Landscape Trades - December 2020/January 2021

Dec 2020 / Jan 2021 VOL. 42, NO. 9

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Healthy owner, healthy business

CONGRESS CONNECT 2021

Sandy Roberton reflects on pushing for education British Columbia adjusts priorities

Virtual event by, for and about the green profession unites Canadians across space ... and time.

Page 20

12

Vehicle compliance: Thirty-minute investment in safety

22

Nurserymen fight virus by doing the right thing

6

Second-generation entrepreneur success stories

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SPECIAL SECTION: Congress Connect featured products Page 31

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CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021 VOL. 42, NO. 9

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Lee Ann Knudsen CLM | lak@landscapeontario.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Scott Barber | sbarber@landscapeontario.com LANDSCAPE ONTARIO MAGAZINE EDITOR Robert Ellidge | rob@landscapeontario.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR 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 Andrea Annis, Darryl Bond, Grace Bruch, Amy Buchanan, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Cassandra Garrard, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM, Chantal Jorgensen, Keri MacIvor, Heather MacRae, Katarina Markovic, Kathy McLean, Shalini Mehta, Patrick Roche, Joe Salemi, Ian Service, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Tom Somerville,

Landscape Trades is published six times a year: February, March, May, August, October and December.

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 2021. 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.

FEATURES 6

Second-generation success

BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE

Owners of legacy family businesses have to fight stereotypes while they face unique hurdles.

Three Canadian entrepreneurs have turned that challenge into success.

12 Compliance is up to you

A reference guide to preventing vehicle problems by systematic and consistent safety checks, from an experienced law enforcement pro.

BY SCOTT OLDFIELD

20 Connecting Canada: Congress Connect 2021

The vibrant business case for this year’s virtual event.

22 Nurserymen do the right thing

Foreign worker outbreaks, new protocols, potential bad PR – Canada’s nursery professionals faced Covid head-on, by living their values.

28 Owner health matters, too!

Responsibility for your employees, customers and family can make you tense. Don’t forget about looking after your own health – it’s best for both you and them.

BY GRANT HARRISON

COLUMNS

46 Road to success

BY ROD MCDONALD

50 Management solutions

BY MARK BRADLEY

52 Legal matters

BY ROD MCDONALD

66 Mentor moment

DEPARTMENTS

4 GREEN PENCIL 42 BRITISH COLUMBIA UPDATE 54 CNLA NEWS 56 NEWSSCAPE 62 NEW PRODUCTS 65 ADVERTISERS 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

SPECIAL SECTION

2021

CONGRESS CONNECT PRODUCT MARKETPLACE PAGE 31

CONGRESS V I R T U A L

E X P E R I E N C E

DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

3

GREENPENCIL Take control of unanswered questions

Peers: There for you LOOKING BACK ON THE PAST YEAR,

I’m reminded of what it was like when I first started my business. As a 20-something, every experience was fresh and new, and I relied on the advice of the experienced professionals around me. Whether it was from successful entrepreneurs in the horticulture and landscape profession, or bankers or lawyers, I needed guidance from those who had ALAN been there before.

In these uncertain times, we need to lean on our colleagues and leaders more than ever. That’s why I’m really proud to have been part of a group of industry leaders who’ve served on Landscape Ontario’s Covid-19 Task Force.

The goal has been to provide the industry with up-to-date information as well as guidance on the evolving health and safety requirements, staffing challenges and financial threats our businesses are facing. We have tried our best to look at the issues with a clear lens, with the big picture in mind.

The task force met each week day in the early months of the pandemic, and continues to hold meetings twice each week. We analyzed the information coming from governments, public health officials, as well as industry participants and the public. We tried to be proactive, and to continuously look ahead to anticipate things before they came down the pipe. We actively engaged with government officials, particularly during the spring when it wasn’t clear if, or when the industry could get back to work.

I FEEL A RESPONSIBILITY to share my experience and knowledge with peers, because I know it makes a difference.

You don’t become a leader without having challenges and tough experiences along the way. But I think over time, you realize the challenges don’t have to hurt you. You’re going to make mistakes, but with support from colleagues and mentors, you’re going to overcome those obstacles.

From a business perspective, I know many in our profession overcame a rocky spring to achieve very strong sales through the rest of the season.

It’s going to take time to analyze the 2020 season and to evaluate all the factors and elements that contributed to what

4 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

looks like a really good year for our industry.

Were people investing their unspent vacation dollars into their landscapes?

What role did the huge level of federal government spending play?

It’s hard to say. But what I do know is I am going to be very conservative with my budget for 2021. With so much uncertainty in terms of when a vaccine is going to arrive WHITE and how it will be distributed, and the unknowns of how changes in government policy and spending will affect the economy, I think it’s critical to draw up “best,” “worst,” and “most likely” budget forecasts.

If there is any time to not base your budget on last year’s figures, it’s now.

Could there be repercussions from all that government spending? Will many of those small businesses in the hospitality and other badly impacted sectors that have been just barely hanging on finally fall through in the coming months?

While a lot of these things are out of our control, there are a lot of steps we can take to set our businesses up for success. Now is the time to take a step back and look at new ways to support your employees, to ensure they feel valued and respected in their roles and also have room to grow.

NOW IS ALSO THE TIME to take a close look at your Covid-19 protocols. As the pandemic drags on, it becomes more and more difficult to be diligent and to make sure our employees are keeping their guards up. As business owners, we can’t let our guards down because our employees and our communities count on us. Let’s all do our part.

So, when you’re planning ahead this winter, make sure to connect with colleagues and mentors to see what they’re thinking and what new strategies they are implementing to set themselves up for a successful year amidst all the uncertainty. LT

Alan White serves as Chair of Landscape Ontario’s Covid-19 Task Force, and operates Turf Systems, based in Burlington, Ont.

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Running a legacy business has tough challenges, but some second- and third-generation owners beat the odds

BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE

IT’S NO SECRET FAMILY BUSINESSES have a huge impact on the Canadian economy. Research from the Alberta Business Family Institute found family businesses account for about half of Canada’s private-sector GDP and almost seven million jobs across the country. But perhaps less understood is what it takes for these businesses to survive — and thrive — into the second generation, let alone the third.

It’s definitely not easy to survive a succession. According to the Family Business Institute, just 30 per cent of family enterprises make it to the second generation, and only 12 per cent to the third. Experts say those numbers could go higher, however, if families did a few key things, like plan the succession a lot earlier and nurture willing and able successors more effectively.

Easier said than done, of course. All three of the owners you’ll meet here experienced significant challenges when a business landed in their laps. Some are still experiencing them. But they all agree that a successful transition to the next generation can be successful — and with relatively few fights at Christmas to show for it.

6 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Success Robin Godfrey

FAMILIES CAN BE COMPLICATED

Lakeland Plant World didn’t exactly land on Robin Godfrey’s lap. And if it wasn’t for his uncle’s death, Robin thinks he likely wouldn’t be the owner of the Dartmouth, N.S., garden centre today. “I made a comment one time that the easiest succession is death, and that’s why it was easy with my uncle. It was all he had; he just wouldn’t have given it up.”

Still, Robin’s is a unique case because his business is integrated administratively and financially with his parents’ business, Atlantic Gardens, where Robin is also a 25 per cent owner. It wasn’t always this way, though.

After Robin’s dad brought on Robin’s uncle to help with the two businesses in the 1960s, the uncle took one of the businesses for himself and cut ties with his brother. So, when that uncle passed away and Robin’s cousins wanted to sell, Robin’s dad had no intention of buying a business he thought he already owned.

Robin was willing to buy, however, and did so in 2006.

That date marked 35 years since Robin’s dad and uncle had split, and Robin quickly started putting his business education from the University of New Brunswick to work.

One of the first things he did was dump all of his uncle’s old suppliers and start buying all of Lakeland’s growing materials from Atlantic Gardens. “All of a sudden Lakeland became Atlantic Gardens’ biggest wholesale customer,

buying $300,000 a year in product,” says Robin. “That meant we could say goodbye to some of the chains that were beating us out.”

Lakeland and Atlantic also put all of their administration under one roof so one office was essentially running two garden centres. Robin says that decision cut costs, but it also introduced a significant challenge: how to split costs between the two businesses — something they still struggle with today.

The biggest struggle at the beginning was staffing, says Robin. “Getting everyone to toe the line and getting more managers to see what I see was tough. They don’t see the behind-the-scenes benefits of buying from the other company, for example. And you can’t fire them because there are legal issues, so you have to kind of let them leave on their own.”

Anr even bigger challenge could be on the horizon, however, as Robin’s parents will soon be ready to move on from Atlantic Gardens and Robin is ready to take the helm. The problem is that their business philosophies can be quite different, so it hasn’t been easy figuring out how that transition will happen. Smartly, though, they’ve hired a mediator to help.

Thus, Robin’s biggest piece of advice for others looking at a succession: start early. “The earlier the better, in fact, and go from there.” continued > DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

7

Brian Cocks

SLOW DOWN TO PROSPER

It’s been almost 50 years since Brian Cocks of Brian Cocks Nursery and Landscaping in Stoney Creek, Ont., started working for his grandfather’s landscaping business. But Brian can still remember some of those early customers and how his grandfather treated them. “I remember him going up to the door and saying, ‘Would you be a sweetie? I would love a cup of coffee.’ And we would sit for 10 or 15 minutes with the customer, have a nice conversation. It was all about taking the time for relationship-building.”

Unfortunately, the time for relationship building is less common in 2020, Cocks says.

Brian took over the family business from his father in 1987, but after a heart attack and motorcycle accident about 10 years ago, he was ready to slow down. He didn’t want to leave the business entirely, but he did want to transition it to his daughter, which he eventually did. Long story short, that transition didn’t work out as planned. Brian didn’t stay on, and the business “went south.”

“One mistake I made is that when I was running the business, I had my daughter go out and learn how to work and run crews,” says Brian. There should have been more focus on building relationships with customers. “By spending that time and building that relationship, you find out what they need as compared to what they want, and you find that you’ll keep those customers for years. That’s how you compete against the big operators.”

8 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

And Brian says that’s what he did when he took over the business from his dad. He went back to the basics of what his grandfather taught him: taking time out of his days to talk to his customer and getting to know them. It worked, he says, as the business took off and he paid off his father much quicker than anticipated. “Today, now everything is scheduled so that you don’t have time to do anything extra for the customer. But if you’re there, it makes sense to take 10 minutes to develop some work. It may be six months from now, but you plant the seed.”

That nurturing of customers extended to his employees, too, says Brian, which was key to his businesses’ success. When he took over the business from his dad, for instance, he immediately instituted a policy where they shut down once a week in the summer so that employees could have a break. His dad wasn’t happy with the decision, but Brian says they actually gained more work because the guys were rested and motivated when they came back.

As for the advice Brian would give to anyone taking over a landscaping business from family, it’s to lean on the experience of those transitioning out of the business. “A lot of younger guys don’t want to take the time to build relationships, but you may have some older employees that are great at it. Take advantage of what they know and who they know.”

continued >

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Aaron Krahn

START EARLY, BE FAIR

Like many who’ve gone through a succession, Aaron Krahn’s number-one piece of advice for making it through successfully is to start early. That’s what happened with Lakeshore Tree Farms and Lakeshore Garden Centre of Saskatoon, Sask. But his reasons aren’t just about making sure the one taking over the business has time to prepare. It’s also to make sure uninvolved siblings are treated fairly.

“Some companies will bring on their children as salaried employees and never hand them shares,” he says. “And then years later, something happens — a divorce, for example — and suddenly, legally, the uninvolved siblings are entitled to the same thing as the involved sibling, yet the involved sibling has been building this farm with his own brain and brawn. So, you have to write that all out, and that can take time.”

Luckily, the Krahns learned this lesson before Aaron’s dad, Victor, bought out his brothers in 2009 and distributed shares between himself, his wife, Lee, and Aaron. And Aaron says that because they took the time to do it right, the entire process was smooth and everyone involved could see it was fair.

This isn’t to say there weren’t — and aren’t — challenges. Soon after Aaron became a Lakeshore owner, one of the company’s foremen called up his dad one day and asked: “Is Aaron my boss now?” Aaron was only 30 years old at the time, and it was clearly

10 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

tough for the foreman to give him credibility. Aaron eventually gained that credibility, though, by learning to involve the foreman in decisions, rather than dictate those decisions. “It was my style to declare things and wait for any argument,” says Aaron. “But you have to realize that employees don’t want to argue with their bosses, they really don’t.”

The challenge the Krahns are facing now is that although Lee and Victor have quite a few working years left, replacing them will be tough. “My mom runs the garden centre and she doesn’t really know how to train a manager and back off,” says Aaron. “She has to micro-manage. And so she keeps saying there’s nobody to do it, there’s nobody to do it. Well, she hasn’t actually backed off, let someone do it, let them make their mistakes, and teach them after the fact and give them motivation.”

That time will have to come, however, and if the Krahns’ history with succession is any indication, they know all about the importance of starting early. “You just can’t get ready to retire and then say okay now we’re ready to do it,” says Aaron. “You have to be working partners for a while.” LT

Jordan Whitehouse is a freelance writer based in Gananoque, Ont.

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COMPLIANCE CHECKS The most important 30 minutes of your day

BY SCOTT OLDFIELD, TRISHIELD CONSULTING

12 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

PREVENTION IS THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL in our arsenal, but it’s too often overlooked. During my law enforcement career, I saw every vehicle safety violation you can imagine. I also met plenty of landscape professionals who took their inspection responsibilities seriously, and for all the right reasons. These are the landscapers who make safety a priority for themselves, their companies and their communities — here is how to be one of those guys.

At the start of every shift, inspect your assigned work vehicle and trailer for mechanical and load security defects. This is your legal duty, and it will help keep you safe, as well as every other person on the road. It is the legal responsibility of the company or vehicle

owner, as well as the driver, to ensure the inspection is conducted properly. If law enforcement finds a violation, all responsible parties can be charged.

A Daily Vehicle Inspection Report (PreTrip) MUST be completed every 24 hours if your commercial motor vehicle has an actual or registered gross weight over 4,500 kg. If your vehicle is registered or weighs under 4,500 kg, no daily report is needed, but you are still required to ensure it has no mechanical defects.

Best practice is to have employees do a PreTrip regardless of weight or interval. It also helps to keep a record of the vehicle’s mechanical fitness. If stopped by law enforcement, it also helps to show

that the company is going beyond the requirements to ensure their vehicles are safe.

Although you are only required to do a Daily Inspection Report every 24 hours, you must still check your vehicle or towed vehicle periodically. This ensures no mechanical or load security issues have occurred during your shift.

If you are stopped by law enforcement during your workday and a defect is discovered, you would be placed out of service, and possibly charged. If you are placed out of service your vehicle will not be allowed to leave the inspection site unless the defect is fixed, or it is towed to a repair facility.

continued >

DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

13

Loose brake caliper.

These spring defects did just not occur and would have been obvious if a proper daily vehicle inspection had of been conducted.

Main cause why chains are worn, also electrical wiring not working as damaged from dragging on the ground.

Gas cylinder not secured in cube van.

FALLOUT FROM BEING PLACED OUT OF SERVICE

If you are summoned to court for your violations, the fines noted above would be greater. For example, if a wheel came off your vehicle you could be looking at a penalty up to $50,000!

If your vehicle is registered or weighs over 4,500 kg your Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration Number (CVOR in Ontario), or your National Safety Code number (NSC in all other provinces) will have points assessed. If you receive too many points for violations, your company could be audited, and if sanctioned, lose the ability to operate some or all vehicles for a set period.

If the driver is charged, his or her violations count toward the employer’s CVOR/NSC number which also could put the business into an audit situation. If a vehicle requires a CVOR/NSC number, violations on the driver’s record will be considered by insurance companies when policies are renewed. If the driver is charged, you will also lose the use of the vehicle for at least a day — it is not great advertising for the public to see your vehicle towed from an inspection site. It may also draw closer scrutiny from law enforcement if officers become aware your company’s vehicles may have defects and be unsafe.

Out-of-court penalties for operating Commercial Motor Vehicles with defects are expensive. Here are some typical fines, which are the same for the driver and the company: Improper Braking System, $490; Improper Tire, $240; Major Defect, $390; Load Security, $390; No PreTrip, $390; Improper Licence, $390; No Annual (PMCVI), $240.

14 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

MAJOR AND MINOR DEFECTS Proper vehicle inspections, as well as monitoring during the day, ensure your vehicle is defect-free and safe to be on the road.

If your vehicle is registered for over 4,500 kg you must have the Daily Vehicle Inspection Report (PreTrip) in the vehicle and surrender it to police upon demand. The PreTrip book will have a schedule in it (Schedule 1 in Ontario) which the driver would use as a guide for the inspection. The employee must legibly fill out the report, and if any defects are found, make sure they are noted and the employer is notified.

If a defect is found during the inspection it falls within two categories. Major defects must be fixed before the vehicle can go on the roadway; minor defects must be noted on the report.

The vehicle can be taken on the roadway, but defects must be repaired before the next day.

After a defect is fixed, the Daily Vehicle Inspection Report must be signed off by the individual who fixed the issue. Once a Daily Vehicle Inspection Report book is completed, it must be kept by the operator or owner for six months. The operator must keep all vehicle mechanical records on-site for two years. continued >

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HOW TO CONDUCT A DAILY INSPECTION Start by checking the lighting: check headlights, both low and high beam; signal lights; and brake lights. Check tires to ensure they are not flat and they have proper air pressure; make sure lug nuts are not loose; make sure the tire is not bald, and there are no cuts, slices or bulges in sidewall. Ensure the cord is not exposed (wear gloves when checking!). If the vehicle has wheel bearing caps, make sure none are missing. If hauling a trailer, check the connections to ensure security.

Check the towbar to make sure there are no cracks, and the ball is not loose. Check safety chains; if bent or damaged they are noncompliant and must be replaced. If the trailer is equipped with a breakaway switch, ensure it is hooked up to the frame of the truck, not the safety chains. Check vehicles for load security.

Even if the truck and trailer are enclosed, you must ensure the load will not move and it is secured as per National Safety Code 10. Check straps and chains being used for securement for damage. If damaged, they will not count towards your load securement requirements; the National Safety Code outlines how many straps and chains are required to secure loads. If the vehicle has a tarp, check to see if it is torn or ripped. Damaged tarps must be replaced if needed for hauling products such as aggregate.

Check the emergency (parking) brake. Ensure you are on a level surface, then activate the brake and put the vehicle into drive. If the vehicle moves ahead, release the brake and depress the pedal as far as it will go. If the vehicle still moves forward, your emergency brake is not working and the vehicle cannot go on the roadway, since this is a major defect.

16 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Two missing lug nuts, and two loose lug nuts, (5 bolt pattern).

If hauling a trailer, you must check its braking system as well.

Any trailer with an actual weight over 1,360 kg. must have its own braking system. There are two types of braking systems, electric or hydraulic. Electric systems require a brake controller in the truck.

As with the emergency brake, ensure vehicles are on a level lot. Set gain on the brake controller to max. Put the vehicle into drive and take your foot off the brake. Once the combination starts to move, activate the brake controller manually and do not depress truck brakes. If working properly the trailer braking system will stop combination as you are at an idle. If this does not occur, the trailer’s braking system will have to be fixed before it goes on the road.

Hydraulic or surge braking systems are activated by pushing hydraulic fluid through the brake lines when the tow vehicle is slowing or stopping, by a lever located in the tongue of the trailer.

There will be a reservoir on the tongue you must check daily to ensure it has fluid and has not leaked out.

Check the steering wheel for freeplay. This can be done by landmarking a location on the steering wheel to the signal indicator. Turn the wheel to the right and once wheels start to turn mark the position on the steering wheel. Then turn the steering wheel to the left and once wheels turn, mark that spot. Then measure the distance between your marks. You then measure the diameter of the steering wheel, which gives you the allowable travel you’re allowed to have. If the distance between the marks is more, i.e. allowed two inches but the travel is three inches, it indicates you have issues with the steering components, and it needs to be fixed by a mechanic.

continued >

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SALES SERVICE, LTD. LTD. Kitchener519-579-9100 www.BobcatWindsor.com www.BobcatofBrantford.com SALES && SERVICE, Kitchener 519-579-9100 Londonwww.BobcatofLondon.ca 519-455-4900 BOBCAT OF STRATFORD Brantford 519-752-7900 www.BobcatofTC.com Frankford 613-398-6522 www.BobcatofTC.com Frankford 613-398-6522 KUCERA GROUP CHATHAM Stratford 519-393-6040 www.BobcatofLondon.ca www.BobcatofBrantford.com BOBCAT OF OF DURHAM DURHAM EAST, EAST, LTD. LTD. BOBCAT BOBCAT OF OF OTTAWA OTTAWABobcat VALLEY is a Doosan company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power and water solutions, engines, www.JohnsEquipmentSales.com s.

BOBCAT VALLEY Chatham 519-351-4300 www.BobcatofStratford.ca www.JohnsEquipmentSales.com s.

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All rights reserved. | 1441 Scarborough 416-679-4171 JOHN’S EQUIPMENT 877-244-5593 Kitchener 519-579-9100 Cornwall www.BobcatofDurhamEast.com Ottawa 613-831-5166 ©2020 Bobcat EQUIPMENT, LTD. Scarborough 416-679-4171 BOBCAT OF GREY BRUCE EQUIPMENT, LTD. www.BobcatOV.com www.BobcatToronto.com Ottawawww.BobcatOV.com 613-831-5166 www.BobcatofTC.com SALES & SERVICE, BOBCAT OF GREY BRUCE Walton 877-887-6365LTD. www.BobcatToronto.com BOBCAT OF GREY BRUCE Owen Sound 519-372-9100 Walton 877-887-6365 www.BobcatOV.com Frankford 613-398-6522 Owen Sound 519-372-9100 Owen Sound 519-372-9100 www.McgavinEquip.com www.BobcatofTC.com BOBCAT OF OF PARRY PARRY SOUND SOUND KUCERA GROUP GROUP CHATHAM CHATHAM www.McgavinEquip.com www.JohnsEquipmentSales.com www.BobcatofTC.com BOBCAT KUCERA www.BobcatofTC.com Nobel 705-342-1717 Nobel 705-342-1717 www.BobcatofParrySound.com www.BobcatofParrySound.com

Chatham519-351-4300 Chatham519-351-4300 www.Kuceras.com www.Kuceras.com

Bobcat is a Doosan company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power and water solutions, engines, and engineering, proudly serving customers and communities for more than a century.

Bobcat ®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2020 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 1410

Why we make sure we properly secure our loads!

OTHER AREAS TO INSPECT Check seat belts are in proper working condition; ensure the horn works; check brake fluid; check for windshield washer fluid; and check under the vehicle to ensure no loose parts. If tires have been taken off to be changed or serviced, ensure the vehicle has been taken back in to have lug nuts retorqued. This is done after the vehicle has travelled over 100 km. The reason: studies have shown this is prime time for lug nuts to work themselves loose and cause a wheel to come off. A garage will do a recheck free of charge.

Check to make sure paperwork is in the truck: ownership, insurance, and CVOR/NSC card (if applicable). Photocopies of all three documents are allowed.

Check the registered gross weight of the vehicle on the ownership. This is found on the right side of the ownership document. The registered weight will let you know if you are properly licenced to drive the vehicle. In Ontario, if the vehicle is registered for over 11,000 kg, you require a class D licence minimum.

Check the load in the trailer. If you are hauling heavy

equipment such as a large skid steer, you need to know the weight. That can be obtained on the machine’s VIN plate. If its gross vehicle weight rating is over 4,600 kg you will require a Class A licence — the same licence required to operate a transport truck combination! It all depends on the actual weight of the trailer. Even a load of wet sod could put you into this category. If unsure what weight your licence is good for, check the back, as all provinces list the categories for each licence.

Finally, check your vehicle for a valid annual inspection on both truck and trailer, also called a Periodical Mechanical Commercial Vehicle Inspection. Each province requires it to be done once a year for any vehicle that actually weighs over 4,500 kg, has a registered weight over 4,500 kg or has a Gross Vehicle Weight rating of both truck and trailer greater than 4,500 kg.

Each annual is affixed by the mechanic and the month and year are punched out to show when it was done. If it was done in October 2020, it is good until Nov. 1, 2021.

If you follow these steps you will be confident your vehicle will be safe on the road. If you come across a situation where you are unsure, park the vehicle and get advice. LT

Scott Oldfield at Congress Connect:

DRIVELIVE

BRINGS IT TO LIFE

2021

CONGRESS V I R T U A L

E X P E R I E N C E

Scott Oldfield and Pat Martin of TriShield Consulting will present short videos on safety compliance at Congress Connect. Live demo topics will include braking systems; cargo securement; wheels and tires; registration, weights and inspections; and trailers and lighting. See these safety professionals in action!

More information at LOcongress.com. Congress Connect participation entitles you to view presentations for a full year.

18 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

GLACIER CREEK

SILVER BIRCH

MUSKOKA

DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

19

CONNECT

Canada’s new green community launches Jan. 12-14, 2021 IT’S TIME TO PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAP. Whatever stresses to your business Covid-19 has missed, the government is finding, and it has become commonplace to see people wearing masks, alone in their cars. Entire sectors are idled, not by direct regulation, but by entire employee pools paid to not work. Raw materials are either in abundance or absent without leave. The landscape is, in a word, bizarre.

Making, saving and investing money is difficult under any circumstances. In this, mid-Covid environment, it is even tougher. You can make progress, but you need to be careful.

Let’s be honest. The general attitude toward virtual trade shows has been skeptical to cynical. However, communication is the one human trait that is absolute in any attempt to move forward. In an industry — any industry — there are three communication channels: the media, the associations and the trade shows. Without at least one of these vital modes of communication, there is no industry — just a bunch of individuals across the country, each doing the same thing independently, making the same mistakes at the same time and reinventing the wheel. Two of three is better, and three is best.

What is the reality of a virtual show, you ask? Well, you need to go to basics.

Clearly, you can’t walk the aisles, run into friends, kick tires and hammer deals in the same manner.

However, properly done, you have fewer inputs. For example, there are no travel expenses, and no per diem. You save a bit of shoe leather and a bit of back strain.

Cost savings are, of course, the blood of business. It does not matter how much money you make; what matters is what money you keep.

On the up-side, every exhibitor is both waiting for you to take notice, and anxious to make certain once you do take notice that you not click them off.

The exhibitors, too, have less capital investment, and may be amenable to passing those savings into attractive packages for attendees, but you have to ask.

Nobody wants to show his cards to a competitor.

On your end, you certainly have to invest your time and attention, and that puts some of us off. Time is a scarce commodity. However, you have already saved time and money on the trip, you have an open line of communication with your association, your media and your trade show, and everybody is weary of fear and ready to deal.

Products are consistently the top reason you cite for attending shows, so Congress Connect is positioned to serve your exact needs. The virtual platform gives you continuing access to pictures, videos, spec sheets and sales reps who can answer your questions all year long.

Education is a close second. Congress Connect is offering Canada’s finest lineup of speakers for all green sectors. Again, that content (detailed at right) will be available for a full year.

Think about it. Sign up. LOcongress.com.

20 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

CONGRESS CONNECT CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

CONGRESS

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021 IPM SYMPOSIUM

Speakers include Eric Lyons, University of Guelph; Nancy Cain, Cain Vegetation; Guillaume Grégoire, Université Laval; Scott Olan, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks; Jen Llewellyn, OMAFRA, and John Bladon, The Chimera Group.

LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS CONFERENCE

Speakers include: Ron Koudys, Ron Koudys Landscape Architects; Danée Marie Lambourne, Eden Projects; plus two panel discussions and a closing keynote by Mark and Ben Cullen.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021 9:45-10:45 A.M. WHY SOME COMPANIES RISE TO THE TOP

Peter Guinane, Oriole Landscaping THE ‘UNFAIR ADVANTAGE’ OF USING AUGMENTED REALITY FOR LANDSCAPE PROJECTS

Mansoor Ma, LANDinc HOW TO IMPACT YOUR PERFORMANCE IN REAL TIME

Laura Cole, Your Latitude 11:00-12:00 P.M. USING ECOLOGICAL REFERENCES IN PLANTING DESIGN

Jonas Spring, Ecoman THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT CRISIS IN ONTARIO

Kyle Vander Linden, Credit Valley Conservation WHICH COMES FIRST? THE DISENGAGED EMPLOYEE OR THE FRUSTRATED EMPLOYER?

Jacki Hart, Consulting by Hart

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2021

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021

9:45-10:45 A.M.

9:45-10:45 A.M.

GET NEW CLIENTS AND RETAIN THEM WITH EFFECTIVE MARKETING

THE ACCOUNTABILITY FIX

Catherine Luzena-Hall, Practical Marketing Group EAT THAT YARD: EDIBLE HOME LANDSCAPES

Steven Biggs, Food Garden Life Media TO BE ANNOUNCED

Mark Bradley, LMN 11:00-12:00 P.M. COLLABORATION BETWEEN TRADES

Paul Brydges, Brydges Landscape Architecture MTO FACILITY AUDIT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Ian and JoAnn Walters, Ian Walters Commercial Vehicle Consultant DETAILS TO MAKE WOOD LAST LONGER

Yuill McGregor, North on Sixty

Jacki Hart, Consulting by Hart 2020 TRIAL GARDEN RESULTS

Rodger Tschanz, University of Guelph MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

Dana Hurst, People Corporation 11:00-12:00 P.M. HOW TO INCREASE YOUR PROFIT PER EMPLOYEE BY $1,000 PER YEAR

Domenic Richichi, EIO Solutions STORIES THAT SELL

Alyssa (Twist) Light, The Profitable Innovator LANDSCAPING FOR CRIME PREVENTION

Amy Boudreau 12:30-1:30 P.M. KEYNOTE: WHY WHAT YOU DO AND WHO YOUR ARE MATTERS

James Orbinski, York University

12:30-1:30 P.M.

1:45-2:45 P.M.

KEYNOTE: EMBRACE THE UNEXPECTED

BUILDING A LANDSCAPE EMPIRE: HOW IT’S DONE!

David Bastedo, Photographer for the Tragically Hip 1:45-2:45 P.M. IF ONLY TREES COULD TALK

Jennifer Llewellyn, OMAFRA OPEN BOOK MANAGEMENT

Grant Harrison, Nextra Consulting STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR YOUR LANDSCAPE COMPANY

Mark Bradley, LMN 3:00-4:00 P.M. SPECIALIST FRUIT TREE PRUNING

Susan Poizner, Orchard People PROFESSIONAL SALES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

Rob Redden, in-lite Outdoor Lighting SUSTAINABILITY: LEADING YOUR TEAM, CLIENTS AND COMMUNITY TO A BETTER WAY

Paige Parker and Scott Wentworth, Wentworth Landscapes

George Urvari, Oriole Landscaping MARKETING SYSTEMS FOR ATTRACTING HOMEOWNERS

Vanessa McQuade and Robert Murray, Intrigue Media Solutions COORDINATING SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF LOCAL AND ETHICALLY SOURCED NATIVE PLANTS

Stefan Weber,

Ontario Plant Restoration Alliance BUILDING A LEAN LANDSCAPE COMPANY

Mark Bradley, LMN 3:00-4:00 P.M. THE CONSTRUCTION ACT

Josh Winter, JD, Kennaley Construction Law LANDSCAPE LIGHTING: ANOTHER LAYER OF CREATIVITY

Carl Hastings, Moonstruck Lighting Ken Martin, Ken Martin Landscape Lighting and Design Jamie Riddell, SiteOne Landscape Supply DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

21

22 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE JEFF OLSEN TAKES A DEEP BREATH when he thinks

A good news story: How nurseries met the Covid threat head-on

back to the week of March 16, 2020. A week earlier, his company, Brookdale Treeland Nurseries, was just hitting its peak. There are six BTN locations — four in southern Ontario, one in Chilliwack, B.C., and one in Berwick, N.B. — and all of them were fullystaffed, production plants were in full swing, and greenhouses were filling up. And then it all stopped.

Nurseries were considered essential businesses across the country, but many had virtually nowhere to ship product.

Workers were also understandably cautious about going to work when governments were telling us all to stay home. Some nurseries temporarily shut down, including BTN, which laid off about 120 people, or 60 per cent of its workforce. Like most, BTN also decided to put a pause on bringing any more temporary foreign workers to the farms. “It was a very tough few weeks,” remembers Olsen.

It was for the entire nursery sector, of course. We don’t know exactly how many nursery employees were affected during the first wave of the pandemic, but international workers in particular felt the brunt. In 2019, the federal government approved over 45,000 agriculture positions in total under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. Those numbers will be down this year, as some farms reduced their seasonal worker programs or cancelled them entirely. At Bylands Nurseries in West Kelowna, B.C., for instance, GM Mike Byland says during their busiest month, they only had 60 per cent of their usual number of temporary foreign workers.

Meanwhile, while most outbreaks among international workers happened on food production farms, a few occurred at nurseries, including at Bylands, where 23 people tested positive in the spring. Although the source of the Bylands cases may have been international workers who had the virus before entering Canada and before mandatory 14-day quarantines were implemented, positive cases on farms for any reason have proven to be PR nightmares.

However, the Covid-19 story hasn’t been all doom and gloom for nurseries, Byland and Olsen say. Yes, the personnel challenges have been huge — and they continue — but the industry as a whole is in a good position. “The one thing about Covid is that it has created a stronger connection with people and their food and also their yards,” says Byland. “And so overall that’s really positive for agriculture. I think moving forward everyone is just going to have to be ready to adapt really quickly as things change.” continued >

DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

23

do what they could to prevent boredom. At BTN, for instance, every house had Netflix, ping pong tables, and other extra entertainments.

Still, that sequestering didn’t go over well with everyone, says Olsen, especially when the company introduced a no-alcohol policy to prevent some disturbances that had occurred. “I think that in general they felt that ‘Boy, our employer is looking after our safety.’

But on the other side, they were bored,” he says. “They were also so removed from the community that some were like, ‘What’s really going on here?’ But when they finally went out in late August, they were shocked to see that everyone was dealing with similar protocols like masks and hand-washing and all that stuff.”

ON THE FARM

HIRING AND HOUSING Once lockdowns loosened, one of the first things nurseries had to adapt to was how to get those foreign workers into the country. For BTN, that process began around mid-April, when the company submitted its request list of foreign workers to the federal government. It was a process marked by frequent delays, says Olsen, but by early May Brookdale had about 85 per cent of its nursery workers back.

In Kelowna, Mike Byland says his company tried to supplement its decrease in international workers with domestic ones. But even though unemployment was the highest it had been in 10 years, Bylands had little to no success hiring domestic workers. “So, we just did the best we could. We made some operational decisions and didn’t do some things that we’d normally do, but just focused on trying to get as much done as we could and ship as much product as we could.”

A bigger challenge arose once those workers arrived at their homes at nurseries. Each province implemented slightly different requirements for housing and at slightly different times, but in general they required fewer people per house to ensure physical distancing, specific protocols clearly communicated to workers for preventing and controlling the risk of transmission, and site inspections.

At BTN, spacing requirements meant the company couldn’t bring in as many foreign workers as usual, while at Bylands this wasn’t really an issue because their housing generally has fewer people than the camp-style housing typical in parts of Ontario.

Some provincial health authorities, including in B.C., also recommended minimizing the amount of contact foreign workers had with the wider community. In response, and like many farms across the country, both BTN and Bylands sequestered their foreign workers on the farms for the summer. That meant they had to not only bring food or allow online ordering, but also 24 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

On the farm itself, new rules and recommendations have varied slightly from province to province, and they often changed throughout the summer. Eventually, most included daily health checks, increased cleaning and hygienic practices, physical distancing requirements, mask-wearing, and appointing a dedicated coordinator for infection control and prevention.

All of that increased government oversight and contact, while necessary, was a huge adjustment, says Mike Byland. “The one thing that’s been challenging is just making sure we have the communication channels in place to make sure that everybody understands what the regulations are we’re following. Through it all we had a couple of full-time people whose only job was to support our temporary foreign workers, make sure they have what they needed, make sure they understood some of the processes that were in place, and they’ve done a great job.”

Olsen says it’s been a huge culture change to implement all of these rules at BTN too, but that from day one they took an aggressive approach. Olsen is on Landscape Ontario’s Covid-19 Task Force, so he saw the consequences of non-compliance on other farms around the province. He didn’t want that to happen at BTN, so by early April they were implementing protocols like daily temperature checks, requiring masks indoors, and even having the local health authority conduct on-site Covid tests.

“And it was top-down,” says Olsen. “I did the same. All of our leadership team did the same thing. It wasn’t one set of rules for the staff and one set for the executives.”

Early adoption of these rules was the most challenging, says Olsen, mainly because people just weren’t used to them yet. No one was terminated at Brookdale, but several employees were written up. All it took to quickly get everyone onboard was one positive case of Covid-19 on the farm. The case was a young employee who had moderate symptoms, but it was a good reality check for everyone, says Olsen.

“Today, our rules are part of the normal culture, but my message to everyone is that we’re keeping our guard up,” says Olsen. In October, for instance, he sent a stern email to managers.

“I just said, ‘We are on an increase in this province, and we have been for a few weeks, and this is not the time to let our guard down. I see people wearing masks improperly, I see situations where people are not being physically distanced. Keep the hammer down.’”

continued >

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DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

25

THE FUTURE Olsen believes that almost everyone in the nursery sector is now taking a similar aggressive approach to preventing the virus from entering and spreading on farms. The early cases on farms were a wake-up call for everyone, he says, but it’s also helped that this issue was never politicized in Canada like it has been in the U.S., and that local health authorities have taken a collaborative approach with farms, rather than a coercive one.

In Ontario at least, that collaborative relationship with health authorities may have also been due, in part, to the decisions that Landscape Ontario’s COVID-19 Task Force made early on to members. “One of those early decisions was to say, ‘Hey, we’re closing our operations, and we suggest you do, too,’’ says Olsen.

“That wasn’t well received by everyone, but we believed that if the government wanted to see us as compliant and somebody who was being proactive about their own safety and the industry, then we had to recommend that people stay home and close the doors.

I’m proud we did that.”

Looking forward, Mike Byland believes that farms are going to have to continue making similarly quick and proactive decisions.

26 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

It’s not easy. At Bylands, for instance, employees now work in separated cohorts. “That’s been really challenging because one of the things we’ve always prided ourselves on is teamwork,” he says.

“And if one team is behind, then other people from other areas come and help. Well, you can’t do that with a cohort plan.”

Byland knows how crucial those cohorts are for keeping employees and the business itself healthy into the foreseeable future. The nursery sector as a whole saw strong sales over the summer, and Byland and Olsen agree that for that to continue in 2021, and perhaps beyond, proactive and aggressive health and safety measures are going to be key.

“It’s our new normal,” says Olsen. “And as a business, we plan to keep our safety teams in place, our policies in place, and we will continue to adhere to what the public health folks set as guidelines.

I think everybody in the industry should be doing the same thing, so let’s all get on the same team and let’s try to beat this thing.” LT

Jordan Whitehouse is a freelance writer based in Gananoque, Ont.

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27

OWNERS: STAY HEALTHY

D U R I N G A PA N D E M I C ,

WELLBEING IS EVEN MORE CRITICAL TO PROSPERITY

BY GRANT HARRISON

FOR MOST LANDSCAPE COMPANIES, the impact of Covid-19 on the bottom line has been positive. With people spending more time at home, they are choosing to do more work on their homes, and that includes landscaping. Many landscapers, pool installers, and concrete companies are booking well into 2021 … some even into 2022.

Though we celebrate the financial blessing, business owners have paid a high price for the mental and emotional toll Covid has taken. Never have I spoken with so many business owners who are struggling with stress, anxiety, work/life balance, sleeplessness and exhaustion.

At the beginning of Covid, landscapers were concerned they would not be able to work. Then when they were able, they worried there wouldn’t be enough. When work started coming in — and lots of it — they were concerned they wouldn’t have the staff to complete the work. Then there were the material shortages, with owners concerned they could not get the supplies to finish jobs. In the midst of all this, we were unable to operate our businesses or our lives as normal. No wonder we’re tired. What a rollercoaster ride it’s been!

The result is owners who are overwhelmed, stressed out, and struggling with mental, physical and emotional health. This leads them to not manage well, make poor decisions, struggle with relationships and feel lost.

The health of one’s business is so often directly tied to the health of the owner or management. So let’s talk a bit about staying healthy so your business can be healthy.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

This is usually the easiest area to make changes. As landscapers, we’re used to being outside and doing physical work. But as owners, we often find ourselves sitting at a desk or driving a truck more than doing any physical labour. Here’s some small changes you can make to improve your physical health: Go for a walk or run. Get up half an hour earlier to get active in the morning. Or take a walk/run around the neighbourhood after dinner. Just get outside and move. I started taking morning and evening walks this spring and I can’t tell you how much better I feel, how it clears my head, and how it’s improved my overall health.

Park further away. This drives my wife nuts, but when we go to the grocery store, I park at the far end of the parking lot in order to walk more. It’s simple and doesn’t really take any more time.

Buy a pedometer. This has made the biggest impact in getting me moving. Perhaps it’s my personality, but when I’ve set a goal for myself, missing it is not an option. So when I purchased a Fitbit this year and set a goal of 15,000 steps per day, I was not going to settle for failure. That has meant some late-night walks around the block or even around my yard. But I’ve rarely missed hitting my goal.

Find someone to exercise with. It’s so much easier to stay on track with your physical fitness goals if there is someone holding you accountable. It’s also more enjoyable to exercise with a friend. continued >

28 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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MENTAL HEALTH

This is without a doubt the more difficult aspect of health, especially for men, it seems. Here are a few tips: Start by getting enough sleep. The aforementioned Fitbit lets me know how much I am sleeping, and how deeply. It has been very interesting to see how often I’m restless.

Turn off your phone. (Dare I suggest such an extreme measure?!) There are many studies that link phone usage to mental health. Set hours for your phone usage and stick to them. Let your phone charge in a different room, or at least across the room from your bed. Turn off unnecessary notifications. And put the phone away a half hour before you go to bed.

Open up. I’m probably speaking to a mostly male audience and this is a tough one. But the older I get, the more I realize that whatever I’m feeling, someone else has been there and gone through it. When I open up about the struggles I am having, I am so often surprised by the response I get, the encouragement I receive knowing someone else gets it, the relief I feel knowing I’m not crazy. I usually find some helpful advice for moving forward.

Find someone who you trust and let him know how you’re doing.

Allow him to be a friend. You are not alone.

Take time for yourself and your family. I recently recognized that I was getting close to burnout and needed a break. I told my wife that I would like to take a couple of days to go away on my own for some silence, solitude and rest. She was delighted — not sure if she was delighted to see me go or delighted that I recognized my need and expressed it to her. Regardless, I spent a couple of days at a friend’s cottage all by myself. My time there included lots of walks, reading and napping. By the morning of my departure, I was ready to be home and ready to jump back into work with renewed perspective. I love my work. But it is not my life. I sometimes need to remember that. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.

If you’re feeling burned out, stressed out, tired out — you’re in good company. Take a walk. Take a nap. Talk to a friend. As the government keeps telling us during Covid, we are all in this together. LT

Grant Harrison operates Nextra Consulting, based in Ingersoll, Ont.

Grant Harrison at Congress Connect:

OPEN BOOK MANAGEMENT

2021

CONGRESS V I R T U A L

E X P E R I E N C E

Learn how your company can be more profitable by sharing financial numbers with your employees. Grant Harrison explains the advantages of this idea that actually works in real life, teaches how to avoid mistakes. Embrace the tool to give your employees a greater sense of responsibility, bringing your company more success.

Jan. 12, 2021, 1:45 p.m. Register at LOcongress.com. Congress Connect participation entitles you to view presentations for a full year.

30 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

LOCONGRESS.COM 2021

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E X P E R I E N C E

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE MYKE PRO LANDSCAPE Premier Tech

www.premiertech.com | menm2@premiertech.com MYKE® PRO LANDSCAPE is a mycorrhizal inoculant designed to be applied when transplanting the majority of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.

This product is specially formulated for all soils, even disturbed soils.

WALKER MOWER MODEL B27I Pro-Power Canada Inc.

www.walker.com/models/b27i | info@propowercanada.ca Compact, fast and productive. The B27i is a mid-size, zero-turn mower designed to run side discharge and mulch decks on difficult properties with hills, uneven terrain and obstacles while leaving the Walker beautiful cut.

PORCEA COAST BY PORCEA STONE Stonearch www.stonearch.ca | stone@stonearch.ca

STONEarch is now offering PORCEA STONE – a premium collection of outdoor porcelain pavers for residential and commercial applications. Time and weather-tested, Porcea Stone is made in Italy and designed for North America.

Some benefits include: • Resistant to freeze-thaw cycles • Resistant to salt, moss, mildew, and stains • Anti-slip & high traction A beautiful project featuring Porcea Coast, a perfect match to Indiana Limestone masonry with zero-maintenance. View the full collection at www.porceastone.com

VENTRAC Turf Care Products Canada

www.turfcare.ca | salesinquiries@turfcare.ca With more than 30 commercial-grade attachments, Ventrac is much more than a mower, offering solutions for year-round productivity, including aerating, fall leaf management, brush and slope mowing, stump, debris and snow removal, soil and site preparation, as well as material loading and moving. All attachments connect in minutes without the need for tools or heavy lifting, making Ventrac your ONE TRACTOR SOLUTION!

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE ISUZU TRUCK Isuzu Commercial Truck of Canada, Inc.

www.isuzutruck.ca | nash.stamenkovic@isuzutruck.ca With a 300,000-kilometer Design Life N-Series gas trucks are built for the long haul and can be retrofitted for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Whether you need a landscaping, dump, refrigerated, or box van body, the 297-hp N-Series gas truck has a versatile chassis to accommodate these applications and more. Choose from a Standard Cab with seating for three or a Crew Cab with seating for up to seven.

DARK EBONY GRANITE PAVERS Natural Stone Traders Inc.

www.naturalstonetraders.ca | naturalstonetraders@gmail.com Best Black Granite from NST Stone. Sizes available: 12x24”, 24x24”, 24x18” and 24x36” flamed and brushed finish. Also available in Coping & Steps.

Call for more inquiries! 647-287-7869.

SOIL ENHANCER Nutrite

www.nutrite.com | charlie.steele@nutrite.com Nutrite’s Soil Enhancer product is a combination of 55% Leaf Compost, 10% BioChar, 20% Gypsum, 13% Wood Ash, 2% Humic Acid. It aids in seedling germination, increased microbial activity and Organic Matter content and also chelates micronutrients for nutrient use efficiency. Contact your Nutrite Rep for further details.

BERKSHIRE VENEER Polycor, Inc.

www.polycor.com | audrey.parent@polycor.com Berkshire™ is a solid, split face veneer. Its variation of height courses creates a classic and pleasing random definition for both commercial and fine residential structures. Available in thin and full‑bed veneer.

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE ROOTSMART PROPAGATION SYSTEM A.M.A. Horticulture Inc. www.rootsmart.com | ama@amahort.com

Grounded in horticultural research, the RootSmart™ propagation system is designed to help growers avoid misdirected roots (circling, ascending or descending roots) to improve tree growth and performance. The unique wall-less, bottomless tray uses air pruning and has been proven in field trials at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre to promote healthier root mass and distribution and better tree establishment. Learn more at RootSmart.com.

HOT DIPPED GALVANIZED DUMP TRAILERS Action Trailers www.actiontrailers.ca | shane@actiontrailers.ca

Take advantage of our Pre-season Discounts on our full line up of Hot dipped galvanized DUMP trailers.

Don’t procrastinate for the upcoming season as COVID has delayed the entire industry from supplies & lead times. Lock in your order now with a small deposit to ensure your prepared for this upcoming busy season.

Visit our website to gain instant access on sale pricing and see why Action’s #1 selling DUMP trailer is the right fit for your business.

REMOTE MOWERS Colvoy Equipment

www.colvoy.com | derek@colvoy.com Looking to mow grass, brush, or phragmites on slopes? Keep your operator safe by using a remote controlled mower! We have two options available: the Bomford Turner Flailbot and the RC Mower. These mowers can mow on slopes up to 50-55 degrees! The Flailbot has a number of useful attachments in addition to a mower. Head to www.colvoy.com for more about these great products!

EDGECRETE - HIGH PERFORMANCE PAVER EDGE IN A BAG

Great North Hardscape / SnapEdge Canada Ltd. www.greatnorthhardscape.com | edgecrete.com | info@gnhardscape.com

EdgeCrete is a fiber reinforced polymer modified concrete edge restraint for pavers and natural stone applications for either Permeable, Open Graded or Standard Base installations.

• Fiber Reinforced to Resist Cracking • Polymer Modified for Superior Strength • Simple to Install – No Spikes Required For more info visit us at: www.greatnorthhardscape.com or direct at info@gnhardscape.com or 1-800-720-7627

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE NATIVE- 2CM OUTDOOR PORCELAIN TILE Tradewinds International Sales Co. Inc.

www.tradewindsinternational.ca | cdv.tradewinds@on.aibn.com Elegant and sophisticated, Native 2CM is inspired by the stone quarried from the mountainous region of Trentino, Italy. The surface texture of the tiles has an agglomerate-effect. This means that the surface texture has the resemblance of finely crushed volcanic rock that is subtle, and homogeneous in appearance. It is available in five colours and is 36”x36” in size. The Native collection brings the beauty and rawness of nature to your environment.

TORO - 3200/3300 OUT-FRONT ROTARY MOWER

Turf Care Products Canada

www.turfcare.ca | salesinquiries@turfcare.ca The new Toro Groundsmaster 3200/3300 series out-front rotary mowers deliver unparalleled productivity, comfort, and versatility. Featuring an innovative tilt-up deck, CrossTrax all-wheel drive, and superior operator comfort with fully adjustable suspension seat, steering column, and fingertip engine controls.

Plus, enjoy year-round versatility with a variety of multi-season attachments – move snow, clear debris, spread salt, all from the comfort of the optional all-season cab.

GREY LINE: NATURAL FIBER BLENDED GROW BAG Root Pouch www.rootpouch.com | Ashley@rootpouch.com

The Root Pouch Grey blend of fabric is found to be most successful for in-ground growing, where the amount of natural fibers will draw water from the surrounding soil. It is also widely used above ground for both outdoor and indoor growing situations.

REVELA SLAB Unilock Ltd.

www.unilock.com | jen.dodson@unilock.com This large slab product sets the stage for a contemporary design. Its enhanced surface appearance is achieved using a special process to reveal a variety of unique colors and textures on the surface of the product. With a non-slip surface, and a 60mm thickness, this product is the perfect choice for patios, walkways and pool decks.

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE FOAMSTREAM L12 Turf Care Products Canada

www.turfcare.ca | salesinquiries@turfcare.ca The NEW FOAMSTREAM L12 from Weedingtech is the world’s leading herbicidefree solution for weed, moss and algae control, as well as outdoor cleaning. The L12 is compact and easy to operate, featuring an ultra-quick start up, quick change lances, plus new high-pressure cleaning, and water-only rinse modes.

Environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and multi-functional, Foamstream is the leading herbicide-free solution for managing your outdoor spaces.

SLATE GREY SANDSTONE Natural Stone Traders

www.naturalstonetraders.ca | naturalstonetraders@gmail.com Slate Grey is available in Pavers, Coping, Steps, Risers, Pier Caps, BBQ Slabs, plus more! A popular, versatile product used in various landscaping applications.

X45I TRACTOR Holder Tractors Inc.

www.holdertractors.com | marketing@holdertractors.com The X45i is more than a Sweeper. This unit is becoming incredibly popular with municipalities and contractors alike due to its versatility. While it is an outstanding sweeper unit with two individually controlled brushes, it can also be fitted with mowers for landscaping, plows, blowers and salt spreaders for winter maintenance, and so much more. Takeaways: 44HP – Gasoline – 1.5 cu yard Hopper, fresh water and grey water circulation system.

Z MASTER 4000 SERIES The Toro Company (Canada)

www.toro.com | jeff.mcalpine@toro.com The ALL NEW Z-Master 4000 zero-turn mower is a force to be reckoned with.

Built tough with a powerful 24.5 hp* Kawasaki® FX751 engine, heavy-duty commercial grade hydros, flat-free semi-pneumatic caster tires, 24” Turf Tires, and a 48” 7-Gauge High-Strength Steel TURBO FORCE® cutting deck to take on any job. And with an hour meter, USB ports, phone holder, and a cup holder, you’ll have everything you need from the comfort of the deluxe suspension seat to help you power through long days.

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE SMART HUB 150 in-lite Outdoor Lighting

www.in-lite.com | info@in-lite.com Easily control your lights from a smart phone or tablet using the in-lite app.

The SMART HUB-150 features three cable outlets for individual zone control (example: backyard, patio, and driveway).

The SMART HUB-150 allows for multiple routines to be set, on each zone.

Customize it to suit your needs. No light sensor needed the Smart Hub 150 has an astronomical clock built in.

TREE DIAPER

Vanden Bussche Irrigation

www.vandenbussche.com | gfvanden@vandenbussche.com Simply soak the mat in water to get it started, then place it around your plants.

It will automatically recharge using rain or irrigation water, meaning you will not have to refill it! Its user friendly circular shape is designed to be placed on top of various types of soil. If you prefer a natural look, just add mulch on top of the mat. Because the TreeDiaper® treemat is made from durable materials, it can be used for years! It’s an innovative solution to irrigating newly planted trees.

CTX160 Vermeer Canada

www.vermeercanada.com | heather.downey@vermeercanada.com The Vermeer CTX160 mini skid steer is the newest and largest machine in the Vermeer mini skid steer lineup. With heavy lifting capabilities and compact footprint, the CTX160 is well-suited for a landscape contractor. When moving pallets or other material around a jobsite, the tractive efforts and controllability can help the operator feel confident maneuvering around tight spaces on the job. Plus, it’s backed by a 3-year/3,000-hour limited warranty on the loader arms.

CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD2500 CREW CAB PICKUP WITH SNOW PLOW PAKCAGE Jim Pattison Lease www.jimpattisonlease.com | wendy.ladd@jplease.com

Jim Pattison Lease is Canada’s Leader in Customized Fleet Management. We structure your lease for the specific needs for each truck and for every job requirement. We offer the full package for the truck and equipment together.

Jim Pattison Lease is your one stop shop for all your truck leasing needs and we are here to make your life easier. Please call and we can discuss your fleet requirements with you. Wendy Ladd, Account Executive 416-417-5233

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE PRO X 636 Cub Cadet PRO

www.cubcadet.ca | kevindunbar@cubcadet.ca PRO X 600 Stand-On Series • Kawasaki Engines - Up to 29.5 hp* Kawasaki FX EFI • Deck sizes: NEW! 36”, 48”, 54” and 60” • Easy-lift spring assisted deck adjustment • Maintenance-free spindle assembly, Sealed & Self lubricating

Best-in-class • Fully adjustable suspension platform • 10-gauge deck with 7-gauge top and bottom reinforcements • Warranty*: 3-year / no-hour limit / limited warranty • 5-year or, 1,750-hr limited warranty on deck • 2 year no-hour limit for 36” *Certain conditions apply

PICEA GLAUCA ‘MONTROSE CHARM’ NVK Nurseries

www.connonnurseries.com | mail@connonnurseries.com • Columnar, narrow spruce • Compact, upright, dense branching • Soft, ”fuzzy” light blue-green, very short needles • Perfect form and fast-growing Suitable as a specimen, privacy or hedge plant. With its narrow form and compact growth, it can be a very attractive potted Christmas tree.

PhosARREST Arbourdale

www.arbourdale.com | david@arbourdale.com PhosARREST is your frontline for algae defense. Spraying PhosARREST on the water surface binds phosphorous in the water column making it unavailable as food for algae. PhosARREST is safe for people, pets, fish, plants and amphibians. Our proprietary formula of natural ingredients draws in phosphorous like a magnet as it descends through the water and locks it up for good.

An application once a year is usually enough to keep your pond clean and algae free all season long. PhosARREST is an easy to apply, affordable algae barrier that works to anchor your pond treatment program.

SAWMILL MULCH Miller Compost

millercompost.ca | jon.durzi@millerwaste.ca Saw Mill Mulch is a natural mulch rich in colour. Our red, black and brown mulches will surely leave your customers satisfied and any landscape projects fully completed.

Pick up or delivery of bulk loads available. Please call 905.773.9876 for competitive pricing.

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE MISKA TRUCK BODIES Miska Trailers

www.miskatrailers.com | sales@miskatrailers.com Coming Soon from Miska Trailers! Canadian designed, built, and installed truck bodies - Built on site and fully customizable. Want to learn more or get on the pre-order list? Call 1-800-306-2111 today or email sales@miskatrailers.com

SMALL ARTICULATED LOADER Bobcat Company

www.bobcat.com | bobcatservice@bobcat.com This turf-friendly, highly maneuverable small articulated loader offers a light footprint and heavy workload.

Bobcat small articulated loaders can take on a multitude of big challenges in small spaces – while minimizing disturbance to established surfaces. These nimble loaders offer a tight-turning articulation joint that allows maneuverability in tight spaces along with a turf-safe mode to limit the chance of cutting into the turf as it turns or hauls a load.

ESBELTO PAVERS & SLABS TEXTUREGUARD Permacon www.permacon.ca | mbelanger@permacon.ca

The 12 x 24” pavers and slabs offer a modern design and high-quality finish that will enhance the look of any outdoor space. They are offered in a range of colours that are trendy yet timeless, and their smooth texture is reminiscent of indoor flooring.

2021 RAM 1500 FCA Canada

www.fcacanada.ca/fleet/en | olivia.lowman@publicisna.com When a job demands everything, you better have a truck that delivers. The 2021 Ram 1500 delivers, and overdelivers - every time. It’s got loads of cargo space for whatever you need to haul, with its Class-Exclusive RamBoxTM Cargo Management System®. And it has plenty of power to haul. The Ram 1500.

Get it working for you.

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE OAKVILLE IVORY COAST Oakville Stone

www.oakvillestone.com | marketing@oakvillestone.com Oakville Ivory Coast is a Quartzitic Sandstone. Its sandblasted and brushed finish provides a consistent texture exposing its beautiful veining and colour palette. Available in all product types including Paving, Rockface Treads, Bullnose & Straight Edge Coping, Steps, Risers and Wall Caps, the possibilities are endless when incorporating this stone into your design. Oakville Ivory Coast is available to all Oakville Stone dealers in Canada and USA.

CONTRACTORS HAVE CHALLENGES; WPE HAS SOLUTIONS WPE Landscape Equipment

www.WPEequipment.ca | marketing@WPEequipment.ca With over 30 years experience in sales, service and equipment rentals we understand the unique challenges that you face on the job. We provide quality equipment that you can count on. Experience the Difference Service Makes!

Come see us in our booth at Congress Connect or visit us online at www.WPEequipment.ca

SCAG WINDSTORM Duke Distribution

www.gcduke.com | mpeart@gcduke.com Prepare to be blown away! The Scag Windstorm is an ultra-compact, agile and ergonomic stand-on blower. With massive, multi-direction air output driven by huge HP, Scag’s exclusive fingertip control nozzle direction system provides unprecedented control of the air discharge, tilt and rotation allowing you to direct airflow exactly where you need it. The Scag Windstorm is the perfect blower. Contact Mark Peart at mpeart@gcduke.com Mobile: 905-407-4748 or Toll Free 1-800-883-0761 for more information.

SWL014SS

Derco

www.derco.ca | eric@derco.ca This small recessed light comes standard with a round stainless steel trim ring and a mounting sleeve. Four other optional stainless trims are available for purchase. It is IP67 for a good resistance to the harsh outdoor environment. The output of this 3 W fixture is 275 lumens at 3000K. The operating voltage is 12 V AC/DC.

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PRODUCT CONNECT GUIDE ASPIRE LANDSCAPE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Aspire Software

https://hubs.ly/H0BgmYH0 | marcom@youraspire.com If you’re like most landscapers, you’ve got plans to grow your business — and your profits — in 2021. No matter your strategy, having the right landscape management system in place can mean the difference between reaching your goals or falling short. Download our FREE comprehensive software buyer’s guide now to determine the right business management solution to help you reach your goals next year — and beyond.

ALL PURPOSE - GAIA GREEN Greenstar Plant Products

www.gaiagreen.com | info@getgreenstar.com GAIA GREEN All Purpose is an excellent product for landscape and garden use.

This fertilizer combines the best of our products, creating an outstanding blend for all your fertilizing needs.

• Preferred choice of organic farmers.

• A truly all purpose fertilizer suitable for a wide range of crops.

•A ll Purpose embodies the Gaia Green ethos of holistically improving soil quality to support resilient crop growth.

• Easy-to-use and long-lasting • Available in granulated and non-granulated.

• Organic

BOSS SNOWRATOR SiteOne

www.siteone.com | jriddell@siteone.com Productivity, reliability or quality of customer experience, whatever your motivation for your Winter crews this is your solution. The new accurate drop spreader attachment this is a very complete tool for your crews to improve the level of service and safety they provide.

HORTPROTECT INSURANCE PROGRAM HortProtect www.hortprotect.com | info@hortprotect.com

The HortProtect Insurance Program provides you with access to preferred group insurance rates and comprehensive coverage - designed specifically for the horticultural industry. Sponsored by the CNLA and Landscape Ontario.

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BRITISHCOLOMBIAUPDATE How B.C. is coping with COVID

Landscape Trades regularly provides space for provincial association updates. This issue features the British Columbia Landscape Nursery Association.

While we keep looking ahead, it is often worth a look back just to see how far we have come. Covid has tested our ability to change so members could continue to work within a tight scope of ‘do-ables.’

After the initial two weeks in March, BCLNA emerged from total shutdown, with both nurseries and retail nurseries (IGCs) having been deemed ‘essential.’ Landscapers were eventually grouped with construction, also considered essential, which enabled them to continue with distancing and safety measures in place. IGCs started with online and phone orders for curb-side pickup, which quickly became unwieldy, so they moved to physically distanced shopping. With few other retail stores open, there were lineups of vehicles trying to enter garden centre parking lots, and the ‘bust’ quickly turned to ‘boom.’ As other provinces opened up, nursery growers were shipping product in quantities never done before, even dipping into their 2021 stock to meet demand.

Building member resources As with every province, it wasn’t initially clear what industry needed to do in order to 42 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

comply with the Centre for Disease Control measures. And during the first few days, masks were not considered a good control to minimize spread.

AgSafeBC, BC’s agricultural safety organization, working collaboratively with BCLNA staff, developed signage, information and instructions for all members. The photos on this page show members using those resources to protect staff.

Currently, landscapers are providing a combination of masks and sanitizers, as well as implementing distancing to meet Covid requirements. One of the biggest issues is travel; when a truck has a small cab, nondriving workers must use their own vehicles to get to sites, which means extra expenses for the company.

Through the pandemic, the BCLNA communicated all the new resources, information, tips and ideas for members to adapt and grow, with a new Covid-specific e-bulletin for each commodity group coming out early in the week, followed up with the weekly Friday Files.

Shifting priorities at BCLNA The BCLNA Board of Directors met on weekly conference calls for four months with the COO to anticipate the future and to work out how to mitigate damage to the organization as well as its members. When

the big box stores cancelled millions of dollars of orders within the first few weeks, the BCLNA accessed funding for financial consultants to work with affected growers, helping them stabilize their operations with the AgriStability and Advanced Payment Programs federal and provincial grants and subsidies. Wherever there was hardship, there were resources, programs and people to assist.

All in-person events were cancelled, including social events and meetings, as well as the CanWest Show, which resulted in a severe loss of revenue for the association.

BCLNA moved funds out of its Legacy Fund to ensure expenses and dues were paid. Due to a shortage of event work, one BCLNA position has been laid off.

Early on, the BCLNA Board decided that no member would lose BCLNA membership because of losses due to Covid, (which fortunately has not occurred.)

Moving forward BCLNA staff have been busy working on several projects and creating new ways for members to connect and learn.

Labour Market Partnership Project Covid-19 recruitment: As Covid took precedence, the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training asked the BCLNA to submit a proposal that would focus on recruitment of youth, women and indigenous people to come into the horticulture sector in B.C. This included both landscape and agriculture industries, and the $225,000, 10-month project was granted in June, to be completed by February 2021. This project includes online resources including, an online Job Connector, A Day in the Life videos, a large social media presence and participation in virtual career fairs. BCLNA’s two marketing and communications staff members have kept extremely busy building the schedules and IT to roll this out in early November of 2020. BCLNA’s LMP Project Manager and Industry Coordinator have been working hard to develop and implement this project.

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PROVEN DURABILITY. Choose a mower that can stand up to the toughest jobs. The Kubota SZ Series stand-on mowers are engineered to be the quickest and most comfortable in their class, with a commercial-grade Kawasaki engine and exceptional maneuverability that professionals demand. Affordable and durable, it’s the right choice – for many more seasons ahead.

kubota.ca | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

43

BRITISHCOLUMBIAUPDATE

Plant Something for Wellness

from all of us at

M. Putzer Hornby Nursery Ltd.

Weekly and monthly video chats with presenters and industry updates: BCLNA has organized meetings for each specific commodity group, based on a schedule organized through collaboration and input from members. Growers get their Coffee Breaks with topical information, such as the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) Update from Western Agriculture Labour Initiative, B.C.’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program-SAWP agency, to look at options as B.C.’s workers are needed in early January. Retailers opted for a monthly industry review to catch up on trends and anticipate the issues as Covid comes and goes — and comes again. Landscapers, working flat-out during the summer and fall, haven’t had much time to attend monthly online Happy Hours. When work slows down for the winter, more will dial-in to this networking and educational opportunity.

Nursery tour: As it became apparent that plant buyers were still interested in looking at new and interesting plants, BCLNA staff organized a two-day, self-driving nursery tour in September. Eight nurseries hosted tours, with over 60 participants who were scheduled for specific nurseries at set times. Visitors received refreshments and swag in pre-filled goody bags.

PlantSomething for Wellness: This media promotion to build the sales of plants, based on the benefits of increasing mental and physical health, convinced already-eager consumers to buy many more plants! With social media postings, posters and retailers getting on board, it has been simply ‘over the top’ with its success, with the promotion to continue into 2021. Other provincial associations are welcome to use the resources developed for this promotion to create ‘buzz’ in their own province.

What’s next? With in-person Christmas parties being out of the question, the BCLNA will be offering a series of fun online contests and events that will provide a ‘stage’ for willing and engaged members to showcase their holiday spirit! LT

44 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

THE EXMARK LEGACY Professional cutters and homeowners alike have aspired to be a part of the legacy and experience the Lazer Z’s superior cut quality, productivity, durability and performance. Built for easier maintenance and longer life, a Lazer Z is simply tougher and easier to operate. And since one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to professional zero-turn mowers, Exmark offers a complete line of Lazer Z mowers to fit anyone’s specific needs.

NEW select gas-powered Lazer Z models can be outfitted with Tractus drive tires. These all-new airless tires are an Exmark exclusive designed to eliminate flat tire downtime, increase traction, enhance ride quality and boost durability for added tire life.

Learn more at Exmark.com DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

45

ROADTOSUCCESS

The price is right — sometimes

BY ROD McDONALD

LIKE MANY OF US, I started out as a one-man band working

from my kitchen table, answering the home telephone and storing what little equipment I had in the garage. It was an auspicious beginning, and I learned many lessons during that initial period of my business career.

I associated only with other one-man band operators, as at the time, the big boys of the trade wanted little to do with us small guys. One of the fellows I hung out with always bid lower than the rest of us. One day I asked him to explain his reasoning behind low pricing.

He rationalized he didn’t include his truck cost since he needed a vehicle anyway. He didn’t include his office costs since it was his kitchen. Same went for his house phone. He did not place much value on his overhead. As to his labour, he calculated he could install so many units of sod in an hour and he multiplied those hours by his rate. His rate was similar to the rest of us, but he included no provision for less-than-perfect experiences.

I asked him point blank: “What about the days when the sod truck is late and you spend an hour or two waiting?” He offered a blank stare. “What about the days when it rains and you get very little done?” Another blank stare. And on it went. He had no

concept or recognition of those time-consuming delays when pricing a job. All of us have met someone similar to this fellow.

There was no surprise when he eventually declared bankruptcy. His financing was so precarious that he never got up at the eight count after a customer lodged a $2,000 judgment against him. He did not have the money and that was the end of that chapter of his life.

There always has been, and always will be, someone who will underbid everyone else. That is absolutely allowed under the basic tenets of free enterprise. It is like Whack-A-Mole. One gets knocked down and another pops up. Predictably, each new one is quite confident they are on the right path, and you, the experienced operator, do not have a clue. All of us have been there.

When pricing a job, unforeseen difficulties and delays have to be factored in. I have always believed I was better off pricing a job and not getting it because I was a bit high, then getting it with pricing that was too low. I realize there is always a balance to maintain between pricing profitably and gouging. Having written that, it is critically important to include in your pricing the concept you want to be around for many years to come. This concept is equally valid to all businesses.

SOURCE BOOK

Update your FREE listing! NOW PUBLISHED IN MARCH

SUPPLIERS, UPDATE YOUR FREE PRODUCT LISTING NOW, AND MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMERS CAN FIND YOU WHEN THEY NEED YOU THIS SPRING.

The print Landscape Trades Source Book mails in March; the online Source Book at LTSourceBook.com is updated throughout the year. To ensure your product listings appear in the March 2021 print edition of the Source Book, please update your company information by January 15, 2021.

LTSourceBook.com 46 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

47

Have you ever been interested in doing business with a company or individual, but hesitated because you were not convinced they would be around to honour warranty or service your purchase? The reputation of a company is important to me when I am making a decision to do business with them. Why would I want to make a purchase, either personal or business related, without a support system in place?

On more than one occasion, I’ve had people approach me wanting to sell plants or products for the garden centre/greenhouse. They are making their offer on a one-off basis. My question has always been: “If I make this purchase, how do I explain my lack of loyalty to my regular suppliers?” There are so many pitfalls doing business with one-off companies and individuals.

When I purchase a quality house plant from a homeowner, the first thing they do is to come down the next day to see the retail price I’ve placed on ‘their’ plant. Homeowners often have no concept of what overhead is or should be. One customer, a doctor, decided my overhead should be 10 per cent. It’s a good thing he is a physician and not anaccountant.

When you observe greenhouse and garden centre operators jumping around from supplier to supplier and good deal to better deal, you will notice they are never the leaders of the trade. They are so busy chasing down deals that allow them to make quick money on a one-time basis, they have no concept of building their business. My Baptist upbringing emerges when I am reminded we can build upon the rock or upon the sand. Those are our two choices.

Pricing is never easy; writing we need to price to be profitable can sound trite as well as true. Pricing to follow the lead of box stores is a direct path to bankruptcy. Independents can never match the pricing of the chains, as we have higher input costs. We are not the ones who take product off the trucks and leave it on the racks for display.

We are not the ones who employ limited maintenance or qualified sales staff. We are not the ones who pay rock-bottom wages. So

why would we compete with the box stores on price? We are worth so much more than what they charge.

There will always be those who compare your pricing to the box store. They are the same people who expect you to assist them with their gardening problems, or with purchases from the box store. Two-thirds of the phone calls I received for advice were for products not purchased from my garden centre.

The callers told me the problem plant had been purchased at Walmart or Superstore and when I asked why they did not call the place of purchase, they would laugh, “Are you kidding?

Walmart doesn’t know what they are talking about.” I would often think to myself “When it comes to free advice, people will settle for only the best.”

I was not alone in my experience. Rick Van Duyvendyk from Dutch Growers in Saskatoon, Sask. had a caller seeking advice while shopping at Canadian Tire, even reading the tags to him.

Wow! The same thing happened to Michel Touchette at Jeffries Nursery in Portage la Prairie, Man. He could hear the Canadian Tire intercom in the background. At the very least, people do see us as the experts, even when shopping elsewhere.

Successful garden centres, greenhouses and landscape contractors have learned the importance of both the Wow Factor and service and they charge for those added benefits accordingly. They have learned to recruit a customer base impressed by what they do. That solid customer base is what sustains the independent for the years ahead and keeps all of us 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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MANAGEMENTSOLUTIONS

Measuring — and improving — your labour situation

BY MARK BRADLEY

2020 WAS ONE OF THE MOST BIZARRE YEARS on re-

cord, a year where nothing went as expected. First the virus, then the shutdown, then the anticipated economic collapse from the shutdown that turned into a relative boom in demand for many contractors. As usual, this opportunity merely exposed another challenge:the availability of labour.

The labour problem exists for everyone in the green (and white) industries and it is a legitimate challenge. It is, by far, the most commonly cited challenge I hear when discussing business with fellow contractors. Sure, there are things you can do to make your company more attractive to the right talent, but talent is in short supply. It has never been more important to make sure the labour you do have is as productive as possible.

If you’re a business owner or manager, here’s a primer on how to tune your business in the next year to maximize productivity.

SET PROFITABLE AND PRODUCTIVE BENCHMARKS A couple of years back, I wrote a series of articles about benchmarking your labour. If you haven’t read them, it’s worth looking back in the Landscape Trades archives to find them. But I will give you a quick summary here.

Your Field Labor Ratio could well be the single more important measure of your company’s productivity. It’s pretty easy to calculate. Here’s how: 1. S plit or divide your payroll expenses into two groups; one is field labour, the other is overhead labour. Categorizing each employee is this simple: if they work on a job producing billable work, they belong in field labour. If they work as supervisors or administrators and their time is not included in estimates, they are overhead labour.

2. N ext, add up the cost of wages of your field labour group.

Don’t include taxes and labour burden.

3. T hen, simply divide your field labour wage costs by your total revenue or sales. For example, a company earning $750k in revenue last year, and spending $200k on field labour wages, would have a labor ratio of 26 per cent.

(That’s 200 divided by 750.)

This number is such a powerful productivity KPI (key performance indicator) because it measures exactly what you want to maximize. The lower your ratio, the better.

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Now come the industry benchmarks. Profitable design-build companies typically have field labour ratios between 20 and 25 per cent. Maintenance companies, because their work is much more labour-intensive with few materials, typically spend between 30 and 40 per cent. If you are new to this, these are the numbers you want to strive for.

You can easily measure your field labour ratio at the end of every month by dividing your revenue by your field labour wages to make sure you’re on track. Don’t panic too early in the year — the number will likely start out a little wonky, but by July, you should start to see your actual ratio take shape.

At this point you might say, “Okay, I know my ratio and I’m higher (meaning less productive) than industry benchmarks.

What do I do?”

First and foremost, don’t worry. Many companies are higher than the benchmarks, because many companies don’t make enough profit. But here are some important tips to improve that ratio.

Track and reduce unbillable time. This is my Number One tip.

Most companies lose far too many potential revenue-generating hours stuck in traffic, walking around the shop, re-doing work, picking up materials all over town, and far more. Your crews should be recording payroll hours on-the-job and off-the-job every day, and you need to maximize time spent on-the-job.

Do whatever it takes to maximize on-the-job payroll hours, including starting earlier (to avoid traffic), eliminating pickups wherever possible (get stuff delivered on-site!), optimizing your driving routes and more. Be creative! It’s worth it.

Give crews a labour-hour goal for every job. It never ceases to amaze me how many owners are uncomfortable with this concept. How would any professional sports team evaluate athletes without a) statistics, and b) wins or losses? Your jobs are no different. Give your foreman the estimated hours and inspire them to beat it. Without those hours, they do not have the tools to evaluate and improve their own performance. Even worse, they will believe because they’re not scored, it doesn’t really matter.

Track and report job hours as often as you can. Give foremen the feedback they need to improve. It is entirely possible that every day, on every job, the foreman knows exactly how many hours were estimated, how many hours were used, and how

many hours remain to get the job done.

There are several apps built specifically for our industry that do this task for you — for pennies per hour. Use them.

You could never possibly get data this accurate on pen and paper, and certainly not from random, off-the-top-of-yourhead conversations. Technology has made the dream of always knowing the score an easy reality. Don’t overlook this power.

A RATIO TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL JOBS If you have more potential work than you can handle, congratulations! Now it’s time for some tough decisions. Which jobs will you do, and which will turn down? Either way, you will be busy, but with the right way, you will be far more profitable. Here are two measurements, over and above profit, I find helpful when evaluating jobs.

J ob Revenue Per Hour: Take the price of the job and divide it by the number of estimated hours. That’s the job’s revenue per hour. The bigger this number, the more sales the crew is producing per hour worked, which will produce a better field labour ratio — 100% of the time without exceptions. Jobs with more materials, more expensive materials, or jobs that can use larger, more productive equipment produce more revenue per hour. These are the jobs you want to target. Avoid labour-heavy jobs if you want to maximize your ratio.

J ob Labour Ratio: Take the number of estimated labour hours multiplied by your average hourly wage, then divide that total by the job’s selling price.

For example, say you have a $20,000 front yard project that you estimate at 180 man hours. Your average worker’s wage (not including taxes) is $22 per hour. This job’s ratio is (180 times 22) divided by $20,000, which is 19.8 per cent. That ratio is lower than the industry benchmark (and remember, the lower the number, the more productive!) so it’s a good thing.

This job is going to help you improve your field labour ratio. Conversely, a $23,000 back yard that takes 260 hours is going to give a ratio of 26 per cent. Even though it’s a bigger job,

it’s not really a better job in terms of productivity. Knowing this is powerful.

Here’s hoping 2021 is a great year for you and your companies. LT

USE MORE EQUIPMENT This one is short and sweet. What reduces labour? Equipment. The more equipment you have, the fewer people you need — to a point, anyway. If you are big on opportunity but short on labour, invest in equipment that will help the people you have get through their work a lot faster.

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

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2020-11-25 2:05 PM

LEGALMATTERS

Liquidated damages, deposits and forfeiture clauses

BY ROBERT KENNALEY

HISTORICALLY AT COMMON LAW in Canada, a liquidated

damages clause will be treated as a penalty, and not enforced for public policy reasons, unless the amount is a “genuine preestimate” of damages that will actually be suffered. For a time, however, it appeared that Ontario’s highest Court might abandon the “genuine pre-estimate” test in favour of the equitable approach historically taken to forfeiture clauses, such as those relating to deposits. As the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed in describing such clauses in Redstone Enterprises Ltd. v. Simple Technology Inc., 2017 ONCA 282 (citing BC Court of Appeal decision):

law of penalty clauses remains in force in Ontario. In addition, on Oct. 2, the Supreme Court of Canada, in Chandos Construction Ltd. v. Deloitte, 2020 SCC 25, upheld an Alberta Court of Appeal decision which applied the traditional law of penalties to a liquidated damages clause. It accordingly appears that, for the time being at least, a liquidated damages clause will continue to be struck as a penalty if it was not a genuine pre-estimate of actual losses.

Deposits, on the other hand, will continue to be treated differently.

As the Ontario Court of Appeal recently explained in Aylward v. Rebuild Response Group Inc., 2020 ONCA 62, 2020 (citing a prior decision):

“The deposit constitutes an exception to the usual rule that a sum subject to forfeiture on the breach of a contract is an unlawful penalty unless it represents a genuine preestimate of damages. However, where the deposit is of such an amount that the seller’s retention of it would be penal or unconscionable, the court may relieve against forfeiture.”

“A true deposit is an ancient invention of the law designed to motivate contracting parties to carry through with their bargains. Consistent with its purpose, a deposit is generally forfeited by a buyer who repudiates the contract, and thus is not dependent [as is a liquidated damages clause] on proof of damages by the other party.”

The suggestion that the law prohibiting penalty clauses should change was made by Sharpe J.A. in his 2005 reasons for decision in 869163 Ontario Ltd. v. Torrey Springs II Associates Ltd. Partnership (2005), 76 O.R. (3d) 362) (otherwise known as “Peachtree II”). In that case, His Honour expressed the view that courts should avoid classifying contractual clauses as either forfeitures or penalties and, rather, evaluate both under the principles of unconscionability. This, he opined, would be consistent with freedom of contract and allowing parties to define for themselves the consequences of a breach or nonperformance of an agreement. His Honour nonetheless confirmed the question would have to be left to “another day.”

Sounding the “death knell” on the law of liquidated damages would, of course, have significant consequences for contractors and subcontractors. It would allow owners, contractors (and anyone one up in the construction ladder) to apply liquidated damages as a penalty, the only exception being that the clause might be struck as unconscionable in certain circumstances. It would, subject to unconscionability for example, allow an owner to apply liquidated damages of $100,000 per day of delay, even if a day of delay was worth only a few thousand dollars. Perhaps thankfully for contractors and subcontractors (and less so for Owners), the Ontario Court of Appeal (in Haas v. Viscardi 2019 ONCA 133) recently upheld a lower Court’s determination that the common

A clause requiring the forfeiture of a deposit can therefore be enforced, subject to unconscionability, even if the party that gets to keep it suffers no damages. It is for this reason, for example, that purchasers under Agreements of Purchase and Sale will generally forfeit their deposits even if the vendor later sells the home for substantially more money, suffering no loss whatsoever. Again, the ability to retain the deposit will be subject to unconscionability.

As the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed in Uber Technologies Inc. v. Heller, 2020 SCC 16, establishing the two required elements of unconscionability (inequality of bargaining power and an “improvident bargain”) can be difficult to do. In that regard, see our prior article on the Uber decision. As regards the first test of unconscionability, one of the factors the Court will take into consideration in determining if there is an inequality of bargaining power is “necessity”. This occurs, as per the Supreme Court in Uber, “where the weaker party is so dependent on the stronger that serious consequences would flow from not agreeing to a contract”.

The Supreme Court went on to state that:

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“This imbalance can impair the weaker party’s ability to contract freely and autonomously. When the weaker party would accept almost any terms, because the consequences of failing to agree are so dire, equity intervenes to prevent

a contracting party from gaining too great an advantage from the weaker party’s unfortunate situation.”

As regards a tender process (and although there are no cases directly on point), it appears the mere fact that a bidder has no real opportunity to negotiate the terms of a tendered contract will not, in and of itself, establish the ‘inequality of bargaining power’ required to meet the test.

Not all penalty or forfeiture clauses involve liquidated damages or deposits. In the land development and custom home building industries, clauses which require a purchaser of land to sell the land back to the vendor if certain conditions relating to the development or construction are not met, for example, have become increasingly popular.

In sum, while liquidated damages clauses will continue to be struck unless they reflect a genuine pre-estimate of actual damages, forfeiture clauses (including those relating to deposits) will be enforced even if the forfeiture bears no resemblance to actual damages, unless enforcement would be considered unconscionable (based on inequality of bargaining power coupled with an improvident bargain). Given the Court’s preference to enforce contracts, however, unconscionability will be difficult to establish and will only occur in the rarest of circumstances. Parties accordingly need to carefully review and understand forfeiture clauses. As regards liquidated damages, parties who wish to rely on such clauses will need to establish that the damages specified do, in fact, represent a genuine pre-estimate of damages. They should also beware that the law of liquidated damages may eventually give way to the law of forfeiture, opening the door for liquidated penalties for a failure to perform under a contract. LT

Rob Kennaley is with Kennaley Construction Law, a construction law firm with offices in Simcoe, Toronto and Barrie, Ont. For more information please visit kennaley.ca. This material is for information purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice in relation to any particular fact situation.

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RECERTIFICATION With the year coming to an end, this reminder is for members due to renew their certification. Participate in activities for earning continuing education units (CEUs) and record a minimum of 24 CEUs in the recertification form (cnlagetcertified.ca/ designations/recertification).

Members earn CEUs for industry-related education and service. Details of activities that qualify for CEUs are listed on the form.

Visit your provincial association website for opportunities to earn CEUs online.

Submit completed recertification forms with necessary supporting evidence. Members due to renew in 2020 have until the end of June 2021 to renew, after which a late fee will be charged.

Renewals are valid for a two-year period.

Certifications lapse if they are not renewed one year past the due date. To reinstate a lapsed certification, members are required to register, write, and pass the written exams for their designation.

#GREENMYCITY2020 KICKS OFF IN HAMILTON In August, the Green Cities Foundation (GCF) launched the first #GreenMyCity2020 project, in partnership with St. Matthew’s House in Hamilton, Ont. The project kicked off with a tree-planting ceremony at Woodlands Park, including a park cleanup as well as lawn care and garden bed maintenance at the nearby Birch Avenue green space.

A small group of volunteers and community stakeholders gathered at Woodland Park for the ceremony (while social distancing and wearing facial masks). The crowd was greeted by messages from project partners Alan White (GCF), Renee Wetselaar (SMH), Rachel Braithwaite (Barton BIA), Brenda Duke (Beautiful Alleys) and Andrea McGrath (RBC Insurance).

The St. Matthew’s House children’s centre helped with the event; the children added dirt and water, and hand painted

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rocks around the selected hackberry tree. It was a remarkable moment to have the kids participate, and a great way to honour the St. Matthew’s House legacy in the Barton Village Community.

Participants want to thank RBC Insurance, Hamilton Community Foundation and the CNLA for this project’s financial support. Special recognition to the Anglican Diocese of Niagara, the Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association members, Aldershot Landscape, Garden Grove Landscape, Connon Nurseries and Turf Systems. for their contributions.

Please contact Rebecca Doutre, Executive Director with the Green Cities Foundation, for more information on getting involved in this important project gcfdirector@gcfoundation.ca, or visit at gcfoundation.ca

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CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE Nature plays a significant role in creating environmentally sustainable cities. The many important benefits range from physical health, psychological well-being of city populations as well as erosion control, stormwater management and the critical cooling effect of our increasingly overheated urban areas, where 82 per cent of Canadians live.

Our industry provides multiple benefits to the economy, environment, and human lifestyles. From primary producers growing plants, garden centres who sell and educate customers to the landscapers that design green spaces. As a whole, these services and practices are creating solutions to lessen the effects of climate change and make cities more liveable.

The horticulture industry and services do more than beautify and enhance cities and gardens. Green infrastructure solves many urban problems.

Green infrastructure is a term that might sound technical, however, the concept refers to an interconnected network of landscape

assets that are intertwined with engineered (grey) infrastructure; in other words, natural vegetative systems and green technologies that collectively provide society with many environmental, social and economic benefits.

Plants are among the world’s best carbon sinks because they exchange carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the biosphere, which is an essential part of global climate regulation. Therefore, green spaces in cities are a necessity and an important component in the relation of more sustainable development towards climate adaptation and mitigation.

Integrating green infrastructure into the built environment must be a priority, from densely populated urban centres to smaller and rural settlements. A centrepiece of smart planning is ensuring communities have a livable environment, with clean air and water, for generations to come.

Nature can be harnessed to provide critical services for communities such as protection against flooding and excessive heat, as well as improved air and water quality. These are all critical to both human and environmental health.

Green infrastructure is also multifunctional and provides secondary benefits alongside its primary purpose.

This makes green infrastructure a costefficient use of public finances: a single investment delivers the core service while also providing numerous other public benefits. In many ways, the use of green infrastructure embodies the shift towards a green economy, which is costeffective infrastructure that delivers better environmental and social outcomes.

In conclusion, our industry must prioritize raising awareness of the many benefits of green infrastructure, and the greenery of Canadian cities and towns. In doing so, we will keep advancing our member’s products and services as an essential element in our economy in reducing carbon emissions and increasing resilience in our communities to mitigate climate change.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association is the federation of Canada’s provincial horticultural trade associations. Visit www.cnla-acpp.ca for more information.

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CANADA BLOOMS CANCELS 2021 EVENT Due to the ongoing concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, the Canada Blooms Horticultural Society made the decision to cancel the 2021 edition of Canada Blooms. Canada Blooms is the largest garden festival in Canada and one of the top garden events in the world. The event was scheduled for March 12-21 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place in Toronto. “I am heartbroken after having to cancel 2020 that we are unable to have an in-person event in 2021,� explained Terry Caddo, Executive Director of Canada Blooms. Canada Blooms is exploring online/ virtual options for 2021.

Canada Blooms is an annual worldclass festival that connects people to the joys and benefits of nature through experiences with gardens and flowers by promoting, educating, inspiring and celebrating all aspects of horticulture. A not-for-profit organization that gives back

56 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

The 2021 Canada Blooms flower and garden festival has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

to the community throughout the year by funding community garden projects around Ontario, Canada Blooms is also dedicated to providing the community with horticulture expertise, education and

resources on an ongoing basis. Canada Blooms was founded by Landscape Ontario and The Garden Club of Toronto. Each year, it is supported by a committed group of partners, sponsors and volunteers.

RELIEF FOR ONTARIO SNOW OPERATORS A private members’ bill sponsored

by Ontario MPP Norm Miller is now ordered for third reading in the Ontario Legislature. Bill 118, Occupiers’ Liability

Amendment Act, 2020, amends the the Occupiers’ Liability Act to provide that no action shall be brought for the recovery of damages for personal injury caused by snow or ice against an occupier; or an independent contractor employed by the

GREEN CITIES FOUNDATION BREAKS GROUND The Green Cities Foundation broke ground on its first outdoor rehabilitation project at St. Matthew’s House in Hamilton, Ont., November 6-7. Phase two work will start in Spring 2021. St. Matthew’s House was selected by the Green Cities Foundation to be the first #GreenMyCity project and three parks in the surrounding neighbourhood will also receive transformations through the Foundation.

occupier to remove snow or ice unless, within 60 days after the occurrence of the injury, written notice of claim is served. The current statute of limitations period is two years.

The Green Cities Foundation’s mission is to reduce the effects of climate change, help people breathe, and to improve the quality of life in Canadian cities.

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of Guelph are part of a North American, multi-disciplinary team to reimagine and redefine Soilless Substrate Science to better meet the expanding range of crops and productions systems that are transitioning from traditional field soils into soilless substrates. Read More. Those research updates and more are now available at cohaconnections.ca.

QUIGG RETIRES FROM STIHL LIMITED COHA funded research on Hybrid Treatment Systems shows promise as an effective water filtration method for greenhouse and nursery growers.

COHA CONNECTIONS PROVIDES RESEARCH UPDATES The Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA) released the quarterly COHA Connections research update on its website. Dr. Ann Huber of the

Soil Resources group shares her most recent updates on her research project which employs a new water filtration technology of interest to greenhouse and nursery growers. Dr. Youbin Zheng and his research team at the University

Stihl Limited announced president Greg Quigg’s retirement, after 35 years with the company.

“Some of my most cherished memories include visiting most every region of our beautiful country and enjoying the very personal visits with our incredibly

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hardworking dealers,” Quigg wrote in a media release. Dave Warren, a Stihl employee for over 25 years, has been named the new president and general manager.

NGB ANNOUNCES 2021 “YEAR OF THE” PROGRAM Free promotional marketing materials are now available for the National Garden Bureau’s 2021 “Year of the” program.

“The Year of the promotion is ready to help growers, garden retailers (both online and brick-and-mortar) and garden communicators encourage consumers to discover and embrace five specially selected plant classes,” NGB explains.

For 2021, they are: Annual: Sunflower; Vegetable/edible: Garden Bean; Perennial: Monarda; Bulb: Hyacinth; Flowering Shrub: Hardy Hibiscus. To download the materials, visit the National Garden Bureau’s website at www.ngb.org.

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AVANT TECHNO PARTNERS WITH LEGUAN LIFTS Avant Tecno USA and Leguan Lifts have formally announced their partnership and distribution plans for the North American market.

Beginning in October 2020, Avant Tecno USA and select dealers in their extensive network will begin promoting, selling and servicing the Leguan 190 spider lifts designed for tree care, heavy duty professional and rental use.

According to Jukka Kytömäki, President of Avant Tecno USA, the two companies will benefit from synergies related to, among other things, customers, product portfolio and extensive industry expertise.

“Similar to the Avant product line, Leguan Lifts were carefully designed paying meticulous attention to durability, safety and user friendliness,” said Kytömäki . “The Leguan 190 access platform specifically has unbeatable features including automatic leveling with a single push of a button, high platform capacity over the entire working area, all-terrain capabilities and sturdy boom design.”

CANADA BLOOMS NAMES AURORA BOREALIS ROSE PLANT OF THE YEAR The latest release in Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection of bredin-Canada garden and landscape roses promises to steal the spotlight in Canadian gardens when it is released next spring.

Aurora Borealis, the third addition in the collection, has already been named 2021 Plant of the Year by Canada Blooms, Canada’s largest flower and garden festival, for the organization’s 25th anniversary. Named for the Northern Lights, this rose captures the bright dancing lights of the aurora in its dramatic, sunset pink blooming clusters set against dark green and glossy foliage.

Aurora Borealis is lowmaintenance and grows Aurora Borealis, the latest rose Vineland’s to one metre tall with a 49th Parallel Collection, is coming to garden one-metre spread. It’s centres in 2021. also black spot resistant 60 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

and winter hardy across Canada.

“Aurora Borealis will be a stunning addition to any garden from St. John’s to Victoria, as more and more Canadians rediscover a passion for gardening during this unprecedented time”, says Ian Potter, President and CEO of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland). “This rose is a beauty, just like the natural phenomenon after which it was Named.”

Aurora Borealis will be available in gardening centres and greenhouses throughout Canada in time for the 2021 growing season. It succeeds Chinook Sunrise, released in 2019 and Canadian Shield, the inaugural release in Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection that was unveiled for Canada’s 150th anniversary. Vineland’s 49th Parallel Collection is the result of a national rose breeding program in collaboration with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. Roses are selected following field trials throughout Canada thanks to this partnership. You can find more information at 49throses.com including retail partners across the country.

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WILLIAM DAM SEEDS WINS AAS AWARD All-America Selections announced the winners of its 2020 Landscape Design Challenge, including a third place honour for William Dams Seeds. The Dundas, Ont.-based grower celebrated the twentyfifth anniversary of the Wave petunia by creating “a vibrant entrance exclusively of Purple Wave Petunia, an All- America Classic award winner,” ASS stated in a media release. LT

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Snow blower attachments

John Deere announces three new single-motor, high-flow snow blower models. Compatible with John Deere compact track loaders, compact wheel loaders and skid steers, the SB72D, SB78D and SB84D Snow Blowers incorporate features such as hydraulically operated poly-lined chutes and deflectors, reinforced wrappers, adjustable skid shoes and two auger options.

John Deere www.deere.ca

Compact excavator

Bobcat Company introduces the R2-Series E60 compact excavator. The E60 is the latest release in the new R2-Series lineup of Bobcat compact excavators, which includes the conventional tail-swing, 4-ton E42 and minimal tail-swing, five-ton E50.

Bobcat www.bobcat.com

Stainless steel hopper spreader

SnowEx brings its Helixx material delivery system to a new 0.35 cubic yard stainless steel spreader developed specifically to fit UTVs and compact trucks. The Helixx 0.35 cubic yard stainless steel hopper spreader has a 2.5-foot-long hopper. Its compact size allows it to address sidewalks, while its ability to deliver a spreading width of up to 30 feet makes it effective on larger jobs as well, SnowEx says.

SnowEx www.snowexproducts.com

62 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

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Compact bandsaw

Dewalt introduces the new Atomic Compact Series 20V Max Brushless Cordless 13/4-in. Bandsaw, made for fast onehanded cutting. The unit weighs 6.6 lbs. and features an integrated guard for onehanded, overhead cutting applications.

Gator Nitro Sand from Alliance Gator is designed for hardscape contractors and masons who prefer using mortar over polymeric sand.

Benefits include the ability to apply in wet or dry weather and permeability, the company says.

Stihl www.stihl.ca

DeWalt www.dewalt.ca

Alliance Gator www.alliancegator.com

The new MS 151 C-E chainsaw from Stihl is designed for cutting firewood to length, as well as for tree maintenance and lopping work. The lightweight (2.8 kg.) model features a manual fuel pump and Stihl ErgoStart.

Compact track and skid steer loaders

Bobcat introduces the 60-frame size loader models — and first radius-lift-path loaders — to its R-Series lineup: the Bobcat R-Series T62 compact track loader and S62 skid-steer loader.

The new radius-lift-path, 60-frame-size R-Series T62 and S62 loader models feature Bobcat inline engine and cast-steel lift arm sections.

Bobcat www.bobcat.com

DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

63

Rear discharge mower deck

John Deere debuts the new Fastback Pro Rear-Discharge Mower Deck for its line of gas and diesel Z900 ZTrak Mowers. Available in 60- or 72-inch cutting widths, the rear-discharge mower deck increases productivity and improves operator comfort without sacrificing cut quality, the company says.

John Deere www.deere.ca

Irrigation controller series

Your one stop shop for all your artificial turf and sports court flooring supplies located in Durham Region.

Helping local contractors understand the artificial turf market. We can install for you or teach you how to install properly!

You will find a wide variety of turf, seaming materials, glue, Envirofill, Bender Board, base materials including HPB gravel and much more!

Distributors of‌

Dramm is upgrading its irrigation control line with the introduction of the ProLine Irrigation Controller Series. Building on the capabilities of the RainPro Controllers, the ProLine increases the number of outputs available, while still remaining modular and expandable, the company says.

Dramm www.dramm.com

Fiber-reinforced edging

Xtreme Edge from Alliance Gator sets twice as fast as a concrete mix, according to the company. Xtreme Edge utilizes high performance polymers for added strength and is freeze and thaw resistant.

905-263-4977

durhamartificialgrass.ca

64 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

Alliance Gator www.alliancegator.com

ADVERTISERS COMPANY

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DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES |

65

MENTORMOMENT

The training train SANDY ROBERTON, retired from operating Earthcraft Landscape in Bedford, N.S., has spent his career pushing for educational and certification opportunities in the profession he loves, landscape horticulture.

Do students coming into horticulture grasp how much opportunity there is?

No, I feel those pursuing a future in the horticultural industry, specifically landscaping, in the schools do not actually know who we are. Career counselors are not familiar with our industry. It is incumbent on the associations to go into the schools and tell our story through counselors, or by making presentations.

Earthcraft helped with a local government initiative, funded by Dragons Den, for a student market vegetable garden.

career path. We need to push to legalize banking hours; we should encourage government to take another look by showing the benefits.

E.I. is a serious problem. I am excited about a government program, an alternative to E.I., where both contractors and government invest in employees. This idea could pay back tenfold.

Who have you looked to for leadership?

Grant Mosher of Terra Nova Landscaping encouraged me to join LNS. Jeff Morton of Truro Ag College was a great source of industry knowledge, he even helped me train employees.

SANDY ROBERTON I never hesitated to ask my peers for advice. If I ever had a technical problem with walls or patios, I could always go to Joe Price. He was of tremendous benefits to many jobs I did. Christene LeVatte and David Stenhouse of Cape Breton are How can business owners help always ready to help. She followed me onto the CNLA board — what expand training opportunities? a legacy she has built. Two other incredible, proactive people are Chris Start within your own company by accessing programs from Andrews and Victor Santacruz of CNLA. I also benefitted a great deal educational institutions for training staff. Set appropriate standards from my relationships with Bob Osborne and Jack Wetmore. for both theory and practical skills.

Why do contractors fail?

Contractors set themselves up for failure when they lack knowledge.

Some may have business knowledge, but they don’t understand soils, plants or drainage. Insufficient cash is also a big problem; it takes time to build a base. They sometimes lack the ability to create landscapes that suit a customer’s wishes and are also well crafted and consider the environment. Professional advice has to fit. Customers are becoming more careful with their spending, so the sales environment is changing. The greater the passion, the better the results. One should never compromise a project because of a contractor’s error in bidding. The unforeseens can affect the cost of the job; this should be discussed before the client signs.

What makes you worry about your profession?

The contracting environment is changing, not necessarily for the better. I see customers getting excited about hardscapes which are now more dominant, but we have lost the balance between soft and hard. Now we see 50- by 30-ft. yards that are all patio with a pool.

Where is the greenscape? The softscape makes the hardscapes look complete.

I am also worried our industry has yet to solve the seasonality problem. We should shoulder responsibility for charging the right prices that will allow us to retain employees year-round, offering a 66 | DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 | LANDSCAPE TRADES

What did you enjoy most about operating a landscape business?

I always enjoy walking a property with a customer after a project is completed, that gave them what they hoped for, while enhancing the environmental benefits at the same time. It’s all about delivering on expectations. We were onto the environment before it was cool; 15 years ago, we convinced customers to send rain runoff into a tank to feed water features and irrigation. Permeable paving and taking advantage of greywater are the next big things.

How do you handle difficult customers?

I found you can turn bad situations around by actually listening. One customer was a bit of a dictator and started telling our staff where to relocate plants. Our head gardener was a real plants lady, she lived for plants, and she knew what she was doing. The conflict led to the customer sending us a three-page lawyer letter. I explained to him that he has place his trust with me and my staff. We do know what we are doing, and that is why you hired us. If you have issues, you must address them with me. As contractors, we have to listen, answer the objections, and then explain that we are the professionals. LT

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

New Year. New goals.

Now’s the time to implement the right technology.

If you’re like most landscapers, you’ve got plans to grow your business—and your profits—in 2021.

No matter your strategy, having the right landscape management system in place can mean the difference between reaching your goals or falling short.

Aspire offers the end-to-end functionality you need to reach your goals this year and beyond:

» CRM » Estimating » Scheduling

» Purchasing » Equipment » Invoicing

» Reporting » Mobile Time » Accounting Integration

Aspire. There’s a reason it’s the #1 business management software for landscape contractors.

www.youraspire.com 866.727.7473