Profiles of Excellence November 2020

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE

T

he North Shore is a vibrant community with a full array of business, entertainment, cultural and recreational opportunities in a relatively compact area. Our diversified business community includes major port terminals, ship repair facilities, industrial areas, waterfront business parks, along with an impressive mix of small businesses – retail, restaurants, not-for-profits and professional services.

All of these businesses are the driving force behind our local economy, and are integral for our communities to thrive. In the following pages, five local businesses and/or organizations would like share some more in-depth information with you – what they’ve been doing, what they plan to do, their role in the communities they serve, and their contribution to our local economy.

A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THE

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PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE BULK COMMODITY HANDLERS

Neptune Terminals

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For more than 50 years, Neptune Terminals in North Vancouver have connected Canadian commodities to world markets.

On average, approximately 330 ships visit its bulk shipping terminal located on the north side of the Burrard Inlet per year to be loaded with potash and steelmaking coal.

Although these ships are bound for global destinations, Neptune has an equally significant impact on the local North Shore economy.

In 2019, for instance, Neptune spent approximately $10 million procuring goods and services from North Shore businesses.

“Neptune prioritizes local procurement on the North Shore, and then beyond that elsewhere throughout British Columbia.

We purchase goods and services from many small businesses locally – everything from catering to vehicles and environmental consulting services,” explains Duana Kipling, Neptune’s acting president. “As we grow, so too does our ability to support local business and inject more money into the local economy.”

As one of the largest taxpayers in the City of North Vancouver, Neptune contributes significantly to municipal revenue.

Neptune and other waterfront terminals also contribute to local infrastructure through a gateway infrastructure improvement fee. Since 2010, Neptune has contributed $10 million to local infrastructure, including Low Level Road.

Duana Kipling, Neptune’s acting president

Connecting Canadian commodities to world markets Neptune is a large local employer, with approximately 350 full-time equivalent positions, including around 50 staff, many of whom live on the North Shore. The rest of the positions are held by unionized employees, including foremen and longshoremen from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). When Neptune’s upgraded steelmaking coal system becomes operational in 2021, more jobs will be added.

Neptune’s strong commitment to providing safe operations for its employees and protecting the environment in which it operates, along with its commitment to giving back to the community, have all contributed to its decades-long success on the North Shore.

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This is our home, and we value the opportunity to do business here.

Neptune is partnering and providing funding for more than 35 community organizations every year, including those supporting vulnerable seniors, children and youth or protecting and enhancing our local environment and species like salmon.

Neptune also provides youth with more opportunities to be active by sponsoring youth sports leagues and providing financial support for families who can’t afford the cost of sport registration fees.

Other community contributions include supporting the Edible Garden project at Loutet Farm and, most recently, sponsoring the new shipping container “parklet” being built by the City of North Vancouver at 17th and Lonsdale that will provide a covered area for people to gather.

This focus on the community and giving back has earned Neptune many local awards and

604-983-7935 I neptuneterminals.com

nominations, including the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Community Contribution Award (2013), North Shore Neighborhood House Heart of Community Award (2018) and a nomination for the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ 2019 Giving Hearts Awards, which has been delayed due to COVID-19.

“Neptune has been operating responsibly on the North Shore for 52 years, with care for our employees and our community. This is our home, and we value the opportunity to do business here. We take our responsibility seriously to contribute to the local environment and community and to be a good neighbour,” adds Kipling.

“We’ve been here for more than 50 years and hope to operate on the North Shore for another 50 or more.”

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PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE H E A LT H C A R E

Lions Gate Hospital Foundation It has been a remarkable year for Lions Gate Hospital (LGH) and the coastal community that it supports.

As a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic reached the North Shore, local residents unleashed a wave of kindness and compassion during a time of uncertainty and dramatic change in our daily lives.

Through the generosity of our community, LGH Foundation was able to support patient care during a great time of need.

As frontline staff readied themselves for the arrival of COVIDpositive patients in the spring, the Foundation invested your donations to help create a specialized COVID unit to treat seriously ill patients.

The 17-room unit, with enhanced capabilities to run multiple, state-of-the-art respiratory support machines was up and running in a couple of weeks. Ventilation systems were also upgraded to create negative pressure environments in nine of the isolation rooms on the unit.

The impact of donors will continue to be felt at LGH during the fall and winter surge of coronavirus.

Donations received throughout the year not only strengthened the hospital in the face of a pandemic, they helped to elevate care in many different areas of patient care at the hospital.

Thanks to the donor-funded purchase of the revolutionary Hana Orthopedic Surgery Table, the orthopedic team at LGH can now offer direct anterior hip replacement procedures for patients suffering from a range of debilitating hip conditions.

Patients who are qualified for this new surgical option, can expect less pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries.

Cataract surgery has also been given a boost with the purchase of two new high-tech phacoemulsification machines.

The new machines will make surgeries much more efficient and easier on patients.

With cataracts a leading cause of blindness in Canada, these medical upgrades are great news for the dozens of patients who have cataract surgery at LGH every week.

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These developments would not be possible without the generosity of our donors.

The arrival of virtual interpreter units has been welcomed by both patients and staff. With fast access to translation services, the process of treating patients with English as a second language is less fraught and stressful for all concerned.

Since the introduction of these mobile units in March, staff have recorded a 47 per cent reduction on length of stay for patients with limited English skills, a 69 per cent reduction on 7 day readmission rates and a 27 per cent reduction in time from patient arrival to an admission decision.

Well over 2,000 health care professionals work at the hospital, in the community and at publicly-funded health care facilities on the North Shore. As Lions Gate Hospital continues its development from community hospital to a leading edge regional medical centre its presence will be felt, not just in the health and quality of

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Staff in the Emergency Department are grateful for the donor-funded equipment.

Ophthalmologist Dr. Carolyn Isbister demonstrates the latest technology being used for cataract surgery at Lions Gate Hospital.

life of local residents, but also through its growing direct and indirect economic impact within the community.

Donor-driven transformation will continue at LGH through two projects that will have a major impact on clinical care. Construction for the Critical Care Unit is due to start soon and the 12-bed unit will be ready to accept some of the hospital’s sickest patients in early 2022.

The groundbreaking for the landmark Medical & Surgical Centre will also take place next year. An estimated 1,000 construction workers are expected to be employed during the build of the $254 million project.

These developments would not be possible without the generosity of our donors. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to bringing life-changing care to the North Shore.

604-984-5785 I 231 East 15th Street, North Vancouver I lghfoundation.com

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PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE L AW F I R M

Hanson & Co Lawyers Jim Hanson

Founder

Associate Counsel

Naz Kohan

Associate Lawyer

Senior Designated Paralegal Office Manager

Colleen Chang

Diana O’Sullivan

Sharon Kwak

Jehan Sebrae

Paralegal

Conveniently located in Central Lonsdale Associate Lawyer, Naz Kohan was raised in North Vancouver and completed her undergraduate studies at UBC, majoring in political science. Following graduation Ms. Kohan attended at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law. During that time she was active with Pro Bono Students Canada and was a law student ambassador. Ms. Kohan has recently been appointed to the North Vancouver RCMP Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Advisory Committee, and is a Governor of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC. Ms. Kohan is also a Board Director of WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre and Chair of the City of North Vancouver Social Planning Advisory Committee.

Hanson & Co are proud supporters within the North Shore community, with donations and sponsorships to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation, Dundarave Festival of Lights, Lookout Society, JSL Golf Tournament (Harvest Project),

Joanne Singleton

Lawrence O’Neill

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Accounting Manager

Receptionist

Legal Assistant

We have over 70 years of combined legal expertise.

Dinner on the Pier, Lions Gate Hospital Foundation Gala, North Shore Chamber of Commerce, and sponsoring families Christmas dinner, to name a few.

Hanson & Co aim to treat their clients like family, bridging the business gap with warmth and humanity – much needed during these unprecedented times. “We have deep expertise in the legal arena and vast experience dealing with people in stressing and challenging situations”, says Mr. Hanson. “We solve their problems.”

As law firms are considered an essential service, providing legal services to the community hasn’t ceased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hanson & Co team now limits their in-office time, supplementing with working remotely, and remaining fully operational for our clients.

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“We have deep roots in North Vancouver and are proud to call North Vancouver home”, says Jim Hanson, founder of Hanson & Co Lawyers.

Located in Central Lonsdale, this small but mighty team provides legal services to individuals relating to personal injury, estate matters, real estate disputes, residential tenancy, sexual assaults, physical assaults, including other areas.

Founder Jim Hanson is a graduate from UBC Law and Oxford University Faculty of Law. Mr. Hanson is a twice elected Councillor in the North Vancouver District, sits on the North Shore Policing Committee, the Metro Vancouver Indigenous Relations Committee and is Vice-Chair of the North Shore Standing Committee on Substance Abuse. Mr. Hanson has practiced law for over 35 years.

Lawrence O’Neill, Associate Counsel, has more than 35 years’ experience in personal injury law, specializing in brain and spinal injuries plus chronic pain. Mr. O’Neill has conducted numerous trials and mediations and has appeared in BC Court of Appeal.

“We have stringent COVID-19 protocols in our office, and comply with all WorkSafe BC procedures and policies”, says Joanne Singleton, Office Manager and Senior Designated Paralegal for the firm.

“We have a strong network that enables us to interact with many professional members of the community, acting as a conduit for our clients to access necessary services on the North Shore, whether it’s for medical or personal purposes”, says Ms. Singleton. “Our employees are highly skilled in the legal arena, and in relating and communicating with individual’s legal needs. We Care, We Listen.”

604-984-7555 I #300-1401 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver I hansonco.ca

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PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE MOBILE HEARING CLINIC

Hear at Home “Who would have thought our clinic was so pandemic prepared?” says Jennifer Abbott, hearing aid practitioner and founder of Hear at Home Mobile Hearing Clinic.

Referring to her 11-year-old business that safely delivers hearing services to those people who cannot get to a hearing clinic at any given time, Abbott says “other than additional PPE (gowns, face masks, etc) and pre-screening questionnaires, very few changes had to be made to our business model.”

The company offers hearing testing, hearing aid fittings, and follow-up appointments to their clients in the comfort of their homes, extended care facilities or hospitals. Adult children of aging parents rest a little easier knowing that since Hear at Home is an essential service, BC Health allows them safe access to seniors who are still in lockdown. “While our seniors are being quarantined, we need to keep them hearing and connecting to their loved ones whether it be via telephone or plastic barriers. One’s mental health is already being challenged in these times, so we need to lessen the burden as much as possible,” Abbott said. Physical/social distancing and masking makes it extra challenging for seniors with hearing loss to be able to communicate with their families and care givers as well.

Additional support to our most vulnerable citizens during Covid-19 involved Hear at Home’s online Zoom clinics for seniors and caregivers to help them use and care for their hearing devices. “I taught them how to clean their hearing aids and offered any support or advice they have that was specific to their needs,” says the 13-year expert in the hearing health business. In addition, the company offers 80-90 volunteer hours to healthcare providers and nursing staff giving how-to lessons, setting them up for success in supporting their residents and/or patients.

Hear at Home Mobile Hearing Clinic has received accolades including winning Best of the North Shore, 2012 and 2013 in North Shore Outlook and Readers’ Choice

award 2018 and 2019 in the North Shore News.

Clearly committed to seniors with a sense of joie de vivre, the company organized 5 flash mobs throughout the North Shore a few years back.

The first event in Edgemont Village had nearly 200 local seniors from various retirement homes happily taking part and was a huge hit. Global News featured it, and “phone calls and emails poured in asking if the seniors would perform their “flash mob” at other events,” says Abbott.

Follow up performances took place at the North Shore Art Crawl, Edgemont Show and Shine, CoHo Festival and Canada Day the following year. It’s touching to see a company create a smart marketing strategy that actually has heart as well, and the seniors and audiences watching had a blast.

Not surprisingly, increased demand for this unique

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Jennifer Abbott, founder, Hear at Home

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While our seniors are being quarantined, we need to keep them hearing.

mobile hearing health service has the company currently planning for expansion across BC. “We understand how hearing connects people,” says Abbott. “Helen Keller explained this best when she said, ‘Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.’ We see this every day, and our goal is to keep people connecting.”

778-340-1101 I 149-1233 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver I hearathome.ca

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PROFILES OF EXCELLENCE GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Schulz Construction North Shore husband and wife team Graham & Nicole Schulz have been in the home building and renovating business for over 30 years.

“As people hunker down in their homes, more working from home than ever, the desire to make things just right has grown,” says Nicole, speaking to one aspect of how the pandemic has affected most of us. “We have seen a definitive boom in renovation and new build requests and suspect this trend will continue. Making the home an effective work/live/rest space is crucial.”

Graham and Nicole own Schulz Construction Ltd. and take pride in living and working in the North Vancouver community. “We live where we work, and it’s key to our livelihood that we maintain a reputation of trust and high standards of craftsmanship. Our neighbours are our customers.”

As more homeowners are staying put, avoiding travel and scrapping vacation plans, putting some disposable income towards improving your living space seems like a wise investment.

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Graham & Nicole Schulz, owners

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dream, design, build.

“Our beautiful North Shore has many homes that are in that age/stage of needing to be updated,” says Nicole. But is the winter the right time to do that? “Believe it or not our climate is typically fairly decent for year-round building so unlike some colder climates we can build at any time of year.

We have fantastic access to suppliers and showrooms that make the build process streamlined.”

Schulz Construction possesses that rare blend of a keen understanding of construction with interior design knowledge – attributed to the talents of both Graham and Nicole. New clients might expect that from any contractor they are considering hiring, but in these days of global stress and our individual places in the community, hiring a

Making the home an effective work/live/rest space is crucial.

company with integrity and a give-back sensibility is appealing too. “We love helping in our own neighbourhood,” says Nicole. “We have sponsored the Concerts in the Cove, taken part in Cops for Cancer, the Tour de Coast fundraiser, sponsored school pancake breakfasts, and Christmas trees in Park and Tilford Gardens for North Van Fire,” she lists. As well, the couple’s company built a deck for their favorite local restaurant during this pandemic to help keep them afloat.

In the spirit of keeping it local, Schulz Construction subcontracts North Shore plumbers, electricians, trades and suppliers, and has 9 full time highly skilled crew as part of their own team. Safety for their staff and customers is crucial especially as of late, and Nicole proudly says “we have one of the lowest Worksafe rates for construction, our crews

604-790-6667 I schulzconstruction.ca

are respectful and given all the necessary tools to keep themselves safe onsite. Our people are the most critical part of our business, so we need them healthy and happy each day.”

Home building, like most businesses that can create enormous waste, is under the microscope when it comes to environmentally sustainable practices. Schulz believes “the good bones of the home should be maintained. Much of our materials today don’t hold a candle to the strength of the goods built 50 years ago. On site we take care to recycle as we can and are purposeful re-users.”

Nicole’s blog on the company website is fun and informative, with inspiring visuals and a storytelling style that speaks to the personal, familial service they offer their clients.