SEPTEMBER 2015
» CONSTRUCTION
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HAZELTON Tsetsaut Ventures Ltd. are glacier
Nation nal in Scope, Locall in Focus
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Peace Cariboo Skeena WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA
the regional mining industry
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RONA sets sights on new sector PAGE 6
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PRINCE GEORGE Northern Steel Ltd., has become Northern BC’s premier metal fabrication facility
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INDEX News Update
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Prince George
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Quesnel
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Movers and Shakers 24 Smithers
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Opinion
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South Cariboo
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Contact us: 1-866-758-2684
Hardware, renovation and gardening product supplier shifting focus onto consumer market
RINCE GEORGE – A fixture in the regional construction industry, RONA Prince George, your Capital Building Supplies Store, is now setting its sights on becoming the destination of choice for home and garden consumers. Since its rebrand in 2010, the company has built a strong reputation and business base with residentia l a nd com mercia l builders, and General Manager Barb Beddome credits the success to the approachability and personalized customer service delivered by her team. “We’ve been really fortunate to have such amazing staff,” she says. “Each person here has a high level of industry knowledge and executes their job at a really high level. They enjoy coming to work every day and that’s reflected back in the way they treat our customers. Our employees are known for being very friendly SEE RONA SETS SIGHTS | PAGE 18
New owners for D&S Electric Ltd.
Long time employees ready to see the company grow and expand in Williams Lake and Tumbler Ridge BY GOODY NIOSI
Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240
RONA Prince George, your Capital Building Supplies Store’s team members serve the region’s contractors and home and garden consumers with exceptional customer service
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ILLIAMS LAKE - Big ch a nges a re ta k i ng place at D&S Electric Ltd. in Williams Lake and its branch office in Tumbler Ridge. L ong-t i me employees, K im
Preeper in Williams Lake and Dave Merry in Tumbler Ridge are becoming the new owners, taking over from Don Erickson and his son, Brad Erickson. The change means the company will continue to offer its expertise and service to Central and
Northern BC. It also paves the way for growth and expansion. Serving Northern BC since 1985, D&S Electric is known for being dependable and professional. As a well-known electrical contractor, D&S Electric handles residential, commercial
and industrial projects throughout the region. The company is staffed by a team of certified electricians, experienced estimators and professional project coordinators who ensure that SEE D&S ELECTRIC LTD | PAGE 16
PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE REINFORCING STEEL SERVICE 1-877-561-5025 • rebar@canasteel.com • www.canasteel.com
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NEWS UPDATE
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PRINCE GEORGE Canada Winter Games provide economic boost Organizers have released their final economic impact report from the 2015 Canada Winter Games, and it’s even better than expected. The host society found that total economic activity generated by the Games accounted for $123.4 million in British Columbia and $83.2 million in the Prince George area alone. Those numbers are substantially above the pre-Games estimate of between $70 million and $90 million in economic activity. Other successes realized at the Games include ticket sales and attendance. More than 10,500 visitors came to Prince George to participate in or watch the Ga mes, a nd 4,800 volu nteers ca me together from across BC to support the 18-day, multi-sport event. The 2015 Canada Winter Games hosted in Prince George were the largest multisport competition and first Winter Games to be held in the province. The Games were a success from both a technical and organizational standpoint, and received tremendous support from local residents and visitors. They also left behind a considerable infrastructure legacy in Prince George, with nearly $20 million of capital investments as a result of hosting the games. Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Minister Responsible for TransLink said, “Our government is developing a five-year hosting program to maximize opportunities that will draw sport and
cultural events to the province and generate economic, tourism, and community development benefits. The 2015 Canada Winter Games were a prime example of a strong return on investment judging from the number of attendees on hand and the joyful atmosphere surrounding many of the events. I’m pleased to learn that this event was in fact a success for Prince George, northern British Columbia and the province. Congratulations to everyone involved on a job well done!” The Government of British Columbia invested $12.8 million in the 2015 Canada Winter Games. The Canada Games began in 1967. They are held every two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games. Previous Canada Games held in BC include the 1973 Summer Games (New Westminster/Burnaby) and 1993 Summer Games (Kamloops). The 2015 Canada Winter Games were awarded to Prince George on Sept. 17, 2010. Lheidli T’enneh was the Official Host First Nation – the first in the history of the Canada Games.
DAWSON CREEK Two Canadian Teams Go HeadTo-Head In 2015 World Under17 Hockey Challenge Opener T wo Ca n ad i a n te a m s - Ca nada Black a nd Ca nada W h ite - w i l l face off in the opening game of the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Oct. 30 - Nov. 7. Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and BC Hockey released the tournament schedule
SEPTEMBER 2015
outlining how the games will be divided between the host cities of Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. The 22-game tournament will officially kick off Nov. 1 at the Encana Events Centre in Dawson Creek with Canada Black taking on Canada White, while Canada Red opens its tournament against Finland at the North Peace Arena in Fort St. John. Both cities will also host two pretournament games on Oct. 30. “This tournament is a chance for hockey fans in northern British Columbia to see some of the best young players in the world,” said Dean Mcintosh, Senior Director of Events and Properties with Hockey Canada. “We know the host committees in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John are excited to welcome the hockey world, and the announcement of the schedule gets us that much closer to puck drop.” Beginning Sept. 10 hockey fans around the world can purchase their early-bird ticket packages for $159. The host committees also announced that TransCanada Corporation is the first major sponsor to come aboard and support the tournament. “At TransCanada, we strive to be a good neighbour and a trusted community partner and it is an honour to support local events like the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge,” says Tony Palmer, TransCanada’s Senior Vice-President, Stakeholder Relations. “We understand that this event will bring significant benefits to Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and surrounding communities, including positive economic impact and a chance to profile BC’s northern communities to the rest of Canada. We are thrilled to support this event and look forward to cheering on young athletes.”
PRINCE GEORGE Masich Place Stadium upgrades aim to boost sport tourism in Prince George
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Athletes could soon have yet another reason to train and compete in Prince George with upgrades to Masich Place Stadium. Northern Development’s board has approved a $250,000 grant to support upgrades at the stadium, which was built in 1990 as a premier track and field venue to serve both Prince George and the surrounding region. A f ter 25 yea rs, i mprovements a re needed at the stadium in order for it to continue to meet recreation trends and community demands. T he proposed improvements to the stadium include a new synthetic turf infield, redevelopment of the throw and jump areas and a new perimeter path. The upgrades would generate additional sport tourism revenue for the city, improving its ability to host major provincial playoffs, tournaments and national championships, in addition to accommodating regular season play for residents. Northern Development’s board approved funding for the project through the Trust’s Economic Diversification Infrastructure program. The program provides up to $250,000 for public multiuse facilities that drive revenue and provide a long-term asset for communities. The award reduces the City’s funding request from the Union of BC Municipalities Federal Gas Tax Strategic Priorities Fund to $3,200,000, which would complete the project financing. A decision on
that request is anticipated to be issued later this year. The Economic Diversification Infrastructure program has previously provided funding support to the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre, Sam Lindsay Pool in Kitimat, Terrace Sportsplex and Smithers Arena. Municipalities, First Nations and non-profit organizations can submit applications to the Northern Development’s Economic Diversification Program on a quarterly basis. “Tournaments and sporting events generate business for local hotels, shops and restaurants, but this grant will do more than that – it will help ensure Prince George continues to have first-rate sporting facilities that make it an attractive place to live,” said Janine North, CEO, Northern Development. “As we witnessed through the 2015 Canada Winter Games, Prince George has the capacity to host fantastic sporting events and having great infrastructure is critical. Improvements to Masich Place will further enhance our ability to host sporting events that will attract visitors to Prince George and grow our local tourism economy,” said Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and MLA for Prince George-Valemount.
PRINCE GEORGE The University of Northern British Columbia is expanding its program offerings at two of its regional campuses beginning this fall The UNBC South-Central Campus in Quesnel and the Northwest Campus in Terrace will be offering joint delivery of a Bachelor of Arts in First Nations Studies and a Certificate in General First Nations Studies. “These new programs demonstrate UNBC’s continued commitment to the region it serves,” says UNBC President Dr. Daniel Weeks. “Students enrolled in First Nations Studies programming gain the knowledge they need to become leaders in their communities.” The certificate is composed of 10 courses, or 30 credit hours, including six required courses in First Nations Studies and Arts and four elective courses. Students will have the opportunity to take courses at the 100- 200- and 300-level as part of the certificate. The credits earned for the certificate can be applied to a degree. The certificate program ladders well into a range of university degree programs, ranging from Biology to Political Science to Social Work. The Bachelor of Arts in First Nations Studies is a four-year undergraduate degree program and includes course offerings in First Nations Studies, Anthropology, Geography, Political Science, Social Work, and Women’s Studies. The program emphasizes skills to deal with Aboriginal contemporary issues, government relations, communication, problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, information management, and personal management. Graduates from the program are well qualified to work in fields such as band and tribal council administration, traditional use researcher, cultural affairs officer, or multiculturalism educator. “Students living in the Cariboo and Nor t hwest reg ion s now h ave more SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3
NEWS UPDATE
SEPTEMBER 2015
NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
educational options closer to home,” says UNBC Dean of Regional Programming Dr. Mark Dale. “The joint delivery model allows students to access the expertise of faculty members located throughout UNBC’s campus network.”
PRINCE GEORGE CNC Hosts Culinary Team Canada before Culinary Olympics The internationally renowned Culina r y Tea m Ca nada w i l l be com i ng to CNC on October 5th to try out their succulent creations on local food lovers before heading to Erfurt, Germany for the 2016 Culinary Olympics. The Going for Gold Dinner Soiree fundraiser will host some of the best chefs in all of Canada as they fine tune their menu and teamwork before taking on the best chefs in the world. “We are extremely lucky to have the privilege of hosting Culinary team Canada again,” said Professional Cook Instructor, Chef Ron Christian. “They are internationally recognized chefs and their cuisine is some of the best in the world. We hope that members from our community will take advantage of this rare opportunity. It will be an experience that they will never forget.” Tickets cost $185 each; this includes appetizers, main courses, desserts and wine pairings. Appetizers begin at 6 p.m. in the CNC Gathering Place (Atrium) and dinner will follow at 7:00 p.m. Culinary Team Canada came to Prince
George once before in October 2013 before competing at the Salon Culinaire Mondial event in Basel, Switzerland. The event, An Evening with the Masters, sold out immediately and was a huge success. After appearing at CNC, the team went on to win the Gold Medal in the cold table competition and a Silver Medal in the hot kitchen competition in Basel. If you were unlucky enough to miss them last time, this is your chance to make sure you experience this amazing culinary event. “We never expected that we would get them to come back to CNC,” said President, Henry Reiser. “We thought that their previous visit would be their only one. Needless to say we are extremely excited to host them again.” Culinary Team Canada is comprised of chefs from across Canada who have exhibited excellence in culinary skills. They are chosen by their peers to represent their country and they volunteer their time to participate in team activities. The team has achieved and held on to a gold medal reputation for over 25 years. The Culinary Olympics (formally the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung International Culinary Art Competition) is the largest and most prestigious culinary competition in the world. It attracts considerable media and public attention and is held in Erfurt, Germany every four years. It brings together the best chefs from around the globe and serves as a world class venue to showcase culinary skill and to compete for gold medal standing. “We are truly happy to be coming to Prince George,” said Culinary Team Canada manager, JC Felicella. “The support CNC and the community gives us is amazing. It’s an honour to be cooking for an appreciated group.”
TransCanada Donates $250,000 to Support Aboriginal Skills Training and Education With TRICORP TransCanada’s Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project and Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project announced a $250,000 partnership with the Tribal Resources Investment Corporation (TRICORP) to offer skills development and training for Aboriginal people in northwestern BC through TransCanada’s Pathway to Pipeline Readiness program. Since August of 2014, TransCanada has spent over $1 million on skills training initiatives in northern BC, supporting local colleges and Aboriginal training organizations. “TransCanada is committed to helping build stronger communities and a better quality of life for those living in northern BC. Partnerships like this help communities take advantage of economic opportunities related to TransCanada’s BC pipeline projects,” says Tony Palmer, TransCanada’s senior vice president, stakeholder relations. “Aboriginal and local communities, as well as the socio-economic assessments from both the Coastal GasLink and Prince Rupert pipeline projects, have identified the need for skills training and industry certification programs in northern BC. This partnership is a direct response to that feedback and we look forward to the contribution that these students will make to our industry.” The program includes three, 10-week courses that will be offered through late 2015-2016 in northwest BC communities. Currently, programs are planned for Prince Rupert and two further courses are planned in other communities within TRICORP’s service area. It’s expected a total of 42 students will be served by this programming. TRICORP is the Service Canada delivery
agent in the Northwest BC region for the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS). The organization’s mission statement is “Our Vision for Our People; Economic Self Reliance”. TRICORP’s programs and services are targeted to entrepreneurs to start or expand their business, as well as increase capacity to deliver quality employment programming that offers skills development and training initiatives to Aboriginal citizens living in northwestern BC Coastal GasLink is proposing to construct and operate (subject to required regulatory and commercial approvals) a 670-kilometre natural gas pipeline from the Groundbirch area near Dawson Creek to the proposed LNG Canada liquefied natural gas export facility near Kitimat. Prince Rupert Gas Transmission is proposing to construct and operate (subject to required regulatory and commercial approvals) a 900-kilometre natural gas pipeline to deliver natural gas from a point near Hudson’s Hope to the proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG facility at Lelu Island, off the coast of Port Edward.
PRINCE RUPERT New Marine Carrier Will Expand Prince Rupert’s Reach in Transpacific Trade The Prince Rupert Port Authority welcomed Maersk Line as the newest marine carrier to add a weekly service at the Fairview Container Terminal. Maersk Line, a unit of the A.P. MollerMaersk Group based in Copenhagen, has SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 4
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PRINCE GEORGE
SEPTEMBER 2015
PRINCE GEORGE
$2.1M supports wood-focused art and design programs
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reativity is branching out in Prince George. One-time funding of $2.1 million will go toward start-up and programdelivery costs of the Emily Carr Centre for Design Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Wood Innovation and Design Centre (WIDC). “It is critical that the programs offered by Emily Carr meet the needs of our region and the wood industry,” said Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, on behalf of Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson. “The $2.1 million will support phase 2 of the consultation process including public engagement and online forums and will also include funding for start-up and program delivery costs.” The Emily Carr Centre for Design Innovation and Entrepreneurship was announced on Jan. 23, 2015, and will reside on two half floors of WIDC. New programming, identified through consultation with the community and wood industry, is expected to commence in the fall of 2016. Emily Carr University has completed the first phase of their community consultation. During these initial meetings, Emily Carr University met and collaborated with several potential partners including the City of Prince George, Lheidli T’enneh, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), College of New Caledonia and Two Rivers Gallery. In the autumn of 2015, the university will begin the second phase of community consultations and will engage the public through community events and online forums to gather input ensuring the programming being developed correlates with community needs. In July 2015, Emily Carr University of Art + Design offered the Summer Institute for Teens in partnership with UNBC. Through the studio course, students from around Prince George had the opportunity to work with university faculty to bring their artistic vision of the region to life. The studio introduced sketching, drawing
and illustration techniques that students used to investigate and respond to their immediate environment. On Sept. 18 and 19, Emily Carr University hosted an open-house at WIDC and exhibit at the Mini Maker Faire in partnership with the Two Rivers Gallery. “WIDC is an iconic building that will also be an educational centre in Prince George,” said Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris. “Funding the start-up and program delivery costs will support the new Emily Carr Centre for Design Innovation and Entrepreneurship.” The one-time funding of $2.1 million will support art and design-based educational training needs identified by the wood industry, community and other stakeholders. This includes programs related to design innovation and secondary manufacturing with wood and woodbased products. “The startup funding for our new design centre in Prince George is welcome news,” said Emily Carr University of Art + Design president Ron Burnett. “We look forward to bringing a unique, sustainable partnership to the Emily Carr Centre for Design and contributing to the creative and economic growth of Northern BC” WIDC is one of the tallest contemporary wood buildings in North America. The sixstorey, 29.5-metre structure is a catalyst for future wood construction around the globe. It features a variety of BC wood materials ranging from Douglas-fir to engineered wood products. WIDC is home to academic programming under development by UNBC that includes a master of engineering in Integrated Wood Design to be offered in January 2016. In addition to the two universities, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations will be a long-term tenant in the building. Another important mandate of WIDC is to showcase wood products and processes in BC and expand the international market share of the province. WIDC will be fully occupied once Emily Carr University of Art + Design moves in.
NEWS UPDATE
Maersk and the many new customers that will benefit from the supply chain solution offered through our gateway.” Prince Rupert is the closest major North American port to Asia with direct access to CN’s Class 1 continental rail network. Since its conversion from a breakbulk handling operation, Fairview Container Terminal has anchored an efficient trade lane providing extensive reach into both central Canada and the US Midwest. In seven years of operation, traffic through the Fairview Container Terminal has grown at the fastest pace of any container terminal in North America as shippers have discovered the advantages of speed and reliability that have come to define the Prince Rupert gateway. In 2014, impressive container growth continued, with container volume up 15per cent over 2013 volumes. Fairview Container Terminal has a current capacity of 850,000 TEUs annually, and a recently-announced second phase expansion that will bring capacity to 1.35 million TEUs. The ongoing expansion project is expected to be finished by mid-2017.
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added the Port of Prince Rupert as the first North American port of call to its amended TP8 transpacific service, which will make its first call in Prince Rupert this autumn. Maersk’s inaugural vessel visit to Prince Rupert was planned for August 27th as a limited-time extension of its TP Alaska Eastbound service. The addition of this containerized cargo service expands the reach of Asia-North American trade through the Port of Prince Rupert to new markets and shippers, supporting further growth and expansion of the west coast’s leading edge gateway. “The addition of Maersk Line as a dedicated marine carrier is another milestone in the unprecedented growth we’ve achieved at Fairview Container Terminal since it began operation in 2007,” said Don Krusel, President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “This new service is a validation of the advantages our port has brought to transpacific trade, and we look forward to building relationships with
PRINCE RUPERT
SEPTEMBER 2015
Fairview Terminal records record month in August Northern View R I NCE RU PE RT - Aug ust wasn’t just a good month for Prince Rupert’s Fairview Terminal, it was a record month. The terminal shipped 75,460 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) last month, an increase of 17 per cent compared to last month and the highest single volume recorded since the terminal opened in 2007. Fairview, which was recently purchased by DP World, imported 41,965 TEUs compared to 36,762 last August. While exports were up 22 per cent to sit at 33,496 TEUs, the number of loaded containers being exported actually dropped 25 per cent, from 15,267 TEUs last August to 11,520 TEUs this August. T h is yea r the term i na l remains well on target to shatter its record tonnage, having moved 527,037 TEUs during the first eight months of 2015 compared to 409,683 TEUs in the same time period of 2014, an increase of 29 per cent. Imports through Fairview Terminal are up 21 per cent to sit at 295,346 T EUs a nd ex ports a re up 39 per cent to sit at 231,879 TEUs. However, the number of loaded
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This year the terminal remains well on target to shatter its record tonnage
containers being exported so far in 2015 is down four per cent, sitting at 105,005 TEUs compared to 109,772 TEUs through to the end of last August. Cargo being moved through the Prince Rupert Harbour is also up significantly. Last August the terminal moved 56,580 tonnes compared to just 6,721 tonnes last year, an increase of 742 per cent. While pellet shipments through Westview Terminal dropped 34
per cent year-over-year in August, falling from 77,540 tonnes to 51,114 tonnes, the terminal has seen its year-to-date exports increase 48 per cent, from 313,702 tonnes in 2014 to 464,576 tonnes in 2015. Both Prince Rupert Grain and Ridley Terminals Inc. continue to see volume declines this year. Prince Rupert Grain saw its tonnage drop 32 per cent this August compared to last, having moved 442,203 tonnes of product, while tonnage so far this year has fallen 11 per cent, from 4.5 million tonnes to 4 million tonnes. Ridley Terminals experienced a 46 per cent drop in tonnage this August compared to last, moving 247,775 tonnes of coal, while the year-to-date number is down 45 per cent, falling from 5.4 million tonnes to 3 million tonnes. Overall tonnage for the Port of Prince Rupert fell 16 per cent this August compared to last, sitting at 1.55 million tonnes. So far this year tonnage has fallen 10 per cent compared to 2014, falling from 14.6 million tonnes to 13.1 million tonnes. Developer outlines residential development plan for former Kanata School site
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Residential Development unveiled Northern View RINCE RUPERT – Residents of Prince Rupert got their first look at a massive multifamily residential development planned for the former Kanata School recently, a project that could create up to 270 new housing units. T he Bryton Group outlined their plans to create up to nine three-storey buildings on the site, each of which includes 30 two or three bedroom units. The units would be stratified and each unit sold individually. Plans also call for a 90-foot forested strip to separate the development from
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residences on Crestview Drive and a new road to directly access Fredrick Street. Stuart Ramsay of the Bryton Group said the company hopes to start construction this spring and is taking a phased development approach, meaning units would be built as needed. While Ramsay said the market would dictate the sale price of the large units, it is expected units could cost upwards of $250,000. The project is currently undergoing rezoning to permit residential development, a condition of the sale of the site.
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ARCHITECTURE FOR NORTHERN BC SPOTLIGHT
KPL James Architecture serves communities in the entire province
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PL James Architecture is an architectural practice in Victoria serving all of British Columbia, particularly Vancouver Island and Northern BC. It does commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-family residential projects. Those who have worked with the firm call the principal architects and staff knowledgeable, reliable and practical. KPL Architecture also boasts decades of experience. Founded in 1910, it is the oldest firm in Victoria. Brian Kapuscinski, one of the firm’s two registered architects, grew up in Edmonton and worked in Northern Alberta as a technologist in the late 1970s and 1980s. “It was very interesting work,” he said. “Some of our work was very remote.” In 2010, KPL James connected with BGR Properties in Fort St. John. The client had plans for a number of large buildings and needed an architectural firm that not only had the experience and expertise, but that was also LEED accredited. With a total staff of 11 people, KPL James was the right size to take on major projects.
“A lot of firms are not interested in serving the north. We are happy to go up there.” BRIAN KAPUSCINSKI PRINCIPAL, KPL JAMES ARCHITECTURE
“And we aren’t afraid to travel,” Kapuscinski said. “A lot of firms are not interested in serving the north. We are happy to go up there.” Since 2010, KPL James has completed three major projects for BGR Properties including a gold and a silver LEED building. The firm is about to undertake its fourth project for the client. At the same time, the firm is doing work in Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson, and is looking to expand to Prince George. Clients who work with KPL save money by hiring KPL James, Kapuscinski said,, noting that he’s there regularly and that brings the cost of travel down. “And we are really good at what we do. Building in the north is much different than building in the south, We understand the building type, the terrain and the climate. We also understand the clients’ expectations and the preferred methods of construction. We know how to design buildings for the north.” KPL James Architecture is at 519 Pandora Avenue in Victoria. www.kpljames.com
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Carving roads and fortune in BC’s north Glacier management specialists service regional mining industry BETH HENDRY-YIM
H
AZELTON - Building a road through BC’s frozen north is not for the faint of heart. It takes experience, grit, the right equipment and perfect timing. It also takes a special kind of dedication. Working around and through a glacier isn’t easy. The weather can be harsh and isolation very real. Darlene and George Simpson, owners of Tsetsaut Ventures Ltd (TVL), know the territory. They have hunted, fished, lived and worked in the territory of the independent nation, Tsetsaut Skii km Lax Ha (TSKLH), all their lives, which is no surprise, as Darlene Simpson is also the Hereditary Chief. Located on the plateau at the headwaters of the Nass, Stikine and Skeena Rivers, the territory of the Skii km Lax Ha (SKLH) encompasses approximately 19,800 km of mountain, river, lake and prairie with the nearest towns being Hazelton and New Hazelton. The region, known for its geological potential as the Golden Triangle according to the BC Geological Survey Minfile database, has more than 900 documented mineral occurrences with 67 documented mineral resources. A rich untapped goldmine of minerals, until recently, it has been difficult to access. As increased mining activity revealed these rich deposits of minerals in and around their region, the Simpsons recognized the potential needs of these developing projects. Six years ago, with their combined experience in trucking and business, they created TVL, an investment and contracting arm of the TSKLH. The company provides a variety of services including transportation logistics, equipment, core boxes, core cutting, core logging, channel sampling, MMI sampling, camp management, cooks/assistants, environmental monitoring, expediting goods and services, level 3 first air, layout planning and geo-tech services. As the economic development arm of the TSKLH, TVL is actively seeking and identifying economic opportunities. “We started with one project and one truck and did all the physical work ourselves,” Darlene said. Today, the company owns 35 pieces of equipment, including graders, bobcats, rock trucks, and excavators, and it employs between 120 and 150 employees consisting of TSKLH members, other First Nation members and non-aboriginal workers. “ We b ou g ht e ach pie c e of
SEE CARVING ROADS| PAGE 7
Tsetsaut empowers youth with hands on training in heavy equipment operation CREDIT:DARLENE SIMPSON
Maintaining glacier access roads using large snow blowers CREDIT:DARLENE SIMPSON
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Tsetsaut grew their business by one piece of equipment at a time. Pictured here is a Caterpillar 730C Articulated Truck CREDIT:DARLENE SIMPSON
Carving roads through glacier ice, snow and rock
One of Tsetsaut’s specialties is glacier management
CREDIT:DARLENE SIMPSON
CARVING ROADS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
equipment one at a time, found the right worker and did hands on training,” she added. “We kept growth slow and steady.” The company priorities revolve around environmental protection, responsible development, sustainability, proper consultation and accommodation. It also wants to ensure an attitude of inclusivity where everyone within the company or seeking employment with the company is treated equally. That means providing employment to all competent and able-bodied persons.
CREDIT:DARLENE SIMPSON
“Benefitting everyone, benefits the community as a whole,” she said. In a depressed area with high unemployment, TVL has been a boon, not just for projects needing specialists in glacier management, but also for its community providing employment and economic opportunities. “The hardest thing for me is the question of where you find the balance between resource extraction and environmental protection. Every project has a cost attached to it, a cost to the land. Most of my life has been about hunting and fishing. Now it’s about dealing with human
capacity. I understand the environmental risk, but seeing people getting healthy and leading a better life makes it worth it for me,” she said. Currently TVL is working on a number of contracts with Pretivm Resources, including the Brucejack Gold Mine Project, an underground gold and silver mine located approximately 65 km northwest of Stewart in what is called the Valley of the Kings. According to the Aboriginal Business and Investment Council (ABIX), the project is the highest-grade, undeveloped large-scale gold project in the world with the potential of a
2,700 tonnes-per-day underground gold mine. Now the environmental assessment certificates and federal approvals have been issued, TVL is moving forward to working with Pretivm on various contracting opportunities. With its expertise in glacier management, Simpson said that TVL will supply trucks, excavators and earthmovers, and manage work camps, build core boxes, construct mine buildings, while providing cooks, First Aid attendants, geo-technicians and environmental monitors. She added that TVL will also be ensuring that the access road, glacier access
road, and support camps are maintained in a safe and stable condition. Simpson added that living right at the project allows TVL to be more responsive to Pretivm’s needs and concerns in a timely and professional manner, whether that involves cleaning accommodations or driving a truck. “We know what it takes to get the job done,” Simpson said. With its rapid growth, Simpson said success has not been in the number of contracts it has won, but rather in the creation of opportunities for the community SEE CARVING ROADS| PAGE 8
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SEPTEMBER 2015
READY TO FUEL YOUR BUSINESS
PRINCE GEORGE BRANCH
OPEN NOW! 5426 D Continental Way, Prince George, BC V2N 5S5 Please join us at our Prince George location for our official grand opening! September 23 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Building roads through heavy snow requires special training CREDIT:DARLENE SIMPSON
CARVING ROADS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
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and in the building of positive and mutually beneficial relationships with industry leaders and stakeholders. “Our community is benefiting from economic growth and increased employment,” she said. “TVL is committed to training our youth, instilling good work ethics and providing on-the-ground experience.” She added that providing training and jobs has given her community’s young people a new level of self-confidence and independence. In an ABIC news release, Simpson said that when the initial owners of the Brucejack project, Silver Standard, came looking for workers for manual core cracking, a crew was put together with her husband, a few of their eight children and some young people from neighbouring First Nation villages. She said they looked for young adults with high energy so when the project manager demanded 20 boxes a day, the kids gave them 40 after only a week on the job. According to Simpson it was the youths’ competitive spirit from playing sports that had them working so hard. In the past, contracting agreements between TVL and Pretivm were verbal, honoured by a handshake. Simpson said that at the beginning of each of the past six years TVL and Pretivm had a discussion and shook hands to show their mutual respect and trust. TVL is proud of the relationship it has forged with Pretivm and grateful for its support. When TVL needed a loan to purchase more equipment Pretivm guaranteed a loan of $300,000 on a handshake with TVL promising to repay it in two months. The equipment was purchased and the loan paid back on time. TVL believes that if development in the region is to occur, it must be active in the process to ensure proper environmental monitoring and sustainable economic growth. It also wants to ensure that opportunities are maximized for TSKLH members and others living in the community of Smithers and Terrace. In her roles as Hereditary Chief and owner of TVL, Simpson ensures that development on her Nation’s territory and any work undertaken by TVL, honours Nation’s history, because the traditions relate to the Nation’s understanding of land tenure and territorial control. But sustained economic growth requires balance and constant innovation. Assessing industry needs is key to TVL’s growth. When it saw a need for special containers to store core samples, it designed and built them. When it saw a need for glacier management specialists, it knocked on
“We started with one project and one truck and did all the physical work ourselves.” CHIEF DARLENE SIMPSON OWNER
doors offering its expertise and acquired the machinery and training. Today, Chief Simpson said that TVL is the largest employer in Hazelton and, following in the path of the ancestors, it continues to allow the current generation to act as middlemen in the role of economic and social development for the aboriginal community in the region. Seeing that generation improving their health and life through training and job creation has been the most satisfying part of the venture for Chief Simpson. “We owe much of our success to the people we work with. They give 110 per cent to the job in time, commitment, professionalism and general work ethic.” She added that, though it has been hard letting things go, like not having enough time to follow traditional activities, her vision of the future is to see many contracting opportunities, jobs for families and youth, and a healthier community and, for herself, striking the right balance through optimism and opportunities. Tsetsaut Ventures Ltd is at Box 17 in Hazelton
9
SEPTEMBER 2015
CONSTRUCTION Construction industry builds momentum Forecasts have all levels of construction bringing renewed opportunities
Prince George Airport, YXS, gears up for growth with this brand new 25,000 sq ft cargo warehouse CREDIT:LINDSAY COTTER
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CONSTRUCTION
10 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
indications show non-residential and residential construction in BC adding investment and employment opportunities throughout the province. Projections have 2015 kicking off the increase with new projects in mining, infrastructure and liquefied natural gas (LNG); modest improvements in housing starts; and investment and employment growth in industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) building. Analysis of the data for 20142015 showed that the impact on oil price decline in Alberta has benefitted British Columbia by bringing skilled workers back to BC to fill the labour short fall. Northern BC will readily accept those workers as the provincial legislature takes a step closer to the start-up of the first LNG plant in the province through its recently passed Liquefied Natural Gas Project Agreements Act. The agreement, passed in July of this year, removed one of two final conditions. The proposed project, near Prince Rupert, has plans to create 4,500 construction jobs and will generate $9 billion in revenue in its first 10 years alone. Growth in this region is seeing expansion in vital infrastructure as well. At Prince George Airport an aggressive cargo program
“We’re seeing preparations starting with logging and road construction and large companies building camps and moving equipment onsite” KEN MORLAND DIRECTOR, BC CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION NORTH
has construction of a 25,000 sq ft cargo warehouse slated for completion in November, and preparation work for the north bank of the Site C dam has begun with contracts awarded for initial road preparation and building. Construction of the dam itself will contribute $130 million to the regional economy. Ken Morland, director for the BC Construction Association North, and branch manager for Sterling Crane, said that although commercial construction has slowed down recently, the region is poised and ready to see all levels of building dramatically increase.
“We’re seeing preparations starting with logging and road construction and large companies building camps and moving equipment onsite,” he said. “The region is waiting for the pipeline.” As the province also holds its collective breath waiting for the final go ahead on the pipeline and preparing for substantial industry growth, Bill Everitt, president, Southern Interior Construction Association, said that cities in the Okanagan region are seeing a good resurgence in large and medium size capital projects. “There’s new interest in the com mercia l side from mu lti density residential construction to large capital projects: like upgrades to hospitals, highway improvements and municipal infrastructure upgrades,” he said. “In Kelowna alone there are $90 million worth of upgrades.” The region, with its close proximity to northern BC and Alberta, boasts a more mobile population living in the Okanagan and working elsewhere. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation statistics show that, in Kelowna, declining inventories of completed and unsold homes, combined with a stronger resale market, has supported an increase in housing starts. Greg Baynton, president, BC Construction Association Vancouver Island, sa id that the SEE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY| PAGE 11
SEPTEMBER 2015
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CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Bill Everitt said the Okanagan is seeing a resurgence in large and medium sized capital projects
construction landscape in BC is changing, not just in commercial projects, but also in residential building. “On the island we’re seeing a decline in retail construction and more mixed use properties being built, with developers making better use of density, infilling downtown cores and upgrading existing properties.” He also said that commercial construction on the island has seen a decline year over year since 2012, but that the trend needs to be taken into historical context. “Prior to 2012, the construction industry reached historical highs with growth happening up and down the island. There were new malls built in Campbell River and UpTown in Victoria, plus the refitting of existing locations for new retail outlets like Target and West Marine in Nanaimo.” He added that the construction peaks came on the heels of the 2008 recession, when the government and public sector weren’t spending money, giving the industry a growth boost. “Now that we’ve reached new peaks we’re left with a vacuum in retail, especially as some of the American companies like Target and West Marine have left the Canadian market.” A lt hou g h reta i l m ay b e i n a lu l l t h i s ye a r, m i xe d-u se
development is not. In Victoria, Baynton said that twin towers composed of mixed use residential, office and retail space is being built by one of the biggest developers in BC in a partnership with the builders of the Concord Pacific, and the trend towards mixed use isn’t isolated to Vancouver Island. Com mu n it ie s t h ro u g ho ut the province are creating small town-centers that combine residential with retail, medical and other services. In both the Okanagan and on the island, developments include single and multi family dwellings, recreation and resort-style amenities. With the construction industry contributing 7.9 per cent to the province’s GDP, and capital costs of major infrastructure projects in BC hitting a record high in 2014 of $312 billion, Manley MacLachlan, president BC Construction Association, said that the construction sector is at the centre of the province’s growth. According to BuildForce BC, employment in BC’s construction industry will grow more rapidly than in other provinces between 2015 and 2024, a reverse of the 2010-2014 employment decline that saw increases in other provinces. In the early stages of this growth, expansion will focus on new utilities, mining, pipelines, LNG and other resource-based projects, with key trades reaching employment peaks in 2017-2018. In residential construction a
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11 modest and steady increase is projected for 2015 but it then will be followed by a moderate 10 per cent decrease up to the end of the report period of 2024. Gains in this sector will be seen in renovation and maintenance work with a 16 per cent increase in jobs. Approximately 39,400 construction workers are expected to retire over the next 10 years. Added to the 18,600 workers needed to meet demands created by increased construction, BC will need to train or attract 58,000 workers. Although BC’s built environment a nd prov i ncia l labou r force show comparatively strong SEE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY| PAGE 12
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SEPTEMBER 2015
Renovation and fit-out of The Douglas Building in Victoria CREDIT:JILLIAN MITCHELL
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Ken Morland said the region is poised and ready CREDIT:BCCANORTH
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
growth, the estimated demand for skilled workers will challenge employers, especially as new and unique projects demand a highly specialized skill set. Donna Lomas, regional dean Okanagan College, South Okanagan-Similkameen, said that it’s desirable to have training in highly specialized areas because of the shifting construction landscape. “Building codes are changing, not just in how things are built, but also in how the materials are used.” The Jim Pattison’s Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Building has recently attained its LEED Platinum certification
and is working towards a net zero level of energy consumption. It’s called a living building that Lomas said demonstrated how good design doesn’t have to cost a lot. She added that in the long run these kinds of buildings save money after construction in operating expenses. “Traditional trades are being challenged to look at how they can do things differently, more efficiently, with less waste and a lower footprint,” Lomas said, adding that it’s more than just recycling but also forward thinking and planning. She said that, with the increased awareness and desirability of a trade as a career, the college is seeing wait lists for their programming, especially in electrical, welding and technology. According to the BCAA 2015 BC Construction Industry Survey, the top ten trades employed are carpentry, electrical, concrete finishing, heavy equipment operation, plumbing, crane operation, welding, painting, HVAC, and metal fabrication. Within these trades the majority of workers have been in the industry for more than 25 years and are over 46 years of age. With an aging workforce, large proposed projects and a forward thinking mentality, BC and developers are looking to train apprentices. In 2015, respondents to the survey said they would be hiring at least 600 apprentices. Many cited reasons from preparing for the future to backfilling staff with young talent. The Skilled Trades Employment program gets skilled trades workers job-ready and helps transition staff from a non-skilled worker position to the trades. Created in 2006 by the BC Construction Association,
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Construction trends need to be taken in context said Greg Baynton
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
the program is looking forward to a rapidly growing province with a strong workforce.
BuildForce BC reported that, even after peak levels of activity have been reached, ongoing projects in ICI construction will sustain growth. That’s a positive outlook for a built BC.
15
SEPTEMBER 2015
BUSINESS BUILDS LEGACY FOR COMMUNITY
Attention to detail is All Pro’s hallmark All Pro built a reputation with commercial and industrial projects
P
RINCE GEORGE – Word gets out when a company has employees who have an eye for the detail, work hard, and are efficient with their time. For Mike Gallagher, owner of All Pro Plumbing and Heating Inc, that’s the way it should be. Letting his company’s work speak for itself is how the 41 year-old journeyman plumber has grown his company from a two-man operation to a successful business employing 20 workers, with a fleet of 16 vehicles and a 6000 sq ft building. “Mike is known in the community,” Kay Gallagher, wife and controller, said. “He has a great reputation for getting jobs done right.” Kay, who joined the company in 2013 as its controller, said that All Pro has seen an impressive 18 percent annual growth rate, adding that a large part of the success is Mike’s work ethic for himself and his employees. “He doesn’t do things halfway,” she said. “He’s diligent, sometimes working on weekends and late at night.” She added that all All Pro employees have that passion and commitment for doing jobs right.
CREDIT:KAY GALLAGHER
Mike doesn’t do things halfway KAY GALLAGHER CONTROLLER, ALL PRO PLUMBING & HEATING INC.
Creating the company in 2008 w ith one employee, brother Bryon, Gallagher grew its reputation on large commercial and industrial jobs like the A&B Hardware Outlet store a nd, through its service division, providing maintenance contracts to the University of Northern BC, Majestic Property Management, the City of Prince George and the University Hospital of Northern British Columbia. “Most of the company work involves larger contracts,” Kay said. “But four years ago we began to see demand and growth in our residential department.” In response to customer need, All Pro dedicated four of its experienced journeyman plumbers to residential service. “We create long term relationships with our residential
A new 6000 sq ft building houses offices, a bay and supply storage clientele,” she said. “If they have a renovation, a sink that is plugged or a toilet that won’t flush, All Pro can build it and fix it fast and at very reasonable rates.” Focusing on serving local clients, whether through large contracts or residential maintenance, is part of All Pro’s business strategy. It knows the market in the region and understands its unique environmental needs. It also is looking to attract young local talent willing to stay put
and work for the company over the long haul. Expansion and growth for Mike has to happen on his terms, however, and that means sensibly, with an eye on the fact that the future is hard to predict. Recently the company moved into its new 6000 sq ft building. Kay said that All Pro’s offices, service bay and supply storage take up only half of the building, leaving 3000 sq ft available for lease. And with three new apprentices, the company is ready and able to
continue growing and providing service to its long-term and new clientele. “We a re bu i ld i ng a legacy, earning a reputation for reliability in a competitive market,” she said. “Not just so we can pass on opportunities to our four children, but also to provide ongoing service to our clients and continued employment for our current workers and their families.” All Pro Plumbing & Heating Inc. is at 1904 Quinn St. in Prince George
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OFF THE COVER
SEPTEMBER 2015
D&S ELECTRIC LTD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
each project is completed on time and on budget. The company was founded by Don Erickson after he left the local sawmill due to health issues. Rather than return to the mill, he decided to start his own business. Like most new ventures, it had its share of hurdles to overcome in the early days. “I was known around town,” Erickson said. “I’d been in Williams Lake since 1964, so I knew a lot of people. I had a good wife who helped with whatever needed doing – and that helped a lot.” His first employee was his son, who called him while he was on vacation, telling him that he was planning on leaving the sawmill as well and working with his father. Erickson was dubious. Could father and son work together harmoniously? Brad said, “If you can change a little bit, dad, I can change too.” And it worked. The father-son team has worked well together for years and became partners in the business. In 1988, D&S Electric got a big break when it was awarded a contract from Chevron to do its cardlock. To handle the scope of the job, the company hired more employees. T he bigger jobs just kept coming. In 2000, D&S handled an entire Reman plant – and work continued to come in. Today, D&S Electric employs seven full time people in Williams Lake and four at the Tumbler Ridge division. Erickson said the company has been successful because it is very good at what it does. “We care about our customers. We aren’t here today and gone tomorrow. We’ve been in Williams Lake a long time. Our customers are also our friends.” Preeper said that customers get a lot of personal attention. D&S Electric also has its own in-house design/build team, offering oneon-one consultations that allow the company to lay out blueprints of exactly what the customer has in mind, making any necessary changes along the way. The company is also the only electrical company in the area that has a heavy-duty bucket truck with
From left to right: Geoff Carter, Chris Gillingham, Don Erickson, Kim Preeper and Natasha Oliver a 50-foot boom. D&S also gives very competitive pricing. T he compa ny serves ma ny commercial customers. It recently completed work on an Autism Centre in Williams Lake, and a Tourist Centre in Tumbler Ridge. It also works with many general contractors in Northern BC, developing new relationships and continuously working at strengthening the existing ones. “We get thank-you cards telling us what great employees we have,” Erickson said. “And clients mention how they clean up after themselves. That’s part of our business. When we go in and do a renovation, we do not leave anything lying around. Good housekeeping is very important.” The next step for D&S Electric is a bold move into the future. New owner, Dave Merry, plans to expand in Tumbler Ridge and into the neighbouring communities of Chetwynd, Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. “Dave is very well known in Tumbler Ridge,” Preeper said. “He is very well liked – and he loves that community. Dave also has a diverse team standing beside him and that ensures the
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D&S Electric handles commercial jobs as well as residences success of this company” She added that she has worked with Erickson for many years. “I want to see the company continue,” she said. “Don will always come and go here in the future.” She added that another Williams Lake employee, Geoff Carter, who she described as her “right hand man” is also eager to take the company into the future. She noted that D&S Electric will also continue to contribute to the community as it has in the past with sponsorships wherever and whenever it can. Preeper said that D&S Electric will always hold to the values instilled by Erickson at the beginning: putting the customer first and giving back to the community. “We’re def i n itely goi ng to grow,” she said. “This company is a big family – and it believes in our communities.” D&S Electric Ltd. is at 1130A Murray Drive in Williams Lake. www.dselectric.ca
D&S Electric recently completed the new Tumbler Ridge Visitor Centre
Dave Merry (left), Darian Beattie (middle) and Kyle Beattie (right)
17
SEPTEMBER 2015
QUESNEL CHAMBER CONNECTS WITH MEMBERS OVER LUNCH
QUESNEL WILLIAM LACY
I
n October of 2014, the Quesnel & District Chamber of Commerce implemented a new 12@12 lunch session. These unique lunch sessions have been used by Chambers of Commerce and other organizations as a way to reach out to the community and connect with business owners. Information discussed at the session can be used to guide policy development that can create positive change at municipal, provincial, and federal levels. We began planning the first 12@12 session last summer after our summer student, Megan Parisotto, reached out to other Chambers to learn more about policy development. The Chamber invites nine business owners, generally Chamber members, out to lunch and three Chamber representatives attend to facilitate the conversation and make notes. There are a few general talking
points to keep the conversation going but the group is encouraged to speak freely about their businesses and any challenges that they face. We take this opportunity to pass along any relevant information regarding the Chamber including benefits, opportunities, upcoming events, and current policy work. Our first session was considered a success by those who participated and we were able to pick out a couple of key issues that our businesses were facing. We focused on the retail sector and participants shared their views on the Chamber, why they feel it is important to be a member, and some obstacles for their businesses. Many felt that being a Chamber member gave them access to accurate information rather than rumors and that their membership helps to create a stronger voice for advocacy. We learned that many of our members are not familiar with several of the benefits offered through their membership and that we could improve on helping the businesses decide which benefits would fit their business and save them valuable time and money. Our members also shared challenges they face with acquisition of building permits and stringent bylaws that make it difficult to make improvements to their businesses. After the session, the Policy and Advocacy Committee took the time
Vigorous Housing Demand Unabated in August
to review the notes and consider the information. The issues have been brought forward to our local government and we have been able to get the businesses some feedback on the process and plans for improvements in the future. This past August we held our second 12@12 session. We decided to focus on Industry for this session and while it was quite different from our first one, the meeting was informative and productive. Rather than a question and answer session, a round table discussion occurred. Each organization discussed current operations, future plans, and challenges. Overall, the outlook from the meeting was positive. While each business has obstacles, they are moving forward and exploring creative ways to diversify, expand, and be successful in today’s economy. We plan to continue to hold these sessions in the future to continue to develop strong connections with the businesses in our community and stay up to date on the issues that face our businesses. In this way, we hope to further shape our policy development process and remain a strong voice for business in Quesnel and in the Province.
T
he British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 8,811 residential unit s a le s were re c ord e d b y t h e Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in August, up 20 per cent from the same month last year. Total sales dollar volume was $5.5 billion, a 32.8 per cent increase in comparison to the previous year. T he average M LS residential price in the province rose to $619,881, up 10.6 per cent from August 2014. “Housing demand continued at an elevated level in August,� sa id Cameron Muir, BCR E A Chief Economist. “More homes were sold i n B C du r i n g t he first eight months of the year than in the entire 12 months of 2012.� A total of 67,637 residential transactions were recording in 2012, compared to 70,617 year-to-date in August. “Ma ny BC reg ions a re now e x h i b i t i n g s e l l e r s ’ m a rk e t conditions, with home prices rising well above the overall consumer price index,� added Muir. Eight of the 11 BC real estate boards recorded a higher average home price than a year ago. T he year-to-date, BC resident i a l sa les dol l a r volu me
William Lacy is President and Chair of the Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached through qchamber@quesnelbc.com.
increased 35.9 per cent to $44.3 billion, when compared with the same period in 2014. Residential unit sales climbed by 22.4 per cent to 70,617 units, while the average MLSÂŽ residential price was up 11.1 per cent to $627,008.
Location chosen for new Primary Care Clinic in Quesnel
Q
UESNEL – Space on Front Street across from G.R. Baker Memoria l Hospita l has been secu red for t he new Q uesnel P r i m a r y Ca re Clinic. The primary care clinic is an important component of the region’s physician and health care recruitment strategy, and is expected to open in early 2016. “Having a location selected for the new primary care clinic in Quesnel is an important step in stabilizing primary care services in the community,� said Health Minister Terry Lake. “The i nterd iscipl i n a r y hea lt h ca re tea m and close proximity to the hospital, means this clinic can provide a strong network of services and supports for patients’ health.� #644 – 665 Front Street, the former location of M L A for Ca riboo North Coralee Oakes’ office, has been chosen from six applicants who responded to a request for proposals by Northern Health to house the new primary care cl i n ic i n Quesnel. T he cu rrent tenants have agreed to move out quickly, wh ich en abled Nor t her n Hea lt h to start accessing the space for further planning starting as of September 1. T w o p a r t-t i m e p h y s i c i a n s w h o a re a l ready establ ished i n Q uesnel will work out of the clinic once it is op erat ion a l, a long w it h two nu rse practitioners who have recently been recruited to the city. The physicians
a nd nu rse pract it ioners at t he pr ima r y ca re cl i n ic w i l l work w it h a n i nterd iscipl i na r y tea m, wh ich w i l l include mental health and addiction clinicians, pharmacists, dieticians, registered nurses and home support staff to provide high quality care to residents of Q uesnel. T h i s ty p e of work environment is attractive to primary care providers, which will help in Northern Health’s ongoing recruitment efforts. L o c a l gover n ment pa r t ners f rom the City of Quesnel and the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional District continue to be strong advocates in overall recruitment efforts. The City of Quesnel is offeri ng add itiona l benefits that will help support physicians and their fa m i l ies as they tra nsition i nto the community. T hese benefits include short-term accommodation for physicians and their families, and partnering with a local car dealership to offer each physician a personal vehicle for three months. “The City is a proactive partner in the recruitment and retention of physicians and medical professionals and has an active program to facilitate and ease the transition of medical professionals when they relocate to our community. The City will provide ongoing support to medical professionals and their families who live in Quesnel,� said Bob Simpson, Mayor of Quesnel.
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18
OFF THE COVER
SEPTEMBER 2015
HEALTH AND WELFARE TRUSTS
H
ealth and Welfare Trusts have been a rou nd for m a n y y e a r s , a n d a re now becoming an increasingly popular choice for providing medical coverage to employees – particularly in private companies. There can be significant tax advantages to using such a plan – both for the employer and the employee. The employer can save money on health insurance, and the employee can end up paying lower taxes. Designing an attractive benefits package can attract and retain desirable employees, and a Health and Welfare Trust can be a valuable tool. A Health and Welfare Trust is an administrative term used by Canada Revenue Agency to refer to a trust used to provide medical and health services to employees. As long as the services provided are restricted to group sickness or accident insurance plans, private health services plans and group term life insurance policies, Canada Revenue Agency allows the employer to deduct reasonable payments to the trust, and does not impose a taxable benefit on the employee. The trust is an “inter vivos” trust, which has to file an annual T3 trust return, and pays tax on any income earned in the trust at the highest personal tax
A Health and Welfare Trust is an administrative term used by Canada Revenue Agency to refer to a trust used to provide medical and health services to employees
Joyce Smith, President and CEO of JA Smith & Associates rates. This means that there are some costs involved with setting up the trust, and with annual tax filing, but they are typically minimal. There is no requirement that an independent trustee be hired - the employer can be the trustee. A Health and Welfare Trust can also be used as a private health services plan, similar to Blue Cross or other plans, whereby the trust pays the medical expenses of the employees directly, or reimburses employees for qualifying expenses. This course of action is attractive because when the trust is administering the plan, the administration costs involved in an outside private health services plan are not incurred. If employee privacy is a concern, an independent plan ad m i n istrator ca n be h i red,
typically for around 10 per cent of the claim amounts. The allowable medical expenses that a private health services plan can pay for are the same as the medical expenses that a taxpayer can deduct as medical expenses on their tax return. However, when a taxpayer claims medical expenses on their tax return, they receive a federal tax credit of 15 per cent of the medical expense, even though they may have paid tax on the money spent at a higher rate. This means that a non-taxable reimbursement will always be more attractive for an employee who is above the minimum tax bracket. In addition, the eligible medical expense amount is reduced by 3 per cent of the ta x payer’s net income, (to a maximum reduction of $2,152 for 2013). Most medical insurance plans have either a deductible or coi n s u ra n c e a m o u n t . W i t h a health and welfare trust, there is no requirement for either. This can be an additional att ra c t ion i f t h e e m ploye r i s trying to design a benefits package to attract and retain staff members. If you think you might benefit from a health and welfare trust, your accountant can help you determine the potential savings.
SEE RONA SETS SIGHTS| PAGE 18
and out-going, they know the majority of our clients by name, and that creates a very warm and welcoming environment. “The end result has been a lot of repeat business, we’re the ‘goto’ supplier for many companies in the area. Our deliveries are on-time, the service provided to each client is individualized, and we have the capacity to supply a wide range of project sizes, from small home renovations, to major undertakings like the University of Northern British Columbia’s Wood Innovation and Design Centre.” Despite ach iev i ng success within the contracting sector, RONA is not content to accept just one corner of the market; it’s now focused on building its brand with home and garden consumers. “Word-of-mouth has represented our biggest source of business to date,” says Beddome. “But our focus for the foreseeable future is on rounding out our customer base. The retail side of home improvement, renovations, landscaping and hardware represents a big growth opportunity for us; we’ve focused on increasing our presence and brand as much as possible outside of our traditional markets. “In order to grow the store’s visibility, it’s become a priority for us to have a constant presence in the community. We’ve
A view inside the RONA Prince George paint and interior finishing aisle taken steps like becoming a part of events like the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of Northern BC’s 2015 Home & Garden Show, sponsoring events throughout the region and making in-store investments to improve the retail experience for our customers. Momentum has been steadily building, and we’re excited about the reception we’ve received so far.” At the core of RONA Prince
George’s success is its corporate culture, something that Beddome has carefully fostered since taking over the General Manager role in 2013. “Being empathetic, and trying putting myself in the shoes of my team and the customers they serve has been critical to what we’ve achieved so far,” she says. “The impact of each decision is so far reaching, especially with a location of this size. That
really plays into how I approach everything from employee training programs to the atmosphere we create for the people coming through our door. “What we’ve built here, from the layout and product offerings to the way the staff engage with our customers, is a reflection of an environment that our own team would be comfortable in, and receptive to. I think this approach is unique to the industry,
J.A. Smith & Associates Inc. is a team of dedicated professionals who provide reliable accounting, financial management and tax services to businesses and individuals. They can be reached at 1-800-343-6133.
and the response that we’ve been seeing over the past few months is a validation that we’re heading in the right direction.” Beddome is in the process of becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and joined the store in 2010, shortly after it had rebranded to RONA Prince George. Before rebranding, the store was formerly known as Irly Bird Building Supplies. Her first role with the company was in accounts receivable (AR), and she rose through the ranks quickly, eventually taking over the General Manager position. Beddome is also a member of the CHBA Northern BC Board of Directors. “T his job has been incredibly rewarding,” she says. “The business has grown significantly since the rebrand, and it’s been a great opportunity for me to bring a distinctive perspective to an industry where there aren’t many woman in leadership roles.“ Outside of day-to-day business, RONA Prince George is heavily involved in supporting the surrounding community. They have partnered with the BC SPCA North Cariboo District Branch, the Prince George Cancer Centre, the Baldy Hughes Addiction Treatment Centre, and a wide variety of minor sports teams. The company was also recognized at the 2010 Outstanding Retailer Awards in the Outstanding Community Leader category. www.rona.ca
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SEPTEMBER 2015
NORTHERN STEEL: EVOLVING TO SERVE AN EXPANDING MARKETPLACE SPOTLIGHT
Prince George’s Northern Steel Ltd., has become Northern British Columbia’s premier metal fabrication facility
P
RINCE GEORGE – Founded as a basic metal fabricating shop serving the forest industry more than 35 years ago, Prince George’s Northern Steel Ltd. has grown and evolved into one of the province’s most technologically advanced custom steel manufacturing facilities. Today’s Northern Steel Ltd. serves a global client base across an expanding range of industry sectors. “Northern Steel Ltd. started in 1977. It began as a small fabrication shop run by my Uncle (Fritz Hausot) and my Father (Willi Hausot). Its focus was largely related to small scale fabrication, primarily for the sawmill sector which was abundant in Prince George at the time,” explained current company President Eduard Hausot. “Very quickly they learned that the forestry industry is very cyclical – the ups are very up and the downs are very down and quite negative. So they made every effort to diversify the company, and at the time there was considerable pulp and paper and mining activity in the region. Their backgrounds were in the trades, as machinists and welders trained in Europe. With their hard work ethic, they essentially went out and developed market niches in those areas. That was the beginning of the company expanding into newer markets,” he said. “By the early 1980s Northern Steel Ltd. was doing a significant amount of work in non-forestry
Prince George’s Northern Steel has a staff of approximately 70, depending on the number and complexity of projects underway
“We are still what I would call a familyrun, relationshipdriven shop. We still have those ‘hand shake’ values and the work ethic that goes with it.” EDUARD HAUSOT
SEE NORTHERN STEEL| PAGE 21
INDUSTRIAL
Northern Steel has created projects for a number of different sectors over the years, such as this turret screw for a pulp mill
Congratulations to Eduard and the entire team at Northern Steel Ltd. We are proud to work with you and we look forward to many more years.
www.chaseautobodysupplies.com www.chaseautobodysupplies.com
250.563.1789
250.563.1789 | www.chaseautobodysupplies.com
21
SEPTEMBER 2015
NORTHERN STEEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
related sectors, which brought with it the opportunity for the company to expand its skill set into more demanding fabrications that came with that type of work. They expanded into the mining, pulp and paper, and chemical sectors where the fabrication and welding typically involves a combination of carbon steel, stainless steel, and a variety of different metals and alloys such as titanium, aluminum and copper, so the company had to expand its knowledge and experience over the years to be able to service these markets. In addition to this, there was an added niche focus for pressure components, pressure vessels and other sophisticated projects. For the forest sector these are not typical types of fabrication projects.”
Housed within a 55,000 square foot facility on Milwaukee Way, Northern Steel produces a vast range of industrial products
On the shop floor, Northern Steel has an overhead crane with a capacity of 20 tons, allowing for the movement of large objects
SEE NORTHERN STEEL| PAGE 22
The manufacture of products large and small can be routinely carried out thanks to the company’s computerized milling machines
We are pleased to send our Best Wishes to Everyone at Northern Steel
Proud to Proud to meet meet the the needs needs of of Northern Northern Steel. Steel. Congratulations and all C ongratulations EEduard duard a nd a ll tthe he tteam! eam! • Sandblasting - Coating – Rubber Lining Services • Servicing BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan • www.spencecorrosion.com • 780) 955-3039 1601 Central St, Prince George, BC 250-563-3641 or 1-800-225-8247
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Congratulations Northern Steel on all of your success!
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22
SEPTEMBER 2015
Projects small and complex, and projects vast such as this enormous shroud cover, have all come from Northern Steel’s shop floor
NORTHERN STEEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
Northern Steel Ltd. is housed in a 55,000 square foot facility located at 9588 Milwaukee Way in Prince George, BC. “While we have definitely grown over the years, we are still located in one physical plant here in Prince George. Our fabrication and welding shop now sits on over 10 acres and has 70 ton overhead
crane capacity, and we have recently expanded our machine shop to 10,000 square feet with 20 ton overhead crane capacity,” he explained. “We are now in business for almost 40 years and we are continually expanding and looking for new markets, but we are still what I would call a family-run, relationship-driven shop. We still have those ‘hand shake’ values and the work ethic that goes with it.”
For Hausot, who grew up in the metal fabricating business, it was natural and inevitable that he would be drawn to the field. “I grew up as a little kid peering over my Dad’s shoulder looking at blueprints when I was about eight or nine years old. I ended up working my summer jobs at Northern Steel each year, first inventorying steel and then working on the shop floor beside the tradesmen as a helper.” Fueled by a love for engineering
Always proud to supply the needs of Northern Steel Ltd.
and construction he went on to ea rn a Structu ra l Eng i neering degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC). “I left Northern Steel for about 9 years to pursue engineering, first in building bridges around BC and then in industrial and commercial construction with a large engineering firm in Edmonton. After completing my MBA during my time in Alberta, I came back to Northern Steel in 2004 as the company’s General
Congratulations to Northern Steel Ltd on all of your success! 2266 S. Nicholson St Prince George, BC
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Manager. I had always wanted to come back to Northern Steel as it’s been a family-involved business all the way.” After working his way through the organization, Hausot became President in 2012. Today Northern Steel Ltd. manufactures a wide range of sophisticated steel projects, many for the Western Canadian SEE NORTHERN STEEL| PAGE 23
Advanced Industrial Group
A proud partner of Northern Steel Ltd 630 - 3rd Ave, Prince George, BC
250-564-7599
www.advancedindustrialgroup.com
23
SEPTEMBER 2015
Steel tanks and pressure vessels are a large part of the output at Northern Steel, such as this large chemical storage tank
The design and building of complex piping system are another example of the type of projects regularly handled by the company
NORTHERN STEEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22
oil and gas sector. “These days we do a considerable amount of work in the chemical industries that support the pulp and paper industry and more recently over the last 15 or 20 years we have been quite heavily focused on the oil and gas sector, particularly in Northern Alberta,” he said. “For instance we are currently working on some major projects for the Fort McMurray area in Northern Alberta. Right now we are building a large component that weighs in the range of about 85,000 pounds. It’s a cylindrical vessel with a special lining from Germany. The oil sands tend to be very abrasive so we use a special chromium carbide abrasionresistant liner to resist the heavy abrasion from the oil sands.” With a staff of approximately 70, Northern Steel Ltd. is involved in a wide range of custom fabrication, welding and machining projects. “We fabricate tanks, pressure vessels, heavy plate work, structural steel, alloy
steel – all custom work. It depends on the contract. Often we will be provided the design for whatever component that we are fabricating for the end user, either through an engineering firm or an EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) contractor. But we also do inhouse design. We have engineering capabilities and we have designed some fairly large and complex vessels – up to 180,000 pou nds single piece weight. Large, heavy plate work, pump boxes and such for the mining industry.” But don’t let the size of these large projects lead you to believe that Northern Steel Ltd. only works on large, complex components. “Many of our projects are small to medium sized jobs as well, we do it all. In addition to this, we have our own on-site sandblasting and painting facilities which allow us to control all aspects of the work to ensure that we meet the customer’s expectation for quality and delivery,” said Hausot. The days of pouring over hand drawn plans and blueprints are
qua i nt rel ics of the past for Northern Steel Ltd. as the company was an early embracer of the latest in computer-based desig n a nd m a nu factu r i ng. “Ever y t h i ng we do i s modeled in 3D Solid Works, right in our engineering and project management department. The equipment in the shop has changed significantly over the past 35 plus years as well. In addition to our 30+ welding stations which support the latest in welding technology, we now run large submerged arc welding gantries for our heavy welding. We have also been working with robotic welding for over 10 years, allowing us to weld repetitive parts very efficiently to ensure identical product quality every time. High quality welding is one of our specialties. We have also recently invested in large CNC (computer numerical control) plate rolls, allowing us to tackle some of the heavy rolling jobs that much more efficiently and accurately,” he said. The investment in the future doesn’t stop there, Hausot explained. “In order to support our
fabrication shop, as well as our local mills and long term customers, we have just completed a major upgrade of our machine shop.” With the addition of some of the largest CNC machining capacity north of the Lower Mainland, Northern Steel Ltd’s 10,000 sq ft machine shop can handle virtually any machining job that is asked of them. The addition of our new CNC machines compliments our large conventional machining equipment. We can now machine repetitive CNC parts as well as equipment rebuilds and large machined components all under one roof.” For Hausot, the future of the company’s growth is linked to the potential of the province’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry. “We are looking to break into new markets all the time and there is no doubt that the LNG industry could be a game changer, and we have worked hard to be ready for it. Diversification has always been a key part of the company’s strategy right from the beginning - it was my Uncle’s vision. He started the company, and his ability to see where to take the company helped diversify us,” he said. Hausot is optimistic for the provincial economy and of the future for his company. “Hopefully the future will see the LNG
Congratulations Northern Steel on your continued success, we are proud to provide our steel detailing services
Office Number: (250) 563-9964 • Fax: (250) 563-5648 Address: 983 Vancouver Street, V2L 2P6, Prince George, BC
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industry take off. Hopefully we’ll see an improvement in oil prices and commodity prices in order to support those resource sectors. If mining and oil and gas are busy and if LNG takes off I think we are going to have a bright outlook. The biggest thing to remember is that Northern Steel is a very well established, very diverse company. We enjoy servicing multiple sectors, we excel at taking on the challenges of difficult projects, specialty projects, and schedule-driven projects, and our focus is on the resource sectors of Northern British Columbia and Alberta. We hope to see those sectors strong, alongside the development of even newer markets,” he said. “We are looking forward to the future. It is a case of taking what we have learned from the past, along with the diversification that we have worked hard to pursue, and taking on the next generation of technology and expanding our shop into new areas. Our management and our experienced trades people are very interested in being on the leading edge of our industry.” www.northernsteelltd.com
24
MOVERS & SHAKERS
SEPTEMBER 2015
PRINCE RUPERT
across British Columbia. Mike Redmile is the new General Manager of Quesnel Toyota. He brings 26 years of experience.
The cost of repair for the roof at the Lester Centre of the Arts has decreased in cost from the City of Prince Rupert’s original $250,000 estimate, to a new figure of $144,000. The development is expected to be finished this year.
The University of Northern British Columbia’s Quesnel campus is now offering a Certificate in General First Nations Studies, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in First Nations Studies.
DP World has confirmed the completed acquisition of Fairview Terminal in Prince Rupert.
would receive $17,500 for the exterior building renovations from its Canada 150 Infrastructure fund.
Local mariners might notice increased activity around the site of the proposed LNG terminal on Lelu Island. Pacific NorthWest LNG is collecting environmental data that will help its engineers design the facility
Seven new family practitioners and two specialists are expected from the start of the year to September, offset by the loss of three family doctors, and one specialist. Dr. Shiva Tayebi, began working in the community Aug. 10. Three new doctors—Dr. Hamid Sadri, Dr. Wea’am Abbas, and Dr. Inthuja Nanda—will start Sept. 1 and Dr. Fola Olajide and Dr. Abi Olajide, will start on Sept. 15.
FORT ST JOHN
BC Hydro has plans to replace rocks used in W.A.C. Bennett Dam. The project is one of ten to be done at the dam and is expected to be completed in 202O. They are currently replacing turbine runners at the cost of $170-million. Gateway Plaza is set to begin construction this month, located along Alaska Road South and 111th Street, and plans to be open this winter. It will accommodate up to 8 businesses including Burger King, owned and operated by local realtor, Trevor Bolin and Gateway Fuels under Esso. MP Bob Zimmer recently announced the Fort St. John North Peace Museum
DAWSON CREEK
Dawson Creek’s grain elevator/ art gallery has begun its $1.2 million upgrade project including replacement of the buildings siding, windows and electrical components. Completion is scheduled for November. The Peace River Regional District issued $17.8 million in building permits. Of the 61 permits approved,
PRINCE GEORGE
John Kurjata
Dennis Armitage
four commercial permits totalling $3.4 million and two industrial permits at about $2.5 million were in the North Peace region.
SMITHERS
Work is underway on the upgrades to Memorial, Kin’s Arenas and the Curling Rink. The City of Dawson Creek awarded the contract to Trane Northwest. Northern Lights College has announced the appointments of John Kurjata and Dennis Armitage to chair and vice-chair, respectively. Kurjata is replacing outgoing chair Karen Simpson, while Armitage is taking over the vice-chair position from Kurjata.
The Hofsink family, owners of Smithers Lumber Yard Ltd, have celebrated 50 years in business.
MyBizDay is happening at the Prince George Civic Centre on October 7th. Industry experts will discuss Small business resources, Market research, Digital marketing, Technology at work, Accounting and Overcoming business challenges. White Spot has opened at 820 Victoria Road. Central St. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory celebrated their grand opening at 651 Central Street.
Total Pet is now open at 1323 Main Street. They offer pet foods, supplies and agricultural feeds.
Eureka Carty is the new Education Coordinator for PGCA and BCCA North.
QUESNEL
TERRACE
Dunrovin Park Lodge celebrated its 40 year anniversary. Barkerville Brewing has announced that a seasonal ale, previously available in limited quantities at the brewery taproom, is now available
Sheila Love has become the broker manager of the Terrace Remax Coast Mountains office which also owns the Prince Rupert office. John Evans will continue on as broker manager in SEE MOVERS & SHAKERS | PAGE 25
MOVERS & SHAKERS
SEPTEMBER 2015
MOVERS & SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24
Prince Rupert. The City of Terrace has welcomed Danielle Myles as its new Economic Development Manager. The newly-renovated Shoppers Drug Mart, located in the Park Avenue Medical Clinic, celebrated its grand re-opening.
WILLIAMS LAKE
The Ministry of Advanced Education will provide Thompson Rivers University with one-time funding of $154,000 to deliver a proposed new Sustainable Ranching Enterprise Diploma program in Williams Lake.
WILLIAMS LAKE Williams Lake Thompson Rivers University will begin British Columbia›s first Sustainable Ranching Enterprise Diploma program in January through one-time funding from the provincial government. The Ministry of Advanced Education will be providing $154,000 for the delivery of the program, which will see an estimated intake of 20 students.
Hawkair and Gingolx sign aviation agreement Gingolx Enterprises Ltd (GEL) the Business arm of Gingolx Village Government and Hawkair Aviation Ltd. announced they have entered into a joint venture agreement to provide aviation services to organisations doing business within the Nisga’a Territory and beyond. “Air transportation is a key cause and factor in economic growth and employs a large number of highly trained people” commented President Les Clayton of GEL “This agreement allows us to capture the economic benefits for the good of the region as opposed to them flowing outside
The Williams Lake RCMP Detachment has welcomed Milo MacDonald as its new Inspector, replacing former Inspector Warren Brown.
KITIMAT
The Hirsch Creek Golf and Winter Club has been given a $60,000 advance from Kitimat Council, on an agreement that the District will acquire surplus lands surrounding the golf course.
of British Columbia with other carriers.” “We are very excited to offer training and employment opportunities to the Nisga’a
Village of Gingolx and members from the Nisga’a Nation,” said Jay Dilley, President Hawkair “we’re proud to be taking a long term approach to helping build our
communities together.” Hawkair provides daily scheduled service to people in Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Dawson Creek and Terrace and is one of the largest employers in the region, contributing millions of dollars to the local economy. “Hawkair has long been a major supporter of our communities,” added Franklin Alexcee, Chief Councillor of Gingolx “we are proud to be working with a northern company that contributes in a respectful manner to building a prosperous future.”
$548,187 in oil and gas land sales The September 2015 natural gas and petroleum rights sale resulted in $548,187.33 in bonus bids. On Sept. 9, 2015, 12 parcels were sold, covering 5,522 hectares with an average price of $99.27 per hectare. The highest bids per hectare
were for two drilling licences in the Tommy Lakes area, about 165 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John. The parcels collectively earned $418,617.04 in tender bonus, both at an average price of $251.12 per hectare. Drilling licences provide the
exclusive right to explore for petroleum and natural gas by drilling wells and are acquired by the successful bidder at the Crown sale. Primary terms are three, four or five years depending on location. Leases provide the exclusive right to produce petroleum and natural gas.
They are acquired by the successful bidder at the Crown sale, or selected from permits and drilling licences. Primary terms are five or 10 years, depending on location. The next sale, scheduled for Oct. 7, 2015, will offer 12 parcels covering 9,178 hectares.
LOCAL REALTORS SPEAK AT LUNCHEON
The Brick’s new location has opened for business in the former location of Zellers in Boitanio Mall. The provincial government will be contributing $5.88 million dollars to building a new location for the Cariboo Fire Centre. The new location will include a one-storey, 22,000-squarefoot main building and three upgraded out buildings, with expected completion in fall of 2016.
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SMITHERS HEATHER GALLAGHER
A
recently donated grant will help a local charity and families throughout the North. The Bulkley Valley Child Development Centre has received $95,954 from Variety. The grant is about one tenth of the CDC’s total fundraising goal. As a thank you for the grant money, the CDC will be renaming their family resource room after Variety.
■■■ Chamber Manager Heather Gallagher w i ns a prov i ncia l essay contest: Over the past couple months the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce conducted a Rural/Urban Essay Contest. The topic was around the significant shift from rural living to urban over the past few decades. The exponential growth in BC’s urban centres has left only 20 per cent of the population to produce and extract the raw goods from our seven natural resources. Some of these resources provide for the direct needs of the Urban and Rural populations, while most resources are exported, helping pay for the imported wants and needs of both. The essay content was to address if this trend is sustainable, and how do we educate urbanites on the balance and perceived dichotomy between urban values and BC’s
resource-based economy? I f a nyone i s i ntere s te d i n reading it here’s the link to the fi rst a nd second place w i nners’ articles. http://www.bcchamber.org/news-events/ rurals-urbans-contest ■■■ As Vancouver housing is nearing the worst levels ever recorded in Canada: The Smithers District Chamber of Commerce dedicated its monthly luncheon to the topic featuring local realtors who came in and talked about the local real estate market, the regional market and the impact of the lower mainland markets. The Chamber and local businesses can take this information and incorporate it in recruitment ads and promotional material to showcase northern assets. ■■■ At the July 23, 2015 meeting of the Board of Directors, the
Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) through passing of a motion confirmed the intention of implementing a region wide cardboard ban on July 1, 2016. This means that beginning July 1, 2016 cardboard will no longer be accepted for disposal as garbage at any RDBN solid waste management facility including landfill or transfer station. ■■■ The Smithers District Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome its newest Ch a mber members: Canadian Helicopters, Bulkley Adventures, Smithers Subway and Studio 16 Kitchen+Bath+Lighting. Heather Gallagher is Manager of the Smithers District Chamber of Commerce. She can be contacted at heather@smitherschamber.com.
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OPINION
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SEPTEMBER 2015 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
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, David Holmes WEBSITE | John MacDonald, john@businessexaminer.ca
MENTORS PROVIDE VALUABLE INPUT AND INSIGHT ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS Businesses needs premises, so doesn’t it make sense - and cents - to have your company own the building and property it needs to operate? MARK MACDONALD
A
n essential ingredient in the recipe to success is hard work. Over the yea rs, I’ve i nterviewed many business owners, a nd ha rd work is a com mon theme for every one of them. So, too, are mentors, as in the people who have encouraged them to reach out and be the best they can be. Here are some of the inspirational quotes and examples that these accomplished individuals have shared with me, when I asked them not only about their secrets to success, but about the people who helped them get there. - “Never get greedy. If you’re making your margin, don’t try
to make more and more from the same customer, or they’ll go somewhere else.” - On t he book “T h i n k a nd Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, one f r iend g lea ned t h i s: “A lot of people hate rich people. Therefore, they’re doomed to be poor the rest of their life. Do you know why? Because you can’t become what you hate, and if you became rich, you’d hate yourself. If you want to be rich, find out what rich people do.” - “T he nu mber one ru le i n business is own the dirt”, as in: buy real estate. Busi nesses need prem ises, so doesn’t it make sense – and cents – to have your company
own the building and property it needs to operate? At the very least, when it comes time to sell or retire, that real estate could be paid for, and can produce revenue for you many years in the future. - Own the dirt. One gentleman shared how his mother told him when he was a teenager that he was going to “buy a lot”. As in, purchase a piece of property, and pay for it with his paper route money. Although he didn’t understand why at the time, he wisely heeded his mother’s advice (not sure if that was an option), and he says that over the years, that initial piece of property has been re-mortgaged several different times for other transactions as he expanded his business holdings. - “Never get emotionally attached to your assets”. - “Don’t be afraid of hiring people who are smarter than you. Just keep an eye on them.: He was also inspired by the words of Jimmy Pattison, who told him: “The toughest part of his life’s work has been driving the mediocrity out of his organization.”
- Join successful organizations like the Chamber and Rotary. Filled with experienced, successful individuals, they offer wonderful opportunities to glean and learn. “ I w e n t to R o t a r y to b e a sponge and absorb information from them. It’s been a great group to belong to,” noted a very successful businesswoman. A not her gent lem a n p ut it this way, as a mentor told him: “You’ve got to join Rotary. I said I didn’t have time, and he said ‘you can’t afford to not have time for Rotary. Trust me on this.’ I spent quite a few years in Rotary. Can you imagine what the community would be like without groups like that?” - “ D on’t tel l p e ople wh at you’re going to do. Show them.” “It’s a pretty basic statement, but it kind of had a lot of impact because it represented who he was,” he says. “T hat was powerful to me. I’m surprised how many times I’ve told that to people over the years, and kept myself in check with it.” - The influence of parents. Parents are often listed as key motivators and inspirers, but this one man found that in a
different way. His dad inspired him because “I heard him talk about either buying another home as an investment property. I’ve often thought about the difference it would have made in his life if he did it, because he didn’t do it. “I am highly motivated because of that,” he adds. “My dad believed in the concept, wanted to do it, but for whatever reason, he didn’t do it. Choices are so important, and there are longterm impacts for action or inaction. Until you do something, it’s just talk. Action is the only thing that is going to make it happen. - Ta k e t i m e to t h i n k a n d strategize. One man spoke warmly of a boss he served for 25 years. “He taught me how to think and strategize in business. I’d be working away in the office, and he’d be just sitting there, thinking. His ability to see the forward was amazing. When the 1981 crash came, he was ready for it. He could see it coming.” All of these suggestions, and many more, offer “freebies” that make the path to success a little bit clearer.
PIPELINES ARE THE SAFEST WAY TO SHIP OIL Rail is more than 4.5 times more likely to experience a spill
KEN GREEN
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ragic accidents, such as the recent rupture of a Nexen oilsands pipeline southeast of Fort McMurray, should not detract from the fact that pipelines are the safest way to transport oil and gas. Such accidents are unfortunate and regrettable. This recent accident has stoked concerns, particularly from pipeline opponents, about the safety of oil and gas pipelines. Oil and gas pipelines, however, are a critical piece of Canada’s energy infrastructure, moving more than 2.4 billion barrels of oil and gas in 2013 alone. A recent Fraser Institute study used data from govern ment
But perhaps the most telling statistic regarding pipeline safety is that 99 per cent of pipeline occurrences from 2003 to 2013 didn’t damage the environment
sources to determine whether pipelines or rail were safer for transporting oil and gas. The study focused on the number of occurrences or accidents per million barrels of oil and gas transported. The result was clear. Both rail and pipelines are quite safe, but pipelines are without a doubt the safest way to transport oil and gas. Fewer incidents In every year from 2003 to 2013, pipel i nes ex perienced fewer occurrences per million barrels of oil equivalent transported than did rail. Overall in this period, rail experienced 0.227 occurrences per million barrels of oil equivalent transported compared to 0.049 for pipelines. This means that rail is more than 4.5 times more likely to experience an occurrence. A d d i t i o n a l d a t a o n p i p eline safety from the national Transportation Safety Board a lso ca l ls i nto quest ion t he often worst-case scenario rhetoric that surrounds pipeline debates. Consider that 73 per
cent of pipeline occurrences result in spills of less than one square metre, and 16 per cent of occurrences result in no spill whatsoever. The vast majority of pipeline occurrences - more than 80 per cent - also don’t occur in the actual line pipe. Rather, they happen in facilities that are more likely to have secondary containment mechanisms and procedures. But perhaps the most telling statistic regarding pipeline safety is that 99 per cent of pipeline occurrences from 2003 to 2013 didn’t damage the environment. Ignoring the facts Debates about pipeline expansion often ignore these realities. But make no mistake, transporting oil and gas by rail has been booming in the absence of new pipelines. According to the Energy Information Administration, annual exports of oil by rail to the United States in 2010 amounted to a measly 42,000 barrels of oil. Fast forward five years to 2014 and that number spiked to 42 million barrels of oil. T hese
numbers will continue to rise if new pipelines are not built. So while pipelines may attract much of the attention, rail too is not without its share of accidents. A string of events this year led to new regulations, which may provide little additional benefit, seeing as many of the newly required safety measures existed before the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. In both Canada and the United States, rising oil and natural gas production necessitates the expansion of our transportation capacity. Yet proposed pipelines linger in regulatory limbo, facing stiff opposition and little political support, best exemplified by the premiers national energy strategy, which managed to barely gloss over Canada’s pipeline conundrum. On the mode of transport, the choice is clear. It should be the safer one - pipelines. Kenneth P. Green and Taylor Jackson are co-authors of the Fraser Institute study Safety in the Transportation of Oil and Gas: Pipelines or Rail? Available at www.fraserinstitute.org
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, 2015. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240
SEPTEMBER 2015
SOUTH CARIBOO\LAW\SALES
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PATENT FILING STRATEGIES FOR INVENTIONS THE INTOUCHABLES LAW
Learning from mistakes is often the greatest gift that guides great leaders
There is not one size that fits all
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he patent filing strategy that our office may recommend will depend upon the circumstances of the client seeking the advice and may be modified in response to changing circumstances. There is not one size that fits all. To illustrate the concept of patent filing strategy, we will describe the circumstances of one particular client. The client contacted us when a machine that he was building was nearing completion. At that stage he was not sure where there was a market for the machine and had not had an opportunity to test the machine to ensure it would work as intended. However, within a week, the machine was to be running and he was going to be putting information up on his website and contacting representatives of companies he thought might have an interest, some of which were outside of North America. We advised him that public disclosure prior to filing for a patent would result in loss of patent rights in many countries; only a small number of countries, including Canada, the United States and Australia, allow a patent to be filed after public disclosure has taken place. The machine was complicated and he did not have drawings. Given the imminent public disclosure, our first patent filing recommendation was that a series of photographs be taken of the machine and a U.S. “provisional” patent application be filed to preserve his patent rights in foreign countries. We advised him that he would then have up to 12 months to file further patent applications claiming priority from his first filing. Approximately 10 months later, we followed up with him to see how things were progressing with
SALES JOHN GLENNON Michael Cooper and Doug Thompson of ThompsonCooper LLP
The International Search Report and Written Opinion indicated that the patent application did in fact satisfy the criteria for patentability the marketing of his invention. He advised that he had sold three machines: one to Australia, one to Europe and one to the United States. He felt that he could sell more machines if he could reduce manufacturing costs, and he was exploring manufacture in China. In view of this information, our second patent filing recommendation was that an International Patent Application be filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). We advised him that a PCT Patent Application would preserve his ability to obtain a patent in approximately 150 member countries for a total of 30 months, as calculated from the date of filing of the U.S. provisional patent application. We further advised him that he would receive an International Search Report with a Written Opinion that would be an indication of whether his patent application met the basic criteria for obtaining a patent (being whether
the idea is the right sort of subject matter, and is both new and unobvious). At the end of 30 months, he would have to decide in which of the 150 countries he wished to pursue patent protection. The International Search Report and Written Opinion indicated that the patent application did in fact satisfy the criteria for patentability. As the 30 month deadline draws near, we have been in touch with him to determine in which countries he wishes to have “national entry” of his international patent application. Manufacturing is now taking place in China. At this stage, some major companies have shown interest in not only purchasing machines, but also purchasing his patent rights. Large companies move slowly and they are unlikely to act before 2017. Unfortunately, his deadline for filing national patent applications is sooner. In view of this information, our third patent filing recommendation is that patent filings be limited to preserve the financial resources he needs for having more machines built, while keeping alive the prospect of a sale of his patent rights to a large company in 2017. We have received instructions to complete “national entry” of his patent application in three countries, which happen to be the three countries where the large companies that have expressed interest are located.
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he subject of leadership is more of a topic for many of our clients as opposed to management. It reveals a new awakening for many people who want to adjust how they guide their organizations to greater success. Leadership is a tricky topic because there is a distinct line between it and the traditional management role. My personal observation when working with leaders versus managers is their ability to know themselves first, as well as their people. They are in touch with both in a way that is completely different from the management role. Many a leadership expert notes that vision is a key element for leadership however most are not born with the innate gift but it is rather a learned skill. What does one need to work on to build their visionary abilities? The answer could easily fill several books and it’s important that we be able to look at ourselves and know to what degree we have it and what we need to expand it. Leaders see the big picture. Ma ny ma nagers see the i mmediate and the things that will achieve goals in the next days, weeks, and months. Leaders go beyond the immediate and think in terms of years. They master the context of time and make the purpose of their people and the organization bigger than is
obvious and engage others to get behind it. Maybe most important, they know themselves. Most leaders watch themselves closely and are aware of what they do and how it affects others. Learning from mistakes is often the greatest gift that guides great leaders. They don’t hide from their missteps but use them to help others. Mistakes allow them to forge new paths that may have been missed if they hadn’t learned a lesson from the experience. Adapting to these changes is the very essence of leadership. Most leaders are competent communicators. That is different than being a great orator. I have noted hundreds of times that regardless of the role or situation, when things go badly, typically the root of the problem is poor communication. How many times have we intended one thing and it’s been received very differently. Clear communication is the mark of a true leader. They take the time to talk, to ask questions, to listen, and to understand. It is a skill that must be learned if you want to be a leader. 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
FRESH THINKING, EXPEDITING CHANGE The amount of insight and ideas that these speakers brought to the group could fill a room.
SOUTH CARIBOO SHELLY MORTON
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resh Thinking, Expediting Change was the cover page of the British Columbia
Chamber Executive Conference which was held in West Kelowna September 9 th -12 th . Chamber Managers and Executives from around the province gathered to take in the experience of the conference. For me, as a new Chamber Executive Director, the Ma nagement 101 cou rse
with Deb McClelland, the Executive Director of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, was full of information on how to be a successful manager in the day to day governance and workings of the office. It was just the jump start needed going forward with strategic planning for the coming year. Participants gathered to discuss and share ideas that helped their Chamber succeed and what worked best for their towns and cities. Networking with other Chambers, Local levels of Government, Municipalities, Regional Districts, First Nation Communities and Small Business Owners was a great topic of discussion and a key to many successful economic development plans.
Guest speaker Jeff Torrans presented “Crossing the Terror Barrier” – What Change Looks Like in You. An entertaining hour of how a person may push themselves out of their “Comfort Zone”. Evolv i n g t he Memb ersh ip Model: We were delighted with five guest speakers, David Lynn - President & CEO of Canada West Ski Areas Association, Fiona Famulak - President of Vancouver Regional Construct ion A sso ciat ion , L isa Niemetscheck - General Manager of Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, Laura Miller - Executive Director of Today’s BC Liberals, and Iain Black - President & CEO of The Vancouver Board of Trade. The amount of insight and ideas that these speakers
brought to the group could fill a room. I feel very fortunate to have attended the conference and hopefully will be able to brush on more specifics of the conference in future correspondence. I am planning to bring everything back to the South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce and have some wonderful plans and ideas for next year and for all of our members. Shelly Morton is Executive Director of the South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce, which covers from Clinton to Lac La Hache, including 100 Mile House. She can be contacted at manager@scariboochamber.org or 250-395-6124.