Industry and Association News

The 2021 Green Industry Conference Has Gone Virtual!

The Green Industry Show & Conference (GISC) will be proceeding as a virtual event, November 18-19, 2021, to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, and staff. The recent changes to COVID-19 protocols by the Government of Alberta has created a pathway to live events that was unlikely to be effective for our tradeshow and conference. The Landscape Alberta Board of Directors deliberated over many possible options to make GISC happen live this year. In the end the consensus was to move the conference to virtual in order to best provide value to industry by offering targeted education to the Prairie horticultural industry. GISC 2021 will features 14 hours of virtual conference sessions, including the inspiring keynote sessions: MARKETING IS ABOUT BELONGING: THE UNSEXY TRUTH THAT WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS with Alyssa ‘Twist’ Light and EMPOWERING LEADERS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES with Robert Murray. There will not be a virtual trade show component to this year’s event and all exhibitors will have their booth fees fully refunded. Our generous sponsors and advertisers will be offered revised opportunities or refunds as appropriate to their needs. “It became clear that holding a live event this fall would not offer an optimal experience for our exhibitors and attendees – we pride ourselves on decades of success with this annual event and that continues as we plan for a live event next year. The current trends of COVID cases in Alberta and the likelihood of further changes to public health regulations made planning for a live event in November nearly impossible.” says Joel Beatson, CEO of Landscape Alberta, host organization for GISC. “Moving to a virtual conference this year allows us to best serve the industry and we look forward to returning to a live event with GISC 2022” he went on to say. We have a great line-up of presenters online this year so don’t miss out! The entire conference program and more info is included in this issue.

EI & Covid-19 Vaccinations

When the employee doesn’t report to work because they refuse to comply with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence). When you suspend or terminate an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal). If you use these codes, you may be contacted to determine: • if you had adopted and clearly communicated to all employees a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy • if the employees were informed that failure to comply with the policy would result in loss of employment • if the application of the policy to the employee was reasonable within the workplace context • if there were any exemptions for refusing to comply with the policy

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-socialdevelopment/programs/ei/ei-list/ei-roe/notice-covid-19.html

Driving Back To Work Grant Available

The Driving Back to Work Grant continues to help unemployed Albertans receive the necessary training and testing to become Class 1 commercial drivers and pursue a career in the commercial trucking industry by covering approximately 90 per cent of the costs associated with driver training and testing to become a Class 1 driver. This will help support our economy by keeping the province’s supply chain and economy moving by ensuring an adequate number of Class 1 drivers are available while maintaining safety on our highways. Up to 400 additional grantees will receive funding to complete the training and testing by March 31, 2022. Grant applications will be accepted until all funding has been awarded. For more information on the grant.

https://www.alberta.ca/driving-back-to-work-grantprogram.aspx

Alberta Members Win 3 National Awards

The National Awards of Landscape Excellence (NALE) were presented on September 15th. NALE recognizes the outstanding work of companies across the country that have actively participated in significantly raising the level of professionalism in the Canadian Landscape Industry, and beyond. Congratulations to all of the finalists including three winners from Alberta!

VisionScapes, Calgary - National Winner for Landscape Design Eagle Lake Nursery, Strathmore - National Grower of the Year Millcreek Nursery, Edmonton - National Garden Centre of the Year

KUBOTA KNOWS LANDSCAPING.

From mowers to excavators, UTVs to wheel loaders, and all attachments in between — Kubota provides landscaping equipment built to handle Canadian demands. Our range combines quality performance and lasting durability to deliver professional results. Best of all, we offer competitive commercial financing and support from our Canada-wide dealer network, to maximize productivity and reduce downtime.

New Telus Small Business Program Alert!

TELUS Business is proud to announce its partnership with the CNLA. Our mission is to provide CNLA members and business owners with exclusive offers to help keep their business and team connected. TELUS Business is offering all Canadian Nursery Landscape Association members exclusive offers to the technologies and tools they need. Members of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association will be eligible for the following offers: Save up to 25%* on select business mobility plans when you activate with TELUS Plus, save up to an additional $20/mo per line* when you activate 4+ lines *Conditions apply. To access the exclusive offers, please login to the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s website www.cnla.ca/login. If you require a login, please contact the member services department at memberservices@cnla-acpp.ca

USDA Regulating Rubus, Fragaria, And Rosa: Attention Exporters to the US

CNLA has been informed by CFIA that they have received a letter from USDAAPHIS Tuesday afternoon informing CFIA that they plan to publish a federal order on Friday that will regulate Rubus, Fragaria and Rosa plants for planting material for Anthonomus rubi (Strawberry Blossom Weevil, see Canada’s NAPPO pest alert from September 2020). The federal order will come into force upon publication which we have been told will be September 3rd and apply to all of Canada. The letter indicated that APHIS will require that material from all provinces in Canada be produced in a pest free production site (PFPS) or a pest free place of production (PFPP) as per ISPM 10. Material will also need to be inspected and found free from the pest according to the additional declaration that was shared in the letter. For growers on the Canadian Nursery Certification Program (CNCP) and the CanadaUS Greenhouse Grown Certification Program (GCP) the federal order will recognize facilities with an implemented pest module. This is the first time that a federal order recognizes these programs. The CFIA is working on getting the Export Certification System (ECS) updated and getting a listserv ready to be circulated. CFIA will be doing all they can to work with producers to get PFPP and PFPS in place as quickly as possible. This should be easier in provinces where the pest is not known to occur. To date it has only been detected in BC. CNLA will continue to work closely with CFIA to understand the implications and how growers impacted by this can resume exports. Those who do export any of these host plants need to be aware that once the federal order is published, exports to the US will not be allowed until CFIA implements the required certifications to meet the requirements in the federal order. If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Aalbers, CNLA Growers Manager (jamie@canadanursery.com or 647-724-8630).