Horticulture Review Magazine - Landscape Ontario

March 2009

Previous Issues

Feature

Green for Life: Excitement builds

By Denis Flanagan and Lee Ann Knudsen

Our new Green for Life consumer program is officially launching at Canada Blooms, with a whole lot of public relations noise!

Executive Desk

Accepted with thanks

By Tony DiGiovanni CHT

In the new proposed budget, the federal government has given our industry a gift in the form of the Home Renovation Tax Credit.

President's Message

Looking towards spring

By Robert Adams

We have made it. Winter is almost over.

Public Relations

A consumer show template

By Denis Flanagan CLD

As we move into some exciting times with our Green for Life campaign, we will try and make it as easy as possible for chapters, sector groups and individual members to help get the message out to consumers.

Professional And Workforce Development

CHT has a new look and a new test format

By Sally Harvey CLT, CLP

As many know, the Certified Horticultural Technician (CHT) designation went through some major changes during 2008.

Hort Protect

Chronic diseases and the contributing factors

By W. Michael Thomas CFP, CLU, CH.F.C, R.F.P.

Statistics reveal that the contributing factors to chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes, are on the rise.

Association News

LO joins interiorscape coalition

At the meeting, the organizational structure of the coalition was discussed and defined. LO is the only Canadian member.

LO members volunteer to create the best-ever Canada Blooms

Volunteers have been busy for weeks preparing for Canada’s most prestigious flower and garden festival, Canada Blooms.

Landscapers await clarification on renovation tax credit rules

Many questions remain for members of the landscape industry as to the specifics of the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) announced in the federal government’s economic budget of Jan. 31.

Congress 2009 best booth awards

On the show’s first day, booth award winners were announced in seven different categories.

LO receives good press

Recently, I spent three days at Landscape Ontario’s Congress, the best horticulture trade show in Canada.

Gelderman and Ziraldo honoured

LO gave out two of its most prestigious awards at Congress 2009.

Co-owner of Willowbrook Nurseries passes away

Jocelyn Catherine (Voortman) Langendoen, who with her husband John started Willowbrook Nurseries in 1979, passed away after a battle with cancer on Jan. 22, in her 53rd year at the Welland General Hospital.

Passionate horticulturist passes

Career horticulturist and long-time Landscape Ontario member Melanie Karleen Hicks passed away on Feb. 15, at the age of 40.

Stellar line-up of speakers at Growers Short Course

Over 180 nursery growers turned up at the Royal Botanical Gardens on Feb 11, for LO’s annual Growers Short Course.

Failing health claims industry pioneer

Ruth Berchtold, 79, passed away on Feb. 24 at Brampton Civic Hospital in the company of her loving family, after a courageous year-long battle with failing health.

One-day format success for OPA

The Ontario Parks Association (OPA) celebrated its 53rd annual Explorations trade show and conference on Feb. 4, at the Hamilton Convention Centre.

Program helps growers conserve energy

Ag Energy Services, a division of Ag Energy Co-operative, has announced a new full-service conservation and efficiency program aimed to help growers, farmers and producers improve sustainability through energy improvement and management.

Oakridge part of environmental award-winning team

An LO member, Oakridge Landscape Contractors of Hannon, near Hamilton, was an important part of the team that won the Ontario Public Works Association’s Environment Award.

OMAFRA Turf Report

The good and the bad of winter 2009

By Pam Charbonneau

Let’s try to move our attention away from the Cosmetic Pesticide Ban Act for a few moments and talk about what has been good and bad about the winter of 2009.

OMAFRA Nursery-Landscape Report

Weed competition

By Jen Llewellyn

In this fast-paced age of multi-media communication and data-hungry users, sometimes we find ourselves rushing through information before we’ve had a chance to consider it fully.

Chapter News

London Chapter garden a big hit at annual Lifestyles show

The feature garden created by members of LO’s London Chapter was a big hit with visitors to the London Homebuilders Association’s Lifestyle show in London, Ont., held from Jan. 23 to 25.

Attendance triples at Ski Day

The number of skiers taking part in this year’s Georgian Lakelands Chapter’s Ski Day set a new attendance record, with over three times as many LO members taking part this year compared to last.

GreenTrade Expo creates great enthusiasm

An energetic crowd of 1,000 people filled the aisles of GreenTrade Expo on Feb. 18th in Ottawa.

Industry News

Minimum wage to go up 75 cents

A 75-cent per hour increase in Ontario’s minimum wage will continue as planned at the end of March, despite the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) urging the province to cancel the increase, because of the poor condition of the economy.

Major report is released on economic profile of Ontario turfgrass industry

A new 148 page report on the Ontario turfgrass industry reveals some impressive numbers for the lawncare sector.

Study shows landscaping is great investment

Recently LO’s first vice-president Tom Intven, president of Canadale Nurseries in St. Thomas, attended the ANLA Management Clinic in Louisville, Kentucky.

CFIA confirms emerald ash borer present in the City of Hamilton

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced on Feb. 27 that it has confirmed the presence of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in the City of Hamilton.

Report calls landscaping a growing industry

Increased awareness in both the public and private sectors of environmental issues is a major driver of landscape installations, making landscaping a source of aesthetic, ecological, and financial benefits.

EAB area may expand

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is proposing to establish two large regulated areas within the province to combat the increasing number of EAB findings throughout Ontario.

Legal Issues

Risk management during an economic downturn: Part One

By Robert Kennaley

As we move into uncertain economic times, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers should reassess how they manage the risk that someone above them in the construction chain may not be able to pay his bills.

Prosperity Partners

These times, they are a’changin’

By Jacki Hart CLP