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Local business leaders like Victoria Lennox say they hope the new Liberal crew will be a ‘government for entrepreneurs’ > PAGES 12-13
October 26, 2015 Vol. 18, NO. 25
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Gaining altitude Aviation consultant Michael Crockatt is the new chair of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. > PAGE 4
Brian Hurley credits the Lead to Win program at Carleton University for helping him learn the skills he needed to build strong companies. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON
CEO’s winning strategy for startups Brian Hurley’s latest venture is cementing his reputation as an Ottawa tech leader The success of serial entrepreneur’s company, Purple Forge, has made its founder a go-to guy for others seeking advice > PAGE 6
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Wish list for Grits OBJ columnist Jeffrey Dale offers a few thoughts on how the Liberals can help businesses thrive. > PAGES 8-9 Canada Post Publications Mail: Agreement No. 41639025
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Asian character, with a Canadian maple flavour
Should Ottawa’s Chinatown be a ‘special economic zone?’
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n 1906, the infamous earthquake and resulting fire leveled San Francisco’s Chinatown.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
Thanks to a grassroots political effort, local residents were able to rebuild their community as they saw fit. They took advantage of the opportunity to work from an architectural plan that would better reflect their culture and make the area more appealing as a tourist destination.
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More than a century later, San Francisco’s Chinatown is world-renowned. It’s a must see on any travel itinerary in a city that relies on tourism as the backbone of its economy. “This should be the future of our Chinatown,” said Grace Xin, Executive Director of the Somerset Street Chinatown Business Improvement Area. OTTAWA HAS ALREADY SET ITS BAR HIGH Xin recently spent five days in San Francisco. Both Chinatowns greet visitors the same way – with a distinctive gateway. She was struck by a dramatic difference in size. San Francisco’s attractive pagoda-like entrance, the Dragon Gate, is dwarfed by the stately
buildings on either side. The Royal Arch of Ottawa’s Chinatown is gigantic by comparison, dominating a much more modest, low-rise streetscape. It demonstrates just how far Ottawa’s Chinatown has to go to be the tourism destination and economic generator it could be, Xin said. “We just need policies that support downtown businesses and encourage growth in the city core.” “There is such a great concentration of services available to all Asians in San Francisco – cultural centres, schools, hospitals, retirement residences – the collaboration you see there among stakeholders is just amazing.” A PROBLEM WITH PUBLIC PERCEPTION? But when compared to the revitalization and redevelopment projects in adjacent areas like Preston Street, Westboro Village and Wellington West, Ottawa’s Chinatown appears to be stuck in neutral. Residents point to parking issues that deter visitors, along with the double whammy of small lot sizes and building height restrictions that make it difficult for developers to get a worthwhile return on investment.
Developers active in nearby neighborhoods raise additional concerns.
asset for Ottawa and a top destination for visitors.
Windmill Developments partner Rodney Wilts thinks Chinatown is an area with great potential that’s “undervalued and underappreciated.”
The intent would be to drive redevelopment that makes economic sense for individual developers and foreign investors, by addressing key issues around parking and building height restrictions, as well as dealing with any streetlevel activities that are a barrier to investment.
On the other hand, there is a perception that Chinatown is the haunt of a low-income crowd, including an unsavory street element. The presence of social services and low-income housing options in the area contribute to this view. Other developers who chose to remain anonymous point to this as a key factor that’s also limiting Chinatown’s appeal to them as an area for investment. Those sorts of challenges can be addressed in short order with the right kind of concerted effort. The Hintonburg neighbourhood is a perfect example, Wilts said. It went from an area notorious for drugs and prostitution to a retail destination in just a few years. THE NEED FOR A PLAN THAT WORKS But Hintonburg had one thing going for it that Chinatown doesn’t yet have – a community design plan. For Xin at the BIA, Chinatown doesn’t only need it’s own community design plan, it needs the support of city hall to be designated a “special economic zone,” to help it become a tourism
But that requires buy-in from city hall, to provide the policing, tax concessions, infrastructure incentives and reduced regulation that would attract great ideas and development partners. Xin doesn’t want Chinatown to ride the coattails of the condo boom, or try to emulate other cities like San Francisco. She wants to encourage diverse business models for retail, and develop community and tourism services for visitors and immigrants alike. “We must create something new and interesting with a Canadian maple flavour that’s still attractive to visit even in winter,” she said. “When people think Chinatown, they think ‘exotic.’ Ottawa needs that to compliment areas like the ByWard Market.” UP NEXT In our final article, coming in November, we explore how Chinatown could serve as a magnet for Asian direct investment in the National Capital Region.
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP Smoothing the path to economic growth The new chair of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce says his group must seize its leadership role to keep capital’s economic momentum going in the runup to Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca
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t’s fitting that Michael Crockatt brings a background in aviation to his new role as chair of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. The way he sees it, his most important job is helping clear the runway for local companies to get where they need to go – in a metaphorical sense, of course. “We can’t create the policies or the environment,” says the Winnipeg native, who is currently a senior vice-president at aviation consulting firm InterVISTAS. “But what we can do is listen to what members are telling us about what it takes to get there or what specifically are the roadblocks that they’re hitting and we can try and influence some of the decision-makers … to make the right policy positions to create that
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environment that helps businesses grow.” Mr. Crockatt, 41, takes over as the head of the chamber’s board of directors from Great River Media chief executive Mark Sutcliffe, who held the position for the past two years. He says Mr. Sutcliffe and his predecessors have laid a strong foundation upon which he and chamber CEO Ian Faris can continue to build. “One of the things (Mr. Sutcliffe) talked about when he took over as chair … was collaboration and alignment within the community,” Mr. Crockatt says. “Ian is the person who has executed that. I think we have such great relationships today with some of the other economic development partners in this community like Ottawa Tourism, Invest Ottawa and the academic institutions.” He cites the capital’s strong showing at a recent international awards
Michael Crockatt is the new chair of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON
show as evidence of how much those partnerships have buoyed the local economy. Earlier this month, Ottawa was named the most business-friendly mid-sized
city in North and South America at fDi Magazine’s American Cities of the Future Awards in Anchorage, Alaska. The city also ranked second in economic potential and third overall among 77
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communities of similar size surveyed by the research arm of the Financial Times. “That’s gratifying,” says Mr. Crockatt, who moved to Ottawa from his hometown almost a decade ago and is entering his fifth year on the chamber’s board of directors. “We’ve got to keep that momentum going to try and encourage even more economic development in this community.” He says the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, with more than 700 members, has the clout to push politicians at all levels to cut through the layers of red tape that are holding local entrepreneurs back. In the Welch Ottawa Business Growth Survey of more than 350 local companies earlier this year – an initiative cosponsored by the chamber – licensing and permitting issues ranked No. 4 on the list of barriers to doing business in the city, followed closely by municipal bylaws. “We can be a respected voice of business working with the Ontario chamber or the Canadian chamber and trying to influence policy decisions,” Mr. Crockatt says. “That’s a key part of the chamber’s role. It’s not just about attracting new businesses – it is about the creation of new businesses through entrepreneurship and also helping to create or at least encourage the environment that helps businesses here expand.” As the largest business lobby group in the region, the chamber can tap into a wealth of expertise to kick-start that effort, he says, noting the organization’s economic development committee is currently identifying specific industries where Ottawa’s performance lags behind other Canadian cities and what can be done to close the gaps. “The more that we can provide some of that information and say, ‘We are not best in class or here’s what we need to do to be best in class,’ that’s the type of thing that the chamber can play a role in for sure,” he explains. Mr. Crockatt says the chamber must keep pushing for improvements to local infrastructure – not simply better roads, public transit and other tangible items, but “soft” elements such as enhanced tourist attractions. “If you don’t have the right infrastructure, you’re really limiting your opportunities for economic development,” he says. “Those events have a huge economic impact in this community.” With Canada’s sesquicentennial celebration just around the corner, now is the time to act, he adds. “We have a unique opportunity with 2017 in this community,” Mr. Crockatt says. “The more that we can take advantage of that and get this community activated and motivated to put Ottawa on at the very least the national stage and preferably on a global stage … it’s going to have a huge, long-lasting positive legacy for this community.”
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LAUNCH PAD Forging a legacy of success Thanks to ventures such as Purple Forge, his self-funded partnership with IBM, serial entrepreneur Brian Hurley has become a force to be reckoned with in the Ottawa tech landscape BY ADAM FEIBEL adam@obj.ca
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usiness has been in Brian Hurley’s blood for as long as he can remember. “One of my goals was always to be as entrepreneurial as possible,” he says. A former Nortel Networks manager during the ’90s telecom boom, the 54-year-old has become one of Ottawa’s more recognized entrepreneurial leaders after launching two successful tech startups. A graduate from Carleton University’s electrical engineering program in 1985, Mr. Hurley attributes much of the success he’s had with both ventures to a return to his alma mater almost 20 years later. It was there, as a member of the inaugural Lead to Win program launched by Tony Bailetti in 2002, that Mr. Hurley says he learned the skills he needed to make the transition from leading a company’s business team to launching and running one of his own. “Even though I took that course many years ago, the value I got out of it has continued to help me as I launched Liquid Computing, launched Purple Forge, and run both those businesses along the way,” he says. Mr. Bailetti’s program has since helped to establish 65 startups in Ottawa and attracted $7 million in investments since 2009. After 15 years with Nortel, Mr. Hurley became one of the first to springboard from Lead to Win by launching Liquid Computing. As its CEO, he raised more than $45 million in venture financing, delivered an awardwinning product and won international sales. At a pivotal strategic moment, Mr. Hurley left the company in 2008 and almost immediately started the selffunded Purple Forge, with the intention of scaling quickly. It’s a strategy that sharply contrasts with his previous company, in which he could use significant chunks of venture financing to build product and sales teams. “We’re always chasing growth and revenue at the same time,” he says. “It’s a hard balancing act, but when you’re bootstrapped that’s really the only option you have.” Purple Forge’s mobile technology works on a revenue-sharing model with the IBM Watson cognitive computing system to let people “ask questions the same way you and I might ask
Former Nortel employee Brian Hurley has become one of the capital’s most recognizable entrepreneurial leaders. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON
each other questions” while using a website, rather than having to use a keyword troubleshooter or, even more inconveniently, to call up the IT department, explains Mr. Hurley. The work between Purple Forge and IBM has been making companies and organizations “rethink how they approach service delivery in the context of making information available and accessible,” he says. “You get your answer faster and easier. You can ask your question the natural way.” The 10-person Ottawa-based enterprise has enjoyed steady annual revenue growth – about 32 per cent per year – and Mr. Hurley hopes that continuing to leverage Watson’s capabilities and adding another promising partnership to be announced soon will further accelerate the company’s growth. “They complement each other,” Mr. Bailetti said of Purple Forge and IBM in an August interview with OBJ. “You’re dealing with a real need. The whole presentation was about real problems that people have … information they need now.” Meanwhile, the success of Mr. Hurley’s companies helped propel him
“We’re always chasing growth and revenue at the same time. It’s a hard balancing act, but when you’re bootstrapped that’s really the only option you have.” – PURPLE FORGE FOUNDER BRIAN HURLEY
into a leadership role within Ottawa’s business community. He served as a director for the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation from 2007 to 2009, The Ottawa Network from 2009 to 2012 and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce from 2012 to 2014. He’s also been an adviser for other local tech startups, including Weyes Eyes, What Wins and, currently, Epiphan Systems. Mr. Hurley says one of the biggest lessons that he now shares in presentations and in his adviser roles is, against his initial instinct, to start selling a product before it’s even built. “The real value is in getting people to pay you for what you’re going to build, then sell it based on that,” he says, channelling Mr. Bailetti. “I didn’t think it was possible. But that’s what we did
with Purple Forge.” His company developed the product incrementally and tested it early on so that customers would pay for it in advance, allowing his team members to develop it as they went along, he says. The other lesson he’s taken to heart is to make sure he knows everyone in a room, because it opens the door to collaborations with those people either now or in the future. Mr. Hurley says a number of his Lead to Win peers also went on to launch successful businesses. “When you’re in a startup, everyone needs to be collaborative and help each other. You never know when you’ll be able to help them or they’ll be able to help you in the future,” he says. “Everyone in the Ottawa entrepreneur community is always happy to help.”
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and community centres across Ottawa. The faculty said it aims to reach at least 1,000 students between September and June.
CHANGE LOG L-SPARK WELCOMES NEW COHORT, INVITES MORE TO APPLY Four software-as-a-service and cloud startups have been selected for the second L-Spark accelerator cohort. Former incubator portfolio companies ZINation, featured in last month’s Launch Pad, and Cliniconex, along with newcomers CareerLaunch and FileFacets, joined Ottawa’s newest startup hub in October. L-Spark has also opened applications to its winter 2016 incubator program, designed to help startups prepare for seed investment from angels and/or early-stage venture capital groups in four months. Applications are due by Dec. 18, 2015. uOTTAWA’S
MAKERMOBILE GETS ROLLING The University of Ottawa engineering faculty’s new travelling maker space met its $1,000 fundraising goal through Kickstarter this fall and has begun rolling across town giving workshops on the equipment and services offered at the school’s own in-house maker space – the birthing spot of local startups such as Wipebook and Printearth. MakerMobile travels from place to place with 3D printers, scanners, laser cutters and microcontrollers while a team of engineering students gives hands-on learning activities to schools, libraries
STARTUP BOOSTS SALES WITH PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER E-MAILS An Ottawa startup launched in September is promising online retailers more repeat business by increasing average e-mail click-through rates using a personalized marketing solution. “Anyone who’s ever purchased anything online knows the relentless spam that’s certain to follow,” Rob Lane, CEO of Rare.io, said in a statement. “(We’re) fundamentally changing this practice by creating interesting and timely follow-up e-mails.” Mr. Lane said Rare. io has sent more than 17 million e-mails that are “directly attributable” for $2.3 million in incremental revenue for about 500 online stores. The technology is currently compatible with Shopify and Spree retailers, and the company said more platform integrations will follow in the coming months. EVENT SERIES SHOWCASES NEW FIRMS’ KICKSTARTERS The newly opened Makerspace North wants Ottawa’s business community to take note of the latest Kickstarter campaigns by budding startups. A new event series called FounderMaker kicked off Oct. 22 with its first event featuring a crowdfunding campaign by home sensor company Beagle Sense. The startup is headed in part by John Criswick, co-founder and investor in MakerSpace North, whose previous company Blacksumac and its Piper home security device were acquired last year by California-based Icontrol Networks. Mr. Criswick’s experience with crowdfunding includes Piper’s successful launch through a 2013 Indiegogo campaign.
CALENDAR How to Start a Business Monday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Ottawa Public Library – Beaverbrook, 2500 Campeau Dr. Info and registration at biblioottawalibrary.ca/ en/how-start-business-3
Startup Grind Ottawa Hosts Aaron Zifkin (Airbnb Canada) Thursday, Oct. 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. WorkshopX, 6 Hamilton Ave. N, Suite 004 Info and registration at startupgrind.com/ ottawa
by Bruce Lazenby, President and CEO, Invest Ottawa
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ecently the city of Ottawa was awarded the title of most “Business Friendly”, mid-sized city, in North and South America. These awards were presented at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) conference held in Anchorage, Alaska. The IEDC is the largest organization of its kind dedicated economic development. This year’s event was attended by over 1000 people On hand to receive the honour was Invest Ottawa Vice-President Lana Legostaeva and Ottawa City Councillor Stephen Blais. The “American Cities of the Future Awards” are the largest regional rankings published by fDi Magazine (a branch of the Financial Times) in terms of geographical ground covered and it is an intensively competitive field; as 421 locations were analyzed for the study.
FDI: A City’s Economic Engine Foreign-Direct Investment, or FDI, may not be a household term but it’s a critical component of creating jobs and wealth in a community. In Ottawa, FDI helps expand our business ecosystem by attracting companies based outside of Canada. We target key technologies and businesses which will benefit by expanding into our city. In 2014, the overall global FDI investment inflows rose 9% to $1.45 trillion. In Canada, it hit nearly $70 billion in 2013. The opportunities to attract international dollars are also moving beyond natural resources and manufacturing. As big data starts to take over our daily lives, the knowledgebased industry (KBI) will play an integral role in growing our local ecosystem. At Invest Ottawa, we help facilitate this process for international companies. Through our “soft landing” program, we help companies choose the right site for businesses, navigate the set-up process and connect companies to resources, government agencies and industry associations that will help companies take root and flourish. As always, we would love to hear your thoughts or comments.
The Basics of Business Incorporation Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Invest Ottawa, 80 Aberdeen St. Info and registration at investottawa.ca/events Bootstrapping Your Business: Alternate Ways to Finance Your Startup Friday, Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Invest Ottawa, 80 Aberdeen St. Info and registration at investottawa.ca/events Startup Canada Regional Awards – Ontario Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Algonquin Commons Theatre, 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Info and registration at startupaward.ca/events Startup Roller Coaster: The Ups & Downs of Startup Life Wednesday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Invest Ottawa, 80 Aberdeen St. Info and registration at investottawa.ca/events
From Left to Right: Dr. Henry Loewendahl, CEO of WAVTEQ, Stephen Blais, Ottawa City Councillor, Lana Legostaeva, Vice-President of Invest Ottawa, Chris Knight, Global Commercial Director of fDi Intelligence (Financial Times)
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Schmoozefest 2015 Friday, Oct. 30 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Lansdowne Park – Horticulture Building, 1525 Princess Patricia Way Info and registration at unitedwayottawa.ca/ event-evenement
Ottawa was ranked as follows for mid-size cities in the 2015 survey: • First for business friendliness • Second for economic potential • Tenth for human capital and lifestyle; • And third overall (one of only two mid-size cities from Canada in the top ten.)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
Ottawa’s Economic Outlook 2015 Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Shaw Centre – Trillium Ballroom, 55 Colonel By Dr. Info and registration at ottawachamber.ca/ events
Is Your Business Idea Feasible? Monday, Nov. 2 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Invest Ottawa, 80 Aberdeen St. Info and registration at investottawa.ca/events
Ottawa Crowned Most Business Friendly City
COMMENTARY Great River Media 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500 Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7 obj.ca PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca EDITOR, ONLINE CONTENT Tom Pechloff, 238-1818 ext. 291 editor@obj.ca COPY EDITOR Krystle Kung CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@obj.ca ART DEPARTMENT Regan VanDusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 regan@obj.ca ADVERTISING SALES Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 wbaily@obj.ca Alison Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 alison@obj.ca
Jeffrey Dale says Shopify (whose CEO Tobias Lütke is shown above) is a prime example of a firm that epitomizes the Canadian brand. FILE PHOTO
Will Justin’s Liberals deliver for the local tech sector? In the first of a new series of columns for OBJ, Jeffrey Dale offers some timely economic advice to Canada’s next prime minister
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new government on Parliament Hill is a time for new ideas. The Oct. 19 federal election certainly signalled that Canadians want real change and a more positive future. For the most part, businesses look to government to help make it as easy as possible for them to conduct their affairs and provide them with a competitive advantage when they venture into international markets. So what does Ottawa’s tech sector want from the new Liberal regime? Over the past 15 years, the government has invested significantly in programs to help tech startups, including initiatives such as the Venture Capital Action Plan, the Industrial Research Assistance Program, the Canadian Technology Accelerators and the Canada Accelerator and Incubator Program. What tech CEOs are now looking for is encouragement and assistance to support their growth. We have created some great companies in Canada, but now they need help to scale into global leaders. But what specifically do tech firms have on their wish list? This is not an easy question to answer. A few months ago, I was at a meeting
with some senior deputy ministers and a number of tech CEOs. These chief executives were very excited about their businesses, which they all want to grow and be successful on a global scale. They also talked about some of the challenges they are facing, and the deputy ministers discussed some of the new federal programs and policies that have been implemented to help them. These CEOs had very legitimate concerns. However, business and government often speak a different language, and it was difficult for the executives to articulate their concerns in a way the deputy ministers could understand and address. Business issues don’t translate easily into policy solutions, and policy solutions don’t always address the issues they were meant to.
HIRING HURDLES As an example, a CEO at the meeting said his HR department was having a hard time hiring foreigners to come work for his company in Canada. The businesspeople said federal bureaucracy was too time-consuming, causing them to lose candidates before the government gave its approval. Meanwhile, the deputy ministers
touted the new fast-track immigration process that has been implemented to allow people with needed skills to immigrate to Canada. The businesspeople asked how that would help them; they were offering people a job, not asking them to become Canadian citizens. What they needed was fast approval for a work visa. At the heart of the issue is the updated Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The initiative was revamped last year to stop big corporations such as Tim Hortons and Royal Bank from bringing in foreign workers to do jobs that Canadians could be doing. TFWP and the Labour Market Impact Assessment process are adding a huge layer of red tape for all companies looking to hire foreign nationals to work in Canada. As a result, many firms are not able to hire the talent they need to support their business plans. This is just one example of a situation in which the tech sector and government aren’t on the same page when it comes to creating an environment for growth and prosperity. So what do these businesses really need from the federal government? After discussions with tech leaders in Ottawa and across Canada, these are the top suggestions I’ve heard:
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2015. Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement. A guaranteed minimum of 14,000 copies per week are printed and distributed.
1. Create a Canadian national brand on innovation 2. Help our companies expand internationally 3. Attract and retain the best and brightest talent in Canada The federal government is encouraging Canadian businesses to go global. What we need is the development of a national brand for Canada that emphasizes the innovation characteristics in our political, economic, educational and cultural strengths. A national brand can dramatically influence our ability to attract investment capital, help support exports, attract a talented and creative workforce and boost our cultural, economic and political influence around the world. A national brand is not a slogan. It is the image a country has of itself and how it wants to project itself to the world. Germany’s brand is based on “engineering,” Italy is focused on “fashion” and France is about “culture.” Shopify, for example, recognizes that its high customer satisfaction levels can be directly attributed to being a Canadian company. Its clients
regularly compliment Shopify staff on their professionalism, friendliness and patience. Ottawa-based Halogen Software, meanwhile, stores all of its customers’ information in Canadian data centres because Canada is viewed as the “Switzerland of data,” providing privacy, confidentiality and security. So why not build a national brand based on these unique advantages?
FEDERAL AID REQUIRED The government also must do more to help companies enter foreign markets. The Global Markets Action Plan was launched two years ago, but most businesses still don’t fully understand it. A large number of companies have told me they just want to know how Canada’s international trade agreements can help give them a competitive advantage when doing business in world markets. Technology businesses need the “Coles Notes” version customized for each sector. Canadian firms also tell me that foreign governments are much more aggressive at assisting businesses when they sell internationally, offering subsidies to offset the costs of attending trade shows, travelling to new markets
and preparing marketing material. Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and others also provide direct financial support to businesses that want to expand internationally. Here in Canada, the need for businesses to reduce the risks of going global is no less important. New government programs are required to offset some of their costs to start the journey. Finally, the technology sector’s most important raw material is highly skilled talent. The best workers in the world are mobile and go where they have the best chance for success. In the past, Canada has been a leader at attracting talent. But the new requirements for approving a work visa have increased the hiring process by three to four months. The United States was once known as having tough work visa requirements, but it is now easier to obtain a visa there than in Canada, putting our companies at a huge disadvantage. The federal government needs to address this situation quickly. A simple solution would be to set an exemption based on salary. Most companies would hire locally if they could, and when they hire foreigners,
it is usually because they have a skill set and experience their Canadian counterparts didn’t. Across Canada, governments have invested in promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers. But when you ask most businesses to name their biggest recruiting challenge, they will point to a lack of workers with so-called “softer” skills, including sales, marketing and customer support.
‘SOFT’ SKILLS NEEDED In many cases, Canadian companies need to import workers with these skills. Just as it invested in STEM programs, the government must now invest in growing a talent base with customer-facing skills. For real change to happen, our tech sector and the new Liberal government have to understand each other. We need to communicate in language that is clear, simple and consistent. Canada’s business community, and the country as a whole, will be better for it. Jeffrey Dale is the director and co-founder of the Odawa Group as well as the former president of the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation.
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Delicious innovations improving food service at the Shaw Centre
House-made desserts and charcuterie among new offerings garnering praise
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dealing with external suppliers. We can now accommodate more specialized requests and we have a lot more control in terms of addressing food sensitivities.”
the new role of Chef de partie Pâtisserie. The exciting part is that now, we are capable of preparing almost all our desserts in-house. It’s very unique for a facility of our size to be able to offer this service.” As Morden explains, the move
towards exclusively offering house-made desserts is the latest example of the Shaw Centre’s bold commitment to providing the very best service to guests. “Classic pastry work is becoming a bit of a lost art. Having our own pastry chef gives us more flexibility than when
Whether you taste a baconwrapped scallop or some of the Shaw Centre’s new seasonal desserts, you’re sure to find all their offerings both delicious and inspired. “Our clients are already noticing the difference these innovations are making,” says Morden. “It’s great to get such positive feedback and it genuinely inspires us to look for more opportunities for improvement.”
For more information, please call 1-800-450-0077 or email Another innovation that has been info@shaw-centre.com fun for the entire kitchen brigade has been a new emphasis on curing
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“As our busy season approaches, we wanted to hire additional managers to help supervise and assist the kitchen brigade,” explains Morden. “Serendipitously, one of the applicants, Stephane Chave, turned out to be an experienced and adept pastry chef. We saw his skill at working at both the speed and volumes we require, along with superb organizational capabilities. We knew he’d be a great fit in
He adds that this recent addition to the team is but one example of the innovation that happens regularly in the Shaw Centre’s kitchen. “We are always looking at improving efficiency, lowering costs and reducing waste so we can provide better value to our guests. Making more of our food in-house contributes significantly. There’s also a tremendous sense of pride in knowing that food we are serving is of the highest calibre and represents our capabilities well.”
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
ever content to rest on its laurels, the dynamic kitchen at the Shaw Centre is implementing some delicious innovations that are already enhancing the guest experience. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Geoffrey Morden, the Centre is expanding its kitchen’s capabilities and raising the bar for event dining in Ottawa.
and smoking a variety of meats for service at the Centre. “We’ve been working on bacon, duck breasts, pork shoulders, salmon and more. Next up we’d like to master sausage making and salami. Because smoking is a time-consuming process, this is a big commitment for us but the experimentation has been fun and successful. Having these house-made products on hand to incorporate into our menus allows us to offer a little more of a rustic Canadian flair.”
The world-class care at The Ottawa Hospital’s Breast Health Centre is something that is intimately understood by a number of families in the Ottawa area, but few outside of that circle know about the innovation, learning, and the passionate people behind the scenes. The Woman’s Breast Health Centre – to be renamed the Breast Health Centre – first opened in 1997. Dr. Jean Seely, originally from Montreal and currently the Head of Breast Imaging at The Ottawa Hospital, arrived in 2001 after having worked at Group Health in Seattle, known for its excellence in the area of breast health. “When I started at TOH there were still a lot of old ways of doing things. I brought a lot with me from Seattle,” says Dr. Seely. “We went through a tremendous change. The Breast Health Centre (BHC) has increased exponentially in volume since that time,” says Dr. Seely. “And now the quality of our Breast Health Centre is on par with any in North America.” Learning, growth and change are a natural part of The Ottawa Hospital’s commitment to patientcentred care, and recent innovations have had far-reaching impact. Take for example, the Radioactive Seed
Localization Program, which first grew out of a conversation Dr. Seely had at a conference in December 2013. Before the Seed, radiologists had to place something into a smaller breast tumor in order for the surgeon to find it. For the last 20 years, the solution has been a wire. “We use local anesthetic and put a wire into the breast. The wire is hanging out of the breast as the woman goes to the operating room,” explains Dr. Seely. This uncomfortable, disconcerting procedure must be done the same day of surgery. “They’re fasting. They are anxious. And we’ve had problems when the wire has gotten dislodged. We’ve had women faint.” A colleague at the conference suggested Dr. Seely look into the radioactive seed. The process uses a thin needle to place a tiny seed – the size of a grain of rice – directly on the cancerous lump up to a week before surgery. It doesn’t hurt and the patient can’t feel it. This seed emits a tiny dose
30,000
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
7 DAYS.
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ABNORMAL IMAGING TO DIAGNOSIS USED TO AVERAGE 52 DAYS, NOW IT’S JUST SEVEN.
114%
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAMS AND ULTRASOUNDS PERFORMED SINCE 2007
PATIENTS HAVE RECEIVED CARE AT THE BREAST HEALTH CENTRE THIS YEAR
OTTAWA BREAST HEALTH BY THE NUMBERS
80%
OF WOMEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER HAVE NO RISK FACTORS
1000 NEW CASES OF BREAST CANCER WILL BE DIAGNOSED THIS YEAR
85%
OF BREAST CANCER CASES IN THIS REGION ARE DIAGNOSED BY THE BHC
of radioactivity – like a beacon – and allows the surgeon to find the tumor. No wire required. Excited about the obvious advantages, Dr. Seely brought this idea back to Ottawa. “The Hospital was behind me 100 per cent and all the surgeons are now using it. Not only does this help patients in a way that really improves their anxiety, but studies show there is less tissue removed during surgery. It’s phenomenal, and we are the third hospital in all of Canada to do this.” TOH also launched the Breast MRI program and screening for patients with a high risk of breast cancer. “Each time we’ve set the standard and rolled it out to the region and have shown leadership in that regard. TOH takes these great ideas and allows them to be implemented,” says Dr. Seely. Not all recent innovations, however, are grounded in high tech. Sometimes it’s a simple procedural shift that improves a patient’s journey. For example, when patients have diagnostic work ups they now get the results before they leave. “Waiting for that phone call can be the worst part of the process,” says Dr. Seely. The RADS program (Rapid Access and Diagnosis Support) minimizes wait times for the patients who have the highest likelihood of breast cancer. “We had patients who were waiting over two months for their biopsy. We were able to shorten a 52day wait time to seven at the most. A huge improvement.” According to Dr. Seely, the incidents of breast cancer in Canada has stayed about the same for the last 20 years. The challenge at hand is an aging population, and a growing population, which is why numbers are on the rise. The number of biopsies at the BHC, for example, has increased significantly. In 1997 they performed 1600/year. Now it’s close to 3000. The good news is that The Ottawa Hospital Breast Health Centre will be moving to a larger, state-of-the-art space at the General Campus. It will
DR. JEAN SEELY, HEAD OF BREAST IMAGING AT THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON
provide more people with timely, compassionate and comprehensive care. The fundraising goal for the new facility is $14 million. They’re just short of that figure, and Dr. Seely hopes they’ll reach it by December 31. The new space will help TOH fulfill their mandate of research, discovery, innovation, education and care, all under one roof. “I can’t think of a more urgent disease that needs the best world class care,” says Dr. Jack Kitts, President and CEO of TOH. “By bringing the best team together to diagnose, treat – and perhaps even prevent breast cancer – is absolutely better care.” “When you bring everything together in a focused setting you get much better access to care, you get much better quality of care and you get a much better experience,” says Dr. Kitts. What everyone at TOH understands is that excellent patient care has a far-reaching effects. “I can tell you that when you are taking care of a patient here, you are taking care of the whole family. It has a huge impact,” says Dr. Seely. “Many women are taking care of their parents, and their children, so our job has an impact on the whole family. And the whole community.”
THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL
LEARN, GROW, CHANGE — SPONSORED CONTENT —
I can’t tell you how hard we work to make sure patients feel less anxiety, and more reassured, after they come to the Breast Health Centre. — DR. JEAN SEELY, HEAD OF BREAST IMAGING AT THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
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BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT Red wave of optimism follows Liberals’ ascent to power Local industry groups, entrepreneurs hope party’s pledges to boost infrastructure spending, support tech startups translate into good things for Ottawa’s economy BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
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n the wake of Justin Trudeau’s stunning majority last week, businesspeople across the city expressed hope that a new Liberal government will help pave the road to recovery for Ottawa’s sluggish economy. Some, however, took that sentiment a little more literally than others. Dale Harley, executive adviser for the National Capital Heavy Construction Association, said the Liberals’ pledge to boost funding for infrastructure such as roads, bridges and flood-control systems by up to $5 billion a year is a longoverdue plan that seemed to resonate with local voters. “The Liberal platform was obviously very oriented towards investment in infrastructure, and when you take a look at the results in Ottawa Centre in particular, this is a case of not just knocking off a Conservative candidate but also knocking off an NDP candidate as well,” he said, referring to the downtown riding in which the New Democrats’ popular foreign affairs critic was unseated by Liberal challenger Catherine McKenna. “I really feel that a big part of the Liberals’ success was their promises with respect to infrastructure investment, so I’m optimistic as to what the future has to hold for us.” The crimson tide that propelled Mr. Trudeau to power had particular force in Ottawa, where seven of the eight ridings went Liberal. Mr. Harley believes that is good news for the capital, which he said is in dire need of the kind of road repairs that are part of the Liberals’ infrastructure plan. “If you don’t take care of it now, it costs a lot more money to repair in the future,” he said, pointing to Carling Avenue as a prime example of a major artery that needs substantial work to fix its pavement and sidewalks. “I hope that they’re going to be good on their word and carry through with infrastructure investment in Ottawa.” That could translate into big bucks for local construction firms, but they aren’t the only Ottawa companies that hope to get a lift from the rising red sea. The Liberal agenda also includes promises that could produce big benefits
Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy Growth Corp. and Martello Technologies, says a Liberal government on the Hill will be good for business. FILE PHOTO
MEDICAL MARIJUANA FIRMS HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR GRITS Bruce Linton is revved up. The CEO of Canada’s largest producer of medical marijuana says prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau’s vow to fully legalize pot could ultimately shift production at his company into overdrive. “We’re in the pole position,” said Mr. Linton, whose Smiths Falls-based firm rebranded itself from Tweed to Canopy Growth Corp. last month. “The race is about to begin.” With a production area of nearly 500,000 square feet, his company has always operated on the assumption that marijuana would one day be approved for recreational users as well as medical users, he said. “From day one, the expectation is that this is a huge market of opportunity with two on-ramps,” Mr. Linton said, referring to the medicinal and recreational markets. “One has already been built. The second has been announced and construction starts today.” The head of the region’s other medical marijuana facility isn’t celebrating just yet.
“I think we’re going to wait and see what the (new government’s) exact policy position is before we make any concrete moves,” said Sébastien StLouis, CEO of Gatineau producer Hydropothecary. “But we’re very excited to see what happens. We know that this will be increasing the market in Canada.” Industry analysts are predicting the country’s marijuana market could balloon to as much as $5 billion if the drug is fully legalized, in comparison to its present size of about $80 million under the current rules. Noting that stocks in medical marijuana firms initially rose in the aftermath of the Oct. 19 vote, Mr. St-Louis said a Liberal government bodes well for the industry’s future. Coincidentally, his firm was acquired by Canadian Cannabis Corp. of Oakville in a $28-million deal that was announced the day after the election. “We can safely assume that investors are very happy and people generally see (a Liberal victory) as a positive sign,” he said.
for the technology industry, particularly startups. The party has pledged to cut the small business tax rate and has unveiled a three-year, $900-million “innovation agenda” that includes $200 million a year for tech incubators, research facilities and direct funding to business. “Whenever you have new members of Parliament, you open the door to new opportunities,” said Victoria Lennox, CEO of Startup Canada, an Ottawabased network of more than 80,000 entrepreneurs. “I think this is great news. My hope is that this will be a government for entrepreneurs and that they will be working with Startup Canada to better understand how they can support the startup community. Everything that I see in the Liberal party platform we can work with.” The organization is currently in the midst of a cross-Canada tour to gather ideas on new ways to fuel entrepreneurship. Ms. Lennox said she believes the new Liberal government
“Whenever you have new members of Parliament, you open the door to new opportunities. Everything that I see in the Liberal party platform we can work with.” – VICTORIA LENNOX, CEO OF STARTUP CANADA
can play a key role in growing startups by purchasing more goods and services from small businesses and making it easier for international students to become permanent residents so they can work for new firms or launch their own. Startup Canada plans to present the new Liberal cabinet with its “call to action” for a more business-friendly nation when the tour wraps up at the end of the year. “One of the first things that the new government will want to do is hear from entrepreneurs,” she said. “This is our opportunity to really take this whole movement to the next level.” Bruce Linton, CEO of Kanata software maker Martello Technologies, said Mr. Trudeau’s pro-trade stance shows in his willingness to submit the tentative TransPacific Partnership trade deal to a vote in Parliament. He said he sees no reason why a Liberal regime will be anything but a boon to the industry. “Canadian tech, to be successful, always has to be global,” he said. “I think the Tories and the Liberals both are global traders. We saw that with the discussion of the free trade agreement. There are no protectionist tendencies in either party.” Commercial real estate brokers also reacted to the Liberal win with a hefty
dose of optimism, albeit tempered by practical realities. Shawn Hamilton, vice-president and managing director at CBRE in Ottawa, said new infrastructure spending and initiatives to boost the tech sector could have a major impact on his business. “Right out of the gate, (the Liberals) were talking economy, economy, economy,” he said. “Obviously, in our business, we’re fully tied to the economy. Although it remains to be seen how they’ll do, as with any government, anything that strengthens the economy creates jobs. The more people who need a place to work, the more office leasing activity there is, the more vibrant our economy is.” As for the prospect of a new wave of public-sector hiring, he’s not holding his breath. Even should that happen, he said, it won’t necessarily mean the feds will be scrambling to lease a swath of new office space. “If the government can do what it needs to do in a more compressed format, just like the private sector is trying to do, what business fundamental is there for them to grow?” he said. “I don’t know. If history repeats itself, then government will grow. We’ll see. It’s like steering the Queen Mary – it’ll take 18 months I’m sure just to figure out which way to go.”
Startup Canada CEO Victoria Lennox said new MPs will bring fresh ideas. FILE PHOTO
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
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TECHNOLOGY DragonWave cuts 25 per cent of staff in ‘difficult’ second quarter Ottawa-based firm’s headcount down 75 from a year ago in the wake of falling revenues
C
alling the firm’s fiscal 2016 second quarter “difficult,” DragonWave announced earlier this month the company laid off 25 per cent of its workforce in the quarter, including six per cent of its Ottawa employees. The Ottawa-based packet microwave radio system provider now has a headcount of just under 200, compared with about 275 one year ago, new chief financial officer Patrick Houston said. In his first conference call with investors since taking over for former CFO Russell Frederick in late August, Mr. Houston said the cuts have helped the company reduce operating expenses to about $8 million per quarter. “We’ve tried to seek efficiencies in every area of our business, making sure we’ve got our resources focused only on the tasks that are before us as the
business evolves and changes,” CEO Peter Allen told investors, adding that R&D programs were protected “in the areas where we saw immediate growth.” DragonWave’s revenue declined yearover-year to $26.9 million from $37.9 million. Still, the firm’s quarterly revenue was up slightly from the $26.3 million posted in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Much of the shortfall is due to dwindling revenue from DragonWave’s Nokia channel and a recent glitch in the rollout of a new product to a major carrier in India, a problem Mr. Allen said has now been fixed. “We are pleased that we have been able to resolve the product issues on our new Harmony Enhanced product and believe this will be a world-class product going forward,” he said in a statement. As for DragonWave’s relationship with
Nokia, Mr. Allen said much remains up in the air. Nokia announced plans earlier this year to buy ailing French telecom firm Alcatel-Lucent, which makes microwave technology that competes with DragonWave. “I think it’s very difficult to speculate where that relationship will go, and I think it’s difficult for Nokia as well because they haven’t completed the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent,” Mr. Allen said. “Until they do, there are restrictions on how those two companies have to operate independently, so I think until that transaction occurs, substantive dialogue could occur.” The Nokia channel represented 37 per cent of DragonWave’s total revenue, down from 52 per cent in the previous quarter and 60 per cent in the same three-month period last
DragonWave CEO Peter Allen. FILE PHOTO
year. DragonWave posted a net loss of $21 million or 28 cents per share in the second quarter, up from $6 million or eight cents per share in the previous quarter. – OBJ staff
— SPONSORED CONTENT —
85 years delivering sound advice, peace of mind Scrivens marks milestone with donation to The Ottawa Mission
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ew family-owned businesses make it to the second generation. It’s a rare breed that reaches the third. Scrivens Insurance and Investment Solutions is rare indeed. The Ottawabased company is celebrating 85 years in business. Over the years, Scrivens has evolved in response to the changing needs of the community. But always, the focus has been on integrity, stability and excellent service. Today, the Scrivens team provides a variety of commercial, personal and life insurance, estate planning, and wealth management services, delivered with sound advice that’s trusted across the National Capital Region. But Scrivens couldn’t have grown into one of Ottawa’s largest and most successful insurance brokers without the loyal support of its community and
clients. “On behalf of my family and the whole Scrivens team, I want to take this opportunity to thank our loyal clients and the community at large for their valued support all these years,” said Peter Scrivens. Supporting a worthy cause In recognition of its 85 years in business, Scrivens is making a special donation of up to $10,000 to the Ottawa Mission. “We believe in the Mission’s vision and are proud to support it,” Michael Scrivens said. “We know the donations will be used to make a positive impact in our community by giving more to the people who need it most.” To make it a community-driven fundraising effort, Scrivens is taking to social media.
How your tweets, posts can support the Ottawa Mission Scrivens will donate $10 to The Ottawa Mission each time anyone completes one of the following:
Follow @WHScrivens on Twitter and tweet using the hashtag #ScrivensMission Like Scrivens on Facebook and post using the hashtag #ScrivensMission Learn more at www.scrivens.ca/Mission
BUSINESS GROWTH LOCAL FIRMS PROFIT FROM TECH SURGE, SURVEY SUGGESTS
tly c a x E g in r e iv l De Need s r e m o t s u C t Wha
Companies in the city of Ottawa have raised more money from tech IPOs over the past five years than those in all other Canadian cities combined, and local employment in the sector has grown eight per cent a year since 2010, according to Invest Ottawa. Those strong results are reflected in the Welch Ottawa Business Growth Survey, an initiative co-sponsored by Welch LLP, the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Ottawa Business Journal. Conducted by Abacus Data earlier this year, the survey heard from more than 350 local businesses. More than half of the companies surveyed said they had a higher net income in 2014 than in the previous year.
HOW DID YOUR NET INCOME FOR 2014 COMPARE TO YOUR NET INCOME FOR 2013?
51% 18% 22% 8% HIGHER
LOWER
NO CHANGE
I DON’T KNOW NO COMMENT
FOR SALE - COMMERCIAL 449-451 Churchill Avenue - $2,249,000 Two 6 unit buildings on a 100 x 100 foot lot
Name: Kelly Youngdale Title: President ion Inc. Company: Label Innovat WHAT IS LABEL INNOVATION? As a cutting edge converting manufacturer, Label Innovation Inc. combines materials to create new multi-layered products or functional components. A family business founded in 1979, the company has successfully transitioned to the next generation. They manufacture parts and components of large volume for single-use medical devices such as parts for bedside blood diagnostic equipment.
The Manfredi Team
240-242 Breezehill Avenue - $1,199,000 2 duplexes and a 37 x 26 foot garage on a 66 x 140 foot lot
By thoroughly understanding customers’ requirements and using webbased processes, Label Innovation manufactures complex parts to exact specifications. Label Innovation President Kelly Youngdale explained, “We are a reliable supplier and partner for critical components that the customers themselves sometimes aren’t even aware are possible.”
300 Richmond Road - Westboro 8,398 square feet available with underground parking Over 4,000 square feet on both the third and fourth floors
WHAT IS AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT LABEL INNOVATION? Kelly shared that Label Innovation used to be a label house, “You’d come to us if you needed stickers.” However, in recent years, Label Innovation has undergone a metamorphosis from commodity-driven product to solution-based, custom applications in the medical device space. Kelly shared, “With no production precedent, this has required a mindset shift.”
440 Preston Street - Little Italy 930 square foot main floor plus basement
Label Innovation’s 45 employees make up a formidable team driven by a culture of innovation. Kelly added, “It’s most rewarding to see our products in use, knowing that we had a part in it.”
FOR LEASE - COMMERCIAL
Rocco Manfredi Sales Representative
Rmanfredi@royallepage.ca
Jill Rochon Licensed Assistant
Jillrochon@royallepage.ca
613-552-5300 Royal LePage Gale Real Estate 105-383 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa Ontario K1Y 4R4
The Manfredi Team
The season seats are mostly used to reward employees, while the Canadian Club seats are used predominantly for business development. Kelly added, “It’s a great night out to socialize with people we spend our days with and get to know them on a personal level.”
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
HOW IS LABEL INNOVATION INVOLVED WITH THE SENS? Label Innovation has season’s tickets in the 100 level. “We’ve had them for as long as I can remember,” said Kelly. They have also been part of the Canadian Club for the past 3 years.
Contact Listing Agents for further details
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THE LIST 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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Largest business improvement areas (Ranked by number of member businesses)
Name/Address/ Phone/Fax/Web
No. of member Chair/ businesses executive director
Year founded Area covered
Kanata North BIA 232-555 Legget Dr. Kanata, ON K2K 2X3 613-801-1069/N/A kanatanorthbia.ca Wellington West BIA 76 Holland Ave, 2nd fl. Ottawa, ON K1Y 0X6 613-729-0363/N/A wellingtonwest.ca Barrhaven BIA 407-900 Greenbank Rd. Nepean, ON K2J 4P6 613-825-8242/613-825-8232 discoverbarrhaven.com ByWard Market BIA* 55 ByWard Market Sq. Ottawa, ON K1N 9C3 613-562-3325/613-562-3326 byward-market.com Downtown Rideau BIA 401-45 Rideau St. Ottawa, ON K1N 5W8 613-241-6211/613-241-8612 downtownrideau.com Bank Street BIA 310-176 Gloucester St. Ottawa, ON K2P 0A6 613-232-6255/613-232-3372 bankstreet.ca Heart of Orleans BIA 245 Centrum Blvd. Orleans, ON K1E 0A1 613-580-2424 ext 23900/N/A heartoforleans.ca Quartier Vanier Business Improvement Area* 287 Montreal Rd. Ottawa, ON K1L 6C2 613-745-0040/613-745-0686 vanierbia.com Carp Road Corridor BIA P.O. Box 194 Carp, ON K0A 1L0 613-314-7597/N/A crcbia.ca Glebe BIA* 110-858 Bank St. Ottawa, Ontario K1S 3W3 613-680-8506/613-680-8512 intheglebe.ca Preston Street BIA* 118A Preston St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7P2 613-231-2815/N/A prestonstreet.com Bells Corners BIA* 15B-2150 Robertson Rd. Ottawa, Ontario K2H 9S1 613-695-2425/N/A bellscornersbia.ca Westboro Village BIA 261-A Richmond Rd. Ottawa, ON K1Z 6X1 613-729-8145/N/A westborovillage.com Sparks BID and Authority* 300-35 O'Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5M4 613-230-0984/613-230-7671 sparkslive.com Manotick BIA* Box 414 Manotick, ON K4M 1A4 613-692-7657/N/A manotickvillage.com Somerset Street Chinatown BIA 5-299 Bronson Ave. Ottawa, Ontario K1R 6J1 613-230-4707/N/A ottawachinatown.ca Somerset Village BIA* 2-228 Rideau Terrace Ottawa, ON K1M 0Z2 613-232-1305/N/A N/A Carp Village BIA* 410 Donald B. Munroe Dr., PO Box 486 Carp, Ontario K0A 1L0 613-222-4556/N/A carpbia.ca
542
Peter Dooher Jenna Sudds
2012
Bounded by Maxwell Bridge on the north, March Valley/ Promotes and enhances the existing eco-system of Herzberg Road on the east and March Road on the south diverse businesses with expertise in innovation and technology.
505
Michel Frojmovic Zachary Dayler
2008
Neighbourhoods of Wellington Village and Hintonburg, Ontario's first cycling-friendly business area; community and also includes the Parkdale Market. wireless project; enhanced street beautification program; Tastes of Wellington West
500
Jason MacDonald Andrea Steenbakkers
2006
Bounded by Fallowfield Road to the north, Prince of Wales Drive to the east, south urban boundary to the south, and Highway 416 to the west
500
Phil Waserman Jasna Jennings
1993
The ByWard Market, bounded by Sussex, St. Patrick, Cumberland and George streets, with extensions north on Dalhousie Street to Cathcart Street
450
Donna Holtom Peggy Ducharme
1981
23 blocks surrounding Rideau Street east of the Rideau Canal to King Edward Avenue and George Street to Mackenzie King Bridge
400
Heather Garrod and Rima Zabian, vice-chairs Christine Leadman
1977
Bank Street from Wellington Street to Gladstone Street
Glowfair; Heart Month; Graffiti Removal Program; Mural Program
400
Curd Hos Jasmine Brown
2007
400
Mark Kaluski Suzanne Valiquet
1985
Includes almost 4 km of St. Joseph Boulevard in the Ottawa neighbourhood of Orleans. The district starts at Prestone Drive to the east, and runs west to Youville Drive, with pockets at Centrum Boulevard, Place d’Orleans Drive and Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard. Montreal Road from Cummings Bridge to St. Laurent Boulevard, McArthur Avenue from North River Road to St. Laurent Boulevard, Beechwood Avenue from St. Patrick's Bridge to St. Laurent Boulevard
Promotes a strong community hub. Projects include: marketing of district; advocacy for members; member recruitment and retention; economic development; networking opportunities; streetscape improvements; special events. Breakfast meetings with Ottawa Police Services; spring and summer street activities for Montreal Road, McArthur and Beechwood avenues; beautification; gateway banners; seasonal commercial street decor; annual business awards; graffiti removal
350
Erwin Schulz Roddy Bolivar
2010
Carp Road in Ottawa's west end, from Rothbourne Road The Carp Road Corridor is home to more than 300 in the south to March Road in the north businesses, 3,000 employees and 600 hectares of vacant "shovel ready" zoned industrial land. The BIA promotes the economic development of the area.
300
Greg Best Andrew Peck
2008
Bank Street between Hightway 417, Rideau Canal, Isabella Street and Chamberlain Street
280
Mario Giannetti Lori Mellor
1987
230
Jim Sourges Alex Lewis
2009
Preston Street from Carling Avenue to Albert and east Italian Week; extensive street pageantry program; Italian side of Rochester Street to the west side of O-Train tracks heritage mural program; street beautification; monthly newsletter; advocacy on behalf of Preston Street businesses; graffiti management program; Tulip Festival venue Robertson Road, Northside Road, Stafford Road East; Christmas tree-lighting event; entrance feature signage Lynhar Street; Moodie Drive, Bexley Place, Bentley Avenue
195
Dan Hwang Mary Thorne
1979
Richmond Road from Island Park Drive to Golden Avenue, including Danforth Avenue on the south side, Winona Street and Picton Avenue on the north side
135
Sam Elsaadi N/A
1979
Sparks Street between Elgin Street and Lyon Street, Wellington Street to the north side of Queen Street
125
Salima Ismail Donna Smith
1997
120
Peter So Grace Xin
1990
Somerset Street West between Bay and Preston streets
Lunar new year celebration; Multicultural Corner; Chinatown imperial arch; Chinatown furniture
40
Derek Crain N/A
1987
Somerset Street between Bank Street and O'Connor Street
Working on a three-year plan for streetscape, night lighting and planting; business promotion; renewal of Bank and Somerset streets corner site
32
J.C. Rebic N/A
1995
Village of Carp
Promotes the interests of businesses in the Village of Carp. Building the West Carleton war memorial.
Special projects and events
Branding and marketing of Barrhaven as a commercial district; annual Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade; sponsor of local events; business advocacy; smart growth in Barrhaven; market research; employment land development; partnership with community groups Winterlude Stew Cook-off; Auto Classic; ByWard Market Harvestfest; Christmas caroling and horse and carriage rides; co-manages ByWard Market Street Ambassador program; advocacy on parking, transportation, safety and security Positions the district as a "high street" destination for shopping, dining and culture under the brand "Ottawa's Arts, Fashion & Theatre District."
Recently upgraded streetscape, including decorative streetlights, public art, street furniture, widened sidewalks and enhanced greening.
Winston Square; Westfest
NYE Capital Countdown; City Chase; Spring on Sparks; Ottawa Ribfest; Ottawa International Busker Festival; Canada Day Weekend; PoutineFest; Salsa on Sparks; Shop'n Cruise and Summer Stage; Spirits & Brew; Everything Art Street Gallery, Nicolas Sparks Main Street to Bridge Street; Main Street to Doctor Leach Dickinson Days; Olde-Fashioned Christmas; A Taste Of Drive; Main Street to Bankfield Road; Main Street to Manotick; Main Street improvements; signage; Manotick Estates marketing Manotick as a destination area
WND - Would no disclose *Did not respond to 2015 survey. Using data from previous years. Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca. This list is current as of August 24, 2015 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in an attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market. Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.
THE LIST Company Name Address Phone/Fax/Web
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20
No. of Ottawa support staff
(RANKED BY NO. OF OTTAWA ACCOUNTANTS)
Local/ national offices
Managing partner(s)
Year established in Ottawa
Services offered
435
63
4 55
Michael Runia
1946
Full-service firm provinding audit, tax, consulting, risk management and financial advisory services.
229
63
2 35
Grant McDonald
1840
Full-service firm, operating through four service lines: audit, tax, advisory, enterprise (private company advisor).
205
31
2 25
Carol Devenny
1907
Provides consulting services to various federal government departments; industry focused assurance; tax; consulting and deals services to public and private entities.
190
22
1 15
Gary Zed
1906
Full-service firm: assurance; IT audit; fraud investigation; advisory services; domestic/cross-border tax; transfer pricing; transaction advisory to key industry global associations; emerging growth; entrepreneurial; not-for-profit; government
175
20
11 112
Robert Rheaume, Denis Godcharles André Bolduc
1963
Bilingual audit and assurance; tax, U.S. tax, SR&ED; valuations; litigation support; insolvency and debt restructuring, consulting (planning, performance, transformation, change); risk management, technology software solutions; business transition
125
32
1 11
Micheal L. Burch
1918
Personal and corporate tax planning; SR&ED tax credits; accounting/financial reporting; business advisory; doing business in Canada; financial statement audit; government contribution audit/compliance audit; M&A; corporate finance
105
32
7 85
Jean Schnob
1947
Full service
91
24
2 45
Kenneth Tammadge
1963
Full-service firm: audit and assurance; taxation (personal, corporate, estate, international); insolvency and debt restructuring; business valuations; financial advisory; government consulting
67
75
4 5
Deborah M. Bourchier
1946
Full-service, specializing in owner-managed businesses. Assurance; advisory; accounting and tax services; corporate restructuring; estate and succession planning; real estate; medical and dental professionals; construction; not-for-profits
65
10
2 1
Lionel Nolet
1980
Auditing and accounting; taxation; financial and management services; business start-ups; accounting personnel recruitment
49
9
1 0
Blair Davidson
1946
Full service, including: auditing; accounting; taxation (corporate and personal); business advisory; business valuation; corporate reorganizations; fund administration; succession planning; business purchase and sales
36
4
1 0
Marie Fraser
1995
Auditing and assurance taxation services; financial planning; personal taxation for entrepreneurial companies and non-profits; corporate tax planning
35
4
1 1
Jeff LeBlanc David Brighten
1979
Audit and assurance; business management services (outsourcing); personal; corporate and estates/trusts taxation; financial statements; bookkeeping; business succession planning; restructuring and financing; bank financing; mentoring; planning
32
7
1 0
Gary Katz
1994
Personal; corporate; SR&ED; cross-border; U.S. taxation; tax planning and compliance; assurance; business advisory; corporate reorganization; back office support; estate and succession planning; recruiting services; bookkeeping
31
9
1 75
Michael Dimitriou J. Douglas McLarty
1981
Assurance; accounting; tax; consulting; succession planning; enterprise risk; corporate finance; valuations; forensics; mergers and acquisitions; corporate restructuring and recovery
21
5
1 2
Steve Parker
1996
Full service, except bankruptcy
14
7
1 0
Sue Holtom
1960
Full service, except bankruptcy, actuarial and benefits
13
3
1 1
Michael B. McCrann
1950
Auditing and accounting for private companies; financial advisory services; personal and corporate tax; mergers and acquisitions; estate planning
12
2
1 0
James S. McIntyre
1981
Full service, except actuarial and benefits
12
0
1 0
Eric Wilson
1984
Accounting; auditing; corporate tax; personal tax; financial consulting services
17 OBJ.CA
WND = Would not disclose. *Did not respond to 2015 survey – using data from previous years. Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca This list is current as of August 24, 2015. © 2015 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market. Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
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Deloitte 1600-100 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5T8 613-236-2442 / 613-236-2195 deloitte.ca KPMG LLP 1800-150 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2P8 613-212-5764 / 613-212-2896 kpmg.ca PwC 800-99 Bank St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1E4 613-237-3702 / 613-237-3963 pwc.com/ca Ernst & Young LLP 1200-99 Bank St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6B9 613-232-1511 / 613-232-5324 ey.com BDO Canada LLP 100-1730 St. Laurent Blvd. Ottawa, ON K1G 5L1 613-739-8221 / 613-739-1517 bdo.ca Welch LLP 123 Slater St., 3rd Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 5H2 613-236-9191 / 613-236-8258 welchllp.com Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton 2505 St. Laurent Blvd. Ottawa, ON K1H 1E4 613-236-2211 / 613-236-6104 rcgt.com Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP 400-301 Moodie Dr. Ottawa, ON K2H 9C4 613-820-8010 / 613-820-0465 ottawa.collinsbarrow.com Ginsberg Gluzman Fage & Levitz, LLP 287 Richmond Rd. Ottawa, ON K1Z 6X4 613-728-5831 / 613-728-8085 ggfl.ca Marcil Lavallée 400-1420 Blair Pl. Ottawa, ON K1J 9L8 613-745-8387 / 613-745-9584 marcil-lavallee.ca McCay Duff LLP 141 Laurier Ave., 6th Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 5J3 613-236-2367 / 613-236-5041 mccayduff.com Hendry Warren LLP 200-881 Lady Ellen Pl. Ottawa, ON K1Z 5L3 613-235-2000 / 613-235-2643 hwllp.ca Andrews & Co. Chartered Professional Accountants 540 Lacolle Way Orleans, ON K4A 0N9 613-837-8282 / 613-837-7482 andrews.ca Logan Katz LLP 105-6 Gurdwara Rd. Ottawa, ON K2E 8A3 613-228-8282 / 613-228-8284 logankatz.com MNP 110-495 Richmond Rd. Ottawa, ON K2A 4B2 613-691-4200 / 613-726-9009 mnp.ca Parker Prins Lebano 1796 Courtwood Cr. Ottawa, ON K2C 2B5 613-727-7474 / 613-727-3715 parkerprinslebano.com Bouris, Wilson LLP 1701 Woodward Dr. Ottawa, ON K2C 0R4 613-727-8500 / 613-727-8500 bouriswilson.com Bessner Gallay Kreisman LLP 400-340 March Rd. Kanata, ON K2K 2E4 613-836-8228 / 613-836-8338 bgk.ca McIntyre & Associates Professional Corp. 200-900 Morrisson Dr. Ottawa, ON K2H 8K7 613-726-7788 / 613-729-4477 mcintyreca.com Ouseley Hanvey Clipsham Deep LLP 200-205 Catherine St. Ottawa, ON K2P 1C3 613-562-2010 / 613-562-2012 ohcd.ca
No. of Ottawa accountants
LARGEST ACCOUNTING FIRMS
TECHNOLOGY
An artist’s rendering of the new innovation centre at Bayview Yards. IMAGE PROVIDED
City ‘going for gold’ with Bayview Yards innovation centre
Innovation centre chair Steve West says the facility will be unique in Ottawa. FILE PHOTO
Information session draws hundreds eager to learn more about much-anticipated incubator and maker space set to open in 2016 as a place for entrepreneurs to gather BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
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OBJ.CA
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hen Steve West looked around at the eclectic mix of hightech titans, developers, entrepreneurs, politicians and interested observers gathered at the Tom Brown Arena on Oct. 13, he was hoping he’d just caught a glimpse of the future. More than 300 people poured in to the Bayview Road recreational facility, eager to find out more about the new innovation centre that is set to open just down the street in the fall of 2016. The crowd checked out illustrations of the facility and was invited to offer its input into what sort of tools and services it should offer. Mr. West, who chairs the centre’s board of directors, said the open house generated the kind of enthusiastic exchange of ideas and meetings of minds he believes will become commonplace at the 46,000-square-foot building starting next year. “It’s the first time all the elements in the innovation ecosystem can go to a singular destination for innovation,” he said. “Nothing like that exists today in Ottawa. It’s about the people that are going to be there and the catalytic collisions that are going to take place, because people need to talk to each other. We’re going to create an environment where entrepreneurs are going to be able to get ideas, find out what’s going in the ecosystem, get help and assistance.”
The Innovation Centre will provide physical space, specialized tools and equipment such as 3D printers, technical and business expertise, resources and other services for Ottawa entrepreneurs, with the goal of building successful startups. Work on the $12-million renovation of the heritage site at 7 Bayview Rd. began this summer, with Barry J. Hobin & Associates Architects overseeing the design and Morley Hoppner doing the contracting.
that ride on top of all those pipes that we used to build. The best way to foster those apps, to create the next Shopify, is to ensure that a lot of different energies are being brought into the same physical space.” While publicly funded incubators have become more and more common across Canada in the past decade, especially in tech centres such as Toronto and Waterloo, they haven’t always generated positive headlines.
“We’re going to create an environment where entrepreneurs are going to be able to get ideas, find out what’s going in the ecosystem, get help and assistance.” – STEVE WEST, CHAIR OF OTTAWA’S INNOVATION CENTRE
The total tab for the first phase of the project will come at about $30 million, split equally between the city and province. Kichesippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, whose ward includes the Innovation Centre, said it’s money well spent. “I think the connections that this place is going to help forge are critical,” he said. “The glory days of building boxes and wires are not coming back in Ottawa. Our place in the value chain is going to be much higher up. We’re going to have to have creative people who are working on apps and the services
Toronto’s much larger MaRS Discovery District, one of Canada’s best-known innovation hubs, was at the centre of controversy recently when it was in danger of missing payments on a loan from Queen’s Park and required a bailout from the province. But Mr. Leiper said he doesn’t foresee similar issues in Ottawa. “If it doesn’t work, and I’m not suggesting that it won’t, the investment that we made is still very reasonable,” he said. “It’s well worth going for gold on this one.” Mr. Leiper suggested the Innovation
Centre could differentiate itself from other hubs by looking beyond hightech and other traditional fields of entrepreneurship. “I would love to see us working with people like (Bluesfest executive director) Mark Monahan and people who represent some of the creative industries to help give us that boost that some innovation centres and hubs and accelerators don’t necessarily have,” he said. Vinod Rajasekaran, lead strategist at HUB Ottawa, agreed. He said he hopes the centre reaches out to social entrepreneurs and not-for-profit organizations and brings them into the fold as well. “We have a history of innovating for the public good,” Mr. Rajasekaran said. “There’s a huge emerging sector in social enterprise and social innovation and it’s right at that point where it could really use infrastructure like this to really catapult it to the next level.” Noting the presence of Israeli ambassador Rafael Barak at the open house, Mr. West said the new building and its people will help Ottawa take better advantage of its status as a G7 capital and forge closer relationships with countries such as Israel that are known for their innovative and daring approach to entrepreneurship. “We’ve never been able to leverage that because we haven’t had the resources or the facilities to do that,” he said. “I think the future is going to be bright.”
FOR THE RECORD People on the move Raytheon Co. announced the appointment of Mark Nicol as president of Raytheon International in Canada. He will be responsible for customer engagement and business development to support the company’s global growth.
Contracts The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms.
Testforce Systems Inc. 235 Stafford Rd. W. Description: Electrical and electronic properties measuring and testing instruments Buyer: RCMP $3,000,000 Thomas Fuller Construction Co. Ltd. 2700 Queensview Dr. Description: Black Rapids lock 13 upgrades, Rideau Canal Buyer: PWGSC $2,441,064 Accenture Inc. 45 O’Connor St. Description: Systems integration Buyer: Canadian Food Inspection Agency $2,260,000 Inter Outaouais Inc. 164 Jean-Proulx Description: Truck, tractor, class 8, day cab, sleeper cab Buyer: DND $2,190,975
Nisha Technologies Inc. 2150 Thurston Dr. Description: Desktop support services Buyer: Transport Canada $1,300,000
Calian Ltd. 340 Legget Dr. Description: Basic and advanced general safety training Buyer: DND $1,067,812 Commissionaires of Ottawa 24 Colonnade Rd. Description: Corporate records and mail management services Buyer: Transport Canada $1,065,875 Laurin & Co. 43 Auriga Dr. Description: Connaught Range accommodation project Buyer: PWGSC $368,151 Valcom Consulting Group Inc. 85 Albert St. Description: Life cycle management specialist, senior, secret Buyer: DND $285,914 Tessier Translations 188 Montcalm Description: Translation services Buyer: PWGSC $273,065 Proex Inc. 260 St. Patrick St. Description: Telecommunication system specialist, voice architect Buyer: Elections Canada $227,650 Burton’s Limousine Service Ltd. 584 Cole Ave. Description: Ground transportation services for official visits Buyer: Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development $200,000 Armstrong Monitoring Corp. 215 Colonnad Rd. S. Description: Alarm and signal systems, miscellaneous – repair,
overhaul and maintenance Buyer: DND $159,377 Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc. 802 Nesbitt Pl. Description: ADP software Buyer: Canada Border Services Agency $139,354 TMR3 Couvreurs Inc. 1880 Pink Description: Boiler room waterproofing, Building 20 Buyer: Agriculture and AgriFood Canada $128,900 Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc. 802 Nesbitt Pl. Description: ADP software Buyer: Canada Border Services Agency $126,553 Fawcett File & Storage Systems Inc. 2615 Lancaster Rd. Description: Office furniture Buyer: PWGSC $125,384
ProntoForms Corp. announced that Mark Almeida has joined the company in the new role of vice-president of carrier and partner sales. Mr. Almeida is a sales and marketing executive with more than 30 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.
Hats off Shirley Westeinde, chair of the Westeinde Group, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Best Ottawa Business Awards. Ms. Westeinde founded Westeinde Construction with her husband, John, in 1978 and has been active in business and community causes. FileFacets, a hosted information governance implementation softwareas-a-service product, was recognized as IG Technology Provider of the Year for 2015 by the Information Governance Initiative. Jean Laurin, the president of insurance provider ENCON Group and OBJ’s 2011 CEO of the year, has received a Telfer School of Management Trudeau Medal. The medal is the highest honour given to Telfer alumni and recognizes leadership, initiative and contributions to the business world, the community and the school.
Jim Durrell, chair of Hydro Ottawa’s board of directors, was honoured by Volunteer Ottawa with the organization’s lifetime achievement award. He was selected as the recipient of this year’s award based on his contributions to the city of Ottawa as a mayor, businessman and volunteer. Klipfolio has been selected to receive one of the first industry excellence awards issued by Dresner Advisory Services. The company is being recognized for overall leadership in 2015. The awards recognize vendors that demonstrate excellence across all categories: technology, sales and service, value and confidence. Cyril Leeder, president of the Ottawa Senators, will receive the EY Community Builder Award at the Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year Awards gala in Toronto. The award honours the entrepreneurial spirit that Mr. Leeder has used to help build up the Ottawa community over the years.
Aim Group Inc. 130 Albert St. Description: Life cycle management specialist, intermediate Buyer: DND $122,266 Emerion 368 Dalhousie St. Description: Business transformation architect – level 3 Buyer: Department of Justice Canada $120,833 D4iS Solutions 470 Vanier Description: Senior project manager – level 3 Buyer: Department of Justice Canada $117,520
The Perfect Gift Every Time. Order Now! “Sweet Memories Baskets and Favours is a social enterprise of Y’s Owl Maclure Co-operative Centre that provides a greater range of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.”
613-721-2137
info@sweetmemoriesbaskets.com Website: www.sweetmemoriesbaskets.com
LANGUAGE COURSE EFFICIENT FRENCH COURSES WITH ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE New Sessions Start: November 2 & 9, 2015 GROUP CLASSES PRIVATE COURSES AT YOUR CONVENIENCE Non-profit organisation and official language test centre since 1905.
REGISTER NOW: www.af.ca/ottawa | 613-234-9470
19 OBJ.CA
Ibiska Telecom Inc. and Promaxis Systems 130 Albert St. Description: Desktop support services Buyer: Transport Canada $1,300,000
Michael Crockatt was sworn in as the new chair of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors. He is
past vice-president of business development and marketing at the Ottawa International Airport Authority and is currently senior vice-president of air service and business development with InterVISTAS, a consulting firm.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
Emerion 368 Dalhousie St. Description: Tier 2 – informatics professional services Buyer: RCMP $1,342,440
Moodie Cheikh, CEO and co-founder of Searidge Technologies, has joined the board of directors of CANARIE. In his role at Searidge Technologies, Mr. Cheikh is responsible for setting strategic corporate objectives and leading the team to meet those objectives.
NOVEMBER 18, 2015
S H A W
C E N T R E
Register now www.bestottawabusiness.ca Bernie Ashe, CEO of the Year
JOIN THE BIGGEST CELEBRATION OF LOCAL BUSINESS FOR 2015
Shirley Westeinde, Lifetime Achievement Recipient
Walk the red carpet Black tie evening Mark Sutcliffe,
Networking with the city’s top VIPs, former recipients and celebrities
Emcee & Ottawa Chamber Past Chair
Lianne Laing, Emcee & CTV Host
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015
Thank you to our sponsors PROUDLY PRESENTED BY
LEAD SPONSOR
OBJ.CA
20 For more information, please email info@ottawabusinessevents.ca or call 613-236-7029 ext. 135