BIC September 2015 - 25 Years

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SEPTEMBER 2015 | $3.50BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

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BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // SEPTEMBER 2015 3

It has been an absolutely humbling process to go through the last 25 years of magazines and look at the Calgarians who have given us their time and shared their stories with

Business in Calgary. It has been extremely satisfying to know that a vision we had all those years ago has been so strongly supported by the business community and continues to be supported today.

In our earliest days we felt there was room for the good news stories. The stories of success, and while this may not have worked in every city, we found Calgarians loved to read about success, learn from it and do their best to copy it. There are so many of our stories over the years that are nothing short of inspirational. How a few thousand dollars and having someone believe in you at a pivotal moment in a business career can transform into thousands of jobs and millions of dollars. We have been fortunate to share those stories. We have been fortunate to have readers who are positive, forward thinking and love to celebrate and share the success of others.

Optimism and ignorance can sometimes be a blessing. When we look back at the headlines of the early ’90s there is no way that anyone should have been taking on a startup publication. (When we moved into the Burns Building in December 1992 the rent rate was $1 per square foot; that really should have told us something.) There really wasn’t one economic indicator that would tell you that this was a good idea, however the belief that it would work followed by determination and persistence allowed us to live to better economic times.

There are stories of self-made men. We are definitely not one of them. The people who have helped us along the way are too numerous to mention. There were the early investors, literally from coast to coast, that knew nothing of publishing but believed in our dream. There are the advertisers that

support us and believed Calgary was ready for a magazine that shared the stories of our business leaders. We would however be wrong in not mentioning our dad and mom who firstly supported our dream but at that pivotal moment were there to back a payroll we couldn’t meet in the early ’90s; without them Business in Calgary would have a completely different history if it existed at all.

We have some incredibly dedicated people who have shared our vision for Business in Calgary and brought their own passion and talents which have had a huge impact on who we are today. We share this milestone with our team and thank them for their determination and perseverance in building a quality publication each and every month.

As I write this we are in our fourth economic downturn in Business in Calgary’s history. We have seen oil range from $10.71 per barrel to $146 per barrel. Reading our past issues creates perspective on this as the headline in 2006 said that oil was nearing $50 per barrel and there was nothing but optimism in Calgary; we were in another boom. We are hitting the reset button today and in Alberta we should know that we cannot run a business by focusing on the bottom or by planning at the top of energy prices. This somehow is who we are and it has defined us. These fluctuations have created the character of our city and when you read the stories of many of our entrepreneurs you can feel it. These fluctuations have created tremendous opportunity which has brought so many incredible business people to our city. We are made up of innovators, risk takers and generally people who won’t accept status quo.

Our front cover says it all. Thank you Calgary. We are proud to have been part of the business community over this past 25 years and look forward to the future.

INTRO // BIC 25 YEARS

PAT OTTMANN, PUBLISHER TIM OTTMANN, PUBLISHER

4 SEPTEMBER 2015 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER // BIC 25 YEARS

THE RT. HON. STEPHEN HARPER, P.C., M.P.

PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA


MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER // BIC 25 YEARS


THE HISTORY OF BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BIC 25 YEARS

1990 | Business in Calgary is launched by Prowest Publications, a Regina-

based company. The team was a combination of Prowest employees

handling sales, led by publisher Stuart Poole, and a team of writers

from a company called Script: the Writers’ Group, led by John Challice.

The publication was launched as a newsprint tabloid and touted over

30,000 distribution within Calgary. Prowest was primarily an advertising

agency in Regina that was tied heavily to the ruling Conservatives

and much of their work came from government. The fall of the

Saskatchewan Conservatives in 1991 was also the end of Prowest.

1991 | Business in Calgary was salvaged by the Editor, John Challice. While

John now had the ownership and the passion for the product, he

did not have the infrastructure or the backing to develop a fledgling

magazine. He began to look for a new owner or partner to purchase

the magazine.

1991 | Business in Calgary is sold to Consolidated Communications with

John Challice retained as the editor and Script staff contributing the

magazine’s editorial content. Consolidated Communications was a

small printing / publishing firm with offices in Calgary, Saskatoon and

Mount Forest, Ontario. They immediately changed the tabloid format

to a magazine format that had a gloss cover and newsprint insides. The

first revamped issue was 56 pages and published in November 1991.

1992 | In September, Business in Calgary was changed once again to make

it an all gloss publication. The newsprint was gone and the magazine

was full of color photos and ads of a much higher quality than in the

previous format. Profitability, however, still eluded the magazine.

1992 | Business in Calgary changed hands again in December, this time

through a management buyout in which Business in Calgary and five

other publications were purchased from Consolidated Communications

by OT Communications. OT Communications was a startup

company with few resources and very little backing. Consolidated

Communications conceded operations but carried the ownership

(and the financial obligation) until proper financing could be arranged.

Financing was finally secured through the TD Bank in February 1994

and the purchase was completed.

The History of

199

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219

95

199

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20

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04

20

15


THE HISTORY OF BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BIC 25 YEARS

1992 | In December, Business in Calgary

moves downtown to The Burns

Building with a lease for $1 per square

foot plus operating costs which were

approximately $5 per square foot.

1994 | The fourth ownership group and the

49th issue finally achieved a profit in

October 1994. The magnitude of this

profit could be erased by a nice lunch

in downtown Calgary today, but it was

a victory none the less.

1996 | In May, the Calgary Chamber of

Commerce formed an alliance with

Business in Calgary to publish the

Chamber news within the pages of

the magazine.

1999 | On April 1, Southam Inc. (owned by

Conrad Black’s Hollinger) bought

Business in Calgary as a complement

to the Calgary Herald. By this time, the

magazine had reached full stride and

was a healthy, consistently profitable

magazine.

2000 | eBusiness in Calgary is launched in

April to focus on the new e-commerce

sector that was taking off in Alberta.

Having launched the month after the

tech bubble burst, the publication was

suspended after only three issues.

2000 | On November 15th, Hollinger separated

Southam Inc and sold it to Canwest

out of Winnipeg, making Canwest the

new owner of Business in Calgary.

Well under the radar of this large

multi-national organization, Business in Calgary begins a slow decline.

2004 | On February 27th, OT

Communications re-acquired

Business in Calgary along with a bit

of a mess to clean up. Under the

ownership of a large corporation,

many of the relationships that had

been built up to 1999 suffered. The

Chamber of Commerce had left, as

had many clients of the magazine – in

fact, only 20 per cent of the revenue

from 1999 remained in 2004.

2004 | In the May issue, the publishers under

OT Communications declared that “It’s

good to be back” and committed to

rebuilding Calgary’s business magazine.

2006 | In February, Business in Calgary and

the Calgary Chamber of Commerce

were a team once more and Business in Calgary resumed its role as the

official publication of the Chamber.

2007 | In June, Business in Calgary launched

Business in Calgary’s Leaders of

Tomorrow program. A luncheon

at the Chamber recognized 20

of Calgary’s business leaders and

community builders. Now rebranded

as Business in Calgary’s Leaders,

the program remains an important

part of the magazine’s involvement

and celebration of the business

community in Calgary.

2012 | In September, Business in Calgary

launched it’s sister publication

Business in Edmonton and was now

able to reach more than 80 per cent

of Alberta businesses.

2015 | Business in Calgary celebrates its

25th anniversary on September 3.

The History of

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CONTENTS

COVER FEATURE

25 Years Thank you Calgary Looking Back on 25 Years By the Business in Calgary team

10 Special Feature: 25 Years of Magazine Covers

See page 368 for complete Covers index

22 1990 - 1994: AGT and the Inaugural Issue of BIC

54 1995 - 1999: Internet Cowboys, Deregulation Pioneers and the Telecom Warriors

86 2000 - 2004: Mad Cows, Bursting Bubbles and Airline Drama

144 2005 - 2009: Ups, Downs and Rebounds

200 2010 - 2015: Flood, Flight and Frustration

216 Leaders Awards feature

3 Message from the Publishers

4 Message from the Prime Minister

6 The History of Business in Calgary

242 Thank You

Supporting the visions of entrepreneurs one story at a time.

Volume 25 | Number 9

FIND US ONLINE! BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM

@BUSINCALGARYBUSINESS IN CALGARY

http://businessincalgary.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/business-in-calgary-magazine

https://twitter.com/busincalgary

http://issuu.com/businessincalgary

Building a successful business takes a commitment to service, professionalism, support, respect and communication. These are the core values that have steered Callow & Associates and our clients through a quarter century of business challenges and victories.

When it comes right down to it, two key factors have made our team a leader over the last 25 years: our people and our technology. With the strength and power of Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains) behind us, our local team is dedicated to being a true partner in our clients’ businesses – it’s an honour and responsibility we take seriously.

By staying focused on providing Microsoft Dynamics GP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, implementation services and support, we’ve become experts at providing mid-market businesses and not-for-profits with the tools to take their organizations to the next level. By continuing to innovate with Dynamics GP-compatible products including Solver’s BI360 business

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25 Years of Teamwork, Exceptional Client Service, and a Focus on Microsoft Dynamics GP

intelligence platform and WennSoft’s MobileTech remote work-order technology, we’re able to help our clients address business issues in the office and in the field.

Over the past 25 years, Callow & Associates has completed hundreds of successful financial accounting, project costing, equipment, human resources, integration, and reporting projects. Our work has resulted in higher levels of efficiency for our clients and numerous industry awards. We can’t help but be proud of what we’ve accomplished.

With teamwork, technology and 25 years of experience, the possibilities for the future are truly limitless.

Just like Business in Calgary, we are celebrating 25 years of working side by side with our clients across Canada.

Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club member (14 years) • Microsoft Dynamics Generation Award for Outstanding Client Service in Canada WennSoft Canadian and Global Partner of the Year (past three years) • Solver’s BI360 Canadian Partner of the Year (past two years)

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September 1990

The University of Calgary unveils University Technologies International Inc., a company created for transferring technology from the labs to the private sector, turning the ivory towers of academia to engines of economic growth. Commercialization is the new goal, and John Fraser, president and CEO, pursues it ardently.

11

FOUNDATION STRENGTH HISTORY

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November 1991

With the first Canadian Award for Business Excellence won by a computer consulting firm in hand, Revett Eldred of Minerva Technology develops programs and complete systems for networks of smaller computers, all while treating employees to basket-weaving classes and white-water rafting. 13

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March 1992

Using interesting ranch recipes from the early 1900s have garnered Billy MacIntyre’s Cattle Company’s menu first overall three years running in the Alberta Restaurants and Food Service Association awards. With Stephen J.A. Reid as president, the company aims to expand while making the two existing restaurants as efficient as possible. 15

A commitment to Calgary, a reputation for excellence

KPMG Calgary clients know the value of working with a trusted advisor. Whether we’re providing innovative tax strategies, specialized

advisory services, or dedicating our focus to fast growing private companies, KPMG adds value to business where it counts.

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June 1992

As a progressive chartered accounting firm, Peat Marwick Thorne is changing the staid and conservative face of their industry. The romance of mergers and acquisitions led them to be the only group in Calgary that focuses exclusively on the corporate finance and business valuation field, allowing them to help businesses succeed. 17

We do.

Connectors, storytellers, educators: Congratulations Business in Calgary on supporting the visions of Calgary entrepreneurs and business leaders for 25 years.

atb.com/business

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November 1993

With leaders like Bill Pratt and Wendy Whitaker directing thousands of volunteers, the five days of the Grey Cup festival are expected to result in $50 million of economic activity and four million Canadian viewers, along with millions of American viewers and 350,000 people participating citywide.

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October 1994

J.R. (Bud) McCaig started with a small trucking operation in Saskatchewan that turned into the first company with national services, then into North American’s largest bulk carrier. In his spare time McCaig chaired the Calgary regional hospital super board and was director and co-owner of the Calgary Flames. 21


Looking Back on 25 Years

1990

1994

Sources: City of Calgary Civic Census; US. Energy Information Administration; Calgary Stampede Canvas Auction Reports; Calgary Economic Development; MLS Home Price Index; Stats Canada Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Metropolitan Areas; Stats Canada Labour force survey estimates (LFS).

WTI= Crude Oil Prices: West Texas Intermediate

** Gross Domestic Product (Millions) data covers the Calgary Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)

AGT and the Inaugural

Issue of BIC

Economy Snapshot

Population Growth: 9.1%

Price of WTI High $41.07 USD

Price of WTI Low $13.89 USD

Average Price of WTI: $20.48 USD

Mayor: Al Duerr

Premier: Don Getty,

Ralph Klein (elected 1992)

Chuckwagon Tarp Total:

1990: $1,120,500

1991: $896,750

1992: $779,500

1993: $1,021,000

1994: $1,028,750

Average Unemployment Rate 9.0%

Average GDP: $53,540.22**

Median House Price:

1990: $119,500

1991: $119,900

1992: $122,000

1993: $125,000

1994: $126,500

The StoryBusiness in Calgary launched in August 1990 under the leadership of publisher Stuart Poole. With the inaugural issue hitting the press during Canada’s worst recession in decades, the venture was a testament to the resilient and entrepreneurial spirit that drove – and continues to drive – this city. The new business-to-business magazine featured Calgary businesses, business people, communities and organizations dedicated to growing Calgary.

The first tabloid-style newsprint editions enticed new readers with covers featuring elephants, hot air balloons and a particularly risqué tattooed woman. Features on areas like Mission, Kensington, 17th Avenue, Marda Loop and others showed a city determined to kick the recession and blaze new entrepreneurial trails as innovators at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers had done for nearly a century.

The headlines at the time saw Canada go to war in the Persian Gulf alongside the United States while signing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) here at home. Small business was up in arms about the new General Sales Tax (GST) coming into effect in January 1991 and Albertans went wild for TELUS shares as the province divested itself of Alberta Government Telephones (AGT).

EnergyWhile many North Americans heard the name Saddam Hussein for the first time when the Iraqi dictator invaded neighboring Iraq in August, 1990, most will never forget it. The ensuing war caused a spike in the price of crude oil, but then it entered a period of steady decline. In 1994, the inflation-adjusted oil price reached the lowest level since 1973. However, Alberta’s oil patch is used to the ups and downs of the industry and was optimistic by mid-1993.


1990 - 1994 // LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARS

• The first viewpoint article in Business in Calgary tackled an issue of great importance to business people everywhere – access to cold beer. Will Harvie lauded the province’s move to privatize liquor sales in Alberta and celebrated the opening six around town, Viewpoint, August 1990.

Fast Facts, Milestones, and Highlights

1990 –

1991 –

1991 –

1992 –

1992 –

1992 -

1994 -

In September, Business in Calgary was changed once again to make it an all gloss publication. The newsprint was gone and the magazine was full of color photos and ads of a much higher quality than in the previous format. Profitability, however, still eluded the magazine.

Business in Calgary changed hands again in December, this time through a manage-ment buyout in which Business in Calgary and five other publications were pur-chased from Consolidated Communica-tions by OT Communications. OT Commu-nications was a startup company with few resources and very little backing. Consoli-dated Communications conceded opera-tions but carried the ownership (and the financial obligation) until proper financing could be arranged. Financing was finally secured through the TD Bank in February 1994 and the purchase was completed.

In December, Business in Calgary moves downtown to The Burns Building with a lease for $1 per square foot plus operating costs which were approximately $5 per square foot.

The fourth ownership group and the 49th issue finally achieved a profit in October 1994. The magnitude of this profit could be erased by a nice lunch in downtown Calgary today, but it was a victory none the less.

Business in Calgary is launched by Prow-est Publications, a Regina-based company. The team was a combination of Prowest employees handling sales, led by publisher Stuart Poole, and a team of writers from a company called Script: the Writers’ Group, led by John Challice. The publication was launched as a newsprint tabloid and touted over 30,000 distribution within Cal-gary. Prowest was primarily an advertising agency in Regina that was tied heavily to the ruling Conservatives and much of their work came from government. The fall of the Saskatchewan Conservatives in 1991 was also the end of Prowest.

Business in Calgary was salvaged by the Editor, John Challice. While John now had the ownership and the passion for the product, he did not have the infrastructure or the backing to develop a fledgling mag-azine. He began to look for a new owner or partner to purchase the magazine.

Business in Calgary is sold to Consolidated Communications with John Challice re-tained as the editor and Script staff con-tributing the magazine’s editorial content. Consolidated Communications was a small printing / publishing firm with offices in Calgary, Saskatoon and Mount Forest, Ontario. They immediately changed the tabloid format to a magazine format that had a gloss cover and newsprint insides. The first revamped issue was 56 pages and published in November 1991.

The History of Business in Calgary

John Challice, managing editor of BIC, September 1990




• In July 1990, MLA Dianna Mirosh signed a trade agreement with Russia as the country began to evolve its economy thanks to Gorbachev’s Perestroika and Glasnost policies. With great potential for oil and gas development in the region, the agreement opened doors for collaboration and knowledge transfer between the two countries.

On the Rise, June 1993

The big picture is that total revenue from the Canadian oil and gas industry has declined for the past three years, from nearly $21 billion in 1990 to $17 billion last year, according to figures in The Globe and Mail. But one key indicator is starting to turn.

In 1991, for example, the industry spent $7.1 billion finding new reserves while it registered a total cash flow of $6.1 billion. But last year, cash flow of about $5.8 billion exceeded investment, indicating that the overall return on investment is moving in a positive direction.

Petro-Canada, long a bellwether in the industry, has shaken off some of its ills and turned in a 25 per cent increase in profits in the first quarter of this year. In 1991, the company lost $598 million, improved that to a $9 million profit in 1992 and turned in a $40 million profit in the first quarter of 1993.

Lots of new money is being pumped into the business. In a dramatic ad in the Calgary Herald, the brokerage firm of Nesbit Thomson Inc. showed how it had put out $600 million in new shares for Calgary energy companies. Other brokerage houses have been active in floating new shares.

The Future

In a first of its kind, the international accounting firm Arthur Anderson & Co., undertook to measure the energy industry’s view of the future. It sent out a detailed questionnaire to 196 Calgary CEOs in the oil patch. Eighty-seven responded, which Arthur Anderson says makes it a reliable survey instrument.

The findings, blazed across the business pages in Calgary and Toronto, showed a renewed sense of optimism about the future of the industry. In a special briefing, Harry English, who headed the accounting firm’s survey, was upbeat about the findings.

“We still have to be cautious because of the tough times the industry has been through in the past 10 years,” English said. “But I definitely

sense that the industry has turned a psychological corner.

“I expect there could be a terrific increase in exploration and that means employment (in exploration) is looking very good. Over 50 per cent of the companies said they don’t have the staff to do what needs to be done. I personally believe the end of layoffs is close at hand.”

Opening up the Oil to Foreign Investment

As the oil patch fought its way through the recession, overseas investors began extending offers – and fistfuls of cash – prompting the government to talk about changing the rules limiting foreign investment.

IN 1991 THE INDUSTRY SPENT $7.1

BILLION FINDING NEW RESERVES

WHILE IT REGISTERED A TOTAL CASH

FLOW OF $6.1 BILLION. BUT LAST YEAR,

CASH FLOW OF ABOUT $5.8 BILLION

EXCEEDED INVESTMENT, INDICATING

THAT THE OVERALL RETURN ON

INVESTMENT IS MOVING IN A POSITIVE

DIRECTION.

“Calgary’s Oldest Business Man” February 1992.




• Now a downtown mainstay, it’s hard to imagine TransCanada Pipelines (TCPL) being anywhere else – but in 1990, the company picked up stakes in Toronto and headed west to where the action was.

1991 in Review, December 1991

Ka-shing in on Husky

Until recently, foreign ownership of Canadian energy companies was strictly limited. At least 50 per cent of the ownership and operation of a Canadian energy company had to be held within Canada. In late October, Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong’s richest man, announced plans to acquire an additional 43 per cent stake in Calgary-based Husky Oil. Prior to that, Ka-shing already held 43 per cent, and Victor Li, a landed immigrant in Canada and a relative of Ka-shing, owned an additional nine per cent. If the acquisition plans go through, Ka-shing’s total stake in Husky will be 95 per cent.

Ka-shing’s move to acquire controlling interest in Husky has sparked a move by Energy Minister Jake Epp to deregulate foreign ownership limits of Canadian energy companies. According to Epp, to take advantage of foreign capital, the energy industry itself has been lobbying him to eliminate foreign-ownership restrictions of Canadian energy companies. Epp went on to say that he just doesn’t have the same nationalistic fervor he had in the 1970s with regard to foreign ownership.

Adding to the free-market spirit that year, the feds finally began privatizing Petro-Canada in 1991.


Petro-Can-Can’t-Can-Can’t...

On July 3rd, with an initial share offering of 20 per cent of its stock, Petro-Canada began the long road to privatization. According to analysts at the time, the share offering had very good prospects, but with first and second quarter losses totaling $149 million and third quarter losses bringing the total to $234 million, the price of each share in Petro-Can’s stock dropped from its initial price of $13 to a current price of just over $10.

The move to privatize Petro-Can was primarily to raise money to pay down debt. The share offering raised $523 million, just over double the amount that the company has lost to date. With the sale of nearly 20 per cent of its stock completed, Petro-Can is in a legal position to start offering more shares in the very near future.

TelecommunicationsThe ’90s saw a major shift in the way the provincial government was doing business. In fact, its goal was to stay out of it as much as possible – including deregulating the electricity market in the second part of the decade. But all eyes were on telecommunications in 1990 as Klein’s Tories put a for sale sign on Alberta Government Telephones.

Telco for Sale

TELUS Head Office Location Causes a Stir, September 1990

The silly joke making the rounds at Alberta Government Telephones (AGT) this summer was that instead of choosing the new name “TELUS Corporation,” the top brass of the company really wanted to go with “Sell-Us!” In any event, the top brass eventually got what they wanted. AGT is up for sale and Albertans have been snapping

INSTEAD OF CHOOSING THE NEW NAME

“TELUS CORPORATION,” THE TOP BRASS

OF THE COMPANY REALLY WANTED TO

GO WITH “SELL-US!”

Odd BIC cover from December, 1991.




• With new legislation banning smoking from federal workplaces in 1990, the city braced itself for the inevitable butting out in all public places – including Tim Horton’s.

• In 1990, the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust fund reported $12.3 billion in assets. Today it’s at $17.5 billion.

up the shares as if it’s the best investment to hit the prairies since oil was found in Turner Valley. The reasons for the privatization have been frequently aired. First, telecommunications is fast becoming a global market and if AGT is going to expand outside Alberta, it needs capital flexibility to compete. Second, a recent decision by the Supreme Court took telecommunications’ regulation out of the hands of Alberta and invested it in the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). A number of competitors will soon be challenging AGT right here in Alberta, and the company needs the capital flexibility to hold its own. To fund both domestic and international growth, the company needs at least $2 billion, and taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill. Finally, AGT’s mandate to provide cheap and easy access to telecommunications for all Albertans, regardless of where they live, has been largely achieved. Tomorrow’s challenge lies elsewhere.

TELUS Corporation conducted the largest share offering in Canadian history in 1990 at $951 million at $12/share. More than 140,000 Albertans applied for $1.4 billion in shares hoping to get a piece of a burgeoning – and competitive – telecom market.

In 1991, the province of Alberta sold its remaining ownership interest in AGT to TELUS for $870 million.

Long-Distance Courters

The CRTC got in on the open market action as it opened up the floodgates for AGT competitors to offer long distance services in Alberta.

Phone Wars II, April 1993

A final decision by the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications

Commission (CRTC), expected in September or October, will pave the way for rival Unitel to go head-to-head with AGT in the long distance market in Alberta.

How much could rates drop? A Unitel spokesperson says the savings could range from 15 to 35 per cent, depending on volume and type of service.

The competition should be welcome news for individuals and businesses – as far as long distance rates go. But the CRTC decision will also fundamentally change the entire structure of the telephone business in the province, and some people aren’t going to like that.

AGT has a hearing before the CRTC to increase rates for local services. This hearing will take place in August with a decision expected in November. If AGT is successful, it will mean residential rates in Alberta will go up $3 per household with an additional cost added on for toll-free calling, which will vary depending on location.

Local business phone rates are more complicated because of the wide range of services. The basic business rate in Calgary is slated to go up from $29.88 to $41.88 per month – if the CRTC approves.

The fact is those long distances revenues help subsidize local telephone services. If AGT is forced to share that long distance revenue pie, the cost of local services will increasingly fall on the local users.

It’s true that Unitel, the company that wants to set up long distance services in Alberta, has to pay AGT to interconnect to the local service; but exactly how much is what the CRTC is going to have to decide.

Unable to compete successfully in the environment it had created, Unitel was sold to Rogers Communications and later, the

“AGT Cellular ad” February 1991.




• Throughout the ’90s, Business in Calgary published a Women in Business feature, indicating it was still a novel notion at the time. Thankfully, the gender of business people in more current issues is much less newsworthy.

company was sold to a consortium of Canadian banks, with AT&T Communications owning 33 per cent share. During this time, the company also merged with MetroNet Communications of Calgary and was eventually renamed Allstream.

Tax TimeJanuary 1, 1991, marked the first time a Canadian customer paid an extra seven per cent on their purchase as the much-maligned General Sales Tax (GST) came into existence – not without its fair share of controversy.


For many individuals and institutions, the GST became the economic scapegoat of the year. In many respects the GST deserves that attribution. For the first half of the year, the GST had hauled in more revenue than it was supposed to. Interest groups were outraged because the GST was supposed to be revenue neutral, and how could the government be gouging the citizens of Canada during a recessionary period? The government said that the revenue surplus was due primarily to many people and businesses not being online to receive their GST rebates.

By September, the government said that the GST was not collecting enough revenue to meet its goal of $16.3 billion for this fiscal year. To add insult to injury, the federal deficit during the second quarter ballooned, more than doubling from the $5.4 billion recorded during the same period in 1990. The government said that the deficit increase was the result of reduced taxation revenue due to the recession. As well, the government claimed that deficit figures for 1991 would be higher than forecasted because of the cost of implementing the GST.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) asserted that the revenue shortfall of the GST was the result of Canadians shopping more in the U.S. to avoid paying GST, which,

in turn, was bad for Canadian small businesses. Furthermore, the CFIB contended that across Canada, businesses with fewer than 20 employees had to outlay $9.6 billion to pay for the costs of administering the GST. In Alberta alone, the CFIB estimates it has cost small businesses more than $1 billion to implement the col lection of the GST.

Real Estate and DevelopmentA downtown gem was returned to glory, Calgarians learned there’s more to the mountains than Banff and we take a trip down memory lane to see what “dream home” meant in 1992 Calgary.

The Doll Block

A magnificent restoration breathes new life into downtown Calgary and provides a new home for two major cultural organizations.

BUSINESSES WITH FEWER THAN 20

EMPLOYEES HAD TO OUTLAY $9.6

BILLION TO PAY FOR THE COSTS OF

ADMINISTERING THE GST.

“Searching for the Elusive Good Secretary” February 1992.




• Calgary became an early pioneer in the digital graphics field with Image Club Graphics (founded in 1985) being among the first in the world to offer vast libraries of clipart and fonts on CD. Through takeovers, acquisitions, deaths and rebirths, an iteration of the company still exists today under the media giant Getty Images banner, which still has offices in Calgary.

Doll’s Diamond Palace, May 1994

The plastic shrouded mystery is over and suddenly something bright, sparkling and warm has emerged for Calgary’s jaded, weary urbanites. It’s the Doll Block – a magnificent restoration of one of the city’s most unique historical properties.

Located at 116 - 8th Avenue S.E., the once dilapidated structure is now the home of two major cultural organizations: The Esther Honens International Piano Competition Foundation and the Calgary International Organ Festival. It’s an ideal location for both groups as it puts them in close proximity to the Centre for Performing Arts.

The Doll Block was built in 1907 by Louis Doll, a jeweler originally from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. When it opened, Bob Edwards of the Calgary Eye Opener called it “Doll’s Diamond Palace.” And if those lovingly restored walls could talk, they would tell the story of how Louis Doll became a millionaire selling diamonds and jewelry from that location. Doll teamed up with another jeweler, David Black, and at one time, there were upwards of 28 watchmakers working on the premises. In 1920 the business was sold to Henry Birks & Sons, with Black becoming president of the Western Canada division.

Doll suffered a tragic misfortune following the death of a young daughter. He apparently lost all interest in business, gave away much of his wealth, and retired to live quietly in his home (Doll’s Cottage) in Calgary’s east side. He spent the rest of his life in Calgary, continuing to maintain the post office clock as his sole occupation.

The Other Mountain Mecca

Calgary tycoon Hal Walker put his heart, and his money, into developing Canmore’s tourism potential.

The Developing Boom in Canmore, December 1993

From his 35th floor office, the Rockies are a brilliant backdrop to Calgary’s glass and granite. Hal Walker’s eyes stray to that horizon as he describes his bold new project in the Bow Corridor just north of Canmore: Silver Tip. As in grizzlies. And as in mountain peaks this brittle early winter afternoon.

The Saskatchewan native is president of Stone Creek Properties Inc., a group of Calgary investors formed to carve 550 acres of mountainside into a resort community centred around a championship-calibre golf course and luxury hotels. Walker speaks

enthusiastically about the Hyatt hotel chain, whose popular Cayman Islands resort he also developed. It’s no surprise, then, that Hyatt will launch the flagship hotel in Walker’s newest venture. “We’ll provide every amenity imaginable except deep sea fishing,” he chuckles.

In addition, the development will eventually include over 1600 residences, 850 of which will be rental units to address the critical need for staff accommodation in the Bow Corridor. The remaining dwellings will range from private estate homes to duplexes, condominiums, and resort apartments.

Thirty residential lots ranging in size from 7,000 to 20,000 square feet are priced from $120,000 to $215,000, with 18 already sold or reserved by purchasers from as far afield as Toronto and Houston. Most, however, are from Alberta, with Calgary dominating the market. Walker predicts that as the hotels come on stream and tourists discover this spectacular resort attraction, purchasers will emerge from that clientele, buying a mix of holiday homes, retirement retreats and permanent residences.

Compu*star ad, September 1990.

Doll’s Diamond Palace, May 1994




• Sunwest Charters took a historic flight from Calgary to the former Soviet Union in 1991 – the first Canadian aircraft to do it.

• The $10 million Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre opened its doors in September 1992.

Calgary’s Dream Home circa 1992

With the average price of a detached home hovering around $550,000 in Calgary in the summer of 2015, it’s easy to forget that simpler time, before the boom, when a house around Bearspaw Dam sold for a whopping $279,000. Here’s a little flashback to real estate in the summer of 1992.

Thinking About that Dream House, July 1992

“When you look at the $225,000 plus range, there are a lot of people looking to downgrade,” says Shirley Swaddle with P.J. Toole and Cote. “But then you still have four-bedroom homes sprouting up at a tremendous rate.”

An excess of resale property in areas still underdevelopment, such as Signal Hill and Edgemont, means consumers have the advantage of searching for that special dream home.

“In all those areas with new housing, resales are selling for less than people paid for them, even with improvements,” says Swaddle.

She suggests that for approximately 200 local residential properties in the $350,000 plus range, there are presently about five active customers.

Soft sales in high-end housing have meant a change in strategy for home builders like Cardel Construction Ltd., the largest estate home builder in Calgary. Vice-president Ryan Ockey says the firm has

avoided moving to certain prestige-type subdivisions because of poor sales. Instead, he says Cardel is looking at building homes in the $140,000 to $200,000 range.

Lifestyle expectations of prestige homebuyers often turns them on to country developments in close proximity to the city. “They may be retired and looking for hassle-free living. So they may buy something around Bearspaw Dam for $279,000,” says Stevenson.

Sacrificing drive time for cheaper land, these home buyers are spending more on their houses, situated on two, four or eight-acre parcels, with a view of the river, the mountains or the city. Acreages south of the city have also become popular among the executive set.

RetailRetail in the early ’90s saw a local boy branch out nationally and national big box stores open locally. Now a Calgary classic, Sunterra Market opened its doors for the first time in Banker’s Hall in 1990.

Football’s Forzani Becomes Footwear All-star Athletic Powerhouse, March 1994

Forzani’s recently took over Sport Experts, the Montreal-based chain with sales of $200 million last year. Add another $60 million in business done by the Quebec franchisees and another $73 million by The Forzani Group Ltd. in Western Canada and you have a $333 million dollar national retail organization.

Not bad for a local company that started out in 1972 selling athletic sneakers in a little retail outlet on 17th Avenue. President & CEO John Forzani was playing football then with the Stampeders and he figured to make a modest investment that might generate some extra cash down the line when it came time to switch careers.

IT’S EASY TO FORGET THAT SIMPLER

TIME, BEFORE THE BOOM, WHEN

A HOUSE AROUND BEARSPAW DAM

SOLD FOR A WHOPPING $279,000.

Sunterra Market first opens its doors, 1990




• k.d. lang angered beef producers in her home province of Alberta by doing a commercial for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) Meat Stinks campaign in 1990.

• Always known for colourful characters, the July 1993 issue featured a bull-riding stock broker named JP Veitch.

By 1989, the company was selling over $17 million worth of specialty sporting goods. Then in the early 90s came the explosion.

The first giant step was the acquisition of Sport-Chek International Ltd., financed in part by a $3.5 million equity investment by Vencap Equities Alberta Ltd. With Sport-Chek in tow, sales at the Forzani Group shot up to $46 million at the beginning of 1992.

In 1992, The Forzani Group took over Hogarth’s Sport and Ski for $2.25 million, giving it a major presence in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. At the same time, an ambitious expansion scheme was being drawn up to increase the number of Forzani outlets throughout the West.

In 1993, The Forzani Group went to the stock market to float a $10.5 million share offering at $5.875 per share. At one point, those shares were as high as $13.00, but have more recently traded in the $10.00 range.

Then came the mega deal. Sport Experts was owned by Univa Corporation, a $7 billion-a-year giant of the Canadian business world. Its athletic stores dominated the market in Atlantic Canada, totally dominated in Quebec, and through a subsidiary, Collegiate Sports, had a major share in the rich Ontario market. The athletic division came up for sale and the Forzani Group took a serious look.

“Our goal was to become a national retailer,” says Forzani. “But we

figured it would take us another three or four years. But when an opportunity like this comes along, you either take it or stand aside. The whole thing scared us, but then, it was a darn good business deal. It had an almost $40 million book value and we got it for over $20 million. And it made us a national retailer.”

Home Improvement Superstores Make Their Home in Calgary

Full Service Warehouses Land in Calgary, April 1994

Back before there was a country called Canada, there was a home store in Toronto called Aikenhead’s. And back before there was a province called Alberta there was a lumber company called Revelstoke.

In the present day, there is still an Aikenhead’s but Molson has built it into a modern home supply business and just recently sold a major interest to the giant American retailer, Home Depot. Revelstoke is still here, now owned by West Fraser Timber, and it is committed to remaining in the home supply business. These are major players in what is shaping up to be a battle for the home supply market in Alberta. Other newcomers are arriving on the provincial scene along with many others who have been serving Albertans for decades. U.S.-based Eagle Hardware and Garden already has a store in Edmonton and is said to be scouting locations in Calgary. Canadian chains, along with independent businesses, are seeking formulas to bring renewed success in a rapidly changing marketplace.

The future of retailing is rapidly becoming the present in Alberta. In Calgary, Aikenhead’s/Home Depot Canada has a 133,000 square foot store nearing completion in the northeast. REVY, the new off-shoot of Revelstoke Home Centres Ltd., and Eagle Hardware are operating in the south end of Edmonton, staring at each other across the Calgary Trail. Both Aikenhead’s and Revelstoke own sites in the south end of Calgary on Macleod Trail and are in the process of

JOHN FORZANI WAS PLAYING

FOOTBALL THEN WITH THE

STAMPEDERS AND HE FIGURED TO

MAKE A MODEST INVESTMENT THAT

MIGHT GENERATE SOME EXTRA CASH

Cantel Ad, February 1992.




• Jason Kenny appeared in the magazine as the “young sparkplug behind the Association of Alberta Taxpayers” in June 1993.

• Calgary brewer Big Rock went public with a listing on the ASE in July 1992.

development. Revelstoke is also planning two warehouse locations in north Calgary.

These will not be the average hardware stores of the recent past. These are giant full service warehouses with three acres of floor space. Aikenhead’s describes its concept as really 13 stores in one, with each department functioning like a specialty store for a particular market niche (plumbing, gardening, kitchens, floor covering, etc.).

TechnologyBy 1990, two Calgary men were pioneering online communications, business people were discovering the concept of voice mail and local entrepreneurs were (sometimes begrudgingly) finally computerizing their businesses.

Dawn of the Digital Age

By 1994, most businesses, even the smaller ones, had started using computers to find efficiencies and finding out a now well-known truth – obsolescence happens quickly, so plan to spend some money.

Computers: The Technology we Love to Hate, February 1994

Over the past decade, most mid-sized Calgary business have adopted a level of computerization in order to remain competitive, and by now many have become “hooked” on the technology. In an effort to sift through the pros and cons of corporate computerization, Business in Calgary asked several local executives to tell us about their experiences.

“I think learning to use computers can sometimes be terribly difficult, and some people just give up on it. But most people accept that computers are a fact of life and if they don’t learn to use

them, they’ll get left behind very quickly,” says Dean McElhinney, operations manager of Data Business Forms.

He remembers a talented craftsman who was unable to make the adjustment when (the company) became fully computerized six years ago.

“We gave him extra training. We gave him extra time. But eventually we had to let him go,” recalls McElhinny.

Data Business forms started with a single PC, then tied everyone into a mainframe computer. Now, the company is in the process of placing all of Western Canada on a single database. The new software (Fomacs) uses order-entry data to generate everything from specifications to accounting and to invoicing.

“For our art department, we originally bought a sophisticated desktop publishing system called Purup for about $750,000. But we’ve since replaced it with three PC’s worth about $8,000- $10,000 each; and a small image setter worth $140,000. That’s how far it’s come in six years,” says McElhinney. “Unfortunately, that first expensive piece of machinery sits in mothballs.”

Computer use survey, March 1992

“FOR OUR ART DEPARTMENT, WE

ORIGINALLY BOUGHT A SOPHISTICATED

DESKTOP PUBLISHING SYSTEM FOR

ABOUT $750,000. BUT WE’VE SINCE

REPLACED IT WITH THREE PC’S WORTH

ABOUT $8,000- $ 10,000 EACH; AND A

SMALL IMAGE SETTER WORTH $140,000.

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• Business in Calgary took on sponsorship of the 1994 Ernst & Young

Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards – a relationship that still thrives today.

• Business in Calgary ran its first article mentioning the Internet in July of 1994.

Computers have changed the business forms industry and made things almost foolproof. Because Data’s software (F3) was developed specifically for the forms industry, designers require a lot of in-house training.

“But it hasn’t eliminated the need for creativity,” he stresses. “There’s still some really unique work being produced.” McElhinney says computers are definitely saving time and labour. However, because of the costs of updating hardware and software and the formation of an entirely new department of computer trouble shooters, “I don’t think we’re at the point where it’s saved us money. At some point, yes it definitely will.”

Voices of the Future

Meanwhile, Business in Calgary was lauding the potential of voice data transmission as the concept of voicemail became possible.

Voices of the Future, April 1993

Increasingly, when you deal with a business in the city you are likely to hear a version of the following: “Thank you for calling the Message Bank. If you want to leave a message, please press one. If you want to hear about our SuperComm communications centre please press two. If you have an urgent requirement, please press three.”

Shortly after pressing three, you get a call back from Maury Wasserman. Like the other handful of pioneers in the voice processing industry in Calgary, Wasserman has a passionate belief that voice messaging is going to be as important to business as the personal computer.

Wasserman left a large computer company nearly two years ago to launch the Message Bank. His company has several dozen clients and offers customized voice services. Wasserman believes firms can speed up and improve the quality of their communication - inside the company and with the customers - with an intelligent use of voice messaging. It

can end, once and for all, the time wasted playing telephone tag and the mountains of message slips that pile up in every office.

Instead of slots on a wall crammed with paper messages, employees are connected to an electronic message centre. For example, Fred needs the firm’s latest sales figures from the marketing department, but Jane isn’t in. Instead of asking her to call back - risking the chance that Fred won’t be there when she does - he records the question in an electronic message box.

When the information is located, the voice answer is deposited in Fred’s account. Both employees can be working on other things, meanwhile important information is being passed around the organization.

Ahhhh, high technology.

Calgary as Cyber City

While for most of us, the Internet was a foreign concept – if we’d heard of it at all – one Calgary company was already exploring its vast commercial potential.

Calgary as Cyber City, August 1994

Geoffrey Shmigselsky and David Zradicka are the architects, engineers, developers and contractors of the New Calgary. Yet,

WASSERMAN HAS A PASSIONATE

BELIEF THAT VOICE MESSAGING

IS GOING TO BE AS IMPORTANT

TO BUSINESS AS THE PERSONAL

COMPUTER

First Entrepreneur of the Year, Bud McCaig (October 1994)




between them they wouldn’t know the difference between a rebar and a two-by-six. That’s because their materials are bytes, digits and code. Their tools are graphical work stations and their product is, quite literally, the world’s first “space colony.”

It doesn’t exist in “outer space,” where comets are crashing into Jupiter, but in a place called “cyber space.” This is the electronic communications medium that links between 30 and 40 million users in over 100 countries. It is otherwise known as the Internet, a vast array or interconnected computer networks.

It is on this system that Calgary-based Cadvision has developed a unique concept called “Cyber-City.” Functionally, it is an item of software that is a combination atlas and Yellow Pages of the city of Calgary.

Cadvision got its start in GIS – computer mapping systems for the oil patch. Geoffrey Shmigelsky was still in computer studies at the University of Calgary when he discovered there were tremendous opportunities in the fast growing world of software development.

“I was making so much money working downtown that I paid students to sit in on my U of C courses,” he says. Today his firm employs 14 people.

David Zradicka was one of the founders of the first Free-Net association in Canada; in Victoria, B.C. Together, the two firmly believe that we are moving towards an electronic society. Oh, we’ll still have suburbs, schools, malls and weekend trips to Banff, but what links everything together will not be done through the command and control hierarchies of large dominating institutions. Anyone with a computer and a modem will be able to send and receive unlimited amounts of information.

In a recent demonstration at the Cadvision office in the Alberta Stock Exchange Tower, I was able to order a book from a store in Halifax, print my own copy of an ancient map of Marco Polo’s travels and tour our city via Calgary Transit routes, by

simply clicking on a computer mouse. Cadvision has been busy demonstrating its Internet prowess to major banks, the Calgary Economic Development authority and other interested parties.

The main advantage of “Cyber City” is to put Calgary on the Internet map. By creating a location or electronic address, anyone of the 40 million plus users (and doubling every year) of the Net can visit us electronically. They could check out the program offerings at the University of Calgary, inquire about apartment rentals or real estate prices, visit a suburban mall or plan their next vacation by clicking on a tourism icon. Every product, and service of Calgary could reside in Cyber City. Once a local business is located in Cyber City, it has the potential to market to a vast new customer base.

Shmigelsky feels businesses today really do have no choice about whether or not to join the electronic superhighway. “The commercial world represents over 50 per cent of the Internet and is the fastest growing part of the Net,” he says. It’s not a question of if you should be part of it, but how. Because if you don’t do it, your competitor will.”

• Eau Claire Market opened in the summer of 1993 with a dismal 53 per cent occupancy rate. While the occupancy rate did improve over time, it was never the success that was hoped for and plans for demolition began in 2008. At press time, the market still stands.

• Years of debate, arguments, threats and promises came to an end in 1994 when Canada signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), creating one of the world’s largest free trade

zones between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

• The venerable Ranchmen’s Club allowed its first female members in 1993.

IT DOESN’T EXIST IN “OUTER

SPACE,” WHERE COMETS ARE

CRASHING INTO JUPITER, BUT IN

A PLACE CALLED “CYBER SPACE.”

Continuing education benefitting from computers, April 1992

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Using European traditions, Ed McNally brews quality beers with no additives, no preservatives and no pasteurization. That along with his “hands off” management style and creative marketing has earned him the Agriculture and Food Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. 37

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February 1996

Though her first love was acting, Nancy Southern’s business acumen is no charade. As executive VP of Spruce Meadows, media services, Southern helped form Spruce Meadows’ production house, which now offers some 98 hours of television programming to networks around the world. 39

When Engel & Völkers entered into the Calgary market in November 2014, we immediately left our mark through a strong presence and partnership with the Calgary Flames. Throughout our launch we have stayed true to our belief of exceptional customer service regardless of price. As we continue to grow and expand our brand, we are actively searching for the brightest and most

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April 1996

They call him “Mr. Calgary,” though he doesn’t see himself that way. Doug Mitchell, senior partner with Howard Mackie, former commissioner of the CFL, chairman of the Alberta Racing Commission, and the man who was offered the presidency for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, says he just tries to do his part. 41

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October 1997

Marcel J. Tremblay has created a legacy in two important western Canadian industries – resources and finance. As the president and CEO of the Enerplus Group he has pioneered a new instrument for investing; the publicly-traded royalty trust unit.

43

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June 1997

Canada is and will continue to be a world centre for excellence in the mining industry. Canadian companies own an estimated 7,300 producing and exploration properties and 600 Canadian junior exploration companies are searching for minerals in 99 countries. A scandal like Bre-X won’t diminish Canadian Mining expertise. 45

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February 1998

With one of the largest communications companies in the country with over 1.5 million subscribers, JR Shaw asked the right question when he wondered why more Canadian cities couldn’t get American television programming, and found the right answer in providing it. 47

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August 1999

SAIT’s goals are tied directly to what will provide economic benefit to Alberta, with a focus on providing training that will make their students employable. Irene Lewis, celebrating her first anniversary as president of Canada’s oldest technological institute, says that employability is increasing in information and communications technology. 49

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November 1999

Having won both the Entrepreneur Of The Year and Turnaround Entrepreneur Of The Year, John Forzani reveals how he managed to battle his way back to restore the Forzani Group Ltd., Canada’s largest sporting goods retailer, after crisis. 51

Choose from two beautiful villa styles—spacious bungalows or tasteful 1.5 storey homes. Enjoy 3,300

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BUNGALOW 1.5 STOREY

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Rockwood earned my trust before we ever began the build [of our home] and continued to do so during construc-tion and afterwards,” says Cameron Plewes about his re-

cent building project with Rockwood Custom Homes – a beautiful legacy home for his family in the southwest of Calgary. “Not only are they bona fide experts in their field but it was also evident that the Rockwood team is passionate about being the very best at what they do. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that they treat clients like their favourite family members.”

Plewes is not alone in singing Rockwood’s praises. Since its in-ception in 2009, this boutique Calgary luxury builder has quickly earned the respect of customers and fans alike, and is largely con-sidered to be one of Calgary’s top residential construction firms. In addition to boasting a 100 per cent customer satisfaction rat-ing, the builder has also been the recipient of numerous awards. Recognized all across the country as an outstanding organization with top-notch leadership, Rockwood has taken home no less than 15 awards in the last two years, most recently being the first com-pany to ever win two back-to-back General Contractor of the Year awards from Alberta Venture magazine.

And winning all of these awards is no fluke. Rockwood’s homes are built with the highest level of detail, incorporating leading edge ar-chitectural and interior design. Rockwood differentiates themselves from the competition not only through their exceptional homes but through attentive customer service and strict financial controls. Cli-ents are rewarded with beautiful legacy homes that can be enjoyed for generations to come, knowing their investment is protected.

“The house we had only previously imagined was built to the highest standard using quality materials and was delivered on time and on budget,” says Susan McWilliams of her experience with Rockwood. In fact, Rockwood has come in on time and on budget for more than 98 per cent of all builds. It’s a record that is virtually unheard of in the construction industry and one of which the com-pany is very proud.

“We are very unique,” says president of Rockwood, Allison Graf-ton, “We treat a client’s investment as if it was our own and build homes that we’d like to move in to. It’s simple, really, but missed by so many others. Do a good job. Do it with integrity and qual-ity. And treat others the way you’d want to be treated. It’s been our mantra ... our vision since day one.”

QUALITY AND INTEGRITY A WINNING FORMULA FOR CALGARY LUXURY BUILDER

“

RESIDENCES OF KING EDWARD Over the next year, Rockwood will launch its next exciting project

– the Residences of King Edward will be a collection of 21 expansive, single-family flats built on a heritage site as an extension of what will be one of Calgary’s pre-eminent arts and cultural hubs.

Rockwood’s Allison Grafton says her team is poised and ready for this exciting venture in Calgary’s inner-city community of south Calgary, “The opportunity for Rockwood to take part in Calgary’s first master-planned, arts-based community is very exciting. Our vision is to create exclusive luxury flats that honour the historic site while introducing modern elements that blend seamlessly with the rest of the development.”

VILLAS AT ASPEN HEIGHTS Taking its single-family home vision to the next level, in 2013

Rockwood started to build multi-home development projects, creating beautiful, functional communities in the city of Calgary. In 2014, Rockwood launched the very prestigious Villas at Aspen Heights project, an exclusive Rockwood development. Its unique vision of prairie-chic inspired villas speaks to Calgary’s signature style of understated luxury and appeals to discriminating home-buyers. With only a handful of homes remaining after less than a year of sales, Rockwood is already starting to look forward to its next legacy development to meet the high demand of clients look-ing to move into a Rockwood home.

Rockwood’s signature transitional style embodies elements of both traditional and contemporary design.

Pairing beautiful architectural and interior design, it’s easy to see why Rockwood continues to receive national acclaim.

Choose from two beautiful villa styles—spacious bungalows or tasteful 1.5 storey homes. Enjoy 3,300

to 3,800 square feet of fully developed space.

Two and three-bedroom suitesfrom $950K to $2M-plus.

Experience maintenance-free, luxury living inCalgary’s newest arts and cultural community.

Breaking ground in 2016! Pre-sales now open.

The Residences of King Edward are a suite of 21 expansive,luxurious single-level flats situated in a master-planned arts and cultural centre in Calgary’s inner city. Located in South Calgary—a mature, eclectic and vibrant neighbourhood—the Residences of King Edward are just minutes away from the restaurants, cafes, and shops of Marda Loop.

The Residences of King Edward will break ground in 2016 on the west side of the cSPACE King Edward (pictured), Calgary’s newest arts and cultural hub.

Rockwood Custom Homes is an award-winning, boutique custom home construction and renovation company.

www.rockwoodcustomhomes.com | P: 403-452-5955 | E: [email protected]

Sophisticated yet accessible, the Villas at Aspen Heights areRockwood Custom Homes’ unique manifestation of Calgary’sdistinct style of understated luxury. Nearly maintenance free,these beautiful homes offer a lifestyle of ease and comfort forthose looking to begin their next stage of living.

The Villas at Aspen Heights – Starting at $1.525M. Live and play in one of Calgary’s most desirable areas.

BUNGALOW 1.5 STOREY

Two exclusive developments.One award-winning, luxury builder.

Rockwood earned my trust before we ever began the build [of our home] and continued to do so during construc-tion and afterwards,” says Cameron Plewes about his re-

cent building project with Rockwood Custom Homes – a beautiful legacy home for his family in the southwest of Calgary. “Not only are they bona fide experts in their field but it was also evident that the Rockwood team is passionate about being the very best at what they do. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that they treat clients like their favourite family members.”

Plewes is not alone in singing Rockwood’s praises. Since its in-ception in 2009, this boutique Calgary luxury builder has quickly earned the respect of customers and fans alike, and is largely con-sidered to be one of Calgary’s top residential construction firms. In addition to boasting a 100 per cent customer satisfaction rat-ing, the builder has also been the recipient of numerous awards. Recognized all across the country as an outstanding organization with top-notch leadership, Rockwood has taken home no less than 15 awards in the last two years, most recently being the first com-pany to ever win two back-to-back General Contractor of the Year awards from Alberta Venture magazine.

And winning all of these awards is no fluke. Rockwood’s homes are built with the highest level of detail, incorporating leading edge ar-chitectural and interior design. Rockwood differentiates themselves from the competition not only through their exceptional homes but through attentive customer service and strict financial controls. Cli-ents are rewarded with beautiful legacy homes that can be enjoyed for generations to come, knowing their investment is protected.

“The house we had only previously imagined was built to the highest standard using quality materials and was delivered on time and on budget,” says Susan McWilliams of her experience with Rockwood. In fact, Rockwood has come in on time and on budget for more than 98 per cent of all builds. It’s a record that is virtually unheard of in the construction industry and one of which the com-pany is very proud.

“We are very unique,” says president of Rockwood, Allison Graf-ton, “We treat a client’s investment as if it was our own and build homes that we’d like to move in to. It’s simple, really, but missed by so many others. Do a good job. Do it with integrity and qual-ity. And treat others the way you’d want to be treated. It’s been our mantra ... our vision since day one.”

QUALITY AND INTEGRITY A WINNING FORMULA FOR CALGARY LUXURY BUILDER

“

RESIDENCES OF KING EDWARD Over the next year, Rockwood will launch its next exciting project

– the Residences of King Edward will be a collection of 21 expansive, single-family flats built on a heritage site as an extension of what will be one of Calgary’s pre-eminent arts and cultural hubs.

Rockwood’s Allison Grafton says her team is poised and ready for this exciting venture in Calgary’s inner-city community of south Calgary, “The opportunity for Rockwood to take part in Calgary’s first master-planned, arts-based community is very exciting. Our vision is to create exclusive luxury flats that honour the historic site while introducing modern elements that blend seamlessly with the rest of the development.”

VILLAS AT ASPEN HEIGHTS Taking its single-family home vision to the next level, in 2013

Rockwood started to build multi-home development projects, creating beautiful, functional communities in the city of Calgary. In 2014, Rockwood launched the very prestigious Villas at Aspen Heights project, an exclusive Rockwood development. Its unique vision of prairie-chic inspired villas speaks to Calgary’s signature style of understated luxury and appeals to discriminating home-buyers. With only a handful of homes remaining after less than a year of sales, Rockwood is already starting to look forward to its next legacy development to meet the high demand of clients look-ing to move into a Rockwood home.

Rockwood’s signature transitional style embodies elements of both traditional and contemporary design.

Pairing beautiful architectural and interior design, it’s easy to see why Rockwood continues to receive national acclaim.

http://rockwoodhomes.com



1995

1999

Internet Cowboys, Deregulation Pioneers

and the Telecom Warriors

Economy Snapshot


Price of WTI High: $28.03 USD

Price of WTI Low: $10.82 USD


Mayor: Al Duerr

Premier: Ralph Klein

Chuckwagon Tarp Total: 1995: $1,020,500 1996: $1,082,500 1997: $1,528,500 1998: $1,869,000 1999: $1,489,500



Average House Price: 1995: $125,000 1996: $126,000 1997: $134,000 1998: $148,500 1999: $156,900


1996 | In May, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce formed an alliance with Business in Calgary to publish the Chamber news within the pages of the magazine.

1999 | On April 1, Southam Inc. (owned by Conrad Black’s Hollinger) bought Business in Calgary as a complement to the Calgary Herald. By this time, the magazine had reached full stride and was a healthy, consistently profitable magazine.




The StoryIn the five years leading up to the turn of the millennium, Calgary’s cowboy culture came in handy as the Wild West era of the Internet galloped on – including the black-hatted villain of the Y2K specter that threatened to shut the world down at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2000. The province was also pioneering electricity deregulation to mixed reviews, CP Rail relocated its head offices, Calgarians start complaining about traffic and telecom companies waged war for the hearts, minds and dollars of the West.

EnergyElectricity deregulation was the major energy story during this period as Alberta became the first province to privatize power.

The Birth of Deregulation, December 1998

Under legislation in effect in the early 1980s, Alberta’s electrical transactions were conducted in a regulated environment and, no matter where they lived, all Albertans paid relatively the same amount for electrical power from the grid.



Fast Facts, Milestones and Highlights

This neat and tidy little world started coming unglued in the 1980s when various interests, among them TransAlta Utilities, argued about the unfairness of southern Albertans having to subsidize the electricity costs of northern Albertans. TransAlta was a highly efficient producer, but its customers (accounting for about 65 per cent of the Alberta market) could not benefit from lower costs. Heavy industrial users also wanted more freedom to make their own deals for power, including building their own generating facilities.

The provincial government established a panel … to solicit the views of all interested parties about the future direction of electrical energy in Alberta. The panel concluded that the existing legislative framework had to change, but that it couldn’t achieve consensus on what to recommend.

An advisory committee of approximately 20 members began its work in 1993. Working with stakeholder groups (the committee) developed a plan for deregulation. It was passed in legislative form in 1995 as the Electric Utilities Act. Key provisions of the act called for a competitive market in wholesale electricity and created an independent entity to oversee the transmission system. It set up the Power Pool of Alberta as a market mechanism for buyers and sellers to conduct transactions over electron contracts.

But the 1995 legislation left several key issues unresolved over which the government’s advisory panel could not achieve consensus. The strategy was to go ahead on things that could be agreed on, to get the deregulation ball rolling, and to keep working on issues that were still causing division – such as incentive regulation, and how to create a system of retail competition to allow individual consumers the freedom to choose their vendor of electricity.

Following a detailed appraisal, it was clear that industry consensus was not forthcoming and that decisions had to be made. In March 1997, Steve West was named energy minister and he spent the better part of the year to complete deregulation of generation and to create a retail market.

In April 1998, the government passed Bill 27, the last piece in the legislative puzzle that included “legislative hedges” — a mechanism to allow customers to continue buying power at the old regulated costs while protecting the investors of those older plants.

The new rules created a role for independent marketers to compete in auctions for power from existing generating plants. Rather than force utilities to divest plants, this was seen as a form of virtual divestiture.

The legislation also created a “stable rate option” — this allows customers to lock into five-year power contracts at current rates as a way of sitting out the full deregulation period.

Starting in 1999, there will be a pilot project for customers who currently have “time of use” meters, to be their own retailers and in effect, be free to strike electricity purchase deals with whomever they choose.

In 2001, the entire system is scheduled for deregulation and all buyers and sellers of electricity will be free to do business as they choose.

Calgary’s Enmax revamped, rejigged and prepared itself to be competitive in the new market reality.

• First Calgary Savings is the first to present online banking in Calgary in March of 1996.

• FWJ Communications launched the city’s first online job board in March 1996.

TRANSALTA WAS A HIGHLY

EFFICIENT PRODUCER, BUT ITS

CUSTOMERS (ACCOUNTING FOR

ABOUT 65 PER CENT OF THE

ALBERTA MARKET) COULD NOT

BENEFIT FROM LOWER COSTS

Jim Fiddler and Dave Gregory of First Calgary Savings, March 1996.




• Retail giant WalMart hit Calgary in 1994 with the purchase of all non-unionized Woolco stores outside of the downtown area.

• Calgary Board of Education and AGT launch Canada’s first W.H. Cushing Workplace School at the Len Werry building in August 1995, with two kindergarten classes and one blended grade 1/2/3 class.

Enmax is Ready for the Future, December 1999

“The way I describe the changes is that the industry is experiencing a measured revolution that is occurring at a rapid pace,” said president & CEO Rob Nicolay. “The business environment is about to drastically change, and we have to develop new skills and augment existing ones to ensure we don’t fall behind.”

The measured revolution to which Nicolay is referring can be traced back to 1995 when the provincial government first announced plans to deregulate Alberta’s electrical marketplace. When deregulation becomes a full blown reality in 2001, it will result in the establishment of an Alberta Power Pool (already in operation), through which all electrical energy will be bought and sold (much like a stock market).

Under the restructuring, Enmax will continue to own the power poles, the wiring and the rest of the electrical infrastructure in its existing jurisdiction, with the new players sharing the Enmax grid and competing with them as energy marketers.

Provincial legislation, called the District Access Tariff — which will specify how that infrastructure sharing will work — is still under development. When the final pieces of legislation and regulations have been put in place, it will mark the first time in the industry’s history that users will have a choice as to who will be their electrical provider. Though the 2001 deregulation deadline is not on the immediate horizon, there has already been plenty of restructuring, with more to come.

“Since this team came together, we’ve been spending a lot of time on strategy development,” commented Enmax’s Nicolay. “We’ve been looking at our strengths and examining areas that perhaps need shoring up. Come 2001, we expect the competition will be fierce and we intend to be well-positioned.”

Technology

Cowboys in the Internet’s Wild West

To illustrate just how crucial these five years were in the development and adoption of the Internet, we simply need one statistic: In 1995, 4.2 per cent of Canadians were using the Internet. By 2000, it was 51.3 per cent. That’s from almost none, to over half in five years! Business in Calgary was reporting regularly on the Wild West of the Internet as business people tried to navigate what the new technology meant to them. Some of the advice is hilarious 20 years on, but some is remarkably relevant and a good reminder of the basics.

UNDER THE RESTRUCTURING,

ENMAX WILL CONTINUE

TO OWN THE

POWER POLES, THE

WIRING AND THE REST OF

THE ELECTRICAL

INFRASTRUCTURE IN ITS

EXISTING JURISDICTION,

WITH THE NEW PLAYERS

SHARING THE ENMAX GRID

AND COMPETING WITH THEM

AS ENERGY MARKETERS.

Learning for Life in the Calgary Board of Education, February 1997.




• Thousands of police officers and firefighters descended on Calgary in June 1997 for the International Police and Fire Games.

• Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) opened the Engineered Air Centre in November 1997, offering the latest in HVAC training.

• ShawTV launched during February of 1998.

10 Easy Steps to a Corporate Internet Presence, February 1996

So, your company thinks it should be on the Internet. You’re not alone.

Domain registrations (the Internet’s equivalent of storefronts) are increasing at a rate of 3,000 per month, and 65 per cent of these represent corporations. Everyone from employment agencies to car dealerships is actively selling their services and wares to Internet customers.

What is behind this corporate rush to the Internet? Certainly the size of the marketplace is a central factor. It is estimated that more than 30 million people in 148 countries routinely surf the Internet.

Closer to home, a recent Angus Reid survey showed that 19 per cent of Canadians use the Internet frequently, and an additional 12 per cent indicated that they plan to have Internet access by September 1996.

This worldwide audience is literate, comparatively well-heeled, huge and growing rapidly.

Still not convinced? Then consider that the Internet is very much a level playing field. Given good design and effective copy writing, the home page of your two-person company can look just as good as that of IBM. The Internet gives you the stature and influence you could never afford in the traditional marketplace.

Ten Easy Steps to Online Success

Assuming that your company can identify benefits in establishing an Internet presence, here are ten easy steps to saving your firm money by doing it right the first time.

Step 1: Clarify the role of the Internet within your overall marketing campaign

Step 2: Identify a specific Internet marketing objective

Step 3: Choose between in-house and external resources

Step 4: Select appropriate Internet tools

Step 5: Design a winning home page

Step 6: Build interactivity into your home page

Step 7: Announce your Internet presence

Step 8: Measure your success

Step 9: Rejuvenate regularly

Step 10: Be prepared to grow as you learn

Not bad advice, even today.

Y2K

The proliferation of the Internet and it’s Orwellian new-speak language can probably be credited with the most commonly uttered phrase between 1995 and 1999: Y2K. Short for the Year 2000, newscasters, marketers, IT professionals, even restaurateurs adopted the catchy acronym. But when it came to business, Y2K had a darker connotation as the world braced for electronic Armageddon when the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2000.

What you can do About the Millennium Crash, April 1996

Computers have become so crucial to business operations that it is hard to imagine functioning without them. We rely on them to produce millions of functions daily. Functions so complex, humans can no longer perform them. So what would happen if these computer systems failed simultaneously, all over the world? This is not the plot for a science fiction thriller, but a reality we will face as this century draws to a close.

The year 2000 represents a huge bug to computer systems that store dates as two digits — 1996 is ‘96.’ This gets to be a problem when the year 1999 switches to 2000 and the computer only reads 00.

F e a t u r e 21

B u s i n e s s i n C a l g a r yVol.9 No.1

Small Businessand

Y2K graphic, January 1999.




• In 1996, CP Rail rolled its head office into Calgary.

• Alberta added the (780) area code in 1999.

• DeVry Institute of Technology opened a new campus in October 1998.

The computer doesn’t know how to read 00, and will either interpret it as 1900, causing a whole slew of problems, or simply not know what to do and the system crashes.

Bills will be hundreds of thousands of days past due, credit cards will be invalid, airline reservations will be canceled...the complications are extensive and crippling. Any system that uses dates and bases calculations on dates will fail or produce some very strange numbers.

Of course, by the time Y2K arrived, most businesses large and small had completed the necessary upgrades and the sky stayed firmly in place.

The Future is Now…or Then?

While some were preparing for Y2K, others were exploring new frontiers in high-technology.

Could This Really Mean the Death of the Keyboard? March 1996

Neither Dorothy Parker nor the bard from Hannibal ever saw voice recognition software in the workplace, but I am confident that either could have delivered an exceedingly clever and funny commentary. Me? I was simply stunned. A local user describes this applied technology in an even more eloquent manner, “It will blow your mind.”

In layman terms, voice recognition technology is simply an alternate method of inputting information into your computer. Instead of using a keyboard, mouse or scanner, the user simply speaks to the computer. The technological path is not even overly complicated; a microphone transforms the user’s spoken words into analog signals which are then transmitted and modified by a DSP chip and turned into digital format.

The difficulty occurs when translating the digital signals into characters on your monitor and we can thank erudite mathematicians for their diligence in writing the algorithms which

Area code ad, June 1998.

BUT WHEN IT CAME TO BUSINESS,

Y2K HAD A DARKER CONNOTATION

AS THE WORLD BRACED FOR

ELECTRONIC ARMAGEDDON WHEN

THE CLOCK STRUCK MIDNIGHT ON

JANUARY 1, 2000.

Y2K FutureLink ad, September 1998.




• In June 1999, Revenue Canada allowed corporations to file their taxes online for the first time.

• In 1998, RCMP charged activist Wiebo Ludwig with several bombings of AEC and Suncor sour gas sites. He was convicted in 2000 and sentenced to five years in jail.

meet this need. Now, I have never met an algorithm with which I ever closely bonded, but without their existence we would not have developed the contemporary ability to dispense with mouse and keyboard while creating documents via a simple microphone.

Then there was the remarkable Personal Communications Services (PCS) which was blowing minds in 1996 as this precursor to the smart phone promised space-age technology in the palms of our hands.

PCS, February 1996

Consider this: As an ambulance carrying a patient in critical condition speeds toward the nearest hospital, medics use a hand-held device — part phone, part video camera — to scan the patient.

Pictures are relayed back to the hospital over a wireless network, where doctors watch what’s being done, issue instructions back to the medics and prepare for the patient’s arrival, perhaps saving a life.

It’s the stuff of Star Trek, but within a decade it could very well be the reality of a new mobile communications system that is being licensed this week.

Industry Minister John Manley awarded four companies licenses to provide Personal Communications Services (PCS).

PCS is the latest in wireless technology, promising to deliver crystal-clear voice transmission, as well as sending data, including facsimile and modem transmissions. It will eventually be able to send video.

Hello?

Telecom was also a hot topic in tech as wireless providers vied for our business. Competition came into the picture for the first time in the land-line market as Bell Intrignia came on the scene.

Wireless Wonders, October 1999

Consumers here were among the first to widely embrace cellular phone technology when it was first released and continue to lead the way in adopting even more advanced wireless communication technologies.

That is why the four major wireless players operating here — the three national firms, Clearnet Communications, Cantel AT&T, and Microcell Solutions, the company behind the Fido brand, and the homegrown competitor with national aspirations, Telus Mobility — all consider Alberta to be the most important market in their drive to get more Canadians using cellular phones.

“Alberta is at the top of our list in terms of our capital investments and marketing investments,” says Kathy McLaughlin, vice president and general manager, western region, for Microcell Solutions. “We designate Alberta as an A market.” That sentiment is echoed by

THEN THERE WAS THE REMARKABLE

PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS

SERVICES (PCS) WHICH WAS BLOWING

MINDS IN 1996 AS THIS PRECURSOR

TO THE SMART PHONE PROMISED

SPACE-AGE TECHNOLOGY IN THE

PALMS OF OUR HANDS.

Kolvox ad ,January 1995.




• In 1999, SAIT announced a $133 million expansion that was expected to double its student base by 2005.

• Shaw Communications split in two in 1999, creating CORUS Entertainment, which included 11 radio stations, specialty TV and advertising services.

Clearnet, which reports it will spend an additional $200 million in the province by the end of next year in expanding its digital network and hiring more workers.

“We are extremely committed to the Alberta market,” says Jack MacDonaldson, vice president, Alberta, with Clearnet Communications. “It is near the top in terms of importance for Clearnet.”

On the wired side, a war was brewing as Ma Bell made her way west to get in on a growing, and diversifying, telecom market.

Telecom Wars, September 1999

It was a small army that appeared in Calgary this past June for the official launch of Intrigna - the telecommunications company that has set up its western headquarters here and is planning to take a concerted run at the lucrative business market in British Columbia and Alberta that is dominated by BCT TELUS (prior to Telus’ acquisition of BCT in March 2000). There were officials from Manitoba Telecom Services, Bell Canada Enterprises and Bell Nexxia; there were public relation specialists fiddling with banners and checking out the live news conference links to Toronto; and there were a lot more local newspaper, radio and television reporters than normally cover a business event in this city.

The intensity of the local news coverage reflects the fact that the birth of Intrigna is more than a story about rival telecommunication companies. It is something that goes to the heart of the history of economic development in Alberta. When TELUS was privatized in the early 1990s, after nearly 90 years of government ownership as Alberta Government Telephones, approximately 50,000 Albertans bought the initial share offering of $13.50, payable in two installments. Albertans have a history of backing this kind of state entrepreneurship in essential infrastructure. Back in the 1950s, it

F e a t u r e 35

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COVERAGE REFLECTS THE FACT

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MORE THAN A STORY ABOUT RIVAL

TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOES TO THE

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DEVELOPMENT IN ALBERTA.

SAIT campus, August 1999.




• The new Alberta Research Council building opened at University Research Park in July 1999.

• Calgary became the first city in North America to test Siemens’ new diesel light rail car as a commuter train service and provided a seven-minute shuttle ride between Anderson station and 162nd Ave. However, it was temporary and ran only from April to August 1996.

was Alberta Gas Trunk Lines. More recently, it was Alberta Energy Company. Then came the TELUS privatization.

So, when Intrigna rode into town, there was CBC-TV news local anchor Bob Nicholson peppering the news conference with questions about “invasion,” and “Bell Canada raiding the west.” This was at a time when NATO bombs were raining down on Serbia and Albania, so it was almost as if the local media had sensed that it had a “telecommunications cleansing” story on its hands.

The marriage of voice and data had opportunity knocking for emerging tech companies as Calgary’s growing corporate sector created demand for the latest in communications technology.

Wired City, February 1998

The data communications business in Canada adds up to about $15 billion a year, dependent upon how you define it. Industry accounts for some 60 per cent of that amount. No matter how you break it down, being a player in providing these services can be very lucrative - even if, like TELUS, your focus is on Alberta-based companies, you’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars. Deregulation of the old phone business combined with the availability of new data transfer services has opened up a world of opportunity for new companies, such as Calgary-based MetroNet, and new-old companies such as Shaw Cable and TELUS.

Data communications is not just an A to B process any more. There aren’t enough letters in the alphabet to cover all the possibilities today. Any company that is seriously involved in data transfer is at the centre or hub of connections or spokes. These networks can overlap with other networks and carry with them a staggering amount of private, time sensitive, secure data on one ‘channel’ and an equally staggering amount of public data on another.

“So if a small oil or gas company needs to ‘talk’ with Houston, we can arrange that they share information, securely, as if they were in one place. They can share this private information through connections or pathways for internal use only. Through other means we can also connect them to public sources of information gathering or dissemination through the Internet,” says Neumann.

“We can also create a ‘community of interests’ by linking a number of companies that do business together, providing data transfer, teleconferencing, internet services, phone services and so on based on what they need.”

Real Estate & Development

Park It

It seems like only yesterday Calgarians were complaining about parking downtown…oh, wait, it was yesterday, and probably the day before too. Turns out, folks were complaining in 1995 too – just not for the same reasons.

Parking Empires, February 1995

As one of the richest city-owned parking establishments in Canada, the Calgary Parking Authority owns roughly $90-million in assets and $40-million in cash and investments. Meanwhile, its parade of possessions and profits are mounting. Last year it obtained the tagging and towing division of parking enforcement from the Calgary police department. This year it will gain a $20-million, five-story parking garage in the city centre; and with street meters and parkade stalls in steady demand, the Authority’s mostly all-cash parking income is predicted to reach $11-million this year.

The Calgary Parking Authority’s wealth springs from the world of big cash parking, a thinly spread but stiffly competitive industry where the entrepreneur with the most parking stalls wins the most profits. Not surprisingly, the prosperous Parking Authority is leading the way with the most space – and the most profits – lending weight to allegations that it is building an empire of parkades with developers’ profits.

Chinook Centre expansion model, April 1998.



Building Owners and Managers Authority (BOMA) president Bill Partridge, berating the Authority for using private money to build costly and opulent parking garages, says “It’s time the policy of funding public parkades with developers’ dollars comes to a conclusion. The city is constructing the last in a series of parking garages. It has exhausted the downtown cash-in-lieu fund. Now it’s time to free developers of their cash-in-lieu commitments.”

Cash-in-lieu is the practice of collecting money from developers who fail to build the city-required number of parking stalls in their new developments. Since 1972 the city’s downtown cash-in-lieu fund has collected $28- million from developers and built 4,335 parking stalls for city parkades. Three of the parkades are underground, two of them surmounted with lush outdoor parks. The remaining two facilities, the spacious but indebted Gulf Canada Square and the fully-enclosed south west parkades, overlook Ninth Avenue. Through cash-in-lieu premiums, the five structures cost $60 million to erect, and all but two have won international awards for engineering and design.

“If I were a developer, I’d be screaming,” says Bob Noiles, parking manager for Impark in Central Canada. “City bylaws force builders to reduce by as much as half the number of parking spaces planned for new buildings, and then demand that the developer pay the city the cost of building the parking in city parkades. Does that seem fair to you?”

Downtown Developments

It seems Calgarians have been complaining about construction downtown for decades as this article from 1998 maligns the narrow streets and other blockages.

Building the City, November 1998

If you’ve been downtown lately, you’ll notice that there are big gaping holes in the ground, lots of building cranes swinging through the air, and an even more frenzied pace to the tight traffic squeeze. While dodging barriers and fighting cement trucks for space on Calgary’s narrow downtown streets is really not anyone’s idea of fun, it’s all part of the price to pay for progress and growth.

Although several projects are still in the proposal and discussion stages, work is actually underway on three new office towers, the new Telus Convention Centre and hotel, and the new Sheraton Suites hotel is nearing completion in the Eau Claire district.

The new office projects include:

• Phase Two of Bankers Hall

• The 35-storey headquarters for TransCanada Pipelines

• The 23-storey Millennium Tower (Ernst & Young building)

Head Office Head Honcho

One of the biggest stories of 1996 was transport giant CP Rail’s move of its headquarters to Calgary’s 9th Avenue bringing the total to 11 new offices that year. Calgarians were quick to point out that Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto were all shrinking their head office head counts while our fair city was on the upswing.

Head Office to the Nation, August 1997

There are 103 companies headquartered in Calgary, a gain of 11 companies over the past year.

In a news release, the Calgary Economic Development Authority, notes that this growth represents a 120 percent increase over the number of new headquarters established in Toronto over the same period. Data from 1996 indicates Toronto has 123 head offices, but has gained only five new headquarters over the course of the year.

Of the cities appearing on the Financial Post list, Calgary has experienced the most spectacular growth in the three-year period beginning in 1994. Since that time, the number of corporate office headquartered in Calgary has grown by 69 percent. Vancouver has experienced a 16 percent decrease, with Toronto and Montreal decreasing in head office numbers by 24 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The most significant relocation last year was the move of CP Rail to the city and the transfer of thousands of jobs to Calgary. Shortly after that, Canadian Pacific Ltd., the parent company of CP Rail and a number of other subsidiaries, and one of the oldest and most prestigious corporations in Canada, relocated its head office to Calgary.

“That’s a once-in-a-lifetime windfall for the city of Calgary,” says Richard Pauls of the Calgary Economic Development Authority (CEDA).

In the same story, Pauls makes a prophetic statement that would ring all too true in the coming decades:

“If you ask me in five years what the main trends might be that affect Calgary, I don’t know with absolute certainty,” says Pauls. “But I will speculate that soon, our job at CEDA may be to attract educated, knowledgeable workers to Calgary, instead of focusing on attracting head offices. The companies will come if you have the right people.”

IT SEEMS CALGARIANS HAVE

BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT

CONSTRUCTION DOWNTOWN FOR

DECADES AS THIS ARTICLE FROM 1998

MALIGNS THE NARROW STREETS AND

OTHER BLOCKAGES.



Other real estate and development stories included:

• The emergence of loft living in Calgary as Lewis Lofts came on the market in 1995

• CP Rail’s transfer of its head office to Calgary brings hundreds of new families, all looking for homes and marking a recovery in a real estate market that is just shaking off a recession

• Traffic woes begin to drive homeowners downtown, prompting a surge in condo sales in the city’s centre.

RetailThe biggest story in retail was the arrival of big box mega giant Wal-Mart in 1994. Taking over 122 Woolco stores across Canada, the company had a bit of a stumbling start before hitting its stride and, eventually, taking its place at the top of the department store food chain.

Powerful Wal-Mart’s Stumbling Start, November 1994

Wal-Mart had no prior experience in assimilating a large retail company outside of the U.S.A. They have made mistakes. Canadian retailers should be thankful the first big mistake will blunt the initial impact of Wal-Mart’s arrival. During the 1994 transition, the Wal-Mart name was introduced far too early. Customers were confused by the blurring of the Woolco and Wal-Mart images.

Woolco never had a great reputation for high standards. During the disruption and confusion of the renovation process, things got worse. The stores were a mess. Curious customers observed the death throes of Woolco along with the birth pangs of Wal-Mart Canada. Wal-Mart badges, bags, signs and receipts. A Wal-Mart label fastened over Woolco’s heritage of mediocrity and indifference. “If this is Wal-Mart,” customers wondered, ‘’what is all the fuss about?”

Gradually the dust settled. Renovations were completed, the merchandise selection and presentation improved and many prices were lowered. The stores now look like Wal Mart, but to customers familiar with the U.S. stores, this does not feel like Wal-Mart. Sure, some employees are good. Yes, service at the check-outs is faster than in the past. But where is that consistently high level of friendly, helpful service for which Wal-Mart is renowned in the States?

It is much easier to renovate the facilities than it is to transform the culture of an organization. As Canadians, we tend to be rather easygoing. We lack a tradition of providing superior customer service. We do not spell “customer” with a capital ‘C.’

Some former Woolco employees show no interest in being converted to the Wal-Mart culture. Unless this company is content to be no more

than a spruced-up Woolco, they will take the necessary remedial action at both management and staff levels. Until then, Canadian retailers are being given a break. There may yet be time to adjust to the new realities of an increasingly competitive environment.

Other retail stories from the time included:

• A major expansion to Southcentre Mall in 1999

Just for Fun

Quote: ‘There is always concern about the future price of oil, but (banker Duane) Keinick believes that any possible drop in price is not likely to last – although numbers such as US$25 a barrel are likely too high to be sustainable.” - From Steady as she Goes, May 1996.

Microsoft’s auto-correct claims its first Business in Calgary victim – Funny correction, Dec. 1999.

CORRECTION: She may be a queen to her loyal voters, and she may have the royal jelly when it comes to leadership on city council, but a “Highness” she is not. In the last issue, we incorrectly identified Alderman Sue Higgins as Sue Highness. For that we apologize, and try to sneak the blame onto Microsoft’s Bill Gates, he of evil monopoly fame. The spell check on Microsoft Word changes “Higgins” into “Highness.” Bad Microsoft, bad!

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The stars are coming out. Let’s watch them shine!We’re celebrating the Prairies’ entrepreneurial stars at the awards gala of the year on 15 October 2015. And you’re invited!

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October 2000

A co-founder of Canadian Hunter Exploration Limited, one of Canada’s premier exploration firms, Jim Gray has been named the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Entrepreneur Of The Year program due to his 45 years in the oil and gas industry and incredible involvement in the community. .

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Focusing on innovative financing concepts and commitments to community, Jim Kinnear of Pengrowth Energy Trust has been named the Entrepreneur Of The Year for the Prairies Region. After a rough start, Pengrowth has perhaps reached the highest financial and production levels of any energy trust.

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Happy 25th to Business in Calgary! Congratulations on 25 years of covering Calgary’s rise to one of the most dynamic business environments in the world. We’ve been through a lot together. In our 50 years, over 350,000 learners have passed through Bow Valley College and into Calgary’s economy, many graduating in the vital fields of health care, justice, business, and human services. Here’s to the next 50 years of helping Calgary rise. bowvalleycollege.ca

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A lifelong educator who believes in market forces, and maintains a strong social conscious, president Sharon Carry aims to make Bow Valley College serve those who are seeking rapid, flexible, practical training that will land them a paying job.

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Alliance party leader Stephen Harper has had critical success during the first few weeks on the job. With a united party and an identifiable agenda for Conservatives, Harper is poised to enter the House of Commons. 73

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February 2003

President of the Calgary Flames, Ken King, is focusing on the health of the Calgary Community. He believes that a renewal of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce is vital, and as he takes the position as chair, this revitalization is in his reach.

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March 2003

After creating and building the Reform Party of Canada and transforming the Reform into the Canadian Alliance, Preston Manning has changed his focus. Now Manning and the Canada West Foundation are focusing on building Western Canada’s transportation infrastructure, dubbing the exercise “Building the New Dream.”

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From initial concept through commissioning, we focus on delivering a high value facility that meets your business needs. Our staff based model allows us to offer cost efficient, fixed cost engineering and design services.

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August 2004

Heritage Partners’ Ken Mariash brings a $500-million vision to life in the city’s southeast. In the 400-acre patch of land embraced by Deerfoot Trail, Heritage Drive and Blackfoot Trail, Mariash plans to develop a massive retail development he’s named Deerfoot Meadows.

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2000

2004Mad Cows,

Bursting Bubbles and Airline Drama

Economy Snapshot





Mayor: Al Duerr, Dave Bronconnier (elected 2001)

Premier: Ralph Klein

Chuckwagon Tarp Total: 2000: $1,653,500 2001: $1,871,500 2002: $1,549,500 2003: $1,502,500 2004: $1,585,500

Average Unemployment Rate: 5.1%


Average House Price: 2000: $164,900 2001: $170,000 2002: $185,000 2003: $195,000 2004: $206,000

The StoryCalgary’s business community entered the new millennium enamoured with a technology that was opening the world up to a new age of communication, information processing and sharing, and international relations. Once the stuff of science fiction, the Internet had about 300 million users in 2000 – a number that would double in just three years and has grown ten-fold in the last 15 years.

Then, on September 11, 2001, the world was forever changed by the terrorist attacks in the U.S. and security became a major focus of emerging technologies.


2000 | eBusiness in Calgary is launched in April to focus on the new e-commerce sector that was taking off in Alberta. Having launched the month after the tech bubble burst, the publication was suspended after only three issues.

2000 | On November 15, Hollinger separated Southam Inc and sold it to Canwest out of Winnipeg, making Canwest the new owner of Business in Calgary. Well under the radar of this large multi-national organization, Business in Calgary begins a slow decline.

2004 | On February 27th, OT Communications re- acquired Business in Calgary along with a bit of a mess to clean up. Under the ownership of a large corporation, many of the relationships that had been built up to 1999 suffered. The Chamber of Commerce had left, as had many clients of the magazine – in fact, only 20 per cent of the revenue from 1999 remained in 2004.

2004 | In the May issue, the publishers under OT Communications declared that “It’s good to be back” and committed to rebuilding Calgary’s business magazine.





2000 – 2004 // LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARS


World NewsBusiness in Calgary didn’t report widely on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but this editorial piece by Richard Bronstein captures a moment in time none of us will soon forget:

Ten Things I Have Learned About the World Since Osama bin Laden Blew Up America…, November 2011

By the time you read this, Osama bin Laden may be a corpse. Or, a rogue nuclear bomb could have gone off in Georgetown, an upscale district of the United States’ capitol.

We are truly in the thick of it, ladies and gentlemen. In my more dour moments I have feelings like this is the actual beginning of WWIII. At other times I feel pretty confident in the abilities of the coalition – mainly and almost exclusively the United States and Great Britain – to do the right thing.

1. For the first time in my life I am uncomfortable about Canada. Our government displayed poor judgment and poor leadership at the start of the crisis, finally coming around to a proper response a month later. What if somebody attacks Canada – how long will it take for this prime minister and his government to actually do something to protect Canadian lives?

2. I am worried that the Canadian media and intelligentsia reflect a minority view of this country. I don’t think any country in the western world has shown as much outright hostile anti-Americanism as Canada has post September 11.

3. I think the intellectual vanguard of Canada does not really want to improve this country, they want to destroy it and all its values. Sunera Thobani, the nutty professor at the University of British Columbia and former president of the National Committee on the Status of Women, is the prime mover in this politics of hate. It is her view – and a view widely shared in most Canadian universities – that if you are white, European and capitalist – you are racist to

the core. It doesn’t matter what you think, do or say – your existence alone puts you permanently in the camp of the great racists, colonialists and mass murderers of history.

4. I am not at all sure Osama bin Laden is really responsible for the attacks in New York and Washington. No doubt al-Qaida’s fingerprints will be found all around this disaster. But I felt on the morning of Sept. 11, and feel it even stronger almost two months later – that this is really the work of Saddam Hussein of Iraq.

5. Go to the Internet and do a search on the name Dr. Laurie Mylroie. That will take you on a chilling archival visit to a number of events starting with the conclusion of the Gulf War in 1991. One of the most significant events was the 1993 attempt to blow up the World Trade Center. Dr. Mylroie (and others) was saying around that time that it was the work of Iraq, not Iran or fundamentalist Islamists from Egypt. Although Egyptian, Iranian and other extremists are part of the world terrorist web, the big guy is Saddam Hussein.

6. In the background reading you will find ample evidence to convict and almost lynch President Bill Clinton for bungling a whole series of national security issues during his administration. Among his most serious blunders, including bombing a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan, was President Clinton’s shift from using American resources to go after states who sponsor terrorism to the pursuit of individual terrorists. Terrorism became a justice issue, not a political issue.

7. The House of Saud is going down. Maybe not today or tomorrow,

• Qualcomm’s PDQ smartphone launches in Ontario and Quebec at the staggering price of $900.

• The Alberta Government announces the $500-million Alberta Heritage Foundation for Science and Engineering with another $1 billion promised by 2005.

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS,

OSAMA BIN LADEN MAY BE A CORPSE.

OR, A ROGUE NUCLEAR BOMB COULD

HAVE GONE OFF IN GEORGETOWN, AN

UPSCALE DISTRICT OF THE UNITED

STATES’ CAPITOL.

e-Business in Calgary productivity and technology, Fall 2000.




but soon. The rulers of Saudi Arabia are the princes of the royal family, the House of Saud, which now number some 5,000. That is 5,000 rich, corrupt, spineless Arabs sucking the life (and billions of dollars) out of the Arab world. America has protected Saudi Arabia because the world needs its oil. But I think people are starting to think differently now.

8. The biggest losers in all this – again, for the umpteenth time in history – will be the Palestinian people. Once again they have backed the wrong horse. Israel could also take it on the chin if Prime Minister Sharon sees the current world crisis as an opportunity to steal even more Palestinian land. But in the grand scheme of things the Palestinian man and woman on the street is going to lose again because Arafat is too weak to control the terrorists in his own ranks.

9. The winners could be – should be – the Afghan people. The Taliban will be forced out. Bin Laden will be found. And the world will put a lot of effort into rebuilding this country.

10. And after this mess is over, may a rebuilt Afghanistan be a light to the nations of the world. No one deserves it more.

Agriculture

BSE Crisis

It’s hard to believe that one cow could cost the Alberta beef industry upwards of $300 million. But that was the case in 2003 when a single case of bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE), or mad cow disease, sent alarm bells ringing around the world.

Alberta Beef: It’s Everyone’s Business, July 2003

Considering that this single BSE case does not represent even a theoretical risk to the human population, the absurdity of it all was overshadowed by the undeserved economic hardship inflicted upon thousands of innocent Canadian citizens.

If anything positive was garnered from this tragedy it was that urban dwellers suddenly became aware that beef does not magically appear at their local grocery store every day. The production of this food product involves tens of thousands of people and its ripple effect on the Alberta and Canadian economy is estimated at $30 billion annually. Incredibly, that economic activity was severely crippled by one ill-fated cow found in the faraway Peace River district.

The magnitude of the cattle and beef industry is invisible to most Albertans as the vast majority of our citizens live in cities and are not connected to the agriculture industry. But consider just this economic activity: our two main cattle processing facilities employ about 5,000 people; it takes 200 trucks a day to bring the cattle to those facilities and about 200 trucks a day from those plants to transport the beef products to markets across North America. The BSE case ground much of that economic activity to a halt with extensive layoffs throughout the industry. That’s just one sector of

CONSIDERING THAT THIS SINGLE BSE

CASE DOES NOT REPRESENT EVEN A

THEORETICAL RISK TO THE HUMAN

POPULATION, THE ABSURDITY OF IT

ALL WAS OVERSHADOWED BY THE

UNDESERVED ECONOMIC HARDSHIP

INFLICTED UPON THOUSANDS OF

INNOCENT CANADIAN CITIZENS.

Chef Michael Noble of Catch, August 2002.

• In April 2000, the country was up in arms when gas at the pump went to $0.80/litre.

• Calgary favourites Catch and Centini both opened their doors in 2002.




this mammoth industry. Thousands more are involved in growing the cattle in feed lots and ranches across the province. There are feeding operations in this province that have cash flows of up to $100 million. In addition a good chunk of grain production on the Prairies is dedicated to supplying mountains of barley to cattle feed-lot operators.

Environment

Kyoto Ratification

Making Ky-ommon Sense Out of Climate Change, April 2002

First, Prime Minister Chrétien let it be known that around June 8, the date of the G8 summit in Calgary when the world has its focus on Canada, would be a nice platform from which to announce that Canada is ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

(Then) he got chopped at the knees by Premier Ralph Klein in that famous press conference in Moscow when most of Canada’s leaders said they were opposed to early ratification.

Then the snowball really started rolling.

Ontario Premier Mike Harris released a letter accusing the prime minister of threatening untold thousands of Canadian jobs.

Alberta Environment Minister Lorne Taylor released a study which said that ratification of the Kyoto Protocol could cost Canadians between $23 and $40 billion a year. It also said the annual cost to Alberta could be between $2.9 and $5.5 billion (about two to three per cent of Alberta’s GDP), and result in the loss of between 40,000 and 70,000 jobs in the province.

Perrin Beatty, a former Progressive Conservative member of Parliament and now president of the Canadian Manufacturers

Association, weighed in with a report which said that ratification of Kyoto could result in the loss of up to 450,000 well-paying manufacturing jobs in the country, many of them in Ontario.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, representing 350 local Chambers and 170,000 members, said fast ratification of Kyoto would practically cripple the Canadian economy.

• Business in Calgary hits the World Wide Web with its online edition in May 2000.

• The brand-new Calgary Stampede Round-Up and TELUS Convention Centres open in the spring of 2000.

For reservations call 1-800-2-RAMADAVisit www.ramada.ca

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Relax. It’s taken care of.Doing business on unfamiliar turf can be a little unsettling. Fortunately, there’s Ramada right around the corner in over 65 locations across Canada, with all the comforts and services you’ve come to expect and then some. In-room computer and modem ports, Business Class accommodation, PETRO-POINTS*, personal coffee makers and much more.

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Business travel made easy. No matter how far you’ve come.

Humorous Ramada ad from March 2002.

TELUS Convention Centre success story, September 2000.

http://ramada.ca




• Rogers AT&T launches the Internet-enabled BlackBerry in Alberta in 2000.

• OK Liquor becomes the first liquor store in Calgary to offer online ordering in October 2000.

President Nancy Hughes Anthony, in a joint news conference in Calgary with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), explained how devastating it would be.

“In fact, Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) would drop by up to 2.5 per cent in 2010. If we think about it, this is equivalent to an average year of economic growth.

“Let’s put this into dollar terms. It would mean $30 billion less in income for Canada. And if we break that down to the individual level… it is about $1,000 per person less than we would have to spend.”

While the Liberal government, under Chrétien did ratify Kyoto in December, 2002, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives made Canada the first country to renege on its promise by withdrawing from the accord in 2011.

What to do About Water?

From managing emissions to managing resources, the other pervasive issue facing Albertans was how to manage the province’s water. The province was experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades in 2001 and 2002 and the Alberta government responded with a water strategy in the spring of 2003.

Water Worth, May 2003

In the last week of March, the province released its new draft water strategy. It outlines key directions, strategies and actions to better manage our water.

The policy contains eight key strategies for dealing with our ever-dwindling water resources:

• use a watershed management approach for making decisions;

• involve all Albertans as partners in the water management process;

• increase our knowledge and understanding about Alberta’s water resources;

• increase water conservation activities;

• allocate water resources more effectively;

• protect Alberta’s aquatic ecosystems;

• protect Alberta’s surface water quality;

• ensure all Albertans have safe and secure drinking water.

One of the key proposals for the new strategy is the creation of a provincial water council to guide the implementation of the strategy.

“It would look at giving policy advice to government, it would be multi-stakeholder to represent a broad range of interests,” says Beverly Yee, director of environmental partnerships and education for Alberta Environment.

The city was also doing its part by implementing mandatory metering in all new developments.

Mandatory metering is one element of the city’s response to the tremendous growth it has experienced in the past five years. The population explosion created a two-pronged challenge to Calgary’s

THE POPULATION EXPLOSION

CREATED A TWO-PRONGED

CHALLENGE TO CALGARY’S ABILITY TO

ENSURE A RELIABLE SOURCE OF GOOD

DRINKING WATER FOR RESIDENTS:

PEAK-DAY CONSUMPTION AND

AVERAGE-DAY OR INDOOR WATER USE.

Peter Warrick with BlackBerry hand held, March 2001.




• We reported in September 2000 that 20 per cent of Canadians subscribed to a wireless plan – today, September 2015, that number is now about 80 per cent.

• Telus recruits Darren Entwistle as president and CEO. He went on to being the longest-serving CEO of an incumbent telecom company in the world before progressing to the executive chair in 2014.

ability to ensure a reliable source of good drinking water for residents: peak-day consumption and average-day or indoor water use.

“Peak-day consumption results from the two or three days a year during the summer months where we consume a very large amount of water used primarily for irrigation,” says Pamela Reid, a senior resource analyst with the City of Calgary administration.

The city answers that bell by trying to encourage residents to learn best-management practices for their outdoor water use, which will reduce their per capita water use during the summer.

EnergyThe birth of an energy giant, the ongoing impact of deregulation and the massive Athabasca Oil Sands Project producing its first barrel of oil were among the top energy stories between 2000 and 2004.

Golden Age of the Oilsands

As the massive Athabasca Oil Sands Project (AOSP) came online in 2003, Business in Calgary visited the site near Fort McMurray and declared the golden age of the oilsands.

The Golden Age of the Oilsands, September 2003

Construction of AOSP started in 1999 and the first synthetic crude was actually produced in April this year. The $5.7-billion facility is designed to produce 155,000 barrels of syncrude a day, which Shell estimates is about 10 per cent of Canada’s total petroleum demand. The project was nearly $2 billion over budget because of issues over labour productivity.

“Despite the cost overruns, this project is competitive with any other out there,” said Tim Faithfull, the now retired chief executive officer of Shell Canada Ltd. Neil Camarta, the vice president of oil sands operations for Shell, explained that the productivity issue was

the result of gaps at the supervisory level where it was physically impossible to properly engage and coordinate all the thousands of workers in the different skills who were at the job site at any one time. There was also a $150-million fire at the mine site earlier this year, which further delayed the project.

The project is 60 per cent owned by Shell Canada Ltd., 20 per cent by Western Oilsands Ltd. and 20 per cent by ChevronTexaco.

At the peak of the project, some 14,000 workers were employed at the various job sites at any one time. The $5.7-billion investment has created 850 permanent jobs in Fort McMurray and Edmonton.

The first oilsands plant ever built, owned by Suncor Energy, currently produces approximately 215,000 barrels a day. If all goes according to plan, the three plants, Shell, Syncrude and Suncor, will soon enough be producing a full 50 per cent of Canada’s oil needs. Additional plants will even push that total higher.

Our next story sees the merger of two energy heavyweights to create an oil and gas superpower.

The Birth of EnCana

A Star Alliance, October 2002

When Alberta Energy Company (AEC) and PanCanadian Energy Corporation merged this April to form EnCana Corporation, the marriage between the two industry giants had all the glitz of a celebrity wedding.

In a well-coordinated launch, the president and CEO of EnCana, Gwyn Morgan, bought the inaugural EnCana common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange on April 8, 2002, while EnCana chairman David O’Brien purchased the symbolic first 100 shares of the new company at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), where he was joined by Canadian Olympic gold medallists Jamie Salé and David Pelletier.

“EnCana represents the bringing together of a pair of great Canadian companies to create a world-class performer. So it’s

Darren Entwistle, May 2001.




• The now infamous Enron opens a Calgary office in 2001 only to file the U.S.’s largest bankruptcy case in history later that year.

• Ken King takes over as CEO of the Calgary Flames in 2001.

fitting to be here with two Canadians who together created a world championship pair,” O’Brien said.

The merger produced a company that is one of the world’s largest independent oil and gas producers, and delighted Albertans and Canadians who had been witness to a deluge of takeovers of Canadian oil and gas companies by larger players from the United States.

“It’s what I think has to be done in Canada – to have strong Canadian companies with the size to compete internationally, so that we have strong head offices,” said O’Brien. “Otherwise, we have much less left for us as a country.” The merger made a lot of sense at the business level and for the growth prospects of the merged entity. “EnCana will have one of the most attractive internal growth profiles in the industry given the excellent strategic asset fit, and the magnitude and complementary nature of our growth prospects,” said CEO Gwynn Morgan. “AEC brings unparalleled near-term and medium-term internal growth from North America and Ecuador while PanCanadian brings near-term growth in Western Canada and prospects for very strong long-term growth from Eastern Canada and the North Sea.”

TransportationFlipping through the pages of Business in Calgary from 2000-2004 was sort of like flipping through Soap Opera Digest when it came to coverage of Canada’s airline industry. As newcomer WestJet climbed ever higher, industry stalwarts scrambled to compete against a business model that relied on solid business practices – not government subsidies.

Air Wars

First up, a rundown of the major (and minor) players in the aerial drama playing out in Canadian skies.

Airline Industry in Evolution, October 2000

As fallout from the $92-million Air Canada takeover of Canadian echoes through the industry – often marked by public complaints of decreased routes and abysmal service – newcomers and new routes in the high-flying market have been cropping up faster than bugs on the plane’s windscreen.

Canada’s newest airline, Halifax-based CanJet, launched in September with two Boeing 737 aircraft and plans to increase to six planes by 2001. Although it has no plans to provide domestic service in Calgary, it signalled the beginning of a price war with Montreal-based Royal Airlines, offering one-way fares from Toronto to Ottawa from as low as $59.

Royal Airlines, which began as a charter in 1992, flies to Toronto from Calgary three times a week and plans to expand to twice daily by next spring with its fleet of 16 aircraft. Royal met newcomer CanJet’s challenge head-on last month by doubling the number of its discount flights in Eastern Canada to 31.

Roots Air, a partnership between Skyservice Airlines, a charter company based in Toronto, and Roots Canada, plans to launch by next spring, although domestic service from Calgary has not been announced.

THE MERGER PRODUCED A COMPANY

THAT IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST

INDEPENDENT OIL AND GAS PRODUCERS,

AND DELIGHTED ALBERTANS AND

CANADIANS WHO HAD BEEN WITNESS TO

A DELUGE OF TAKEOVERS OF CANADIAN

OIL AND GAS COMPANIES BY LARGER

PLAYERS FROM THE UNITED STATES.

Ken King checking over the Calgary Herald with managing editor Joan Crockatt, from February 2003.




• Brandon, MB-based Meyers Norris Penny chartered accountancy relocates to Calgary in 2001 and goes on to become one of the country’s largest professional services firms.

• The G8 summit comes to Kananaskis Country in June 2002.

Small regional players in the West are also edging in on the domestic market. Capital City Air in Edmonton launched a few months ago, offering round-trip flights between Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray on its 19-passenger Jet Stream planes.

It will compete on some of those routes with Calgary-based WestJet, which has grown from three planes to 18 Boeing 737s since it began in 1996. WestJet currently flies to nine cities from Calgary each day but in recent months has added new routes in Eastern Canada and plans to expand to 22 aircraft by 2001.

When Toronto-based Canada 3000 went public on the TSE last July, it raised $30 million as shares went from $10 to $17, then settled around $13 to $14. Although plans to go public had been in the works for years, the company was spurred by the rapid evolution of the domestic market.

Next up, the founders of Calgary’s own WestJet, were recognized as world-class entrepreneurs in 2001.

You’ve Got to Have Heart, July 2001

The team from WestJet was cited by the international EOY for

outstanding teamwork in their organization, in a competition that featured 6,500 entrepreneurs from 18 other countries.

Last November, the WestJet leaders were named Canada’s 2000 Entrepreneurs Of The Year at a national event in Ottawa. Just before that national event, they were winners of the Prairies Region EOY awards held in Calgary in October.

In acknowledging the international honours bestowed on them in Monaco, the WestJetters were humble about their achievement and deflected the praise to the Canadian public.

After a few more awards and some more expansion for WestJet, Air Canada has enough and launches its own discount carrier – in neon – with a former WestJet CEO at the controls.

Revenge Air, September 2002

Air Canada’s category-killer in the discount business – Zip Air Inc. – will launch on September 22 with Steve Smith at the corporate controls. Smith, who was let go from WestJet several years ago, said in Calgary that the success of the fleet of six pink Zip jets depends heavily on negotiations with two big unions. To be based in Calgary, Zip Air Inc. will focus on the western Canadian market, initially serving Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary.

Zip ceased operations in 2004 when Air Canada resumed full service in Western Canada after the 2000 takeover of Canadian Airlines resulted in a 28 per cent cut in services to the region.

Technology: Boom, Bust and EchoTechnology was easily the biggest business story at the turn of the millennium as everything was e-this and e-that. Tech

WESTJET CURRENTLY FLIES TO

NINE CITIES FROM CALGARY EACH

DAY BUT IN RECENT MONTHS HAS

ADDED NEW ROUTES IN EASTERN

CANADA AND PLANS TO EXPAND TO

22 AIRCRAFT BY 2001.

Without visionarieslike you, our world would be very dim indeed.

Here’s to a bigger,brighter future.

faith

guts

commitment

creativity

tenacity

vision

disciplineWithout visionarieslike you, our world would be very dim indeed.

Business in Calgary magazine would like to congratulate the

award recipients and their staff on their accomplishments at

the 2001 EOY awards.

Here’s to a bigger,brighter future.

IN BUSINESS TOGETHER

IN BUSINESS TOGETHER

vision

commitment

creativity

guts

tenacity

discipline

faith

Congratulations to EOY winners, October 2001.




• In 2002, the Calgary Real Estate Board reports that Calgary becomes the fourth Canadian city in which the average resale home price is more than $200,000.

• In May 2000, 150 colourful cows hit the streets as Udderly Art set out to raise money for charity.

stocks that were stock market darlings became stock market demons, as the bubble burst in March 2000 … the month before the launch of eBusiness in Calgary … an ill-fated supplemental publication aimed at all things “e.”

e-Ditorial, the first eBusiness in Calgary editorial, April 2000

Welcome to the first edition of our new e-commerce magazine.

What we have tried to do is present the first overview of the burgeoning electronic commerce industry in Alberta. In this issue you will find stories about local companies that are pioneering a wide variety of applications to help drive the growth of business on the Internet.

Anyone who was following business stories between 2000 and 2004 will remember a few names that stood out in Calgary’s tech crowd.

Burntsand Inc.

B2B is Big, April 2000

With sales in excess of $35 million, Burntsand is one of the largest business to business management consulting and system integrators in Canada with its patented concept “Business to the power of e.”

Burntsand handles the strategy, design and implementation of solutions for e-commerce, customer relations management and e-business intelligence. These new ways of doing business are geared towards making the best of the heady possibilities presented by the new dynamics of business to business commerce conducted on the Internet.

Burntsand has developed an Internet-based commodity trading system where users can view actual transactions and current listings for natural gas supply and the market. With this up-to-the-minute information they can also determine levels of demand and corresponding price expectations.

Trading at $13.95 on the TSX the day the dot-com bubble burst in March 2000, Burntsand was eventually acquired by Waterloo-based OpenText in 2011 for 15 cents apiece – a 114 per cent premium on its closing price at the time.

Wi-LAN and Cell-Loc

These two companies and their emergence in the marketplace can be traced to the same research laboratory once owned by AGT – Alberta Government Telephones, or as it is now known as Telus. This is the lab that employed Dr. Hatim Zaghloul to do research on radio waves. This is the lab in which Dr. Zaghloul sub-contracted some of the work to his friend, Dr. Michel Fattouche.

Screenshot of the Government of Alberta’s first website.

e-Business in Calgary ad, April 2000.




• Calgary’s Bernard Callebaut opens a retail outlet in the famous Ginza shopping district in Tokyo.

• Business in Calgary gets a new look in July 2003.

Hatim was making some important discoveries in this field and hired his friend Michel to work on some special problems. As Michel recalls his work, “I gave some very good solutions to Hatim. But they were answers to questions he wasn’t even asking yet.”

But both men were very encouraged by what they were doing. AGT, however, was simply not geared to pursue commercialization of the work, so Hatim made arrangements to go on his own, with AGT on the books as partial co-owner of any successful applications.

In 1994, Business in Calgary magazine did the first story on Wi-LAN Inc., the company Dr. Zaghloul launched to carry forward his pioneering research. Wi-LAN today has two major thrusts: first, it offers a wide range of high-speed wireless data/Internet communications products. It markets these products around the world to businesses, government and public institutions.

The company’s second major initiative is to work towards making Wi-LAN’s patented technologies the international standard for high-speed wireless data and Internet communication.

Cell-Loc Inc.’s patented Cellocate System was the result of 10 years of work, featuring Dr. Zaghloul and Dr. Fattouche and other experts at the University of Calgary. It’s a way of locating, down to a few metres, the exact location of a cellphone call. Six years ago, the United States passed regulations making it mandatory for carriers to locate an emergency call from a wireless phone. Although Cell-Loc has its first major contract in place in Austin, Texas, wireless carriers are somewhat resistant to what’s been called the E911 plan. This has forced Cell-Loc to deploy its technology in other commercial areas. It is doing this through a separate operating division called Times Three.

According to the company’s website, Wi-LAN’s technology took off faster than the company could and by the mid-2000s, much of the wireless industry was using Wi-LAN technology, but the company was receiving no compensation. Under new leadership in 2006, Wi-LAN focused its business on protecting and monetizing patented inventions. For the next eight years, the company would establish licensing agreements with over 290 of the world’s largest technology companies worth more

than $800 million. During this time, Wi-LAN was transformed from a small, nearly bankrupt company to one of the world’s top patent licensing companies with a market capitalization of over $400 million.

Cell-Loc’s story doesn’t have as happy an ending. According to a February 2014 press release: Times Three Wireless Inc. announces that, to date, it has been unsuccessful in its efforts to secure any financing to fund any ongoing operations or to find a strategic partner to continue its technology business or to divest its assets. The company does not have sufficient working capital to continue operations, with no present financing options available to it.

Another survivor of the dot-com bust was a company that put Internet in hotel rooms.

GUEST-TEK

The Dot-Com Check-up, June 2002

Prior to 1999, founder Arnon Levy pegged Guest-Tek – which designs and supplies equipment allowing guests to plug into the Internet from their hotel room – as the ninth or 10th ranking company in the world in its niche. It emerged from the ashes of 2000 number two he figures.

No longer is the company willing to install free of charge – in exchange for future promises of revenue share – the hardware necessary to let hotel guests link up to the web from their rooms. Now if a hotel wants the service for its customers, it has to buy the wares.

That hardly sounds like a novel proposition in most industries, but in the dot.com it was. In some instances, says Levy, it has been for Guest-Tek to convince customers to shake the notion that companies should install services for free in exchange for future revenue streams.

Nevertheless, there is a growing post-crash realization that if you want high-tech suppliers you can count on, you have to pay for what

First cover of Business in Calgary showcasing the new look, July 2003.

ALBERTA BEEFHow one cow crippled a $30-billion sector of the Canadian economy

MOBILE SERVICESTaking the time pressure off busy baby boomers

SASKATCHEWANECONOMYShedding its reputa-tion as an investment and residential back-water

CHARLES FRANKOn The Street

Presenting 2003 award nomineesInside

Ernst & Young

EntrepreneurOf The YearIncludes Calgary Commerce – A supplement to Business in Calgary

John Goudey — Managing partner for Ernst & Young Edmonton.

John Murphy —Director of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Program, Prairies Region

Jeff Charriere, —Managing partner for Ernst & Young Winnipeg.

®

J U LY 2 0 0 3 $3.50




• Peter Fonda rides the Rockies on his motorcycle in June 2003 to promote his film, The Hired Hand, at the Calgary International Film Festival.

• The Calgary Roughnecks lacrosse franchise opens in 2002.

• Calgary Economic Development issues its first Community Report in 2004.

you get, says Levy. And, under those new terms, Guest-Tek has been able to recently land valuable clients like the Hyatt-Regency chain.

It’s now gazing overseas at markets in Asia and Europe, and feels well enough funded that the company’s viability “is now quite secure.”

Since 2000, Guest-Tek has been on a steady incline of growth through expansion and acquisitions around the world. With operations reaching 89 countries and more than 3,900 hotels, Guest-Tek recently opened a subsidiary company called Event Conference Solutions (ECS).

Then there were also the epic failures.

Nortel

Pyramid Power, eBiC Fall 2000

With about 1,800 employees at several locations around town, Nortel is Calgary’s second largest private sector employer. Each day, millions of dollars worth of Nortel telecommunications products leave our city for destinations around the world, carrying with them our growing global reputation as a centre of technological innovation and excellence. And each year, through salaries and procurement, Nortel injects some $430 million into our provincial economy.

Today, Nortel holds most of the patents that made an optical network possible, continues to file three new patents each day, and revels in a market capitalization that is the eighth highest in the world. By virtue of its innovation and deep pockets, the company is uniquely positioned to define the next iteration of the Internet world.

At its height, Nortel accounted for more than a third of the total valuation of all the companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), employing 94,500 worldwide, with 25,900 in Canada alone. But Nortel isn’t a story with a happy ending. Its market capitalization fell from $398 billion in September 2000 to less than $5 billion in August 2002, as Nortel’s stock price plunged from $124 to $0.47. When Nortel’s stock crashed, it

took with it a wide swath of Canadian investors and pension funds and left 60,000 Nortel employees unemployed.

Axia NetMedia

Axia is an Alberta high flyer that landed the Alberta government contract to take the lead role in hooking up the SuperNet; high-speed Internet soon to be available to every community in Alberta.

Their involvement in the $295-million project was a coming-of-age deal for the seven-year-old company. So how did the crash affect Axia NetMedia, which started out as a small cabling company in 1995 with revenues barely reaching $200,000? Not much, says Wallace. And it wasn’t that the SuperNet deal saved the company’s rear-end.

“We have other strong underpinnings. Even without SuperNet we had revenues of $72 million last year.”

Those revenues came from Axia’s involvement in areas such as e-education and e-performance offered via its technical groups, Axia IP Services and Netricom.

The company still operates today and trades on the TSX with a market cap of $208.78 million.

Other tech companies you may remember from that time are: Internet Service Provider Cadvision, Net Shepherd, EyeWire and BW Technologies.

The SuperNet

Axia NetMedia played a crucial role in creating Alberta’s SuperNet – a project aimed at ensuring the entire province had access to high-speed Internet.

Starship Alberta, September 2001

Alberta SuperNet was officially born November 2, 2000 when Lorne Taylor, then the provincial minister of innovation and science,

Herald Archive photo

The Calgary Report, January 2004.



signalled the government’s intention to contract with qualified telecommunications companies to build a high-speed broadband network to link – within three years – every hospital, school, library and government facility in the province. In total, SuperNet is supposed to cost $295 million.

Development

CODA

In 2002, the Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) announced it would build the $260-million Canadian Centre for Sport Excellence combining new and existing facilities at Canada Olympic Park and beyond to provide the leading training facilities for winter Olympic sport in Canada.

CODA Seeks Next Legacy, December 2003

First announced in January 2002, the proposed CCOSE is ambitious and far-reaching, and carries with it a price tag of around $260 million.

The idea is to combine new and existing facilities to build on the Calgary region’s already strong leadership role in developing winter athletes in Canada. It was hoped that this could be done in time for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

The Canadian Centre of Sport Excellence has had the ringing endorsement of a number of national sporting bodies. But the federal government has been somewhat mute in its support so far. That does not faze the people at the Calgary Olympic Development Association, who are looking at creative partnerships with the private sector in addition to government support from the provincial and federal governments. Canada Olympic Park consists of 600 acres and there is potential for further development there.

One of the strengths of the proposal is Calgary Olympic Development Association’s proven record of financial responsibility. John Mills, president and CEO of CODA, offers encouraging words about the financial state of CODA, stating that, “everything that we have done so far we have done with our own resources. In a couple of cases we have had partners.”

Downtown Development

Big changes for Calgary’s downtown core are announced and underway including a new $6.8-million Vertigo Theatre, a $42-million upgrade to the 7 Avenue LRT stations, a brand-new Law Courts building and others aimed at creating the vitality and livability of the city’s core.

Calgary Downtown Association has a Vision, March 2003

“It’s not just business that makes downtown successful,” said Richard White, the CDA’s executive director. “It has to be more than one dimensional. It’s three dimensional – a place to work, a place to live and a place to visit.

“Downtown Calgary is evolving in the right direction. We’re getting a balance of development there.”

Urban Design Guidelines have been established for those who develop and build private and public projects in downtown Calgary. The guidelines are not intended to restrict development, but to foster creativity and originality and to ensure individual projects contribute to the overall evolution of the downtown as “an exciting, attractive, accessible and safe place to work, live and visit.”

The guidelines were the result of meetings with 45 stakeholders.

Downtown Calgary is defined as the area from Shaw Millennium Park in the west to Fort Calgary Park on the east, and from the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks on the south to the Bow River on the north.

The CDA envisions that in the future the downtown will:

• Continue to be one of North America’s leading corporate headquarters;

• Be the most accessible of any major Canadian city via rapid and bus transit, vehicular traffic, pathways and airport access;

• Be widely recognized for its gateways – Centre Street Bridge, Louise Bridge, 4th Avenue Flyover, Bow Trail and 9th Avenue underpasses;

• Be more visually interesting and memorable with enhanced building design, improved streetscapes and vistas;

• Have user-friendly LRT stations, widened sidewalks, trees and other public amenities along 7th Avenue;

• Be world-renowned for its user-friendly +15 systems linking office, hotel, retail, entertainment and tourist facilities;

• Be the envy of North American cities for its public spaces – Prince’s Island Park, Shaw Millennium Park, Fort Calgary Historic Park, River Promenade, Olympic Plaza, Stephen Avenue Walk, Barclay Mall and Devonian Gardens;

• Have vibrant, distinct neighbourhoods including The Core, Eau Claire, West End, Cultural/Government, Chinatown and the East Village.

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February 2005

One of the most celebrated women in the Canadian financial industry, Linda Hohol is president of the TSX Venture Exchange, a unique public market that provides investment opportunities to startup companies in various sectors, earning her the Haskayne Distinguished Business Leader Award for 2005.

Taking StockTSX Venture Exchange

President Linda Hohol

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Business leaders who manage to keep their firms operating successfully, year after year, deserve a lot of credit. And so we salute Pat and Tim Ottmann in being able to celebrate the 25th anniversary of publishing Business in Calgary.

At Target Realty we understand the challenges of operating a small business as we have now reached another milestone in proudly celebrating our 30th year to become this city’s longest serving, independent commercial real estate group.

And we continue to be successful by “sticking to our knitting” in specializing in sales and property leases in areas well outside the downtown core, and by building strong relationships that keep clients coming back – and introducing us to new ones.

Our history dates back to 1985 when our current president Ralph Gibson along with the late Paul Watamanik and Bill Browne, who has since retired, decided to launch their own real estate company after enjoying working together at Richfield Real Estate.

In an industry known for the movement of sales professionals from one company to another, we have built a strong team who have been working for many years together offering a broad range of commercial and industrial real estate services backed by a wealth of local market knowledge.That knowledge and the experience of our five principals, plus the length of time we have been closely assisting each other in a non-competitive office environment bodes well for our clients.

Harvey Aronovich joined Target Realty 27 years ago and his stable of regular clients is indicative of the relationships we all continue to foster. Hyatt Auto Group is a good example. Steven and Perry Itzcovitch have been trusting Harvey to look after all of the leasing of their extensive portfolio of income-producing properties since 1988, including a newly-constructed 28,000 square foot industrial building near the Road King on 22nd Street S.E.

Principal Wayne Hill has been involved in a variety of property management, construction and commercial real estate ventures since 1971, and has been a valued member of the Target team for the past 15 years. Wayne’s focus has been on marketing land for development

by automotive dealerships, hotels, restaurants and warehousing which includes helping nine dealerships in relocating or acquiring land for new buildings.

Wayne Berry is another Target principal with long standing clients. Over the 30 years he has spent in the industry, 25 of them have been in representing Don Tull, growing together as Tull continued to buy land to build multi-tenant bays. The new Tull Business Centre in Great Plains Industrial Park – two buildings of 80,000 and 60,000 square feet – are close to being fully leased.

The fifth partner is Kenyon Chipman who joined Target in 2002. Kenyon is involved in a wide range of projects, most recently in the sale of the former Heninger Toyota site on the west side

of Macleod Trail at Mission Road that was purchased by the Calgary Co-op.

Beyond the partners, we continue to assemble a diverse, successful, enthusiastic and forward thinking team of agents that will carry the Target banner into the future.

Every real estate firm needs a broker and we at Target were fortunate to acquire the services of Jim Duggan. Now entering his 41st year in the business he joined Target in 1993 and became broker in 2003.

Commercial real estate is a challenging, exciting and satisfying business that we have enjoyed for the past 30 years, but we would not have been so successful without a great office administrator. We thank Louise Hubbard for being the glue that has held the 11 sales staff together since she joined us 10 years ago.

And a big thank you to our clients who we will look forward to serving for

many more years.

1 3 4 , 6 2 7 0 - 1 2 S T R E E T S E C A L G A RY A B T 2 H 2 X 2 T E L : 4 0 3 - 2 5 3 - 3 0 6 0 | W W W. TA R G E T - R E A LT Y. C O M

Photo: The partners of Target Realty, back row left to right, Kenyon Chipman, Wayne Berry, Harvey Aronovich, and Wayne Hill, seated Ralph Gibson, left and Jim Duggan at their offices on June 3, 2015. Photography: Leah Hennel, Calgary Herald

BY DAVID PARKER

S E L L I N GL E A S I N G

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T E N A N T R E P R E S E N TAT I O N

TARGET REALTY TURNS 30The city’s longest-serving, independent commercial real estate group offers decades of experience

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April 2005

Normie Kwong was the first Chinese Canadian to play in the CFL and, later on, was a co-owner of the Calgary Flames, making him the only Canadian to have participated in winning both the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup. Now Norman L. Kwong has been named Alberta’s 16th lieutenant-governor.

On The BallAlberta’s new lieutenant-governor Normie Kwong

has overcome the odds on the field and in his career in a case of life imitating sport.

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May 2005

As Mogens Smed launches his new company, DIRTT, his vision is anything but muddy. Doing It Right This Time is an innovative office interiors manufacturing company focused on reduction, reuse and recycling of space and materials.

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September 2005

Being an educator runs in Dr. Neil Webber’s blood, with his grandparents, mother and six of eight siblings being teachers at some point in their lives, so it’s no surprise his crowning achievement finds him as the chairman and president of Webber Academy for the above-average and gifted students. 105

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October 2005

With more than 100 developments under his belt since Remington Development Corp. was founded in 1994, Randy Remington is the owner and sole shareholder of one of the largest industrial land development companies in Western Canada.

From TheGround Up:

Randy Remington Builds a Growing Industrial Land

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December 2005

Today, David Parker’s columns on economic development appear in Calgary four times a week in the Calgary Herald, along with regular works for the Calgary Real Estate Board, Award Magazine, BOMA Calgary, and others. But his career spans the globe, and with his English accent he has promoted Calgary internationally. 109

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January 2006

Now something of a legend in Calgary, Sam Switzer is a self-made entrepreneur who has invested years of time, effort and money into a seemingly endless stream of business ventures over his almost 80 years in the city.

Hotelier and casino operator Sam Switzer looks back at half a century of entrepreneurial success in Calgary

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June 2006

From racing cars to running cattle to stock brokering, Rob Peters has become one of this city’s most interesting and eclectic businessmen. Having retired from his oil and gas brokerage firm Peters & Co., Peters now focuses on his ranching operation, the Black Diamond Land and Cattle Company. 113

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October 2006

With Willard Olauson, Joe Shannon and Hannes Kovac at its head, OPUS has had a good year as they work on a number of major downtown and suburban projects either as owners, developers or both. The two industry veterans and the up-and-comer make a strong team.

OpusMagnumThree men, a vision and the skill to make it happen are behind Calgary's OPUS Building Canada

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Back in 1964, I came to Calgary with $300 in my pocket, and a head full of ideas. I started building the Servpro/Dalco Group of Companies (known at that time as ServiceMaster), and launched the holding company Fortune Industries. When I sold Servpro 15 years ago, we had 18 divisions including construction, salvage, maid service, carpet cleaning, dry-cleaning, disaster restoration, janitorial and industrial cleaning, finance and real estate.

It was around the time I first arrived in Calgary that I started collecting art. It became another passion and before long I was loaning some to local charities. At any given time now there are over 500 pieces of my collection on loan in Calgary.

Since the sale of Servpro I have been involved in a variety of sectors, including oil, mining and real estate. I believe that it is not external factors that will drive anybody’s success. The opportunities are still good and, as entrepreneurs know, hands-on experience and resilience are what elevate people to success.

215 39 Ave NE, Calgary, AB | 403.277.7252

It is with distinct pleasure I congratulate Business in

Calgary magazine on its 25th anniversary, and on a job well done telling the

stories of our great city’s entrepreneurs!

“

“

November 2006

On a fateful day, the bank came to Fred Edwards and asked him to buy the company he always wanted. Since then, Servpro Canada is leading a trend in the janitorial industry with day cleaning and implementing licensing agreements that works much like any franchise. 117

STRONG TEAM. STRONG RESULTS. Teamwork is at the heart of how we have always done business in Calgary. Across all our practice areas, our teams are made of industry leaders known for their cohesion and ability to come together to provide the right advice. Whatever the objective, our clients know they can expect a team uniquely tailored to deliver results.

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February 2007

The chairman and longtime leader of Peters & Co., Mike Tims wins the Haskayne School of Business 2007 Distinguished Business Leader Award. With nearly 30 years of success, Tims has maintained his passion and energy by focusing on making sure the next generation is in place with room to succeed.

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The chairman and long-time leader of Peters & Co. wins the Haskayne School of Business 2007

InternationalNetworking Week 2007The largest business networking organization in the world celebrates new ways for small business owners to grow their business in the age of technology.

MBA MakeoverBusiness schools are moving to offer more accessibilty, diversification and specialization in today’s MBA programs across the country.

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March 2007

Consumer Choice Award winners Murray Edwards of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Nancy Knowlton of SMART Technologies may be in different industries, oil and gas and technology respectively, but they have both excelled in the eyes of those using their products.

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Nancy Knowlton co-founder of SMART Technologies Inc. and Murray Edwards, executive chairman of Canadian Natural Resources take top honours

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Nancy Knowlton, co-founder of SMART Technologies Inc. and Murray Edwards, executive chairman of Canadian Natural Resources take top honours+• Destination Exotic

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From one Calgary-born company to another

congratulationsTO BUSINESS IN CALGARY ON 25 YEARS

Curve Distribution brings fast moving consumer electronics to Canadians. Serving as the exclusive Canadian distributor for a focused portfolio of brands. Our services include sourcing, logistics, fulfillment, category management and brand marketing services.

June 2007

While selling Toyota forklifts was difficult in 1970, today owner Kirk Hudson and president Lloyd Cunningham can introduce Western Materials Handlings as the number one Toyota forklift dealer in Canada and Load Lifter’s inaugural dealer of the year in 2006. Hudson says this is due to commitment and staying humble. 123

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August 2007

Standing in a room filled with world leaders, Christian Darbyshire and Andy McCreath were asked by Jean Chrétien what they were doing there. They had made it. The founders of tinePublic Inc. have brought some of the world’s most illustrious figures to speak across Canada and have built a solid business doing it.

The Delivery MenCalgarians Christian Darbyshire and Andy McCreath have brought some of the world’s most illustrious figures to speak across Canada and built a solid business doing it.

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September 2007

Since he launched the oil and gas investment bank FirstEnergy Capital Corp., Brett Wilson has been a passion-driven, high-powered, deal broker in the oilpatch who’s mingled and hustled from breakfast meetings to luncheons to formal dinners with the elite crowd. Now he’s discovering some new passions.

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As the seven year anniversary of the 2008 financial crisis and the collapse of Lehman Brothers (the largest bankruptcy filing in US history) approaches, I felt it appropriate to touch on a major question we continue to hear when managing people’s financial affairs post 2008… Do I have enough? --money that is.

There are three tough questions that figure into our answer.• How much can I expect to spend in retirement?• How long is my money expected to last?• Am I on track?Instead of relying on a traditional “rule of thumb” approach,

which sticks to limited withdrawals annually with the expec-tation that the lion’s share of the principal continues to grow, we do things a little differently. We apply a ‘funded ratio’ concept to determine whether the funds you have will meet your retirement needs.

This concept goes beyond the traditional “rule of thumb” process because it considers significant changes in market behavior — which anyone who experienced the financial cri-sis in 2008/09 knows is quite possible — and it takes into account the possibility that interest rates and equity returns could remain low (or get even lower). It is a method that is most often applied in the industry when checking the health and longevity of corporate and institutional pension plans. The advantage of the funded ratio concept is that it measures your actual assets and spending needs (planned or unplanned such as illness, family emergencies) and provides a true run-ning tally of income and expenses, to find out of if you are adequately funded.

My team has been actively managing these potential risks and helping our client’s cultivate their personal financial roadmaps—even prior to the crisis of 2008. We have expe-rience in developing plans and portfolios that are detailed, thorough, and realistic without any hidden costs or surprises.

Basically our job is to walk with our clients through the different stages of their lives and financial lifecycles; to safe-guard them from the dangers of acting in response to sudden, short term headline news, and to help them stay the course of a carefully laid out plan.

Give us a call if you would like to discover what your ratio is!

Best Regards and Safe Investing.

Eric F. Bennett | Wealth Advisor (403) 213-7525 | Fax: (403) 298-4044 Toll Free: 1-800-372-9274Scotia McLeod | Suite 300 – 119 6 Avenue

Eric F. Bennett, Wealth Advisor

Remembering 2008…

® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used by ScotiaMcLeod. ScotiaMcLeod is a division of Scotia Capital Inc. (“SCI”). SCI is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

Evolution of a common concern.

April 2008

University of Calgary economist Frank Atkins weighs in on Tory business policy, including the newly imposed royalty structure as well as a series of flawed policies that have left the business community reeling. He says that it is unclear how these new changes have made people better off.

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– George Brookman (quoting Dr. David Chalack)

Business these days does feel a bit like your wagon or SUV has its wheels in mud up to the axles. But no one wins by giving up and no one gets out of a mud hole by standing still. Whatever your business, now is the time for great marketing, the time for horse power. West Canadian can help you stand out, tell your story and pull through. Get out of the mud and back onto smooth roads with creative by orange door and the trusted production facilities at West Canadian.

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– George Brookman (quoting Dr. David Chalack)

Business these days does feel a bit like your wagon or SUV has its wheels in mud up to the axles. But no one wins by giving up and no one gets out of a mud hole by standing still. Whatever your business, now is the time for great marketing, the time for horse power. West Canadian can help you stand out, tell your storyand pull through. Get out of the mud and back onto smooth roads with creative by orange door and the trusted production facilities at West Canadian.

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June 2008

It is a quintessentially humble and plain-spoken George Brookman that sits in his office at West Canadian Industries Group as he contemplates the latest recognition he received with the Distinguished Business Leader Award from the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business.

June 2008 $3.50

News Summer 2008 • Page 73

OPUS Building Corporation 25th Anniversary • Page 51

131

The oilfi eld services (OFS) business has endured many cyclical downturns, but this one is different from the rest.

Besides lower prices for both oil and natural gas, the business mix is changing. While conventional drilling will recover with commodity prices and costs, greenfi eld oilsands development is taking a hiatus after years of steady growth. Competition and excess capacity have forced prices for goods and services down sharply. There is no quick recovery on the horizon. What should managers do to make the best out of a very challengingbusiness environment?

OFS owners and operators must make the most out of whatever business comes in the door. With no opportunity to raise prices, executives and senior managers should examine every aspect of their operations to ensure optimal effi ciency. Here are the main areas where improvements can be made:

Pricing and Direct Costs - The gross margin on every single transaction must be measured and understood. This will lead the best pricing decisions, so if you get the order, it will be worth the effort. Working at or below cost is pointless, particularly when operational risk is taken into consideration. Do you know exactly what products or services make you money and the ones that don’t? In this market you must.

Fixed Costs - These are the general and administrative expenses that must be covered, regardless of business volume. What does it really cost to keep the lights on? What should it cost? This includes wages, benefi ts, payroll, offi ce, insurance, HR, safety, marketing and all the other expenses associated with running a company. Fixed costs as a percentage of total revenue have to be the lowest possible.

Cashfl ow and Collections - The oilpatch has one of the most challenging sale/ticket/invoice/collections processes in Canadian business. You do the work today and it is not uncommon to wait two months or more for payment. To maximize cashfl ow and reduce costs, managers must ensure they have the most effective processes possible to turn accounts receivable into cash as quickly as possible.

Capital Costs - Virtually all businesses use some form of debt or bank services to operate. These range from long-term debt to operating lines of credit to basic banking services. Getting the lowest-cost debt from all lenders requires quality, accurate and independently verifi ed fi nancial statements. Debt is an attractive business growth tool when you can afford it. Debt is a risk to the future of the company when you can’t.

Options - To survive an extended downturn, OFS companies need to ensure maximum fi nancial and corporate fl exibility. This can be achieved by raising equity, refi nancing or restructuring debt, mergers, opportunistic acquisitions or outright sale. Each of these requires timely, quality fi nancial reports and forecasts to get the transaction done in a timely and cost-effective manner.

We Can Help - MNP has a dedicated team of oilfi eld services fi nance and management specialists in every area, from assurance to consulting to tax, to help you and your business succeed regardless of market conditions. With offi ces and OFS leaders right across the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, we work where you work.

To fi nd out more about how MNP’s Oilfi eld Services team can assist contact David Yager, National Leader Oilfi eld Services, Calgary at 403.461.8566 or [email protected]

Downturn offers an opportunityto optimize fi nancial performanceBy David Yager, National Leader, MNP Oilfi eld Services

August 2008

After more than 30 years working for Canada’s seventh largest mid-market accounting and advisory services firm, the CEO of Meyers Norris Penny, Daryl Ritchie, has his eyes on national expansion. But even with expansion into the East, you can never take the West out of MNP.

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Western Success Story Goes EastNational expansion strategy has Meyers Norris Penny’s Daryl Ritchie thinking big as the firm enters Eastern Canada

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December 2008

Perhaps best known for his role as Chief Peter Kenidi on the television series North of 60, Tom Jackson has also received Juno nominations for two of his 14 country music albums and many humanitarian awards for his work supporting food banks, aborigi-nal communities, solutions to fight homelessness and various other causes.

December 2008 $3.50

The CEO of GivingActor and musician Tom Jackson makes the business case for giving in tight economic times as he launches Singing for Supper in December

News Winter 2008 • Page 85

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Our peopleare yourgreatest asset.

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January 2009

As the incoming chair-elect of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Lois Mitchell is well qualified to step into the organization’s top spot when she officially gets handed the reins later this month. Her roots in Calgary’s business, sports, arts and philanthropic communities run deep. 137

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOUR GIFT IS GOING TO HELP, UNTIL YOU DO!

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February 2009

With an ambitious vision, Bud McCaig amalgamated all the independent health services to form the Calgary Health Trust, which had raised more than $250 million in the last decade by partnering with corporate Calgary and community groups to host popular fundraising events. Ann McCaig and Patricia Nelson carry on this vision.

February 2009 $3.50

Building healthy communities through innovative partnerships

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It’s actually up to you. Without nominations, deserving Professional Engineers and Professional

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October 2009

A veteran of the oilpatch, Clayton Riddell, chairman and CEO of Paramount Resources, never looks back. Having taken his company public in 1978, Riddell has built an energy empire along with his family and, in the process, amassed a group of companies and assets worth about $2.8 billion.

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Lifetime EntrepreneurClayton Riddell, the oilpatch veteran who’s inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs, looks ahead with optimism

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2005

2009




Ups, Downs and Rebounds

EnergyWhen Calgary is firing on all cylinders, you can bet it’s because the energy sector is fuelling growth. High oil and gas prices were a reflection of surging global demand for commodities, spurred by growth in countries such as China and India. Those two nations were rapidly developing their infrastructure and contributed greatly to the need for oil and gas. Record drilling activity continued through 2007, with companies such as EnCana Corp. and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. announcing major new multibillion-dollar investments to their oilsands operations. High demand in developed and developing countries, geopolitical unrest in certain oil producing countries and limited refining capacity compared to demand fuelled healthy profits.

During the boom years, two major stories threatened to put the brakes on all of the optimism: A federal income trust tax and provincial royalty reviews.

Income Trust Taxation

On Halloween 2006, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced the government’s intention to change the tax structure. Flaherty said $70 billion of new trust conversions have been announced so far that year and that it was hurting the nation’s economy implying trust conversions were a tax-avoidance tactic. Existing trusts were given a four-year grace period before the new taxation scheme took effect.

2006 – Year in Review, December 2006

The oilpatch was dealt a serious blow in November when the federal Conservatives introduced a new law taxing income trusts. That was the biggest story in the minds of many Alberta business leaders who felt instantly betrayed by the prime minister they’d put in office.

And the turmoil continued into the following year as mid-sized oil and gas companies navigated what the new rules meant for their future.

What a Difference a Year Makes, December 2007

The story that just keeps on going, much to the chagrin of oil and gas business leaders, continued to unfold after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s Halloween horror surprise in 2006.

The Coalition of Canadian Energy Trusts was formed and their first move was to lobby the government to reverse the decision to all but end income trusts by removing favourable tax policies. The organization launched a massive ad campaign across Canada to encourage investors – who lost millions of dollars – to do the same. To mark the Oct. 31 anniversary this year, investors renewed calls to reverse the income trust decision at Stephen Harper’s constituency office in Calgary.

Unfortunately, those cries fell on deaf ears. Minister of Natural Resources Gary Lunn reaffirmed the government’s decision as being


2006 | In February, Business in Calgary and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce were a team once more and Business in Calgary resumed its role as the official publication of the Chamber.

2007 | In June, Business in Calgary launched Business in Calgary’s Leaders of Tomorrow program. A luncheon at the Chamber recognized 20 of Calgary’s business leaders and community builders. Now rebranded as Business in Calgary’s Leaders, the program remains an important part of the magazine’s involvement and celebration of the business community in Calgary.

Economy Snapshot


Price of WTI High: $145 USD

Price of WTI Low: $30.28

Average Price of WTI: $71.21

Mayor: Dave Bronconnier

Premier: Ralph Klein, Ed Stelmach (elected 2006)

Chuckwagon Tarp Total: 2005 $2,100,000

2006 $2,900,000

2007 $4,003,500

2008 $2,516,000

2009 $1,692,000


Average GDP: $68,274**

Median House Price:

2005: $225,000

2006: $323,000

2007: $381,000

2008: $371,500

2009: $353,500

The StoryWhen it comes to the five-year span between 2005 and 2009, Dickens captured the essence: it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. Propelled by high oil, Calgary soared to record-breaking highs and sunk to devastating lows only to finish off on the road to recovery.

As the city entered 2005 on an upswing, every sector was humming. The price of oil was headed for $50 per barrel and every industry was buzzing with activity. It was a time of optimism, investment, development and spending.

• Population grew from 991,759 to 1,065,455 in five years. That’s 40 people per day! Calgary’s population hit one million people July 26, 2006.

• Oil hit a record at US$145 in July 2008 and a low of $30.28 on December 23, 2008 – the sharpest drop in history. Oil rebounded to $85.19 in November of 2009.

THE OILPATCH WAS DEALT A SERIOUS

BLOW IN NOVEMBER WHEN THE

FEDERAL CONSERVATIVES INTRODUCED

A NEW LAW TAXING INCOME TRUSTS.

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST STORY IN THE

MINDS OF MANY ALBERTA BUSINESS

LEADERS WHO FELT INSTANTLY

BETRAYED BY THE PRIME MINISTER

THEY’D PUT IN OFFICE.





2005

2009




Ups, Downs and Rebounds

EnergyWhen Calgary is firing on all cylinders, you can bet it’s because the energy sector is fuelling growth. High oil and gas prices were a reflection of surging global demand for commodities, spurred by growth in countries such as China and India. Those two nations were rapidly developing their infrastructure and contributed greatly to the need for oil and gas. Record drilling activity continued through 2007, with companies such as EnCana Corp. and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. announcing major new multibillion-dollar investments to their oilsands operations. High demand in developed and developing countries, geopolitical unrest in certain oil producing countries and limited refining capacity compared to demand fuelled healthy profits.

During the boom years, two major stories threatened to put the brakes on all of the optimism: A federal income trust tax and provincial royalty reviews.

Income Trust Taxation

On Halloween 2006, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced the government’s intention to change the tax structure. Flaherty said $70 billion of new trust conversions have been announced so far that year and that it was hurting the nation’s economy implying trust conversions were a tax-avoidance tactic. Existing trusts were given a four-year grace period before the new taxation scheme took effect.


The oilpatch was dealt a serious blow in November when the federal Conservatives introduced a new law taxing income trusts. That was the biggest story in the minds of many Alberta business leaders who felt instantly betrayed by the prime minister they’d put in office.

And the turmoil continued into the following year as mid-sized oil and gas companies navigated what the new rules meant for their future.


The story that just keeps on going, much to the chagrin of oil and gas business leaders, continued to unfold after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s Halloween horror surprise in 2006.

The Coalition of Canadian Energy Trusts was formed and their first move was to lobby the government to reverse the decision to all but end income trusts by removing favourable tax policies. The organization launched a massive ad campaign across Canada to encourage investors – who lost millions of dollars – to do the same. To mark the Oct. 31 anniversary this year, investors renewed calls to reverse the income trust decision at Stephen Harper’s constituency office in Calgary.

Unfortunately, those cries fell on deaf ears. Minister of Natural Resources Gary Lunn reaffirmed the government’s decision as being


2006 | In February, Business in Calgary and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce were a team once more and Business in Calgary resumed its role as the official publication of the Chamber.

2007 | In June, Business in Calgary launched Business in Calgary’s Leaders of Tomorrow program. A luncheon at the Chamber recognized 20 of Calgary’s business leaders and community builders. Now rebranded as Business in Calgary’s Leaders, the program remains an important part of the magazine’s involvement and celebration of the business community in Calgary.

Economy Snapshot


Price of WTI High: $145 USD

Price of WTI Low: $30.28

Average Price of WTI: $71.21

Mayor: Dave Bronconnier

Premier: Ralph Klein, Ed Stelmach (elected 2006)

Chuckwagon Tarp Total: 2005 $2,100,000

2006 $2,900,000

2007 $4,003,500

2008 $2,516,000

2009 $1,692,000


Average GDP: $68,274**

Median House Price:

2005: $225,000

2006: $323,000

2007: $381,000

2008: $371,500

2009: $353,500

The StoryWhen it comes to the five-year span between 2005 and 2009, Dickens captured the essence: it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. Propelled by high oil, Calgary soared to record-breaking highs and sunk to devastating lows only to finish off on the road to recovery.

As the city entered 2005 on an upswing, every sector was humming. The price of oil was headed for $50 per barrel and every industry was buzzing with activity. It was a time of optimism, investment, development and spending.

• Population grew from 991,759 to 1,065,455 in five years. That’s 40 people per day! Calgary’s population hit one million people July 26, 2006.

• Oil hit a record at US$145 in July 2008 and a low of $30.28 on December 23, 2008 – the sharpest drop in history. Oil rebounded to $85.19 in November of 2009.

THE OILPATCH WAS DEALT A SERIOUS

BLOW IN NOVEMBER WHEN THE

FEDERAL CONSERVATIVES INTRODUCED

A NEW LAW TAXING INCOME TRUSTS.

THAT WAS THE BIGGEST STORY IN THE

MINDS OF MANY ALBERTA BUSINESS

LEADERS WHO FELT INSTANTLY

BETRAYED BY THE PRIME MINISTER

THEY’D PUT IN OFFICE.


2005 – 2009 // LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARS 2005 – 2009 // LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARS


• The unemployment rate hit a low of three per cent three times in 2006 and 2007.

confirmed it will go ahead on $15 billion in oilsands projects.

Although there was widespread concern about loss of jobs and layoffs leading up to the report, that hasn’t materialized – yet. However, oil companies will crunch numbers and any potential impact resulting from the higher royalties could be felt in the new year. Many prominent business leaders in the oilpatch spoke up about the effects of raising royalties, just as the majority of Albertans were in favour of a revised royalty regime.

Premier Stelmach walked a fine line, trying to create a balance by not implementing all of the recommendations and by allowing a phase-in period as the new rules take effect in 2009. He recently garnered praise and support from the likes of former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed during a news conference where Lougheed said Stelmach struck a balance that will allow for a prosperous and business-friendly climate as Alberta continues along one of the largest growth periods in its existence.

Some sectors of the energy industry may be hit harder than others by the new royalty regime, though. Conventional oil and natural gas wells, for example, are experiencing high costs and low commodity prices, making any additional royalty increases more painful than perhaps in areas such as the oilsands. Companies began pulling back on drilling new wells this year. Meanwhile, junior and intermediate oil and gas firms with a less geographically diverse asset base will be forced to merge or sell as a result of the royalty changes, which resulted in change to the allocation of capital in the oilpatch. Peters and Co. predicted a new round of consolidation as the impact continues to play out in the sector.

Of course, by the time the review was complete, the economic picture in Alberta had changed significantly.


In 2007, activity on the conventional side of the business, particularly natural gas wells, dropped off dramatically after a record year in 2006. Companies suffered, but persevered and

reallocated resources as necessary to weather a cycle of low commodity prices and increasing costs.

Rig operators predict a rather gloomy future for 2008, so the downturn in activity and hiring in the oilfield service sector could get worse before it gets better.

Companies have been laying off workers and reallocating resources where possible to weather the storm. Some operators are sticking to their strategy of continuing to operate in a more geographically diverse way so that companies can take advantage of areas where activities continue.

Some oilfield service companies have stated publicly that the new royalty regime will only add to their problems, since they already suffer from thin margins due to low natural gas prices and high labour costs.

“If someone’s having a heart attack, you don’t just leave them on the sidewalk. At what point does the industry say, ‘We can’t take anymore?’” – Ken Mullin, president and CEO of Savanna Energy Services Corp.

In the end, Stelmach began reversing the changes and royalties ended up changing very little, if at all.

The years 2005-2009 also brought stories of:

• New drilling and exploration technologies like SAGD and THAI.

• Weak natural gas prices slowing drilling activity.

• In the alternative energy realm, biodiesel was getting a lot of attention and wind power gained a foothold in oil country with the launch of Bullfrog Power in 2007.

final to an audience of Calgary oilpatch executives earlier in October at the Chamber of Commerce. Income trusts, meanwhile, have been trying to figure out their next moves this year. The new reality for income trusts, which are typically mid-market companies, is that they are ripe takeover targets. Consume or be consumed, seems to be the mantra. Trusts are expected to continue their moves to convert back to corporations or else get swallowed up by private equity funds or foreign suitors.

Sales of income trusts on last year’s announcement have surged to unprecedented levels. In the spring quarter alone, sales and acquisitions spiked by 94 per cent to 62 from 32 in the first quarter. The flurry of activity drove the value of income trust deals in Canada up 300 per cent to $12.2 billion from $2.9 billion in the first quarter. While only 37 per cent of total transactions were income trusts being sold, they accounted for 94 per cent of the value of all transactions.

The general consensus among business leaders is that there will be few, if any, energy income trusts left by 2010 before the rules take full effect in 2011. Many are already choosing not to pay dividends – the precise quality that made them attractive to investors. They spent 2007 trying to reduce debt and basically went into survival mode. The playing field for many juniors that relied on building up their startups and selling them to trusts became uneven this year as a result of the decision. Most investors spent the year trying to understand what it means for their assets. Contrary to public perception, and confirmed by numerous reports that were issued earlier this year, income trusts do not avoid tax but defer payments. Income trust investors must pay taxes when they sell. The government’s issue was the number of companies – and dollars – that were moving toward this new model as well as the large number of foreign investors that government felt would never pay taxes. The balance is uneasy, it will have lasting effects for the oilpatch and its investors. The bottom line is that the ultimate losers are baby boomers who are simply trying to earn some decent retirement income when compared to the dismal performance of RRSPs.

Royalty Reviews

Shortly after his election in December 2006, premier designate Ed Stelmach announced his government would conduct a review of the oilsands royalty structure. A year later, in October 2007, the premier announced he would be implementing most of the review panel’s recommendations, including a hike of the maximum royalty from 35 per cent to 50 per cent – a move that was expected to inject an additional $1.4 billion into government coffers.


Premier Ed Stelmach’s decision to raise royalty rates by 20 per cent by 2010 will increase Alberta’s take by $1.4 billion a year, slightly short of the $2 billion proposed by the province’s royalty review panel this fall. Oil and gas companies, who stated they would pull billions of dollars in projects if royalty increases went ahead, began confirming shortly after the announcement they would proceed with the majority of their planned projects. Petro-Canada, for example,

Building a stronger Alberta

He came to Alberta as a temporary foreign worker in a food processing plant. He loves his job, and his boss wishes he could stay.

Find a permanent solution to your staffing needsAs part of Alberta’s efforts to address its labour shortage, the Alberta Provincial Nomination Program helps employers fast track the immigration process for qualified foreign workers in targeted occupations.

The expanded program includes:• Transportation (long haul truck drivers)

• Manufacturing (machine operators, assemblers, fabricators, inspectors)

• Hotel and Lodging (room attendants, food and beverage servers)

• Food and Beverage Processing (bakers, production workers, meat cutters)

The program also covers international students graduating from Alberta public universities or colleges with full-time jobs in their field of study.

For more information, call the

Alberta Foreign Worker Hotline at 1 877 427 6419 or visit www.alberta-canada.com/pnp.

don’t let your temporary workers get away

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

pnp F&B Bus B (8.25 x 10.875).pdf 8/23/07 9:46:07 AM

Ad: Don’t let your temporary workers get away – November 2007


• Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Tarps set continuous records with an astounding high mark of $4,003,500 in 2007.

• The average house price rose 65 per cent between 2005 and 2007, topping out at $423,770 in 2007.




• The unemployment rate hit a low of three per cent three times in 2006 and 2007.

confirmed it will go ahead on $15 billion in oilsands projects.

Although there was widespread concern about loss of jobs and layoffs leading up to the report, that hasn’t materialized – yet. However, oil companies will crunch numbers and any potential impact resulting from the higher royalties could be felt in the new year. Many prominent business leaders in the oilpatch spoke up about the effects of raising royalties, just as the majority of Albertans were in favour of a revised royalty regime.

Premier Stelmach walked a fine line, trying to create a balance by not implementing all of the recommendations and by allowing a phase-in period as the new rules take effect in 2009. He recently garnered praise and support from the likes of former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed during a news conference where Lougheed said Stelmach struck a balance that will allow for a prosperous and business-friendly climate as Alberta continues along one of the largest growth periods in its existence.

Some sectors of the energy industry may be hit harder than others by the new royalty regime, though. Conventional oil and natural gas wells, for example, are experiencing high costs and low commodity prices, making any additional royalty increases more painful than perhaps in areas such as the oilsands. Companies began pulling back on drilling new wells this year. Meanwhile, junior and intermediate oil and gas firms with a less geographically diverse asset base will be forced to merge or sell as a result of the royalty changes, which resulted in change to the allocation of capital in the oilpatch. Peters and Co. predicted a new round of consolidation as the impact continues to play out in the sector.

Of course, by the time the review was complete, the economic picture in Alberta had changed significantly.


In 2007, activity on the conventional side of the business, particularly natural gas wells, dropped off dramatically after a record year in 2006. Companies suffered, but persevered and

reallocated resources as necessary to weather a cycle of low commodity prices and increasing costs.

Rig operators predict a rather gloomy future for 2008, so the downturn in activity and hiring in the oilfield service sector could get worse before it gets better.

Companies have been laying off workers and reallocating resources where possible to weather the storm. Some operators are sticking to their strategy of continuing to operate in a more geographically diverse way so that companies can take advantage of areas where activities continue.

Some oilfield service companies have stated publicly that the new royalty regime will only add to their problems, since they already suffer from thin margins due to low natural gas prices and high labour costs.

“If someone’s having a heart attack, you don’t just leave them on the sidewalk. At what point does the industry say, ‘We can’t take anymore?’” – Ken Mullin, president and CEO of Savanna Energy Services Corp.

In the end, Stelmach began reversing the changes and royalties ended up changing very little, if at all.

The years 2005-2009 also brought stories of:

• New drilling and exploration technologies like SAGD and THAI.

• Weak natural gas prices slowing drilling activity.

• In the alternative energy realm, biodiesel was getting a lot of attention and wind power gained a foothold in oil country with the launch of Bullfrog Power in 2007.

final to an audience of Calgary oilpatch executives earlier in October at the Chamber of Commerce. Income trusts, meanwhile, have been trying to figure out their next moves this year. The new reality for income trusts, which are typically mid-market companies, is that they are ripe takeover targets. Consume or be consumed, seems to be the mantra. Trusts are expected to continue their moves to convert back to corporations or else get swallowed up by private equity funds or foreign suitors.

Sales of income trusts on last year’s announcement have surged to unprecedented levels. In the spring quarter alone, sales and acquisitions spiked by 94 per cent to 62 from 32 in the first quarter. The flurry of activity drove the value of income trust deals in Canada up 300 per cent to $12.2 billion from $2.9 billion in the first quarter. While only 37 per cent of total transactions were income trusts being sold, they accounted for 94 per cent of the value of all transactions.

The general consensus among business leaders is that there will be few, if any, energy income trusts left by 2010 before the rules take full effect in 2011. Many are already choosing not to pay dividends – the precise quality that made them attractive to investors. They spent 2007 trying to reduce debt and basically went into survival mode. The playing field for many juniors that relied on building up their startups and selling them to trusts became uneven this year as a result of the decision. Most investors spent the year trying to understand what it means for their assets. Contrary to public perception, and confirmed by numerous reports that were issued earlier this year, income trusts do not avoid tax but defer payments. Income trust investors must pay taxes when they sell. The government’s issue was the number of companies – and dollars – that were moving toward this new model as well as the large number of foreign investors that government felt would never pay taxes. The balance is uneasy, it will have lasting effects for the oilpatch and its investors. The bottom line is that the ultimate losers are baby boomers who are simply trying to earn some decent retirement income when compared to the dismal performance of RRSPs.

Royalty Reviews

Shortly after his election in December 2006, premier designate Ed Stelmach announced his government would conduct a review of the oilsands royalty structure. A year later, in October 2007, the premier announced he would be implementing most of the review panel’s recommendations, including a hike of the maximum royalty from 35 per cent to 50 per cent – a move that was expected to inject an additional $1.4 billion into government coffers.


Premier Ed Stelmach’s decision to raise royalty rates by 20 per cent by 2010 will increase Alberta’s take by $1.4 billion a year, slightly short of the $2 billion proposed by the province’s royalty review panel this fall. Oil and gas companies, who stated they would pull billions of dollars in projects if royalty increases went ahead, began confirming shortly after the announcement they would proceed with the majority of their planned projects. Petro-Canada, for example,

Building a stronger Alberta

He came to Alberta as a temporary foreign worker in a food processing plant. He loves his job, and his boss wishes he could stay.

Find a permanent solution to your staffing needsAs part of Alberta’s efforts to address its labour shortage, the Alberta Provincial Nomination Program helps employers fast track the immigration process for qualified foreign workers in targeted occupations.

The expanded program includes:• Transportation (long haul truck drivers)

• Manufacturing (machine operators, assemblers, fabricators, inspectors)

• Hotel and Lodging (room attendants, food and beverage servers)

• Food and Beverage Processing (bakers, production workers, meat cutters)

The program also covers international students graduating from Alberta public universities or colleges with full-time jobs in their field of study.

For more information, call the

Alberta Foreign Worker Hotline at 1 877 427 6419 or visit www.alberta-canada.com/pnp.

don’t let your temporary workers get away

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

pnp F&B Bus B (8.25 x 10.875).pdf 8/23/07 9:46:07 AM

Ad: Don’t let your temporary workers get away – November 2007


• Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Tarps set continuous records with an astounding high mark of $4,003,500 in 2007.

• The average house price rose 65 per cent between 2005 and 2007, topping out at $423,770 in 2007.



Fast Facts, Milestones and Highlights Fast Facts, Milestones and Highlights

• Bill Clinton came to speak in Calgary on October 19, 2005 on the topic of leadership.

• In 2005, with the help of 2.2 million stock options, Hank Swartout, chairman and CEO of Calgary’s Precision Drilling, took home the highest salary ever earned by a Canadian executive – $74.8 million (May 2006).

• In 2004, there were seven buyers looking for recreational properties for every one seller (A Little Piece of Heaven, April 2005).

• As YouTube and Reddit both launched in 2005, BIC was offering up advice on new communications tools including the oddly-named “blog” (Marketing for the Ages, May 2005).

By the end of 2007, though, relief was on the way as more than two dozen major office projects were either recently completed or under construction.

Relief on the Horizon, September 2007

As Brad Krizan drives through downtown Calgary checking out competitors’ office tower construction sites, it suddenly hits him. The sheer scale and scope of projects recently completed, nearing completion or planned for the city’s core is massive. Not since the boom of the late 1970s and early ’80s has there been such a large build-out of downtown. As the director of leasing for Calgary-based Opus Building Corp., he knows all the numbers, but in a physical sense the skyline of Calgary is undergoing a major facelift. It’s like immediately adding seven or eight Bankers Halls in terms of square footage, with another six or seven planned to be ready within two to five years.

“It’s taking some pressure off, but it’s still not enough,” says Krizan. There are about two dozen new office towers in various stages of construction and planning. The beltline, mostly along 10th, 11th and 12th Avenues, is rapidly becoming “south downtown,” according to Randy Magnussen, an executive vice-president in Calgary for Bentall Real Estate.

Now familiar features of Calgary’s skyline, commercial space under construction between 2005 and 2009 included:

• Jamieson Place (Oxford)

• Livingston Place (Bentall)

• Centrium Place (Tonko)

• Trident Tower (Homburg-Harris Centre)

• Homburg-Harris Centre (Homburg-Centron)

• Bankers Court (Brookfield)

• Opus 8 (Opus)

• Centennial Place (Oxford)

• Penny Lane (Matco)

• Palliser Square (Aspen)

• The Bow (EnCana)

• The Bow II (EnCana)

• 8 West (Torode)

• Eau Claire Redevelopment (Harvard Developments)

• Stampede Station (Opus)

• Ribtor Phase II (Colliers)

• Genco Place

• IBM Campus (Phase II)

• IBM Campus (Phase III)

Real EstateResidential, commercial and recreational property in Calgary and beyond were in a frenzy as the region entered 2005. Builders struggled to keep up with demand for office space and the housing crunch was threatening to put a damper on boom times as much-needed labour struggled to find housing. The Calgary Real Estate Board reported that the average house price in Calgary hit a record peak of $505,920 in July 2007 before falling back to around $475,000 later in the fall. The average house price in Calgary in 2000 was just $188,841.

Squeezed Out, October 2006

Jason Chapman is a skilled tradesman who is ready and willing to work. Although his skills are in high demand in this province, he’s packing his bags and moving west to capitalize on B.C.’s booming economy.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to stay here – he’s lived in Calgary most of his life – it’s just a very practical problem: he can’t find a place to live. He can’t currently afford to buy a house, so he’s left with the rental market as his only option. The problem? There are no rental suites available in Calgary.

It’s becoming a familiar story as renters from a wide range of income brackets search unsuccessfully for accommodations in a residential rental market that has a vacancy rate of 0.6 per cent. “I think it’s crazy that more people don’t seem to realize that the labour shortage is only going to get much, much worse if people can’t find an apartment,” says Chapman. “I don’t know what the solution is, but I do know that the business community is going to suffer in coming months and years if no action is taken to deal with this massive problem.”

The story wasn’t much different for SMEs being forced from the core in the face of rising rents.

Heading for the Hills: Small business leaves the core amid rising rents, March 2006

Feeling the squeeze from record-high rental rates in downtown Calgary, small and medium-sized business owners are packing their bags in search of more affordable digs. The trend is spawning new suburban office development clusters throughout the city as entrepreneurs that don’t absolutely have to maintain a downtown presence try to escape prices that continue to escalate as high as $40 per square foot for high-end office space.

“We’re dealing with tenants all the time who are looking at $30-plus rental rates (per square foot) downtown and in some cases as high as $40 … and they’re saying: ‘Forget this, what have you got in the beltline or suburban market?’” says Randy Fennessey, president and chief executive of the Calgary office of Colliers International Inc.

Vacancy rates in the inner-city core for office space are hovering around the 1.6 per cent rate, which translates to roughly half a million square feet of vacancy, compared to the total of 32 million square feet of space downtown, he says, citing recent industry studies. That means smart developers are eagerly chasing after this emerging market, but it’s also left many entrepreneurs wondering what their next step should be when that lease expires.

Bill Clinton

THE CALGARY REAL ESTATE BOARD

REPORTED THAT THE AVERAGE

HOUSE PRICE IN CALGARY HIT A

RECORD PEAK OF $505,920 IN JULY

2007 BEFORE FALLING BACK TO

AROUND $475,000 LATER IN THE

FALL. THE AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE IN

CALGARY IN 2000 WAS JUST $188,841.

Homburg-Centron ad, September 2007




• Bill Clinton came to speak in Calgary on October 19, 2005 on the topic of leadership.

• In 2005, with the help of 2.2 million stock options, Hank Swartout, chairman and CEO of Calgary’s Precision Drilling, took home the highest salary ever earned by a Canadian executive – $74.8 million (May 2006).

• In 2004, there were seven buyers looking for recreational properties for every one seller (A Little Piece of Heaven, April 2005).

• As YouTube and Reddit both launched in 2005, BIC was offering up advice on new communications tools including the oddly-named “blog” (Marketing for the Ages, May 2005).

By the end of 2007, though, relief was on the way as more than two dozen major office projects were either recently completed or under construction.

Relief on the Horizon, September 2007

As Brad Krizan drives through downtown Calgary checking out competitors’ office tower construction sites, it suddenly hits him. The sheer scale and scope of projects recently completed, nearing completion or planned for the city’s core is massive. Not since the boom of the late 1970s and early ’80s has there been such a large build-out of downtown. As the director of leasing for Calgary-based Opus Building Corp., he knows all the numbers, but in a physical sense the skyline of Calgary is undergoing a major facelift. It’s like immediately adding seven or eight Bankers Halls in terms of square footage, with another six or seven planned to be ready within two to five years.

“It’s taking some pressure off, but it’s still not enough,” says Krizan. There are about two dozen new office towers in various stages of construction and planning. The beltline, mostly along 10th, 11th and 12th Avenues, is rapidly becoming “south downtown,” according to Randy Magnussen, an executive vice-president in Calgary for Bentall Real Estate.

Now familiar features of Calgary’s skyline, commercial space under construction between 2005 and 2009 included:

• Jamieson Place (Oxford)

• Livingston Place (Bentall)

• Centrium Place (Tonko)

• Trident Tower (Homburg-Harris Centre)

• Homburg-Harris Centre (Homburg-Centron)

• Bankers Court (Brookfield)

• Opus 8 (Opus)

• Centennial Place (Oxford)

• Penny Lane (Matco)

• Palliser Square (Aspen)

• The Bow (EnCana)

• The Bow II (EnCana)

• 8 West (Torode)

• Eau Claire Redevelopment (Harvard Developments)

• Stampede Station (Opus)

• Ribtor Phase II (Colliers)

• Genco Place

• IBM Campus (Phase II)

• IBM Campus (Phase III)

Real EstateResidential, commercial and recreational property in Calgary and beyond were in a frenzy as the region entered 2005. Builders struggled to keep up with demand for office space and the housing crunch was threatening to put a damper on boom times as much-needed labour struggled to find housing. The Calgary Real Estate Board reported that the average house price in Calgary hit a record peak of $505,920 in July 2007 before falling back to around $475,000 later in the fall. The average house price in Calgary in 2000 was just $188,841.

Squeezed Out, October 2006

Jason Chapman is a skilled tradesman who is ready and willing to work. Although his skills are in high demand in this province, he’s packing his bags and moving west to capitalize on B.C.’s booming economy.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to stay here – he’s lived in Calgary most of his life – it’s just a very practical problem: he can’t find a place to live. He can’t currently afford to buy a house, so he’s left with the rental market as his only option. The problem? There are no rental suites available in Calgary.

It’s becoming a familiar story as renters from a wide range of income brackets search unsuccessfully for accommodations in a residential rental market that has a vacancy rate of 0.6 per cent. “I think it’s crazy that more people don’t seem to realize that the labour shortage is only going to get much, much worse if people can’t find an apartment,” says Chapman. “I don’t know what the solution is, but I do know that the business community is going to suffer in coming months and years if no action is taken to deal with this massive problem.”

The story wasn’t much different for SMEs being forced from the core in the face of rising rents.

Heading for the Hills: Small business leaves the core amid rising rents, March 2006

Feeling the squeeze from record-high rental rates in downtown Calgary, small and medium-sized business owners are packing their bags in search of more affordable digs. The trend is spawning new suburban office development clusters throughout the city as entrepreneurs that don’t absolutely have to maintain a downtown presence try to escape prices that continue to escalate as high as $40 per square foot for high-end office space.

“We’re dealing with tenants all the time who are looking at $30-plus rental rates (per square foot) downtown and in some cases as high as $40 … and they’re saying: ‘Forget this, what have you got in the beltline or suburban market?’” says Randy Fennessey, president and chief executive of the Calgary office of Colliers International Inc.

Vacancy rates in the inner-city core for office space are hovering around the 1.6 per cent rate, which translates to roughly half a million square feet of vacancy, compared to the total of 32 million square feet of space downtown, he says, citing recent industry studies. That means smart developers are eagerly chasing after this emerging market, but it’s also left many entrepreneurs wondering what their next step should be when that lease expires.

Bill Clinton

THE CALGARY REAL ESTATE BOARD

REPORTED THAT THE AVERAGE

HOUSE PRICE IN CALGARY HIT A

RECORD PEAK OF $505,920 IN JULY

2007 BEFORE FALLING BACK TO

AROUND $475,000 LATER IN THE

FALL. THE AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE IN

CALGARY IN 2000 WAS JUST $188,841.

Homburg-Centron ad, September 2007




• Alan Greenspan speaks in Calgary on October 6, 2006 in his first public event ever.

• The half-hour Energy-TV feature debuts on Global television in November 2006. Nine years later, producer Neil Suresh Chandran would be fined $400,000 for illegal trading which cost investors millions.

• Aspen Properties buys Calgary Tower (and adjacent properties) for $150 million.

• Calgary received the greatest number of permanent residents from China, India and the Philippines in Canada in 2005 and had a net gain of migrants of 92,000 between 2002 and 2006.

Manufacturing and ExportAs Alberta’s favourite “back-up plan” for down cycles in oil and gas, manufacturing and export generally suffer during boom times. Couple that with an at-par loonie and manufacturers had to get creative.

Loonie at Par Creates Winners and Losers, June 2006

Louis Kelemen can attest to the difficulties faced by manufacturers. He’s president of Calgary-based Simo Corporation, an office furniture manufacturer whose business is about 50 per cent south of the border. “(The strong loonie) is affecting a pretty big chunk of our business,” he says from his 75,000-square-foot production facility that employs 110 workers. That’s because his company’s break-even point when selling in U.S. dollars was around the 80-cent mark. Four years ago when the dollar was trading at 63 cents U.S., “we had a strong competitive advantage.” Now, “we just can’t offer the big discounts we used to and therefore we can’t get some of the jobs we’re used to,” says Kelemen. The trend means it’s time to get lean and mean and cut out the fat.

He’s part of the Manufacturing Action Committee established in conjunction with Calgary Economic Development to address the big issues facing manufacturers in Calgary. Ironically, it isn’t just the strong Canadian dollar that’s giving a pounding to profitability for Simo Corp. Labour, it turns out, is compounding the issue to a much greater extent. “I’m competing against companies in Ontario that don’t have a labour shortage and their cost of labour isn’t increasing 15 or 20 or 30 per cent a year,” says Kelemen. He lost three machine operators in one week in April, all of whom opted for employment (some in the oilpatch) for $5 more per hour. “Our strategy is becoming more efficient. Because of the local labour market, we’re looking at technology to replace labour.” It’s another catch-22, though. To become more competitive, new and highly sophisticated equipment must be purchased at a time when money is not in abundance for this struggling sector. “The market is tightening up,

you’re not as busy as you were, your margins are being squeezed and all of a sudden you can’t leverage your business the same way you can when things are going really well,” says Kelemen.

There were, however, bright spots including the launch of DIRTT, Mogens Smed’s green-minded office space manufacturing company that rose from the sale of his family business, SMED, to Haworth five years earlier in 2000.

But as new houses, condos and commercial properties came online, things began to cool off in 2008 as homeowners who happily watched their property values skyrocket in 2006 and 2007, had much of those gains evaporate in 2008.

Real Estate Feature, March 2008

“ After that tremendous boom in 2006, this is a bit of a bumpy ride, but it’s not a crash like what’s happening with housing in the States. Our economy is still strong and our unemployment is around three per cent. Wages are rising and we’re creating jobs, so things are moderating.” ~ Lai Sing Louie, CHMC senior market analyst.


“In 2008, what we’ve seen overall is reduced level of demand for a variety of reasons,” explains CMHC’s senior market analyst, Lai

Sing Louie. “We had a lower level of net migration coming here this year and … a rapid run-up in prices, which has affected affordability in terms of people buying.”

But in terms of hard numbers since 2005, property owners have still managed to see a substantial appreciation in the value of their homes and condos. In 2005, the average price of a single-family home in the metropolitan area of Calgary was $281,000 in September.

But, as real estate does in Calgary, things were looking up again by 2009.


After seeing declines in both home values and housing starts in the past year, Alberta’s residential housing market seems to have reached a bottom and, if not heading upward, is at least stabilizing.

“Calgary’s housing market has clearly turned a corner,” says Bonnie Wegerich, president of the Calgary Real Estate Board. “We expect there to be a few bumps on this road to recovery, but we believe the worst is over.”

Other real estate stories from this period included:

• The emergence of fractional ownership as an alternative to timeshare recreational properties.

• The release of the East Village Redevelopment Plan that eventually went to mark actual progress after decades of failed attempts at redevelopment.

• The groundbreaking of EnCana’s legendary Bow building on the corner of 6th Avenue and Centre Street SE.

• Launch of the yet-to-be-named CrossIron Mills and Century Downs Racetrack projects in Balzac.

“Just because a project doesn’t sell out in three weeks doesn’t mean it’s a failure. On a 24-month construction time, I budget 22-24 months to sell the product and that’s normal.” – Chris Colbeck, VP of sales and marketing for Qualex Landmark.

“ AFTER THAT TREMENDOUS BOOM IN

2006, THIS IS A BIT OF A BUMPY RIDE,

BUT IT’S NOT A CRASH LIKE WHAT’S

HAPPENING WITH HOUSING IN THE

STATES. OUR ECONOMY IS STILL

STRONG AND OUR UNEMPLOYMENT IS

AROUND THREE PER CENT. WAGES ARE

RISING AND WE’RE CREATING JOBS, SO

THINGS ARE MODERATING.”

~ LAI SING LOUIE, CHMC SENIOR

MARKET ANALYST

DIRTT’s Mogens Smed, cover of May 2005




• Alan Greenspan speaks in Calgary on October 6, 2006 in his first public event ever.

• The half-hour Energy-TV feature debuts on Global television in November 2006. Nine years later, producer Neil Suresh Chandran would be fined $400,000 for illegal trading which cost investors millions.

• Aspen Properties buys Calgary Tower (and adjacent properties) for $150 million.

• Calgary received the greatest number of permanent residents from China, India and the Philippines in Canada in 2005 and had a net gain of migrants of 92,000 between 2002 and 2006.

Manufacturing and ExportAs Alberta’s favourite “back-up plan” for down cycles in oil and gas, manufacturing and export generally suffer during boom times. Couple that with an at-par loonie and manufacturers had to get creative.

Loonie at Par Creates Winners and Losers, June 2006

Louis Kelemen can attest to the difficulties faced by manufacturers. He’s president of Calgary-based Simo Corporation, an office furniture manufacturer whose business is about 50 per cent south of the border. “(The strong loonie) is affecting a pretty big chunk of our business,” he says from his 75,000-square-foot production facility that employs 110 workers. That’s because his company’s break-even point when selling in U.S. dollars was around the 80-cent mark. Four years ago when the dollar was trading at 63 cents U.S., “we had a strong competitive advantage.” Now, “we just can’t offer the big discounts we used to and therefore we can’t get some of the jobs we’re used to,” says Kelemen. The trend means it’s time to get lean and mean and cut out the fat.

He’s part of the Manufacturing Action Committee established in conjunction with Calgary Economic Development to address the big issues facing manufacturers in Calgary. Ironically, it isn’t just the strong Canadian dollar that’s giving a pounding to profitability for Simo Corp. Labour, it turns out, is compounding the issue to a much greater extent. “I’m competing against companies in Ontario that don’t have a labour shortage and their cost of labour isn’t increasing 15 or 20 or 30 per cent a year,” says Kelemen. He lost three machine operators in one week in April, all of whom opted for employment (some in the oilpatch) for $5 more per hour. “Our strategy is becoming more efficient. Because of the local labour market, we’re looking at technology to replace labour.” It’s another catch-22, though. To become more competitive, new and highly sophisticated equipment must be purchased at a time when money is not in abundance for this struggling sector. “The market is tightening up,

you’re not as busy as you were, your margins are being squeezed and all of a sudden you can’t leverage your business the same way you can when things are going really well,” says Kelemen.

There were, however, bright spots including the launch of DIRTT, Mogens Smed’s green-minded office space manufacturing company that rose from the sale of his family business, SMED, to Haworth five years earlier in 2000.

But as new houses, condos and commercial properties came online, things began to cool off in 2008 as homeowners who happily watched their property values skyrocket in 2006 and 2007, had much of those gains evaporate in 2008.

Real Estate Feature, March 2008

“ After that tremendous boom in 2006, this is a bit of a bumpy ride, but it’s not a crash like what’s happening with housing in the States. Our economy is still strong and our unemployment is around three per cent. Wages are rising and we’re creating jobs, so things are moderating.” ~ Lai Sing Louie, CHMC senior market analyst.


“In 2008, what we’ve seen overall is reduced level of demand for a variety of reasons,” explains CMHC’s senior market analyst, Lai

Sing Louie. “We had a lower level of net migration coming here this year and … a rapid run-up in prices, which has affected affordability in terms of people buying.”

But in terms of hard numbers since 2005, property owners have still managed to see a substantial appreciation in the value of their homes and condos. In 2005, the average price of a single-family home in the metropolitan area of Calgary was $281,000 in September.

But, as real estate does in Calgary, things were looking up again by 2009.


After seeing declines in both home values and housing starts in the past year, Alberta’s residential housing market seems to have reached a bottom and, if not heading upward, is at least stabilizing.

“Calgary’s housing market has clearly turned a corner,” says Bonnie Wegerich, president of the Calgary Real Estate Board. “We expect there to be a few bumps on this road to recovery, but we believe the worst is over.”

Other real estate stories from this period included:

• The emergence of fractional ownership as an alternative to timeshare recreational properties.

• The release of the East Village Redevelopment Plan that eventually went to mark actual progress after decades of failed attempts at redevelopment.

• The groundbreaking of EnCana’s legendary Bow building on the corner of 6th Avenue and Centre Street SE.

• Launch of the yet-to-be-named CrossIron Mills and Century Downs Racetrack projects in Balzac.

“Just because a project doesn’t sell out in three weeks doesn’t mean it’s a failure. On a 24-month construction time, I budget 22-24 months to sell the product and that’s normal.” – Chris Colbeck, VP of sales and marketing for Qualex Landmark.

“ AFTER THAT TREMENDOUS BOOM IN

2006, THIS IS A BIT OF A BUMPY RIDE,

BUT IT’S NOT A CRASH LIKE WHAT’S

HAPPENING WITH HOUSING IN THE

STATES. OUR ECONOMY IS STILL

STRONG AND OUR UNEMPLOYMENT IS

AROUND THREE PER CENT. WAGES ARE

RISING AND WE’RE CREATING JOBS, SO

THINGS ARE MODERATING.”

~ LAI SING LOUIE, CHMC SENIOR

MARKET ANALYST

DIRTT’s Mogens Smed, cover of May 2005




• Calgary business legend Dick Haskayne publishes memoir and manifesto, Northern Tigers: Building Ethical Canadian Corporate in 2007.

• Al Gore brings his Inconvenient Truth talk to Calgary on April 23, 2007.

• Millionaire’s Club Online dating comes to Calgary in 2007 with an annual membership fee of $15,000.

“To sustain the explosive growth of oil and gas exploration in Canada’s north, we need to automate and streamline operations to make up for the shortfall in labour,” says Timothy Hodge, chief executive of GEOTrac. The company has been offering GPS-based systems to track assets in the field for some time, but its latest technology takes it one step further.

GEOTrac’s technology allows companies to handle driver management much more effectively in an industry that has millions of dollars out in the field at any given time. The systems can monitor a truck’s speed, location, whether its idle, handle distress messaging, track any type of asset and provide detailed mapping solutions capable of downloading and uploading pictures, documents, bills of lading or local travel information for various worksites. “We are at a critical time in our industry,” says Hodge of the latest technology hitting the market.

While investors and venture capitalists continued to be tech-shy making it difficult for Calgary tech companies to raise money, Calgary’s tech magnate Shawn Abbott launches iNovia, a $125-million tech investment fund.

ICT Advance, September 2007

All of the big tech plays were going south to the U.S. where investment capital was to be found and, at least on the surface, not much has changed. Tech-centred regions such as the Bay Area, Boston, Austin, and closer to home the Ottawa Valley tend to steal the best and brightest ideas, and often the talent. Abbott lived in Southern California for several years working for Rainbow before the group of owners and entrepreneurs sold the company for $500 million in 2004. But Abbott broke ranks there. Instead of looking for that next big opportunity in the U.S., he moved back to his home in Springbank.

“Most of my colleagues who have done that have then stayed in the Bay Area of Southern California,” says Abbott. “I voted with my feet because I believed in this opportunity (in Calgary).” He’s referring

to two technology-focused venture capital funds he helped launch recently. “It’s unfortunately not that common.”

Together with three partners, Abbott formed SpringBank TechVentures, a $21-million venture capital fund started in 2001. But this year, the tech entrepreneur is thinking bigger. He just

launched iNOVIA, a $125-million technology investment fund with Abbott serving as the western partner. While he’s not limited to Calgary or even Alberta, he says access to investment capital for tech startups is getting better as the entire advanced technology sector here really comes of age.

“We do have all the pieces,” explains Abbott. “We’ve got great talent and research coming out of our academic institutions, a lot of innovation happening around the energy sector and a great customer base to be able to launch companies from, so all of the pieces are there.”

Small Business and RetailRiding the wave of a city flush with cash, retail registers were ringing in record numbers during this time period. While expensive rent and limited labour certainly dampened growth to some extent, Calgary was setting the pace in the country.


Once again, Calgary retailers and other small businesses heard their cash registers ring at a frenzied pace. The city led the nation in retail spending, experiencing between a 16- to 18-per cent growth in retail sales compared to a national average of about five per cent. The nearest competitor in growth of retail sales was B.C. with 6.7 per cent.

Technology After technology played a starring role in the first five years of the new millennium, the period from 2005-09 involved the business world moving beyond stock hype and bursting bubbles and learning how to apply new technology to day-to-day operations, marketing, communications, training and beyond.

For example, Calgary’s ICOM Productions was developing a technology to deliver training videos to PDAs in the field in 2006.

m-Learning, September 2006

On an oilfield worksite in northern Alberta, an employee turns on his cellphone or PDA, scrolls through some instructions and videos, then proceeds to shut off a pipe valve correctly that could have caused serious physical damage if handled improperly.

If Greg Surbey has his way, that’s how easy the future of training will be. Corporate training in today’s world means delivering content anywhere, any time and with the utmost interactivity, which is why the Calgary entrepreneur is investing heavily in research and development of this leading-edge technology.

“This is hot,” says Surbey, president of ICOM Productions Inc. It’s called mobile learning, or m-learning. “We’re doing quite a bit of experimentation right now on mobile learning. It’s just so incredible,” he says, pulling out his PDA and showing how easily employees can access training functions anywhere they go. In a labour market where people change jobs about as often as they change clothes, it’s also a technology that could go a long way to reducing workplace injuries by quickly familiarizing workers with the task at hand.

While ICOM would have oil and gas field workers learning new skills on the job via technology, another company was helping companies keep track of the workers themselves via GPS technology.

The Tech Fix, August 2006

Now that you can track everything from the family minivan to a million-dollar piece of oilfield equipment in real time using the latest global positioning system (GPS) technology, companies are rapidly moving to embrace the newest systems in an effort to boost efficiency and reduce costs.

So, it may come as no surprise that several Calgary companies are looking to cash in on the trend toward better management of fleets, people and assets in today’s 24-7 global workforce using an array of complex and leading-edge technology.

Take GEOTrac International Inc., for example. The Calgary-based company partnered with Microsoft earlier this year to unveil its latest offerings at a trade show. Of course, its sights are set squarely on the oil and gas industry.

Al Gore Dick Haskayne

“MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO

HAVE DONE THAT HAVE THEN STAYED

IN THE BAY AREA OF SOUTHERN

CALIFORNIA,” SAYS ABBOTT. “I

VOTED WITH MY FEET BECAUSE I

BELIEVED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY (IN

CALGARY).” HE’S REFERRING TO TWO

TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED VENTURE

CAPITAL FUNDS HE HELPED LAUNCH

RECENTLY. “IT’S UNFORTUNATELY NOT

THAT COMMON.”




• Calgary business legend Dick Haskayne publishes memoir and manifesto, Northern Tigers: Building Ethical Canadian Corporate in 2007.

• Al Gore brings his Inconvenient Truth talk to Calgary on April 23, 2007.

• Millionaire’s Club Online dating comes to Calgary in 2007 with an annual membership fee of $15,000.

“To sustain the explosive growth of oil and gas exploration in Canada’s north, we need to automate and streamline operations to make up for the shortfall in labour,” says Timothy Hodge, chief executive of GEOTrac. The company has been offering GPS-based systems to track assets in the field for some time, but its latest technology takes it one step further.

GEOTrac’s technology allows companies to handle driver management much more effectively in an industry that has millions of dollars out in the field at any given time. The systems can monitor a truck’s speed, location, whether its idle, handle distress messaging, track any type of asset and provide detailed mapping solutions capable of downloading and uploading pictures, documents, bills of lading or local travel information for various worksites. “We are at a critical time in our industry,” says Hodge of the latest technology hitting the market.

While investors and venture capitalists continued to be tech-shy making it difficult for Calgary tech companies to raise money, Calgary’s tech magnate Shawn Abbott launches iNovia, a $125-million tech investment fund.

ICT Advance, September 2007

All of the big tech plays were going south to the U.S. where investment capital was to be found and, at least on the surface, not much has changed. Tech-centred regions such as the Bay Area, Boston, Austin, and closer to home the Ottawa Valley tend to steal the best and brightest ideas, and often the talent. Abbott lived in Southern California for several years working for Rainbow before the group of owners and entrepreneurs sold the company for $500 million in 2004. But Abbott broke ranks there. Instead of looking for that next big opportunity in the U.S., he moved back to his home in Springbank.

“Most of my colleagues who have done that have then stayed in the Bay Area of Southern California,” says Abbott. “I voted with my feet because I believed in this opportunity (in Calgary).” He’s referring

to two technology-focused venture capital funds he helped launch recently. “It’s unfortunately not that common.”

Together with three partners, Abbott formed SpringBank TechVentures, a $21-million venture capital fund started in 2001. But this year, the tech entrepreneur is thinking bigger. He just

launched iNOVIA, a $125-million technology investment fund with Abbott serving as the western partner. While he’s not limited to Calgary or even Alberta, he says access to investment capital for tech startups is getting better as the entire advanced technology sector here really comes of age.

“We do have all the pieces,” explains Abbott. “We’ve got great talent and research coming out of our academic institutions, a lot of innovation happening around the energy sector and a great customer base to be able to launch companies from, so all of the pieces are there.”

Small Business and RetailRiding the wave of a city flush with cash, retail registers were ringing in record numbers during this time period. While expensive rent and limited labour certainly dampened growth to some extent, Calgary was setting the pace in the country.


Once again, Calgary retailers and other small businesses heard their cash registers ring at a frenzied pace. The city led the nation in retail spending, experiencing between a 16- to 18-per cent growth in retail sales compared to a national average of about five per cent. The nearest competitor in growth of retail sales was B.C. with 6.7 per cent.

Technology After technology played a starring role in the first five years of the new millennium, the period from 2005-09 involved the business world moving beyond stock hype and bursting bubbles and learning how to apply new technology to day-to-day operations, marketing, communications, training and beyond.

For example, Calgary’s ICOM Productions was developing a technology to deliver training videos to PDAs in the field in 2006.

m-Learning, September 2006

On an oilfield worksite in northern Alberta, an employee turns on his cellphone or PDA, scrolls through some instructions and videos, then proceeds to shut off a pipe valve correctly that could have caused serious physical damage if handled improperly.

If Greg Surbey has his way, that’s how easy the future of training will be. Corporate training in today’s world means delivering content anywhere, any time and with the utmost interactivity, which is why the Calgary entrepreneur is investing heavily in research and development of this leading-edge technology.

“This is hot,” says Surbey, president of ICOM Productions Inc. It’s called mobile learning, or m-learning. “We’re doing quite a bit of experimentation right now on mobile learning. It’s just so incredible,” he says, pulling out his PDA and showing how easily employees can access training functions anywhere they go. In a labour market where people change jobs about as often as they change clothes, it’s also a technology that could go a long way to reducing workplace injuries by quickly familiarizing workers with the task at hand.

While ICOM would have oil and gas field workers learning new skills on the job via technology, another company was helping companies keep track of the workers themselves via GPS technology.

The Tech Fix, August 2006

Now that you can track everything from the family minivan to a million-dollar piece of oilfield equipment in real time using the latest global positioning system (GPS) technology, companies are rapidly moving to embrace the newest systems in an effort to boost efficiency and reduce costs.

So, it may come as no surprise that several Calgary companies are looking to cash in on the trend toward better management of fleets, people and assets in today’s 24-7 global workforce using an array of complex and leading-edge technology.

Take GEOTrac International Inc., for example. The Calgary-based company partnered with Microsoft earlier this year to unveil its latest offerings at a trade show. Of course, its sights are set squarely on the oil and gas industry.

Al Gore Dick Haskayne

“MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO

HAVE DONE THAT HAVE THEN STAYED

IN THE BAY AREA OF SOUTHERN

CALIFORNIA,” SAYS ABBOTT. “I

VOTED WITH MY FEET BECAUSE I

BELIEVED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY (IN

CALGARY).” HE’S REFERRING TO TWO

TECHNOLOGY-FOCUSED VENTURE

CAPITAL FUNDS HE HELPED LAUNCH

RECENTLY. “IT’S UNFORTUNATELY NOT

THAT COMMON.”




Case of the Missing Plumber, October 2005

Imagine that it’s five years from now, (futurist Ken Stratford says), and you can’t find a plumber, carpenter or electrician with less than a two-month wait to help with your small renovation project. Or having to book six months ahead for a dental hygienist or a chiropractor. What about a minimum four week lag to fix your home computer with all that critical data on the hard drive?

Now magnify that personal annoyance tenfold as the corporate world finds itself strapped for computer specialists, engineers, technicians and even administrators. Imagine a situation whereby HR managers have talent scouts whose only job is to ‘pirate’ employees from other companies.

These scenes could become commonplace in the very near future as Canadians face the reality of too few people emerging from schools with the necessary training to replace a rapidly aging population of so-called ‘boomers.’ This situation would become critical enough even if you and I and all of our colleagues held off until the age of 65 to retire, the way that dad did. In today’s world however, a significant number of 55 to 60 year olds are choosing to quit the rat race early, many of them assisted by the largest wealth transfer in history from the legacies of their 85-year-old parents.

Combine that early retirement pattern with Canada’s distinction as having one of the world’s lowest birthrates for the past two decades (it’s now only 1.4 births per woman, well below replacement) and the result is a rising tide of workforce need, meeting the winds of social change and thereby creating the ‘perfect storm’ as a major challenge to business, industry, education and social services.

With the labour shortage came the issue of temporary foreign workers – an issue that continues to stir the political and economic pot today.

Immigrant Influx, July 2006

The Alberta government forecasts a shortage of 100,000 workers over the next eight years. A report says Alberta’s economy will

produce about 400,000 new jobs by 2014, with 300,000 new workers entering the labour market during that time.

Trish Matthews, an international recruiter in Calgary, says the shortfall is obvious to most people and most companies. “There’s lots of jobs everywhere,” she says. “In the last five years, foreign recruitment has increased dramatically. It’s still uncommon, though, to have a seamless process in place.”

The foreign recruitment process requires all companies to advertise locally and nationally to prove they have conducted an adequate search locally before venturing abroad. There is a temporary foreign worker program that allows unskilled workers to come to Canada for a one-year period. Highly skilled workers are often granted long-term permits or landed immigrant status, depending on the circumstances.

The federal and provincial governments have been working to streamline the process of foreign worker recruitment, which now takes about three to four months. West Works’ Normoyle has already placed about 15 families from outside of Canada into jobs in the past few months and sees the opportunity for many more to fill the labour gaps. “We will bring in specific skill sets or requirements for clients, rather than a general, overall immigration shotgun approach,” says Normoyle.

Even smaller firms are getting in on the trend. “It’s everybody’s problem,” says recruiter Leone Joubert. “Now, all the smaller companies are looking to go through this process,” adds Reinhart. It’s

Meanwhile, buzzwords like voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) and nanotechnology hinted at a world where science fiction met business.

Thinking Small, April 2007

It turns out companies also have a big stake in determining those impacts, which cuts across a wide swath of disciplines, including such household terms as colloidal science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry, biomedical engineering and many others. For the oil and gas industry, nanotechnology holds the potential to develop new technologies related to enhanced oil recovery and carbon-capture technologies. Those are just two examples of where this emerging field is headed.

The prospect of nanotechnology was so attractive, in fact, the provincial government committed $130 million to its development over five years.

Other tech stories hitting the pages of Business in Calgary from 2005-09 included:

• The electronic battle ground where new entertainment technologies were battling for supremacy including DVDs, satellite radio and HDTV.

• The birth of crowdsourcing software and other technologies with Calgary’s Cambrian House taking a leadership role.

• Online collaboration tools connecting Calgary businesses to colleagues all over the world.

• Apple launches the life-changing iPhone on June 29, 2007 followed by Google’s Android operating system in September 2008.

• Social media takes the world (and the workplace) by storm with the launch of Facebook’s open registration in September 2006, Twitter in March 2006 and YouTube in February 2005.

“It’s astounding that one in two executives say social media is becoming even more important than television.” – Keith McArthur, principal of Veritas Communications. The Real Value of Facebook, May 2008.

“Newer platforms, such as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s soon-to-be-released Android platform have yet to prove themselves in the marketplace.” Telco’s Race to keep up with Convergence in Wireless Hand-Held Devices, April 2008.

The Labour ForceOne of the biggest stories of this time period is the massive labour shortage that plagued every sector. Still an issue today, futurists predicted a long-term, painful shortage.

Brett Wilson, cover of September 2007

• In 2006, city council approves the redevelopment of 314 acres to create Remington’s Quarry Park – one of the largest redevelopments in North America at the time.

Quarry Park Overall site Plan from May 2010. Courtesy of Remington Development Corporation


APPLE LAUNCHES

THE LIFE-CHANGING

IPHONE ON

JUNE 29, 2007

• Brett Wilson retires from FirstEnergy on his 50th birthday on July 1, 2007.




Case of the Missing Plumber, October 2005

Imagine that it’s five years from now, (futurist Ken Stratford says), and you can’t find a plumber, carpenter or electrician with less than a two-month wait to help with your small renovation project. Or having to book six months ahead for a dental hygienist or a chiropractor. What about a minimum four week lag to fix your home computer with all that critical data on the hard drive?

Now magnify that personal annoyance tenfold as the corporate world finds itself strapped for computer specialists, engineers, technicians and even administrators. Imagine a situation whereby HR managers have talent scouts whose only job is to ‘pirate’ employees from other companies.

These scenes could become commonplace in the very near future as Canadians face the reality of too few people emerging from schools with the necessary training to replace a rapidly aging population of so-called ‘boomers.’ This situation would become critical enough even if you and I and all of our colleagues held off until the age of 65 to retire, the way that dad did. In today’s world however, a significant number of 55 to 60 year olds are choosing to quit the rat race early, many of them assisted by the largest wealth transfer in history from the legacies of their 85-year-old parents.

Combine that early retirement pattern with Canada’s distinction as having one of the world’s lowest birthrates for the past two decades (it’s now only 1.4 births per woman, well below replacement) and the result is a rising tide of workforce need, meeting the winds of social change and thereby creating the ‘perfect storm’ as a major challenge to business, industry, education and social services.

With the labour shortage came the issue of temporary foreign workers – an issue that continues to stir the political and economic pot today.

Immigrant Influx, July 2006

The Alberta government forecasts a shortage of 100,000 workers over the next eight years. A report says Alberta’s economy will

produce about 400,000 new jobs by 2014, with 300,000 new workers entering the labour market during that time.

Trish Matthews, an international recruiter in Calgary, says the shortfall is obvious to most people and most companies. “There’s lots of jobs everywhere,” she says. “In the last five years, foreign recruitment has increased dramatically. It’s still uncommon, though, to have a seamless process in place.”

The foreign recruitment process requires all companies to advertise locally and nationally to prove they have conducted an adequate search locally before venturing abroad. There is a temporary foreign worker program that allows unskilled workers to come to Canada for a one-year period. Highly skilled workers are often granted long-term permits or landed immigrant status, depending on the circumstances.

The federal and provincial governments have been working to streamline the process of foreign worker recruitment, which now takes about three to four months. West Works’ Normoyle has already placed about 15 families from outside of Canada into jobs in the past few months and sees the opportunity for many more to fill the labour gaps. “We will bring in specific skill sets or requirements for clients, rather than a general, overall immigration shotgun approach,” says Normoyle.

Even smaller firms are getting in on the trend. “It’s everybody’s problem,” says recruiter Leone Joubert. “Now, all the smaller companies are looking to go through this process,” adds Reinhart. It’s

Meanwhile, buzzwords like voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) and nanotechnology hinted at a world where science fiction met business.

Thinking Small, April 2007

It turns out companies also have a big stake in determining those impacts, which cuts across a wide swath of disciplines, including such household terms as colloidal science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry, biomedical engineering and many others. For the oil and gas industry, nanotechnology holds the potential to develop new technologies related to enhanced oil recovery and carbon-capture technologies. Those are just two examples of where this emerging field is headed.

The prospect of nanotechnology was so attractive, in fact, the provincial government committed $130 million to its development over five years.

Other tech stories hitting the pages of Business in Calgary from 2005-09 included:

• The electronic battle ground where new entertainment technologies were battling for supremacy including DVDs, satellite radio and HDTV.

• The birth of crowdsourcing software and other technologies with Calgary’s Cambrian House taking a leadership role.

• Online collaboration tools connecting Calgary businesses to colleagues all over the world.

• Apple launches the life-changing iPhone on June 29, 2007 followed by Google’s Android operating system in September 2008.

• Social media takes the world (and the workplace) by storm with the launch of Facebook’s open registration in September 2006, Twitter in March 2006 and YouTube in February 2005.

“It’s astounding that one in two executives say social media is becoming even more important than television.” – Keith McArthur, principal of Veritas Communications. The Real Value of Facebook, May 2008.

“Newer platforms, such as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s soon-to-be-released Android platform have yet to prove themselves in the marketplace.” Telco’s Race to keep up with Convergence in Wireless Hand-Held Devices, April 2008.

The Labour ForceOne of the biggest stories of this time period is the massive labour shortage that plagued every sector. Still an issue today, futurists predicted a long-term, painful shortage.

Brett Wilson, cover of September 2007

• In 2006, city council approves the redevelopment of 314 acres to create Remington’s Quarry Park – one of the largest redevelopments in North America at the time.

Quarry Park Overall site Plan from May 2010. Courtesy of Remington Development Corporation


APPLE LAUNCHES

THE LIFE-CHANGING

IPHONE ON

JUNE 29, 2007

• Brett Wilson retires from FirstEnergy on his 50th birthday on July 1, 2007.




• Calgary’s Immersive Media’s Dodeca 2360, an 11-lens camera, becomes the tool Google uses for capturing street-view on Google Maps in 2007.

“We’ve been hit hard on the lumber side with tariffs and taxes,” he says. “Now, we’re paying a 15 per cent export tax. You have to ask yourself if after all of your income tax, CPP and unemployment insurance deductions someone took another 15 per cent of your paycheque between the time you received your pay stub and the money was deposited in the bank, how long could you survive?”

When you add that to the fact that the market price for export lumber is the lowest in four years it’s no wonder sawmills are closing their doors.

“We’re working with the equivalent of what would be $10- to $15-per-barrel oil,” says Hogan.

Environment and SustainabilityWhile meeting the challenges set out by the Kyoto Protocols ratified by Parliament in 2002, Calgarians begin to look for grassroots ways of lowering emissions.

Calgarians Measuring up to Kyoto Accord Challenge, May 2005

Already well on the path to meeting these stringent reductions, local associations, government and corporations have long been proactively executing environmental planning to meet the nation’s goal. The City of Calgary, a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is the first member city to receive the award for its comprehensive climate change plan. The original 1990 council-approved plan is in line with Kyoto demands. “We are already well on our way to the target,” says David Day, director of environmental management, for the City of Calgary. “Right now our real-time monitor shows that we are about 2.4 per cent below 1990 levels.” Even more impressive is the fact that these reductions have been accomplished despite the fact that Calgary has grown by 30 per cent since 1990 when GHG emission levels were set.

Innovative climate change initiatives are springing up throughout the city such as a grassroots effort to divert materials from the city’s landfills that was launched in 2003 by the Clean Calgary Association. The Calgary Materials Exchange (www.cmex.ca), now with over 100 participants, matches up companies that would normally discard items with others that could use them in their manufacturing processes including items such as wooden pallets, cardboard, plastic, metal and wood cutoffs, concrete textiles and glass. Participating companies get a chance to reduce GHG while enjoying the added benefit of saving participants almost $100,000 through raw materials savings.

Natalie Odd, Clean Calgary Association executive director, added that companies can make simple choices to improve the environment. “Use recycled paper, use compact florescent bulbs and buy recycled products whenever you can.” She says the association can assist companies in sourcing 100 per cent recycled paper as well as other desired recycled products.

a trend that is likely to continue as long as Alberta experiences the type of growth now prevalent.

But, with the influx of foreign workers come some unique challenges, particularly cultural and language issues, as well as housing and other practical items. “In some instances, it’s a simple integration and sometimes it requires a little more guidance,” says Joubert. In the meantime, there is apparently no end in sight to the need to continue to recruit foreign workers. “We can rely on a boom for the next several years, so we expect the need is just going to increase,” she says.

Construction, manufacturing, transportation, IT and general labour are among the areas feeling the pinch for labour and, as a result, are actively recruiting outside of Canada. Herman Van Reekum, president of VRV Immigration Services, recently recruited 30 Mexican workers to work for a local food distribution company. He is now in the process of hiring about 100 more foreign workers for other sectors.

“It can be expensive for companies to do,” says Van Reekum. “If you decide to bring in foreign workers, you have to be prepared for it and deal with it responsibly.” That usually means partnering with an experienced international recruiter to help you navigate through the complex process. While it may seem easy enough to seasoned pros, it can be a daunting journey for companies that haven’t recruited internationally in the past.

Other labour stories during this time included:

• The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement between Alberta and B.C. that eliminated differences between trade requirements enabling labour to move more freely between the two provinces and internationally in April 2007.

• Manufacturing and transportation sectors losing labour to better-paying oil and gas jobs while struggling to remain competitive internationally.

• The beginning of the baby boomer retirement wave makes mentorship a key succession planning factor as gen-X prepares to take over.

“I was in Banff this week and saw a sign in the Tim Horton’s window there offering $11.50 an hour. I actually took a picture of it. I can assure you that’s not what they’re paying back East.” – Pat Sullivan, president and CEO of Workopolis.com while visiting Alberta during the Calgary Stampede 2006.

ForestryIn forestry, a tiny villain was threatening an entire industry as the mountain pine beetle devastated millions of hectares of forest in B.C.

Timber! May 2007

Perhaps the scariest foe of the Alberta forestry industry is only the size of a grain of rice but can decimate thousands of hectares in a matter of years. The mountain pine beetle is responsible for the destruction of more than 8.5 million hectares of forest in British Columbia.

“If we can’t beat the beetle we’re in trouble,” says Parker Hogan, director of public affairs for the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA). “They spread exponentially. When a single female lays her eggs in one tree, 15 or more trees can be destroyed by her offspring the following season. It’s like a slow moving fire that doesn’t give off any smoke.”

But the little beetle wasn’t the only pest threatening the industry. The softwood lumber agreement with the U.S. was also making it extremely difficult to compete against U.S. producers.

Timber! May 2007

The new softwood lumber agreement, combined with fallout from the last disastrous pact, has left the industry reeling. Hogan says that while Canadian producers did receive some money back from unfair taxes when exporting to the States, much of the damage had already been done.

• While identity theft is a common phrase in today’s day and age, BIC ran its first story on corporate identity theft in November 2007.

THE MOUNTAIN

PINE BEETLE IS

RESPONSIBLE FOR

THE DESTRUCTION

OF MORE THAN 8.5

MILLION HECTARES

OF FOREST IN

BRITISH COLUMBIA.The Mountain pine beetle

Owner Beware - Corporate Identity feature, November 2007




• Calgary’s Immersive Media’s Dodeca 2360, an 11-lens camera, becomes the tool Google uses for capturing street-view on Google Maps in 2007.

“We’ve been hit hard on the lumber side with tariffs and taxes,” he says. “Now, we’re paying a 15 per cent export tax. You have to ask yourself if after all of your income tax, CPP and unemployment insurance deductions someone took another 15 per cent of your paycheque between the time you received your pay stub and the money was deposited in the bank, how long could you survive?”

When you add that to the fact that the market price for export lumber is the lowest in four years it’s no wonder sawmills are closing their doors.

“We’re working with the equivalent of what would be $10- to $15-per-barrel oil,” says Hogan.

Environment and SustainabilityWhile meeting the challenges set out by the Kyoto Protocols ratified by Parliament in 2002, Calgarians begin to look for grassroots ways of lowering emissions.

Calgarians Measuring up to Kyoto Accord Challenge, May 2005

Already well on the path to meeting these stringent reductions, local associations, government and corporations have long been proactively executing environmental planning to meet the nation’s goal. The City of Calgary, a member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is the first member city to receive the award for its comprehensive climate change plan. The original 1990 council-approved plan is in line with Kyoto demands. “We are already well on our way to the target,” says David Day, director of environmental management, for the City of Calgary. “Right now our real-time monitor shows that we are about 2.4 per cent below 1990 levels.” Even more impressive is the fact that these reductions have been accomplished despite the fact that Calgary has grown by 30 per cent since 1990 when GHG emission levels were set.

Innovative climate change initiatives are springing up throughout the city such as a grassroots effort to divert materials from the city’s landfills that was launched in 2003 by the Clean Calgary Association. The Calgary Materials Exchange (www.cmex.ca), now with over 100 participants, matches up companies that would normally discard items with others that could use them in their manufacturing processes including items such as wooden pallets, cardboard, plastic, metal and wood cutoffs, concrete textiles and glass. Participating companies get a chance to reduce GHG while enjoying the added benefit of saving participants almost $100,000 through raw materials savings.

Natalie Odd, Clean Calgary Association executive director, added that companies can make simple choices to improve the environment. “Use recycled paper, use compact florescent bulbs and buy recycled products whenever you can.” She says the association can assist companies in sourcing 100 per cent recycled paper as well as other desired recycled products.

a trend that is likely to continue as long as Alberta experiences the type of growth now prevalent.

But, with the influx of foreign workers come some unique challenges, particularly cultural and language issues, as well as housing and other practical items. “In some instances, it’s a simple integration and sometimes it requires a little more guidance,” says Joubert. In the meantime, there is apparently no end in sight to the need to continue to recruit foreign workers. “We can rely on a boom for the next several years, so we expect the need is just going to increase,” she says.

Construction, manufacturing, transportation, IT and general labour are among the areas feeling the pinch for labour and, as a result, are actively recruiting outside of Canada. Herman Van Reekum, president of VRV Immigration Services, recently recruited 30 Mexican workers to work for a local food distribution company. He is now in the process of hiring about 100 more foreign workers for other sectors.

“It can be expensive for companies to do,” says Van Reekum. “If you decide to bring in foreign workers, you have to be prepared for it and deal with it responsibly.” That usually means partnering with an experienced international recruiter to help you navigate through the complex process. While it may seem easy enough to seasoned pros, it can be a daunting journey for companies that haven’t recruited internationally in the past.

Other labour stories during this time included:

• The Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement between Alberta and B.C. that eliminated differences between trade requirements enabling labour to move more freely between the two provinces and internationally in April 2007.

• Manufacturing and transportation sectors losing labour to better-paying oil and gas jobs while struggling to remain competitive internationally.

• The beginning of the baby boomer retirement wave makes mentorship a key succession planning factor as gen-X prepares to take over.

“I was in Banff this week and saw a sign in the Tim Horton’s window there offering $11.50 an hour. I actually took a picture of it. I can assure you that’s not what they’re paying back East.” – Pat Sullivan, president and CEO of Workopolis.com while visiting Alberta during the Calgary Stampede 2006.

ForestryIn forestry, a tiny villain was threatening an entire industry as the mountain pine beetle devastated millions of hectares of forest in B.C.

Timber! May 2007

Perhaps the scariest foe of the Alberta forestry industry is only the size of a grain of rice but can decimate thousands of hectares in a matter of years. The mountain pine beetle is responsible for the destruction of more than 8.5 million hectares of forest in British Columbia.

“If we can’t beat the beetle we’re in trouble,” says Parker Hogan, director of public affairs for the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA). “They spread exponentially. When a single female lays her eggs in one tree, 15 or more trees can be destroyed by her offspring the following season. It’s like a slow moving fire that doesn’t give off any smoke.”

But the little beetle wasn’t the only pest threatening the industry. The softwood lumber agreement with the U.S. was also making it extremely difficult to compete against U.S. producers.

Timber! May 2007

The new softwood lumber agreement, combined with fallout from the last disastrous pact, has left the industry reeling. Hogan says that while Canadian producers did receive some money back from unfair taxes when exporting to the States, much of the damage had already been done.

• While identity theft is a common phrase in today’s day and age, BIC ran its first story on corporate identity theft in November 2007.

THE MOUNTAIN

PINE BEETLE IS

RESPONSIBLE FOR

THE DESTRUCTION

OF MORE THAN 8.5

MILLION HECTARES

OF FOREST IN

BRITISH COLUMBIA.The Mountain pine beetle

Owner Beware - Corporate Identity feature, November 2007




• 2007 was a banner year for Canadian mergers and acquisitions with more than 2,000 deals resulting in a total deal value of US$268.6 billion – a 50 per cent increase over the previous year. The biggest deal was the acquisition of Alcan by Rio Tinto at $37.6 billion.

The province announced a $47-million contribution towards Bow Valley College’s $100-million expansion in 2006.

An interesting education story that emerged during this time-frame was the ill-fated Urban Campus initiative which envisioned a downtown campus that linked all of Calgary’s publicly-funded post-secondary schools.

From Gown to Town, August 2006

It’s being touted as a mix between the vibrant urban atmosphere and an entire new community of higher learning; from urban to academic. It also stands to help boost the City of Calgary’s own efforts to revitalize the East Village, or Rivers, district. The University of Calgary’s planned downtown Urban Campus behind city hall is pushing ahead to meet the “urgent” needs of a student population that can’t access post-secondary learning due to space shortages. It also opens new opportunities for professionals to easily access part-time studies to further their careers while working.

“We really need to get moving in the next couple of years in order to hit our target,” says Roman Cooney, vice-president of external relations for the U of C. The institution has committed to boosting enrolment by 7,000 students by 2010. The new Urban Campus project will accommodate 2,500 students of that target, with an additional 2,500 part-time students also using the facility when it opens.

This new university campus will be about a million square feet in size, potentially using 350,000 square feet of that space for other institutions that are part of Campus Calgary, the umbrella organization established to link all public post-secondary learning institutions in Calgary.

The project, however, eventually fizzled due to lack of provincial support and the new Calgary Public Library’s main branch is currently underway on the proposed site.

Calgary’s arts sector also boomed between 2005 and 2009 as Alberta College of Art and Design launched the Institute for the Creative Process in 2005, the famous Grand Theatre was given a new life after a major investment by Theatre Junction and corporations looking to attract talent from other cities recognized the value of a strong cultural scene.

Arts Boom, August 2006

As the city continues to grow and thrive economically, the arts and cultural sectors seem to be feeling a renewed sense of appreciation for all things creative from the broader community. Demand for evening operas, orchestral performances, ballet shows, grand art galleries and all things artistic is, apparently, growing along with the city’s borders and ambitions.

There are indicators that Calgary’s economic triumphs are finally turning into gold for companies that vociferously trumpet the arts around town. There is also hard data that shows there is, in fact, a strong link between a healthy and vibrant business community and a healthy and vibrant arts community.

Michele Stanners has served on the boards of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Honens International Piano Competition and is now in administration as the general manager of Alberta Ballet in Calgary. “I have watched this city over the last eight or nine years in the arts and I see more money being spent,” remarks Stanners. “Corporations are aligning their philanthropic activities … with their own corporate strategic objectives.”

The Clean Calgary Association also runs workshops for corporations or individuals to simplify another GHG reduction initiative – composting. Currently, about 25 per cent of Canadian garbage is recycled or composted, but about 70 per cent of household waste could be.

Meanwhile, carbon capture and storage was where the Harper government focused as the prime minister announced $160 million in federal funding to support research and technology development in this area. Still, environmentalists weren’t happy and industry said a lot more would be needed to meet Kyoto targets.

Environment or Bust, May 2007

Environmental groups blasted the move as a drop in the bucket that would do nothing to reduce total emissions from the industry – Alberta industry accounts for about 40 per cent of Canada’s total emissions. They cite studies that show Alberta’s emissions are up 40 per cent over 1990 levels, a benchmark used in the Kyoto accord. Energy industry organizations, such as the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), have publicly stated it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars for upgrading technologies and other compliance options set forth under new federal and provincial emissions targets. It remains unclear whether those targets are in synch with each other and whether industry is even capable of meeting them. Harper’s Edmonton visit was, of course, part of a larger $1.5 billion in environmental funding as part of the minority Conservative government’s annual budget.

Arts, Education and PhilanthropyA high tide floats all boats and as industry boomed in Calgary, arts, education and other non-profit sectors received record donations from individuals, corporations and governments.

With the labour shortage of particular concern to industry, post-secondary education was a favourite recipient for corporate donations.

Top of the Class, August 2006

The University of Calgary, Mount Royal College, SAIT, Bow Valley College and Olds College all received record donations in the 2005/2006 academic year from corporations and successful alumni.

SAIT made headlines recently with two major donations: one from alumnus Keith MacPhail as well as one from Enerplus Resources Fund.

The MacPhail donation of $10 million was the largest single gift ever given to a Canadian college or technical institute by an individual. In recognition of the gift, SAIT’s energy department will be renamed to create Canada’s first-ever school of energy – The MacPhail School of Energy. It’s also the first time a department at SAIT has been named for an individual.

A little further north and a bit to the west, things are also booming over at the University of Calgary’s fundraising department with a record $70.5 million in donations from over 12,000 businesses and individuals over the past year.

The largest single donation – $25 million – came from Seymour Schulich, chairman of Newmont Capital Ltd. and one of Canada’s most successful businessmen and prolific philanthropists.

One specific area of the oilpatch that has experienced a shortfall in talent has been in the land sector prompting oil and gas giant EnCana to give Olds College the largest donation in that school’s 93-year history.

The $1.05-million donation will see $900,000 go towards the college’s Energy Industry Partnership Fund and an additional $105,000 in support of scholarships for students.

Mount Royal College has also seen more love from one of its greatest supporters, David Bissett, as he donated a further $7 million to the Bissett School of Business bringing his combined total to $12 million.

• The Juno Awards hit Calgary in April 2008.

• Canadian corporations adopt International Financial Reporting Standards – in 2008. Feist, one of the notable

winners from the Juno Awards of 2008. Photo by Frank Gasparik, courtesy of Tourism Calgary.

THE PROJECT EVENTUALLY FIZZLED

DUE TO LACK OF PROVINCIAL

SUPPORT AND THE NEW CALGARY

PUBLIC LIBRARY’S MAIN BRANCH

IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY ON THE

PROPOSED SITE.




• 2007 was a banner year for Canadian mergers and acquisitions with more than 2,000 deals resulting in a total deal value of US$268.6 billion – a 50 per cent increase over the previous year. The biggest deal was the acquisition of Alcan by Rio Tinto at $37.6 billion.

The province announced a $47-million contribution towards Bow Valley College’s $100-million expansion in 2006.

An interesting education story that emerged during this time-frame was the ill-fated Urban Campus initiative which envisioned a downtown campus that linked all of Calgary’s publicly-funded post-secondary schools.

From Gown to Town, August 2006

It’s being touted as a mix between the vibrant urban atmosphere and an entire new community of higher learning; from urban to academic. It also stands to help boost the City of Calgary’s own efforts to revitalize the East Village, or Rivers, district. The University of Calgary’s planned downtown Urban Campus behind city hall is pushing ahead to meet the “urgent” needs of a student population that can’t access post-secondary learning due to space shortages. It also opens new opportunities for professionals to easily access part-time studies to further their careers while working.

“We really need to get moving in the next couple of years in order to hit our target,” says Roman Cooney, vice-president of external relations for the U of C. The institution has committed to boosting enrolment by 7,000 students by 2010. The new Urban Campus project will accommodate 2,500 students of that target, with an additional 2,500 part-time students also using the facility when it opens.

This new university campus will be about a million square feet in size, potentially using 350,000 square feet of that space for other institutions that are part of Campus Calgary, the umbrella organization established to link all public post-secondary learning institutions in Calgary.

The project, however, eventually fizzled due to lack of provincial support and the new Calgary Public Library’s main branch is currently underway on the proposed site.

Calgary’s arts sector also boomed between 2005 and 2009 as Alberta College of Art and Design launched the Institute for the Creative Process in 2005, the famous Grand Theatre was given a new life after a major investment by Theatre Junction and corporations looking to attract talent from other cities recognized the value of a strong cultural scene.

Arts Boom, August 2006

As the city continues to grow and thrive economically, the arts and cultural sectors seem to be feeling a renewed sense of appreciation for all things creative from the broader community. Demand for evening operas, orchestral performances, ballet shows, grand art galleries and all things artistic is, apparently, growing along with the city’s borders and ambitions.

There are indicators that Calgary’s economic triumphs are finally turning into gold for companies that vociferously trumpet the arts around town. There is also hard data that shows there is, in fact, a strong link between a healthy and vibrant business community and a healthy and vibrant arts community.

Michele Stanners has served on the boards of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Honens International Piano Competition and is now in administration as the general manager of Alberta Ballet in Calgary. “I have watched this city over the last eight or nine years in the arts and I see more money being spent,” remarks Stanners. “Corporations are aligning their philanthropic activities … with their own corporate strategic objectives.”

The Clean Calgary Association also runs workshops for corporations or individuals to simplify another GHG reduction initiative – composting. Currently, about 25 per cent of Canadian garbage is recycled or composted, but about 70 per cent of household waste could be.

Meanwhile, carbon capture and storage was where the Harper government focused as the prime minister announced $160 million in federal funding to support research and technology development in this area. Still, environmentalists weren’t happy and industry said a lot more would be needed to meet Kyoto targets.

Environment or Bust, May 2007

Environmental groups blasted the move as a drop in the bucket that would do nothing to reduce total emissions from the industry – Alberta industry accounts for about 40 per cent of Canada’s total emissions. They cite studies that show Alberta’s emissions are up 40 per cent over 1990 levels, a benchmark used in the Kyoto accord. Energy industry organizations, such as the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), have publicly stated it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars for upgrading technologies and other compliance options set forth under new federal and provincial emissions targets. It remains unclear whether those targets are in synch with each other and whether industry is even capable of meeting them. Harper’s Edmonton visit was, of course, part of a larger $1.5 billion in environmental funding as part of the minority Conservative government’s annual budget.

Arts, Education and PhilanthropyA high tide floats all boats and as industry boomed in Calgary, arts, education and other non-profit sectors received record donations from individuals, corporations and governments.

With the labour shortage of particular concern to industry, post-secondary education was a favourite recipient for corporate donations.

Top of the Class, August 2006

The University of Calgary, Mount Royal College, SAIT, Bow Valley College and Olds College all received record donations in the 2005/2006 academic year from corporations and successful alumni.

SAIT made headlines recently with two major donations: one from alumnus Keith MacPhail as well as one from Enerplus Resources Fund.

The MacPhail donation of $10 million was the largest single gift ever given to a Canadian college or technical institute by an individual. In recognition of the gift, SAIT’s energy department will be renamed to create Canada’s first-ever school of energy – The MacPhail School of Energy. It’s also the first time a department at SAIT has been named for an individual.

A little further north and a bit to the west, things are also booming over at the University of Calgary’s fundraising department with a record $70.5 million in donations from over 12,000 businesses and individuals over the past year.

The largest single donation – $25 million – came from Seymour Schulich, chairman of Newmont Capital Ltd. and one of Canada’s most successful businessmen and prolific philanthropists.

One specific area of the oilpatch that has experienced a shortfall in talent has been in the land sector prompting oil and gas giant EnCana to give Olds College the largest donation in that school’s 93-year history.

The $1.05-million donation will see $900,000 go towards the college’s Energy Industry Partnership Fund and an additional $105,000 in support of scholarships for students.

Mount Royal College has also seen more love from one of its greatest supporters, David Bissett, as he donated a further $7 million to the Bissett School of Business bringing his combined total to $12 million.

• The Juno Awards hit Calgary in April 2008.

• Canadian corporations adopt International Financial Reporting Standards – in 2008. Feist, one of the notable

winners from the Juno Awards of 2008. Photo by Frank Gasparik, courtesy of Tourism Calgary.

THE PROJECT EVENTUALLY FIZZLED

DUE TO LACK OF PROVINCIAL

SUPPORT AND THE NEW CALGARY

PUBLIC LIBRARY’S MAIN BRANCH

IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY ON THE

PROPOSED SITE.




• Calgary earned the distinction of being Canada’s most expensive place to park in 2007 with an average monthly rate of $350/month – today it’s $473/month; second only to Manhattan in North America.



When stocks in North America began to plunge in late July amid fears the U.S. sub-prime mortgage market was in the midst of a collapse, a mini-panic set in and a widespread sell-off began that lasted through August. The S&P/TSX went from a high well above 14,000 points to below 13,000 points in mid-August before beginning its slow recovery, just as other stock markets around the world were similarly dragged down by the news and its repercussions. It wasn’t until late September that the TSX recovered back to above the 14,000-point mark.

In midsummer, jittery investors fled any stock linked to the U.S. housing bubble or the sub-prime mortgage lending arena, the so-called “flight to quality.” Many stock market experts knew something had to happen, since there were simply too many high-risk home loans all coming due at the same time awarded to people with no jobs, no income and no assets. It was a long-overdue lesson (and stock market correction) that proved costly as billions of dollars was lost around the world in stocks related to most of the sub-prime mortgage lenders.

It wasn’t all bad news for investors, though. Having learned a lesson in risk assessment and mitigation, mortgage lenders, banks and other financial backers in the U.S. revised their criteria for high-risk mortgage lending. That should help avoid another stock market nosedive in the future, at least due to this summer’s phenomenon. However, some economists predict the fallout from the U.S. sub-prime mortgage phenomenon will continue into 2008.

Impact on the price of oil wasn’t far behind and boom time in Alberta turned to doom and gloom as West Texas Intermediate plummeted to $60 in late 2008 from a high of $147 just months before.


Those hit hardest by recent economic events in the energy sector are the juniors. “It’s pretty hard to be optimistic right now,” says Gary Leach, executive director of the Small Explorers and Producers

Association of Canada (SEPAC). “With everybody fearing a much more severe recession, it’s had a huge knock-on effect on the price of oil.” From $147 to around $60 per barrel, the uncertainty took an immediate toll on crude and natural gas prices.

For the juniors, it means a lack of new startups, he says, along with fewer consolidation deals because nobody can seem to accurately place a value on a company whose stock price went swinging up and down in the last half of 2008. “For the juniors, it’s worse because they are much more frequent visitors to the equity market raising capital and when your stock price used to be $4 and now it’s $0.40, you can imagine how many investors are reluctant to put more money in,” says Leach.

But we’re a resilient and optimistic bunch in Calgary and by the time the end of 2009 rolled around, we were headed for a new decade with high hopes for recovery and more prosperity.


As 2009 draws to a close, the change in mood among business leaders is palpable compared to the start of the year. Nobody is breaking out the champagne, but the overused term “cautious optimism” seems to have taken hold.

It might be the year we’d all like to forget, but the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel toward the latter half of the year is encouraging news. The fact that consumers in Calgary are purchasing homes, and that homebuilders are getting off the sidelines, is perhaps one of the best indicators that we’re ending on a better note than we started the year.

As financial markets in North America recovered a good chunk of the losses from the stock market dive at the end of 2008 and into early 2009, other indicators gave Calgary entrepreneurs and business executives reason to feel more positive now. The big lesson Alberta businesses learned again was that what goes up must come down. Now it’s a matter of planning for a sustainable future and keeping the upward momentum moving as we head into 2010.

PoliticsThe balance of power in Calgary and Canada was relatively stable during this time period with David Bronconnier staying on as mayor and Harper winning a minority government in 2006 and maintaining that government through a second election in 2008.

Provincial politics saw the retirement of popular, if not controversial, Premier Ralph Klein and the election of underdog Ed Stelmach in 2006. In the aftermath of a disastrous royalty review, Albertans began to gain interest in a new party far to the right. Wildrose Alliance leader Danielle Smith stormed onto the scene in 2009 and captured rising levels of support from the public, even in the face of a 77 per cent leadership review approval rate. Smith, meanwhile, continues to make major policy announcements and speak to crowds of a few hundred major oil players in the city.

Calgary Stampede Expansion Plan

Year in Review, December 2008

The Calgary Stampede’s massive expansion plan began with the $50-million new Stampede Casino and when Stampede week ended in 2008, construction crews broke ground on the Roundup Centre expansion. It’s the largest redevelopment project for the Stampede in its 121-year history. It also coincides with an overall revitalization master plan for the entire East Village and Victoria Park communities as private developers push ahead with projects like Stampede Station and many condo properties adjacent to the park.

The Stampede expansion includes plans to green up the river bank area, a new hotel, a shopping, entertainment and dining district along the new Main Street and a new Agricultural Centre. Stampede has committed about $100 million worth of new infrastructure projects, which will benefit the city’s business community as a new destination for major events and to conduct annual networking sessions, conferences and trade shows. The overall, 15-year expansion calls for about $600 million in new projects to be built during that time as the city expands. Construction on a new Olds College Calgary campus is also set to begin next year.

The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08Considered by many economists as the greatest financial disaster since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the global economic crisis threatened the collapse of major banks and sent the stock markets plunging.

July 2008 $3.50

• Business in Calgary launches Leaders of Tomorrow in July 2008.

• Business in Calgary launches Calgary’s Top Industries section in 2007.

Artist’s rendering of the Trade and Entertainment complex expansion project. Courtesy of the Calgary Stampede.




• Calgary earned the distinction of being Canada’s most expensive place to park in 2007 with an average monthly rate of $350/month – today it’s $473/month; second only to Manhattan in North America.



When stocks in North America began to plunge in late July amid fears the U.S. sub-prime mortgage market was in the midst of a collapse, a mini-panic set in and a widespread sell-off began that lasted through August. The S&P/TSX went from a high well above 14,000 points to below 13,000 points in mid-August before beginning its slow recovery, just as other stock markets around the world were similarly dragged down by the news and its repercussions. It wasn’t until late September that the TSX recovered back to above the 14,000-point mark.

In midsummer, jittery investors fled any stock linked to the U.S. housing bubble or the sub-prime mortgage lending arena, the so-called “flight to quality.” Many stock market experts knew something had to happen, since there were simply too many high-risk home loans all coming due at the same time awarded to people with no jobs, no income and no assets. It was a long-overdue lesson (and stock market correction) that proved costly as billions of dollars was lost around the world in stocks related to most of the sub-prime mortgage lenders.

It wasn’t all bad news for investors, though. Having learned a lesson in risk assessment and mitigation, mortgage lenders, banks and other financial backers in the U.S. revised their criteria for high-risk mortgage lending. That should help avoid another stock market nosedive in the future, at least due to this summer’s phenomenon. However, some economists predict the fallout from the U.S. sub-prime mortgage phenomenon will continue into 2008.

Impact on the price of oil wasn’t far behind and boom time in Alberta turned to doom and gloom as West Texas Intermediate plummeted to $60 in late 2008 from a high of $147 just months before.


Those hit hardest by recent economic events in the energy sector are the juniors. “It’s pretty hard to be optimistic right now,” says Gary Leach, executive director of the Small Explorers and Producers

Association of Canada (SEPAC). “With everybody fearing a much more severe recession, it’s had a huge knock-on effect on the price of oil.” From $147 to around $60 per barrel, the uncertainty took an immediate toll on crude and natural gas prices.

For the juniors, it means a lack of new startups, he says, along with fewer consolidation deals because nobody can seem to accurately place a value on a company whose stock price went swinging up and down in the last half of 2008. “For the juniors, it’s worse because they are much more frequent visitors to the equity market raising capital and when your stock price used to be $4 and now it’s $0.40, you can imagine how many investors are reluctant to put more money in,” says Leach.

But we’re a resilient and optimistic bunch in Calgary and by the time the end of 2009 rolled around, we were headed for a new decade with high hopes for recovery and more prosperity.


As 2009 draws to a close, the change in mood among business leaders is palpable compared to the start of the year. Nobody is breaking out the champagne, but the overused term “cautious optimism” seems to have taken hold.

It might be the year we’d all like to forget, but the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel toward the latter half of the year is encouraging news. The fact that consumers in Calgary are purchasing homes, and that homebuilders are getting off the sidelines, is perhaps one of the best indicators that we’re ending on a better note than we started the year.

As financial markets in North America recovered a good chunk of the losses from the stock market dive at the end of 2008 and into early 2009, other indicators gave Calgary entrepreneurs and business executives reason to feel more positive now. The big lesson Alberta businesses learned again was that what goes up must come down. Now it’s a matter of planning for a sustainable future and keeping the upward momentum moving as we head into 2010.

PoliticsThe balance of power in Calgary and Canada was relatively stable during this time period with David Bronconnier staying on as mayor and Harper winning a minority government in 2006 and maintaining that government through a second election in 2008.

Provincial politics saw the retirement of popular, if not controversial, Premier Ralph Klein and the election of underdog Ed Stelmach in 2006. In the aftermath of a disastrous royalty review, Albertans began to gain interest in a new party far to the right. Wildrose Alliance leader Danielle Smith stormed onto the scene in 2009 and captured rising levels of support from the public, even in the face of a 77 per cent leadership review approval rate. Smith, meanwhile, continues to make major policy announcements and speak to crowds of a few hundred major oil players in the city.

Calgary Stampede Expansion Plan

Year in Review, December 2008

The Calgary Stampede’s massive expansion plan began with the $50-million new Stampede Casino and when Stampede week ended in 2008, construction crews broke ground on the Roundup Centre expansion. It’s the largest redevelopment project for the Stampede in its 121-year history. It also coincides with an overall revitalization master plan for the entire East Village and Victoria Park communities as private developers push ahead with projects like Stampede Station and many condo properties adjacent to the park.

The Stampede expansion includes plans to green up the river bank area, a new hotel, a shopping, entertainment and dining district along the new Main Street and a new Agricultural Centre. Stampede has committed about $100 million worth of new infrastructure projects, which will benefit the city’s business community as a new destination for major events and to conduct annual networking sessions, conferences and trade shows. The overall, 15-year expansion calls for about $600 million in new projects to be built during that time as the city expands. Construction on a new Olds College Calgary campus is also set to begin next year.

The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08Considered by many economists as the greatest financial disaster since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the global economic crisis threatened the collapse of major banks and sent the stock markets plunging.

July 2008 $3.50

• Business in Calgary launches Leaders of Tomorrow in July 2008.

• Business in Calgary launches Calgary’s Top Industries section in 2007.

Artist’s rendering of the Trade and Entertainment complex expansion project. Courtesy of the Calgary Stampede.

After a tour of Hull Services and understanding better its vision to see children and youth free from behavioural and mental health challenges, Calgary businessmen John Fitzsimmons of Fitz Flooring and now retired Robert Cardell sat down together to discuss how they might help children in need, throughout the city.

They wanted to raise money on an annual basis that could be allocated to a variety of charities, but without any administrative overhead that would cut into donations. The two pals set about recruiting like-minded business people from a variety of different industries and soon had 26 members for their new group – of which half still remain involved today.

The result was the launching of the Business Fore Calgary Kids golf tournament played the first year at Elbow Springs Golf Club. Since this time, it has raised an incredible $2 million in its 10-year history, and true to its mandate not a penny of it has been used for anything other than for the sole benefit of children.

Fitzsimmons says he was most fortunate to be brought up in a family where he and his siblings were blessed with plenty, but it doesn’t take a thoughtful and caring person long to realize that too many kids in our city are suffering. Like most young businessmen he is busy yet finds the time to be heavily involved in his South Calgary Rotary Club and

Young Presidents’ Organization as well as supporting his own children’s sports involvement.

An early and ardent supporter of the cause has been Kirk Hudson, owner and CEO of Western Materials Handling & Equipment. Hudson was introduced to the group by Bob Shaw of Rogers Insurance and after listening to the reasons for the group being established joined and offered to sponsor the golf carts. He had fun, was impressed with the way an amazing group of individuals conducted the business side of the venture and the following year agreed to become a prominent tournament sponsor.

Along with company president Lloyd Cunningham and Kirk’s son Kyle Hudson, Western Materials Handling & Equipment has become the largest supporter of the annual event donating in excess of $200,000 over a 10-year span as well as bringing on many additional supporters to the charity. Hudson and his Western Materials Handling & Equipment team have been the only title sponsor of the tournament and look forward to continuing this support in the years to come.

Contributors to the tournament include prominent business owners, one of whom is Patricia Phillips of PBA Land & Development. A founder and keen supporter of the event, Patricia offers her incredible energy, talent and passion for

Business Fore Calgary Kids Golf Tournament

charitable causes. PBA, along with all the founders invite many of their business partners to participate through sponsorship of the event, and work hard to bring a larger segment of the business community together in support of this worthy cause. When everyone puts in the energy, great things happen.

With this unique and vibrant group of volunteers and business people, there is a fairly organized way in which Business Fore Calgary Kids is run. The members get together for breakfast regularly every two weeks to plan the next golf game and direct responsibilities through a variety of committees. The role of chair is changed each year to ensure new ideas from fresh blood, keeping up the required drive and energy.

A separate committee decides upon which charities are to be chosen each year. They look for ones that their contributions can have the most impact on – but must always benefit children.Names come from members or charities that are aware of

the tournament and in turn can make an application for funding. The committee conducts a detailed evaluation process which includes a visitation to the applicants to meet with their management teams to see how they con-duct their business.

The result is that throughout the 10 years of commitment by a great group of caring individuals Business Fore Calgary Kids has had a tremendous impact on many different not-for-profit organizations.

This year’s tournament held at the Glencoe Golf and Country Club under the chairmanship of Brad Field of Big Rig Collision raised almost $300,000 thanks to the support of 140 players, all the loyal sponsors and the live auction bids. Organizations chosen as 2015 beneficiaries of grants include Hull Services, YMCA Strong Kids campaign, Even-Start for Children Foundation, Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter and Between Friends.

Pictured: Kyle Hudson, Kirk Hudson, Lloyd Cunningham

http://devitt-forand.com

February 2010

Just days after the TSX bottomed out in April 2009, Tony Dilawri opened Distinctive Collection, a luxury car dealership selling Aston Martins, Bentleys and Spykers. The Dilawri Group is a family business with 32 automotive dealerships across Canada.

FEBRUARY 2010 $3.50

Race to the Finish LineTony Dilawri drives innovation in the automotive industry

+ • Investing

• Event PLanning

• Education MBA

165

Congratulations to Business in Calgary on 25 years of sharing Calgary’s story and being part of our city’s collaborative energy.

Collaboration is at the core of what we do. Working with business, government and community partners, we work to achieve economic success, embrace shared prosperity and build a strong community.

As conduits, connectors, catalysts and storytellers, we help shape and share Calgary’s story. And we’re proud to be part of the energy.

/calgaryeconomic

@calgaryeconomic

Calgary Economic Developmentwww.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com

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April 2010

Former Calgary Stampeders Tony Spolentini, Tom Spolentini, and Mike Palumbo opened Spolumbo’s Fine Foods and Deli in Inglewood when it was still a rough area. Since then their wholesale high-end Italian sausage and their deli has taken off to become a neighbourhood favourite.

APRIL 2010 $3.50

Building a Business and a CommunitySpolumbo’s owners, Tom Spoletini, Tony Spoletini & Mike Palumbo transform a business idea into reality and help breathe new life into the city’s Inglewood district

+ • Recreation and Investment Properties

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Mining

167

“PPPPPPP DDPDDP UP”

Ferrari Maserati of Alberta204 Meridian Road NE Calgary, AB, T2A 2N6

Call 403-273-6060 to schedule your appointment today!

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Alberta112 9 Avenue SW Calgary, AB, T2G 1B6

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August 2010

When Sue Riddell Rose stepped into the role of president and CEO of Paramount Resources Ltd.’s newly-established trust spinoff in February 2003, she brought a lot of clout. Now, after a long and sometimes tumultuous ride during seven years, Riddell Rose is repositioning the company and diversifying its assets.

August 2010 $3.50

GameChangerSue Riddell Rose plans to lead Perpetual Energy into the future

+• Head Office Feature

• Training & Education Feature

• Emerging Technology

169

Rogers Insurance Ltd. is Western Canada’s leading independent and employee-owned insurance brokerage.

As a full service brokerage, we can manage large commercial insurance programs and small to medium-sized business accounts.

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February 2011

Ross Glen’s father thought he’d never see the first $5,000 he gave him to start a furniture business in 1966. That $5,000 is now worth a million bucks with RGO Office Products hitting $90 million in total sales last year.

February 2011 $3.50www.businessincalgary.com

+• Event Planning & Catering

• Education MBA

• Golf Tournaments

An iconic Calgary entrepreneur, RGO’s Ross Glen shares his story of building an empire and a community

The Road to Success

171

May 2011

Business baron Lou MacEachern’s path to Calgary, as it was to building a business empire, was anything but direct. But after moving from east to west and back again, it was in Calgary, 1964, that MacEachern launched Service Master, the predecessor of Servpro, while also starting Fortune Industries.

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Tycoon Lou MacEachern Knows

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+ Transportation & Distribution

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173

Household Moving International Moving

Office Moving AMJ Office Interiors

Calgary’s largest household moving company, performing over 41,000 local moves within the City of Calgary limits since 1983. Dedicated to Exceptional Personalized Service!

Our dedication to quality has been a key factor to becoming a major force in the world relocation business. We have grown to become one of the top 10 in the world.

Over the past year we serviced over 8,500 office moves from coast to coast. No move or furniture installation is too big or too small.

We represent Canadian Made Custom Office Furniture to meet all of your specialty office requirements.

Calgary’s largest relocation company with four ways to help serve your needs:

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October 2011

Since leaving the family farm in Valleyview, Alberta, David Werklund has founded three successful companies: Concord Well Services, Canadian Crude Separators and Werklund Capital. He does this with leadership in mind and has partnered with the Werklund Foundation, which works to foster leadership in youth.

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The

Entrepreneur Issue

+• Small Business Week Feature

• Event Planning

• Real Estate

175

SUBURBAN OFFICE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND NOW LEASING

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SUBURBAN OFFICE OVER 60% LEASED

BLACKFOOT POINT135,000 SqFt of First Class Office Space194 Underground and 215 Surface Parking Stalls4 Buildings – 1 and 2 StoriesReady for Tenant Fixturing

Centron specializes in real estate development, leasing, sales and construction of office, retail and industrial projects.

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April 2012

With his son, Cole Harris, along with five other family members, Bob Harris has built a solid family business. As a full-service developer and contractor, Centron Group has built a reputation of integrity, professionalism and the ability to provide good value for its clients over the past 27 years.

Centron Builds on its Reputation

Calgary company recognizes opportunities for success

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• Environmental Stewardship

• Telecommunications

PerspectiveNewsletterPage 93

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Calgary was born from a pioneering spirit, with an entrepreneurial attitude

driven by energy and innovation. There are thousands of stories of businesses

that are driving opportunity in our city, our province and across Canada.

This is Business in Calgary

Congratulations on your 25th Anniversary

December 2012

Outstanding Lifetime Philanthropist recipient Ann McCaig has been a philanthropist since it was considered to be “just helping out.” Since then she has been tirelessly championing numerous charities, focusing on youth, education and health, and is now one of the most respected leaders in the not-for-profit sector.

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Calgary’s Philanthropic LeadersMeet this year’s Generosity of Spirit recipients

Ann McCaig - Fundraising $50 million versus crab apple jelly

+• Aviation • Investing • Year in ReviewPage 57 - Hull Services -

Celebrating 50 Years of Helping Kids & Families

Calgary was born from a pioneering spirit, with an entrepreneurial attitude

driven by energy and innovation. There are thousands of stories of businesses

that are driving opportunity in our city, our province and across Canada.

This is Business in Calgary

Congratulations on your 25th Anniversary

179

WELCOME TO

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology celebrates the spectacular diversity of life on Earth, from the tiniest grains of pollen to the mightiest dinosaur. The world-renowned museum and research facility is situated where dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures

roamed millions of years ago, in an area now known as Midland Provincial Park, in the Alberta badlands. Canada’s only museum devoted exclusively to palaeontology— the study of plant and animal life based on the fossil record—offers something for everyone.

Hundreds of thousands of people each year are captivated by one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur skeletons, most of which were discovered in the badlands. This year is the Museum’s thirtieth anniversary. Since it officially opened on September 25, 1985, the Museum has become one of Alberta’s must-see tourist attractions, a significant contributor to the local economy, and has earned an international reputation for the quality of its palaeontological collections, the research conducted by its scientists, and the amazing experience it offers to visitors. The Royal Tyrrell Museum holds appeal for all ages and provides a rare opportunity to discover the fascinating history of life on planet Earth.

Discover your adventure at tyrrellmuseum.com

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology celebrates 30 years

http://tyrrellmuseum.com

March 2013

A man of ethics, Charlie Fischer stepped down from his position as CEO of Nexen Inc. because of the short-sighted nature of greedy financial markets. Instead of short-term growth his aim is to create lasting value that benefits everyone surrounding the oil and gas industry.

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THE ENERGY CHALLENGE

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Energy Features

Former Nexen CEO Charlie Fischer weighs in on the confrontations and opportunities in a province awash in oil

Construction feature:

FluxA City in

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http://thegaragestore.ca

April 2013

On the brink of becoming an international company, Gamma-Tech Inspection Ltd. is already an industry-respected, multimillion-dollar organization with Debra Ross as president, CEO and founder. The company provides highly technical, non-destructive testing services for the oil & gas and construction industries.

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Debra Ross, president, CEO and founder of Gamma-Tech Inspection Ltd.Debra Ross, president, CEO and founder

The Gutsy CEO

[[+Jostling for Square Footage

Commercial Real Estate

[[Recreation & Investment Properties

Family Fun in the Resort Market

Telecommunications

Life in the

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May 2013

Marathon runner, community booster, family man and president of Foothills Industrial Products Ltd., Rich Waller is stepping into the position of president in the Calgary chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. He is eager for the opportunity to lead his group of EO peers on a valuable professional learning curve.

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CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Rich WallerThe Consummate Entrepreneurial Spirit

[+Calgary, the Big Draw

Tourism

Environmental Checkup

Friends of the Environment

Long Drives, Good Putts and Talking Shop

Golf

185

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June 2013

After giving up a dream of being a pro golfer, Alan Norris found his prefect fit at Brookfield Residential Properties and earned a Distinguished Business Leader Award presented by the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business and Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

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Summer 2013 • Page 57NEWS

Aviation

Fixed-Base Operations

Oil & Gas

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[+Alan Norris Distinguished Business Leader

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August 2013

Industry insiders were surprised and curious when a non-Canadian was chosen as Enmax’s new president and CEO, but Gianna Manes has proven herself in a trial by water. In June when a summer flash flood wreaked incredible havoc, Manes handled the crisis with spirit, determination, focus, leadership, empathy and remarkable compassion.

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ENMAX president and CEO Gianna Manes

Initiation by Flood

[+Construction Real Estate

Training & Education Feature

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2013

Calgary Head OfficeFeature

No More Pencils, No More Books ...

189

Strengthen your competitive advantage.Develop the leadership skills to succeed in a climate of increased complexity and uncertainty.Due to an unprecedented level of demand, the Haskayne School of Business is taking applications for a January 2016 cohort of the Alberta Haskayne Executive MBA Program.

Apply today: haskayne-emba.ca

Ranked among the top 100 ExEcutivE MBA progrAMs worldwidE by the Financial Times.

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September 2013

When Calgary’s iconic Haskayne School of Business was looking to hire a new dean, they didn’t have to look far. Jim Dewald has a potent double-edged bio and a best-of-both-worlds balance of academic skill and corporate success. This all combined with strong community involvement has made him a perfect fit.

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7Jim Dewald: Leading the Leaders

Fall 2013 • Page 63NEWS

[+Calgary’s Commercial Real Estate BoomCorporate Fitness & Health

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June 2014

25 years after co-founding ARC Financial Corp., Mac Van Wielingen’s company is internationally respected with seven ARC Energy Funds that represent $3.7 billion. Since retiring as CEO of ARC, Wielingen has taken on position as chair, leaving him time to be deeply involved in Haskayne School of Business.

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Right on TimeCorporate Aviation

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Are you leasing an office or warehouse space in Calgary? With interest rates at all time lows, now might be a good time to think about buying into your own

commercial condo. Commercial condos are an increasingly popular choice for businesses that understand the value of building equity in their own company. In Calgary, there are an increasing number of spaces available within new, high quality, Class A commercial buildings.

In Calgary’s Meridian/Franklin area, for example, Hungerford Properties’ Nexus Business Centre is attracting companies like True Directional Services, which just purchased 4,100 square feet of office and warehouse space. After 5 years of renting, the directional drilling technology company felt that buying was the only option that made economic sense.

“With such low vacancy rates, rent in the Calgary market can be expensive,” says CEO Sean Senos. “Owning for my company means we can have more capital to invest in tools and growing the business, rather than throwing the money away at rent. It costs us 25% more to rent rather than to own.”

Nexus Business Centre is the top selling commercial condo in the Calgary market, but there are other popular for sale opportunities as well. Hungerford’s Fairmore Business Park, in South Central Calgary, is a new 7-acre development located by Chinook Centre that offers a chance for your business to grow in a brand new building. There’s also NorthWing Business Park in Calgary’s burgeoning Northeast neighborhood, another top selling commercial condo by the Calgary airport, located on a high-visibility site fronting McKnight Boulevard and Metis Trail.

“The attractiveness of commercial condos is that, with a low interest environment, small business owners see real value in ownership,” said partner Michael Hungerford. “These businesses are able to grow equity through their real estate.

They’re able to improve space and reinvest in it knowing that they’ll benefit once the time comes to sell the property.

There are tax breaks for them if they own their own property. They’re able to control their costs and expand or contract their business instead of being at the whim of a landlord.”

HERE ARE THE TOP REASONS TO CONSIDER BUYING YOUR OWN OFFICE OR WAREHOUSE:

TIME TO BUY YOUR OFFICE OR WAREHOUSE:Five Reasons Why Now is the Perfect Time to Invest in your Business

Here are the top reasons to consider buying your own office or warehouse:

Growing Equity. This is obvious, but easily forgotten. As you pay down your principle and your property appreciates, so does your equity. Over ten years, the decision to own can result in as much as a $400,000* equity build.

Rental Hikes. This doesn’t happen when you own your own space. And stable mortgage rates offer the kind of stability and security leasing can’t provide.

Tax Breaks. Depreciate your unit from its full value annually and write off operating and mortgage interest expenses.

Improving Your Space. Money you spend renovating – whether its upgrades to an office or a showroom – increases the value of your real estate and of your business.

Alternative Financial Options. Your space can be rented or sold any time you want.

For exploring some great opportunities to buy commercial condos, check out: Nexus, Fairmore and Northwing at www.hungerfordproperties.com

*All information provided is for information purposes only and no reliance should be placed on this information for any possible legal or financing purpose or any circumstances where loss or damage could arise as a result of reliance on this information.

Nexus Business Centre

Fairmore Business Park

October 2014

Known for his unique approach to business – and fashion - Michael Sikorsky of Calgary’s Robots & Pencils married high technology with high art to become a leader in the development of mobile apps including the smash sensation Spy vs. Spy.

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The World According to Apps

+Calgary Real Estate Prices: the Biggest Spike in Canada Calgary’s Conference and Convention Clout

Michael Sikorsky, CEO, Robots & Pencils

EY Entrepreneur Of The YearTM 2014 Prairies Region

195

For almost 25 years Okotoks Ford Lincoln has provided exceptional customer satisfaction throughout the Foothills and Calgary, and with our sensational new store we’re growing even better. We invite you in to see Southern Alberta’s best line-up of new Ford, Lincoln and pre-owned vehicles. Our service and parts department is small town friendly with the best oil change special around. Our relationship is just beginning when you drive away in your new vehicle. We go the extra mile to make your experience with us the best. Okotoks Ford Lincoln, under the giant Canadian flag in the heart of Okotoks.

L I N C O L NW O O D R I D G E


L I N C O L N

W O O D R I D G E

L I N C O L N

W O O D R I D G E

4 WESTLAND RD. OKOTOKS • (403) 938-2222 • OKOTOKSFORD.COM

OUTLINEDTEXT OUTLINED

BIG CITY SELECTION FRIENDLY SMALL TOWN SERVICE.

For almost 25 years Okotoks Ford Lincoln has provided exceptional customer satisfaction throughout the Foothills and Calgary, and with our sensational new store we’re growing even better. We invite you in to see Southern Alberta’s best line-up of new Ford, Lincoln and pre-owned vehicles. Our service and parts department is small town friendly with the best oil change special around. Our relationship is just beginning when you drive away in your new vehicle. We go the extra mile to make your experience with us the best. Okotoks Ford Lincoln, under the giant Canadian flag in the heart of Okotoks.



L I N C O L N

W O O D R I D G E

L I N C O L N

W O O D R I D G E

4 WESTLAND RD. OKOTOKS • (403) 938-2222 • OKOTOKSFORD.COM

OUTLINEDTEXT OUTLINED

BIG CITY SELECTION FRIENDLY SMALL TOWN SERVICE.

http://okotoksford.com

April 2015

In 1969, Gerry Wood left Scotland planning to cross the U.S. and Canada on his way to New Guinea when he ran out of money in Calgary. Now he is the owner and president of the Wood Automotive Group, which includes five car dealerships, a collision repair centre and an auto financing company.

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The Multidimensional Life of Gerry Wood

Telecommunications: Can We Talk? Inspiring and Rewarding Environmental Leaders

Supporting the Visions of Entrepreneurs

197

NEW WEST TRUCK CENTRES IS A FULL SERVICE HEAVY TRUCKDEALERSHIP SPECIALIZING IN FREIGHTLINER, SPORTCHASSIS, AUTOCAR

AND MITSUBISHI FUSO. WE ARE AN ELITE SUPPORT CERTIFIEDDEALERSHIP WHERE WE STRIDE TOWARDS PROVIDING OUTSTANDING

CUSTOMER SERVICE TO EVERY CUSTOMER, EVERY TIME!

“Our Customer is the Centre of Our Universe”www.NewWestTruck.com

http://newwesttruck.com

August 2015

Headquartered in Calgary with operations throughout Canada and the U.S., the third-generation McCaig family business is the Trimac Transportation group of companies, undisputedly North America’s largest provider of bulk trucking and complementary services. Jeff McCaig, the current chairman and CEO, is intensely committed to his company, staff and industry.

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Three Generations of Success

+ Training & Education: The E-Option | Calgary Head Office feature

Supporting the Visions of Entrepreneurs

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Trimac Chairman & CEO Jeff McCaig

199


2010 – 2015 // LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARSLooking Back on 25 Years

2010

2015Flood, Flight

and Frustration



* Statistics calculated with information up to 2014


*** Average House Price for 2015 calculated until June 2015



2012 – In September, Business in Calgary launched sister publication Business in Edmonton and was now able to reach more than 80 per cent of Alberta businesses.

2015 – Business in Calgary celebrates its 25th anniversary on September 3.

Economy Snapshot

Population Growth: 11.5%*




Mayor: Naheed Kurban Nenshi

Premier: Ed Stelmach, Rachel Notley (Elected May 2015)


2010: $1,966,000

2011: $2,840,000

2012: $4,015,000

2013: $3,555,000

2014: $3,542,500

2015: $2,782,000

Average Unemployment Rate 5.3%*

Average GDP: $107,076.50**

Median House Price: ***

2010: $373,258

2011: $366,925

2012: $378,330

2013: $404,633

2014: $444,275

2015: $451,225***

The StoryCalgary came out of the global economic crisis better off than most. With a strong banking system, a robust stimulus package from the feds and a local economy that is used to weathering storms, business came through with relatively minor bumps and bruises.

Calgary weathered a particularly devastating storm in June 2013 when the city’s two rivers swelled beyond their banks flooding the core and numerous communities. With estimated losses reaching US$4.7 billion, Calgarians showed their resilience and spirit during the massive rebuild.

A $2-billion airport expansion is bringing the world to our city and Calgary to the world and the Keystone XL pipeline project made headlines throughout the first part of the decade with a decision still not reached as of press time. Here are the headlines.

EnergyMajor energy stories from 2010-14 included frustration as pipeline companies continued to jump through hoops to gain approvals all over North America, the push for an industry-supported national energy strategy, major Chinese investment in the oilsands and the growing investment in alternative energy.

Pipe Dreams

We have oil. We have markets. What we don’t have is a reliable way to get from A to B. Proposed pipeline projects like Keystone XL, Northern Gateway, Energy East, Mackenzie and others were bogged down in feasibility studies, environmental assessments, and most notably, American politics.

Landlocked, March 2013

Despite all the support for it, TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline has faced innumerable obstacles in its push for a 2,700-kilometre pipeline from Alberta’s oilsands to Texas refiners in the Gulf Coast. Critics and opponents have been successful, at least to some degree, in their public relations battle to stop this energy highway from being built, at least without a lot of noise.

“When you talk about pipeline infrastructure and our ability to get products to market … there is a very vocal and well-organized opposition … especially out of the U.S.,” says Travis Davies, spokesman for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).

Now, the ultimate decision rests in the hands of President Barack Obama, who recently appointed environmentally-minded Senator John Kerry to the position of secretary of state (the state department will give it the final ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ before Obama signs off one way or another).

While both U.S. Congress and the Senate passed the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Bill, President Obama vetoed the bill in February 2015 and awaits the results of a review by the state department on the pipeline’s potential economic and environmental impact before making a final decision.

TransCanada PipeLines did announce its intention to complete its Energy East pipeline in 2013, which is currently expected to be completed in 2020.

Oil on the Move, September 2013

It has been recently reported that TransCanada Corporation is moving ahead with a project called the Energy East pipeline. This is a $12-billion plan to ship western oil to Quebec and the east coast. This is the largest project in the company’s history and a move TransCanada compares to the Canadian Pacific Railway in its economic impact for the country and trade benefits overseas.

• Junior Achievement turns 50 in 2010.

48 • September 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

MBAB

BC

YT

SK

NT NU

ON

QC

PE

NB

NS

Existing Pipeline Conversion

New Pipeline Construction Terminals

ONPE

NB


Hardisty

Québec CitySaint John

Montréal

NBQuébec City

Saint JohnSaint JohnSaint John

Montréal

HardistyHardisty

The existing gas pipeline system consists of several individual pipes running in parallel with each other. This project will entail the conversion of just one of those individual pipes.

Oil on the Move – The Industry Reacts to the Energy East Pipeline • Pipeline

it has been recently reported that TransCanada Corpora-tion is moving ahead with a project called the Energy East pipeline. This is a $12-billion plan to ship western

oil to Quebec and the east coast. This is the largest project in the company’s history and a move TransCanada compares to the Canadian Pacifi c Railway in its economic impact for the country and trade benefi ts overseas.

While reaction to the announcement has been mixed among supporters and those that urge for a more cautious or different approach, it is impossible to ignore the implica-tions this pipeline has for the industry as a whole. When we think oil and gas, we think of the larger companies such as Husky, Imperial Oil and Suncor. However, Alberta is, at its core, a province that runs on the fuel we extract from the

BY neRiSSa MCnaUGHTon

Oil on the Move – The Industry Reacts to the Energy East PipelineTransCanada Corporation’s Energy East pipeline project is welcomed – and cautioned – by those in the know

Map courtesy of TransCanada Corporation. Please note that the route will not be finalized until TransCanada has assessed and incorporated input from numerous stakeholders, including First Nation and Métis communities, landowners, local communities and provincial and federal governments.

TransCanada Corporation’s Energy East pipeline project. Map courtesy of TransCanada Corporation.

HunterAlustra.indd 1 12/4/09 10:17:58 AM

Junior AchievementTurns 50!

Delivering business and finance programs to youth for half a century.

Junior Achievement Turns 50! Anniversary profile in BIC January 2010


2010 – 2015 // LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARSLooking Back on 25 Years

2010

2015Flood, Flight

and Frustration



* Statistics calculated with information up to 2014


*** Average House Price for 2015 calculated until June 2015



2012 – In September, Business in Calgary launched sister publication Business in Edmonton and was now able to reach more than 80 per cent of Alberta businesses.

2015 – Business in Calgary celebrates its 25th anniversary on September 3.

Economy Snapshot

Population Growth: 11.5%*




Mayor: Naheed Kurban Nenshi

Premier: Ed Stelmach, Rachel Notley (Elected May 2015)


2010: $1,966,000

2011: $2,840,000

2012: $4,015,000

2013: $3,555,000

2014: $3,542,500

2015: $2,782,000

Average Unemployment Rate 5.3%*

Average GDP: $107,076.50**

Median House Price: ***

2010: $373,258

2011: $366,925

2012: $378,330

2013: $404,633

2014: $444,275

2015: $451,225***

The StoryCalgary came out of the global economic crisis better off than most. With a strong banking system, a robust stimulus package from the feds and a local economy that is used to weathering storms, business came through with relatively minor bumps and bruises.

Calgary weathered a particularly devastating storm in June 2013 when the city’s two rivers swelled beyond their banks flooding the core and numerous communities. With estimated losses reaching US$4.7 billion, Calgarians showed their resilience and spirit during the massive rebuild.

A $2-billion airport expansion is bringing the world to our city and Calgary to the world and the Keystone XL pipeline project made headlines throughout the first part of the decade with a decision still not reached as of press time. Here are the headlines.

EnergyMajor energy stories from 2010-14 included frustration as pipeline companies continued to jump through hoops to gain approvals all over North America, the push for an industry-supported national energy strategy, major Chinese investment in the oilsands and the growing investment in alternative energy.

Pipe Dreams

We have oil. We have markets. What we don’t have is a reliable way to get from A to B. Proposed pipeline projects like Keystone XL, Northern Gateway, Energy East, Mackenzie and others were bogged down in feasibility studies, environmental assessments, and most notably, American politics.

Landlocked, March 2013

Despite all the support for it, TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline has faced innumerable obstacles in its push for a 2,700-kilometre pipeline from Alberta’s oilsands to Texas refiners in the Gulf Coast. Critics and opponents have been successful, at least to some degree, in their public relations battle to stop this energy highway from being built, at least without a lot of noise.

“When you talk about pipeline infrastructure and our ability to get products to market … there is a very vocal and well-organized opposition … especially out of the U.S.,” says Travis Davies, spokesman for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).

Now, the ultimate decision rests in the hands of President Barack Obama, who recently appointed environmentally-minded Senator John Kerry to the position of secretary of state (the state department will give it the final ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ before Obama signs off one way or another).

While both U.S. Congress and the Senate passed the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Bill, President Obama vetoed the bill in February 2015 and awaits the results of a review by the state department on the pipeline’s potential economic and environmental impact before making a final decision.

TransCanada PipeLines did announce its intention to complete its Energy East pipeline in 2013, which is currently expected to be completed in 2020.

Oil on the Move, September 2013

It has been recently reported that TransCanada Corporation is moving ahead with a project called the Energy East pipeline. This is a $12-billion plan to ship western oil to Quebec and the east coast. This is the largest project in the company’s history and a move TransCanada compares to the Canadian Pacific Railway in its economic impact for the country and trade benefits overseas.

• Junior Achievement turns 50 in 2010.

48 • September 2013 BUSINESS IN CALGARY | www.businessincalgary.com

MBAB

BC

YT

SK

NT NU

ON

QC

PE

NB

NS

Existing Pipeline Conversion


ONPE

NB


Hardisty

Québec CitySaint John

Montréal

NBQuébec City

Saint JohnSaint JohnSaint John

Montréal

HardistyHardisty

The existing gas pipeline system consists of several individual pipes running in parallel with each other. This project will entail the conversion of just one of those individual pipes.

Oil on the Move – The Industry Reacts to the Energy East Pipeline • Pipeline

it has been recently reported that TransCanada Corpora-tion is moving ahead with a project called the Energy East pipeline. This is a $12-billion plan to ship western

oil to Quebec and the east coast. This is the largest project in the company’s history and a move TransCanada compares to the Canadian Pacifi c Railway in its economic impact for the country and trade benefi ts overseas.

While reaction to the announcement has been mixed among supporters and those that urge for a more cautious or different approach, it is impossible to ignore the implica-tions this pipeline has for the industry as a whole. When we think oil and gas, we think of the larger companies such as Husky, Imperial Oil and Suncor. However, Alberta is, at its core, a province that runs on the fuel we extract from the

BY neRiSSa MCnaUGHTon

Oil on the Move – The Industry Reacts to the Energy East PipelineTransCanada Corporation’s Energy East pipeline project is welcomed – and cautioned – by those in the know

Map courtesy of TransCanada Corporation. Please note that the route will not be finalized until TransCanada has assessed and incorporated input from numerous stakeholders, including First Nation and Métis communities, landowners, local communities and provincial and federal governments.

TransCanada Corporation’s Energy East pipeline project. Map courtesy of TransCanada Corporation.

HunterAlustra.indd 1 12/4/09 10:17:58 AM

Junior AchievementTurns 50!

Delivering business and finance programs to youth for half a century.

Junior Achievement Turns 50! Anniversary profile in BIC January 2010




• William, Prince of Wales and his wife, Kate Middleton visit Calgary during the 2011 Stampede and don western duds to take in the world-famous parade.

While reaction to the announcement has been mixed among supporters and those that urge for a more cautious or different approach, it is impossible to ignore the implications this pipeline has for the industry as a whole.

Meanwhile, Enbridge’s Northern Gateway was outright rejected by the B.C. government for cultural and environmental considerations and the election of the NDP in Alberta in 2015 eliminates the support the project was receiving from the Conservatives leaving the $5.5-billion project in limbo today.

National Energy Strategy

With the occasional national energy program night terror still haunting oil executives of the early ’80s, industry nonetheless began to push for a national energy strategy to ensure the long-term success of Canada’s resource production and transmission in an increasingly complex and controversial marketplace.

Energy Strategy, Pipelines and New Markets, June 2011

“The world has moved on,” says Roger Gibbins, president and CEO of the Canada West Foundation, which recently released a report calling for the development of such a national energy strategy. “We know how not to do it and that’s really important. I think we just have to shake that monkey off our back.”

The reasons for Canada needing a national energy strategy, say proponents, are simple. Canada is competing in a global energy marketplace that is changing and evolving rapidly. The U.S. is forging ahead on the development of its own energy strategy, while emerging markets are creating new opportunities – and new questions – for the energy industry and for politicians and regulators.

“A national energy strategy discussion is something that’s important to us as we look at these international outlooks on where all energy forms are going,” says Greg Stringham, with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). “If we could get a

strategic plan … laid out across the energy spectrum, it’s vital to see where the country is going.”

The country continues to inch toward a national energy strategy with provincial premiers having taken the lead on the project and having handed their work over to the premiers of Alberta and Newfoundland for review. Of course, with Prentice no longer in the top job, the NES will have to wait just a little bit longer.

Chinese Investment in the Oilsands

With access to American markets bogged down in pipeline politics, Canadian producers began looking elsewhere to sell their oil – and China came knocking.

China Factor Plays Long-Term Investment Role, September 2010

China’s recent investments in the oilsands is motivated by a near-term investment strategy, but ultimately serves as a way for the energy-hungry nation to secure long-term potential supplies to quench its growing thirst for oil.

Meanwhile, China’s investment in Alberta’s oilsands has never been more pronounced. In April, China’s state-owned Sinopec announced plans to buy ConocoPhillips’ stake in Syncrude to the tune of $4.65 billion – one of the country’s largest-ever investments in North America.

It also comes on the heels of slower global demand for oil, which has recovered recently to some extent, but Stringham notes there are markets for Canadian crude closer to home with the number of recent pipeline projects announced or underway.

“With the amount of pipeline capacity and the slower growth, it’s kind of a planning perspective to look and see where the next potential markets would be as we grow this (resource) over the next decade or two,” he says. China represents part of the

• Calgary rated number five best place to visit by CNN International in 2012.

long-term future expansion of Alberta’s resources. “Producers are open to [other markets] but in the short term, given the supply expansions [in the U.S.] and the proximity and the economics, it is an option for producers that they want to develop over time.”

China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s $15-billion takeover bid for Calgary-based Nexen in 2013 caused a huge ripple in the industry and had the whole country talking about foreign ownership.

Alternative Energy

With Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto accord in December 2011, we saved millions in potential fines related to our large carbon footprint here in the great white north. The government assured citizens of Canada and the world that it would spend at least some of those savings on developing alternative energy technology. Wind, solar, biofuels and carbon capture all made massive gains between 2010 and 2014. Wind power came in as the leader of the pack in Alberta with an aging transmission system being the biggest hurdle to clear.

Wind Emerging as Winner in Race to Renewables, August 2010

Wind is the place to be. The race toward renewable energy sources has gone from being seen by critics as largely a public relations exercise for many energy companies to being a very significant – and growing – investment. That race is increasingly being dominated by wind power.

When Suncor Energy Inc. received regulatory approval of its planned 88-megawatt Wintering Hills project southeast of Drumheller in June, it brought the company’s total wind farm projects on the books to four, or about 235 megawatts – enough to power roughly 60,000 homes – once complete at the end of 2011.

Alberta, meanwhile, is in the midst of investing billions of dollars over 20 years into upgrading the province’s aging power transmission system, a move that will make it possible for more renewable energy projects to link into the power system. It is a decision surrounded by controversy: Who ultimately pays for it? Where will it go? How much is needed? But the growth in population and diversification of energy sources makes it clear that more transmission is, eventually, needed to power Alberta’s economic engine.

System Overload, September 2011

The good news is that operators such as AltaLink, FortisAlberta and ATCO are already working to improve the transmission situation. AltaLink, for example, has been and continues to work on several upgrades to smaller regional systems, such as its Southwest 240 kV line from Pincher Creek to Lethbridge, which opened up 1000 MW of new wind-generated electricity and other linkages in the grid. But it’s the Calgary-Edmonton route that is the largest and most crucial one – not just for Calgary, but all of southern and central Alberta.

Photo credit: Tourism Calgary

ALTALINK’S SOUTHWEST

240 KV LINE FROM

PINCHER CREEK TO

LETHBRIDGE, WHICH

OPENED UP 1000 MW OF

NEW WIND-GENERATED

ELECTRICITY AND OTHER

LINKAGES IN THE GRID.

William, Prince of Wales and his wife, Kate Middleton.Photo credit: Canadian Tourism Commission.




• William, Prince of Wales and his wife, Kate Middleton visit Calgary during the 2011 Stampede and don western duds to take in the world-famous parade.

While reaction to the announcement has been mixed among supporters and those that urge for a more cautious or different approach, it is impossible to ignore the implications this pipeline has for the industry as a whole.

Meanwhile, Enbridge’s Northern Gateway was outright rejected by the B.C. government for cultural and environmental considerations and the election of the NDP in Alberta in 2015 eliminates the support the project was receiving from the Conservatives leaving the $5.5-billion project in limbo today.

National Energy Strategy

With the occasional national energy program night terror still haunting oil executives of the early ’80s, industry nonetheless began to push for a national energy strategy to ensure the long-term success of Canada’s resource production and transmission in an increasingly complex and controversial marketplace.

Energy Strategy, Pipelines and New Markets, June 2011

“The world has moved on,” says Roger Gibbins, president and CEO of the Canada West Foundation, which recently released a report calling for the development of such a national energy strategy. “We know how not to do it and that’s really important. I think we just have to shake that monkey off our back.”

The reasons for Canada needing a national energy strategy, say proponents, are simple. Canada is competing in a global energy marketplace that is changing and evolving rapidly. The U.S. is forging ahead on the development of its own energy strategy, while emerging markets are creating new opportunities – and new questions – for the energy industry and for politicians and regulators.

“A national energy strategy discussion is something that’s important to us as we look at these international outlooks on where all energy forms are going,” says Greg Stringham, with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). “If we could get a

strategic plan … laid out across the energy spectrum, it’s vital to see where the country is going.”

The country continues to inch toward a national energy strategy with provincial premiers having taken the lead on the project and having handed their work over to the premiers of Alberta and Newfoundland for review. Of course, with Prentice no longer in the top job, the NES will have to wait just a little bit longer.

Chinese Investment in the Oilsands

With access to American markets bogged down in pipeline politics, Canadian producers began looking elsewhere to sell their oil – and China came knocking.

China Factor Plays Long-Term Investment Role, September 2010

China’s recent investments in the oilsands is motivated by a near-term investment strategy, but ultimately serves as a way for the energy-hungry nation to secure long-term potential supplies to quench its growing thirst for oil.

Meanwhile, China’s investment in Alberta’s oilsands has never been more pronounced. In April, China’s state-owned Sinopec announced plans to buy ConocoPhillips’ stake in Syncrude to the tune of $4.65 billion – one of the country’s largest-ever investments in North America.

It also comes on the heels of slower global demand for oil, which has recovered recently to some extent, but Stringham notes there are markets for Canadian crude closer to home with the number of recent pipeline projects announced or underway.

“With the amount of pipeline capacity and the slower growth, it’s kind of a planning perspective to look and see where the next potential markets would be as we grow this (resource) over the next decade or two,” he says. China represents part of the

• Calgary rated number five best place to visit by CNN International in 2012.

long-term future expansion of Alberta’s resources. “Producers are open to [other markets] but in the short term, given the supply expansions [in the U.S.] and the proximity and the economics, it is an option for producers that they want to develop over time.”

China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s $15-billion takeover bid for Calgary-based Nexen in 2013 caused a huge ripple in the industry and had the whole country talking about foreign ownership.

Alternative Energy

With Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto accord in December 2011, we saved millions in potential fines related to our large carbon footprint here in the great white north. The government assured citizens of Canada and the world that it would spend at least some of those savings on developing alternative energy technology. Wind, solar, biofuels and carbon capture all made massive gains between 2010 and 2014. Wind power came in as the leader of the pack in Alberta with an aging transmission system being the biggest hurdle to clear.

Wind Emerging as Winner in Race to Renewables, August 2010

Wind is the place to be. The race toward renewable energy sources has gone from being seen by critics as largely a public relations exercise for many energy companies to being a very significant – and growing – investment. That race is increasingly being dominated by wind power.

When Suncor Energy Inc. received regulatory approval of its planned 88-megawatt Wintering Hills project southeast of Drumheller in June, it brought the company’s total wind farm projects on the books to four, or about 235 megawatts – enough to power roughly 60,000 homes – once complete at the end of 2011.

Alberta, meanwhile, is in the midst of investing billions of dollars over 20 years into upgrading the province’s aging power transmission system, a move that will make it possible for more renewable energy projects to link into the power system. It is a decision surrounded by controversy: Who ultimately pays for it? Where will it go? How much is needed? But the growth in population and diversification of energy sources makes it clear that more transmission is, eventually, needed to power Alberta’s economic engine.

System Overload, September 2011

The good news is that operators such as AltaLink, FortisAlberta and ATCO are already working to improve the transmission situation. AltaLink, for example, has been and continues to work on several upgrades to smaller regional systems, such as its Southwest 240 kV line from Pincher Creek to Lethbridge, which opened up 1000 MW of new wind-generated electricity and other linkages in the grid. But it’s the Calgary-Edmonton route that is the largest and most crucial one – not just for Calgary, but all of southern and central Alberta.

Photo credit: Tourism Calgary

ALTALINK’S SOUTHWEST

240 KV LINE FROM

PINCHER CREEK TO

LETHBRIDGE, WHICH

OPENED UP 1000 MW OF

NEW WIND-GENERATED

ELECTRICITY AND OTHER

LINKAGES IN THE GRID.

William, Prince of Wales and his wife, Kate Middleton.Photo credit: Canadian Tourism Commission.



From high in the sky to deep below ground, 2010-2014’s next alternative energy story saw huge investments in carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The Next Step in Clean, Green Technology, February 2012

Clean, green technologies are on the radar of the provincial government on several fronts. While critics say more needs to be done, the wheels are slowly beginning to turn faster, as evidenced by the government’s $2-billion Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Fund. About $1.2 billion of those funds have already been allocated for various CCS projects, but it’s still a drop in the bucket when compared to the entire energy industry’s output. Still, former premier Ed Stelmach was convinced it was “game-changing” technology “that could be used around the globe,” as he stated back in October 2009 when he announced the Project Pioneer CCS initiative at Keephills west of Edmonton.

The CCS Fund is augmented by $343 million from the federal government’s Clean Energy Fund and the federal ecoENERGY Technology Initiative.

Finally, competition turned into collaboration in the oilsands as major players came together to form the Canada’s Oilsands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) as a way to move the entire industry toward greener practices.

The Push to Green, February 2013

There is tremendous activity and production at the unique technologies of the Alberta oilsands, so it was an ideal and perfect symmetry one year ago when 12 companies that are most active in the oilsands got together to form an unlikely alliance.

The Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) focuses on accelerating environmental performance in the oilsands.

The 12 fiercely competitive but now research-collaborative COSIA

partners are BP Canada, Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus, ConocoPhillips Canada, Devon Canada, Imperial Oil, Nexen Inc., Shell Canada, Statoil, Suncor, Teck Resources and Total E&P.

“COSIA is a new dynamic for the oilsands industry and a reflection of how the oilsands have evolved into a global resource,” according to Jean-Michel Gires, president and CEO of Total E&P Canada. “The companies who have come together to form COSIA have committed to work on innovation and the development of new environmental solutions.”

And the alliance is already running on all cylinders and showing impressive results.

“It’s remarkable what we can achieve when we work together and combine our ideas and efforts,” says Dan Wicklum, the widely-respected, world-class environmental scientist and researcher who was appointed COSIA’s chief executive.

“We’re new, we have a big mandate and we keep quite a pace. From patents to monitored data, we develop frameworks and share innovations,” Wicklum explains. “It’s such a huge project that we determined we would start by focusing on four key environmental priority areas (EPAs): greenhouse gases, water, land and tailings.”

Other energy stories during this time included:

• Coal-bed methane and shale gas extraction continued to be trends as Alberta’s natural gas producers continued to battle low demand and low prices.

• Companies like Encana lobby the transportation industry to switch to liquid natural gas (LNG) vehicles and gain some wins as companies like California’s Heckmann Water Resources switch their fleets to the much-cheaper fuel.

• Horizontal drilling/hydraulic fracking becomes the controversial industry standard as 2013 marked the first year more horizontal wells were drilled than vertical wells.

• Shell Canada celebrates 100 years in operation in 2011.

PoliticsAfter decades of “more of the same” in local and provincial politics, 2010 marked a new age for politics in Alberta.

First, Nenshi’s purple wave surprised almost everyone when he swept the 2010 mayoral race in a win that had pollsters wondering what the heck happened. Nenshi’s election signalled a major shift politically and culturally as he was the first visible minority elected to the position in a Canadian city over 100,000 people and the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city. Landmark factoids aside, Nenshi’s election also heralded a new mood at city hall.


Adam Legge, the new president of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, watched eagerly as the municipal election unfolded and was encouraged by what he saw – so far. “First, you have a mayor who is speaking to working together better as a council, so I think … the extent you can drive collaboration to execution on a common ground will drive a positive business environment,” he says.

Politics and business inevitably clash at times, but with city budget shortfalls, controversy about auditing and spending, not to mention items like the pedestrian bridge, are all watched by the business

community. Legge believes the sands are shifting on the political landscape in Calgary in a number of ways.

“You have a city council that is far more attuned to issues of governance, accountability, transparency and value for money,” says Legge. “There were a sufficient number of issues that hit the media that had enough of the public scratching their heads. During the election, candidates widely ran on platforms of increased accountability, transparency and limiting spending as they faced a bleak economic reality. I think they are really going to bring that to the table,” he says.

The following year, Alison Redford took the reins from Ed Stelmach as leader of the Alberta Conservatives becoming the province’s first female premier. With a mandate of cutting red tape, small business had high hopes for the new leader.

POLITICS AND BUSINESS INEVITABLY

CLASH AT TIMES, BUT WITH CITY

BUDGET SHORTFALLS, CONTROVERSY

ABOUT AUDITING AND SPENDING,

NOT TO MENTION ITEMS LIKE

THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, ARE

ALL WATCHED BY THE BUSINESS

COMMUNITY. LEGGE BELIEVES

THE SANDS ARE SHIFTING ON THE

POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN CALGARY IN

A NUMBER OF WAYS.

38 • JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS IN CALGARY

A gunmaker, some horse dealers, traders, merchants and bankers banded together with a group

of other like-minded entrepreneurs in early 1891 – numbering 46 in total – to form the Calgary Board of Trade on May 2. Chemists, insurance agents, mechanics, hotelkeepers and brokers all joined the organization to act as a voice for the Calgary business com-munity in the earliest of its years.

“There are some pillar institutions in communities that survive the ebbs and flows of economic cycles and political cycles,” remarks Adam Legge, president and CEO of the current Calgary Cham-ber of Commerce. “There are a lot of roles for the Chamber more than just traditional policy matters.”

Whether it’s involvement in the Cal-gary Homeless Foundation, a stake in Calgary Technologies Inc. and a wide range of issues affecting the broader city, it has been a true pillar that played many critical roles in representing Cal-gary’s business sector over the years.

It evolved to unite on land and devel-opment issues as the country laid its roots, went through two World Wars,

120 Years of History;

A New Story BeginsAdam Legge takes the reins at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, which celebrates its 120-year anniversary in this city while embarking on a new era of change at the iconic institution

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce, located on the corner of 6 Ave. SW and Centre Street.

BY BUSINESS IN CALGARY STAFF

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CALGARY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


• Calgary Chamber of Commerce turns 120 in 2011.

Calgary Chamber of Commerce - 120 Years of History; A New Story Begins Special feature in BIC January 2011


• The much debated Calatrava Peace Bridge opens with passionate opinions on both sides of the city’s $25-million investment.

Calatrava Peace Bridge. Photo credit: Tourism Calgary



From high in the sky to deep below ground, 2010-2014’s next alternative energy story saw huge investments in carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The Next Step in Clean, Green Technology, February 2012

Clean, green technologies are on the radar of the provincial government on several fronts. While critics say more needs to be done, the wheels are slowly beginning to turn faster, as evidenced by the government’s $2-billion Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Fund. About $1.2 billion of those funds have already been allocated for various CCS projects, but it’s still a drop in the bucket when compared to the entire energy industry’s output. Still, former premier Ed Stelmach was convinced it was “game-changing” technology “that could be used around the globe,” as he stated back in October 2009 when he announced the Project Pioneer CCS initiative at Keephills west of Edmonton.

The CCS Fund is augmented by $343 million from the federal government’s Clean Energy Fund and the federal ecoENERGY Technology Initiative.

Finally, competition turned into collaboration in the oilsands as major players came together to form the Canada’s Oilsands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) as a way to move the entire industry toward greener practices.

The Push to Green, February 2013

There is tremendous activity and production at the unique technologies of the Alberta oilsands, so it was an ideal and perfect symmetry one year ago when 12 companies that are most active in the oilsands got together to form an unlikely alliance.

The Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA) focuses on accelerating environmental performance in the oilsands.

The 12 fiercely competitive but now research-collaborative COSIA

partners are BP Canada, Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus, ConocoPhillips Canada, Devon Canada, Imperial Oil, Nexen Inc., Shell Canada, Statoil, Suncor, Teck Resources and Total E&P.

“COSIA is a new dynamic for the oilsands industry and a reflection of how the oilsands have evolved into a global resource,” according to Jean-Michel Gires, president and CEO of Total E&P Canada. “The companies who have come together to form COSIA have committed to work on innovation and the development of new environmental solutions.”

And the alliance is already running on all cylinders and showing impressive results.

“It’s remarkable what we can achieve when we work together and combine our ideas and efforts,” says Dan Wicklum, the widely-respected, world-class environmental scientist and researcher who was appointed COSIA’s chief executive.

“We’re new, we have a big mandate and we keep quite a pace. From patents to monitored data, we develop frameworks and share innovations,” Wicklum explains. “It’s such a huge project that we determined we would start by focusing on four key environmental priority areas (EPAs): greenhouse gases, water, land and tailings.”

Other energy stories during this time included:

• Coal-bed methane and shale gas extraction continued to be trends as Alberta’s natural gas producers continued to battle low demand and low prices.

• Companies like Encana lobby the transportation industry to switch to liquid natural gas (LNG) vehicles and gain some wins as companies like California’s Heckmann Water Resources switch their fleets to the much-cheaper fuel.

• Horizontal drilling/hydraulic fracking becomes the controversial industry standard as 2013 marked the first year more horizontal wells were drilled than vertical wells.

• Shell Canada celebrates 100 years in operation in 2011.

PoliticsAfter decades of “more of the same” in local and provincial politics, 2010 marked a new age for politics in Alberta.

First, Nenshi’s purple wave surprised almost everyone when he swept the 2010 mayoral race in a win that had pollsters wondering what the heck happened. Nenshi’s election signalled a major shift politically and culturally as he was the first visible minority elected to the position in a Canadian city over 100,000 people and the first Muslim mayor of a major North American city. Landmark factoids aside, Nenshi’s election also heralded a new mood at city hall.


Adam Legge, the new president of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, watched eagerly as the municipal election unfolded and was encouraged by what he saw – so far. “First, you have a mayor who is speaking to working together better as a council, so I think … the extent you can drive collaboration to execution on a common ground will drive a positive business environment,” he says.

Politics and business inevitably clash at times, but with city budget shortfalls, controversy about auditing and spending, not to mention items like the pedestrian bridge, are all watched by the business

community. Legge believes the sands are shifting on the political landscape in Calgary in a number of ways.

“You have a city council that is far more attuned to issues of governance, accountability, transparency and value for money,” says Legge. “There were a sufficient number of issues that hit the media that had enough of the public scratching their heads. During the election, candidates widely ran on platforms of increased accountability, transparency and limiting spending as they faced a bleak economic reality. I think they are really going to bring that to the table,” he says.

The following year, Alison Redford took the reins from Ed Stelmach as leader of the Alberta Conservatives becoming the province’s first female premier. With a mandate of cutting red tape, small business had high hopes for the new leader.

POLITICS AND BUSINESS INEVITABLY

CLASH AT TIMES, BUT WITH CITY

BUDGET SHORTFALLS, CONTROVERSY

ABOUT AUDITING AND SPENDING,

NOT TO MENTION ITEMS LIKE

THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, ARE

ALL WATCHED BY THE BUSINESS

COMMUNITY. LEGGE BELIEVES

THE SANDS ARE SHIFTING ON THE

POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN CALGARY IN

A NUMBER OF WAYS.

38 • JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS IN CALGARY

A gunmaker, some horse dealers, traders, merchants and bankers banded together with a group

of other like-minded entrepreneurs in early 1891 – numbering 46 in total – to form the Calgary Board of Trade on May 2. Chemists, insurance agents, mechanics, hotelkeepers and brokers all joined the organization to act as a voice for the Calgary business com-munity in the earliest of its years.

“There are some pillar institutions in communities that survive the ebbs and flows of economic cycles and political cycles,” remarks Adam Legge, president and CEO of the current Calgary Cham-ber of Commerce. “There are a lot of roles for the Chamber more than just traditional policy matters.”

Whether it’s involvement in the Cal-gary Homeless Foundation, a stake in Calgary Technologies Inc. and a wide range of issues affecting the broader city, it has been a true pillar that played many critical roles in representing Cal-gary’s business sector over the years.

It evolved to unite on land and devel-opment issues as the country laid its roots, went through two World Wars,

120 Years of History;

A New Story BeginsAdam Legge takes the reins at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, which celebrates its 120-year anniversary in this city while embarking on a new era of change at the iconic institution

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce, located on the corner of 6 Ave. SW and Centre Street.

BY BUSINESS IN CALGARY STAFF

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CALGARY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


• Calgary Chamber of Commerce turns 120 in 2011.

Calgary Chamber of Commerce - 120 Years of History; A New Story Begins Special feature in BIC January 2011


• The much debated Calatrava Peace Bridge opens with passionate opinions on both sides of the city’s $25-million investment.

Calatrava Peace Bridge. Photo credit: Tourism Calgary





With campaign promises to cut the red tape for Alberta businesses, her election this year as premier of Alberta could spell some relief for companies that must deal with an endless stream of often repetitive regulations and bureaucratic hurdles. While she only recently took office – and has spent little time in the legislature so far – there is hope she will deliver on those promises to make it easier for entrepreneurs to go about their business.

“Alison Redford is obviously committed to … an open business climate,” says Keith Brownsey, a political science instructor at Mount Royal University. “There likely will be some effort to streamline regulation … which may make it easier and less expensive to do business.”

But by the time Redford faced voters in 2012, her opponent, Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith, had worked the province’s right wing into an anti-PC frenzy and many expected the newcomer to take the election. Of course, analysts suspected the more centre- and left-leaning voters rallied behind Redford’s Conservatives as a “lesser of two evils” and the PCs took 67 of 81 seats and continued their 40-year reign. But it wouldn’t be smooth sailing for Redford’s Conservatives.


The leadership race, it turned out, was just the beginning of the challenges Redford would face. A deficit approaching $3 billion was the first hurdle Redford’s government had to accept and overcome.

“Revenue decreased by $400 million in the first quarter because of lower bitumen royalties, lower conventional oil royalties and lower Crown land lease sales. Expenses increased by $5 million due to disaster funding. Based on the results so far this year, Alberta could see a deficit of between $2.3 billion to $3 billion,” said a government release to the media.

Just two years later, Redford resigned in March 2014 amid revelations she had used tax dollars to spend lavishly on trips and office perks, including a pricey penthouse suite on top of a government building. Jim Prentice, who beat former Calgary City Councillor Ric McIver for top spot, took the reins in September 2014. Just over six months later, Alberta’s political world was turned upside down by the election of the province’s first New Democratic Party government under Rachel Notley on May 5, 2015 ending the PC dynasty.

Real Estate and DevelopmentWhen it comes to construction and development, Calgary is a city that never sleeps. Constantly growing, the region saw a number of mega projects come online between 2010 and 2014 including a major airport expansion and some spectacular projects in the core including The Bow, the East Village redevelopment and others. Meanwhile, residential developers locked horns with city hall around densification targets as homebuyers contended with ever-escalating housing prices.

• In March, 2014, Suncor discovers a fossil of a rare, 112-million-year-old ankylosaur at its oil sands site.

ANALYSTS SUSPECTED THE MORE

CENTRE- AND LEFT-LEANING

VOTERS RALLIED BEHIND REDFORD’S

CONSERVATIVES AS A

“LESSER OF TWO EVILS”

AND THE PCS TOOK 67 OF

81 SEATS AND CONTINUED

THEIR 40-YEAR REIGN.

83% of seats

Airport Expansion


The $2-billion expansion of the Calgary airport with a large, new (international) concourse for $1.4 billion and a new runway – the largest in Canada – for another $600 million is sure to be a big boon to business. “A really healthy, vibrant airport community is a major business centre for any city,” says Jody Moseley, the director of communications and marketing for the Calgary Airport Authority (YYC). “We need to be able to meet our current capacity needs as well as our futures ones.”

Some fast facts from Airport Expansion Launches Calgary to New Heights, May 2011

• The new, longer runway now being constructed will be able to handle the larger jumbo airliners, such as the Airbus A380, and attract more flights from major centres in Asia and elsewhere, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Mumbai.

• $2.05 billion is the total cost of the expansion for the runway and new terminal; $1.4 billion for the terminal and $620 million for the runway.

• It will be Canada’s longest runway, at 4.2 kilometres in length and 61 metres wide.

• About 260,000 cubic metres of concrete will be used in its construction, comparable to the amount used in some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers.

• More than 5,000 lights will illuminate the taxiway.

• About 10 million litres of rainwater that falls on the runway will be recycled each year.

• With 22 gates, the new terminal will handle all international flights, while the other terminals will be used for domestic travel.

• The project will boost the airport’s flight movements from 250,000 a year to 350,000 when opened.

• The new international facility will nearly double the size of the current air terminal building.

• The expansion will contribute over 10.5 million hours of employment and will add significantly to the $6-billion GDP contribution that YYC currently makes to the local economy.

The new runway has been fully operational since June 2014 and the new international facility is on schedule for a September 2016 opening.

Calgary Airport Expansion

businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2014 • 43

Once upon a time, tens of mil-lions of years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the land where Suncor is now digging for black-gold bitu-men, a very rare creature called an ankylosaur huffed, puffed and snorted while grazing on prehis-toric vegetation.Fast-forward 112 million years

to a bright but wintery March 21 morning, when Suncor shovel operator Shawn Funk was having a typical day at work, excavating the 12-metre-thick overburden (the layer of topsoil covering the rich oilsands) at the Millennium mine, just six miles from Fort McMurray.

While smoothly manoeuvring the levers and controls of his exca-vator, as he did every morning, he looked straight ahead and paused to take a second look. After a while, the giant walls of soil

tend to look the same but this time he thought he saw something different.

A gentle nudge with the bucket of his machine sent an unusual-looking big rock rolling down the mountain of soil.Funk radioed his supervisor.

They went closer, stood looking down at it and crouched down to get a closer look. Both men agreed it was time to call in experts.

Dr. Donald Henderson is curator of dinosaurs at the legendary Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. Sun-cor’s Millennium crew and the Fort

McMurray office were intrigued enough that, the next morning, Suncor flew in the world-famous archeologist for his expert opinion.

The mammoth and intensive on-site work never stops and, because the Historical Resources Act imposes an immediate “do no fur-ther harm” shutdown of land where there is likely fossil material, Funk simply moved his giant shovel about 200 metres down, and kept scooping away the overburden.

“The rocks in that area are about 200 million years old but Suncor obviously thought this was special enough for us take a closer look,” says the knowledgeable and fasci-nating Dr. Henderson.“It’s not uncommon to find sea

animal and marine reptile fossils but I knew right away that this was special. ‘The rock’ was longer than usual and judging from the shape and the unusually many bones – all the normal bones as well as bones in the skin and even bony eyelids – I suspected that it could be a truly rare ankylosaur – an armoured dinosaur, maybe six metres long, that lived in the area about 112 million years ago.”

The treasure was delicately cov-ered, crated and shipped off to the Royal Tyrrell Museum lab, where, behind a large glass viewing window, Dr. Henderson and his technicians painstakingly continue their investi-gation, preservation and study.“It will be about three years until

it’s ready for display,” Dr. Hender-son explains. But why rush it? It lay in the ground for 100 million years. It can wait a bit longer.

“We are thrilled. It is so delicate but so well preserved. We’re already getting interest from the U.S. and England. It could be the best armoured dinosaur fossil in the world.”... and a workday that Shawn

Funk will never forget.

Cont

inui

ng E

duCa

tio

n

mtroyal.ca/conted403.440.6875

Why MRu’s Continuing Education? • Learntomorrow’sskillstoday• Connectwithindustryprofessionals• Smallclasssizes,bigideas• Flexibleschedules-fasttrack,online,classroom• Workplacelearning

CAPPA, Oil & Gas Office Administration, Petroleum Joint Venture, Petroleum Land Administration, Petroleum Land Business, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, RFP RFQ RFI, Contract Management...

Build Your Career100+ Programs in oil & gas, Business and technology

Jeff, Leadership Development

alberta’s Mighty Machines • Oil & Gas - Equipment

Dr. Donald Henderson with the ankylosaur fossil

The Suncor Dinosaur


• Bow Valley College’s president and CEO Sharon Carry receives the Alberta Order of Excellence in October 2014.

Sharon Carry receiving the Alberta Order of Excellence from Donald S. Ethell, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, on October 15, 2014.





With campaign promises to cut the red tape for Alberta businesses, her election this year as premier of Alberta could spell some relief for companies that must deal with an endless stream of often repetitive regulations and bureaucratic hurdles. While she only recently took office – and has spent little time in the legislature so far – there is hope she will deliver on those promises to make it easier for entrepreneurs to go about their business.

“Alison Redford is obviously committed to … an open business climate,” says Keith Brownsey, a political science instructor at Mount Royal University. “There likely will be some effort to streamline regulation … which may make it easier and less expensive to do business.”

But by the time Redford faced voters in 2012, her opponent, Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith, had worked the province’s right wing into an anti-PC frenzy and many expected the newcomer to take the election. Of course, analysts suspected the more centre- and left-leaning voters rallied behind Redford’s Conservatives as a “lesser of two evils” and the PCs took 67 of 81 seats and continued their 40-year reign. But it wouldn’t be smooth sailing for Redford’s Conservatives.


The leadership race, it turned out, was just the beginning of the challenges Redford would face. A deficit approaching $3 billion was the first hurdle Redford’s government had to accept and overcome.

“Revenue decreased by $400 million in the first quarter because of lower bitumen royalties, lower conventional oil royalties and lower Crown land lease sales. Expenses increased by $5 million due to disaster funding. Based on the results so far this year, Alberta could see a deficit of between $2.3 billion to $3 billion,” said a government release to the media.

Just two years later, Redford resigned in March 2014 amid revelations she had used tax dollars to spend lavishly on trips and office perks, including a pricey penthouse suite on top of a government building. Jim Prentice, who beat former Calgary City Councillor Ric McIver for top spot, took the reins in September 2014. Just over six months later, Alberta’s political world was turned upside down by the election of the province’s first New Democratic Party government under Rachel Notley on May 5, 2015 ending the PC dynasty.

Real Estate and DevelopmentWhen it comes to construction and development, Calgary is a city that never sleeps. Constantly growing, the region saw a number of mega projects come online between 2010 and 2014 including a major airport expansion and some spectacular projects in the core including The Bow, the East Village redevelopment and others. Meanwhile, residential developers locked horns with city hall around densification targets as homebuyers contended with ever-escalating housing prices.

• In March, 2014, Suncor discovers a fossil of a rare, 112-million-year-old ankylosaur at its oil sands site.

ANALYSTS SUSPECTED THE MORE

CENTRE- AND LEFT-LEANING

VOTERS RALLIED BEHIND REDFORD’S

CONSERVATIVES AS A

“LESSER OF TWO EVILS”

AND THE PCS TOOK 67 OF

81 SEATS AND CONTINUED

THEIR 40-YEAR REIGN.

83% of seats

Airport Expansion


The $2-billion expansion of the Calgary airport with a large, new (international) concourse for $1.4 billion and a new runway – the largest in Canada – for another $600 million is sure to be a big boon to business. “A really healthy, vibrant airport community is a major business centre for any city,” says Jody Moseley, the director of communications and marketing for the Calgary Airport Authority (YYC). “We need to be able to meet our current capacity needs as well as our futures ones.”

Some fast facts from Airport Expansion Launches Calgary to New Heights, May 2011

• The new, longer runway now being constructed will be able to handle the larger jumbo airliners, such as the Airbus A380, and attract more flights from major centres in Asia and elsewhere, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Mumbai.

• $2.05 billion is the total cost of the expansion for the runway and new terminal; $1.4 billion for the terminal and $620 million for the runway.

• It will be Canada’s longest runway, at 4.2 kilometres in length and 61 metres wide.

• About 260,000 cubic metres of concrete will be used in its construction, comparable to the amount used in some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers.

• More than 5,000 lights will illuminate the taxiway.

• About 10 million litres of rainwater that falls on the runway will be recycled each year.

• With 22 gates, the new terminal will handle all international flights, while the other terminals will be used for domestic travel.

• The project will boost the airport’s flight movements from 250,000 a year to 350,000 when opened.

• The new international facility will nearly double the size of the current air terminal building.

• The expansion will contribute over 10.5 million hours of employment and will add significantly to the $6-billion GDP contribution that YYC currently makes to the local economy.

The new runway has been fully operational since June 2014 and the new international facility is on schedule for a September 2016 opening.

Calgary Airport Expansion

businessincalgary.com | BUSINESS IN CALGARY September 2014 • 43

Once upon a time, tens of mil-lions of years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the land where Suncor is now digging for black-gold bitu-men, a very rare creature called an ankylosaur huffed, puffed and snorted while grazing on prehis-toric vegetation.Fast-forward 112 million years

to a bright but wintery March 21 morning, when Suncor shovel operator Shawn Funk was having a typical day at work, excavating the 12-metre-thick overburden (the layer of topsoil covering the rich oilsands) at the Millennium mine, just six miles from Fort McMurray.

While smoothly manoeuvring the levers and controls of his exca-vator, as he did every morning, he looked straight ahead and paused to take a second look. After a while, the giant walls of soil

tend to look the same but this time he thought he saw something different.

A gentle nudge with the bucket of his machine sent an unusual-looking big rock rolling down the mountain of soil.Funk radioed his supervisor.

They went closer, stood looking down at it and crouched down to get a closer look. Both men agreed it was time to call in experts.

Dr. Donald Henderson is curator of dinosaurs at the legendary Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. Sun-cor’s Millennium crew and the Fort

McMurray office were intrigued enough that, the next morning, Suncor flew in the world-famous archeologist for his expert opinion.

The mammoth and intensive on-site work never stops and, because the Historical Resources Act imposes an immediate “do no fur-ther harm” shutdown of land where there is likely fossil material, Funk simply moved his giant shovel about 200 metres down, and kept scooping away the overburden.

“The rocks in that area are about 200 million years old but Suncor obviously thought this was special enough for us take a closer look,” says the knowledgeable and fasci-nating Dr. Henderson.“It’s not uncommon to find sea

animal and marine reptile fossils but I knew right away that this was special. ‘The rock’ was longer than usual and judging from the shape and the unusually many bones – all the normal bones as well as bones in the skin and even bony eyelids – I suspected that it could be a truly rare ankylosaur – an armoured dinosaur, maybe six metres long, that lived in the area about 112 million years ago.”

The treasure was delicately cov-ered, crated and shipped off to the Royal Tyrrell Museum lab, where, behind a large glass viewing window, Dr. Henderson and his technicians painstakingly continue their investi-gation, preservation and study.“It will be about three years until

it’s ready for display,” Dr. Hender-son explains. But why rush it? It lay in the ground for 100 million years. It can wait a bit longer.

“We are thrilled. It is so delicate but so well preserved. We’re already getting interest from the U.S. and England. It could be the best armoured dinosaur fossil in the world.”... and a workday that Shawn

Funk will never forget.

Cont

inui

ng E

duCa

tio

n

mtroyal.ca/conted403.440.6875

Why MRu’s Continuing Education? • Learntomorrow’sskillstoday• Connectwithindustryprofessionals• Smallclasssizes,bigideas• Flexibleschedules-fasttrack,online,classroom• Workplacelearning

CAPPA, Oil & Gas Office Administration, Petroleum Joint Venture, Petroleum Land Administration, Petroleum Land Business, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, RFP RFQ RFI, Contract Management...

Build Your Career100+ Programs in oil & gas, Business and technology

Jeff, Leadership Development

alberta’s Mighty Machines • Oil & Gas - Equipment


The Suncor Dinosaur


• Bow Valley College’s president and CEO Sharon Carry receives the Alberta Order of Excellence in October 2014.

Sharon Carry receiving the Alberta Order of Excellence from Donald S. Ethell, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, on October 15, 2014.




• Mount Royal University launches a $250 million fundraising campaign.



The long-anticipated opening of The Bow in downtown Calgary began with a trickle this past August as employees of Cenovus Energy began to move into Calgary’s newest office tower. At 59-storeys, The Bow is the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto.

More than just something pretty to look at, The Bow is a state-of-the-art design that was planned with Calgary’s notoriously unpredictable weather in mind. In 2011, The Bow was nominated for an award by the industry trade publication, Canadian Consulting Engineer.

For The Bow’s nomination the publication wrote, “The BOW’s aerodynamic crescent shape reduces wind resistance, down draft and urban wind tunnels. Its unique design maximizes natural light and occupants’ views, and creates open, centralized spaces, including a sky garden system. The tower’s form and mass were developed to adapt and utilize Calgary’s climate, including seasonal sun paths, rainfall, wind, temperature and humidity.”

Since then, The Bow has won accolades around the globe including being named one of the world’s most spectacular corporate buildings by Emporis in 2013.

But The Bow was just the beginning…

Real Estate Feature, October 2013

Over the past year there have been various pinnacle developments in downtown and there are more to come … Eighth Avenue Place’s second tower will be the first LEED-Platinum highrise office tower in the country and is scheduled for completion in 2014.

Other large commercial projects that are slated for construction include the TELUS Sky Tower and Three Eau Claire. Both projects offer mixed-use components that include office and residential allotments as well as architectural considerations that will complement the city. According to Gallelli, the 58-storey TELUS Sky project will include 430,000 square feet of space and 341 residential suites. These projects are timely, as the residential apartment rental vacancy rates were hovering at 1.2 per cent this past spring.

Another project of note is Brookfield Place. This venture is set on an entire city block in the heart of downtown and will include two phased towers that when combined will total 2.4 million square feet. Construction has been slated for this September.

• Leonardo DiCaprio visits the oilsands in 2014 for an environmental documentary raising the heckles of industry and politicians alike.

THE BOW HAS WON ACCOLADES

AROUND THE GLOBE INCLUDING

BEING NAMED ONE OF THE WORLD’S

MOST SPECTACULAR CORPORATE

BUILDINGS BY EMPORIS IN 2013.

Cadillac Fairview is also in development mode, with their City Centre project near Eau Claire Market. Target for tenant occupancy is 2015 and will include over 220,000 square feet of pre-leased space in the first phase of the 34-storey office tower. Cadillac plans to also move ahead with a second phase that will include a luxury condominium tower and five-star hotel accommodations.

And then, finally, East Village began its resurrection.

East Village

The Core Explored, March 2013

After six years of strategic planning and more than $160 million in infrastructure upgrades, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has finally shaken the decades-old curse that had befallen East Village. With shovels in the ground on residential and cultural projects, the oldest, newest, warmest, coolest community in Calgary is finally on the rise.

“We had a big year in 2012,” says Susan Veres, vice-president of marketing and communications for CMLC. “In March we opened our EV Experience Centre, in April we announced a sale of a parcel of land for a Hilton hotel, in September the first mixed-use residential tower by Vancouver-based Embassy Bosa (called Fuse at Evolution) broke ground and we opened the second phase of RiverWalk. Then in December, our development permit for the St. Patrick’s Island (SPI) rejuvenation program received city approval.”

The first part of 2013 has also been ablaze with activity. The second residential tower, Fram+Slokker’s “First,” project broke ground in early February and the National Music Centre project began construction on February 22.

The new Central Library project will advance as CMLC has begun the process of identifying and engaging a project manager for the designated location just east of city hall along 3rd Street SE.

With residential, cultural and infrastructure projects moving along, the CMLC will turn its attention to realizing the commercial/retail development components of the master-planned community.

Residential Real Estate

Calgary real estate came out of the global economic crisis in a relatively healthy state compared to other major centres across North America.

Rendering of TELUS Sky Tower. Photo credit: TELUS.

The multi-phase Evolution project in the East Village. Photo credit: CMLC




• Mount Royal University launches a $250 million fundraising campaign.



The long-anticipated opening of The Bow in downtown Calgary began with a trickle this past August as employees of Cenovus Energy began to move into Calgary’s newest office tower. At 59-storeys, The Bow is the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto.

More than just something pretty to look at, The Bow is a state-of-the-art design that was planned with Calgary’s notoriously unpredictable weather in mind. In 2011, The Bow was nominated for an award by the industry trade publication, Canadian Consulting Engineer.

For The Bow’s nomination the publication wrote, “The BOW’s aerodynamic crescent shape reduces wind resistance, down draft and urban wind tunnels. Its unique design maximizes natural light and occupants’ views, and creates open, centralized spaces, including a sky garden system. The tower’s form and mass were developed to adapt and utilize Calgary’s climate, including seasonal sun paths, rainfall, wind, temperature and humidity.”

Since then, The Bow has won accolades around the globe including being named one of the world’s most spectacular corporate buildings by Emporis in 2013.

But The Bow was just the beginning…

Real Estate Feature, October 2013

Over the past year there have been various pinnacle developments in downtown and there are more to come … Eighth Avenue Place’s second tower will be the first LEED-Platinum highrise office tower in the country and is scheduled for completion in 2014.

Other large commercial projects that are slated for construction include the TELUS Sky Tower and Three Eau Claire. Both projects offer mixed-use components that include office and residential allotments as well as architectural considerations that will complement the city. According to Gallelli, the 58-storey TELUS Sky project will include 430,000 square feet of space and 341 residential suites. These projects are timely, as the residential apartment rental vacancy rates were hovering at 1.2 per cent this past spring.

Another project of note is Brookfield Place. This venture is set on an entire city block in the heart of downtown and will include two phased towers that when combined will total 2.4 million square feet. Construction has been slated for this September.

• Leonardo DiCaprio visits the oilsands in 2014 for an environmental documentary raising the heckles of industry and politicians alike.

THE BOW HAS WON ACCOLADES

AROUND THE GLOBE INCLUDING

BEING NAMED ONE OF THE WORLD’S

MOST SPECTACULAR CORPORATE

BUILDINGS BY EMPORIS IN 2013.

Cadillac Fairview is also in development mode, with their City Centre project near Eau Claire Market. Target for tenant occupancy is 2015 and will include over 220,000 square feet of pre-leased space in the first phase of the 34-storey office tower. Cadillac plans to also move ahead with a second phase that will include a luxury condominium tower and five-star hotel accommodations.

And then, finally, East Village began its resurrection.

East Village

The Core Explored, March 2013

After six years of strategic planning and more than $160 million in infrastructure upgrades, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has finally shaken the decades-old curse that had befallen East Village. With shovels in the ground on residential and cultural projects, the oldest, newest, warmest, coolest community in Calgary is finally on the rise.

“We had a big year in 2012,” says Susan Veres, vice-president of marketing and communications for CMLC. “In March we opened our EV Experience Centre, in April we announced a sale of a parcel of land for a Hilton hotel, in September the first mixed-use residential tower by Vancouver-based Embassy Bosa (called Fuse at Evolution) broke ground and we opened the second phase of RiverWalk. Then in December, our development permit for the St. Patrick’s Island (SPI) rejuvenation program received city approval.”

The first part of 2013 has also been ablaze with activity. The second residential tower, Fram+Slokker’s “First,” project broke ground in early February and the National Music Centre project began construction on February 22.

The new Central Library project will advance as CMLC has begun the process of identifying and engaging a project manager for the designated location just east of city hall along 3rd Street SE.

With residential, cultural and infrastructure projects moving along, the CMLC will turn its attention to realizing the commercial/retail development components of the master-planned community.

Residential Real Estate

Calgary real estate came out of the global economic crisis in a relatively healthy state compared to other major centres across North America.

Rendering of TELUS Sky Tower. Photo credit: TELUS.

The multi-phase Evolution project in the East Village. Photo credit: CMLC





• YYC claims the top spot as Canada’s fastest growing airport in 2013 with a 4.9 per cent growth rate and 14.3 million passengers a year.

Real Estate in Review, September 2012

“Calgary has been lucky to experience healthy real estate over the past five years. July 2007 saw pricing peak at $505,000. The stock crash in 2008 hit the real estate market and the average price dropped considerably to $417,000, yet we have been growing steadily now for some time. Those who bought in 2006 and 2007 are going to start to see real profit in their investment,” advises realtor Ken Rigel. “Calgary is an outstanding city and as commodities begin to stabilize and there is greater confidence in oil, the real estate market will only continue to improve. This year’s sale of 64 homes within the $1.2 and $1.5 million-dollar range is testament to that.”

But with more and more homes creeping toward that $1.5-million mark, industry implicated the city’s land-use permitting process as a primary cause of escalating house prices by favouring inner-city densification projects to suburban neighbourhoods. While Calgary’s Plan-It Master Plan outlined a strategy for increased density over 60 years, developers complained things were happening faster than anticipated. It’s a fight that got nasty at times, especially during the last civic election, landing Mayor Nenshi and developer Cal Wenzel in a $6-million defamation suit against the mayor. (Trial date yet to be determined.)

Collective Vision, September 2014

According to most perspectives, accusations, arguments and well-intentioned points of view, the problem stems from a clash of contemporary consumer trends versus municipal ideology and strategy. A standoff about the supply-and-demand use of land that Calgary developers are pushing for versus the use that is consistent with the city’s ideology and planning strategy.

“Calgary desperately needs to create urban vibrancy,” says urban planning savvy Simon O’Byrne, vice president, urban planning, with Stantec. “Urban vibrancy doesn’t just mean an exciting downtown where people come to work. It must be a balance of a

vibrant community where people live, go to school, go shopping and enjoy their life.

“Look around! There’s lots of land in Calgary. That’s not the problem. The issue is what use of that land will the city approve? Of course we must use the land efficiently and consider vital aspects like sustainability, the environment and public transit. But the Canadian dream is still home ownership,” he says.

Rollin Stanley, general manager of planning, development and assessment for the City of Calgary, says: “We have tied the land use plan to the transportation plan and it makes a lot of sense. It links how we intend to grow, with our ability to pay for infrastructure and operating costs.

“Of course it’s also a matter of tax revenues, because our sole revenue is from property taxes. And density is the way to go.” He defends the lightning rod planning strategy of “building up” (highrises) instead of “building out” (single-family homes).

“A 210-unit, downtown condo uses 55 metres of frontage and generates a significant revenue stream for the city. By comparison,

single-family units with the same frontage generate limited revenue. It’s one of the reasons why we target land development to have higher densities.”

Homebuilder Jay Westman weighs in on the impact on housing prices:

Westman insists that Calgary’s restrictive land use policies are limiting choice and making home buying in Calgary virtually unaffordable. He cites recent stats that show the price of Calgary resale homes inflating at double-digit rates with bidding wars and many listings getting multiple offers.

He mentions a 29-foot-wide Inglewood lot costing $384,000. A 40-foot-wide West Hillhurst lot at $675,000. And cringes about several Calgary communities closing in on $1 million, just for the lot!

“It all traces back to the availability and the price of land. It’s a documented fact. Over the last 10 years, the cost of Calgary lots has more than doubled.”

Other real estate headlines between 2010 and 2014 included:

• Initiated in 2013, the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation’s New Home Warranty program offers protection for homeowners buying quickly-built boom-time houses from shoddy workmanship with required insurance for homebuilders.

• The beltine began to bulge with 2,600 condo units in 11 projects under construction in 2013.

• Downtown’s west end entered another round of stakeholder consultation as the original redevelopment plan was scrapped.

• In 2013, city council approved Calgary’s Heritage Property Corporation’s 338-stall automated parking facility on the 100 block of 7th Avenue SW.

RetailTarget’s in, Zellers is out … Target’s out, Nordstrom is in, and retail continues to boom in Calgary.

Retail’s New Normal, July 2014

According to Statistics Canada numbers, retail sales in Alberta recently spiked to over $6 billion, by far the highest year-over-year retail sales growth in the country.

“Compared to the rest of Canada, Alberta (particularly Calgary) retailers are doing very well,” cites Lanny McInnes, director, Prairies for the Retail Council of Canada (RCC.)

“Not only is Alberta leading the country for retail sales growth, it is almost doubling the national average.”

The RCC’s year-to-year summaries show that Canada’s average retail sales growth was 4.9 per cent. Ontario is approximately two per cent, B.C. is 3.8 per cent, Saskatchewan is 5.4 per cent and Alberta is 9.4 per cent.

“Retail is where the rubber meets the road in terms of reflecting where the economy is and where it is headed,” he explains, “and a measure of consumer confidence and security about jobs and wages.

“Most people don’t realize what significant business retail is in Alberta. The numbers show that retailers are the largest employers in the province. More than 10.9 per cent of Alberta’s labour force works in some kind of retail.”

Meanwhile, the American invasion showed no signs of relenting.

This year, the iconically American Nordstrom – the upscale Seattle-based department store chain with a solidly established reputation for impeccable customer service – is about to open four Canadian stores, the first-ever international location all set for Calgary’s Chinook Centre.

Calgary Airport. Photo credit - Chris Armstrong, Calgary Airport Authority.

Nordstrom opened its doors at Chinook Centre in the Fall of 2014. Image credit: Nordstrom, Inc.

SEVERAL CALGARY

COMMUNITIES CLOSE

IN ON $1 MILLION, JUST

FOR THE LOT!

• In 2014, Alberta set the retail pace for the country being the largest employer (nearly 11 per cent of Albertans are employed in retail) and a 4.9 per cent growth rate.





• YYC claims the top spot as Canada’s fastest growing airport in 2013 with a 4.9 per cent growth rate and 14.3 million passengers a year.

Real Estate in Review, September 2012

“Calgary has been lucky to experience healthy real estate over the past five years. July 2007 saw pricing peak at $505,000. The stock crash in 2008 hit the real estate market and the average price dropped considerably to $417,000, yet we have been growing steadily now for some time. Those who bought in 2006 and 2007 are going to start to see real profit in their investment,” advises realtor Ken Rigel. “Calgary is an outstanding city and as commodities begin to stabilize and there is greater confidence in oil, the real estate market will only continue to improve. This year’s sale of 64 homes within the $1.2 and $1.5 million-dollar range is testament to that.”

But with more and more homes creeping toward that $1.5-million mark, industry implicated the city’s land-use permitting process as a primary cause of escalating house prices by favouring inner-city densification projects to suburban neighbourhoods. While Calgary’s Plan-It Master Plan outlined a strategy for increased density over 60 years, developers complained things were happening faster than anticipated. It’s a fight that got nasty at times, especially during the last civic election, landing Mayor Nenshi and developer Cal Wenzel in a $6-million defamation suit against the mayor. (Trial date yet to be determined.)

Collective Vision, September 2014

According to most perspectives, accusations, arguments and well-intentioned points of view, the problem stems from a clash of contemporary consumer trends versus municipal ideology and strategy. A standoff about the supply-and-demand use of land that Calgary developers are pushing for versus the use that is consistent with the city’s ideology and planning strategy.

“Calgary desperately needs to create urban vibrancy,” says urban planning savvy Simon O’Byrne, vice president, urban planning, with Stantec. “Urban vibrancy doesn’t just mean an exciting downtown where people come to work. It must be a balance of a

vibrant community where people live, go to school, go shopping and enjoy their life.

“Look around! There’s lots of land in Calgary. That’s not the problem. The issue is what use of that land will the city approve? Of course we must use the land efficiently and consider vital aspects like sustainability, the environment and public transit. But the Canadian dream is still home ownership,” he says.

Rollin Stanley, general manager of planning, development and assessment for the City of Calgary, says: “We have tied the land use plan to the transportation plan and it makes a lot of sense. It links how we intend to grow, with our ability to pay for infrastructure and operating costs.

“Of course it’s also a matter of tax revenues, because our sole revenue is from property taxes. And density is the way to go.” He defends the lightning rod planning strategy of “building up” (highrises) instead of “building out” (single-family homes).

“A 210-unit, downtown condo uses 55 metres of frontage and generates a significant revenue stream for the city. By comparison,

single-family units with the same frontage generate limited revenue. It’s one of the reasons why we target land development to have higher densities.”

Homebuilder Jay Westman weighs in on the impact on housing prices:

Westman insists that Calgary’s restrictive land use policies are limiting choice and making home buying in Calgary virtually unaffordable. He cites recent stats that show the price of Calgary resale homes inflating at double-digit rates with bidding wars and many listings getting multiple offers.

He mentions a 29-foot-wide Inglewood lot costing $384,000. A 40-foot-wide West Hillhurst lot at $675,000. And cringes about several Calgary communities closing in on $1 million, just for the lot!

“It all traces back to the availability and the price of land. It’s a documented fact. Over the last 10 years, the cost of Calgary lots has more than doubled.”

Other real estate headlines between 2010 and 2014 included:

• Initiated in 2013, the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation’s New Home Warranty program offers protection for homeowners buying quickly-built boom-time houses from shoddy workmanship with required insurance for homebuilders.

• The beltine began to bulge with 2,600 condo units in 11 projects under construction in 2013.

• Downtown’s west end entered another round of stakeholder consultation as the original redevelopment plan was scrapped.

• In 2013, city council approved Calgary’s Heritage Property Corporation’s 338-stall automated parking facility on the 100 block of 7th Avenue SW.

RetailTarget’s in, Zellers is out … Target’s out, Nordstrom is in, and retail continues to boom in Calgary.

Retail’s New Normal, July 2014

According to Statistics Canada numbers, retail sales in Alberta recently spiked to over $6 billion, by far the highest year-over-year retail sales growth in the country.

“Compared to the rest of Canada, Alberta (particularly Calgary) retailers are doing very well,” cites Lanny McInnes, director, Prairies for the Retail Council of Canada (RCC.)

“Not only is Alberta leading the country for retail sales growth, it is almost doubling the national average.”

The RCC’s year-to-year summaries show that Canada’s average retail sales growth was 4.9 per cent. Ontario is approximately two per cent, B.C. is 3.8 per cent, Saskatchewan is 5.4 per cent and Alberta is 9.4 per cent.

“Retail is where the rubber meets the road in terms of reflecting where the economy is and where it is headed,” he explains, “and a measure of consumer confidence and security about jobs and wages.

“Most people don’t realize what significant business retail is in Alberta. The numbers show that retailers are the largest employers in the province. More than 10.9 per cent of Alberta’s labour force works in some kind of retail.”

Meanwhile, the American invasion showed no signs of relenting.

This year, the iconically American Nordstrom – the upscale Seattle-based department store chain with a solidly established reputation for impeccable customer service – is about to open four Canadian stores, the first-ever international location all set for Calgary’s Chinook Centre.

Calgary Airport. Photo credit - Chris Armstrong, Calgary Airport Authority.

Nordstrom opened its doors at Chinook Centre in the Fall of 2014. Image credit: Nordstrom, Inc.

SEVERAL CALGARY

COMMUNITIES CLOSE

IN ON $1 MILLION, JUST

FOR THE LOT!

• In 2014, Alberta set the retail pace for the country being the largest employer (nearly 11 per cent of Albertans are employed in retail) and a 4.9 per cent growth rate.



Retail analysts predict that other legendary American stores like Macy’s, JCPenny and Kohl’s are also on their way.

Other retail headlines included:

• Calgary’s swimwear retailer Swimco purchases Swimwear Etc. in 2012, increasing their store count from 14 to 25, and expanding their reach into all four western provinces. With the closing of the deal, Swimco becomes one of the largest swimwear retail chains in North America, employing 250 people.

• Calgary’s perennial favourite burger-and-shake joint, Peters’ Drive-In, turns 50 in 2012.

• U.S. big-box retail giant Target’s much-anticipated entry into the Canadian market becomes a spectacular flop as supply chain and management issues lead to a nearly $1-billion loss. Just two years after entering Canada, Target announces the closing of all 133 of its stores in 2015.

• Chinook Centre turns 50 in 2010 and celebrates making the top 10 list of most productive malls in North America in 2013 coming in at number 10 with $1,108 CAD revenue/sq. ft.

• The CORE reopens after major renovations in October 2010.

AgricultureThere never seems to be a shortage of struggle for Alberta’s beef producers and 2010-2014 was no exception. While recovery from the BSE crisis was slow and steady, drought, lower demand and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements in the States all impacted area ranchers.

Slow Progress for Beef Producers, September 2010

Overall in North America, cattle numbers have decreased in the past year. However, that hasn’t translated into higher prices, since demand fell significantly as consumers snapped their wallets shut in the face of the recession of the past 18 months, says Chuck MacLean, chairman of the Alberta Beef Producers (ABP).

“You would think that by having less product, you would increase demand, but that hasn’t happened,” says MacLean, who has been a feed-lot operator, farmer and cattle producer. “In Alberta, we had one of the biggest droughts we’ve had for a long time.” That caused problems related to feed prices and availability for ranchers last year into 2010.

ABP is currently embroiled in a World Trade Organization (WTO) battle over the Country of Original Labeling (COOL) program that wound its way through the U.S. legislature and came into effect, requiring all cattle that go into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico to be segregated and identified as Canadian or Mexican product, even after it has been processed in American plants.

It’s worth noting that in June 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015, which repeals requirements for chicken, pork and beef retailers to inform consumers of the country of origin, at the final point of sale.

Another huge agriculture story was the 2012 E. coli contamination at XL Foods in Brooks.


Echoes of the 2008 Listeria outbreak that tarnished Maple Leaf Foods’ reputation countrywide could be heard throughout Canada when it was first learned in early September that meat contaminated with E. coli had been detected in trimmings at the XL Foods plant in Brooks, AB – about two hours east of Calgary.

Controversy quickly boiled over as Canadians learned just how far-reaching the issue was. On Sept. 13, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) removed the plant from the list of establishments allowed to ship meat to the U.S. By Sept. 16, health hazard alerts began for various products that came from the plant and by Sept. 21, no less than five health hazard alerts had been issued.

The CFIA closed the plant as it went through an intense investigation. Approximately 2,000 employees of the plant were temporarily laid off as the company worked to remedy all remaining issues. On Oct. 17, it was announced that Brazil’s JBS SA would be taking over and managing XL Foods operations in Canada under its

JBS USA subsidiary, including feed lots and facilities in Brooks, a meat packing plant in Calgary, along with two facilities in the U.S.

It took until Oct. 23 for the XL Foods plant in Brooks to meet all CFIA’s requirements and receive their licence back to continue processing meat products.

LabourThe global economic crisis eased painful labour shortages only temporarily and as soon as the economy began to recover in 2010, employers began to feel the pinch once again.

Labour Rebound, June 2011

As Alberta’s economy slowly regains its strength following the recession, labour is starting to become increasingly scarce – again. If this sounds all too familiar, it’s because business leaders have labour shortages ingrained into their brains. In 2006-07, wages shot up exponentially as companies scrambled to find enough warm bodies to train and put to work.

It’s 2011 and that scenario appears set to happen all over again. This time, it’s likely to be a long, protracted trend instead of a brief spike. We’ve heard for years that demographics – the large number of baby boomers now reaching the cusp of retirement – dictates that there will be an increasing labour shortage from now until 2020 and even beyond. Wages are already starting to spike again as oil and gas companies invest more in projects around the province. Unemployment figures continue their downward trajectory and experts are already warning of the looming labour crunch.

“Already we’ve got companies having trouble getting (hydraulic) fracking crews and we’ve only begun climbing out (of the recession),” says Mary MacDonald, dean of the MacPhail School of Energy at SAIT.

So where does the province turn for skilled labour?

The Immigration Solution for a Domestic Problem, September 2013

According to Peter Veress, president of Vermax Group, there is a ready and obvious solution to Canada’s labour shortage – immigration.

Veress, a former Department of Immigration officer, couldn’t be happier to be at the head of a company that specializes in corporate immigration and international recruitment. “We are working in a very challenging and dynamic win-win-win environment,” Veress explains with enthusiasm. “It’s a win for the companies securing desperately needed skills [foreign workers], it’s a win for the foreign-trained workers, and it’s a win for the economy.”

As Veress points out, Canada is not facing a looming labour shortage – Canada is in a massive labour shortage; and it could have been avoided.

“We have what I call the three horsemen of the economic apocalypse,” he points out. “Negative population growth, aging population and increased demand on skill sets that we simply don’t have.”

But like any time in history when different cultures arrive on a foreign shore, misconceptions abound. Misconceptions that, according to Veress, are groundless.

“The misconception occurs when the public thinks temporary or foreign workers are a source of ‘cheap labour.’ If you look at our big infrastructure projects you will see foreign labourers. They get paid what Canadians get paid. They have the same protections and rights as Canadian workers; in fact, employers pay a premium for foreign-trained labour when you consider the cost of international recruiting and payment to enter and exit Canada. Hiring foreign workers can be an onerous and costly undertaking if not done right. There is nothing ‘cheap’ about hiring foreign-trained labour.”

Then, in June 2014, Employment Minister Jason Kenney and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced an overhaul of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program based on allegations of fast-food and other sector abuse of the program and a driving down of wages.

The New Rules, December 2014

Suddenly, Calgary must deal with some crippling broadsides from some infuriating business busters.

That’s what the momentum of frustration, concern, anger and even outrage is all about. It’s pushback from many Calgary business leaders, the Chamber, some MPs, the premier, MLAs and some connected lobbyists, provoked by the drastic changes and the restrictive new rules about Ottawa’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

The CORE in downtown Calgary. Photo courtesy of Tourism Calgary

Justin Smith, director, policy, research and government relations with the Calgary Chamber. From: The New Rules, December 2014.



Retail analysts predict that other legendary American stores like Macy’s, JCPenny and Kohl’s are also on their way.

Other retail headlines included:

• Calgary’s swimwear retailer Swimco purchases Swimwear Etc. in 2012, increasing their store count from 14 to 25, and expanding their reach into all four western provinces. With the closing of the deal, Swimco becomes one of the largest swimwear retail chains in North America, employing 250 people.

• Calgary’s perennial favourite burger-and-shake joint, Peters’ Drive-In, turns 50 in 2012.

• U.S. big-box retail giant Target’s much-anticipated entry into the Canadian market becomes a spectacular flop as supply chain and management issues lead to a nearly $1-billion loss. Just two years after entering Canada, Target announces the closing of all 133 of its stores in 2015.

• Chinook Centre turns 50 in 2010 and celebrates making the top 10 list of most productive malls in North America in 2013 coming in at number 10 with $1,108 CAD revenue/sq. ft.

• The CORE reopens after major renovations in October 2010.

AgricultureThere never seems to be a shortage of struggle for Alberta’s beef producers and 2010-2014 was no exception. While recovery from the BSE crisis was slow and steady, drought, lower demand and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements in the States all impacted area ranchers.

Slow Progress for Beef Producers, September 2010

Overall in North America, cattle numbers have decreased in the past year. However, that hasn’t translated into higher prices, since demand fell significantly as consumers snapped their wallets shut in the face of the recession of the past 18 months, says Chuck MacLean, chairman of the Alberta Beef Producers (ABP).

“You would think that by having less product, you would increase demand, but that hasn’t happened,” says MacLean, who has been a feed-lot operator, farmer and cattle producer. “In Alberta, we had one of the biggest droughts we’ve had for a long time.” That caused problems related to feed prices and availability for ranchers last year into 2010.

ABP is currently embroiled in a World Trade Organization (WTO) battle over the Country of Original Labeling (COOL) program that wound its way through the U.S. legislature and came into effect, requiring all cattle that go into the U.S. from Canada or Mexico to be segregated and identified as Canadian or Mexican product, even after it has been processed in American plants.

It’s worth noting that in June 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Country of Origin Labeling Amendments Act of 2015, which repeals requirements for chicken, pork and beef retailers to inform consumers of the country of origin, at the final point of sale.

Another huge agriculture story was the 2012 E. coli contamination at XL Foods in Brooks.


Echoes of the 2008 Listeria outbreak that tarnished Maple Leaf Foods’ reputation countrywide could be heard throughout Canada when it was first learned in early September that meat contaminated with E. coli had been detected in trimmings at the XL Foods plant in Brooks, AB – about two hours east of Calgary.

Controversy quickly boiled over as Canadians learned just how far-reaching the issue was. On Sept. 13, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) removed the plant from the list of establishments allowed to ship meat to the U.S. By Sept. 16, health hazard alerts began for various products that came from the plant and by Sept. 21, no less than five health hazard alerts had been issued.

The CFIA closed the plant as it went through an intense investigation. Approximately 2,000 employees of the plant were temporarily laid off as the company worked to remedy all remaining issues. On Oct. 17, it was announced that Brazil’s JBS SA would be taking over and managing XL Foods operations in Canada under its

JBS USA subsidiary, including feed lots and facilities in Brooks, a meat packing plant in Calgary, along with two facilities in the U.S.

It took until Oct. 23 for the XL Foods plant in Brooks to meet all CFIA’s requirements and receive their licence back to continue processing meat products.

LabourThe global economic crisis eased painful labour shortages only temporarily and as soon as the economy began to recover in 2010, employers began to feel the pinch once again.

Labour Rebound, June 2011

As Alberta’s economy slowly regains its strength following the recession, labour is starting to become increasingly scarce – again. If this sounds all too familiar, it’s because business leaders have labour shortages ingrained into their brains. In 2006-07, wages shot up exponentially as companies scrambled to find enough warm bodies to train and put to work.

It’s 2011 and that scenario appears set to happen all over again. This time, it’s likely to be a long, protracted trend instead of a brief spike. We’ve heard for years that demographics – the large number of baby boomers now reaching the cusp of retirement – dictates that there will be an increasing labour shortage from now until 2020 and even beyond. Wages are already starting to spike again as oil and gas companies invest more in projects around the province. Unemployment figures continue their downward trajectory and experts are already warning of the looming labour crunch.

“Already we’ve got companies having trouble getting (hydraulic) fracking crews and we’ve only begun climbing out (of the recession),” says Mary MacDonald, dean of the MacPhail School of Energy at SAIT.

So where does the province turn for skilled labour?

The Immigration Solution for a Domestic Problem, September 2013

According to Peter Veress, president of Vermax Group, there is a ready and obvious solution to Canada’s labour shortage – immigration.

Veress, a former Department of Immigration officer, couldn’t be happier to be at the head of a company that specializes in corporate immigration and international recruitment. “We are working in a very challenging and dynamic win-win-win environment,” Veress explains with enthusiasm. “It’s a win for the companies securing desperately needed skills [foreign workers], it’s a win for the foreign-trained workers, and it’s a win for the economy.”

As Veress points out, Canada is not facing a looming labour shortage – Canada is in a massive labour shortage; and it could have been avoided.

“We have what I call the three horsemen of the economic apocalypse,” he points out. “Negative population growth, aging population and increased demand on skill sets that we simply don’t have.”

But like any time in history when different cultures arrive on a foreign shore, misconceptions abound. Misconceptions that, according to Veress, are groundless.

“The misconception occurs when the public thinks temporary or foreign workers are a source of ‘cheap labour.’ If you look at our big infrastructure projects you will see foreign labourers. They get paid what Canadians get paid. They have the same protections and rights as Canadian workers; in fact, employers pay a premium for foreign-trained labour when you consider the cost of international recruiting and payment to enter and exit Canada. Hiring foreign workers can be an onerous and costly undertaking if not done right. There is nothing ‘cheap’ about hiring foreign-trained labour.”

Then, in June 2014, Employment Minister Jason Kenney and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander announced an overhaul of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program based on allegations of fast-food and other sector abuse of the program and a driving down of wages.

The New Rules, December 2014

Suddenly, Calgary must deal with some crippling broadsides from some infuriating business busters.

That’s what the momentum of frustration, concern, anger and even outrage is all about. It’s pushback from many Calgary business leaders, the Chamber, some MPs, the premier, MLAs and some connected lobbyists, provoked by the drastic changes and the restrictive new rules about Ottawa’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

The CORE in downtown Calgary. Photo courtesy of Tourism Calgary

Justin Smith, director, policy, research and government relations with the Calgary Chamber. From: The New Rules, December 2014.



According to the mostly business and consultant pushback, some of the key and contentious changes are:

• A cap on the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers at each worksite, with a 10 per cent limit by 2016.

• Companies being required to reapply each year to hire low-wage TFWs, instead of every two years.

• The cost of the applications has spiked to $1,000 per employee, up from $275; barring employers from hiring low-wage TFWs in regions where the unemployment rate is above six per cent.

• Forcing employers who rely on TFWs to have a “firm timeline and plan” in place to transition to a Canadian workforce over time.

• Strict penalties for employers that break the rules.

The frustration and anger is often rooted in the accusation that it ignores – or, at best, discounts – Alberta’s unique and delicate labour situation, and that the changes will exacerbate Alberta’s already drastic labour shortage.

“Let’s face it,” warns Calgary lawyer Evelyn Ackah at Ackah Business Immigration Law. “Alberta business and the strength of Alberta’s economy impacts the strength of the country. Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan seem to be the strong economies negatively impacted by TFWP changes.”

TechnologyCloud computing and cybersecurity were the hot topics in tech during this time-frame with high-profile data breaches rocking consumer confidence in retailers, banks and social media.

The $113-Million Crime, November 2014

Especially in the past year or so, the conversation about cybercrime, hackers and cybersecurity invariably referenced recent high-profile cyber breaches at Target, Home Depot or the celebrity hacking of Apple’s iCloud.

Dr. Paul Lu, professor, computing science, associate chair for undergraduate studies in the faculty of science at the University of Alberta, prefers to use a much smaller, normal and hypothetical example. “Like a neighbourhood candy store. How much sensitive personal data would the candy store have? Probably none. But, a lot like Home Depot and Target, the candy store does have a huge and active credit card Internet connection with various banks. And the bad guys always look for the weakest, unsuspecting links.

“That’s why they don’t hack into Home Depot’s database. They’re

not after the store’s business,” Lu explains. “They just want access to the store’s thousands of credit card numbers to either instantly run fraudulent transactions or, most likely, to sell off the thousands of credit card numbers to third parties.”

Despite its own vulnerability to data breaches, “the cloud” or cloud computing emerged as a major tech trend in 2011 after Amazon decided to sell its surplus computing power, allowing users to buy its space on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Going to the Cloud, September 2011

“(Amazon) built up a multibillion-dollar computer infrastructure to be able to handle that peak demand and the rest of the time a lot of it’s sitting idle,” says Robin Winsor, president of Calgary-based non-profit organization Cybera, which works to spur and support innovation in Alberta through the use of cyberinfrastructure. “(They) started selling cycles of those machines and they became the 900-lb gorilla in the cloud computing space.”

Cloud computing is essentially renting computer space without renting the computer. You can access as much or as little computing power as you need at any given time and you pay for what you use. The secure data centres can be located anywhere, since it’s all accessed on the Internet.

Momentum appears to be gathering. “Some folks dismissed cloud computing as being the latest fad, but if you look at the companies who are using the cloud now … it’s not just a fad,” says Winsor. IBM, Cisco, Netflix, DreamWorks Animation – the list is growing fast and they’re big players. “These are major companies that see a new way of computing because it’s far, far more efficient to do than to build our own data centres and tying up capital.”

Other tech stories and trends during this time included:

• Increased competition in the wireless market as the CRTC’s wireless spectrum auctions in 2008 busted the doors open for companies like WIND Mobile, Mobilicity and others.

• The efficiencies and challenges of a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) workplace as more and more staff are using their own mobile devices to communicate with company infrastructure.

• As social media continue to rob productivity, employers are looking for ways to combat the problem without alienating employees.

• Alberta leads the way in telecommuting with 34 per cent of companies offering workers the opportunity compared to the national average of 23 per cent.

The 2013 FloodWhen the rivers of southern Alberta breached their banks in 2013, no one could have imagined the destruction that would lay in their wakes as floodwaters receded in the following days. Nor, could we have imagined the spirit of resilience, determination and cooperation in the months that followed.


There are three words no one ever wants to hear … state of emergency! The uncertainty, helplessness, fear and loss soaked people far deeper than the high water or fast currents ever could. Our people and our city experienced the most devastating natural disaster in recent history, and yet through the worst hours and the most horrific times we rode the waves and reunited as a community. There has never been such a time and space in our city and yet with a ‘hell or high water’ attitude, plenty of hard work and long days, everyone did what they could, how they could, and when they could to contribute to the lives of others.

“No one ever knows what the full scale of a natural disaster will be until it’s over. We were amazed by how well the city and Calgarians

responded to the flood and then committed to recovery efforts. After the flood in 2005, we did our best to learn from the event and develop a plan in the ‘unlikely’ event that something more severe could happen. Our recovery plan priorities have always been people, public safety, housing, services to citizens, public infrastructure and governance and resilience,” explains Gordon Stewart, director of recovery with the City of Calgary.

Communication within city departments, with emergency services and ancillary supports, as well as the public at large contributed directly to the rate and success of response and recovery. Timely access to information and understanding were paramount. “In any emergency it is critical to think, plan and then respond. Now, six months later there are still numerous people who have not been able to return home who require assistance and support, and there is still much work to finish. Looking back though, it really is impressive that everyone was safe and to see just how far we’ve come,” says Stewart.

WHEN THE RIVERS OF SOUTHERN

ALBERTA BREACHED THEIR BANKS IN

2013, NO ONE COULD HAVE IMAGINED

THE DESTRUCTION THAT WOULD LAY

IN THEIR WAKES AS FLOODWATERS

RECEDED IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS.

NOR, COULD WE HAVE IMAGINED

THE SPIRIT OF RESILIENCE,

DETERMINATION AND COOPERATION

IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED.

Study on PasswordsA study of recent cyber breaches based on pop-ular and cinchy-to-hack passwords warns about: • password• 123456• 12345678• qwerty• abc123• iloveyou

• master• 123123• 654321• superman• trustno1• 111111

From The $113-Million Crime, November 2014



According to the mostly business and consultant pushback, some of the key and contentious changes are:

• A cap on the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers at each worksite, with a 10 per cent limit by 2016.

• Companies being required to reapply each year to hire low-wage TFWs, instead of every two years.

• The cost of the applications has spiked to $1,000 per employee, up from $275; barring employers from hiring low-wage TFWs in regions where the unemployment rate is above six per cent.

• Forcing employers who rely on TFWs to have a “firm timeline and plan” in place to transition to a Canadian workforce over time.

• Strict penalties for employers that break the rules.

The frustration and anger is often rooted in the accusation that it ignores – or, at best, discounts – Alberta’s unique and delicate labour situation, and that the changes will exacerbate Alberta’s already drastic labour shortage.

“Let’s face it,” warns Calgary lawyer Evelyn Ackah at Ackah Business Immigration Law. “Alberta business and the strength of Alberta’s economy impacts the strength of the country. Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan seem to be the strong economies negatively impacted by TFWP changes.”

TechnologyCloud computing and cybersecurity were the hot topics in tech during this time-frame with high-profile data breaches rocking consumer confidence in retailers, banks and social media.

The $113-Million Crime, November 2014

Especially in the past year or so, the conversation about cybercrime, hackers and cybersecurity invariably referenced recent high-profile cyber breaches at Target, Home Depot or the celebrity hacking of Apple’s iCloud.

Dr. Paul Lu, professor, computing science, associate chair for undergraduate studies in the faculty of science at the University of Alberta, prefers to use a much smaller, normal and hypothetical example. “Like a neighbourhood candy store. How much sensitive personal data would the candy store have? Probably none. But, a lot like Home Depot and Target, the candy store does have a huge and active credit card Internet connection with various banks. And the bad guys always look for the weakest, unsuspecting links.

“That’s why they don’t hack into Home Depot’s database. They’re

not after the store’s business,” Lu explains. “They just want access to the store’s thousands of credit card numbers to either instantly run fraudulent transactions or, most likely, to sell off the thousands of credit card numbers to third parties.”

Despite its own vulnerability to data breaches, “the cloud” or cloud computing emerged as a major tech trend in 2011 after Amazon decided to sell its surplus computing power, allowing users to buy its space on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Going to the Cloud, September 2011

“(Amazon) built up a multibillion-dollar computer infrastructure to be able to handle that peak demand and the rest of the time a lot of it’s sitting idle,” says Robin Winsor, president of Calgary-based non-profit organization Cybera, which works to spur and support innovation in Alberta through the use of cyberinfrastructure. “(They) started selling cycles of those machines and they became the 900-lb gorilla in the cloud computing space.”

Cloud computing is essentially renting computer space without renting the computer. You can access as much or as little computing power as you need at any given time and you pay for what you use. The secure data centres can be located anywhere, since it’s all accessed on the Internet.

Momentum appears to be gathering. “Some folks dismissed cloud computing as being the latest fad, but if you look at the companies who are using the cloud now … it’s not just a fad,” says Winsor. IBM, Cisco, Netflix, DreamWorks Animation – the list is growing fast and they’re big players. “These are major companies that see a new way of computing because it’s far, far more efficient to do than to build our own data centres and tying up capital.”

Other tech stories and trends during this time included:

• Increased competition in the wireless market as the CRTC’s wireless spectrum auctions in 2008 busted the doors open for companies like WIND Mobile, Mobilicity and others.

• The efficiencies and challenges of a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) workplace as more and more staff are using their own mobile devices to communicate with company infrastructure.

• As social media continue to rob productivity, employers are looking for ways to combat the problem without alienating employees.

• Alberta leads the way in telecommuting with 34 per cent of companies offering workers the opportunity compared to the national average of 23 per cent.

The 2013 FloodWhen the rivers of southern Alberta breached their banks in 2013, no one could have imagined the destruction that would lay in their wakes as floodwaters receded in the following days. Nor, could we have imagined the spirit of resilience, determination and cooperation in the months that followed.


There are three words no one ever wants to hear … state of emergency! The uncertainty, helplessness, fear and loss soaked people far deeper than the high water or fast currents ever could. Our people and our city experienced the most devastating natural disaster in recent history, and yet through the worst hours and the most horrific times we rode the waves and reunited as a community. There has never been such a time and space in our city and yet with a ‘hell or high water’ attitude, plenty of hard work and long days, everyone did what they could, how they could, and when they could to contribute to the lives of others.

“No one ever knows what the full scale of a natural disaster will be until it’s over. We were amazed by how well the city and Calgarians

responded to the flood and then committed to recovery efforts. After the flood in 2005, we did our best to learn from the event and develop a plan in the ‘unlikely’ event that something more severe could happen. Our recovery plan priorities have always been people, public safety, housing, services to citizens, public infrastructure and governance and resilience,” explains Gordon Stewart, director of recovery with the City of Calgary.

Communication within city departments, with emergency services and ancillary supports, as well as the public at large contributed directly to the rate and success of response and recovery. Timely access to information and understanding were paramount. “In any emergency it is critical to think, plan and then respond. Now, six months later there are still numerous people who have not been able to return home who require assistance and support, and there is still much work to finish. Looking back though, it really is impressive that everyone was safe and to see just how far we’ve come,” says Stewart.

WHEN THE RIVERS OF SOUTHERN

ALBERTA BREACHED THEIR BANKS IN

2013, NO ONE COULD HAVE IMAGINED

THE DESTRUCTION THAT WOULD LAY

IN THEIR WAKES AS FLOODWATERS

RECEDED IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS.

NOR, COULD WE HAVE IMAGINED

THE SPIRIT OF RESILIENCE,

DETERMINATION AND COOPERATION

IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED.

Study on PasswordsA study of recent cyber breaches based on pop-ular and cinchy-to-hack passwords warns about: • password• 123456• 12345678• qwerty• abc123• iloveyou

• master• 123123• 654321• superman• trustno1• 111111

From The $113-Million Crime, November 2014


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In the past eight years, what started as a small luncheon at the Chamber of Commerce has grown to a gala ceremony held at the end of June that has honoured and recognized 171 visionary leaders. In Calgary’s diverse marketplace it’s no surprise that there are a wide range of entrepreneurs in a variety of industries represented every year. Though there are many differences, in every industry starting a business requires countless hours of dedication, passion and an unrelenting drive to succeed. These businesses have succeeded, and all have shown how vital they are to the economic health of the city and province. The Leaders Awards are a celebration of what true leaders can really achieve and the impact they make every day in Calgary.

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For the third year Leaders of Tomorrow honours visionary business leaders. They are Anne Dale, Bernard Florence, Blaine Wickerson, Cam Inglis, Corey Marshall, Dan Balaban, Zahra Alharazi, Dan Themig, David Farran, Domenic Tudda, Gavin Harrison, Greg Keller, Greg Olynyk, Jeffrey Kahane, Linda Maslechko, Marc Bombenon, Paul Valentine, Sean Halliday, and William Jordanov.

221

They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and over the years Kae Shummoogum has seen plenty that needed changing. The CEO and chief solutions strategist at Gasonic Instruments started his company in 1985 to provide on-site calibration services for carbon monoxide detectors, and today Gasonic still sells and services commercial gas detection equipment and offers a certified service program for gas monitoring, predominantly for parkades and mechanical rooms.

Since those early years, Shummoogum has become dedicated to clean air and environmental protection and he has expanded this focus by launching two new companies under the Gasonic umbrella.

EnviroRentals offers environmental testing equipment for air quality and hazardous gases. This offshoot got Shummoogum more interested in the effects of gases on the environment.

“We are really messing up our planet and then trying to clean it up after the fact,” he says.

Shummoogum decided to use his professional expertise to become more proactive than reactive in addressing climate change. Through increased energy efficiency, he sought to reduce consumption and lessen his carbon footprint. He planted 200 trees to create a carbon sink and looked toward alternative cleaner energy sources.

“I reduced my consumption and produced energy using a solar panel and wind, and this year I achieved net zero emissions right down to totally running an electric car using solar energy,” he says.

Shummoogum replaced his lights with LEDs, thus reducing the energy used in that area by half. Then he took those results and applied them to his customers. Over the past year and a half he has changed out around 1,000 lights, saving more than 410,000 kWh. That would be enough energy to fuel his electric car for 2.3 million kilometres.

Replacing lights led Shummoogum into another problem. Fluorescent lights were being tossed into the landfill, allowing the mercury to leach into the soil. His most recent company, EnviroLight Recycling, is in the early stages and will offer a system for recycling these lights safely and with zero pollution to air, water and soil.

After years of intensive research on environmental issues and finding workable solutions, Shummoogum and his customers are seeing great results. Since going electric and using solar and

wind power to fuel his vehicle, he’s saved hundreds of dollars a month on gas. Employing his systems has saved clients $1 million in energy consumption and maintenance since 1990 by optimizing ventilation systems, and changing to ultra energy efficient bulbs offers clients 20-30 per cent return on their investment per year.

“It makes sense,” he says. “It’s nice to do the easy things now so we don’t have to do the hard things later that aren’t going to have the returns.”

Shummoogum will continue to use his companies as tools to achieve the changes that will help safeguard the environment for future generations, and then maybe the hard things later will be a little bit easier.

www.gasonic.com

Gasonic Founder a Champion of the Environment

KAE SHUMMOOGUM, CEO AND CHIEF SOLUTIONS STRATEGIST AT GASONIC INSTRUMENTS.

PHOTO BY DIGITAL DESIGN

BY RENNAY CRAATS

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July 2011

The fourth Leaders of Tomorrow event honours Dan Eisner, Alykhan Velji, John O’Rourke, Jeff Ayotte, Kyle Ratcliffe, Jocelyn Flanagan, Bruce Hopkins, Al Dadswell, Jeff Popiel, Lonny Balbi, Russ Hebblethwaite, John Fitzsimmons, Ryan Gill, Paul Rogalski, Doug Shostak, Lori Bacon, Troy Ferguson, Matthew Horne, Justin Bobier, and Robert & Lorie Legault as awardees.

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Honouring Calgary’s visionary business leaders

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Leaders of Tomorrow honours Michael Sikorsky, Derek Doke, Mike Joseph, Elisabeth Fayt, Ryan McMillan, Victor Petrovic, Anil Datoo, Regan Davis, Jerilyn Wright, Gerry Wood, Kim Moody, Stan Taylor, Ranil Herath, Debi DeBelser, Catherine Proulx, Debra Ross, Darren Sartison, Morgan Arndt, Terri Jo Lennox, Tasso Chondronikolis, and January McKee as visionary business leaders.

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2Join MNP in Honouring Calgary’s Visionary Business Leaders

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July 2014

At the seventh Leaders of Tomorrow event Moiz Bhamani, Michael Kehoe, Audrey Mascarenhas, Joel and Rich Poissant, Karina Birch, Cam Baty, Vince Danielsen, Sal Howell, Dr. Wael Badawy, Andrew Hamill, Tara Kelly, Trevor Haynes, Mario Amantea, Don Getzlaf, Marty Stromquist, Greg Stahl, Chad Hughes, Zakir I. Hussein, Stephen D. Smith, Alf Garvin, Brent Boyle, Wayne Renick, Jeff Booke, Allison Grafton, and Barry Ehlert are honoured.

Calgary

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July 2015

Business in Calgary’s rebranded Leaders event honours visionary leaders Lisa Moon, Ryan Scott, David Wallach, Brittney Ramsay, Vikram Bakshi, Connie DeSousa, John Jackson, Adam Pekarsky, Sherif Gemayel, James Dyack, Jay Westman, Marija Pavlovic-Tovissi, Barry Lammle, Carol Oxtoby, PJ L’Heureux, Bill McCaffrey, Ron Kurczaba, Pete Archdekin, Nick Sims, Beth Gardner, David Beresford, and Greg Chudiak.

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JASA 2011-2014

Junior Achievement Southern Alberta started Calgary’s Business Hall of Fame in 2004 to honour the achievements of southern Alberta’s most distinguished and prominent corporate citizens. Those honoured not only have been wildly successful in their own ventures, they have all contributed to making Calgary what it is today.

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CALGARY BUSINESS HALL OF FAMEJunior Achievement celebrates the 2012 Calgary Business Hall of Fame laureates

++• Manufacturing

• Calgary’s Top Industries• Real Estate

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Stan Grad Hal Kvisle Eric Harvie (posthumous) David O’Brien

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Calgary Business Hall of Fame

Junior Achievement celebrates the 2013 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates

+Calgary’s Top Industries

Condominium Living is

on the Rise Manufacturing is alive and Well

redefi ning retirement

Clive Beddoe Bob Brawn Dave WerklundJack Gallagher

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Calgary Business Hall of FameJunior Achievement celebrates the

2014 Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureates

Honouring Calgary Greatness

David Johnson Gordon Stollery(posthumously)

Rick George Clayton Woitas

The Hot Market

The Calgary Skyline Tells

a Story

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Business

Hall of FameJunior Achievement celebrates

Calgary’s 2011 Business Hall of Fame Laureates

+• manufacturing

• Calgary’s Top industries

• Financial Planning

PerspectiveNewsletterPage 61

P. John Aldred Jack C. Donald Sydney Kahanoff

Rick George David Johnson Gordon Stollery(posthumously)

Clayton Woitas

233

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta is proud to recognize the Founding Members

of the Economic Futures Council.

John & Cheryl AldredClive Beddoe

David A. BissettRichard A. N. Bonnycastle

Robert G. BrawnWayne Chiu

Jim Davidson Jack & Joan DonaldN. Murray Edwards

Richard F. Haskayne Wayne Henuset

Sam KoliasHal KvisleAlvin Libin

Ronald N. MannixRonald P. Mathison

Jeff McCaigSusan Nelson/Gordon Case

David O’BrienTodd Poland

Clayton RiddellJR Shaw

The Stollery FamilyGuy Turcotte

David WerklundMac Van WielingenC. H. Woitas Family

Members of the Economic Futures Council, through their participation and generous financial support,

are committed to helping youth succeed in a global economy.

Junior Achievement of Southern AlbertaDouble Page Spread for Business In Calgary

August 10, 2015Prepared by [email protected]

EconomicFuturesCouncil

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta thanks the Economic Futures Council for positioning young people for future success.

With the Economic Futures Council support, Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta has:

• increased program delivery and student reach by 30%

• expanded rural programming and reach

• developed on-line and SMARTboard applications of popluar programs

• signed MOU to deliver financial literacy programs for Aboriginal youth on reserves

• partnered with Calgary Board of Education to build customized semester long financial literacy programs for students in non-traditional career pathways such as arts and trades

• delivered more programs to at-risk and vulnerable youth

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta403.781.2582

southern-alberta.jacan.org/economic-futures-council

Impact the future of Canada’s youth and help shape tomorrow’s workforce

So much more needs to be done to support our youth. Play a role in their future. Join the Economic Futures Council today.Contribution levels start at $5,000.

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta is proud to recognize the Founding Members

of the Economic Futures Council.

John & Cheryl AldredClive Beddoe

David A. BissettRichard A. N. Bonnycastle

Robert G. BrawnWayne Chiu

Jim Davidson Jack & Joan DonaldN. Murray Edwards

Richard F. Haskayne Wayne Henuset

Sam KoliasHal KvisleAlvin Libin

Ronald N. MannixRonald P. Mathison

Jeff McCaigSusan Nelson/Gordon Case

David O’BrienTodd Poland

Clayton RiddellJR Shaw

The Stollery FamilyGuy Turcotte

David WerklundMac Van WielingenC. H. Woitas Family

Members of the Economic Futures Council, through their participation and generous financial support,

are committed to helping youth succeed in a global economy.

Junior Achievement of Southern AlbertaDouble Page Spread for Business In Calgary

August 10, 2015Prepared by [email protected]

EconomicFuturesCouncil

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta thanks the Economic Futures Council for positioning young people for future success.

With the Economic Futures Council support, Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta has:

• increased program delivery and student reach by 30%

• expanded rural programming and reach

• developed on-line and SMARTboard applications of popluar programs

• signed MOU to deliver financial literacy programs for Aboriginal youth on reserves

• partnered with Calgary Board of Education to build customized semester long financial literacy programs for students in non-traditional career pathways such as arts and trades

• delivered more programs to at-risk and vulnerable youth

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta403.781.2582

southern-alberta.jacan.org/economic-futures-council

Impact the future of Canada’s youth and help shape tomorrow’s workforce

So much more needs to be done to support our youth. Play a role in their future. Join the Economic Futures Council today.Contribution levels start at $5,000.

http://southern-alberta.jacan.org/economic-futures-council

E n v i s i o n w h a t o u g h t t o b e t h e r e . N o t w h a t i s . T h e n b e c o u r a g e o u s e n o u g h t o c r e a t e i t .

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o B u s i n e s s i n C a l g a r y f o r a S u c c e s s f u l 2 5 y e a r s .

Arlington Street Investments creates beauty in unexpected places. Our Developments revitalize and enhance neigborhoods while fulfilling the needs and matching the desires of our Valued Tenant Partners.

Suite 400, 718-8th Ave SW, Calgary AB, T2P 1H3 • Phone number: (403) 266-5000Facebook: Arlington Street Investments / Twitter: @LonardelliFrank

w w w . a r l i n g t o n s t r e e t . c a

ASFS invests into our students who are distinguished by their ability to overcome adversity and their commitment to achieving greatness.

High Street

The Sentinel

http://arlingtonstreet.ca

March 1994

After listening to the average person while campaigning, Premier Ralph Klein formed the central policy platform of theConservative government, focusing heavily on deficit reduction. Leading a fiscally tough and committed group of cabinet ministers and caucus members, some have hailed his plans as a model for others to follow. 237

Equity Golf Memberships and Annual Associate Golf Memberships available.

Corporate Tournament dates and public golfers welcome.

The Point RestaurantF&B Manager - Brett Beninger | [email protected]

Kevin Black, Golf Professional | [email protected]

Paddy Big Plume, General Manager | 403-949-3733 | [email protected]

Redwood Meadows Golf and Country Club would like to congratulate Business in Calgary on 25 years of success!

September 1996

Premier Mike Harris of Ontario and Premier Ralph Klein of Alberta discuss their encouraging and continued efforts for deficit reductions and new ideas and approaches to government before heading to the “Denim Summit” in Jasper. 239

Congratulations to Business in Calgary on 25 years.

Collaboration is at the heart of our vibrant city. Thank you for 25 years of supporting our community.

Learn more at visitcalgary.com /tourismcalgary #capturecalgary

In 2014, more than 8 million travellers visited Calgary, contributing $1.7 billion to the economy.













http://visitcalgary.com

March 2005

Premier Ralph Klein and his wife Colleen Klein have fully embraced the concept of Alberta’s Promise, a non-profit government initiative to help needy and at-risk children. They say everybody in the communities of our province has a responsibility to ensure the next generation of leaders has the opportunity to get there.

M a r c h 2 0 0 5 $ 3 . 5 0

Alberta’s Promise:Alberta’s Promise:Connecting Corporate Calgary With Kids

241


THANK YOU // BIC 25 YEARS

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to those in Calgary’s business community who have extended support and friendship to Business in Calgary through the ups and downs of the past 25 years. We have been very fortunate

to count ourselves among the devoted and diligent many who have contributed so much to this city. We look forward to continuing to highlight and celebrate our community leaders and businesses through the magazine and hope for another amazing 25 years.

Thank You

Documents

BIC September 2015 - 25 Years