Douglas Aug/Sep 2024

THE SUCCESS ISSUE

Local leaders define what it means to them

OCEAN TECH

MAKES WAVES IN THE BLUE ECONOMY

Julie Angus, Open Ocean Robotics

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Terry Calveley

Anna Sterloff

Michael Tourigny

Lisa Williams Logan Wilson

Sean Farrell

Jon Baker Kirsten MacLeod

Harley Shim Don

Germain

Dean Innes Glynis MacLeod

D’Arcy Harris

Brayden Klein Brad Maclaren

Andrew Maxwell

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Grace Shin

Brian Danyliw

Beth Hayhurst

Andy Stephenson

Jacob Garrett

Samantha Jensson

Shaelyn Mattix

Robyn Wildman

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Crichton

Queer, Indigenous & Triumphant

Bobbie Racette cleared career hurdles by staying true to herself and never taking 'no' for an answer.

BY DIANE SELKIRK

AI is Everywhere

Artificial intelligence permeates all aspects of life. But is it right for you?

BY ANDREW FINDLAY

26

What is Success?

We asked 15 of Victoria’s business leaders what success means to them. Their answers were surprising, and inspiring.

28

Tech's Deep Dive

Vancouver Island's burgeoning ocean businesses are more than giving the $3-trillion global blue economy its due.

BY EMILY EDWARDS

DEPARTMENTS

8 NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

13 IN THE KNOW

Belying its name, the sun won't set on this virtual, high-tech event space; a seaside, urban farm that's keeping its patrons well FED; a look ahead to the city’s Industry, Arts and Innovation District; Campbell River welcomes a new luxury resort; protecting your "pa55w0rd5" in six easy steps.

48 INTEL

48 WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE TOUGH TO MANAGE

So your team member is never going to work out? Here are careful, considerate steps for ending that relationship.

BY INGRID VAUGHAN

51 GROWTH STRATEGIES FOR STARTUPS

Five proven ways to make sure your business gets off the ground.

BY JUSTIN FERRIMAN

52 LIFE + STYLE

Here's how to "seas" the day by plunging into paddling; carry-on luggage that will elegantly get you around; tasty zero-proof drinks that will keep you clear-eyed at all times.

54 DID YOU KNOW

Our "tech-tonic" economy by the numbers.

BACK IN THE DAY, I was a student at the University of Toronto, staring down graduation and contemplating a career in the real world. My dad offered this piece of advice: “Find something you love to do, then figure out how to get paid for it.” His message was that success was about more than money, more than job security.

Although success in business is often gauged by the numbers profit and loss, market share, ROI, growth, etc. success is also qualitative, as anyone who chooses to do business in Victoria understands.

For many business people, success is a more holistic and personal concept that encompasses various rewards of life such as relationships, health, personal growth and making a positive impact in their community.

A team-based approach for a total wealth strategy that addresses the entirety of your life.

C.P. (Chuck) McNaughton, PFP Senior Wealth Advisor

250.654.3342 charles.mcnaughton@scotiawealth.com themcnaughtongroup.ca

“For most people we spoke with, success means finding a balance between personal and professional lives, spending time with their families, taking care of their health and continuing to learn and grow.”

To them, a successful life is one where they have achieved a balance between personal and professional lives. They prioritize spending quality time with their families and take care of their physical and mental health. They also strive to continuously learn and grow, both professionally and personally.

That theme resonates throughout this issue. There are success stories about immigrants who are building B.C.’s future, tech visionaries who are expanding our knowledge of the sea around us, artificial intelligence supporters and detractors, and a young, queer, Indigenous entrepreneur who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

We also asked several of Victoria’s business leaders to weigh in on what success means to them. Their responses are eye-opening and might have you wondering just how you define success.

There is a quote coined by Conrad Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels, that sums us the notion of success: “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”

And this bit of wit from Danish poet Piet Hein: “The road to wisdom? Well, it’s plain and simple to express: Err and err and err again, but less and less and less.”

— Ken Winchester, Editor

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VOLUME 18 NUMBER 4

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COVER

Julie Angus, co-founder, Open Ocean Robotics

Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet

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STAGE FOR A NEW AGE

The innovative multimedia laboratory Sunset Labs provides a unique virtual event space for creators, communities and causes.

For 10 years Jason Guille ran two separate businesses from his small studio tucked behind Value Village. One was an event space for everything from office parties to kids’ birthdays. He even held a liquor licence. The other was a social enterprise that helped thinkers and creators produce virtual, hybrid and livestream events.

Then suddenly, several months ago his landlord demanded he stop all evening events, then for good measure raised his rent by two-thirds.

That motivated Guille to shift direction. He would merge his two passions and transform his studio into a high-tech production space for authors, teachers, content creators and non-profits.

Now Sunset Labs works with those who have something to say, to show and to share with the world.

The “labs” in Sunset Labs comes from “collaborations,” and from Guille’s vision of a multimedia laboratory full of brilliant, playful, creative mad scientists. His goal is to be as flexible and adaptive as possible, to bring ease and flow to whatever his clients may be creating. Sunset Labs has so far hosted more than 1,000 events, from a conference on Indigenous economics to poetry readings.

The recently rebuilt stage is 20 by seven feet and there’s 30 by 30 feet of usable space on the floor. With a grid of built-in anchors for hanging a green screen or backdrop and a unique 60-foot ceiling truss, the options for setting the stage, set and room are endless.

The studio is designed for the production of virtual, hybrid and remote online events, and it has an array of related services to support pre- and post-production.

Its technology is unmatched on the Island, from dual gigabit internet service to Sony PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) digital cameras to Sennheiser mics and an array of professional studio lighting.

A virtual event at Sunset Labs uses its interactive stage, with guests participating online. Generally a virtual event is less work to create, is more accessible, generates reusable media, produces higher profits and is easier on the environment.

A hybrid event is more complex, but arguably the best of both worlds. Speakers have a live, in-studio audience participating and providing feedback. And there is a live, online audience that can see, hear and engage with the event.

Sunset Labs is also mobile. Clients can be in a studio on the other side of the world, or on their couch down the road, with Sunset managing the event from its studio from music to graphics, leaving presenters to focus on content and connecting with guests.

KEEPING US WELL FED

Full pantries spring from vacant lots as urban

farming takes hold.

At the foot of the Bay Street Bridge in Vic West, just off the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, the nonprofit FED Urban Farm is growing produce for the community. Originally operating as TOPSOIL, FED took over the farm this spring after working in partnership for five years.

FED has partnered with Dockside Green by Bosa Development to turn 20,000 square feet of undeveloped land into a working downtown farm. It’s a living example of how underutilized lots can be transformed into vibrant, productive agricultural land. FED grows flavourful, spray-free veggies in recycled containers that are lightweight, modular and inner-city friendly.

Members of FED’s community supported agriculture (CSA) program receive a box of fresh, in-season produce each week from May to October. Although enrolment in the program has closed for 2024, the on-site market is open Friday to Sunday through October.

FED’s parent organization is the Synergy Foundation. “A lot of what we

do is invisible,” says managing director Brianna Stewart. “This gives a public face to all our other programs.

“FED is also about partnering with local chefs who are just as passionate about Victoria’s hyper-local food economy as we are,” says Stewart. Fresh produce is hand-harvested and packed directly into food-safe containers and delivered within hours of harvest. FED then collects and reuses the containers, eliminating landfill waste. Delivering twice a week cuts down on fridge storage space and allows chefs to serve the freshest produce possible.

As a registered charity, all proceeds from farm sales go towards FED’s other programs, which are designed to increase food security and make urban agriculture more accessible to everyone in Victoria, including:

The Urban Learning Garden in the courtyard of the downtown Greater Victoria Public Library is designed to connect the public with their food system. Visitors learn about saving

“FED-headers” Arctica, Ellie and Emily are delighted with the sprouting spoils from an urban farm located on 20,000 square feet of undeveloped land along the city's waterfront.

Rock Bay Redux

Victoria’s ambitious Industry, Arts and Innovation District gets the go-ahead.

BY SHANNON MONEO

Reliance Properties, along with other landowners, are forging a vision for the area around Capital Iron and Rock Bay. It’s now branded as the Industry, Arts and Innovation District.

In the throes of the pandemic in 2020, Victoria’s then-mayor Lisa Helps had grand hopes for a gritty, industrial piece of downtown Victoria. The area encompasses about 10 square blocks roughly delineated by Government, Store, Herald and Pembroke streets.

Helps’s Victoria 3.0 economic action plan stalled, but did not die. “The area really needs revitalization,” says Victoria Councillor Dave Thompson. “We’re really stoked about the idea of creating a bigger space, with a lot of potential, downtown.”

In May, the city required that one of the leading developers of the area, Reliance Properties, lower the height of the proposed 20-storey towers to 15 or even 12 floors, Thompson says. While not a fan of long, squat blocks, he’s enthusiastic about what’s possible on Reliance’s 6.7 acres.

feet of working space exist, where about 70 people are employed. If built to Reliance specs, there will be 10 times the area and 2,100 full-time jobs, he says.

Land uses include light industrial, marine, commercial, residential, live/work, high-tech and cultural. Housing types would include market rentals, affordable rentals, strata and artist live-work spaces, totalling 500 or more units. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is looking to open a new space on donated land and Finest at Sea anticipates setting up shop shoreside.

“Arts and creativity are a huge part of our real-estate portfolio,” Stovell says. “We find synergies between development and arts.”

seeds, identifying native plants and their Indigenous uses as well as growing food in urban spaces. The garden is also home to the Victoria Seed Library and hosts educational workshops and events.

Blanshard Streetscape in downtown Victoria integrates growing space and natural beauty into the urban core. This garden corridor serves as the hub of FED’s urban pollinator gardens.

Rooftop gardens transform underutilized urban spaces into productive growing hubs to supply healthy veggies for vulnerable populations. The two main spaces are located at Our Place Society and the Songhees Wellness Centre.

Street to Sky aims to help developers, landowners, stratas and urban food growers to explore the benefits and challenges of growing food in Victoria. Two free guides one for urban farmers, one for landowners detail the best practices for transforming underutilized areas such as rooftops and courtyards into food oases.

“We got additional density in exchange for lower buildings,” says Reliance Properties President Jon Stovell. With direction from city staff and council, Stovell says his company will move forward with its own interpretation to reach its vision. “It’s a mash-up, to take all these different land uses and combine them,” he says. Currently, 93,000 square

The pledge to add a connection to the Harbour Pathway, affordable housing, heritage building protection, improved public spaces, a plaza and a welcoming streetscape are all improvements that Thompson says will widen opportunities be they cultural, entertainment or commercial.

As well the Songhees Development Corporation’s Matullia Holdings LP, 7.5 acres of nearby industrially zoned Rock Bay property, will be the site of Rifflandia 2024.

Thompson isn’t sure what the Songhees have planned for their property, but adds the city is waiting for their proposals.

The public will have easy access to the harbour as part of the new Industry, Arts and Innovation District.

Pacific Pampering

A new luxury resort from a pioneering family raises the bar for tourism on the North Island.

With a family tree that includes some of the earliest settlers in the Campbell River area, the Mailmans have played a pivotal role in shaping this North Island city of 37,000 people.

They had long been local leaders in construction, development, property development and philanthropy when, in 2017, they acquired an aging nine-hole golf course. Amanda Mailman made it her personal project and transformed it into the 18-hole Campbell River Golf Club. But her ambitions were much larger than that.

In May, her vision came to life when she opened Naturally Pacific Resort, a four-season, four-star destination property designed with a harmonious blend of warm colours and textures that bring the outside in. Mailman directed the project from concept to construction, pandemic notwithstanding.

Among the resort’s amenities is Carve Kitchen & Meatery, a modern interpretation of a classic North American steakhouse that boasts dictionary-thick cuts of marbled beef and an impressive international wine list. The kitchen also has its own 10,000-square-foot vegetable

garden and an apiary producing honey for cocktails and dressings.

Guests can unwind at the on-site spa with its oversized mineral pool, take a swing at the virtual driving range or lounge around the firepits tucked under a sprawling pergola in back.

The resort is pet-friendly, too: Pooches are set up with water bowls, a dog bed and directions for dog walks.

All this luxury may be a leap of faith for the Mailmans, but their timing is opportune. Campbell River is shedding its image as a blue-collar resource town and embracing its potential as a tourist destination. Its enviable proximity to mountains and sea is a draw, but there are also museums, live theatre, a burgeoning food scene and arguably the Island’s best croissants at Freyja (they also bake for the resort). There’s also cold-water diving, world-class salmon fishing and winter sports at nearby Mount Washington.

But is Campbell River the next Tofino? “We’re not trying to be the next anything,” says Mailman. “We’re trying to be the best Campbell River.”

PERFECTING Pa55w0rd PROTECTION

“Ugly” passwords are best for securing access to your digital identity.

How easy would it be for someone to hack your favourite go-to password?

That’s a trick question: You shouldn’t have a go-to password that you recycle across your various digital products and services. Instead, you should try to come up with a different secret password each time.

A good password isn’t elegant-looking and easy to remember. In fact, “ugly” passwords ones that contain a variety of characters in unusual combinations are far harder to crack. Using special software that can make 15 million guesses per second, hackers can bypass most passwords in a matter of hours or even faster, if you use a really common password.

Unfortunately, most people use only a few passwords and change them infrequently, if ever. The most common passwords in Canada include “123456,” “keeptrying,” “welcome” and, of course, “password.”

Here are six tips on how to protect your passwords:

1. Use a “passphrase” instead of a single word. Your phrase should be relatively long, at least 12 characters, and include random words, numbers and symbols. Something that you will be able to remember but others couldn’t come close to guessing, such as: “I love Michael Buble’s Christmas album” = i<3MB/Chri$tm@s!

2. Use different passwords for multiple accounts, especially for sensitive ones such as bank accounts, credit cards, legal or tax records, or medical files.

3. When it’s available, use two-factor authentication. This requires both your password and an additional piece of information. The second piece is generally a code sent to your phone or a random number generated by an app.

4. Change your passwords regularly. It’s a pain to change and then remember

Naturally Pacific Resort, which opened its four-season destination doors to the public in May, is home to the signature restaurant Carve Kitchen & Meatery.

MICHAEL

all your new passwords, but it’s one of the best ways to keep your private information safe.

5. Consider a password manager. A written list would be best, but keep the list updated as well as secretive. If you’re worried about losing it, consider a reputable password app that can store all your password information and security answers in case you forget.

6. Avoid easy passwords, like your pet’s name, mother’s maiden name, the town you grew up in, your birthday, etc. A strong password has at least 10 to 12 characters and a mix of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. The Government of BC says that a password with five digits and uppercase and lowercase letters (eg. “Apple”) would take only 25 seconds to crack. Meanwhile, a password with more than 12 digits, numbers, symbols and a variety of uppercase and lowercase letters (eg. B3tterBu!sn3ssBure@u) could take 1,000 years.

Sources: Government of British Columbia, BBB, Interac

GOOD:

Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters. Canucksfan CanucksFan

Time to hack: 1 minute

BETTER:

Use numbers and characters.

CanucksFan CanucksFan/92

Time to hack: 1 hour

BEST:

Use numbers and characters in the place of letters.

CanucksFan/92 C@nukzF@n/92

Time to hack: 10 years+

QUEER, INDIGENOUS & TRIUMPHANT

BY DIANE SELKIRK

THIS ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR DIDN’T TAKE “NO” FOR AN ANSWER.

In 2016, Bobbie Racette faced a pivotal moment when she was laid off from her position as a safety technician in Alberta’s oilpatch. As a queer, Indigenous woman with tattoos, Racette knew she faced additional hurdles in an already tight job market. Her solution was to join the gig economy as a virtual assistant, a decision that quickly exposed the poor pay and lack of job security common in the industry.

Determined to create a better job for herself, Racette founded Virtual Gurus. By 2018, revenue from the company’s skilled virtual workers, offering services from legal assistance to customer support to human resources, had reached $265,000. Eager to grow the platform, Racette sought funding and was turned down by no fewer than 170 venture capitalists before finally securing her first $1.2 million from “impact” investors funding bodies that aim to create positive social and environmental change alongside financial returns.

Virtual Gurus now employs some 800 assistants in Canada and the U.S. and has another 50 employees in its Calgary office. By 2022 it was valued at $40 million. A leader in the Canadian startup ecosystem, Racette transformed her personal challenges into strengths to foster an inclusive work environment with a focus on supporting underrepresented communities, including individuals who identify as BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+.

You kind of stumbled into business ownership. How did you become an entrepreneur?

It sounds wrong to say this, but I was lucky. I lost a career I loved and spent 10 months looking for work. I even took a job at a coffee shop to make ends meet before discovering virtual work. It went well, so I threw up a website called Virtual Gurus. When we were still growing in the third year I thought, OK, I’m onto something. So I kept building and learning. I knew I needed to learn

Ninety per cent of our talent identifies as Black, Indigenous or people of colour. We have people with disabilities or anxieties, LGBTQ2S+ community members and single or stay-at-home parents.

how to be a leader, because now I had employees. But I also had to learn how to build a business. So I took night courses, went to groups like Startup Calgary and I took courses online. I ended up going to Harvard. But I still needed to raise money to build the tech, so I met with investors, but that’s when I hit a roadblock.

As a self-described queer Indigenous woman with tattoos, you faced a lot of hurdles when starting out. What kept you going?

I get it: I’m inexperienced, I have no education, I don’t look the way a typical entrepreneur looks. I know when I walk down the street or go into a meeting, people judge me. It’s sad, but that’s how it is. But the “no, no, nos” can teach resilience. They can be turned into medicine and give you the strength to look past negative attitudes and rise above them. There were times when I wanted to quit. But I kept thinking that if I didn’t push through, I wasn’t going to be able to show my people how to reach success. That’s what’s fuelled me; that and a desire to prove those people wrong. Now I’m one of the more successful Indigenous women in Canada. I’ve been able to turn other people’s negativity into resilience, perseverance and a bit of stubbornness. Tell me I can’t do something, and that’s exactly what I’ll do.

One of the things potential investors told you not to do was focus on diversity and inclusion. Why did you stay true to this value?

To make sure I can provide work to those people who are like me, people who have been told “no” all their lives and been looked down on. Ninety per cent of our talent identifies as Black, Indigenous or people of colour.

We have people with disabilities or anxieties, LGBTQ2S+ community members and single or stay-at-home parents. All these people make a good wage from the safety of their homes. They are why we do this. They are the gold mines who were never given a chance. I hire them because of all those people who said no to me, who now wish they said yes.

How did you get funding? How did that “yes” influence you?

I switched up my target and started going after impact investors who have the same values that I do. This made me realize I want to become that impact investor for others, so that I can show young Indigenous people that if they don’t give up, they can do it. It doesn’t matter about your culture or your educational background; if you can come up with an idea and are willing to learn and to challenge yourself, you can do it. Not every time, but failure the “nos” are part of it.

You were recently honoured as the University of Victoria’s Peter B. Gustavson School of Business 2023 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year. What does this mean to you?

I was the first Indigenous person in 20 years to win, so I think that’s a pretty neat feat. The other thing is there have been all these big winners: Dennis (Chip) Wilson, founder of Lululemon; Stewart Butterfield, founder of Slack … and then me. It started to sink in that I accomplished this.

At the end of the day, though, an award is an award. My biggest hope is that my success inspires other young Indigenous women. I want them to know it’s scary I’m scared every day but it’s OK to take chances, to be yourself and to tell your own story.

EVERYWHERE is A i

BUT IS IT RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS, LAB OR CLASSROOM?

BY ANDREW FINDLAY

Between the time most people wake up and go to bed, they’ll use artificial intelligence half a dozen times, often without even knowing it. It probably made life either easier in some small way, or more complicated and cluttered, depending on perspective. Whether it’s facial recognition to open a smartphone, a relentless stream of curated content on social feeds, a digital voice assistant for a quick weather update or a navigational app to find a lunch date, AI permeates all aspects of life. According to a recent survey by software maker Pegasystems, 84 per cent of the company’s customers use at least one AI-powered device or service, but only a third of them are aware that they’re using AI.

In other words, AI is embedded into dayto-day life whether we realize it or not.

However, when Open Source AI unleashed ChatGPT in November 2022, it felt like the dawn of a new era. Discussions and debates lit up around the dinner table about AI and machine learning algorithms that teach computers to think like humans. Everybody, it seemed, was suddenly talking about this chat bot and its uncanny ability to quickly generate a

poem customized for a friend’s birthday, churn out a 1,000-word paper on electric vehicles for a Grade 10 student or craft a legal argument in a fraction of the time it would take an articling lawyer. Or, as the team at Victoria’s Whistle Buoy Brewery demonstrated last year, how you can lean on ChatGPT to craft a recipe for a bestselling hazy pale ale, which they dubbed Robo Beer, and also write the marketing copy and help design artwork for the brew.

Two months after its launch, ChatGPT had become the fastest growing consumer software app in history with more than 100 million users. Its meteoric rise fuelled OpenAI’s current valuation of US $80 billion. Similarly, the stock value of semiconductor maker Nvidia Corporation surged past US $1 trillion last year, driven by the burgeoning AI market.

Yet, many questions remain unanswered about AI’s impact. Will it relieve workers of boring, rote tasks, liberating them for more creative endeavours, or just put people out of work?

Is AI reliable? Failures with Tesla’s autopilot technology are linked to nearly 500 accidents, including 13 fatalities. It

forced Elon Musk’s automaker to recall two million vehicles last year and proved AI’s application to autonomous driving still needs refinement.

Can we trust it? AI is able to rapidly scour the internet for vast amounts of data, some of it private and without consent, allowing an individual’s movements and behaviours to be tracked like never before. Not only do AI’s surveillance capabilities pose an Orwellian threat to privacy, its deployment in the defence sector is also extremely troubling from an ethical standpoint.

It’s why University of Montreal computer scientist Yoshua Bengio, world renowned for pioneering work on artificial neural networks and deep learning, spends as much time championing AI as he does raising red flags. Named recently to Time magazine’s 2024 list of the 100 most influential people, Begio notably led discussions about AI’s potential for negative social impact while helping to shape the 2017 Montreal Declaration on Responsible AI.

The voluntary declaration’s noble aim is “to put AI development at the service of the well-being of all people.”

Against the backdrop of this rapidly developing AI world, Douglas sat down with

some Victoria thinkers, innovators and leaders to hear how they have embraced and accommodated AI into their workflows.

AI in the Boardroom

What’s in a word? Potentially a lot. But can you tell the difference between words crafted by a human and those generated by AI? If you’ve noticed lately that superlative-laden real estate listing descriptions are making all Realtors sound like poets, you’re not alone.

Deirdre Campbell, president of tartanbond, works in the world of communications, marketing and public relations largely for clients in the tourism sector. Authenticity, tone and voice are everything. As powerful as AI is, it makes mistakes and that can be disastrous for a media campaign. Artificial intelligence is only as good as the digital data it mines; if that data is biased, wrong, inaccurate or lacks diversity, AI will churn our dubious results and predictions.

Campbell and her team are embracing AI as another tool, albeit with caveats. For example, in meetings AI can be the notetaker and help identify “next steps or ‘to dos,’ ” enabling everyone to focus on the meeting without someone having to be the note-taker, says Campbell.

Victoria’s Whistle Buoy Brewery demonstrated how you can lean on ChatGPT to craft a recipe for a bestselling hazy pale ale, which they dubbed Robo Beer, and also write the marketing copy and help design artwork for the brew.

Using artificial intelligence, it took only a few minutes for the Douglas team to create this robo-beer-making image.

“It also has a lot of value for research. AI can pull out information from a large chunk of material that we have on file and that can save a lot of time and money,” she says. “But you have to be aware of its limitations. From a tourism perspective, the biggest concern is AI-generated photography versus the real thing. A picture is worth a thousand words, unless that picture is AI-generated.”

In 2023, a team of University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University researchers conducted a study that poked holes in the fundamental assumption of AI: that machines can learn like humans and get better over time. According to their results, ChatGPT actually got dumber and less accurate over time when it was asked to do certain tasks. For example, the chatbot’s accuracy rate on solving a certain math problem dropped more than 30 per cent over a three-month period.

“At the end of the day, people want to do business with people,” Campbell says. “If someone feels like you’re being talked to by a machine, that’s a big ‘no.’ ”

AI in the Lab

Scientists and tech workers are leveraging AI to find solutions, make discoveries and explore worlds that not long ago were beyond the reach of human bandwidth. AI’s ability to quickly scan, analyze and draw inferences from huge data sets is opening up exciting new avenues of applied science.

Douglas magazine 10 To Watch winner Ocean AID is harnessing AI and machine learning to help tackle ocean pollution. Andrew Polanyi, a University of Victoria computer science graduate, has had a

In meetings AI can be the note-taker and help identify “next steps or ‘to dos,’ ” enabling everyone to focus on the meeting without someone having to be the note-taker.

— Deirdre Campbell, president of tartanbond

longstanding interest in ocean health. Two years ago, his Ocean AID cofounder Archit Kumar suggested applying AI to the environmental challenge of ocean plastic. After some business strategizing, they shifted to focus on ghost fishing gear lost and abandoned fishing gear that floats around, entangling and endangering marine mammals.

Current methods use sonar to locate, track and retrieve underwater objects like fishing nets. It’s slow and expensive, requiring a human to either monitor the system in real time or analyze the data afterwards. Either way, it’s tedious and time-consuming.

By marrying AI with sonar technology, Ocean AID is a potential game changer.

“AI can automatically detect objects

based on machine learning from thousands of known data points,” Polanyi says. “We want to provide real-time, onboard detection that’s faster and cheaper.”

Polanyi and Kumar are in the process of leveraging a round of angel and family investment to grow the business. So far the young entrepreneurs have worked with Coastal Restoration Society, the BC Shellfish Growers Association and many of the 100 or so organizations engaged in ghost fishing gear recovery. Recently, Ocean AID completed a project with Bear River First Nation in Nova Scotia, using its AI-driven platform and data pipeline to locate and map more than 1,000 lost lobster traps.

Another UVic academic is literally making waves with AI-assisted research. Oceanographer Johannes Gemmrich recently co-published a paper with collaborators from the University of Copenhagen demonstrating how AI can help predict monster rogue waves. The researchers used AI to examine data from more than a billion waves, then the algorithm produced an equation. To their surprise, it contradicted prevailing wisdom about rogue waves that says they form when one wave slowly extracts energy from another wave to become one giant wave.

Instead, thanks to AI and machine learning, Gemmrich and his colleagues learned that rogue waves are caused by something else called linear superposition, when two or more wave systems briefly align to create massive waves.

According to the research team, they now have hard data to back what mariners have known anecdotally for centuries, giving the shipping industry a tool for avoiding dangerous waves that put crew and cargo at risk.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have also developed an AI model that can analyze an oncologist’s notes and flag whether or not a cancer patient will need mental health support during their treatment. Instead of a human poring over a doctor’s notes looking for telltale words and subtle nuance, AI can make predictions with better than 70 per cent accuracy, according to the UBC study.

“AI is blowing up everywhere. Pretty much any mundane or challenging task that can be done by AI, will be done by AI,” says Ocean AID’s Polanyi.

AI in the Classroom

Some historical perspective is helpful to fully comprehend the monumental task facing schools and educators in this brave new artificial intelligence world. In 2007, Apple launched its flagship iPhone, 13 years after IBM’s prototypical Simon Personal Communicator hit the market.

From left: Andrew Polanyi and Archit Kumar, the founders of Ocean AID, have married AI and sonar technology to detect underwater objects — like ghost fishing gear — quickly and inexpensively.

Yet three decades later, our education system is still struggling to develop policy around smartphone use in the classroom. Should there be system-wide bans, or should it be left to the discretion of individual teachers, schools or districts?

In a media release last year, provincial Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh said, “The ministry is continuing to research AI and how best to support schools and teachers as they navigate this topic.”

It’s a tall order. Chances are today’s students, who have grown up in the age of smartphones, are already more fluent in ChatGPT than many of their teachers ever will be.

“The idea of blocking out AI is not an option,” says Michael Paskevicius, assistant professor in educational technology at UVic. “I don’t ban AI from my classrooms. It’s a tool that I encourage my students to explore, understand and use.”

Paskevicius sees time-saving potential for teachers leveraging AI to develop lesson plans or tailoring a lesson to meet individual student needs.

Software companies are flooding the market with AI-driven platforms aimed at students, teachers, parents and schools. For example, Classcraft, according to its maker, is a game-based classroom management tool that uses AI to recognize patterns in student learning while providing real-time suggestions to teachers. Happy Numbers provides individualized math education while giving teachers insights about student growth and learning. Just how many teachers will have the bandwidth to adopt and scale these AI tools in the classroom is an open question.

There has been plenty of hand-wringing about kids using AI to “cheat” on papers and

“Do your own work and check your sources even if it is AI. AI doesn’t provide citations, it just gives you a block of text.”

— Michael Paskevicius, assistant professor in educational technology at UVic.

projects, but Paskevicius believes existing policy around academic integrity suffices.

“It’s not to say that we won’t have to revisit policy, but the same rules apply. Do your own work and check your sources even if it is AI,” he says. “AI doesn’t provide citations, it just gives you a block of text.”

Data privacy is always a concern, but especially in a school setting involving minors. Consider the fact that any information a child inputs to an AI-driven educational tool automatically becomes part of that algorithm’s generative machine learning process. Is that information secure, and who’s watching? Those are big questions.

As is often the case, regulations struggle to keep pace with the increasing sophistication of AI. In April 2024, a group of American newspapers including the Chicago Tribune and New York Daily News launched a lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI for using their articles to train their AI systems. It likely won’t be the last time a charge of copyright infringement is levelled against AI tech.

Adam Dubé, associate professor in McGill University’s Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, said educators and administrators are being “bombarded with endless advice on how to make our classrooms and institutions GenAI ready.”

“Advice ranges from the Pollyannaish rapid adoption of the latest GenAI tools to scaremongering, ineffective bans of all things algorithmic. The future of GenAI in education is neither so promising nor so bleak,” Dubé said in an interview for McGill.ca (“Experts: The impact of AI on education”).

According to Dubé, what’s needed is a “middle path” approach, one that recognizes both the benefits and risks of AI.

Just what that middle path will look like is anybody’s guess.

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AI SOFTWARE FOR SMALL BUSINESS

In the fast-paced world of business, staying ahead of the curve often means leveraging cutting-edge technology to streamline operations, enhance productivity and drive innovation. With the rise of artificial intelligence, business owners have access to a plethora of powerful tools.

CONTENT CREATION

ChatGPT is the tool that transformed how the public thinks about AI technology. It can be used for everything from content creation to idea generation, customer support and even data analysis. It can be a great option for startups and small businesses that want to enhance customer interaction. ChatGPT integrates into your website or customer service system to automate and handle inquiries. Since it uses natural language processing, it can understand and respond to customer queries with detail.

COMMUNICATION

This is an AI-powered writing assistant that assists entrepreneurs in enhancing the clarity and accuracy of their written correspondence. Grammarly offers instantaneous recommendations and comments to improve writing quality and professionalism on everything from emails and social media postings to blog articles and reports.

MARKETING

A recent study by digital marketing firm Constant Contact found that the biggest barriers to success for small businesses and non-profits are a lack of time and marketing expertise. “Small businesses know they need to market themselves, but rarely find the time they need to do it well,” says Russ Morton, chief product officer. Its Campaign Builder program uses AI to generate multi-channel marketing campaigns in minutes. Its BrandKit tool leverages AI to create a tailored theme and template that eliminates the need to upload content and images for every campaign.

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Using AI to analyze and interpret visual content, Google Cloud Vision is a potent picture identification solution for business. The app lets organizations extract useful insights from photos to improve decision-making and enhance user experiences, ranging from identifying objects and landmarks to detecting faces and writing.

SALES

Apollo offers a massive database of over 60 million companies and 260 million contacts. Sales teams can use this platform to not only get their hands on information about potential customers but also connect with them. The platform helps sales reps find, call, email and close a customer in one place. Additionally, Apollo offers AIpowered email analysis and followup features that help sales reps craft followup emails that match the sentiment of each response.

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

WE ASKED 15 PROMINENT VICTORIA BUSINESS LEADERS THAT VERY QUESTION.

“Success” can be quantitative (financial success, profit, market share) but also qualitative (job satisfaction, quality of life, giving back). Douglas recently reached out to a cross-section of Victoria’s business leaders to help define success both in business and in life. We asked two simple questions: “How do you define success? And if you could give Douglas readers one piece of advice based on your success, what would that be?” Here’s what they said.

CHRISTINA CLARK

Executive Director, Indigenous Prosperity Centre

“Early in my career, I measured success by achievements. Profits and promotions were clear indicators. This type of success can feel hollow and leave you chasing the next win. I’ve come to understand success differently. Looking back over my career, my most important contributions were helping other people learn and grow and believe in themselves. Watching someone you mentored achieve their dreams is deeply gratifying. Today I measure success by my contribution to positive change in the world.”

MARTIN SCAIA

Owner, Green Island Builders

“Success, for me, is about creating a lasting, positive impact both in business and in life. At Green Island Builders, we measure success not just by financial achievements, but by the quality of life we help foster in our community, the opportunities we provide for personal and professional growth, and our commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Living and working in Victoria, we strive to build responsibly and sustainably, ensuring that our projects benefit both our clients and the environment.

“Set a clear intention for the world you want to live in and work towards it with integrity and passion. This approach empowers you to take control of your interactions and decisions, fostering a sense of purpose and agency. By aligning your actions with your values, you not only achieve personal fulfilment but also inspire and positively impact those around you.”

ANITA BHAPPU

Dean, UVic Gustavson School of Business

“Success is when you can walk away from dysfunction and despair to embrace regeneration and hope, even if you choose not to do so. Ask questions and listen carefully to find out what you don’t know you don’t know!”

COREY GILLON

CEO, Peninsula Co-op

“Success, for me, is a concept that goes beyond mere financial metrics or market share. While achieving profitability and growth are crucial, true success encompasses a balanced life where professional achievements harmonize with personal well-being. Taking calculated risks in my career has been pivotal, as it has allowed me to explore new avenues and drive innovation. However, the most gratifying aspect of success is enabling others and witnessing their growth and accomplishments. Living a healthy lifestyle with my family, while generally just being a good human, is integral to my definition of success.

“The single most valuable piece of advice I can offer is to always embrace the opportunity to tackle the most challenging things. These endeavours, though daunting initially, often yield the most rewarding outcomes. It is through these difficult experiences that we grow, learn and ultimately achieve the greatest sense of fulfilment.”

PAUL HADFIELD

Owner, Spinnakers Brewpub

“Forty years ago we set out to change culture, to bring to market beer with flavour, offering it to consumers, who we hoped would become patrons, in an inclusive contemporary environment that played to a broad demographic in order to fill seats and generate revenues in what was, at the time, an exceedingly restrictive regulatory environment. We learned what was needed to sell the beers we wanted to make and along the way we chipped away at regulatory constraints, creating opportunity to increase capacity, to diversify offerings and create alternate revenue streams to weather storms beyond our control.

“Success is a continual process of inspiration, innovation and adaptation, seeking opportunities that align with core aspirations and values, never giving up and importantly, giving back to the community. It’s a two-way street.”

JIM HAYHURST Entrepreneur and Adviser

“I grew up with someone who actually “wrote the book” on this topic. In The Right Mountain: Lessons from Everest on the Real Meaning of Success, my father told the story of our 1988 Canadian Everest expedition. After two French climbers died, he spent time with their teammates learning about their lost friends. He soon understood that the two climbers made decisions on the mountain that didn’t fit who they truly were — their skills, interests and values — or the challenge of Everest. Eventually, that story helped create this definition: ’True success is the attainment of purpose without compromising your core values.’ And so, my advice is simple: Understand your core values before you get stuck making (actual or metaphorical) lifeand-death decisions on the wrong mountain.”

DEIRDRE CAMPBELL

President, tartanbond

“In June, I celebrated 23 years of running my own company. Surviving the ups and downs of a global company could be one definition of success. What drives me, and what I consider my biggest success, is surrounding myself with people who inspire and enable me to provide value to clients, colleagues, family and friends. What I mean by value is my hope that having me in their lives makes it better — whether to grow and protect their reputation via public relations, enhance their careers by the connections I share or my ability to be there as a support system (my nickname is The Connector and Fixer). Early in my career I had a boss who told me, ‘It is all about relationships.’ That’s the best advice I ever received because it is true.”

MARIANNE ALTO

Mayor, City of Victoria

“Success is knowing that something you did, said, shared, showed — made someone’s life better.

CALEN MCNEIL

President, Big Wheel Burger

“My advice is: Value, learn and grow from every experience, whether you think it is good or bad at the time — appreciate that you are a composite of it all, and use it all to open every door you can, push hard on the doors that are the most resistant, tell your stories to anyone who wants to listen, do good work — and always be kind, generous, patient, thankful.”

“I think most people would define success in terms of monetary return or value. It’s hard to be in business if you don’t turn a profit, but focusing on this will limit your business success but also personal happiness. I measure my success on the impact on the people that I work with and that my product serves. If you stay true to your core values and company vision with your staff and customers in mind, the money will take care of itself.”

DAN GUNN

JENNIFER ROBINSON Owner, Adventure Clothing

“I truly believe success in business directly correlates with success in our personal life. As an entrepreneur our business and personal lives are intrinsically connected. Our health and the health of our business is key. Being a trusted go-to brand within our community is a most important measure for me. And last but not least, being able to sleep through the night knowing you’ve treated your employees with kindness and respect…. And your bills are paid! Are all my measures of success!”

CEO, VIATEC (Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology & Entrepreneurship Council)

“For me, success is best defined by the impact and purpose behind my actions. I run a not-for-profit because it allows me to give back to our region, help people realize their dreams and feel good about the difference we make. I see it as a formula: Meaning = Purpose x Impact. It’s about the tangible and intangible benefits combined. My advice? Life is short — identify the contribution you want to make and focus your energy on making a difference that you’ll be proud of.”

CATHY SCOTT

CEO (chief exploration officer), Departures Travel

“My definition of success is being able to balance work and play (leaning heavily on the play!), fostering loving relationships with family and friends, and making a positive impact on the world around me.”

ERIC JORDAN CEO, Code Name Entertainment

“For me, to be successful is to be happy. The foundation of happiness is taking care of your health (physical, emotional, and mental). Afterwards, turn your focus to helping others and making the world a better place. I think you’ll be happier living a life in service of others than living a life in service of yourself. My one piece of advice is to recognize that you help shape your community and to ask yourself, ‘What do I want my community to be and how can I help it to become that?’ ”

AL HASHAM

President & CEO, Maximum Express Courier, Freight & Logistics and Max Furniture

“My definition of success is being involved in my community and giving back to where you work, live and play. You can’t do that without the support of your clients, friends and family.

“My advice is to be passionate and love what you’re doing, otherwise you won’t do it well. It’ll feel like work, and you’ll hate waking up to go to work. When you enjoy what you do, not only do you do it well, you’ll keep getting better and better!”

JIM SWANSON

Managing Partner, Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls

“Success for me is in seeing other people improve themselves and feel good about their work, it’s about accomplishing things that are good for the community and for those around you, and knowing that what you did was done with honesty and integrity and accomplished more than you even hoped when you started to do whatever task or vision was in front of you.”

DEEP TECH’S DIVE

Vancouver Island’s inventive ocean businesses are world leaders in the $3-trillion “blue economy.”

BY EMILY EDWARDS

When viewing Earth from space, it’s clear why it’s called the “blue planet.” What’s remarkable is that we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about our own oceans, with a mere five per cent of them having been explored by humans.

But a number of local businesses are changing that. With an established maritime industry, ocean-oriented research institutions and a collegial “let’s work together” attitude, it’s not surprising that Vancouver Island businesses are poised to take on what the United Nations calls the blue economy.

As defined by the UN, the blue economy comprises industries and policies that look to understand how we can sustainably manage our use of the ocean, while still using it as a tool for economic growth. And there is economic growth to be had. “The global ocean opportunity is expected to grow to $3 trillion by 2030, doubling in size and outpacing the growth of the broader economy by close to 20 per cent,” says Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.

Although traditional industries will also benefit from the blue economy from fisheries and aquaculture to shipping and offshore oil and gas their success will depend on our understanding of the ocean ecosystems and how our activities affect it.

Many of the companies enabling that understanding are on Vancouver Island. Local ocean tech entrepreneurs are developing and deploying solutions to collect data and provide insights that will change how we view the sea around us.

Robot-Powered Rowboats

In 2005, Julie and Colin Angus rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, the first to successfully complete the passage from mainland to mainland. Along the way, they encountered two hurricanes, including Vince, which made an extremely rare landfall in Spain. It was while they braved the 50-foot waves that the idea for Open Ocean Robotics began. If their rowboat could endure the ocean’s waves, they thought, so could robotic ones. And if those boats were solar-powered, they could stay at sea collecting ocean data for months, without emitting greenhouse gases.

In 2018, the Anguses launched Open Ocean Robotics. Now the company is practically a household name in the ocean tech sector. They have developed solar-powered, uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) that can be deployed in challenging conditions for extended periods. The three versions of the company’s USV, the DataXplorer, can be used to measure weather conditions, ocean currents and water depth and temperature. They can counter illegal fishing, map the seafloor and monitor marine mammals.

Open Ocean Robotics also provides a cloud-based platform, XplorerView MissionControl, that acts as a command and control centre for its USVs. What’s in store for the future? “We’re

now focused on commercialization,” says co-founder Julie Angus. “Our systems are very robust and we need to get them into the hands of customers.”

Finding Fish, Dodging Whales

Archipelago was founded in 1978 by a group of university biology graduates who were looking for a niche in marine-based environmental work. Years later, in the late 1980s, that niche became fisheries monitoring, which now represents nearly 90 per cent of Archipelago’s business.

Designed for harsh environments, the company’s on-vessel electronic monitoring systems collect data such as fish location, speed, vessel heading and various sensor readings. The data is loaded into FishVue Interpret, Archipelago’s analysis software, which uses AI to interpret the data and provide videos, maps and graphs.

For a niche application, Archipelago’s technology has a broad reach in its sector. President and CEO Gord Snell says that although there are fewer than 3,000 vessels carrying electronic monitoring equipment globally, Archipelago operates on nearly half of them.

South of the border in Washington state, 450 of Archipelago’s devices have been deployed on crab-fishing vessels to help regulators reduce interactions with whales. Using real-time maps and whale location patterns, regulators can

DataXplorer, Open Ocean Robotics

Launched: 2018

Category: Uncrewed Surface Vehicle

Description: DataXplorer is covered in solar panels, it recharges at sea to be out for weeks or even months. Designed for data collection, its modular sensor bays enable custom data collection optimized for quality, regardless of weather conditions.

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Chinook ROV, Seamor

Launched: 2014

Category: Remotely Operated Vehicle

Description: The Chinook is an industrial grade inspection ROV. Explore depths up to 300 metres (1,000 feet) with the standard vehicle or 600 metres (2,000 feet) with the deep water version. It offers a stable platform yet remains compact. With its small profile, it can operate in tight places and is easily stowed when not in use.

Sensing Marine Safety

Founded in 2017, MarineLabs has a well-developed network of sensors on Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts, as well as a test project with the U.S. Coast Guard in Connecticut. The sensors are rapidly deployable, self-contained, solar-powered and strapped onto buoys from which they send data to CoastAware, a cloud platform that customers access via subscription.

CoastAware collects real-time wind and wave data that is used by ports and pilots to safely operate and dock ships. In Canada and many other countries around the world, ports are legally required to have a vessel pilot bring every ship safely into port. The more information the vessel pilot is armed with, the better.

MarineLabs’ other customers are focused on climate resilience, a term becoming ever more popular as governments and politicians come to grips with what MarineLabs CEO Scott Beatty (pictured right) highlights as a multi-trillion-dollar problem.

“The thing that I’m continually reminded of, including by the latest climate events that we’ve all experienced, is that we have 100 years of emissions baked into our climate, and the effects of those haven’t been fully felt yet,” says Beatty. “If we stopped emitting all greenhouse gases immediately, we would still have 30 years of this to change.”

CoastAware provides climate resilience groups, such as coastal engineers, with historical data that can be used to predict weather patterns and help to plan marine infrastructure. Like many ocean tech companies, CoastAware uses AI to deliver insights, for example, the frequency and size of wakes from tankers passing the coastline.

Armed with a landmark $4.5 million in seed funding, the largest in Canadian ocean tech history, MarineLabs is now focused on growth. Beatty says the funding will be used to expand the company’s sensor network, add more team members and turn innovation into profit.

Remotely Observant

Seamor Marine designs and develops remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for underwater observation. Founded in 2006 by husband-and-wife team Inja Ma and Robin Li, the pair say that Seamor Marine is one of just a few companies in Canada exporting ROVs around the world and can be found on every continent and in every major body of water.

In Island waters, the ROVs provide an underwater window for marine researchers, conservationists, aquaculturists and infrastructure inspectors (think ports and pipelines). The technology allows them to gather data, monitor underwater structures and conduct maintenance all without ever strapping on a dive suit.

One example is the recent use of a Seamor Chinook ROV, owned by the Penelakut First Nation, to survey marine ecosystems in its Gulf Islands territory. The ROV, equipped with a high-definition camera and multi-beam sonar system, was deployed to monitor the health of eelgrass, assess biodiversity and collect seabed data such as damage from freighter anchors. Ma and Li said that the alternatives diving expeditions, towed cameras or ship-based surveys would be costly, time-consuming and overall less effective.

Looking beyond the Island, the pair point to offshore oil and gas, scientific research, defence, renewable energy and underwater archeology as growth sectors for ROV tech.

CoastAware, MarineLabs

Launched: 2017

Category: Maritime Weather Intelligence

Description: Powered by high-resolution, rapidly deployable sensor network. This robust system provides users real-time, AI-driven weather insights, ensuring continuous and reliable coastal monitoring. Unique capability for rapid updates and high-capacity data transmission.

MARINELABS

MARINELABS

An Ocean’s Worth of Data

While it’s not an ocean technology company per se, it would be impossible not to mention Ocean Networks Canada. Established in 2007, ONC is a non-profit organization owned by the University of Victoria, with the simply stated but difficult-to-achieve goal of advancing our understanding of the sea.

The organization runs world-class observatories on all three Canadian coasts and in the Antarctic that deliver realtime data used freely by scientists and researchers, governments and industry. Building, maintaining and managing those observatories has given ONC essential insights into what works and what doesn’t when it comes to ocean tech.

One Island company benefiting from ONC’s experience is Rockland Scientific. Rockland provides sensors and software that measure turbulent flow in marine environments to help scientists better understand climate change. The company produces sensors designed for a variety of marine environments, including one compatible with Argo floats.

Argo floats drift freely through the sea at varying depths and are deployed in oceans around the world as part of an international ocean intelligence program. ONC uses Argo floats to monitor critical changes in ocean environments and is now working with Rockland Scientific to integrate the company’s sensors onto the floats and develop methods for data dissemination.

For ONC, the project increases the data that the Argo floats are able to collect. For Rockland, it expands a global market for its sensors.

In addition, ONC uses in its own operations, the organization operates a platform that allows companies to test and demonstrate their technologies. With camera systems and sensors delivering real-time data, companies can show potential funders or clients the impact of their work.

The Business Hub at the Victoria Conference Centre

Open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

720 Douglas Street

250.361.0629 | bizhub@victoria.ca | victoria.ca/bizhub

Ocean Networks Canada has observatories on all three Canadian coasts and in the Antarctic. OCEAN

Building Drones and Sleds

Based in Nanaimo, Shift Coastal Technologies is a coastal resource management company. Among its technologies is an incident reconnaissance and intelligence drone used to detect oil spills, collect samples of surface water, detect polluting bilge water and support search and rescue efforts.

On the water, Shift has also developed an uncrewed surface vessel called the OceanSled. The sled can be deployed alongside a boom to help contain small-scale spills or use an attachable apparatus to help search and rescue teams extract a victim.

The applications for both technologies, combined with Shift’s cloud-based dashboard, have been adopted by First Nations, industry and government. Shift CEO James Spencer says that the company is finalizing a project with the Canadian Coast Guard that will allow it to better monitor oil spills and manage its response.

Speaking to the reality of the Island’s ocean tech industry, Spencer says, “It’s definitely not the easiest place to operate a business in the technology space. Especially one looking to manufacture and market to the global maritime sector.”

A Big Umbrella for Ocean Tech

Addressing the challenges faced by Vancouver Island entrepreneurs is exactly what the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies has set out to do.

The idea for COAST emerged when representatives from local municipalities, businesses and associations met to discuss the Greater Victoria economy and which sectors were most likely to succeed postpandemic. Among them was the blue economy. Many meetings later, COAST was incorporated and in 2021 the innovation centre was brought under the wing of the South Island Prosperity Partnership.

“Our focus is all about economic development. We want to set up an environment in which companies can grow and thrive in this sector and in this region,” says COAST executive director Jason Goldsworthy.

In order to help entrepreneurs overcome barriers to success, COAST is centred on four pillars: outreach, entrepreneurial support, pathways to talent and co-working facilities.

Goldsworthy says that for the last 12 to 18 months the organization, still in its infancy, has been focused primarily on its first pillar: outreach, engagement and building a local blue economy network.

SHIFT COASTAL

OceanSled, Shift

Launched: 2019

Category: Uncrewed Surface Vessel

Description: The OceanSled is tailored for high-risk near-shore operations designed as a multimission, uncrewed surface vessel (USV) capable of carrying a wide variety of payloads and sensor-rich technologies for maritime tasking.

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MarineLabs’ Beatty echoes the need for a stronger blue economy community on Vancouver Island. “If you took a snapshot of what the ocean tech scene looked like five years ago, it was a lot of silos,” he says. “It was a lot of people who were individually developing stuff and trying to find markets on their own.”

Tradition Meets Tech

The Association of British Columbia Marine Industries has played a key role in the founding of COAST and is another organization working to break down silos. ABCMI represents B.C.’s industrial marine sector which, including oceantech companies, consists of nearly 1,100 companies and 34,200 jobs, and generates some $7.2 billion.

The long list of the association’s core activities includes workforce and skills development, enabling business opportunities, developing supply chains and promoting B.C. exports.

Through the work of organizations like ABCMI and COAST, and through entrepreneurs themselves, there’s a growing sense of collaboration among the Island’s ocean tech community. It turns out that what’s good for the ocean may also be good for business.

Dr. Stephen Taylor

ATHENA

Business leaders achieve more with Athena

In a world where time is our most valuable asset, delegation is the key to unlocking more leverage. Enter Athena, a revolutionary service providing elite global assistants trained to help ambitious leaders redefine productivity. Founded by visionaries Jonathan Swanson and Robert Hayes, Athena is not just filling a gap but creating a paradigm shift in how leaders approach delegation and personal growth.

Athena was built on a simple yet profound realization: effective delegation is the secret to unlocking time abundance. “The biggest mistake delegators make isn’t delegating the wrong things — it’s not delegating enough,” says Jonathan. “The best delegators end up delegating more than 10x the amount of work that everyone else does.”

This philosophy is at the core of Athena’s mission — to teach the fiercely ambitious to master the art of delegation so they can lead extraordinary lives.

The success stories of Athena’s clients are a testament to its impact. Take Sam Corcos, CEO of Levels, for instance. “I started with one Athena assistant, and it was so impactful that I’ve now hired 20 Athena assistants for my company. Athena has directly fueled Levels’ growth.” This client-centric approach

and its commitment to excellence sets Athena apart in a crowded market.

Athena’s assistants are more than just one-off task takers; they’re strategic partners. They undergo rigorous training to equip them with the skills needed to handle complex tasks, from managing schedules, calendars, and travel to recruitment support and financial management. This 360° approach to support gives leaders more time to focus on their professional and personal lives.

“Our approach at Athena is unique,” adds Robert. “We combine exceptional training, technology and a strong community to ensure our assistants and clients thrive together in every aspect of their work and personal lives.” Athena’s vision has resonated with people across various sectors, from tech startups and founders to VCs, angel investors and best-selling authors.

As Athena grows at a remarkable pace, it remains dedicated to excellence, empowerment, and impact. For leaders who have dreams and vision but never enough time, Athena offers a gamechanging solution. Visit www.athena.com to take the first step.

“We combine exceptional training, technology and a strong community to ensure our assistants and clients thrive together in every aspect of their work and personal lives.”

— Founder Robert Hayes

athena.com

EMBRACING YOUTH IN MANUFACTURING

A win-win for the manufacturing sector

An increasing number of companies are recognizing the value of hiring youth, a move that brings a fresh wave of innovation, energy and adaptability to the industry. This trend is not just beneficial for youth seeking employment but is also pivotal for the long-term sustainability and growth of manufacturing right here in B.C.

Initiatives like Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium’s BC Youth in Manufacturing, which supports skills training and short-term, paid work placements for B.C. youth ages 16-21, exemplifies how structured support can facilitate this transition.

Incorporating youth into the manufacturing workforce is a strategic move that benefits both the sector and the young employees.

Innovation and Fresh Perspectives

Young people entering the manufacturing workforce bring with them a new perspective and a natural affinity for technology. Having grown up in the digital age, they are adept at leveraging new technologies and are often more open to experimenting with innovative solutions. This is particularly important

in manufacturing, where technology is rapidly evolving. From advanced robotics to the Internet of Things (IoT), young workers can drive the adoption of these technologies, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.

Adaptability and Agility

The manufacturing sector is dynamic, with processes and technologies constantly evolving. Youth are well-suited to thrive in such an environment. They are typically more open to continuous learning and are quick to pick up new skills, whether it’s mastering a new piece of machinery or understanding complex software systems. This agility is key for companies looking to stay competitive in a fast-changing market.

Addressing the Skills Gap

The manufacturing industry has long faced a skills gap, with many older workers retiring leaving a shortage of skilled labour to fill their positions. Hiring youth helps bridge this gap by injecting new talent into the workforce. Many manufacturing companies are partnering with educational institutions to

create apprenticeship programs and training initiatives, ensuring that young employees are equipped with the necessary skills.

Sustainability and Growth

Engaging young workers is also essential for the long-term sustainability of the manufacturing sector. As industries become more focused on sustainability, the fresh ideas and innovative solutions that young people bring can help drive environmental initiatives. By investing in the younger generation, companies are fostering loyalty and ensuring that they have a dedicated workforce for years to come.

Arien Aubertin, Project Coordinator Project Coordinator | B.C. Youth in Manufacturing Initiative 226-234-5561

aaubertin@emccanada.org emccanada.org

JOAN WALLACE DRIVING SCHOOL

Because learning to drive is a critical life skill that demands patience and dedication, Joan Wallace Driving School believes in preparing students for life, not just the test. Under the leadership of Joan Wallace, owner and operator, and with a seasoned team of instructors and administrators, the school brings a wealth of experience and dedication to every lesson.

Joan Wallace Driving School has aligned its goals with those of the Driving School Association of the Americas’ (DSAA), which is to produce safe and proficient drivers through ethical education and business practices. The school ensures that quality instruction is accessible to all and caters to drivers of all ages and needs. As expected, the school teaches new teen drivers, but it also serves adults aged 25 to 40 who need a first-time license for employment or are new to the province or country. Seniors preparing for the Enhanced Road Assessment are offered free seminars to help them decide about road tests and are offered follow-up, in-car sessions.

What sets Joan Wallace Driving School apart is its non-franchised, adaptable approach, allowing it to be a pioneer in many areas. The school was the first independent driving school to offer the Graduated Licensing Program and it offers training that can go beyond driving tests, such as teaching critical skills like highway high-speed hazard avoidance and space cushion driving. It also introduced online programs in 2017 to reach underserved areas.

The school also offers corporate training so busy professionals have the chance to make their commute more enjoyable by refreshing their skills in parking for every situation, collision and hazard avoidance, bad weather driving skills, and rush hour driving. And the school had the foresight to address a growing area of need for drivers: understanding new cars with ADAS (Automatic Driver Assist Systems).

In the community, Joan Wallace serves on the DSAA board and actively participates in local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau.

LEVEL-UP YOUR EMPLOYEES’ SKILLS TO SAVE YOUR COMPANY TIME AND MONEY.

 Safety training for any industry

 Training for those who drive for a living

 Driving on resourceroads and other unique circumstances

The school supports the community by funding sports teams and educational activities and offering seminars, scholarships and donations to MADD. Additionally, the school promotes environmental stewardship by using eco-friendly printing and being the first to use hybrid cars.

Joan Wallace Driving School is known for its longevity, accessibility, expertise and unwavering commitment to safety and community. Joan Wallace’s mission is clear: “We combine the latest technologies with patience and personal attention to ensure that you are kept in the driver’s seat.”

VICTORIA DIGITAL MARKETING

Expert strategies for modern businesses

Jessy Savage has had a landmark year as the leader of Victoria Digital Marketing (VDM). Over the past 18 months, Savage transitioned from a solo freelancer to a comprehensive agency. What began as a onewoman operation has drastically transformed into a full-scale agency equipped to meet the diverse needs of its clients.

Savage brings to the company a robust career history that began in traditional print marketing in the 2000s, working in graphic design. “Everything from business cards to billboards,” she says. During the 20 years in her career, Savage shifted alongside the marketing industry to find her expertise in digital marketing. When developing the offerings for Victoria Digital Marketing, Savage found it integral to infuse the expertise of all marketing specialties.

In 2024, she describes VDM as a “coalition of creatives,” aiming to offer top-notch services by working with the best talent in various fields to create well-rounded, comprehensive strategies. While VDM excels in website design, SEO, digital marketing strategies, social

media and more, they also engage external experts for services like videography and print marketing. VDM recognizes the strengths of others and integrates them into the business.

“If it’s a service we don’t offer, we work with somebody local and reputable who does,” Savage says. “We believe in creating collaboration instead of competition.”

One of the company’s pillars of strength includes an internal development fund for employees sponsored by the company. The unwavering commitment to growth and creativity enables VDM to adapt to market trends.

“The landscape of marketing, especially digital, is continually changing. It’s important for our team to stay on top of trends, technologies, software and new opportunities to streamline work to provide the best value for our clients.”

Savage values the relationships she builds with her clients, many of whom have been with her since the beginning.

“To have these relationships with people who have stood by and cheered you on —

watched you build their business, and now your own, is incredibly uplifting.”

Looking ahead, VDM aims to continue on the upward trajectory of learning, growth and creating new opportunities for businesses in Victoria and the lower mainland to thrive and grow — together.

M KING WORK

BUSINESSES HAVE A DIRE SHORTAGE OF WORKERS. NEWCOMERS BRING THE SKILLS THEY NEED, YET ARE MIRED IN BUREAUCRACY. HOW CAN WE BRING THEM TOGETHER TO CREATE A SUCCESS STORY FOR BOTH?

BY SHANNON MONEO

Over the next decade, British Columbia will need to fill a million jobs and almost half of those workers will have to come from outside Canada. So it’s little wonder that governments are looking at ways to bring more people into the country, give them the opportunities they need and then keep them here.

But the path to success in Canada, B.C. and Greater Victoria isn’t always easy for immigrants. Even those who have expertise in the most in-demand fields often find themselves tangled in red tape for years before they can practise the very professions we are most desperately in need of.

The B.C. government is trying to do something about it. This summer, the International Credentials Recognition Act, which was approved last November, goes into effect. Its aim is to help 18 various regulatory bodies make it fairer, faster and easier for newcomers to work in B.C., no matter where they were trained. It affects 29 professions across numerous sectors, including engineers, veterinarians, social workers, nurses, accountants and teachers. At the same time, the federal government says it will welcome nearly 1.5 million newcomers by the end of 2026 under a new Immigration Levels Plan announced last November.

They can’t get here soon enough. According to the provincial government’s 2023 “Labour Market Outlook” report, there will be 998,000 job openings in the province by 2033 (65 per cent of them to replace exiting workers, and 35 per cent arising from economic growth). The government estimates that immigrants will fill 46 per cent of those jobs and another seven per cent will be filled by Canadians from other provinces.

In fact, by 2046, Greater Victoria alone could add 170,000 more people to today’s population of roughly 425,000. “Most will be immigrants,” says Luis Gutiérrez Aguirre, the executive director of the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, adding: “The benefits brought by immigration enrich our community, economically, socially, culturally, gastronomically.”

Even those who have expertise in the most indemand fields often find themselves tangled in red tape for years before they can practise the very professions we are most desperately in need of.

Troubled Waters

In 2018, Jayanthi Rajkumar arrived in Victoria as an international student to study at Royal Roads University. Back home in India, Rajkumar, who has a bachelor of science degree, was the principal of a city school. But because her education and experience weren’t recognized in Canada, she worked as a pharmacy assistant and ESL supervisor, often holding more than one job at a time, just to pay the bills. She also began volunteering as a way to build that elusive “experience” employers continually requested.

By 2021, she was working at the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, which serves about 4,000 people each year, 70 per cent of them immigrants and 30 per cent refugees. Now, as a settlement counsellor, she helps those who are following in her shoes. “We want to help them integrate into the community,” she says.

Rajkumar was lucky: She chose Victoria because she already had relatives living here and thought the city would give her son and daughter a more promising future. “I wanted to make a home away from home,” she recalls. Even so, she says, “Once here, you have to navigate the challenges, find an identity.”

Those challenges include setting up bank accounts, getting a SIN number, finding

schools for children, resumé writing and other job preparations, and accessing health care, all of which is even harder if you don’t speak English. (Language remains the number one barrier to integration, and there are long wait-lists for English classes.)

Some newcomers are also fleeing bad situations in their home countries and may be struggling with trauma and isolation.

And then, of course, there’s housing. “Housing is still a challenge, working more than one job to pay the rent,” Rajkumar says. “The cost of living is too high.”

Like VIRCS, the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria exists to help all newcomers to the area. Last year, it served almost 2,800 people. “We’re a full-service, holistic settlement agency,” says ICA’s CEO Shelly D’Mello, a newcomer from Toronto who assumed the role in January 2023.

D’Mello stresses that the ICA “works deeply” with individuals, be they refugees from Eritrea or Ukrainians fleeing war.

“It’s to our detriment that immigrants have to start again,” she says, noting that the waste of training and abilities should not be ignored. “Can we find a way to tap into international talent?”

On the plus side, Rajkumar says, “Most employers are open to hiring newcomers.”

But the work that is available may be a mismatch for the employees’ abilities. It often includes janitorial, hotel

Some newcomers are also fleeing bad situations in their home countries and may be struggling with trauma and isolation.

A school principal in her native India, Jayanthi Rajkumar worked multiple, unrelated jobs when she first came to Canada just to pay her bills, as well as volunteering.

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria “works deeply” with its clients, says the ICA’s CEO, whatever their situation. A variety of workshops and skills training is on offer.

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

ICA COMMUNICATIONS

It’s class time at the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, which served nearly 2,800 people in 2023.

housekeeping, retail, technology, fast food, delivery and ride-hailing services, what D’Mello calls “survival jobs,” adding, “They’re not palatable jobs for Canadian-born folks.”

“Many immigrants find work in gig economies, delivering food, parcels, driving Ubers,” says Aguirre, who notes that many newcomers are more than overqualified for jobs delivering sushi or ferrying tourists to a hotel. (D’Mello agrees: “It is true, there are engineers driving cabs.”)

“Their motivation comes from survival. If they don’t survive, they have to go back, so they’re more than willing to work harder. Some of us left homes and businesses in our home country. So, we don’t have the luxury of failing,” explains Aguirre, who is himself originally from Mexico. And, he notes, those workers can be thoughtful and committed, if they’re given the right opportunity. “They see the workplace as a place where they can work forever or work for years.”

Costly, Complicated Obstacles

Both ICA and VIRCS organize job fairs where employers such as BC Ferries and the provincial government are urged to hire newcomers. “We see our role as a conduit between international

newcomers and employers. The long-term benefits of hiring highly motivated, competent people are worth the effort,” D’Mello says.

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, offers programs like the New to Canada Fund (which includes free GVCC membership to newcomers who start a business) and has embraced DEI initiatives. “We can’t keep up with the demand for jobs. And newcomers are landing in all sectors of the economy,” says Bruce Williams, the chamber’s CEO.

Still, for newcomers with advanced credentials, especially in professions like nursing and veterinary medicine, the process to get recognition is complicated and costly. They must complete additional examinations, training and residencies, which are expensive, time-consuming and seldom offered. It’s these very roadblocks that B.C.’s new International Credentials Recognition Act is designed to overcome.

One sector where there are plenty of jobs is nursing, be it registered, practical or psychiatric. “We need a lot of nurses, more than 5,000,” says Adriane Gear, president of the BC Nurses’ Union. “The demands are insatiable.”

“The long-term benefits of hiring highly motivated, competent people are worth the effort.”

In addition to retirements and a growing population that needs expanded care, the province and the BCNU recently signed an agreement to implement a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio, which will mean more nurses for fewer patients. The phased-in agreement starts this fall (2024) on medical-surgical units, Gear says. So even more nurses will be required.

“Internationally educated nurses could help us improve our staff levels. We definitely need to welcome people to our province from outside Canada,” says Gear, a registered nurse with over 30 years of nursing experience. The province is working to address barriers for international nurses, such as the cost to write tests and upgrade. But the

— Shelly D’Mello, ICA CEO

spots available for upgrading are limited and some new arrivals require more training than others, Gear says. As well, international nurses can feel isolated lonely, particularly if working in smaller locations. “How do we help people integrate?” Gear asks.

The BCNU also follows a policy of ethical recruitment, which means not poaching nurses from countries that the professional caregivers. The U.K., U.S. and western Europe are acceptable countries to source nurses. And the Philippines is desirable because the country has a dual-training stream: group is trained to work as domestic nurses while the second is destined export nurses, Gear says.

Another consideration is working conditions, which if dangerous or unpleasant mean nurses will come from other countries but not stay. Also factored in is the region’s high cost of living. Earlier this year, in the midst of a severe nursing shortage, Camosun College had vacant seats for its nursing program, perhaps related to accommodation. “Even if you can afford it, can you find it?” Gear asks.

A Need for Housing — and Builders

Rory Kulmala is aware of the housing shortage. As the CEO of the Vancouver Island Construction Association, he’s been banging the build-more-housing drum for several years. The shortage is, in fact, old news. Ottawa’s recently announced plan for 3.87 million new homes by 2031, which means 550,000 per year, double the record of 270,000 in 2021, may be difficult to achieve. Almost eight per cent of Canada’s workforce is already employed in construction, the highest percentage since 1946. Kulmala wonders how government goals can align with capacity.

“There’s been very little dialogue with industry to strategize how it’s getting

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria is committed to youth and family services.

done,” Kulmala says. “But we need skilled people now.” The BC Construction Association estimates that 6,600 skilled workers will be required in B.C. by 2033.

Contributing to the paradox is that the newcomers building homes, need homes. While not a silver bullet, immigration is vital to hit housing targets. “We need new eager workers. We need to bring in people who can serve our construction sector. Generalists are fine, but we should attracting skilled workers,” Kulmala says. Tile-setters, masons, finishing carpenters and even equipment operators would be a start.

As for language being a detriment, Kulmala doesn’t think it’s a hurdle.

Employers may have existing employees who can translate and VICA and BCCA have programs to integrate newcomers. “We work with employers to connect immigrants with companies,” Kulmala says.

As does the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

Its Foreign Worker Program (FWP) has been an impressive success. “We’ve brought about 2,500 skilled, foreign workers, mostly kitchen staff, mostly to Vancouver and Victoria,” says BCRFA CEO Ian Tostenson. His industry employs about 185,000 workers, but 25,000 more are needed because for every three workers who retire, only two are replaced.

To feed its need, the BCRFA’s FWP has partnered with a Vancouverbased consultant for the program. Many newcomers are from South Asia, Philippines, South/Central America or the Middle East or were working on cruise ships, but left, seeking stability.

When they arrive in B.C., they are met at the airport, taken to Service Canada, given a cellphone and assisted with housing and other needs. “They’re not just coming here, wandering around,” Tostenson says. “When you bring someone here on a hope and a promise, you have to treat them well.”

Newcomers arrive with the intention of becoming a Canadian citizen, which takes two to three years. One snag is that the provincial government requires employers with foreign workers to register, but due to extreme demand, it takes a lengthy period for the paperwork to be finalized.

“It’s double the time in B.C., compared to Alberta,” Tostenson says. So, before federal approval can be granted, the province has to provide the OK. Increasingly, workers who initially arrive in B.C. are heading to Alberta because they get permanent residency status sooner. Coupled with the high cost of living, once those workers leave, they don’t usually return, Tostenson says.

But those who stay are valued. “They’re unbelievably loyal, productive and have different expectations,” Tostenson says. “They’re so proud to be in Canada.”

B.C.’S INTERNATIONAL CREDENTIALS RECOGNITION ACT

Making things easier for foreign job-seekers and their would-be employers.

In 2023, B.C. introduced the International Credentials Recognition Act, which comes into force this summer with the aim of reducing job-seeking barriers for professionals trained abroad in the following 29 categories:

EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK

• Registered music teacher

• Early childhood educator

• Early childhood educator assistant

• Professional teaching certificate holder

• Conditional teaching certificate holder

• Social worker

• Registered clinical social worker

BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

• Professional biologist

• Applied biology technician

• Registered biology technologist

• Professional geoscientist

• Registered professional forester

• Registered forest technologist

• Professional agrologist

• Technical agrologist

ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

• Architect

• Professional engineer

• Land surveyor

• Landscape architect

• Applied science technologist

• Certified technician

HEALTH AND LEGAL PROFESSIONS

• Veterinarian

• Lawyer

• Notary public

• Emergency medical assistant

FINANCIAL AND REAL ESTATE

• Associate real estate broker

• Managing real estate broker

• Real estate representative

• Chartered professional accountant

Earning

Carter Notary, we regard our valued clients as lifelong partners. With a commitment to excellence, we strive to simplify complex documentation and make processes less stressful. Whether during joyful occasions or challenging times, we will assist you in navigating your paperwork with ease.

Ingrid Vaughan, principal of My Smart HR and founder of the Smart Leadership Academy, provides HR support and leadership coaching to small-business owners and managers.

WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE TOUGH TO MANAGE

Part 2 When difficult becomes toxic, what are your choices as a boss?

In the last issue of Douglas, we talked about what’s changing in the HR/leadership landscape and offered some tips on how to transform a problem employee into an engaged worker. But what happens if you’ve done everything possible to help a team member improve, but nothing is changing?

Over the last four years we’ve seen the challenges of managing people get more complex, difficult and even risky. This new reality is creating a fear of costly litigation, especially with terminations. Employers end up retaining employees who don’t fit the job or the culture of the organization, leaving managers frustrated, toxic behaviours going unchecked, employee morale and productivity plummeting, and turnover rising.

Working with employees to improve behaviour and performance is always the first goal. However,

For- or Not-for Cause?

Organizational needs and resources often dictate which is the best option. While the following guidelines are helpful, this is not an exact science. Ensure that you are properly supported by an HR professional or labour attorney when making this decision.

Please note that if you choose for-cause, the employee must have been given every opportunity to improve. If termination is not done well, employees may have a valid case for wrongful termination, constructive dismissal or a human rights claim.

there may come a point when the situation begins impacting your business in a way that is no longer tolerable. Sometimes ending the employment is the best course of action for both employee and business.

Mistakes to Avoid:

Despite the rise of litigation, employers have the right to performance-manage their employees, which includes letting someone go. When things go awry, it’s often for these reasons:

• Correct processes weren’t followed Either there were no procedures or managers didn’t know what they were, or the strategies weren’t executed consistently.

• Inadequate documentation Follow-up actions were not written down, there was no record of conversations and impromptu chats were forgotten. If it’s not documented, it can’t be defended in litigation.

• Insufficient manager support Fear, laziness or just plain busyness plus personal biases cause managers not to take the time to support employees through the review process.

• Inadequate follow-through and accountability Expectations, standards and outcomes are unclear or too vague for both manager and employee to measure.

Paying attention to these areas can shift a team member’s performance toward engagement and productivity and avoid the dreaded termination decision.

FOR CAUSE NOT FOR CAUSE

for performance issues or violation of terms or policies, including but not limited to such things as fraud, theft and insubordination.

A specific reason or cause must be provided through an internal investigation.

May not be entitled to severance pay or benefits.

Employer may be protected from wrongful termination lawsuits.

Detailed documentation of misconduct or poor performance necessary.

May be terminated immediately or with minimal notice.

Termination without specific fault or performance issues. No specific reason or cause required.

May be entitled to severance pay or benefits.

Employer may be vulnerable to wrongful termination lawsuits.

Less documentation typically required, however documentation is always a best practice in case of follow-up questions from EI.

Usually requires notice period as per contract or law or severance pay in lieu of notice.

Two Essential Resources

HR professional: If you don’t have HR staff, it’s essential to work with an HR consultant who can review all the actions you have taken to work with the employee, the documentation you have (or don’t have) to support your case and whether the reasons you have for termination are sufficient to fall under BC Employment Standards. They can help you develop a performance improvement plan to manage and document the process if actions and documents to date do not support a case to terminate, or avoid pitfalls and support you in planning the termination meeting, including the termination letter and script outlining what you can and can’t say.

Choose an employment lawyer who specializes in employment law versus someone with a broader practice.

Employment Lawyer: Equally essential. Choose one who specializes in employment law versus someone with practice. Awareness of legal necessary to inform your legal employment specialist guide you through the process you of the risks.

Strong Leadership is Key

The best way to avoid terminations is to create feedback-based culture where regularly and actively involved members’ engagement and Here are some keys to building employee experience.

• Hold regular one-on-ones job progress and concerns;

• Provide feedback on issues

• Create clear expectations;

• Hold team members accountable behaviours and duties;

• Provide clarity on the strong or underperformance;

• Offer consistent, positive greater proportion to

• Invest in leadership training managers.

The happier and more is, the less often you’ll be dealing with such difficult employment endings.

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE

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HOW TO CONDUCT A TERMINATION MEETING

Prepare thoroughly: Have documentation on hand, including a termination letter, final paycheque (or date that it will be released) and a release of claim form.

Choose the time and place: A private, neutral setting will minimize interruptions and avoid potential embarrassment. Offer an opportunity to come back after hours to collect personal items.

Make it short: Less than 15 minutes is appropriate. Don’t engage in friendly chitchat to lessen the blow; it sets the person up to feel blindsided when you give them the news.

Use a script: Clearly communicate the decision and if things go off the rails, come back to the script. Avoid arguing or debating the decision. In a not-for-cause termination, be careful not to bring performance into the conversation as it can confuse the issue and put you at risk of shifting into a for-cause termination discussion.

Review practical matters: Describe the effective termination date, paycheque, and such things as payout of vacation and overtime, benefits, severance or outplacement services, return of keys or company property, etc. This should also be outlined in the termination letter.

Be professional: Be prepared for any response — anger, confusion, confrontation or sadness. Stay kind, focused and calm.

Followup: Wrap up any administrative pieces (revoking computer access, ensuring record of employment has been filed, etc.)

Communicate with your team: Keep it simple. Let them know that the person is no longer working at your company and you wish them well in their future endeavours. Offer support for people who may be struggling or feeling loss and ensure them that there is a plan for how you will move forward.

Debrief with someone after the meeting: Terminations can be as hard on the person delivering the news as on the person receiving it. Plan to have another manager, colleague or friend provide support after a difficult experience.

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Justin Ferriman

coaches founders on how to grow faster and improve their profit margins. His BrightGrowth coaching program helps entrepreneurs to get unstuck by revealing creative solutions to pressing issues. brightgrowth.com

FIVE PROVEN GROWTH STRATEGIES FOR STARTUPS

The startup world is a battlefield. Every day, countless new businesses emerge, each vying for attention, customers and market share. In such an arena, standing still is not an option.

Now, think about this: Why do some startups skyrocket to success while others barely take off? The answer often lies in the growth strategies they adopt. If a startup can achieve momentum in its initial stages, it builds a strong foundation. This early traction can attract investors, garner customer attention and build a brand.

Strategy 1: Product-Market Fit

You’ve probably heard this term thrown around in business circles

But what does it really mean?

At its core, product-market fit refers to the sweet spot where your product meets the needs of your target market. It’s when your offering resonates so well with your audience that it seems tailor-made for them.

Achieving this alignment isn’t just about luck. It involves a methodical approach. First, you have to really understand your customers. This means diving into market research, conducting surveys and having one-on-one conversations. Next, refine your product based on this feedback. This could include changing features, adjusting pricing or even pivoting your entire product direction.

Once you’ve made these tweaks, measure the response.

• Are customers sticking around longer?

• Are sales increasing?

• Is word-of-mouth growing?

These are indicators that you’re on the right track. However, remember that product-market fit isn’t a onetime achievement. As market needs change, you’ll need to adapt to maintain that fit.

Strategy 2: Leveraging Network Effects

Network effects sound complicated, but the idea is pretty straightforward: The more people use a product or service, the more valuable it becomes for everyone using it. Think of it as a snowball. As it rolls downhill, it gets bigger and bigger. The same happens with startups. The more users you have, the more who want to join in.

A good example is Uber. They found that the more drivers they had in an area, the shorter the wait times, which attracted more riders. And as more riders used the app, more drivers joined to benefit from the increased demand. It’s a winwin fuelled by network effects.

Strategy 3: Content Marketing

Content isn’t just king, it’s the whole royal court. Whether it’s blog posts, videos or podcasts, content lets startups reach a potentially global audience with just a few clicks. But there’s a catch: It’s not about blasting random stuff on the internet. It’s about delivering value. How do you do this as a start up? Easy: by becoming a thought leader in your industry. You don’t need a massive budget or a fancy title. All you need is some expertise and the willingness to share it. Maybe there are questions everyone’s asking but no one’s answering. Dive into those.

Strategy 4: The Power of Word of Mouth

There’s nothing quite like a recommendation from someone you trust. It’s like your friend telling you about a killer burger joint. You don’t just Google it, you go eat there. Trust is hard to earn, but easier if someone else vouches for you. For startups, this is gold. When you’re new, most people haven’t

heard of you. But if their buddy recommends you? Instant trust. So how do you get this ball rolling? Referral programs. You have customers. They like you (hopefully). Why not give them a little nudge to spread the word? Offer them something a discount, a free month or even some cool swag. The key is to make it easy. A couple of clicks, maybe a quick share on social media. Don’t make them jump through hoops. Simple is powerful.

Strategy 5: Agile Development

When you are just starting out, standing still is not an option. The dynamic nature of today’s business environment demands agility, adaptability and a willingness to pivot on a dime. Fail to move quickly and you will be passed by a competitor. Agile development doesn’t just mean moving fast. It’s a structured approach that emphasizes short development cycles, frequent product releases and ongoing refinements based on feedback. Think of it as launching a pilot version of your product, learning from real-world interactions and then fine-tuning it to perfection. Your customers are your best critics. They are the real-time users of your product. If they hint that a feature doesn’t resonate or could be enhanced, it’s crucial to heed that advice. Always keep your ears to the ground, welcome feedback and be willing to shift gears when the signs are evident.

Growth is No Accident

The road for startups is a bumpy one, full of unexpected turns and steep climbs. These five strategies can be a map guiding you through unfamiliar territory. Each holds a piece of the puzzle that can transform a fledgling startup into a thriving, successful business.

PUTTING PADDLE TO POND

Kayaking is both an outdoor adventure and full-body workout.

It’s an iconic image of outdoor adventure: a kayak gliding across a glassy bay, bow knifing through the mist, its wake shimmering in light. With nearly 4,500 kilometres of coastline and hundreds of lakes and rivers, paddling is a favourite outdoor activity on Vancouver Island. In fact, B.C. has been rated as one of the best kayaking destinations in the world, up there with the Galapagos and Mexico’s Sea of Cortez.

WHERE TO START?

Rent a kayak: Although you’ll get the bare minimum amount of gear and instruction, it’s a low-cost way to dip your toes in the sport.

Sign up for a tour: You get the boat, gear and fundamentals all in one package. Options range from a sunset tour to a multi-day adventure in a wilderness locale like the Broken Group near Ucluelet or the Broughton Archipelago.

Sign up for a class:

Like a tour, everything is provided and the emphasis is on in-depth learning, from basic strokes to advanced skills like wet exits and rolls. The Paddle Canada National Sea Kayak Program offers nationally recognized certifications in five skill levels. Students develop the skills for safe sea kayak touring in both calm and rough water.

THE BASICS:

Sit up straight: Your mother was right. Posture is important for balance, efficiency and safety. Keep the heaviest parts of your body — head, chest, abdomen and hips — stacked like blocks in a tower. Staying loose in the hips allows the boat to rock under you.

Use the big muscles: Paddling with arms alone is inefficient and fatiguing. Your chest, back and stomach muscles are better suited for the task. Paddling slightly stiff-armed encourages efficient strokes by forcing use of the larger muscles.

Get a grip. Relax: Hold the paddle shaft with thumbs and forefingers like you’re making the “OK” sign, and keep your other fingers loose. To find the right hand position, rest the centre of the shaft on top of your head, then hold it so that your arms form right angles at the elbow.

Going forward: Plant the blade as far forward as you can comfortably reach, rotating your torso without leaning forward. Keep the path of your stroke parallel to the boat.

B.C. has been rated as one of the best kayaking destinations in the world.

3 AREA PADDLES TO EXPLORE:

All three of these routes have one or more kayak rental shops.

Tod Inlet: Tucked behind The Butchart Gardens is a beautiful tree-lined inlet, beach and nature preserve accessible only by boat or by a walking trail just off Wallace Drive. This is an ideal paddle for beginners as the inlet is sheltered and the total route there and back is only five kilometres.

Inner Harbour & the Gorge: Victoria is a working harbour with pleasure boats, water taxis, ferries, tugboats and plenty of seaplanes to dodge. But there are also historic buildings, harbour seals, bald eagles, herons and the occasional sea lion. There are also floating restaurants and coffee shops at Fisherman’s Wharf that cater to the paddling crowd.

Sidney: From Port Sidney Marina or Tulista Park, paddlers can poke around the bays and shoreline south to Island View Beach or north to Tsawwassen. Or, for the more experienced paddler, Sidney offers a jumping-off point for the Gulf Islands. A popular three-kilometre outand-back trip is to Sidney Spit, a sweeping stretch of sandy beach.

Sources: Canoe Kayak Canada, ACA, Perception Kayaks

CARRY ON

Local luggage to get you and all your things from A to B — and look good, too.

Road warriors know that carry-on is the only way to go when it comes to business travel. It won’t just get you on and off your flight faster and easier, it also means your luggage is sure to arrive at your destination when you do. That’s crucial if you’ve got day full of meetings and appointments lined up.

But not just any old carry-on bag will do. You need something that is lightweight, functional and indestructible bonus points if it looks good, too. These two Vancouver-based luggage companies have you covered.

The Carry-On Pro and slightly larger Pro Plus from the multi-award-winning Monos have a virtually unbreakable polycarbonate shell that comes in nearly a dozen stylish colours. They also feature a TSA-approved lock, quiet wheels, vegan leather details

and a super-sturdy telescopic handle. Even better, they have a padded front compartment designed for your laptop, travel docs and other essential gear so you can sail through security without breaking a sweat. Plus the company follows a number of sustainable initiatives so you can feel even better about your purchase. ca.monos.com

If you don’t love hard-shell bags, then the Herschel Heritage Softshell Luggage Large Carry On might be the one for you. (They make hard-shell bags, too.) It’s made from 100-per-cent recycled EcoSystem fabric, has multiple handles for easy-graband-go efficiency and compresses your stuff for convenient travel and storage options. Available in four versatile colours, rugged and ready for whatever the road throws your way. herschel.ca

STAY SOBER JOIN THE PARTY

There’s now a non-alcoholic beverage for everyone — and it’s actually good.

A wave of new, high-quality, zero-proof products means you can keep your focus — and avoid awkward questions — whether you’re hosting a client for dinner or enjoying a backyard barbecue at the boss’s place.

Here are some of our favourites.

Beer: The NA beer market is in a ferment these days, with dozens of excellent products on the market. Phillips iOTA was one of the earlier entries, founded in 2021 by Victoria’s Matt Phillips, an OG of the city’s craft beer scene. His nonalcoholic lineup includes Pilsner, Pale Ale, Hazy IPA, Blackberry Lemon Ale and the newly released Cerveza, an easy-drinking Mexican-style lager.

Also try: Strange Fellows Nevertheless, Superflux Experimental NonAlcoholic IPA #37, Whistle Buoy Little Vis IPA.

Wine: It’s harder to find an alcohol-free wine that actually tastes like wine, but Summerland’s Ones+ comes close. Winemakers Tyler Harlton and Chris Pagliocchini use vitis vinifera — and minimal sugar — to create their 0.5-per-cent ABV wines. So far they’ve released sparkling red, rosé and white blends, as well as a couple of still reds, with a white in the works. Note that some styles are available in convenient cans.

Also try: Pure Vision Zero Shiraz, Lautus Savvy Red, Brochet Zero Sauvignon Blanc.

Mocktails: The inventive minds at Spinnaker’s have joined the zero-proof cocktail revolution with their brand-new Even Keel lineup. It comprises seven patioready classic bevvies made with mineral water from their own ancient aquifer, including a Mai Tai, Cosmo, Mule and a Mojito perfect for late summer days.

Also try: Edna’s Paloma, Clever G & Tonic, Sparkmouth Lime Margarita.

Although

Tip:

most major retailers now carry some NA products, the charming Market Garden in Vic West has an inviting cellar dedicated exclusively to zero-proof beverages.

COUNTING ON TECH

The technology sector continues to grow across British Columbia — and especially right here in Greater Victoria.

If you had any doubts, technology is the fastest growing and most lucrative sector in this province. According to the recently released 2024 economic impact study by VIATEC, (the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology & Entrepreneurship Council), wages are higher, revenues are growing and opportunities are booming. And the BC Tech Association reports that, in the last year, this province also had more “unicorns” — startups valued at more than $1 billion — than anywhere else in Canada. Here's what else you need to know.

B.C. HAS A THRIVING TECH SECTOR

With more than 11,000 tech companies, employing 220,000 British Columbians, technology is the fastest growing sector in the province. And it’s growing faster in Greater Victoria than anywhere else — the number of technology firms has increased by 12.2 per cent here since 2017, higher than the 10.2 per cent increase in all technology firms across the province.

Coast & Nechako

1 to 4

$594,930

5 to 9 $1,779,291

10 to 19 $4,316,170

20 to 49 $12,159,437

50+ $64,100,968

The tech sector has a significant — and growing — impact on Greater Victoria’s economy. Its revenues have increased 44.3 per cent just since 2017, to nearly $5.9 billion a year, and are six times what they were in 2004. Note that all figures here are in billions of dollars.

TOP SKILLS IN HIGH DEMAND

As the tech sector evolves, different skills are needed. Technical expertise is highly prized, but so is an ability to work with people. Here are the most indemand skills employers are looking for right now.