This fiscal year will be noted in Landscape Ontario’s history as one of the most challenging and rewarding at the same time. Our fiscal year started with hope as we were starting to bring staff back to the office after having everyone work from home for such an extended period of time with the threat of the pandemic easing up along with lockdowns and gathering restrictions. We were working full steam ahead to bring Congress back in-person, along with a backup plan should we have to back into lockdowns. Our workforce development team continued to push forward with our strategic priorities of solving the industry’s labour challenges, attracting youth to the landscape trades, and providing training and professional development opportunities.
 
By late December 2021, the Omicron variant had reared its ugly head and had caused a significant spike in COVID-19 cases forcing our provincial government to implement increased measures to reduce its spread, which included limiting gatherings. We made the very difficult decision to cancel our in-person Congress Trade Show. Early on in our planning we had decided to offer full refunds to exhibitors should not be able to deliver Congress in person. After reaching out to all of the exhibitors and experiencing all of the stages of grief, we began the arduous process of issuing close to $1.5 million in refunds. Less than halfway through our fiscal year, we knew as staff and board that we would need to be very careful with our expenses. Landscape Ontario’s Congress Trade Show typically represents approximately $2.5million in revenue, and with this being an especially trying time considering we were still in the pandemic, we had sold approximately $2 million worth of floor space and sponsorship. The remaining $500,000 had been earmarked for deferral for Congress 2023. 
 
At the end of 2021, as a staff team, we agreed that our theme for the year would be ‘Resilience’. We felt it was the most appropriate given all of the challenges we have experienced. What we would realize later, is that our collective resilience would be a precious resource. 
 
We didn’t let up on any of the work of the association. In fact, we continued to press forward on all strategic priorities. It was how the Landscape Ontario Board of Directors and staff family all rallied to come together for a common goal. To advance the landscape trades in Ontario and beyond. 
 
Here is a brief summary of our industry advancement activities over the past fiscal year:

Snow Liability Insurance Crisis

Snow and ice management contractors continued to experience record high increases in insurance premiums with many not being able to secure any insurance at all. We saw business owners having to get out of the snow services business altogether. Landscape Ontario’s Snow & Ice Sector Group continued to work toward contractor accreditation (ie. The New Hampshire Model of the Green Snow Pro Accreditation), continuing to support the efforts of developing a Snow Standard through the Canadian Standards Association. We have connected with the CSA and hopeful they will support this initiative. We continue to participate with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks via a working group known as the Freshwater Roundtable. 

LO COVID-19 Taskforce

As this fiscal year winds down, the Landscape Ontario Covid-19 Task Force met just over 200 times over the course of the pandemic. This group had very difficult conversations, and made even harder decisions. As the pandemic is easing up and restrictions lifted, the LO Board of Directors has chosen to pause the efforts of the Covid-19 Task Force. We thank them for their tremendous commitment and effort.  
 
Thank you to: Alan White (Chair), Jeff Olsen, Jon Durzi, Dave Wright, Peter Guinane, Margot Byers, Terry Childs, Lindsey Ross, James Riddell.

Highway of Heroes Living Tribute Tree Campaign

This wonderful project has reached its goal of raising $10 million to pay for the planting of two million trees to honour members of the Canadian Armed Forces. We are preparing to plant the final few trees on Remembrance Day 2022 at Fort York in Toronto. The next chapter of our work will be Canadian Trees for Life. 

Canadian Trees For Life

With the success of the Highway of Heroes Living Tribute the board, under the inspirational leadership of Mark Cullen, decided to use the experience, relationships and goodwill associated with the HOH project to create a new national foundation called Canadian Trees for Life. The goal is to work with community tree organizations, local and regional governments and local businesses across Canada to realize the federal government’s 2 Billion Tree program. We look forward to promoting urban tree cover across the country.

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (VRIC)

Landscape Ontario has long supported the mandate of VRIC. We sponsored a permanent Horticulture Research Chair position. It was one of the best things we have ever done. Our small investment has been leveraged many times over. Dr. Darby McGrath is dedicated to enhancing the success of our sector.
 
Program focus:

• Enhance the evidence of horticultural products as natural solutions through active experimentation, testing and demonstration.
• Utilize new technologies and techniques across crops to create production efficiencies.
• Develop new practices for circular economy in horticulture by utilizing waste streams on the farm or transforming into value-added products.

Dr. McGrath’s newest initiative is called Greening the Landscape Research Consortium. Landscape Ontario is proud to be a charter member. The consortium includes many partners focused on building the collective capacity of the urban tree value chain. Research priorities are based on the issues faced by members. The work will ensure that trees in the urban landscape are provided with optimum conditions for growth.

Canada Blooms

Towards the end of this fiscal year, together with the Garden Club of Toronto, we continued to explore options on how we could run Canada Blooms for 2023. The reality was that we were well past the amount of time we would need to be successful. Another difficult decision to postpone Canada Blooms for another year was made. 

Box Tree Moth

Landscape Ontario continues to support the efforts to control Box Tree Moth. Over the last number of years, Landscape Ontario has been trying to control a local outbreak of this serious pest of boxwood in the southern Etobicoke area. There was an extensive program of scouting, door-to-door awareness activities and free spraying. Unfortunately, the pest has spread beyond Etobicoke and into the Niagara Area. This resulted in the shut down of all exports to the U.S. Growers have lost millions of dollars. Landscape Ontario is now working with CNLA, growers across Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to develop control programs that would allow exports to continue. Here is some information about the moth.

Landscape Ontario’s Congress

Despite having to cancel our in-person trade show, Landscape Ontario continued to deliver a world class virtual conference. Through the tremendous leadership of Heather MacRae, LO’s Director of Trade Shows & Events, our plan was always to have the conference remain virtual for this year as a way to ensure we had a mechanism to deliver on what the Landscape Ontario community was hoping for from us. The entire LO events team pulled together to deliver an excellent, value rich event. Following a short and much needed rest, the entire team began planning for Landscape Ontario’s 50th Anniversary celebration at Congress 2023. No time was wasted as the team started selling booth space and sponsorship nearly right away. 

Landscape Ontario’s Staff Family

Throughout the pandemic the Landscape Ontario staff family has grown. In fact, when I started with LO in April of 2020 there were 21 of us. Now as we wrap up the fiscal year we are 42 in what felt like a very short 2.5 year period. We owe much of our growth to our membership and our two provincial government grants, nearly $4million worth. Early on in the pandemic, the LO staff leadership team made the conscious decision to lead with empathy and compassion. Because of this, we have continued to foster a culture of family, caring, and wellbeing. It is because of this culture we have all worked together to build that we are seeing such fantastic work being done. 
 
In May 2022, we said farewell to Sally Harvey - LO’s Director of Education & Workforce Development as she moved on to pursue her consultancy business. Landscape Ontario wishes her the most success in her next chapter.
 
In July 2022, we welcomed Courtney McCann, LO’s new Director of Workforce Development. Courtney comes to us from the Career Foundation and specializes in workforce development for several skilled trades in Ontario. Her background is rich with the specific experience and skills that will see Landscape Ontario’s workforce development efforts move forward with tremendous success. 
 
This was the year that we would show our appreciation to Tony DiGiovanni for his commitment and dedication to Landscape Ontario through his 33-year career as he retires (although he really despises the use of that word). What he didn’t realize is that a special committee of staff and board had been planning a special celebration for him. A celebration that would see nearly 400 people at the Landscape Ontario facility in Milton, ON. There were hundreds more that sent their well wishes. 
 
It’s because of Tony that I am with Landscape Ontario, it’s because of him that many of us are part of this amazing community and organization. Tony, thank you for your commitment to the advancement of landscape horticulture in Ontario, thank you for your dedication to make Landscape Ontario the most successful landscape trades associations in the world, thank you for everything you have done for Landscape Ontario. 

Landscape Ontario’s Communications

Throughout the pandemic, Landscape Ontario chose to double down on the communications that were provided to the entire community. We added a digital marketing specialist, and a multimedia journalist. We chose to become the news station for everything Covid-19 related. We also bolstered our digital presence through our websites and social media. We added a number of new advertising and sponsorship opportunities through our new digital channels as well.
 
Landscape Trades magazine continues to be Canada’s premier landscape publication. A recent redesign is aesthetically-pleasing and has increased the size, making it easier to read. The social media efforts are second to none. Useful and interesting content is added daily to the websites and a number of digital products like e-news, Landscape Trades Essentials, partner posts and direct emails have ensured we offer content in a way that is relevant to our readers.

Workforce development

Landscape Ontario has been very fortunate to receive a number of grants aimed at finding solutions to our labour shortage. The grants continue to be managed by Courtney McCann, Director of Workforce Development. Information on the programs will appear in the Workforce Development report, but I will take the opportunity to summarize them here.
 
GROW program
The GROW program is made up of three activities designed to help businesses recruit and retain employees. Although it is only offered in the Greater Toronto, Hamilton and Muskoka regions, our goal is to expand it across Ontario. Presently, it is being piloted in these three locations.
 
New Entrant Training
The program attracts new people to our profession. It provides six weeks of free, basic training before participants are available to employers. Over the last two years, we trained over 160 individuals.
 
Supervisory and Crew Leader Training
This program is focused on developing outstanding employees into crew leaders and supervisors. Many studies have shown that training and a career path are excellent retention tools. Knowledge builds enthusiasm. 85 individuals completed the Supervisory and Crew Leader Training
 
Employer of Choice
The third part of the GROW program is the Employer of Choice Program. 71 members attended the Employer of Choice program.

Apprenticeship Program

To me, the Apprenticeship Program is a gift to the profession. In my view, every member of Landscape Ontario should enroll their staff in the Apprenticeship Program. The program will elevate the skills of your staff team at no cost to you if you use the government incentives. There are incentives for both you and your employees. I have personally observed lives change for the better. Employees have been awakened to the breadth of the profession based on this program. Employers have become better organizations because of the changed skills and attitudes of their team members. We are fortunate to be authorized by the government to register apprentices.

Record membership

We are pleased to report that Landscape Ontario has enjoyed another record year of new membership applications. This is for a number of reasons, including the CNLA affinity programs, difficulty in obtaining insurance (except through membership), an appreciation for the work done to declare the industry essential and able to work during the pandemic. We look forward to welcoming these new members into the LO family.

The future

The challenges we all faced this year were significant, but it was how we adapted in the face of those challenges and rose above to see what opportunities lie ahead for us. Our focus is renewed, our passion and our energy are stronger than ever. Landscape Ontario’s board of directors continues to provide the strategic direction that will take our mighty ship forward through the stormiest of waters, of which our crew (staff family) will navigate with class, confidence, and grace. 
 
Respectfully submitted,
Joe Salemi, CAE
Deputy Executive Director 2021-2022
(Executive Director starting September 15, 2022)