This report, publicly available at ppforum.ca/publications/the-atlantic-canada-momentum-index/ for all to read, has been met with widespread optimism and represents a strong outlook for the decade ahead and beyond for these parts of eastern Canada. As ACOA says on its website, “There are fresh opportunities for the four Atlantic provinces and those who live, work and play here.”

The commissioning body of the index, PPF, is a regional think tank that looks to provide the means for new voices to enter discussions around issues and policies that affect Canadians nationwide. Its report, created in conjunction with the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (a non-profit based in Ottawa) and with help from organizations like ACOA, identifies 20 key social and economic indicators to ascertain whether momentum exists, with Atlantic Canada succeeding in 16 of those indicators. These specific facets fall under five generalized areas: the macro economy; human capital; the labour market; innovation and investment; and quality of life. These areas were measured with data ranging from 2015 to 2022 (or the latest available year), along with a previous period of 2008 to 2015 for comparison’s sake.

The index notes that, especially from 2021 to 2022, Atlantic Canadian population growth exceeded the national average, largely thanks to increased immigration to those provinces. Whereas 2008 through 2015 saw about 7000 immigrants entering the area per year, the newer period more than doubled this rate to 15,000 per year, with a retention rate of 72 percent. Quality of life has seen an increase as well, with more Atlantic Canadians achieving higher levels of education and enjoying an increase in high-quality jobs available to provide for graduates as they enter the workforce. Housing prices are generally lower in the area than elsewhere, and unemployment is at a 40-year low, now lower than or comparable to that of places like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.

In turn, the economy of the Atlantic provinces has seen much less decline than the rest of the country, with its GDP having risen to $141 billion since 1961 (in comparison to Canada’s GDP currently resting around $2.5 trillion). “Atlantic Canada now accounts for 5.6 percent of Canada’s GDP,” the index says. It also seems to be leading the country in increasing the value of exports, $41.9 billion as of 2022. This turnaround in the previous decade seems to be at odds with a perception toward the region that it is less of a growth area than other parts of Canada; in fact, the opposite is true.

These and many more promising figures are detailed throughout the report, but the work of PPF, ACOA, and other regional and national partners is not yet done. Now that Atlantic momentum has been proven, it must continue to be stoked and taken advantage of to fully maximize this new opportunity. Tourism is something of a growth sector for these areas, especially after news in late November 2023 that Atlantic Canada will see a boost from the new Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which looks to target a 40 percent increase of the tourism sector’s contribution to Canada’s GDP by 2030. ACOA, along with the country’s other regional development agencies, will deliver funding directly to businesses and organizations in the area, including Indigenous tourism operations, and support projects to bring more domestic and international visitors to the country.

Along with the positivity the report has brought for the region comes the reminder that there are still steps that need to be taken in critical areas. An ongoing issue in Atlantic Canada is housing, and as 2024 begins, Newfoundland & Labrador will be seeing land made available for more housing, including 23 parcels of vacant government-owned land. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, a housing development (the 12 Neighbours Community) has already doubled in size over the last year. A similar project in Newfoundland for low-income housing is also gaining traction and steps are being considered in all other Atlantic provinces to address housing in a complete and serious manner.

The attraction of talent and growth of local business is also important to keeping this momentum going. Recently announced, Newfoundland & Labrador will undergo a three-year pilot project to hire physicians’ assistants, health care workers who can perform initial patient assessments, assist in surgery, and generally help to lighten and focus a doctor’s workload. In Nova Scotia, the traffic control company Site 20/20 is being celebrated for its efforts in business with its inclusion in the Technology Fast 50, an annual ranking of early-stage tech companies by tax firm Deloitte based on revenue growth. Site 20/20 is the only Atlantic Canadian company on the list this year, placing sixth, a new record for the region.

According to the Index, Nova Scotia raised $41 million in venture capital in early 2023, with global policy advisory and research firm Startup Genome ranking Atlantic Canada in a global top 10 of startup-friendly areas.

ACOA has been a vocal champion of the Index and its findings for Atlantic Canada and has taken an interest in the work of PPF for the region. In an online statement via its Government of Canada website, ACOA says that these trends will be a key factor in redefining the area for the rest of the country: “It’s time to re-frame the Atlantic Canada story, and recognize that the region is a proud, valuable, burgeoning asset to Canada as a whole.”

From so many vantage points, the Atlantic Canada Momentum Index indicates that positive change is already here for the region, and more could be on the way if Canadians from all directions seize these new and exciting opportunities.

The post Atlantic Momentum Hits Home<p class="company">Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

We speak with Mayor George Andrews, originally from western Labrador, who previously served the town as Councillor and Deputy Mayor, and Greg Osmond, Community Development Officer, who relocated here a little more than two years ago from Newfoundland, the island part of the province.

“You become a Labradorian once you move here, and you don’t want to go back,” Osmond says. “I love the people, the environment, the outdoor activities. Labrador is a wonderful and unique place, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay is a welcoming community.”

People and place
Although Happy Valley-Goose Bay celebrates its 50^th anniversary as a town in 2023, its history goes back to 1941 and World War II, when Canada and the United States built a military air base at Goose Bay, an original Labrador settlement, since it was an ideal stopover for planes from North America to refuel en route to Europe. Workers from other parts of Labrador and Newfoundland came to build the base and were the first residents of the new settlement that became Happy Valley.

Today, the town that was formed in 1973 by amalgamating the two communities is home to approximately 8,000 people, making it the ninth-largest municipality in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the largest Indigenous-populated community in the province, and the largest municipality in Labrador with Labrador City being the next largest.

While a population of 8,000 might seem small, Andrews adds that the town has an economic catchment of approximately 17,000 people who depend on its services. Culturally diverse, the population includes Innu, Inuit, and Southern Inuit of NunatuKavut; settlers of European descent from the island of Newfoundland and other Canadian provinces; and more recently, people from India, South Africa, and the Caribbean.

“With new businesses, we needed to increase our workforce,” Mayor Andrews says. “We have a new immigrant group of about 600 people who have integrated amazingly and the cultural diversity they brought has given us an opportunity to be involved in other cultures and partake in their food and other activities.”

Crossroads of air, land, and sea
The town’s ideal location, accessible by air, land, and sea, has allowed it to develop as a business hub for central Labrador and a gateway to the North. It serves as a logistics and supply centre for those in the business of exploring mineral, hydroelectric, and/or forest resources in the surrounding area, and for federal, provincial, and Indigenous government offices.

The Goose Bay Airport, operated by the Goose Bay Airport Corporation, has two major runways and can accommodate the largest aircraft in the world, including the Boeing 747 carrying NASA’s Space Shuttle, which landed for refuelling in 1983. Located on CFB 5 Wing Goose Bay, the airport and surrounding airspace provides a testing and training location for the military, including NATO forces, and civilian operators in the aeronautics industry.

Commercially, the airport is served by Air Canada, PAL Airlines and Air Borealis—with flights to Halifax, Deer Lake, St. John’s, Quebec City, and northern regions of Labrador—as well as by cargo and charter flights.

Mayor Andrews notes that charter flights accommodate residents who fly into remote locations such as the Vale mine in Voisey’s Bay, which has one of the world’s largest nickel deposits and maintains a headquarters office in the town.

The town’s location on Lake Melville and the Churchill River makes possible the marine services that connect it with the world. The newly built South Coast highway connects the town with Newfoundland utilizing a ferry service across the Strait of Belle Isle and, as well, connects it with communities along the Atlantic coast in Southern Labrador. Highways also connect Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Labrador City and Wabush in western Labrador, where the Canadian Iron Ore Company operates, and northwest through Northern Quebec to the rest of Canada.

“2023-2028 and beyond”
In the year leading up to the town’s 50^th anniversary, following surveys and consultation with over 400 stakeholders, the framework of a strategic plan was developed.

According to the plan’s introduction, “It extends beyond the term of the current Council and goes beyond the service of excellence expected for day-to-day programs to shine a spotlight on five areas that are critical to making Happy Valley-Goose Bay better now and for future generations.” Although the areas are numbered from one to five, they are in no meaningful order; they are all priorities and all key to supporting and attracting economic development, says Mayor Andrews.

The areas spotlighted are: 1. collaboration with all stakeholders to enhance community safety; 2. strong and stable economic development that supports and promotes business; 3. local governance that is transparent, participatory, and fiscally responsible; 4. infrastructure that meets community needs, and 5. a strong sense of community through the promotion of health, wellness, and engagement.

Open for business
“We are open for business,” says the Mayor, speaking of the partnership between the Council, the local CBDC Office, and the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce, which work together to support existing businesses and develop new ones.

Other agencies in the town which can provide information and assist with developing business plans and funding include Bizpal (a digital program to assist with planning), Service Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the provincial Department of Innovation, Business, and Rural Development, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs.

“We are open to discussions if a business is interested in opening here and would be a benefit to our community,” says Osmond. “We would want to discuss whatever would make that business successful.”

What kind of business? “We want to work closely with any type of business, so we’re open to general business development, manufacturing, housing development, daycares, seniors’ accommodation, and retail. We don’t have a Walmart… yet!” says Mayor Andrews. (Hint: No doubt this appealing town would be open to a large retailer.)

Although the Mayor didn’t specifically mention the tourism industry, the town is surrounded by miles and miles of pristine wilderness. It offers the perfect vacation for people who enjoy fishing, hunting, photography, canoeing and kayaking, snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing, and seeing wildlife, including caribou, beaver, muskrat, and many bird species.

According to the town’s website, the business community is proactive in seeking new investment and partnering arrangements, particularly for large-scale development. This could include providing goods and services to industrial customers such as the Muskrat Falls project just 30 km to the west, distributorships for the mining sector, and, at the other end of the size scale, small home-based businesses. The latter could include consulting and advisory services, courier services, electronics and computer-based services, health and wellness providers, audiovisual services, and bed and breakfasts.

From a financial and business development perspective, the town is certainly attractive, with high-quality infrastructure. “We have above average salaries, and we have lower electricity rates,” Mayor Andrews says. “Because of the hydroelectric projects at Churchill Falls and the almost completed Muskrat Falls project, people are paying only 3.5 cents per kilowatt hour, so individuals have more discretionary money and businesses enjoy lower overhead costs.”

Critical for businesses to operate are Internet speed and connectivity, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay has an excellent rate of household and business connections and capacity for high-speed digital data transmission, with Internet providers working to improve access to Fibre Internet.

Finding balance
So, while we’re more than convinced that Happy Valley-Goose Bay is a great place to work and do business, we couldn’t help but wonder what it’s like for children and youth. Granted, they have unlimited opportunities for outdoor activities, but are they missing out on attractions and resources they might find in other Canadian communities?

Not so, says Mayor Andrews. “It’s a fantastic spot to raise a family.” In addition to the town’s excellent elementary and secondary schools, children participate in organized sports and gymnastics, and swim in the Olympic-sized pool at the new state-of-the-art YMCA, which boasts a running track, fully equipped gym, a licenced daycare, and a kids’ pool.

They might also skate and play hockey at the arena or enjoy art and cultural activities at the Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre.

Post-secondary opportunities include the Happy Valley-Goose Bay campus of the College of the North Atlantic, which delivers quality programming designed to meet modern industry needs, and the newly opened Labrador Campus of Memorial University, which offers both undergraduate and graduate level degrees in Arctic Studies, nursing, and engineering. The campus is also home to the School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies and the Pye Centre for Northern Boreal Food Systems, and is attracting international attention from other countries.

“There’s a multitude of activities for all ages, including seniors, who are valued as knowledge keepers. There are sports and arts and culture activities along with community-oriented organizations in our culturally diverse town,” says Mayor Andrews.

“Anyone coming here, whether a worker who’s bringing in family, an entrepreneur, a developer, any of those folks, will be welcomed—from a community perspective, as well as a business one—with open arms,” he concludes.

The post Welcome to the Heart of Labrador<p class="company">Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

At just 5,683.91 square kilometres (2,194.57 square miles), Prince Edward Island is the smallest of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories, yet one of the most beloved. Offering something for everyone, PEI is famous for its white sandy beaches, striking red sandstone cliffs, and picturesque villages. Home to many festivals, farmers markets, and events, one of PEI’s biggest draws remains Anne of Green Gables.

Visitors from around the world come to experience the Green Gables Heritage Place for themselves, celebrating the enduring story of the little redheaded orphan Anne Shirley as envisioned by local author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

While many know PEI for its parks, scenery, history, and countless attractions, it also once had a reputation as a challenging place to reach. As an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, movement of people and goods to and from PEI across the Northumberland Strait was done by ferry and air, and was relatively costly. That changed in 1997 when the island was joined to the mainland via the 12.9 km (eight mile) long Confederation Bridge.

With its charming, small-town feel, gorgeous scenery, proximity to shopping and amenities, great school system, and low cost of living, it is no surprise PEI’s population is growing at a rapid rate. Relatively unchanged for years from the 145,000 of a decade ago, PEI’s population sits at over 180,000 today. In 2022, the province’s population increased by 4.3 percent, the highest increase on record.

According to Statistics Canada, PEI’s population could hit 200,000 by late 2026 or early 2027. And while population growth has its benefits, it also brings challenges, such as the need for additional housing, more roads, and improved transportation.

Published earlier this year, the Public Policy Forum’s Atlantic Canada Momentum Index is a report sponsored by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), which works to create economic growth and champions the strengths of Atlantic Canada. According to the report, 17 of 20 indicators “experienced an improvement in PEI, the best performance among the Atlantic provinces,” in the period 2015 to 2021-22. “The strongest growth was in housing starts (15.5 percent), followed by immigration (9.3 percent), non-residential investment (4.3 percent), and BERD (business enterprise in-house expenditure on research and development) spending (4.2 percent).”

In the past year, stories have appeared regularly about Canadians leaving other provinces—Ontario in particular—for a more laidback and less stressful life in PEI. This growth is also taking place alongside an increase in non-permanent residents to the island, which is also affecting the overall rise in population. As of July, it was estimated that there were some 10,000 non-permanent residents of Canada. About 50 percent held work permits, approximately 37 percent were foreign students, and about 13 percent held study and work permits.

The Government of Canada website has links to help people settle in PEI, discussing subjects such as “What you need to know to move to Prince Edward Island,” and “A guide for newcomers to Prince Edward Island.”

All those people, of course, need to get around. Whereas much larger provinces like Ontario and Quebec are struggling with traffic congestion and balancing the needs of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, Prince Edward Island is actively creating infrastructure to meet the needs of future businesses and residents. This year alone, the province announced millions of dollars allocated toward new cycling lanes, transportation corridors, and public transportation electrification in the capital city of Charlottetown.

In May, the province announced a joint investment totalling over $7 million between the governments of Canada and PEI to support two active transportation infrastructure projects. Residents and visitors alike will benefit from the construction of new roads. Along with a new 3.1 km (1.86 mile) active transportation corridor along Route 13 in Brookvale, the funds will rehabilitate a combined 25.9 km (16 miles) of three active transportation corridors.

According to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, adding 1.2 metres (3.93 feet) of paved shoulders on each side of the road “will provide the public with an easier and safer option to visit popular destinations such as the Confederation Bridge, Cavendish National Park, as well as Mark Arendz Ski Park.” The addition of paved shoulders to Routes 20, 17, and 15 “will encourage travellers across the island to use greener methods of transportation.”

According to Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure, and Communities, “Safe and efficient active transportation corridors will provide residents and tourists with better low carbon emission alternatives to travelling around this beautiful province. Having adequate active transportation infrastructure will help build healthy and sustainable communities, while also improving pedestrian and cyclist safety.”

The announcement is one of 54 infrastructure projects, or project bundles, under the Green Infrastructure Stream. This includes over $171 million from the federal government and a total provincial contribution of almost $153 million. The funding is yet another step in the Atlantic Growth Strategy toward the goal of strengthening local economies, building inclusive communities, and creating well-paying, middle-class jobs.

“The Government of Prince Edward Island is working hard to build a network of safe, welcoming, and healthy communities,” said The Honourable Ernie Hudson, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, in a media release. “Expanding active transportation pathways is a great way to connect Islanders, support recreational activities, and help the province reach its net zero goals.”

Along with motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists will also benefit from recent additions and improvements to road infrastructure. New paved shoulders will make it easier and safer for vehicles to keep their distance from cyclists. Although there is a one-metre rule already in place, PEI’s cyclists are welcoming the extra margin of safety, especially in areas where roads presently don’t have shoulders.

The move dovetails into federal and provincial initiatives to make Canada greener, shifting away from cars toward other non-traditional means of transportation, like electric bikes and scooters. “E-bikes [power-assisted bicycles] are a cleaner and more efficient mode of transportation when compared to single passenger vehicles,” says the province on its e-bike Incentive webpage.

To further this initiative, PEI is offering eligible Islanders and organizations a $500 rebate for buying an e-bike. Announced in September, the program is aimed at promoting greater adoption of Active Transportation.

PEI residents are eligible for one e-bike rebate per calendar year, and other groups—such as non-profits, businesses, and First Nations Indigenous Organizations—can receive up to five rebates per calendar year. Eligible e-bikes must meet certain criteria, including costing $1,200 or more, having an electric motor of 500 watts or less, and reaching a maximum speed of 32 km/h (19.88 mph).

As a further commitment to cleaner and more affordable methods of transportation, the provincial and federal government recently announced more than $22.7 million toward expanding and electrifying Charlottetown’s public transit.

Known as the “Birthplace of Confederation,” Charlottetown is a vital hub for Islanders. Home to numerous provincial and federal offices, the city is renowned for its attractions, clubs, nightlife, theatres, art galleries, and more. It is also located just 60 minutes away by car from all major points of access.

Recognizing the city’s importance to the entire island, the move will see the construction of a new maintenance facility. Once completed, the facility will have bus storage and maintenance bays, room to house 19 electric buses, seven new electric buses, and three new diesel buses to cover service during the process of electrification.

The project also includes the installation of a new, state-of-the-art 400 kWh solar battery energy storage system (BESS), which will lead to lower energy costs.

“Our government is investing in infrastructure that supports a strong economy, creates jobs, and builds greener, more resilient communities,” said The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities in a news release. “The investment we’re making today will improve public transit for thousands of Islanders while lowering our greenhouse gas emissions.”

Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, added: “Our government continues to support Charlottetown in laying the foundation for a sustainable future in transportation. The new maintenance facility will not only support the arrival of electric buses but also contribute to reducing environmental impact. These projects showcase our shared commitment to innovation, efficiency, and a greener tomorrow.”

As the population of Prince Edward Island continues to grow, investments by the province and the federal government will continue to make PEI easier, safer, and more convenient for residents, tourists, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.

The post Small and Mighty<p class="company">Prince Edward Island</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The Transportation Group consists of 250 vehicles and 500 employees operated by the Cassidy family, Mike and his wife Mary Jane and their sons Matthew, Stephen, and Ryan along with a dedicated Senior Management and Employee Team.

The family entered the bus business in April 2005, purchasing a small motor coach company in their home province of PEI and in September that same year, the Cassidys started Charlottetown’s first public transit system. Seven years later, in December 2012, they took over the daily scheduled bus line runs in NS, NB, and PEI after the long established Acadian Lines surrendered their motor carrier rights, citing annual operating losses within a Maritime Region which could no longer be sustainable. “We like to spend our time in businesses that serve a purpose within a community or region,” says Mike Cassidy.

The company considers itself the most diversified bus company that has ever operated in Atlantic Canada, providing a litany of services from group charters to cruise ship shore excursions, multi-day tours, school contracts, daily scheduled line run services, and PEI municipal rural bus routes, all under its very recognizable brands Coach Atlantic – Maritime Bus – T3 Transit.

Coach Atlantic President Matthew Cassidy says that one of the main business segments for the company is the cruise ship market, which has been growing steadily in Atlantic Canada over the last decade and has been bouncing back after the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a greater need now to serve that segment and continually support its growth.

This has led Matthew to an initiative to purchase California pre-owned double-decker motorcoaches for the business, vehicles that can move more people at any given time. In the past year, the company has sourced an additional nine such vehicles beyond its initial purchase, with the hope to add another seven to eight by the end of 2023. These double-deckers have low mileage and no rust or corrosion, and are a great touring vehicle to pair with cruise ships.

The company is also making a further $16 million dollar investment into its fleet of regular premium motorcoaches, purchasing an additional 20 motorcoaches in 2024 at approximately $800,000 each. This purchase will help the company keep up with the multi-day tourism business and the traditional motorcoach market as it continues to grow. Presently, the Bus Group moves 8,000 passengers daily in the off season and ramps up to 15,000 per day in the Tourism season from May to October.

“Our vehicles allow people to see all parts of the Atlantic provinces,” Matthew states, allowing for economic prosperity to be spread out amongst the smaller regions.

Economic diversification is all-important for the company, as is working in tandem with local businesses. Matthew notes that the company is responsible for 85,000 annual hotel/motel room nights in the region thanks to touring passengers, and has helped boost food, tourism, and attractions along the way. Continuing to make investments in the region will encourage more people to visit Atlantic Canada, and wherever passengers are moved to, they are spending money and stimulating local economies.

While moving people is a top priority for the bus group, the Cassidy family is also committed to the agriculture sector. The diversification has given way to a venture by Mike Cassidy into VK Greenhouses and Cassidy Farms, the agricultural arm of the Group. In 2018, he was interested in introducing the haskap berry crop to PEI—a ‘superfruit’ that resembles a long blueberry but is packed with more antioxidants—as well as continuing to distribute its well known VK tomatoes to Atlantic Canada.

VK and Cassidy Farms are meant to inspire people to buy locally and support local farmers. Mike and his family are born-and-bred Maritimers, so they understand the markets and culture of the region and how important shopping locally and sustainably is for everyone.

He says that the family’s Maritime roots are a reason why it is so easy to build relationships with everyone from suppliers, banks, and levels of government to one’s competitors. Establishing long-term loyal relationships makes business easier in a perceptibly smaller region like the Atlantic provinces.

All businesses today face their challenges and transportation is no exception. The transportation industry is currently facing headwinds, says Matthew, with supply chain issues imperfect but improving. Interest rates have doubled in the past 18 months, which represents a significant difference when making capital investments, and this has influenced financial decisions on all levels.

Another issue on the rise is the prospect of climate change and sustainability, which will be a challenge in the next decade. The company wants to be a leader in the climate change conversation. The transition to zero-emission commercial vehicles is going to take time as technology and infrastructure develops. Therefore, the company looks to do incremental improvements whenever possible. This includes purchasing fuel-efficient and high-capacity vehicles and starting the process to introduce electric transit buses for its municipal transit fleet.

Travel is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity for customers, especially post-pandemic, Matthew says, and Coach Atlantic – Maritime Bus – T3 Transit is confident in where it is and where it is going. Mike adds that he has never been more excited in his career than right now, especially as the team investigates different ways of moving people in the future. Both the transportation and agriculture industries are low-margin and capital-intensive, with seven-days-a-week operations, so it takes a huge level of commitment and passion to be involved in them for as long as the Cassidy family has.

The family believes in the Atlantic Canada region and in what the Company Group does for it. This belief is both the definition of its success and the reason why there is so much excitement around the continued growth of both. “It’s hard for us to think that we would be as successful in any other region of Canada,” Mike says, seeing a more exciting future than ever heading into the new year.

The post A Bus Company With A Purpose<p class="company">Coach Atlantic – Maritime Bus – T3 Transit</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Established in 1997, CleanMark recently marked its 25-year anniversary of service excellence. This milestone stands as a testament to the enduring dedication to its values, demonstrated day in and day out.

Today, following decades of sustained organic growth, CleanMark deploys a workforce of more than 2,000 employees and certified service providers. Its client list spans North America, encompassing a diverse range of sectors, territories, and client requirements—from coast-to-coast retail chains to single site condominium owners.

Built on great people, operational excellence, and a values-based approach, CleanMark’s success is driven by the pursuit of innovative solutions that deliver the highest level of commercial cleaning and workplace compliance. In practice, that can be evidenced through the development of proprietary technology to deliver real-time service reporting, the implementation of up-to-date compliant cleaning legislation, and an ongoing commitment to embedding sustainable working practices that minimizes each client’s environmental impact.

While CleanMark can rightly take pride in its expanding national network, there is also a deep understanding that local knowledge is key to delivering facility management excellence. Creating a national network of local expertise means that managers live and work in the areas they oversee, communities are invested in, employment opportunities are created, and local suppliers are supported.

“We have always attempted to have a positive effect on the communities we work in,” says CleanMark’s Principal, Angela Vavitsas. “We refer to our own workforce as the CleanMark community. It is part of our DNA and it gives me immense pleasure to know that our commitment to identifying and nurturing outstanding local talent continues to fuel our growth as an organization and as individuals.”

And it makes perfect business sense. If you have a skilled, loyal, and motivated workforce who are offered career development opportunities and feel a sense of ownership because they are employed and valued in their community, that is a strong foundation on which to build a service-focused business. Support those employees with the technology and tools to nurture a high-touch, fully accountable relationship that the client can rely on, and you have the perfect recipe for success. It is not unusual for CleanMark staff to work at the same site for years—in some instances, decades. That builds trust and equally importantly, a consistent clean which enables the client to focus on their core business activities.

Until recently, CleanMark’s growth had been exclusively organic, but earlier this year, the company was approached by Newton Cleaning & Maintenance Services. Owners and operators of Newton since 2008, the Newton family had built a successful business that specialized in servicing condominium properties in Port Hope, Peterborough, and Cobourg. It was a conversation that led CleanMark to expand its growth strategy, pivot, and embark on something new.

Vavitsas expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We’re delighted with the Newton acquisition and although it is early days, we look forward to combining our expertise and resources to create new and exciting facility management opportunities for our businesses across the region. Given that CleanMark is an organization traditionally built on organic growth, we feel this acquisition stands as a testament to the high regard in which we hold the Newton team.”

Vavitsas elaborates, “Lastly, and importantly, CleanMark’s and Newton’s values are aligned, anchoring this partnership in a set of shared values that we believe is critical for ongoing success. We are extremely proud to align ourselves with a company that shares our vision and commitment to service excellence.”

Synergy plays a key role in ensuring a smooth acquisition, allowing for a seamless transition that diminishes the uncertainty that all too often hinders two companies coming together. CleanMark worked hard to ensure existing staff, roles, and client service were uninterrupted and that Newton employees were communicated with transparently and welcomed into the CleanMark community.

In the future, CleanMark plans to increase the service offering by introducing additional specialist services, like condominium superintendents, which have already been successfully implemented in other aspects of the business. The approach here prioritizes evolution over revolution, aiming to preserve the positive attributes that initially made Newton such an appealing acquisition. The focus is on enhancing capabilities without introducing unnecessary confusion.

The recent addition of new accounts in recent weeks shows the potential of Newton’s enhanced capabilities—made possible through this new venture—and sets the stage for a thriving partnership that is primed to achieve exceptional outcomes and surpass customer expectations in the years ahead. It also bodes well for future acquisitions.

Since CleanMark’s inception, it has maintained a focus on bringing its team members through the ranks and rewarding loyalty. This has resulted in outstanding staff retention rates, with an impressive 58 percent of supervisors being promoted from within.

“We’re very passionate,” says Vavitsas. “We care about our business, and we care about our clients, and we want to make sure the brand standard is delivered. We share that goal with the Newton team and that’s why this is a strategic step forward in our mission to provide top-tier commercial cleaning and facility maintenance solutions.”

Thrilled with the acquisition, CleanMark is looking for further businesses to help diversify its portfolio and is in discussions with another cleaning company based in the U.S. Midwest. With a significant footprint across Canada and most of the United States, CleanMark is looking to build density around city centres.

Believing that leadership takes many forms, CleanMark created the *BeBrilliant program a few years ago. Company leaders are valued for being dedicated, positive, and inspiring others, and these employees are acknowledged through the *BeBrilliant Awards Portal, which recognize and reward individuals and teams who go above and beyond for their clients or colleagues. For CleanMark, it is a way of giving something back. Team members can redeem rewards for gift cards or merchandise.

“Our values are very much built into everything we do,” says Vavitsas. “Instead of taking a top-down approach, if employees are working together and help someone out by staying longer or collaborating on a problem, they can reward each other.”

This commitment to its team has played a key role in the company achieving year-on-year double-digit growth since its inception.

Known for consistent, dependable service, CleanMark has carefully formulated auditing protocols in place which are highly customizable for every client. Developed in-house, customers can tailor the information they wish to see and its frequency.

“What we’ve found with the new sectors is that our technology is being very well received because of the control it affords each client,” Vavitsas explains. “Daily audits are conducted through GPS, and the superintendent or project manager receives a copy of all the readings. A lot of things we have built are adaptable and customizable to each building.”

Everything is monitored and tracked, and CleanMark has measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure accountability. “Even though we are a distributed labour source over five or six time zones across North America, we can see what is going on at any point during the day with the technology that we use,” says Vavitsas.

Building on over 25 years of success, CleanMark looks forward to further growth and diversifying its portfolio, with condominiums identified as a significant growth opportunity across all geographies.

The post Cleaning North America<p class="company">CleanMark Group</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

This change in tourism patterns goes back to 2014, according to Joanne Bérubé-Gagné, Executive Director of the Edmundston Madawaska Tourism Office, who has held this office since 2003.

“That was when we questioned why we were only promoting two summer months when we were already at 90 percent capacity for them. So we switched our thinking and started marketing the other ten months and considered how to become a year-round destination,” she explains.

Stop and stay awhile
“We wanted to be a lot more than a place where people stopped en route to the rest of Atlantic Canada, so we started developing culinary products which needed to be on the menu 12 months of the year and not just in the summer, because otherwise the producers couldn’t survive.”

The year of 2014 was indeed a turning point for tourism. Not only did the marketing strategy change, but the region also proved it could successfully stage large events when it hosted the Acadian World Congress for the first time. This event, held every five years in different locations, brought more than 50,000 people to the region over two weeks, and produced a substantial economic spin-off.

Three years later, in 2017, the new arena opened. Located on the Edmundston campus of l’Université de Moncton, the Centre Jean-Daigle amphitheatre was designed to host major cultural, sporting, and community events. It features an NHL-size rink with 2,400 seats, and when configured for a show, has seating for 3,700. In addition, the atrium with a balcony overlooking the city can accommodate up to 1,000 at an event.

The centre is home to the Edmundston Blizzard Junior A Hockey team which plays in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. It also hosts interprovincial hockey tournaments, bringing in visitors and selling out games. The arena, along with Mont Farlagne’s ski hill, sets a popular stage for sports tourism.

The years between 2014 and 2019 were exceptionally good ones, says Bérubé-Gagné, with each year better than the one before. However, in March 2020, the pandemic lockdowns and severe travel restrictions (lasting into 2021) hurt businesses everywhere, including tourism in Edmundston Madawaska.

All together now
But not for long. Surprisingly positive things came out of the pandemic, according to Bérubé-Gagné. “What the pandemic did for us was to bring people closer together and force us to ask each other how we could partner to create this new product. ‘What is missing in the region and how can we create it together?’ There was a lot of collaborating to develop new businesses and new offerings,” she says.

“We’d been working on culinary tourism for 10 years, trying to get local products out front, and I think the pandemic helped us. We were isolated and people started working together, watching out for each other, and that created a new dynamic on the economic side. We were saying, ‘If there’s something we don’t have, why don’t we create it and start a small business, and we can partner with this one or that one.’ We saw a lot of that and it created a new synergy among entrepreneurs.”

Now there are two microbreweries whose products use local ingredients. Les Brasseurs du Petit-Sault, with labels that celebrate local history and culture, offers tastings for 14 products, including six unique seasonal beers infused with locally produced fruit. Then there’s Microbrasserie Ateepic, whose products are on the menu at the Edmundston Fraser Golf Club.

A local winery, meanwhile, has partnered with a local haskap berry producer to make a fruit wine. Another food production business is mixing haskap with maple to produce a syrup for coffee toppings, while a local pizza restaurant has partnered with a new cheese factory.

Putting nature on the list
Tourism industry entrepreneurs are also partnering with the natural beauty of the Madawaska region to create new product offerings. Two companies, Ekö Nature Glamping at Lac Baker and Quisibis Domes at Riviére-Verte, offer visitors the ultimate glamping experience in luxurious geodesic domes, the roofs of which feature windows to allow for stargazing. Lac Baker, good for swimming, has a new walking trail that links it to Edmundston, while canoes and kayaks can be rented at Riviére-Verte.

Mont Farlagne, with elevations between 150 and 338 metres, just minutes from downtown Edmundston, has long been a popular alpine ski and snowboarding hill, but now has morphed into a four-season outdoor centre, with 60 kilometres of mountain biking trails, outdoor events, and a lodge with live music, snack bar, and restaurant.

Meanwhile, the Grey Rock Power Centre, located on the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, which includes the Grey Rock Casino with over 250 slots and hybrid tables, a hotel and conference centre, several restaurants, and retail outlets, has also become home to Grey Rock Adventures. Its offerings include snowmobile, ATV, and Side by Side guided tour packages for groups with different experience levels. With the commercial hub now well established and profitable, Bérubé-Gagné believes the next step for the centre, already an important tourism partner, will be to develop a First Nations culture and heritage project in the next few years.

Another natural attraction is the New Brunswick Botanical Garden, a 7-hectare garden located next door to the Provincial Park with over 80,000 plants arranged in thematic gardens with sculptures, a café, and an herbal workshop. It’s located next to the Madawaska River in the Saint-Jacques neighbourhood and is the largest arboretum east of Montreal.

The garden officially closes at the end of September, but by extending the season through festivals in October and November, such as the Grande Grouille, when thousands of illuminated pumpkins light up the gardens at night while musicians perform, and Jardin Emballé, a Christmas market with more than 50 exhibitors showcasing local products, artwork and fine crafts, thousands of visitors are drawn in.

A future so bright
Speaking of festivals, the events committee is focused on having something every weekend and has developed a new strategy to attract national organizations to the area for major events.

“We participated in the Sport Congress in Vancouver earlier this year and we’ve started looking into some big events. In the next year or so, our name could be on bids or proposals to attract some of those activities.” Bérubé-Gagné also plans to revive her attendance at travel shows in Boston, Montreal, Toronto, and Halifax—something she’d always done pre-pandemic—and connect with tour bus operators.

In terms of future growth, she sees definite advantages to maintaining membership in the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), “because it keeps us informed about what’s going on in Ottawa. They worked hard during COVID to get information out, and they don’t forget about the smaller places.”

Edmundston Madawaska is “back at full speed,” she says. “We’ve grown our numbers and our hotels have higher occupancy than we had in 2019. Our industry not only survived, but encompassed bigger growth than all the other industries put together, and we are starting to see a return on our investments. We’ve done that by continuing to develop the tourism product that began during the pandemic when a new wave of entrepreneurs started partnering and creating some really good products to offer visitors.”

Most of the tourism development, she notes, has not been driven by government subsidies, but instead was achieved by the private sector. It’s people from New Brunswick who are investing in their region, people who are committed and determined to make it work, with the larger community in full support.

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Established in December 2022, Invest Nova Scotia is the provincial government’s new business-development agency. This government agency is working to ensure more businesses and entrepreneurs get the value of what Invest Nova Scotia offers, and delivers on government priorities to help grow Nova Scotia’s economy. Invest Nova Scotia strives to help businesses of all sizes expand and prosper while advancing a more creative, resilient, sustainable, and competitive economy.

“We’re relatively new, and in the past our mandate was limited. It was on export only or start-ups, and generally start-ups that have a deep-tech, innovative product which needs a big international market to be successful,” says President and CEO, Peter MacAskill. “With Invest Nova Scotia, we’ve got a broader mandate, but really, it’s about bringing value to more companies around the province.”

A consolidation of former government Crown corporations Nova Scotia Business Inc. and Innovacorp, Invest Nova Scotia’s support happens through a number of initiatives, including incubating start-ups, providing access to trade opportunities, self-directed training in HR, inclusivity training, and capacity building.

“We’re also responsible for helping companies set up and invest here in Nova Scotia,” MacAskill says. “And we work in every nook of the province to help provide a range of investment and export programs.”

With 14 offices around the province, between its regional business development team, its various incubation spaces, and desk space hubs, the organization’s resources are meant to address opportunities and challenges for businesses, now and on the horizon.

Start-up companies are a key focus area for the organization, supporting them through venture capital, incubation facilities, expert advice, and other acceleration initiatives.

“Companies come in, often in their ideation stage, and work with us on what they’re thinking about and how they’re going to go about tackling problems,” MacAskill says. “Good businesses, they’re solving problems by providing innovative solutions.”

To further help assist in this arena, the Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program (PIVP) provides businesses (whether an incubation client or otherwise) with vouchers for research. This happens through one of the province’s post-secondary education institutions, either at one of the universities or Nova Scotia Community College.

“It’s about proof of concept,” says MacAskill. “The company’s got an idea or base research to help solve a problem, and the researcher helps them define that, prove it, or even disprove it. Sometimes when you disprove, that has value as well, because you realize you must move on to something else. It’s about using capital efficiently and achieving the best solution in the best way possible.”

Another of the organization’s programs, the Export Development Program (EDP), provides financial incentives to offset the cost of projects and overcome barriers to export growth. Tony’s Meats, located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, is a good example.

Established in 1963 as a specialized meat processor, Tony’s Meats produces a wide range of raw and ready-to-eat products for the retail and foodservice markets across Canada. Back in 2022, the company was looking to expand sales and distribute a new line of dried meat snacks into the United States. The company showcased and tested three new snacks at a tradeshow in Chicago, through the funding of their EDP. This new product was received positively, with several large retailers and distributors in the United States and other countries, including Puerto Rico, Australia, and Germany, expressing an interest in their dried meat snacks.

Recently, Tony’s Meats has been undertaking upgrades to its production equipment and storage facility via a $937,725 capital investment to support growth of international exports, specifically in the ready-to-eat snack meat category, and additional food manufacturing opportunities with halal meat.

There, too, Invest Nova Scotia has something to offer, knowing that capital improvements are vital for businesses, but not easy. The agency has the Innovation Rebate Program (IRP), which is a capital rebate that helps a company with a productivity, sustainability, or capacity-building project for a manufacturing environment with an approved rebate of up to 25 percent against eligible project costs. The company’s total project costs must be between $350,000 and $15 million.

“Oftentimes, the IRP is for sustainability improvements,” MacAskill explains. “However, the program also supports companies as they innovate, drive productivity, and adopt cleaner approaches to growth across Nova Scotia.”

Invest Nova Scotia has also recently been able to help companies which support other companies through the IRP program by fulfilling supply chain requirements. For instance, Maritime Labels invested in new machinery which enabled other Nova Scotia businesses to have a secure, local supplier of those labels. In addition, Halifax Folding Cartons Limited has undertaken a $1,880,000 capital investment at its facility in Windsor, Hants County, to invest in new printing technology. The new, more automated equipment helps improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of this company’s operations.

The province of Nova Scotia is currently leading the country in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets, which means that sustainability remains a big focus at Invest Nova Scotia. Aiming to reduce its GHG emissions by at least 53 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and to reach net zero targets by 2050, Nova Scotia presently has the most ambitious GHG reduction targets in the country.

“People are taking these sustainability targets seriously,” MacAskill says. “Companies will tell us they’re aiming to reduce GHGs or limit their waste by 30 or 50 percent. It can be as simple as a new, more efficient machine in a box cutting process. For example, in the past, six cuts may have been required, and now, a new machine can do the same task in three cuts and produce a lot less waste.”

The companies Invest Nova Scotia has helped are varied and numerous, and MacAskill takes great pride in each of them. One success story is CarbonCure Technologies, a Canadian cleantech company which enables concrete producers to reduce their carbon footprint. The company was awarded the 2020 North American Cleantech Company of the Year by Cleantech Group. More recently, the company received an investment from an outside venture capital firm of $80 million US. Invest Nova Scotia provided funds for CarbonCure through its venture capital incentive, helping the firm take part in trade missions through its export development programming.

When Invest Nova Scotia started working with Parlee Manufacturing, located near Liverpool, Nova Scotia, the company initially sold adventurer backpacks. They have since transitioned into what they are now known for: rugged bags used by local emergency services providers for carrying ambulance gear and supplies. Today, Parlee Manufacturing is a top supplier of medical equipment packs and bags for several provincial EMS organizations, and the list is growing across the country.

“Parlee has engaged with us on a program called Trade Market Intelligence, or TMI. TMI is a customized secondary market intelligence service available to Nova Scotia exporters which enables them to evaluate market opportunities,” says MacAskill. “Our team works diligently with companies such as Parlee to create customized intelligence reports and help prepare them for their market-entry strategy.”

Invest Nova Scotia also partners with small businesses to help improve their operations. For example, Groovy Goat, a small craft soap company in Ingonish, Cape Breton Island, recently worked with Invest Nova Scotia on a productivity improvement initiative to help automate processes and make them more efficient.

As a result of this project, Groovy Goat expects its daily production totals will increase from 700 bars per day to 1,750 bars per day. The new fridges and freezers will also result in improved energy efficiencies, and new factory-made molds will reduce waste.

Along with helping businesses directly, Invest Nova Scotia also provides access to a host of self-directed training courses, an essential component for many fledgling businesses still trying to learn everything they can to be as successful as possible.

“Businesses, owners, and managers are incredibly busy; you’ve often got many balls in the air. You’re the HR department one second, you’re the finance department the next second, and head of sales an hour later,” MacAskill says. “There are businesses of all shapes and sizes, and they often know what they need in terms of assistance, but they don’t know how to access it.”

To help alleviate that stress, Invest Nova Scotia offers different types of training workshops and services for clients, including a self-directed module with on-demand courses found on its website. Developed with a local consultant, there are various courses offered such as: ‘Scaling Your Value’; ‘Marketing that Matters’; ‘Managing Sales with Purpose’; and ‘Boss’s Guide to HR’. These courses help business owners with items they need to be aware of, from codes and regulations to the importance of training and efficiency.

“They cover the various components of what a company requires within the range of a business cycle. The range and flexibility of these courses are ideal for those who may have no prior business experience, or those who simply need to brush up on their business knowledge and skills,” says MacAskill.

“Partners are extremely important in the business of economic development,” he adds. “And while Invest Nova Scotia has partners around the province, there are still many more partners it needs to bring in, including other government departments. For instance, when dealing with a business that wants to complete a new development, the Department of Environment may need to help clarify the relevant regulations. We try to make it as easy as possible, with a ‘no wrong door, no wrong window’ approach.”

Looking more broadly beyond any one point in time, Invest Nova Scotia’s programs, advice, and other resources can form a continuum of client services. In other words, the government agency is set up to match a company’s needs along the company’s path of growth.

Graphite Innovation & Technologies (GIT) is a developer of graphene-based and eco-friendly marine coatings. The company boosts hull and propeller efficiency and delivers significant fuel savings and GHG-emission reductions. GIT’s products are notable as they do not leach microplastics or toxins into the ocean, and even absorb underwater noise to reduce stress on marine life.

GIT leases two industrial bays and office space in ‘The Bays’ at Invest Nova Scotia. ‘The Bays’ are where some of the province’s best technology entrepreneurs lease space to take advantage of world-class facilities.

GIT has used many of the tools and resources at Invest Nova Scotia, such as the Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program to access post-secondary research and resources. GIT also used the Export Growth Program and conducted market research, and the company created marketing and awareness assets with help from Invest Nova Scotia’s Digital Marketing Asset Development Program. This year, GIT’s trajectory has resulted in $10 million in ‘Series A’ financing (with Invest Nova Scotia having invested $2.5 million in this round) to scale-up and help the shipping industry transition toward net zero emissions.

Businesses such as GIT, and many others, have expressed time and again just how much they depend on Invest Nova Scotia for their programs and services. With an eye toward a future of opportunities, from business launches and raising capital to incubation and acceleration, export development, and investor attraction, Invest Nova Scotia will continue to strive in encouraging and supporting businesses across Nova Scotia.

The post Supporting Success: Investing in Tomorrow’s Businesses Today<p class="company">Invest Nova Scotia</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The Association, through an agreement with the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission, provides all real estate licensing courses in the province.

NSAR got its start through an amalgamation of smaller local real estate boards. Real estate boards from across the province, founded in the 1950s, combined in 2000 to form NSAR. This merger centralized the operations of the smaller boards, and cut down on expenses for members.

NSAR’s current President, Matthew Dauphinee, has been a member of the Association for more than 12 years. Dauphinee has sat on NSAR’s board for the past four years and says that the Association tries to cast a wide net with the services it provides.

As a member-based association, NSAR serves its REALTOR® members and provides training, technology tools, and support to them. The Association also advocates on issues affecting housing attainability and home ownership in Nova Scotia. Chief Executive Officer, Roger Boutilier, adds that the Association is the voice of real estate in Nova Scotia, working to ensure every Nova Scotian has a place to call home.

NSAR operates the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®), an electronic database of homes for sale and the details of those properties. Only members of NSAR have access to the MLS® System. The provincial MLS® data feeds to Realtor.ca, the number one real estate website in Canada, operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

NSAR is a leader in offering innovative tools that make the homebuying and selling process more convenient for buyers and sellers. Most recently, NSAR worked with Realtor.ca to enhance the user experience in Nova Scotia by adding new information to listings in the province.

“We were the first MLS® to show conditional sales and sold listings on Realtor.ca,” Dauphinee says. NSAR is continuing to enhance the Realtor.ca user experience with industry-leading accessibility search functions launching in 2024.

Technology and industry leadership are two things NSAR places a high priority on. Boutilier lists the organization’s five strategic goals as: making home ownership more attainable; elevating public perception of the value of realtors; creating and promoting a higher level of professional standards; staying at the forefront of technologies impacting members and the industry; and actively engaging its membership in decision-making through diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism initiatives.

NSAR prides itself on its connection to the community and other organizations that have housing attainability and provincial prosperity in their mandate. This includes keeping communication open with the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission (NSREC) which is the regulator of the real estate industry in Nova Scotia. NSREC contracts with NSAR to provide real estate licensing and continuing education courses.

NSAR works with organizations throughout the province such as the Halifax Partnership, the Cape Breton Partnership, various Chambers of Commerce, all levels of government, and many other stakeholders to grow economic prosperity for the province and make home ownership more attainable.

“We are the primary resource advocating for attainable homeownership on behalf of our members, their clients, and the public,” says Dauphinee.

Over the last year, NSAR has advocated on behalf of its members and out-of-province owners against the provincial government’s attempt to implement a two percent tax increase on deed transfers for owners who don’t live in Nova Scotia. This tax affected many people in Nova Scotia that have been forced to leave the province to find work opportunities but who also still had property remaining behind. This tax would have also been burdensome on people with generational or inherited property. The tax had no meaningful impact on housing attainability and would punish current homeowners, so the Association advocated against it.

The Association has also helped create several programs to benefit local homeowners. It created the Nova Scotia Down Payment Assistance Program (DPAP) in 2017. The program, which was adopted by the province, provides a 10-year, interest-free down payment loan to help first-time home buyers purchase property in the province. The program has helped over 860 families to date. NSAR has further worked directly with the provincial government to change the definition of a first-time home buyer, to align it with federal definitions so that local buyers can take advantage of all programs available to them.

NSAR was an active participant in the Affordable Housing Commission (AHC) and created a report to advocate for solutions to improve housing across the spectrum. A new report from NSAR is due in 2024 to update what has been done and what needs to be done to continue to address the ongoing housing crisis.

The Association is working in tandem with its partners to ensure everyone in Nova Scotia who wants to enter the trades to build more homes has the support and ability to do so. The group is creating a pilot project, with a particular focus on supportive worksites for people with disabilities.

The Association also continues to promote the value of using a REALTOR® to the public. REALTORS® in Canada follow a strict code of ethics and subscribe to ongoing education and professional development through the Association. REALTORS® are guides to Nova Scotian communities and can help their clients understand everything from property taxes and municipal services to property values and the local market.

Dauphinee says that Nova Scotia has an active real estate market right now, one that was marked by low inventory for a substantial time. He has seen an increased interest in home ownership in the province since 2018. The market has stayed competitive because of both the pandemic and the rise in rent prices, which had become competitive with mortgage pricing.

Today, Halifax is still extremely competitive as an entry point into the market, and this competition affects first-time home buyers more than anyone. Work-from-home opportunities have opened housing opportunities in smaller towns and villages like Bridgewater, Lunenberg, Cheverie, and parts of Cape Breton, so this drive from within the market is not limited to the capital city alone.

Boutilier says, “It is going to take cooperation from all three levels of government and industry stakeholders to ensure that all needs are met across the housing spectrum,” which will be hard work—but NSAR is up for the challenge.

Nova Scotia has also seen a huge influx of immigration and migration in the past few years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people relocating from British Columbia and Ontario. Dauphinee says that, for two decades, the province saw a lot of people go west to find work or take advantage of Nova Scotia’s strong university presence to get educated locally but then find career opportunities elsewhere.

Now that working from home has increased and more businesses have opened in the area, there is more opportunity for the province’s expatriates to return for a homecoming of sorts. Thanks to this and an ongoing population increase, “Everyone is looking for a home,” says Dauphinee, so the work of the Association is more vital than ever.

Several projects are in the works for NSAR as the new year approaches. Dauphinee says that the Association is constantly looking to improve member experience, with technology having taken a big leap with a rise in artificial intelligence and machine learning models. There are some key areas that the Association feels can be improved for members and people in the housing market through these tools.

NSAR will continue to work with clients through Realtor.ca in new and evolving ways, like the launch of new search parameters to help people with mobility needs find accessible or adaptable homes. Government partnerships will also be critical both in finding innovative ways to address housing shortages and affordability. NSAR has valuable insights and data to help government in making key decisions on housing policy. Finally, NSAR will continue to ensure that its members are equipped with the tools and services to provide the best service and experience to the public on their journey toward finding a new home.

The post The Province’s Voice for Real Estate<p class="company">The Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS®</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“We have a great community, and my three children had every opportunity to grow through sports, music, and excellent schools,” she says. “I don’t think they could have had better opportunities anywhere else.”

Peter Douthwright, the Town’s Director of Community Development, echoed her words. He moved here with his family from Fredericton, New Brunswick in 2015. At first, he wasn’t sure about living in a small town.

“We’re a team sports-oriented family and we really got involved,” he shares. “My kids played, I coached, and we made connections. Some people may think there’s nothing to do in a small town, but we found our way and our kids are flourishing. After the move, I had opportunities to move to some big cities across Canada, but I turned every one of them down because our family is proud to have been adopted by this town.”

We were intrigued, as it seems that Dicks and Douthwright are on to something. What else makes New Glasgow an attractive place to live for young adults and their families, and for businesses to thrive, when the trend has been for the populations of other small towns and rural areas to decline as people move to urban centres?

Location, location, location
For one thing, it’s New Glasgow’s ideal location, recognized by the Scottish settlers who arrived in 1784. The Town is situated on the East River, which flows through the Town and empties into Pictou Harbour on the Northumberland Strait.

Located just off the divided Trans Canada Hwy. 104, New Glasgow is just 20 minutes from the Northumberland Ferry Service terminal that connects Nova Scotia with Prince Edward Island; 30 minutes from Truro, the hub of Nova Scotia; and just over an hour from Halifax, the Atlantic region’s largest urban centre and home to the Robert Stanfield International Airport.

According to the latest figures released by Statistics Canada in 2021, the population of the Town, which acts as a regional service centre for the county and Northern Nova Scotia, was 9,471, but that almost doubles when considering inhabitants of the neighbouring towns of Stellarton, Westville, and Trenton.

New Glasgow and the surrounding area are home to several major employers. In New Glasgow itself, there is Aberdeen Regional Hospital, Crombie Properties headquarters, and a mix of retailers and service providers located in the East River Business Park, as well as diverse businesses in the thriving downtown.

Sobey’s headquarters and a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, meanwhile, are based in Stellarton; Michelin is based in Granton; and St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish is just 20 minutes away.

Caring for the future
Outstanding location alone isn’t enough to draw people, however, and it seems that the reputation New Glasgow enjoys can be attributed largely to its forward-looking leadership and a fully engaged community.

“One of our most significant community engagement projects,” Mayor Dicks says, “was a community climate summit to which we invited our neighbours from the surrounding towns and Pictou County, and we had excellent attendance. We had speakers who set the tone for where we were going and explained what opportunities we could pursue to mitigate issues surrounding climate change,” she says.

“We’ve always considered sustainability in the asset management work we do including our water utility and all other infrastructure projects. We have also adopted Active Transportation Strategies and an Active Living Plan, to make ourselves more pedestrian-friendly and reduce vehicular traffic, which in turn impacts greenhouse gas emissions. If you live on one side or another of the river you can walk downtown, where there is great shopping, in 10 to 15 minutes. From the core, it’s no more than 20 minutes from anything in any direction,” she explains.

“Over the last three years we came up with community and corporate action plans for setting sustainability goals for the future growth and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the Town.”

With strong community support, the Town took on several initiatives and this past April, introduced electric vehicle chargers with dual ports at two locations in the downtown core, one across from the library and the other across from the New Glasgow Farmers Market.

The Town also established a PACE program (Property Assessed Clean Energy) in partnership with CLEAN Nova Scotia and Efficiency NS to enable citizens make their homes more energy-efficient, by improving insulation and installing heat pumps or solar panels. These projects can be completed at a cost of the percentage value of the home, with a loan through the Town and repaid over 10 years with minimal interest.

This is the third year of the program, which has seen a great uptake and is especially important for rural communities where there is an aging housing stock and a dependence on fossil-fuel heating.

The Town is also investigating opportunities to introduce a commercial PACE program to perform energy retrofits in commercial buildings in the downtown core, where some of the oldest buildings in the community would require building envelope and energy source improvements.

“In addition to those big environmental impact projects, our community climate action group has organized some small-scale projects, such as a free clothing swap and tree plantings, that let our citizens know that the little things they do make a difference.”

People first, and first again
Douthwright shares some exciting plans about further community developments in the already attractive downtown core, which hosts musical, multicultural, and Pride events, as well as annual dragon boat races. Truly, there is something happening here every weekend throughout summer and early fall, along the river that flows through the Town centre.

Two major community development projects are in the works at present. One is the redevelopment and transformation of our library, with the space reimagined as more than just a place to get books. It will accommodate a variety of all-ages programs—for children, new Canadians, and seniors—making the space more accessible and inclusive.

“We have received funding of $7.1 million from all funding partners—federal, provincial, and municipal,” he says, “and we’re in the process of doing community consultations, looking at the drawings of the design work, with plans to start with hammer and nails in November.”

The other big community project Mayor Dicks tells us about involves an ambitious streetscape place-making initiative on Viola’s Way in the downtown core, which began in 2018 to honour a connection with Viola Desmond, whose image was unveiled on the ten-dollar bill that year.

Commemorating Viola Desmond
Desmond was an African-Nova Scotian business owner and civil rights activist from Halifax, who challenged racial segregation in 1946 by refusing to leave the “whites-only” section of the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow and was fined and imprisoned overnight.

“MacGillivray Law, the theatre’s current owner, has invested a significant amount of time and energy to recognize Viola Desmond and the difference she made. The Town has renamed the street that runs past the theatre and connects two one-way streets, ‘Viola’s Way,’” she says. There is also a plaque monument from Parks Canada honouring Viola Desmond, the first time the Historic Sites and Monuments Board has honoured a single person.

“Now we’ve moved to the second phase of the project, and we’ve brought in an architectural team who met with the community and created a design for a streetscape that will tell the African Nova Scotia story. The African Nova Scotia stories from our community are significant and they are stories that we can all reflect upon and share.”

Farmers Market with flair
Dicks and Douthwright are also very proud of the vibrant regional Farmers Market in the downtown core, which received funding from The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) when it moved from a transient space into a substantial year-round building. “It’s something we hang our hat on,” says the Mayor of the facility which she describes as “one of our most prized locations and a significant contributor to the economy and business community in our region.”

Not only is the market a place to purchase fresh local produce, but it also acts as a business incubator. The Peace by Chocolate company, owned and operated by a Syrian refugee family, found success at the market, and it now has outlets in Antigonish and Halifax and sells products through Sobeys.

Other successful food producers who got their start at the market include Big Cove Foods, which sells spice products internationally, and Bramble Hill Farms, whose fresh micro-greens and products are marketed throughout Nova Scotia and beyond.

Although the Town still honours its Scottish roots, it has become an inclusive multicultural community as the number of restaurants offering ethnic cuisines attest, making it attractive to urban dwellers considering relocating here. Among the offerings are Indian, Chinese, Thai, Middle Eastern, Italian, and Irish.

East River Business Park
At the edge of Town, and conveniently located adjacent to Exit 25 off the TCH 104, is East River Business Park. The recently expanded business park is a joint investment attraction venture between the Town of New Glasgow and the Municipality of the County of Pictou and is owned by New Scotland Business Development Inc., a municipal corporation formed in 2014. Its purpose is to facilitate business development and economic growth opportunities through the sale of business park lands within the region of Pictou County.

Rebranded in 2014, East River Business Park includes a 17-acre expansion to the former New Glasgow Industrial Park. Recently home to Nova Scotia Health’s Orthopedic Assessment Clinic, a multi-unit mixed residential/commercial development, and an oral and maxillofacial surgery, you will also find several long-standing businesses, service providers, and provincial government offices. New Glasgow Regional Police Department is headquartered here, and Scott W. Weeks Sports Complex offers a multitude of recreational opportunities.

East River Business Park is fully serviced with municipal water, separate sanitary and storm sewers, and LED street lighting. Natural gas is also available. Several acres are ready for development with room for future growth. Its proximity to Aberdeen Regional Hospital and North Nova Education Centre, as well as its position along the busiest roadway in Northern Nova Scotia, make East River Business Park a prime location for a variety of business uses.

Concludes Mayor Dicks, “I think the municipality has a strong sense of responsibility to ensuring our infrastructure supports future growth that’s very progressive. I have the confidence to say to any businessperson or entrepreneur considering moving to this area that they will be supported by our municipality; by the Pictou County Partnership, an organization that helps businesses make helpful connections; and through our robust Chamber of Commerce.”

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“Our growers love what they’re doing, and that’s probably the ultimate advantage that Truro Cannabis has,” says President Lennie Walser—and the hardest part, too, he adds. “They love it so much they’re never satisfied with what they’re doing. They can always do better in their head when they produce some extremely high-end product. Earnest is probably what I like to say about our team. They have a passion for the product, but also are very smart and always looking to do something new and upgrade and keep educated.”

Self-described “cannabis purists,” the company combines innovative plant science, established cultivation procedures, and craft genetics, resulting in exceptional cannabis products for both medicinal and recreational purposes, all wrapped up in environmentally friendly packaging.

Licensing, of course, is a vital and necessary part of cannabis production in Canada. Housed in two facilities within one-and-a-half kilometers of each other in the Truro Industrial Park, the company’s main facility has a Standard Cultivation License, which means based on its size and security protocols it’s allowed to grow cannabis flower at a larger scale within its legal footprint. The Micro Cultivation License is for the smaller facility which is designated as a micro cannabis facility with a limited canopy size, only allowed to grow in a limited footprint of canopy.

“The Standard Processing Licensing, which is actually the difficult one to achieve with Health Canada, is all done in our main 45,000-square-foot facility,” says Walser. “Our micro, as it’s a separate license, sells a small [quantity of] product back to our main facility.”

Standard processing allows Truro Cannabis to get product into saleable form up to the standard set by Health Canada and the Cannabis Act and Regulations. The company also has the ability to make hash on site and the ability to purchase bulk product.

Indeed, while some other brands simply procure and package, the Truro Cannabis team handles all aspects themselves on site. “Everything Truro Cannabis does as far as organic flower, we grow ourselves in our own facilities,” adds Walser. “The advantage of doing everything in-house is that our control of inner standards is all on us, which makes a big difference for consistency and repeatability.”

Truro Cannabis proudly embraces its advanced plant science and its ability to create outstanding product from start to finish.

“When bringing up the cultivation techniques and genetics and the plant science, you don’t have that control as a contract procurer of cannabis if it’s done somewhere else. I’m sure the product might be very nice—and it’s not a shot at those companies—but we have our own team of master growers, some who have been doing legacy growing well before legalization, and some who are literally plant science graduates from our local college.”

So, if you’re looking for that strategic advantage, what Truro is doing will result in a better opportunity long-term to control each batch.

Although the business of cannabis is legal across the country, the population of the Maritime provinces is small—barely a million people—meaning the business model is also smaller. Stores are housed in 40 Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) locations across the province, approximately 20 in New Brunswick, 41 in Newfoundland, and four in Prince Edward Island. In contrast, there are approximately 215 stores located in the city of Toronto alone. While Ontario stores are tightly regulated, they are private retail models.

“As much as the local government-run facilities have been great to us and supportive of our business, I do like the culture and difference I see in Ontario and Alberta,” adds Walser. “I do personally enjoy that more. I think it just brings more culture and moves the industry forward. It’s not a shot at our provincial groups, I just think it’s fun to see all the different branding and see how everyone does it, versus a cookie cutter [model].”

The team at Truro Cannabis likes to think of cannabis growing as an art as well as a science. Everything the company does is on the leading edge; this means incorporating numerous advanced sensors in growing rooms for microclimates, ensuring that lighting, temperature, and humidity are all on point and that nutrients and feeds are accurate for each stage of the plant.

“We’re using the traditional cultivation techniques, but again, getting a little bit more finite or micro with some things that maybe weren’t traditionally done,” Walser explains. “Things like potential nutrient deficiencies, doing tissue culture analysis, and adjusting the formula—that wasn’t done in the legacy, historic world because they didn’t have those facilities and testing available.”

One of Truro’s advantages is the ability to pull in 200-plus genetics developed over the years, which affords the company a competitive edge. “We were fortunate to have that when we got our license, and that is probably one of the things we’re most proud of,” Walser says. “I like the word exotic. [We offer] rare, unique, and traditional genetics that I think would be very appealing to the cannabis connoisseur.”

This advantage also sparks the passion of Truro’s team, he adds. “There’s nothing more exciting than when they get to pop their seeds. But when we crack the seed, it’s 12 months-plus before that potential genetic or cultivar will ever see the light of day of anyone being able to purchase it at retail. It’s a very long process.”

And it’s a process most—if not all—customers have little understanding of. Growers start with 25-plus seeds and grow up those 25 plants, evaluating every one of them for cannabinoids, shape, weight, and appearance before eventually trimming the selection down to a final one.

“It takes well over a year, and it’s the R&D process that we go through of bringing out new cultivars that takes that long—but it’s also fun and exciting,” Walser shares.

The industry does still face certain challenges. Every cannabis company in Canada, whether private or publicly funded, has very little access to bank loans or funding from federal or provincial governments. As a private company, everything Truro Cannabis has done has come from private shareholders, with wins or losses coming out of those private persons’ pockets.

“A lot of earlier, licensed companies did not succeed in profitability and are struggling financially,” says Walser. “So now a cannabis business going to banks is too high-risk a profile because so many have lost money and gone under.”

The Excise Tax Act (ETA)—a federal law governing the administration and collection of excise taxes levied on specific goods and services, including cannabis produced in Canada—is another ongoing concern.

“I’m not actually opposed to the Excise Tax, but I think fundamentally, when it was created, the model was looking at a much higher price per gram at retail. The essential concept was the 10 percent tax rate, but because the cost per gram has gone down and the excise tax is not a percentage of the selling price, you’re getting some cannabis sales where anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of the sale is now excise tax.”

The biggest issue right now is having a fixed rate for flower versus a percentage, and it’s the same on the extract side, which is essentially 10 cents per milligram of THC, he adds. “Again, I would much rather it be a percentage based on the dollar value. Essentially, we do some concentrates and the excise tax is pretty much half the price. It’s almost essentially 40 percent of our wholesale product number.”

Walser also brings up issues within Nova Scotia and all provincial wholesalers: Cannabis is the only industry where it can take a year to create a new product without the guarantee to sell it to a consumer unless a provincial licensing body decides to put it into their menu.

“So there’s a risk that you can take a year, grow a million dollars’ worth of product, and not actually be able to get in front of the consumer,” he says. “That’s probably our most stressful thing. It’s a gamble for a cannabis company to create a new product and potentially not have it listed.”

Truro Cannabis has managed to be pretty lucky in this area, however, although luck isn’t the only reason for its ongoing success. “There are a lot of companies that had a lot more money and resources than us that are no longer in the space. So we do feel pretty blessed that we’re still around,” says Walser.

While the goal is to remain profitable for shareholders in upcoming years, he foresees some regression in the industry without significant regulatory changes. Another goal is licensing for export opportunities and developing more of an international profile.

“We’re nearly a national brand and we definitely have cannabis in almost every province and on both oceans, so I’m pretty proud of that,” he says. “We don’t do a lot of marketing. We’re in a small town—Truro, Nova Scotia, with about 17,000 people—and when we see our logo and merchandise appear across Canada it kind of warms the heart a little bit.”

Along with the commitment and pride that fuel the company’s ongoing growth and success, Walser again mentions the passion of all team members to keep creating the best quality product for consumers.

“It’s the motto of Truro Cannabis and the unofficial mission statement that if we won’t smoke it, we won’t grow it,” he says. “That’s basically what sets us apart from some of the other companies. We also don’t do things the easy way; we don’t take shortcuts.”

That means taking the right length of time to ensure the highest-quality seed for the highest-quality weed. “There’s an art to it, and taking the time to do it is key,” says Walser. “I think that’s what’s going to set us apart long-term. Consistent, quality product every time is what we shoot for.”

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