LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
HortTrades.com • November 2019
Building of
Warren Patterson and Karl Stensson officially open association’s new education and training centre. Page 8
1 SPECIAL SECTION: FOUNDATION REPORT
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November, 2019 • Volume 37 - No. 10 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.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
SPECIAL SECTION: Foundation Report PAGE 17
Opening Pandora’s Box
Features 4 The Backyard Urban Farm Company 6 Congress 2020
Departments 8 15 16 25 29 34
Association News Events New Members Professional News Columns Advertisers
Editor Robert Ellidge rellidge@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-5645 Multimedia designer/IT coordinator Mike Wasilewski mikew@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5343 Contributor Kim Burton kburton@landscapeontario.com, 647-723 5447 Account manager Greg Sumsion gsumsion@landscapeontario.com, 647-722-6977 Communications coordinator Angela Lindsay alindsay@landscapeontario.com, 647-723-5305 Accountant Joe Sabatino jsabatino@landscapeontario.com, 647-724-8585 Publisher Lee Ann Knudsen CLM lak@landscapeontario.com, 416-848-7557 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO STAFF Scott Barber, Darryl Bond, Amy Buchanan, Tony DiGiovanni CHT, Denis Flanagan CLD, Cassandra Garrard, Meghan Greaves, Sally Harvey CLT CLM CAE, Keri MacIvor, Heather MacRae, Kathy McLean, John Russell, Ian Service, Myscha Stafford, Tom Somerville, David Turnbull, Lissa Schoot Uiterkamp, Martha Walsh
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 2019, reproduction or the use of whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Published 11x 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
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test for a brand is walk into a mall, say the name and see how many people recognize it). Apple, Google, McDonalds, and Costco are all brands. Our industry may only have one brand that would pass the litmus test... Currently, Landscape Ontario has four names. Our registered name is Horticultural Trades Association Inc. Our public name, in long form, is Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, and in short form, it is Landscape Ontario. Insiders, such as members, industry folk, government and those groups we have built great relationships with, affectionately refer to us as LO. When we look at the various names above, they don’t speak much about professionalism, leadership, stewardship and community. We must also consider the sophistication of the words. The word “horticulture” is a scientific term. If you look up the Lexicon rating on that word, it is considered a postgraduate word and has five syllables. Not so simple. We understand it, but is it something that others will understand and be attracted to as well? For this month’s discussion, I am going to leave it at this: I have recently brought up the issue of our name to the LO Board of Directors. I said it is something we should have a discussion on. We need to have the discussion in order to ensure there are no roadblocks on the journey to becoming a great, understood, and attractive association. Feel free to email me your thoughts and comments at this stage of the discussion. The comment box is now open.
ith just three months left in my two-year term as Landscape Ontario president, there’s one more thing I would like members of our vibrant association to think about: our name. There, I’ve said it. I have talked with some of you before about the fact that our name sometimes does not properly reflect who we are as an association and what we are trying to achieve. It’s the elephant in the room sometimes, so here we go… At this time last year, both stakeholders and leaders of the association spent a great deal of time, thought and energy to prepare a detailed and well thought-out strategic plan. That plan clearly describes our purpose, our values and our objectives. Our purpose is to advance the landscape profession. Our values are based on community, professionalism, stewardship and leadership. Our objective is to be the hub of sustainable careers in the landscape profession. To many, including myself, the purpose and values we identified are nothing new. They accurately describe what our association has and always will be to our members, to the public and to prospective people looking at our profession as a career opportunity. The name for any association needs to have simple, easy-to-understand words that best describe that association and its members. And to the extent that when someone sees our name they can easily say, “I get it! I understand what they do.” We don’t have the resources to create and sustain a brand. (Side note: my litmus
Warren Patterson LO President warrenpatterson@barriegardencentre.com
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M e m b e r
P r o f i l e :
The Backyard Urban Farm Company Toronto, Ont.
By Kelli M. Maddocks
R
unning a business can be tough enough on your own, but when you add family to the equation, it can add another layer to relationship-building. For the dynamic and charismatic husband and wife team of Arlene Hazzan Green and Marc Green, who co-own and operate The Backyard Urban Farm Company, business has played a key part in the strength of their relationship, and the relationships they formed with their peers at Landscape Ontario. The Backyard Urban Farm Company, a.k.a. BUFCO, is an award-winning, organic vegetable landscaping company in Toronto. Arlene and Marc are on a mission to inspire, educate, and empower urbanites to grow their own food and to help them reconnect with nature. BUFCO designs, installs, plants, and maintains organic edible gardens in homes, schools, businesses and institutions in the Greater Toronto Area. They also design and deliver educational programming for adults and children, and contribute to the local community through leadership of volunteer projects, such as The Westlodge Community Garden in Parkdale and Toronto
Urban Growers. 2019 marks BUFCO’s tenth anniversary. Marc and Arlene have been married for 30 years. Over that time they have raised a son, and transitioned from a flourishing career in the film and television industry to a rewarding career in the landscape profession. As simple as it may sound, this transition would not have happened without some pure and honest reflection on who they are as individuals, as a couple, as a family, and a focus on the people they wanted to be. “We are a values-based company,” explains the team. “BUFCO was established as a response to our growing awareness of and resulting unease with our own contribution to climate change and our need to find a meaningful solution.” In 2008, the economy was failing, and while the entertainment industry was slowing down, Marc and Arlene found themselves working more often at home in their garden. Arlene says the downtown Toronto garden, “was not doing too well because of lots of shade and poor soil conditions.” “We couldn’t even grow grass,” adds Marc. Arlene brought up the idea of installing raised garden beds to grow vegetables.
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Arlene and Marc Green (bottom right) have been at the forefront of the urban agricultural movement by growing hundreds of pounds of their own food (tomatoes, top-left), and building and maintaining rooftop gardens (above-top), plus backyard residential gardens (two photos above) using raised beds and planters that allow for quality soil to be used.
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO But it wasn’t until taking a car ride home from a camping trip that they were presented with an idea, one that would take this team’s focus from entertainment to the environment. “We passed by a roadside vendor who had cedar fence posts for sale,” tells Marc. “I started by building three raised beds and filled them with fresh soil and compost.” Within months, a huge variety of healthy vegetable crops were thriving and their neighbours were very intrigued. And so, The Backyard Urban Farm Company was born. In their first year, Marc and Arlene grew several hundred pounds of food in their own yards, and went from having just a few clients to having hundreds of orders to build, plant and maintain larger projects like rooftop gardens for schools and corporate buildings. “These gardens and those who tend them have become part of a larger movement,” says Arlene. “Urban agriculture continues to grow and have a big and positive impact on the city.” Landscape Ontario has been a large part of taking BUFCO to the next level. “We knew we were on to something important and timely, but we weren’t sure how to scale it. There are so many unknowns in a young industry,” says Arlene. Arlene explains, “In the early years, our mentors were organic farmers, so we didn’t really see ourselves as landscapers. We were just learning how to farm, build, and maintain healthy, sustainable, edible gardens without the use of synthetic inputs.” Marc taught himself how to build strong, sound raised garden beds, engineered to be installed on just about any surface, and to meet any specific requirements the client may have. “A lot of our products were born out of necessity,” Marc says. “At times, we felt alone. There weren’t a lot of other businesses like ours out there, so it was difficult to find qualified mentors. As our client roster grew, we started to see that we were actually running our business more like a landscaping company and less like a farm. “Joining Landscape Ontario and participating in the association’s Peer-toPeer Network raised our game, and changed everything.” One of the first things the couple learned through the Peer to Peer Network was to establish, live by and repeat their company’s values on a regular basis. “Our values in action were created around the word “INSPIRE” which is the word we kept hearing from clients and people we met through our workshops,” Arlene says. “Our team now tries to incorporate these values in everything we do every day.”
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I N S P I R E
Imagine Nurture Nature Sow Seeds of Positive Change Plant and Play Investigate and Innovate Rest and Relax Eat
The couple says another key takeaway from the Peer to Peer Network is the ‘sponge’ factor. “We were all in,” explains Marc. “We immersed ourselves in everything that Landscape Ontario had to offer, and from there, everything switched on for us. We grew a network of professional allies who’ve become an essential part of our company. And we’ve fostered lasting friendships as well. We use our professional network not only to help our business, but to also gain access to other professionals who may require our expertise. It’s a great way to cultivate new sales leads, learn new skills, and be introduced to new opportunities.” The Peer to Peer Networking has also taken this value-based company to a place of profitability. Arlene explains, “With the help of both this program and our peers, we’ve grown the business exponentially. We’ve also learned how to hire loyal employees who share the same passion and learned how to delegate, so we can focus more on envisioning the future of our business and how we can grow our community. We are now in a position to give back through volunteer work and by providing mentorship and guidance to the newest members of Landscape Ontario.” The passion-driven approach that has been embraced by this duo has transformed them from consumers to producers. It’s a value system that aligns perfectly with the network of landscape professionals they’ve connected with through Landscape Ontario. Arlene sums things up perfectly: “The members of the Peer to Peer Network are incredibly generous and inspire us to give more of ourselves. We now have access to incredible resources, which have led to personal and professional growth and is making a big impact on how we can inspire others.” Some home-grown food for thought indeed.
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CONNECT WITH SUPPLIERS, PRODUCTS AND EXPERTS AT
Congress 2020
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reen professionals will congregate in Toronto from Jan. 7-9, 2020 for the 47th edition of Landscape Ontario’s Congress trade show and conference. This annual gathering of landscape and horticulture professionals is the ideal place to streamline the process of sourcing suppliers, enriching plant and product knowledge, refining business knowhow and simplifies the process of doing business. The four-day conference program featuring acclaimed experts is complemented with a series of skillenhancing, live demonstrations that are free to all badge holders. Investing time to attend Congress is guaranteed to increase your creativity, spark your imagination, initiate new supplier relationships and enhance your proficiency in growing your business. As a green professional, you work hard. At Congress you’ll have the freedom to play hard with like-minded peers at the evening social events. Some newly formatted events will increase the chances of meeting others who will inspire you to achieve your goals, personally and professionally. The 10-acre trade show features over 600 multi-national suppliers eager to show you tools, equipment, services and innovative products that will improve your ability to meet the demands of the job. Whatever your specialty, at Congress you’ll find all the products, suppliers, experts and trending information that will assist in growing your profits. Your workload is changing with the arrival of the fall and winter. How are you going to evaluate your team, train them, retain them for the next season or recruit new employees? Congress is the ideal venue for you to post a job, meet students in horticulture and landscape college program. Looking for staff? Participate in the new Recruit LIVE sessions that offer employers an opportunity to network, interview and connect with future employees. Strategically timed, Congress is when green professionals gather under oneroof, for four days of intense education, innovative products, an exhaustive number of suppliers, leading-edge professional development, community engagement and comradery.
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
SPECIALISTS MUST ATTEND WARM-UP MONDAY
will find the experts and expertise at the 2020 conference. You’ll find concurrent sessions ranging from critical horticultural issues to how to intensify business development strategies. Thought leaders, authorities and influences on industry trends like: Jeff Butler, Doug Tallamy, Mark Bradley, Jennifer Llewellyn, Randy Tumber, George Urvari, Catherine Luzena-Hall, Michael Pascoe, Alyssa Light, Jose Haig, and Sean James will share insights and respond to your questions. The Owners Only Workshops will inspire you on how to make the best use of your valuable time, create a time-saving business plan that will help you retire effectively from your landscaping business. Graham Sherman, entrepreneur and co-owner of the Tool Shed Brewing Company, is the first conference keynote speaker. Sherman will share how a collaborative approach to business will lead to exponential growth and a loyal customer base. The second keynote, presented by Amber Mac, author, entrepreneur and host, will show you how to adapt and win in a fast-paced economy. The LO Awards of Excellence Ceremony on Tuesday evening is your chance to see who is recognized for outstanding creativity and workmanship. On Wednesday night, gather with your peers for great networking and entertainment at the all-new Congress After Dark.
As a green professional, do you concentrate primarily on a particular subject or activity? Are you highly skilled in a specific aspect of the industry? If you are responsible for grounds maintenance or landscape design or own a business, then you’ll want to kick-start your visit to Congress on Monday, Jan. 6 by attending a Warm-up Monday conference. Monday offers a series of industry-specific events: IPM Symposium, Landscape Designer Conference and the Peer-toPeer Workshop. Separately priced, each event includes free trade show admission and admittance to Wednesday night’s new social, Congress After Dark. Critical to your success in managing turf, is a solid knowledge of how to optimize its growth while controlling pests, insects and weeds. In addition to the technical knowledge acquired, you can earn six IPM Council of Canada CEC’s by attending all six technical sessions. You’ll enjoy a full-day event at the Designer Conference. It includes plant, creative and business sessions along with lunch, round-table discussions, a networking break, supplier displays and closing reception. At the Peer to Peer Workshop, instructor Jacki Hart will provide business owners tools to recognize and build team leaders within your company thereby ensuring continued business improvement. You and your team will want to register early for Warm-up Monday if you specialize in grounds maintenance, landscape design or if you are a business owner or manager. Register at LOcongress.com before Dec. 13 to take advantage of discounted pricing.
FREE LIVE SERIES Your trade show badge entitles you to attend twice daily sessions offered at the four demonstration stages strategically located on the show floor. The LIVE Series is designed to give your entire team skill enhancing advice that will improve on the job performance. Equipment and employees must be transported safely to job sites, at Drive LIVE, Toronto and York Region police officers along with the OPP will be on hand to demonstrate how to comply with Ontario regulations. Now in its third year, Green LIVE will give you the basics of tree selection, planting and maintenance. And back for a fifth straight year, Hardscape LIVE will delve into hardscape installation that improves efficiency and profits. New for 2020, Recruit LIVE is an opportunity for employers and potential employees to network, interview and be hired.
ENHANCE BUSINESS APTITUDE You’ll have over 30 professional development sessions to sit in on, plus Owners Only Workshops and two entertaining luncheon keynotes at the Congress Conference, Jan. 7-9. Who benefits from attending the conference? Owners, managers and key team members who want to increase awareness of industry trends and information that will give you an edge over the competition
REGISTER BY DEC. 13 AND SAVE You won’t want to miss this opportunity to educate your team, meet other business owners, industry experts and leading suppliers. Registration is open at LOcongress.com where you can also take advantage of the early-bird pricing in effect until Dec. 13.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS Landscape Ontario officially reopens in Milton
Gerald Boot checks in with LO’s Keri MacIvor and Denis Flanagan.
Visitors to the new building are greeted by a stunning living wall that features 1,480 four-inch tropical plants.
Scott Bryk and Lindsay Drake Nightingale.
Committee, and thanked staff for their patience before, during and after the process. Gerald Boot, first vice-president of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) board, spoke on behalf of CNLA president, Phil Paxton. CNLA is an equity partner in the new facility and Boot thanked the LO board for their willingness to make the partnership a reality. “I believe that having CNLA and Landscape Ontario in this facility working together is going to advance the landscape nursery industry for years to come,” Boot said. LO executive director, Tony DiGiovanni recalled the first meeting 29 years ago, when the past presidents of the association were charged with envisioning a future home office. DiGiovanni says it has been amazing to see that collective vision become a reality. “People will come here to aim higher, become better, reflect their profession well, and inspire the next generation,” he said. Karl Stensson, LO Building Chair, gave a brief history of the LO office — from a small
The brand new doors of the Landscape Ontario office and training facility were opened up to members, partners, suppliers and industry professionals for an open house on Oct. 23. The celebration provided many with their first look of the recently completed, $5 million renovation project. “It really is a fantastic building,” said Lindsay Drake Nightingale, LO’s second vice-president. “What a place to do networking and education. It just makes you feel like you belong.” Drake Nightingale later welcomed the over 200 staff and guests who gathered in the new meeting room for some official opening speeches. First up was association president, Warren Patterson, who said all members should be very proud of the new facility as it is a better reflection of the work done by the association and its members. “I am certain [this new facility] will elevate the profession to make Landscape Ontario the hub for professional career development,” Patterson said. He also recognized the vision of past leaders of the association, the hard work of the Building
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO and the LO board for their support and willingness to “do the job right.” Stensson also mentioned the project came in at only six per cent over budget — something nearly unheard of in the construction industry today. Halton Hills Mayor, Rick Bonnette, brought greetings from the Town and highlighted the vital role the profession plays in regards to lot level storm water Karl and Valerie Stensson chat with Michael Van Dongen (right). management, water efficiency and sustainability. An official ribbon cutting then took rental office in a strip mall in Agincourt, to a place, with resounding applause from the larger rental office, to a condo on Matheson audience. Guests were then free to tour the Road in Mississauga, to the current site in facility, network and visit the food stations. Milton. Association treasurer, Ed Hansen from “I’m extremely proud of our association Ottawa, Ont., commented, “Today, we’re accomplishments,” Stensson said, and in a world-class, professional building, thanked both LO and CNLA staff for their and honestly, as a member you walk in patience in waiting about 13 years for and you feel how you should, being in this their wish list of office improvements to profession. Everything is so bright, and finally become a reality. Stensson also well thought-out. We have meeting rooms, thanked the Building Committee members educational facilities — it really suits our for their hard work and due diligence, industry.”
Upper Canada Chapter rep and Show Committee Chair, Terry Childs, said, “Having this building shows the profession off, and it gives us the ability to provide all sorts of things for our members. We can have a lot more in-house meetings, the lighting group is having their symposium here next February. It really has risen to the standards of where Landscape Ontario should be.” LO past president, Paul Brydges, shared his reaction: “The grand opening today is the end of a long, long road of reinvigoration and reinvestment back into the association. So many members have put time and effort into [the process]. This new building really brings together the CNLA family and the LO family even closer to [enabling the organizations to work together on their] aligned missions of improving horticulture and the profession for the next 50 years.” Landscape Ontario’s Building Committee has already held a couple of meetings to discuss plans for the exterior renovation of the property, which were also on display at the open house.
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Members invited to attend 2020 AGM
Kathleen Pugliese receives a hug, a plaque and a tree for her years of service to the association.
Tree planted in honour of Kathleen Pugliese Landscape Ontario staff and Provincial Board of Directors gathered on the association’s property in Milton, Ont., on Oct. 23 for a tree dedication ceremony for Kathleen Pugliese, who retired from the executive assistant role on July 31. LO executive director, Tony DiGiovanni welcomed those in attendance and thanked
Pugliese for her outstanding dedication and service. The newly-planted oak along the main entrance driveway received a plaque noting appreciation for Pugliese’s 25 years of service. Kathleen said she really does miss everyone, but is also enjoying retirement.
Under the association bylaws, all Landscape Ontario members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to take place Jan. 8, 2020 at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport, International Ballroom, located at 655 Dixon Road, Toronto. Registration and breakfast start at 7 a.m. with the meeting starting at 8 a.m. sharp. Members will get a recap of association activities from 2019 and hear what is planned for 2020 and beyond. If there are any issues that require a vote by members, one representative from each Active member company is eligible to vote. The AGM is just one of many events where LO members can provide feedback to help direct the initiatives and energy of the association on current and future endeavours. Members who wish to attend are asked to RSVP by Dec. 27 to Myscha Stafford at myscha@landscapeontario.com or 1-800-265-5656, ext. 2333.
Set yourself up for success in 2020
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The commercial vehicle safety demonstration was led by Halton Police Services.
Snow pros discuss latest issues at Snowposium 2019 Over 250 snow and ice removal professionals gathered at the newly-renovated Landscape Ontario education and training facility in Milton, Ont., Snowposium 2019. Held Sept. 23, the day featured a full conference with expert speakers, great panel discussions, networking, trade show, and live, interactive demonstrations. Richard Burch, owner of Burch Landscape Services in Waterloo, Ont., attended the event and commented: “I thought it was a perfect opportunity with the
new building. With all that is going on in our industry — with liability insurance, people not getting insured, salt shortages, that was one of the reasons I decided to attend.” Burch said he was glad to hear about the private members bill that is aimed to level the playing field in regards to slip and fall claims. In addition to the hot topic of insurance, conference sessions on liquid de-icing proved to be very popular as well. Kassandra Frankis, sales manager at Tillsonbrands, says she received a lot of
questions from contractors on her line of ice melter products after sitting in on some of the liquid de-icing discussions. Frankis says the event allows her to support dealers, raise brand awareness and display new products. Dan Anderson, Ontario sales rep for Gryb was also displaying product at the trade show. The Quebec-based heavy equipment manufacturer recently opened a manufacturing facility in Ontario and the company’s rotary ice breaker attachment is being used by the City of Ottawa. By using the technology, the City plans to save money on salt and ice melters, which can also become ineffective at extremely low temperatures. Two outdoor demonstrations, one on salt calibration, the other on commercial vehicle safety, drew large crowds to the outdoor trade show, where attendees got a first-hand look at how things worked, what to do, and what not to do. The event was the first large conference held at the newly-renovated Landscape Ontario facility and many attendees were very impressed with the new meeting space. Congratulations to Helen Pantis from TCG National, the lucky winner of the two Toronto Raptors tickets, donated by Draglam Salt.
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
Growers fall dinner set for November 26
A mobile tree pruning platform is used at Stam Nurseries.
Growers gain a new perspective touring businesses Organizers and attendees of the 2019 Landscape Ontario Nursery Growers Summer Tour enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day on Sept. 19. An initiative of the LO Growers Sector Group, the all-day event themed, “A New Perspective,” included tours of nurseries, greenhouses and gardens in and around Oxford County. Tour stops included, Whistling Gardens, Colourful Gardens, Potters Road Nursery, Stam Nurseries and Ramblin’ Road Brewery
Farm. Organizers would like to thank the tour hosts for their time, hospitality and for opening up their businesses and sharing many great ideas, innovations and technologies with the group. One attendee remarked, “Overall the tour provided learning, exploring, networking, and fun, which made it a great day. Looking forward to next year!” The LO Growers Group would like to thank sponsors, Kam’s Growers Supply, and Gro-Bark (Ontario), for supporting the event.
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The Landscape Ontario Growers Sector Group will hold its annual Fall Dinner Meeting on Nov. 26 at Piper’s Health Golf Clubhouse in Milton, Ont. The end-of-season celebration allows growers a much-needed break to catch up and compare stories on the trials, tribulations and successes of another busy growing season. All growers are invited to attend the event that also includes dinner and a lively discussion on topics related to the sector. The evening will also include plaque presentations to winners of this year’s LO Grower Awards of Excellence program. All entries were judged and announced at the annual Industry Auction, held Sept. 12. The Growers Fall Dinner Meeting also helps the sector group to gather valuable feedback on concerns and issues facing the growers and to future trends, technologies and business practices. An itinerary and online registration is available at HortTrades.com/ growers-group. The cost to attend is $65 per person.
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
Yvonne Casey, Matt Hawkins and Daniel Oliveira of Hawkins Contracting Services.
Hawkins Contracting Services recognized with health and safety awards Landscape Ontario member, Hawkins Contracting Services was recently announced as the gold winner of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Small Business Health and Safety Leadership Award. The Stouffville, Ont., based family-operated business is a contractor to public- and private-sector clients, providing civil landscape contracting and construction services throughout Southern Ontario. Founded by Richard Hawkins, his son Matt Hawkins has been leading the company since 2009. “Health and safety was always a priority for our business. I think my parents instilled that right from the beginning,” said Matt Hawkins. “There was always the idea that we need to take care of the people that work for us. Before anybody is able to work on our job sites, they need about 10 hours of health and safety training.” Hawkins Contracting Services has obtained its Certificate of Recognition (COR), a health and safety certification in the construction sector, and has a strong health and safety culture. Hawkins prides itself on prioritizing employee wellness by providing services to support the needs of all staff, and empowering employees to voice their opinions and give regular feedback. All their training is tailored to the needs of the business and to each individual role. They owe much of their success to engaged employees like Daniel Oliveira, who worked his way up in the company to become its health and safety lead, and Yvonne Casey, a Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP), who, as an administrative lead, is part of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). It is this collaboration and dedication to health and safety that makes Hawkins a winning team. “Winning the WSIB small business health and safety award, it’s really a form of validation,” says Oliveira. “Health and safety can be made something much bigger than just a system by making it a part of the culture… if it’s not the leaders leading by example, then the rest doesn’t stick.” The WSIB Small Business Health and Safety Leadership Awards recognize outstanding health and safety programs in small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The top three businesses receive a cash prize. Hawkins Contracting received $5,000 for earning gold, and was also featured in a promotional video on the WSIB website. The panel of judges included representatives from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Economic Development and Growth, the Ministry of Labour and the WSIB.
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EVENTS Full details and registration information for all events can be found online at HortTrades.com/events or at specific chapter or sector pages. Nov. 14
Jan. 7-9
Black Lab Brewing, Toronto No agenda, no guest speakers, but great discussions.
Toronto Congress Centre Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference for landscape professionals, including: Recruit LIVE, Hardscape LIVE. Full details at LOcongress.com.
Toronto Chapter Shop Talk
Congress 2020
Nov. 15
Waterloo Fall Freeze Up
Jan. 7
Bingemans Conference Centre, Kitchener Join in on 40th anniversary celebrations for the chapter. Buy tickets at LOwaterloo.com.
LO Awards of Excellence Ceremony Delta Hotels Toronto Airport See who will take top honours in this year’s program.
Nov. 21
Windsor Chapter Meeting
Jan. 8
Sutton Creek Golf Club Jeremy Kulwartian of the Ontario Provincial Police will discuss rules of the road, including the new distracted driving penalties, and cannabis regulations. RSVP by Nov. 17.
Landscape Ontario AGM Delta Hotels Toronto Airport Breakfast at 7 a.m. meeting at 8 a.m. Have your say on future initiatives.
Nov. 26
Jan. 8
Piper’s Heath Golf Club, Milton An evening of dinner, networking, informative speakers, relevant discussions, award presentations.
Delta Hotels Toronto Airport Congress’ biggest networking event will feature an evening of entertainment, fun and conversation with your industry peers.
Growers Fall Dinner
Congress After Dark
Nov. 28
Georgian Lakelands Awards of Distinction Casino Rama A social hour, dinner and awards for only $30 per person. Group and table tickets also available.
PA L A C E P E R E N N I A L S
Nov. 28
Proudly growing perennials f� over 30 years
Toronto Chapter Winter Social The Crooked Cue, Etobicoke Celebrate the end of season. Buy tickets online for only $20 each. Dec. 13
Congress early bird registration deadline Register for the trade show, conferences or warm-up Monday events before prices go up. Visit LOcongress.com.
2020 Jan. 6
IPM Symposium Toronto Congress Centre Learn about the turf care practices and earn continuing education credits. Jan. 6
Landscape Designer Conference
Over 1200+ varieties of perennials Many unique and hard to find varieties Fruits and succulents
Delta Hotels, Toronto Airport This full-day event includes lunch, reception and informative talks. Jan. 6
Great fern, hosta and ornamental grass selection, premium tropical selection, premium annuals, hardy vines, Ontario Natives, clematis, herbs, and water plants
Peer to Peer Workshop: Stepping up your leadership game Delta Hotels, Toronto Airport Every business needs great leaders. Attending this all-day event will help you to achieve that goal.
Catalogue at
palaceperennials.com 15
519-542-8353 866-843-0438 (sales) sales@sipkensnurseries.com
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NEW MEMBERS DURHAM
Tim’s Excavating Tim Granger 2773 Old Muskoka Rd, Utterson, ON P0B 1M0 Tel: 705-380-0416 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Hillcrest Developments/Lysyk Group Paul Lysyk 65 Riverside Dr N, Oshawa, ON L1G 6J4 Tel: 905-259-4499 Membership Type: Active Scott’s Vinyl Liner Services Graham Scott Frisby 580 Goodwood Rd, Uxbridge, ON L9P 1R4 Tel: 416-990-0087 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
GEORGIAN LAKELANDS
Weel Do It Ltd Marcel Weel 1087 Fairgrounds Rd S, Stayner, ON L0M 1S0 Tel: 705-446-4651 Membership Type: Active
GOLDEN HORSESHOE
Tel: 905-335-0000 Membership Type: Associate
5571 South Island Park Dr, Manotick, ON K4M 1J2
Tel: 613-769-1569 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
The Real McKoy Haulage Dwayne McKoy 68 East Harris Rd, Brantford, ON N3T 5L4 Tel: 416-278-4165 Membership Type: Associate
Barr Construction Ltd Trevor Barr 691 Cedar Glen Rd, Dunsford, ON K0M 1L0 Tel: 705-879-1144 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Jace Mechanical Ltd James Crickard 941 Penetanguishene Rd, Barrie, ON L4M 4Y8 Tel: 705-795-6451 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Joe Legge & Sons Drilling Joe Legge 1399 Inlet Bay Rd, Bancroft, ON K0L 1C0 Tel: 613-339-9254 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Sisco Investments Inc Eric Hancock
2-4041 North Service Rd, Burlington, ON L7L 4X6
BAFM Logistics Lisa Groves PO Box 210, Oro, ON L0L 2X0 Tel: 705-487-3663 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
OTTAWA
Renson Yard Contractor Yves Renson 945 Edward St, Haileybury, ON P0J 1K0 Tel: 705-672-5490 Membership Type: Active
Marathon Equipment Inc Jennifer Brasher
AP Heating & Mechanical Andrew Welden 2 Windham St, New Lowell, ON L0M 1N0 Tel: 705-791-5199 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
UPPER CANADA
Heart and Grit Landscaping Chelsea Dozois 897 Chemin de la Montagne N Gatineau, QC J9A 3T8 Tel: 819-230-6445 Membership Type: Interim
Hillside City Construction Wayne Visscher 1040 Sawmill Rd, Ancaster, ON L9G 3L1 Tel: 289-430-5180 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
2067649 ON Ltd Wyatt Kirby 20 Heron Blvd, Minesing, ON L0L 1Y3 Tel: 416-319-0885 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Steelway Building Systems a division of Glen White Industries Ltd Jason White 7825 Springwater Rd, Aylmer, ON N5H 2R4 Tel: 519-765-2244-x102 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
TORONTO Base Natural Stone & Landscape Supply Sam Kalibar 17380 Hwy 27, Schomberg, ON L0G 1T0 Tel: 905-939-1112 Membership Type: Associate
Apples Landscaping & Maintenance Todd Appleby 6 Kingsway Cres, Brantford, ON N3R 1M7 Tel: 519-758-8661 Membership Type: Active
MODCON Construction Inc Ian MacNeil 40 Bramsteele Rd, Brampton, ON L6W 3L8 Tel: 289-221-1131 Membership Type: Associate
ZipEquip Ltd Justin Etherington 40 Olmstead St, Hamilton, ON L8S 1N2 Tel: 905-923-1130 Membership Type: Associate
Milton Truck Equippers Joseph Harris
LONDON
8687 Wellington Rd 22, Rockwood, ON N0B 2K0
McKever Irrigation Steve McKever 5833 30th Sideroad, Utopia, ON L0M 1T0 Tel: 705-728-6585 Membership Type: Active
3 D Landscaping (1749249 Ontario Inc) Marius Ten Hove 100 James St, Otterville, ON N0J 1R0 Tel: 519-468-333 Membership Type: Active
Street Construction Limited Steven Street 5-190 Minet’s Point Rd, Barrie, ON L4N 8J8 Tel: 705-726-7645 Membership Type: Chapter Associate
Drewlo Holdings Inc. Allan Drewlo PO Box 6000, Komoka, ON N0L 1R0 Tel: 519-472-8200 Membership Type: Active
Tel: 519-820-0285 Membership Type: Chapter Associate UBA Inc Jesse Geisel 2192 Wyecroft Rd, Oakville, ON L6L 6R1 Tel: 519-965-5564 Membership Type: Associate Whitby Shores Landscaping Ltd Andrew Markew 49 Irwin Dr, Whitby, ON L1N 9B9 Tel: 905-706-5495 Membership Type: Active
ORDER YOUR SUPPLY BEFORE DEMAND SNOWBALLS Be prepared for the season ahead. Don’t get caught short. Call your Account Manager today to secure your supply!
416.798.7050 1.888.907.SALT (7258) A G&L company. Partners in your performance.
draglamsalt.com
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Image Landscaping Trenton Inc Matt Down 2300 Victoria Rd, Carrying Place, ON K0K 1L0 Tel: 613-849-9195 Membership Type: Active
Lyman’s Landscaping Ben Lyman 7 Demorest Rd, Stirling, ON K0K 3E9 Tel: 613-391-9692 Membership Type: Interim Warren Landscaping + Design Kenroy Warren 43 Bowery St, Picton, ON K0K 2T0 Tel: 613-476-4900 Membership Type: Active
WATERLOO Frontier Sales & Equipment Inc. Kevin Leis 7213 Line 86, Wallenstien, ON N0B 2S0 Tel: 519-669-8709 Membership Type: Associate P & S Electric (1589950 Ltd) Doug Parsons 1-70 Watson Parkway S, Guelph, ON N1L 0C3 Tel: 519-265-6096 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Right on Landscaping Inc Evan Woods 79 Watermill St, Kitchener, ON N2P 0H4 Tel: 519-280-6855 Membership Type: Interim Shrubbies Landscape Hannah Black 79 Albert St S, Southhampton, ON N0H 2L0 Tel: 519-378-3257 Membership Type: Active
WINDSOR Belanger Concrete David Belanger 386 County Rd 2, Belle River, ON N0R 1A0 Tel: 519-791-2692 Membership Type: Active
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MANDATE “To ensure a healthy future for the horticultural industry.”
OHTF.ca
2019
Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation
ANNUAL
REPORT
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2019 FOUNDATION REPORT
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About the Foundation The Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation is the research and scholarship arm of Landscape Ontario. The Foundation’s mandate is to ensure a healthy future for the horticultural industry, through financial support of research and scholarships funded by interest generated on capital investments.
Supporting the Foundation The Foundation would like to thank all donors. A donation is an easy and effective way to benefit Ontario’s horticultural community and is tax-deductible.
How to support the Foundation Donations to the Foundation can be made online by visiting OHTF.ca and choosing Donate to the Foundation. Also at OHTF.ca, under Foundation Brochures you will find various information booklets on how to support the Foundation in a number of ways outlined below. With a donation to the Foundation, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are “making a difference and leaving a legacy” for the profession that you love. You can support the foundation by:
a) S ponsorship: Join the Foundation by making a pledge — an annual donation or a one-time gift. b) M emorial Gift: This is a meaningful way to honour a friend, loved one or professional contact while also helping to support the profession. c) Legacy Gift: Earmark funds through your estate to sustain the horticulture profession. Contact your estate planner or lawyer to include this legacy provision in your will. d) Stewardship Program: Many Foundation sponsors share their expertise by speaking to groups and directing their honorariums to the Foundation. 18
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Officers and directors for 2019 President: David Turnbull Vice President: Mike Thomas Secretary: Bob Allen Treasurer: Hank Gelderman Directors: Brian Cocks Tony DiGiovanni Ben Kobes Mark Ostrowski Audrey Partridge John Peets Rita Weerdenburg
Scholarship program Providing scholarships is particularly close to the hearts of Foundation supporters, who point with pride to the many recipients who are now successful industry members. A list of available scholarships can be found on the Foundation website at OHTF.ca. A new “Horticultural Scholarship Opportunities” brochure was developed this year, listing all available scholarships. The brochure was distributed to all post-secondary and secondary schools. The scholarship program continues to grow, and now boasts a number of scholarships supported by individual people and companies: - Bob and Ruby Allen Scholarship Fund - Casey Van Maris Scholarship Fund - Russel and Karen Loney Fund - Peter Olsen Memorial Fund - OJ Muller Memorial Fund - Unilock/Landscape Designers Fund - Crystal Lawn Care Scholarship Fund - Ottawa Chapter Val Kirshner Scholarship - Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship Fund - John/Ruth Wright Scholarship Fund - Horst Dickert Scholarship Fund - JT Somerville Fund - Hensbergen/DeGroot Fund Introduced in 2015, a major component of the program is the Cullen Family Scholarships – distribution of over $20,000 per year. The program is designed to encourage and inspire leadership qualities in students who have a passion and enthusiasm for the landscape and horticulture profession, with candidates selected by their peers and teachers. Individual amounts are assigned to each school offering a horticultural program. This year, the Foundation distributed a total of $56,800 in scholarships to students enrolled in horticultural programs across the province. Congratulations to this year’s recipients.
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Scholarship recipient reception In previous years, the Foundation hosted The Legacy Lounge for pioneers of the profession and LO members during the annual Congress trade show and conference each January. Due to a decline in attendance, it was decided to promote the work of the Foundation and support scholarship recipients at the Scholarship Recipients reception. This provides an opportunity for the students parents, spouses, friends, and faculty to meet the Foundation Committee, Landscape Ontario Board of Directors and scholarship sponsors. At the 2019 reception, Foundation President, David Turnbull, provided information on the goals of the Foundation and introduced LO President, Warren Patterson; Executive Director, Tony DiGiovanni and Cullen Family Scholarship sponsor, Mark Cullen. There were approximately 70 attendees at the event. Following the reception, the scholarship recipients and their guests were invited to join the LO Awards of Excellence Ceremony and were invited on stage where they were acknowledged for their achievements.
2019 FOUNDATION REPORT
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2019 Scholarship Recipients Apprenticeship Program ($600) Jamie Cirkon, Mohawk College Pamela O’Neil, Humber College Clinton White, Loyalist College
Unilock Collaborative Communications Scholarship ($1,000)
Bob and Ruby Allen Membership Scholarship ($500)
Post Secondary Scholarship ($1,000) Julie-Anne Cote, Niagara Parks Louise Daudt Pritz de Arauho, St.Clair College Jake Dupon, Niagara College Raven-Lyn Hunte, Fanshawe College Stephanie Jocius, Niagara Parks Katie McFee, Seneca College Vladimir Rogov, Niagara College Meghan Thompson, Fanshawe College Set Sil-Yuen Wu, Humber College
Casey van Maris Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) Owen DaCosta, Niagara Parks College Graduate Research Assistant Program ($6,000) College/University from High School Program ($1,000) Tim Jones, Humber College Afnan Khan, Algonquin College Alexandra Mozhzhukhina, Humber College Nicole Reid, Fanshawe College Kahia Skinner, University of Guelph (Ridgetown Campus) Tom Temming, Niagara College Emily Thorpe, Niagara College Isaac Van Veen, Fanshawe College Horticulturist Scholarship ($500) Horst Dickert Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) David Swaby, Humber College John and Ruth Wright Turf Management Scholarship ($2,000) Russel and Karen Loney Scholarship ($500) Vibhor Goel, Humber College Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship ($1,000) Destiny Lacasse, Niagara Parks
Post Graduate Scholarship ($1,000)
Cullen Family Scholarship Program ($2,000) Kit Byrne, Seneca College (Environmental Landscape) Franco Chan, Fanshawe College (Landscape Design) Kelly DiFiore, Humber College (Landscape Technician) Stuart Gummer, Durham College (Horticultural Technician) Michelle Hotte, Algonquin College (Horticultural Industries) Emily Jaarsma, St.Clair College (Horticultural Technician) Emma Kirk, University of Guelph (Landscape Architecture) Charles Linton, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus (Assoc. Dip in Horticulture) Suzy Mitsuzono, Fanshawe College (Horticultural Technician) Ranjeet Shinde, University of Guelph (Horticultural Science) Laura Schultz, Niagara College (Horticultural Technician) Kaitlin Veitch, Niagara Parks (Horticulture)
Cullen Scholarship Apprenticeship ($1,000) Ahmad Kasum, Algonquin College (Horticultural Technician) Letecia Gumboc Leadbeater, Loyalist College (Horticultural Technician) David Rustenburg, Mohawk College (Horticultural Technician) Dana Watts, Loyalist College (Horticultural Technician) Cullen Scholarship Special Need ($4,000) Leslie Oghide, Humber College (Landscape Technician)
Research programs The Foundation has also contributed to numerous research programs. Other programs under the Foundation • S kills Canada. Cash prizes for the top three competitors in the horticulture sector of the Ontario Skills Canada competition. • S ince administrative structure is already in place, your Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation is collecting charitable donations for the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute (hohtribute.ca). This inspiring campaign seeks to plant 117,000 trees for each of Canada’s fallen soldiers, assisted by the proud efforts of Ontario nursery growers and contractors. • G randtrees Walk Fund, for tree planting in the GTA. • J T Somerville Fund. Christmas tree industry.
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Meet some of this year’s scholarship recipients Franco Chan Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 Whether at work or play, Franco always loves to incorporate some aspect of the outdoors. The third year landscape design student at Fanshawe College strives to blur the line between interior and exterior design. Being a landscape photographer has inspired Franco to incorporate large-scale ecosystems like prairies with landscaping concepts to create challenging, yet extremely rewarding designs. Franco is honored to be supported and recognized by his professors and peers. Julie-Anne Côté Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Julie-Anne Côté got her first job in horticulture working at a fruit and vegetable farm in Orléans, Ont., where she enjoyed learning about the cultivation of crops. Gaining plant-related job experiences sparked an interest to further explore plant life in an educational setting. JulieAnne is now working toward a diploma in Ornamental Horticulture at the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture. Her main interest is currently in plant collection development, use and conservation. Louise Daudt Post Secondary Scholarship $1,000 A second-year student in the landscape and horticulture program at St. Clair College, Louise enters the industry with a background in biology and ecology. Her goal is to make a positive impact on the environment and in the people she is surrounded with. Louise believes that a wellplanned landscape can improve the overall wellness of people and prevent environment damages.
Kelley Di Fiore Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 The landscape industry is a second career for Kelley Di Fiore. After 23 years as an Art Director/ Graphic Designer with various ad agencies, Kelley needed a change and wanted to do something that would make a positive impact on the environment. Kelley strives to one day be designing green roofs and walls, planting pollinator gardens, growing food, and working to help fix the urban heat island effect. Kelley would like to thank both Landscape Ontario and Mark Cullen for their generous support. Jake Dupon Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 A very outgoing and downto-earth guy, Jake is always trying to be the source of energy in a room or during a team project. He is currently enrolled in Niagara College’s landscape technician program. Jake loves all things horticultureand landscape-related, working to learn as much as possible to share with peers and new generations. He is fortunate for the love and support of his wife, family, teachers, and friends at Niagara College. Vibhor Goel Russel and Karen Loney Scholarship, $500 A student of the landscape technician program at Humber College, Vibhor likes the program very much, and loves learning a lot about hoticulture. Vibhor would like to thank Landscape Ontario for providing him with a scholarship that will help to realize his future career.
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Stuart Gummer Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 Stuart is a second year student in the horticulture technician program at Durham College. After nearly a decade in the reforestation industry, Stuart decided to go back to school. Stuart loves learning about all the different aspects of horticulture and with this knowledge he hopes to move toward a more sustainable future for himself and for the planet. Stuart is honored to be a 2019 Cullen Family Scholarship recipient. Emily Jaarsma Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 Finding herself unhappy and life unfulfilled, Emily changed careers from social work to horticulture. She now has a purpose and is grateful to wake up each day to do something she loves. Her advice: “It’s never too late to follow your dreams, and this scholarship will allow me to do just that.” Emily is thankful to both OHTF and Mark Cullen for her generous award. Stephanie Jocius Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Stephanie is currently working towards a diploma in Ornamental Horticulture at the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture. Current president of the student association, Stephanie looks forward to becoming an alumni to continue being a role model for her peers and contributing to the School of Horticulture. Combining her previous internship experience working at a historic estate, she developed an interest in rhododendrons, and collections management. She anticipates a career working in Japanese style gardens.
2019 FOUNDATION REPORT
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Tim Jones High School Program Scholarship, $1,000 Currently in his first year in the Landscape Technician Program at Humber College, Tim has always enjoyed being outdoors and is looking forward to using the skills he is learning at Humber to eventually design and build creative landscape environments. Tim is grateful for the scholarship and support. Tim has had several co-op and employment experiences in the field and is looking forward to ongoing learning at Humber. Ahmad Kasem Cullen Scholarship Apprenticeship, $1,000 In Canada for just three years, Ahmad has had a great experience so far in the horticulture and landscaping field. In addition to being a student in the level 2 horticulture technician program at Algonquin College, Ahmad is studying English and hopes for a chance to demonstrate his abilities and skills in a workplace environment. Afnan Khan High School Program Scholarship, $1,000 A student from Ottawa, Ont., Afnan is currently attending the Horticultural Industries program at Algonquin College. Prior to this, he was worked on his Bachelor’s degree in economics and anthropology at the University of Ottawa. Afnan’s mission is to encourage peace and creativity in his community, and devise new ways of designing spaces to make them more liveable, productive and efficient. He seeks to incorporate his knowledge of culture and his interest in architecture, permaculture, and construction to create liveable areas that dissolve worries and encourage healing.
Emma Kirk Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 Emma is currently a second year student of the MLA program at the University of Guelph. She is passionate about the environment and is actively looking for ways in which landscape architects can become involved in taking action and fostering productive change. She aspires to be able to push the boundaries of ecological design to design spaces that not only provide social space for people, but also serve a higher ecological purpose. Through a design-driven approach to ecological issues she hopes to make a positive impact in our world. Destiny Lacasse Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship, $1,000 A third year student at Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture, Destiny’s passions include horticulture and helping people. After graduation, she hopes to find a job where she can combine both passions, or start her own horticulture therapy business. Destiny is incredibly honored to be selected as the recipient of the Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship, having been lucky enough to cross paths with Tony himself over the past year and getting to see what a true inspiration he is. Letecia Leadbeater Cullen Scholarship Apprenticeship, $1,000 Letecia never imagined the gratification she found when working, understanding and solving gardening challenges in her own backyard would develop into skills for a new career within the horticultural maintenance and landscaping industry. Being enrolled in the Red Seal Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship Program while working at Modern Earthscapes Land Design has been enlightening for what direction and role she can play in the industry.
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Charles Linton Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 A second year student in the horticulture diploma program at the University of Guelph Ridgetown campus, Charles enjoys working alongside his father, owner of Linton Landscaping. Charles developed a passion for the industry at a very young age and loves the variety of work, working outdoors, establishing relationships with clients and the pride of work that can be accomplished. Charles is very excited to pursue his passion and become the future succession plan owner of the family business. Katie McFee Post Secondary Scholarship ($1,000) Currently a student in the Environmental Landscape Management program at Seneca College, Katie’s interest in horticulture probably stems from spending so much time with her mom in garden centres when she was a child. Katie enjoyed gardening as a hobby, and it has now grown into an exciting career path. She plans to use and value all of her education to create spaces that are beautiful and green. Suzy Mitsuzono Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 An international student from Brazil, Suzy is in the secondyear Horticulture Technician program at Fanshawe College. Prior to that, she earned a teaching degree in biology and a masters in genetics and plant breeding in Brazil. Suzy likes to keep her mind open to new opportunities, and is exploring both landscape design and nursery production as future career paths. Alex Mozhzhukhina High School Program Scholarship, $1,000 Enrolled in the Landscape Technician program at Humber College, Alex is already thinking of pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science after graduation. Alex has always been passionate about plants and the environment, and feels she can truly make a difference by pursuing a career in sustainable landscape management.
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Leslie Oghide Cullen Scholarship Special Need, $4,000 Born in Nigeria, Leslie Oghide is a final year student in landscape technician program at Humber College. Leslie has always had an interest in plant studies. His dream is to build botanical gardens and parks that have varieties of plants from his homeland and to use this as a means to raise awareness about the importance of horticulture in our society and how to help preserve our environment. Words are not just enough to express Leslie’s gratitude for his award.
Laura Schultz Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 In her second year of study at Niagara College, Laura is enrolled in the Horticulture Technician Co-op program. Pursuing a career in horticulture allows Laura to be surrounded by many things that brings her joy, including plants, with their endless versatility and beauty. Laura would love to one day own her own business with a mission statement to share the joy of plants with others. Laura is also interested in pursuing a career working in botanical gardens.
Vladimir Rogov Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 After graduating from Niagara College, Vladimir has his sights set on the Bachelor of Applied Science - Agribusiness program at Olds College in Alberta to further enhance his knowledge of horticulture. Throughout his studies, Vladimir has developed a passion for substituting invasive plant species with native plant material in landscape design and nursery production. He would like to thank the Foundation and instructors, Wayne Wakal and Mary Jane Clark, and classmate Jake Dupon for helping him over the past year.
David Swaby Horst Dickert Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 As a mature international student from Jamaica who had never been to a tertiary institution before, coming to Canada to study Environmental Landscape Management at Seneca College has been a life-changing experience for David Swaby. Always well-known for his “green thumb,” David says getting formally trained in the field of horticulture has always been a goal, which is now closer to being achieved thanks to this scholarship.
David Rustenburg Cullen Scholarship Apprenticeship $1,000 While working in landscape construction for six years, David has developed a strong passion for designing and building outdoor living spaces where people can kick back and relax. David is currently enrolled in the Horticultural Technician program at Mohawk College. The program has really helped him to expand his knowledge base on different areas in the landscape industry and has taught him ways to respect the environment before, during and after construction projects. David is very honored to be a recipient of the 2019 Cullen Family Scholarship Program.
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Tom Temming High School Program Scholarship, $1,000 Raised on a dairy farm just outside of Stratford, Ont., Tim worked at Klomp’s Home & Garden Centre for six years where he discovered a passion for plants and landscaping. This past summer, he worked for Touch of Dutch Landscaping to expand his opportunities and knowledge in the field. Tim is currently enrolled as a Horticulture Technician student at Niagara College and hopes to continue to promote his passion for native landscaping and production of vegetable crops for food security after graduation. Meghan Thompson Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Meghan is studying horticulture with a focus on arboriculture and forest sustainability in the Fanshawe College class of 2020. She hopes to travel Canada to introduce green spaces to different cities and municipalities. In the interim, she spends a lot of time teaching others about the importance of plant diversity.
Emily Thorpe High School Program Scholarship, $1,000 Emily graduated from McKinnon Park Secondary School as a Specialist High Skills Major student in horticulture. She is currently attending Niagara College and taking the horticulture technician co-op program. Kaitlin Veitch Cullen Family Scholarship Program, $2,000 Being a part of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture has been a dream come true for Kaitlin. She is beyond grateful to have been recognized among so many other talented and passionate students. Her goal at school is to learn as much as possible in three short years and to become a well-rounded horticulturist. Ultimately, she hopes to one day contribute her skills and horticultural background toward environmental sustainability. Dana Beren Watts Cullen Scholarship Apprenticeship, $1,000 A Toronto native, Dana lives in Peterborough, Ont., and is interested in permaculture, sustainable building, and activism. He enjoys painting, sculpting and fixing or re-purposing things and is happy to be able to rehabilitate the environment for a living and foster a clients’ relationship with it. He is a proud dog owner and nature lover and foreman at Green Side Up Environmental Services and Landscaping. Set Sil-Yuen Wu Post Secondary Scholarship, $1,000 Set Wu is a second year student in the Landscape Technician program at Humber College. Set’s interest in horticulture started with family visits to local city parks at an early age. Set had spent a good number of years in the Information Technology sector where he discovered that taking strolls in parks was a great way to de-stress. Set hopes to create and maintain beautiful park sceneries for all to enjoy in the future. Set says receiving the award will provide added encouragement for him to continue to work hard in school.
2019 FOUNDATION REPORT
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FOUNDATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FUND BALANCES
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION Year End Year End Aug. 31, 2019 Aug. 31, 2018
Year End Aug. 31, 2019
ASSETS
$8,545 ($2,655) Current Bank $691,859 Dunington-Grubb/Sheridan Nurseries Research Fund $227,522 $243,570 Accounts Receivable $62,218 Growers’ Group Research Fund $368,896 $387,245 $754,078 Long Term Ottawa Chapter Val Kirshner Scholarship Fund $70,202 $69,914 Investments $2,323,136 Scholarship Fund $86,342 $82,290 Investment-Vineland Consortium $57,711 Accrued Interest Receivable $28,556 Casey van Maris Scholarship Fund $31,954 $32,817 $2,409,403 IPM Symposium Research Fund $180,807 $198,195 Total Assets $3,163,481 Turf Research Fund $0 ($8,257) LIABILITIES Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship Fund $104,235 $104,801 Current John/Ruth Wright Scholarship Fund $64,042 $63,780 Accounts Payable and Accrued Charges $24,803 Horst Dickert Scholarship Fund ($137) $858 Accumulated Fund Balances JT Somerville Fund $10,907 $10,863 Fund Balances-Regular Funds $1,333,390 Fund Balances-Special Projects $1,805,288 Highway of Heroes (Trees for Life) $1,745,831 $944,492 $3,138,678 Unilock/Designers Group Fund $11,990 $10,948 Total Liabilities/Funds $3,163,481 Hensbergen/DeGroot Fund $25,598 $25,493 Russel/Karen Loney Fund $9,433 $9,890 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS & FUND BALANCES Cullen Family Fund $141 $8,581 Year End Robert/Ruby Allen Fund $21,815 $21,726 Aug. 31, 2019 REVENUES Crystal Lawn Care Fund $2,199 $2,190 Interest/Gains (Losses) $38,431 Miscellaneous $57,246 Peter Olsen Fund $30,366 $30,242 Research Grants $0 OJ Muller Fund $10,711 $10,668 Donations $1,598,691 Grandtrees Walk Fund $59,457 $0 Total Revenue $1,694,368 Waterloo Chapter Scholarship Fund $67,822 $70,026 Totals $3,138,678 $2,317,675 EXPENSES Administration Fees/Expenses $230,372 Disbursed as Research Grants $0 Event/Sponsorship Expenses $586,192 Disbursed as Scholarships $56,800
Year End Aug. 31, 2018
General Fund
Total Expenses Excess of Revenue Over Expenses Fund Balances, Beginning of Year Fund Balances, Year End
$297,884 $62,693 $360,578 $1,905,303 $57,711 $7,045 $1,970,058 $2,330,636
$12,961 $1,373,183 $944,492 $2,317,675 $2,330,636
Year End Aug. 31, 2018 $81,382 $67,945 $0 $853,769 $1,003,096
$309,116 $0 $222,803 $40,600
$873,364
$572,519
$821,003 $2,317,675 $3,138,678
$430,577 $1,887,098 $2,317,675
For information on the Foundation, including scholarship applications, supported research programs or to donate, visit ohtf.ca 24
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PROFESSIONAL NEWS
FIRST SAFETY
BLITZ OF 2020
TO FOCUS ON
PPE Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) inspectors will run an initiative focusing on the lack and misuse of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as foot, eye, hearing and respiratory protection devices from Jan. 6 to March 13, 2020. In 2017, the Ministry issued 7,483 orders for lack of PPE on projects. This was the second highest violation in construction workplaces that year. An inspector will issue a written order to an employer to comply within the law within a certain time period or to comply immediately and stop work. Employers are required to provide workers with PPE workers wherever there are health or safety risks that cannot be adequately controlled for in other ways. PPE can include:
• Respiratory protection devices • Hearing protectors • Skin protection devices (gloves or protective clothing) • High visibility clothing • Face shields and eye protection devices • Hard hats • Safety shoes Inspectors will focus on checking that appropriate personal protective equipment is being supplied and worn. Please note, the law requires workers to wear hard hats and boots at all times while on a construction project site.
High visibility clothing is just one of the many things inspectors will look for.
INDUSTRY PROVEN www.GoGPS.com 1.866.964.6477
#WhyGambleWithYourFleet 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
Association Membership Pricing
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
merald GALA
you ' re invited to the
Landscape ontario AWARDS CEREMONY AND PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION TUESDAY JANUARY 7, 2020 at 5:00 P.m. Plaza Ballroom, Delta Hotels Toronto Airport
How health and safety can affect your WSIB premiums As a small business owner, you know that financial considerations can keep you awake at night. But did you know that having a solid health and safety program that gets positive results can save you money? Under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s (WSIB) new premium rate-setting model, which comes into effect on January 1, 2020, your individual claims experience will be taken into consideration when your premium is set. As we move closer to the implementation of the new ratesetting model, you can start making a difference now to improve your safety experience. Managing the risks in your workplace with the right health and safety practices is the key. In November, WSIB is launching a new health and safety excellence program that will provide a clear roadmap for businesses to improve workplace safety. Success in the new program can lead to rebates and an improved health and safety record can help lower premium rates. As a WSIB-approved provider, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) will be delivering the program for businesses across the province.
Managing risks
fall DINNER GROWERS
Tuesday, November 26, 2019 Piper's Heath Golf Club, Milton, ON
Join us at the annual Growers Fall Meeting to network, enjoy dinner and participate in a lively discussion. For more information and to register, visit horttrades.com/tag/grower
To help you get a comprehensive picture of how your company is doing and which areas you need to tackle in terms of health and safety, check out WSIB’s online Compass tool. Businesses like yours now have secure login access to Compass and can get exclusive, in-depth insights into claims, costs, and premium rates. You can also access and analyze key health and safety statistics to make effective business decisions to improve workplace health and safety performance. Stephen Shaw, Director of Integrated Operations for Workplace Safety and Prevention Services, says, “With just a few clicks, Compass gives you a picture of where injuries are happening in your workplace, what group of workers is being injured, and what types of injuries they are incurring. This benefits your business and everyone in it. For instance, if the statistics indicate your workplace’s most common injury is strains and sprains, then it may be time to conduct a risk assessment of those areas and the processes involved.” To log in, visit wsib.ca/onlineservices and select “analyze your rates and past claims costs on Compass” from the menu. Once you’ve securely logged on, a wide range of data will be at your fingertips including:
• Claims registered • Claim costs • Costliest types of claims • Return-to-work statistics • Premium rate information For more tips and resources on how to improve your health and safety success, visit the WSPS website at wsps.ca.
Initiative of: G ROW E R S G RO U P
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
Fax communication to be eliminated from locate requests Effective Feb. 1, 2020, Ontario One Call will remove the option for any communications via fax. Currently, Ontario One Call may communicate via fax to members for notifications of locate requests, and to excavators for locate request confirmations. As of Feb. 1, 2020, Ontario One Call will no longer be sending any transmissions via fax. Anyone who currently receives communications via fax will need to change to email communications or FTP (available for Member Notifications only). This change will also include the removal of the fax number from all Excavator IDs, and they will therefor, no longer be transmitted as part of the notifications to members. Over the years, Ontario One Call has placed a great importance on improving the quality of the transmissions that are sent. This includes the map selections that are now required for every request, which are transferred as a low quality via fax. If you have any questions please contact Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255. Locate requests and more information can is available through on1call.com.
Tree Canada appoints Léo Duguay as new board chair Tree Canada board members and staff are pleased to announce the appointment of Léo Duguay as new Chair of the Board. Léo joined the board in October 2011 where he has served as ViceChair for the past three years. Duguay has served as a Canadian politician, educator and has been an active community member and school administrator in Manitoba. He has also served as a Progressive Conservative party member of the House of Commons of Canada. As a Member of Parliament he was a representative on the Human Rights Committee at the United Nations 40th Assembly. Léo Duguay Following his House of Commons career, Duguay was Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs before forming his own consulting firm. Through his ownership of Duralex Management he provided consulting services to many leading Canadian and North American organizations. Prior to joining the Rothwell Group in 2006, Leo Duguay held the position of Senior Vice President with a major international public affairs firm where he provided government relations counsel across a broad spectrum of industry sectors. The board welcomes Lawrence Lewis as Vice-Chair and wishes to recognize the 10 years of dedication and passion that former Past Chair, David Domke invested in Tree Canada. Recently joining the Board are new members: Moe Assaf, Julie Barker-Merz and Sabrina Fitzgerald. Tree Canada is the non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees. To date, with the help of community partners and sponsors, they have planted more than 82 million trees. To learn more, visit TreeCanada.ca.
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CONGRESS
after dark —
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8, 2020
Join your fellow Congress delegates for an evening of entertainment and networking. Delta Hotels Toronto Airport, Plaza Ballroom (upstairs), 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Your trade show badge is your admission ticket. That’s right; no fee to attend!
An initiative of the Landscape Ontario Designer Sector Group
A full-day event!
MONDAY JANUARY 6, 2020 REGISTER BY DECEMBER 13 TO SAVE MONEY! $145 for Members and $195 for Non-Members For details and registration, visit LOCONGRESS.COM Admission to Congress 2020 Trade Show and Congress ‘After Dark’ is included with registration. The Congress Conference and other special events are a separate fee.
The 2020 Designers Conference is presented with recognition of the OALA. Sessions qualify for OALA Continuing Education Credits.
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
Report looks at future of ornamentals market in China Understanding the Chinese Market, the demand for ornamentals, is the third report published by the International Association of Horticultural Producers’ (AIPH) International Vision Project (IVP). The report presents important insights and indicators on the future demand for ornamental horticulture until 2030. The latest report focuses on consumer trends in China and changes in demand; the role of city growth on future demand and the potential market opportunities for ornamentals in China. The report provides a valuable reference for the wider horticulture industry. Through specific in-depth country studies, the report highlights key challenges and opportunities which bare a wider relevance to the future of ornamentals production and trade around the world. The Chinese market warrants attention due to the forecast growth of China’s
working population and, more significantly, this group’s anticipated per capita spending growth. By 2030, the working population in China will account for 12 per cent of worldwide urban consumption and as such has the potential to shape future global consumption. In 2015, the group’s consumption value stood at $2.9 trillion but is set to increase substantially to $12 trillion by 2030. By identifying key drivers for change, AIPH’s IVP initiative can help to enable the ornamentals industry to prepare and adapt to tomorrow’s markets. The third IVP report was released on Sept. 13, 2019, in Beijing. Secretary General of AIPH, Tim Briercliffe said: “The market in China has some of the greatest opportunities of any in the world but there are also many challenges. This latest report takes a frank look at opportunities and challenges and is essential reading for anyone in this industry with an interest in the Chinese market.” AIPH published the first two IVP reports earlier this year, Ornamental Horticulture, A Growing Industry? January 2019) and Production and Markets, the Future of
Ornamentals, (July 2019). All of the reports can be download for free from the AIPH website at aiph.org/the-international-vision-project.
Ontario Tree Planting Guide updated The recently released, Ontario Tree Planting Guide has been updated with highercontrast planting diagrams. Produced by Landscape Ontario and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, the comprehensive guide for landscape architects, landscape contractors, urban forest managers, horticulturists and other professionals, features the most up-to-date best practices of the landscape horticulture industry. Recommendations in the Guide are specific to Ontario and are consistent with the Canadian Landscape Standard. The latest version can be downloaded for free at LandscapeOntario.com/ ontario-landscape-tree-planting-guide.
RECRUITLIVE Looking for work? A career change? Education? Or, are you an employer looking to find new team members?
MONDAY JANUARY 6, 2020 A full-day event, with lunch and closing reception.
Landscape Ontario’s Recruit LIVE is an opportunity for employers and future employees to network, interview and hire, right on the Congress Trade Show Floor.
Held in conjunction with Congress 2020 REGISTRATION FEE: E n $125 until December 13 n $165 after December 13
EMPLOYERS: Promote your job opportunities to over 15,000 Congress visitors!
Admission to Congress 2020 Trade Show and Congress ‘After Dark’ is included with registration.
For more information, please visit: LOcongress.com/events/recruit-live Located in Hall F by the Student Gardens
For details and registration, visit LOCONGRESS.COM 28
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
EXECUTIVE DESK
Realizing the dreams of the previous generation
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t the end of each year, our staff chooses one word to act as a filter for all of our activities in the year ahead. For 2019, that word is “renewal.” We could not have chosen a better word. After 25 years in our Milton, Ont., office, we were able to completely gut the office building and warehouse and rebuild it into a state-of-theart office and education centre. On Oct. 23, we celebrated with an Open House. Over 200 members, partners and suppliers joined the celebration and you could sense the pride and appreciation from those in attendance. The building belongs to our members. It represents them. It encourages them. It inspires them. I am amazed at the profound effect the building renovation has had on so many people. In fact, in my conservatism, I originally resisted the plan to gut the building and start anew. I was wrong. I have come to realize that a building is much more than steel, concrete and drywall. A building is defined by what it represents. A day before the Open House, my wife and I returned from a vacation in Rome
and Florence, Italy. The architecture there is overwhelming. Buildings are started by one generation and finished by subsequent generations. Dreams, visions and aspirations are finally made into reality by others. It reminded me of what was really going on underneath the construction of our own building. Years ago, I was present when the pioneers of our organization dreamed about what the association’s office should be like. At the time, we were in a small office condominium in Mississauga, Ont. The collective vision put down on paper called for a 50-acre site located a half hour from the airport. The site would be used to bring related associations together into a hub that would energize the profession. The site would include demonstration gardens, a professional development school, and a research centre. It would host events and be used for educational purposes. All these things are now a reality. Just like in Florence and Rome, the dreams of one generation are fulfilled by the next. It is now time for our generation to
continue the dream. The new Landscape Ontario Centre brings together the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Canada Blooms, Communities in Bloom (CIB), Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation and the Green Cities Foundation. It is a place that stimulates energy and ideas. It is a place to learn from each other. It is a place to contribute to a collective effort to improve, excel, promote and demonstrate. People will come to the site to become better. Friendships will be formed. Businesses will be enhanced. Contributions will be made. Legacies will be celebrated. The new LO is much more than bricks and mortar. It represents our collective vision of a prosperous, professional, ethical, recognized and valued profession that enhances the lives of those we touch.
Tony DiGiovanni LO Executive Director
tony@landscapeontario.com
Landscape Ontario staff were all smiles when the first plants for LO’s living wall arrived in the new building in mid-September.
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Your professional image
F
know that consumers today rely heavily on social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram as their go-to source for inspiration. The stunning images from winning projects in the LO Awards of Excellence Program always attract a lot of attention on our Instagram account. Open only to LO members, your dues renewal means some of your incredible, trend-setting projects could also be featured on social media, plus to over 14,000 professionals at Congress, and featured in our popular Garden Inspiration magazine distributed at Canada Blooms. The result of all this exposure to the public drives potential clients to the LO website where they can connect with an LO member to create the oasis they are looking for. Paying your LO member invoice each year means your work could be showcased to hundreds of thousands of people each year. In addition to Congress, the LO Professional Development Seminar Series that runs from November to April each year features a diverse range of subjects, such as stonemasonry — a traditional art form that has seen a resurgence in today’s marketplace and demands hands-on instruction. Perennial bed design is another title that can result in gorgeous gardens and attracting clients that are willing to pay for a professional to piece together a complicated botanical jigsaw puzzle. We all know that the consumers of today are welleducated. So being involved with, and maintaining your status as a professional member of Landscape Ontario is something that can be used to your advantage. Members proudly display the logo and advertise their membership in the association to show that they belong to a special, elite group. If you have won awards, attended courses, or earned a certification, be proud of those achievements and boast about them. Include them on your website, in your emails an on your social media. Thank you for taking the time to maintain the high standard of a Landscape Ontario, green industry professional.
or all those Landscape Ontario members who paid their 2019/2010 membership dues by phone, cheque or online, thank you! Your company name will continue to show up on our popular LandscapeOntario.com website that connects your services with eager clients. Your choice to continue being a member means you will also benefit throughout 2020 from the many programs and initiatives we produce on your behalf. We will continue to distribute press releases and reach out to our special Media Members to promote the many reasons why the public should hire you as a member of LO. This includes making sure they check for references, and ask for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and liability insurance — all things that are required to become an LO member. One of the main reasons why I believe LO members stand out as professionals is their ongoing commitment to education and professional development. This is always obvious at our Congress trade show and conference each January, where hundreds of companies attend to view the latest products and services, and to sit in on live demonstrations and seminars. The conference rooms will be packed with people eager to take in advice from experts like Randy Tumber on how to design a natural water feature, and Sean James on how to incorporate native plants into your clients’ gardens. These are both hot topics, and when your potential clients read about the latest trends in gardening magazines, they then want to deal with a designer or contractor who is up-to-date on those trends and has experience with those elements. A mark of a true professional is someone who has taken the time to educate themselves in order to provide clients with a new landscape that gets the same results as one they dreamed about after seeing it in a glossy magazine. While those nice magazines still exist and are great to flip through while waiting at the doctor’s office, we all
Denis Flanagan CLD LO Manager of Membership and Public Relations dflanagan@landscapeontario.com
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
MEMBERSHIP
Celebrating excellence
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panel of well-seasoned industry experts recently spent a few days judging over 350 entries in this year’s Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence program. With a record breaking number of entries this year, we once again asked the question, “How many winners is too many?” When I’m showing horses, most classes have a maximum of 10 winners. If there are more than 50 showing in a class, the show will do something called a ‘California split’ where no more than 16 horses will be awarded prizes (divide the total group by two, then each group is then placed first through eighth). Now I am not saying we should only award the top eight to 10 winners in each category when there are so many more amazing projects, but perhaps there is validity to raising the bar and creating a limit to the total number of top scoring entries. As the total number of entries continues to increase, this may be something we will have to explore in the future. For the first time this year, each entry will be judged against a scoring rubric (which is available for your reference at LOawards.com) so that entries can be given more constructive feedback from the judges. It also acts as a point of reference for companies interested in entering the awards. So even if you don’t win, the feedback may be helpful to you and your company.
A promotional tool for your company
By entering projects into the LO awards program, you are giving your company the chance to have a unique and exclusive marketing tool. Our winners are recognized through press releases picked up by various media outlets — some even get featured on CityTV’s Breakfast Television. Winners are also showcased online and across the association’s social media platforms. The LO awards program acts as a sales and marketing tool that you can use to show potential clients the high standard of work, quality craftsmanship and attention to detail that comes from working with a professional member of Landscape Ontario.
Recognition for your staff
Entering your best projects into the LO awards program is a great way to show your staff how proud you are of their hard work. Celebrate that hard work by attending the awards ceremony with your team. Your project could even be announced as a winner and your entire team will be there to join in the excitement and celebrate a job well done. Including your staff in the event is an excellent way to foster a positive company culture. This year, everyone who attends the awards ceremony will also receive a show program listing all award entries, rather than just the winners featured on stage. Your staff work hard and we want them to be able to celebrate their success. You will
Myscha Stafford LO Membership and Chapter Coordinator myscha@landscapeontario.com
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receive a complimentary ticket for each entry submitted. If you need more tickets, or want to reserve a table, visit LOcongress.com.
Thank your clients
Submitting your project for an award is a great way to thank a client for choosing you to make their project come to life. Each winning company receives a plaque with their award, and additional plaques can be ordered for your client or designer. Many LO members proudly display plaques at their place of business and property owners are equally proud to put this keepsakes on display. They are also proud of the work you do. Not only is it a great perk for your client, it’s also a nice looking advertisement.
A learning opportunity
Whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. Not everyone can win, and maybe, not everyone should. If everyone received an LO Award of Excellence, we would risk the program losing credibility as a true showcase of the very best-of-the-best. Not winning doesn’t mean a project was not very well done. Use the judge’s feedback as an opportunity to learn. And, just like a horse show, while the judge’s decision can be subjective, it is final. Follow the LO brick road to the Emerald City and join us for the 47th annual Awards of Excellence ceremony on Jan. 7, 2020. This year’s ceremony will include winners from the Garden Centre, Construction, Maintenance, and Design categories.
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
SLIP AND FALL
What are you agreeing to in your winter contract?
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lmost every winter maintenance contract contains an indemnity and hold harmless clause. What does this mean? Well, “indemnify” means that you will repay any amount to the other party that it has to pay to a claimant. “Hold harmless” means you agree the other party won’t have to incur any expense at all, for things like claims investigation and legal fees. Sometimes, the property owner agrees to defend and indemnify the winter maintenance contractor for any claims that arise on its property. More commonly, the contractor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the property owner for any claims arising out of the contractor’s work. Usually, the party that agrees to indemnify and hold harmless also agrees to add the other party on its insurance policy as an “additional insured.” Back in the day, these clauses were often an item of confusion. An injured plaintiff would usually make allegations against the property owner for inadequate maintenance and the contractor for negligent performance. Where both owner and contractor were accused of fault, whose insurance company would pay the expenses associated with the lawsuit? Often, the insurers of owner or contractor would prefer to wait and see. Then the decision in Carneiro v Regional Municipality of Durham, 2015 ONCA 909 came along. Antonio Carneiro Jr. died in a car accident on a snowy day in Pickering, Ont. His family sued the Region of Durham and Miller Maintenance, Durham’s winter maintenance contractor. That contract required Miller to include Durham as an additional insured under Miller’s liability policy with Zurich. The statement of claim alleged that the car driven by the deceased began to slide and spin on ice on Brock Road. The car slid down a hill and was struck by other cars. The statement of claim of negligence against Durham and Miller included failure to keep
the road free of ice and snow, inadequate road design and construction, and failure to close the road during a heavy snowstorm. Durham Region sued Miller’s insurance company, Zurich. Durham sought a court declaration that Zurich owed a duty to defend Durham in the action, and to pay for the lawyer of Durham’s choice, and to indemnify Durham for any amounts for which Durham may be found liable to the plaintiffs. Zurich argued it had no duty to defend Durham because some of the particulars of negligence in the statement of claim — those unrelated to Miller’s winter maintenance work — fell outside the scope of coverage provided to Durham. The motion judge dismissed Durham’s motion. He found that Zurich was only required to defend Durham with respect to the claims insured for Miller. But Durham appealed, and won. The Court of Appeal reversed the motion judge’s decision. It found that Zurich was required to defend all the claims against Durham. Not just for the claims that arose out of Miller’s work, but the entire action. The Court found that since Durham was an “additional insured” on Miller’s policy with Zurich, the policy contained an unqualified promise to defend Durham for claims covered by the policy. The Court found the “true nature of the claim” was clearly expressed in the statement of claim — that the deceased lost control of his car because it skidded on ice and snow; and, that Durham and Miller failed to keep the road clear of ice and snow. Those allegations related directly to Miller’s winter maintenance contract and triggered Zurich’s duty to defend Durham. The Court of Appeal noted that the duty to defend is a separate contractual obligation that is not met by Zurich simply indemnifying Durham at the end of the case. Zurich was ordered to pay the reasonable costs of Durham’s defence. The Court also said Zurich had to provide
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Durham with independent counsel, at Zurich’s expense, to defend the action in its entirety. But at the end of the case, once the division of fault was sorted out, Zurich would be entitled to seek an apportionment of the defence costs as between covered claims, and those claims that dealt solely with uncovered claims. The Carneiro approach of requiring the insurer to defend the entire claim on behalf of an additional insured, subject to a right of reallocation of defence costs at the conclusion of the case, is the correct approach. It remedies the unfairness to the additional insured of being forced to defend itself for covered claims and expend costs to pursue the insurer to fulfil its duty to defend. The Court pointed out that the duty to defend is a separate contractual obligation. “The outcome of the trial is irrelevant to the duty to defend. The duty would be a hollow one if the insurer’s only obligation were to indemnify its insured at the end of the day. That was the obligation Zurich undertook when it issued a policy naming Durham as an additional insured. It promised to defend Durham and it should have been held to that promise.” Since the Carneiro decision, our courts have followed the same approach. The duty to defend an additional insured under a hold harmless clause will be determined at the outset of a case. The duty to defend is determined by the allegations in the plaintiff’s statement of claim, not by what happened, or who, if anyone, is found at fault at the end of the case. Those defence costs can be reallocated at the end of the case, based on the apportionment of fault as between owner and contractor. So what’s the upshot of all this? Let’s say you’re a contractor, and your winter maintenance contract says you have to “hold harmless” the owner. Let’s say the owner is added to your insurance policy as an “additional insured.” And now let’s say an injured plaintiff alleges their slip and fall was caused by negligent winter maintenance. Regardless of what actually happened, or whether anyone was negligent, or who is ultimately found at fault — your insurance company will have to pay for your defence, and the defence of the owner. That could mean two sets of lawyers, two sets of expenses — and increased premiums for you at renewal time. So read your contract. Is there a hold harmless clause? Understand what you’re agreeing to. If you have questions, get advice.
Ian A. Mair Partner, Moodie Mair Walker LLP, Lawyers
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
• Don’t be afraid to fail. • Growth is possible. Confidence is crucial.
PROSPERITY PARTNERS
Learn a lot from fellow business owners
L
andscape Ontario’s Peer to Peer Network held its annual Muskoka Summit in Gravenhurst, Ont., Sept. 21-22. Once again, the two-day event proved to be an amazing, informationpacked weekend for all business owners and managers who took time to attend. On day one, participants spent a full day reviewing industry benchmarks across five key business areas: overhead, sales effectiveness, marketing, estimating, and change orders/job tracking. In addition, we were joined by Joe Salemi, Vice President of Dynascape, who came armed with some great stats, information, tips, tricks and advice. The second day featured an actionpacked discussion with a lively and vastly experienced panel of successful business owners. Facilitated by Tony DiGiovanni, Landscape Ontario Executive Director, the panel gave advice and shared experiences on how they survived the enduring and overwhelming demands of scaling up a business. The panel included: Janna Bradley, COO at LMN; Scott Wentworth, President, The Scott Wentworth Landscape Group; Kevin Scott, President, Muskoka Landscapers, Cypress Gardeners, Blackwood Property Management (and several other related companies); Tyler Lockhart, Financial Lending Consultant, Muskoka Futures; and myself — both as a former landscaping business owner and now as an active business coach. At the end of the two-day Summit, our 40 peers were asked to share the top things they had learned by participating. Here’s what they said as a result of the lively and deep, meaningful discussions:
• We all have the same/similar pain points. • It’s important to investing in your team. • There’s an exciting future for our industry and many opportunities all around us for well-managed growth.
• Step back and understand your numbers every week – work ON your business not just IN it. • Networking is AMAZING! • Values will drive success, not get in the way of it. • The energy of the LO Peer to Peer Network is a HUGE source of inspiration and support. • People make mistakes when they panic. • Know your numbers (at least monthly), AND SHARE THEM WITH YOUR TEAM. • You have to spend money to make money. Long-term debt for long-term assets. • A business plan is a must. • Salary versus hourly pay is an important question for retention strategies. • Identify the leaders in your midst and engage them. • It’s okay not to grow. You can focus on improving profit instead and make good money. • Shut the phone off and enjoy family time every week.
The annual summit included a fun boat cruise.
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After members of the group had shared the points above, someone then asked me what my top take away was. I was caught a bit off guard, but immediately knew my answer: “That running the LO Peer Network is highly-valued and validated,” I responded. I would like to personally thank everyone who actively engages in the LO Peer to Peer Network at our various events and in the ongoing discussions online. As we forge ahead into a new year, I urge all of you who are already active in the association to also make the time and effort to join our effective management improvement workshops. Over 130 of your peers already find the group a fantastic place to learn, improve, and benefit from the collective knowledge of others. There are many things you can learn, but also many things that know more about than others. The workshops will help you to learn, share, build skills, connection with others and gain confidence. It’s simple to join – you just need to be an owner or upper manager of an LO member company, and send an email to signup.peer2peer@landscapeontario.com. Our next gathering (which sold out quickly last year), will take place Jan. 6 on Warm Up Monday, in conjunction with Congress 2020. Visit LOcongress.com/events/ peer-to-peer-workshop to register.
Jacki Hart CLM Prosperity Partners Program Manager
info.peertopeer@landscapeontario.com
LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
Show your member pride! Promote your company as a professional LO member with decals, window clings and more.
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VISIT THE
LOUNGE
at CONGRESS 2020
MONDAY JANUARY 6, 2020
STEPPING UP YOUR LEADERSHIP GAME:
GROWING LEADERS FOR YOUR BUSINESS Join this leader-to-leader roundtable, where we will dive into your leadership values, who you need to become, and how to nurture the leaders in your business.
Need a break or somewhere to chat? Charge your phone or check your email? Come to the patio lounge located behind the Student Gardens in Hall F. Lounge includes seating, charging stations and free WIFI.
Jacki Hart
REGISTRATION FEE n $187.50 for members n $314 for non-members Held in conjunction with Congress 2020. Visit LOcongress.com to register or for more information.
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CONGRESS 2020 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
CANADA’S PREMIER GREEN INDUSTRY TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCE
JANUARY 7-9TH
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN YOUR TRADE SHOW PASS
10 ACRES OF PRODUCTS
NEW
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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO
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