A Local Approach to a Global Problem
International and interconnected systems can be rife with uncertainty. This is especially true of the global food supply, with challenges aggravated by the pandemic. Supply disruptions highlighted the fallibility of the global supply chain, as well as the lack of capacity of domestic and local food systems, particularly in Canada.
Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA)
The Canadian organic industry represents over 7,900 producers of a number of commodities including food and beverages, livestock and livestock feed, fibre, and many others. In 2022, the industry grew to $9.35 billion, with the non-food sector growing at a faster rate than food and beverage, although the latter represents 80 percent of the total market. Yet despite the sector’s great promise and strong growth year over year, myriad barriers are preventing the organic market from reaching its full potential, and the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) is at the forefront of efforts to make Canada a leader in organic.
Clark Construction
You hear a lot about sustainable building these days, but few companies embrace the concept as completely as Clark Construction Inc.
Frankel Design Build
After thirty-five years in the industry, Frankel Design Build stands for timeless quality and sublime good taste among Houstonians in the know.
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada
Almost a century after its founding, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (L’Association de l’industrie touristique du Canada)—better known as TIAC/AITC—remains dedicated to its vision and mission: leading Canada’s tourism industry to be the most competitive in the world; serving as the voice of the nation’s tourism industry; and “improving its global competitiveness as an international destination through leadership and advocacy.”
Atlantic Tours & Travel
Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Atlantic Tours & Travel has been offering worry-free travel experiences since 1968 to tourists from as far away as Australia and all points in between…
Scanway Catering
Scanway of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada was originally primarily a bakery, especially known for its cakes, before evolving into a full catering outfit. Today, the Scanway brand is recognizable across the company’s home province thanks to its quality.
Dickinson Area EDA
In 2021, Business in Focus reported on the economic opportunities that abound in the Dickinson area, a micropolitan region in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. This month, we sat down with community leaders within the Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance (DAEDA) to learn about the region’s thriving tourism industry.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
The biggest Atlantic hurricane on record by diameter, Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey’s Atlantic City in late October 2012 with winds of up to 91 miles per hour. By the time it was over, lives had been lost, homes and businesses destroyed, and Atlantic City’s legendary boardwalk, with its roots going back to 1870, was ruined.
Sweetwater County, Wyoming
Business in Focus is visiting Sweetwater County, Wyoming once again. After reporting on the area’s major mining and industrial projects and highlighting the county’s burgeoning economic opportunities, we sat back down with community leaders to focus on the positive impact and increasing potential that tourism has within the region.
City of Green Bay, Wisconsin
The City of Green Bay, Wisconsin is a family-friendly, affordable getaway that welcomes 5.5 million visitors annually, drawn to the region’s many attractions, including a beautiful waterfront, the backdrop for memorable events and moments for residents and visitors alike.
St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Business in Focus previously profiled St. Landry Parish, Louisiana in 2017. This month, we circled back to learn about the remarkably effective economic structures the community has put into place over the last several years.
ARxIUM
Focused on enhancing safety, productivity, and efficiency by combining category-leading automation solutions, intuitive workflow software, and unsurpassed industry expertise, ARxIUM™ partners with health systems and pharmacies of all types with best-in-class technology and unmatched experience.
ESBE Scientific
Since its founding in 1968 as a clinical laboratory supplies distributor for the Southern Ontario market, ESBE Scientific has expanded steadily and significantly and is widely known as one of the largest 100 percent Canadian-owned distributors serving the clinical, research, industrial, and biotechnology laboratories.
iWALKFree
It’s a product you don’t want to need, but sometime, maybe, you’ll be grateful it exists.
Samuel Automation Solutions Group
Things are booming at Samuel Automation Solutions Group (Samuel ASG) of Waterloo, Ontario. “We’ve gotten stronger. We have a greater reach and expertise. Being part of a much larger organization demonstrates stability that the smaller independents don’t always have,” states President Robert Lague.
Peninsula Plastics
Big changes have taken place at Peninsula Plastics Ltd., a start-to-finish custom injection moulding company in Fort Erie, Ontario, since it was profiled in February 2021’s Resource in Focus magazine. There has been a change of ownership in this family firm and some exciting new products—including a cutting-edge plastic garbage can.
Total Operations & Production Services (TOPS)
Total Operations & Production Services (TOPS) LLC of Midland, Texas, is on the cutting edge of gas compression. This fast-growing company offers a rental fleet of automated, electric-driven gas compressors that generate minimal emissions and collect vast amounts of real-time data that can be remotely monitored.
3DXTECH
The story of 3DXTECH began when, after thirty years of working for global leaders in the high-performance plastics and composites industry, the emerging technology of three-dimensional (3D) printing caught Matt Howlett’s eye. He bought a 3D printer, quickly recognized the untapped potential, and launched 3DXTECH in 2014
The Triple Bottom Line
According to the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), businesses must commit to social and environmental concerns in equal measure to their commitment to profits. In other words, there isn’t just one bottom line; there are three: people, planet, and profit. In fact, the theory maintains that if a company only focuses on its earnings, without regard to the social and environmental impact, then it is impossible to gather a full and accurate cost of doing business.
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A Look at Alberta’s Growth
The “Alberta Is Calling” campaign, promoting the province and all it has to offer, has been a resounding success thanks to strong market conditions including accelerated oil prices and wage growth tied to the booming energy and natural resources sectors.
Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA)
Discussing the many advantages of living and working in Saskatoon, Erin Lawson says that for her, just one reason is the “three-song commute”—the length of time it takes to get just about anywhere in Saskatoon. With less time on the road commuting each day, you have more time to enjoy moments that matter, time for yourself, your family, and your community.
City of San Luis, Arizona
The City of San Luis, Arizona, on the U.S.-Mexican border, is poised to become a key player in regional commerce and development, capitalizing on its unique position to build a dynamic economy that offers opportunities for all, according to Armando Esparza, San Luis’ Director of Economic Development and Government Affairs.
Caglia Environmental
Caglia Environmental is a family-owned waste disposal and recycling business with a solid track record of leadership within the industry. After highlighting the company’s innovative approach in 2017 and 2022, Business in Focus sat down with the team again this month to hear the latest developments.
Specific Mechanical Systems
Specific Mechanical Systems Ltd., a Victoria, British Columbia-based company that designs, manufactures, and installs brewing and distilling equipment, has expanded its automation processes and market reach since it was profiled in November 2022 in Business in Focus magazine. In the face of significant technical challenges, the company has automated its already innovative distillation system.
Michelin North America
Since 1891, when Michelin brothers Édouard and André, who ran a rubber factory in Clermont-Ferrand, France, applied for their first patent for an easy-to-remove pneumatic bicycle tire that lent itself to quick repairs, Michelin has been revolutionizing the tire industry.
