Business Examiner Peace Cariboo Skeena - October 2016

OCTOBER 2016

» ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS

–PAGE 7

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Fort St. John | Prince George | Terrace | Vanderhoof

North Peace Savings & Credit Union Opens New Centre Financial Institution Has Been A Part Of Northern BC Since 1941

LAW Legal Actions

BY DAVID HOLMES

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INDEX News Update Prince George 100 Mile House Real Estate Financial Strategy Movers and Shakers Quesnel Terrace Opinion Sales

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OUR 7TH YEAR

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ORT ST. JOHN – Evolving with the region it serves, adapting to changing customer needs and willing to embrace the latest in technologies, the North Peace Savings & Credit Union (NPSCU) is as valid and valued by its members today as it was when it first opened for business nearly 75 years ago.

Headquartered in Fort St. John, the NPSCU operates Service Cent res in Hudson’s Hope, Fort Nelson, Taylor, Dawson Creek and has a presence in Terrace – which has its own Business Account Manager.

“North Peace Savings & Credit Union is a full service financial institution that focuses on small and medium sized business, built on the cooperative principles that set a Credit Union apart from a more traditional chartered bank.

Our members are our owners,” explained David DeVos, NPSCU’s Senior Manager Business Solutions.

“We have a number of Service Centres in communities throughout the north. We’re especially excited about our brand new Service centre in SEE NORTH PEACE | PAGE 6

The Credit Unions’ Business Team includes (l to r) Manmeet Sandhu, Zee Theba, Britanie O’Brien, Kaitlyn Arsenault, David DeVos, Cori Klassen, Dave Kim

Architectural Firm Experienced In Northern Construction KPL James Architecture Has a Long Standing Connection With Northern BC

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ICTOR I A – W hile it is based in Victoria, KPL James Architecture has a special affinity for the north and for the distinctive needs of its many Northern British Columbia clients. With a corporate heritage that can be traced back to 1910, KPL James Architecture is the latest iteration of an architectural practice that has grown and

evolved with the province it has helped to build. The firm’s latest evolutionary advancement occurred in 2013 when the two likeminded practices of Warner James Architects joined forces with KMP Architecture to create today’s KPL James Architecture.

“Both of the firms were based in Victoria, shared almost all of the same clients and were even located

right next door to each other,” explained Brian Kapuscinski, one of four principals of KPL James Architecture.

Kapuscinski, who at the time was a principal with KMP Architects, was instrumental in orchestrating the successful corporate merger. “Both firms shared a common business philosophy so when Tony James (with Warner James

Architecture) came to me and said ‘why don’t we team up and stop competing so we can go after things together?’ it made a lot of business sense.”

Today the re-imagined and reenergized firm operates under the guidance of four principals, Kapuscinski and James as well as SEE KPL ARCHITECTURE | PAGE 18

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2 PRINCE RUPERT Report Shows Area Ready for Industrial Growth The Prince Rupert airshed can safely accommodate emissions from new industrial development with proper management, according to an independent sciencebased study released today.

T he Prince Rupert Airshed Study examined the potential effects of industrial air emissions, including nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and fine particulate matter on both human health and the environment.

Several scenarios were examined including: ■ Six proposed LNG terminals; ■ Existing and proposed Prince Rupert Port Authority development; ■ Gas turbine powered electrical generation facilities; and ■ Related rail and marine transportation The results of the study show any potential impacts from emissions will be manageable through the permitting and regulatory processes and will not significantly affect the health of residents or the environment.

The Province, along with industry, will continue to monitor air, water, soil and vegetation to ensure these valuable resources are protected.

The study, funded by the Province, was reviewed by agencies across government, health authorities, First Nations and other key stakeholders.

KITIMAT Rio Tinto Opens New Modernized Smelter Rio Tinto welcomed employees and community members of all ages to visit its modernized Kitimat smelter.

Gareth Manderson, general manager of Rio Tinto BC Works says: “This smelter represents the next chapter built on our 60 year legacy as a leading aluminum producer

NEWS UPDATE here in Kitimat. The modernization project was the largest private infrastructure investment in BC’s history.

“It has doubled the production of the smelter while reducing overall emissions by nearly 50 per cent.

Our leading-edge facility is now one of the greenest in the world and produces aluminum with one of the lowest-carbon footprints supporting the rapidly expanding Pacific Rim and North American markets.”

Manderson continues: “It is an honour to share this achievement with the people who made it possible – our employees, their families, our local communities, suppliers, contractors and our customers. We are now ready to evolve on the foundation we have created and build a successful and competitive business that will support our employees and communities for years to come.”

TERRACE Northwest Community College Student Numbers Rise The number of student registrations for the fall term at Northwest Community College (NWCC) is expected to be the highest it has been since 2011. Comparing this year’s registration numbers with last year, all areas of the College are either equal to last year or showing significant gains.

Overall, NWCC has 12 per cent more students on campus, and many of those students are registering in more courses than they have in the past. The courses that transfer to university programs (such as Business, Nursing, Social Work, University Credit, Applied Coastal Ecology) have grown from 969 registrants in Fall 2015 to 1139 registrants in Fall 2016.

College and Career Preparation registrations have grown from 269 to 317. Students in short-term programs, or continuing education, have grown from 66 to 331 registrants. Trades students start throughout the year and are therefore more difficult to compare, but at this stage are estimated to be 239 compared to 246 students in the fall of last year.

Northwest Community College (NWCC) students are among the most satisfied students in the province, according to a recent provincial survey. Of students that completed certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and apprenticeship training between 2013 to 2015, 97 per cent of NWCC students were satisfied with the education they received.

Trades and continuing education programs run throughout the year.

Classes for most university transfer programs and college and career preparation courses begin the week of September 6.

FORT ST. JOHN BC Hydro Creates $800k Fund to Support Peace Region NPOs BC Hydro has lau nched a n $800,000 fund to support Peace Region non-profit organizations.

The Generate Opportunities (GO) Fund will be distributed over an eight-year period to organizations that provide services to vulnerable populations including children, families and seniors.

The funding — which meets a condition of environmental approval for the Site C project — is targeted to non-profit organizations that serve the communities of Fort St. John, Hudson’s Hope, Taylor, Chetwynd, and residents of the Peace River Regional District in Electoral Areas B, C and E. BC Hydro has been consulting and engaging with local governments and Peace Region non-profit organizations to gather input on the mandate and administration of the fund. Participants were clear that they wanted funding decisions to be made in the region, for the region. Participants also emphasized the importance of minimizing administrative costs to ensure that the majority of the fund would go to helping organizations deliver services to people in need.

Based on the input received, BC Hydro has established a 10-person regional decision-making committee with two appointees from each of the communities and rural areas that the fund will serve. The committee will be responsible for reviewing applications and making

OCTOBER 2016

all funding approval decisions. The BC Hydro GO Fund will be administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust on behalf of BC Hydro.

PRINCE RUPERT Western Stevedoring Exploring Rupert Port Terminal Feasibility The Port of Prince Rupert has announced it has signed a feasibility assessment agreement with SSA Marine and its wholly owned subsidiary Western Stevedoring to explore the viability of a breakbulk and bulk import/export terminal located on Kaien Island at the Port of Prince Rupert.

The terminal project has been part of the Port’s Gateway 2020 development planning and is integrated with the Ridley Island Road, Rail and Utility Corridor.

The south shore of Kaien Island has been identified as a suitable site for the 80-hectare terminal development, located adjacent to CN’s mainline, in the proximity of existing bulk terminals on Ridley Island, and providing effective marine access for ships calling on the Port.

The conversion of Fairview Terminal (from the port’s original breakbulk facility to a very successful container terminal in 2007) saw the loss of breakbulk and general cargoes capacity at the Port of Prince Rupert. Establishing a new breakbulk and bulk terminal would restore capacity for handling the types of goods and modes of transport being requested by U.S., Canadian and regional shippers.

In addition to increasing cargo diversity at the Port of Prince Rupert, the addition of a breakbulk and bulk terminal could provide capacity for breakbulk forest products, steel, project cargo, bulk specialty agricultural products, bulk mineral concentrates and automobiles. As important, the terminal project could provide Canadian exporters and importers flexibility in shipping mode to complement the advantage they are realizing at the Port of Prince Rupert’s container and bulk terminals.

T he feasibility assessment agreement provides SSA Marine/ Western Stevedoring with the opportunity to further identify the viability of demand in the market.

An environmental assessment of the site would be required if the feasibility assessment substantiates the terminal’s potential.

BC Millennials Bear Brunt of Fed Policy Changes Many, if not most, first-time buyers will experience a steep decline in housing affordability on October 17. New rules introduced by the Federal Government will cause the sharpest drop in the purchasing power of low equity home buyers in years. At a time when housing affordability is a critical issue, deliberately chopping millennials’ purchasing power by as much as 20 per cent will only exacerbate a well-known problem.

Under current rules, insured mortgages with variable rates and fixed terms under five years require home buyers to qualify at the five-year benchmark rate.

However, if a borrower opts for a five-year or more fixed term, the borrower can qualify at his or her negotiated, discounted rate instead of the higher benchmark rate. This has long been a fixture of the Canadian mortgage market.

As of October 17, 2016, all home buyers securing a high-ratio mortgage must qualify at the five-year benchmark rate, even if they have negotiated a lower five-year fixed term rate with their lender.

The low interest rate environment has benefited home buyers and sellers for many years, with all but the least credit-worthy borrowers negotiating a contract rate significantly lower than the benchmark rate. Now, even the most credit conscious households face a dramatic reduction in their purchasing power.

For example: A family with an annual household income of $80,000 and a 5 per cent down payment will see their purchasing power fall from $505,000 to $405,000 (-$100,000).

An individual with an annual income of $60,000 and a 5 per

NEWS UPDATE

OCTOBER 2016

cent down payment will experience a reduction of purchasing power from $380,000 to $305,000 (-$75,000).

A household earning $120,000 per year and a 10 per cent down payment will see a reduction in purchasing power from $803,000 to $651,000 (-$152,000).

This policy is expected to have the following impacts: Housing demand will slow as millennials, other first-time and early move-up buyers are squeezed out of the market.

This reduction in demand may cause imbalances and declining prices across some product types in some communities. In addition, new home construction activity will lag along with related employment and economic growth.

Pent-up demand will intensify, contributing to another cycle of rapidly rising prices in the future as financially retrenched millennials buy up an undersupplied housing stock.

FORT ST. JOHN FSJ and Dawson Creek Negotiating to Host 2017 World U-17 Hockey Challenge The cities of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek may begin negotiations to host the 2017 World Under -17 Hockey Challenge. Fort St. John’s participation is pending anticipated approval by City Council at an upcoming Council

meeting. In the coming weeks staff from both cities and Hockey Canada will work through the negotiations with the anticipation that the event will take place in the Peace Region in 2017.

The two cities successfully cohosted the event in 2015. With sellout crowds and an amazing gold medal win by Team Canada, the event was a tremendous success.

The combined economic activity generated by the event was $5.9 million in the province, with $2.7 million occurring in Dawson Creek and $1.2 million in Fort St. John.

The net profit of the event to each City was $59,449. Each City provided funds back to their community organizations to support local sports teams and culture.

More details about the event and the opportunities for community involvement will be forthcoming once negotiations are finalized.

DAWSON CREEK Water Treatment Plant Funding Approved The Government of Canada and the Province of BC announced today that more than $450 million has been made available for projects across the province through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund.

We are very excited to announce that the City of Dawson Creek

Water Treatment Plant Upgrades scheduled for 2017 has been identified as one of the 35 initial projects approved. This will provide the City with over $3.7 million towards the project.

“The strength of our community is building core infrastructure”, says Mayor Dale Bumstead. “This partnership with the Provincial and Federal governments is a huge benefit to the residents of Dawson Creek and to the rural areas that access potable water from our system.”

Completion of this project will allow the City to treat approximately 8000 cubic meters of water per day more than is currently possible, minimizing the current stress on the City’s system and providing opportunity for future growth.

PRINCE GEORGE Lheidli T’enneh and UNBC Sign MOU Ties between the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the Lheidli T’enneh Nation are being strengthened.

U N B C P re sid ent Dr. Daniel Weeks was joined by Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dominic Frederick and a group of Elders to recognize the important relationship that UNBC and the Lheidli T’enneh share.

A new sign was unveiled at the campus entrance on University Way. It’s written in the Dakehl (Carrier) language, meaning “House of Learning.” A new flag pole has also been installed in the rose garden in the bus loop where the Lheidli T’enneh flag will now permanently fly.

Finally, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between UNBC and the Lheidli T’enneh marks a statement of relationship building between UNBC and the Lheidli T’enneh for a collaborative future.

“These permanent fixtures on campus are just more examples of how the UNBC community and the Lheidli T’enneh can continue to build a co-operative, long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship where principles of respect, communication, trust and understanding will lead to positive and meaningful collaborations and partnerships,” says Weeks.

“The fixtures also signify several of our key core values of inclusiveness and diversity which reflect the spirit of the University’s motto – En Cha Huna (that person also lives).”

BC Province Launches ‘Grow Local BC’ The BC government is providing funding of up to $25,000 each for 10 communities, so they can

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3 work directly with their local residents to help them grow their own food.

Grow Local BC, a pilot project, was introduced recent ly to Union of British Columbia Municipalities delegates in Victoria.

The goal of Grow Local BC is to provide a deeper connection between BC food, BC communities and the people who live in them. By encouraging British Columbians to grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables, they will help strengthen local foodsupply security.

Urban and semi-rural local government and community organizations are encouraged to apply. The funding can be used to build educational activities, including workshops, to encourage and support residents in growing food at home and in their local community.

The launch of Grow Local BC completes a commitment in the 2016 speech from the throne.

The Grow Local BC pilot project is managed through the Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF). Application packages and details are at: www.iafbc.ca.

The BC Agrifoods and Seafood Strateg ic Grow th Pla n identifies the next steps in the BC government’s goal to grow the BC agrifoods industry to a $15-billion-a-year sector by 2020. Grow Local BC will assist in maintaining food supply security, a challenge identified in the strategic growth plan.

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PRINCE GEORGE

OCTOBER 2016

CHAMBER ADVOCATES FOR BUSINESSES AT NATIONAL LEVEL

PRINCE GEORGE

One of the amazing things about the Chamber network is that industries and businesses across Canada who share similar challenges have the ability to collaborate through advocacy ac vi es in order to bring about real change

CHRISTIE RAY

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or many, January is a time commonly focused on new projects and beginnings.

But in the Chamber world, September is the month dedicated to re-establishing connections while preparing for the year ahead. This past month has been particularly full of travel, advocacy and planning for myself and our busy staff.

Ou r advocacy efforts have taken the stage this month as Chamber Board and staff have worked diligently to prepare for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM that took place in Regina from September 17-19.

One of the resolutions that our Chamber presented during policy sessions at the AGM addressed the need for the federal government to develop and

support a more competitive air transportation strategy. Our call for help from the government with capital funding is top of mind for our Chamber and regional business community.

The reason for this is that the Prince George Airport Authority is one of six small NAS (National Airports System) airports

currently ineligible for funding through the federal ACAP (A i rport Capita l A ssista nce Program). The other five airports stuck in a similar situation include: London, Saint John, Charlottetown, Fredericton and Gander.

One of the a mazi ng th i ngs about the Chamber network is that industries and businesses across Canada who share similar challenges have the ability to collaborate through advocacy activities in order to bring about real change. This is precisely what happened in Regina as Chambers from all the affected regions lent their support to us by cosponsoring this resolution with us.

Our joint asks listed in the ‘Canada’s Small Airports and Access to ACAP Funding’ resolution included recommending that Transport Canada: 1) increase ACA P funding for all regional and local eligible airports to account for inflation and increased project costs, 2) streamline communications and make the application process more transparent so that airports can complete the process in a reasonable timeframe and be able to follow the progress of the application, 3) and revise the ACAP requirements to include the six small NAS airports that are currently excluded due to

their status so that they may fulfill their obligations as NAS airports without financial hardship and remain as large supporters of econom ic g row th within their communities and regions.

Fortunately, this resolution was approved, without amendment, on the floor of the policy session by two-thirds majority of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce membership. We are thrilled to see advocacy in action and to be part of this ded icated busi ness suppor t network. When our members have challenges in business that are part of a systemic or shared municipal, provincial or federal

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issue, we are here to help move through the problem toward a solution with the decision makers who can bring about constructive change.

We also invite member businesses to become part of the solution by joining our Advocacy Committee. Anyone interested in contributing to these valuable efforts may contact the Prince George Chamber office by phone 250-562-2454 or by email: chamber@pgchamber.bc.ca Christie Ray is the CEO of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at christie.ray@ pgchamber.bc.ca.

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100 MILE HOUSE

OCTOBER 2016

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PROVINCE, CHAMBER AND DISTRICT PARTNER ON BUSINESS WALK As the Chamber Committee starts to gear up for our Business Excellence Awards in the spring, it’s time for you to think about your favourite small businesses

100 MILE HOUSE SHELLY MORTON

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ews from the South Cariboo Cha mber of Commerce!!

O c tob er 16 t h - 2 2 n d i s Small Business Week in BC. T he South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce, The District of 100 Mile House and the Province of BC are collaborating to u nd er t a ke ou r f i rs t annual Business Walk in 100 Mile House.

O n O c t o b e r 19 t h b e tween 9:00am to 1 2:00pm selected volunteers will visit up to a 100 businesses in a geographic chosen area and present a short survey to

business owners regarding their experiences in doi ng busi ness i n the South Ca riboo. Su rvey results will help us help you in business. If your busi ness is outside the area that we are visiting please contact the South Cariboo Chamber office or Dist r ict of 100 M i le House office to complete the survey at a later date.

Small businesses make up a m ajor pa r t of t he

Sout h Ca r i b o o’s b u siness community and play a critical role in driving local economy and creating jobs. It’s time to celebrate the ha rd worki ng entrepreneurs with the same spirit as they bring to ou r c om mu n it y. A s the Cha mber Com m ittee starts to gear up for our Business Excellence Aw a rd s i n t h e s p r i n g, it’s time for you to think about you r favou rite

small businesses.

T he South Cariboo Cha mber of Com merce h a s c o m p l e te d a n u pdate on the bylaws of the Chamber and will present to the members for their vote at a Special General Meeting in November.

T he South Cariboo Cha mber of Com merce wou ld l i ke to welcome our newest members G r e e n S i s t e r s , M r. T Contracting, Triquetra T h erap eut ic S er v ic e s, T rinity Post & Panel, U lt i m ate P ro m o t i o n s, T h ree R’s Const r uction, Napa Auto Parts & Andruk Enterprises.

Membership Drive for 2017 m e m b e rs h ip w i l l b eg i n i n Novem b er. I f you a re i nterested i n taking advantage of the many Chamber benefits please contact the South Cariboo Chamber Office and I will visit you.

Shelly Morton is the Executive Director of the South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce, she can be reached at 250395-6124, or manger@ southcariboochamber.org.

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AIRBNB VACATION RENTALS – ARE THEY PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE?

ROGER MCKINNON

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here a re approx im ately 4,700 A i rB N B u n i t s i n Vancouver, with an estimated 3,800 on Vancouver Island.

T he rea l ity is these rental u n its avoid paying a variety of taxes and fees that a hotel or Bed & B re a k fa s t op erat ion would pay. These include higher commercial property tax rates, as well as sa les a nd room ta xes – which represent up to 30 per cent of the costs of a regular room rate.

At the moment, AirBnB hosts, in ma ny cases, do not pay a ny th i ng i n regards to municipal or provincial ta xes or any of t he nu merou s ex t ra

fe e s p a i d b y t h e h o te l industry.

C o m m u n i t i e s a c ro s s Vancouver Island have all, to some degree, started to begin grappling with how to respond. In some cases, they are facing resistance from local BNB operators, who want to keep earning that extra money.

Tofino Council is cracking down on illegal bed and breakfast accommodations and short-term nightly rentals through websites like AirBnB. The issue has come to the fore over concerns that Tofino does not have enough a f ford able hou si ng for either its seasonal workforce, or its year-round residents living on more modest incomes. Other cities, such as Kelowna a nd K a m loops a re a lso consideri ng some ty pe of action.

Free enterprise a nd competition is g reat.

However, I say: Let’s all play on a fa i r a nd level play i ng field. Hotels and B&B’s, for example c ol l e c t a t wo p e r c e nt tax that goes to further promote their respective

com mu n ities, a nd help tourism. They also have business licenses, and inspections for health and f i re protect ion, wh ich adds costs and of course, is needed for the safety of their guests.

T h e r e i s a l s o i n s u rance, security, and buildi ng costs t h at a l l need to be factored i nto t he equation.

I believe AirBnB operators need to be held to the sa me reg u lations and standards as hoteliers and Bed & Breakfast operators. Take a closer look at AirNB hosts: Inspect them, license them, and tax them the same as a hotel or a B&B. M a k e Va n c o u v e r I sla nd the sta nda rd that the rest of the world can use as an example of how new emerging businesses should be run.

Roger McKinnon is a wellknown Vancouver Island businessman, who owns and operates the Old House Hotel & Spa in the Comox Valley.

He can be reached at rogermckinnon@shaw.ca.

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OFF THE COVER

OCTOBER 2016

NORTH PEACE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Dawson Creek which will be having its grand opening in early October.

This is a very unique and innovative outlet. While very much a nontraditional style Service Cent re, it is a showpiece for the sort of technologies we’ve always been willing to embrace to better serve our members.”

While it has a physical location (11040 8th Street) the Dawson Creek Service Centre is a leading edge outlet that will provide the latest in virtual banking technologies such as teleconferencing with credit union staff, virtual transactions, virtual meeting rooms and other remote conferencing services.

“We have a fleet of Interactive Teller Machines (ITM) where someone can go in and take part in a video conference where they can do the full range of transactions you would normally do with a teller in person. You will be able to do everything from printing a cheque to depositing a cheque to withdrawing money to paying a bill to making a loan payment to making a deposit. It’s definitely something that draws on the latest technologies, and is pretty cool for sure.”

Tracing its origins back to 1941, North Peace Savings and Credit Union as it is today is the end result of the melding of a number of earlier Credit Unions that had functioned across Northern British Columbia in the first half of the 20th Century.

“We’ve always felt that we can provide our membership with a higher level of service by embracing

The new Service Centre in Dawson Creek makes use of the latest in teleconferencing technologies technology, it wasn’t merely because of the vastness of the north, although that was a factor,” DeVos explained.

With a staff count of nearly 100 within the five Service Centres the NPSCU anticipates additional growth in the coming years, such as the possibility of a future Service Centres to service its members in other communities. For more than seven decades North Peace Savings and Credit Union has adapted with the times, capitalized on opportunities and has flourished as a mirror to the development that was occurring throughout the north.

That forward facing philosophy continues to power the organization through the 21st Cent ury.

“We can work with a member or non-member over a Smartphone if needed. The member can be sitting

in a truck at a worksite and we can video conference with them to look after their banking needs, that’s the way technology has changed what we do for our members,” DeVos said.

“Technology aside, our greatest strength is that we are local, we understand the north and the people who live here and we understand the economy and how it works. Our decisions are made locally, by local people – not by someone thousands of miles away.

We live here, we want to see it grow, and we want our members to prosper. Decisions are made here and we make every effort to support our communities. By working together we all benefit.”

For more information visit the credit union’s website at: www. npscu.ca

The innovative Dawson Creek Service Centre was officially opened by the Credit Union in October

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OCTOBER 2016

ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS British Columbia Engineers & Architects Are Designing Tomorrow Engineers & Architects Play Integral Roles In All Aspects Of Modern Life

Both Engineers and Architects try to strike a balance between nature and society’s needs

BY DAVID HOLMES

I

t’s not an exaggeration to say that modern society, or even human civilization itself, could not have occurred without the work of architects and engineers. From the simplest lever used to pry up a stone somewhere in the ancient mists of time, to the high definition images beamed from a rover on the surface of Mars, someone had to develop the means for either of those accomplishments to occur.

In a similar way the homes we live in, the buildings where our businesses are located, and all of the structures that compose our modern world owe their existence to someone coming up with an idea and then turning that concept into a practical and functioning structure.

In British Columbia thousands of engineers and architects, working in hundreds of different companies and representing myriad categories of design keep the province working, active, sheltered and progressive. Part art, part science, part human imagination either of these two related professions play pivotal roles in keeping society functioning.

“In a way an engineer’s work goes un-noticed. You turn on the tap and water comes out. But in reality a great deal of engineering went into making that seemingly simple thing happen,” explained Michael Wrinch, the current President of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC).

“Everyone runs water into the sink or flushes the toilet. The dirty water is gone and fresh clean water comes in. But when you think about the piping system that has brought the water in, the water treatment

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ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS

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A task as simple as bringing water into a home could not occur without extensive planning and engineering

ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

plants to prevent illness, the distribution systems required to bring water into the home,

it’s an amazing amount of engineering and it all happens behind the scenes without anyone really thinking about it.”

The APEGBC is the organization that oversees the licensing and serves as the regulatory

body for the province’s professional engineers and geoscientists. Created in 1920, the Association is cha rged w ith protecting the public interest by sett i ng a nd m a i nta i n i ng high academic, experience and

professional practice standards for all of its 33,000 plus members in BC. Those individuals licensed by the APEGBC are the only persons permitted by law to undertake and assume responsibility

for engineering and geoscience projects in BC. Engineers falling under its administration include electrical engineers, s t r u c t u ra l e n g i n e e rs , c i v i l SEE ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS | PAGE 10

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ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS

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ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

en g i ne ers, me ch a n ic a l engineers, computer engineers, biological engineers, nanotechnology engineers and more. Essentially anyone working in an engineering field in the province falls under the egis of the Association.

For architects in British Columbia the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) regulates the profession on behalf of the general public. Much l i ke w it h t he A PE GB C, t he Architectural Institute looks after professional development by offering training courses and offering other resources for practitioners of this complex and multi-faceted profession.

T he A rch itects Act, i ntroduced in British Columbia in 1920, is the leg islation that governs the architectural profession throughout the province. Its underlying purpose is to protect the public interest.

W hile it is specific to architects and architecture, it affects everyone including related professions, government officials, clients and the public.

T he act speci f ies the lega l responsibilities for those who practice architecture, including qualifications, professional conduct standards, liability, SEE ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS | PAGE 11

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ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS

11

Grosso Pre-Cast Plant Expansion Increases Productivity Manufacturing Company Has Been Helping To Build The North Since 1975

BY DAVID HOLMES

W Architecture plays a dramatic role in all areas of modern life, whether we’re aware of it or not

ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

and certificates of practice. It also establishes the authority and mandate of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, the regulatory body for the profession.

In addition to providing training and accreditation the AIBC is also charged with protecting the publ ic aga i nst problems associated with all aspects of architecture including health and safety. The Institute has created a code of Ethics and Professional Conduct that all licensed architects must adhere to and also handles complaints and enforces disciplinary action against those who have violated

its strict rules of conduct.

A good example of an architectural firm is Alora Griffin Architect, which operates out of Prince Rupert in Northern British Columbia. This small firm collaborates with clients to develop the budget, site and program requirements for the numerous projects it undertakes. In its literature it states: “We are committed to affordable sustainable architecture and endeavor to incorporate energy-efficient and environmenta l ly friend ly materia ls into every design.” A partial list of the practice’s completed projects include the Kondolas furniture store in Terrace and SEE ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS | PAGE 12

ILLIAMS LAKE – Grosso Pre-Cast & Crane Service has been helping to build Northern British Columbia for more than 40 years. Thanks to a brand new 3,000 square foot addition to its current manufacturing facility the company has now geared up to expand its product range and to dramatically increase its productivity. “Grosso Pre-cast has been producing precast products since 1975 when Charlie Grosso first incorporated the company,” explained General Manager Chris Lutters.

“We pre-cast a variety of concrete products used in both the residential and commercial construction industries. We provide products such as septic tanks, underground civil manholes, catch basins, oil interceptors, highway barriers and many other items.”

With about 10 employees, including plant workers, drivers and administrative staff, Grosso Pre-Cast manufactures its product line at its Williams Lake plant but also has distribution yards located in Prince George (Fred Surridge Ltd.) and in Fort St. John via Wilson Concrete, a Grosso Pre-Cast subsidiary firm.

The new plant at Grosso Pre-Cast provides its team with an extra 3,000 square feet of production space “We also have the ability to deliver our own product as we have our own Super B flatdecks and crane trucks. This gives us the ability to provide the customer with enhanced customer service by controlling our own trucking with on-time shipments,” he said.

“Our crane service mainly entails the installation of items such as septic tanks. The customer receives the tank specifications and then digs the hole for us to install the tank. We also regularly install the highway barriers that we manufacture, adding value to our service.”

The manufacturing plant addition now provides Grosso PreCast with a total of 8,000 square feet of fabrication space, allowing

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it to better serve its expanding client base, a group that includes everyone from homeowners to municipalities, development contractors, government agencies and major corporations. “We just completed a major project for Morgan Group in Fort St. John as part of the Site C hydro project, this was a large job for a company of our size and would not have been possible without our great employees,” he said.

With a focus on the north and the vast potential for future development in the region, Grosso Pre-Cast’s expansion will allow the company to be ready to handle any sized challenge or contract.

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ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Civil Engineering’s influence can be seen and felt in all areas of urban life including its infrastructure

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an addition made to the Prince Rupert RCMP detachment. This company specializes in projects such as multi-family residences, commercial projects and places of worship.

One example of a Mechanical Engineering firm is Sidney-based Nicholson Manufacturing Ltd. part of a truly international enterprise Nicholson has been serving clients worldwide for more than 60 years. The Victoria area operation is a self-described Ring Debarker Specialist, creating products for the forest industry; the company has developed a range of debarker models to suit any application.

The APEGBC’s Wrinch, himself is an electrical engineer and the owner of Vancouver-based Hedgehog Technologies Inc., a firm specializing in all aspects of electrical design, primarily for industrial clients. “One exciting part of our profession are the people I like to call Frontier Engineers, these are the people lucky enough to be working on pure research, the people who are in essence creating tomorrow,” he said.

“All engineers are in reality working on new and innovative things, but these individuals are really on the leading edge of engineering. Engineers for example developed the stents that are used to unclog blood vessels, which in a way is a mechanical engineering problem.

Engineering really does touch all aspects of society, whether people realize it or not.”

Cou rtenay-based Tsolum & Tsable Environmental Ltd. is a good example of an environmental consultancy firm.

T he company specializes in areas as diverse as indoor air quality, hazardous and occupational hygiene services, grow op and drug lab environmental testing and other ecologically-based services.

Kamloops based Artek Architecture is a diversified practice with an extensive experience working with an extensive experience working with government clientele, Heritage Restoration and First Nations Bands. Established in 1978 the firm specializes in industrial, institutional and commercial work, but has completed m a ny si ng le fa m i ly a nd multi-family residential projects as well.

For Wrinch the aging of the profession has motivated it to make professional promotion and recruitment an increasingly important part of the work of the Association. “We visit schools, we reach out to universities, and we offer an

OCTOBER 2016

“Engineering really does touch all aspects of society, whether people realize it or not.”

MICHAEL WRINCH PRESIDENT, APEGBC

educational program to teachers to allow them to get the word out about the profession. We’ve made the job of bringing the next generation of engineers along a top priority,” he said.

“The future of the profession is bright.

Engineering in British Columbia is part of a growing global community of professionals who are leading the creation of the world around us every day in unimaginable ways. Engineers are an essential part of the economic engine of this province.”

For more information about engineering as a career choice please visit the Association’s website at: www.apeg.bc.ca To learn more about the profession of architecture as a potential career option check out the AIBC website at: www.aibc.ca

KPL James architecture 519 Pandora Ave. Victoria, BC www.kpliames.com

250.388.4261 1.877.984.1602 info@kpliames.com

13

OCTOBER 2016

COMPANY A ONE STOP SHOP FOR MECHANICAL SERVICES SPOTLIGHT

North Central Plumbing & Heating Has Served Region For 50 Years

S

MITHERS – Being resilient and adaptive may not be traits found exclusively in Northern British Columbia, but they are characteristics that have been fine tuned by the necessities of living in the north. Smithers based North Central Plumbing & Heating is an excellent example of a firm that has grown on the strength of recognizing needs, adapting to changing times and embracing advancing technologies – all without losing the personal care and pioneering spirit it was founded on. “We’ve been serving the region for 50 years now, and look forward to serving the north for the next 50,� explained Trevor Bruintjes, North Central’s General Manager. “The company was originally opened in Williams Lake in 1966 and moved to Smithers about four years later. Once established in Smithers the company had two different locations, with its main one on Broadway Avenue in the town’s downtown.�

Today North Central Plumbing & Heating is located in a purpose built 10,000 square foot combination office, showroom (for sales to both commercial and general public clients) and warehouse located at 3352 Highway 16 West – providing the operation and its fleet of service technicians quick access to its expanding client base from across the north. “A few years back, as the company really started to grow we went from a 10 technician operation to a 15 technician operation in fairly short order. It had become apparent that we had outgrown our old building and badly needed a new one. We previously had our warehousing in one building and our electrical guys in another building so it just wasn’t practical. By moving to this new location we ended up with all of us and all of our services under the same roof. The old building had simply become too cramped,� Bruintjes said.

Today North Central is literally a one stop shop for all forms of residential, commercial and institutional mechanical services. “In a small town you have to be diverse to succeed, you can’t be a one service company and survive. You can’t just be a plumbing company and make a go of it, and you can’t be just a heating company and make a go of it. You have to be willing to wear a lot of hats,� he explained.

Bruintjes says the company features the skills of seven different trades, all under the North Central banner. These include refrigeration, sheet metal fabrication, gas fitting, H VAC,

“We’re here to do good work and we’re here to be a one stop shop for many of our larger clients.�

TREVOR BRUINTJES GENERAL MANAGER, NORTH CENT RAL PLUMBING & HEATING

North Cent ral Plumbing & Heating is located in a custom built facility at 3352 Highway 16 West

plumbing services, electricians and most recent ly the firm has added an instrumentation technician to maintain sensors and other monitoring technologies found within modern commercial buildings. With a staff of 25 full time employees and a fleet of 13 service vehicles North Central Plumbing & Heating routinely serves clients from Prince Rupert to north of Dease Lake, encompassing a large swath of Northern BC. “For any business to continue to function after 50 years they have to have been doing something right. This year marks our 50th anniversary and I think the reason we have enjoyed such longevity is by offering quality work, by understanding the needs of our clients, by offering quality products and doing it all at a fair price,� Bruintjes said. “We’re here to do good work and we’re here to be a one stop shop for many of our larger clients located throughout the region. An example of this is BC Hydro. This is a client with many

different components. To service them we have boiler technicians for their boilers, they need maintenance on their rooftop heating and air conditioning systems so we have the people for that. We have plumbers who work with them and we even had our computer people in there doing all the control work in their building so they could work off of a computer system remotely. Ours is one company that can do all those different functions.�

For the future North Central Plumbing & Heating expects to continue to expand its range of services and products to meet the changing nature of the Northern British Columbia marketplace. “We’re bringing on apprentices to help with our growth going forward to the future. We have plans to expand, possibly by opening satellite offices to allow us to better serve our more remote clients,� he said. “I have two guys who have been with us 20 years, lots of guys who have been with us 10 years and more so we enjoy having a lot of skilled and experienced employees. That experience has helped to build the company to where it is today, and encourages us to look toward the future.�

For more information visit the company’s website at: www. nch.ca

Originally founded in 1966, North Cent ral Plumbing & Heating is celebrating its 50th anniversary

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14

OCTOBER 2016

Region Sees Relatively Stable Housing Market NORTHERN BC REAL ESTATE

Fort Nelson: 19 proper t ies worth $3.1 million have sold in the first nine months of 2016, compared with 29 properties worth $6.7 million to the end of September 2015. Of the 6 single family homes sold so far, half sold for less than $227,000. On average these homes took 107 days to sell. Also changing hands were 1 home on acreage, 3 manufactured homes in parks and 4 manufactured homes on land. As of September 30th there were 157 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the Fort Nelson area.

T

he BC Northern Real Estate Board reports 3834 properties worth $973.2 million sold through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in the first nine months of 2016. At this time last year, 3833 properties worth $979.3 million had changed th hands. As of September 30 there were 4519 properties of all types available for sale through the MLS, down slightly from 4575 properties at the end of September last year.

BCNREB Past President David Black comments: “While most communities in the BC Northern Board area are fairly stable and in line with sales from 2015, there are some communities experiencing significant changes year over year. The markets tied closely to the oil and gas developments, such as Fort St John and Fort Nelson, are still seeing significantly lower sales volume; while in 100 Mile House current year sales are almost double the year-to-date total for 2015.

Prince George is having a good year with a stable economy and the positive outlook on growth from the Conference Board of Canada. Sales volumes are virtually the same as 2015 while prices have increased.�

By Region:

Cariboo 100 Mile House: So far this year 500 properties worth 110.5 million have changed hands, compared to 289 properties worth $68.4 million to the end of September in 2015. Half of the 141 single family homes that have sold, sold for less than $235,000 and took, on average, 106 days to sell. In addition, 122 parcels of vacant land, 144 homes on acreage, 7 manufactured homes in parks and a further 41 manufactured homes on land, as well as 31 recreational properties have sold this year. As of September 30th there were 637 properties of all types available for purchase through the MLS in the 100 Mile House area.

Williams Lake: 346 properties worth $80.2 million have sold in the first nine months, compared to 293 properties worth $62 million in the same period last year.

Of the 120 single family homes sold to the end of September, half sold for less than $245,000 and these homes took, on average, 58 days to sell. In addition, 29 parcels of vacant land, 16 townhomes, 100 homes on acreage, and 24 manufactured homes in parks and a further 31 on land, have sold this year. At the end of September there were 384 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the Williams Lake area.

Quesnel: To the end of September 255 properties worth $48.5

Fraser Fort George

Most communities in the area are fairly stable and in line with sales from 2015, but there are some communities experiencing significant changes year over year. million sold through MLS compared to 224 properties worth $43 million to the end of the third quarter of 2015. Half of the 109 single family homes sold so far this year, sold for less than $193,000 and took, on average, 77 days to sell. Also changing hands this year were 36 parcels of vacant land, 58 homes on acreage, 16 manufactured homes in parks and 23 manufactured homes on land.

At the end of September there were 234 properties of all types available for purchase through the MLS in the Quesnel area.

Kitimat: 78 properties worth $20.1 million have changed hands in the first nine months of 2016, compared to 89 properties worth $24.4 million to September 30th of 2015. Of the 56 single family homes sold so far this year, half sold for less than $253,900. These homes took, on average 80 days to sell. In addition, 1 parcel of vacant land, 8 half duplexes and 5 townhomes were also sold this year.

At the end of September there were 128 properties of all types available through the MLS in the Kitimat area.

Northwest

Bulkley Nechako

Prince Rupert: 164 properties worth $43.9 million changed hands so far this year in the Prince Rupert area, compared with 168 properties worth $39.7 million to the end of September 2015. Of the 135 single family homes that have changed hands this year, half sold for less than $256,000 and on average, took 82 days to sell. As of September 30th there were 178 properties of all types available through the MLS in the Prince Rupert area.

Ter race: I n t h e f i r s t n i n e months of the year, 197 properties worth $56.2 million were reported sold in the Terrace area, compared to 225 properties worth $57.6 million during the same period last year. Half of the 111 single family homes that have sold so far this year, sold for less than $309,000 and these homes took, on average, 69 days to sell. Also changing hands were 10 parcels of vacant land, 21 homes on acreage, 13 manufactured homes in parks and 11 manufactured homes on land. At the end of September there were 243 properties of all types available through the MLS in the Terrace area.

Houston: To the end of September, 44 properties worth $6.2 million sold in the Houston area, compared with 48 properties worth $7.7 million in the same period last year. At the end of September there were 64 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the Houston area.

Smithers: As of September 30th, 203 properties worth $46.6 million changed hands in the Smithers area, compared with 191 properties worth $49.5 million in the first nine months of 2015. Half of the 87 single family homes sold so far this year, sold for less than $250,000 and these homes took, on average, 72 days to sell. Also changing hands this year were 24 parcels of vacant land, 47 homes on acreage, 17 manufactured homes in parks and 11 manufactured homes on th land. As of September 30 , there were 225 properties of all types available through the MLS in the Smithers area.

Burns Lake: So far this year 59 properties worth $8.3 million have been reported sold through MLS compared to 81 properties worth $9.6 million in the first

nine months of 2015. At the end of September there were 127 properties of all types available for sale through the MLS in the Burns Lake area.

Vanderhoof: Realtors assisted in the sale of 92 properties worth $18 million in the first nine months of the year compared with 88 properties worth $16.2 million in the same time last year. Half of the 27 single family homes sold so far this year, sold for less than $206,500 and these homes took, on average, 55 days to sell. Also changing hands were 16 parcels of vacant land and 22 homes on acreage. At the end of September there were 124 properties of all types available through MLS in the Vanderhoof area.

Fort St. James: 54 properties worth $10.8 million were reported sold to the end of September, compared to 40 properties worth $8.5 million in the same period last year. As of September th 30 there were 75 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the Fort St. James area.

North Fort St. John: As of September th 30 303 properties worth $114.5 million were reported sold in the area, compared to 578 properties worth $210.1 million to September 30th of 2015. Half of the 136 single family homes sold so far this year, sold for less than $390,000; these homes took, on average, 79 days to sell. In addition, 22 parcels of vacant land, 40 half duplexes, 27 homes on acreage, 15 manufactured homes in parks and a further 33 manufactured homes on land, were reported sold. At the end of September there were 816 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the Fort St. John area.

Mackenzie: In the first nine months of 2016, 64 properties worth $11 million were reported sold through MLS in the Mackenzie area, compared with 57 properties worth $9.3 million to September 30th, 2015. Half of the 47 single family homes sold so far this year, sold for less than $162,000 and these homes took, on average, 120 days to sell. At the end of September there were 97 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the Mackenzie area.

Prince George: In the City of Prince George, to the end of September, 1158 properties worth $320.6 million changed hands, compared with 1127 properties worth $291.7 million to September 30 th, 2015. In the western part of the City the median price of the 227 homes sold this year, was $270,000. In the area east of the By-pass, the 143 single family homes that sold had a median price of $219,000. In the northern part of the City, the 156 single family homes sold had a median price of $297,000.

In the southwest section of the city, the median price of the 202 single family homes sold was $349,900. At the end of September, there were 686 properties of all types available for purchase through MLS in the City of Prince George.

The members of the BC Northern Real Estate Board are committed to improving the Quality of Life in their communities by supporting the growth which encourages economic vitality, provides housing opportunities and builds communities with good schools and safe neighborhoods. The realtor members of the BC Northern Real Estate Board serve the real estate needs of the communities from Fort Nelson in the north to 100 Mile House in the south and from the Alberta border to Haida Gwaii.

The BC Northern Real Estate Board (BC Northern) is a realtor association of more than 360 members that serve the real estate needs of the communities from Fort Nelson in the north to 100 Mile House in the south and from the Alberta border to Haida Gwaii.

15

OCTOBER 2016

A LOOK AT VALUATION FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS Our advice to new start-ups is to go as far as possible without raising any capital

W

e h ave a l l re a d t he stories about young software developers selling their companies for tens of millions of dollars. I can attest that these stories are true, as we have had a number of our clients do the same. Sometimes it is hard to understand exactly what is being sold, but ultimately it comes down to the sale of a n i ntel le c t u a l prop er t y (“IP”).

T he nex t obv ious question is why wou ld someone wa nt to buy or invest in your software company and the related IP? The answer has to do with future cash flow, either from reselling the IP once it is further developed or the profit that it might generate in the future. If you have a great idea for developing software, and you want to raise capital, it is important that you understand that potential investors or acquirers are first and foremost interested in understanding how you r product ca n ma ke money for them.

Our advice to new start-ups is to go as far as possible without raising any capital. Investors that are willing to take a chance on an unproven product do exist, but the price of the investment in terms of loss of control and ownership can be steep. The cost of that capital

Mike Berris, CPA, CA, CBV and Partner Smythe LLP will be significantly cheaper if you can do the following first: ■ Bor row a sm a l l su m of money f rom fa m i ly or friends to g ive you the t i me a nd s pace to l ive wh i le you chase you r dream; ■ Incorporate a company; ■ L ook for i ntel lectua l ly capable people that will s h a re yo u r d re a m a nd work for equity or a bonus arrangement; ■ Create the sof twa re or service that someone will buy; ■ Start selling, while

keeping the costs down; and ■ Put the profits back into product development and sales.

At some point the business will look and be viable. That might be when you reach annual revenues of $300,000 or, say, 50,000 identifiable users of you r sof twa re. O nce you have some sale momentum you will need additional skills to

get to the next level. This might include marketing, sales and/ or financial management.

T here is a big difference in creditability and negotiating power when trying to raise, say $1 million, if you have a viable and growing business, compared to raising the money for something unproven.

Assu m i ng you a re ready to fundraise, you will first have to f i nd i nvestors, develop a pitch and then determine an appropriate valuation. There are a number of organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, that can provide guidance and support during this process. On Vancouver Island, organizations such as Innovation Island can be a tremendous resource to help both start-up and early stage technology companies.

One aspect of the process that is important to understand is the valuation of your company.

If you are raising equity, then you will have to give up a percentage of the ow nersh ip i n exchange for the investment.

Therefore, there will have to be an agreement between you and the investor on the valuation of the company and underlying IP. While there are many rules of thumb for valuation of software companies, it ultimately comes dow n to hav i ng both willing parties agree on a

valuation.

The three general approaches in the valuation of IP are: T he Cost Approach – T h i s looks at the cost that wou ld be i ncu rred to reproduce or replace the tech nolog y w ith someth i ng of si m i la r functionality.

Market Approach – This determines value based on recent valuations of similar companies or software.

I ncome Based Approach – Theoretically, the income approach is the soundest method of valuation. It determines the value based on future expected cash flow from the IP. There are a number of methodologies, including discounted cash flow, relief from royalty and excess earnings.

At the end of the day, you r product could be anything from software to coal, but what is important to understand is that investors are ultimately looking for a return commensurate with the risk they are taking.

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It’s your life. Build it here.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

16 Terrace Northern Motor Inn celebrated the grand reopening of the Japanese Dining Room on 3086 Highway 16 East. A new chef with over twenty years’ experience was hired on recently.

Terrace citizen, Melanie Duhan, released an autobiography entitled I Do Matter of her experiences growing up and surviving childhood trauma, and healing from the abuse.

The book is available at the local library, at Misty River Books, and as an eBook.

Twilight Spas & Pump Supply, located at 4704 Keith Avenue, celebrates 21 years serving customers.

Local artist, Cliff Bolton’s carving work was featured in a royal ceremony on September 26th in Victoria. His Royal Highness Prince William the Duke of Cambridge attached a ring of reconciliation containing a jade carving by Bolton to the ceremonial Black Rod. The rod is traditionally brought into the legislative chamber on occasions where speeches from the throne are read.

The Terrace campus of Northwest Community College has received approval for an extensive renovation of their trades building. The project’s total budget is $18.4 million, with $11.87 million provided by the BC government and $6.31

OCTOBER 2016

million from the federal government.

The College plans to raise the remaining $220,000 through private donations.

Williams Lake A new parking lot for the Cariboo Memorial Complex is near completion after only three and a half weeks working on the project.

The City of Williams Lake has acknowledged that the project is ahead of schedule and should be completed within the next week.

Skeena Sawmills, owned by Roe Holdings Ltd., is set to announce significant improvements to their milling site and related works along Highway 16. Details on cost and scope of the updates will soon be released, but construction on the expansion of its lumber milling capacity and work within their building is scheduled to begin this coming winter.

Four Terrace citizens were honoured with the Order of Terrace, a prestigious award from the City of Terrace recognizing significant community achievements and contributions. Jose Coosemans, Chris Hansen, Dana Hart, and Nirmal Parmar each received the award for their exceptional contributions. th

September 28 marked the grand opening of Skeena Liquor Store on 4519 Greig Avenue. The store celebrates being under new management and ownership.

Northwest Community College has established a foundation called the NWCC Foundation, which raises money for a variety of projects including, but not limited to construction of new buildings, building renovations, and bikes for the bike share program. The college is looking for candidates in the surrounding region for the six board member spots for the foundation.

New on Specialty Avenue!

NOW OPEN

Ellis Ross, BC Liberal candidate and BC Premier Christy Clark Haisla Nation of Kitamaat Village chief councilor, Ellis Ross, has been named as the new BC Liberal candidate for the upcoming provincial election in May. Ross is a prominent pro-development leader and has been actively promoting the development of a BC liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

Kitimat The Kitimat Hospital Foundation received a generous donation of $10,000 from RBC. RBC BC North Regional Vice-President, Tim Carmack, presented the cheque, which will go towards purchasing two orthopaedic drills and a wound vacuum to service their facility.

Tamitik Status of Women (TSW) has gained new storage space for their donated furniture, as their request to the District of Kitimat council was granted. The former SPCA location on Enterprise Avenue will house the furniture for a one-year trial period; TSW hopes to be able to occupy the space indefinitely.

Kitimat Chamber of Commerce’s executive director, Trish Parsons, was presented with the 2016 Gerry Frederick Memorial Executive of the Year Award for her exceptional achievements, at the BC Chamber Executives Conference and AGM.

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The Mackenzie Chamber of Commerce recently held their Business and Community Awards, sponsored by McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest, Mckenzie Pulpmill Corporation, Alexander Mackenzie Hotel, Community Futures, Myatovic Brothers Logging, Timberman Inn and TransCanada Pipelines.

The Chamber received the most nominations to date for this year’s awards, and winners included: Ernie Graham – The Mayor’s Award; Diane Rossi – Citizen of the Year; Cara Bowen, The Purple Bicycle – Social Media Award; Jim Atkinson, McLeod Lake Mackenzie Community Forest – Not for Profit Community Impact Award; Lysa Prince – Volunteer of the Year; Shannon Bezo, College of New Caledonia – Service Excellence; Kelly Rouble, Kelly’s Bakery – Business Person of the Year; Duz Cho Group of Companies – Business

of the Year; Sole Deep Reflexology – Home Based Business of the Year; and Hardeep and Anna Kandola, Azu Health – Rising Star of the Year.

Prince Rupert The Prince Rupert Airport recently held its grand reopening after undergoing extensive renovations, which included an entirely new exterior, energy-efficient lighting, a new ceiling and roof, new offices and windows, an updated pre-boarding area, and an expanded children’s play section. A water treatment plan designed to recycle rainwater is still to be completed for the facility, with the Prince Rupert Airport Authority (PRAA) set to receive a BC Aviation Council award for the system’s design.

Two psychiatric liaison nurses, Andrew Lee and Angela Szabo, have joined the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital to deal specifically with addictions and mental health issues.

Rupert Cleaners & Laundry Ltd. on McBride Street has been named Best Cleaning Service in the 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards.

In celebration of their 30th anniversary in business, Rainbow Chrysler’s owner, Brian Musgrave, donated $2,000 on behalf of the company to the Salvation Army.

On November 17-18th, Williams Lake will be hosting a Nation-2-Nation Community Forum, which will discuss the reality of aboriginals doing business. Mayor Walt Cobb and the City of Williams Lake have allotted $2,500 for the event.

The Board of Directors for Interior Health has approved the donation of 70 new residential care beds for Williams Lake. The donation came as the result of a competitive bid process throughout communities in Interior Health who were seeking to provide more seniors’ care.

Puddle Produce Urban Farms, owned and operated by Brianna Van De Wijngaard in Williams Lake, has received a $5,000 award from a Quebec Bio Intensive farmer.

The award is intended to help farmers launch small scale farming operations.

Prince George Jim’s Clothes Closet, a store with roots on Vancouver Island, has expanded and opened their 4th location in downtown Prince George.

Prince George Store Manager, Bradley Westergard, is excited that the company has decided to come to Prince George. General Manager, Drew Bradley, says that the Prince George market has been underserviced for many years and with their unique mix of clothing it seamed like a natural fit. Jim’s Prince George is located downtown on Specialty Avenue.

The provincial government has recognized Bob and Dan Davidson with a $2,500 Minister’s Award

Bob and Dan Davidson receiving their Minister’s Award from Mike Morris, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie

MOVERS & SHAKERS

OCTOBER 2016

for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management, acknowledging their focus on healthy forests and integrated resource management, and their extensive contributions.

Big Bull Enterprises has been recognized by the BC government for their guidance and leadership in handling the mountain pine beetle epidemic, at the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations’ AGM in Prince George. Big Bull, owned by Brian Harding and Darcy Nygaard, received a total of $5,000 from the provincial Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management, and the north area Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management.

Prince George city councilor, Murry Krause, has been named as the new president of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM). Krause has been a member of UBCM since 2008 and most recently served as vice president of the board before being voted in at their convention on September 29-30th.

Kiley Sales, former Prince George resident, has joined the management team at Barkerville Historic Town & Park. Sales will focus on stakeholder relations, donors and customers in BC’s interior in her new role.

Heather Sadler Jenkins LLP, now located at 1302 Seventh Avenue, celebrates their 45th Anniversary this year as the only full service law firm

in Prince George.

allow treatment of an estimated 8,000 cubic meters of water per day.

Registration has opened for the Northern BC Housing Conference, co-hosted by the Canadian Homebuilders’ Association (CHBA) Northern BC and the Community Development Institute (CDI) at UNBC, and is running November 14-16th.

October 12th marks the first ever annual South Peace Business to Business Expo, an event designed to connect businesses in Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Pouce Coupe and Tumbler Ridge. Community Futures will host the expo at the Encana Events Centre, and tickets can be purchased at dawsoncreekeventscentre.com.

Dawson Creek The City of Dawson Creek has announced that they are reinstating the Community Awards, hosted by the Dawson Creek Chamber of Commerce. The nominations open up on October 1st, and awards categories include: Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and Youth of the Year.

Fort St. John

Better at Home, an organization that helps seniors stay independent in their homes, celebrates six years in the community this year. Volunteers with the group help seniors with tasks like grocery shopping and snow shoveling.

The City of Dawson Creek received approval for a funding application from both the federal and provincial governments for expansion of their water treatment plant. The federal government will provide $2.2 million, the BC government will provide $1.6 million, and the City of Dawson Creek will contribute $750,000 to the project, which will

Fort St. John and Dawson Creek may be hosting the Under 17 World Men’s Hockey Challenge in 2017. A motion was put forward to the City of Fort St. John’s council members, which, if agreed upon, will have the city staff begin negotiations on behalf of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek to host the event. Proposed dates for the tournament are from October 27 to November 4, 2017.

After months of lobbying and activism, the organization FSJ for LNG celebrated the federal government’s approval of Pacific Northwest LNG pipeline. FSJ for LNG’s founder, Alan Yu, remains confident in the project, despite the 190 conditions attached to the approval.

AltaGas recently celebrated the grand opening of their Townsend Facility, which is located 100 kilometres north of Fort St. John.

The facility began operations in July, and includes a shallow-cut natural gas processing plant producing 198 million cubic feet per day, a truck terminal, and natural gas gathering and liquids egress lines.

Quesnel The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) has recognized Quesnel’s Primary Care Clinic with an award for Partnerships for Community Excellence. Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Director for Area C, John Massier, said that the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District accepted the award under the application from the CRD. The North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee was presented with a financial feasibility study for a new agriculture centre project proposed at the College of New Caledonia in Quesnel. The study, coordinated by the Quesnel Community and Economic Development Corporation, approximated start-up costs at $32,000 and an annual budget of $190,000. The Joint Planning Committee now has the information for further consultation.

100 Mile House Al Richmond, Chair of the Cariboo Regional District (CRD),

17 was honored with a Lifetime Membership from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM). Richmond was awarded the membership in commemoration of his term as President of UBCM. After eight years on the UBCM Board, he continues to represent CRD by serving as Past-President this year.

The CRD has approved $49,000 in funding for the Mount Timothy Ski facility under their Community Works Fund. The funding will go towards upgrades and repairs to the facility, including installing a new UV water filtration system, updated heating systems, and insulation.

Interior Health has approved donation of fourteen new residential care beds for seniors in 100 Mile House. The beds in 100 Mile House are expected to open in the spring of 2017, and will be staffed through Interior Health at their facility in the area.

Smithers Trans Canada donated $30,000 to Hope Air in celebration of their 30th anniversary. Hope Air is a nonprofit flight service that taxis lowincome citizens from the north to larger health care centers for free.

The Northwest Community College has announced a twelve per cent increase in enrollment on campus this year, as compared to last year.

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OFF THE COVER/QUESNEL

OCTOBER 2016

KPL ARCHITECTURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

John Pettigrew and Brian Lord and includes eight additional technologists plus support staff. Located at 519 Pandora Avenue in downtown Victoria the long established firm has an expansive portfolio of exceptional projects behind it, everything from office structures and institutional projects to security and correctional facilities to all styles of commercial and retail assignments.

“We are a full service architectural practice but we do have some specialties, such as health care and university facilities. We’ve also had considerable experience doing renovation work at hospitals on Vancouver Island,” Kapuscinski explained.

“Changing technologies, aging

KPL James Architecture created Shell Oil’s new 43,000 sq ft office and warehouse complex in Fort St. John facilities, evolving patient lists mean that hospitals and health care facilities need to be updated to remain viable and capable of serving the public. We’ve been

involved in a number of similar institutional projects.”

Having begun practicing architecture in the 1970s, and having served as a principal since 2002,

The Oil & Gas Commission building is the northernmost certified LEED® Gold building in Canada

Kapuscinski has seen tremendous change in technology, building materials and in the needs and expectations of the clients over the years. Growing up in Alberta he also appreciates that the architectural needs of clients in the north differ from those in a more temperate region – an experience that has helped KPL James become a long serving fixture in northern BC. “Cold climate architecture and cold climate construction is different on many levels. There are different building techniques that have to be used and many different considerations to address that you don’t find elsewhere,” he said.

“When I was training I did a lot of school work in the north so we knew about how to build for that climate, the design ideas that would work and even selecting the right materials to be used.

You don’t take something overly complicated to the north that is going to require a lot of maintenance for example. That experience has helped us to be part of many projects in Northern BC. We’ve made a long term commitment to the north and to our northern

clients, who are an important part of our business.”

By its very nature architecture is the successful melding of art with science and engineering, a combination of core practices that has always appealed to Kapuscinski and continues to keep him excited about his chosen profession.

“In that combination the science takes precedence. If your building doesn’t work for whatever reason, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is, it’s a failure,” he said.

The increasing importance of environmental concerns has also altered how architecture functions in the 21st Cent ury. Kapuscinski says improved public awareness and client expectations are keys to his firm’s ongoing success.

“Today sustainability, energy efficiency is of primary importance, especially in the north where heating and cooling are not inconsequential expenses. In the past in Canada energy was cheap and we didn’t always use it wisely, but no one can afford to do that today. The result is we’re designing buildings that are more efficient, more comfortable, have a smaller carbon footprint and are cheaper to operate – everyone wins,” he said.

For the future KPL James Architecture expects to expand on its northern experience by serving the changing needs of this increasingly important part of the province. “One of our core values has always been providing our services outside of the major centres. Recognizing the needs of the northern clients will see us part of its development for the long term, we’re in the region to stay,” he said.

For more information visit the company’s website at: www. kpljames.com

CHAMBER PREPARES FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS

QUESNEL SIMON TURNER

O

ctober has been regarded as Small Business Month for a while now, so it is fitting that we take this time to recognize Business Excellence within our community.

Step one is to determine the Award categories. It is fair to say the l ist does not cha nge greatly from year to year but we did make a conscious decision to keep a lid on the number of categories to avoid our Awards Dinner turning into the Academy Awards. Ten is plenty, and will cover the following:

Nominations were open for just about three weeks and we were rewarded with the best response in recent memory – 90 submissions seeking to recognize 75 different nominees across those 10 categories ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Home Based Business Young Business Person Employee of the Year Community Inclusion Tourism Customer Service Community Spirit Business with less than 10 employees ■ Busi ness w ith 10+ employees ■ Busi ness Person of the Year Such i s t he suppor t of t he

Business Excellence Awards, each category is sponsored, and I make no apology for taking this opportunity to thank Quesnel-Ca riboo Observer, West Fraser Mills, West Park Mall, Work BC & Dengarry Professional Services, CJ Directory, Community Futures North Cariboo, McDonalds Quesnel, Tolko Industries, and Vista Radio for their Award sponsorships. We also have BDC (Business Development Canada) to thank for sponsoring our Nominee Luncheon.

Step two is to encourage nominations. With the emphasis on quality rather than quantity, we asked for two examples of excellence to be cited in each nomination, inviting the nominator to tell us why a given business, person, or group should be recognized.

Nominations were open for just about three weeks and we were rewarded with the best response in recent memory – 90 submissions seeking to recognize 75 different nominees

across those 10 categories (in case you are wondering about the math, we had several businesses or individuals nominated in more than one category).

Step three is to let the celebration begin by announcing the nominees, quickly followed by a Nominee Luncheon to present all with certificates to adorn office walls. The Luncheon is a less forma l event tha n the Awards Dinner and is an ideal way to bu i ld upon the positive energy created by the announcement of the nominees.

Step four is when the judges have to decide wh ich of the nominees should receive each Award. To ensure fairness and impartiality, we select a panel of judges from across the community, Chamber members and nonmembers alike, and have strict rules concerning conflicts of interest. This year we are also holding an online public vote to help with tie-break situations. Having seen the list of nominees and quality of submissions, I don’t envy the judges one little bit.

The fifth and final step is our Awards Din ner, a gala event on the Saturday of Small Business Week. While the attention may turn more towards the ten deserving Award winners, the Dinner has evolved into quite the community celebration.

If you would like to reserve t ickets for t h at event, g ive me a ca l l at 250.992.7262 or d rop me a l i ne, qch a mber@ quesnelbc.com. I g ua ra ntee you will enjoy the evening and leave the event with a whole new opi n ion a s to t he t y p e of quality people with whom you can do business here in the North Cariboo…and therein lies the reason Quesnel & District Chamber of Com merce coordinates the Business Excellence Awards.

Simon Turner is Acting Manager for Quesnel & District Chamber of Commerce while Amber Gregg is on maternity leave. He can be reached at qchamber@quesnelbc.com

TERRACE

OCTOBER 2016

19

SEIZING NEW OPPORTUNITIES: NORTHWEST BC’S RESILIENT AND EVER ADAPTING FOREST INDUSTRY

TERRACE DANIELLE MYLES

S

keena Sawmills was constructed in 1960 in Terrace BC to process the large, coastal timber that our region is renowned for. It has weathered economic storms; changed hands a few times, had some extended shutdowns, but still operates today demonstrating the resiliency of this longstanding industry.

As one of the community’s largest employers, Skeena will process up to 300,000 m3 of timber this year and directly employ more than 80 people with approximately 40 additional contractors. The mill has operated under the current ownership since 2012 and plans are in place to start modernizing the plant in the next year.

Investing in Second Growth Forest Opportunities: The BC government is currently putting the finishing touches on a Second Growth Inventory Analysis for the Northwest.

This new analysis will help Skeena and other local licensees to make harvesting plans and business decisions for the future based on the substantial second growth volume that is expected to be available.

The Province estimates that for second growth timber less than 100 years old, 80per cent is hemlock and balsam and that 600,000m3 per year is sustainable immediately for processing and steadily for the next three to four decades. This finding highlights a significant and exciting opportunity for local milling and for forestry related businesses in Terrace.

Skeena has adapted to the 2015 downturn in the Chinese economy, expanding into new Asian markets and are gearing up to make further investments in their facility.

Exploring value added opportunities that will continue to diversify the business and add value to the local economy is a priority.

The mill has the ability to expand production significantly, transitioning from its current configuration suited to larger saw logs to a modern facility that specializes in processing of second growth stands. Skeena management is working tirelessly to see that goal become a reality.

Community Forestry and Supporting Local Priorities More than a decade ago, City officials and our local MLA lobbied the Province for a Community Forest Tenure with the vision of establishing an additional revenue stream that could support vital community services. In 2006, the City of Terrace provided seed funding of $150,000 and in 2007 were granted a 30,000 m3 area based tenure, equating to approximately 600 logging trucks of wood each year.

To date the Community Forest has generated $7.1 million in revenue which has supported local employment and has provided community grants for nonprofit groups. Because of the lack of local capacity to process 90per cent of the

Terrace BC pioneer and City Freeman Bill MCrae who built Skeena Sawmills 56 years ago in 1960

The mill has the ability to expand production significantly, transitioning from its current configuration suited to larger saw logs to a modern facility that specializes in processing of second growth stands

marketable Community Forest harvest the wood is being exported to Chinese markets—transitioning to local processing and value added manufacturing opportunities is a goal of the Community Forest, although complicated and reliant on many external factors.

The Untapped Potential The Northwest has been explored by many proponents as the potential site for deployment of various bioenergy technologies; it is estimated that 2.7 million m3 of annual harvest volume could be available to proponents for bioenergy products, in the Terrace area.

Several investors are currently exploring business opportunities with Terrace based licensees and there is a strong possibility that a smaller scale project will be economically feasible.

There is also growing demand for second growth softwood in Asia and ample opportunity for local wood processors to manufacture value added wood products, particularly if we see an increase in local milling and access. Engineered wood products, flooring, panelling and other construction materials are in high demand throughout many Asian countries as well as in North American markets.

A third opportunity on the horizon for the Northwest is in the pulp sector. The

Skeena has adapted to the 2015 downturn in the Chinese economy, expanding into new Asian markets and are gearing up to make further investments in their facility PHOTO CREDIT: SKEENA SAWMILLS

abundance of beetle wood from BC’s interior is running out and as Skeena, the Terrace Community Forest and other licensees look to find markets for the significant amount of “waste fibre,” they are poised to benefit from increasing supply

pressure.

Danielle Myles is the Manager of Economic Development at the City of Terrace. For more information, please visit www.terrace.ca.

20

OCTOBER 2016

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or ma ny of us a nd for our employees a good portion of the day is filled with sitting.

Sitting at our desks, in meetings, driving to work a nd even i n ou r lu nch hour. So how can we or should we even make changes in the workplace to support our employees in achieving moving more and being less sedentary?

Add to that the i mprovements i n technolog y a nd m a ny jobs have become even more sedenta ry then i n the past. CBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Current d id a seg m ent a wh i l e back called; Sitting too long is ma king us sick: Ho w to c o m b at s itt i n g

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disease. Some of the d iseases cited as bei ng impacted by our â&#x20AC;&#x153;sitting diseaseâ&#x20AC;? at work are diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.

As employers we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to lose productivity, so how can we help incorporate activity and get our employees moving? What about Recess?!

We have it in school for exactly the same reason, get ou r k ids mov i ng i n between thei r ti mes at the desk. Dr. Toni Yancey, a u t h o r o f In st a n t Recess, along with Portland Oregonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footwear manufacturer Keen Inc. created a Recess is Back campaign, which helps companies in the States come up w ith a pla n to build a recess benefit for employees as part of their overall benefits package.

I wo u ld s u g ge s t t h at i n a d d it ion to t he obv iou s he a lt h b enef its, gett i ng away f rom ou r desks on a regular basis will also help stimulate new thoughts and promote creativity. One of the things I did for our compa ny i s to h ave a n

occasional walking meeting. We spend the time outdoors, brainstormed on an issue we were trying to resolve and all felt much better for it.

A nd while it would be nice to be able to give our e mploye e s d e s k s w it h treadmills, changes can b e s m a l l a nd f u n , a nd donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to take a chunk out of our budgets. Think jump ropes, hula hoops, or hacky sack balls. Bring someone into the office to offer a half hour Chair Yoga session. Looking for more ideas, check out Dr. Yanceyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, http:// www.toniyancey.com/ IR_Home.html A s a n e m p l o y e r, o u r staff are the most valuable a sset we h ave, so ensuring we support them in staying healthy is a great return on investment.

A nd now it is time for me to ta ke my recess break.

Christine is with Chemistry Consulting and can be reached at c.willow@ chemistryconsulting.ca

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LAW

OCTOBER 2016

21

LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST THOSE WHO USE SOCIAL MEDIA This also means that some reviews are harmful to the reputation of a business, as they are “critical” reviews that describe a negative experience

LAW

Stick to the facts

Y

E L P i s a n on l i ne service that was founded in 2004 to help people find local businesses. People can establish a YELP account for free. Similarly, businesses ca n setup a n accou nt for f re e, p o s t p h o to s a n d s e n d messages of special offers to their customers. YELP makes money by sel l i ng ad s to local businesses, such as dentists, pet sitters and moving companies.

A feature of YELP is the ability of a customer to post a review of a business after he or she has used the serv ices or products of the business. Each review ref lects a customer’s personal experience and “tells it like it was”. This means that some of the reviews are benef ici a l to t he reputat ion of a business, as they are “glowing” reviews that describe a positive experience. This also means that some reviews are harmful to the reputation of a business, as they are “critica l” rev iew s t h at d e scr i b e a negative experience.

YELP does not permit paying

Michael Cooper and Doug Thompson of ThompsonCooper LLP advertisers to cha nge or reorder the reviews they receive.

Y ELP recent ly adv ised that some customers have received legal threats from businesses after posting critical reviews.

In some cases, legal proceedings have actually been commenced. One exa mple g iven was a dentist, who on five d i f ferent occ a sion s h a s i nitiated lega l actions aga i nst customers (former patients) who posted critical reviews.

Another example given was that of a professional pet sitting company who sued a

customer after a critical rev iew suggested that the pet sit ter h ad k i l le d t hei r f i sh.

A not her exa mple g iven was that of a mov i ng compa ny who sued a customer a fter a critical review awarded them just one star. The objective of such legal actions is to get the critical reviews taken down.

YELP has expressed concern t h at t he t h re at of lega l a ct ion w i l l si lence cu stomers w h o wo u l d o t h e r w i s e p o s t critica l rev iews. I n order to combat t h i s act iv it y, Y E L P has tagged certa i n busi ness

accou nts w ith a “Consu mer A ler t” wh ich i s reproduced below: Consumer Alert: Questionable Legal Threats This business may be trying to abuse the legal system in an effort to stifle free speech, including issuing questionable legal threats against reviewers. As a reminder, reviewers who share their experiences have a First Amendment right to ex press their opin ions on YELP. F re e d o m o f s p e e c h i s e nshrined in United States law as pa r t of the Fi rst A mendment to t he Un ited States Constitution. In Canada, our equivalent is “The Canadian Cha rter of R ights a nd Freedom s”, wh ich l ists “f u nd amenta l freedoms, i nclud i ng “freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression”. Unlike their American counterparts, Canadian judges have g iven more weig ht to the v a l u e o f p e r s o n a l r e p u t at i o n t h a n to f re e s p e e c h . I re c o m m e n d t h a t Ca n a d i a n c u s to m e rs p o s t i n g c r it i c a l Y E L P rev iews st ick to t he facts. A ny embellishment t h a t go e s b e yo n d t h e f a c t s may g ive the busi ness or a n individual from the business a n open i ng to sue u nder the laws of libel.

1-866-574-5100 www.nee.ca

W dZK> hD Ͳ WZKW E ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ĞǀŝĐĞ ZĞͲ/ŶƐƉĞĐƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶƐ

OPINION

22 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Prince George Office 2871 Wildwood Cres Prince George, BC V2K3J4 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 778.441.3373 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

OCTOBER 2016

PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald, lise@businessexaminer.ca SALES | Shawn Bishop, shawn@businessvi.ca; Josh Higgins josh@businessvi.ca; Joanne Iormetti, Joanne@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Goody Niosi, Beth Hendry-Yim, John MacDonald WEBSITE | John MacDonald, john@businessexaminer.ca

CANADA NEEDS PRIVATE HEALTH CARE. YES, WE REALLY DO

MARK MACDONALD

C

a nad a needs to have a p r i v a te h e a l t h c a re system.

N o t a p r i v a te-o n l y s y stem, where it’s user-pay a l l the way, a nd the worst horro r s o f U. S.-s t yl e h o s p i t a l v isits a re i n f l icted on the under-insured.

Not one that eliminates public health care.

But one t h at complements the existing Canadian health s y s tem . Yo u k now, t he one that ensures lengthy waiting lists for those who can endure pain. The one that somehow, incredibly, many Canadians believe is “free”.

T he reason Canada needs a private alternative is that the a i l i ng publ ic hea lt h system needs competition. Competition is good. It is a necess a r y c h a l l e n ge t h a t c a u s e s ever yone to look w it h i n for improvement, to hone existing operations and search for efficiencies.

It n e e d s a s s i s t a nc e i n reducing and eliminating wa it l ists for treatment a nd surgery.

It is with great interest that we watch Vancouver’s Cambie Su rgery Cent re’s lawsu it i n BC Supreme Court, challeng i ng cu rrent restrictions on private health insurance and a l low i ng doctors to bi l l for additional services.

M a k e n o m i s t a k e: T h i s i s an important court case. You can tell by the level of vitriol and rhetoric being spewed by opponents a nd h ig h-pr iced lawyers. They rightfully recognize this could be the proverbial thin edge of the wedge to allow greater private sector health care opportunities.

T h e i r o v e r-t h e-to p a rg uments pronou nci ng t h at a favou rable judg ment by the cou r t w i l l resu lt i n t he a nn i h i l at ion of “ f re e” p u bl i c health care is predictable. And i n some cor ners, ef fe ct ive.

W hen p ubl ic se ctor u n ion s empty their coffers, set their hair on fire and threaten what has become this most basic of Canadian necessities, a lot of citizens take notice.

Except perhaps now, enough Canadians realize that we’re long past the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” stage. Canadian he a lt h c a re i s broke, a nd it needs fixing.

And no, the answer to Canada’s health woes is not more

funding. That’s the only solution floated by any institution a nchored by a publ ic sector union: More money will cure a l l . It’s a s e l f-s e r v i n g a n d naïve notion, at best.

T here i sn’t enoug h money to fix Canada’s public health industry. There are systemic problem s t h at more dol l a rs can’t fix.

W h e re d o w e s t a r t? W i t h the fact we don’t have enough do ctors, a nd t hose who receive t hei r educ at ion a l accreditation abroad find roadblock a f ter roadblock a w a i t s t h e m fo r o b t a i n i n g t h e g re e n l i g h t to p ra c t i c e i n Ca n ad a? Or t he fact t h at the College of Physicians and Surgeons – representing the cu rrent med ica l practitioners, is of ten f i ngered as t he biggest obstacle newcomers face. Something doesn’t look right, when a professional association representing doctors is the sole overseer to decide whether or not to allow more doctors i n – who cou ld b ecome their competitors.

Yes, even the cu rrent public health care system needs a private alternative for ailing Canadians. Competition is necessary to keep it on its toes, a nd look for i mprovements within.

Can we finally lay to rest the my th that ou r health care is “free”? Our burgeoning Canad i a n he a lt h c a re costs a re

covered by high taxes and fees from other aspects of the federa l budget, a nd topped-up if necessary from provincial coffers.

T h e f a c t o f t h e m at te r i s, if something isn’t done, and d o n e q u i c k ly, 10 0 p e r c e n t of a province’s budget could be consu med by hea lth ca re funding alone, leaving nothi n g el se for a nyone or a nyt h i n g e l s e . S e w e r, w a t e r, highways, income assistance for those in need. Operating the government, period.

P r ivate h e a lt h c a re won’t “sk i m” of f t he top of t he public system, as opponents accuse. Looki ng at it from a business perspective, the first priority of a private operation wou ld be to add ress the i mmediate need: Those on waiting lists.

People a re on wa iti ng l ists because someone deemed t hem able to w it h sta nd t he pain and discomfort for a certain amount of time. Otherw i se, t hey wou ld b e looked after immediately.

The truth is, plenty of people on those wa iti ng l ists a re a l re a d y l o o k i n g e l s e w h e re for solut ion s to t hei r pa i n .

They’re looking at alternative methods for health improvement, or heading to the United States – and other countries - for joi nt replacement su rg e r y. T h e i r i n v e s t m e n t o f thousands of dollars that were

otherwise sitting in their bank account means they are now pa i n f ree, a nd able to enjoy life. If they have the means, why prohibit them from finding a healthy solution? Isn’t that what health care is supposed to be all about?

On severa l occasion s, I’ve w r itten about t he possibi li t y o f F i r s t Na t i o n s h e a l t h c a re b e c o m i n g a n a lte r n ative to the national program.

I f a Fi rst Nat ion decided to p ro c e e d w i t h b e c o m i n g a n a lternative hea lth ca re prov id er, w it h t hei r newly e st a bl i s h e d t re at ie s i n h a nd , t h e y c o u l d t e l l t h e fe d e ra l go v e r n m e n t to b u t t o u t o f their business and stop trying to hinder this move towards economic self-sustainability, a nd recog n i zi ng t he opportunity that sits there in front of them, wa iti ng for a solution. They could circumvent the Canada Health Act, plain and simple.

Until that happens, we await with anticipation the court’s ju d g ment on c a se s l i ke t he Cambie Surgery Cent re. If the CSC is successful, a solution is on the way.

I f i t i s n o t , t h e n t h e p rescription is longer wait lists, incessant cries for increased fund ing. A nd more trips abroad - a nd money leav i ng Ca n ad a - for t hose seek i n g private health help – which is available in other countries.

SMALL BUSINESS DISAPPOINTED AS BC SIGNS ON TO DEAL TO HIKE CPP PREMIUMS 70 per cent of business owners forced to freeze or reduce wages; announcement comes as BC kicks off Small Business Month

CFIB DAN KELLY

T

he Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) was disappointed by the recent announcement by the BC government that it has signed on to a mandatory expansion of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which comes with significant costs for small businesses and

their workers. BC now joins the federal and provincial governments – outside of Quebec – in giving the green light to CPP expansion across Canada.

“Given the federal budget commitment to consult before expanding CPP, small business owners expected an opportunity to express their views prior to a final decision. Unfortunately, only the governments of British Columbia and Quebec gave their residents that opportunity,” said CFIB president Dan Kelly.

Most Canadians don’t know how the CPP works or what proposed expansion would mean. When presented with the details about the size of the proposed CPP tax increase, more than 70 per cent of business owners said they will need to freeze salaries and benefits to accommodate the hike, and more than a third said they may have to eliminate jobs.

According to an Ipsos poll of more than 2,000 employed or

retired Canadians conducted in late August, 40 per cent of Canadians falsely believe the government pays for part of their CPP, only 26 per cent know it will take approximately 40 years to fully phase in expanded benefits, and 71 per cent do not realize current retirees get nothing. “While we fully appreciate that Canadians support the concept of additional CPP benefits, no one has informed them that there is likely to be a secondary effect on their wages,” Kelly added. The Ipsos poll reveals Canadians overwhelmingly oppose CPP expansion if it results in a cut – or even a freeze – in their wages.

“With a flat economy and yesterday’s announcement of five years of increasing carbon taxes/ pricing, I’m not sure where our governments think small business owners and employees will find the money to pay for seven years of CPP hikes,” Kelly concluded.

“The announcement today is

even more disappointing considering it is Small Business Month in BC. These new payroll costs are anything but small business friendly,” added Richard Truscott, Vice-President, BC and Alberta.

CFIB is calling on the federal government to reinstate its promise to cut the small business corporate tax rate to nine per cent and is asking the federal and provincial governments for further actions, including a freeze in the minimum wage and lower payroll taxes like Employment Insurance and workers’ compensation premiums.

Dan Kelly serves as President, CEO and Chair of the Board of Governors of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

In this capacity, Dan is the lead spokesperson and advocate for the views of the Federation’s 109,000 small and medium-sized member businesses.

SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA. DISTRIBUTION: FOURTH WEEK OF EACH MONTH VIA CANADA POST AD MAIL. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Produced and published in British Columbia. All contents copyright Business Examiner Peace Cariboo Skeena, 2016. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

SALES

OCTOBER 2016

23

TROUBLE GENERATING REFERRALS? LOOK TO YOUR INNER CIRCLE

SALES JOHN GLENNON

T

ake Advantage of Existing Relationships If salespeople took full advantage of the relationships they have with their existing clients, most, if not all, would find cold-call prospecting to be unnecessary.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overlook existing clients and customers as valuable sources for new business. If you are providing them with exceptional (or even just very good) service, they should be comfortable referring you to othersâ&#x20AC;Śassuming that you take the initiative to ask for the referral, and assuming that you ask in the right way.

Avo i d P re-P rog ra m m e d Responses Making a generic referral request such as, â&#x20AC;&#x153;W ho do you know that might be interested in __________?â&#x20AC;? will likely prompt a pre-programmed answer that sounds something like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think of anyone at the moment.â&#x20AC;?

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overlook existing clients and customers as valuable sources for new business. If you are providing them with exceptional (or even just very good) service, they should be comfortable referring you to others...

To avoid triggering a pre-programmed response, you should frame your question in a manner that is relevant to the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sphere of influenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;his â&#x20AC;&#x153;inner circle.â&#x20AC;?

If you know that your client is an avid golfer, for instance, and his golfing foursome typically includes other local business owners, you might frame your request as follows: Tom, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m wondering which of your golfing buddies could benefit from an inventory control system similar to the one we implemented for your Westbrook facility. Who is the most likely candidate?

Ask Why If your client comes up with a name, ask why he selected that person. Then find out as much as you can about the new prospect.

The more you know about the prospect, the warmer the subsequent call will be.

Next, ask your client for permission to use his name when you make the referral call. For example: Tom, would you be OK if I tell Art that his name came up during our conversation?

Ideally, you want Tom to not only give you permission to use his name, but offer to let Art know that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be callingâ&#x20AC;Śor perhaps make the introduction.

Use the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Inner Circleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Strategy Even if Tom doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t set up the call, think about how much easier it will be to make. This is no longer a â&#x20AC;&#x153;coldâ&#x20AC;? call. You know something about Art, his business and why he might be interested in your inventory control software. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, Art is likely to be more comfortable and receptive to taking the call when he discovers that his golfing buddy, Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;someone of equal business stature, another business ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;referred you.

Last but not least, think about how easy it will be to get past the gatekeeper. When he asks, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it about?â&#x20AC;? you simply reply, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golfing buddy, Tom Beale, asked me to give him a call this morning.â&#x20AC;?

This â&#x20AC;&#x153;inner circleâ&#x20AC;? strategy will also work with other potential referral sources, not just clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; even prospects with whom there is not a current need for what you have to offer. In that situation, you can still frame the request around a likely inner circle. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an example: Jeff, based on our conversation, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t appear that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to be able to help you this afternoon. Perhaps you can help me.

Now that you better understand what I do, I suspect that you know another business owner, even a friendly competitor, perhaps, who

could benefit from my companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design services. To whom should I be talking?

This powerful referral strategy can be used with anyone whose sphere of influence encompasses people who fit your ideal prospect profile. You have nothing to lose by askingâ&#x20AC;Śand everything to gain.

The Bottom Line By usi ng a n â&#x20AC;&#x153;i n ner ci rcleâ&#x20AC;? strategy, Juan was able to rely far less on â&#x20AC;&#x153;coldâ&#x20AC;? prospecting calls, which he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like making, and far more on calls generated via referrals from happy customers.

These were much easier for him to make, and far more productive in terms of opportunity development. As a result, his personal bottom line improved, and he managed to hit his quota for the quarter â&#x20AC;Ś a goal that had seemed all but unattainable a few weeks earlier.

John Glennon is the owner of Insight Sales Consulting Inc, an authorized Sandler Training Licensee. He can be reached at jglennon@sandler.com, toll free at 1-866-645-2047 or visit www. glennon.sandler.com. Copyright 2013 Sandler Training and Insight Sales Consulting Inc. All rights reserved.

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