ELEVATE Cape Breton - Summer 2019

RENAISSANCE OF ARTS P6 Theatre a major asset for Sydney

SEPTEMBER 2019

MUSIC & DANCE P21 Classes foster artistic talents

DIGITAL DESIGN P22 Breaking away from tradition

A PUBLICATION FROM THE CAPE BRETON PARTNERSHIP

Celebrating creativity in Cape Breton

CREATIVE ECONOMY PG 14

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Local artist, Alison Uhma, works on a creative illustration

ON THE COVER

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CREATIVE ECONOMY

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY IN CAPE BRETON On cover: Four Corners, an exhibition of four talented young artists with ties to Inverness County: Kristen Herrington, Brooklyn Stewart, Erika Stonehouse and Kelsey Watson, displayed artwork at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts (ICCA).

Cape Breton Partnership Board of Directors Executive Alex Paul, Mi’kmaw Economic Benefits Office of Nova Scotia – Chair Sandra Killam, Seaside Wireless Communications Inc. – Vice-Chair Rob Wadden, Grant Thornton – Treasurer Jennifer MacLeod, MacLeod Lorway – Secretary Directors Blaire Martell. Lobsters ‘R’ Us Seafood Osborne Burke, Victoria Co-operative Fisheries Ltd. Amanda Mombourquette, Strait Area Chamber of Commerce Dan MacDonald, CBCL Ltd. Andrew Alkenbrack, Cabot Links Resort Sean Reid, Mulgrave Machine Works Steve Parsons, Eskasoni Corporate Beth Mason, Verschuren Centre, CBU Allan Eddy, Port Hawkesbury Paper James Wooder, JBW Consulting Inc. Fred Tilley, Marconi Campus, NSCC Jennifer Martin, Membertou Corporate Brian Purchase, Schwartz Furniture Paul Breski, Nova Scotia Power Cheryl Smith, Celtic Music Interpretive Centre

PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

19 ARTIST PROFILES

26 Artistic accommodations

21 Bringing music and dance to the Island

28 Writing our story

Mel Sweetnam, Onni Nordman Alison Uhma, Loretta Gould

New opportunities emerge giving Cape Bretoners a creative outlet

22 Design in the digital age Forming a relationship between technology and artistic expression

24 Designing a Cape Bretoner’s Cape Breton Trifos Design Consultants ensure a unique Cape Breton experience

Cape Breton Partnership Contact

Modern storytelling from rural authors

PLUS 4

PRESIDENT & CEO’S MESSAGE

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REGIONAL BUZZ FEATURE: HIGHLAND ARTS THEATRE

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REGIONAL BUZZ

29 PARTNERSHIP PROFILE: ERIN FLYNN 30 PARTNERSHIP UPDATE

Elevate is published by The SaltWire Network on behalf of the Cape Breton Partnership

SYDNEY OFFICE 285 Alexandra Street Sydney, Nova Scotia B1S 2E8 Telephone: 902-562-0122 or 902-562-7182

Publisher: Sarah Dennis President and CEO: Mark Lever Director, Product Management: Lindsey Bunin Advertising Sales: Scott MacQuarrie Director, Sales & Marketing – Cape Breton Post 902-371-0417 scott.macquarrie@cbpost.com

PORT HAWKESBURY OFFICE 609 Church Street Suite 101 Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia B9A 2X4 Telephone: 902-625-0958 For more information about the Cape Breton Partnership visit www.capebretonpartnership.com.

For any questions about Elevate Magazine, contact the Cape Breton Partnership at 902-562-0122 or by email at elevate@capebretonpartnership.com.

River Nest Wilderness Cabins share local artistic talent with Island visitors

Elevate Magazine Lead: Nicole Simmons Editor: Nicole Gnazdowsky Layout & Design: Peter Ross Cover Photo: Steve Rankin Contributing Writers: Andrea Vokey, Nicole Simmons, Megan Tonet, Jeremy Martell, Stephanie MacLean

Disclaimer Elevate magazine makes no warranties of any kind, written or implied, regarding the contents of this magazine and expressly disclaims any warranty regarding the accuracy or reliability of information contained herein. The views contained in this magazine are those of the writers and advertisers; they do not necessarily reflect the views of Elevate magazine and its publisher The SaltWire Network.

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Copyright 2019 by SaltWire Network Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without expressed written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PRESIDENT & CEO’S MESSAGE

Welcome to Creative Island Let Cape Breton inspire you

WE ARE THRILLED TO SHARE SOME STORIES ABOUT THE BRILLIANT, CREATIVE WORK TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE ISLAND. OUR ARTISTS AND ARTISANS ARE PROVING THAT CAPE BRETON’S ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE IS ALIVE AND WELL, WITH NO CHANCE OF SLOWING DOWN.”

CARLA ARSENAULT

President & CEO, Cape Breton Partnership

E

arlier this year, we introduced the concept of Cape Breton•Unama’ki as the Creative Island, a place where creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are valued and supported and Cape Breton’s rich creative culture and heritage are celebrated.

In this edition of Elevate we are thrilled to share some stories about the brilliant, creative work taking place across the Island. Our artists and artisans are proving that Cape Breton’s arts and culture scene is alive and well, with no chance of slowing down.

Culture is defined as any creative artistic activity that produces a good or service and/ or preserves heritage. Cape Breton•Unama’ki has always been synonymous with culture and the sector is growing across the country.

Canada-wide, the culture sector GDP is larger than the hunting, fishing, agriculture and forestry sectors combined with the GDP of culture products increasing by 16 per cent.

Not only is GDP of cultural products growing, but so is the impact on jobs with 799,100 cultural workers currently in Canada, accounting for four per cent of the overall labour force. One in every 25 Canadian

workers has a cultural occupation.

Closer to home in Nova Scotia, culture is the eighth largest sector in the province’s economy representing 13,100 or 2.8 per cent of all jobs. In Nova Scotia, culture plays a significant role in the economy and can often be the lifeblood of a community.

Our Gaelic culture from Scotland and Ireland is showcased through the worldrenowned Celtic Colours International Festival, which brings together people from all across the globe every October to celebrate our Island’s culture, music and heritage. As well, the Colaisde na Gàidhlig (The Gaelic College), an educational non-profit institution, offers year-round programming in the culture, music, language, crafts, customs and traditions of the immigrants from the Highlands of Scotland.

Our Mi’kmaw culture can been seen through a number of cultural experiences including the Eskasoni Cultural Journeys at Goat Island, medicine walks, workshops on basket weaving, Indigenous drum making and creating dream catchers at the Membertou Heritage Park, or a visit to the Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre.

There is tremendous opportunity to see our Acadian culture around the Island through the unique Centre de la Mi-Carême located in Grand Étang, offering a display of locally crafted masks and interactive exhibits. LeNoir Forge Museum in Arichat allows visitors to experience a working forge and peruse a collection of tools and artifacts that tell the stories of Isle Madame and the Elizabeth LeFort Gallery in Chéticamp highlights the craft of rug hooking.

PRESIDENT & CEO’S MESSAGE

Beyond our traditional Gaelic, Mi’kmaw and Acadian cultures, Cape Breton is also a rich tapestry of talented artists and artisans from cultures all over the world. From the Centre for Craft and Design to the Inverness County Centre for the Arts, there is ample opportunity to see their works. Read on to learn about the growing live theatre sector that is experiencing a renaissance in downtown Sydney through the Highland Arts Theatre (the HAT). You will hear from Frank Macdonald, Gabriel LeBlanc and Michelle Sylliboy, our modern storytellers living in rural Cape Breton who are drawing from their cultural experiences and publishing award winning pieces.

Cape Breton•Unama’ki has emerging graphic artists in digital illustration and graphic design who are helping Cape Breton companies create artistic designs and brands. We are also seeing new music and dance opportunities emerging, including Sydney-based Painted Dance Collective and École de musique Raveston Music School in Chéticamp.

In this edition you will learn about game changing creative spaces being revitalized in Cape Breton including the former Holy Angels Convent space in Sydney and the former St. Joseph Renewal Centre facility in Mabou which has been purchased by the Colaisde na Gàidhlig (The Gaelic College) to be transformed into a vibrant cultural space to showcase Gaelic culture.

I hope after reading you have a renewed understanding of Cape Breton’s vital culture sector and how it is shaping the economic and social fabric of the community. ■

SEPTEMBER 2019

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SUMMER 2019 ELEVATE

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REGIONAL BUZZ FEATURE

PHOTO KEN HEATON

Live theatre brings new life Sydney’s Highland Arts Theatre a major asset to downtown STORY ANDREA VOKEY

THERE IS SO MUCH TALENT ON THIS ISLAND AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE CREATING WAYS THAT WE CAN ALL SHARE OUR LOCAL TALENTS, WHICH MAKES SO MUCH SENSE.”

WESLEY J. COLFORD, ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HIGHLAND ARTS THEATRE

L

ive theatre has experienced a renaissance in downtown Sydney. Not since the golden era of the Rotary shows in the 1950s and 1960s at Sydney’s iconic Vogue Theatre has there been such a buzz around live theatre in downtown Sydney. The Highland Arts Theatre (HAT) is central to the sector’s revival.

In five short years, the HAT has become a mecca for aspiring artists to perfect their craft, allowing actors, dancers, vocalists and musicians the opportunity to perform in a variety of productions including musicals, plays and concerts as well as theatrical training. Achieving tremendous success and community support, the HAT has presented more than 66 theatrical productions to date.

The revival of the sector has been a BUSINESS NEWS

PHOTOS STEVE RANKIN

dream come true for the HAT’s Artistic and Executive Director, Wesley J. Colford. “[The HAT] is living out the legacy of places like the Lyceum, the Vogue and the Rotary shows that were such a vigorous part of the arts scene,” he says.

Born in 2014 from the opportunity to repurpose the former St. Andrews Church, the HAT’s venue is described by Colford as a stunning piece of architecture that features ideal acoustics which lend well to a theatre — though Colford readily admits that he did not think it would be long term.

Originally conceived as a music venue that would produce one or two plays per year, the HAT responded to increased demand, now showcasing 13 productions per year in addition to special events and youth training programs which have also recently seen increased growth.

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PHOTO CHRIS WALZAK

Open year round, the HAT is able to showcase local talent to tourists and community members alike. For 153 nights in 2018, the HAT attracted crowds ranging from 200 to 400 people a night to enjoy live performances in the historic building.

The return of a theatre to Sydney’s beautiful downtown district has been a tremendous asset for entrepreneurs and businesses in the area.

The HAT has sustained relationships with local businesses and support through their sponsorship program.

And much of their success spills over to to downtown businesses, particularly restaurants that have found it necessary to add additional staff on show nights. Colford recognizes that a synergy is created by the community coming together in support of local initiatives, fostering even further development in downtown.

“The community has been a driving factor in keeping this theatre alive and well,” says Colford.

Employing a total of 233 artists in 2018, the HAT compensates artists for their talent which allows them to do what they love while being treated as professionals.

Along with supporting Cape Breton artists, one of the primary goals of the HAT is to foster better awareness and appreciation of Cape Breton songs and stories. A large part of that is working with institutions across the Island that are leaders in Cape Breton’s art and culture sector.

“There is so much talent on this Island and there are so many people creating ways

that we can all share our local talents, which makes so much sense,” says Colford.

Last October, the HAT adopted a new ticketing system on the same server as the Savoy Theatre, Strathspey Place and the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, allowing the organizations to share the same network.

“That was a great partnership and is

still relatively new,” says Colford. The HAT, Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay and Cape Breton University’s Boadmore Playhouse have a close relationship, often sharing resources as well as borrowing costumes and set pieces from one another. These theatres collaborate on the scheduling of their shows to ensure performers are able to participate in as many productions as possible.

The HAT recently developed a five-year strategic business plan to outline some of SUMMER 2019 ELEVATE

what is on the horizon, including the continued collaboration with existing operators as well as branching out to collaborate with more theatres, artists and artistic venues across the Island.

Colford believes that collaboration in the theatre community is an incredible example of how Cape Breton can band together and see each other not as competitors but as likeminded individuals all with the same goal of trying to increase growth in the creative economy. He feels every sector in Cape Breton has all of the same benefits to reap from collaboration.

As the HAT looks to the future, one of its major projects includes the expansion of its youth education program. With so many young people brimming with talent, the HAT team wants to ensure that they have the resources available to provide training and relevant experience for youth to be successful developing their skills in the performing arts industry.

One key aspect of that is the PHOTO CHRIS WALZAK anticipated new programming and facilities to accommodate more classes as demand increases.

Not only has the HAT brought live theatre back to Sydney’s downtown, accelerating the momentum in the artistic sector, but it has also brought new life to one of downtown Sydney’s iconic buildings, increased downtown business traffic and has become a major employer in the area. As it continues to prepare for future growth, the Island looks forward to what the Highland Arts Theatre produces next. ■

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REGIONAL BUZZ have a local festival. A total of 89 high school students registered for the event and they took part in a weekend of workshops as well as performed their plays. The festival aimed to bring together like-minded youth to share and develop their creative skills, while showcasing the next generation of creative and artistic youth in Cape Breton.

Inverness receives Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award

PHOTO CARTER CHIASSON

Eskasoni high school student receives praises, meets Paul McCartney for cover of "Blackbird" sung in Mi’kmaw

Emma Stevens, a high school student from Eskasoni, received high praise and a trip to Vancouver for a video of her singing a rendition of the Beatles’ song "Blackbird" in Mi’kmaw. This cover was made with her high school as a part of a United Nations campaign to raise awareness about the endangerment of Indigenous languages globally. The video went viral with over one million views and counting. The cover received the attention of one of the men who wrote the song, Beatles’ front man Paul McCartney. Immediately following its attention, McCartney announced he met Stevens before a June show in Vancouver. McCartney said Stevens’ version “is so beautiful” that it made him nervous singing the original version of the song on tour.

High school dreams come true for three Glace Bay men

A group of lifelong best friends are coming together to make their high school dreams come true by starting a new casual clothing line. Cameron LaTulippe, Markus Mischiek and Stephen MacGillivary worked with a designer to find a logo and name to come up with their brand Unoriginal Clothing. The launch of the company began in May 2019 with 20 hoodies. Orders were taken through

Unoriginal Clothing’s Facebook and Instagram platforms. Since then, orders have been growing fast with a lot of support from the community and have already been receiving interest from customers in the United States. The demand has resulted in the owners starting to work out other business details like company registration, trademarking the brand and more.

Future plans for the company include expanding the product line, getting into retail stores and moving their office.

First ever Cape Breton High School Theatre Festival took the stage at CBU

In May 2019, the first Cape Breton High School Theatre Festival took place at Cape Breton University.

Mike McPhee, Drama Teacher at Glace Bay High School, along with Todd Hiscock, Manager of Boardmore Theatre, have been a part of the Nova Scotia High School Drama Festival for many years and thought it would be beneficial to

BUSINESS NEWS

The Municipality of the County of Inverness was awarded the Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award at the 2019 Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities Spring Conference. The award was presented

by Rick Hansen to the Municipality for its work towards making Inverness Beach more accessible to everyone. The Municipality built ramps, washrooms and parking spaces, installed mats along the beach and made two beachfriendly wheelchairs available to visitors along with floating chairs to allow people to go into the water safely. Inverness was one of three municipalities to win this award, being recognized as one of the leaders across the province on accessibility and inclusion for all Nova Scotians.

Cape Breton company provides light to Toronto Raptors

Sydney-based company, Advanced Glazings Ltd., provided the Toronto Raptors natural light with a large proprietary solera skylight for their dressing room. The Sydney-based company was chosen for the project after the architect wanted natural light without glare from the sun as part of the dressing room feature. The facility is also home to Basketball Canada as well as the Raptors 905, the NBA G League affiliate for Toronto. Advanced Glazings has relationships with architects all over North America and Europe, giving them a broad range of projects to work on while representing Cape Breton.

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PHOTO STEVE RANKIN

PHOTO STEVE RANKIN

Caper Gym & Fitness opens newly constructed, accessible gym

Funky Country Chicks in Grand Étang

Annette Verschuren inducted to Canada Business Hall of Fame

those of other women’s centers across Nova Scotia. The funding is providing the women’s centre with stability for future years, recognizing the importance of the centre in the communities it serves.

This new fitness facility is owned by Shirley and Conrad MacLean and they don’t plan on moving away from their home. In 2015, the partners drafted their business plan and after looking at several venues to hold their ideas, the duo opted to build a gym on their property and hired local skilled tradespeople to build their business. Their goal was to provide accessible space that is welcoming to all people across the fitness spectrum. The gym is open seven days a week and offers yearly, monthly and daily passes.

A ceremony hosted by Junior Achievement Canada was held at Metro Toronto Convention Centre honouring North Sydney native, Annette Verschuren, CEO of NRStor Inc., as one of the four new inductees into the Canada Business Hall of Fame. The hall of fame celebrates the outstanding achievements of the most distinguished business leaders in Canada. There are more than 170 Order of the Business Hall of Fame Companions, which serve as inspiring examples for all young Canadians and are featured in a display in the Allen Lambert Galleria located at Brookfield Place in Toronto, Ontario. Companions are selected by an independent panel

representing Canadian business, academic and media institutions.

Verschuren is one of few women companions ever inducted into the hall of fame, with the first female-identifying companion, Muriel Sprague Richardson, inducted in 1981.

Strait Areas Women’s Place gets major annual equality boost

The Strait Area Women’s Place connected to the Leeside Transition House has received an increase in funding. Marina Martins, Executive Director of both Leeside and the Strait Area Women’s Place, announced on June 26 the annual funding will increase from $70,000 to $205,716. The Strait Area Women’s Place funding now matches

This eclectic business is located in the old Credit Union building next to the Co-op in Grand Etang. Co-owners, Andrea Timmons and Lynn Smith MacMichael, offer a clothing boutique, a restaurant, local art and a glow-inthe-dark mini putt open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Funky Country Chicks is an all-female owned, led and run business that has something for everyone.

But, the fun couldn’t be contained just inside the walls of the building — outside on a nice day visitors can also enjoy stunning Cape Breton views while playing a game or two of washer toss.

Skyline Trail art installation marks National Indigenous Peoples Day

Parks Canada arranged temporary art on the steps of the Skyline Trail for National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, 2019. The Steps Forward project has been presented by NSCAD Master of Fine Arts graduate Lorraine Albert. Metal plates that have been laser etched with text from the 1752 Peace and Friendship Treaty between the British Crown and the Mi’kmaq line 35 steps on the

Global Entrepreneurship Week

trail. This project will help inspire discussion and change, while making the national parks a place to enjoy nature, art and history.

Air Canada adds new route to Sydney

A Q400 Turbopop aircraft that holds 78 seats arrived at the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport on June 27, 2019 from Montreal.

The newly added seasonal route will run until October 26, 2019. The Sydney Airport Authority CEO Mike MacKinnon explains that the new route will increase tourism and stimulate business activity. The flight will complement the route already in place from Toronto, with the Montreal Trudeau International Airport having connections up to 150 cities around the world.

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PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

Sydney waterfront upsizes tourism with massive new attraction

The Sydney waterfront is where you will find the iconic Big Fiddle, but now visitors and residents of Cape Breton will find a massive red adirondack chair as well. The large chair has been sitting on the Sydney waterfront next to the Big Fiddle since May 2019. The chair was donated from Keltic Furniture, a local furniture company in Sydney. Owner Ken MacPhee decided to donate this large chair to the municipality for another waterfront attraction. Made from 579 milk jugs and a proprietary extrusion process that produces a plastic lumber that doesn’t splinter or crack, the chair will be able to withstand Cape Breton’s harshest weathers. The chair was specially made for Cape Breton by C.R. Plastic Products, an Ontario company where the company co-owner began recycling plastic furniture to divert plastic away from landfills and oceans. This large attraction is expected to remain alongside the fiddle for years to come.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Home Instead Senior Care hires new Community Engagement Coordinator

“It’s nice to bring one back,” says Home Instead Senior Care Franchise Owner, Chris Robertson, of his recent hire, Community Engagement Co-ordinator, Ian McNeil, a Cape Bretoner who had been living and working in Halifax. “It’s time to grow the business. I’m confident that Ian’s experience and connections will help us advance to the next level,” adds Robertson. McNeil is a communications consultant who worked in broadcast journalism, mainly with CBC Cape Breton, as well as in economic development with the Cape Breton Partnership. “I look forward to using my old skills in a new field,” he said, “I expect to learn a lot that will support my own parents’ independence in their Cape Breton home.” In its seventh year of operation, Home Instead provides services and resources throughout the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to support seniors who wish to live as independently as possible — at home.

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Eskasoni First Nation acts on community expansion plans

The largest Mi’kmaq community in the world is growing again. Eskasoni First Nation’s population now reaches over 4,500 residents. As a result, the community identified the need for a new high school and a long-term care facility as a priority, but required additional land. Eskasoni has now purchased 86.5 hectares of land from two properties in Castle Bay. The land now adds availability for new buildings, commercial space and residential living areas.

Bras d’Or Lakes Inn celebrates grand re-opening

Previous owners of the Bras d’Or Lakes Inn, Jean Pierre and Rhoda Gillet, sold their Inn this past December. The new ownership team of Blaire Martell, Albert Sampson and Danielle Sampson purchased the property. The Inn has been in operation since 1995 and has recently reopened under new management to welcome visitors to enjoy all that the Bras d’Or Lakes have to offer.

PHOTO STEVE RANKIN

Eddie’s Small Engine Repair celebrates 20th anniversary

Eddie’s Small Engine Repair, a family business located in North East Margaree, is celebrating 20 years of business.

In 1999, Eddie opened up shop with help from Perry Chandler of InRich. He runs the business with the help of his brother Herb, wife Paula and daughter Macey. Eddie’s shop sells ATVs and snowmobiles as well as repairs small engines, tractors, farm equipment, bikes and snowmobiles. Eddie hopes the business will stay around for another 20 years to come.

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Louisbourg Seafood’s owners inducted into Cape Breton Business and Philanthropy Hall of Fame

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Boysenberry Boutique & Café opens its doors in downtown Sydney

After a year of planning, Tori Horvath opened her new trendy business on Charlotte Street in downtown Sydney.

Horvath is a 23-year-old recent graduate from CBU’s Bachelor of Business Administration program. With support from her family, Horvath was able to purchase the downtown building from Lang Investments Corp. in May of 2018.

Her new business, Boysenberry Boutique & Café, allows shoppers to sip coffee in the downstairs café while being able to browse various styles of clothing upstairs. She has a part-time staff of five employees and offers holdings for private events at night. The basement floor of the building is expected to be the new home for the Middle Ground Market in the Fall, providing a permanent store for local artisans and crafters.

Louisbourg Seafood’s owners, Jim and Lori Kennedy, have been inducted into the Cape Breton Business and Philanthropy Hall of Fame for the expanding seafood company. The company sells a variety of fish and seafood including lobster, snow crab, ground fish, shrimp, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and whelk.

The Kennedys went into business together in 1991 after a layoff from the fish plant where they both worked. Now they own four plants and one fishing fleet, employing a total of 500 workers. Their products are imported worldwide to places such as Europe, Asia and across North America. The successful entrepreneurs along with their children own and operate a multi-million dollar per year business, but say you won’t find the value they have for their employees on any spread sheet.

Richmond Education Centre / Academy opens Skills Trade Centre

This June Richmond Education Centre / Academy had its grand opening for its new Skills Trade Centre.

Richmond Education Centre / Academy now joins only two other high schools in the region to have a skilled trades facility with a red seal certified instructor for practical, hands-on experience.

The school will offer three types of courses: skilled trade course grade 10, construction trades 11 and manufacturing trades 11. Through this facility, students are able to earn up to 500 pre-apprenticeship hours to put towards their careers while in high school.

Campbell family of Brook Village wins Master Breeder Award of 2018

PHOTO STEVE RANKIN

Galloping Cows receives support to help promote women-led businesses in Canada

Rodger Cuzner, local Member of Parliament for Cape Breton – Canso, announced funding for Port Hood-based business Galloping Cows Fine Foods owned by Joanne Schmidt. The $90,000 grant contribution will be put towards the expansion of the business, extending sales to countries including the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.

The grant was funded through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy, an initiative to double the number of women-led businesses by 2025.

BUSINESS NEWS

The Campbell family of Brook Village own a farm called Brookvilla, which won the 2018 Master Breeder Award at Holstein Canada’s National Holstein Convention.

This is the second time the family’s farm has won the Master Breeder Award with the first time being in 2001. Collin, Cathy, Jackie, Kevin, Angus, Cynthia and Kyle manage the 300-acre farmland with their 80 cows. The master breeder’s videos can be found on the Holstein Canada YouTube channel.

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St. Peterʼs Canal Historical Site gets boost with new tourism hub

Potlotek First Nation has partnered with the St. Peter’s Economic Development Organization and Parks Canada to establish a recreation and retail tourism hub at the St. Peter’s Canal National Historic Site. Named Canal Landing, the hub will offer various water and trail exploration rentals such as kayaks and bicycles, as well as a collection of local artisan pieces for sale. Canal Landing celebrated its official opening on June 29, 2019 with a celebration that included speeches from both Potlotek First Nation and St. Peter’s Economic Development Organization on the collaboration their communities have benefited from in establishing this project.

Membertou gets new land code to support future development

Membertou is the first Nova Scotia First Nation community to adopt its own land code after residents voted 94 per cent in favour of the decision. Now, Membertou is free to manage its own lands and resources in accordance with Mi’kmaw culture and traditions without waiting for federal approval. This allows the community to move at the speed of business as Membertou resumes its inherent right to manage its own reserve lands and resources under its very own land code. The code applies to 84 hectares of land, with plans in process to add an additional 607 hectares of land to its reserve base. This will help Membertou get a start on developments for the reserve lands such as Churchill Crossing.

PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

Reuse, recycle: The Tiny Little Shop Art Gallery hopes to inspire environmental sustainability in art sector

Marion Bridge artists, Angela MacLeod and Mary Marshe, opened their kiosk located portside of the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion on April 30, 2019. The kiosk, called The Tiny Little Shop Art Gallery, will be open during cruise ship season, which is expected to run until November. MacLeod is a mosaic artist who uses recycled materials and Marshe is a fibre artist who upcycles and does her own wool processing. The artists both use all locally sourced materials and hope the shop will showcase their environmentally sustainable artworks while bringing the community together to inspire people.

Bitten Moon Pub showcases select craft beer

Father and son duo, Terry and Malcolm MacLeod, recently opened their second business together, the Bitten Moon Pub. The pair also own Sweet Side of the Moon Bakery-Café and expanded their business ventures with a new pub and eatery. The focus of Bitten Moon is the 47 varieties of craft beer it offers, including

tastes from Breton Brewing, Route 19 and Big Spruce. Their goal is to grow the local economy while growing the appreciation of craft beer in the area. You can find the Bitten Moon Pub on 78 McKeen St. in Glace Bay, located behind Sweet Side of the Moon.

Copol International receives funding

Mark Eyking announced Copol International Ltd. will be one of six winners to receive funding from

the Government of Canada. Canada is working with Canadians to protect land and water from plastic waste. The funding is a part of the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenge to invest in new ideas and technology to reduce plastic pollution and move towards a zero-plastic waste future. Copol is a small business developing a food packaging solution that will incorporate biodegradable products taken from marine waste into a cast polypropylene film. ■

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CREATIVE ECONOMY

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY IN CAPE BRETON STORY STEPHANIE MACLEAN

COVER STORY

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PHOTOS STEVE RANKIN

T

he terms, or at least the ideas, of hubs or clusters have been used for hundreds of years to describe part of economies, cities or towns that a geographic area or network of similar businesses reside. They can be created by government or private investment or just happen organically on their own like Silicon Valley. Hubs have been attached to place-making initiatives, trying to capitalize on community assets to spur economic development and for good reason: It works.

The creative economy and the commercialization of creative sectors have few barriers to entry — at the heart of it is human capital. The sector is mainly knowledge based, meaning it can happen anywhere, as long as there is access to needed resources at the right time if conditions are ideal.

The creative economy is a collaborative sector by nature and working in close proximity to one another just makes sense. Likeminded people want to be near each other.

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While there are many organizations and institutions in the creative and cultural sectors around the Island, here are a few that are helping to boost the sector by removing barriers and providing those perfect conditions for the sector to flourish.

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Creating affordable spaces for people to start their creative business just makes sense.”

Savannah Anderson, Coordinator, The Convent

THE CONVENT Convent: meaning to convene or to come together. At least that is the new meaning of The Convent in the north end of Sydney.

A home to the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame for over 130 years, the Holy Angels convent has seen its fair share of gathering. Built in multiple phases — the south wing in 1895, the north wing in 1905, and the High School in 1958 — the Convent was a place for arts education from the earliest days of their completed High School. The Sisters provided education in music, drawing, painting and drama to their students and were the first to bring an arts and classics curriculum to Cape Breton classrooms. A prominent staple of the north end of Sydney, Holy Angels High School and the convent closed in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Seeing potential in the historic landmark, New Dawn Enterprises, one of the oldest social enterprises in Canada, purchased the Holy Angels property in 2012, which included the land, the high school and the convent. From then, a vision was born to create affordable spaces for artists and creative industries to work, learn, collaborate, connect and market their work.

“Creating affordable spaces for people to start their creative business just makes sense. In order for someone to start that may not have many resources, you have to make it approachable for them,” says Savannah

PHOTO STEPHANIE MACLEAN

Anderson, Co-ordinator for the Convent and a former student of Holy Angels High School. “We see this building as an entry for businesses to grow and expand and if there comes a time when they’re at a place where they need larger commercial space, they can go off on their own and be able to afford it.”

CONTRIBUTED

Since the acquisition, New Dawn Enterprises has been working feverishly to realize their vision of the Centre for the Arts.

The organization received $3.2 million from the Province of Nova Scotia, as well as an additional $5 million from the Government of Canada for the development of the Centre.

Local architect, Trifos Design Consultants, is working alongside DTAH Toronto and the pair have fully re-imagined the 130-year-old COVER STORY

structure into a new modern facility, while also preserving historical components. When completed, the 36,000-square-foot building will offer affordable and accessible space for 150 emerging and established artists and creative and cultural organizations. The Convent offers three rental options, including a work desk in the common space, smaller private spaces and larger private studio spaces. Prices include heat, lights, water, Internet, parking and access to bathroom facilities and wash stations. The building will also house the Meals on Wheels Kitchen and Social Enterprise Café and includes four anchor tenants, including Celtic Colours and Nova Stream Productions.

To be involved in something so exciting for a small community has made Katherine Scott rethink her retirement from her craft.

She was one of the first artist tenants to sign up for a space in The Convent, having had her studio in the Holy Angels building.

“It means a real elevation of ambition,” says Scott, Owner of The Little Pink House Studio. “Artisans frequently suffer from feeling like they are undervalued, but a brand new place like The Convent legitimatizes a fringing existence as an artist and I think it will for other members of the community.”

Originally from New Brunswick, Scott was trained as a librarian and worked for a Japanese paper company before getting interested in handbook binding, which led her into the production of artisan books that combine photography, printmaking and original writing. Having lived in Sydney and Gabarus for the last 20 years, Scott made her way to Cape Breton via Halifax and from Toronto before that.

The Convent put out two calls for artists in the spring and summer of 2019, which have been advertised across Canada and have even seen interest from individuals from the United States. The Convent aims to have a soft opening early 2020 and a grand opening in the spring of 2020.

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PHOTO COREY KATZ

THE CUSTOMS HOUSE To Lori Burke, Executive Director at the Centre for Craft and Design, the Customs House concept in Port Hawkesbury had been five years in the making. Drawing from sources of inspiration such as Pudacah, K.Y. and Quidi Vidi, N.L., the idea of artists and craftspeople relocating to rural locations to sustain parts of the economy is a tested and true concept. How could it not work in Cape Breton? Taking that inspiration to the next level, the Centre hosted a national campaign in 2018 to bring artists and crafts people to the small community of Port Hawkesbury and one year later, the outcome has been extremely positive.

“Year one of the Customs House has exceeded our expectations and the strength of the four artisans has contributed to that success,” says Burke, Executive Director of the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design. “It has given us the belief and proof that this could work in other communities around the Island.”

The promise of a fully equipped studio and not having to worry about overhead costs was all that it took for four crafts producers to move to the town of Port Hawkesbury, sight unseen. Now there are four new businesses with four new people

PHOTO COREY KATZ

who are now engrained in the community.

“My concern is not the next year in the craft sector, it is the next 20 years,” says Burke. “What are we doing as an organization and what are we doing as a community to ensure that we have creative people on this Island.”

Slowly but surely, the Centre for Craft and Design’s residency programs are seeing people move to Cape Breton from other parts of the country, with 12 people relocating to parts of the Island last year.

Built in 1939, the federal heritage building has changed hands a few times over the last 80 years but started out as a post office and provided customs services. The town of Port Hawkesbury had purchased the building in 2006 and took over the building’s management in 2011. The town has contributed largely to the success of the Customs House in their invaluable partnership with the Centre for Craft and Design, which also received contributions from the Cape Breton Partnership. The Centre hopes to find those partnerships in other communities around Cape Breton, such as Inverness, Louisbourg and Middle River, which are the next planned locations for the Customs House concept.

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THE MABOU CONVENT

Nestled in the small village of Mabou on the western side of Cape Breton, sits another building in the midst of being transformed into a cultural hub. In 2018, Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College acquired the St. Joseph Convent and Renewal Centre, a 30,000-square-foot building looking out onto the Mabou Harbour.

Opening in 1952, the St. Joseph Convent and Renewal Centre was home to the Sisters from the Congregation of Notre Dame for over 65 years, but they had been a prominent part of the community for over 130 years. In its time under their care, the Centre offered education, residence for boarders, a family life program and more recently provided space for retreat and spiritual renewal.

With a little less than a year into ownership under their belt, Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College is working on plans for renovations, programming and services to be offered out of the building.

“Partnerships will be an important part of our plan going forward,” says the Honourable Rodney MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer of Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College. “We have great partners in Scotland and Ireland and most importantly our own Cape Breton University, who we hope to collaborate with in this one-of-a-kind space.”

In 2018, Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College also acquired the Atlantic Gaelic Academy, which provides online Gaelic language training and education from instructors located around the world.

Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College knows that this cultural hub will be an economic generator for the small community of Mabou and will compliment their offerings in St. Anns. Programming and training will draw visitors, as well as providing much-needed accommodations on the western side of the Island where they plan to keep the community hub feel by providing rooms for rent by groups or organizations. Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College will continue to release more of their plans in the coming months.

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PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

Access to the resources offered by these creative and cultural hubs across the Island can often be the turning point for some individuals and their businesses, especially in rural areas.

“Artists can be so isolated, whether you are successful, full time or part time, it’s really important to be a part of a community,” says Scott, Owner of Little Pink House Studio.

“It improves cross-creative collaboration and even being silently sitting next to somebody can make a world of difference.”

The impact of these creative and cultural hubs does not just stop at the artists and crafts people using the spaces, it improves community participation as well. The Social Impact of the Arts Project, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, conducted a study and concluded that research “indicates that residents who participate in the arts and culture tend to engage in other types of community activities. Moreover, the presence of cultural organizations in a neighbourhood stimulates local community participation overall.” †

Artists can be so isolated, whether you are successful, full time or part time, it’s really important to be a part of a community.”

KATHERINE SCOTT, OWNER, LITTLE PINK HOUSE STUDIO

The impact of cultural and creative hubs cannot be understated, whether cultural, social or economic for artisans and the community at large. Hubs, such as the ones listed above, can play a major role in developing the creative economy in Cape Breton and the

PHOTO STEVE RANKIN

use of their physical space can support the development of individuals, organizations and projects.

“Listening to artists talk how about much this means to them to have a space where they feel what they’re doing matters and in a more professional setting, as well as being able to collaborate with other people, that’s the benefit of these kinds of spaces in communities,” says Anderson from The Convent.

Cape Breton is overflowing with individuals in various avenues of the creative and cultural sector — from the Mi’kmaq who have been perfecting their traditional craft for hundreds of years to new digital designers teaching themselves. It creates our identity as a community, where we have come from and where we are going. We are only just scratching the surface of the creative economy’s potential on the Island and while the concept of hubs is still relatively new, there is no doubt that these creative and cultural hubs will become economic generators and a welcome, energized change. ■

Hamilton, L., Andrea Arbic, & Greg Baeker. February 2009. “Building the Creative Economy in Nova Scotia”. For the Research Committee of the Nova Scotia Cultural Action Network.

Retrieved from http://www.creativecity.ca/database/files/library/ns_can.pdf

†

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ARTIST PROFILES

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Life in fibre

Mel Sweetnam subscribes to the mantra: Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. As an ecological fibre artist, Sweetnam spends much of her time creating art using natural fibre components such as fabric or yarn. What’s exciting is that her creativity does not stop there.

Sweetnam has several projects in the works to support fibre artistry across the Island.

After living and travelling around the world, Mel came to Cape Breton in 2011 as a tourist and fell head over heels with the Island, its people and the Cape Breton way of life. Before long, Sweetnam resigned from her senior position within the Ontario government and moved to Cape Breton to establish Mamie’s Schoolhouse for Sustainable Fibre Arts. Under her business, Sweetnam creates fibre art that supports a sustainable natural fibre economy and conducts workshops in traditional and contemporary arts using materials and processes that protect our planet.

Since opening, Sweetnam’s work has been in high demand in galleries across the Island

and she’s had over 200 students attend workshops from across Canada, the United States and Europe. Although until now, Sweetnam has run these workshops within communities, this Fall she will be opening her own workshop venue in Goose Cove.

It was under Mamie’s Schoolhouse that Sweetnam created the Cape Breton Fibre Trail, a Google map that highlights fibre arts destinations across the Island. Within its first year, over 25 per cent of those visiting the site were from Great Britain and 60 per cent from the United States.

When she’s not creating artworks, running workshops, managing the construction of her new workshop or updating the online Cape Breton Fibre Trail, Sweetnam is spearheading Canada’s first commercial scale organic farming of dye plants. Most natural dyes currently sold in Canada originate in India, so in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint and meet the quickly growing demand for natural dyes, Mel and neighbouring organic farmers are growing 1,600 linear feet of three classic dye plants in two different regions on the Island to compare the microclimates and the impact on the dye pigment concentration. She’s

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also in discussions with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture to identify the kinds of infrastructure and equipment required to scale-up the commercialization of the final products.

Sweetnam is part of a collaboration where 27 natural dyers from around the world contributed dyed fibre as part of a woven exhibit piece for display along with information about each dyer’s textile journey. The exhibit has been showcased in the United Kingdom, Canary Islands, Australia and from mid-August until the conclusions of the Celtic Colours International Festival, will be on display at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts.

When asked about working within the creative sector on Cape Breton Island, her response says it all.

“I get to do all day, every day what I was trying to fit into the corners of my previous professional life. On those days you wonder if your business will succeed, I just have to lift my head and look outside to be reminded why I made that leap and why it’s so worthwhile to be here,” said Sweetnam.

“I have travelled around the world so I know just how special this place is.”

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ARTIST PROFILES

Alison Uhma

Onni Nordman

PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

Onni Nordman:

Presenting science through art In 2020, the Canada Council for the Arts will be taking Canadian arts to Germany. In the year leading up to the 2020 Frankfurt Book Fair — where Canada will be the guest of honour — the German arts and cultural scene will light up with Canadian creativity. As part of this, the Canada Council for the Arts has created an initiative to support Canadian artists with artistic engagements in Germany from October 2019 to October 2020. One such artist is Cape Breton artist and painter, Onni Nordman.

From January to June 2020, Nordman will participate in two artist residencies at the Max Plank Institute of Plasma Physics and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, both located near Munich, Germany. The Max Planck Society is Germany's most successful research organization, comprised of 84 Max Planck Institutes and facilities that conduct research in the sciences and humanities. It is a national and international icon of German research that attracts scientists from all over the world.

During his residencies, Nordman will be tasked with creating visual representations of science through art and then participate in a number of art and culture shows.

Nordman is also the creator of Check Out This Art, a project launched in May 2019 where he loaned 36 original artworks to the Cape Breton Regional Library. For six weeks, library members could sign out the artwork, just like a book. The idea was inspired by a similar project done at the New York Public Library Greenwich Village branch. Nordman wanted to give back to the library, as it was the first and only place he could go as a child in the 1970’s to see pictures of art.

PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

Nordman has traveled around the world throughout his 30-year career as an artist, however living in Cape Breton gave Nordman the time and freedom to create art.

In Nordman’s opinion, Sydney is a small but vital Canadian art district comprised of The Centre for Craft and Design, the Highland Arts Theatre, The Convent, Dr. Lukes and the Cape Breton University Art Gallery. With all of the energy in the sector, Nordman believes Sydney has the biggest, most vital creative sector he’s ever seen in his life.

Alison Uhma:

CONTRIBUTED

Loretta Gould:

Adding artwork, subtracting stores

From quilting needle to paint brush and beyond

Alison Uhma is a self-taught artist who is using her illustration and design talents to pursue unique small business ideas. In recent years, Uhma has been selling quirky cards and stationery — often with Cape Bretoninspired drawings — while also concentrating on her more personal artistic practice.

The success of her business, On Paper Prints, extends beyond the Island. This year, Uhma found a market for her products in Halifax and Dartmouth. She has ambitions to bring her work to an even broader audience and is digitally adapting her drawings into iPhone stickers to help her reach art fans across Canada. Uhma is also exploring the possibility of selling small works of arts in vending machines. Like the iPhone stickers, this project is intended to make art more accessible.

Uhma developed the idea in Mashup Lab’s Dream Business Program as an alternative to traditional storefronts. It would allow Cape Breton artists to sell affordable art without having to take time from their creative work to manage a physical store.

About six years ago, Loretta Gould shifted her creative practice from making art quilts to painting. She taught herself to paint, just as she taught herself to quilt and her vibrantly colourful works appeal to a broad audience. Gould has sold paintings to customers as far abroad as Egypt, leveraging social media to garner interest in her artwork. It is not unusual for her to work on multiple paintings at a time since she produces commissioned work in addition to making paintings for art shows. She manages to juggle her artistic practice not only with projects such as creating art for a textbook and magazine and participating in the latest Sydney mural, but also with managing her website, www.mikmaq-artist.com. This online business has been running for almost two years now and sells a wide variety of products, from leggings, shawls and kimonos to mugs, phone cases and coin purses.

As with her paintings, she frequently ships her products across Canada and into the United States.

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CREATIVE ECONOMY

Bringing music and dance to the Island

New opportunities emerge giving Islanders a creative outlet STORY ANDREA VOKEY

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t is an exciting time in the music and dance industry in Cape Breton with new ideas and businesses that add building blocks to the Island’s growing creative sector while celebrating the uniqueness of Cape Breton’s many cultures through music, dance and creativity.

Two of Cape Breton’s newest emerging music and dance opportunities are the École de musique Raveston Music School and Painted Dance Collective. École de musique Raveston Music School is a diverse musical experience that offers a variety of classes to people of all ages and abilities. The school which is located in the Acadian village of Chéticamp offers lessons in piano, guitar, fiddle, bass, voice and stepdancing. In addition, children under the age of five can enjoy Kindermusik classes at

Raveston’s in order to explore and develop everyday skills through music.

Preserving Acadian and other Cape Breton cultures is important to the school’s owner, Nicole LeBlanc. Workshops are available during the summer months for visitors to learn about Acadian heritage through traditional songs and participating in square sets.

Raveston’s also goes outside the music and dance classroom with a variety of other activities including Zumba, evolution bounce and Jiu Jitsu with the help of trained instructors in the local community. The school also offers community events such as jam sessions, sing-alongs and workshops on a weekly basis.

Across the Island, the Painted Dance Collective has emerged in Sydney as an innovative dance-focused business that offers youth and adult dance classes and programs.

In July 2019, the Collective hosted a soft

PHOTOS ROMAN BUCHHOFER

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opening with a series of 10 pop-up classes for experienced dancers and workshops for youth. The Collective hopes to begin regular drop-in classes, pop-up classes and workshops in the Fall for people of all ages and skill levels. They will also be home to a resident dance team, the first of its kind on Cape Breton Island, who will create dance content to be shared in a variety of ways.

The new business is a passion project for Creative Director, Hannah Sparling, who has been fiercely committed to the dance community of Cape Breton. The mission of the Collective is to bridge the gap between dance and the community by offering non-competitive creative development programs for aspiring dance artists, space for established dance artists to continue their work and a creative space to foster inspiration outside of the competitive realm of dance. École de musique Raveston Music School and Painted Dance Collective are shining examples of the power of creative expression that is thriving on the Island. With these two new opportunities, the dance and musical communities of Cape Breton will continue to grow, create cultural and meaningful works and collaborate on new and exciting performances. ■

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Emily Rankin, Take Note Graphic Design PHOTO STEVE RANKIN

Design in the digital age

Forming a relationship between technology and artistic expression STORY JEREMY MARTELL

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ape Breton’s history and talent in the more traditional arts such as music, craft and written word are well known, inspiring several world-renowned festivals and competitions. With the advancement of technology, however, other creative disciplines have emerged across the Island at fiber optic speeds — notably in graphic design and digital illustration. These modern creatives are building artistic designs and brands that help local and international businesses set their visual identities among the increasingly competitive marketplace. Thanks to these modern businesses, Cape Breton Island is coming to be known as a supportive and collaborative place to grow digital arts.

Port Hood’s Emily Rankin established Take Note Graphic Design in 2013, responding to local small businesses needing a grounded approach to visual marketing. Growing up in western Cape Breton, Rankin’s teeth were first cut on the entrepreneurial spirit

YOU DON’T NEED TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE PROVINCE FOR CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS — WE’RE RIGHT HERE AND WE LOVE BEING HERE.”

EMILY RANKIN, TAKE NOTE GRAHPIC DESIGN

while watching her father, Peter Chafe, build Chafe’s Flooring & Furniture in the town of Port Hawkesbury. Recalling her youth and the business community she had become close with, Rankin thinks of her clients as small businesses with big hearts, delivering to them the fine art of narrowing in on the essentials as a service.

CREATIVE ECONOMY

Combining a lifelong passion for artistic craft with a professional marketing eye, Take Note Graphic Design develops modern branding tools for their clients, often bringing in sub-consultants as photographers, marketing planners and writers. Rankin credits her journey in establishing her business to the surrounding supportive business communities both in the Strait Area and across Cape Breton Island.

As the current Vice President of the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce and a founding member of the Cape Breton West Women in Business group, Rankin values local collaboration alongside customer relationship building.

“I think what my work really boils down to is value,” says Rankin. “I take my client’s values and help shape that visually for them to use, raising their profile along the way. Promoting the value of good design and promoting Cape Breton. You don’t need to look outside the province for creative professionals — we’re right here and we love being here.”

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Nearby, sisters Kassidy and Kaylyn Bernard of We’koqma’q First Nation launched Patuo’kn Illustration and Design in April 2019, engaging with almost a dozen clients since. After knowing for some time that both wanted to operate a business together using their shared value of artistic creativity, Kassidy and Kaylyn found their way forward after receiving valuable educational training in graphic design and illustration.

Kassidy attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax for the Bachelor of Design program and Kaylyn completed both the applied Media and Communication Arts and Graphic Design programs at the Marconi Campus of Nova Scotia Community College in Sydney.

With Kassidy continuing part-time studies in the Fall at NSCAD and leading as the school’s Student Union President, Patuo’kn currently operates and meets with clients in both Unama’ki (Cape Breton) and Kjipuktuk (Halifax). The sisters have also found a combined balance to compliment each other's preferences, where Kaylyn specializes in illustration and portrait work and Kassidy focuses on design, typography and branding.

Their modern approach to art and design is also balanced by their family’s own artistic and entrepreneurial history. The Bernards’ grandfather once practised his own artistic craft of making and selling driftwood art, inspiring Patuo’kn’s name and brand today.

Patuo’kn is actually the Mi’kmaw translation for driftwood. This connection to their culture and family history has allowed the Bernards to develop strong relationships with their clients in both Indigenous and nonIndigenous communities across Nova Scotia.

“We’ve been noticing a lot lately, all around Cape Breton there is almost a rush of really positive support and energy from both new and established businesses,” starts Kaylyn, as Kassidy completes the thought.

“It’s a huge surge of entrepreneurial spirit we find here on the Island and all over the province. It’s inspiring.”

Sydney-based Anchored Ideas Ltd. is another partnership-led business, steered by

Danielle Johnston and Danielle Patterson, Anchored Ideas Ltd. CONTRIBUTED

PHOTO JORDYNN BERNARD

Kassidy and Kaylyn Bernard, Patuo’kn Illustration and Design

Danielle Johnston and Danielle Patterson.

Prior to launching Anchored Ideas Ltd., both Johnston and Patterson were offering marketing support through their other businesses (City Print + and Devantec IT and Security), but had obvious gaps in their services. What started as a quick meeting to determine opportunities to partner on proposals and projects, quickly snowballed after the two identified complimentary skill sets and staffing resources … from there Anchored Ideas Ltd. was born.

Jayme Burns joined the Anchored team as

the Creative Lead in January 2019. Burns is a trained photographer and graphic designer, with an amazing artistic vision. She begins her design work by sketching an initial concept that is fine-tuned digitally. Though Anchored Ideas was only established in 2017, the team has doubled revenue in time for its one year anniversary and is on track to do the same in 2019 under Johnston and Patterson’s leadership. As important to the team as strong design work is the quality of life and culture that Anchored Ideas benefits from throughout Cape Breton.

“I think mutual respect and community spirit is so important in business today,” explains Patterson. “I think that’s a real strength of the Island’s women in business as well. Finding the right fit with clients, valuing community over competition, coaching and cheering each other’s successes. It’s a reflection of Cape Breton’s culture.”

As technology and artistic expression evolve we are sure to see relationships between the two grow and strengthen. And we know Cape Breton will play a leading role in helping these modern creatives grow their artistic talents and businesses. ■

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Designing a Cape Bretoner’s Cape Breton

Trifos Design Consultants ensure a unique Cape Breton experience STORY NICOLE SIMMONS

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finished piece of artwork is so much more than what we see: it’s imagination, it’s inspiration, it’s determination and hard work, it’s the blood, sweat and tears of months and sometimes, years of tinkering with repetitive modifications fueled by the self-doubt of the artist who created it. But once completed, the piece is a work of pure beauty, as individualized, wholesome and honest as the Cape Bretoner who made it.

This holds as true for small artworks as it does for 13-story ones.

When Spyro Trifos, Principal Architect at Trifos Design Consultants, walks past a building that his team helped create, he feels a sense of pride for his team’s work and the memories of the long road taken by each building to get it where it is today.

“Like any process of creation, architecture is the ultimate creative endeavor in that a lot of these buildings will outlast designers.

So with any creative work, the artist tends to look at it very critically and see all of the flaws, but at the same time you can recognize all of the good things about it. It’s only the passage of time that will tell if a project has been successful and if it has helped the community.”

Architecture, says Trifos, is only one piece of the larger puzzle of creating a successful piece of infrastructure.

“There are a lot of key people that get involved in the design of the building, it’s not just the prime architect, there’s technicians, engineers, suppliers, builders, owners and more that can lay claim to being responsible for a successful project.”

Native to Sydney, Trifos established the architectural firm, Trifos Design Consultants, in 1986 after graduating from McGill University. The multi-disciplinary firm provides individualized, comprehensive, client service with a primary focus on commercial,

institutional and specialty design work for renovations and new buildings.

Since the firm's inception, Trifos has been responsible for playing a key role the progressive growth and development of Cape Breton — but most people would never know it.

“You may have seen some of our work on various universities and downtowns throughout Cape Breton or have been through some of our interior design work.

We tend to be in the background and most people are not very aware of the power of the designs that we do and how we affect their lives, but we are there nevertheless.”

The firm has achieved recognition for distinctive, dynamic designs that incorporate a thorough understanding of the business of property development. With a portfolio including more than nine projects with Cape Breton University, most recently the new Shannon School of Business building, five projects with the Nova Scotia Community College, four projects with St. Francis Xavier University, and landmarks like the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre in Judique, Centre 200, Eskasoni Community Health Centre and the New Dawn Cape Breton Centre for Arts and Culture — most of Cape Breton has seen at least one of the firm’s designs.

As the largest architectural design firm currently practicing on the Island, Trifos Design Consultants spans a variety of works with clients including the Department of Education, the Nova Scotia Health Authority as well as universities, developers and municipal bodies — but Trifos always tries to ensure the buildings incorporate creative ties to the values of clients and that the sites are reflective of community values to maintain reoccurring impact and significance to the users.

“Our design work tries to reflect the values of our clients. Most of the time those are corporate values but a lot of times they CREATIVE ECONOMY

are spiritual and community values as well.

We often try to put emphasis on making sure that we have the appropriate cultural and community messaging built into the design.”

That couldn’t be truer with the proposal of the new Sydney library, Cape Breton Regional Library’s McConnell Library. The multi-phase project proposal, submitted in response to a request for proposals by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to secure federal and provincial funding for the project, was completed by Harbour Royal Development, led by Martin Chernin, to revitalize Sydney’s downtown centre with new amenities to attract visitors and residents, with access to the waterfront boardwalk and acting as a catalyst for further waterfront development.

As part of the first phase of development, the new Sydney library has a very special meaning for many Unama’ki residents, with strong Mi’kmaq motifs throughout its design.

“The idea of incorporating First Nations symbolism in the library harkens back to the significance of this site in particular. The Mi’kmaq people welcomed our ancestors to

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WITH COMMERCIAL BRANDING BEING WHAT IT IS, IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR OWN CULTURE AND OUR OWN ISLAND AND THAT WE SUPPORT THE LOCAL CREATIVE ECONOMY IN PUTTING OUT OUR MESSAGE AND HELPING DEFINE OURSELVES ACCORDING TO WHAT WE BELIEVE WE ARE, NOT WHAT OUTSIDE FORCES BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE.” SPYRO TRIFOS, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT, TRIFOS DESIGN CONSULTANTS PHOTO STEVE WADDEN

these shores and they played a critical role in making sure visitors to the new world felt comfortable. So we thought it was an appropriate message to have a symbolic presence on the site adjacent to a port of entry where visitors come in on the cruise ships.”

The library design, which was conceived in consultation with Membertou First Nation, features a strong drum motif. The drum traditionally has been the voice of many Indigenous cultures and is an act a peaceful vocalism. It also symbolizes the rhythm of life, the heartbeat, for which a lively city possesses.

“We felt it was a very powerful symbol and we tried to interpret it in a modern way.”

Although incorporating authentic Indigenous design and messaging into architecture is not unique or new, in this particular instance, it is important, says Trifos.

The waterfront development project is currently a developer proposal only at a very early stage, so the design is merely conceptual at the present time, however it is one that many people hope comes to fruition.

The notion of visually unique projects that will last for future generations to enjoy

is fascinating to a bystander, but when asked if he had a favourite project, Trifos replied “that’s like asking if you have a favourite child.” To Trifos, the most important people that matter are those in the community that use the building.

“We look at work that we did 30 years ago and we’re quite proud of the impact they’ve had in their local communities. After time, you forget about all of the little flaws and idiosyncrasies and budget cuts and complications and heart aches that are associated with building large buildings and projects. At the end of the day, knowing that something you worked on is helping people or holds a special place in the hearts of people in the neighbourhood, that’s a very good feeling.”

Some even hold special places in the hearts of people both in the past and the present, such as that with Trifos’ recent consultant work on the New Dawn Convent.

“The Convent project is an integrated and collaborative design effort. We have environmental designers, we have specialty architects that only focus on revitalizing historic buildings of this type, we’re working with various artists trying to incorporate SUMMER 2019 ELEVATE

local artworks into the design. It’s quite a unique project.”

This type of collaborative effort is what makes Cape Breton’s society the unique, creative place it is — through all disciplines shaping their own Cape Breton Island.

“I think it’s important that the creative economy sector be recognized,” says Trifos.

“Our artists and designers significantly impact how we perceive our unique environments and how others perceive us. It’s important to recognize that not everything has to come from away to be of value — we make our Island what is it.

You drive around and one franchise looks the same as it does in every other province, certainly in retail and hospitality. We’re starting to lose the mom and pop shops that were so special and unique decades ago.

With commercial branding being what it is, it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the uniqueness of our own culture and our own island and that we support the local creative economy in putting out our message and helping define ourselves according to what we believe we are, not what outside forces believe we should be.” ■

CREATIVE ECONOMY

PHOTOS STEVE RANKIN

Artistic accommodations

River Nest Wilderness Cabins share local artistic talent with Island visitors

STORY NICOLE SIMMONS

E

ach year as Spring releases its grip on the Island and gives way to warmer temperatures and brightened foliage, Nova Scotia’s most spectacular sights welcome visitors to take in their pristine natural wonders.

Along Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail, visitors will find flourishing salmon pools, breathtaking coastal cliffs, an abundance of untouched habitats — and a friendly smile from North River Kayak Tour’s Owner and Operator, Angelo Spinazzola.

With an entrepreneurial attitude, creative personality and music in his heart, Spinazzola has a hard time slowing himself down. Equipped with a flavor for capitalizing on his creative ideas and rejoicing in a network of local talent to help him see his ambitions come to life, Spinazzola just “went for it” when it came to building his wildly popular glamping sanctuary, River Nest Wilderness Cabins.

Spinazzola’s journey began 26 years ago in the basement of his father’s bungalow about ten minutes away from Colaisde na Gàidhlig/ CREATIVE ECONOMY

The Gaelic College. Following the commercialization of today’s plastic bodied kayak in the mid-1980s, the activity of kayaking was merely on the verge of discovery for Cape Bretoners and the world and Spinazzola wanted to share the adventure.

“I dug my father’s basement out with a pick and shovel, stuck four kayaks in there and created a black and white brochure. It was a new experience for people, so I started by going around to accommodation businesses and offered them free tours so they could see what kayaking was and let tourists

SEPTEMBER 2019

know where they could go for some soft adventure.”

From that point, Spinazzola’s business continued to see modest growth through partnerships with Destination Cape Breton Association (formerly Tourism Cape Breton), the Tourism Association of Nova Scotia and Tourism Nova Scotia to capture a portion of the outdoor enthusiast segment of the tourism market. After five years, Spinazzola hired his first employee.

Once his hands and time were liberated from solo back-to-back tours, Spinazzola decided it was time to build a professional shop on the family’s property to house the kayak business.

“In between tours, I would go down and hammer some boards then go home to do an afternoon tour then head back and hammer a few more. After about three months, I created North River Kayak Tours where it is today.”

The kayak shop now offers up to 12 different touring package options from half day experiences to five days including lighthouses, sea caves and privately owned islands as well as optional meals and camping sites for visitors. The company currently employs four people full time, excluding Spinazzola.

With business steadily attracting new and aspiring aquatic explorers, Spinazzola was able to branch out and fulfill his dream of designing and constructing boutique glamping cabins — River Nest Wilderness Cabins.

Complimenting his existing business, the newly constructed cabins are Instagramperfect, says Spinazzola.

“I’m always tracking where people come from and how they find me,” says Spinazzola, “I’m quite intrigued by the popularity the cabins have on Instagram. A lot of local young people have been showing up frequently lately saying that their friends told them about us or they’ve seen a post on Instagram of someone staying here.”

It’s no wonder that the photographycentric platform draws visitors to the picture-perfect venue. Despite neither

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North River Kayak Tours or River Nest Wilderness Cabins having an Instagram account, there are hundreds of shared photos tagging the location on the website, creating an organic marketing buzz for the business.

Equipped with full washrooms and custom-designed layouts, visitors have a choice of three cabins available — the Octopus’ Garden, the Cardinal’s Inn and River Nest Wilderness Cabin. The cabins are each individual in theme and are set apart from similar glamping-style accommodations through Spinazzola’s unique vision for people-sized bird houses. Each constructed by hand, Spinazzola spared no detail in the finishings by sourcing several local Cape Breton artists to commission custom work for the cabins.

Details so unique and subtle you may miss them.

In the Octopus’ Garden, iron tentacle railings line the loft commissioned by Highland Village blacksmith, Jamie Kennedy, son of the famed Gordon Kennedy, master iron worker from Iron Arts & Photography who was featured in a short film titled Rust in 2015. Rust was one of six films exploring the lives and creations of artists from Nova Scotia. Jamie also completed custom curtain rods and Gordon fabricated iron sculpted art for the walls in the cabin.

In addition to the custom iron work, Cabot & Rose’s Teena Marie Fancey and Shari MacLeod, provided silkscreened textile accent pillows and curtains themed to each individual cabin. Each cabin also features hand-carved eagles carved onsite by a local artisan, that stand nearly four feet tall.

But these cabins don’t simply look good — they do good — with reclaimed materials salvaged from municipal waste and given renewed life for all to enjoy.

“I took old piano tops and put them on Singer sewing machines for tables. I also made all of the beds in the cabins out of large timber logs I salvaged from the days when they lumbered for Oxford Paper Company nearby — they’re probably about 80-year-old trees. There’s old barn board which I salvaged SUMMER 2019 ELEVATE

from barns across the Island and made them into trim in the cabins.”

Relax, disconnect and reconnect is the River Nest slogan and with minimal cell service and no internet, that’s just what visitors have to do.

The site allows guests access to the entire property including free bicycle rentals, covered patio decks, a communal wharf, fire pit and a Italian outdoor stone oven and common area.

“Travelling 30-some countries in my life, my best times were when I was hanging out with people where I was staying and talking to them, hearing about where they were going next and possibly even going with them,” said Spinazzola. “Sitting around playing music in the gazebos in Guatemala or Nicaragua or wherever, I’m taking those best experiences I’ve found in my travels and bringing them to Cape Breton.”

The cabins, which operate seasonally from April to November, have nearly sold out each of its three years in operation. Repeat visitors are now reserving their second and third bookings at the cabins, putting North River on the map, says Spinazzola.

“River Nest Wilderness Cabins are a place where people can come together and meet other people from all over the world. My goal is to have people communicate with each other. I didn’t make three fire pits, we have one, so people can converge and interact.”

As the cabins grow in popularity, Spinazzola has busied himself with new projects already, including a recently revamped camper complete with water frontage, wrapping patio deck and hanging chairs.

“I have so many ideas that I never get to complete because the list is so large. So, when I get an idea in my head that sticks, I really run with it. Sometimes that means I don’t seriously think it out, I just go for it.

Next thing I know, I’m so far into it that it’s taken part of my heart and in return I put every bit of my personality back in it.

“I like creating. I like challenging myself and I can’t sit still.” ■

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CREATIVE ECONOMY

Writing our story Modern storytelling from rural authors

T

he art of crafting written word to share a story is a practice deep rooted in Cape Breton, with talent having been fostered in every corner of the Island. Each creative person who chooses to put pen to paper — or finger to keyboard — to share their artistic gift with the world does so with a unique voice and a culmination of personal experiences, generations of cultural traditions and a passion to share. Whether the tone of a writer leans toward informative, humourous, poetic or persuasive, our Island’s writers deliver our stories to the world in a way that surpasses the paper and ink.

Humour is hardly a trait exclusive to Cape Bretoners, though many would rightly recognize it as a prominent characteristic. A lifelong resident of Inverness, Frank Macdonald is an author with a flair for developing characters and stories with a

Frank Macdonald lens of humour and satire. His collections of novels, novellas and columns have earned him nominations for Atlantic Book Awards and the International Dublin Literary Award.

Having grown up in Cape Breton, Macdonald recognized the rich characters with loud personalities all around him — from those who he knew personally, to those who played the central part of stories told by community elders. It was this recognition that inspired Macdonald to use written word to share his stories. Like his latest work, The Smeltdog Man, many of Macdonald’s stories stem from truth or at least his viewpoint of it, evolving from there.

“I’ve told stories, verbally and in my published books, that start out as an unimportant or bad experience with fairly tame details,” explains Macdonald. “I realized by the time I get to a final version that’s ready to share, these stories have been edited and polished to the point that it’s almost a funny or happy story and people can’t wait to hear what happens next. That’s the Cape Breton way of storytelling for me — it’s almost a part of our DNA.” Not far away, Gabriel LeBlanc has built his work with a heavy influence from his

Acadian ancestry and culture. As a lifelong resident of Isle Madame in Richmond County, LeBlanc has carried on the traditional local Acadian language. The language is traditionally structured with 17th century French words and includes influences from the Mi’kmaw and Basque languages. As new terms and references came for words that they had no other translation for, English words were included as well.

LeBlanc recalls drawing inspiration from the elder storytellers known as “raconteurs,” who would pass on their families’ stories and histories in the oral tradition with strong details and the occasional tall-tale. LeBlanc noted that local students, who benefited from having access to a Francophone education, mainly learned of their ancestors and history from English textbooks written from an English view.

LeBlanc’s published works, Mon Isle Madame and La Tradition Orale de mon Isle Madame: Le conte Acadien, provided

Gabriel LeBlanc the first opportunity for a local Acadian to write about their own history in their own language. His work also earned him the recognition of being named to the Ordre de le Pléiade, an international honour given to those who have had a significant impact on the promotion of the French language.

“I think you become a proud Acadian by getting to know your culture,” says LeBlanc.

“Who you are and how resilient our people were and still are today, our youth deserve the opportunity to learn about that like we did.”

Proceeds from the sale of LeBlanc’s books go to a fund for his granddaughter, Catherine, who suffers from an immune dysregulation disorder.

Other Cape Breton-based authors are making use of published artistic media to share their culture and stories in various languages. Michelle Sylliboy of We’koqma’q First Nation is an interdisciplinary artist by trade, who recently launched her first poetry book, Kiskajeyi - I Am Ready. The book includes Sylliboy’s original photography and poetry published in Komqwejwi’kasikl (hieroglyphic) and phonetic Mi’kmaw CREATIVE ECONOMY

alongside English translations.

Sylliboy draws poetic inspiration from events and thoughts in her own life and combines this with a 30 year journey of researching, exploring and studying her ancestors’ development and continuation of using Komqwejwi’kasikl to record their stories and history through the written language. When asked what motivated her to create this unique book, Sylliboy concluded that her people’s written language repeatedly returned to her at several pivotal moments in her life and she realized she needed to contribute her own continuance of the language in her own poetic words.

Noting the declining numbers of those who could still read or write in this written language and the passing on of the elders in her communities who previously kept the knowledge alive, Sylliboy decided she needed to act in the spirit of preservation. As a PhD candidate, Sylliboy is expanding her process

Michelle Sylliboy by putting together a curriculum that would teach people about the history and mechanics of the Komqwejwi’kasikl. Early in the process, Sylliboy wondered what many writers ponder when the time came to develop the idea further.

“I asked myself: what will this look like?

Will the people want this? Will they care?” says Sylliboy. “I then had the opportunity, thanks to Robert Bernard, to do a Komqwejwi’kasikl workshop at the Mi’kmaq Summer Games in Wagmatcook. I began showing people the written language and before long I had my confirmation. My people were hungry for it.

They were proud of it.”

It was from this experience that Sylliboy eventually had Kiskajeyi — I Am Ready published and launched at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design in early 2019, coinciding with the United Nations Year of the Indigenous Languages.

With so many stories being written, published and sold right here on Cape Breton Island, local book-lovers only have one dilemma facing them: finding the time to read all of these amazing fables, histories and collections. ■

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

STORY JEREMY MARTELL

SEPTEMBER 2019

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PARTNERSHIP PROFILE

Erin Flynn,

Creative Economy Development Officer Q. What brought you to Cape Breton?

I was living in Vancouver for the last two years pursuing my Masters of Library and Informational Studies at University of British Columbia. I completed the program in December and was ready for a change. My partner had moved to Sydney earlier in the year, so it was a good opportunity for me to come explore the East Coast.

Q. Describe the Creative Economy

Development Officer position.

My role is to support, promote and grow the creative economy across Cape Breton. This means I’ll work with artists and organizations in everything from visual arts, performing arts, film and design, to music, writing, craft, culture and heritage. The position exists to champion the creative sector and to pursue projects that will effectively boost the creative economy.

Q. What are your plans in the role?

Initially, my main priority was to use the Cape Breton Island Culture Sector Strategy and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s Creative Economy Growth plan to identify projects to tackle in the upcoming year. So far, I’ve been meeting with people across the Island who are involved in the creative sector to discuss their perspectives on how I can help, I plan to continue doing that. I would like to act as a catalyst to keep the conversation about the creative sector going across the Island.

Ideally, I want to leverage the position to increase the amount of sustainable funding available to the creative sector and to help the local community as well as visitors to celebrate Cape Breton’s vibrant arts and culture scene.

CONTRIBUTED

Q. What can we expect to see from

you in the coming year? /

What do you hope to accomplish?

Currently, I’m looking at the feasibility of offering workshops that can help creative organizations with business skills, such as board governance. I’m hoping to establish a project that will help youth see the career potential within the creative sector. In addition, I would like to organize a social or networking event to facilitate conversations about the sector and collaboration within it. Another important aspect of the role will be finding a way to communicate the economic and social impact of arts and culture, so I’ll be looking at creating a communications plan.

Q. How can we contact you?

You can reach me by phone at 902-202-4493 or by email at erin@capebretonpartnership.com.

cCarron

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PARTNERSHIP UPDATE

CONTRIBUTED

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

CONTRIBUTED

Pictured left to right: Carla Arsenault – Cape Breton Partnership; the Honourable Geoff MacLellan – Minister of Business; Darren MacDonald – Manager Island Sandbox, David C. Dingwall – President and Vice-Chancellor; CBU

Pictured left to right: Larry Dauphinee – Deputy Warden for the Municipality of the County of Victoria; Patrick Austin – CBREN Economic Development Officer for Victoria County; Bruce Morrison – Warden for the Municipality of the County of Victoria; Carla Arsenault – President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership; Joseph Balaz – Partner, Cape Smokey Holding Ltd.; Geoff MacLennan – Minister of the Department of Business; Jeannie Chow – Director, Relations & Innovation for the Department of Business; Jiří Kejval – Partner, Cape Smokey Holding Ltd.; Martin Kejval, Project Co-ordinator, Cape Smokey Holding Ltd.

CONTRIBUTED BY Cape Breton Partnership

Under the CBRM Regional Enterprise Network, the Cape Breton Partnership was able to connect FlannelJax’s to the resources they needed to expand here and the jobs created as a result will directly benefit our local economy.

FlannelJax’s is an axe throwing and recreation sports experience franchise headquartered in Mississauga, Ont. who chose to expand to the CBRM. The new customer care center has created seven valuable new jobs and as the business continues to grow, the customer care center plans to add upwards of 30 employees over the next five years.

Cape Breton Partnership welcomes Cape Breton Regional Municipality Regional Enterprise Network In January 2019, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Regional Enterprise Network was created to be under the direction of the Cape Breton Partnership. As a result, we are entering a unique and exciting time where the Island is truly united under one economic development umbrella.

Four new staff started in April and have hit the ground running working on a variety of projects including the creation of an inventory of lands and buildings within the CBRM for sale or lease, promoting the new Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development Tax Incentive, providing business case advice to over 30 clients and identifying priority projects based on the CBRM Creative Economy Economic Growth Plan and Culture Action Plan.

The Cape Breton Partnership is excited to administer economic development services on behalf of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Stay tuned for more news in the future.

FlannelJax: New call centre opens phone lines in Sydney River CBRM and Cape Breton Partnership hosted the FlannelJax’s Customer Care Centre grand opening in July at their new location on Kings Road in Sydney River. CBRM Mayor, Cecil Clarke, Metal Supermarkets Family of Companies Vice-President of Franchising, Andrew Arminem and Customer Care Centre Manager, Kate Wills, were able to officially open the centre with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Cape Breton Partnership and Cape Breton University announce Creative Island Network’s first innovation space In May, the Cape Breton Partnership and Cape Breton University announced that the Creative Island Network’s first innovation space will be up and running by September 2019. The centre will provide entrepreneurship supports and training to students and the Cape Breton community.

The Cape Breton University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre is the first of several innovation spaces expected to be developed across the Island as part of the Creative Island Network, led by the Cape Breton Partnership.

Entrepreneurship is an important part of growing our Cape Breton economy and providing access to training and supports is crucial to supporting new and existing entrepreneurs.

The Cape Breton Partnership launched the Creative Island initiative in 2018. Creative Island is a movement to foster creative courage and attract and keep creative people in Cape Breton. Its intentions are to grow and celebrate a culture that cues creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, while increasing the ability of entrepreneurs, inventors, makers, creators and companies to be innovative.

PARTNERSHIP UPDATE

Cape Smokey to become year-round destination In August 2019, the Cape Breton Partnership, with the Department of Business and the Municipality of the County of Victoria, hosted an announcement to share the news that Ski Cape Smokey had been purchased by Cape Smokey Holding Ltd. and introduce the developer’s current plans. The announcement included opening remarks from Carla Arsenault, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership; Geoff MacLennan, Minister of the Department of Business; Bruce Morrison and Larry Dauphinee, Warden and Deputy Warden of Victoria County respectively; and Joseph Balaz, owner of Cape Smokey Holding Ltd. The new owners were assisted and supported by the Cape Breton Partnership, through the Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network (CBREN), throughout the process of engaging local communities and finalizing the sale agreement.

Cape Breton Connector Program visits Inverness County The Cape Breton Partnership’s Cape Breton Connector Program, with support from the NextGen Cape Breton Leadership Society, held two Off the Clock Networking Events in Inverness County this summer, bringing together the business communities and residents in both the communities of Inverness and Chéticamp. The Inverness event was hosted at Route 19 Brewing’s newly opened upstairs dining room and included an Island-focused trivia competition for locals and visiting students from Cape Breton University to test their trivia skills on. The Chéticamp event, hosted at Wabo’s Pizza’s oceanside patio, included conversations in English, French and Acadian while attendees enjoyed musical entertainment by Adrien AuCoin. ■

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RECENT RECENTGRADUATES GRADUATESIMPACT IMPACT GLOBAL RESEARCH GLOBAL RESEARCH A research firm in the heart of A medical medical research firm in in the heart ofofSydney Sydney has been quietly growing A medical research firm the heart Sydneyhas hasbeen beenquietly quietlygrowing growing since it opened its doors last August. since it opened itsits doors last August. since it opened doors last August.

Cornerstone Research Group has been Cornerstone Research Group has been hiring new staff totokeep keep up Cornerstone Research Group has beenhiring hiringnew newstaff staffto keepup up with the research and analytical projects with research and analytical projectsthey’re they’redoing doingfor forsome someof the with thethe research and analytical projects they’re doing for some ofofthe the world’s biggest pharmaceutical and medical world’s biggest pharmaceutical and medicaldevice devicecompanies. companies. It’s It’s world’s biggest pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

It’s complex, innovative work, and it’s largely complex, innovative work, and largelybeing beingdone doneby bygraduates graduates complex, innovative work, and it’sit’s largely being done by graduates that Cornerstone hired straight out of that Cornerstone hired straight out university:employees employeeslike likeCape Cape that Cornerstone hired straight out ofofuniversity: university: employees like Cape Breton University science grad Sheryl Breton University science grad SherylFogarty Fogartyand andMount MountSaint SaintVincent Vincent Breton University science grad Sheryl Fogarty and Mount Saint Vincent University science communication grad University science communication gradMeaghan Meaghan University science communication grad Meaghan Bartlett.

Bartlett.

Bartlett.

“Most of people we hire are recent “Most of the people hire are recentgraduates,” graduates,” “Most of the the people wewe hire are recent graduates,” says Chris Cameron, partner and senior director says Chris Cameron, partner and senior says Chris Cameron, partner and senior director director of Data Analytics.

“They arrive with strong of Data Analytics.

“They arrive with strong of Data Analytics. “They arrive with strong foundational skills and both the abilityand anddesire desire foundational skills and both the ability and desire foundational skills and both the ability to learn the specifics of our jobs.

They’re eager to learn the specifics of our jobs.

They’re eager to learn the specifics of our jobs. They’re eager to toto continue learning new ways of doing things, and the continue learning new ways of doing things, and continue learning new ways of doing things, and the the energy they bring can’t be matched.” energy they bring can’t be matched.” energy they bring can’t be matched.”

The (ITO) program provides funding smallThe Innovate to Opportunity Opportunity (ITO)program programprovides providesfunding fundingtoto tosmallsmallThe Innovate Innovate to Opportunity (ITO) and medium-sized businesses to hire recent masters and PhD graduates and businesses to tohire hirerecent recentmasters mastersand andPhD PhDgraduates graduates and medium-sized medium-sized businesses for jobs that are focused focused on on innovation. innovation. for on innovation. for jobs jobs that that are For the combination combination of these programs means they can For Cornerstone, Cornerstone, the For Cornerstone, combinationof ofthese theseprograms programsmeans meansthey theycan can also hire top talent like David Garcia, their new clinical epidemiologist, also hire hire top top talent like David also David Garcia, Garcia,their theirnew newclinical clinicalepidemiologist, epidemiologist,toto to enhance impact.

David an orthopedic surgeon who moved enhance their enhance their global global impact. impact. David Davidisis isan anorthopedic orthopedicsurgeon surgeonwho whomoved moved from St. John’s John’s for MSc epidemiology Memorial from Venezuela Venezuela to from Venezuela to St. John’s for for aa aMSc MScinin inepidemiology epidemiologyatat atMemorial Memorial University. moved his family to Sydney work with University. He University.

He recently recently moved moved his hisfamily familyto toSydney Sydneytoto towork workwith with Cornerstone Research.

Cornerstone Research.

Cornerstone Research.

GTO GTOALLOWED ALLOWED US GTO ALLOWED US TOINVEST INVESTIN IN NEW NEW GRADS TO TO INVEST IN NEW GRADS AND THEY ARE NOW AND THEY ARE NOW AND THEY ARE NOW HELPINGUS US EXPAND EXPAND OUR HELPING HELPING US EXPAND OUR BUSINESS GLOBALLY. BUSINESS GLOBALLY. GLOBALLY. BUSINESS

Five out of six people that Cornerstone hiredover over Five Five out out of of six six people people that that Cornerstone Cornerstone hired hired over the last few months are recent graduates,and andthe the companyisislooking looking to the last few months are recent graduates, the last few months are recent graduates, and the company company is looking to to hire more. hire more. hire more.

“The people we’ve brought are workingout outbeautifully,” beautifully,”Cameron Cameron “The people we’ve brought onon are working “The people we’ve brought on are working out beautifully,” Cameron says. says. says.

Each of these recent grads was hiredwith with thesupport support ofprovincial provincial Each of recent was Each of these these recent grads grads was hired hired with the the support of of provincial graduate employment programs. graduate graduate employment employment programs. programs.

“The Graduate to Opportunity program helped make our decision to “The Graduate to Opportunity program helped our decision to “The Graduate to here Opportunity program helped make make decision open an office possible,” says Cameron.

“It hasour allowed us tototrain open an office here possible,” says Cameron.

“It has allowed us to train open officeinhere possible,” has allowed us to train andaninvest our new grads,says bringCameron. them up to“Itspeed, and make them and invest new grads, bring them up to speed, and make them andpermanent, invest in in our our new grads, bring them up to speed, and make them full-time employees who are in turn enriching our quality of permanent, full-time employees who are in turn enriching our quality of permanent, work.” full-time employees who are in turn enriching our quality of work.” work.”

Graduate to Opportunity (GTO) provides salary incentives to small Graduate to (GTO) provides incentives Graduate to Opportunity Opportunity (GTO) enterprises provides salary salary incentives to to small small businesses, start-ups, social and non-profits hire recent businesses, enterprises non-profits to recent businesses, start-ups, social enterprises and non-profits to hire hire recent university start-ups, or college social graduates for new,and permanent, full-time jobs. university or new, permanent, full-time university or college college graduates for new,first-year permanent, full-time jobs.

Employers receivegraduates 25% of thefor grad’s salary — 35% jobs. if the grad Employers receive of grad’s 35% the is a member of a25% diversity — first-year and 12.5%salary of the— second-year Employers receive 25% of the thegroup grad’s first-year salary —grad’s 35% if if the grad grad is a member of a diversity group — and 12.5% of the grad’s second-year salary. is a member of a diversity group — and 12.5% of the grad’s second-year salary. salary.

am very grateful to have found challenging “I “I am am very very grateful gratefulto tohave havefound foundaa achallenging challenging opportunity to make my unique background useful,” opportunity opportunity to tomake makemy myunique uniquebackground backgrounduseful,” useful,” explains Garcia.

“Finding a long-term career in explains Garcia.

“Finding a long-term career in explains Garcia. “Finding a long-term career in medical medical research not always easy, but II found medical research researchisis isnot notalways alwayseasy, easy,but butI found found that in Cape Cape Breton, Breton,which whichmy mywife wifeand andI are areexcited excited that in in Cape Breton, which my wife and II are excited to now call home.” to now now call call home.” home.”

Cornerstone Cornerstone also recruited two biostatisticians Cornerstonealso alsorecruited recruitedtwo twobiostatisticians biostatisticians back through the ITO program. back to to Nova NovaScotia Scotia back to Nova Scotia through through the the ITO ITO program. program.

Anja Haltner recently graduated with her masters Anja Haltner recently graduated Anja Haltner recently graduated with with her her masters masters in statistics statistics from from Queens University, while Paul Spin was working in Queens University, while Paul Spin was working in statistics from Queens University, while Paul Spin was working as a senior senior research data analyst at John Hopkins University after as as a a senior research research data data analyst analyst at at John John Hopkins Hopkins University University after after completing his PhD from Dalhousie University.

Both completing his his PhD PhD from from Dalhousie Dalhousie University.

University. Both Bothmoved movedtoto toCape Cape completing moved Cape Breton for positions positions at Cornerstone.

Breton Breton for for positions at at Cornerstone.

Cornerstone.

Chris Cameron Cameron says says that retaining ininNova Scotia Chris that retainingrecent recentgraduates graduates Nova Scotiaisis Chris Cameron saysfor that graduates Nova is critically important theretaining provincerecent and that the GTO in and ITO Scotia programs critically important for the province that GTO critically theemployers province and and that the the GTO and and ITO ITO programs programs give bothimportant grads andfor their an upper hand. give both both grads grads and and their their employers employers an an upper upper hand. hand. give “These programs are helping employers like Cornerstone create jobs, “These programs are helping like Cornerstone create “These programsan areopportunity helping employers employers likewhat Cornerstone create jobs, jobs, giving graduates to show us they are capable of giving graduates an opportunity to show us what they are of giving graduates an opportunity to show us are capable capable of and making business expansion possible.

Wewhat are athey testament of that. and making making business business expansion expansion possible. possible. We We are are a a testament testament of of that. that. and They really give Nova Scotia businesses an edge, especially for us as we They give They really give Nova Nova Scotia Scotia businesses businesses an an edge, edge, especially especially for for us us as as we we work really globally.” work globally.” work globally.”

IN PHOTO ABOVE FROM LEFT: PAUL SPIN, PHOTO ABOVE LEFT: PAUL SPIN, IN PHOTO ABOVE FROM LEFT: PAUL SPIN, In photoIN above from left:FROM Paul Spin, Sheryl Fogarty, David Garcia, Chris Cameron, SHERYL FOGARTY, DAVID GARCIA, CHRIS In photo above from left: Paul Spin, Sheryl Fogarty, SHERYL FOGARTY, DAVID GARCIA, CHRIS Meaghan Bartlett, and Anja Haltner.

In photoSHERYL above from left: Paul Spin, Sheryl Fogarty, David David Garcia, Garcia, Chris Chris Cameron, Cameron, FOGARTY, DAVID GARCIA, CHRIS CAMERON, MEAGHAN BARTLETT, AND Meaghan Bartlett, and Anja Haltner.

CAMERON, MEAGHAN BARTLETT, AND Meaghan Bartlett, and Anja Haltner.

ANJA HALTNER. CAMERON, MEAGHAN BARTLETT, AND ANJA ANJA HALTNER. HALTNER.

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