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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.PLANT.CA | $12
WELCOME TO
SEWING SCHOOL
Canada Goose builds skills from within
Five tests to gauge performance
Revised food regulations challenge SMEs
Standard work: Exploring the opportunities
Focus on smart maintenance planning
DAILY MANUFACTURING NEWS www.plant.ca
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 1 2019-11-29 2:45 PM
From work boots
to water coolers,
Acklands-grainger
has you covered.
AcklandsGrainger.com
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2019-11-29 10:50 AM
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CONTENTS November/December 2019
Vol. 78, No. 08
MORE FEATURES
15 PERFORMANCE Giving conflicting
instructions is confusing and the
reaction is often to ignore them. Three
tips that will help avoid confusion.
16 WORKFORCE A CME survey finds
a shortage of skilled personnel
is affecting manufacturers’
competitiveness.
20 MAINTENANCE The role of critical
thinking and finding the root cause
when handling complex issues.
12 GARMENTS
Sewing school at Canada Goose trains the unemployed, underemployed and new 23 THINK LEAN Exploring best practices
immigrants for Canadian production, and there’s opportunity for advancement. such as standard work requires
slowing down before you go faster.
DEPARTMENTS
17 FOOD & BEVERAGE Revisions to Canada’s 19 CCOHS SAFETY TIPS How to 4 Editorial
food and beverage regulations challenge accommodate workers mental health 6 News
SMEs but offer opportunity. issues, learning challenges and physical Bulletins
disorders. 7 Careers
8 PLANT Online
9 Industry Mix
10 Economy
PLANT Pulse
26 Leading Edge: Innovative
ideas for plants
28 Products and Equipment
29 Plantware
Events
30 Postscript
21 STRATEGY It’s not easy keeping up with 25 TROUBLESHOOTING A set of standard
emerging technologies. Focusing on tests and measurements at key points will
smarter planning leads to excellence. avoid production disruptions. Cover image of John Moran and Kara MacKillop
at Canada Goose by Stephen Urhaney.
PLANT—established 1941, is published 8 times per year by Annex Business Media. Publications Mail Agreement #40065710. Circulation email: blao@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 416-
442-5600, ext 3552 Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1. Occasionally, PLANT will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups
whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Privacy Officer:
privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2019 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All
rights reserved. Performance claims for products listed in this issue are made by contributing manufacturers and agencies. PLANT receives unsolicited materials including letters to the editor, press releases,
promotional items and images from time to time. PLANT, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any
form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. This statement does not apply to materials/pitches submitted by freelance writers, photographers or illustrators in accordance with known industry
practices. Printed in Canada. ISSN: 1929-6606 (Print), 1929-6614 (Online).
www.plant.ca PLANT 3
3 10:50 AM PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 3 2019-11-29 2:45 PM
EDITORIAL
The skills shortage
and jobs for women Editor
Joe Terrett
L
adies, the time has come for you to once again step in and help propel Canadi- 416-442-5600 ext. 3219
jterrett@plant.ca
an manufacturing forward. Yes, there are many of you heading up companies,
holding executive positions and working on plant floors. You are also grievously Senior Publisher
Scott Atkinson
under-represented in this industry sector. 416-510-5207
The world is split roughly 50-50 between the sexes, as is Canada (although satkinson@annexbusinessmedia.com
women have a slight edge). Women account for 48% of the labour force, but only
National Account Manager
28% of manufacturing jobs, according to a report by Canadian Manufacturers & Ilana Fawcett
Exporters (CME). 416-829-1221
ifawcett@annexbusinessmedia.com
There was a time during an ominous period of world history when the opposite
was true. Canadian women powered the Allied war machine that went on to de- Media Sales Manager
Jason Bauer
feat Hitler’s Nazis during World War 2. An excellent article in the Kingston Whig 416-510-6797 / 437-218-0941
Standard (Nov. 20, https://bit.ly/2XTtbZ3) provides an illuminating recounting jbauer@annexbusinessmedia.com
of their efforts. It describes how the Canadian government called on them to fire
Media Designer
up the nation’s factories to produce critical war materials and 323,000 out of a Andrea M. Smith
total population of 11 million responded. But with the Axis defeated and the boys asmith@annexbusinessmedia.com
returning home, the ladies were sent packing. Circulation Manager
That would not happen today. Skilled women are needed on the industrial front Beata Olechnowicz
416-442-5600 ext. 3543
line. Manufacturing employs 1.7 million Canadians, it accounts for two-thirds of bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com
export sales and it’s responsible for 11% of the country’s GDP. However, there are
factors at work that are impeding this vital sector’s progress. One of these is job Account Coordinator
Debbie Smith
vacancies going unfilled. Companies are enduring a seemingly endless shortage 416-442-5600 ext 3221
of people who have the skills needed to propel their businesses forward. dsmith@annexbusinessmedia.com
There are plenty of studies that tell the tale. Most recent and specific is the Vice President/Executive Publisher
skills study from CME that shows 85% of small to large companies are having Tim Dimopoulos
416-510-5100
trouble filling job vacancies. The hardest of these positions to fill include skilled tdimopoulos@annexbusinessmedia.com
production workers, general labour and production support, followed by manage-
ment and a variety of support positions. COO
Scott Jamieson
According to Statistics Canada, women account for about one-third (34%) of sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) bachelor degrees. The num-
bers also show women were less likely to pursue higher-paying STEM fields such
Subscription Price
as engineering or computer science in 2016. Canada $76.00 per year, US $154.50
So how do we get more women and others interested in manufacturing? (US) per year, Foregin $174.50 (US) per
year. Single Copy Canada $12.00. Add
CME will be pushing three recommendations at the government level: realign-
applicable taxes to all rates. Combined,
ing the education system and promoting manufacturing as a career choice; dou- expanded or premium issues, which count
bling employer investment in training; and increasing the number of economic as two subscription issues.
immigrants to 500,000 a year. But manufacturers can move the needle by reach-
Mailing Address
ing out to their communities. Annex Business Media
Canada Goose, the premium winter garment maker, actively recruits women, 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400
Toronto, ON M2H 3R1
new immigrants and others to train in its sewing schools, where employees build
skills and have opportunities to advance to managerial positions. Circulation
Innovative Automation engages area schools with mini trade shows that target Bona Lao
Grade 10 students. It also leads career discussions with its Innovative in the 416-442-5600 ext. 3552
blao@annexbusinessmedia.com
Classroom initiative. Three employees take a 72-minute module into high school Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191
classrooms that runs though a project covering design, manufacturing and test-
ing. The aim is to generate interest in manufacturing and the different activities
involved. This effort is paying off. Some of the participants from the first round
who are in university have submitted resumes to the company.
There’s always talk of the need to better co-ordinate recruitment efforts be-
tween schools at all levels, governments and industry. In the meantime, compa-
nies will have to help themselves fill job vacancies by reaching out to women and
other under-represented groups, and demonstrating that manufacturing offers a
rewarding career path.
Joe Terrett, Editor
Comments? E-mail jterrett@plant.ca.
4 PLANT November/December 2019
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NEWS
Corbec investing $40M in Ontario plant
BULLETINS
Quebec steel company plans to create 100 local jobs in project infrastructure
Leviton, a lighting manufacturer based will hire about 100 full-time workers –
in Melville, NY, has acquired Viscor, a from plant managers and production su-
Toronto-based manufacturer of lighting pervisors to forklift operators and sales
for architectural, commercial, medical, representatives – to work at the 100,000
institutional and industrial applications. square-foot facility. Annual production
Viscor has a state-of-the-art, 200,000 capacity will be 100 million pounds.
square-foot facility where it employs Corbec said the facility will be one
300 people. of the most technologically advanced
galvanizing plants in North America,
Two Lassonde Industries Inc. subsid- with state-of-the-art safety and green
iaries have entered into an agreement features.
with subsidiaries of The Jim Pattison (L-R) Nick Papas, executive vice-president, Corbec; Godfroy St-Pierre, Galvanized products will include
Group, a Vancouver-based conglomer- president; Hon. Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, engineered structures such as bridges,
ate, to acquire Sun-Rype Products Ltd. Job Creation and Trade; John Hall, CEO, Corbec; Fred Eisenberger, Hamilton windmills, towers, exposed architectur-
The fruit-based snack and beverage Mayor; and Donna Skelly, MPP, Flamborough-Glanbrook. PHOTO: CORBEC al steel structures, fencing and farming
manufacturer based in Kelowna, BC has equipment, OEM products, and a vari-
two US affiliates in Selah and Wapato, HAMILTON, Ont. — Corbec Steel broke ground ety of metal parts and hardware.
Wash. The purchase is valued at $80 at its first galvanizing plant in Ontario on Nov. 7. Corbec has galvanizing plants in Quebec City,
million. Lassonde, a manufacturer of The Quebec steel company said the plant locat- Montreal and Princeville and employs more
ready-to-drink fruit and vegetable juic- ed in Hannon, near Hamilton is to be complete by than 300 people across its Quebec facilities. The
es, is based in Rougemont, Que. the end of 2020. Total investment is $40 million. company’s annual production capacity is 250
The hot-dip galvanizing plant will serve cus- million pounds.
Conifex Timber Inc. has sold its Fort tomers in the south-west Toronto region. Corbec Canadian Manufacturing
St. James sawmill and forest licence to
Hampton Lumber, a building materials
manufacturer based in Portland, Ore.
The transfer received BC government Transdev wins GF divisions expand with new
approval in October. Hampton has com-
mitted to build a new sawmill that will
Hurontario light rail Vaughan facility
be operational within 36 months of the transit project Centre features
sale’s conclusion. TORONTO — Transdev, as a member sales and service for
of the Mobilinx consortium, has been
two companies
Namaste Technologies Inc., an online awarded a $4.6 billion contract by Infra-
platform for cannabis products, acces- structure Ontario and Metrolinx for the LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. –
sories and education based in Toronto, Hurontario LRT in the Toronto region. GF Machining Solutions
is advancing $300,000 Choklat Inc., a Mobilinx, a consortium of local and and GF Piping Systems are
Calgary-based chocolate manufacturer global firms that specialize in the delivery expanding their presence in (L-R) Heather Newman, operations
as it gears up for Canada’s cannabis of infrastructure projects, will design, Canada. and inside sales manager, GF Piping
edibles market. build, finance, operate and maintain the A new joint headquarters Systems; John Giroux, managing
light rail line for a 30-year term. housing direct sales and director; Mark Sanhamel, director of
ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp., in The Hurontario LRT is an 18-kilome- service support. operations, GF Machining Solutions;
Vancouver, has established EMV Auto- tre, 19-stop light rail transit system that The companies, which Sean Smith, sales manager – Can-
motive Technology Inc. (Chongqing), runs along Hurontario Street from Port make machining and ada; and Philipp Hauser, president,
a wholly owned subsidiary, in China. Credit in Mississauga, Ont. to Gateway pipling system products, head of market region North and
The manufacturer of electric vehicles is Terminal in south Brampton. The LRT will have broken ground for a Central America at the ground-
working with Zongshen Industrial Group operate in a separated guideway with 67,000-square-foot facility breaking ceremony. PHOTO: GF
on the production of its SOLO EV. traffic priority throughout most of the located in Vaughan, Ont.
corridor. The new Canadian will expand warehouse
EnWave Corp. subsidiary NutraDried Within the consortium, Transdev will headquarters will feature space and inventory by
Food Co. LLC in Ferndale, Wash., is be responsible for operations, mainte- a 4,800-square-foot demon- 100% for more availability
installing a third large-scale 120 kilowatt nance and rehabilitation. Throughout stration and distribution of and access to all indus-
Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV) machine the construction and mobilization phase, centre that will streamline trial and utility products.
to expand production capacity for its Transdev will support its partners and the sales and acquisition “To further support Cana-
shelf-stable Moon Cheese snack line. advise them on all system operability process for customers, dian customer needs, there
EnWave, an advanced tech company aspects. while shortening delivery will also be an expanded
based in Vancouver, developed REV Transdev, based in Saint-Jean-sur- times. custom fabrication area
for the precise dehydration of organic Richelieu, Que., operates 24 light rail John Giroux, country along with clean room and
materials. systems in 10 countries. manager of GF Piping Sys- header capability up to 24”
tems, said the new facility diameters,” said Giroux.
6 PLANT November/December 2019
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 6 2019-11-29 2:45 PM
Boom truck fall CAREERS
at Skyjack plant
Agropur Cooperative
leads to $45,000 fine has appointed Emile
GUELPH, Ont. — A manufacturer of ele- Cordeau CEO. He
vating devices has been fined $45,000 by Nova Chemicals joins an international product stewardship program. replaces the retiring
an Ontario court as a result of a worker PHOTO: NOVA CHEMICALS Robert Coallier at the
falling from a boom truck. dairy processor based
Skyjack Inc., a Linamar company, Nova Chemicals to participate in Longueuil, Que.
entered a guilty plea to not providing a
suitable and safe platform for carrying in Operation Clean Sweep Blue He moves up from
senior vice-president Emile Cordeau
out work, and not taking measures to Program prevents plastic pellet, flake and CFO. Agropur
protect the worker from falling. processes more than 6.2 billion litres
The company makes elevated material and powder leakage into the environment of milk per year at its 39 plants across
handling equipment such as boom trucks CALGARY – Nova Chemicals Corp. said it’s the first Cana- North America.
and scissor lifts. dian-based company to publicly commit to Operation Clean
The offence occurred on Aug. 22, 2018 Sweep Blue (OCS Blue) and verify compliance by Jan. 1,
at the manufacturer’s plant in Guelph, 2022.
Ont. The international product stewardship program aims to
A worker who was removing a flange prevent plastic pellet, flake and powder leakage into the
pin from the truck’s boom was kneeling environment. It requires enhanced company engagement,
on top of the vehicle’s cowling, a body transparent reporting and formal audit.
cover that was about seven feet above The Calgary chemicals company said OCS Blue metrics
the ground. for all its facilities will be reported in compliance with
Brad Corson Rich Kruger
The cowling, made of smooth fibre- the program in the chemical firm’s annual Sustainability
glass, sloped toward the boom, and was Report. Brad Corson has been appointed pres-
only 21 inches wide. Nova Chemicals recently joined the Alliance to End ident of energy company Imperial Oil
The worker was using pry bars to Plastic Waste as one of its founding members. The group Ltd. as chairman and CEO Rich Kruger
release the flange pin when the pin gave consists of more than 40 global companies. It has pledged retires. Corson will assume the role of
way. more than US$1 billion and set a goal to invest US$1.5 chairman, president and CEO of Imperial
This caused the worker to fall billion over five years to help eliminate plastic waste in the Oil Limited on Jan. 1. Over his 36-year
backwards off the cowling and sustain environment, especially in the oceans. career with the company, Corson has
critical injuries. The company is also a partner in the global Project STOP held a variety of technical, operations,
In addition to the fine, the court since 2018, pledging nearly US$2 million over three years commercial and managerial assign-
imposed a 25% victim fine surcharge as to prevent plastic debris from reaching the ocean. ments around the world.
required by the Provincial Offences Act.
EHC Global, an Oshawa, Ont., a manu-
facturer and supplier of escalator and
Magna scores largest The hybrid variants also use a compact, 48-volt, elevator parts and
transmissions order high-rpm electric motor within the transmission
housing for additional improvements in fuel
systems to the trans-
portation industry,
BMW multi-year deal covers efficiency. has appointed Jeff
The transmissions will be built at Magna Coles managing
use in 170 applications plants in Neuenstein, Germany and Kechnec, director, North
SAILAUF, Germany — BMW Group has award- Slovakia. American Operations.
ed Magna Powertrain its largest ever production Magna has also received a grant from the US From 2015 to 2018, he
order for transmission tech- Department of Energy to was vice-president, Jeff Coles
nologies. develop and ‘auto-qualify’ Central Region, with
The multi-year contract advanced electric motor Thyssenkrupp Elevator.
covers all front-wheel drive, technologies.
dual-clutch transmissions, In partnership with the Lily Ning has been promoted to
including hybrid transmis- Illinois Institute of Tech- vice-president, marketing for the SRP
sion variants. nology and University of group. Superior Radiant Products de-
Magna Powertrain, based Wisconsin-Madison, Magna signs and manufactures energy efficient
in Aurora, Ont., said trans- aims to deliver an electric infrared heating solutions in Stoney
mission technologies will be motor that is half the cost Creek, Ont. Over her 10-year career
used in more than 170 differ- with eight times the power with SRP, Ning has developed overseas
ent vehicle applications. Magna dual-clutch transmission hybrid. PHOTO: MAGNA density of current e-motors, business and handled internal projects,
The hybrids will not affect while delivering 125 kW of including the company’s recent migra-
the overall package size of the transmission, peak power. The cost reduction will come from tion to the new MS Dynamics Navision.
which gives BMW manufacturing flexibility. eliminating rare-earth permanent magnets.
www.plant.ca PLANT 7
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 7 2019-11-29 2:45 PM
NEWS
Sheridan launches Industrial Distribution Program De Havilland books
Working with partners focusing on industrial parts to provide hands-on training` first Dash 8-400 order
BRAMPTON, Ont. — Sheridan College’s Turboprop will be operated
Continuing and Professional Studies division
and industry partners are launching an inten-
by Air Tanzania
sive 16-week Industrial Distribution Program
(IDP) focused on the distribution of bearings,
power transmission products and other
industrial parts.
Courses delivered at the college’s Davis
Campus in Brampton, Ont. (starting Jan. Dash 8-400 inflight. PHOTO: DE HAVILLAND
6) will cover the key disciplines relevant to
(L-R) IDP program steering committee: Rossana Gorys, associate distribution. TORONTO — De Havilland Aircraft of
director, Sheridan College; Paul Meo, president and CEO, NTN There will be eight weeks of classroom in- Canada Ltd. says Tanzania, represented
Bearing Corp. of Canada Ltd.; Cindy Russell, sales director Canada, struction and eight weeks of hands-on train- by the Tanzanian Government Flight
Continental ContiTech; Janet Morrison, president, Sheridan College; ing at an industrial machinery company. Agency (TGFA), has signed a firm pur-
Hazel McCallion, college chancellor; Jos Sueters, vice-president, Workshops will feature distribution man- chase agreement for a turboprop Dash
Tsubaki of Canada Ltd.; Matt McCloy, director of sales and marketing, agement, territory sales, marketing, nego- 8-400 aircraft.
Regal Beloit Canada ULC; Vanessa Antonoff, branch manager, BDI tiation skills, inventory management, sales The Toronto-based aerospace compa-
Canada Inc.; and Nazlin Hirji, director, Sheridan College. management, human resources, leadership ny said the aircraft, which will be leased
PHOTO: SHERIDAN COLLEGE and information technologies. to and operated by Air Tanzania, will join
three that are already in service with
another on order. This brings the airline’s
PLANT ONLINE
fleet of Dash 8-400 aircraft to five. It will
be delivered in a 78-seat configuration.
Another sale comes from a subsidiary
SOUNDING OFF of Russian airline Aeroflot. It signed a
letter of intent at the Dubai Airshow to
What readers have to say about breaking news buy five of the aircraft.
Aurora, based in Sakhalin, Russia,
Have you checked out PLANT’s daily news online? Here are some and put thousands out of work. currently operates eight Dash 8 aircraft,
headlines that have inspired members of the Canadian manufactur- including two Dash 8-400 turboprops.
ing community to chime in. They’re edited, but use the links to see CannTrust to destroy $77M The Dash 8 aircraft program was
the raw – and for some – longer versions of their remarks plus the of cannabis to comply with acquired from Bombardier by Longview
stories that inspired their reactions. rules Aviation Capital, manager of a portfolio
Stay up-to-date on the developments – domestic and global – http://www.plant.ca/lkyGh of long-term investments in the Canadian
that affect Canada’s industrial sectors by watching the news feed Typical government. Stupid- aerospace industry.
at www.plant.ca or reading PLANT’s twice-weekly newsletter ity. Take possession as part of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. is
(hit Subscribe on the website). the penalty and auction off 50 a subsidiary that will operate the world-
million to legit buyers! wide Dash 8 aircraft business.
Ford electric vehicle chief Sobeys benches divert
Kruger certified
sees more products, sales 720,000 plastic bags from New tech institute for
growth landfill Surrey takes pressure off
http://www.plant.ca/Vl7op
Canadians will not adopt
http://www.plant.ca/CxPJX
Great, but how do I carry my
Vancouver: Horgan
http://www.plant.ca/BiUaO
for ISO 50001
electric cars en-masse until groceries out of the store? Do guys like Horgan and GATINEAU, Que. — Kruger Prod-
there is a convenient infra- Ralston even know what quan- ucts’ plant in Gatineau, Que. has been
structure to support charging Trudeau’s post election tum computing is? Or isn’t, at certified to the ISO 50001 standard.
that will provide for travel at priorities are climate and the moment? The manufacturer of tissue prod-
distances between major cities. pipeline ucts is the first company to receive
Many Canadians travel distanc- http://www.plant.ca/Us0Mk Kenney vows to counter the energy management certification
es exceeding 800 kilometres Why do the politicians not Texas poaching of Canadian from the Bureau de normalisation du
on a single drive. There are no explain to the voting public that companies Québec.
electric vehicles or charging Canada’s contribution to global http://www.plant.ca/1eGyP Kruger says its Gatineau plant has
facilities that can support this. GHG emissions is around 1.6%? Let us now build a giant significantly improved its environ-
Additionally electric battery So if Canada eliminated 100% federally owned winter diesel mental performance since 2009, by
performance is dramatically de- of its emissions it would have refinery at Fort McMurray and reducing its energy intensity by 25%.
creased at lower temperatures, a negligible effect on global send the entire production into With the ISO 50001, the company
further reducing range and emissions but so doing would pipelines to fuel the NWT, and can continuously monitor its energy
recharging performance. devastate Canada’s economy Arctic mining development. intensity.
8 PLANT November/December 2019
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 8 2019-11-29 2:45 PMINDUSTRY MIX MISCELLANY FROM THE
WORLD OF MANUFACTURING
Experiencing sculptures in 3D
Sobeys benches its grocery bags Art lovers that are visually impaired can visit the Nasher
Sobeys Inc. is getting Sculpture Center in Dallas to engage with some of the
out of plastic grocery great works by modern sculptors, thanks to NVision in
bags by January. Southlake, Tex.
The plan is to take The provider of 3D non-contact optical scanning/
225 million bags out measurement technology was commissioned to scan
of circulation at 255 sculptures by Auguste Rodin (Hanako and Head of
locations across Balzac), Julio González (Mask: Reclining Head) and
Canada each year. Raymond Duchamp-Villon (Baudelaire) to produce print-
The Ultimate Picnic Table, unveiled by Sobeys Inc. But they’ll be put to ed-to-scale replicas for patrons’ tactile enjoyment. 3D version of Balzac’s head, by
PHOTO: SOBEYS good use elsewhere. NVision’s HandHeld scanner scanner attaches to a Rodin. PHOTO: NVISION
The Stellarton, mechanical arm that moves about the object. As a part
NS-based national grocer is donating public seating made entirely of is inspected, the scanner generates a point cloud consisting of millions points each with
recycled bags and heavier recycled materials, such as bins, for use in x,y,z coordinates and i,j,k vectors. Integrated software converts the point cloud to an
community spaces across Atlantic Canada. STL polygon.
Making the benches and picnic tables will divert 720,000 plastic “It is particularly meaningful when visually enjoying the lines, textures and emotive
bags from landfill. qualities of a work is not possible due to blindness. These scans of works by significant
The first piece – dubbed the Ultimate Picnic Table – was made by artists of the 20th century allow our public a rare, hands-on experience,” says Lynda
LakeCity Plastics in Dartmouth and installed at the Halifax Waterfront. Wilbur, manager of tour programs at the Nasher.
The table and bench system seats 20 and used 60,000 recycled bags.
LakeCity Plastics, a social enterprise that provides employment
opportunities to youth and adults living with mental illness, is collab-
orating with Goodwood Plastic Products of Colchester County. It’s
sourcing Goodwood’s plastic lumber, which is made from used plastic
bags and containers, to produce outdoor furniture.
Each regular sized picnic table diverts more than 15,000 plastic bags
from local landfills.
We have this mind-
crushing idea that a political
appointee or a mid-level trade official is
Seabed surveyor releases the Kraken going to know better than a major automaker
Kraken Robotics Inc., the marine tech company based in St. John’s,
NL, is doing its bit to drive electric power underwater. Ocean Infinity,
where to put a plant. Once you start ... trying to
a seabed exploration company based in Houston, has been testing the influence those decisions politically,
endurance of its Kongsberg Hugin AUVs using new pressure-tolerant I mean, then we’re in Bolivia.”
batteries from Kraken. Several missions were more than 5,000 metres Flavio Volpe, president, Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, who called
deep and one went more than 100 hours without recharging while the idea that the White House would be able to force US automakers to make “politically
running a full survey payload. expedient” investment decisions “breathtakingly stupid.” — Toronto Star
Ocean Infinity has
increased survey ranges to
nearly 700 line-kilometres per EVs charging into 2030
deployment while optimizing Electric vehicles represent about 3% of the cars on the road today, but imagine the
mission plans, increasing impact of rapid adoption and how it would alter Canada’s emissions profile and energy
area coverage, managing infrastructure.
weather impacts, and Okay, 3% doesn’t seem like much but EY notes Canada is the tenth fastest adopter of
reducing launch and recovery EVs in the world, with sales in 2018 growing 165% year-over-year. It says rapid adoption
operations. The modular bat- Nearly 700 line-kilometres per deployment. of electric vehicles could mean as many as 13.2 million of them on the road by 2030.
teries are also hot swappable PHOTO: KRAKEN EY’s Canadian electric vehicle transition – the difference between evolution and revolution report
and include an integrated outlines how all EV rapid, moderate or slow adoption scenarios will affect Canadian oil
battery management system. and gas, power companies and utilities.
“We now have the capability to conduct AUV missions of over four The research suggests rapid adoption (30% EVs of Canada’s vehicle stock) would
days duration without a battery recharge or change out,” said Josh reduce domestic oil consumption by roughly 252,000 barrels per day and could trigger
Broussard, Ocean Infinity’s chief technical officer. convergence of energy and power utilities companies.
And on the green side, Kraken’s pressure tolerant gel encapsula- Rapid adoption could also cause an 11% spike in Canadian electricity demand, requir-
tion technology for lithium polymer batteries is more environmentally ing utilities to make significant investments in grid infrastructure to allow consumers to
friendly than oil compensated batteries currently used for subsea charge cars at home and in public spaces. Distribution network upgrades would also be
applications. required to improve power transmission across the country, including to rural areas.
For landlubbers, Tesla’s Model 3 electric vehicle is good for about Even a moderate adoption scenario – 6.5 million EVs on Canadian roads by 2030 –
500 kilometres before recharging. would require a 5.5% increase in electricity demand.
www.plant.ca PLANT 9
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 9 2019-11-29 2:45 PMECONOMY
Support for
global trade
SMEs tie it to economic growth INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE BALANCE
millions of
C
anadian small and medium busi- current $
8,000
nesses (SMEs) believe economic Trade balance with the United States Canada’s imports fell 1.7%
growth and international trade 6,000
Total Trade Balance in September and exports
Trade balance with countries other than the United States
are closely linked. were down 1.3%. As a result,
4,000
A survey by Morning Consult on Statistics Canada reports the
behalf of the Canadian subsidiary of 2,000 merchandise trade deficit with
global courier FedEx Corp. shows the world narrowed to $978
0
83% of respondents agree increas- million from August’s $1.2 billion.
ing trade with other countries will -2,000 Exports to the US for the month
improve the economy overall. were down 0.6%, while imports
-4,000
Most SMEs (57%) believe increasing slipped 0.4%, trimming the trade
international trade will help their -6,000 surplus from $4.9 billion to
businesses, but only 37% are currently $4.8 billion.
-8,000
selling goods online, compared to Nov Sept
2016 2017 2018 2019
44% of American SMEs.
They support both NAFTA (90%) Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM
2,209
and USMCA (86%).
$1,146
Eighty-one per cent of the com-
panies say fees and tariffs have had
a great deal or some effect on the
growth of their businesses.
The poll was conducted from Sept. Average earnings in August for
17-20, among 500 SME Canadian de- manufacturing. That’s up 3.8% year-
cision makers. The margin of error is over-year, reports Statistics Canada.
plus or minus four percentage points. Transportation equipment and food
manufacturing contributed the most to Petajoules of energy consumed as part
Employment is steady the increase, partially offset by
a marked decline in machinery
of the production process in 2018 by
manufacturers. That’s an increase of 2.3%
Canada lost 1,800 jobs in October but manufacturing. from 2017, reports Statistics Canada. Paper
a small enough number to conclude and primary metal manufacturers were the
employment held steady following two top consumers.
months of growth. Statistics Canada
reports an unemployment rate of 5.5%.
169,800
Year-over year, employment grew
by 443,000 or 2.4%, driven by gains in
87%
full-time work. Total hours worked
increased 1.3%.
However, employment in manufac- Canadian entrepreneurs’ Number of Ontario
turing declined by 23,000, mostly in lwho are optimistic about manufacturing jobs lost from
Ontario although year-over-year it’s the future success of their 2007 to 2017, while Michigan
virtually unchanged. businesses, according to a added 47,000 above pre-
Canadian employment grew 4.4% CIBC survey. They are less upbeat about the economy recession levels over the same
compared to the US at 3.6%. A year with 44% listing it as their top concern for 2020. period, says a study by the Fraser
earlier, Canada declined 0.3 percent- Institute.
age points compared to a US decline
of 0.2 percentage points. Labour force
participation was 65.5% versus 63.3%
305,000
in the US. Demand for digitally skilled talent by 2023 for total
In a Weekly Bottom Line report, TD employment of more than 2 million in the digital
Economics noted the labour market is economy, according to a report by the Information
tight. Senior economist James Marple and Communications Technology Council. Talent
writes that unemployment is at a and skills needs are being redefined by artificial intelligence, 5G, virtual and
near record low and vacancy rates augmented reality, advanced manufacturing processes and blockchain. Full
STOCK.ADOBE.COM
are at an all-time high, which is being stack developers, data scientists and DevOps engineers are identified as three
reflected in wage growth. Average of the 15 top digital jobs most needed. Job growth areas include: cleantech;
hourly wages increased 4.3% year- clean resources; advanced manufacturing; interactive digital media; health and
over-year for the month. biotechnology; and agri-foods and food-tech production.
10 PLANT November/December 2019
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 10 2019-11-29 2:45 PM PLT_NovTechnology will upgrade
with or without you.
Stay ahead with Industry 4.0.
Manufacturers stay competitive by strategically enabling:
X Technology adoption
X Innovative recruiting efforts
X Digital transformation initiatives
X Big data and blockchain
STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Explore how BDO professionals tackle the manufacturing industry on
insights.bdo.ca/advanced-manufacturing.
PLT_NovDec19_BDO.indd 1 11
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 2019-11-28 2:45
2019-11-29 1:15 PM
PMGARMENTS
WELCOME TO SEWING
SCHOOL TRAINING AND
ADVANCEMENT
AT CANADA GOOSE
Opportunity beckons women, men
and new immigrants in three cities.
BY KIM LAUDRUM
A
t a time when other apparel companies
are migrating production offshore
to exploit lower labour costs, luxu-
ry-brand parka-maker Canada Goose is soar-
ing at home with plans to hire 900 people
this year.
Steadfastly refusing to outsource manu-
facturing, Canada Goose instead plans to of-
fer them training at sewing schools in three
major Canadian cities: Toronto, Montreal
and Winnipeg. Training and the opportunity
for advancement are attracting new Canadi-
ans, among others – particularly women – to
the winter garment manufacturer.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada Goose
Holdings Inc.’s financial growth since going
public in 2016 is astounding. Since then the
company’s annual revenues have more than
doubled from $290.8 million to $591 million
in 2018. Thirty plants across Canada produce
the company’s winter vests, gloves, hats,
parkas and jackets. Eight of those plants are
owned by Canada Goose.
The down-filled parkas with a $1,000 price
tag and iconic Arctic map shoulder patch are
the ubiquitous urban winter uniform of the
16- to 24-year old crowd.
To appeal to international fashionistas,
Canada Goose established a retail presence
in high-end boutiques in Toronto, Chicago,
Paris, Milan, Stockholm and Beijing. Yes,
China. Despite China’s threats to boycott Ca-
nadian products because of the detainment
of Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou, Chinese
shoppers lined up to rush the winter parka
retail outlet when it first opened in Decem-
ber 2018.
In 1957 Sam Tick founded Metro Sports-
wear Ltd. in Toronto to make woolen vests,
raincoats and snowmobile suits. In the
1970s, Tick’s son-in-law David Reiss intro-
John Moran, executive vice-president, manufacturing and supply chain, with Kara MacKillop, executive vice-president, duced a volume-based down-filling machine
people and culture on the plant floor in Toronto. PHOTO: STEPHEN URHANEY and launched the Snow Goose label, which
12 PLANT November/December 2019
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 12 2019-11-29 2:45 PMwould later become Canada has created the flywheel of our
Goose. The Expedition Parka manufacturing in Canada.”
put Canada Goose on the map. Producing in Canada allows
Developed for use by scientists Canada Goose to keep a close
at the coldest place on the eye on quality control. Moran
planet, the big red parka became points out why that’s important:
standard issue. In 1997, Tick’s “If you’re going to manufacture
grandson Dani Reiss joined the something in possibly more
firm, becoming president and Close-up at the sewing machine. PHOTOS: CANADA GOOSE than 20 out of 30 facilities, you
CEO in 2001. have to consider in a retail store
One would think sharehold- those garments are likely to be
er pressure would push the resting side-by-side. Our level
extreme-weather garment maker of quality has to be extraor-
to pursue greater profits by out- dinary to pull that inventory
sourcing production. Yet Reiss and compare [garments] next
is adamant, despite selling a to each other. … We’re dealing
70% share to American investor with things like fabrics that have
Bain Capital back in 2013, that a certain shade. How we ensure
Canada Goose winter apparel be that those things stay consistent
made in Canada. The company takes an extraordinary team
currently exports to more than effort.” To do so, between 25 and
50 countries. “We are an ambas- 85 people keep track of hun-
sador for our country on a global dreds of quality control items.
stage,” the CEO says. There are 3,000 people in Can-
Canadian-made brands have a ada manufacturing for Canada
reputation for good quality. Parka on Arctic Tech fabric. Goose, Moran says. The Toronto
“That’s part of our value prop- facility alone has reached close
osition and it’s supported by our to 300 people and is “growing
commitment to keep the core every day. The other facilities
down-filled product made exclu- in Winnipeg, for example, now
sively here in Canada, which we have a population around the
believe is the best place to make 1,200 to 1,500 range and Mon-
cold-weather apparel,” says John treal is similar to (Toronto). All
Moran, executive vice-president have room to grow.”
of manufacturing and supply Training happens daily at
chain at Canada Goose from seven sewing schools. “We have
the company’s 180,000 square- people arriving that want to
foot plant and headquarters in join us, knowing that we train,
Toronto. which is fantastic. We have great
“I’ve been in apparel manufac- relationships with local agencies
turing in North America pretty in all provinces that channel
much for over 30 years and I the unemployed, the underem-
watched it during the late ’80s Sewing the iconic Arctic shoulder patch onto a garment. ployed, or the new immigrant
and ’90s go offshore, chasing population to us. We ask them,
lower price points. So to be a tional apparel-making environ- Building sewing skills ‘Do you want a job?’ We can
part of bringing it back to North ment to one that embraces Canada Goose trains workers train them,” Moran says.
America – Canada specifically – lean-manufacturing principles to gain sewing skills, then trains “The part that we don’t talk
is a great thing,” Moran says. allowed it to realize an easier them by product category, so – about too much though, is that
He is quick to point out Can- way to train workers. for example – they understand with all the production person-
ada Goose never did manufac- “Lean manufacturing, fast- the difference in the handling of nel we have, we need assistant
ture offshore, but is part of the er throughput, lower work in the material, Moran explains. As supervisors, supervisors and
reason for the resurgence of process, better quality, continu- it gets closer to launching those engineers. And we grow our
the domestic apparel business, ous improvement – it’s all here,” trainees into the production own. It’s an industry where
employing more than 6% of the Moran says. “But what really line, they’re taught specific style we’ve already drawn the best
nation’s cut-and-sew industry. drove us is the ability to train training. Then they are launched of the best. We invest in that as
Moran says Canada Goose’s into specific locations within on a production line with specific well. It’s a career path.”
transition in 2015 from a tradi- those production lines.” operations throughout. “That Akie Tagawa is a good exam-
www.plant.ca PLANT 13
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 13 2019-11-29 2:45 PMple. The production manager at Plant people. We want them to succeed and
2 in Montreal has held three succes- we want to keep them. There is a very
sive positions in two years at Canada good culture here. People are motivat-
Goose. An immigrant from Brazil ed, many have found new friends.”
where she had apparel experience, Tagawa says workplace diversity
she applied online to be accepted into offers many opportunities for celebra-
Canada Goose’s training program as a tions. “People here come from many
sewing machine operator. different backgrounds, not just differ-
“When I applied I was new to Can- ent countries, but different occupa-
ada.” For two years Tagawa was in tions, too,” she says. They learn much
learning a new language and studying from each other, she adds.
Canadian culture. “Canada Goose was MacKillop says more than 800 peo-
the first opportunity to open the door ple have taken the training program
for me.” to date and gone on to work in various
Kara MacKillop, executive vice-pres- capacities at Canada Goose. “We
ident, people and culture says, “We benefit from the diversity and inclu-
happily employ anybody who is eager sion in our workplace. Employees feel
in control of their destiny here. They
feel there is a career path for them.
We also do well from our employees
referring others to work here.”
The company also benefits from em-
ployees feeling free to ask questions
and offer suggestions. “Innovation
Akie Tagawa, production manager at Plant 2 in Montreal. is one of our core values,” MacKillop
says. “If someone on the floor comes
and looking for a job, whether they are unem- up with a better way of doing things, we want
ployed, underemployed, new Canadians, men to hear about it.” Employees also feel good
or women.” about what they do. “We are making beau-
The six-week program offers trainees on- tiful, tailored garments. True craftspeople
the-ground learning. They are seated with understand that. It’s a source of pride.”
the rest of the employees, next to supervisors Manufacturing in Canada also helps to
on part of a line. Small flags at their stations maintain local jobs. “We’ve been in the
identify them; some show a hatchling, a duck Bowie Ave.-Caledonia area (in Toronto) for
or a goose. 40 years,” MacKillop says. “Our employees
have built families and their lives within the
Opportunities to advance community.”
The training program taught Tagawa how to As far as the future goes, Canada Goose
sew, clean and maintain the machine. “But just launched Project Atigi, a line of bespoke
it also taught me how to be efficient, how to parkas created by Inuit designers using their
be professional by being on time, and how to traditional skills, unique designs and Canada
communicate effectively,” she says. Canada Goose materials. The company also launched
Goose offers second language program cer- a merino-wool knitwear leisure line.
tification in English or French to staff, which “We don’t see a stop to this growth,” MacK-
Tagawa found helpful. illop says. “Our goal is to continue manufac-
“The down jacket is very complicated to turing in Canada. We will continue to make
make. Some have over 200 pieces to them. our down-filled product here. There’s a reason
The down can come out of a very small nee- why (our headquarters) are attached to this
dle hole so we have to be exacting with our (Toronto) plant. We can get products right off
standards,” Tagawa points out. ‘That makes the line. Our designers are here, too. It keeps
good communication very important.” us close.”
Sewing machine operators are paid a basic And she’s proud of the unique opportu-
salary plus a per-piece above quota incentive. nity Canada Goose has been given. “Not a
At each Juki sewing machine station, bar lot of people can say they are rebuilding an
codes keep track of the individual operator’s industry.”
batch. A ticker posts quotas, production and
productivity at the end of each line. Kim Laudrum is a Toronto-based business
Opportunities for advancement help attract writer and regular contributor to PLANT.
Above, top to bottom: Canada Goose retail location in To- and retain workers at Canada Goose. “I saw E-mail klaudrum@rogers.com.
ronto’s Yorkdale Mall;garments on display in the Yorkdale other women in good positions and it inspired
store; and vaults where garments are stored. me,” Tagawa says. “We’re hiring so many Comments? E-mail jterrett@plant.ca.
14 PLANT November/December 2019
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 14 2019-11-29 2:45 PMPERFORMANCE
plete and unambiguous;
• Ensure the training for stan-
dard work processes accounts
for the real complexity staff
experience, then reference
that training in the instruc-
tions.
• Redesign processes so there
Training people to ignore some instructions. PHOTO: STOCK.ADOBE.COM are fewer details that need to
How to create
be communicated.
Each one these options reduc-
es the chance employees will
face conflicting instructions,
CONFUSION
which will reduce “resistance.”
Hugh Alley is an industrial
engineer based in the Van-
couver area who helps orga-
nizations achieve significant
performance gains in delivery,
GIVE WORKERS CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS quality and cost in a short
timeframe. Call (604) 866-1502
Three tips for avoiding the to read the instructions for an succeed. or e-mail hughralley@gmail.
inevitable resistance. accessory four times before I So how do we deal with this? com.
figured out how to use it. And on By improving the instructions
a recent delivery from a retailer, we give. Here are three ways: Comments?
BY HUGH ALLEY I had three conflicting instruc- • Ensure the details are com- E-mail jterrett@plant.ca.
tions about what I was supposed
S
ometimes, as supervisors to do when I received a shipment
and managers, we’re our of 79 pieces.
own worst enemies. One
Quality versus delivery
way we do this is through un-
MURPHY MEANS
MORE
clear directions. When you give You’ll find contradictory in-
someone conflicting instruc- structions given to the workers
tions, they can’t help but resist in most plants. Sometimes the
them. potential consequences are
For example, an overhead serious. In one instance the
bus hatch has two conflicting instructions for the start-up of a
More
instructions on it: “Do Not Open boiler contained two conflicting
Hatch” and “TURN THE PUSH instructions, one of which, if
VALUE
KNOB TO OPEN.” What’s a per- followed, could have resulted in
son supposed to do? an explosion.
Now some readers will dis- A common conflict is the
miss this as being a bit dense. issue of quality versus delivery.
“Of course it’s clear,” they will Managers will state how import- No One Gives You More!
say. “It’s an emergency exit. You ant quality is, but in a crunch, Feature for feature: Murphy
don’t want people opening the they’ll wave through products
packs-in more for your money.
bus hatch for normal ventilation, that don’t meet the quality
but if you do need to open it, standard to make the ship- Get it done right the first time.
here’s how. ” ment. In a situation like that, it
Except, that’s not what’s isn’t surprising employees will
written, so to follow the written resist added steps designed to
instructions, we’re asking peo- improve quality. They’ll see the
ple to guess. A bus hatch may extra steps as slowing them N.R. MURPHY LTD.
be a non-critical matter. No one down, making the work unnec- DUST COLLECTORS
is going to die if the bus travels essarily harder. 430 Franklin Blvd., Cambridge, ON N1R 8G6
with the hatch open. In effect, a conflicting mes- E-mail: 4nodust@nrmurphy.com
We don’t just create these sage trains people to ignore (519) 621-6210
problems for workers, we create some instructions, which we www.nrmurphy.com
them for our customers too. interpret as resistance. In fact,
In a recent hotel stay I needed we’ve set them up so they can’t
www.plant.ca PLANT 15
PLT_NovDec19_NRMurphy.indd 1 2019-10-22 2:05 PM
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 15 2019-11-29 2:45 PMWORKFORCE
CME survey shows
85% of companies are
having trouble filling job
vacancies.
BY PLANT STAFF
M
anufacturers unable to
find people with the right
skills are hampered from
operating at an optimum level,
which is impeding their pro-
ductivity and competitiveness,
according to a skills survey
conducted by Canadian Manu-
facturers & Exporters (CME). The goal of CME and partners’ Women in Manufacturing initiative is to increase their number in the sector by 100,000 within five years.
The survey of 225 manufac- PHOTO: GORODENKOFF - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Wanted: skilled
turers, unveiled during CME’s
annual conference Oct. 17-18 in career choice. This includes
Toronto, showed 85% of small creation of regional industry
to large companies from across councils and expanding efforts
WORKERS
Canada are having trouble filling to attract candidates from un-
job vacancies. The hardest der-represented groups, such as
positions to fill include skilled women and Indigenous people.
production workers, general Goal No. 2 is to double em-
labour and production support, ployer investment in training,
followed by management and a including management, aided
variety of support positions.
Manufacturing employs 1.7
SHORTAGE HAMPERS by the creation of an training
tax credit, and helping employ-
million Canadians, accounts for
two-thirds of export sales and
BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS ers expand work-integrated
learning.
contributes 11% of GDP. and the public the magnitude of ment for the year unchanged The third goal is to increase
“Labour and skill shortages the problem. It gives us the tool from 2015 at $14 billion and the number of economic immi-
in the manufacturing sector we need to advocate for solu- down 4% from 2007 while invest- grants to 500,000 a year. This
are alarming. They are holding tions that will help manufactur- ment in many OECD countries involves updating the immigra-
back the entire sector and, by ers grow,” he said. as risen significantly. Closer to tion point system to align with
extension, Canada’s economic The survey shows the top home, in the decade preceding employer needs, expanding the
growth,” said Dennis Darby, three impacts of this ongoing 2016, US investment has grown provincial nominee program,
CME’s president and CEO. “Our skills shortage are: forcing com- 20% while Canada’s has declined better leveraging the post sec-
members tell us it is not unusual panies to hire ill-suited candi- 17%. Research by the Confer- ondary system and enhancing
for successful manufacturers to dates that require significant up- ence Board of Canada shows the temporary foreign worker
put off plans to grow because skilling and training; foregoing Canada productivity rising 20% program.
they do not have the workers production opportunities; and a over the past 15 years while the “Canada’s next government
and skill sets they need to sup- decline in business investment US shows a 50% increase. needs to prioritize the manu-
port their expansion.” investment and product devel- facturing sector and its skills,
Darby said skills shortages opment. All of these factors Attracting youth labour and training shortage cri-
impact every step of manu- contribute to lagging productivi- The CME report also notes too sis in its first 100 days in office
facturers’ businesses: from ty growth and a general competi- few Canadian youth are seeking to ensure Canada’s economic
selecting the right technology tive disadvantage. careers in manufacturing, an well-being,” Darby said.
to integration, customization, The top four barriers to hiring industry that continues to be Moving forward, he said CME
operation, troubleshooting, and include a lack of qualifications, viewed as dirty with low pay. will work with the new federal
maintenance and repair. low reply rates to posted jobs, The survey offers three government, and all provincial
“Each of these steps require hires are a poor fit, and wage recommendations to alleviate governments to turn its recom-
workers with specialized and demands are too high. the skills shortages plaguing mendations into action.
specific skills. Unfortunate- The CME survey links skills industry, starting with measures Download We’re Hiring: Man-
ly, 85% of manufacturers are issues with lagging investment to attract youth. The goal is to ufacturing Workforce Survey
struggling to find the workers and productivity, which affect create 150,000 full time jobs for Report at https://bit.ly/37x-
they need, both in terms of a manufacturer’s ability to young people by realigning the 54nu.
their availability and, their compete. education system and enlisting
skills. With this report, CME will Statistics Canada shows ma- government help to promote Comments?
be able to show governments chinery and equipment invest- manufacturing as a desirable E-mail jterrett@plant.ca.
16 PLANT November/December 2019
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 16 2019-11-29 2:45 PMFOOD & BEVERAGE
Recent revisions to Making sausages.
Canadian food and PHOTO: VIPAVLENKOFF - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
beverage regulations
offer challenges and to track all their ingredients
opportunities for SMEs. and products from farm gate to
dinner plate, which should make
product recalls faster and more
BY CAROLYN COOPER effective.
Most significantly, the
“H
ealth Canada and the SFCA&R move Canada’s food
Canadian Food Inspection inspection regime from a highly
Agency (CFIA) have bitten prescriptive model to a science-
off quite a bit in terms of what and outcomes-based system that
they’re trying to accomplish,” focuses on prevention. In other
says Gary Gnirss. “Anticipating words, manufacturers will no
how it’s going to unfold has longer be explicitly told how to
created a little anxiety in the prevent foodborne illness out-
Law, order,
industry.” breaks in their plants; instead,
Gnirss, partner and president they will have to demonstrate
of Legal Suites, a Milton, Ont.- compliance through their PCP
FOOD
based regulatory consulting and traceability plan.
business serving the food indus- “The old days of CFIA inspec-
try and regulatory professionals, tions are past now that these
is referring to the ongoing and are outcome-based regulations,”
largely unprecedented federal says Al Grant, senior manager of
project to modernize Canada’s Consulting Services at Guelph,
highly complex food and bev- Ont.-based NSF International.
erage regulations. A major step “So an inspector is not going
…AND MODERNIZED
towards that goal is the Safe to come in with his list of CFIA
Food for Canadians Regulations criteria. He’s going to come in
(SFCR), which came into effect and say ‘Show us your program
on Jan. 15, 2019 and outlines FEDERAL SFCR REGULATIONS and we’re going to do a spot
how the 2012 Safe Food for audit on it while you’re actually
Canadians Act (SFCA) will be how food safety is monitored ers (who now need a licence to executing what you say you
implemented and enforced. and enforced. The feds also an- operate), as well as food manu- do. You really need to have a
It’s just the first in a series nounced their intention to mod- facturers, who must be licensed buttoned-down PCP, and you’re
of legislative changes hitting ernize the industry’s inspection to produce food and beverages going to have to make sure all
food and beverage manufac- system and regulations, while for sale interprovincially or your processes are validated.”
turers, changing how food is ensuring all Canadian foods for internationally. Previously only Gnirss notes, however, that “the
processed and inspected in export comply with internation- certain commodities, such CFIA isn’t going to stop inspect-
Canada. “Awareness is certainly al standards. as meat, were required to be ing. They’re just going to refocus
a key thing for industry because The result was the SFCA, federally registered to operate it. They may show up depend-
there’s so much going on,” says which consolidated several ma- interprovincially, regardless of ing upon the frequency of the
Gnirss, who helps manufactur- jor food commodity statutes – company size or food safety risk. hazards that your product could
ers navigate the regulatory wa- the Fish Inspection Act, the Can- That meant many operations fell potentially pose, or if you’ve
ters. “It’s not just one element. ada Agricultural Products Act, through the cracks in terms of been non-compliant before.
We’ve got a whole bunch of the Meat Inspection Act, and the food safety oversight, while in- For those who are low-risk and
waves of stuff coming at us.” food provisions of the Consumer spection resources were spread who have a good track record of
Food in Canada is governed Packaging and Labelling Act – in thin in specific sectors. compliance, their frequency of
by the CFIA and Health Canada hopes of giving the CFIA a clear- inspection will be lower.”
under the Food and Drugs Act er picture of the Canadian food Documented plan At the same, SFCR intro-
and Food and Drug Regulations. landscape. Its main goals are Companies applying for a licence duces tougher penalties for
Canadian food and beverage to improve consistency in food must show they have an effective non-compliance. Both fines and
products have always been con- safety practices and inspection; Preventative Control Plan (PCP) potential jail times have jumped
sidered some of the safest in the eliminate some of the regulatory – defined by CFIA as “a written dramatically, and there’s now
world, but several high-profile burden on food and beverage document that demonstrates how the additional penalty of having
cases of foodborne illness over operators; and to better track risks to food and food animals your licence revoked. Since in-
the past two decades, combined foods that are sold interprovin- are identified and controlled” – spectors are also able to request
with increased consumer and cially and internationally. in place to mitigate food safety a warrant by phone, any facility
media scrutiny of food produc- The SFCR puts more scrutiny risks. They must also have a found in non-compliance could
tion, led to calls for changes to on food importers and export- traceability plan that allows them be shut down on the spot.
www.plant.ca PLANT 17
PLT_NovDec2019_AMS.indd 17 2019-11-29 2:45 PMYou can also read
