November 11, 2022
2022 Sector Group Reports
The scope and mandate — and therefore the needs — of the industry sectors served by Landscape Ontario are distinctly different. The specific requirements of each of these groups are facilitated by the association’s sector group structure. The objective of each sector group is to respond to current concerns resulting from marketplace pressures and government legislation.
Jump to: Garden Centre, Grounds Management, Growers, Hardscape, Irrigation, Landscape Contractors, Landscape Designers, Lighting, Turfgrass Management, Snow and Ice Management
Members: Art Vanden Enden, Barry Benjamin, Diane Hutchinson, Kennedy Johnston, Kevin Jack, Perry Grobe, Anne Kadwell, Justin Cartella
It has been very relieving to see some of the things we took for granted before the pandemic return. While in the same breath, it has been reviving to see the continued strength of our industry, our sectors, the association, members and the community who have dedicated themselves to navigating the pandemic.
Our sector has seen many pivots, adaptations and reevaluations of everything we do. Fittingly, we have been taking the opportunity to evaluate many of the programs we offer, and are looking forward to assessing how Garden Centre’s can benefit from the Apprenticeship program, awards program and research programs - and how they can bring the sector together.
We were also thrilled to see some of the conferences returning, and focusing on networking, education and the best our sector offers. With the continued support of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, the Garden Centre Summit was held in Edmonton and was a great success. This was followed by the International Garden Centre Association who hosted their first congress in several years. The Netherlands in similar fashion, celebrated our industry, and showcased the strengths and values that come when we collaborate.
We are all really looking forward to the future, and as always we would love to have more members join us even for the sake of sharing and connecting when you can.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Van Dongen
Chair, 2021-2022
Provincial board representative: Steve Macartney
Vice-Chair: Tyler Burnell
Members: Andrew Cordeiro, Chris Le Conte, Don McQueen, John Lamberink, Justin Comacchio, Natnael Taera, Paul Barker, Paul Prouix, Roy Neves, Steve Marysiuk, Steven Hernandez, Tony Serwatuk, Ian McMilliian, Mo Von Roeder, Kyle King, Gerad Vanden Bussche, Michelle Von Roeder, Patrick Sirrs.
2022 was another busy season for the irrigation sector. Contractors continued to see strong demand for their services.
At the end of the 2021 season, the Irrigation Sector Chapter reached out to our industry to hear some of the biggest challenges they are facing so that we could narrow our focus on how we can support and improve our industry. As you may expect, Covid-19, product shortages and staffing were at the top of the list. In the spring, we hosted a live virtual HR round table discussion to hear from some of our industry leaders who have found creative incentives and systems to increase their retention and recruiting efforts. We had strong engagement from the attendees of this event and our chapter has committed to hosting more round table discussions in the future.
We had our long-time irrigation trainer, Lorne Haveruk, retire. Thank you to Stephen Hernadez and Pau Barkerl who stepped up to cover Lorne and host some training courses for our staff this past spring. Over the next few months, our chapter will be working to revamp the training courses we offer to better serve the needs of our contractors.
Finally, I want to take one last opportunity to thank Tony DiGiovanni for all his support on behalf of our sector. We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish many of our initiatives and programs without your support. We wish you all the best.
Trevor Lively
Irrigation Sector Chairman
2021-2022
Provincial Board Representative: Peter Guinane
Members: Jason Gaw, Jurt Vanclief, Thomas Blatter, Ryan Bostock, Frank Bourque, Allan Kling, Ed Hansen, Jarrett Woodard, Jim Bender, Nick Lang, Shawn Giovanetti, Darcy DeCaluwe, Terry Childs, Blake Tubby
The Contractors Sector Group is getting back to normal with events as we emerge from the restrictions related to Covid.
A big change this year saw our group grow with the Hardscape Committee join with the Contractors Commodity Group. The two groups share many issues and priorities.
Our first event was an Open House in Ottawa in August at Hansen Lawn and Gardens. This was a fantastic opportunity for members to meet and discuss how to set up and run a landscape business. The date coincided with the CNLA 100th anniversary meetings and many members from across the country joined us.
Hansen has been providing landscape services in Ottawa for over 30 years! Thank you to Ed Hansen and his staff for hosting the event. We hope to continue this program with more sites every year.
The 50th Anniversary of Congress is happening and our group is working to bring back Hardscape Live, Green Live and Drive Live better than ever.
Ongoing priorities revolve around improving the labour shortages and skills training experienced by LO members. There are many programs that have been developed by all levels of government and we will work to bring attention to these opportunities, most notably the GROW program run by Landscape Ontario.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Guinane
Provincial board representative: Jamie Riddell
Members: Carl Hastings, Conrad Monteiro, Don McQueen, John Higo, Ken Martin, Rob Redden, Ron Iserhot, Terry Childs, Jeff McGee, Tim Meijs, Cam Hansuld, Gerad Vanden Bussche, Steven Hernandez, Frank DiMarco
Looking back over the 2021-22 year as it relates to the Landscape Lighting Sector Group, we as a collective cannot help but feel a great deal of pride for what we have all accomplished together.
In the later part of 2021 I was elected as the new chair. Our group quickly got to work on some new initiatives. We began to create a Landscape Lighting Tool Kit, drawing from the great experience and knowledge of our members. The kit includes helpful tips for sales, design, service and planning. This living document continues to evolve, which will provide lighting and landscape professionals alike with useful guidance to continue to elevate the lighting industry right here in Ontario. Future topics will include installation best practices, pre-qualifying clients, working as a sub-contractor and documentation. We hope that this engages other contractors to provide suggestions for new tool kit subjects and to also influence them into joining our group! The tool kit can be found at: HortTrades.com/lighting-sector-tool-kit.
As COVID-19 still presented some very real challenges in the early part of this year, we elected to host The Lighting Town Hall as a virtual event. Our keynote speaker was Jason Sponzilli of Sponzilli Landscape Group, based out of New Jersey. He is an award-winning lighting designer whose company also offers landscape design - build, maintenance and snow removal. Jason brought a perspective that is relevant to many of our members, in that they design landscape installation projects that regularly incorporate landscape lighting. He also offered some valuable tips about the sales process as well as other business-related subjects. The event was well attended, and received positive feedback. We all are looking forward to getting together in person for an event in the new year.
I want to thank each and every member of our group for their willingness to share wisdom and better one another. Thank you to Jaleesa Rhoden, Joe Salemi and the rest of the staff at Landscape Ontario for supporting our sector. A HUGE thank you to Tony DiGiovanni for his many years of service to Landscape Ontario and its members. I can attest for myself - and many others - the value that you have added to this organization. All the best in retirement!
I would also like to acknowledge Carl Hastings for his years as the Chair of this committee prior to my tenure. I admire Carl for all of his insights and involvement, and will continue to call on him for assistance. Thank you.
I am grateful for our list of achievements, and am incredibly optimistic about the new year and what it will bring for our group, the landscape lighting industry and the landscape profession as a whole.
Keep on shining!
Scott Sim
Chair, Landscape Lighting Sector Group
2021-2022
Chair: Gavin Dawson
Provincial board representative: Alan White
Vice-Chair: John McIntosh
Members: Kyle Tobin, Chris Lemcke, Rohan Harrison, John Mcintosh, Chris Urquhart, Paul Gaspar, Isaac Bork, Mathew Hooper, Dr. Sara Stricker, Tim Tripp MSc, Dr. Michael Brownbridge, Tom Somerville, Kerry Whale, Scott Bowman, Brad Normand, James Walke, Jim Spencer, Mark Schneider, Brett Jeacle
The Turfgrass Management Group began 2022 with yet another successful IPM Symposium. This annual full day symposium occurs the day before Congress begins and has been widely regarded as an important educational and professional development event for our industry since 1965. This year’s Symposium was again a virtual event drawing 251 registrants from all corners of the Green industry including professional lawn care, sports turf, golf, and municipal parks and public works. In addition, its recording was available for registrant replay or purchase for those that could not make the January 6 live showing. This year’s topics included soil fertility, trufgrass endophytes, turfgrass management applied research, IPM in the garden, turf diseases, managing plant pollinators, and an update from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The virtual aspect of this Symposium has proven very popular given the increased accessibility it offers to many of those who can not travel to an in-person event. Moreover, the January timing of this Symposium has historically presented challenges for even local members to attend in-person given inclement weather.
The 2023 IPM Symposium will again be virtual on January 5. Scheduled topics include improving soil biology to reduce inputs, controlling invasive phragmites, IPM turf research update from the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, efficiencies in turfgass nitrogen use and drought tolerance from endophytic microbes, invasive species ID and management, an IPM perspective on urban tree care, innovations in horticultural spray oils, and an update from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. As always, Symposium attendance and the completion of an exam awards 6 CEC’s towards annual IPM accreditation from the IPM Council of Canada. In addition, some sessions may qualify for ISA CEU’s. Registration for the January 5, 2023 IPM Symposium is now available.
As the 2022 season got under way, we generally saw a slower spring development than in 2021. This delayed development continued through much of the turf management season. While conditions varied greatly across the province, we generally saw good turfgrass growing conditions with widely reported reduction in insect pest activity such as chinch bugs.
Several projects conducted by the Turfgrass Management Group in 2022, were motivated by this Group’s recognition that the Ontario’s Turfgrass industry must meet the challenge of operating in a changing world with changing business, regulatory and natural environments. Specifically, we see the need for improved knowledge transfer between research, industry and government. We also recognize a need for a raised awareness of the green landscape industry in terms of the economic, environmental and societal benefits it provides by producing and maintaining healthy turfgrass in Ontario. To this end, our Group worked with the University of Guelph (GTI) to apply through OMAFRA’s Agri-Food Innovation Alliance program for a Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) Mobilization project, “Increasing benefit and sustainability of landscapes with better management through collaboration with the turfgrass industry”. While this application did not prove successful, and efforts continue to pursue greater alliance with OMFRA to support the turfgrass industry, this initiative spawned a greater alliance between our Turfgrass Management Group and the GTI. In working with Dr. Sara Stricker at the GTI, three specific 2022 deliverables were established including: a video series on functional horticulture; a Landscape Trades article on turfgrass carbon sequestration; and a social media toolkit for turfgrass management companies on the educational awareness of the benefits of Turfgrass.
We look forward to seeing these projects come to life and additional endeavours in 2023 that will serve to grow the awareness of the many societal, environmental, and functional benefits of turfgrass and the prosperity of the turfgrass industry.
Gavin Dawson
Chair 2021-2022
Jump to: Garden Centre, Grounds Management, Growers, Hardscape, Irrigation, Landscape Contractors, Landscape Designers, Lighting, Turfgrass Management, Snow and Ice Management
Garden Centre
Chair: Michael Van DongenMembers: Art Vanden Enden, Barry Benjamin, Diane Hutchinson, Kennedy Johnston, Kevin Jack, Perry Grobe, Anne Kadwell, Justin Cartella
It has been very relieving to see some of the things we took for granted before the pandemic return. While in the same breath, it has been reviving to see the continued strength of our industry, our sectors, the association, members and the community who have dedicated themselves to navigating the pandemic.
Our sector has seen many pivots, adaptations and reevaluations of everything we do. Fittingly, we have been taking the opportunity to evaluate many of the programs we offer, and are looking forward to assessing how Garden Centre’s can benefit from the Apprenticeship program, awards program and research programs - and how they can bring the sector together.
We were also thrilled to see some of the conferences returning, and focusing on networking, education and the best our sector offers. With the continued support of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, the Garden Centre Summit was held in Edmonton and was a great success. This was followed by the International Garden Centre Association who hosted their first congress in several years. The Netherlands in similar fashion, celebrated our industry, and showcased the strengths and values that come when we collaborate.
We are all really looking forward to the future, and as always we would love to have more members join us even for the sake of sharing and connecting when you can.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Van Dongen
Chair, 2021-2022
Growers Group
Report to follow.Irrigation
Chair: Trevor LivelyProvincial board representative: Steve Macartney
Vice-Chair: Tyler Burnell
Members: Andrew Cordeiro, Chris Le Conte, Don McQueen, John Lamberink, Justin Comacchio, Natnael Taera, Paul Barker, Paul Prouix, Roy Neves, Steve Marysiuk, Steven Hernandez, Tony Serwatuk, Ian McMilliian, Mo Von Roeder, Kyle King, Gerad Vanden Bussche, Michelle Von Roeder, Patrick Sirrs.
2022 was another busy season for the irrigation sector. Contractors continued to see strong demand for their services.
At the end of the 2021 season, the Irrigation Sector Chapter reached out to our industry to hear some of the biggest challenges they are facing so that we could narrow our focus on how we can support and improve our industry. As you may expect, Covid-19, product shortages and staffing were at the top of the list. In the spring, we hosted a live virtual HR round table discussion to hear from some of our industry leaders who have found creative incentives and systems to increase their retention and recruiting efforts. We had strong engagement from the attendees of this event and our chapter has committed to hosting more round table discussions in the future.
We had our long-time irrigation trainer, Lorne Haveruk, retire. Thank you to Stephen Hernadez and Pau Barkerl who stepped up to cover Lorne and host some training courses for our staff this past spring. Over the next few months, our chapter will be working to revamp the training courses we offer to better serve the needs of our contractors.
Finally, I want to take one last opportunity to thank Tony DiGiovanni for all his support on behalf of our sector. We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish many of our initiatives and programs without your support. We wish you all the best.
Trevor Lively
Irrigation Sector Chairman
2021-2022
Landscape Contractors and Hardscape
Chair: Joseph MorelloProvincial Board Representative: Peter Guinane
Members: Jason Gaw, Jurt Vanclief, Thomas Blatter, Ryan Bostock, Frank Bourque, Allan Kling, Ed Hansen, Jarrett Woodard, Jim Bender, Nick Lang, Shawn Giovanetti, Darcy DeCaluwe, Terry Childs, Blake Tubby
The Contractors Sector Group is getting back to normal with events as we emerge from the restrictions related to Covid.
A big change this year saw our group grow with the Hardscape Committee join with the Contractors Commodity Group. The two groups share many issues and priorities.
Our first event was an Open House in Ottawa in August at Hansen Lawn and Gardens. This was a fantastic opportunity for members to meet and discuss how to set up and run a landscape business. The date coincided with the CNLA 100th anniversary meetings and many members from across the country joined us.
Hansen has been providing landscape services in Ottawa for over 30 years! Thank you to Ed Hansen and his staff for hosting the event. We hope to continue this program with more sites every year.
The 50th Anniversary of Congress is happening and our group is working to bring back Hardscape Live, Green Live and Drive Live better than ever.
Ongoing priorities revolve around improving the labour shortages and skills training experienced by LO members. There are many programs that have been developed by all levels of government and we will work to bring attention to these opportunities, most notably the GROW program run by Landscape Ontario.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Guinane
Landscape Designers
Report to follow.Lighting
Chair: Scott SimProvincial board representative: Jamie Riddell
Members: Carl Hastings, Conrad Monteiro, Don McQueen, John Higo, Ken Martin, Rob Redden, Ron Iserhot, Terry Childs, Jeff McGee, Tim Meijs, Cam Hansuld, Gerad Vanden Bussche, Steven Hernandez, Frank DiMarco
Looking back over the 2021-22 year as it relates to the Landscape Lighting Sector Group, we as a collective cannot help but feel a great deal of pride for what we have all accomplished together.
In the later part of 2021 I was elected as the new chair. Our group quickly got to work on some new initiatives. We began to create a Landscape Lighting Tool Kit, drawing from the great experience and knowledge of our members. The kit includes helpful tips for sales, design, service and planning. This living document continues to evolve, which will provide lighting and landscape professionals alike with useful guidance to continue to elevate the lighting industry right here in Ontario. Future topics will include installation best practices, pre-qualifying clients, working as a sub-contractor and documentation. We hope that this engages other contractors to provide suggestions for new tool kit subjects and to also influence them into joining our group! The tool kit can be found at: HortTrades.com/lighting-sector-tool-kit.
As COVID-19 still presented some very real challenges in the early part of this year, we elected to host The Lighting Town Hall as a virtual event. Our keynote speaker was Jason Sponzilli of Sponzilli Landscape Group, based out of New Jersey. He is an award-winning lighting designer whose company also offers landscape design - build, maintenance and snow removal. Jason brought a perspective that is relevant to many of our members, in that they design landscape installation projects that regularly incorporate landscape lighting. He also offered some valuable tips about the sales process as well as other business-related subjects. The event was well attended, and received positive feedback. We all are looking forward to getting together in person for an event in the new year.
I want to thank each and every member of our group for their willingness to share wisdom and better one another. Thank you to Jaleesa Rhoden, Joe Salemi and the rest of the staff at Landscape Ontario for supporting our sector. A HUGE thank you to Tony DiGiovanni for his many years of service to Landscape Ontario and its members. I can attest for myself - and many others - the value that you have added to this organization. All the best in retirement!
I would also like to acknowledge Carl Hastings for his years as the Chair of this committee prior to my tenure. I admire Carl for all of his insights and involvement, and will continue to call on him for assistance. Thank you.
I am grateful for our list of achievements, and am incredibly optimistic about the new year and what it will bring for our group, the landscape lighting industry and the landscape profession as a whole.
Keep on shining!
Scott Sim
Chair, Landscape Lighting Sector Group
2021-2022
Snow and Ice Management
Report to follow.Turfgrass Management
Chair: Gavin Dawson
Provincial board representative: Alan White
Vice-Chair: John McIntosh
Members: Kyle Tobin, Chris Lemcke, Rohan Harrison, John Mcintosh, Chris Urquhart, Paul Gaspar, Isaac Bork, Mathew Hooper, Dr. Sara Stricker, Tim Tripp MSc, Dr. Michael Brownbridge, Tom Somerville, Kerry Whale, Scott Bowman, Brad Normand, James Walke, Jim Spencer, Mark Schneider, Brett Jeacle
The Turfgrass Management Group began 2022 with yet another successful IPM Symposium. This annual full day symposium occurs the day before Congress begins and has been widely regarded as an important educational and professional development event for our industry since 1965. This year’s Symposium was again a virtual event drawing 251 registrants from all corners of the Green industry including professional lawn care, sports turf, golf, and municipal parks and public works. In addition, its recording was available for registrant replay or purchase for those that could not make the January 6 live showing. This year’s topics included soil fertility, trufgrass endophytes, turfgrass management applied research, IPM in the garden, turf diseases, managing plant pollinators, and an update from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The virtual aspect of this Symposium has proven very popular given the increased accessibility it offers to many of those who can not travel to an in-person event. Moreover, the January timing of this Symposium has historically presented challenges for even local members to attend in-person given inclement weather.
The 2023 IPM Symposium will again be virtual on January 5. Scheduled topics include improving soil biology to reduce inputs, controlling invasive phragmites, IPM turf research update from the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, efficiencies in turfgass nitrogen use and drought tolerance from endophytic microbes, invasive species ID and management, an IPM perspective on urban tree care, innovations in horticultural spray oils, and an update from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. As always, Symposium attendance and the completion of an exam awards 6 CEC’s towards annual IPM accreditation from the IPM Council of Canada. In addition, some sessions may qualify for ISA CEU’s. Registration for the January 5, 2023 IPM Symposium is now available.
As the 2022 season got under way, we generally saw a slower spring development than in 2021. This delayed development continued through much of the turf management season. While conditions varied greatly across the province, we generally saw good turfgrass growing conditions with widely reported reduction in insect pest activity such as chinch bugs.
Several projects conducted by the Turfgrass Management Group in 2022, were motivated by this Group’s recognition that the Ontario’s Turfgrass industry must meet the challenge of operating in a changing world with changing business, regulatory and natural environments. Specifically, we see the need for improved knowledge transfer between research, industry and government. We also recognize a need for a raised awareness of the green landscape industry in terms of the economic, environmental and societal benefits it provides by producing and maintaining healthy turfgrass in Ontario. To this end, our Group worked with the University of Guelph (GTI) to apply through OMAFRA’s Agri-Food Innovation Alliance program for a Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) Mobilization project, “Increasing benefit and sustainability of landscapes with better management through collaboration with the turfgrass industry”. While this application did not prove successful, and efforts continue to pursue greater alliance with OMFRA to support the turfgrass industry, this initiative spawned a greater alliance between our Turfgrass Management Group and the GTI. In working with Dr. Sara Stricker at the GTI, three specific 2022 deliverables were established including: a video series on functional horticulture; a Landscape Trades article on turfgrass carbon sequestration; and a social media toolkit for turfgrass management companies on the educational awareness of the benefits of Turfgrass.
We look forward to seeing these projects come to life and additional endeavours in 2023 that will serve to grow the awareness of the many societal, environmental, and functional benefits of turfgrass and the prosperity of the turfgrass industry.
Gavin Dawson
Chair 2021-2022