nsbj september

This month’s Viewfrom the Corner Office(p.2) features...

President and CEO,United Way Halifax

Catherine Woodman

Scott McWilliam

Vice President of Marketingand Business Development,

Halifax InternationalAirport Authority

Jerry Staples

Angela McAuley

General Manager, WhitePoint Beach Resort

Danny Morton

Director of Sales andMarketing, Heritage

Gas Limited

Michael Howard

Director of Marketing andCommunications, CanadianBreast Cancer Foundation -

Atlantic Region

September 2010 •Vol. 25,No. 04 Nova Scotia’s largest circulatedmonthly business publication

Exit PlanningTiming is (almost) everything

Page 3

News & ColumnsWorkplaceWellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Real Estate, Construction &Development 4Success in Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Crime & Court Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Funding Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Service, Retail & Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Business Insight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Transportation & Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Resources &Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Special Ad FeaturesHuman Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Education & Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12National ForestWeek . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13-14

Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16-17CB Business Hall of Fame . . . . . . . . . .18-22Franchise Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . .23-24

BUSINESS JOURNALN O V A S C O T I A

25 YEARSC E L E B R A T I N G

OF BEING NOVA SCOTIA’S LARGEST CIRCULATED MONTHLY BUSINESS PUBLICATION

Director of Marketing Servicesand Mainstream Brands,

Atlantic Lottery Corporation

When news broke of Bristol Group Inc.’s demise and rival m5’s acquisi-tion of its clients and some employees, many in the business communitywere shocked and saddened. It was a leading, locally grown fixture in theAtlantic Canadian marketing communications industry for over threedecades.A release by Saga Investments Inc., the owners of Bristol, attributed the

voluntary shutdown to the creation of a Bristol subsidiary in Doha, Qatar.That expansion gamble led to “substantial losses for Bristol Group Inc. inAtlantic Canada” from which it could not recover. Bristol president LouisLeger revealed that the Qatar investment had far surpassed what the com-pany expected, especially in the context of being in an industry that is inchange.Times certainly have changed. Today’s marketing agencies face a

whole new set of challenges in terms of technology, client expectations,and more.It is a far cry from the marketing world a century ago when the key

to success lay in simplicity: zeroing in on a single niche or a few nich-es.Back then marketing agencies focused on developing ads for print-

ed publications, such as newspapers or magazines. Along the way,new mediums like radio and television arrived, requiring marketingagencies to adapt, meaning new creative skills were needed, as wellas more staff. For some, the challenge in recent times has becometoo great.“As the whole marketing spectrum — the number of tools that

a marketing person has available to them— has grown and divid-ed, it’s become more and more difficult for an agency to house allof the specialties ‘in house’ and be a full-service agency,” saysColin Mason, a 34-year marketing and communications veteranwho has worked for such organizations as Bristol and TradeCentre Limited as well as helmed his own company, Killagriff.Many years ago, meeting a company’s internet marketing

needs, for example, were much easier.“It started with just having a website and sending a few pro-

motional e-mails,” says Mason.Nowadays, a website generally needs to incorporate things

such as ad banners, search engine optimization, a blog and aTwitter feed.

Continued on page 3

By Richard Woodbury

The marketinggame has changedWhat will it take for agencies toremain on target toward success?

Page 2 � September 2010, Nova Scotia Business Journal �NEWSFor more business news daily: www.dailybusinessbuzz.ca

Compiled by Joanie Veitch

THE QUESTION: Of all the tools, skills, or services a marketingagency can offer, what do you believe is the most powerful?

View from the Corner Office

Scott McWilliamDirector of Marketing Services

and Mainstream Brands, AtlanticLottery Corporation

Jerry StaplesVice President of Marketing andBusiness Development, HalifaxInternational Airport Authority

Angela McAuleyDirector of Marketing and

Communications, Canadian BreastCancer Foundation - Atlantic Region

Danny MortonGeneral Manager, White

Point Beach Resort

Catherine WoodmanPresident and CEO, United

Way Halifax

Insight and guidance. This requires time, focus, seasoning and really lis-tening to the client. It means resisting the obvious answer, which is rarelythe best one. Really understanding the nuances of the client’s challenge,values and goals requires true investment. Helping us find the rightmeans of broadcasting our message to effectively maximize extremelylimited resources is difficult. It takes creativity, genuine commitment andstrength of conviction. United Way Halifax Region refuses to embracepoverty pornography: lost, forlorn souls needing help. It isn’t who we areor how we work in the community. We build on strengths. We help peo-ple realize their potential. That’s a much tougher message to craft anddeliver.

Michael HowardDirector of Sales and Marketing,

Heritage Gas Limited

There are no silver bullets. As the battle for consumer connection rages,the tool kit has never been more complex. The quest has given rise tomany specialty shops. Be it digital, social media, or cause marketing, theobjective remains singular: consumer connection on consumers’ terms.Today's budgets are smaller, highly targeted, and demand measurableresults. An absolute must in the success equation is quite simply passion— genuine passion. Regardless of the tool, it’s important to rely on adeeply passionate and unified client-agency team and foster passionatedebate to carve your path.

I believe a website is one of the most powerful marketing tools becauseit allows organizations to work with their business partners to combinemarketing initiatives. In our case, our website allows us to utilize jointmarketing initiatives with airlines by showcasing the more than 40 non-stop Canadian, international and U.S. destinations accessible fromHalifax. Our new website works especially well because it consolidatestwo old websites (our marketing and corporate sites) to provide a one-stop shop for travellers. This is an important feature in a website becauseit makes life easier for the consumer. Visitors can check flight availability,compare prices, and book their flight online, all from www.flyhalifax.com.

Working in the charitable sector, the most powerful tool an agency canoffer is industry knowledge. The charitable sector is changing from onethat is fully philanthropic to one that requires strategic approaches. Thedecision to invest in outside counsel, when spending donor dollars, isnot made lightly. Being good stewards of donor dollars is paramount;therefore, we need to ensure that we are receiving counsel based on thelatest research and trends for our industry.

White Point employs a myriad of marketing tools to achieve our market-ing goals, in-house and outsourced. Over the years we have developedan extensive library of resources that has enabled White Point to effec-tively respond to diverse marketing objectives efficiently. Depending onthe initiative and objectives, we contract with those who bring the skills,expertise and perspectives required. Most recently, when undertakingour branding exercise, we sought out the assistance of an agency thatcould provide a framework that reflected on all facets of our operationfrom a holistic perspective. The “outside looking in” approach employedin this case proved most powerful for us.

My preference is dealing with the smaller to mid-sized marketing agen-cies because of the attention that they can provide — their ability to benimble and their ability to bring in fresh resources as required depend-ing upon the nature of the activity or campaign. Obviously their creativi-ty applied to the intimate knowledge of our business is helpful but per-haps the greatest tool that I value is their general contracting and projectmanagement skill sets with respect to developing and coordinating theimplementation of amarketing program. This requires a level of trust andcommon understanding to achieve the desired outcomes and to main-tain a strong, mutually beneficial working relationship.

Return undeliverable addresses to:Transcontinental Specialty Publications/

Holiday Media (Atlantic Region)1888 Brunswick Street, Suite 609, Halifax, N.S., B3J 3J8

*CCAB/BPA Worldwide Membership Applied for October 2006

The opinions expressed in the NSBJ are those of the authors and do not represent the official views of Transcontinental Specialty Publications orits management. NSBJ and its contributors can accept no legal responsibility for loss through any error in information contained herein.Submissions will be edited at the editor’s discretion. Contents of the NSBJ are not to be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.Transcontinental Specialty Publications does not endorse any advertiser or product, and it takes no responsibility for losses or damages causedthrough the advertiser/customer relationship.

The province’s largest business newspaper60,000 copies distributed throughout Nova Scotia

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President, Transcontinental Media ........Natalie Lariviere

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Publisher/General Manager . . . . . Jeff NearingSenior Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ken PartridgeNews/Features Editor . . . . Barb McCay CashinAdvertising Coordinator . . . . . Camille MacPhail

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BUSINESS JOURNALN O V A S C O T I A

M O N T H L Y

�NEWS Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 3

To advertise, contact Peter Coleman: (902) 468-8027 (ext. 108) • [email protected]

For more business news daily: www.dailybusinessbuzz.ca

NSBJ OPINION

Sometimes inertia is not your friend.A body in motion tends to stay in motion, but

in the business world once you have all thatmotion moving in a particular direction, it canbe almost impossible to change it.Unfortunately, change has become the one

thing no business can do without. Technologyis moving at such a rapid pace that most of thethings we take for granted today — iPhones,Blackberries, Blu-Ray DVDs, wireless Internet,social media — didn’t even exist 10 years ago.It also means all those same things probablywon’t exist 10 years from now, replaced by thenewest innovations.As six months or less becomes the longest

you can expect something to last before it’sconsidered obsolete, is it any wonder largercompanies are having difficulty maintainingstaff levels and keeping overhead costs in line?It has always been something of a juggling act,but when outside forces keep throwing in newballs to keep in the air, the trick becomes pro-gressively more difficult.So, is downsizing inevitable? Should we all

expect to see pink slips in our next payenvelopes as companies shrink in order to bemore flexible and responsive? Yes and no.Companies will likely become leaner over

time as more embrace the virtual model, where

work teams are brought together for a specificjob and then break apart and reform with newresources to tackle a different project. However,this doesn’t have to mean mass layoffs tomor-row. In fact, the seeds of this more flexibleapproach may already be sitting in your office.A recent study shows Canada’s entrepreneur

class is growing steadily and the most success-ful members tend to be men and women intheir 40s and 50s. At first glance this may seemodd in our high-tech culture, which we havecome to think of as youth-oriented. But if youstop to think about it, it’s the older, more expe-rienced entrepreneur that has the contacts,knowledge and access to financing it takes toput together a new company and keep it run-ning until it gels.You may have a future entrepreneur on your

staff right now. Someone who could, maybewith your assistance, step outside the companyand start their own venture, which could in turnthen partner with your company as an outsideresource to provide skills of expertise you needfor a specific project or goal.Take a look around your office and see if

there might be a few undiscovered gems. Withthe right types of in-house support and transi-tion programs, you could reduce your overheadand expand your horizons.

NSBJ REGULAR COLUMNIST

Look within to find the future

“In real estate, the mantra is ‘location, location,location’. According to Rob Slee of investmentbankers Robertson & Foley, in business exits thecomparable mantra is ‘timing, timing, timing’."

Let’s look at John Leonetti, the founder ofPinnacle Equity Solutions and a recognizedthought leader in the exit strategy field, who hadthe good fortune of studying and practising busi-ness transfers and planning for many years. Hesaid despite having this background, it still tookhim six months to sell his business.Unlike John, most owners do not have the

awareness or the understanding to measure theproper timing of their exits. The exit planningprocess helps owners to understand that the plan-ning, implementation and completion of their busi-ness transition does not happen overnight and thatthe importance of the timeline should be respect-ed.Leonetti uses the following analogy to explain

why this understanding is easier said than done forowners.“Long-term planning for small business owners,

in this economic environment, is equivalent to adoctor telling a critically wounded patient in anemergency room that ‘they need to exercise moreand watch their diet to be healthy’. Of course, theemergency room patient is mostly focused on theirshort-term needs, such as fixing whatever putthem in that emergency room so that they can gointo a recovery mode and, hopefully, restore theirlives to a normal status. Business owners are alsovery focused on their short-term needs today.”Economic cycles happen in waves. This is why

we have times of prosperity and times of reces-sion, as we have experienced over the past fewyears. Private business transfers follow a similarcycle to that of the economic cycle and for goodreason. During recessionary times, as financial riskescalates, access to capital becomes more difficultresulting in lower multiples being applied toincome streams for business valuation purposes.During these times even a successful business thatcontinues to generate improved profits can stillfind its value compromised forcing owners to re-evaluate their plans for exit. This can often resultsin owners either delaying or speeding up plans.After a period of severe recession across North

America, it is finally evident that the recovery ofsmall businesses is beginning. This is welcomenews as the population of exiting Baby Boomerowners across the continent is numbered in themillions. Although the economic cycle could bemore favourable over the next few years, head-winds could be encountered due to the larger num-ber of businesses that will be for sale. Don’t forget

the laws of economic supply and demand.An exit plan can take months to develop and

years to execute. It can take up to a year or morejust to sell a business assuming, of course, thatthe business is ready to be sold. If an internaltransfer to employees, family or managers is beingconsidered, a much longer period may be requiredto groom the next level of management.Just as a business times its promotional activity

for maximum seasonal effect, a business ownershould anticipate economic and business cycles tomaximize business value.

Martin Raymond CA, CVA, CEPA, is a chartered account-ant, certified valuation analyst and certified exit planningadvisor. He is a partner with CA firm Raymond Yuill andmanaging director of the Halifax office of The McLeanGroup, a middle market investment banking firm based inWashington, D.C. He can be reached at (902) 444-5540(phone), (902) 350-0656 (cell), or at [email protected] and [email protected]

ExitPlanningMarty Raymond

Timing is (almost) everything

Continued from cover

Agencies have also been thrown other curveballsover the last 25 years, including the rise of in-housemarketing.“Client firms became more sophisticated in their

marketing,” says Mason, which has led to them doingmore of it themselves by having in-house marketingmanagers, communications people and graphicdesigners.Fragmentation began to occur as well, meaning that

multiple agencies began to handle a single company’smarketing needs, not just one agency. And in the early1990s, Mason says he noticedmore andmore assign-ments were shorter in duration, meaning agencieswere frequently bidding on projects and had fewerlong-term contracts.On the marketing scene in Nova Scotia today, agen-

cies come in all shapes and sizes — which may ormay not be a sign of the future depending on who youtalk to.“Generally, big has remained big, mid-size has

remained mid-size and small has remained small,which says to me, there is a market for all three,” saysDonalee Moulton, a principal of QuantumCommunications, a four-person firm in Halifax. AndMoulton says she doesn’t anticipate this to changewithin the next 10 to 15 years.Generally speaking, the advantages of a smaller

agency tend to be less overhead costs, more flexibilityand lower client costs, while larger agencies have alarger group of in-house experts and can offer a broad-er range of services.Moulton is quick to point out that no one size is ideal

for an agency because it depends on a number of fac-tors.

“Bigger is not better for us,” she says. “For lots ofother organizations, bigger is exactly what they needor want. Smaller for us allows us to get in there, to beactive with the client, to be part of the project.”While Moulton doesn’t envision a change in the size

of agencies in the near future, Mason sees a muchmore drastic change on the horizon. He doesn’t thinkthat the larger agencies will even be around. Masonsees them stripping down to the essentials and findingthe appropriate people for projects through outsourc-ing.Mason isn’t alone in his thinking either.“Look for more flexible and fluid models that

expand and contract as needed, bringing in newexpertise when needed and ditching it when it's not,”wrote Sean Carton, a notedmarketing expert on a blogposting for The Creative Leadership Forum.According to Carton, larger agencies will have to

drastically change.“Large organizations with large payrolls, hierarchi-

cal structures, and well-defined… areas of expertisecan't possibly hope to make any money when theyhave to staff themselves with a constantly expandingcast of experts to deal with newmedia challenges,” hewrote.Mason agrees as he envisions a handful of people

with different specialties will band together, much likea legal or medical practice. This group of people willsell their service to a client as general practitioners,“but what they will do is customize for every projectthat the client has,” he says. “They will bring togethera team of outside resources.”He says that with so many different means of

reaching people today and in the future, it will beimperative for agencies to find their niche in orderto survive and thrive.

The marketing game has changed


• High-rise plans get green light despite opposition:Despitethe protests of the Heritage Advisory Committee, Halifaxregional council voted August 17 to allow the grandfatheringin of two Barrington Street high-rise developments. Councilvoted to allow the Roy and Discovery Centre buildings to cir-cumvent the height restrictions in the Barrington StreetHeritageConservationDistrict.With the exception of develop-er Frank Medjuck, however, all six speakers at a public hear-ing that night spoke against the projects. “The two develop-ments would involve the complete demolition of the RoyBuilding and its replacement by a 16-storey building,” saidPeter Delefus, president of Heritage Trust. “What gives theBarrington Street district its unique character is the concen-tration of low-rise historical commercial buildings.” Medjuck,whose company owns the Discovery Centre building, dis-agreed. “The merits of the building will come back to it,” hesaid.— By Alex Boutilier, Metro Halifax

• Residential real estate activity continues to cool:Residential real estate activity experienced a slowdown inNovaScotia over the last threemonths, according to theNovaScotia Association of REALTORS® (NSAR). Residential list-ings sold throughNSAR’sMultiple Listing Service® (MLS®)System fromMay to July 2010were down 9.1 per cent whencompared to the same threemonths in 2009. The number oflistings placed on NSAR’s MLS® System dropped 3.4 percent from May to July 2009. A recent report from TheCanadian Real Estate Association indicated that nationalhome sales activity dropped 30 per cent in themonth of July,driven by decreases in British Columbia and Ontario whereharmonized sales tax was introduced. Locally, more than halfof the regions in Nova Scotia experienced a decrease in list-ings and all of those also had a decrease in sales. — By TheDaily Business Buzz, Transcontinental Media

• Sobeys celebrates groundbreaking of new head office:Premier Darrell Dexter was in Stellarton on August 16 to offerwell wishes and support on behalf of the province at thegroundbreaking of the new head office building for SobeysInc. Premier Dexter congratulated the company and all of itsemployees for a century of “creating good jobs, growingNova Scotia’s economy and supporting our local industries”.

Since 1907, Sobeys has grown from a family-owned busi-ness into a $15.2-billion national grocery chain that operates1,300 stores across Canada, including locations in 30 NovaScotia communities. The new head office on King Street willhouse a number of the company’s senior executives, as wellas national finance, human resources, legal and loss preven-tion personnel. — By The Daily Business Buzz,Transcontinental Media

• Ball starts rolling on downtown revitalization:Although it’sin the very early stages, representatives with the WaterfrontDevelopment Corporation (WDC) say people could start see-ing real action on the Yarmouth downtown revitalization planas early as next spring. Yarmouth town council tasked theWDC to implement the downtown revitalization project andJimCorning, executive director of theWDC, said things are inthe very preliminary stages. The beginning of Augustmarkedthe first meeting for the board with its five new membersfrom the Yarmouth Development Corporation. Corning saidthey have been going through the revitalization plan and set-ting priorities. One of the first issues to be addressed will bethat of a farmers’ market, he said. Other immediate projectsmay include the greeningof the downtownand the expansionof a mural program. — By Michael Gorman, The YarmouthCounty Vanguard, Transcontinental Media

• CB industrial park gets “back to business”: Bill Capsticksays he’ll be glad once he’s able to move his business toMemorial Drive in Northside Business Park. He said the busi-ness park in North Sydney, which has lost several industrialcompanies over the last two years, offers an ideal, spaciouslocation for his graphic design and printing company,Sketchline Design Ltd. Capstick’s business will neighbouranother newcomer to the park, North Sydney Recycling.North Sydney councillor Gordon MacLeod said with newbusinesses taking up residence, there is optimism the busi-ness park could see better days ahead. The change in thepark’s fortunes have to do with a change in the zoning bylawback in 2007, allowing the park to openup to an expanded listof uses and eliminate a ban on business developments set-ting up shop along Memorial Drive. — By The Cape BretonPost, Transcontinental Media

Real Estate,Construction&Development

Dear Floria:I have heard a lot about diversity in the

workplace. How can you create anatmosphere that embraces it? Where Iwork it seems like an impossible task. —Joanne

Dear Joanne:This is a great question but takes

courage to ask. It is a very delicate topicwhich many don’t want to discuss in anopen way. Most people agree diversity ispositive but are not sure about how toembrace this. What does diversity mean?How do we create diversity in the work-place in a real and positive way?As we hear diversity, many think “we

like things the way they are”. We areafraid of change. Fear often gets us think-ing about differences. However, ashuman beings we have many more simi-larities than differences. We don’t have togive up who we are. We need to feel com-fortable about celebrating others’ talents.Focusing on similarities brings peopletogether. Respecting other points ofviews helps us as individuals, companies,

organizations and societies.Many HR specialists agree that it is

necessary to start with similarities andnot differences among people whenbuilding relationships. Effective diversework relationships are critical for yoursuccess. By recognizing ways in whichyou are similar to your co-workers, you'llbuild a base of understanding andacceptance. This will withstand the some-times stormy times when your differ-ences come to the forefront.Is diversity a wellness issue? It certain-

ly is. As we learn about one another,respect, listen more, and appreciate dif-ferent points of views, there will be animproved team environment and greatercollegiality. When you feel as if you areaccomplishing mutual goals, work ismore exciting. It may also prevent futuremisunderstandings and even some dis-criminatory accusations.The ultimate result? Increased produc-

tivity, less stress leave, and enhanced jobsatisfaction.We all benefit from embracing diversity.

*If you have a workplace wellnessquestion, email “Dear Floria” at:[email protected]

Floria Aghdamimehr is a wellness life coachand nutrition consultant. Check out her websiteat www.RecognizeYourPotential.com

WorkplaceWellnessFloriaAghdamimehr


Embracing diversitybenefits everyone

�NEWS Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 5For more business news daily: www.dailybusinessbuzz.ca


Coping with rejection

There’s no getting around it… rejection is part ofthe selling experience.Not every prospect you contact will want to talk

to you. Not all of those who do talk to you will haveenough interest in your product or service to grantyou an appointment. Not all of those who do grantyou an appointment will buy from you.Everybody fails at something. Failure is simply

part of the human experience and success rarelycomes without failures. Record-setting homerunhitters also have their share of strikeouts. Grammywinning songwriters write numerous songs beforeone hits the charts. In almost any endeavor, includ-ing professional sales, failure is just another step-ping stone on the path to success.You may never completely eliminate your fear of

rejection, but, you can certainly learn to deal with itand minimize its negative effects:

• Put it in perspective. Rejection lasts but amoment, and then it’s over. Dwelling on the dis-appointing experience serves no purpose otherthan to dampen your enthusiasm for meetingthe next challenge. Move on, each new chal-lenge is just that — a new challenge.

• Examine your self-talk. What do you tell your-self when you experience rejection. Before youstart “talking to yourself”, take a step back andanalyze the situation from an objective position.Then reframe your self-talk to something posi-tive. After an unsuccessful attempt to stimulatea prospect’s interest, rather than telling yourself“Prospecting is a waste of time,” tell yourself,“I’m glad I didn’t waste my time with someonewho isn’t qualified to become a customer.”

• Analyze your actions. Rejection may beunpleasant, but that doesn’t mean you can’tlearn something from it. Sometimes, the rejec-tion you’re experiencing is a warning sign— anindicator of your need to change your approach,perhaps. Make sure that you are thoroughly pre-pared when you call on prospects and cus-tomers.

• Understand your needs. Don’t use “selling” asan activity for getting your emotional needsmet.You are much more susceptible to the fear ofrejection if the objective of your interaction withyour prospects and customers is to obtain theirapproval rather than their business.

Rejection is simply part of selling. Sometimesyou have good experiences, sometimes you don’t.It’s not the experience that’s important. It’s howyou think about it and how you react to it thatdetermines if rejection holds you back or pushesyou toward success.

©2010 Sandler Training Inc. (website:www.atlantic.sandler.com) is an international sales andmanagement training/consulting firm. For a free copy ofWhy Salespeople Fail And What To Do About It, call theSandler Sales Institute at (902) 468-0787 or [email protected]

Successin SalesThe Sandler Team

Everybody fails at something.It is simply part of the humanexperience. You may nevercompletely eliminate your fearof rejection, but you can learnto deal with it and minimize itsnegative effects. — File Photo



Angel investors can provide the funding andguidance necessary to either start up or grow yourbusiness. For some business owners, angels mayinclude friends, relatives or business contacts.To find the right angel investor for you, it’s impor-

tant to be aware of the different types of angels:• Corporate angels: These are former executives

from large companies that may have takenearly retirement or have been replaced. Besidesseeking profitability, these angels may also beseeking a job. In fact, this is often part of thebusiness deal. These angels usually have about$1 million in cash and can invest as much as$200,000 in a company. Many of these types ofangels can be extremely controlling once theyget the position they want in your company.

• Entrepreneurial angels: These are individualswho own and operate businesses. They areable to make more higher-risk investmentsbecause they have a steady flow of income.These angels may make investments rangingfrom $200,000 to $500,000 and are known tomake more than one investment as the invest-ed business progresses. These angels enjoyhelping entrepreneurs and rarely take an activerole.

• Enthusiast angels: These are angels who areolder, typically 65 years and up, and are inde-pendently wealthy. These angels may invest

anywhere between $10,000 and $100,000.These angels view investing almost as a hobbyand do not take an active role in management.

• Micromanagement angels: These are seriousinvestors who are usually born wealthy or haveacquired their wealth by working hard. Theyoften want a board position and are known toimpose strategies they have used in the past onthe invested business. Micromanagers usuallyinvest between $100,000 and $1million. Theseangels usually do not want an active manage-ment role, but become active if the companythey have invested in is not doing well.

• Professional angels: These angels can be doc-tors, accountants, or lawyers who may investin companies in their fields. These angels investin many companies at the same time andsometimes in the range of $25,000 to$200,000. These angels may also provide theirservices to the company they invest in at a dis-counted rate. These angels may become impa-tient to deal with when it comes to their invest-ments. These angels typically do not make sec-ond investments.

So, as an entrepreneur, even if you are desperatefor money it is vitally important to understand whyyour angel is interested in investing in your busi-ness before entering a deal. Remember, manyhave found that investing partners are not alwayssilent or willing to wait for their return. So explorewhat your potential angel's personality andmotiva-tion is.

Lana Larder is the owner of Halifax Finance, a companydedicated to helping Atlantic Canada’s businesses growthrough access to angel and venture capital. She can bereached at (902) 495-0419 or [email protected] .

FundingSolutionsLana Larder

Entrepreneur seeking angel• Court rules in favour of Kentville tobacco shopowner: On August 18, the provincial court issueda decision supporting a tobacco shop owner’sclaim that the Tobacco Access Act infringed on hisright to freedom of expression and his ability tocommunicate with customers. Maders TobaccoShop in Kentville, owned by Bob Gee, wascharged in July 2009 for failure to comply with thestorage and display requirements of the TobaccoAccess Act. The Tobacco Access Act prohibitsvendors from advertising and prominently dis-playing tobacco products behind store counters.The province now has an opportunity to presentarguments on Section 1 of the Charter of Rightsand Freedoms to demonstrate that an infringe-ment on freedom of expression is necessary forthe public good. The next court date is October 6,2010, when a date will be set for the province topresent arguments on Section 1.— By The DailyBusiness Buzz, Transcontinental Media

• Public warned about business registry phonescam: Businesses and the public should be awareof phone calls to businesses from people claimingto be employees of the Nova Scotia BusinessRegistry. The Access Nova Scotia call centrerecently received reports from organizations thatwere contacted and told their business filings areout of date. After the caller collects information,the business is told a directory on CD is in themail, along with an invoice. Access Nova Scotiaand the Nova Scotia Business Registry donot make these types of calls. The public isadvised to exercise caution and not givepersonal or business information to unso-licited callers. — By The Daily BusinessBuzz, Transcontinental Media

• Scrap dealer a “magnet” for stolen goods:Robert Pash, 63, a Debert scrap yard owner was

an experienced “magnet” for stolen property, notsimply someone who made a one-time error injudgment, said Judge Del Atwood at Pash’sAugust 19 sentencing. Pash pleaded guilty in Mayto possessing $45,000 in furniture stolen last yearfrom aNewBrunswickmanufacturer; the $10,000trailer the items were being transported in; adiesel engine and transmission (valued at$7,800), stolen from the Halifax area; $3,000 inlumber stolen from Marwood Lumber Ltd. ofBrookfield. Judge Atwood imposed an 18-monthconditional sentence on Pash, which includes 12months of full house arrest, as well as a fine of$11,500. Atwood said Pash was known as“someone who was prepared to receive stolengoods,” that the property was of “significantvalue” and when received by Pash, it was “secret-ed” away in multiple locations to avoid detection.— By Harry Sullivan, The Truro Daily News,TranscontinentalMedia

Crime&Court Report



I was shopping with my sister recently and wasintrigued by how often a clerk asked if we want-ed a bag for our products… and to then becharged for that bag more often than not. Whendid this become an acceptable norm?I get it when I purchase a bottle of water and

some gum at the corner store. It is reasonable toquestion if a bag is required and, in most cases,people readily affirm they have no need for a con-tainer to carry these two items. I do not under-stand why a business chooses not to automati-cally provide a bag when I am standing at acheckout with a mound of file folders, paper,envelopes and pens, and I have to ask the clerk toput them in a bag so I can carry them to my car.I bring this up because I believe we, as busi-

nesspeople, have to be careful not to adopt atrend because everyone else is doing so. Andbags, or lack thereof, have become the latest vic-tim. Can you imagine ordering a salad at a caféand the waiter expecting you to have broughtalong your own utensils because cutting back onwashing dishes is earth-friendly?I am the first to take a stand for the environ-

ment and to do what I can to minimize copious,unconscious, excessive consumption. I am alsoat the forefront of doing what is sensible, conven-ient and reasonable for customers. That is whatwe are supposed to do as businesses, to alwayscreate positive moments of truth.In business, we need to be making conscious,

thoughtful decisions at every level. That means ifyou want to position your company as environ-mentally friendly, provide paper bags. Or if youchoose to charge for bags, the five or ten fivecents you receive should be allocated to somenon-profit initiative that protects the environmentrather than lining the business’ coffers.Otherwise you are not operating with integrity.So step back and look at, not just what you are

doing, but why and how. Be sure that your com-pany’s policies are consistent and are sincererather than riding the wave of a self-servingtrend.

The founder of Abundant Living Personal Coaching,Debbie Lawrence is a life, business and career coachand author of “Standing In Your Light: Women andEntrepreneurship” and “Dancing in Your Light: 6 Stepsto Attracting A Life That Makes Your Heart Sing”. Theformer director of the Professional Ethics ReviewCommittee for the International Association ofCoaches, Lawrence has been an adult educator andbusiness coach for the past two decades. Check outher website at www.abundantliving.ca or call (902)895-6987.

BusinessInsightDebbie Lawrence

The bag dilemma

Service,Retail &Trade

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• Wolfville considers extending liquor hours:Wolfville town councillors are looking at increasingliquor hours in town beyond 1 a.m. Any change tothe lounge hours would require an amendment tothe Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS), and onlyoccurs at the discretion of council. Mayor BobStead indicates council has decided to solicit feed-back from as many as a dozen stakeholders: corearea residents, lounge owners, Acadia Universityand the Wolfville Business DevelopmentCorporation. These groups have been asked toprovide input by October 1. Council will review thatinput and then decide on what action to take.Increased late night noise, disruption of residentsand additional policing costs are among the otherfactors for council to consider. — By WendyElliott, The Kings County Advertiser/Register,Transcontinental Media

• New Sydney retail outlet to open soon: A newretail outlet boasting some 12 stores could beopened in Sydney by mid-November. LucCorneli, president of High Peak Group ofCompanies, announced on August 3 that GrandLake Crossings — a 24,000 square-foot stripmall located at the corner of Grand Lake Roadand Sydney Port Access Road — will open itsdoors sooner than expected. The plaza will host avariety of retailers, such as The Children’s Place,Sally Beauty Supply, and GlobalPets store. “Thetenants fit with the company’s desire to bring newbusiness and brands to the area in order to stemoff-island shopping,” says Corneli. — By TheCape Breton Post, Transcontinental Media

• Nova Scotia might still take gamble on ALCproposal: Nova Scotia will continue to considerrunning its own form of online gambling, despitecomments by Newfoundland and LabradorPremier Danny Williams. Williams said heopposed the idea of setting up a provincial online

gambling site, even though Atlantic LotteryCorporation estimates $50 million in revenueflows out of the province to international gamingcompanies. He said Newfoundland doesn’t haveto “scratch and claw” for money. But FinanceMinister Graham Steele said Nova Scotia doesn’tneed approval from other provinces to go aheadwith an online gaming initiative. While heacknowledged gambling takes a social toll, hesaid the government has mechanisms for dealingwith problem gambling. “Just outright banninggambling doesn’t strike me in particular as thebest approach.” — By Alex Boutilier, MetroHalifax

• Loblaw distribution centre faces fall closure:Loblaw is closing a distribution centre inLakeside where they employ 115 people. It willshut down on October 9. “It really is about sim-plifying our distribution network and we need toreduce excess capacity that’s in the Atlanticregion,” said company spokeswoman JuliaHunter. There are two distribution centres inLakeside. Loblaw is closing the smaller one onDominion Crescent. There will be no changesto the other distribution centre in Lakeside.The company said it was also looking into pro-viding alternative employment within the com-pany for those workers who will be laid off. —By Jennifer Taplin, Metro Halifax

• Mayflower Mall celebrates 30th anniversary:On August 21, many of the more than 70shops and services located at the MayflowerMall offered special deals and in-store promo-tions in conjunction with its 30th anniversaryevents. Melva Daley-Smith, marketing directorfor the Sydney shopping centre, said it wastheir way of thanking the community for sup-porting the centre. — By The Cape BretonPost, Transcontinental Media

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• Mega-yacht dock’s ship comes in: Business isbooming this year at Yarmouth’s 200-foot mega-yacht dock in front of the Killam Brothers complexon Water Street. “We’ve had more than double theboats than in previous years,” said ByronBoudreau, chair of the Yarmouth WaterfrontDevelopment Committee. “I think more people arerealizing that it’s cheap to dock there.” Cheap is arelative term. The price is less expensive for short-er boats, $1.25 per foot from 0-29, but larger ves-sels are dearer at $4 per foot from 120-140. Thetown also has ninemoorings in the harbour. Biggerboats and longer stays translate into considerablecash for the town. Marine manager Paul Pothierestimates close to 60 have tied up to the mega-yacht dock since mid-May, with a 50/50 collectionof motor yachts and sailboats. — By Carla Allen,The Yarmouth County Vanguard, TranscontinentalMedia

• Sydney harbour dredging project still underconsideration: Federal government officials arestill considering a request for $19 million to helpcover the cost of dredging Sydney harbour,according to Jamie MacNeil, an aide to PremierDarrell Dexter. MacNeil has been speaking to sen-ior staff members mainly in the office of NationalRevenue Minister Keith Ashfield, who is also theminister for ACOA and the Atlantic Gateway. “Theyare assuring me that the decision-making processis ongoing.” In a press release, the federal govern-ment stated it will continue to work with theprovince’s representatives and any stakeholdersinvolved in the proposal, adding the dredging ofSydney harbour is a costly undertaking that willrequire the involvement of all levels of governmentand the private sector. — By Chris Hayes, TheCape Breton Post, Transcontinental Media

• “Titanic” commemoration sailing into Halifax:The 100-year anniversary of Titanic’s epic voyageis coming up in 2012 and there are already plans inthe works to commemorate it. A group called

Titanic 2012 is working with the province andHalifax Regional Municipality on the commemora-tion. Steve Blasco, a scientist at the BedfordInstitute of Oceanography and a member of thesteering committee for the project, says it will def-initely be a tourist draw. “We already have cruiseships that are interested in coming to Halifax at thattime. We’re also looking at what kind of eventswould be of interest to the public, such as lecturesand conferences. The public will be able to find outwhat has been learned from the Titanic since itsdiscovery.” — By Jennifer Taplin, Metro Halifax

• Maine meeting offers hope for ferry’s future:YarmouthMLA and Liberal economic developmentcritic Zach Churchill is encouraged by supportfrom the mayor of Portland and the governor ofMaine to renew the international link betweenYarmouth and Maine. Churchill met with bothpoliticians while in Portland in mid August. “Themayor and governor consider the loss of the ferrya blow to the city and the state,” said Churchill.“The people of Maine made a substantial invest-ment in docking facilities in Portland andwould liketo see that infrastructure integrated into a newservice.” Churchill has vowed to work across polit-ical party lines and borders to bring back a ferryservice between Yarmouth and Maine. — By TheYarmouth County Vanguard, TranscontinentalMedia

• Air show flies past Nova Scotia for P.E.I.: NovaScotia’s loss is P.E.I’s gain. The “AtlanticInternational Air Show” is headed to Slemon Parkin Summerside next year. Back in June, it wasreported that after this year’s Nova ScotiaInternational Air Show at the 12 Wing ShearwaterAirport in Halifax, the event would be headed else-where for 2011. Tony Goode, chair of the NovaScotia International Air Show association, saidongoing construction projects at both Shearwaterand Halifax Stanfield had presented problems.Allan Campbell, provincial minister of Innovation

and Advanced Learning, said P.E.I. is looking for-ward to playing host. “This event will not only be achance to attract visitors, but also to show that ourprovince is an up-and-coming centre for industry-leading aerospace companies.” — By The DailyBusiness Buzz, Transcontinental Media

• Southwest Nova Scotia tourism initiative getsfinancial boost: A new promotion initiative insouthwest Nova Scotia is helping the region show-case its tourism assets. The Yarmouth and AcadianShores Tourism Association (YASTA) — a collab-orative effort of the Municipalities of Argyle, Clare,and Yarmouth, the Town of Yarmouth, and localtourism operators — will receive $70,000 fromAtlantic CanadaOpportunities Agency and $65,000from Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritagefor its “Stories from the Community” initiative.YASTA is committing $37,000 cash and $37,600in-kind to the project. The project consists of twoseparate tourism products for the region. Savourthe Local Sea is amulti-year initiative tomarket theregion’s historic fishing industry. Musique de la

Baie showcases Acadian music and culture. — ByThe Daily Business Buzz, Transcontinental Media

• Airport unveils 10-year capital plan and raisesfees: As part of its planning for the next phase ofimprovements to Halifax Stanfield InternationalAirport, Halifax International Airport Authorityannounced it is developing its next 10-year CapitalPlan (2011-2020) to improve passenger safety,help reduce flight delays, develop new revenuestreams and continue to upgrade its facilities toexpand current services and enhance the passen-ger/visitor experience. Halifax Stanfield will fundnecessary capital improvements by reinvestingoperating surpluses, bond issuing, and changingthe Airport Improvement Fee (AIF) from $15 to$20. — By The Daily Business Buzz,Transcontinental Media

• Province reveals CB tourismholding steady: Thenumber of roomnights sold in Cape Bretonwas upseven per cent in June from the samemonth a yearago, kicking off a season some operators aredescribing as being about on parwith last year. Theprovincial government released tourism indicatorsfor June on August 19. Provincially, there was afour per cent increase in the number of visitorscompared to the same time last year. The numberof room nights sold in the province in June was upsix per cent compared to last year. While traffic atthe Fortress of Louisbourg was up by seven percent from a year earlier, attendance at the CapeBreton Highlands National Park was listed as beingdown by 22 per cent.— By The Cape Breton Post,Transcontinental Media

• Funding not good enough, say Busker festivalorganizers: Organizers of the Halifax InternationalBusker Festival are passing around the hat forprovincial and federal funding. Kim Hendrickson,the festival’s producer, said the August 9announcement by Minister of Canadian HeritageJames Moore of $22,000 for the festival won’t dothe trick. “It is unfortunately not enough for anevent of this size to sustain and continue,” shesaid. “In addition, the Province of Nova Scotia haddenied funding to this event for the past three yearswith no explanation.” The festival, now in its 24thyear, is listed as a “signature event” by theprovince. Hendrickson said the event is in jeopardyof continuing without provincial funding. — ByMetro Halifax

• Twin Cities Air Service on course for 2010: It’snot been without its challenges, but the presidentof Twin Cities Air Service says he’s pleased withwhat they’re seeing from the run betweenYarmouth and Portland, Maine. Nate Humphreysaid they are seeing the benefits of a schedulechange made in June that now offers daily serviceon Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday, leavingYarmouth at 4 p.m. each of those days. One ofTwin Cities’ biggest obstacles has been advertisingthe service. Humphrey said the reality is much oftheir target market is people who don’t actually livein Portland but wish to travel to Nova Scotia viaPortland. That means finding ways to get the wordout to evenmoremarkets through the Internet andby possibly linking with other airlines. — ByMichael Gorman, The Vanguard, TranscontinentalMedia

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• Prime minister tours Michelin plant: PrimeMinister Stephen Harper visited theWaterville tireplant on August 18 to showcase what the Work-Sharing Program can do. In early 2009, when tiredemand was down, Michelin negotiated withService Canada to temporarily start the Work-Sharing Program: 578 plant staff volunteered forreduced hours, with EI adding income supportfor the difference in their paycheques. Wilkersonsaid the program helped Waterville avoid 95 lay-offs. Production is now back in full swing. TheMichelin example represents well on the worldstage through the economic recession, saidHarper, adding that the continuation of the pro-gram in the 2009 budget worth $60 millionbrings the total investment to $220 million.— BySara Keddy, The Kings County Advertiser/Register, Transcontinental Media

• Program helps new farmers kickstart busi-ness: New farmers in Nova Scotia now have aresource to help them start their business.Agriculture Minister John MacDonell launchedthe new THINKFARM initiative on August 25which provides information on available pro-grams and services. “We have been getting fre-quent requests for information and support fromnew entrants in the agriculture sector, so wefocused on providing resources to meet theirneeds,” said MacDonell. The THINKFARM pro-gram includes a coordinator working onresources for new farmers, a guidebook,resource fact sheets and a websitewww.gov.ns.ca/thinkfarm that provides a one-stop location for all information. — By The DailyBusiness Buzz, Transcontinental Media

• Developer claims vocal minority jeopardizingwind farm: Gulf Shore residents are gearing upfor another fight to stop a wind farm from beingdeveloped in their community. “It is unequivocal-ly clear that residents feel that this project isinconsistent with the responsible development ofthe area,” says Lisa Betts, Gulf ShorePreservation Association chair. Charles Demondof the Atlantic Wind Power Corporation feels afew people are driving the opposition. “We had arevised plan to reduce the number of turbinesfrom 19 down to 11 or 12,” Demond said.“Although each would be higher in megawattsand taller by about 25 metres, almost an entirerow of turbines would be eliminated. Frankly webelieved this would be a good news story.Instead, a handful of people have stirred thingsup, arguing that no wind turbines should existanywhere within kilometres of their properties.”— By Darrell Cole, The Amherst Daily News,Transcontinental Media

• Provinces seek $375M for joint energyventure: Nova Scotia and Newfoundland andLabrador are seeking $375 million in federal aidto run a transmission line between the twoprovinces. The link would transmit potentialLower Churchill power across the Gulf. “We’re

looking for a direct cash grant, but there are otheroptions in that plan,” said Ed Martin, NalcorEnergy CEO. The P3 Canada Fund provides feder-al cash for infrastructure built through public-pri-vate partnerships. The two provinces submittedtheir proposal in the second round of P3 applica-tions, which closed in June. Nalcor,Newfoundland and Labrador’s government-owned energy corporation, is the contact for thejoint proposal. Under P3 funding rules, the fedswould cover up to 25 per cent of eligible projectcosts. The Gulf link would not proceed unless theLower Churchill hydro megaproject is given thegreen light. — By Rob Antle, The Telegram,Transcontinental Media

• Funding helps boat builders craft marketingplan: A new marketing initiative will help mem-bers of the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Associationadvertise their products, attend boat shows tomarket their products, and enhance the website.Federal and provincial funding was announced bythe Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency($155,650) and the Nova Scotia Fisheries andAquaculture ($30,000). “Because most boatbuilders are located in rural parts of the province,this kind of initiative can have a very positiveimpact on regions such as southwest NovaScotia,” said Keith Ashfield, minister of ACOA.Nova Scotia’s boat building sector has diversifieditself in recent years to make traditional fishingboats, custom pleasure craft, and commercialworkboats for international markets and hasdeveloped a leading reputation for all three.— ByCarla Allen, The Yarmouth County Vanguard,Transcontinental Media

• Agreement reached at Farmers Dairy: A six-week labour disruption at Farmers Dairy hasended. Members of Local 40N of theCommunications and Energy PaperworkersUnion (CEP) ratified a new three-year collectiveagreement following a vote on August 20. RalphBallam, president and chief executive officer ofFarmers Dairy, and Brian Bennett, CEP Local 40Npresident, said they were both glad to see unionemployees back on the job August 23. CEP Local40N represents 248 Farmers Dairy workersincluding trades, machine operators, shippers,truck drivers, and merchandisers. “There wassome give and take on both sides which enabledus to reach a deal that worked for our union andthe company,” said Bennett. “This was the firstlabour disruption we’ve had in 34 years and wehope there won’t be another one for a long time.”— By The Daily Business Buzz, TranscontinentalMedia

• RKO Steel becomes first to receive manufac-turing credit: A Dartmouth steel and metal fabri-cation company is increasing its competitiveedge and creating 30 new jobs with support fromthe province’s new manufacturing and process-ing investment credit. RKO Steel Limited is thefirst company to receive the credit from the

province for the purchase and installation ofnewer, more advanced technology which increas-es productivity. The company received a credit ofalmost $40,000 towards the purchase of a newpiece of equipment — a beam drill and saw —that streamlines its manufacturing process, pro-vides greater flexibility for specifications, andincreases the speed and output of its product.The increased productivity has resulted in theaddition of a night shift and the hiring of moreworkers. — By The Daily Business Buzz,Transcontinental Media

• Beleaguered beef industry needs help:Government needs to step in to stabilize the beefindustry before it crosses the point of no return,says Liberal agriculture critic Leo Glavine. “We’reonly producing about 10 to 15 per cent of thebeef that’s consumed here in Nova Scotia. Unlesswe can have a commitment to support the indus-try from all levels of government, we will stay indecline,” the Kings West MLA says, adding anysolution needs to be a Maritime one. “We need tohave a stronger buy-in and attach it to getting theright price for the farmer.” Glavine says a placewhere the provincial government can start is byhaving all of its institutions, including hospitals,schools and correctional facilities, use NovaScotia beef. — By The Amherst Daily News,Transcontinental Media

• Seaforth Energy acquires Entegrity Windassets: Dartmouth-based Seaforth Energy Inc.

has announced the acquisition of the assets andintellectual property of Entegrity Wind SystemsInc. The acquisition brings together the AOC15/50 and EW 50 turbines, which collectively rep-resent the world’s largest and longest-standingactive fleet in their size class. “Together with ourrecent $2million financing round, this acquisitionpositions Seaforth Energy and the AOC 15/50 tobuild on its dominant position in fleet size andproven longevity,” says Jonathan Barry, presidentof Seaforth Energy. “We are building on the expe-rience and strengths of both turbines to ensurethe durability and performance continue to getbetter.” — By The Daily Business Buzz,Transcontinental Media

• Province invests in Polysteel Atlantic: Sydney-based manufacturer Polysteel Atlantic Ltd. isreceiving a five-year payroll rebate from NovaScotia Business Inc. (up to a maximum of$332,288) to meet its job creation targets. Thecompany plans to create up to 20 new jobs overthe next five years. Polysteel Atlantic manufac-tures high tensile strength three-strand syntheticrope products which are sold around the world.The manufacturer is investing $1 million at itsSydney plant, including the purchase of 18 extru-sion-twisting machines integral to the productionprocess. It also provides customized products forcustomers. The new equipment will allow it tocreate an opportunity for further product devel-opment. — By The Cape Breton Post,Transcontinental Media

Resources&Manufacturing

Prime Minister Stephen Harper receives a tour of the Michelin Tire factory in Waterville on August 18,where he laterhighlighted the government’s Work-Sharing and Targeted Initiative for Older Workers programs, part of Canada’sEconomic Action Plan. — PMO photo by Jason Ransom

Page 10 • A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 HumanResourcesAttract the talent you seek

FFinding the right talent is never easy. If anything, it willbecomeharder asbabyboomers retire, leavinga small-er pool of young candidates to draw upon. Every com-pany will be looking for an edge to attract and retainemployees. So it’s a good time to review the fundamen-tals for recruiting top talent in your industry…

• Clearly define what you’re looking for: Beforeyou recruit, develop a job profile that details the keyresponsibilities and requirements for that position.Once you determine your expectations, you’ll havea clearer picture of the skills and personality thatare the right fit for the job and your organization.

• Review your process: Look at your past recruit-ment efforts. How successful were they?Was yourprocess aligned with your corporate culture?Wereyou able to communicate the top reasons to workfor your organization? The answers to these ques-tions will help you streamline the process and cre-ate a favourable impression of your organizationamong candidates.

• Focus on relationships: As the saying goes, it’swho you know. Try reaching out to your industryand association contacts for possible candidates.Identify, develop and maintain relationships withtalent even when you don’t have a position to fill.You’ll have a ready pool of candidates you candraw upon when your situation changes.

• Be strategic in your search: A lucrative opportu-nity means nothing if you aren’t reaching the can-didates you want to recruit. Know which tradition-al and social media tools they are using to stayinformed and connected, and place your ads there

to generate maximum interest from qualified tal-ent.

• Put candidates first: Treating people with integri-ty and trust helps create a favourable impression ofyour employer brand. Encourage candidates to talkabout their strengths and what they look for in anideal job. It’s important to remember career deci-sions are family decisions, so ask if there is any-thing you cando to helpmake it easy for them.Andintroduce them to your team so they can get a feelfor your organization’s culture.

• Communicate often with candidates: Therecruitment process is a very personal one for can-didates, so keep them informed at every stagefrom start to finish as you make your decision. Ifyou leave them in the dark or make them wait toolong, they will lose interest and look elsewhere foremployment opportunities.

• Consider partnering with a recruitment firm: Ifyou have limited success or experience in findingand hiring talent, consider partnering with arecruitment firm. They have the expertise to findthe best candidates. Thismeans you secure the tal-ent you need with less effort or cost than manag-ing your own search. You also have the edge overyour competitors in a market where qualified indi-viduals are in short supply.

By Meridia Recruitment (www.meridiarecruitment.ca). Meridia, a Knightsbridge RobertsonSurrette company, specializes in high-quality, fastturnaround contingency recruitment for profes-sional and technical positions.

Want to ensure you are reaching the candidates you want to recruit? Know which traditional and social media toolsthey are using to stay informed and connected, and place your ads there to generate maximum interest fromqualified talent. — File photo

Employee training “a topconcern” for HR managersIt's back-to-school time, but teachers aren't the

only ones with lesson plans on their minds thisfall.Human resources departments also are

focused on continuing education for workers,suggests a new survey developed by OfficeTeam,a leading staffing service specializing in the place-ment of highly skilled administrative profession-als.More than four in 10 (41 per cent) HR man-

agers interviewed said their greatest staffing con-cern is employee training and development.Recruiting new employees came in second, with27 per cent of the response.The survey was conducted by an independent

research firm and is based on telephone inter-views with more than 150 HR managers at com-panies with 20 or more employees.HR managers were asked, “Which of the fol-

lowing is your greatest staffing concern as ahuman resources professional?” Their responses:• Training and developing employees... 41%• Recruiting new employees... 27%• Retaining top-performing employees... 23%• None/doesn't apply... 9%“As workers take on expanded responsibilities,

it becomes more important for companies to offerprofessional development to help their teamskeep up,” said OfficeTeam executive directorRobert Hosking. “Training programs boost jobsatisfaction for employees by enabling them tobuild new skills and take on more challengingroles.”Workplace Redefined, a recent Robert Half

study (www.roberthalf.com/workplaceredefined)that examined the attitudes of multiple genera-

tions of workers, showed that professionals of allages value ongoing education.“Job security is on everyone's minds, and hav-

ing up-to-date skills is the key to staying relevantand marketable,” said Hosking. “By providingtraining opportunities, companies demonstratethey're committed to their employees' long-termcareer growth and this can help with their reten-tion efforts.”

By providing training opportunities, companies demon-strate they're committed to their employees' long-termcareer growth. — File Photo

A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 11Education and Training

WWith a roar of an engine and the crash of a backhoebucket against pavement, construction of the new$8 million Homburg Centre for Health and Wellnessofficially got underway at Saint Mary’s University onAugust 19.With university president Dr. J. Colin Dodds and

Homburg Canada’s Richard Homburg guiding thelevers, the pair broke up a section of pavement in aparking lot near the Tower where the new centre willtake shape beginning in October.Designed as a multipurpose academic and athlet-

ic complex to inspire students, faculty, staff and thecommunity to work toward healthier lifestyles, thecentre will feature wellness program space, studios,seminar rooms and community fitness/studiospace.It will also be the new home for the Centre for the

Study of Sport and Health, a facility destined toattract international researchers interested inextending the university’s growing research compe-tence in the area of sport and health.The Homburg Centre for Health andWellness will

consist of a 20,250 square foot addition and 3,340square foot renovation to the university’s existingTower athletic facility. The entire facility will berebranded as the Homburg Centre for Health andWellness.“It will be a showcase building for the university,”

said Dr. Dodds. “It's more than just a fitness centre;it's about holistic health and wellness. It puts us onthe cutting edge of this research in EasternCanada.”

It also acknowledges the leading role SaintMary's University has taken in the study and execu-tion of social health and medicine, and sport. A bal-

anced and healthy lifestyle is a principal societalconcern and the Homburg Centre will ensure thatprograms and facilities are in place to address theneeds of the entire community, Dodds said.The centre was the vision of Dr. Homburg, CEO

of Homburg Inc., a real estate investment anddevelopment company with holdings and manage-ment offices in North America and Europe. Dr.Homburg believes healthier Nova Scotians are keyto a more productive and economically prosperousfuture. His commitment was strengthened by a per-sonal experience several years ago that left him par-alyzed. He was only able to return to a busy life afterparticipating in a rehabilitation program thatfocused on a healthy lifestyle.Education Minister Marilyn More was on hand

for the sod turning, as were several students whobenefited from Dr. Homburg’s other commitment tothe university: the Homburg International MobilityAwards, a program that has enabled 50 students totravel to 16 different countries around the world topursue educational opportunities.“Not only does a healthy lifestyle improve quality

of life, it also leads to higher academic achievementfor students,” said Ms. More. “The programs, serv-ices and facilities offered at the Homburg Centre willadd vitality and energy to the already vibrant SaintMary's campus.”The cost of the facility is $8 million. Dr. Homburg

has committed $5 million for the project. BMOFinancial Group, Manulife Financial and McInnesCooper have also made leadership donations. Theremainder has been raised by alumni and friendsthrough donations to the university’s capital cam-paign.

Homburg realizes dream ofhealth/wellness centre at SMU

Homburg Canada’s Richard Homburg, Minister of Education Marilyn More, and Saint Mary’s University pres-ident Dr. J. Colin Dodds were on hand for the sod turning. — Photo courtesy of Saint Mary’s University

EDUCATION AND TRAININGPage 12 � A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010

Eye on Education•Feds announce further investment in busi-ness internship program: Rob Moore,Minister of State (Small Business andTourism), has announced that theGovernment of Canada will offer 198 addi-tional internships for post-secondary gradu-ates across Canada through the SmallBusiness Internship Program (SBIP). TheSBIP is a collaborative effort of Canadiansmall businesses, post-secondary institu-tions and non-government organizations thatoffers post-secondary students hands-onexperience working on e-commerce projects.The program helps small and medium-sizedenterprises across Canada improve their pro-ductivity and competitiveness by hiringapproximately 400 student interns annuallyto help with information and communicationstechnology projects. For more information onthe SBIP and its delivery agencies, visit theSBIP website at: www.ic.gc.ca/sbip . — ByThe Daily Business Buzz, TranscontinentalMedia

• Student lobbies government to drop agerequirement for jobs: A Nova ScotiaCommunity College student who discoveredthis summer that mature students weren’t eli-gible for student job funding is lobbying thefederal government to change its regulations.Sharon Morrison, of Priestville, is a 54-year-old pursuing the adult learning program atthe NSCC to get her Grade 12. In May, shebegan applying for summer jobs, but soonlearned that government-funded studentsummer jobs are only eligible to Canadian cit-izens between the ages of 15 and 30 who arefull-time students and intend to return toschool in the fall full-time. Morrison is cur-rently campaigning for the federal govern-ment to change its definition of the word stu-dent, at least in terms of summer employ-ment. She wants the government to drop theage requirement. Recently, Morrison metwith Central Nova MP Peter MacKay to con-vince him to work towards changing the def-inition. “It should just be for students, peri-od,” she said. “The only thing I can do is totry and get them to remove the 15 to 30 agerequirement for students.” Morrison saidMacKay seemed receptive to her case, but itlikely won’t change until next year at the ear-liest. — By The New Glasgow Daily News,Transcontinental Media

• Acadia University no longer under strikethreat: As university students start gettingready for the fall term, they won’t need toworry about a strike at Acadia University. TheWolfville university announced on August 12it ratified a new collective agreement with itsstaff that will last until 2014. “With this new,long-term agreement in place, we can nowfocus our full attention on the upcoming aca-demic year and Acadia’s students,” said RayIvany, president and vice-chancellor ofAcadia. Negotiations on this contract startedback in May. — By Metro Halifax

• French-language services, educationreceive renewed funding: The province andthe government of Canada have renewed twocost-sharing agreements to promote andsupport French-language services and edu-cation in Nova Scotia. The governments arecontributing $11.2 million total over fouryears to support French-language services.Funding from the agreement will be used tosupport French-language programs and serv-ices, language training for governmentemployees, translation services and French-

language services coordinator positions. Thegovernments are also contributing equally toa four-year agreement to promote and sup-port French-language education in NovaScotia schools. The $61.2 million agreementcovers curriculum development for Frenchfirst-language education and second-lan-guage instruction, student bursaries andsummer camps, teacher support programs,and educational materials and resources. —By The Daily Business Buzz, TranscontinentalMedia

• Voucher program investment drives busi-ness growth: Nova Scotia businesses willagain have an opportunity to work with edu-cational institutions to increase productivityand innovation, with support from theprovince. The Department of Economic andRural Development is providing up to$500,000 for the third year of the Productivityand Innovation Voucher program. “Lastyear’s voucher program saw tremendoussuccess with over 30 vouchers being distrib-uted to Nova Scotian businesses,” said actingMinister of Economic and RuralDevelopment, Ross Landry. “This programhelps businesses make their operations moresustainable and competitive which maintainsand creates good jobs, and grows the econo-my.” The voucher program provides smalland medium-sized businesses up to $15,000,to obtain assistance from universities andcolleges with applied research, engineeringservices, prototyping and field testing.“Through the voucher program we gainedvaluable advice on patent searching, productdistribution and business structure,” saidPeter Murchland of PrivacyWrap, a Halifax-based company that specializes in uniquewind, sun and privacy screens. “Workingwith the experts at Dalhousie University wewere able to take our businesses to the nextstage of development.” Businesses applyingfor program vouchers can get more informa-tion at www.gov.ns.ca/econ/pnivouchers/ . The deadline for applica-tions is September 10. — By The DailyBusiness Buzz, Transcontinental Media

First-year Nova Scotia Agricultural College(NSAC) students will participate in a shared intel-lectual experience this fall as the universitylaunches an exciting new initiative — a first-yearbook project.“The First-Year Book Project will provide a

thread of commonality among all first-year stu-dents as well as the campus community as awhole,” says Keltie Jones, NSAC associate vice-president for students. “By encouraging diversemembers of the campus community to read thesame book and attend related events, we hope topromote dialogue and build community.”All first-year students will be asked to read

Nova Scotia: Visions of the Future, edited byPottersfield publisher Lesley Choyce. Faculty andstaff will incorporate the book into their curricu-lum and various events will be held on campusthroughout the year to reinforce the book’s theme.Nova Scotia: Visions of the Future is a collection

of essays by a varied list of Nova Scotians who

present their vision of a possible future of NovaScotia. Contributing writers include: MarqdeVilliers, Peggy Hope-Simpson, RichardZurawski, Premier Rodney MacDonald, AlanWilson, Dr. Richard Goldbloom, Geoff Regan,Sunyata Choyce, Neal Livingston, BarbStegemann, Bill Carr, and others.NSAC environmental sciences professor Dr.

Randy Olson feels the selection of this specificbook is very timely not only for Nova Scotia, butfor all of Atlantic Canada.“Our young people need to realize that they

are the future. What they do in life and the kindof personal character they develop will haveconsequences for all of us,” says Olson. “Manyof the essays in this book will help facilitate agreater awareness of just how important theindividual is in determining our collectivefuture. Our students will no doubt have anessential role to play in confronting the manychallenges of that future.”

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Central Region/Région centraleAllan Boudreau, directeur régional : 1-902-433-7045École acadienne de Truro -TruroÉcole du Carrefour -DartmouthÉcole Beaubassin -BedfordÉcole Rose-des-Vents -GreenwoodÉcole Bois-Joli -DartmouthCentre scolaire de la Rive-Sud-CookvilleÉcole secondaire du Sommet - Bedford

South-Western Region/Région du sud-ouestStephen Surette, directeur régional : 1-902-769-5480École Jean-Marie-Gay -SaulniervilleÉcole Belleville -BellevilleÉcole Joseph-Dugas -Pointe-de-l'ÉgliseÉcole Pubnico-Ouest, Pubnico-OuestÉcole Saint-Albert -Rivière-aux-SaumonsÉcole secondaire Par-en-Bas -TusketÉcole secondaire de Clare -La ButteÉcole Wedgeport-WedgeportÉcole Stella-Maris -Meteghan

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NSAC book project exploresfuture of Nova Scotia

The Small Business Internship Program helps smalland medium-sized enterprises across Canadaimprove their productivity and competitiveness byhiring student interns to help with ICT projects. —File Photo

A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 13National ForestWeek:Sept. 19-25

FForestry has long been a part of Nova Scotia’shistory. As Europeans arrived on our shores, thenatural, rich resources of our forests gave birthto an industry that still holds strong today.“Although the last few years have seen

changes in the forest industry in Nova Scotia, itremains an important employer and exporter forthe region,” says Steve Talbot, executive directorof the Forest Products Association of NovaScotia. “Approximately 16,000 direct and indi-rect jobs support an industry that puts $1 billioninto the provincial economy each year. Tax dol-lars generated from the industry go to help paveroads, build schools and hospitals, and fundpublic services for every Nova Scotian.”A unique part of the makeup of the forest

industry in Nova Scotia is land ownership. Over30,000 small, private landowners — like yourfamily, friends, neighbours and co-workers —own more than 50 per cent of the forest land inour province. Many of these landowners supple-ment their income, pay for their kids’ educationor plan for their retirements based on the woodthey harvest each year from their land. They arethe caretakers and managers of our forests, andindustry relies on them for a large part of thewood supply harvested each year.

Dimensional lumber (such as 2x4s and 2x6s)may be the best known forest products madehere in Nova Scotia, but there are many others.From recycled paperboard and house siding topallets and pellets, Nova Scotia companies are

making hundreds of products from our forests.And like any industry, research is underway todevelop new forest products in the province aswell.“But no matter the product being made, they

all depend on a renewable, healthy, and sustain-able supply of trees from the forests,” saysTalbot. “That’s why companies across the

province are testing different harvesting meth-ods, planting trees when needed after harvest-ing, and investing in intensive forest manage-ment — growing more trees on less land. Byhaving a mixed-use forest and a mixed-supply offorest resources, companies are able to dothings such as setting aside land for protection,while still keeping the same supply of wood nec-

essary to run their businesses.”The forest industry is changing. With new

research, new technologies and new productscome new opportunities, here in Nova Scotiaand in markets around the world.“We are continually looking at ways to expand

this truly renewable resource and ensure itslongevity for future generations,” says Talbot.

By Jeff Bishop

Growing industry dedicated to nurturing our forests

To ensure a renewable, healthy, and sustainable supply of trees from the forests, companies continue to test different harvesting methods, planting trees when needed afterharvesting, and investing in intensive forest management. — Photo courtesy of FPANS

NATIONAL FORESTWEEKPage 14 � A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010

AAn Antigonish County family that manages a 190-acre woodlot in North Lochaber is the winner of NovaScotia's 2010 Woodlot Owner of the Year Award.“The Department of Natural Resources is proud to

present the 2010Woodlot Owner of the Year Award toJim Webber and his family,” said Natural ResourcesMinister John MacDonell. “Mr. Webber and his fami-ly have demonstrated outstanding innovations in inte-grated resource management.”The Webbers were chosen as the provincial win-

ners for their excellent planning and management.The property has been salvaged from neglect andmolded into a thriving woodlot, including 36 acres ofblueberry farm, 10 acres of grassland, and aChristmas tree farm. The woodlot provides a sourceof income, a place for recreation, and a means to anenjoyable lifestyle.Within a few years of purchasing the woodlot,

Webber developed amanagement planwith the assis-tance of Scott and Stewart Forestry Consultants Ltd.following forestry trends and updating his manage-ment plan to reflect the Forestry StewardshipCouncils (FSC) Maritimes Standards.The Webbers have been implementing sustainable

practices since acquiring their woodlot, allowing only

small areas of the woodlot to be harvested at a giventime. This has fostered the development of uneven-aged stands and the maintenance of wildlife habitat.The 2010Woodlot Owner of the Year Award will be

presented to the Webber family, along with theiraward as winners of the eastern region, at a publicfield tour of their woodlot on October 2.Other regional winners recognized are Dave

Thomas and family of North Range, Digby County, inthe western region, and George Post and family ofWest River Station, Pictou County, in the centralregion.The Department of Natural Resources receives

several nominations for the award each year. All nom-inations are evaluated by department staff for region-al winners, while the provincial winner is selected bya committee of two foresters, a wildlife technician,and an environmental studies undergraduate student.Nova Scotia residents who own 20 to 800

hectares of woodland in the province are eligible forwoodlot owner awards. Nominations are accepted atDepartment of Natural Resources offices until April15 each year. More information is available on thedepartment's website at www.gov.ns.ca/natr/woodlot/woya/

Province honours 2010Woodlot Owner of the Year

In the photo: Jim and Donna Webber — Courtesy of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources(Glenn Terris photo)

What does being a “responsible forestrycompany” mean?We've been managing and protecting our

forests for over 40 years and currently carry outforestry activities on over one million acres.During this time, we have not only always metapplicable environmental and forestry regula-tions, we've exceeded them. And we will contin-ue to do so by ensuring that our harvesting isdone in a way that provides adequate cover,sustains wildlife, protects nutrients, andregrows forests.We take an active role in this regard. We're in

constant dialogue with government and stake-holders about how best to ensure that every-one's forestry practices — not just ours — con-tinue to ensure both a sustainable forest and ahealthy environment.

What are some of the ways your forestrypractices are environmentally sustainable?We put as much effort into planting tress as

we do into harvesting. We plant nearly 2.5 mil-lion trees each year. These trees come from ourown seedling nursery (comprised of 27 green-houses) and tree orchard in Debert. We have thecapability of producing in excess of 10 millionseedlings annually. This production not onlyallows us to regenerate all of our harvest sites,it also provides the capability to supply otherpulp companies, sawmills and woodlot ownersacross Nova Scotia.

What is your commitment to sustainabilitywithin the province?We are absolutely committed to sustainabili-

ty. A long-term perpetual wood supply is key toour business. Ensuring the sustainability of ourpractices gives us the confidence to continue tore-invest in our facility. To help measure ourcommitment, we are audited to numerous thirdparty certification systems all of which use for-

est sustainability as the guiding principle.

What is your view on clearcutting practicesand the effect on the forest ecosystem?Our forest operations employ numerous dif-

ferent harvest treatments — clearcutting is justone of them. Any area designated for clearcut isplanned for using a strict ecologically based siteplan with processes in place to ensure theintegrity of the values on that site are main-tained and that a new forest will completelyregenerate to a strong, healthy stand followingharvesting.There are many viewpoints in North and cen-

tral Nova Scotia that provide vistas over robustforest ecosystems; some of which were harvestsites where clearcutting was practised.

What do you do to work with communitygroups and NGOs?We have a strong record of working with

many different community and environmentallyfocused groups in Nova Scotia. We havedemonstrated leadership throughout the yearsby working with organizations such as theNature Conservancy of Canada and the NovaScotia Nature Trust, to formally protect severalimportant sites including Hardwood Lake,DeYarment Lake, Abraham's Lake andSpencer's Island.We also partner with the Province of Nova

Scotia in identifying and protecting areas ofconservation significance, such as ShipHarbour Long Lake. In addition, we partner withthe Nova Scotia Community College (TruroCampus) for the lease and management of 550acres of an outdoor environmental educationcentre at Manganese Mines.We are also a founding member of the Colin

Stewart Forest Forum — a group dedicated toprotecting 12 per cent of Nova Scotia's high-value conservation land by 2015.

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A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 15GoingGreenGreen solutions foryour business…Solar Heating SystemsLooking to save a few dollars on your

heating or water bills? EnCom AlternativeEnergy Solutions (www.encomgroup.com) can make it happen, while reducingyour carbon footprint at the same time.EnCom specializes in providing green

or renewable energy products and servic-es to private homes and businesses. Oneof the company’s key products is its solarheating systems. EnCom can providecomplete package solar heating systemsthat integrate into a home or business’domestic hot water as well as its spaceheating or pool.Encom features its own advanced solar

heating technology called evacuatedtubes. These evacuated tubes sit up onyour roof facing south and they generatehot water year round. Encom’s solar hotwater tanks capture that energy, store itand supply it as a pre-heat to your existinghot water heaters. EnCom can also installenergy-efficient automatic generators thatrun off of clean fuel or natural gas. Thesecan back up a home or office with supple-mentary energy if the power goes out.

Bottle-less Water CoolersIt’s a common office pet peeve. No…

not those dirty microwaves — watercooler headaches.Remember when water use to be so

simple. Now there are deliveries, heavy

bottles, and yes, empty bottles when youneed water the most. Not to mention,those bottles aren’t filled across thestreet, they travel hundreds of miles justto get to you. All that transportationleaves a hefty carbon footprint.What if you could eliminate all those

hassles and be eco-friendly? Well there’sgood news. Alpine Water Systems has asolution — plumbed-in filtered watercoolers. The concept might soundstrange, but the savings are obvious fromday one. These water coolers require nodeliveries, no bottle storage, no heavy lift-ing, and they usually cost about 75 percent less than bottled water.

Alpine Water Systems has an eco-cal-culator on its website (www.alpinewater.ca) to help you compare not onlythe financial cost of bottled water, but theenvironmental cost as well. For example,an office consuming approximately 15bottles per month and getting weeklydeliveries will contribute around 2,100pounds of greenhouse gases to the envi-ronment per year. This same office willpay around 39 cents per litre for its bot-tled water, whereas an Alpine WaterSystem would cost about 10 cents perlitre.While we may still have to put up with

those dirty microwaves at the office, it’snice to know your next glass of watercould be eco-friendly and help your bot-tom line.

Don’t miss Atlantic Eco-Expo 2010In today's world, everything is "going green", from small

businesses and large corporations to entire industries —manufacturing, transportation, construction andmore. Theyare changing how they do business to enhance their opera-tions and help preserve the world around them.The upcoming Atlantic Eco-Expo 2010, September 17 to

19, will bring together businesses and organizations that areeager to share their eco-friendly products, services and ini-tiatives with individuals interested in living a greener life andcreating a greener workplace. The main event will be held atthe Halifax Cunard Centre from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. onSaturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.Learn green tips from dynamic guest speakers, browse

products and services from a variety of eco-friendlyexhibitors, learn about fashionable yet sustainable clothingat the eco-fashion show, entertain the kids in the green kidscorner, enjoy the flavours of local eco-cuisine, and more.New this year is the Green Gala Reception that will take

place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on September 17. The gala willoffer a great networking opportunity complemented by apanel discussion of green business leaders from acrossCanada. The goal is to ignite conversation and education tohelp business leaders in attendance create change through-out their organization.For more information, check out www.atlanticeco

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Page 16 • A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 Mining

TThe mining industry has been an integral part ofNova Scotia’s cultural and economic landscapefor years.“The province benefits from mineral explo-

ration, mine development, mineral production,secondary processing, provision of goods andservices to the industry, and mine site rehabilita-tion,” says Diane Webber, P.Geo., liaison geolo-gist with the Nova Scotia Department of NaturalResources.Mining operations in Nova Scotia, including

both historical and current, occupy less than 0.2per cent of the provincial land mass. Prior to theglobal economic downturn in 2008, the miningindustry contributed almost $500 million to theprovince’s GDP and employed more than 6,300workers, mostly in rural Nova Scotia. Notably, themining industry in Nova Scotia offers the highestpaying jobs in the resource sector, ranks thirdoverall for safety, and continues to play an impor-tant part of the rural economy.Nova Scotia produces gypsum, anhydrite, salt,

coal, aggregate, limestone, silica sand, quartz,dimension stone (marble, slate, sandstone, gran-ite), peat and more.In 2009, 80 per cent of the total Canadian gyp-

sum production (3.3 million tonnes) came fromsix mining operations in Nova Scotia. NovaScotia gypsum is exported mainly for the produc-tion of wallboard and cement products.The province produces salt from an under-

ground mine in Pugwash and a brining operationat Nappan. Production averages approximatelyone million tonnes per year of rock salt. Most of

the salt is used for de-icing, however, 150,000tonnes are processed annually into food-gradeproducts including table salt.Nova Scotia aggregate operations produce

approximately nine million tonnes per year fordomestic consumption and approximately fourmillion tonnes per year for export.Building stone is produced from several loca-

tions in Nova Scotia including Wallace andMerigomish. Marble is quarried and processedon site for market in River Denys, Cape Breton.Approximately 800,000 tonnes of coal were

produced in 2009 from three surface operations.Nova Scotia continues to burn three milliontonnes of coal annually for thermal power gener-ation. The proposed Donkin coal mine in CapeBreton County is expected to produce approxi-mately 2.75 million tonnes per year of washed,export-grade coking coal at full production.What does the future hold for Nova Scotia’s

mining industry?As a result of the strong link to U.S. construc-

tion trends and increased synthetic gypsum pro-duction, the Nova Scotia gypsum industry hasendured challenging times since the global eco-nomic crisis. Production of raw gypsum hasdeclined and there have been slow downs at sev-eral operations. As the U.S. housing industryrecovers, gypsum production is expected to dothe same.The resurgence of metal prices will greatly

benefit the many exploration companies search-ing for base, precious and rare-earth metals inthe province.

Mining industry in Nova Scotia still going strong

“Gold prices are at an all time high and explo-ration in the Nova Scotia goldfields offers excep-tional opportunities, especially in areas with well-defined resources,” says Webber. “With a provin-

cial economy struggling to recover from reces-sion, one or more new gold mines in Nova Scotiacould have a tremendous impact on economicgrowth.”

Diane Webber, liaison geologist with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, and John Chisholm,president Pioneer Coal Ltd., at Pioneer's coal operation in Stellarton. — Photo courtesy of the Nova ScotiaDepartment of Natural Resources

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MINING A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 17

TThe Nova Scotia Department of NaturalResources (DNR) will host its 34th annual fallconference on October 25 and 26 at the WestinHotel in Halifax.Over the years, the Mineral Resources Branch

of DNR has held the conference in variousforms, including an initial open house format toshowcase departmental activities. In 1998, theconference took on the name “Mining Matters”and embraced a more inclusive format as DNRplanned the event with partner organizations,including: Nova Scotia Prospectors Association,Mining Society of Nova Scotia, provincial officeof Economic Development, and Nova ScotiaBusiness Inc. In 2008, the conference began tofeature an industry investment forum as ameans to showcase the many facets of theprovincial mining industry.This year DNR, the Mining Association of

Nova Scotia, the Mining Society of Nova Scotiaand the Nova Scotia Prospectors Associationwill co-host the conference under the nameGeology Matters.Organizers hope to attract a broad audience,

including representatives from various govern-ment departments, Nova Scotia Business Inc.,Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, RegionalDevelopment Authorities, Ecology ActionCentre, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society,the general public, Environmental Network,Aboriginal groups, municipal planners andadministrators, students and teachers, consult-ing groups, mining companies and more.The goal for this conference is to build aware-

ness of the important role that geology plays inour daily lives and the contribution of mineraldevelopment to the provincial economy and asustainable future. As the Phase II report of theNatural Resources Strategy stated: “Modernsociety is totally dependent on geologicalresources, but their vital contribution to ourbasic standard of living is not well understood

and therefore not appreciated.”Under the theme “Growing the Economy”,

Geology Matters 2010 will present the details ofwork initiatives on geoscience and municipalplanning, geohazards and health and safety,geoheritage and economic growth, new strate-gies for managing Nova Scotia’s resources,reclamation and much more. Displays will bepresented by the Mineral Resources Branch, itsco-hosts, and companies engaged in mineralexploration, development, mining and invest-ment. The two-day program includes presenta-tions from DNR staff and guest speakers, lunch-eons, and the annual Minister’s Receptionwhere delegates will have the opportunity tomeet the Honourable John MacDonell, Ministerof Natural Resources. The reception will alsofeature an awards ceremony to honour the NovaScotia Prospector of the Year and the winner of

the Terrence Coughlan Memorial Award as theoutstanding contributor to the development ofindustrial minerals in Nova Scotia.Geology Matters 2010 will be a perfect venue

to emphasize the importance of geoscience forhealth, growing the economy and for science-based consultation in land-use planning initia-tives. Admission is free. Information about theconference and online registration forms can befound on the DNR website: http://www.gov.ns.ca/NATR/MEB/oh/index.asp .

By Diane Webber, P. Geo., liaison geologist forthe Nova Scotia Department of NaturalResources

Geology Matters 2010: Growing the economy

The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has played host to the fall conference for over 30 years. DNR hopes this year’s conference will help build awareness of theimportant role that geology plays in our daily lives and the contribution of mineral development to the provincial economy and a sustainable future. — Photo courtesy of theDepartment of Natural Resources

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Page 18 • A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 CBBusinessHall of Fame

Honouring exemplary leaders

TThe Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce, inpartnership with Cape Breton University, hasreleased the names of its 2010 Cape BretonBusiness Hall of Fame inductees.This year’s honourees are: Sharon Salter of North

Sydney, Richard Warren of Glace Bay, and WayneWeatherbee and George Unsworth, both of Sydney.The Cape Breton Business Hall of Fame was

established in 2002 to honour individuals from theCape Breton business community who have pavedthe way for future generations in Cape Bretonthrough business achievement and communityinvolvement. The individuals are selected from a listof nominees who have established a legacy for thecommunity in terms of commitment, time, energy,financial support and outcomes that have broad-ened opportunities for others and provided inspira-

tion for entrepreneurs who are on the cusp of gen-erating further community enhancements.According to committee chair John Nash, “This

event is a means to recognize the attributes andgenerosity of long-standing citizens who havegrown successful enterprises but have never lostsight of responding to community needs. Equally asimportant is the fact that these individuals are rolemodels for young men and women currentlyattending university in our community.”The induction of the newmembers will take place

on Thursday, September 23, at a Business Hall ofFame Gala in the Membertou Trade and ConventionCentre.Tickets for the event will be available soon! For

more information, contact the Sydney and AreaChamber of Commerce at (902) 564-6453.

Cape Breton Business Hall of Fame Laureates:2002-The late Mike andChristine Dezagiacomo-John Eyking-The late Joan Harriss-Jack Yazer, o.n.s., c.m.

2003-Evelyn Davis-The late Sandy Reeves-Joseph Shannon-The late HarveyWebber

2004-The late John Abbass-The late Simon andKay Haddad-Daniel and IsobelMacAulay-Norris, Marven andthe late NathanielNathanson

2005-Avvie Druker-Gordon Mercer-The late Bruce and

Dorothy Rossetti-Irving Schwartz, o.c.

2006-Joella Foulds-Lloyd MacDonald-Stuart MacLeod Jr.-Harold Schwartz

2007-The late StephenKavanagh-James Kehoe, o.n.s.-Dr. Alistair MacLeod

-Allan Pace

2008-Martin Chernin-Doris MacDonald-Rankin MacSween-Sid and the late JeanMeloney-Hugh Tweedie

Many attended last year’s CapeBreton Business Hall of Fame galaincluding: Inductee NelsonLatimer, inductee MarjorieFougere, Dr. John Harker (presi-dent and vice-chancellor of CapeBreton University), inductee ChiefTerrance Paul,Maureen Lynch (onbehalf of inductee Greg Lynch,Aubrey Rogers (vice-president ofthe Sydney & Area Chamber ofCommerce) and inductee JimWilkie. This year’s event onSeptember 23 at the MembertouTrade and Convention Centre willwelcome a new round of notableinductees. — Photo Contributed

Would like to extend their congratulationsWayne on your induction into the

Cape Breton Business Hall of Fame

902.564.4491 • SYDNEY NS

CB BUSINESS HALL OF FAME A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 19

IIt was just a year ago that 2010 Cape BretonBusiness Hall of Fame inductee SharonSalter retired from the insurance industry,leaving behind a legacy of nearly 40 yearsas a successful business owner and manag-er.When she first headed out on her career

path decades ago, Salter’s initial plan was tobecome a social worker. She held both abachelor of arts degree and a bachelor ofsocial work.“But I learned that the straightforward

nature of business was a better fit for me,”she says.Although Salter’s father and grandfather

owned an insurance agency in Saint John,New Brunswick, it wasn’t until she moved toNorth Sydney with her husband Joseph andworked for her father-in-law Roy Salter atSalter Agencies Limited that her career inthe industry really began. There shereceived her broker’s license.“It was a great experience,” Salter recalls.After two years, the entrepreneur left

Salter Agencies when a business opportuni-ty of a different nature came along. Withanother couple, Salter and her husbandJoseph purchased Cape Breton HighlandBungalows in Ingonish.“We managed that business for seven

years. It was hard work but it offered me theflexibility I needed when the kids weresmall.”Then, in 1981, after the death of her

father-in-law, Salter sold her interest in thebungalows and took ownership of SalterAgencies.“We wanted the company to stay in the

family and I was ready to step in,” saysSalter. “My father-in-law built a strong busi-ness, but it needed to be modernized. Iinstalled a computer system right away andbegan working with other companies toexpand services to our clients.”After successfully managing the agency

for over a decade, Salter’s next move was amerger with Ratchford Insurance in 1994.“Together we were able to provide better

options for our customers,” says Salter.“We had a great staff and David Ratchfordproved to be the best partner anyone couldever ask for. I was very fortunate.”In 2007, Salter and Ratchford Insurance

was sold to Huestis Insurance Group. Saltersaid it was time to move on at that point andthe opportunity presented itself.In terms of her next step, this inspiring

entrepreneur says she plans to stay busy.“I like projects and being active,” she

says with a smile.Whatever Sharon Salter’s next move, it

will no doubt prove successful.

By Clare O’Connor

Spotlight on Sharon Salter

Sharon Salter of North Sydney is known for her business success and community involvement.— Photo Contributed

www.macleodlorway.com

Congratulations to the 2010 inductees in the

Cape Breton Business Hall of FameSharon Salter

George UnsworthRichie Warren

Wayne Weatherbee

CONGRATULATIONS TO WAYNE WEATHERBEE ON YOURINDUCTION INTO THE CAPE BRETON HALL OF FAME FROM...

RC RUDDERHAM CHERNIN

Law Office 500 George StreetSydney, NS, B1P 1K6Tel. 902.567.0250Fax. 902.567.0252Email: [email protected]

Congratulation to Sharon Salter on being inductedinto the Cape Breton Business Hall of Fame from…

Royal & SunAllianceInsurance Company of Canada1-800-565-7651 • www.rsagroup.ca

CB BUSINESS HALL OF FAMEPage 20 � A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010

IIn the early 1970s, Sharon Salter walked into herbank and applied for a credit card. Despite havingan education, a job, and a good salary, her appli-cation was denied.“The policy of the bank at that time,” explains

Salter, “was that a woman had to have her hus-band’s signature on the account before a creditcard would be issued.”Stunned by the requirement, Salter spoke to

the manager.“I’ve never really had a problem speaking my

mind when I thought something was wrong. Inthe end,” she laughs, “I got the card.”The ability to speak up and address an issue

has served the Sydney Mines resident well inalmost four decades of leading and managingsuccessful businesses.“I’ve spent most of my career in the insurance

industry which was very male dominated interms of its leadership. It was unusual for awoman to be at the helm back then. But myapproach has always been to run my businessproperly and professionally. I’ve learned that it’sbest to be direct if you want to be taken serious-ly,” says Salter.Her perseverance and business success over

the years will be recognized when she’s inductedinto the 2010 Cape Breton Business Hall of Famethis September.“Sharon is truly deserving of this recognition,”

says Anne Marie Singler of the Sydney and AreaChamber of Commerce. “She is only the fourthwoman to be inducted into the hall of fame sinceit was initiated in 2002. She’s succeeded in a

man’s world while still managing to be a lady.”When asked who has helped shape her into the

person she is today, Salter cites three importantmentors.“My father and grandfather were very hard

workers. I admired and respected both of themvery much. They treated people with respect anddealt with them honestly. I think those are impor-tant qualities to emulate in life and in business,”she says.

Also important to the 66-year-old is contribut-ing to her community — something she learnedfrom another mentor.“My mother has always been involved in her

community. She’s always stressed the impor-tance of being grateful for what you have and giv-ing back.”It’s advice the, now retired, businesswoman

has taken to heart. Over the years, Salter hasserved her community in numerous capacities

including, to name just a few, acting as presidentof the Cape Breton Board of Trade, director of theProvincial Small Business Development Board,president of the Sydney Chapter of the CanadianAssociation of Insurance Women, and a volun-teer with her local 4-H club.“It’s always important to give back to your

community. But, when you have a business andpeople put their faith in you, it becomes evenmore important,” says Salter.

By Clare O’Connor

Up close and personal with Sharon Salter

After successfully managing Salter Agencies for over a decade, Sharon Salter decided to merge the company with Ratchford Insurance in 1994. In the photo: Sharon Salterand the team at Salter and Ratchford Insurance. — Photo Contributed

www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca

Allow me to be of service to your family

Wayne

• Traditional funerals• Pre-arranged servicesprepared to your requests

• Cremation services• Non-denominationalservice facility

49Welton St., Sydney

539-0500Information Line: 567-2222Fax: 567-3830Serving all of Cape Breton

MGM & AssociatescongratulatesWayneWeatherbee

and Sharon Salteron their induction into theCape Breton Business

Hall of Fame.

CB BUSINESS HALL OF FAME A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 21

WWayne Weatherbee has the kind of drive anddetermination that can transform the dreams ofa young high school student into a thriving real-ity that powers continued success.The son of a steelworker, Weatherbee was

born and raised in Whitney Pier. In 1968, hegrew interested in the funeral business whileattending a family funeral service at R.H.Fillmore Funeral Home. The owner, Robie H.Fillmore, saw the young student’s spark andoffered him summer employment. The summerjob turned into a permanent position upon grad-uation.Weatherbee eagerly accumulated a wealth of

experience from the challenging, but rewardingjob.In 1975, on a shoestring budget that includ-

ed repayable family investments and the back-ing of a supportive banker, Weatherbee openedhis own business — Sydney Memorial Chapel.“My business grew fast because of the serv-

ice we provided to families,” said Weatherbee.His entrepreneurial appetite continued to

grow, eventually leading him to the real estateindustry. His first purchase was a residentialproperty that he renovated. His business ulti-mately expanded to include commercial realestate development. One of his major construc-tion projects was Senator’s Corner, a 56,000square foot property that opened in Glace Bay in1993. His next feat was building a health parknext to Cape Breton Regional Hospital, an84,000 square foot property that he later sold.

“I want better health care facilities for all ofCape Breton,” he said.Weatherbee has always made community

involvement a priority. He is active in severalcommunity organizations, including HorizonAchievement Centre, Friends of Wentworth ParkSociety, Bairncroft Orphanage, Kiwanis Club ofSydney, and he was the former chairperson ofthe Nova Scotia Board of RegistrationEmbalmers and Funeral Directors, and memberof the Funeral Services Association of Canadaand Nova Scotia.He has been selected as the recipient of sev-

eral outstanding achievement awards, includingOutstanding Club Leadership from the KiwanisClub of Sydney, Sydney’s Kiwanian of the Year in1991, and received the Mel Osborne Fellow fordistinctive recognition and gratitude of the club,district and Kiwanis Federation of Canada. Hehas also received an Outstanding Service Awardfor the Y’s Men’s Club of Whitney Pier and hasbeen president of the Y’s Men’s Club in the past.Weatherbee was also zone chairman of com-

mercial contributions for the United Way, aswell as a strong supporter and member ofCrime Stoppers in Sydney and District.Weatherbee married Lynda Wilson in 1982.

During their marriage, the couple had threesons, Matthew, Glen and Andrew. Lynda, whoworked as a registered nurse at the renal dialy-sis unit of Sydney City Hospital, died from can-cer in 1997. The family continues to stay close-knit, and the sons can sometimes be foundworking at the funeral home when not attendinguniversity.

By Tanya Collier MacDonald

Spotlight on Wayne Weatherbee

Wayne Weatherbee has built a solid reputation as a dynamic business and community leader. —Photo Contributed

Congratulations on a well deserved honour and continuedsuccess in the Cape Breton Business Community

MURRAY GOUTHROWALLBARRISTERS & SOLICITORS

Glenn F. GouthroJoseph R.Wall

Carolyn A.MacAulayOver 40 Years Combined Legal Experience

Providing a Full Range of Legal Services Including:• Real Estate, Including Land Registration Act Transactions •• Labour & Employment • Personal Injury & Insurance •• Corporate & Commercial • Wills & Estates • Criminal •

130 Charlotte St., P.O. Box 1477 Sydney, N.S. B1P 6R7Tel : (902) 539-1649 Fax: (902) 539-2249

CB BUSINESS HALL OF FAMEPage 22 � A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010

WWayne Weatherbee was a young child whenhe began dreaming of his future. He brieflyconsidered becoming an RCMP officer, thenconsidered a challenging career in the med-ical field.Years passed and Weatherbee became a

young man, still dreaming of what careerpath lay ahead. While in Grade 11,Weatherbee attended a funeral service of acousin who died in an automobile accident.During the visitation, the owner, Robie H.Fillmore of R. H. Fillmore Funeral Home, metWeatherbee and the two began to discuss anew career the young man could take.Fillmore encouraged Weatherbee to drop byduring the summer to chat about what oppor-tunities were ahead of him.In what would become a milestone meet-

ing, Fillmore offered the student the opportu-nity to work some hours during the weekwashing cars, cleaning the funeral home andgoing on ambulance calls — all as a learningexperience and introduction to the business.Within a few months, Weatherbee wasoffered a full-time position with the nightstaff. Every second week night, he would fin-ish his shift at 7 a.m. and then hustle toschool during the day.Upon graduation in 1969, Weatherbee con-

tinued his work as a full-time employee at thefuneral home. He accumulated enough expe-rience and studies to become a licensedembalmer in the province of Nova Scotia andhe remained at the funeral home until it was

sold to Frank Purdy, a businessman fromTruro, in 1973.Shortly after, Weatherbee decided to go

into business himself.His business venture initially received no

encouragement from local banks, but thatchanged when he sat down with David L.MacLean, a new manager at the Royal Bank’sWhitney Pier Branch.“He was sure I’d be successful,” said

Weatherbee. “My advice to someone startingout is to find a good banker and a goodaccountant.”The loan, combined with the money of sev-

eral family investors, allowed him to pur-chase the original home of Sydney MemorialChapel Ltd., which was a former residence ofa warden for Cape Breton County Jail locatedon Welton Street, Sydney. He began to oper-ate the small funeral home on November 15,1975.Weatherbee worked 100-hour work weeks,

and conducted 51 funerals in his first year ofoperation. Due in most part to hardwork,determination, and the valuable service pro-vided to families, his business grew toinclude more than 300 services annually.When his former place of work, the R.H.

Fillmore Funeral Home, was leveled by fireand discontinued operations, Weatherbeehired an architect to transform it and helpincrease and modernize his business. Thesplit-level funeral home that spans 5,500square feet reopened in 1980 and continuesto provide a comforting place for families andfriends today.

By Tanya Collier MacDonald

Up close and personalwith Wayne Weatherbee

Photo Above: Wayne Weatherbee takes great pride in the care and service offered at Sydney Memorial Chapel.Photo Below: Family means everything to Weatherbee.Here he is pictured with his three sons: Glen,Andrew,andMatthew. His sons can sometimes be found working at the funeral home when not attendinguniversity.

282 George Street, Sydney,Nova Scotia B1P 1J6Telephone (902) 539.2770Facsimile (902) 539.4192

[email protected]

Congratulations Wayne onyour induction into the Cape Breton

Business Hall of Fame

TheHuestis

InsuranceGroup

Serving you throughoutThe Maritimes

Our Sincere Congratulations toSharon Salter

On behalf ofSalter Ratchford Insurance& The Huestis Insurance Group180 Commercial St. North Sydney, N.S.

794-8000 Visit us at: www.huestis.ca

W

A Special Feature of The Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010 � Page 23FranchiseOpportunities

YYou've seen franchise brands in malls, offices andstorefronts, and have probably purchased or usedtheir products and services. In fact, think of anyproduct or service and you won't have to look toohard to find a franchise to match.“A lot of people think of franchising as fast

food,” says Lorraine McLachlan, president andchief executive officer of the Canadian FranchiseAssociation (CFA). “What most people don't realizeis that a franchise can be found in nearly everyindustry.”A hallmark of the franchise business model is a

tried and true formula for replicating success andany business that can be exactly replicated can bea franchise. Because of this, the diversity of busi-nesses being franchised in Canada is extraordinary.According to the CFA, there are an estimated

1,200 unique franchise systems and around78,000 franchised locations across Canada. A lookat CFA's online membership directory shows hun-dreds of franchise brands in 50 different cate-gories.Cultural diversity has also influenced the types

of franchise systems being developed.“We're starting to see more cultural cuisines

being franchised like Indian food and Korean aswell as organic and vegetarian fare, which probablyreflects the rich diversity of the Canadian popula-tion,” says McLachlan.Not only is there a wide range of businesses

being franchised, there's also diversity in invest-ment levels making it possible for almost anyone togo into business for themselves. In particular,young people and women have been turning tofranchising in increasing numbers.Younger franchisees appreciate the independ-

ence of operating their own business combined

with the help and support of a franchise system.“Youth are looking to jump over being an

employee and owning their own business later toowning their own business now,” says McLachlan.“Not only are more women becoming franchiseeswhere you might expect to find them, in business-es like wellness and weight loss, but they're also

involved in more unexpected places like automo-tive service providers and home renovation fran-chises.”Canadian franchising is a diverse and thriving

community. For more details about the opportuni-ties in this exciting way of doing business, visit CFAonline at www.cfa.ca .

Opportunities abound in franchising

Ever dream of opening your own business? A franchise may offer the perfect career opportunity. — File Photo

Are you ready tobe a franchisee?When considering getting involved in a fran-

chise, self-knowledge is a key element in mak-ing an informed decision. Here are somepoints to ponder about yourself:• Do I have a clear vision of the lifestylethat suits me?Would this franchise system be compatiblewith my family’s lifestyle and my responsibili-ties? How would I feel if I had to work onSaturdays? Am I willing to relocate to anotherpart of Canada where there may be a goodfranchise opportunity?• Do I have a passion for the franchiseconcept?Would I truly enjoy working in this franchiseenvironment? Would I give the business mybest effort because I really like what I do andbelieve in the product/service? Would I feel thesame enthusiasm in five or 10 years?• Do I have an interest in marketing?Would I enjoy attending community events formarketing purposes? Would I be willing to joinbusiness groups in the community and net-work constantly?• Do I have a strong work ethic?Could I handle the long hours, sometimes 60to 70 hours a week, that come with owning anybusiness? Could I commit to working whatev-er it takes to make my franchise successful?• Do I have the ability to conform?Am I an entrepreneur or could I follow a pre-scribed set of rules and procedures? Would Ibe frustrated at not being allowed to create mybusiness in my own image?

Source: CFA

What is Canada’s largest pet specialty retailer?The answer may surprise you: it’s Pet Valu — abrand that’s not widely known in Nova Scotia butone that has more than 350 stores in NorthAmerica, most located in Ontario.Pet specialty is a growing retail sector.

Franchisees have the opportunity to turn thatpowerful growth into their own successful busi-ness with Pet Valu, as it looks to expand its foot-print into Nova Scotia.Pet Valu follows a proven owner-operator

model with small-box neighbourhood stores anddelivers a significant return to the franchisee.Building on more than 30 successful years

since its founding in Scarborough, Ontario in1976, Pet Valu offers a value-added franchiseopportunity with a traditionally loyal customerbase, an established brand, and a growing mar-ket in Canada and across North America.The brand is known for quality products and

exceptional customer service. A Pet Valu storecarries the specialty brands, higher quality sup-plies, and distinct private label food productsthat many customers seek — ones not carried bygrocery stores and mass merchandisers, posi-tioning it as an exclusive destination. This supe-rior selection capitalizes on the growth of natu-ral, holistic, and organic products, and is contin-uously reviewed to capture emerging trends.One of the strongest benefits of choosing Pet

Valu is the level of support the franchiseereceives every step of the way.“The support and care you get as a franchisee

is something you can not overlook. It is hum-bling to know that you join a family when youown a Pet Valu,” says new franchisee AmberQuibell from store 2223 in Richmond Hill,

Ontario. Seasoned franchisee Jason Malley fromstore 2081 in Kingston, Ontario, agrees. “I likethe autonomy that I get from owning my ownbusiness, but I like the whole team of expertsthat I have behind me in marketing, advertising,operations, and more. Knowing that they arethere lets me concentrate on the customer expe-rience.”

Pet Valu franchisees join an established teamof professionals led by CEO Tom McNeely — for-mer CEO of Herbal Magic as well as former EVPand CFO of Tim Hortons and a member of theboard of directors of FSNA (a TSX listed compa-ny). This leadership has contributed to a soundreputation through all facets of business. Forexample, strong relationships with national

developers and landlords offer a Pet Valu fran-chisee a significant advantage when competingfor key plaza space.If you’re interested in turning Canada’s pas-

sion for pets into a rewarding business venture,contact Mark Sonik, Pet Valu franchise director,at 1-800-PET-VALU (738-8258), ext. 3214, or byemail at [email protected]

A Pet Valu store carries the specialty brands, higher quality supplies, and distinct private label food products that many customers seek. — Photo courtesy of PetValu

Franchise Profile: Pet Valu – a rewarding business venture

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIESPage 24 � A Special Feature of the Nova Scotia Business Journal, September 2010

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