Landscape Ontario - April 2021

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

April 2021

DEDICATED TO

CLIENTS Sherri Hornsey of Cypress Gardeners empowers her team to make the right decisions.

PM 40013519

PAGE 4

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

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April, 2021 • Volume 39 - No. 04 HortTrades.com

Landscape Ontario’s mandate is to be the leader in representing, promoting and fostering a favourable environment for the advancement of the horticultural profession in Ontario.

Features 4 Profile: Cypress Gardeners

Departments 7 13 14 15 18 22

Association News Educator Profile New Members Professional News Columns Advertisers

Director of Communications and Publications Scott Barber sbarber@landscapeontario.com, 647-478-3171 Editor Robert Ellidge rellidge@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-5645 Creative director / IT coordinator Mike Wasilewski mikew@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5343 Sales manager Greg Sumsion gsumsion@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-6977 Communications coordinator Angela Lindsay alindsay@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5305 Digital Marketing Specialist Adele Bedard abedard@landscapeontario.com Accountant Joe Sabatino jsabatino@landscapeontario.com, 647-724-8585 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Kaneisha De Leon, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Cassandra Garrard, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM, Amanda Laszcz, Keri MacIvor, Heather MacRae, Katarina Markovic, Kathy McLean, Shalini Mehta, Patrick Roche, Joe Salemi, Christy Sebastian, Ian Service, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Tom Somerville, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE Gerald Boot CLM, Laura Catalano, Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Jeremy Feenstra, Mark Fisher, Hank Gelderman, Marty Lamers, Bob Tubby, Nick Winkelmolen Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 Canada Phone: 905-875-1805 ISSN 1928-9553 Publications Mail Agreement No. PM40013519 Views expressed are those of the writer concerned. Landscape Ontario assumes no responsibility for the validity or correctness of any opinions or references made by the author. Copyright 2021, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 9x per year. Rates and deadlines are available on request. Subscription price: $43.51 per year (HST included).

For subscription and address changes, please e-mail subscriptions@landscapeontario.com

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The danger of using temporary labour agencies

L

million migrants worldwide that fill labour positions and send a portion of their earnings back to their families in their home countries to give them a better life.

There are many drawbacks to this practice of using third-party labour suppliers.

It becomes a crutch that is easy to use, but dulls the skill required to hire good talent. It kills the “bench” we should all have of future potential employees. If we stop nurturing the bench, then we lose them. The ease of picking up the phone and getting more workers has increased the demand, which has increased the supply of undocumented workers. The Canadian Border Protection Service (CBPS) has visited several companies around the province as they seek to confirm what they already know about the third-party labour suppliers. The Ontario Ministry of Labour and various municipal agencies are all involved. The law says that if you knowingly employ an undocumented worker, you could be subject to fines and possible jail time.

But here is where the grey comes in: we shouldn’t be overlooking the risks involved just because the federal government hasn’t pursued legal action. It has an immigration plan that set goals of well over 400,000 new Canadians per year through 2023. They have a mandate to simplify the process for temporary workers to become permanent residents. These are all steps in the right direction for the trades. LO and CNLA hosted webinars in March on the proper steps to be used when working with a labour supplier. My caution to you is to not get addicted to the ease of acquiring temporary foreign labour.

Build your positive company culture and the employees will follow.

ife would be so easy if only everything was black and white. But Permacon, Unilock and Techo-Bloc will show you many shades of grey. E.L James says there are 50 shades. Google tells me the RGB colour model can show 256 shades and Forbes magazine says the human eye can distinguish 500 shades.

As business owners, we are often put in situations where we choose to bend the rules to get a job done in order to please a client.

The list of “grey-area” decisions is endless: putting a two-yard salter on the back of a ¾ ton truck; pulling a mid-sized skid steer behind a truck without an A license; putting one more bucket of fill on the truck to save an extra trip back to the job site; taking a deposit in cash; using a little Roundup. Cue the sound of a can opening… no, that wasn’t a can of whoop-ass, that was a can of worms.

With the labour issues we are experiencing, many company owners are looking to temporary help agencies to source labourers when we are at our busiest.

This practice is happening across many industries, not just the landscape profession.

These labourers are skilled, hardworking, reasonably cost effective and very pleasant to work with. If a worker does not meet expectations, a replacement is a phone call away. If you have a big job where you need an extra dozen guys to get the sod laid, you just make a quick call. No advertising, no endless review of mediocre resumes or interviews where the applicant does not show up. The perfect solution.

Not quite. I compare the use of the temp workers to using drugs. It may seem like a good idea in the moment, but the many, many shades of grey through the process hardly makes it worth it. While some temp agencies are supplying the typical Canadian labourer, many are delivering foreign workers with incomplete documentation. These workers are part of the approximately 160

Dave Wright LO President davew@wrightlandscape.ca

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Member Profile:

PORT CARLING, ONT.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

D E D I C AT I O N T O S E R V I C E L E A D S

TO IMPRESSIVE GROWTH

By Chris Occhiuzzi

C

“She’s got a great background in horticulture and maintenance,” says Scott. “She’s also a great trainer, she’s great for staff morale and Cypress kind of has its own culture. It’s a good group of people she has developed around her.”

The results have been tremendous. Cypress Gardeners started with one truck and three team members caring for around 25 properties; five years later it has a summer staff of 20 and six vehicles maintaining 65 properties in 2021.

“It’s taken off really quickly in a short amount of time,” says Hornsey.

Their client growth has been mainly through referrals, with a little bit of Instagram exposure. That strategy is by design.

“Two years ago, we sat down and said we really need to focus on making our existing customers as happy as possible so that they keep returning year after year,” says Hornsey.

Scott notes that referrals also go back and forth between Muskoka Landscapers and Cypress Gardeners as projects are completed.

ypress Gardeners may only be six years old, but a dedication to providing the best possible service has led to tremendous growth.

Originally the softscape division of Muskoka Landscapers, which is owned by Kevin Scott, Cypress Gardeners became its own entity in 2016 and has flourished under the steady leadership of general manager Sherri Hornsey.

Hornsey started as a maintenance manager with Muskoka Landscapers in 2013, but soon earned Scott’s trust to the point that he took a backseat while she ran the day-to-day softscaping operations.

“From there on, I was in charge of all of it,” says Hornsey. “All the hiring, everything. Kevin was there in the background when I needed him, but other than that, it was just go for it.”

Scott says he’s been very happy with the way Hornsey has managed Cypress Gardeners. Having a good relationship built over a few years provided him great insight into the way she worked. He also notes that splitting Cypress away from Muskoka Landscapers has been beneficial to both companies.

Continued >

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Cypress Gardeners won an Award of Excellence in 2019 for their work maintaining this property. One of the greatest challenges of the modern planting plan was to get any plant material to grow on the bedrock behind the lounge area.

“It’s amazing,” he says. “It’s been organic growth too.”

The dedication to client retention through providing excellent service led their existing clientele to recommend Cypress Gardeners to their family and friends.

“We also have a dedicated person looking after our Instagram account, which is the only social media platform we use,” explains Hornsey.

Taking photos and videos of various projects – specifically the spectacular gardens – and posting them three days a week, inspires followers to become clients.

“One gentleman called us and said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, just make my gardens look like your photos,’” recalls Hornsey. “Last year was his first year with us and he’s returning for this year as well.”

Hornsey herself entered the landscaping world in 2007, working for another Muskoka landscaping company and learning about the industry from all angles. Gardening had always been her hobby while living in the city, and when she hit a crossroads in life, the thoughts of escaping to greener pastures in Muskoka became very appealing.

“I needed a change of scenery and wanted to do something I truly love as my

career,” she remembers. “I applied for a Team Leader position with Water’s Edge Landscaping and got the job. The learning curve was huge, but it was an amazing adventure that led me to where I am today.”

Now, she uses her many years of experience to guide Cypress Gardeners and to make sure she keeps her team engaged and dedicated.

Efficient planning is key, she says. The team knows what the schedule is and what is required of them before each day begins.

This leads to strong preparation and great results for clients.

“We have a lot of returning staff year after year,” she says. “I give them responsibility and the ability to make sound choices to benefit the clients. I don’t have to micromanage because I trust them to make the right decisions.”

Cypress Gardeners works mainly on the high-end cottages that Muskoka is famous for. Keeping these clients happy sometimes means acquiescing to interesting requests, such as the client who is at the cottage throughout the week: the Cypress Gardeners staff who tend to the property are asked to speak in whispers as the client “does not want to hear any voices.”

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But, as Hornsey notes, the team will do as the client asks to ensure they have a great experience.

“You learn to just roll with.”

This type of business savvy and dedication to their craft helped Cypress Gardeners earn Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence in the maintenance program in both 2017 and 2019.

Hornsey is also an original member of the Landscape Ontario Peer to Peer group, which she says has been a phenomenal growth experience.

This support group for business owners and upper management allows participants to ask questions and get advice free from judgment; empowers the individuals to help themselves; provides emotional support, fosters friendships and facilitates social interaction and development; and offers support for ongoing personal development.

“I look forward to every meeting,” she says. “They have a dedicated private Facebook feed where you can ask questions or make posts to other members.

There are many benefits to this group. The knowledge that this group has is incredible and they are all willing to share their knowledge.”

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

ASSOCIATION NEWS

LO launches Social Awareness and Ethics Committee

Landscape Ontario recently initiated a committee on Social Awareness and Ethics, with the goal of making the association even more inclusive and diverse.

“The committee started because we are an ever-evolving group, and as an association I think it’s important we are reflective of our membership and that we try our best to progress and develop,” said Ed Hansen, committee chair. “The biggest thing here, is we want to be inclusive, and we don’t just want to say it, we want to be inclusive. And to be inclusive, we need to pull out some sandpaper and scratch some surfaces that are not going to like having sandpaper on them. We need to make some changes and some adaptations, to take an amazing association and make it even better.”

Committee member Lindsay Drake Nightingale agreed. “When I first started my business, those that participated in landscaping, that I was familiar with, were generally white, anglo-saxon Canadians,” she said. “But as my company has progressed, we’ve had new immigrants, people of colour, people with different sexual orientations, different nationalities. My company was evolving, and I knew that landscaping in general was evolving

as well. So once the committee was struck at LO, I thought, wow, Landscape Ontario wants to grow, and evolve and improve, and nurture along its member companies. So I thought, why not [get involved] and see how it works.”

Members can learn more about the committee on the latest episode of the Landscape Ontario Podcast, which features a conversation with both Hansen and Nightingale.

Listen via your favourite podcast app (Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, etc.) or online at landscapeontario.com/podcast.

The committee’s first task was to create an inclusion statement for the association: “Landscape Ontario is a not-for-profit, volunteer-driven trade association dedicated to the advancement of the landscape/horticultural profession. We strive to ensure that we are a collaborative and inclusive organization where people of all genders, races, religions, nationalities, cultures, sexual orientations, languages, and abilities are welcomed and can feel comfortable, respected, and valued.”

The committee members are: Ed Hansen (Chair), Jon Agg, Terry Childs, Lindsay Drake Nightingale, Peter Guinane, Rohan Harrison, and Kelly Keates. LO staff representatives are: Joe Salemi and Kaneisha De Leon.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

2021 AGM looks to the future

Nearly 100 people attended Landscape Ontario 47th annual general meeting via Zoom on March 17, 2021. The meeting provided a forum for members of the association to learn about initiatives over the past year and to provide input on the direction of the association for the future.

Dave Wright, LO President, called the meeting to order and welcomed those attending. Later in his report, Wright provided a brief recap of 2020, then changed direction. “I’m really tired about talking about what we’ve done, and more concerned now about what’s happening on the road ahead,” Wright said. He urged members to keep moving forward on implementing the Strategic Plan to attract talent to the profession and for members to pay better wages to attract those who are unemployed, new to the country, or considering other skilled trades. “There’s a huge opportunity for us to build our labour force by making a few simple changes,” Wright added, encouraging members to make their businesses more attractive to potential employees.

Sally Harvey, LO’s Director of Education and Labour Development, gave a report on initiatives underway to provide more skilled labour as directed in the Strategic Plan, including the Get Ready for Opportunities at Work (GROW) program that was recently renewed for a second year. Harvey concluded by echoing Wright’s vision: “The Apprenticeship program is truly a gift.

We have 2,600 active members, we need 2,600 apprentices in our system. If every single employer supported one apprentice, just imagine where we could be in this profession.”

The AGM provided a venue for a couple of announcements from LO home office, including a new initiative called LO Academy — a single online training and education hub that will include titles from the Professional Development Seminar Series, sector group conferences (IPM Symposium, Designer, Irrigation and Lighting Conferences), plus the 2022 Congress Conference program and Peer to Peer Network. LO Academy will offer up to 300 one-hour titles in both live and on-demand format from November 2021 to April 2022.

LO’s event department also announced Congress Redefined, a live Congress Trade Show to take place Jan. 11-13, 2022. The team emphasized the live show will only go forward if permitted by public health officials, and that the event will follow all public health rules.

The projected budget for Sept. 1, 2021 to Aug. 31, 2022 fiscal year was approved.

Wright also announced members of LO’s Provincial Board of Directors, plus sector group chairs and chapter presidents.

Nominations for the two Member-at-Large positions were taken, with Jeff Olsen and Blake Tubby being awarded the two positions.

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2021 LO Provincial Board of Directors: Dave Wright - President Lindsay Drake Nightingale - 1st Vice President Ed Hansen - 2nd Vice President Lindsey Ross - Treasurer Warren Patterson - Past President

Chapter Representatives: Chris Muller - Durham Chapter Margot Byers - Georgian Lakelands Chapter Tim Cruickshanks/Fran Mackenzie Golden Horseshoe Chapter Pam Cook - London Chapter Steve Neumann - Ottawa Chapter Jon Durzi - Toronto Chapter Terry Childs - Upper Canada Chapter Jason Dietrich - Waterloo Chapter Jay Terryberry - Windsor Chapter

Sector Group Representatives: Michael Van Dongen - Garden Centres Brad Paton - Grounds Management Andrew Barbour - Growers Steve Macartney CIT - Irrigation Stephen Schell CLT - Interiorscape Peter Guinane - Landscape Contractors Kelly Keates - Landscape Designers Alan White - Turfgrass Management Jamie Riddell - Landscape Lighting John Agg - Snow and Ice Management

Members at Large: Jeff Olsen Blake Tubby

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

In Memoriam — John O’Leary An integral part of the Clintar Commercial Outdoor Services team for over 30 years, John O’Leary passed away peacefully on Feb. 20, 2021 at the age of 71.

O’Leary was a long time volunteer of Landscape Ontario’s Snow and Ice Management Group and a cornerstone of

the various industry certification programs.

John was a dear husband to Marilyn Thaxter and beloved son of Evelyn and the late Norm O’Leary.

Loving father of Jenny DiPietro and her husband Paul, Matthew O’Leary and his wife Jessica and Shayne Boelk. Proud

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grandfather of Rocco, Sabastian, Rosalie, Adelaide, Nicholas, Austin, Tori and Colton. Cherished brother of Dan O’Leary and his wife Michele, Terry O’Leary and his wife Marilyn and Leo O’Leary and his wife Judy O’Dell.

Interment took place at Groveside Cemetery in early March. If desired, memorial donations may be made to the ALS Society of Canada and condolences may be expressed online at wctownfuneralchapel.com.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Sector groups continue to educate and collaborate Volunteers on various Landscape Ontario sector groups continue to meet on a regular basis to discuss issues and brainstorm and implement initiatives to promote and educate those within their own sector as well as potential clients.

Below are updates of group activities from January to March 2021.

Contractors Group The group’s chair, Peter Guinane, is coordinating the Provincial Garden Makeover winner to be done in Pefferlaw in May or June. The group is also promoting the Canada Blooms brand through a series of 10 videos to highlight the 25 year history of the festival, and also continues to support the Covid-19 Task Force’s “Don’t Let Your Guard Down” messaging.

Next meetings:

• Jul. 16, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

•A ug. 13, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

•S ep. 10, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Oct. 15, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Nov. 12, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Dec. 10, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Designers A survey of 124 attendees of the 2021 Landscape Designers Conference gave the group great feedback on this year’s virtual event in which 83-90 per cent of attendees were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with the sessions. The group continues to work on exploring the idea of an internationally recognized designation and work with the OALA, APLD and CNLA on various initiatives.

Next meetings:

• Jun. 8, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Jul. 13, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Aug. 10, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Sep. 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Oct. 12, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Nov. 9, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Dec. 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Garden Centres The group is working with Vineland Research and Innovation Centre on how consumers purchase plants online, and continues to work closely with the Box Tree Moth Industry Working Group. Demand for plants was up 50 per cent in the U.S. last year, and the group expects a strong demand again this year.

Next meetings:

• Apr. 20, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Jun. 29, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Jul. 13, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Aug. 24, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Sep. 14, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Oct. 26, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Dec. 14, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Growers The group’s annual educational and networking event, the Growers Short Course, had 200 attendees hear the latest in production techniques and research. A

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO survey of 40 attendees rated the quality of the presentations at just over 95 per cent as either satisfied or very satisfied.

The group continues to work closely with the box tree moth group and has set Nov. 30 as the date for the annual Fall Dinner Meeting.

Next meetings:

• Jun. 15, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (tentative) • Jul. 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Aug. 17, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Sep. 28, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Oct. 19, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Nov. 16, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Dec. 7, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Lighting

Next meetings:

The group is looking at ways to increase sector representation within the LO Awards of Excellence program and possibly educating contractors on how to best prepare submissions via a speaker at the All-Chapter meeting in September. The group is also looking to educate those new to the sector on the most common mistakes made by contractors, as well as the need to collaborate with a professional.

• Apr. 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• May 12, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Jun. 9, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Jul. 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Aug. 11, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Sep. 15, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Oct. 13, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Nov. 10, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Dec. 15, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Continued >

Irrigation The group has been working on identifying priorities in order to set goals and keep everyone on track. Some include: making Certified Irrigation Technician a Red Seal Trade, attracting new labour and retaining existing employees, and promoting the WSIP program. and best management practices to both contractors and the public.

Next meetings:

• Sep. 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Oct. 5, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Nov. 2, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Dec. 7, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Turf Management The group’s virtual IPM Symposium in January attracted over 350 professionals to hear the latest information from a number of expert speakers. Over 200 attendees completed the mandatory exam in order to receive CECs from the IPM Council of Canada. The group is looking at speakers for 2022. The group continues its relationship with GTI and OMAFRA and is planning the annual spring maintenance of St. James Park in Toronto around April 22 to coincide with Earth Day.

M. Putzer Hornby Nursery Ltd.

Next meetings:

• Apr. 15, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (tentative) • May. 13, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (tentative) • Jun. 10, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (tentative) • Jul. 8, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Aug. 12, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Sep. 9, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Oct. 14, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Nov. 11, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Dec. 9, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Building confidence together

Snow and Ice Management Group The group has put out a survey until April 15 to get ideas and discussions for Snowposium 2021, scheduled for Sept. 16. The results of a study on the captive insurance model showed it is more economical to stay with the normal insurance market, however, a captive might make sense for companies who cannot obtain insurance. Bill 118 was recently passed and will have a positive impact on insurance rates in the future.

For over 90 years, the insurance professionals at Gallagher have partnered with our clients to help them navigate the evolving challenges of insurance and risk management in the landscape business.

Next meetings:

• Apr. 15, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• May 27, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Jun. 17, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Jul. 8, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Aug. 26, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Sep. 9, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Oct. 7, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Nov. 18, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Dec. 30, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

ajg.com/ca

For more information contact john_clancy@ajg.com 905.305.5955

To learn more about sector group initiatives, visit HortTrades.com/sector. Any members who would like to participate can contact Kaneisha De Leon at kdeleon@ landscapeontario.com.

© 2021 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Limited

Scholarship application deadline is June 30

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Certiied Playground Mulch, utility hardwood and other varieties also available.

Students enrolled in landscape and horticulture programs at the secondary and post-secondary level in Ontario have until June 30 to apply for various horticulture scholarships.

The Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation and Cullen Family Scholarship Program collectively offer over $50,000 in scholarships each year. Most scholarships require the student to submit an essay, explaining why they should be considered for a specific scholarship, as well as a transcript and sometimes a nomination from a teacher.

A full list of available scholarships, criteria and and application form can be found online at LandscapeOntario.com/ scholarship-and-bursary or on the Foundation website at OHTF.ca.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

EDUCATOR PROFILE

Mary Jane Clark shares her love of plants What experience did you gain after school?

After my time at Guelph, I moved to Toronto and worked with some great people in a couple of landscaping companies for about two-and-a-half years. During that time, I completed a Creating Landscapes certificate from Guelph that helped me learn the basics of landscape design. I was also interested in green roofs, so I was fortunate when an opportunity came up to work with Dr. Youbin Zheng at the University Guelph with his new research team for green roof technology. I worked with his Guelph research team for about two-and-a-half years before an opportunity came up to work with his research group at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, focused on nursery production.

How did you get into teaching?

With a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s Degree in Horticulture from the University of Guelph, Mary Jane Clark began her career specializing in plant biology and research.

She is now Professor of Horticulture at Niagara College, where she has been teaching nursery production, sustainable food production and a variety of other plantrelated courses for the past five years.

Where did your love of plants come from?

I’ve been growing plants for as long as I can remember. I grew up on a farm, so I was able to help out in a practical way, growing many different types of plants in our gardens. I’ve always enjoyed watching plants grow and planting new types of seeds each year. My favourite place to be is in the garden and after all these years, I’m still fascinated by growing plants.

There’s nothing like watching a seed grow into a beautiful plant — it’s just amazing.

I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share that excitement and passion with my students who are similarly excited about growing plants.

While I was working on my Master’s, I was very fortunate to be a teaching assistant for Dr. Glen Lumis in his woody plants course. Also, Glen and Dr. Theo Blom were kind enough to allow me to give some guest lectures about green roof production in their classes. Later, when I was in the Niagara Region, I met Bill MacDonald from Niagara College. I was able to teach part-time with Bill before a full-time position became available to teach in the horticulture program. I applied because positions like that are quite rare. I never thought I would be given the opportunity to teach horticulture, so I’m thrilled! It’s such a blessing to have the opportunity to work with such a great team at Niagara College who are all very talented and share my excitement about plants.

What is one lesson students always react to?

We’ve had the chance to go on field trips to some great wholesale nurseries. When the students see the size of the nurseries and the scale of production, they are amazed.

The students are very impressed with how large the nurseries are, and the high quality of plant material that’s being grown.

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What is one life lesson you try to instill in your students?

The students tend to be curious and interested in new ways of doing things.

With the applied nature of research at the college, I try to encourage that curiosity. I hope that my interest and excitement about figuring out how to grow something better, or how to modify a production method to make it more efficient, will inspire the students too. This will serve the students well when they go out into the industry, so they can continually look for ways to improve in their future jobs.

What is one of the most rewarding aspects of your career?

It’s really rewarding when I see students after graduation who are working in the horticulture industry and are loving it. It’s great to know they are able to do that because they were successful in their program at the college. To see a former student directly applying the information that they learned in my courses to their full-time job that they enjoy — that’s very rewarding.

Is there someone you look up to or that mentored you or had a big influence on your career?

There are so many people from Guelph who are really fantastic: Glen Lumis, Jen Llewellyn, Youbin Zheng, Al Sullivan (my Master’s supervisor), Rodger Tschanz, Theo Blom, Duane Falk and Brian Husband.

The folks at Christine’s Touch Gardening in Toronto are amazing, and at Niagara College, the entire faculty team is inspiring.

Our faculty team is so supportive and continues to encourage me to do my best and share my love of plants with our incredible students.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

NEW MEMBERS Landscape Ontario welcomes the following newly approved companies and individuals to our community Durham 682524 Ontario Ltd/Wilson Roofing Jeffrey Wilson / Tel: 905-903-9172 Membership Type: Chapter Associate CMB Excavation & Grading Ltd Christian Birker / Tel: 647-580-8565 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Wilson’s Water Wells Limited Peter Wilson / Tel: 905-640-4369 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Georgian Lakelands 1700387 Ontario Ltd O/A North Masonry Gilbert Falvo / Tel: 705-691-2087 Membership Type: Chapter Associate 1728207 Ontario Inc Alexandre Boisclair / Tel: 705-321-2529 Membership Type: Chapter Associate 1774545 Ont Ltd (Jesco Builders) Cliff McCartney / Tel: 519-477-5150 Membership Type: Member ARC Irrigation and Landscaping Tyler Kennedy / Tel: 519-270-0405 Membership Type: Member Algoma Bio-Septic Technologies Inc Jesse Gionette / Tel: 705-356-3200 Membership Type: Associate All Seasons Property Construction/ Pleasant Cove Resort Inc. Bruce Bishop / Tel: 705-746-0757 Membership Type: Member Belmont Landscaping and Design Rob Gray / Tel: 705-440-8911 Membership Type: Member C White Construction Inc Chris White / Tel: 705-718-2386 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Canadian Hardscape Contractors Alex Bridle / Tel: 705-795-6128 Membership Type: Member Clearview Excavators Inc Jan Garbutt / Tel: 705-717-2789 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Dimension Homes Inc Rob Ballantyne / Tel: 705-734-6088 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Earl Ferguson Construction Inc William Thompson / Tel: 705-765-5319 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Harrison Mechanical Inc Ethan Harrison / Tel: 705-619-1313 Membership Type: Chapter Associate JCT Contracting Jamie Kulczycki / Tel: 705-675-6112 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

London

Knights’ Pro Rental Tyler Knight / Tel: 519-538-2001 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Latimer Excavating Tyler Latimer / Tel: 705-828-2844 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Backyard Boys Landscaping C/O 1915510 Ontario Inc Dane Buttenaar / Tel: 519-385-5191 Membership Type: Member

Performance Lawn Care Justin Kennedy / Tel: 705-818-1868 Membership Type: Introductory

Doug Lennan Millwrights Doug Lennan / Tel: 519-708-0317 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Riverscape Construction Jorge Dias / Tel: 647-463-0091 Membership Type: Member

Festival City Rentals & Adrian Roes Adrian Roes / Tel: 519-274-0125 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Steve Young Construction Ltd Steve Young / Tel: 705-441-2784 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Organix Applied Nick Bohner / Tel: 519-949-3258 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Utopia Recreation Sean Moore / Tel: 705-792-9300 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Supreme Concrete Forming Inc Michael Siertsema / Tel: 519-525-8546 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Wilkinson Lucas Ltd Evan Wilkinson / Tel: 705-443-1920 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Ottawa Oliver Sage Transport and Landscaping Oliver Sage / Tel: 613-608-0574 Membership Type: Sole Proprietor Member

Zecon Construction Inc Joseph Murgel / Tel: 416-318-3153 Membership Type: Sole Proprietor Member

Rootz Landscapes Jacob Villeneuve / Tel: 438-509-6765 Membership Type: Member

Golden Horseshoe 2340002 Ontario Inc O/A Greenmountain Landscaping Julie Sousa / Tel: 905-772-7272 Membership Type: Member

Toronto 2311051 ONT INC DBA The Grounds Guys of Oakville Luke van Stralen / Tel: 416-678-4623 Membership Type: Member

Absolute Exterior Pros Trisha Potter / Tel: 905-808-7325 Membership Type: Sole Proprietor Member

770940 ONT Ltd O/A Henry’s Lawn & Garden Maintenance Jackie Boesveld / Tel: 905-691-3120 Membership Type: Professional Member

Bill’s Ground Care Bill Noorduyn / Tel: 519-647-2931 Membership Type: Professional Member JSS Irrigation Management Joe Shulist / Tel: 905-930-8760 Membership Type: Member

Archadeck of South West GTA Saba Al-Rawi / Tel: 289-795-9929 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Remedy Landscaping Inc Calvin Komdeur / Tel: 905-515-3135 Membership Type: Member

Arctic Fence & General Contracting Inc John Masalkofski / Tel: 416-757-7622 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Shore Developments Limited Blair McKeil / Tel: 905-317-5383 Membership Type: Member

Bella Sales and Service Inc Joe Delle Donne / Tel: 416-716-6362 Membership Type: Member

Smart Home Irrigation Greg Doesburg / Tel: 289-439-1877 Membership Type: Member

Clean Cut Home Improvement Jason Moriarty / Tel: 416-818-5920 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Zanatta Contracting & Mechanical Services Ltd Tat Zanatta / Tel: 905-875-7777 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Evan’s Landscaping Evan Safaa / Tel: 289-981-8676 Membership Type: Member Fieldmasters Synthetic Grass & Landscape Design Inc Josh Lieff / Tel: 416-578-2692 Membership Type: Member Groundscape Solutions Hossein Ghazanfari / Tel: 416-668-2929 Membership Type: Member Immaculate Gardens Peter Vanassendelft / Tel: 416-237-1073 Membership Type: Member Lincoln Woods Landscapes Inc Wyeth De Bonis / Tel: 416-570-9355 Membership Type: Member MBM Conscapes Brandon Falsarella / Tel: 905-251-5400 Membership Type: Introductory Markham Mower Ltd. Brad Paterson / Tel: 905-294-2644 Membership Type: Associate Raindrop Gardening Jacqueline White / Tel: 416-301-9161 Membership Type: Member Today’s Tomorrow Austin Marshall / Tel: 289-338-7993 Membership Type: Professional Member David Morris Membership Type: Individual

Waterloo Caster Custom Homes Inc Daniel Caster / Tel: 519-979-9767 Membership Type: Member First Nature Nursery Ltd Wayne Roorda / Tel: 905-973-3605 Membership Type: Introductory Grason Landscaping Earthworks & Pools Jim Velacich / Tel: 519-620-0777 Membership Type: Member

Windsor McNaughton Property Maintenance Adam McNaughton / Tel: 519-670-4192 Membership Type: Sole Proprietor Member

Conscape Canada Inc Connor Hakime / Tel: 905-691-4123 Membership Type: Member DTL Landscape & Design Inc Derek Tiessen / Tel: 416-526-9366 Membership Type: Certified Professional Member

Elizabeth Craig Membership Type: Individual

Landscape Ontario members have access to exclusive savings on everyday business expenses.

HortTrades.com/member-savings-programs 14

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PROFESSIONAL NEWS

Building a stronger safety culture

By Rod Cook Vice President, Workplace Health and Safety Services, WSIB drill. The fact that my friend actively avoids fire drills tells me the business’ safety culture has room to improve; that there’s more to do to help employees actively engage in the practices that will keep them safe at work.

Strong safety cultures can’t exist without a strong awareness of your health and safety efforts. Sharing that plan and encouraging employees to take ownership of it and participate in health and safety is what contributes to your safety culture. A strong safety culture means your health and safety plan is more successful, that your employees are more comfortable talking about safety issues, and that they’re more engaged in their own workplace health and safety. It means health and safety is living and breathing within your organization.

Developing a safety culture, let alone a health and safety plan, can be challenging for many businesses dealing with seasonal staff, multiple locations and time sensitive projects.

WSIB understands that workplace health and safety isn’t a onesize-fits-all proposition. Your landscaping business has inherent safety risks that are unique. So, we’ve created a comprehensive, customizable program to help you protect your employees, ensure customer safety and ultimately safeguard your business — we call it the Health and Safety Excellence program.

As a part of the program offerings, we’ve included a culture survey that will give you a snapshot of how your employees perceive health and safety in your business. The survey is free as part of the program and your employees’ responses are completely anonymous. From experience, we know that having an accurate picture of your safety culture will help identify trouble spots and areas of potential growth. As a member of the program, you can use it over time to measure the impact of changes you’ve made, and gauge the strength of your safety culture.

I was on a video call with a friend the other day, talking about the pandemic and some of the things we miss. Knowing my role at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and my passion for workplace safety, my friend apologized before jokingly saying: “I even miss trying to dodge fire drills at work.” I politely laughed and only half-jokingly suggested that his employer give me a call to chat about workplace health and safety.

That exchange got me thinking about the difference between having a workplace health and safety plan, and having a strong workplace safety culture.

What is “safety culture”?

Your workplace safety culture and your health and safety plan are different, but they’re closely tied together. For example, my friend’s employer clearly has some type of plan in place — at least an emergency response plan — because they’re running a fire

Continued >

15

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

? !

Earn rebates and reduce premiums We’ve recruited dedicated health and safety experts to deliver the Health and Safety Excellence program. They’ll work with you to identify any gaps in your workplace safety plan and opportunities to strengthen your safety culture, and they can then help you learn about the topics that will help you fill those gaps.

Once you’ve finished learning about a topic and can demonstrate that your new health and safety practice has been integrated into your business, you can earn a rebate of anywhere from $1,000 up to 75 per cent of your annual premium. Your new safety practices might help you to reduce your future premium amounts, too, because improved safety records can help reduce your annual premium.

We’ll also give you a digital safety badge you can use on your website, email signatures or on your estimates to show customers and employees how important their safety is to you and how committed you are to protecting them.

Studies have shown that employees who feel supported, protected, and involved in workplace health and safety are more satisfied with their work and are more productive, so creating a strong safety culture makes good business sense.

To learn more about the Health and Safety Excellence program and how it can work for your business, visit wsib.ca/en/healthandsafety or sign up for an info session or email healthandsafetyexcellence@wsib.on.ca.

ASK THE WSIB

What should I do if one of my employees is injured at work?

When an employee is injured at work, you need to:

• P rovide first aid if possible, and keep a record of the treatment provided. If they need medical attention, pay the cost of transportation or give them a ride to the hospital.

• Investigate and keep a detailed record of what happened, and the steps you took to correct the issue.

• Report the injury or illness by filling out and sending the WSIB a Form 7 within three days of learning of the incident.

• Get in touch with your employee as soon as possible after the injury or illness and stay in touch with your employee throughout their recovery and return to work.

• When they’re ready to return to work, you need to try to provide suitable work that’s safe, productive, and something they’re able to do, until they’re able to go back to their preinjury job.

• If they can’t perform the essential duties of their pre-injury job, please reach out to the WSIB to discuss.

CMYK

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Do you have a health and safety related question?

Email rob@landscapeontario.com and our experts will answer your questions. Your name will not appear in print to protect your privacy.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

Working at Heights refresher deadline Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, workers on construction projects who use fall protection devices must take a working at heights training program. The program must be:

●• Approved by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development’s Chief Prevention Officer. ●• Delivered by a training provider who has been approved by the Chief Prevention Officer.

●• T aken before a worker can use fall protection. ●• T raining requirements for working at heights are set out in O. Reg. 297/13: Occupational Health and Safety Awareness Training.

Certain construction sector workers were given an extra year to renew their workingat-heights training. The extension applies to workers who successfully completed their

working-at-heights training between Feb. 28 and Aug. 31, 2017. The validity period, normally three years, would have ended in 2020, but will now end in 2021.

More information, including a list of approved trainers can be found online at ontario.ca/page/training-workingheights.

Support Dig Safe Month April 1 marks the official start of Dig Safe Month — a month dedicated to raising awareness about safe digging practices across the province and to improve safety and reduce damages to underground infrastructure.

Dig Safe Month is designed to coincide with the unofficial start of spring digging season and to serve as a reminder to contractors and homeowners that they need

to call or click before they start digging.

Ensuring the safety of those who work or live in the vicinity of underground facilities and protecting vital services is everyone’s responsibility.

The Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) and its members are encouraging contractors and homeowners to call for locates before they dig to prevent injuries, property damage and inconvenient

outages. Throughout April, ORCGA members and Geographic Councils will be leading local campaigns across the province to spread awareness about safe digging practices and “Call or Click Before You Dig”.

Locates typically take five business days and can be requested by calling 1-800-400-2255 or via an online portal at OntarioOneCall.ca.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

EXECUTIVE DESK

Memories of Canada Blooms

2

021 marks the 25th anniversary of Canada Blooms. There is no other event that has done more to build awareness of the creativity, scope, benefits, excitement, diversity, beauty, passion and skill of our profession. Millions of people have been inspired by the gardens, floral art and horticultural education on display at Canada’s largest flower and garden festival.

Last year, the spread of Covid-19 forced the festival to shut down the day it was set to open. It was heartbreaking. The amazing and awesome gardens and floral displays were not fully enjoyed. Thousands of hours were spent planning, organizing and building, then thousands more were used to take down the displays without a single member of the public seeing them.

We made sure to capture the gardens in

video form, but obviously it is not the same.

When you have some spare time, head on over to the Landscape Ontario YouTube page at YouTube.com/landscapeontario to see the hard work that went into last year’s festival.

Canada Blooms was started by the Garden Club of Toronto and Landscape Ontario in 1997. Both organizations were celebrating anniversaries. The Garden Club was 50 years-old and Landscape Ontario was 25 years-old. What better way to celebrate than by founding a world-class flower and garden festival?

More correctly though, it was a wonderful woman named Kathy Dembroski that started Canada Blooms. Her positive and indefatigable energy, passion, persistence and broad network of trusted friends and

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acquaintances provided the foundation for the event. She wanted Canada Blooms to be a gift to residents of Toronto and Canada. It certainly fulfilled that vision and more. Kathy is one of those unique and caring individuals that are a blessing to meet.

This year’s 25th anniversary celebration of Canada Blooms will be held virtually. We are planning a magazine to feature photos and articles from each of the 25 events.

We will also be releasing 10 short videos showcasing Canada Blooms gardens through the years and providing inspiration and ideas for Canadians to use in their own gardens.

One of the amazing aspects of Canada Blooms is that members are willing to spend intense, 18-hour days working indoors amidst dust to build the Landscape Ontario feature garden. They are driven by passion and community.

On another subject...

I love quotes. They encapsulate wisdom in just a few words. They also inspire and stimulate reflection. Recently, Mark Cullen sent me a list of Churchillisms. To me, they were golden nuggets of truth. I hope you enjoy them too.

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”

“Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” (I particularly like this one. It reminded me of how children learn to walk. They keep falling until they get it. It is really hopeful to look at failure as a stepping stone to success).

“A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

“However beautiful the strategy. you should occasionally look at the results.”

“Life can be either accepted or changed.

If it is not accepted it must be changed.

If it cannot be changed then it must be accepted.”

Happy spring!

Tony DiGiovanni CHT LO Executive Director

tony@landscapeontario.com

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

MEMBERSHIP

Getting to know the power of an engaged membership

S

ince I joined the Landscape Ontario family in mid-September 2020, my first six months have gone by in the blink of an eye. I’ve worked alongside LO member volunteers on newly-formed committees, and participated in many sector group and provincial board meetings to learn just what LO is all about. Changing roles during a pandemic was the last thing I thought I would do, but getting to meet the many dedicated and caring volunteers has been truly inspiring and made my career change well worth the leap. I have also learned about the many ways landscaping and horticulture can improve our mental and physical well-being.

Yearly planning Covid-19 has forced many changes on us all. Last fall, your LO membership team introduced the first All-Chapter meeting, an online event I was lucky to co-host. The All-Chapter meetings have become a huge success, and while planning for the fourth AllChapter meeting in March, I was challenged to think ahead in terms of planning and delivering on topics that our membership

voiced would be of relevance. After taking note of the great topics recommended at that meeting, we decided to host an All-Chapter President’s meeting to get even more insight on what our association leaders have to say.

The input will help us to plan the All-Chapter meetings until December 2022.

With the energy, enthusiasm and input from our sector group boards and chairs and provincial board, I have also been able to plan a year’s worth of Sector Group meetings and Provincial Board of Directors meetings for 2021 — a task I am told has never been done before.

With the input and ideas from our amazing chapter boards, I will continue to develop my connections with all LO chapters and produce a calendar of events that supports and promotes all of the great things our chapters do in a year. I am also looking forward to building a marketing plan that will help keep current members engaged and attract new members to the association.

Safety In my short experience with LO I’ve also

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learned that safety is a top priority. I jumped at the opportunity to sit on LO’s Joint Health & Safety Committee to learn more about this important topic and to help ensure the health and safety of our team — especially now, as we continue to navigate through the pandemic.

I was also invited to join LO’s new Social Awareness and Ethics Committee, which gave me a huge sense of honour and duty.

Social injustice and ethics are topics I’ve become even more passionate about ever since I first entered the workforce, and knowing that LO members feel the same way is empowering. It’s amazing to see the forward thinking abilities of our members and that our organization sees the importance of these sometimes uncomfortable, but very necessary topics that affect all our lives.

Both efforts will help to implement positive changes within LO and throughout our membership and the profession.

Volunteer base One thing I’ve learned for sure: through the passion and commitment of LO members, great things have been accomplished by working toward a common goal. I’ve been a part of many committees and volunteer groups throughout my career, but have yet to see another group as engaged and connected as LO’s volunteer base. It has been such a pleasure to connect with passionate professionals who only want the best for our industry.

If you have any ideas about membership or LO in general, please feel free to connect with me. I am happy and excited to continue growing with the LO family and look forward to meeting everyone in-person someday.

Kaneisha De Leon LO Membership Engagement Specialist kdeleon@landscapeontario.com

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

UNDERGROUND WORLD

Spring means digging

S

pringtime in Canada means different things to different groups.

Homeowners think of flowers and gardens, and a return to more time outdoors.

For landscapers, spring is a hectic rush that involves planting trees and shrubs, excavating for irrigation lines, fencing, driveways and patios. For those in the damage prevention industry, spring means an huge surge in the number of underground utility locate requests and unfortunately, needless utility strikes. Spring means digging.

The Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA), through its “Dig-Safe” messaging, works year round to educate everyone to first contact ON1CALL for locates prior to digging. April is also Dig Safe Month — where ORCGA members and Geographic Councils lead local campaigns to spread awareness about safe digging practices to ensure the message remains top of mind through spring and beyond.

The ORCGA’s prime function is the promotion and advocacy for the prevention of the underground utility infrastructure, reducing excavating strikes, and ensuring contractors and the public call for locates before they dig. Their goal is to reduce the cost of underground damages, which are hidden in all utility bills. Through a unified approach and by consensus, the 24-member ORCGA Board of Directors work together for a safer Ontario.

Vision and mission

The ORCGA’s vision is simple and straightforward: “Dig Safe.” This covers many facets of the underground industry. To have contractors and homeowners dig safety, they must first understand the magnitude of what lies underground: miles and miles of natural gas lines, high and low voltage hydro lines, telephone lines, fibre optic cable lines, television cable lines, etc. When someone

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disturbs the soil, they (whether a contractor or homeowner) risk serious injury, property damage, and possibly their own life. The ORCGA’s mission is to educate, train, provide advocacy, and create safe work practices for trades people and the public so that utility strikes are eliminated, property damages are zero, and injuries and deaths are nonexistent. They do this through training and education programs, like participating in trade shows and community events. They do this by facilitating locaters with professional training programs that certify their knowledge and expertise to give accurate locates.

They do this by initiating laws (Bill 8) that require everyone calls for locates prior to digging. They also do this by regular industry geographic council meetings for excavators, contractors and suppliers.

Statistics

Utility strikes across Canada average around 10,000 per year. Half of these are in Ontario. These utility strikes cost society an estimated $650 million last year. We all pay for these unnecessary costs on our utility bills. In Ontario, the 5,000 utility strikes are broken down as follows: Landscaping 8 per cent; Fencing 9 per cent, Irrigation, 0.05 per cent; Agriculture nil. In addition, the balance are: Sewer and Watermain Contractors 23 per cent; Road Builders 11 per cent; Utility 16 per cent; Construction 23 per cent; Homeowners 10 per cent.

Actions required

Here are things you can do to assist damage prevention efforts:

• Forecast your projects to ON1CALL. • Contact ON1CALL for locates.

• Do not dig unless you have your locates including paperwork.

• Have your locate paperwork on site.

• Report all damages to the utility involved.

• Delegate an employee to be your “locate” specialist.

• Discuss damage prevention with employees at your next safety meeting.

Conclusion

Complete visibility of workforce, assets and costs Track fuel usage & idling trends Monitor engine hours & PTO usage High-performance GPS technology Advanced dashboard reports Membership pricing

Lack of attention to obtaining locates can cause problems and needless costs in addition to potential injury to your employees and your customers. Help minimize utility strikes and help promote damage prevention by becoming a member of the ORGCA via ORCGA.com.

Association Membership Pricing

Terry Murphy CLM

tvmurphy@ca.inter.net

20

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PROSPERITY PARTNERS

Be a supportive and responsive employer

L

ast month, a group of Landscape Ontario Peer To Peer Network members got together online at our “Wildcard” Zoom Connect Lounge and talked about the sources of anxiety within their businesses.

We spent well over an hour discussing strategies to recognize, manage and mitigate anxiety and stress.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has created increased incidence of anxiety for many — whether at work or at home, there remains a shocking number of employees, managers and owners in our midst who are either silently or openly struggling with anxiety — either with or without Covid in the mix.

Anxiety appears in many forms. Here are some challenges we discussed: If new employees don’t show up for their first day, or shortly there-after in your company, then take a step back and look at what their experience has been since they were hired. What information have they been given in advance? What have you or others in your company done to make them feel welcome? Do they know in advance what to expect and how to prepare for day one? Is there someone for them to check in with if they’re nervous? Is there someone to encourage them? Did someone move them through day one with an eye on the new candidates’ level of stress? An absence of special attention to these factors can lead to great potential candidates being de-railed before they’ve given the job a chance.

A lack of orientation to the company or meeting people before day-one due to Covid and virtual interviewing can lead to high anxiety on day one (and beyond). Our Peer Network member Darla Malcolm-Hauraney

shared this great observation: “It’s tough to walk into your first day of a job, having been hired without ever meeting anyone in person, or having seen the layout of your workplace.”

Consider taking time with a new hire in advance of day one to ask them what they would like to know. Make sure they know in advance who to look for when they arrive, where to park or which bus will bring them to the closest stop. Ask what would make them comfortable on their first day? What are they nervous about? If they’ve never worked on a crew outdoors before, talk to them about what to bring in regards to lunch/snacks, how much they should bring, what to wear, how to be prepared and who to ask for when they arrive.

Whether a new employee or one who’s in a new role, it’s up to you to anticipate what they don’t know and be one step ahead of their sources of stress. It’s easy for new and returning staff to quickly become overwhelmed. This can lead to poor attendance and low retention. It’s hard to recover from feeling overwhelmed when the days are long.

Peer member Chloe Philip offered this great comment: “We all have to balance our output of energy with recovery time. Talk to staff who seem to be showing signs of being overwhelmed and check in with them. Are they taking care of themselves after work?

How do they recharge their batteries? Are there ways you can help them move more smoothly through the day with less stress?

There are many among us who struggle with chronic anxiety. There are ways each workplace can adjust to accommodate this challenge with empathy.

Jacki Hart CLM Prosperity Partners Program Manager info.peertopeer@landscapeontario.com

21

Chronic anxiety is immobilizing. Another of our peer members, Dave Wildeboer, talked with the group about his experience as an employer to make space, both in his team’s set up and with his own expectations for members on his team who work hard to manage their levels of anxiety. Recognizing chronic anxiety, and being open about strategies to help staff who wrestle with it daily, is effective and it builds trust.

Be vulnerable. Let the team know you’re doing your best to help make their work and workplace as pleasant as possible, and that you might not have all the answers. Be open to their ideas.

Even employers have times of the season and situations that arise which cause them anxiety. Group members Thomas SeguinCousineau and Louise Seguin brought up this great point: “We get too anxious, especially mid-season if the team is short staffed and the roster is full.” They feel really anxious and frustrated when they are pushing extra work on everyone just to keep up with the client demand. They share their anxiety openly with the team, and feel they get support in return.

As the Peer Network facilitator, many in our group have heard me repeatedly say “Anxiety is the Millennial Curse.” When each employer and team recognizes that the statistics show there is someone in their midst (of any age) struggling with anxiety, then the conversations change and the entire culture becomes more supportive and responsive, with better outcomes for everyone.

Please, start the conversation about anxiety with your team.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

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905-878-235

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Great Lakes Wood Products

Tillsonburg, ON

Greenhorizons Sod Farms M Putzer Nursery

Specializing in field grown and potted cedars along with perennials, trees and shrubs of both deciduous and evergreen varieties.

519-688-0437

info@pottersroadnursery.com

PottersRoadNursery.com

Potters Road Nursery Inc. Royal LePage PCR Realty

Uxbridge Nurseries Limited Wallace Chevrolet

Stam Nurseries Inc. 593836 Hwy 59, Burgessville ON N0J 1C0

Growing quality shade trees and evergreens www.millgroveperennials.ca

P: 519-424-3350 F: 519-456-1659 info@stamnurseries.com

905.689.1749

stamnurseries.com 22

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

CONGRESS YEAR-LONG MARKETPLACE AND CONFERENCE FOR

GREEN PROFESSIONALS

REGISTER AT

LOCONGRESS.COM 23

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

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