landscape saskatchewan august 2013 newsletter

AUGUST 2013 VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2

LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

NEWSLANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWANLANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWANSOFTBALL TOURNAMENT A FUN DAY FOR MEMBERS, EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES

IN THIS ISSUE

Landscape Awards

Certification News

National Plastics Recycling Results

Campfire Rose

TFWP Visa Delays and New Fees

CanWest Hort Show

National Tree Day

SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT A FUN DAY FOR MEMBERS, EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES

Welcome to the future of the landscape

and nursery industrywww.landscapesaskatchewan.com

The Lawn Loggers softball team headed to the field on a mission, to become Landscape Saskatchewan’s Softball Champs three years in a row. Other teams in the tournament were also on a mission, to prevent Lawn Loggers from winning three years in a row!

On Saturday July 20th, Landscape Saskatchewan held its Third Annual Softball Tournament at the CanLan Ice Sports Fields in Jemini Saskatoon. The weather was perfect and members were looking forward to a day of fun and socializing. Teams from Lakeshore Tree Farms, Cornell Design & Landscaping Ltd, Dutch Growers Garden Centre Ltd, and Lawn Loggers Ltd., participated in the event. After a round robin of play, Lakeshore Tree Farms left with the title of Landscape Saskatchewan’s 2013 Softball Champs. The facilities allowed for families to have a fun day together. Saskatoon Landscape Store provided a bouncy castle for the children, which provided an afternoon of entertainment. Once the ball games wrapped up everyone moved into the Thirsty Penguin for social time, and a meal that hit the spot which was provided by this years sponsors. Kevin Hall of Shercom Industries was on hand to present some prizes to players. It was a great event!!

Landscape Saskatchewan would like to thank this years softball tournament sponsors: Westwood Turf Farms Inc, Dutch Growers, Consolidated Turf, Expocrete, Saskatoon Landscape Store, Earth Works Equipment and Shercom Industries.The date of next year’s softball tournament has not yet been decided, but we will play softball again in the summer of 2014!

LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN AUGUST 2013 2

LANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN



A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

IMPORTANT DATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS

National Tree DaySeptember 25, 2013

Landscape Saskatchewan 2013 landscape Awards DeadlineOctober 18, 2013

Board of Directors:LESLIE CORNELL PresidentLLOYD TRASK Vice PresidentROBIN ADAIR Director LUKE vanDUYVENDYK DirectorJEREMY HERMAN DirectorAARON KRAHN, CLT CNLA Representative

Administrative Support:NIGEL BOWLES Executive Director MARNIE MAIN Member Services, DirectorERYNN WATSON Member Services, AssistantVALERIE STOBBE Office Services Trade Show Co-ordinatorKYLA McKechnie Administrative AssistantCHERYL TEO BookkeeperCHRISTINE FINN Provincial Relations Support, CNLA/SNLA

Contact Us:For more information about submitting an article or advertising in this publication please e-mail or phone:CHRISTINE FINN [email protected] Phone: 1-888-446-3499 Ext 8655Fax 1-866-833-8603

c/o Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association200, 10331 - 178 Street Edmonton Alberta T5S 1R5Tel: 780-489-1991 Toll Free: 1-800-378-3198Fax: 780-444-2152www.SNLA.ca

Happy Summer!

It looks like we are actually having a good summer this year! Landscaping is in full swing and the great weather makes everyday a workday. I want to thank everyone who left their busy schedules to come out and socialize for one day with other SNLA members.

Our annual baseball tournament was a great success! The new venue “Canlan Ice Sports Fields” was perfect for us. They provided us with clean and freshly mowed baseball diamonds and full use of the facilities. After the game

we gathered in the mezzanine for a catered supper, which was very delicious! The time to socialize was a great opportunity to network with other companies and our sponsors.

Lawn Loggers provided a bouncy castle for the kids, which was a great success. The kids had a fun day as well as the parents!

Shercom Industries donated some great door prizes, Kevin – marketing representative for Shercom Industries picked the winning names from a hat. Lots of fun!

Thank you to our sponsors, Westwood Farms Inc, Consolidated Turf, Expocrete, Saskatoon Landscape Store, Dutch Growers, Earth Works Equipment and Shercom Industries for supporting the SNLA Annual Softball Tournament!

Sincerely,

Leslie CornellLandscape Saskatchewan President




ASSOCIATION NEWSLANDSCAPE SASKATCHEWAN 2013 LANDSCAPE AWARDSGet your camera out and take pictures of the work you have been doing this season.

Landscape Saskatchewan holds an annual judged competition to recognize excellence among its members. The awards are meant to recognize and inspire. Winning an Award of Excellence is a great way to market your company and set your services apart from the competition. Recognition from your peers and other industry professionals work towards better staff retention and employee morale. Become a Landscape Saskatchewan Award of Excellence winner today! Deadline for entries is October 18, 2013.

Eligibility Rules1. The Landscape Awards Program is only open to Active members of Landscape Saskatchewan. 2. A $75.00 (plus GST) registration fee payable to Landscape Alberta must accompany each entry. 3. Any landscape project which the entrant has contracted and executed the major portion thereof, will be eligible (80% of the work will be considered a major portion). 4. A site cannot be entered in more than one (1) category. 5. No company may enter more than two (2) projects in any one (1) category. 6. Landscape construction projects must have been completed no more than three (3) years prior to the entry deadline. 7. Projects receiving a previous Landscape Construction Award cannot be re-entered in the Construction category. 8. A Maintenance category entry must have been maintained and under the care of the entrant for one (1) full growing season prior to entry. 9. Projects receiving a previous Maintenance Award cannot be re-entered by the same contractor. Maintenance Award sites may be re-entered by a different contractor after three (3) growing seasons. 10. Construction Award sites may later be entered in the Maintenance category, providing the current entrant has maintained it for one (1) growing season. 11. A Design category entry must have been 100% completed by the entrant. Landscape designs cannot be submitted if the project has been entered in another category in the same year.

12. All project descriptions must be typewritten. Handwritten descriptions will not be accepted. 13. Design category entries must be submitted in PDF format for it to be considered for the National Awards of Landscape Excellence.

To download a copy of the awards application go to http://www.snla.ca/news.html.

CERTIFICATION NEWSDid you know…that you can get Landscape Industry Certified with Designations that require written exams in Saskatchewan.There are four designations that are achieved by successful completion of a written exam.

Lawn Care Technician. This credential is directly linked to the practice of the profession and reflects what you already know as a Lawn Care practitioner. A mark of 70% on the two hour multiple choice exam is needed to be awarded the designation.

Landscape Industry Certified Interior Landscaping. A four hours written exam that tests your knowledge of many aspects of the Interior landscaping industry. A Study guide is available to aid in preparation for this exam.

Landscape Industry Certified Designer. This designation was created to establish a high standard of excellence for the industry. There are two parts in achieving your designation, a written exam, with a mark of 70% or greater; and a portfolio submission of three completed projects, which is judged by a panel of Certified Designers.

Landscape Industry Certified Manager. A series of seven written modules based on seven core competencies designed for owners and managers wishing to improve their business skills. This four hour exam, has seven study manuals that correspond with each test section. ww.landscapeindustrycertified.org

To find out more information about challenging any of these designations in Saskatchewan contact Laura Brinton, Certification Coordinator [email protected] 1888-446-3499 ext 8620.



ASSOCIATION NEWS2013 SOFTBALL TEAMS AND SPONSORS

SOFTBALL SPONSORS

Lawn Logger Ltd

Dutch Growers

Cornell Design & Landscaping Ltd

Lakeshore Tree Farms Ltd



ASSOCIATION NEWSCANWEST HORT SHOW SEPTEMBER 18 & 19, 2013 www.CanWestHortShow.com

Top UK Designer Headlines at CanWest Four time Chelsea Flower Show medalist, Jo Thompson, is headlining the Landscape Designers Symposium taking place on September 17. Participants will learn about her design process while observing her stunning designs.

Exclusive Clinics and Seminars CanWest is offering a very unique clinic on making ‘Compost Tea’. Mario Lanthier of Crop Health Advising is conducting this ‘hands on clinic’ where participants will make aerated compost tea from start to finish. An advanced level ‘Pruning Workshop’ is also on the roster with celebrity and master pruner, Cass Turnbull of Plant Amnesty. As the popularity of outdoor kitchens soar, so does the revenue opportunity for landscapers and retailers. Dale Seiden, Alfresco Grills, California, one of North America’s top outdoor kitchen designers, will be on deck to identify trends, design, and key factors when selecting appliances.

A Focus on Retail Steve Bailey is conducting a half day clinic on Financial Management for garden centres. No stuffy accounting talk, no concepts that are beyond the grasp of any garden center retailer, big or small - just plain talk about how to make more money selling plants and hardlines. Jonn Karsseboom, rebel leader with an unconventional garden centre, will share his ideas and observations that have worked well for him and for his business. ‘Optimizing Store Layout’ and ‘Silent Selling Strategies to Increase Conversion Rate’ are also on the roster for retailers with retail expert, Natalie Tan.

It’s Going to Be a Party! That’s the theme of this year’s show to celebrate the BC Landscape & Nursery Association’s (BCLNA) 60th Anniversary. The BCLNA welcomes CNLA members from throughout Canada to CanWest. Source new suppliers and network with colleagues in person. Check out the latest products available in BC’s marketplace. Take advantage of show specials and a chance to win a $1,000 Cash Prize.

Interested in Exhibiting? Only a limited number of booths are available. Call Suvan Breen to reserve your space: 604-575-3516 or [email protected]

NEW MEMBER SERVICES PRPGRAM, DCR TRUCASH

The new migrant worker payroll and remittance card available through the CNLA will allow your migrant workers operate within the Canadian Financial System. This new payroll

card, your migrant workers will not have to use expensive cheque cashing companies or expensive money transfer companies but they will be able to shop using a VISA card almost anywhere around the world.

DCR Strategies, the provide of the payroll card, sincerely believes the CNLA growers will have a much happier and much more productive migrant worker population using a prepaid VISA payroll and remittance card, rather than having them commute to a cheque cashier.

This prepaid VISA card will act as your employee’s bank account while they are in Canada. The DCR card-to-card remittance system will see the money transferred from Canada to their home country in real time – within seconds, without either the worker or their loved one having to commute anywhere.

To learn more or to sign up, contact the CNNA Member Services Team at 1 888-446-3499 or [email protected].



INDUSTRY NEWS

DELAYED WORKER VISAS PUTS STRAIN ON INDUSTRY

Due to the striking foreign service workers, the processing of work visas for many people looking to enter Canada has been halted. This has directly impacted several employers in the industry by making it impossible for them to complete the steps required to access the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Barry Paxton, President of Alpha Better Landscaping Inc. in Calgary, Alberta described his company’s situation, “We are still waiting for 17 work visas that should have been approved by the Canadian Consulate in Mexico weeks ago. We are 17 people short on our crews and are unable to fill these positions with Canadian workers.”

Alpha Better Landscaping’s experience is not unique; horticulture companies across Canada are encountering significant economic hardship due to the strike. Given the seasonal nature of this industry, the need for workers is an immediate concern.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) has sent letters to the Government of Canada and the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) urging them to make arrangements that allow the processing of work visas to return to normal.

CNLA understands the issues are complex and respects the right to collective action. However, the association is committed to ensuring access to the human resources needed by this industry. If you have any comments or questions regarding this issue, please contact CNLA staff, Joel Beatson [email protected] or 1-888-446-3499 ext 8610.

NEW FEES FOR LMO APPLICATIONS AMONG CHANGES ANNOUNCED TO TFWPAugust 7, 2013 – Minister Jason Kenney announced details on the previously announced changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). “Our Government’s number one priority remains jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. These additional reforms help ensure that Canadians are first in line for available jobs,” said Minister Kenney. “They also ensure that taxpayers no longer pay the cost of processing employer applications for temporary foreign workers.” The following is a summary of the changes as per the announcement. At time of publication the CNLA Government Relations committee is working on a response. As previously announced these changes do not apply to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) or the Agricultural Stream. All changes are effective as of July 31, 2013

1. A new $275 fee for Labour Market Opinion (LMO) applications per position. Many positive LMO’s go unfilled; the addition of a fee may reduce application volume.

2. English and French will now be the only languages allowed as requirements for employment.

3. Employers will be required to make greater effort to hire Canadians. This includes a longer advertising requirement (4 weeks from 2) and more channels than the JobBank.

4. Additional questions have been added to the LMO application to ensure that the positions aren’t being created to facilitate outsourcing of Canadian jobs.

If you have questions or comments on these changes or others please contact Joel Beatson at CNLA: [email protected] or 1-888-446-3499 ext 8610.



INDUSTRY NEWS

Campfire rose is living up to its name as it bursts into the media this summer. Appearing in several prominent Canadian newspapers and magazines, along with an international magazine, it is definitely making a place for itself in the Canadian rose market. Introduced

this year as the fourth addition to the Canadian Artist series of roses, Campfire takes its name from Tom Thomson’s famous painting by the same title. Its petals are a blend of yellows and reds, which change throughout its blooming season beginning in early summer and continuing to hard frost. Not only pretty to look at, this rose is also among the most disease resistant and hardy roses out there.

The Canadian Artist Roses were developed as part of Dr. Campbell Davidson’s rose breeding program at AAFC’s Morden Research Station through a research agreement between members of the Rose Consortium and AAFC. Since the terminations by AAFC of their ornamentals’ breeding program, the administration of these two research agreements has been transferred to CNLA.

License agreements can be obtained from the CNLA office by contacting Rita Weerdenburg ([email protected]). A one time fee of $250 applies. Growers must be members in good standing of both CNLA and the Canadian Ornamental Plant Foundation (COPF). Royalty and marketing fees of $1.00 per rose will be collected by COPF.

For more information on where to buy Campfire roses or to get listed as a supplier, visit www.canadianartistroses.com.

CAMPFIRE ROSE IS A HOT TOPIC

GARDEN CENTRES DIVERT THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF PLASTIC DURING ANNUAL NATIONAL PLASTICS RECYCLING EVENTCustomers that visited their local independent garden centre from June 21 to July 1, saw first hand what the garden centre industry is doing for the environment. This year, 50 garden centres, spanning eight provinces, participated in the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association’s (CNLA) fourth National Plastics Recycling Event by acting as drop-off points for their community’s used garden pots and trays. Since its inception in 2010, this annual 10-day event has diverted over 120,000 lbs of plastic from the landfill. That is just a fraction of the overall number considering the increasing number of garden centres who recycle plastic year-round.

“Garden centres are green by nature, and have been working together for a number of years to find a solution to recycle their garden plastics”, says Anthony O’Neill, CNLA’s Garden Centres Canada Committee Chair. This was the fourth year for the program,

and recycling plastic pots and trays has become more widespread. The public is aware of the need to recycler their old garden pots and trays, and many now have the option to do so at their local independent garden centre, or through their municipality’s curbside recycling program. Did you miss the event and still have piles of garden pots in your shed? Not to worry! First, check for the recycling symbol and see if your region processes that number. If not, check with your local garden centre; some stores offer year-round collection, while others have recycling options for your community. The National Plastics Recycling Event is scheduled to return again in 2014 - Recyclers who can offer free pick-ups of unsorted garden and agricultural plastics, and garden retailers who wish to participate, are asked to contact the CNLA.



INDUSTRY NEWS

Lets Celebrate National Tree Day on September 25, 2013www.cnla-acpp.ca/nationaltreeday

What?

Why?

Next Steps

Canadians are going to celebrate Canada’s third National Tree Day, happening on Wednesday, September 25. Created in 2011, when a private members bill was passed in the House of Commons, it is a day set aside each year to celebrate the many benefits that trees provide. Let’s celebrate together and show Canada that trees matter!

CNLA member are participating in a variety of ways, from holding sales to planting trees. Many will be visiting their local schools and community centres to lead a planting demonstration, teaching the proper care and benefit of trees. If you are interested in holding a planting demonstration and would like to be connected with a school, let us know and we will help to match you with a school in your area. Tree Canada has prepare a lot of materials to help you lead a successful event, visit ww.nationaltreeday.ca for more information.

A map of participating members will be posted o the CNLA website at www.cnla-acpp.ca/nationaltreeday. If you would like to have your event listed, simply register online or email Anne Bowering at [email protected]. Registration also gives you access to Tree Canada’s National

• Demonstrates your care for the environment• Promotes your leadership in the industry to your community• Brings the power and publicity of a national even to your area• Educates youth about the professional careers available in the green industry• Remind the public that fall is a great time to plant

• By registering with CNLA, you are simply letting us know how your company is celebrating National Tree Day so that we can help promote you.

PROUD SPONSORS OF

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Subject to the Official Rules available at www.nationaltreeday.ca. Entrants must be located in Canada (excluding its territories); be a legal resident of Canada (excluding its territories) and of age of majority in his/her province of residence at the time of entry. Contest Closes at 4:59 PM (ET) on September 29, 2013. To enter, visit www.nationaltreeday.ca and select the “National Tree Day Challenge” button. Complete the online registration form and plant a tree. One Prize is available to be won and consists of a three night stay at the Fairmont Banff Springs, in Banff, Alberta, in a Fairmont room based on double occupancy; two round trip economy airfare tickets departing from the Canadian International airport closest to the winner’s residence to Calgary, Alberta. Approximate retail value of the trip is $5,000.00 CDN based on a St. John’s, Newfoundland departure. Actual retail value may vary depending on departure date and departure city. Random draw will be held on October 8, 2013. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Selected entrant must be confirmed a winner,

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• If you are leading a planting event, be sure to connect with your school or community group soon arrange the logistics • Ensure media coverage of your event – you’re doing a good thing so spread the word! CNLA will help promote the event to the major media channels but it’s up to you to involve your local media• If your local media doesn’t make it out, send them the story afterwards. Press release templates are available online.• Document the event: designate one of your staff to take pictures and video• Access the Shovel Ready Toolkit available on the CNLA website for detailed information on leading a planting event.

landscape saskatchewan august 2013 newsletter

Documents

saskatoon landscape

annual softball tournament

fun day

day of fun

years sponsors

lakeshore tree farms

westwood turf farms

jemini saskatoon