HALIFAX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MARCH 2019 | VOLUME 28 ISSUE 3 AN IMBALANCE OF POWER Optimizing resources among Chamber pre-budget recommendations PAGE 14 LIVING OPPORTUNITIES THE CRAFT OF STORYTELLING SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE Bio sector booming Helping brands stand out Investing that’s a win-win across province Pg 18 in a digital world Pg 22 for the community Pg 26 GROW, SELL or BUY SAVE +20% e Use Promo Code the value of your business HERA20 WHY ATTEND? Understand what can be Meet business owners Learn how to Learn how to protect your done to increase or that have sold; learn preserve wealth from employees and legacy by even multiply the value from their successes Canada’s leading tax, controlling the outcome of the of your business and failures legal & M&A experts largest transaction of your life WHAT PAST ATTENDEES SAY “Ifyou’reowningabusiness,you’regoingtohave “If someone is going to be involved in either selling or to exit at some point in time. At The Business buyingacompany,thisisagreatevent.Ihighly Transitions Forum, you’re going to meet a lot of recommend attending. The networking, the peer to peer, people and get a lot of information for the future.” the learning sessions - it was quite an eye opener.” — MILES, Business Owner — VIKRAM, Business Owner Register at businesstransitionsforum.com/atlantic | Early Bird Deadline March 8, 2019 PRESENTING SPONSOR ENDEAVOUR SPONSOR ENTERPRISE SPONSORS VENTURE SPONSORS Volume 28 • Issue 03 What areas do the government need to be in 15 Business Voice is published 11 times a year for members of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and Metro Halifax’s and what areas can it step away from?” business community. Views expressed in Business Voice are those of the contributors and individual members, — Patrick Sullivan, President & CEO, Halifax Chamber of Commerce and are not necessarily endorsed by, or are a policy of, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot be held COVER STORY: responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. Please address editorial enquiries and changes to information to: Halifax Chamber of Commerce 100-32 Akerley Boulevard, AN Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3B 1N1 Tel: 902-468-7111 Fax: 902-468-7333 IMBALANCE [email protected] www.halifaxchamber.com Board of Directors OF Cynthia Dorrington, Vale & Associates, Chair Margaret Chapman, Corporate Research Associates, Vice Chair Mark Fraser, T4G, Past Chair POWER Directors Lori Barton, Beaumont Advisors Limited Robert Dean, MNP LLP Mark Sidebottom, Nova Scotia Power Inc. Gavin MacDonald, Cox & Palmer Paul Bent, Consultant Saeed El-Darahali, Simply Cast Faten Alshazly, WeUsThem Stefanie MacDonald, Halifax Paper Hearts Captain David Mazur, Maritime Forces Atlantic Richard Butts, Clayton Developments Limited Michele Peveril, Nova Scotia Department of Business Brad Proctor, McInnes Cooper Chamber Staff Patrick Sullivan, President and CEO Nancy M. Conrad, Senior Vice President, Policy Colin J. Bustard, Director of Finance and Administration Becky Davison, Director of Marketing Business Voice is published by The Chronicle Herald Custom Publishing Department Publisher: Sarah Dennis 14 Manager, Custom Publishing: Lindsey Bunin Editor: Lindsey Bunin • [email protected] Layout & Design: Peter Ross Contributing Writers: Jon Tattrie, Joey Fitzpatrick, Carol Dobson, Peter Skakum, William Drake Hill, Steve MacLellan, Heather Laura Clarke Customer Relations Specialist: Jennifer MacLean TABLE OF Sales Executives: Wanda H. Priddle, Karen Publicover 902-426-2811 ext. 1163 • [email protected] 18 Cover photo: Ilker Celik/123RF CONTENTS: Copyright 2019 by The Chronicle Herald. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without expressed written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. 04 Events 2717 Joseph Howe Drive Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2T2 Tel: 902-426-2811 05 President’s message TheChronicleHerald.ca Disclaimer 06 New & noted hal gatewood/unsplash Business Voice magazine makes no warranties of any kind, written or implied, regarding the contents of this magazine and expressly disclaims any warranty regarding the 10 Members accuracy or reliability of information contained herein. 22 Profile: The views contained in this magazine are those of the in the news writers and advertisers; they do not necessarily reflect Journeyman Films the views of Business Voice magazine and its publisher The Chronicle Herald. 14 An imbalance 24 Trends Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032112 of power Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Optimizing resources among 27 Working for you Halifax Chamber of Commerce. Chamber pre-budget recommendations SPECIAL FEATURES: 18 Booming 28 Travel and tourism bio-opportunities Life sciences sector 30 Construction and playing growing role in development Nova Scotia economy BUSINESS VOICE 3 EVENTS For a full and up-to-date list of our Chamber events, please visit CHAMBER EVENTS www.halifaxchamber.com/events NS CO-OP SUMMIT BUSINESS AFTER HOURS LUNCHEON: Halifax’s future DATE: Friday, March 8 HOSTED BY: DoubleTree as an innovation economy TIME: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm by Hilton Halifax Dartmouth SPONSORED BY: RBC LOCATION: Halifax Marriott Harborfront DATE: Wednesday, March 27 DATE: Thursday, April 4 Hotel, 1919 Upper Water St., Halifax TIME: 4:30 – 6:30 pm TIME: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm LOCATION: 101 Wyse Rd., Dartmouth LOCATION: Westin Hotel, Halifax LUNCHEON: A Cannabis Conversation 2.0 LUNCHEON: Glenn Cooke, CEO, LUNCHEON: Janet Knox, CEO, SPONSORED BY: BoyneClarke & CPHRNS Cooke Aquaculture NS Health Authority DATE: Tuesday, March 12 SPONSORED BY: Deloitte SPONSORED BY: Medavie Blue Cross TIME: 11 am – 2 pm DATE: Thursday, March 28 DATE: Friday, April 12 LOCATION: Halifax Marriott Harbourfront TIME: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm TIME: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Hotel, 1919 Upper Water St., Halifax LOCATION: Halifax Marriott Harbourfront LOCATION: Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax Hotel, 1919 Upper Water St., Halifax CHAMBER 101 CHAMBER 101 DATE: Wednesday, March 20 POWER LUNCH: DATE: Wednesday, April 17 TIME: 12 – 1:30 pm Transforming a culture of “nice” TIME: 12 – 1:30 pm LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce, into one of results LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce, 32 Akerley Blvd., Dartmouth HOSTED BY: Big Leap Leadership 32 Akerley Blvd., Dartmouth DATE: Friday, March 29 TIME: 12 – 1:30 pm BUSINESS AFTER HOURS LOCATION: Halifax Chamber of Commerce, HOSTED BY: Workspace Bayers Lake 32 Akerley Blvd., Dartmouth DATE: Thursday, April 25 TIME: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm LOCATION: 145 Hobsons Lake Dr., Suite 405, Halifax SAVE THE DATE: PINTS + POINTERS MARCH 20, APRIL 17, MAY 30 AGM APRIL 18 SPRING DINNER MAY 2 MINISTER CASEY MAY 21 SPONSORED BY: CPA WONDER WOMEN CONFERENCE JUNE 7 THANK YOU TO OUR FEBRUARY SPONSORS: 902-423-6440 4 MARCH 2019 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Balanced budgets and red tape reduction It’s the most wonderful time of the year @prezhfxchamber We recognize these aren’t easy asks, Take a look at our cover story on but we know these pillars will propel us page 14 and think about what you’d like forward as a city and as a province. If we to see in the next provincial budget. want to compete on a global scale, we Let us know what issues are facing your need to improve our place in Canada and business. We’re in your corner and want the world. And quickly. to provide support. One of the areas we are encouraged To hear more on the provincial bud- by is the recent progress report on the get, you can join us at our luncheon with province’s work on red tape reduction The Honourable Karen Casey, Minister (you can find it in our policy library at of Finance and Treasury Board, happen- halifaxchamber.com). The Chamber is ing on May 21, 2019. PATRICK SULLIVAN actively involved in providing support and leadership on this work. PRESIDENT & CEO Contact [email protected], To give credit when it’s due, the Senior VP, Policy, Halifax Chamber or Government of Nova Scotia committed [email protected], Policy or those of us that get excited about to reducing the regulatory burden to Analyst, Halifax Chamber to voice your Fgovernment policy, it is the most won- Nova Scotia business by $25 million (net) concerns. derful time of the year. It’s budget month by the end of 2018. As of December 31, in Nova Scotia. For the Halifax Chamber, 2018, approved initiatives where imple- it means we have submitted our provin- mentation is complete or underway are cial pre-budget list, outlining our asks estimated to reduce the burden to busi- and considerations for the fiscal budget. ness by more than $34 million — We hope the Finance Minister is hard at 38 per cent over the target. This achieve- work checking our list twice and keeping ment is a shining example of government it in mind as she prepares to present the and industry working together to encour- fiscal budget. We are waiting patiently age businesses to stay here and continue to see if this will be Nova Scotia’s fourth driving our economy. consecutive balanced budget and Last month, we hosted the Annual whether our asks have been considered. State of the Province, presented by We framed our pre-budget submis- NATIONAL Public Relations, with sion on several issues of focus in our Premier McNeil. We had the opportunity strategic plan which was outlined in to dive deeper into our members’ con- February’s Business Voice. We listened to cerns with an extended Q&A. At the sold- our members’ concerns and voiced those out event, Premier McNeil addressed concerns to all levels of government. Our many of the issues that we have raised in main priorities include: our communication with the province — • Optimizing the size of government fiscal sustainability, debt reduction, • Creating a frictionless business expenditure reduction to set the stage for environment corporate tax reduction and a long-term • Reducing the tax burden economic vision for the province.