limited to barriers to workplace advancement, discrimination in the workplace, and unequal pay scales.

Much of what the report recognizes is a result of missing perspectives from Black Canadians. Despite the growth of knowledge that has resulted from many organizations and business across Canada making a more calculated effort to diversify their workforces, many of those very organizations lack the ability to make Black Canadians feel included in the workplace.

All communities have cultural pro tocols that they are accustomed to when interacting with and around each other. Each community has a distinct set of norms that govern their cultural under pinnings. Things like greetings, gestures, and reactions to different external expe riences create a mutual understanding amongst those who can relate.

The lack of representation of Black Canadians in the workplace forces those from the Black community to rewire

themselves for the workday/week ahead of them. Black Canadians are forced to interact in a way that favors the dominant group of coworkers who are operating by a separate set of cultural protocols. In this case and historically, this is what leads to the apathetic attitudes and low engagement that organizations see from Black employees.

Diversity in the workplace is import ant. However, without a strategic effort to ensure inclusion amongst racialized pop ulations, participation will remain low.

Inclusion in action

As an organization that has strug gled with participation in the broader community, the Halifax Chamber is no stranger to these findings. In response, we, as a business association repre senting over 1,850 businesses, have developed a comprehensive action plan to highlight and measure our contribu tions to underrepresented communities: our Diversity Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEA&I) Action Plan. Our plan was created with community members to find gaps within our internal operations and develop measurable targets to help our organization become more represen tative of the broader business community here in Halifax.

By developing these quarterly

“As I write this piece, I cannot help but reflect on my own individual experiences navigating various workplaces throughout my professional journey. Despite the growth of knowledge that has resulted from many organizations and business across Canada making a more calculated effort to diversify their workforces, many of those very organizations lack the ability to make Black Canadians feel included in the workplace.”

targets that directly correlate with our core business operations, we have seen an immense increase in engagement and participation of those from underrepre sented communities. Making the work measurable and tangible has allowed us to create transparency behind the work and has enabled us to progress the num ber of such targets.

Our goals and commitment

• Onboard 100 new members from underrepresented groups in 2-year period.

• Our Board of Directors will reflect the goals of the 50-30 Challenge, introduced by the federal govern ment (50% gender diverse and 30% racially diverse).

• 15% of our content will feature racialized persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and those from the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

• The Chamber will ensure Diversity in our speakers, suppliers, and event attendees.

• We will host one quarterly educa tional event related to DEA&I.

Two of our goals directly correspond with the issues addressed in The Battle to Belong report. The first is our goal to diversify our membership by obtaining 100 new members from underrepre sented groups. This goal, however, would be a disservice to our broader community without a commitment to continuously train and educate. Consequently, our sec ond goal is to provide ongoing education opportunities to our membership, staff, and board by hosting quarterly educa tional workshops and training sessions. Increasing cultural awareness fosters cohesion and a more in-depth under standing of those with whom we live, work, and play.

Our DEA&I Action Plan helps us stay committed to ensuring we are taking

the necessary steps to make our Chamber more inclusive and welcoming — espe cially to those who may not have always felt welcomed. We will continue to work alongside community members and leaders across sectors to help us move this work forward. We hope to encourage other organizations to not only increase the diversity of their workplace, but to also foster a true sense of understanding and inclusion.

Research for The Battle to Belong report is still ongoing, but you can view a summary version titled “Bridging the Gap Between Identity and Social and Emotional Skills: Black Canadians’ Perspectives of Social and Emotional Skills in the Workplace” at: conferenceboard.ca

Find helpful resources and stay updated on our progress with our DEA&I Action Plan at: halifaxchamber.com/ resources/deai-toolkit

Taking policy to new heights

Meet Nick Cunningham, our new Policy Analyst at the Halifax Chamber

This past October, the Chamber team was happy to welcome Nick Cunningham to the team as Policy Analyst. Nick brings a wealth of knowl edge and a passion for advocacy to the Chamber community. We sat down with Nick to learn more about the impact he aims to make on behalf of our members.

Tell us about your background and how you came to the Halifax Chamber.

I studied Economics at the University of St. Mary’s here in Halifax with a focus on Labour and Health Economics. My first opportunity after my studies was with the Halifax Partnership attracting prospective businesses to Halifax. This was the beginning of my career working to support and grow the business sector in Nova Scotia. Following the Partnership, I worked as the Nova Scotia Policy Analyst for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) and the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA), which ultimately led me to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

How does policy inspire you and your work?

What inspires me about policy is having the opportunity to make changes for the betterment of the community where I’m living. I love solving problems, and so it’s exciting to have a hand in addressing problems that are directly impacting the people I interact and live with. I’m a strong believer that a robust local economy is key to addressing deeper social issues and improving the quality of life for everyone.

What kind of impact have you seen policy make?

I think I’ve seen both sides of the coin when it comes to policy. I’ve seen antiquated policies that have caused unnecessary hardship on businesses and

have also seen progressive policies that have had direct benefits to peoples’ lives. It can sometimes be a battle trying to figure out the best policy approach to solving systemic issues. However, I believe that overall, people want things to be better. If we can all agree on that, it’s a starting point to build out the best pos sible landscape for businesses to succeed and for the community to thrive.

What are you hoping to learn at the Chamber?

There’s a lot to learn for sure. As the Chamber, we have a lot of members in a wide range of industries with sometimes siloed or overlapping issues. Ideally, I’m hoping to learn the most efficient way to address both.

What questions would you like to ask our members?

I would be interested in finding out what our members envision for not only

their own business or industry, but for the community as well. We have seen social issues like affordable housing have direct impacts on the success of the business community.

The Chamber has over 1,850 mem bers. Collectively, that’s a lot of knowl edge relating to not only the problems within their respective industries, but also ideas to address social issues within the community they are a part of. I’m a strong believer in listening to the experi ences of those with boots on the ground. The more information and collabora tion we gather, the quicker we can find solutions to improve the quality of life for everyone in Halifax.

What issues is your business currently facing? Are there social causes you would like to see brought to the forefront?

Reach out to Nick at: nicholas@halifaxchamber.com

“What inspires me about policy is having the opportunity to make changes for the betterment of the community where I’m living.”

Nick Cunningham Policy Analyst, Halifax Chamber

Recent hire hits the right note

Leaf Music welcomes Kwasi Asare-Adjei to the team

ROHINI MANGLA

OUTREACH COORDINATOR, LABOUR, SKILLS AND IMMIGRATION

What a close call. One of Nova Scotia’s most dynamic music busi nesses almost missed out on a great new employee, and the province came close to losing international talent.

After four years at Mount Saint Vincent University, Ghanian graduate Kwasi Asare-Adjei wanted to live and build his career in Nova Scotia, but he had spent months looking for a good job and come up short. Asare-Adjei was on the brink of looking to another province for work when he had a conversation with the owner of Leaf Music, Jeremy VanSlyke, who offered him a job looking after the company’s finances.

The books are in great shape and Asare-Adjei is impacting the business in ways his employer hadn’t even imagined. “Kwasi is exceptionally gifted at manag ing client relations. Our clients love work ing with him and appreciate his support navigating the complex world of budgets and grants,” says VanSlyke. “His skills and knowledge are extremely valuable to our clients and our organization.”

International award-winning soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee counts among his fans. “I have worked with Asare-Adjei through Leaf Music during the global pandemic and beyond. He has been essential to my business’ survival and, in a time when everything that can be shaken is getting shook, he’s been a dependable, knowledgeable, and resourceful rock for me and the other entrepreneurs lucky enough to work with him. The province of Nova Scotia is beyond lucky to call him a resident.”

Leaf Music is one of Canada’s most active classical music recording labels, receiving two JUNO nominations last

year and Classical Album of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards in May. Over the last few years, the business has diversified significantly from producing and marketing CDs to promoting music on streaming platforms and crafting digital strategies to help artists grow their audiences.

“The music we are dealing with is 200 or 300 years old, but the industry processes that we use to bring it to mar ket are constantly changing. It is critical for us to be flexible and open to learning,” says VanSlyke. “Having recent grads on the team helps us stay ahead. Kwasi is the second recent grad we have hired, and we are happy we found him.”

Leaf Music hired Asare-Adjei with the help of the Graduate to Opportunity (GTO) program. GTO provides salary incentives to small businesses, start-ups, social enterprises, and non-profits to hire recent graduates for new, permanent, full-time jobs. Employers receive 25% of the grad’s first-year salary — 35% if the grad is a member of an equity-seeking group — and 12.5% of the grad’s sec ond-year salary.

“With the labour market being so

tight, it’s been hard to find and keep people who are good at what they do and compete with salaries being offered by bigger companies,” says VanSlyke. “GTO has been really helpful to us in bringing in new employees and growing our busi ness. The Diversity Bonus is especially useful as we work to maintain a diverse workforce.”

Asare-Adjei is currently on the road to becoming a CPA and has already applied for his PR. “Nova Scotia has a great community atmosphere, which I haven't encountered anywhere else. I am grateful for programs such as GTO which gives employers the flexibility of offering jobs to fresh out-of-school grads and gives international graduates like myself a chance to stay in Nova Scotia.” says Asare-Adjei.” I look forward to settling down here.”

More than 1,100 employers across Nova Scotia have tapped into GTO for hiring talented recent graduates like Kwasi Asare-Adjei. Have you checked it out yet?

Learn more about the GTO program at: novascotia.ca/GTO

Meet Cat

Submitted on behalf of United Way Halifax

Cat is a bubbly and chatty 17-year-old who is always smiling and laugh ing. If you met her, you’d find it hard to believe she wasn’t always that way.

Cat joined Youth Voices, a United Way-funded writing program for youth in care, when she was 14. She says its where she found herself, her voice, and her family.

“I was very shy my whole life,” said Cat. “Talking to people is a skill that I have gained since joining the program,” which she describes as a therapeutic support group and youth writing program rolled into one. “Without Youth Voices I wouldn’t be who I am. I really did find my voice here.”

Youth Voices is a literacy and life skills program for adolescent youth in care. It provides a stable, comfortable space for the youth to gather, learn from and support one another through their shared experience. Youth who partic ipate improve their writing and verbal communication, cooperative learning, and employability skills, while building self-confidence, self-reliance, and a social connection.

“Our program fills a gap within the community of youth in care, as the only group of its kind in Nova Scotia,” says program coordinator Ammy. “We provide the opportunity for youth in care to come together in a place where they belong, in a world that tells them they do not.”

Cat agrees: “No matter where you come from or what is going on in your life, we won’t turn you away. This is a home, a safe place, and a family.”

Participants meet every Wednesday from October to June, at Veith House in Halifax’s North End (another UW-funded organization). Each week, the youth are given writing assignments – including free writes, which are Cat’s personal favourite.

“We get a journal for our assign ments, and it’s a place to get it all out. My go-to is poetry or spoken word.”

At the end the school year, they compile their stories and photos to produce their own newsletter. A proud

ambassador, Cat hands the newsletter out at school, at libraries, to her social worker, other foster families – basically everywhere she can!

Cat admits the opportunity to earn money is what initially persuaded her to join when she was 14; each participant receives a monthly $80 stipend if they complete their assignments, show up every week, and actively participate. But she soon realized the support and con nection was priceless.

“I never felt like I truly belonged anywhere on this earth until I joined the program. The staff took me under their wing and helped shape me into the person I am now."

Cat’s passion for Youth Voices shines through every time she talks about it, and Ammy says the team is very proud of her growth.

“Cat has become a key member of our team. She has lots of ideas for recruit ment and is well on her way to becoming a facilitator, and a peer support for new members.”

About United Way Halifax:

United Way Halifax is a local, donorfunded impact organization. We change lives by providing funding, creating solutions, partnering with others, and advocating for change.

Our goal is to bridge gaps for people who are experiencing poverty and mar ginalization, and we work with donors, volunteers, and partners to achieve it. We believe everyone has a role to play in creating an inclusive, bright future for our community.

About Youth Voices

The Youth in Care Newsletter Project is a literacy and life skills program for adolescent youth in care. The program helps youth in improving writing and verbal communication skills, cooperative learning, employability skills, and community engagement, while building self-confidence and self-reliance.

If you know a youth who could benefit from this program, please get in touch at: youthnewsletter@ns.sympatico.ca

Youth Voices is one of 35 life-chang ing programs funded through the United Way Halifax Community Fund. All of these programs support people in HRM who are experiencing poverty and marginalization, providing safe shelter, nutritious food, crucial connection, and opportunities. For a list of United Way funded programs, visit: unitedwayhalifax.ca

IMAGE CREDIT: ASHLEY BLENKHORN

Facilitating gender inclusivity in tech

With Arbuckle Media By Leah Clarke, Digital Nova Scotia

The conversations around gender diversity in the tech sector is not a new nor recent phenomenon. The indus try is still predicted to remain male-dom inated leading into 2023. Despite the lack of female representation, there are more resources than ever to encourage and celebrate women in tech. One way to cel ebrate is by sharing stories like Arbuckle Media’s.

Opening its doors in 2015, Arbuckle Media is an award-winning marketing agency that leads product-based brands to their fullest potential by building e-commerce experiences and generating demand for their clients. They’ve seen tremendous growth over the last number of years by focusing on the impact that marketing technologies, specifically marketing automations, have on any business.

As a male CEO leading a fully female team, Joel Arbuckle expressed how it is vital to be a facilitator of change, both in the services they provide and in their workplace culture. “Our man date is to create good career jobs for women, non-binary, trans-identifying, and underrepresented peoples in tech,” says Arbuckle. “We do this by creating a workplace that looks beyond one’s identity, appearance, or disability and creates opportunities for one another to learn, grow, and thrive in one of the most cutting-edge industries in the world.”

Arbuckle Media recognizes that diversity within an organization expands the capabilities of that organization and its team members. Arbuckle made a point to recognize how marketing and culture are intertwined. In order for an organi zation’s branding to emulate realistic gender diversity, marketers must be open and understanding of their customer, no matter their perspective.

At Arbuckle Media, building an inclusive company culture started with hiring the best human for the job. By being progressive and keeping an open

to explain how the gender gap is derived from a lack of education within the field. If women aren’t targeted in community initiatives to encourage STEM learn ing, it is harder for women to picture

about Arbuckle Media’s initiatives in sup porting women in tech or potential career opportunities, visit: arbuckle.media