SUPPLYING THE DEMAND: HOW CAPREIT IS INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE Canadian Apartment Properties REIT BRINGING A FAMILY VISION TO THE HALIFAX HOUSING MARKET Cosmos Properties & Developments THE FIGHT FOR AFFORDABLE CANADIAN HOUSING Urchin Property Management Incorporated (UPMI) & BUSINESSINFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM JUL Y 2 02 2 EDITOR’S CORNER “The idea of a trademark—a seal or a brand to identify the producer—has been around for more than 4000 years, and that concept is still a core part of advertising today.” 3 I find the history of marketing to be far more exciting than it should have any right to be. I think the producers of the hit TV show Mad Men (2007-2015) would agree, as much of that show’s success was driven by their pursuit of historical accuracy. From its ancient roots in pre-printing history to the modern marketing of today, it’s interesting to consider both how much the industry has grown, and yet how little it has changed at its core. The idea of a trademark— a seal or a brand to identify the producer—has been around for more than 4000 years, and that concept is still a core part of advertising today. While we have gone from papyrus, rock paintings, clay seals and town criers to digital media, bluetooth signage, product registration and social media, it’s still about reaching your customers and establishing trust. In her latest piece, Pauline Müller investigates what factors con- tribute to the return on marketing investment in The Importance of Branding – Staying On-Trend and Establishing Trust. Tim Hocken Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Margaret Eaton | William Young | Claire Suttles Robert Hoshowsky | David Caldwell | Pauline Müller Allison Dempsey | Nate Hendley CONTENT TEAM MANAGER James Corbett SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER Brad Mike CONTENT MANAGERS Aaron Ferguson | Wendy Hood-Morris Dean Lucas | Scott Forbes SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Luke Simms SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Morgan Culpepper OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Severina Gachparova GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laura Pratt | Ashley Dowling Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva REGIONAL DIRECTOR Adam Cameron CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff HockenINSIDE JULY FOCUS ON: IPOANS PRODUCTS & SERVICES 4 OF BRANDING Advertising has become a helical heart center. One that spins the lifeblood of digital and print media into the energizing force on which global commerce runs daily. But what real impact does advertising have these days, and is its return on marketing investment (ROMI) still worth the effort? 5 BUSINESS IN FOCUS GRAPHICS PRO EXPO 2022 (GPX, FORMERLY THE NBM SHOW) 21 – 22 July, Meadowlands, NJ | 4 – 6 August, Long Beach, CA | 16 – 17 September, Charlotte, NC GPX builds on its mission in 2022 after producing six safe and successful events in 2021: to deliver the most exciting coast-to-coast show circuit in the graphics market, provide second-to-none service, and produce a unique multi-market event that includes the awards and personalization, apparel decorating, and sign and digital graphics markets. In 2022, enjoy more exhibitors and floor space, more networking, more special programming and events, and more training. Come see new products, learn new techniques, meet industry experts, connect with suppliers, and network with peers. For more information NUTRITION BUSINESS JOURNAL (NBJ) SUMMIT 25 – 28 July, Carlsbad, CA In 2022, both in-person and virtual attendance options are available for the NBJ Summit. The in-person event will be invite-only and limited to nutrition industry CEOs and executives and will take place July 25-28 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, CA. The virtual component of the Summit will take place on the same days and can be accessed digitally by registered attendees from any location. Listen to cutting-edge views, strategic thinking and discussions on the progress, opportunities and challenges facing the nutrition industry, and enjoy networking with peers and industry leaders in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. For more information INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURISM, TRANSPORT, AND LOGISTICS 28 – 29 August, Toronto, ON Organized by The Institute of Research Engineers and Scientists (The IRES), this conference welcomes scientists, scholars, engineers and students from universities all around the world and the industry to present ongoing research activities and foster research relations between academia and industry. This conference provides opportunities for delegates to exchange new ideas, to establish business or research relations, and to find global partners for future collaboration. For more information 2022 FARM PROGRESS SHOW 30 August – 1 September, Boone, IA The nation’s largest outdoor farm event, for over 50 years, the Farm Progress Show has connected farmers from across the globe with agricul- ture’s leading companies. With hundreds of exhibitors, there’s no better place to engage with the latest farm products and the specialists who developed, tested and designed them. Whether you are looking to innovate with the latest ag-technology, learn from industry experts, or share your farming legacy with your family, the Farm Progress Show has it all. For more information EXCELLENCE IN GLOBAL PACKAGING AND LABELING FOR MEDICAL DEVICES 14 – 15 September, San Diego, CA This conference brings together leaders in Medical Device packaging and labeling to learn from peers on how to proactively navigate the regula- tory maze for greater packaging and labeling efficiency. Enjoy a deep dive into new and evolving industry standards and how human factors and usability play an important part of the packaging design process, and learn about emerging methodologies to combat supply chain challenges. For more information INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Business Industry? To get your event listed in Business in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS RIP, INTERNET EXPLORER It is almost impossible to remember life before Google, the world’s most popular search engine. Long before “let me Google that” became part of our vernacular, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) dominated the Internet. That was then, and this is now, and June 15 saw Microsoft officially retire the product. Released in August 1995 as part of an add-on package for Windows Plus!—with later versions being available as free downloads—IE reigned supreme in a world of search engines. In 2004, it achieved 95 percent market share in a world of now-for- gotten competition including Infoseek, Lycos, Magellan, HotBot, Webcrawler, GoTo.com, and of course, America Online (AOL). For Internet Explorer, the writing has been on the screen for some time. As happens with technologies, it is dying a slow death, and will no longer receive security updates. And the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system, Windows 11, does not have IE at all. Will IE be forgotten like Open Text, Magellan, Netscape and so many others? Only time will tell. Love it or hate it, Internet Explorer made its mark over the past 27 years. Upon the news of IE’s retirement, South Korean software engineer, Jung Ki-young, made an award-winning tombstone to commemorate its end, complete with the ‘e’ Explorer logo, birth and death dates, and the tongue-in-cheek inscription: “He was a good tool to download other browsers.” BITCOIN PLUMMETS TO RECORD LOWS For investors putting their faith in the world’s best-known cryptocurrency, news of Bitcoin’s rapid descent was dire, with headlines worldwide using words like “bloodbath,” “taking a hammering,” and most ominous of all: “cryptocur- rency is dead.” Launched in 2009, Bitcoin represented a unique form of virtual currency, used as money and payment, bypassing third-par- ty involvement, and criticized for its role in illegal transac- tions. The controversial cryptocurrency has had its share of ups and down over the past dozen years, but nothing like its recent nosedive, when any gains Bitcoin, cardano, ethereum, Solana, Ripple XRP and other cryptocurrencies made during the pandemic plummeted almost 7.5 percent in a single day. Peaking last November when it hit a record high of $69,000 USD, Bitcoin started hemorrhaging any gains it made over the past two years just one month later. Making matters worse, some cryptocurrency users could not access their cash, and others have been locked out of their accounts in recent months. Reasons for the massive losses range from China’s crypto-min- ing regions reducing operations to industry experts saying it makes little sense to invest in cryptocurrency right now. 7INDUSTRY NEWS AHOY, STARLINK! For cruise ship passengers, challenges connecting to the internet while in the middle of the ocean may soon be a thing of the past. A recent blog post from luxury cruise company Royal Caribbean stated, “there could be a new generation of high-speed internet coming to Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships.” The business behind the service is none other than SpaceX’s satellite service, Starlink. It was revealed that the Royal Caribbean Group recently made a filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in which it stated its desire to see Starlink internet on its vessels for passengers. In its request to the FCC, Royal Caribbean noted increased demand for cloud-based services as a factor for faster internet aboard ships, noting attrition, bankruptcies, and consolida- tion in the satellite internet business have meant not keeping up with demand, and adding that SpaceX represents “a true next generation solution” for its vessels that can keep up with growth plans. “We believe our work with SpaceX, the first of its kind in the cruise industry, will set the standard for other cruise operators and will mean a leap in terms of guest experience and business operations while at sea.” To date, SpaceX—founded by Elon Musk—still needs to receive approval to operate Starlink on moving vehicles, including naval ships and planes. MARY BROWN’S GOES BURRITOS MB International Brands, the parent company of popular chain Mary Brown’s quick service chicken restaurants, recently announced plans to acquire Fat Bastard Burrito Co. While specific details have not yet been announced, the acquisi- tion will result in one of the biggest privately held food chains in Canada, according to industry experts. Last November saw Mary Brown’s achieve another milestone when it opened its 200th Canadian location, in Newmarket, Ontario. President and Chief Operating Officer Hadi Chahin said at the time in a press release: “Over the past few years, we’ve been on a rapid growth trajectory. We opened 20 stores in 2020 and will open 30 more this year. We’re experiencing record growth in store loca- tions as well as sales. Reaching 200 stores, especially during the challenges of the pandemic, feels especially momentous.” Upon news of the recent acquisition, Chahin stated how thrilled he was with the union of the premium and well-established Canadian restaurant brands. “The transaction combines two highly complementary franchise networks that, together, will provide more delicious choices for diners as well as more oppor- tunities for existing and new franchisees of both brands—across Canada and beyond.” Starting with just one location in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1969, Mary Brown’s now has 215 stores, with plans to open 30 more by the end of 2022. Founded in Toronto in 2010, Fat Bastard Burrito has grown to have 75 locations across Ontario in operation or under development. 8INDUSTRY NEWS WEALTHSIMPLE LAYOFFS In the wake of tremendous market volatility, Toronto-based financial services company Wealthsimple announced it will lay off almost 13 percent of its staff. In a letter to employees, Wealthsimple’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Michael Katchen stated 159 of its 1,262 staff will leave the company. Just a week before the layoffs, the company introduced a hiring freeze. It was only a year ago that Wealthsimple announced the signing of a $750 million CAD financing round, “at a post-money valua- tion of CAD $5 billion,” according to a press release from last May. Among the many celebrity investors were musician Drake and his company DreamCrew, Canadian actors Michael J. Fox and Ryan Reynolds, along with athletes Dwight Powell, Patrick Marleau, and Kelly Olynyk. In October 2020, the company raised $114 million CAD, at a post-money valuation of $1.5 billion CAD. According to his profile at The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau, Katchen was frustrated by his options as a retail investor, and created Wealthsimple, “an online financial services company, to make investing easy, low-cost, and accessible to everyone, regardless of age or net worth.” 9Next >