Kamloops Business by Kamloops Daily News

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An exclusive feature publication of The Daily News

JUNE/JULY 2012

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WHAT CAN TRU DO FOR YOU? Research partnerships between TRU and Kamloops businesses benefit faculty, students and entrepreneurs

INSIDE CHAMBER NEWS: truck drivers, canada customs SERVICE top local agenda

Giving the Gift of

Life

Donating life insurance creates a lasting legacy By Sean S. Simpson, Consultant, Financial Services

A gift in kind of life insurance presents donors with an opportunity to make a significant future gift to benefit a charity, while enjoying current and/or future tax savings. It is an economical way for you to make a larger and more lasting contribution at a fraction of the ultimate value from your disposable income. Giving life insurance is also an ideal way for you to support a particular area of interest and/or program at Thompson Rivers University, at a level that may not be possible by any other means. The three methods of donation are: Donation of an existing policy: The TRU Foundation becomes the owner and beneficiary, and you pay any continuing annual premiums associated with the policy. Cash value in the policy, plus premiums are considered a charitable donation.

Your taxable benefit can be either annually, where each dollar you spend on premiums is considered an annual charitable contribution, or as a lump sum from the proceeds of the policy which is credited to your estate. Consult an accountant or financial advisor to determine which method is more beneficial to you. Although current donations to TRU are essential for both student services and university expansion, future gifts can provide immense residual benefits for the university and should be considered as a portion of your philanthropic efforts. You will benefit by being able to leave a more substantial legacy without an increasing financial obligation, perhaps in the form of a perpetual bursary from an endowment in your family’s name, as opposed to one that ends when you cease annual donations.

Donation of a new policy: The TRU Foundation becomes the owner and beneficiary of the new policy, and the premiums you pay are considered an annual charitable contribution. Donation of proceeds: Usually the proceeds are willed or the TRU Foundation is registered as the beneficiary of the policy, and the charitable contribution is the proceeds from the policy. Your estate realizes the tax benefit of the contribution.

Owner of Policy Death Beneﬁt Annual Premium Net Cash Value Monthly Premium Tax Receipt Issued at Time of Transfer Tax Receipt Issued Annually Gift to Charity at Death Tax Receipt at Death

Sean S. Simpson, BSc Graduate 2005

New Policy

Old Policy

Policy Donated at Death

No Cash Surrender Value

With Cash Surrender Value

Charity

Donor

$100,000

$2,400

N/A

$2,400

$4,500

N/A

$90

N/A

$4,500

N/A

$2,400

$1,080

$100,000

This information is not intended as nor does it constitute tax or legal advice. Readers should consult their own lawyer, accountant or other professional advisor when planning to implement any donation strategy.

For more information call 250.828.5264 or email foundation@tru.ca

Ed and Dianne Barker

A number of years ago we made the choice to invest in a Life Insurance Policy with Thompson Rivers University as the owner and beneficiary because we believe in the value of education, we believe in the value of sport and we believe in Kamloops. Ed was born and raised in Kamloops (his grandparents homesteaded here). Although Dianne is a graduate of UBC, we make our living in Kamloops and believe strongly in supporting our community. Both our sons attended TRU and that education provided a good foundation for further education for both of them. As Ed moved along in his real estate career, and our financial future became more secure, the disability insurance premiums that Ed was paying seemed redundant. If he became disabled and was unable to work, we would be OK. It made sense to us to take the money we were paying in premiums for a disability insurance policy, and instead, make those same payments toward premiums for a life insurance policy that would provide a lasting legacy to TRU. The benefit to TRU will be $100,000 for scholarships and bursaries for student athletes when we die; the immediate benefit to us is that the annual premiums to the life insurance policy are considered a charitable donation for taxation purposes. We believe that TRU is a real asset in our community and making TRU the beneficiary of a life insurance policy is an easy way to assist students well into the future. Testimonial courtesy of the TRU Foundation and not related to Sean Simpson, Financial Consultant.

www.tru.ca/foundation

INSIDE TRU president Alan Shaver says the organization exists to serve the people — and a partnership with business is a “win-win for everyone.” ROBERT KOOPMANS /kamloops business

Kamloops Business is published six times a year by The Kamloops Daily News advertising department, 393 Seymour St., Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6P6. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission. Unsolicited material will not be returned. Publisher assumes no responsibility. For editorial information, contact Kamloops Business editor Robert Koopmans.

COVER STORY

What Can TRU Do For You? MEMBERS OF THE KAMLOOPS BUSINESS COMMUNITY DON’T REALIZE HOW GOOD THEY’VE GOT IT. TRU, ITS STUDENTS AND ITS FACULTY ARE AN OUTSTANDING RESOURCE ready TO BE MINED. /page 8

Publisher TIM SHOULTS

Supervising Editor Editor MEL ROBERT ROTHENBURGER KOOPMANS

Advertising Director kevin dergez

Advertising Sales keshaV sharma

FEATURES

Get Smart Our business experts rate the current crop of smartphones /13

Ending The Paperwork Nightmare Innovative technology controls, records workplace safety /16

Hitting The Long Ball Duffers make the case for golf as a legitimate tax deduction /30

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

The Daily News is a member of the B.C. Press Council. It is published daily except Sundays and most holidays at 393 Seymour St., Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6P6.

Phone (250) 372-2331

Editor’s Message, 6

NSBIA Report, 28

Q&A, 30

By The Numbers, 24

Chamber News, 18

KCBIA Report, 26

Across The River, 12

Tech Talk, 13

Contributing writers

Venture Kamloops, 20

Social Media, 22

Kara Evans Susan Duncan

A division of Glacier Ventures International Corp. Publications Mail Registration No. 0681.

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2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

- ADVERTISING FEATURE -

So you've won your civil judgment. Now what? So, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve won your civil judgment. Now what? For many, the biggest challenge becomes turning that judgment into payment from the debtor. It is often assumed that a judgment guarantees payment, which is anything but correct. In order to turn the judgment into payment, we need to turn our attention to the collections process.

by Luke Bergerman

In this article I will discuss some common means of collecting information and hopefully payment after you have received your h judgment. Keep in mind that this is a superficial list of your post-judgment options. Legal advice is highly recommended. 1. Information is your friend. The more information you have about the debtor, the easier it is to decide how to collect. There are some searches that can be done to gather information. Another way is to conduct examinations of the debtor. The examination process is different depending on which court awarded the judgment. In Small Claims Court, it is known as a Payment Hearing. The process involves bringing the debtor in for an examination of their financial situation. This is done in front of a Provincial Court Judge. Keep in mind that you must personally serve the debtor and expect service costs. If the judgement is awarded in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, you can elect to conduct an Examination in Aid of Execution or a Subpoena to Debtor. The Examination in Aid of Execution involves examining the debtor outside the courtroom in front of a Court Reporter. You must personally serve the debtor, so again there may be service costs. You may also need to provide travel funds to the debtor to attend the hearing. The Supboena to Debtor is conducted in front of a Supreme Court Judge which must be scheduled with the Trial Co-ordinator. The breadth of

4 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

questioning is limited, but you may be awarded a payment order. 2. Acting on your information is all about timing. Keep in mind that you are probably not the only party trying to collect from the debtor. As such, your place in the queue may determine whether you get paid or not. Acting on assets can be quite technical and you may only get one chance to do so. Seeking out legal advice in respect of the following aspects of collection can be crucial: Real Property - Does the Debtor have an interest in a house? This can be a reliable but patient approach to collecting a judgment. Most mortgages have relatively short loan periods, but you must wait for the period to expire before collecting your money. That being said, there can often be administrative renewals required. Increased attention is required. Personal Property - Personal Property is often exempted from collection or can be subject to secured interests by lenders and as such it can often be risky and time consuming. Income, Wages, Bank Accounts - Debts owed to a debtor can be executed upon. This includes Bank accounts (debts the bank owes the account holder), and wages (debts the employer owes the employee) as the most likely means of garnishment. Garnishing wages or accounts requires timing, responsiveness, and sometimes a bit of luck. 3. Disclaimer. Keep in mind that successful collections are often times the result of a combination of these and other methods of execution not mentioned in this list. The list above is not exhaustive and is meant only for discussion purposes. To determine your full rights, always consult a lawyer. A civil judgment is a stepping stone for collecting on your debt, but it does not guarantee success. So gather up your information and get in line.

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KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> Editor’s Message

Leaders Must Do Right Thing It would be a travesty if B.C. abandoned the carbon tax

Y ou know you've arrived...

nother instalment of B.C.’s carbon tax will be implemented in July, to the chagrin of many in B.C. The tax, introduced by former Premier Gordon Campbell and his Liberals in 2008, is designed to adjust our collective behaviour by imposing additional cost on businesses that produce greenhouse gases, and consumers who use more fossil fuels (such as gasoline). Starting July 1, consumers will pay 1.2 cents more at the pumps because of the tax, which has already added roughly six cents to the price of every litre of gasoline sold in B.C. Despite the fact that economists and scientists agree B.C.’s approach is the right way to deal with behaviours behind global warming, it seems probable the province will “tweak” the tax strategy. A comprehensive review is currently underway and is expected to conclude this year. Why? Politics, of course. For all that democracy does right, the current hand-wringing about the carbon tax highlights its main failing — democracy requires that people get elected, and elections are popularity contests in which short-sighted selfishness often picks the winner. The popularity of B.C.’s governing party is waning. The Conservatives (who oppose the carbon tax) are on the rise leaving the ever-present NDP (who would keep the tax with changes) hoping to return once more to power on the back of a split right-wing vote. Against that very real possibility, Premier Christy Clark’s Liberals appear to be putting the future of the carbon tax on the political table. The easy decision would be to bow to loud sentiment and people’s stubborn unwillingness to pay for their own mess. To do so, however, would amount to a betrayal of a courageous act on the part of the 2008 Liberals, who wanted to make an environmental difference at a time when such leadership was sorely needed. That no others have had the courage to follow does not diminish or render incorrect the choice made. Yes, the cowards elsewhere gain some business advantage, but they have to live with themselves. Business cannot be solely about profit. Leaders must also do the right thing. Being a leader, both in business and in politics, sometimes means making unpopular choices. Let’s hope B.C. stands strong, and makes the right choice. A “tweak” is one thing. Killing the carbon tax would be reprehensible. Robert Koopmans is the editor of Kamloops Business. He can be reached by email at rkoopmans@kamloopsnews.ca. KB 6 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

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> cover story

WHAT CAN TRU DO FOR YOU? Research partnerships between TRU and Kamloops businesses benefit faculty, students and entrepreneurs BY ROBERT KOOPMANS >> EDITOR, KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

W “We are a service organization. We exist to serve the people. A partnership with businesses is a win-win for everyone. It’s a win for our students; they get to be involved with and potentially have a career in the business, and it works for the business. They are looking for bright people, and they are looking for ideas. What better place to get ideas than a university?” — tru president alan shaver

hen Absorbent Products Ltd. wanted to know if its products could make cows produce less gas, it wasn’t quite sure where to turn. The Kamloops company has long made agricultural food additives (and other products) from a unique mixture of diatomaceous earth mined near Red Lake, said company president Peter Aylen. One question has been nagging Aylen for quite some time, however — would the feed additives they sell to improve digestion also reduce methane gas produced by cows, something speculated in some scientific circles as a major Diatomaceous earth is contributor to global warming? prepared for use as part If his company’s product works of a TRU experiment. on cattle as he thinks it might, At right, Corrie Belanger, Aylen figures Absorbent Products a second-year microbiology could be sitting on an economic student at TRU, prepares goldmine, especially in an era a laboratory sample. when global warming has fuelled a booming business in carbon credits. For three years, Aylen said he unsuccessfully searched for a private research firm willing or capable of cost effectively exploring the question of cow burps (and yes, we’re talking about burps. See the sidebar on next page). Then, he approached Thompson Rivers University, which agreed to take on the study. He expects TRU will have him an

8 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

what to do about All those belching bovines?

or TRU microbiologist Jonathan Van Hamme, there is much to gain through involvement in the Absorbent Products research project. For starters, the team has been able to hire a TRU student to carry out the experiments, he said, which involve mixing fluid from cow stomachs with the additives and organic material and monitoring methane gas production. Such experience is extremely valuable for the student. As well, Van Hamme said TRU is involved in a study of something with potential to one day reduce greenhouse gases at a time when the world needs greenhouse gas solutions. Cows produce a lot of methane, he noted. Studies have found 40 per cent of all greenhouse gas is produced by agricultural operations, and cattle produce the lion’s share of those emissions. The gas, however, is not produced in the way people might think. “Ninety per cent of (methane) comes out of the (cow’s) mouth. Not the other end,” he said. Van Hamme noted a cow’s digestive system is complex and gives it the ability to extract nutrition from organic materials other animals, including humans, could not eat. “They spend a lot of time regurgitating and rechewing,” Van Hamme said. “And they do a lot of belching.”

Dr. Jonathan Van Hamme is a microbiologist at TRU. Says Van Hamme: “Ninety per cent of (methane) comes out of the (cow’s) mouth. Not the other end.” JUNE/JULY

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

answer by the end of the year. “The (business) potential is there. Cattle are considered one of the biggest producers of greenhouse gases,” Aylen noted. “If it works, it could be significant (new business) for us. If it doesn’t, well, that’s what we want to know.” For Dr. Lincoln Smith, TRU’s university-industry liaison, this study is one example of the kind of service a research institution like TRU can provide to the local business community. His job is to encourage and facilitate such partnerships, as such arrangements have the potential to benefit both TRU and private enterprise. He noted TRU has world-class research equipment and extremely knowledgeable researchers, both professors and students, across a wide range of schools and disciplines. Smith is TRU’s point person when it comes to possible research partnerships. His job Here’s a list of local is to assess requests companies that worked with TRU in and facilitate arrange2011 and 2012. ments. Not all requests are Spark Your Imagination viable, he says. ROI Media Sometimes people’s NetShift Media great ideas about posAbsorbent Products Sugar Shack Gourmet sible services or prodHot Chocolate ucts have already Ascent Systems Technologies been done or tried, Helisurf facts revealed by Team2 basic Internet Sequestra Vocaba research. MemoryLeaf Other times, the Studio09 questions businesses Highland Valley Copper New Gold want answered may Golder Associates not align with the Copper Sun Fine Home Builders capability or interests Greater Than of TRU’s research Technology departments. In one Spire Truvian Labs instance, TRU turned Ascent Systems down a project that Next Layer involved highly techTraction B.C. Emergency nical analysis that Management required specific kinds of engineering expertise TRU simply does not have, Smith said. Ultimately, it’s up to TRU’s researchers to decide whether projects are viable; they have the final word. But in most cases, there is tremendous potential for partnerships or even one-time projects that will solve a business’s problem while providing learning opportunities for students and faculty, Smith said. TRU can also help businesses with questions or issues beyond researching products. Businesses needing market 10 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

TRU SUCCESS STORIES

Dr. Jonathan Van Hamme talks with Jen Bylycia, lab manager for Absorbent Products, which is working with TRU on a research project. At left, TRU liaison Dr. Lincoln Smith. research or polling can be matched up with professors or classes in TRU’s school of business, for example, to get what they need. Business classes sometimes take on a private firm’s market research as a project, he said, giving students first-hand experience with real-world issues while providing the firm with its needed service. The key, said Smith, is looking for the components of the project that will benefit students and TRU at the same time the business benefits. “We look to the community for reallife examples and real-life work that will benefit our students,” he said. “The university gets an opportunity to put students to work, and they get valuable research experience . . . that will help them in their careers. “As long as it offers learning opportunities and research opportunities for our faculty members.” When the research costs money, businesses pay, noted Smith. In some cases, however, TRU can help businesses access government grants to offset the full costs of the research. Jonathan Bowers said TRU’s services have proved invaluable to his company. The founder of MemoryLeaf, an online memorial service for the funeral indus-

try, Bowers said the advice and services Smith and TRU provided in his start-up year made a significant difference. In his first year, Bowers needed developers and programmers. Smith connected him with TRU students capable of providing the work he needed. While it would have been possible to find them elsewhere, it would have cost more money and taken longer to recruit them. As well, Smith provided a great deal of advice as he worked through the challenges of starting a new business, Bowers added. “(Lincoln Smith) has a very strong understanding of technology and entrepreneurship. His skill set is very broad and he is very engaging,” said Bowers. Jarrod Goddard said the same thing. He started a web design and marketing company in Kamloops and said the help TRU and Smith provided put money in his pocket, in terms of contacts and new business. “He gave some great advice about how to market and promote (my business),” he said. Gay Pooler, general manager of the Kamloops-Central Business Improvement Association, said TRU and the KCBIA will soon work together conducting a downtown parking study. She approached Smith earlier this year and expects the study will get underway this summer. Pooler said the KCBIA wants hard data about how many people who work downtown take their cars to work — and where they park when they do so. To date, no studies have looked at the impact of downtown workers on the availability of parking in the downtown core. Everyone knows workers park on the streets and in back lots, but no one knows the extent, she said. It’s hoped this TRU-KCBIA study will answer those questions and provide useful numbers as the City continues to explore solutions to the downtown’s parking crunch. Pooler said she is happy to be able to work with TRU on this kind of project. “TRU is a huge resource within the community we feel is underutilized (by the business community), so why not? They benefit, we benefit. Having TRU as part of our community is a huge resource we should not ignore.” Absorbent Product’s Aylen agrees. As past president of the Kamloops and District Chamber of Commerce, he said many businesses should consider TRU as a possible resource to support their operations. “TRU has an awful lot of capabilities. Most people don’t really realize what TRU can do (for businesses),” he said. KB

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> ACROSS THE RIVER

Indian Band a Partner in Community Growth With more employees than the TNRD, reserve ranks as significant source of jobs BY SHANE GOTTFRIEDSON >> CHIEF, TK’EMLUPS INDIAN BAND

hen people in the Kamloops region are asked to list the major public-sector employers, most will cite our hospital, the school district, various municipalities and the regional district. They don’t often consider the role of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (which translates to the Tk’emlups people of the Secwépemc nation). In fact, the Tk’emlups organization employs more people and has a bigger budget than the TNRD or even the City of Merritt. With more than 250 employees spread over a variety of enterprises, the TteS ranks as a significant source of jobs that feed into and support the local economy. We provide municipal levels of service and infrastructure to thousands of people, most of whom are not First Nations. From our water treatment plant to our solid waste disposal services, the TteS ensures residents and visitors to our reserve receive quality services. Nationally recognized developments such as Sun Rivers could never happen without effective business partnerships being put into place. Local entrepreneurs take advantage of our easy highway and rail access com-

12 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

bined with flat developable land to establish and grow their business. Many Kamloops residents earn their living within our reserve lands. Besides the municipal side of things, we operate a daycare, nursery school and a K-7 school. Our Little Fawn Nursery is celebrating its 45th year of providing quality pre-school education with a focus on our culture and traditions. Education is a priority and we need more of our people to have a base of education as the organization grows. Of course, a big part of our operations is the development and leasing of land. Our staff manages an efficient and effective lands, leasing and taxation department that attends to registration of leases and other documents much in the same way the land titles office deals with similar matters outside of reserve boundaries. Our Mt. Paul Industrial Park has more than 350 leaseholders, each supporting shareholders, employees and creating business in our region. Our business operations are not limited to leasing land. We operate one of the largest working cattle ranches in this region, a significant forestry company, a gas station and a car

SHANE GOTTFRIEDSON wash. Our corporate arm also includes Kamloops Indian Band Development Corporation, Mount Paul Centre and the Kamloops Indian Band Utility Corporation. We are currently exploring other business opportunities and already participate in several joint ventures with other companies. Add it all up and you have a very significant player in the regional economy. Our business and government entities are supported and supplied by numerous local businesses. Our employees patronize other local business establishments, purchase homes and supplies and generally contribute to the local economy in very significant ways. We are players both provincially and internationally. We continue to work with local business to develop opportunities for growth. Sound and sustainable economic development is important to our people, but it is just as important to the entire regional economy. KB

> tech talk

getsmart Apple versus Android versus BlackBerry versus Windows What’s best phone for business? Our experts say BlackBerry

K, admit it. You’re confused. You need a phone for business, but just aren’t certain which is best. There are scores to chose from and, to make it worse, they all run different operating systems. How are you supposed to know which one to choose? Make the wrong choice and you’re stuck with a phone you might not like, or one that just doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do. Well, we decided we’d give you a hand by asking a few local communications experts what they believe is best these days in the smartphone market, especially if your business depends on being connected to your office or clients for work purposes. Here’s what our experts had to say.

Clay Ganton, Andre’s Telus (Aberdeen Mall)

Clay Ganton says the smartphone market is clarifying itself around four main platforms — Apple’s Os, the BlackBerry system, the Android OS and the newest player, the (Microsoft) Windows Phone. Ganton says he is extremely impressed by the Windows platform, especially for business users. The system offers seamless, easy integration with Microsoft’s

“apple is slick hardware. Personally, everyone has their own preference. The iphone is a great toy, but that’s what I mostly consider it, a toy. Apple is a great marketing monster.”

SkyDrive and Web Office software. Ganton says its business functionality rivals the longstanding business phone, the BlackBerry. But Ganton added Apple’s iPhone is more popular these days, as are Android phones, largely due to the number of available apps on both those platforms. Still, the latter two systems don’t appear as robust for business purposes, he adds. “The Apple is more of a toy, the BlackBerry is full business, and the Android is kind of in between. And the new Nokia (Windows phone) rivals the BlackBerry.” Recommendation: BlackBerry or Windows phone John Mercuri, Telus Business Solutions

John Mercuri agrees there are lots of choices these days, and personal preference cannot be dismissed. He prefers BlackBerry’s platform for business use, especially due to the way it integrates email and document sharing. All the platforms have strengths, he noted. Apple wins the app wars, with more selection than all others combined. As well, its phones are well designed and have a cool factor that attracts users. “Apple is slick hardware,” he says, quickly adding that slickness may not be what serious business users seek. “Personally, everyone has their own JUNE/JULY

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

George’s Cellular Sound Security

preference. The iPhone is a great toy, but that’s what I mostly consider it, a toy. Apple is a great marketing monster.” There is no doubt BlackBerry-maker RIM is having tough times right now, but Mercuri says he wouldn’t write the Canadian communications powerhouse off. “BlackBerry isn’t dead, it just needs a shot,” he says. Recommendation: BlackBerry Kelly Condon, Kamloops Computer Centre

Kamloops Computer Centre doesn’t sell phones or plans. When the time came, however, to choose a phone system for company use, these high-tech computer experts turned to the BlackBerry platform. Condon says his research showed the BlackBerry provided the best integration with Microsoft Outlook and Exchange. As well, he is impressed by the reliability of BlackBerry phones, as well as the system’s inherent proprietary security features. “With Apple, the security wasn’t there. And the reliability, we just had more of a trust with the BlackBerry. The Android we really haven’t looked at,” he says. Recommendation: BlackBerry

Our panel of business experts leans toward the BlackBerry for business purposes. “Most corporate customers almost exclusively use (BlackBerries),” says Mike Cottrell of George’s Cellular Sound Security.

Mike Cottrell, store manager, says businesses appear to choose equally between Apple, BlackBerry and Android products. When it comes to recommending a phone for business purposes, however, Cottrell’s choice is simple. “Most often (we recommend) a BlackBerry, only because it’s an efficient device. “The way the device handles data is very neat and tidy.” He also says BlackBerry has great battery life, in part because its screen is smaller. Lastly, BlackBerry has a traditional keyboard with a distinct tactile feel, which appeals to many users. “Most corporate customers almost exclusively use (BlackBerries),” he says. Cottrell says he thinks a reason BlackBerry isn’t the domonant force it used to be is more because of management problems at RIM than it is with deficiencies in the phone or operating system. “The guys running the company lost focus. They lost sight of what was important,” he says. “RIM provides a niche, but they are behind the curve.” Recommendation: BlackBerry KB

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KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> innovation

new Kamloops business says it has the formula to turn the resource industry’s paperwork nightmare into a sweet dream. Western Industrial Solutions’ software solution is simple, but it has taken a year to develop to the stage where its creators are satisfied it can be relied on. Called JSWOP (for Jobs, Safety, Work, Operating, Planning), the product is described by its three developers as innovative, advanced technology for managing, recording and enforcing workplace safety, integrated planning, hazard assessment and risk reductions. “This is something that will really help the guy in the field, as well as make a huge difference for the employer,” said co-owner Mike Waithe. He and his two partners, Chris Mitra and Grant Schaffer, with combined training in computer systems and the resource industry, wrote the software and are in the process of prototyping it. It’s a product they are confident will not only save companies time and money, but also workers’ lives. The software is on a computer tablet that crews take into the field where they are required to analyse risks associated with their tasks and compile mandatory safety data in accordance with government regulations. The three entrepreneurs say automating what has been a manual process reduces the time factor from 45 minutes to less than 10 minutes and the pile of paper forms to an accurate, organized document already archived for whenever it must be produced, providing an auditable procedure trail. Word of mouth about the product has already stirred interest in the field. Mining, forestry, highway and petroleum companies are waiting with interest for a look at JSWOP, said Waithe. “Safety is a huge issue in the industry. These requirements are North America wide, so the market is vast,” he said. “Every time you turn around there is a new form to fill out.” Mitra said the company is also incorporating third-party safety devices, such as gas detectors, into the hardware, which also protects workers. This is their first venture as businessmen, but they are thrilled with the potential of their product as well as their own independence. The idea was born after the three systems engineers — all of them former B.C. Lottery employees — were laid off 16 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

Mike Waithe, left, and Chris Mitra of Western Industrial Solutions say the company’s new safety software automates what has been a manual process, reducing the time involved from 45 minutes to less than 10 minutes and trimming a mountain of paper. as part of corporate downsizing. Instead of seeking jobs in their traditional field, the three banded together and became late-in-life entrepreneurs. Waithe, 56, was used to changing jobs. He started out as a forester, eventually retiring as a systems engineer. He retrained in computer sciences and began working at B.C. Lottery Corp. after moving to Kamloops. When he lost that position, he started helping his wife, Margo Middleton, at Middleton Petroleum. It was while he

was dealing with the massive amounts of forms and safety information required in the resource industry that he started to think there has to be a better way. Waithe and Schaffer hit upon that better way one day over lunch. Their combined skills — Schaffer has extensive experience in pulp and paper, the oil patch and on the instrumentation side of computer sciences — were a match. What they needed, however, was a guy who not only conversed well, but also had a business and infrastructure

ENDING THE PAPERWORK

NIGHTMARE

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MANAGES, RECORDS WORKPLACE SAFETY, HAZARD ASSESSMENT STORY BY SUSAN DUNCAN PHOTOS BY MURRAY MITCHELL technology background. Who better, they agreed, than Mitra. Mitra had to be convinced. He hadn’t yet decided whether he was at a point where he could risk selfemployment. “I have an amazing wife. She probably had more faith in me at the very beginning and she pushed me harder at doing this than I did.” That push was the final piece of the partnership puzzle and Western Industrial Solutions was formed. A year later and the three partners are confident their product — advanced technology that they say will revolutionize how safety requirements are documented, organized and archived — is a winner. KB Chris Mitra and Mike Waithe became late-in-life entrepreneurs along with partner Grant Schaffer. JUNE/JULY

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

Chamber NEWS Truck Drivers, Customs Top Chamber Agenda Full, 24-hour service at Kamloops airport would eliminate ‘sore point’ for passengers

he Kamloops Chamber of Commerce has always had a strong voice when it comes to advocating for issues important to government policy and the public. Maurice Hindle, chamber president, says this year is no different, as the Kamloops chamber brought forward a number of resolutions to the provincial annual general meeting, held in May. Eight resolutions were brought forward, he said, including calls for more and better standards for professional truck driver training, and a call for better customs service at the Kamloops Airport. Hindle said truck drivers require little training to operate big rigs on B.C.’s often difficult highways, something that needs to change. “We’re looking to develop a standardized curriculum,” he said. “There isn’t a standard. You write an exam, but in terms of actually sitting down and following a curriculum, this is

missing.” Hindle also said local busi“There isn’t a nesses want Canada cusstandard. You toms officials to write an exam, provide 24-hour service here so but in terms of that inbound planes from actually sitting international destinations do down and not need to be diverted elsefollowing a where. As it curriculum, this now, flights due to arrive in is missing.” Canada when there is no customs service in Kamloops must fly to Kelowna or Vancouver. “I know it’s a bit of a sore point for (passengers),” he said. In the past, Kamloops chamber resolutions have gone on to change govern-

MAURICE HINDLE ment policy at various levels, he said. In other news, the chamber’s annual Business Excellence Awards are heating up. Nominations are now being accepted in 16 categories, from young entrepreneur of the year to City of Kamloops community service award. The nomination process ends in August, with the gala awards ceremony in October. Visit www.kamloopschamber.ca for more information about the awards. KB

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Toll Free: 1-877-374-3853 l www.excel.bc.ca 18 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

> chamber news i chamber views

The Think Green gang, from left, includes Stephanie Henderson, Grant Norris, Jackie Eshelman, Greg Greg Muise and Pat Hynes. keith anderson/kamloops business

Painters Place Earth First From their vehicles to the brushes they use, Think Green aims to conserve environment Think Green Painting Construction & Renovation Jackie Eshelman 114-1339 McGill Rd. 250-372-0027 jackie@thinkgreenpainting.ca

ith global warming taking its toll on the environment, everyone is trying to do what they can to lower their impact on the Earth. One Kamloops business has gone to new heights to ensure that its carbon footprint remains at a minimum.

Think Green Painting Construction & Renovation has taken going green to a whole new level. Part-owner and vicepresident Jackie Eshelman says they wanted to provide people with an environmentally friendly option for painting. “(We wanted) to use safer products that don’t harm the environment,” she said. “That is why we started, just to make a difference in the amount of pollution that we put into the environment.” Think Green Painting provides a vari-

ety of interior and exterior work, using high-quality paint that’s low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). “As well, all of our brushes are environmentally friendly, as are our drop clothes,” Eshelman said. “The vehicles that we use are all the best in their class for fuel economy.” Eshelman explains that they wanted to take everything that impacted the environment in a negative way and do the exact opposite, which is what they base their business around. “Forty-five per cent of VOC emissions in the world are linked to painting,” she said. “It’s a very big contributor to environmental concerns. The government stepped in a while ago and said this needs to change, but we stepped ahead of everyone and said, ‘We’re going to do this now and be in the forefront of it.’ ” KB

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JUNE/JULY

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> VENTURE KAMLOOPS

Why Labour Shortage Should Matter to You Investment will only expand where there are workers to supply projects BY DAN SULZ >> CEO, VENTURE KAMLOOPS

any of us have been hearing reports and stories in the media regarding When companies the worldwide labour see there is the shortage that will occur over the next five to 10 years and activities ability to service that communities are doing to attract skilled labour. their companies Why is this important to Kamloops and why should we be focused on locally, there attracting and developing skilled labour to our community? is a better Investment and skilled labour go hand in hand and work to support chance that each other. If the talent comes or is they will expand present, then the investors will come. When companies see there is the locally. ability to service their companies locally, there is a better chance that they will expand locally. Companies and investment will expand where there is labour to supply their projects and expansions. There are a few reasons why this shortage will occur. The largest group in the workforce, so-called “baby boomers,” are now eligible to retire. As baby boomers retire there will be an increase in the number of jobs related to servicing this demographic group, both in terms of health care and also in terms of service providers. We are also starting to see an increased confidence in the economy and the development of new projects in B.C. that will

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draw large numbers of employees and shift labour from one sector to DAN SULZ another and from one community to another. A couple examples that will draw and demand labour are the increase in the number of mining projects in B.C., the demand for oil and gas workers in the northeast and even the ship building projects in Vancouver. Locally, as clusters get developed, this can automatically attract new companies in related fields to service and support these clusters and the population working in these fields. The last is that the ever-increasing mobility of labour. The recruitment for skilled and technical staff for successful organizations has become very important, even though we have seen a more difficult economic climate and an increased competition for jobs. There are three ways a community can address this issue and there are benefits to working toward all three — development of the skilled workforce through education and training programs, the attraction of skilled labour, and the development of innovation and technology. Venture Kamloops is working with companies, educational institutions and associations to develop programs and activities to assist in these three key areas. Kamloops is fortunate to have an internationally recognized university to attract students and provide the competitive skills that businesses require. Venture Kamloops works to promote the quality of life, business advantages and the skilled jobs to attract and retain new people and entrepreneurs to town. Kamloops has the resources and infrastructure needed to develop an environment conducive to innovation and technology. The Kamloops Innovation Centre, Interior Technology Innovation Association and Interior Science and Innovation Council are all key organizations to develop and encourage innovation and technology in our community. The economic information and data are pretty clear — an important driver for economic development is the increase in skilled labour available for industry. There is global competition for investment and competition for skilled labour. Communities that can attract and deliver the sought after skill sets will be rise to the front of the line in their efforts to attracting investment. Dan Sulz is the CEO of venture Kamloops. KB

> solid advice

Super-Size Your Digital Footprint Six ways to make the most out of an Internet investment BY SHANE JENSEN >> NEW QUEST COACHING

or operators of small businesses who are trying to stay on top of the ever-evolving Internet and the possibilities it offers for marketing and growing their business, it can quickly become overwhelming. One of the most common questions I get from business owners is, with limited time and resources, what is the minimum they should consider doing when it comes to marketing and growing their business on the Internet? SHANE JENSEN In my opinion, here are six things that all businesses must consider doing when it comes to creating a digital footprint. 1. Make sure you have website. Yes, I recognize that most business owners now have a website, but I am also amazed how many don’t. Remember, less is more. 2. Make sure your email matches your website address. This is easy, free and very effective branding and marketing that most businesses owners fail to take advantage of. Chances are every time you send an email, you are advertising for Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. Instead, get your website provider to set up your emails so they match your domain. 3. Building on the action above, every email that you send out, should have an “email signature” at the bottom. If you have employees, make sure each one of them has their signature set up as well. Beyond the basics of name, business name, phone number, logo, etc., you should also have your website, ideally a link to your Facebook page and a simple marketing statement. Remember, your goal is to make it easy as possible for people to learn more about your business. 4. Ninety-seven per cent of consumers search for local businesses online and the medium of choice to do this is still Google, (although Facebook is close behind). With all due respect to phone books and the companies that still produce them, they are doomed. If I want a phone number or I am looking for a service, I just simply put it into my Google search bar. 5. Get a Facebook page for your business. At bare minimum, create a Facebook page that lists your website and some clear bullet points as to what your business does. 6. Set up your profile on LinkedIn. Depending on your business or the service you provide, this will be very important. As business owners we all know the value of networking and referrals. My LinkedIn profile has been a great resource for connecting with other people, building relationships and letting people know exactly what my companies do. Shane Jensen, MA, ACC, CEC, is a successful entrepreneur, consultant and speaker who has built a variety of successful companies. To learn more, please see www.shanejensen.ca. KB

Nayaab fine Indian Cuisine offers quality, fresh food, and while known for its spectacular lunch buffet, salad bar and ice cream bar, staff is more than happy to make orders from scratch. Come in for a great selection of vegetarian dishes, as well as many delectable seafood options. Nayaab also offers catering for birthdays, weddings and all other special occasions, and the restaurant, which seats up to 60 people, is available for meetings, conferences and parties.

Lunch Buffet

Monday to Saturday 11 am - 2:00 pm

DINE IN & TAKE OUT

Monday - Thursday 11 am - 10pm Friday & Saturday 11 am - 11 pm Sunday 4 pm - 10 pm

561 Seymour Street, Kamloops, BC 250.374-7522 JUNE/JULY

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> SOCIAL MEDIA

If You’re in Business, You Must be LinkedIn From job-seekers to entrepreneurs, it’s the most important networking site BY ROBERT KOOPMANS >> EDITOR, KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

here’s some truth in the often repeated suggestion LinkedIn is, essentially, Facebook for business, agrees Paul Holmes. The Victoria-based social media expert, and co-founder of the Social Media Camp, says LinkedIn operates in much the same way Social Media Camp as its larger and Part Two of Three more well-known online cousin. It is a In February, social network that The Daily News connects people, sponsored a onealthough with more day “social media purpose than boot camp” to Facebook. help give local Holmes is a social businesses an media event planner edge developing and speaker, and online marketing co-organizer of skills. Look for Social Media Camp, the third and final the largest social instalment in our media event in series in the next Western Canada. issue of Kamloops The third annual Business. camp will be held at the Victoria Conference Centre June 8-10, and numerous workshop series events will held around B.C. throughout the year. LinkedIn is quickly becoming the most important business networking site out

22 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

there, Holmes adds, and he urges everyone but the retired and the very young to join up, create a profile and build a network. The site is most popular with entrepreneurial businessman whose business benefits or depends on personal interaction with clients, the kind of businesses that value referrals. Retailers or large companies seeking to build brand recognition don’t find LinkedIn as useful, he notes, preferring Facebook, Twitter and webbased sites. Another key group on LinkedIn are the job-seekers and recruiting agencies, Holmes says. Again, taking advantage of the site’s inherent networking capability can make the task of finding a job easier. Recruiters also love LinkedIn, he says, because they have the ability to search out and research a broad base of working professionals, many of whom are not actively seeking work but can be lured to new opportunities with the right offer.

A proper profile is the key to success on LinkedIn. One’s profile should be as thorough and accurate as a resume. LinkedIn is not the place for embellishment, funny pictures or other kinds of unprofessional material. LinkedIn profiles are becoming de facto resumes in many circles. A link to a profile is easily emailed and can be appended to Twitter and Facebook profiles or embedded in web and blog pages. Holmes said it’s possible the day will come when employers will accept LinkedIn profiles in place of paper resumes. Holmes said LinkedIn is free to join, although the service offers a “premium” membership that costs money. He sees no need to become a premium member. The services offered in the premium membership appeal largely to large businesses or human resources recruiting staff, who can take advantage of the analytical tools. KB

Social media guru Paul Holmes says LinkedIn is becoming the most important business networking site out there.

Join us for the Best East Indian Lunch Buffet and Fine Dining

Three years ago, before the doors of Spice a Taste of Indian Cuisine was opened, Bhagwant Sawa was aan inexperienced entrepreneur with a drive to serve others. Today, Bhagwant has found passion in the kitchen ot and he shares it through the flavour-full menu found at Spice. Being immersed in a new world brings opportunity to learn and grow, but one thing that has remained the same and is always most important at Spice is the quality of food. The loyal patrons can taste the quality and care in each dish and for this reason, the owners of Spice are proud to have been awarded Reader's Choice Number One Indian Restaurant in Kamloops. They have set themselves apart from other restaurants and are grateful for the positive feedback they have been receiving from customers, who rave about their distinctive tastes and variety in the popular lunch buffet. Living in the community for the past 30 years, the owners of Spice are happy to give back to the community by igniting their taste buds with exotic Indian flavours. They would like to thank the community for supporting their family owned and operated business, and with their growing success will continue to introduce great tasting authentic Indian cuisine to the community.

BEST

Special arrangements for parties & get-togethers 700 Tranquille Rd. (Across from Liquor Store)) Take Out & Delivery Available •

250-376-4444

MON. TO SAT. 11:00AM – 2PM; 4:30 - 9:30PM • SUN. 4 – 9PM JUNE/JULY

OPEN

7 DAYS

Lunch Buffet from Mon. to Sat.

A WEEK!

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> by the numbers Builder: Tim Pache Construction Ltd. Location/work: To install one-hour demising walls within existing commercial building, 1320 Battle St.

New building permits are listed according to the date the permit was issued by the City of Kamloops. Issued: March 1 Value: $10,000 Builder: Century Glass (1985) Ltd. Location/Work: Commercial alteration, 1102 Victoria St.

Issued: April 3 Value: $90,000 Builder: Dalgleish Construction Ltd. Location/work: Moving existing modular office building to 165 Leigh Rd. from 102 Tranquille Rd., and constructing a car wash bay addition with storage room. 102 Tranquille Rd., 165 Leigh Rd.

Issued: March 1 Value: $30,000 Builder: Dalgleish Construction Ltd. Location/work: Commercial alteration Community Futures. Constructing new interior walls. 301 Victoria St.

Issued: April 5 Value: $50,000 Builder: E.N. Bouwmeester Building Ltd. Location/work: Site service for parking and drainage at Kamloops Hearing Aid Centre, 414 Arrowstone Dr.

Issued: March 1 Value: $50,000 Builder: Martyniuk Construction Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration on first floor. Total Pet, 1370 Summit Dr.

Issued: April 11 Value: $400,000 Builder: Trophy Developments Ltd. Location/work: To construct a light industrial warehouse with one 56-square-metre residential suite,1421 Roper Pl.

Issued: March 7 Value: $45,000 Builder: Plainsman Development Management Inc. Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration. Interior office alterations, 985 McGill Pl. Issued: March 7 Value: $10,800 Builder: Whitehorse West Construction Location/work: Commercial addition to Valleyview Lodge. New driving entrance canopy, 2459 Trans-Canada Hwy. E Issued: March 7 Builder: TF Gray Contracting Ltd. Location/work: Extraction of granular material, 4295 Trans-Canada Hwy. E Issued: March 13 Value: $3,200,000 Builder: Delnor, Kelowna Location/work: To construct a renovation to RIH Device Reprocessing Dept. Addition of an AHU on the rooftop. 311 Columbia St. Issued: March 13 Builder: Joseph L. Butler, 2357 Moody Ave., Kamloops Location/work: The demolition of a 2,283-square-foot house. Issued: March 15 Value: $184,000 Builder: Nexbuild Construction Corp. Location/work: Commercial interior alteration to first floor of the provincial courthouse phone-video room, 455 Columbia St., 127 Clapperton Rd. Issued: March 15 Value: $90,000 Builder: Silver Spur Construction, Pritchard Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration, Open Door Group, 100275 Lansdowne St. Issued: March 15 Builder: Tri-R Holdings Inc., Chilliwack Location/work: To demolish the top two floors of commercial building. In-ground basement to remain for up to two years, 215 Peerless Way. Issued: March 19 Value: $175,000 Builder: Edward Babcock, C. Mackenzie, Sheila A. Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration to Rainbows Roost. Converting existing barn to commercial use, including commercial kitchen, classrooms, and catering services. Complex Part 3 Building, 6675 Westsyde Rd.

Issued: April 12 Value: $45,000 Builder: Plainsman Construction Ltd. Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration for CBC Radio. Installing office partition walls on main floor, 210 Victoria St., 218 Victoria St.

K-Rod Steel worker Andre Boucher wires together steel reinforcing bar on a form at the Manshadi Pharmacy site on Tranquille Road.

Issued: April 12 Value: $16,000 Builder: City of Kamloops Location/work: Interior office alterations at Kamloops Museum, 207 Seymour St. keith anderson/kamloops business

Issued: March 21 Value: $230,000 Builder: Summit Brooke Construction Location/work: Tenant improvements, 233-450 Lansdowne St. Issued: March 22 Value: $15,000 Builder: Laura-Lee Harrison, E. Kavanagh, Bonita P. Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration to the Pond Country Market. Interior renovation to retail area and new coffee bar to be added. 6231 Barnhartvale Rd. Issued: March 22 Builder: Carrie Deleeuw Location/work: Relocating existing 142 square metre greenhouse on property, 6231 Barnhartvale Rd. Issued: March 26 Value: $304,000 Builder: A&T Project Developments Ltd. Location/work: Industrial addition of 223.3 square metres to James Western Star Complex building. Nonsprinklered. 1867 and 1849 Versatile Dr. Issued: March 26 Builder: A&T Project Developments Inc. Location/work: The demolition of Adventure Golf, two-storey building. Also demolition of mini golf course features. 555 Notre Dame Dr. Issued: March 27 Value: $1,190,000 Builder: Maple Reinders Inc., Kelowna Location/work: To construct an administration building for the City of

24 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

Kamloops, sewage treatment plant. Part 9 Building non-sprinklered, 3330 Mission Flats Rd. Issued: March 27 Value: $1,000 Builder: Carl Anderson Location/work: Commercial alteration, construction of interior walls, 405 Tranquille Rd. Issued: March 28 Value: $7,500 Builder: Triton Environmental Real Estate Holdings Ltd. Location/work: To construct a commercial alteration to Triton Environmental. Replace second floor guardrail with new wall for office space. Part 3 complex building non-sprinklered,1326 McGill Rd. Issued: March 28 Value: $250,000 Builder: Tri City Contracting (BC) Ltd. Location/work: Tenant improvement to Interior Metis, 707 Tranquille Rd. Issued: March 29 Value: $10,000 Builder: AAll Glass Ltd. Location/work: Installing three new windows, 275 Seymour St., 285 Seymour St. Issued: March 30 Value: $1,500 Builder: Todd Skelton Location/work: Construction of freestanding walls/structures for massage Services, 147 Victoria St., 145 Victoria St. Issued: March 30 Value: $15,000

Issued: April 13 Value: $150,000 Builder: Gransberg Construction Ltd. Location/work: To construct a twostorey commercial addition to the Super 8 Motel. Sprinklered building. 1521 Hugh Allan Dr. Issued: April 18 Value: $450,000 Builder: Dalgleish Construction Ltd. Location/work: Installation of breezeway/drive-thru at Hotel 540, 540 Victoria St. Issued: April 20 Value: $41,000 Builder: GCCI Canada Inc. Location/work: Commercial interior alteration. Non-sprinklered retail, 236 St. Paul St., 255 Seymour St. Issued: April 20 Value: $50,000 Builder: Wrabel Brothers Construction Location/work: Alterations to existing Orange Julius, 148-1320 Trans-Canada Hwy. W Issued: April 24 Value: $30,000 Builder: Norson Construction Ltd. Location/work: Commercial alteration to hair salon, 3435 Westsyde Rd. Issued: April 25 Value: $40,000 Builder: Lahaina Projects Ltd. Location/work: Gabian wall for six-plex site, 135 St. Paul St. Issued: April 25 Value: $5,000 Builder: Summit Tools Location/work: Upgrades to interior (showroom expansion), 150 Oriole Rd.

Your Business is Our Business

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JUNE/JULY

2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> KCbia report

Downtown’s Crystal Ball Has Core Glowing Green Development of Kamloops ‘cultural district’ will complete enhanced lifestyle experience BY GAY POOLER >> MANAGER, KCBIA

hat do we see in the future for downtown Kamloops, the heart of our wonderful city? A vibrant and livable neighbourhood! In recent years we have seen more people moving into the downtown, with condos and townhouses built, older homes refurbished, secondary suites added, and now the latest urban trend is being seen — laneway housing and lofts above commercial businesses. This residential densification is an important component for the downtown’s continued success. More people living in our neighbourhood puts activity and eyes on our streets 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and means built-in customers for our businesses. Successful businesses attract more entrepreneurs and companies to locate downtown. We have plenty of commercial

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Everyone wins when you make a gift to the Kamloops Foundation. Whether you want to make a small donation, start an endowment fund, or leave a bequest in your will...we are YOUR community foundation and we work with you to make giving easy.

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26 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

space available for office and retail. Filling it with the right mix of businesses isn’t easy. Lease rates need to be competitive, parking GAY POOLER must be available and we have to protect zoning that encourages office concentration in the core, preventing sprawl. This covers work and life, so what about play? Downtown Kamloops is growing as a complete neighbourhood. Your backyard is Riverside Park or Peterson Creek. Your dining room is a sidewalk restaurant. You can go dancing in your rec room, kick back with a micro-brew beer and enjoy the game in your man cave. All from your compact home without a car! Access to the arts and culture is key to attracting residents and also bringing people into the city centre, creating a catalyst for economic success. Cities are creating cultural districts within their downtowns, resulting in an enhanced lifestyle experience and a positive economic impact. The concentration of facilities to create a “cultural district” is well underway in our downtown. From the Interior Savings Centre to the Old Courthouse, St. Andrews and the museum, on to the art gallery and library, with fingers reaching out to the Pavilion and Sagebrush theatres. Concentrated within the area are accommodations, eclectic shops, restaurants, entertainment, art galleries and other amenities, providing a full and wonderful experience for residents and visitors. Adding our future performing arts centre into the heart of the downtown makes complete sense and would anchor our Kamloops cultural district. When city planners develop criteria to choose a location for a new performing arts centre, they look for close proximity to amenities and existing cultural facilities, ease of access and parking. Parking, of course, is a hot topic. Building the centre downtown with ample parking under and attached to it would supply some of our daytime parking needs as well. Dual-purpose usage makes it cost effective. Also being within our neighbourhood, which is full of patrons, means many can walk to dinner and a show. That is pretty green. In fact, our complete downtown neighbourhood is wonderfully green! KB

Celebrating 20 Years in Kamloops Bryant Heating and Cooling Names Rapid Cool Mechanical a Factory Authorized Dealer Everything about your new Bryant heating or cooling system should make you happy, from the unit itself to the person who installs it. That’s what being a Factory Authorized Dealer is all about.

National HVAC Manufacturer Pledges 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed for Rapid Cool Mechanical Customers While this is an important accomplishment for Rapid Cool, the real news is what it means to Kamloops area homeowners. “Our Factory Authorized Dealers represent the highest level of customer service and satisfaction available,” said Glenn Cooke, Residential Sales Manager for the British Columbia market. “We believe in these qualified dealers so much that we are providing their customers with a 100 percent satisfaction and service guarantee.” The 100 percent satisfaction guarantee is a new cornerstone for the Bryant Factory Authorized Dealers program. The guarantee applies to all new product installments made by Bryant Factory Authorized Dealers, like Rapid Cool, and applies to the product itself, as well as the service from the dealer. If any customer is dissatisfied with the product or service, Bryant will do “whatever it takes” to provide a satisfactory solution for the customer. Less than five percent of heating and cooling contractors in the country receive the Factory Authorized Dealer distinction. To qualify, dealers must meet Bryant’s rigid criteria, not only for technical expertise, but also for their business practices and customer service quality. Those who receive the endorsement are backed by Bryant’s 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

“Our commitment to exceptional service, high-quality equipment and expert design and installation has made us a leader in the heating, refrigeration, geo thermal, ventilation and air conditioning industry.” - James Carr

765 Notre Dame Drive, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N8

Phone: 250.374.6858 Toll Free: 1.800.228.6617 Web: www.rapidcool.ca

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2012

KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

> NSbia report

Laneway Houses Ease Transition to High Density Smart cities, savvy investors see the trend away from suburbs toward urban living BY PETER MUTRIE >> MANAGER, NSBIA

he North Shore Business Improvement Association continues to work to increase business opportunities within our commercial areas. An emerging idea in urban planning has potential to increase residential densities and affect how people live and shop. Laneway housing is an emerging trend that will shift how we operate as a society. The current design of our cities is based on a subdivision model of housing along with the convenience of cars and shopping centres. Many downtowns hollow out as people migrate home after their day at work. This non-urban lifestyle is starting to change. A fresh inclination toward urban living is trending away from an automobilereliant culture and into a more localized and pedestrian-friendly environment in which neighbourhood shopping, bicycle paths, scooter lanes and public transit are all intertwined with a higher residential density. This is a continent-wide trend, increasingly supported by community plans and civic development policies. A growing number of jurisdictions are challenged with aging demographics and aging infrastructures. They are now promoting more concentration of services instead of continued expansion of pipes and roadways.

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The North Shore of Kamloops is no exception. We are in transition from a car place to a people place, especially along our main commercial strip of the Tranquille Market. Our shopping areas were all developed during the proliferation of our current car culture and are now becoming magnets for higher density living. Many, but not all, of our new housing projects are locating near the shopping areas while a complementary trend is for new shops to locate near the population centres. An emerging trend gaining acceptance at both the civic policy as well as the private investor level is the topic of laneway or carriage houses. They are sometimes referred to as garden cottages and are acceptable in jurisdictions such as Vancouver. In Vancouver, laneway houses are detached dwellings located in the typical garage area of a single-family lot, facing the laneway and maintaining backyard open space, according to that Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website. Homeowners may add a laneway house while retaining the existing main house, or a laneway house may be built alongside a new main house. A laneway house can be the third dwelling unit on a site, in addition to the main house and a secondary suite. Benefits for the community include

PETER MUTRIE more residential density, more mixed and affordable housing and a more concentrated tax base with less need for extended infrastructure. Benefits for individual property owners are mortgage helpers, increased property values and options to downsize into the cottage while maintaining a cash flow from the main manor. Benefits for the local business community include a higher level of regular, repeat customers and more options to expand product and service offerings. Some older buildings will be upgraded. More residents in the area means higher attraction for more merchants to open more shops as well as less need for cities to extend infrastructure. This is an idea coming to Kamloops and seems worthy of serious consideration. It is an idea that seems to fit with urban revitalization plans and with transitions from car culture to people place. KB

Q&A /GOLF Continued from Page 30 “There is more business done on the golf course than any other event,” he says. “Any time you get concentrated face time with a business client, it is valuable to a business. You can get 4½ hours of conversation with three or four different people, and business is all about rapport.” Larocque says business people want the same tax incentives for golf that are offered for other forms of recreation, including concerts, hockey games and dinners out. Even being allowed to claim a percentage of costs would be worthwhile, he says, and would encourage more people to try the game. “It’s about creating more options. Businesses should be able to decide what is the best avenue to conduct business,” he says. Peter Stoffer, NDP MP for Sackville-Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia)

Stoffer is the head of what’s been dubbed the federal “golf caucus,” a nonpartisan group of about 30 MPs from all parts of Canada who are actively lobbying government to allow businesses to claim golf expenses against income when golf is used for legitimate business purposes. To be clear, says Stoffer, the federal golf caucus is not seeking to have all money spent on golf made eligible for tax deductions. His fellow golf-loving MPs only want to see expenses incurred while golfing for business purposes made eligible.

Peter Stoffer, an NDP MP from Nova Scotia, heads up the so-called “golf caucus,” a group of about 30 MPs lobbying for more favourable tax treatment for the activity. “Not memberships, not general green fees,” he says. “What I’m asking for is that as a business person, if I wanted to take a client to play golf, I can claim the fees as an expense just like I can claim (tickets to) a concert or a sporting event. “As a businessman, I can take you to Cirque de Soleil. But I can’t take you golfing.” Stoffer says golf fell from the list of approved tax expenses in 1971 after it was labellled “elitist.” That’s not the case today, he adds, as many “average Joes” golf. “And they should have the chance.” He concedes some Canadians question why business people get any such tax breaks at all, but notes socializing for

business purposes is an important business tool. As well, it fuels an important industry in Canada — golfing generates more than $11 billion a year. Most towns and cities have at least one, and often several golf courses, each employing about 35 people. Stoffer said he understands why the federal Conservatives did not allow the expenses in their most recent budget, as the government could ill afford to introduce such measures in an austerity budget. “We’ll keep trying,” he said, adding B.C. NDP MP Randall Garrison (another member of Stoffer’s caucus) has just recently introduced a private member’s bill on the issue. KB

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> Q&A

Question: T

Should CANADIAN businesses be allowed to claim golf as a LEGITIMATE expense against income for tax purposes?

he question of whether golf should be considered a legitimate business expense when it comes to income tax calculations has long been debated in corporate offices, political hallways and perhaps even on the golf course itself. Business people say they should have the ability to claim the money they spend entertaining clients on the golf course against the taxes they pay, in the same way they can claim business dinners, or tickets to a hockey game. The federal government most recently dismissed the idea, noting now is not the time to be considering measures that will further strap an already strained federal budget. That leaves open the possibility that maybe one day money spent on green fees will reduce one’s tax burden. We asked the question — here are a few answers.

Mike parker, Kamloops chartered accountant

It comes a s a shock to many business people that they cannot deduct expenses incurred on the golf course while conducting business against their income, said Parker. Usually it’s during a visit with an accountant they learn that while they can deduct 50 per cent of expenses stemming from other kinds of business entertaining, including dinners out, concerts and other sporting events like 30 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS JUNE/JULY 2012

hockey games, they cannot submit golf fees. “Many of them are surprised,” he says. The amount of money involved is not necessarily significant, says Parker, although the loss of deductions adds up over the years. What bothers most of his clients is the seemingly arbitrary nature of the exclusion. Parker says he has no idea why the government refuses to allow golf expenses as a legitimate expense, especially when so many people mix golf and business. “Why isolate the industry?”

Rob Larocque, gm of Sun Rivers Golf, president of Golf Kamloops

Larocque says golf is the perfect venue for business, which is why there is an old term referring to the golf course as “the green boardroom.” The game has just the right structure and pace to allow for meaningful conversation with playing partners, in a manner that allows people to size up each other while engaging in social recreation. Continued on Page 29

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