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CGA Newsletter – August 2007

The Canadian Glass Association brings news to the industry from coast-to-coast.

Innis Harvey

GCA of BC
Victoria Schifferns, execute director of the Glazing Contractors Association (GCA) of British Columbia reports that: “On June 22, the GCA’s 16th Annual Golf Tournament was attended by a sold out crowd. There were 72 carts buzzing throughout the Surrey Golf Course and prizes that included a $25,000 hole in one, two Plasma TVs and five barbeques.

At the Industry Celebration Dinner with 156 people attending, the GCA recognized Innis Harvey for his long career in the British Columbia glazing industry with a Lifetime Membership in the GCA of British Columbia.

“Winners at the 16th Annual Golf Tournament include:
• Lowest score: Roger Huitema, Laine Funk, Bill Snyder and Ed Stock from Starline Architectural Windows.
• Second lowest score: Lorne Wood and Wade Schultz, All Weather Windows; Bob Lawrence, VinylTek; and Larry Arkinson, Euroline Windows.
• Third lowest score: Brian Cowell and Steve Bal, AFG Glass; Jack Ramnauth, Proline Automation Systems; and Gary Pura, Concept Aluminum.

The Canadian Glass Association (CGA) held a board of executives meeting hosted by the Glazing Contractors Association (GCA) of British Columbia in June. From left: Dennis Haatvedt, CGA second-vice president representing the Ontario Glass and Metal Contractors Association in Ontario; Stephen Hargrove, representing the Provincial Glaziers Association of Alberta and the Glass and Architectural Metal Association in Calgary; Dave Husson, CGA first vice-president representing the Glazing Contractors Association of British Columbia; Dieter Ringler, CGA president representing the Ontario Glass and Metal Association; Keith Pynoo, CGA past-president representing the Provincial Glaziers Association of Alberta and the Glass and Architectural Metal Association; Victoria Schifferns, executive director for the GCA of British Columbia; and Rick Zuchetto, CGA treasurer representing the Glass Trades Association of Northern Alberta.

“Tournament contest winners include:
• Longest Drive: Seth Marete of National Glass, Hole #15; and Keith Smith of Cascade Aqua-Tech, Hole #13.
• Closest to the Pin: Roger Huitema of Starline Windows, Hole #13; and Peter Franklin of Easi-Serv Products, Hole #15.

CGA meeting
“The GCA of British Columbia was pleased to sponsor the annual meeting of the Canadian Glass Association (CGA) on June 21 in Surrey, which included: Dieter Ringler, Ontario Glass and Metal Association; Dave Husson, Glazing Contractors Association of British Columbia; Stephen Hargrove, representing the Provincial Glaziers Association of Alberta and the Glass and Architectural Metal Association; Keith Pynoo, Provincial Glaziers Association of Alberta and the Glass and Architectural Metal Association; and CGA treasurer, Richard Zuchetto, representing the Glass Trades Association ofNorthern Alberta. The CGA members joined us for golf and dinner as well.”

Advocacy
“The board of directors of the Glazing Contractors Association of British Columbia met with individuals from the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue to discuss ways to reduce the amount of paperwork required for the legislated PST exemption refund.”

Apprenticeship program
“The Glazing Industry and Training Committee met in June to discuss the next steps to improve the British Columbia Glazing Apprenticeship Program. We will be investing a lot of volunteer hours and curriculum
professionals over the next few months to ensure that the new learning materials respond to industry needs. A glazier safety video is in the works and an additional glazier training school will open this fall in Surrey. Thompson River University is also intending to open in 2008.

“Seminar Calendar for 2007 includes:
• September 20 – Energy Star Windows.
• October 18 – Design Build – the Glass Component.
• November 15 – Annual General Meeting and State of the Industry Report.”

For more information, please contact the association at: (604) 591-5662.

What’s new?
“GCA of British Columbia will be offering a safety program to its members this year. Each member will have access to a safety advisor and a program that will help them reduce their Worksafe assessment costs.

“GCA of British Columbia Technical Committee is hard at work developing an action plan for a new update to the Glazing Specifications Manual. Estimated release is sometime in 2008.” -end-

The winning team for the GTA Golf Tournament, from left: Daenon Ryton, Cronkhite Supply; Russ Morley, Bahry’s Glass; Joe Millard, Bahry’s Glass; and Ryan Ardiel, Tremco.

GTA
Ryan Ardiel from the Glass Trades Association (GTA) in Edmonton, Alberta, reports that: “On June 9, the Glass Trades Association held its Annual Golf Tournament, which accommodated 61 golfers and 65
dinner guests. The weather was great and everyone walked away with a gift. The winning team included Russ Morely and Joe Millard from Bahry’s Glass, Ryan Ardiel from Tremco and Daenon Ryton, who was a volunteer for the day.

“There were prizes for the closest golfer (male and female) to the pin, longest drive and longest putt. Can-Am Glass generously sponsored a Caesar Hole on Number 4, which surely helped everyone’s game, or at least helped them forget about it. There were numerous generous prizes donated by various companies including golf accessories from All Glass Parts, golf bag and balls from Can-Am Glass, and a putter from Tremco. As a registration gift, all players also received a Sun-ice Wind Jacket, a GTA shoe bag, two sleeves of balls, tees and a pair of sporty sunglasses donated from Supertint.

“The GTA also held a 50/50 draw totalling $153.00, which was won by Mike Mancini of Century Glass. He, in turn, asked to have the proceeds donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. All in all, it turned out to be a great day and all of the members had a great chance to interact with each other outside of the work environment.” -end-

OGMA

Ray Mount

The Ontario Glass and Metal Association (OGMA) held its Spring Golf Tournament and Awards
Banquet in May. As usual, the event was very well supported with approximately 200 people attending for dinner where association members took time to present Ray Mount with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mount, who recently retired after serving more than 40 years in the Canadian glass industry, began his career in 1964 with Kawneer. He retired from the company after working under various positions in Ontario and British Columbia; however, he returned on two separate occasions, once in 2000 and the other in 2005, to help when an employee went on maternity leave. During his career with Kawneer, he left briefly in 1979 to start his own glazing company called Westmount Glass and Aluminum in Calgary, Alberta, but as Mount says during his thank-you speech in front of a packed room of association members… “I always found a home in Kawneer.”

He says that his motivation for committing himself to one company for such a long duration has to do with the friendships he made with colleagues and other people in the industry. “In the long-run, it’s about job satisfaction. The primary thing with any career is to like what you do, the money is secondary,” says Mount, passing some advice on to others who are beginning their careers.

“For the young people in this industry, I want to warn you that time goes by quickly when you enjoy what you do, so get involved with your industry and get involved with your association. It will help you grow and develop your career path.” Mount, who has volunteered as a board member for several different industry associations in the past, thanked the OGMA for the award stating: “I will cherish it for the rest
of my life.”

Steve Ringler

Harry Banikin

Safety in numbers
The OGMA also used its golf tournament to help promote a current initiative to form a Safety Group recognized by the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) that is offering a rebate program.

Organized by Steve Ringler of Oakville Glass and Mirror, the concept is to form groups of 25 or more companies that are members of an established association committed to working together by mentoring, networking and sharing best practices to improve each company’s safety performance.

During the presentation, Ringler introduced Harry Banikin, the  president of Banikin and  Associates, who works with construction employers to help develop, implement and manage safety policies and training programs. He explained to members in the room that eligible companies can potentially receive a six percent rebate on their annual WSIB premiums without surcharges and without penalties. “The program is designed to help employers achieve their safety obligations by getting them together to help each other improve their industry and lower their premiums. As a group you can influence your premium rates,” he says.There are five elements to achieve in the program guidelines and employers only need to complete three elements to share in any potential rebates. Participation in the program can also defer a Work Well Audit for one year.

“Being in compliance is a matter of due diligence and documentation that many companies already have in place, like having a company safety policy,” adds Ringler. “This is a win-win-win program that benefits your company, your employees and your industry. This program will reduce your premiums and improve your safety records at the same time, but you have to be a member of the OGMA.”

For more information contact: Steve Ringler at (905) 827-2951 or Ennio Rea at (416) 388-4223. -end