Landscape Ontario - October 2019

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

October 2019

Tania, Tony and Mark Pacitto

TRUST

GROWTH P R O M O T E S

Beaver Valley Stone builds the landscape community through LO involvement.

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October, 2019 • Volume 37 - No. 9 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

Features

The feeling you get when you buy something new

4 Beaver Valley Stone 8 Professional Development

Departments 11 20 21 22 25 30

Association News Events New Members Professional News Columns Advertisers/Classifieds

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

W

I would personally like to thank the committee members for their service.

Finally, we now we have a wonderful facility. Together, we made this happen.

The tens of thousands of cars that pass our site now take notice that Landscape Ontario means something. The building looks attractive and warm and is a great representation who we are — professionals.

The Building Committee has already shifted focus and is working on the landscape plan for the entire Milton site. The landscaping will differentiate us from every other land owner along Highway 401. People will speak our name as they pass by. It’s a start to building a memorable brand where the true meaning of Landscape Ontario will one day be realized.

With new offices, new training rooms and a solid partnership with the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, we are at the start of a new journey toward even greater things. Our recently revised strategic plan has great aspirations and visions to support our members and their businesses. We now have the facilities to start on its execution. Together, this renewal of our association is heading toward maintaining relevance with its members.

We’re very fortunate to have the resources and the vision to build such a facility. Everyone should take pride in knowing they are a part of this great association that we call Landscape Ontario.

P.S. Watch for details of an Open House celebration scheduled for the new LO facility in Milton on Oct. 23.

e’ve all experienced that great feeling you get when you buy something new. Sometimes it’s a reward for the sacrifices you have made.

Sometimes it’s a treat for reaching a goal or completing a task. That something new comes with a sense of pride and the belief that it will make your life better.

As an association, Landscape Ontario has that feeling right now. Our home office staff are now settled in our newlyrenovated building, and many sector groups, committees and your LO Board of Directors have met in the new space. It is awesome! But it has not been without sacrifice. The biggest sacrifices made have been made by our association staff. For years, the old building was plagued with many issues. It was too cold and drafty, drains overflowed, toilets clogged, the water was not fit to drink. But now, all of those issues are gone and I am grateful that our staff were patient in dreaming and waiting for something greater.

The LO Building Committee, chaired by Karl Stensson, sacrificed a great deal of time for the greater good of the association and the profession. Without their leadership and willingness to get the facility built and stick to a strict budget, we would still just have the “sheet” of a road sign as Karl often referred to it. Their collective commitment to this endeavour spanned many years, not just a few months.

They have been pressed to make tough decisions, ensure all stakeholders were heard, and steer us in the direction that was right for the future of our association.

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

Warren Patterson LO President warrenpatterson@barriegardencentre.com

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M E M B E R

P R O F I L E

Beaver Valley Stone Markham, Ont.

By Jordan Whitehouse

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very once in a while, Tania Pacitto pulls out old photos of Beaver Valley Stone, the ones just after her dad, Tony, set up shop in Thornhill, Ont., in 1989. It’s always a shock.

“You look at those pictures, and you’re just like, ‘Oh my goodness, what a difference!’” Tania says.

The oldest ones show just an acre of land and a little house on it, which Tony made into the stone supply company’s first office. Back then, he had a manufacturing plant in Vaughan, Ont., as well, and customers were largely local residents and smaller contractors. His handful of staff included his wife, Hazel, and eventually his kids, Mark and Tania, who are both still there.

Fast forward to today, and things couldn’t look more different: 27 acres spread across two retail locations in Markham and that manufacturing plant in Vaughan; a full range of natural stone and concrete products; and 100 employees in the high season filling orders from 50 square feet up to 50,000 for customers big and small all over Ontario.

Photos never tell the whole tale, though. It was a bold move for Tony to venture out on his own. In the late ‘80s, it wasn’t that common for people to do hard landscaping around their homes, and yet Tony foresaw that one day they would. His logic was that because housing prices were prohibitively expensive in Toronto at that time, people would be more likely to expand their outdoor living spaces. He was right.

A few years later, the company caught the wave of another trend — using stone indoors for things like backsplashes, showers, and even flooring — and Beaver Valley Stone took off.

But perhaps Tony’s smartest business move over the years was encouraging homeowners, designers, and contractors to use a combination of natural stone with other concrete products. “At one time, people were like, ‘Oh no, you can’t mix them,’” says Tania. “But he said, ‘Yes, you can. It won’t cost you an arm and a leg like it would with just concrete, and it will look really good with the natural.’” Tony was right again.

The company’s biggest growth spurt came over a decade

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in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. A lot of it had to do with Mark Cullen, aka “Canada’s gardening guru.” Cullen was at the height of his popularity at the time, and on his radio show he would sometimes broadcast from the yard at Beaver Valley Stone.

Thousands of people listened to that show every week, and it put the company’s name in the heads of people all over the province. “We were just crazy busy during that time,” remembers manager Joe Ponte.

“Things really took off.”

Of course all of those early successes also presented some unique challenges. Even with that marketing boost from Cullen, for example, Tania says there are still a lot of people who don’t know them, or don’t know that they sell a particular product.

Social media and radio ads have been a big help in recent years in getting the Beaver Valley name out there, says Joe, but so has their Landscape Ontario involvement.

The company has been part of the association in one form or

The 20-acre yard off Woodbine Ave. in Markham, Ont., holds product from every major paving stone manufacturer, and includes everything from the latest products to the old favourites that are still popular today.

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Above: The company’s manufacturing plant in Vaughan, Ont., produces pre-cast concrete steps and slabs for housing developers.

Below: Both Markham locations include a full-range of tools, supplies, aggregates and materials required for any installation.

another since its early days, including as an associate/supplier member and through chapter meetings, the contractor lecture series, Canada Blooms, and Congress. “It’s definitely helped business, because you’re a trusted member and you get face time with your direct customers, with contractors,” says Joe. Plus, adds Tania, they believe LO’s work benefits the industry as a whole, and so they’re happy to support it. “It’s a great group to be a part of, because it’s all about us, the landscape community, working together to make the industry grow and have rules and regulations, the information that we all need, the learning.”

Looking back over the past 30 years, one of the big lessons the company has learned is how to communicate properly, says Tania. “When you’re small, everybody does everything and there aren’t as many people you need to talk to. But now that you’re bigger, you have to make sure you talk to everyone individually to see what they need, what needs to be improved upon.”

Looking forward, Beaver Valley is taking Tony’s lead and keeping their eyes open to the next trend. Right now, people are into a clean and modern look, very smooth and monolithic, says Joe. “But wherever things go next, we’re not afraid to pick up new products where we think things are going.”

As Tony has always said, if it’s not in stock, how can you sell it?

As those early photos show, a lot has changed over 30 years at Beaver Valley Stone. But after talking to Tania and Joe, it’s clear some things, like the company’s forward-thinking and family values, haven’t.

Here’s hoping they never do.

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Professional development

gets a boost

with opening of

BRAND NEW FAC A

one-year, $5 million renovation of Landscape Ontario’s home office in Milton, Ont., has been completed just in time to host an expanded range of professional development courses for landscape and horticulture professionals.

LO’s 2019-2010 Professional Development Series consists of over 100 individual courses, including 30 new titles, offered from November 2019 through April 2020.

A copy of the Guide was included with mailed copies of this issue of Landscape Ontario magazine. The Guide and seminar info can be also be found online at HortTrades.com/seminars.

The expanded offerings are a direct result of the increased training capacity at the new LO facility, conveniently located close to both Highways 401 and 407, at 7856 Fifth Line South in Milton. The facility boasts four modern classrooms, a brand new cafeteria, totally new washrooms and two new practical training rooms.

In finalizing the lineup for this year’s courses, Landscape Ontario seminar coordinator, Kathy McLean once again turned to feedback from the over 1,500 participants and instructors from the previous year. Many new topics have been added, with other popular titles

updated to cover changing industry standards, best practices or to include the latest tools and technology.

In addition to being relevant to both business owners and the workforce of today, seminar content is aligned in conjunction with other association partners and programs, allowing attendees to earn CECs/CEUs for various programs affiliated with groups such as: International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), accredited Green Roof Professional (GRP), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) accreditation, Fusion Landscape Professional (FLP) program, Water Smart Irrigation Professional (WSIP) program, as well as Red Seal Landscape Horitculturalist, among others.

Additionally, a select number of topics are offered outside Milton, via the association’s nine regional chapters.

What’s new?

Many new courses in the business development section will focus on running a more successful business through improving employee retention, recruiting and motivating teams, and how to become a better team leader. Most of the irrigation titles have been modified to keep up with

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CILITY

Dry stone wall.

The lunchroom features natural lighting.

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Powered desks.

New audio/visual aids.

and retaining new employees, legal obligations, skid steer certification training, irrigation, turf management, grounds maintenance, pruning, plant identification, water gardening and more.

Seminars are led by experienced leaders within the profession, many whom have long-standing reputations for sharing their knowledge, tips and expertise. These veterans of the LO seminar series are also joined by some new faces this year that include: Kate Seaver, Kate’s Garden Centre; Laura Cole, Your Latitude; Athena Taddei, Little Fish Big Pond; and John Robertson, Natural Insect Control.

Current members of Landscape Ontario and their employees can take advantage of the discounted, individual seminar fee of $137.50, unless noted in the seminar description. Those individuals with landscape industry certification may also qualify for a reduced rate of $125 for select one-day seminars. Some exclusions apply. The nonmember rate for most one day seminars is $264. Early bird discounts are also available. Anyone who registers by Dec. 31, 2019 for any seminar held Jan. 1 through April 2020 will automatically receive a 10 per cent discount.

Full course descriptions and online registration is now available online at HortTrades.com/seminars. On the website, seminars can also be viewed by topic (sector), chapter (location), date or title.

changes in technology and to further incorporate smart watering techniques that minimize water usage. Two new turf management courses will help lawn care professionals learn about the latest natural controls for clients. The landscape construction category will offer hands-on training for cobblestone installation, plus see the return of favourites, such as outdoor fire pit construction and flagstone.

One of the new training rooms at the LO facility has been designed specifically for the intermediate landscape design classes that require the use of Sketchup and Dynascape software. The classroom tables are equipped with both USB and power outlets, and include power modules in the floor to so participants can keep laptops fully-charged throughout the day. The landscape design offerings also include news titles on integrating watershapes, and designing sustainable landscapes.

For those who need to keep up with the ever changing world of plants, several new seminars will deal directly with grasses, container gardening and perennials.

Topics are geared toward all skill levels and positions within the green profession. Some allow participants the opportunity to master technical skills, while others offer tools for business management or owner success. Seminars are offered on: customer service, attracting

Professi Developonal ment

Living wall.

Seminar 2019-20Guide 20

HortTrades.com/seminars Professional

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ASSOCIATION NEWS J.C. Bakker hosts successful Industry Auction

Skids of donated plant material are sold to the highest bidder at the Industry Auction.

An incredible location, amazing food and gorgeous plants delighted participants of the 41st annual Industry Auction, held Sept. 12 at J.C. Bakker & Sons in St. Catharines, Ont. Presented by the Landscape Ontario Growers Sector Group, the event saw a wonderful turnout despite cold and rainy weather that morning.

Proceeds from the auction help to raise money for horticultural research, scholarships and sector development and promotion. All donated plant material and items are placed up for live biding, with even more items donated by growers and suppliers for a separate silent auction. This year, over 200 skids of plant material and silent auction items were sold to the highest bidder.

Prior to the auction, attendees got time to preview the lots up for bid, take one of several tours and enjoy a full lunch. Also that morning, entries in the LO Growers Awards of Excellence were judged by an expert panel. Thanks to volunteer judges: Glen Lumis, University of Guelph; Sean Fox, University of Guelph; Jon Peter, Royal Botanical Gardens; Mary Jane Clark, Niagara College; Rodger Tschanz, University of Guelph; and Sue Clarke, Niagara Parks. Winners of the various categories were announced during the live auction where Andrew Barbour, LO Growers Group Chair, was on hand to present winners with a certificate of achievement. Winning lots were then sold to the highest bidder.

Once again, auctioneer Jim McCartney kept things light – and moving at a steady clip.

The event would not be possible without the outstanding generosity shown by donors this year, including: Plant Material: Braun Nursery, Brookdale Treeland Nursery, Canadale Nurseries, Dutchmaster Nurseries, Hillen Nursery, JC Bakker & Sons Nurseries, Kobes Nurseries, Lagendoen Nurseries, NVK Holdings, Pan American Nursery Products, Potters Road Nursery, Putzer (M) Hornby Nursery, Sheridan Nurseries, V. Kraus Nurseries, Willowbrook Nurseries and Winkelmolen Nurseries.

Silent Auction Donations: Canada Blooms, GroBark (Ontario), Hermanns Soils & Mulches, Kam’s Growers Supply, Royal Botanical Gardens, Timm Enterprises, University of Guelph Arboretum, and UPI Energy FS. Cash donation: Somerville Nurseries.

To sweeten the pot, a Samsung Smart Watch was donated by Plant Products and raffled off to the auction participants. Nancy Boekestyn from Berger was the lucky winner this year.

Landscape Ontario would like to thank all donors and participants, as well as J.C. Bakker & Sons and their incredible family and staff for hosting such a great event.

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2019 Growers Awards of Excellence winners Congratulations to the following Landscape Ontario growers for being selected as winners in this year’s LO Growers Awards of Excellence program. Entries were judged live at the Industry Auction, hosted at J.C. Bakker Nurseries in St. Catharines, Ont., on Sept.

12. Winners were presented with a certificate prior to auctioning off of plant material. Winners will also receive a plaque featuring their winning entry at the Growers Fall Dinner meeting on Nov. 26.

NVK Holdings’ staff (L-R): Alexandra DeHaan, Lindsay Jack, Erica Helder, Jonas Vanden Brink.

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Potters Road Nursery

• Evergreen – Field Grown, Upright and Spreading: Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald’

J.C. Bakker & Sons Nurseries

• Evergreens - Container Grown, Upright and Spreading: Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’, Thuja occidentalis ‘Congabe’, Juniperus scopulorum ‘Moffattii’, Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’

Canadale Nurseries

• Broadleaf Evergreens: Yucca filamentosa ‘Golden Sword’, Euonymus fortunei ‘Moonshadow’, Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’

Dutchmaster Nurseries

• Caliper Trees: Cercidiphyllum japonicum

Winkelmolen Nursery

• Unusual and Rare Plants: Corylus avellana ‘Red Majestic’

NVK Holdings

• Deciduous Shrubs: Aralia cordata ‘Sun king’, Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’, hydrangea paniculata, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Smpotw’ • Deciduous Ornamental Trees, 300 cm or less: Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Biringer’ • Deciduous Ornamental Trees, Top Grafted/Worked: Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Miss Grace’ • Vines and Groundcovers: Hedera helix ‘Baltica’, Clematis ‘Etoile Violette’, Veronica x ‘Whitewater’, Veronica prostrata ‘Buttercup’, Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’, Ajuga reptans ‘black scallop’, Sedum ternatum ‘Larinem Park’ • Perennials: Cimicifuga x ‘Chocoholic’, Heucherella x ‘Pumpkin Spice’, Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’, Euphorbia polychroma ‘Bonfire’, Heucherella x ‘Golden Zebra’, Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’, Echinacea x ‘Sombrero Flatulence’, Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ • Judges Choice: Sambucus nigra ‘Jdeboer001’, Weigela florida ‘Elvera’, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Zwijnenburg’, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Hokomarevo’, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Lemon wave’

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Register now for Congress ’20 and save

Left to right: Corporal Nick Kerr, Michael de Pencier, Tony DiGiovanni, Mark Cullen, Jim Clubine, Kim Rudd, Bill Cansfield, at the Port Hope Golf and Country Club.

Golf tournament raises $80,000 for tree planting campaign The third annual Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign golf tournament was held Aug. 22 at the Port Hope Golf and Country Club in Port Hope, Ont. The sold-out tournament of 96 golfers enjoyed great weather while helping to raise funds for the campaign to plant 117,000 trees along Highway 401 from Toronto to Trenton in honour of fallen Canadian soldiers.

Organizers are proud to announce this year’s tournament raised $83,000, thanks to the generosity of golfers, sponsors and supporters, including an anonymous sponsor who matched all contributions.

For more details on the HOH Tree Campaign, visit HOHtribute.ca.

Online registration is now open for Congress ’20: Canada’s Green Industry Show and Conference. Produced by Landscape Ontario, Congress will once again return to the Toronto Congress Centre, located at 650 Dixon Road in Toronto, Ont., Jan. 7-9, 2020.

Featuring over 600 exhibitors, over 10 acres of show floor, pre- and post-show events, and sector specific conferences, Congress attracts about 14,000 green industry professionals each year.

Landscape Ontario members and their employees have access to preferred pricing for the trade show, conference and special events, including the IPM Symposium, Landscape Designer Conference and Peer to Peer Workshop (all on Jan. 6). In addition to the member savings, early bird discounts are also available until Dec. 13, 2019.

The Congress ‘20 Conference Guide is now available in both print and digital format, complete with a full schedule of events, individual conference session times, full descriptions and more. Visit LOcongress.com for up-to-date information.

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Solty Garden Centre to cease normal business operations After 68 successful years in the landscape and nursery industry, it was recently announced that Leslie L. Solty and Sons Limited (LLS), and Solty Garden Centre (SGC) in Cookstown, Ont., will cease normal business operations effective Dec. 20, 2019.

This decision has come after much consideration — all managing partners are approaching retirement and felt the time is right for LLS and SGC to wrap up operations.

“We are very proud of our third generation family business” says Frank Solty. “A lot of thought went into our decision, but with no one to pass the torch to, we felt it was time to wrap up shop.”

LLS will continue to prioritize its valued customers, providing uncompromised products and service throughout the duration of 2019. Remaining container stock will be sold in the spring of 2020, with any existing field inventory to be sold over the next three to four years.

With one truck and limited property, the business was founded in Toronto by Leslie L. Solty Sr. in 1951. The company soon expanded to Scarborough and then to Cookstown where LLS and SGC continued to grow and supply a wide variety of plant material to both homeowners and landscape professionals.

“We have been very fortunate, over many decades, to have had countless dedicated employees, invaluable partnerships with suppliers, and valued loyal customers. To each of these parties we owe our sincerest gratitude,” says Nick Solty.

Landscape Ontario receives funds to help improve soil quality The federal and provincial government recently announced nearly $240,000 in costshare funding aimed at improving Ontario soil health through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The funds will also support research that will help to reduce phosphorous entering waterways.

CE A L P R YOU RS E D OR ALL F FOR NG I G DIG

The announcement was made Sept. 10 by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Landscape Ontario will receive $148,040 to evaluate the impact of current cultivation practices, and test new and existing organic amendments, to improve soil health.

“Our Government is investing in cuttingedge technology and research that help Canadian farmers adopt greener practices, including soil protection,” said Bibeau. “This commitment to sustainable solutions will help the industry as a whole continue to grow and prosper in the long term.”

“We’re committed to implementing systems and technology to protect the province’s soil and water. This research will help develop the latest techniques and knowledge in managing soil health across the province,” said Hardeman.

Keith Currie, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Co-Chair of Environmental Collaboration Ontario, commented, “Our livelihoods depend on healthy soil and clean water; protecting the environment in which we live and work is a critical priority for our sector.”

7314 Sixth Line, Milton, Ontario, L9E 0Y1 Phone: 905-878-7226, Fax: 905-878-8737 Email: yard@putzernursery.com

Trees Shrubs Evergreens Broadleaf Evergreens Vines Ferns Perennials Groundcovers

WWW.PUTZERNURSERY.COM 15

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London Chapter golf tournament finds success on an unlucky day Friday the 13th wasn’t an unlucky day for the 122 golfers that attended the 14th annual London Chapter golf tournament this September at Echo Valley Golf Course in London, Ont. In fact, a bit of luck was had by all as the day started off cloudy but changed to mid-morning sun to make for a fantastic day.

The proceeds from this event help to support local community projects and initiatives undertaken by members of the chapter.

Thank you to the following event sponsors who help to make the tournament a huge success: Platinum sponsor: Bobcat of London. Gold sponsors: Baseline Nurseries and Garden Centre, Stihl, V&P’s Topsoil and Landscape Supplies. Silver sponsors: Cub Cadet, Edwards & Sons, Grand River Natural Stone, Great North Advanced Hardscape Solutions, Greenius, Huron Tractor Salesnet, Oxford Dodge Chrysler, Oaks Landscape Products, Permacon. Bronze sponsors: Blue Jay Irrigation, Canada Nurseries, Congress/Garden Expo, Draglam Salt, Ed’s Concrete Products, Egon’s Landscape, Gro-Bark (Ontario), Hamisco Industrial Sales, Hortprotect, Icon Inspections, In-Lite Design, NewRoads National Leasing, Oracle RMS Insurance, Santerra Stonecraft, Techniseal.

For more photos, visit the London Chapter Facebook page.

Baseline Nurseries’ Marcia White, Jake Fullerton, Jaimi Uram and Riley Irwin.

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

519-688-0437

info@pottersroadnursery.com

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Landscape Ontario open house Oct. 23

Ottawa Chapter raises $10,000 to support youth

Set your

All Landscape Ontario members, industry pros, students and related horticultural groups are invited to an Open House to celebrate the grand re-opening of the LO facility on Oct. 23 from 2:30-7 p.m. An opening ceremony will take place at 5 p.m.

Located at 7856 Fifth Line South in Milton, Ont., the celebration comes after completion of a one-year, $5 million renovation of the entire building.

The event will feature hourly tours, refreshments, and information about the next phases of development at the site.

The 22,000+ square foot facility now features four brand new training rooms, two new practical classrooms, all brand new office space and washrooms, and a lunch room. The main entrance to the building also features a large living wall with 1,480 tropical plants.

Come and join in the celebration of this significant milestone.

Watch for details in the weekly LO-enews, on HortTrades.com and in your inbox.

self up fo

Landscape Ontario Ottawa Chapter board member, Steve Montcalm and Golf Committee member, Chris Urquhart presented a cheque for $10,000 to Youturn Youth Services at the organization’s annual general meeting on Sept. 24. The money was raised at the Ottawa Chapter’s annual golf tournament, held on July 24.

For over 30 years, Youturn has provided individualized services to help high-risk youth develop the skills necessary to become strong, participating members of the community.

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Set yourself up for success in 2020

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In Memoriam – Luigi Pignatelli Luigi Pignatelli, one of the founders of Tree Valley Garden Centre Ltd. in Stouffville, Ont., passed peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, September 8, 2019 in Richmond Hill. He was 90.

Beloved husband of Michela Pignatelli, loving father of Angelo Pignatelli and his wife Rose, the late Lena Pignatelli and Carmine Pignatelli and his wife Rose. Adored grandfather of Lena and her husband Andrew, Alessandra, Luis and Anthony. Dear great-grandfather of Aria Carmelina.

Luigi will also be missed by his brother, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and friends.

If desired, memorial donations may be made In Memory of Luigi Pignatelli to the Societa Unita or to Mater Dei Sr. Carmelina’s Home For Women.

Pay your 2020 membership dues

tel: 905 689 4022

With online registration now open for many upcoming events and educational offerings from Landscape Ontario, member companies who have not yet paid their annual member dues risk paying the higher non-member rate, as they will no longer qualify for preferred pricing.

Dues invoices were sent via email in mid-August and are due upon receipt. The association’s fiscal year runs Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 each year and invoices must be paid promptly in order for members to retain their membership status.

Myscha Stafford, LO Membership and Chapter Coordinator, says the implementation of a new digital invoicing system went fairly smoothly this year. “All of the small details with the new system were fixed during the testing stages and so far the feedback from members has been positive.” Stafford says the biggest challenge with the new system is ensuring contact information is up-to-date for member companies, and even more importantly, that the correct contact person at each company is the right person to receive the invoice by email.

Stafford says follow up campaigns by phone and email will remind members to pay their dues.

“The new system also allows us real-time access to who’s paid and who hasn’t,” Stafford says, “so when in doubt, give us a call.” Members who do not pay their dues then lose access to the many Member Savings Programs administered by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), as well as lower pricing to attend events such as Congress, winter training seminars and sector-specific events.

Members also get access to an unlimited telephone legal advice service that connects to a panel of experienced lawyers who can answer questions any day of the week. For details on the Member Savings Programs, visit HortTrades.com/ member-savings-programs.

Dues can conveniently be paid online using LO’s secure payment method at HortTrades.com/dues or by calling the Membership Services Department at 1-800-265-5656 with a copy of your invoice and credit card in hand. Payment can also be accepted at the LO home office in Milton, Ont. If you did not receive your invoice, or need to update your contact information, please do so via the number above.

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In Memoriam - Bob Wilton It is with deep sorrow that we announce the peaceful passing of Robert Charles Wilton on Sept. 7, 2019, in his home surrounded by his loving family after courageous battle with cancer at the age of 73.

Well-known, and well-respected in the landscaping and snow removal professions, Bob founded Clintar Landscape Management in 1973 and retired in 2014 after spending 40 years leading the way in the landscape maintenance sector.

Bob was born in 1946 and grew up in Leaside where he spent his days with his lifelong friends and playing hockey at Leaside Memorial Arena. He attended Ryerson earning his degree in Business Administration which was the base of his successful business career.

He started his company modestly, only looking to make sure his family had ‘food and shelter,’ but what he eventually founded was the most well-known landscape management company in Canada.

Bob is survived by his loving wife Maggie, devoted sons Todd (Loreal), Jason (Megan) and Ryan (Alicia) his five beautiful grandchildren, Lyla, Royal, Linkoln, Abby, and Charlie, his loving sister, Louise Chalmers, his brother-in-law, John (Diana), Patrick (Janet), his devoted sister-in-law Kathleen (aka Special K) as well as many other loving nieces, nephews, and cousins which all held a special place in his heart. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Wilma and George.

Bob was a mentor, teacher, friend and visionary. He was integral in the growth of the landscape industry, working with alongside peer and competitors in a collective effort to direct and protect the industry.

His involvement in trade organizations, including Landscape Ontario, made him exceptionally respected in his field, earning multiple lifetime achievement awards at the end of his career.

Bob was one of the founders of the Snow and Ice Management Sector of Landscape Ontario and has been instrumental in dealing with the risk management issues facing that sector through the introduction of the Standard Form Contract, the Contractor Rating System and the successful effort to reduce the statute of limitations from seven, down to two years.

Bob was the first to embrace industry certifications and encouraged his staff and competitors staff to raise the bar in the industry.

Bob was well known for taking the time to learn about people, and teaching them. He would spend hours sharing his knowledge and experience with anyone who requested it. He was involved heavily in many charitable organizations, namely the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund and the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation.

Bob had a passion for nature, loved his Corvettes, trips to Florida, and golfing however, his most pronounced passion was his family.

Bob was an exceptional husband, father, ‘Grampy’, brother, uncle and role model. He valued more than anything time with his family, especially his five beautiful grand children around the pool in his backyard during the summertime.

A special thank you to Dr. Andrew Patterson and our special angels, Maria, Shayla, and Sue. You were here for Bob in his final years, and the absolute marvellous care you’ve brought to Bob in his final months made all the difference to him and our family. We couldn’t have gone through this without you, and he knew every moment that he was in the best of care.

In memory of Bob, donations to the Evergreen Hospice Markham (Dr. Andrew Patterson and team) would be greatly appreciated.

19

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

EVENTS Full details and registration information for all events can be found online at HortTrades.com/events or at specific chapter or sector pages.

Oct. 23

Toronto Chapter Meeting Humber College, Etobicoke Featuring a discussion on labour.

Oct. 24

Garden Centre Fall Dinner Piper’s Heath Golf Club, Milton This new event features dinner, networking, relevant discussions and Garden Centre Awards of Excellence presentations.

Oct. 24

Georgian Lakelands BBQ Ego’s Nurseries, Coldwater Enjoy good food and good company to celebrate another successful season. RSVP online.

Oct. 24

WWW.BRAUNGROUP.COM 1-800-246-6984

Windsor Chapter Meeting Sutton Creek Golf Club Step up your management game with LO Peer to Peer manager, Jacki Hart.

Nov. 14

Toronto Chapter Shop Talk Black Lab Brewing, Toronto No agenda, no guest speakers, but great discussions.

Nov. 15

Waterloo Fall Freeze Up Bingemans Conference Centre, Kitchener Join in on 40th anniversary celebrations for the chapter. Buy tickets at LOwaterloo.com.

Nov. 26

Growers Fall Dinner Piper’s Heath Golf Club, Milton Includes dinner, networking, informative speakers, relevant discussions, and presentation of winners in the Growers Awards of Excellence program.

Nov. 28

Toronto Chapter Winter Social The Crooked Cue, Etobicoke Celebrate the end of season. Buy tickets online for only $20 each.

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

Growing quality shade trees and evergreens P: 519-424-3350 F: 519-456-1659 info@stamnurseries.com

stamnurseries.com

2020 Jan. 7-9

Congress 2020 Toronto Congress Centre Canada’s Premier Green Industry Trade Show and Conference for landscape professionals has something for everyone. Full details at LOcongress.com.

Feb. 5

Nursery Growers Short Course Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington Get the latest research reports, plus hear from experts on innovative production practices and marketing trends and techniques.

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LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

NEW MEMBERS DURHAM Oshawa Electrical Services Inc David Mouck 106 High Point Crt, Clarksburg, ON N0H 1J0 Tel: 905-432-4591 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Vallier Property Maintenance Inc Ann Marie Vallier 1163 Crumlin Rd, London, ON N5V 1R6 Tel: 519-872-9647 Membership Type: Active

Grounds Maintenance Cleaning Contractors Inc Sonia Peniche 424 Gilbert Ave, Toronto, ON M6E 4X3 Tel: 416-783-3500 Membership Type: Active

OTTAWA

IPS - International Power Systems Jenn de Costa 2875 Portland Dr, Oakville, ON L6H 5S4 Tel: 905-829-2140 x234 Membership Type: Associate

Richard Northey Custom Carpentry Richard Northey 1981 13th Line, Lakefield, ON K0L 2H0 Tel: 705-741-8396 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Stone 1 Excavation Evan Pomeroy 147 Jericho Rd, Carleton Place, ON K7C 3P2 Tel: 613-897-7343 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

GEORGIAN LAKELANDS

TORONTO

1777207 Ontario Ltd O/A More Than Concrete Denis Montini 768 Corsi Hill, Sudbury, ON P3E 6L6 Tel: 705-690-7696 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

7225156 Canada Inc. O/A Ali’s Transportation Whitney Aslett 2 Morgan Dr, Acton, ON L7J 2L7 Tel: 416-722-7393 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

C&A Steel Giovanni Carniel 1078 Kelly Lake, Sudbury, ON P3E 5P4 Tel: 705-671-5880 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Clean Soils Services Armand Reale 85 Vickers Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9B 1C1 Tel: 416-231-4333 Membership Type: Associate

Green Truck Plumbing & Renovations Sheik Fardhin Farreedun 1635 Lasalle Blvd, Sudbury, ON P3A 128 Tel: 647-631-2674 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

DTM Contracting Services Inc Taylor Smith 15481 Mount Wolfe Rd, Bolton, ON L7E 3P3 Tel: 647-967-1848 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Soloman Plumbing Alyse Soloman 37102 10th Line SW, Melancthon, ON L9V 2A9 Tel: 519-216-2780 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Green Ontario Inc. Tony Wakel 6672 Lisgar Dr, Mississauga, ON L5N 6V9 Tel: 416-677-4609 Membership Type: Active

Tom & Al’s Haulage Inc Thomas Partland 8947 County Rd 9, Creemore, ON L0M 1G0 Tel: 647-882-2365 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

Greenhaven Donald Clarke 5826 Winston Churchill Blvd, Erin, ON N0B 1T0 Tel: 519-217-0783 Membership Type: Active

Royale Oak Hardwood Flooring Michael Rafferty 105 Lynvalley Cres, Scarborough, ON M1R 2V1 Tel: 416-460-5887 Membership Type: Chapter Associate SCP Distributors Canada Inc Brent Milburn A-100 Vinyl Crt, Woodbridge, ON L4L 4A3 Tel: 905-850-5161 Membership Type: Associate

UPPER CANADA Betson’s Excavating Ltd Steven Betson 24 Hickey Rd E, Bancroft, ON K0L 1C0 Tel: 613-332-3827 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

WATERLOO Hauser Company Stores Steph Hauser 330 Weber St N, Waterloo, ON N2J 3Z9 Tel: 519-747-1138 x231 Membership Type: Associate

GOLDEN HORSESHOE Ducon Utilities Jody Kew 986 Cumberland Ave, Burlington, ON L7N 3J6 Tel: 905-634-2235 Membership Type: Associate

INDUSTRY PROVEN

J. Muro Plumbing & Heating Ltd Joseph Muro 1062 Garrison Rd, Fort Erie, ON L2A 1N9 Tel: 905-871-6705 Membership Type: Chapter Associate Novak Landscaping Inc Clark Novak 601 Dundas St E, Waterdown, ON L8B 0G7 Tel: 905-689-0488 Membership Type: Active Savelli Property Maintenance Co Ltd Chris Savelli 1203 Fiddlers Green Rd, Ancaster, ON L9G 3L1 Tel: 905-648-9073 Membership Type: Active

LONDON Premium Mulch Products by Oxford Pallet & Recyclers Ltd Henk Vrugteveen 285725 Airport Rd, Norwich, ON N0J 1P0 Tel: 519-468-3400 Membership Type: Associate

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Association Membership Pricing

Somerville Renovation & Fabrication Jeff Somerville 45372 Dexter Line, Sparta, ON N0L 2H0 Tel: 519-777-3780 Membership Type: Chapter Associate

21

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PROFESSIONAL NEWS

Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide now available

GET THE GUIDE ONLINE g fl . m e / h 5 E 1

The newly released Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide is the most comprehensive reference document available to the landscape profession. It captures years of research by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, as well as by experts from around the world on tree survival and establishment in challenging environments. The validated recommendations will guide green industry practitioners to sustainably design, build and maintain Canadian landscapes.

“In 1994, Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association published a useful guide for the industry that was revised in 2005,” said Darby McGrath, Vineland researcher. “In 2018, Landscape Ontario partnered with Vineland to develop a 21st-century version based on a comprehensive review of the research contained within the original guide to ensure that the information was relevant.”

McGrath added, “The guide is broken up into step-by-step chapters written to provide readers with a summary of relevant content and up-todate research findings. There is also a series of corresponding field sheets available where pertinent information from the chapters is itemized into actionable items.”

McGrath will present the guide at Congress 2020 with Ian Bruce and Glen Lumis, two of the guide’s steering committee members. Additionally, it will be included in the Canadian Landscape Standards (CLS).

The Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide is available at LandscapeOntario.com/ontario-landscape-tree-planting-guide.

Winter is coming and we have the supplies you need!

Burlap rolls for wrapping trees 6' wood stakes Plastic tree guards Needle and twine for sewing burlap and more...

TIMM ENTERPRISES LTD. 5204 Trafalgar Rd., Milton, ON L9E 0Y7 Phone 1-888-769-TIMM (8466) Fax 905-878-7888 www.timmenterprises.com sales@timmenterprises.com

22

SynLawn Canada offering two post-secondary scholarships SynLawn Canada is offering two $1,000 post-secondary scholarships to two students who demonstrate a desire to create a sustainable future for Canadian cities.

To qualify, students must be in their final year of high school, have a minimum grade average of 65 per cent, and plan on attending a post-secondary institute to study landscape architecture, design architecture, urban planning or sustainability.

Applications must be received by Nov. 15, 2019, by 7 p.m. EST. For a list of full requirements and the application process, visit the link at gfl.me/h64f.

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

David McIssac appointed to lead Toronto Botanical Garden into expansion On behalf of the Board of Directors, Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) is pleased to announce the appointment of David McIsaac as Chief Executive Officer. David is an accomplished business professional and Chartered Professional Accountant with extensive leadership, financial and operational experience in the corporate and not-forprofit sectors. David’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing the organization in becoming an expanded world-class botanical garden and cultural institution for the City of Toronto.

Many staff and donors have come to know David well over the past five months in his role as Interim Chief Administrative Officer, where his extensive experiences have helped to transform and build the organization and prepare for the future expansion project.

David has held senior leadership roles as the CFO at TransUnion Canada and Northern Trust Canada, and senior finance positions at Aviva, Manulife, CIBC and RBC. David has also held various community leadership roles with several not-for-profit organizations including the Arthritis Society, the Victorian Order of Nurses, Prostate Cancer Canada and Financial Executives International (FEI) Canada.

Harry Jongerden will continue in his role as the TBG’s Garden Director, applying his expert knowledge of botanical garden design and operations in advising on the expansion plans under David’s overall leadership of the organization.

The Liberation75 Commemorative Planting Campaign The Canadian Tulip Festival is planning to plant 1.1 million tulips to honour the 1.1 million Canadians who served during the Second World War. The Liberation75 Commemorative Planting Campaign is part of the 2020 Canadian Tulip Festival, which will mark the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands next spring.

As part of the campaign, Canadians are encouraged to purchase a bag of 15 “Liberation75” tulip bulbs online for $15. This limitededition, bright orange tulip with crown-shaped petals is a mid- to early blooming variety that is sure to get noticed next spring. One dollar from every bag sold will go directly to the Royal Canadian Legion.

Additional proceeds will support commemoration activities through the Canadian Tulip Festival.

Each bag purchased will also enter the buyer into a chance to win the Liberation75 Grand Prize — two round-trip economy class tickets to Amsterdam from anywhere in Canada KLM flies, plus $2,000 cash.

The Canadian Tulip Festival began as a direct result of the significant role Canadians played in the liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. After the war, the Dutch people and Royal Family expressed their thanks to Canada by sending 100,000 tulip bulbs. The Gift of Tulips became a yearly tradition. The Dutch Royal Family and the people of the Netherlands send 20,000 bulbs to Ottawa annually, and this year repeated the original gift of 100,000 tulip bulbs.

The National Capital Commission, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are partners of this year’s campaign.

For full contest details, or to purchase bulbs, visit liberation75.ca.

23

ALL IN ONE EVENT FOR LIGHTING CONTRACTORS!

February 27, 2020 LANDSCAPE ONTARIO 7856 Fifth Line S., Milton, ON

Join industry peers and learn about lighting industry specific issues.

Meet with suppliers to find out about new products and technologies at this annual conference.

LIGHTINGCONFERENCE.CA

Landscape Ontario Annual General Meeting January 8th 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.

International Ballroom, Delta Hotels Toronto Airport, 655 Dixon Road, Toronto.

Breakfast - 7:00 a.m.

Meeting - 8:00 a.m. sharp.

Open to all Landscape Ontario members.

Please RSVP by December 27, 2019 to myscha@landscapeontario.com

Sa ve th ed at e!

CONFERENCE Are you and your staff prepared for the future of the Irrigation profession in Ontario?

Join your peers at the 2020 edition of the Irrigation Conference.

Content intended for Landscape Irrigation Contractors.

An initiative of

FEBRUARY 28, 2020

Landscape Ontario, 7856 Fifth Line S., Milton, ON L9T 2X8

IRRIGATIONCONFERENCE.CA

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 Initiative of: G ROW E R S G RO U P

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

National Strategy for Women in Trades Developed by 2020 The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum- Forum Canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) recently announced a task force of its members from across the country will oversee the development of a National Strategy for Women in Trades based on extensive consultations with stakeholders over the last two years.

In 2018, CAF-FCA hosted the first-ever national conference dedicated to female participation in the skilled trades. In 2019, the second Supporting Women in Trades Conference was held in Vancouver. In total, more than 600 delegates gathered at these events to share ideas and engage in a conversation on how to remove the barriers women encounter pursuing careers in which they are traditionally under-represented.

A Road Map to Supporting Women in Trades was developed in 2018 from results of the inaugural event and the subsequent 2019 conference culminated in a CAF-FCA commitment to lead the development of a national strategy.

“Our country is going to need thousands of new trades professionals in the next five years, and the creation of a National Strategy to help attract more women to the trades will be critical to meeting labour market and economic needs,” said Shelley Gray, CEO of B.C’s Industry Training Authority and task force participant. “To do this, it’s important to develop workplaces that are welcoming, positive, and inclusive of everyone interested in pursuing an apprenticeship.”

The task force, comprised of apprentices, tradeswomen, representatives from women’s organizations, labour groups, employers, educators and jurisdictional apprenticeship authorities will inform specific strategy content and establish a national target to increase participation and retention of females in skilled trades careers. “We already know what the barriers are. Insights from this task force, along with 20 years of CAF-FCA national research in the area will provide a clear direction on how to create sustainable change,” said France Daviault, Executive Director of CAF-FCA. “The entire skilled trades community needs to work together and set targets for increasing female participation – what gets measured gets done”, she continued.

The first meeting of the CAF-FCA Strategy task force took place in early September 2019. The National Strategy for Women in Trades will be presented at the National Apprenticeship Conference in Calgary, Alta., on May 24-26, 2020.

For more information visit the CAF-FCA website at caf-fca.org.

Inaugural garden centre summit a success The inaugural Garden Centres Canada Summit, held in July, was a huge success with a bus load of retail participants from six provinces.

This two-day event included tours of four unique garden centres and informative talks from four inspirational and thought-provoking speakers.

Together, this combination provided participants with an opportunity to mingle with like-minded individuals, take time to process their own relevance and reflect on the value of their garden centre. It is this type of event that allows for brain storming, sharing, problem solving, and inspiration. Next year the Garden Centre Canada (GCC) committee is looking at Vancouver, B.C., Saskatoon, Sask., or Edmonton, Alta., to hold host the event. Keep an eye on your provincial association website or the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) website for updates and an official announcement.

Landscape Ontario was a partner of the event.

24

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

EXECUTIVE DESK

Box tree moth is the new pest in town

I

n August of 2018 a nature enthusiast named Karen Yukitch discovered an unfamiliar moth in her pollinator garden in Etobicoke, Ont. She photographed the moth and posted it online. She also sent images to her friend, Dave Beadle, co-author of The Peterson Field Guide to the Moths of Northeastern North America. After some research, it turned out that Karen had spotted the first North American sighting of box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis). Originally from Asia, no one knows how this insect found its way to the Toronto area.

Box tree moth is already causing severe damage to boxwood plants in Europe. Its sighting here has alarmed our Landscape Ontario nursery growers because boxwood is a major crop with huge domestic and export value. The U.S. and other provinces may place restrictions on our export of boxwood.

This spring, a coordinated effort by LO, the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA), Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), implemented an awareness and control program aimed at minimizing the spread of box tree moth. An industry task force was created, chaired by Bart Brusse from Sheridan Nurseries and Tom Intven from Canadale Nurseries. We raised over $35,000 from growers, (which Landscape Ontario then matched), and proceeded with scouts who went door-to-door, offering a free monitoring and spray program to homeowners. So far, we have sprayed over 350 home gardens with Dipel. The program has met with some success, however, the infestation is larger than originally thought. We can no longer offer the spray program for free.

Now, we need your help. If you own a landscape, lawn care or tree care company that services the Etobicoke and North York areas, please scout for box tree moth and encourage your employees and customers to be on the lookout for it as well. A webinar, pest ID card and other resources are available online at LandscapeOntario.com/ box-tree-moth.

If you are not licensed to spray Dipel, we can provide you a list of licensed applicators.

Help us to control this serious pest. The links and resources mentioned are online via gfl.me/h65g.

From an export perspective, here is a quick update from Jamie Aalbers, CNLA Grower Manager:

• Although no formal import restrictions have been announced, signs are becoming stronger that the USDA will identify the entire province as an infested area.

• CFIA science staff are reviewing research shared by the U.S. on other hosts which include: Euonymus alatus, Euonymus japonicus, Ilex purpurea, Ligustrum sinense and Murraya paniculata.

• In preparation for a worst case scenario, CNLA has begun the process to develop a Box Tree Moth module within Clean Plants.

• CFIA has suggested that in other export crops, they have a model where third party auditors, like Clean Plants, do all of the field work and approvals for systems based programs and CFIA simply audits these auditors. This is no precedence for this in nursery export, as the current Clean Plants program is just for domestic certification. CFIA and CNLA

Box tree moth resources online at gfl.me/h65g 25

are discussing the development of a pilot program with the box tree moth module to test this in nursery export.

• Smaller larvae are overwintering by webbing themselves between leaves.

Moths are no longer being found in traps.

• No moths have been reported in traps outside of the Toronto area.

• It looks like larvae start to overwinter based on day length, not temperature.

Snowposium 2019 a success

The first major event, Snowposium 2019, was held at the new LO facility on Sept. 26.

Over 275 people attended an informative schedule of events which included relevant and engaging speakers, and a focused trade show. We were also happy to welcome our friends from the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA) to the event.

Snowposium was dedicated to the memory of founder, Bob Wilton. Bob also founded Clintar — one of North America’s most successful landscape maintenance companies. It was fitting that the chair of Snowposium, Terry Nicholson, is vice president of Clintar.

By far, the most serious issue affecting the snow and ice sector is liability caused by slip and fall claims. Many contractors are having difficulty obtaining insurance and if they do, are forced to pay exorbitant prices.

LO is dealing with this issue in four main ways.

1. We are supporting a Private Members’ Bill from Muskoka MPP, Norm Miller to reduce the Statute of Limitations from two years to 10 days. This matches the limitations currently in force on public property.

Please visit your local MPP and ask him/ her to support this bill.

2. We are encouraging the provincial government to adopt legislation currently in force in New Hampshire that limits liability for those that follow verified practices.

3. We are investigating self-insurance models.

4. We continue to promote risk management practices that elevate the profession and creates a culture of safety. We recently published the Snow and Ice Operations Risk Management Guidelines. Please see gfl.me/h4r6.

Snowposium was the first event coordinated by LO’s Keri MacIvor. Keri did a magnificent job and was well-supported by an amazing team at LO.

Tony DiGiovanni LO Executive Director

tony@landscapeontario.com

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Autumn activities

A

their needs in the future.

During those presentations, I often include images of seasonal, autumn displays at garden centres, featuring award winning displays of hydrangeas, asters, etc. These images are full of colour and serve as great examples of just how lucky we are in this profession to be surrounded by nature and plants almost every single day.

However, this constant exposure to nature means we tend to overlook the natural colours and beauty around us. I was reminded of this fact a few weeks ago while touring our province with visitors from the U.K. We took a walk in a natural ravine and my visitors were just fascinated by it all. In Canada, we sometimes take nature for granted, so we must work even harder to promote awareness about our environment.

Promoting and creating awareness is, of course, critical to any cause. At Landscape Ontario, we are convinced that expanding our membership can be achieved through our far reaching, and very loyal Associate members. This fall, we will be visiting as many of these suppliers to the industry as possible, to deliver countertop displays for their showrooms that explain the many benefits of membership in LO. We look forward to partnering with you.

Perhaps the most exciting activity during the upcoming weeks is planning for next year. Landscape designers will certainly be busy consulting with clients on projects and as an association, we will be working with our clients (members) to produce events, meetings, seminars and programs to benefit their business activities. As always, we welcome your advice, input and leadership in order to make 2020 the best year ever.

utumn is a favourite time of year for many gardeners. It’s time for harvesting, sharing, evaluating and planning ahead for next year. In many ways, autumn is much the same at Landscape Ontario’s home office in Milton, Ont. This summer, we tested and implemented a new system for online dues invoicing. Like all new endeavours, there were a few hiccups along the way. Our membership services, accounting, and IT departments worked together to iron out most of the wrinkles and are looking forward to 2020 being the year of paperless invoicing for membership renewals.

We all know that collections can be a difficult part of running any business. Many of you have no doubt had experience with this, and have become experts on the subject over the years. Any advice that you would like to share would be welcomed. As we complete our harvesting of accounts this year, we are reminded of our core values as an association. Part of our annual dues revenue is shared with members to fund chapter meetings, host sector events, and run educational programs. By investing in our own mission, your dues payment helps to ensure healthy growth for all members now, and for future generations.

Speaking of the future, the current election campaign is a proof of how important the topic of the environment has become. As a green profession, we are definitely positioned in an enviable situation — not only to contribute to the well being of our planet, but also to use this power as a way of attracting young people into the profession. Once again this fall, I will be touring the province to share some encouraging words to first-year students at several colleges. I am looking forward to hearing comments and advice from students on how we can better position our organization to meet

Denis Flanagan CLD LO Manager of Membership and Public Relations dflanagan@landscapeontario.com

26

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

MEMBERSHIP

We’re improving, and so should you

W

It’s all about the local

e did it. We finally took the plunge and made our first attempt at digital invoicing for Landscape Ontario members. Like any new venture, it presented challenges, but for the most part, it ran relatively smoothly. Thank you for being patient with us throughout this process. If you did not receive your electronic dues invoice, please contact us so we can make sure your contact information is up-to-date and that you have not opted out of our emails. Upon payment, you will receive a confirmation receipt with your membership package to follow.

Our next mission in this digital realm is to further develop your annual membership certificate. Do you use your paper certificate? Is it displayed in your office? This year, you will receive your member certificate via email. I know, it’s a big change, but bear with me. When Canada and Ontario’s equestrian associations changed their membership renewals to exclusively digital, there was a lot of pushback. That is, until us members realized the convenience of having our member details at the ready in an email, rather than trying to remember where we hid that certificate. Over the years, we have found more and more companies are asking for a digital certificate, so it is more easily accessible to share and re-print if needed. Now, when you are looking to add your member certificate to your portfolio or to confirm you qualify for a member savings program, you can easily access it in your inbox (or keep it at the ready via Google Drive, Dropbox, or anywhere in the Cloud), without having to request additional copies from Landscape Ontario.

Of course, if you would still like a hard copy of your certificate, we would be more than happy to provide it for you. Look in your inbox for your Landscape Ontario membership package soon.

At this time of year, LO chapter meetings have returned in full swing across the province. These events are run by volunteers who dedicate their time to select topics and speakers they feel are important and relevant to helping you develop your business. If you need more convincing, below are the top four reasons to attend a chapter meeting this season.

Chapters select topics that focus on local issues and connect you with local suppliers. Your chapter boards recognize that certain challenges are unique to specific regions and take this into consideration when selecting topics, such as by-laws, permits and zoning. These meetings will help you to stay informed on changes happening in your area that may impact your business.

Save yourself the drive

Chapter volunteers work to deliver local education to save you travel time. Meetings are held at central locations within your chapter. Some chapters with large geographic regions, such as Georgian Lakelands, rotate where meetings are held to try and reach as many members as possible. If there is a different chapter meeting closer to where you live, you and your staff are more than welcome to attend.

Build your network

These meetings not only provide great education, but are one of the best ways to build your professional network. Chapter meetings are your chance to connect with other business owners in your area. No, it’s not about competition. Connecting with colleagues can present opportunities to expand your business, meet new clients, find new product, subcontractors and suppliers, and find mentors with decades of experience in the business.

Meetings are free

Unless otherwise posted for special events, chapter meetings are free to attend for LO member companies and staff. If you are looking for cost-effective ways to train your staff, chapter meetings can’t be beat. Plus, as an added bonus, meetings usually include lunch or dinner.

For a full listing of chapter meetings and events, visit HortTrades.com/events.

Myscha Stafford LO Membership and Chapter Coordinator myscha@landscapeontario.com

27

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

SLIP AND FALL

When it comes to winter maintenance, there are no shortcuts

W

fall lawsuits, here are some factors to help you determine whether a shortcut may be considered an actual walkway that warrants maintenance.

The most important indicator used to determine whether a shortcut must be maintained is the use of the area by the public.

In Guy v. Toronto (City), 2010 ONSC 5220, the plaintiff broke her wrist when she slipped and fell on a patch of ice covered by snow on a laneway outside of a subway station on her way to school.

The laneway was not designed for pedestrian use. At trial, the plaintiff showed that many of her fellow students used the laneway as it was the most direct route to the school from the subway station. The trial judge found that the city ought to have known that the laneway was frequented by pedestrians and it should have received the same standard of winter maintenance as a sidewalk.

It is more likely that a shortcut will be considered “maintenance worthy” if it is in a graded and/or paved area, such as a laneway, even if it was not designed for pedestrians. But what about those “well-worn” pathways formed by a successive line of people deciding, “nah, I’m going to go this way.” In Sorensen v. Frontenac Lennox & Addington Roman Catholic Separate School Board, 1996 CarswellOnt 2323 (Ont. O.C.J.), the judge had to decide whether a shortcut used by the plaintiff was really a path that must be maintained by the defendant. Here, the plaintiff fell down a bank on what she considered a “worn path” down a hill at the rear of a school property. The existence of a “path” was an essential element of the case. The court found that there was no such “path.” At times, people would cut across or walk down the hill, but not on a specific path that was known to the defendants. The maintenance that was performed on the property was reasonable and the plaintiff’s case was dismissed.

What should you do if you notice a shortcut? Read your contract. Speak to the owner or property manager about the shortcut. If it is a known worn shortcut that is used frequently by many, it may warrant the level of maintenance of a sidewalk or walkway. Make sure you notify the owner you are not responsible for the shortcut in your contract and confirm this in writing.

e all venture off the beaten path at some point in our lives. Maybe you are trying to shave seconds off your commute by following an already well-packed pathway, or maybe you blaze a new trail cutting across a lawn. Whatever the circumstances, chances are we have all walked along a shortcut at one point in our lives.

As a winter maintenance contractor, you may see evidences of a shortcut on a property created by patrons and wondered, “do I have a duty to maintain these shortcuts?” With the winter season right around the corner, and the growing fear of slip and

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.

Jacki Hart

Taylor Casement Co-authored by Maximir Luburic, articling student

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PROSPERITY PARTNERS

Invest in employees’ futures

I

have developed a new engagement tool – and want to share it with you. I mentioned it in our recent Peer to Peer Network Summit last month and at the time, you could have heard a pin drop.

As many of you know, I spend a lot of my time working with leadership teams, business owners and other business coaches – all focused on improving team engagement. I also listen. I listen to frustrated employers, supervisors and managers. I listen to frustrated employees, youth and students. I also listen to frustrated unemployed (but employable) young adults looking for an appealing job.

So I took a step back this past summer, and did a lot of thinking. I spent a lot of time researching and collaborating with other engagement experts and working on developing new programs aimed at helping to solve this engagement gap problem.

Amid my musings, I’ve developed a brand-new idea – and I want to share it with you here. I’m hoping for some feedback from readers on... whether or not to pay a bonus.

Many business owners have asked this question, myself included. When running my own landscape company many years ago, I recall sitting in a huge ballroom at Congress, watching Charles VanderKooi use a flip chart up on stage. Charles was running through a complicated, intricately calculated production bonus system. I tried it. And it failed to motivate my team in the way it was supposed to.

Many years later, I also sat transfixed while watching Jean Paul Lamarche (JPL) do the same, but with different math and logic, using a huge dry erase board (slightly newer technology). I tried his system also. And it worked. That is, until I realized that a few of my staff were

actually counting on the bonus as part of their annual reported income in order to get a loan. A bonus is not much of a motivator when it’s expected. There was nothing wrong with the solid math of JPL’s bonus system. The problem was the sense of entitlement the bonus created.

Many of us have watched and learned from Mark Bradley of TBG and how he developed a brilliant productivity bonus system. Mark’s managers, office staff and production staff all contributed to earning bonuses at the end of each year, crew by crew. It worked well for his company, but didn’t seem to fit my estate maintenance contract market.

I tried many different ways of profit sharing and thankfully never wandered into the abyss of giving shares of my company to any employees as motivation. So, taking all of the potential bonus systems and calculations into account, how can we, as employers, use money to motivate a younger generation who doesn’t value money over company culture?

Knowing what I do about the ‘millennial mindset’, and the upcoming Generation Z (and after a huge amount of research over the past several years), I think I’ve found a key part of the answer. The under-30s in your company are looking for different things than just money. They don’t aspire to material things the way their parents or grandparents did. They aspire to being valued. While cash is nice, if they’re paid a living wage, it’s revered not nearly as much as belonging, being appreciated, being a part of something bigger than themselves.

Contribution is the name of the engagement game. Intrinsic contribution.

Skipping back to the paying a bonus question, here’s what I think will work much better: My newest business management

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tool to share is called My Career Development Fund, and here’s how it works: Every employee has a ‘career dream’ intake meeting with HR/business owner. Learn what they aspire to. While many are wafting along, without career aspirations, most are able to tell you what they’d like to learn about. Understand where they’re starting from. Make a connection with the skills/ knowledge needed to pursue their own interests. Set a budget (which is actually the money you’d otherwise have spent on a bonus) and deposit it into their career development fund. Set parameters for how the money can be spent, ie: postsecondary classes, fitness classes, special interest, industry training, certification, apprenticeship, etc. Also set a policy on what happens if they don’t use it all up.

Can they roll it into the next year? Do they get a pay out if they leave? (And for these I would suggest, ‘no.’).

Take the money you were already going to spend, and invest it in your people – whether it’s for business related skills improvement or not. Show them you care.

Show them their aspirations are important to you. Know that few will likely stay for more than several years (yep, that’s the current stats) and be okay with that. Invest in your staff intrinsically, like never before, and I’m convinced that you’ll reap the rewards with developing a team who stays longer and where the back door is closed softly.

Jacki Hart CLM Prosperity Partners Program Manager

info.peertopeer@landscapeontario.com

LANDSCAPE ONTARIO

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