Landscape Trades April 2020

April 2020

VOL. 42, NO. 4

landscapetrades.com

New plant developments pique demand Prompt payment rules and contracts Mentor Zheng supports with practical research

KIDS NEED

NATURE

Contractors connect, challenge and engage with natural playgrounds

PM40013519

N U E VA® S L A B

C O N T E M P O R A R Y. M O D E R N . O R I G I N A L .

OAKSpavers.com

CONTENTS APRIL 2020 VOL. 42, NO. 4

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Lee Ann Knudsen CLM | lak@landscapeontario.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Scott Barber | sbarber@landscapeontario.com ART DIRECTOR Kim Burton | kburton@landscapeontario.com LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAGAZINE EDITOR Robert Ellidge | rob@landscapeontario.com MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER Mike Wasilewski | mikew@landscapeontario.com ACCOUNTANT Joe Sabatino | joesabatino@landscapeontario.com ACCOUNT MANAGER Greg Sumsion | gsumsion@landscapeontario.com COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Angela Lindsay | alindsay@landscapeontario.com ADVISORY COMMITTEE Gerald Boot CLM, Laura Catalano, Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Jeremy Feenstra, Mark Fisher, Hank Gelderman CHT, Marty Lamers, Bob Tubby CLM, Nick Winkelmolen Landscape Trades is published by Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Phone: (905)875-1805 Email: comments@landscapetrades.com Fax: (905)875-0183 Web site: www.landscapetrades.com LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Cassandra Garrard, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM, Keri MacIvor, Heather MacRae, Kathy McLean, Joe Salemi, Ian Service, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Tom Somerville, Myscha Stafford, Martha Walsh

Landscape Trades is published nine times a year: January, February, March, April, May, August, September, October and November.

Subscription rates: One year – $46.90, two years – $84.74; three years – $118.64, HST included. U.S. and international please add $20.00 per year for postage and handling. Subscribe at www.landscapetrades.com Copyright 2020. All rights are reserved. Material may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Landscape Trades assumes no responsibility for, and does not endorse the contents of, any advertisements herein. All representations or warranties made are those of the advertiser and not the publication.

Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the association or its members, but are those of the writer concerned.

Natural playgrounds FEATURES 6 Natural playgrounds on the rise

Contractors develop a pro-kid niche market.

BY INDIRA KANNAN

14 New plants cultivate new opportunity

Committee works to develop plants that build business.

BY MICHEL TOUCHETTE

COLUMNS 18 Management solutions

Three solid strategies to get more out your payroll investment.

BY MARK BRADLEY

22 Road to success

Valuing employees and openminded policies make for some happy stories.

BY ROD McDONALD

26 Legal matters

How payment and adjudication processes should be properly reflected in today’s contracts.

BY ROBERT KENNALEY

38 Mentor moment

Nursery growers inspire Youbin Zheng to deliver practical research.

DEPARTMENTS ISSN 0225-6398 PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES AGREEMENT 40013519 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT LANDSCAPE TRADES MAGAZINE 7856 FIFTH LINE SOUTH, MILTON, ON L9T 2X8 CANADA

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APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

3

GREENPENCIL One contractor’s leadership plan to survive the virus war

Get battle ready

EVERYONE TODAY has one main You will be surprised how we all perform concern: How will this epidemic affect our when things outside our control change. business in 2020? You are not alone. Every Productivity measures will improve; most person, from the highest levels of governoperations involved in outdoor environment to the local grocer, is thinking the same ments have a 45 to 55 per cent productivexact thing. The only thing we can do as ity rating. That’s an entire discussion for owners and leaders is have hope and remain another day, and it’s not weather! as calm and confident as we can. We need MOST LEADERS, managers and owners put to tell ourselves the hard decisions we make today will bring us out the other side stronger. others’ needs ahead of their own. This is called Servant Leadership. There was a day Will there be work when things are normal again? Yes, there will be work. Will there that others always came first, almost to the be as much work? Absolutely not in the demise of employment for many. As leaders

BY BRENT AYLES and owners, we are expected to separate immediate four to six months, as history has proven. After any slowdown, like the World Wars or 9/11, it has from the pack, and be ahead of it. Learn from the term Physical Distancing and use it for personal improvement and for others taken anywhere from six to 36 months for things to get running in your team. To maintain composure, consistent behaviour and near normal. Quantify things with numbers, so decision-making becomes more focused. Prepare, Plan, and Expect to Win — with above-average results, the leader must be an arm’s length away, so decision making is faster and well-thought out. Be there when a revenue (not profit) reduction of anywhere from 15-25 perthose you lead fall off the track and need a hand to get back on. cent from your predetermined operation budget, which should have been forecast in January. These times will be difficult. Adjust Never feel guilty at separating yourself; maybe it’s a day or two budgets, 2020 may not be a year for growth as it sucks cash. Fo- a week, or one week a month. Wherever you are on your leadercus on “maintaining” and adding to the bottom line, as we must ship journey, start being alone to think back to where you were, to where you are now, and where you want to be. be more productive with fewer people.

And, for your mental health: WRITE IT DOWN. Remember, if THE WINS IN THIS SITUATION will be personal hygiene and nothing happens without you, all you have is a job. Learning to elevated safety concerns, as well as an opportunity to work with delegate and offer follow-up and feedback is critical for both the very best people this year. There will be no room for floaters short- and long-term success. Follow the 10-80-10 Rule. Spend or spares. Everyone needs clear rules, and clear expectations 10 percent of the time showing how tasks are done, let perwith clear consequences. Consider this spring of 2020 an opformance happen 80 per cent of the time, and spend the final portunity to reboot for focus and speed. Speed wins; measure it.

10 per cent providing feedback, both corrective and positive. It works. You will be better prepared to take on new challenges once Covid-19 is somewhat a memory.

This is a great opportunity to do some reflection and self-help.

Yes, self-help. Been there. Done that. Rode the wave. Almost drowned.

Learn to take a break when you have no control. Elevate the mind, spend time with family and reviewing your personal vision plan. When the mind is rested and clear, performance improves!

There is a race to run. Speed wins. Be SAFE. THE MARKETS WILL OPEN. Those that make it through this will be stronger and wiser.

Just as David was after he fought Goliath. Get battle ready! LT

4 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Brent Ayles is president of Ayles Natural Landscaping, based in Riverview, N.B.

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BOUT A YEAR AGO Garnet McLaughlin and his wife Alexia, co-founders of outdoor recreation company Cobequid Consulting, based in Economy, N.S., received a video from a family in New Brunswick. McLaughlin said, “The mother is like, ‘I can’t thank you enough, it’s amazing what happened’,” as he recalled her emotional message. The woman was referring to one of Cobequid’s installations, a cedar bird’s nest swing that can seat up to five children. One of her children was autistic, non-verbal and had always shunned all contact with his siblings.

The mother told the McLaughlins, “He’s 12 years old, they have no relationship and we’ve tried everything.

But we went to that park, he climbed in that swing and his brothers and sisters sat with him and I can’t tell you what that meant. And they’re there every day now, and

Contractors diversify into natural p

NiCHE MAR nurtures wi

6 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

it’s the whole aroma of the cedar, the wood surface, and the swing ... I can’t thank you enough.”

“You can’t get that with a play structure that’s been assembled out of plastic and steel,” agrees Dave Milburn, founder of Focal Point Landscape Design. His Fredericton, N.B.-based landscaping company ventured into the natural playground space only recently, but has already struck a chord. “The proof always comes a couple of days after we finish, with the emails and the calls saying we can’t get the kids inside; they show us videos of what the kids try to do,” says Milburn. For Milburn and his wife, who helps run their family business, the spark for their new venture was right at home: a daughter who just turned one. As part of their landscaping business, Milburn had worked with schools and was shocked to see the change in how kids play now. “We waited many, many years to have our daughter, adopted from Nunavut,” says Milburn. “We

had spent so many years knowing what we wanted for our daughter, and that is to be exposed to nature. That’s the way we grew up and that’s the way we want our lives, and all of a sudden there was a place to put it in our business which was really, really neat.” Focal Point’s natural playground venture is still in an “early stage,” according to Milburn, having completed a couple of very basic projects and working on two more. One involved sawing an existing playhouse in half, moving one part to the top of a natural hill, from where kids could use a slide to exit.

While definitions vary, a natural play space is loosely understood to be one that uses natural materials and often incorporates natural topographical features like slopes, streams, stumps and logs. The idea is to correct what is widely recognized as this generation’s nature deficit disorder. As more communities discover the benefits of providing natural

playgrounds:

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Natural playgrounds incorporate topographical features like slopes, streams, stumps and logs.

playgrounds for children, or at least incorporating natural elements into conventional play spaces, new business opportunities are opening up, often filled by companies that already have expertise in landscape design and build.

Earthscape, based in Elmira, Ont., started as a typical landscape design and build firm 15 years ago. Now, having grown to a company with about 80 employees, it deploys over 50 of them in its playground business. Laura Hilliard, the company’s spokesperson, says, “All the things we build have very detailed engineering that goes into the design and construction. They are all built with natural materials and they are often in a setting that is designed to be more natural looking.” She has a shorter, kid-friendlier term for their award-winning structures: “epic.” In fact, Earthscape, which gets three-quarters of its business from the United States, is among only a handful of companies worldwide working at this scale in the natural play spaces sector. Their projects have ranged in size from just 60 square meters to over 4,000. Another leading Canadian company in this field is Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, founded by Adam Bienenstock, widely regarded as a pioneer in the industry.

CHANGING BEHAVIOURS The demand is coming from various quarters, including residential customers, municipalities and early childhood learning centres and daycares. A big push for the idea has come from child development experts. Milburn, who counts Bienenstock as a mentor, points to research in his pitch. “Not every kid wants to run and jump and hang, some may just want somewhere to sit quietly, maybe read or play a game together like role playing. So we look at how to create somewhere for fine motor skills, somewhere for auditory skills, 10 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Natural playgrounds give kids a chance to use their strength, muscles and five senses.

social skills like imagination or problem solving, and try to engage all five senses as much as possible.” He believes natural playgrounds can be helpful in treating behavioural issues. “Sometimes kids have not been exposed to something they can use their senses on, use their muscles, their grip strength — so all of a sudden what was kind of pent up behavioural issues in the classroom can change when exposed to a different natural environment,” Milburn says.

Ironically, the playgrounds also aim to change behaviour of parents. As Hilliard explains, “Parenting has become more hands-on, you hear about helicopter parenting where parents want to bubblewrap children. But there’s been a counter recognition to that, which says children actually are more likely to injure themselves or not develop fully physically when they don’t have opportunities to play and take risks. So, building play structures and outdoor spaces that are really, really safe, where playground safety becomes the driving concern — when you do that, it actually becomes a negative experience for children.”

That doesn’t mean natural playgrounds are a free-for-all field

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where anything goes. Companies adhere to federal and local regulations that may differ in different regions. “In Canada, the Day Care Act has regulations about childcare spaces, school boards have their own rules. There are a lot of limitations that you have to creatively work within to design really interesting play spaces,” said

Hilliard. There are also the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) guidelines for children’s play spaces and equipment. Cobequid’s McLaughlin says, “If you’re a playground installation company, you would or should have your own licensed inspectors on staff. A lot of municipalities have their own inspections as well, so two inspections are done.” Accessibility is important, too. Cobequid has a staffer who is clinically blind, to advise on issues like colour perception and surface transitions. Adds McLaughlin, “Every site we do now has stainless slides because of kids with cochlear implants, and the static risk from plastic.”

UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE IN COSTS

Benefits of natural playgrounds Several studies have noted that exposure to nature and natural play spaces is highly beneficial during children’s early development years, providing better outcomes than conventional playgrounds constructed of plastic and steel. Some of the benefits include: l Visual skills and balance by playing on loose and flexible surfaces l Auditory skills from listening to the sounds of nature l Motor skills and strength through physical activity l Improved attention spans through discovery of natural elements l Social skills l Respect for the environment l Problem solving and creativity l Emotional health from exposure to nature 12 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

As fast as this business is growing, if it’s not growing even faster, one reason, according to McLaughlin, is community buy-in — especially regarding costs. For instance, Earthscape’s projects can range from $100,000 to over a million dollars. As Milburn explains, “People have to buy in to the value of development and the cognitive change and benefits for the kids this presents, in order to understand the costs.” Steel and plastic have long been mass-manufactured and cost effective. “But we’re looking at components that are hand manufactured, hand carved at times, from naturally occurring materials like wood and stone that takes a) craftsmanship, and b) the installation knowhow so it’s not going to decompose or rot,” says Milburn.

“But the beauty of most of this is that it doesn’t get hot, so there’s a big change in the sensory engagement.”

As the world tries to move away from plastic, the demand for this field can only grow, especially with a helping hand from the world of social media. McLaughlin says he hasn’t “spent a dime,” but gets enquiries for fabricated products from around the world, just by being found online. Cobequid is usually booked a year in advance, with plans including branching out beyond the Maritimes. Hilliard says Earthscape works on anywhere between 50 and 100 projects every year. Milburn aims to grow enough to have a team dedicated to natural playgrounds. Companies in this field are also looking to hire workers ranging from welders and carpenters to CAD users. Looking even further ahead, Milburn quotes Bienenstock to say natural playgrounds can be an investment towards tackling a persistent complaint of the landscaping industry — the shortage of skilled labour. Children exposed to nature early, the theory goes, will grow into adults interested in landscaping — as employees, employers and clients. Child’s play, it seems, is not quite child’s play. LT

Indira Kannan is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

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Chinook Sunrise rose

Aurora Borealis rose

Canadian Shield rose

New plants Canadian landscapes

BY MICHEL TOUCHETTE, NPDC CHAIR

Committee acts on research priorities for the green sectors

S

INCE 2010, the New Plant Development Committee (NPDC) of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) has been heavily focused on providing industry direction and cost-share financing for rose breeding at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC). Breeding goals of this program continue to focus on black spot resistance and extreme winter hardiness. Agriculture Canada, CNLA and VRIC have shared in the costs and another agreement has just been signed to continue this partnership until 2023. In the current round, the NPDC will

14 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

invest up to $250,000 over five years to secure $2-million of project funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Vineland.

Roses bred through this program are marketed under the 49th Parallel brand (49throses.com), that was introduced in 2015. The red- and coral-coloured varieties Canadian Shield and Chinook Sunrise make up the collection so far. Aurora Borealis, a pink rose, will come to market in 2021 with future plans for a yellow rose in the works.

With rose breeding on a strong footing now, the NPDC has begun a process to determine breeding research priorities for the Canadian nursery and landscape sector and to identify a new ornamental plant or tree breeding program to focus on. Some of

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Canada has a long tradition breeding hardy roses beginning with the Dominion Department of Agriculture and continuing with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Morden, Man. The national program in place at Vineland upholds this fine breeding tradition with the added guidance of consumer insights research to ensure the roses are perfect for the 21st century gardener.

The roses include low-maintenance features, vibrant colours, deep green glossy foliage and will continuously bloom all summer long.

Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection makes it simple for both experienced and new gardeners to integrate the beauty of fabulous landscape roses into their outdoor living.

Roses currently in the collection include: Canadian Shield, a red rose was launched in 2017 to mark Canada’s 150th birthday; it has been a popular addition to gardens nationwide since then. Canadian Shield was named Canada Blooms’ 2017 Plant of the Year.

Chinook Sunrise, launched in 2019, features unique coral blossoms resembling the bright, warm hues of a rising sun. The flowers start as deep apricot buds, revealing a riot of pink as they open.

the topics that have come forward are sterility in Acer and other ornamental plants deemed invasive, boxwood varieties resistant to boxwood blight, black knot resistance in Schubert chokecherry trees, seedless purple foliage trees, evaluation of American elm selections resistant to Dutch elm disease, and developing ash tree cultivars resistant to emerald ash borer. As you can see, there are many good critical requests for plant breeding from our industry, and as always, only limited dollars to invest.

Each of the NPDC committee members was asked to list their top three research priorities for their growing regions. There are members on the committee from all regions in Canada.

The committee will identify their top priority by late June.

From there they will begin the search for a Canadian research institution with the appropriate expertise for that selected research priority.

The NPDC committee welcomes your input on ornamental plant breeding research topics (and funding support!). Simply send us an email through CNLA’s committee staff member, Jamie Aalbers jamie@canadanursery. com with your suggestions. LT

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Dodge the hiring problems a little bit longer

BY MARK BRADLEY

BEFORE YOU TAKE ON 2020’s biggest challenge for landscape contractors, first focus on getting the most out of the people you have. Talk to any landscape contractor these days about their issues, and labour is the first problem out of their mouth. Finding people who want to do it, and can do it competently, is perhaps the single biggest challenge faced by the green (and snow) industry today.

Companies with opportunities to grow are stagnated by lack of access to willing labour, and it’s having a serious impact on companies everywhere. You are not going to fix the labour pool overnight, you are not going to change the millennial mindset, and it’s unlikely you will come up with a hiring strategy that no one else has thought of (or tried) already.

So what can you do? Start by focusing your time and efforts on the things you can control. Here are several strategies to help you maximize productivity of the staff you have.

STOCK UP ON EQUIPMENT There are many good reasons to use equipment instead of labour; the hiring problem is only one of them. For one, it’s cheaper. The average skid steer costs a little less than $20 per hour to operate, including depreciation, fuel and repairs. It will cost you the same (or a little less) than the average labourer, but it can produce three to five times the amount of work in an hour.

Plus, it’s more reliable, takes fewer sick days, needs less management and overhead, and a skid steer won’t up and leave if the competition offers a little more.

Also, you will earn more sales in less time. Imagine doing patios

entirely by hand vs. machine. The excavation and base prep will take two to three times as long, at least! Or imagine mowing large areas with a push mower. Working with equipment means each job goes faster. And the faster each job goes, the more time you have to do more jobs … without adding more staff.

CHASE MAXIMUM REVENUE PER HOUR When focusing on “the best” jobs, most estimators and sales staff focus on net or gross profit. Both are good numbers to focus on, but you should pay close attention to another number, revenue per hour. Revenue per hour measures the amount of sales revenue, per man-hour, that a job generates. It is very easy to calculate. Simply take the selling price of the estimate and divide it by the number of man-hours in the estimate to calculate how much revenue — per man, per hour — the job is generating.

Jobs that maximize your revenue per hour help you hit sales goals (and recover overhead) faster. It helps to look at a real example.

You could have a 100-hour contract to mow grass — nothing more. You might be able to get $50 per hour to mow the grass, so the most you are likely to earn is $5,000 for the 100 manhours you will invest. The gross profit likely looks good because the markup on labour is healthy, but it will be hard to generate big sales numbers, because you have to add a lot of people to get there.

Now compare that to a 100-hour planting job, where you are installing all kinds of plant material. Since your crews are installing material, and the customer is paying for it, your crews might generate something like $15,000. Your revenue per man hour is $150 — three times better than the mowing job. This company could hit the same revenue as the mowing company above, but with just one-third the staff. As a bonus, it would need less equipment and probably less overhead, with fewer people to manage. That is a very compelling advantage.

Jobs that maximize your revenue per man-hour will help your company grow its sales revenues, without adding more people.

It keeps you focused on the jobs that maximize return on investment for your most scarce resource: field labour hours.

AUTOMATE YOUR OFFICE Ditch the paperwork for good. Pushing paper around is extraordinarily inefficient, time consuming and mistake-prone. Customer 18 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

MANAGEMENTSOLUTIONS management, accounting, payroll and job costing can all be managed far more effectively with software.

You would not mow a lawn with scissors, so don’t manage your data with pencils and paper. It’s too little data arriving too late, and you are working way too hard and too long every day because of it.

A contractor commented to me recently he had taken invoicing for snow events down from 28 days to two, as a result of automating snow tracking and invoicing. Not only is he getting paid sooner — his overhead staff are freed up to work on other business-critical activities. This will allow him to grow and prosper without having to add overhead staff until much later. This helps with the hiring problem, and profit margins will be higher (or prices more competitive) given the lower overhead.

ENGAGE AND SHARE GOALS A very important step in beating the hiring problem is to reduce turnover, and get the most out of the staff you have. That is why it’s so important to use your estimates for more than just calculating a price. They should set up a plan for every job.

By providing your staff with a clear plan for profit on every job, you will certainly see increased productivity and profitability.

If you can use these plans to increase staff productivity by 15 per cent (and we have seen it happen), that’s an easy way to grow your business without having to hire more people.

But plans do more than improve productivity — they engage your staff in the process. When your estimates clearly spell out the labour, equipment, materials and instructions for each job, your foreman and managers have the opportunity to work towards goals. These goals engage them in the game, or sport, of business. They know when they are doing a good job, they know you know they are doing a good job and their job satisfaction will increase. And when there are problems, you will be able to identify and eliminate them much sooner — making their lives a little easier, and your business far more profitable. LT

Mark Bradley is CEO of LMN and the former CEO of TBG Environmental, both based in Ontario.

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ROADTOSUCCESS

Employees: Our true asset

BY ROD McDONALD

BACK IN THE EARLY 1980s, the provincial green trades association had a barbecue in Regina, Sask. It was a lovely August evening for a cookout, in beautiful Wascana Park. We were sitting with our lawn chairs forming an irregular circle, plates of food balanced on our laps. Soon, one of the members started up the conversation of how stupid one of his employees had been that spring. That discussion snowballed and many people joined in with stories of employees who couldn’t follow the simplest instructions. It was not a pleasant experience listening to this group of business people, trying to top each other with tales of woe.

Seated beside me was John Wigglesworth. He was an older gentleman, while at the time I was in my early 30s. John owned a sod farm near Saskatoon and I always respected how he carried himself. His business was organized and his turf was considered top-shelf. I learned to listen to what John had to say, as I knew he could be relied upon to point me in the right direction.

I turned to John and said, “I am not comfortable with this conversation of how stupid employees can be. My employees are good people and deserving of respect.” John agreed, “I, too, value my employees. They work hard and they make me money.

If they don’t, I have to get new ones, but that doesn’t happen too often.”

EVEN THOUGH that conversation occurred almost 40 years ago, I remember it as if it were yesterday. It left a strong impression on me. I thought at the time, and I still think, those complainers did not realize how they were exposing themselves as bad managers and employers. If that is what they thought of their employees, and they were actually denigrating them in a public conversation, they needed to take a look at what they themselves were doing wrong. Thank goodness I had the support of John, and as time went by, I found others who treated their employees with respect.

I noted those who treated their employees with the greatest of value were the most successful members of our trade. To move from the bush leagues to the big leagues requires a positive attitude and knowledge of the importance of respect.

Finding the best employees requires skill and effort. If we operate in a random manner and hire the first ones through the door, we can expect random results. References need to be checked, and that is where you will find discrepancies, and on 22 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

occasion, exaggeration. During the interview, the simplest way of separating the wheat from the chaff (I am definitely a prairie boy) is to say, “Tell me about yourself.” No direct questions, as those often elicit stock responses. If you sit back and listen to a person tell you their story, it soon becomes apparent who will be of interest, and who is only passing through. Also, when you listen to a person tell their story, given enough time, you can also detect the con artists.

A FRIEND FROM SCHOOL DAYS went on to become a lawyer here in Regina. He was an excellent lawyer, and as a result of his hard work, he was appointed a Queen’s Bench Judge. I asked him if being a judge was difficult. He told me, “Most people think it is, but in reality, it is quite easy. All you have to do is to let people talk long enough, and it becomes readily apparent who is telling the truth and who is lying.” My experience of interviewing many candidates over the years matches the judge’s experience. You listen for a while, and it becomes readily apparent who you want as an employee.

Screening is important, and you cannot screen effectively if you are doing all of the talking. Asking predictable questions such as, “Are you a hard worker?” or “Are you honest?” does not get you anywhere. So don’t ask questions that are a waste of time.

Many years ago my brother managed a reputable bar close to downtown Regina. He kept problems to a minimum. His policy was, “If you don’t want trouble in your bar then don’t let trouble in the door.” He applied that rule to both employees and customers. The same scenario can be applied to us. When trouble appears, move on it quickly and without hesitation. Letting trouble develop because you thought it would resolve itself is almost a guarantee for escalation.

YOU CAN RECRUIT new and top-notch employees through job ads and the interview process, and you can find good employees through your existing ones as well. I have never understood companies that did not allow family members to work at the same store. My experience was this: I made it known that if an employee had a family member or a friend, who they knew was a good worker for certain, then let me know. At one time, I had nine staff members who had either a son, daughter, sister, or brother working for me at the same time. I never had a problem

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Brandt Builds on Deep Roots in Landscaping industry.

In late 2019, the Canadian landscape equipment industry saw a major shift as the Brandt Group of Companies acquired the assets of Nortrax Canada Inc. and Nortrax Quebec Inc. from John Deere. The deal was a strategic move by the company to unite all John Deere Construction & Forestry dealerships in Canada under the Brandt banner, creating the country’s first and only coast-to-coast-to-coast equipment dealer network.

“We’re very excited to be expanding our working relationship with the Canadian landscape industry,” says Brandt President and CEO, Shaun Semple. “Our roots in landscaping go deep; Brandt has been supplying equipment for the industry for over 50 years, so we’ve got an in-depth understanding of the needs of contractors.”

The acquisition of John Deere’s factory-owned Nortrax locations in Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador was a logical next step for the Regina-based company, the latest in a series of expansions undertaken by the Semple family, starting 25 years ago.

The story of the Brandt Group of Companies’ journey from small-time local company to major equipment dealer and industrial manufacturer began in 1932 with Brandt Electric - a small electrical contracting firm that later expanded into agricultural manufacturing as Brandt Machine and Manufacturing. Gavin Semple, the father of current President and CEO Shaun Semple, began working in sales with the company in 1972 and rose to become President and General Manager by 1976. He soon acquired controlling interest and was joined by his son Shaun in 1984 when the company had revenues of only $6 million dollars.

During this time, the company began selling and servicing trenching, plowing, and landscaping products for Ditch Witch – a strong relationship that has now grown to span all of Canada, from coast to coast to coast.

“The Ditch Witch equipment lineup gave us our first significant experience in the landscaping business,” says Brandt VP of Sales – Worksite Products, Van Wall.

“Then, the addition of Deere compact equipment and attachments a few years afterward really solidified our offering. It’s been an important part of our business ever since.”

In 1992, the Semples created a new division, Brandt Tractor Ltd., and became John Deere’s exclusive Construction & Forestry dealer in Saskatchewan. They expanded the business into Manitoba and southern Alberta in 1995 with the acquisition of three dealerships and again in 1999 when, with oil prices low and the industry downsizing, Shaun invested in the future, acquiring dealerships in Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Grand Prairie, Alberta. By 2001, a Ditch Witch branch had also been established in Milton, Ontario and in 2002, Brandt was able to acquire 13 additional locations in British Columbia. In 2013, five more dealerships were added in the Atlantic Canada region, bringing the total to 27.

With the recent addition of the Nortrax locations, privately owned Brandt now has 56 full-service dealerships and 100+ service points across Canada and is the largest John Deere Construction and Forestry Equipment Dealer in the world.

From Day One, the Semple family has focused on customer support as Brandt’s #1 priority. To help ensure the success of their customers, the company has expanded the breadth of its offering significantly over the years to include offerings from some of the top equipment suppliers in the world in roadbuilding (Wirtgen, Hamm, Vögele, Kleemann), underground excavation (American Augers, Trencor, Ditch Witch), forestry (Hitachi), truck rigging and specialized transportation (Camex – acquired

by Brandt in 2018), positioning technologies (Topcon, iVolve), machine monitoring (JDLink, FleetWise), utility and heavy haul trailers, and more.

The Semples recognized along the way that they could add additional value for their customers by leveraging their extensive manufacturing capabilities to design and produce built-for-purpose attachments for the equipment that they sell. The company launched their successful lineup of Work Ready utility trailers in 2017 while their Brandt Equipment Solutions division now markets a 3000+ unit catalogue of Deere-optimized custom material handling attachments such as buckets, blades, thumbs and couplers to companies across Canada and the U.S. and in select markets around the world.

“We’ve got a lot to offer Canadian landscapers and we’re fully-committed to this market,” concludes Semple. “Brandt is in this for the long haul, there’s no question!”

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ROADTOSUCCESS with any of those relationships. I found that if one of my employees had vouched for a relative or a friend, then he or she also took responsibility for that new hire.

All of my employees who had their children working as students, made it very clear to their kids they were to be the hardest working members of the staff. No slouches, no complaining. As I have already written, I never had a problem with those family relationships in my garden centre.

Connected for decades, Rod McDonald and Brad Crassweller of Cedar Creek Gardens in Regina came together through a family connection that benefited both.

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I LOVE HAPPY STORIES, and in 1987 I had a university student working for me. One morning he brought in his kid brother, telling me, “Dad said he is to work for you today and you don’t have to pay him.”

The younger brother turned out to be an excellent worker and I kept him, and of course, I did pay him. He stayed with me for four years while he attended Bible College. He was one of my best employees. Today, Brad Crassweller owns a greenhouse south of town, and I work for him, planting in the spring. It keeps my hand in the trade, and I am in my element when I am in a greenhouse, any greenhouse. The circle of life for us in the green trades.

I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE in how well my former employees have done in life.

Some have their own shops and others went on to have good careers in other professions. A 16-year-old student who had the most aptitude of any employee went on to become a very skilled, argumentative lawyer. No great surprise there.

When you hire good people who work hard, it is not surprising their lives have been filled with positive outcomes. Take it as a compliment you were once a part of their journey.

When I had to let someone go, I had to accept either I had hired the wrong person or I had failed to train them properly on what was expected. Regardless, the proverbial buck stopped with me. If we take our responsibility seriously and provide our employees with opportunities to succeed, then we ourselves stay firmly on the road to success. LT

Rod McDonald owned and operated Lakeview Gardens, a successful garden centre/landscape firm in Regina, Sask., for 28 years. He now works full-time in the world of fine arts, writing, acting and producing in film, television and stage.

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LEGALMATTERS

Contracts in the age of payment and adjudication processes

BY ROBERT KENNALEY

MOST PROVINCES IN CANADA, along with the federal government, have either passed, or are considering, legislation to impose prompt payment and adjudication processes on the construction industry. Prompt payment requires the owners of construction improvements to pay the proper invoices of the contractors they hire within certain timeframes, unless they provide a specific form of notice of their intention not to do so (along with the reasons why) within a specific period of time.

In Ontario, the timeframe is 14 days. Generally, the payment obligations are then repeated down the construction ladder in specified intervals, as each payee is required to make payments within certain timeframes unless they, too, give specific notice of their intention not to do so.

Adjudication will allow construction disputes to be resolved, at least at first instance, through interim and binding determinations made in very tight timeframes, usually before non-lawyers and often on the basis of written materials alone. Appeals from an adjudicator’s decision will not generally be available, such that an unsuccessful party’s only recourse will be to commence litigation or arbitration proceedings in an effort to obtain a contrary, final, decision. In the meantime, unsuccessful parties will have to live with the decision: they can be required to pay disputed amounts or to perform work they believe to be outside the scope of their contracts or subcontracts. Accordingly, an unfavourable determination can have significant consequences, as the road to a different, final decision through the courts or arbitration can be a lengthy, expensive and uncertain process. As the structure of the legislation being passed and considered in Canada’s other jurisdictions is substantially similar to Ontario’s, what follows is a review of the importance of contracts and subcontracts with reference to the Ontario legislation.

WHERE PROMPT PAYMENT APPLIES, the payment provisions of every construction contract or subcontract in Ontario are void unless recently amended to comply with the new statutory requirements. This includes every Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC), Canadian Construction Association (CCA), Ontario Provincial Standard Specification (OPSS) and municipal standard form, along with every other construction contract, subcontract or PO issued, regardless of who has prepared them. Contracts and subcontracts should be amended 26 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

to be consistent with the legislation. Many a dispute can be avoided, of course, if the contract documents accurately reflect the deal between the parties. Laying out the proper payment terms will also promote a better relationship and help ensure that payments flow as seamlessly as possible.

In addition, the parties to a contract or subcontract can agree on much of how prompt payment is going to work, including how proper invoices are to be given, what requirements are to be met as a condition of giving a proper invoice and what is to occur if an owner believes those requirements have not been met. The ability to specify the requirements of a proper invoice is particularly important. Owners can and should use this ability to ensure they have enough information to review a proper invoice within the applicable 14-day window. Options in this regard include the potential for invoices to be given other than monthly, the requirement that invoices be submitted at specific times and in specific ways, pre-invoice meetings, the provision of interim information and the requirement that (potentially substantial) backup be provided with an invoice (such as as-built drawings, third party quantity or quality assessments or backup to all costs incurred).

WHERE THE FORM OF CONTRACT is put out to tender or otherwise prepared by the owner, contractors should accordingly ensure (before they submit a bid or execute a contract) they are aware of what will be required for the purposes of invoicing. In some circumstances, the owner’s requirements may be difficult, impossible or expensive to provide. Subcontractors should be aware that some or all of these obligations might be passed down the construction ladder.

As is the case with prompt payment, Ontario’s Construction Act allows parties to agree on much of how adjudication is to work. This includes the nuts and bolts of document exchange and the role of witnesses, etc., so long as the Act is not contradicted. The parties can agree to submit more than one matter to adjudication at a time and to allow adjudication of disputes even if the contract or subcontract at issue is complete. They can also agree on who will be appointed as adjudicator, which is particularly important because, in the absence of an agreement, an adjudicator will be appointed without consideration for the subject matter of the dispute. Indeed, because the appointment

LEGALMATTERS of a person with no legal experience or background in the matters at issue can have predictably uncertain consequences, parties should agree on the adjudicator wherever possible. Just as CCDC standard form contracts call for the appointment of a Project Mediator, contracts and subcontracts can require that acceptable adjudicators be agreed upon before disputes arise.

We also submit that, given the potential adjudication of disputes, parties must be increasingly diligent to make sure their contracts and subcontracts are clear. This is because, in the context of an interim determination to be made in a short timeframe on the basis of limited submissions, an adjudicator might not be inclined to look beyond the contractual language.

Rather, he or she may be inclined to say

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essentially, “I am not convinced that you are right and, accordingly, if you want to pursue this you will have to do so in litigation or arbitration.� This likelihood will be increased if the party seeking the remedy is the party that drafted the document.

Similarly, parties should be increasingly diligent in following their contracts and subcontracts. This is because adjudicators may be less likely to grant a remedy if the party seeking it has failed to comply with a contractual term or condition (such as a notice, approval or record-keeping requirement), knowing that he or she may seek relief from the breach in litigation or arbitration, where the circumstances can be more fully and completely vetted.

IN THE END, where prompt payment and adjudication apply, everyone involved in the construction industry should be taking steps to revise their contract and subcontract forms, to bring them into conformity with the new legislation, to reasonably control the prompt payment and adjudication processes and to better manage the associated risks. They should also take steps to ensure their contracts and subcontracts are both clear and followed, to increase the likelihood interim adjudication will result in desired outcomes. LT

Robert Kennaley practices construction law in Toronto and Simcoe, Ont. He speaks and writes on construction law issues and can be reached for comment at 416-700-4142 or at rjk@kennaley.ca. This material is for information purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers who have concerns about any particular circumstance are encouraged to seek independent legal advice in that regard.

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CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION COMMITTEE The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association recognizes the vital role we play in management of the effects of an adverse climate. The very nature of our industry puts us in a unique position to help adapt to the change. From the primary producers and growers, to the garden centres that sell and educate, to the landscapers and designers of green spaces — as a whole, our services and practices are creating solutions by the very work we do every day.

The Climate Change Adaptation Committee was created to respond to the changing environment and the challenges facing the industry. It’s a committee of chairs, with the mandate to bring clarity, focus and connectivity between the products, services and practices of our members and the defining issue of our time: Climate Change.

Our green industry contributes to regu-

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lating the climate for towns and cities. It provides economic, ecological, social and health benefits by reducing energy costs, managing stormwater, creating cleaner air and improving our population’s physical health, mental health and well-being, significant for the livability of communities.

Consequently, the Climate Change Adaptation Committee’s task is to develop strategies to promote the value of our members’ products and services as part of climate change adaptation solutions.

Discover more at cnla-acpp.ca. Alan White is the committee’s chair and the liaison between CNLA Board of Directors and the Green Cities Foundation Board of Directors.

#GREENMYCITY: BREAKING NEW GROUND The Green Cities Foundation is a community connecting plants and people for a greener, healthier urban climate.

This summer we plan to build our first #GreenMyCity project in the “code red”

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area of downtown Hamilton, Ont. Our main focus will be at St. Matthew’s House, along with a number of parks in the neighbourhood.

St. Matthews House includes a childcare centre for children up to four years old — the majority of kids in the program are there through subsidies provided to low-income families. It also includes an older adults’ program with access to financial supports with two daily meals and mental health support, as well as a street outreach program and a Christmas “adopt-a-family” program.

A landscape design plan has been created by Brydges Landscape Architecture, which will revitalize a derelict part of the city by remediating a brownfield that has sat idle for more than 50 years. The plan calls for building a renovated daycare play area and furnishing a green gathering space for the community, in a deeply urbanized environment.

We will be working together with residents of Hamilton to organize community garden cleanups, tree planting and turf maintenance in the surrounding park areas during our St. Matthew’s House project.

Alan White, Vice-Chair of the Green Cities Foundation, has been instrumental in leading this project alongside landscape architect Paul Brydges and Peter Guinane of Oriole Landscaping.

The CNLA and the Green Cities Foundation are asking any members who would like to help out with the project through sponsorship, material donations or volunteer support to please contact Rebecca Doutre, rebecca@cnla-acpp.ca. For more information on the Green Cities Foundation or to nominate a project in your community visit gcfoundation.ca.

“We hope that by building projects like this across Canada we will help educate the public and our politicians on the value of green spaces and the impacts to the community that they can provide,” said White.

NEW CNLA STAFF CNLA is pleased to welcome two new staff members to the team; Dave Mazur as the new Communications Specialist and Sonia Parrino is Program Coordinator

for Communities in Bloom.

Mazur brings a broad range of marketing and communications experience, primarily in the retail and non-profit sectors. He has an accomplished background in creative direction, marketing management, ecommerce and social media, having studied at the Art Institute of Toronto and the University of Waterloo.

He comes to us from a non-profit social enterprise, Fairtrade, where he served as marketing team lead in retail operations and public relations. Initiatives driven by Mazur included total-retail marketing, donor outreach, artisan advocacy, communitybased fundraising, social media engagement, and a David Mazur detailed brand refresh for both digital and “brick and mortar” spaces.

Sonia Parrino is Program Coordinator for Communities in Bloom (CiB), and has been with the organization since 2011.

Her duties are to coordinate judges’ evaluations and participation of the communities in the National Edition and International Challenge. She coordinates all travel arrangements for the volunteer judges, and works on projects as well as contests with the sponsors and Sonia Parrino partners, in addition to providing information and guidance to communities while also obtaining information from them. Parrino also maintains and updates all program documents.

She networks with the provincial organizations on matters pertaining to the National Edition. Sonia also helps to coordinate the Symposium and Awards Ceremonies, held in a different Canadian city every year. Parrino is thrilled to be a new member of the CNLA team and looks forward to learning new skills and welcoming new opportunities. LT

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association is the federation of Canada’s provincial horticultural trade associations.

Visit www.cnla-acpp.ca for more information.

APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

31

PROVINCIAL CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES Canada’s provincial trade associations have assembled information for the green industry in light of the fast-moving virus pandemic. Look here first for information on employment, business resources, best practices, safety and more: Alberta: https://www.landscape-alberta.com/covid-19-industry-updates/ British Columbia: https://bclna.com/covid-19-news-update/ Manitoba: https://mbnla.com/covid-19/ National: https://cnla.ca/business-intel/covid-19-action-centre New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island: http://www.landscapenb-pei.ca/ Newfoundland and Labrador: http://www.landscapenl.ca/covid-19-resources.html Nova Scotia: https://landscapenovascotia.org/covid-19 Ontario: https://horttrades.com/covid-19-resources Quebec: https://quebecvert.com/ Saskatchewan: https://www.snla.ca/industry/news.html?news=covid19-special-briefing

VAN BELLE MOVES TO ECO-FRIENDLY POTS Van Belle Nursery announced that as of April 13, 2020, it will be the first company in North America to deliver a live goods program using the new “Flow Pot” by CTi Plastic, made entirely from recycled plastic collected from river and ocean-bound sources, as well as post-

Van Belle’s new pots by CTi Plastic, a Canadian company, are made entirely from recycled plastic and post-consumer plastic.

32 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

consumer plastic.

“Consumers are looking to us, the suppliers, to take action and offer products that make a real difference in the world,” says Ashley Harrison, Retail Program Specialist at Van Belle Nursery. “CTi is a great Canadian organization that cares about people and the planet just like we do, so I knew if we could weave their innovation into our products, it would excite our team and retail partners — it’s a win all around.”

Van Belle Nursery grows over 400 varieties of plants on 100 acres in the Fraser Valley region of B.C., shipping to growers and retailers across North America.

PROPERTY MANAGER ENDORSES SMART ABOUT SALT CERTIFICATION BGIS, a global real estate management services company, has announces a coast-

to-coast partnership with the unique not-for-profit Smart About Salt Council (SASC), that will strive for improved winter maintenance services grounded in best management practices.

SASC offers solutions to the challenges surrounding winter maintenance, that will ensure effective facility management while benefiting the environment. In an industry-first initiative, BGIS will work with SASC to ensure that all facilities supported by BGIS apply leading-practices in winter maintenance by influencing contractors to actively participate in SASC’s award-winning training and certification programs. Its programs have demonstrated their ability to promote safety and address a growing environmental concern surrounding the over-application of salt as a result of poor winter maintenance

practices. BGIS will encourage all service partners in new tendering engagements for winter management services in 2020 to be SASC-certified through their proposal evaluation criteria.

“We help facility owners and operators to work with their contractors and others so that facilities and the public are protected. It’s about collaboration and awareness so that everyone benefits – including our water resources,” said Eric Hodgins, volunteer President of Smart About Salt Council.

CANADA BLOOMS CANCELLED Canada Blooms, Canada’s largest flower and garden festival, suspended its 2020 festival, which was planned for March 13-22 in Toronto. Guidelines from the

Canada Blooms garden builders put heart and soul into beautiful designs.

health ministry necessitated the decision the evening before the festival opened.

A virtual tour of Canada Blooms 2020 is posted at https://bit.ly/2wwlcrU. Plans are underway to stage the festival in 2021.

LANDSCAPE HORTICULTURE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM LAUNCHED The Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association (CNLA) recently launched a revamped nursery and landscape certification program for all of Canada. The new Landscape Horticulture Certification Program is guaranteed to deliver technical certifications to ensure Red Seal occupational standards for landscape horticulture are upheld nation-wide.

The new program is also fully Canadianowned, and streamlined to be more convenient and accessible.

CNLA partnered with provincial nursery and landscape associations to introduce the new program across the country. Individuals who were certified under previous programs will be awarded equivalent designations. Appropriate documentation and proof of certification will also be issued under the new program.

A live pilot of a web-based testing platform is currently underway and will inform guidelines for the resumption of hands-on practical testing for the technician exams later this spring. Under the new program,

written tests will be delivered for the landscape manager, technician and designer designations through Valid-8, a web-based software that allows candidates to submit evidence to prove their competencies.

Candidates who wish to find out more about written exams may contact the professional development team at CNLA via certification@cnla-acpp.ca or 905-875-1399.

NATIVE PLANT RESOURCE A new website, www.can-plant.ca, allows users to search a comprehensive list of plants from across the country based on their growth form and growing conditions.

Launched in January 2020, CanPlant is a relaunch of the Evergreen Native Plant Database. CanPlant includes user-friendly searchable fields such as native range, growth form, light, moisture, and soil requirements, and users can create a profile to save plant lists for export. The site also builds on the original database by linking to biodiversity resources and will be updated on an ongoing basis in response to feedback and new research in the native plant gardening and ecological restoration fields. The Resources page includes a map of native plant nurseries across Canada and other tips on gardening, and the Blog is updated regularly.

See www.can-plant.ca for more details. LT

APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

33

Equipment technology John Deere’s new technology offerings include obstacle intelligence, SmartWeigh, SmartAttach and a new scraper earthmoving productivity system.

John Deere www.deere.ca

Wheel loaders Caterpillar has added three new models to the M Series lineup: 910, 914, and 920, the latter replacing the 918M. New options are available, and certain features available only as options on former models are now standard. All the new models are available in a high-lift configuration, and the 914 and 920 are available in an aggregate-handling configuration.

Caterpillar www.cat.com

Flexible. Powerful. Profitable.

Irrigation controller

Software that’s flexible enough to design on any platform, powerful enough for any job, and created so that your profits are as beautiful as your proposals.

This is PRO Landscape. prolandscape.com | 800-231-8574 | sales@prolandscape.com

34 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

The new X2 irrigation controller from Hunter comes with the option to add Wi-Fi for remote management.

The unit allows familiar A, B, C style programming, with a module to enable Wi-Fi control when needed. Four-, six-, eight-, or 14-zone outdoor-rated models are available, with convenient backlit display and five-ft. power cord.

It can be operated up to 1,000 ft. away with a Roam remote, or two miles away with a Roam XL remote.

Hunter www.hunterindustries.com

Equipment lineup The Hyundai introduces the HL930A wheel loader, HX210A crawler excavator, HX85A compact excavator.

These new machines feature Cummins Performance Series engines, which achieve compliance with the international Stage 5 emissions control standard.

Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas www.hceamericas.com

New technology for brushless tools Dewalt announces Power Detect Technology included exclusively on four new 20V Max XR Brushless Tools. These include a 7-in. circular saw, reciprocating saw, 5-in. angle grinder and hammer drill. Newly developed electronics in tools with Power Technology can identify battery the tool is paired with and adjust power output accordingly.

Dewalt www.dewalt.ca

Milling and stabilizing attachments Loegering Power Attachments introduces the ST Series stabilizing and milling skid-steer and compact track loader attachments.

Made up of the ST1000 and ST600, the ST Series provides users the ability to complete milling and stabilizing applications with the same tool.

Loegering Power Attachments www.loegeringpower.com

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1 888 799 4422 IT’S ALL ABOUT QUALITY APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES | 35 Find the HIAB Crane that’s right for your job at www.atlaspolar.com

Battery chargers Dewalt announces the 12 Amp Fast Charger and 6 Amp Charger. The 12 Amp Fast Charger has the highest charge rate supporting the Dewalt 20V Max and Flexvolt lithium ion battery systems, charging to 80 per cent capacity in under 45 minutes, the company says.

Dewalt www.dewalt.ca

Articulated loaders

Hopper spreaders

Bobcat launches small articulated loader line, including the L23 and L28. These loaders are sized to fit into backyards and offer impressive lifting capacity. They are ideal for landscaping, tree care, tree removal and snow removal tasks, Bobcat says.

SnowEx introduces the Helixx stainless steel hopper spreaders. The spreaders feature the Helixx material delivery system, an innovative design that helps optimize material flow, the company says.

Bobcat www.bobcat.com

Snow Ex www.snowexproducts.com

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36 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

EVENTS ADVERTISERS

JULY 5-7 Garden Centres Canada 2020, Summit, Edmonton, Alta. akadwell@canadanursery.com

AUG. 11-13 Independent Garden Center Show, Chicago, Ill. ​ igcshow.com

AUGUST 25-28 SIMA Snow And Ice Symposium, HARTFORD, CT.

AUG. 26-28 Farwest Show, Portland, Ore. farwestshow.com

SEPT. 9-11 Summer Summit: All-America Selections, Home Garden Seed Assn. and National Garden Bureau, Vancouver, B.C.

NOVEMBER 19-20 Green Industry Show and Conference,

COMPANY

PAGE WEBSITE

A.M.A. Horticulture Inc

36

www.amahort.com

Atlas Polar Company Ltd

35

www.atlaspolar.com

Beaver Valley Stone Ltd

16

www.beavervalleystone.com

Best Way Stone Ltd

19

www.bestwaystone.com

Bobcat Company

17

www.bobcat.com

Brandt Tractor Ltd

8,9,23

www.brandt.ca

Brouwer Sod Farms Ltd

33

www.brouwersod.com

Carrier Centers

32

www.carriercenters.ca

Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd

11

www.ford.ca

Gro-Bark (Ontario) Ltd

36

www.gro-bark.com

Horst Welding

28

www.horstwelding.com

John Deere

13

www.deere.com

Miska Trailers

39

www.miskatrailers.com

Neudorff North America

27

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Oaks Landscape Products

2

www.oakspavers.com

Permacon

40

www.permacon.ca

PRO Landscape by Drafix Software

34

www.prolandscape.com

Rinox Inc

15

www.rinox.ca

Edmonton, Alta. greenindustryshow.com

Spring Meadow Nursery Inc

21

www.springmeadownursery.com

Stihl Ltd

5

www.stihl.ca

2021

Takeuchi Manufacturing

25

www.takeuchi-us.com

JAN. 12-14 Landscape Ontario Congress,

Timm Enterprises Ltd

24

www.timmenterprises.com

Windy Ridge Corporation

31

www.stonehook.com

Toronto, Ont. LOcongress.com LT

Zander Sod Co Ltd

20

www.zandersod.com

SOUR CE

Boxer Equipment

Mark Myrick PO Box 40 Fort Mill, SC 29716 USA Phone: (803) 802-1236 Toll Free: (800) 654-6433

mmyrick@boxerequipment.co www.boxerequipment.com m

Linda Pots

1015 Brackenrig Centre Rd RR 1 Port Carling, ON P0B 1J0 Phone: (705) 765-6261 bracken@muskoka.com www.brackenrignursery.com

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Brickstop Corporation

Rubin Kurtz 205 Champagne Dr, Unit 3A Toronto, ON M3J 2C6 Phone: (416) 739-0355 Toll Free: (800) 565-2599 info@brickstopedge.com www.brickstopedge.com

Briggs & Stratton Power Products

Group, LLC Bill Bower 5375 N Main St Munnsville, NY 13409 Phone: (315) 495-0100 USA Toll Free: (800) 933-6175 bower.william@basco.com www.ferrisindustries.com

Briggs Plant Propagator

Toll Free: (855) 356-5436 s, LLC garry@borealagrominerals.com 715 S Bank Rd Bradstone/Stonerox www.borealagrominerals.com PO Box 658 Isabel Grace Elma, WA 98541 USA 5291 Bethesda Bosman Home Front Bluewave Energy e Ltd Rd Phone: (360) 482-6190 PO cret Box 1060 Peter Hillen Con Jesse Geisel Toll Free: (800) 444-1515 kman Stouffville, 6770 Wellington Rd e 1 - 25 West Beaver ON L4A 8A1 sales@briggsplantpropagators 109 Bar ne WiebPhone: Creek Rd RR 1 Way (416) Richmond Hill, ON 3L1798-7809 way RdR2K ys Inc www.briggsplantpropagators..com L4B Toll Free: (866) 798-7809 Phone: (647) 222-8825 1K2 Getawa ON N0G 2P0909 Gate com , MB rdPalmerston, 3310 info@bradston ) 667- 2879e.ca Phone: Winnipeg(204 li Toll Free: (800) 465-6071 Backya ocel (519) 343-3456 Brite Solutions com 342Blvd Phone: : www.bradston Tollnce Free: james.geisel@parkland.ca John Petr (800) (877) e.ca concrete.

Ken Campbell L6T 4Z8 343-3456 lane 140 Adva Toll Free barkman rete.com info@bosman.c www.bluewave 96 Oxford St energy.ca 6 - pton, ON 0991 a.com MacFar wwiebe@Brampton www.bosman. manconc Brick ) 789- ways Bram (905 ca B & T Limited Kitchener, ON N2H geta 225 Wanless Dr om www.bark 4R9 ne Blythedale Phone: Ottawa Phone: (519) 570-2177 Sand & Gravel backyarddgetaways.c MacFarla Brampton, info@ Boss uda IncON L7A 1E9 kyar Snowplow Bruce kMark brite_solutions@yahoo.ca Rd Wilkie0B7 Phone: (905) 840-1011 Quarry of Northern Star DivisionBarrac K2GCres www.bac Harper 45 Slac 58ON Gold 7 www.fiberoptictechnologies.c Industries Attia Gerry Toll8288 Free: (800) 709-6257 POInc Box 788 Fergus, om 225-0555 Nepean, om3V9 N1M Eid Attia town (613) ON ne.c PO Box info@brampton hell Blvd M1C 3B4 Iron Mountain, MI Baffin farla 820-4993 brick.com Phone:Phone: CabbageM5A 3Y2 Brite-lite Group 49801 USA RPOwww.oakspave 6 Satc tmac(519) Adam .com 7351 Hill, ON Gary Toll Free: ON mark@blytheda Ave rs.com bruce@b 7789 L8E 2M4 acfarlane le.ca Jason Stanley West (416) 286Arvin k,(800) ON 286-4155 Toronto,(416) 923- .net .ca 346 sales@bossplo www.btm e: w.com 940 Bergar Phone: ympatico m irect ouse ey Cree ) 664-3930 Phon Brandt @md enh Ston www.bossplow a@s Tractor 5858 cuda (905 .com Ltd Gre eatti Laval, QC H7L 4Z8 Ltd quarry.co barra 8035 acuda.caLine Phone: : (800) 387B&W Esquesing ction .barr www.attia Toll Free: (800) 489-2215 Free www Milton, ON L9T 5C8 Toll Constru h Bot Centre affin.com Limited Aggregates de contact@hydroponix.com Leac Ave m@b den din m Phone: gada Lynn 16th Gar693-0771 Barry Thompson rie(905) Au Jar ierre Inc yault www.hydroponix.com .baffin.co 0 Bobcat erson BarFree: Toll www 2695 6791 Concession Rd Patt (888) 307Company2S3 271-6099 Jean-P ncois Devo Jill Box Piela e, BC V4W Warren iew Dr d Inc B-C, RR 5 st david.clark@br PO Orillia, O 1H0 ONSan 8Y2 andt.ca Bayv L3V Jean-Fra 1 Oue 1303 6H5 J0H Britespan rgrov 250 L4N 375 Building Rang ine, QC ) 856Bag Hald AldeE Beaton www.brandttra Dr Phone: ON 1070 e: (604 ) 856-1303om r (416) 989-5857 730-1113ebotanix.com Systems Inc hrist West Rd Barrie, (705)ctor.com 2142 Pete PhonFargo, ND 58078 Toll Free: tenn : (877 USA barri (877)ial898-2688 Sainte-C(819) 858L9W 1P8 Kelly Thomson Phone: nhouse.c m Phone: tterson@ centre.com (701)gree 14 Cen lle, ON Toll Free 476-4243 Braun sales@botaggr Nurseryrden enpa Phone: rdinjp.ca 3242 egates.ca 37651 Amberley Rd jill.piela@doosa house.co iega Limited Orangevi(519) 941- om sales@bw reen PO warr n.com Box 160 botaggregates jardin@ja injp.ca .ca ers.c RR 1 www.bobcat.c www.barr Phone: @rog www.bwg om nts Mount Hope, ON Nur series m www.jard Pla Lucknow, ON N0G e L0R 1W0 ies bagosandosand.co Toll Free: (800) 2H0 Wild Botanico 246-6984 Ltd .bag Centre Phone: (519) 528-2922 Nurser Baselin B.C. of in Bobcat den www.braungro John www Klein Lark Ottawa AubinPenner up.com Toll Free: (800) 407-5846 m Rd e & Gar Whit MarioLee Tremblay 7110 Pacific Cir 0 ExtroBC V2R 4V1 Gene L0R 1C0 101 Alti Marcia 4733 ge Dr 15th St Place 4N5 Brayford ElviaFarms iwack, ) 858-5141 4230 Station, ON m Mississauga, ON L5T 2A6 N6K Inc British Claymaster 9084Sod ON Chill Nepean, 1320 ONe: K2R (604 1E6 iserve.co 1265 Phone: (905) 565-1475 ies Inc Ruth Schultz s Jordan (905) 562- a London,(519) 657- ries.com Richard Little Phone:Phon ants@un e.com (613)ildpl co.c a 745-5775 5761 County Rd e: 15 Nurser Toll Free: (888) Phone: urse ritag coge 655-6906 ley Phon bcw .com 68 linen Hanna es.c rino@bobcatof ildhe Inc Bai Rd eries Box 831 ottawa.com base gpenner@innurseri ts www.bcw ca y Rd ipmentinfo@botanico. info@ Toronto, ON M4G www.bobcatof elinenurs Pat Baile cep ottawa.com 3N1 .bas www.botanico 9 USA Alliston, ONwww www.aub l son Equ L9R Bailey 1V9 Phone: ing Con 1325.ca , MN 5511 Inc(416) 489-9498 . Dickson menta Phone: ket (705) B.R 3404 435-7707 iron logy Mar Paul Bobcat of Toronto Dick ) 768Dr ic Env& Techno Toll Free: (877) 861-8952 BouldersSt. Audio off es.com Toll Free: (800) Barry and e: (651 461-1210 Stone Bas britishclaymasters@sympatic Supply Bobcat of Mainway L7M 4B9 Stephanie Phon eynurseriInc Barrie brayfordsod@r tems alt Joel Ostrani Ave ogers.com Oliver 2S7 Matthew 4038 Sys n, ON 5040 www.britishclaymasters.com o.ca www.bail DeWitt y How Ltd www.brayfords 32 Mag ON L3Z 2480 Royal Windsor Burlingto(905) 331od.com Ginn Drive 241 Deerhurst Drive Nursery 39th Ave T6E 5T9 258-3301 m Bradford, Phone: g 6733 9610 (647) ON nt.coMississauga, L5J1K5 n, AB Baker’s untin 9066British Consulate-General Phone: : (866) 433-ng.ca Brampton, ON L6T Phone: (905) 849-5557 acco 5K3equipmement.com Baker Hill LineBrian CocksEdmonto(780) 469- ch.cMark om kson Phone: Todd Free Norman er’s rketi (416) 679-4167 1G0 Nursery & Landscapin Toll @dic Port Toll Free: (877) 457-7625 oma sonequip Phone: tenvgirote ng.cabobcattoronto.

2800 - 777 Bay St 77697 ON N0M99951007 Highway .bes joel@audi iomarketi com .dick www ent m info@boulders.ca 8 www Toronto, ipm Bayfield,(519) 482a ON M5G 2G2 www.aud Winona, ery.c tures.co www.boulders.ca ON L8E 5H9 eld Equ Phone: (416) 593-1290 Phone: kersnurs ry.ca B8 VenPoulton Inc Phone: (905) 643-4466 Battlefi mark.norman@fco.gov.uk todd@ba ersnurse brcocks@hotm 18 | MAY 2017 | LANDSCAPE Pamela Avenue 1S8 Austram in Rentals 61 ail.com St SOURCE Ltd www.bak T4G BOOK Rd White 3725 TRADES icewww.uktradein Bill Aust E Greer 4 USA vestcanada.org Sons , AB David 5883 h Serv L8E 5M7 (JC) & Innisfail (403) 877- s.com 8 - 1400 NC 2770 880 SoutCreek, ON 1288 Bakker pert 4916 LTSOURCEBOOK.COM Phone: b8venture Durham,(919) 688- 1288 om Stoney (905) 457- ont.com Paul Drop St ) 966ppoulton@entures.c Phone: : (800redone Third May LT 2017 source Phone: ite@toromuipment.ca com 1360 book.indd www.b8v L2R 6P9 18 Toll Free austram. david.wh lefieldeq ape s, ON tion RR 3 baustin@ tram.com Landsc e Inc www.batt Catharine) 935-4533 Associa .aus St. BC y ienc ows (905 www ser .com wpl ss CropSc Phone: jcbakker & NurDyck 4/19/2017 4:05:12 PM he Sno ley Bypa Bayer Macmurdo nursery@ kker.com Hedy 9 Lang Avalanc essa .jcba - 1928 V3S 6K1 William hgate Dr 4S2 Paon Rd www 102 7963 Gino BC al rs 679 SoutON N1G 2G4 Surrey, : (800) 4213885 ticultur 565 Spee ON L6K Guelph, (519) 767- @bayer.com 5600 Ball Hor rnoyer Toll Free a.com Oakville,(905) 634- 6950 bcln Cou 98 Phone: acmurdo Yves info@ Rd a.com Phone: : (800) 232-es.com 60185-26 william.m eres.ca nada) 622 Town ago, IL www.bcln Toll Free xindustri es.com a (Ca Chic www.bay ouses lede West Americ info@ xindustri Greenh BCS Workman 588-3468 m USA (630) www.lede rt.co Rd Bayviewrge Rd Laurie reign Phone: er@ballho 1A6 King Geo 311 SoveON N6M 6665 5L8 ycournoy seed.com N3T on, 6 ) 324RR Lond , ON www.ball : (877 753-3431 Brantford Inc Toll Free .ca 5803 (519) USA echo Phone: : (800) 361-ers.com info@ Tecno o.ca Toll Free viewflow Avant hes www.ech a Inc 5 USA www.bay Len Hug o Dr Americ IL 6000 Malm BCS Seymour 3020 Heights, 9822 Rd Cat Larry Providence Bear Workman Arlington(847) 380- tecnousa.com 4 USA Rd 13601 s, NC 2810 Laurie Phone: s@avant a.com reign 1A6 1040 Inc Matthew(704) 846- 1040 311 SoveON N6M 6665 len.hughenttecnous Stones Banas Phone: : (800) 543- erica.com London, : (877) 324www.ava sam Khan nters Firoz Toll Free mour@bc com Toll Free .ca tal Pla King St L7E 0T8 me echo .sey rica.

8144 larry info@ Axio Locke -ame o.ca 9684 n, ON Inc North Bolto (905) 857www.bcs www.ech Ashley ra Road 1H3 ericas, s.com OM Phone: nasstone .com 383 Elmi ON N1K AG Am OK.C 2806 BOM Goodell firoz@ba asstones Guelph, (519) 648- 2147 URCEBO Rd LTSO Bryce www.ban Phone: : (800) 265-oup.com Kentville 61443 USA 2000 , IL Toll Free cke@c3gr ters.com 3571 anee 1 PM 853Kew 4:05:1 ashley.lo metalplan (309) 017 ag.com 4/19/2 Phone: ag@bom www.axio info.bom ag.com www.bom

2

SOU019 BOORCE K

S STING NY LI OMPA A | C

VOL. 41, NO .5

Greg Sumsion 647-722-6977 gsumsion@landscapeontario.com

Boreal Agrominera ls Inc

Klaas Baan 206 - 57 Mill St N Brampton, ON L6X 1S9 Phone: (905) 456-5436

Bluewater Trailers

Misty Devine 6517 Warwick Village Rd Warwick, ON N0M 2S0 Toll Free: (866) 386-6857 contact@bluewatertrailers.ca www.bluewatertrailers.ca

2019

Ad sales close April 22.

Bonnell Industries Inc

Joe Bonnell 1385 Franklin Grove Rd Dixon, IL 61021 USA joeb@bonnell.com www.bonnell.com

Bouldin & Lawson Inc

Penny Rhea 70 Easy St PO Box 7177 McMinnville, TN 37111-7177 USA

Toll Free: (800) 443-6398 sales@bouldinlawson.com www.bouldinlawson.com

MAY

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alicek@bellnet.ca www.blueskynursery.ca

Blue Star Nursery Ltd

Guy Ruccolo 5056 Malden Rd Windsor, ON N9E 3T9 Phone: (519) 966-5673 bluestarnursery@cogeco.ca www.bluestarnursery.com

Bobcat of Tri Cities Ltd

Trevor Sloan 483 Bridge St E Kitchener, ON N2K 3C5 Phone: (519) 579-9100 tsloan@bobcatoftc.com www.bobcatoftc.com

Bock Inc

Richard Chaput 6220 Boul Laframboise Saint Hyacinthe, QC J2R 1E9 Phone: (450) 796-3666 sauger@bockinc.ca www.bockinc.ca

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Alice Klamer 4659 King St E Beamsville, ON L0R 1B1 Phone: (905) 563-4245

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Blue Jay Irrigation

Bruce Lively 1478 Seagull Rd London, ON N6H 5L9 Phone: (519) 641-3578 Toll Free: (800) 287-5622 blively@bluejayirrigation.com www.bluejayirrigation.com

Any pro where for gduct an, any tim reen d se e indu rvice , stry dire pro ctory s Onlin e lis ting s at

CE BOOK

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CAPE TRADE

2017 12 | MAY

| LANDS

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LT 2017

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APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

37

MENTORMOMENT

Partnership of respect YOUBIN ZHENG is a professor at the University of Guelph School of Environmental Sciences, and a researcher for the nursery sector.

How do students fit in?

I already mentioned how the growers are always there to support research. If plants in our research plot need water, they get it done, even when they are Do you see your research working hard with their own production, directly benefit nursery growers? even during the weekend. It makes you For sure, my research is all applied, feel great, but it also makes a big impresinvolving substrates, irrigation, fertilizasion on students who see the passion tion — my principle is to discover basic and dedication. Many of my students are YOUBIN ZHENG science results that actually benefit now working in the grower industry, and the horticulture industry. I do research they are all happy. My research associprojects that can be used immediately. I have always been ate Mary Jane Clark is now teaching nursery production to involved with association groups. We discuss issues and I students, as a professor at Niagara College. provide results in reports. The growers are smart, and very My wife and I are avid gardeners; if I do research on any open to applying my results to their operations. plant, I always put one in my garden, so I know exactly what I am working with. I bring in my students and use my garden What do you respect most about nursery growers? for education.

I really like growers; they are passionate about what they Do you have a mentor? are doing. The nursery industry strikes me as people who My mentor was Calvin Chong. That man did a fantastic job want to collaborate instead of competing. So many breedfor the industry, he was dedicated to improving nutrient and ers get together to exchange information and help each water management. Before he passed away, he told me so other. I can see how the collaboration helps the industry many things and influenced me to work in this field. I have grow faster. I like the industry, everyone is so friendly, such all his papers here in my office. good people.

Tom Intven of Canadale is a true leader, he has business How do you stay connected with growers? wisdom and passion for plants. Bart Brusse from Sheridan I sat on our provincial Growers Committee. I didn’t have is so knowledgeable and always willing to help. While John to, but my principle is, you have to listen if you want to do Bakker of Bakker & Sons is a very busy guy, but he is always good research. I visit farms, listen to the leaders and their happy to host tours of his property to educate the public issues, then I go back to my lab, then I report back to them.

— and his property is so well managed. His passion is to Talking at conferences is important, and I like to see if growpromote plants in a sustainable, environmentally friendly ers want me to do research in specific areas. If they want way to inspire the public to do more gardening with me to, I always make my best effort. LT local plant materials. John and Chris Langendoen from Willowbrook are incredible, their door is always open to sit down and talk about issues, guide you, give you advice.

If you have a mentor to recommend, or a question to suggest, please Amazing people. write to editor@landscapetrades.com.

38 | APRIL 2020 | LANDSCAPE TRADES