Government Invests $180-Million in High-Speed Internet Project, U of G a Partner

GUELPH, Ontario Tuesday July 26, 2016 - University of Guelph News Release - The federal and provincial governments announced today they will invest $180 million in a broadband network for southwestern Ontario, a digital initiative involving the University of Guelph.

The funding will support the Southwest Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) network, which aims to provide open-access, high-speed fibre optic network capacity to more than 3.5 million people in 300 rural communities, from the Town of Caledon to the Niagara Region to Grey County.

Through Prof. Helen Hambly and the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), U of G has provided community engagement, evaluation and research support for the project since 2011.

“It became apparent that the future of Ontario’s rural and remote areas was going to be highly influenced by digital development opportunities or the lack thereof,” said Hambly, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development.

“Our work at U of G in areas such as precision agriculture and knowledge mobilization for agri-food innovation are entirely linked to the underlying broadband infrastructure that makes the uptake of new digital technologies possible.”Hambly, a rural extension expert, heads the Regional and Rural Broadband (R2B2) research unit. As a member of the SWIFT advisory committee, she works with public-sector organizations, businesses, farmers and residents on providing ultra-high-speed broadband and network infrastructure.

Through R2B2, she works with researchers and universities across Canada on baseline modelling, quantitative data collection and analysis, GIS mapping and outcome assessment.

“Communities across Canada are seeking ways to measure and monitor their progress in digital development,” Hambly said.

Canada was once a leader in Internet capacity, but about one in five Canadians — most of them in rural areas — still lack basic Internet access, said Hambly.

Improved rural infrastructure will yield new economic opportunities and efficiencies, and have educational and social benefits, she said.

“The development of connectivity is tremendously important to enabling province-wide innovation that benefits both rural and urban areas.”

The governments of Canada and Ontario will each contribute up to $90 million through the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component-Small Communities Fund.

In making the announcement today in London, Bob Chiarelli, minister of infrastructure, said bringing critical broadband infrastructure to southwestern Ontario will strengthen the province’s economy.

“High-speed internet will connect people and businesses to the resources they need to compete in the global marketplace and strengthen our economy. Equipping people in the province with the tools they need to succeed is one of the ways we’re helping to build Ontario up.”

The total estimated project cost is $281 million; the remaining funds will come from municipal and private contributions via the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, which initially proposed the SWIFT initiative.

Contact:
Prof. Helen Hambly
School of Environmental Design & Rural Development
19-824-4120, Ext. 53408
hhambly@uoguelph.ca

Saint Elizabeth Health Care Showcases Hope And Happiness

MARKHAM, Ontario, July 26, 2016 /Canada NewsWire/ - Saint Elizabeth today announced the official opening of a Hope and Happiness showcase at its corporate office in Markham.  

Bringing together elements of strategy, storytelling and experiential design, the 2,000-square foot installation was designed and produced in partnership with Central Station, a Toronto-based agency that specializes in bringing brands to life. An accompanying video shows the creation and build out of the space.

"As a not-for-profit charity, we connect with so many people nationally and internationally who want to visit, learn and share ideas with us," said Shirlee Sharkey, CEO of Saint Elizabeth. "With the recent expansion of our corporate office, we wanted to capture – in a surprising and inspiring way – our passion and uniqueness within the healthcare ecosystem."

The inaugural showcase features some of Saint Elizabeth's most powerful and innovative initiatives, including Elizz, Canada's go-to-place for all things caregiving, and the award-winning Hope and Happiness campaign that is inspiring a global movement.

As the finishing touches are put in place, guided tours of the showcase are already being provided to a growing number of health systems, community groups, students, entrepreneurs and others interested in innovating health care.

Earlier this month, nearly 120 staff convened in the new space and online to mark their graduation from the UK's School for Health and Care Radicals, a virtual learning program for change activists, backed by the National Health Service.

"After more than a century of caring, we continue to be inspired by the power of people, and all the ways we can work together to be a catalyst for positive change," said Sharkey.

About Saint Elizabeth 

Saint Elizabeth is a national health care provider that has been opening the door to new possibilities and care experiences for more than a century. Recognized as Canada's largest social enterprise, we employ 8,000 people and visit 18,000 clients every day. With Elizz, our breakthrough brand dedicated to all things caregiving, we are bringing fresh thinking, exceptional services and positive change to caregivers nationally. Through the Saint Elizabeth Research Centre, our Health Career Colleges and the Saint Elizabeth Foundation, we are helping to make the future of health care brighter and stronger. 

SOURCE Saint Elizabeth Health Care   http://www.saintelizabeth.com/

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WayHome Surpasses All Expectations in Sophomore Year

 Music and Arts Festival Attracts 40,000 Fans For 2016 

MEDONTE, Ontario, July 25, 2016 /Canada NewsWire/ - Republic Live announced a second successful year for WayHome Music and Arts Festival with 40,000 fans in attendance. The festival attracted fans from every Canadian province, territory, 32 states in the and eight foreign countries and featured headliners LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire and The Killers along with 65 more artists. The music and arts festival presented multiple stages with a variety of late night displays, art installations, unique partner activations and fine international and local cuisine.  Set against the backdrop of the lush fields of Burl's Creek Event Grounds this created a complete immersive festival experience for fans.

"In two years we have been able to create a festival that been recognized as a world-class event that we can all be proud of," said Ryan Howes, Creative Director, Republic Live. "We really wanted to excite our fans with the on-site experience and their reactions when they first walked into the main entertainment space is exactly what we were hoping to achieve. We are very grateful to all of the artists, industry partners, sponsors, media, staff and volunteers that made this festival experience possible for the thousands of fans that attended WayHome 2016. We've already started the planning process for next year and encourage everyone to save the dates, July 28 – 30, 2017, for another memorable WayHome."

The event saw 35,000 fans camping on-site, others availed of hotel shuttle packages which sold out in early May, and 2,000 fans commuted daily. Despite 2016 being a difficult year for ticket sales for many music festivals in North America, WayHome was fortunate to see an increase in sales across all product offerings from year one to year two. This year the festival introduced a new fan-friendly cashless payment system to streamline the on-site experience. Free water ensured that fans stayed hydrated with over 2 million litres of water being utilized and 40,000 bags of ice supplied to festival goers over the weekend.

WayHome Music and Arts, produced by Republic Live, featured headliners LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire and The Killers, along with by Major Lazer, M83, HAIM, Metric, Chvrches, Ray LaMontagne, and an additional 60+ artists.  The festival offered multiple stages, a variety of late-night spectacles and experiences, original art installations, fine international and local cuisine, an on-site farmers market and more. Save the date for 2017 as WayHome will be taking place July 28th – 30th, 2017 at Burl's Creek Event Grounds. www.wayhome.com  

RELATED LINKS
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University of Guelph Professor Earns Prestigious UK Award for Animal Welfare Research

GUELPH, Ontario Thursday, July 21, 2016 - News In Brief - A University of Guelph professor has been honoured with a top award from the British Society of Animal Science and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Prof. Georgia Mason, Animal Biosciences, received the RSPCA/BSAS Award for Innovative Developments in Animal Welfare at the International Society for Applied Ethology conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Mason, a behavioural biologist and Canada Research Chair, was recognized for her pioneering research, which has led to a better understanding of the effects of captivity on animals and how their welfare can be improved.

She studies how animals cope with captive housing conditions and is currently researching the cage size of farmed mink.

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Pets, Owners to Benefit from $1.5-Million Gift for OVC Companion Animal Care

Artistic rendering of OVC’s new anesthesia facility

GUELPH, Ontario Thursday, July 21, 2016 - OVC News Release - A new $1.5-million gift to the University of Guelph will allow the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) to provide companion animals with an unprecedented level of care before and after surgery.

The donation from the Angel Gabriel Foundation will go to support OVC Pet Trust’s Friends Together for Longer fundraising campaign, which launched late last year. Specifically, it will help create a sophisticated anesthesia and pain management unit within OVC’s Health Sciences Centre.

“This generous gift will have far-reaching impacts for both pets and pet owners” said Jeff Wichtel, OVC dean.

“The new facilities will help raise the standard of care for pet comfort and safety, with the most advanced anesthesia and medical technology available.  It also means our students – the veterinarians of the future — will leave here equipped with the latest knowledge and techniques to help pets live better, healthier lives.”

Artistic rendering of OVC’s new anesthesia facility

This is the most recent gift from Stu and Kim Lang’s Angel Gabriel Foundation. The Langs are longtime supporters of OVC and the University, and have contributed to many projects and initiatives over the years.

In 2012, their foundation donated $1.5 million to equip OVC’s Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer with a linear accelerator. The only one of its kind in veterinary use in Canada, it allows OVC to offer the best in radiation cancer therapy to its patients.

“We are thrilled to support the excellent work being done at the Ontario Veterinary College,” Kim Lang said. She is a longtime board member of Pet Trust, Canada’s first charitable fund dedicated to improving the health and well-being of companion animals, and was recently named chair of its marketing committee.

“We are so pleased to be supporting this important project that will help pets return home faster to their families after complicated surgeries, while advancing veterinary education,” she said.

The Anesthesia & Pain Management Unit will be named in recognition of this gift.

It will offer much needed space that is required for modern equipment and specialist teams to provide advanced surgery preparation, administration of anesthesia and pain medications as well as post-operative monitoring and care, which can be vital for pets that are at a higher risk of developing complications .

OVC treats more than 2,000 dogs, cats and other pets each year. About 90 per cent suffer from serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, liver failure or orthopedic issues, and 50 per cent require surgery or minimally invasive procedures.

Nearly 75 per cent of OVC’s companion animal patients undergo anesthesia, as the majority of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures require the pet to be sedated or anesthetized for their own safety, comfort and stress relief.

“Pet owners are referred to us by their veterinarians for advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures for their pets that are not readily available elsewhere,” Wichtel said.

“High skilled, specialized and compassionate care is our hallmark.”

An Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree

Dean, Tom and Scott Chudleigh

GUELPH, Ontario Wednesday July 20, 2016 Ontario Agricultural College - It’s an old saying that holds true for the Chudleigh family.

This story of third-generation apple entrepreneurs started in 1939 when Eric and Marion Chudleigh began apple farming in Dixie, ON. Eric imported a new experimental apple rootstock from England and started propagating trees that were size controlled by the rootstock.

On the farm in Milton, ON, purchased in 1955, he started a new compact fruit tree orchard. Sadly, he died before he could finish planting all of the trees he had planned for the farm.

His then 17 year-old son, Tom, decided to finish what his father started and planted trees in his spare time throughout high school and while attending the Ontario Agricultural College. After graduating with his BSc(Agr) in 1963, Tom returned to the farm to work as a commercial apple grower.

But after a couple of years, he decided to try something new.

“We started having people come to the orchard to pick their own apples in 1967, which was really radical at the time,” explains Tom. Most farmers couldn’t understand the business proposition of having “folks come to climb on your trees”.

But Tom and his wife, Carol, saw an opportunity. “From essentially the first few weeks we knew it was a success,” explains Tom. “People were coming out to pick apples and we discovered after two years that it wasn’t the storage of apples that they were interested in; they were interested in a new activity for a weekend adventure. Apples were the hook.”

The farm entertainment business grew steadily and today it welcomes people every day from July to October.

Dean Chudleigh followed in his father’s footsteps and graduated with BSc(Agr) in 1986. He then returned home to explore a side business his Mom had developed from a value-added feature to the farm in the seventies.

On the farm, Carol had begun baking pies and selling small slices on a napkin for 25 cents. By the 1980s they sold pies on the farm and in several GTA restaurants.

“I took what Mom and Dad started and said ‘Let’s see if we can make a run for this’,” Dean shares.

Dean’s brother, Scott, joined him in 1990, and their hard work paid off in an unexpected way.

“One day, a President’s Choice employee visiting the farm mentioned that the company was looking for an apple crisp,” Dean says.

This apple crisp product began a long-time relationship with President’s Choice, which has brought us well-loved President’s Choice products such as the Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes.

These cakes are a perfect example of Dean’s theory that for every 1,000 successes, there were 10,000 failures. Creating an upscale chocolate dessert for their freezer was a giant learning curve for Chudleigh's, whose expertise had been centered around fruit. New ingredients, equipment, mixing and baking techniques for large volumes brought new challenges. Dean, Scott and their team were perfecting the recipe up until the day they needed to go into production to meet the order deadline.

“You go from elated you got the order, to how the heck are you going to make it,” Dean laughs. “We have hundreds of stories like that. For every success there are ten failures or things that didn’t work out as well as you’d hoped.”

Another example of this is their work with Red Lobster. By the early 1990s the Chudleigh’s had been pitching ideas to the restaurant chain for years, trying to get their pies on the menu. Finally the restaurant dropped the news that they’d never consider putting pie on the menu because the pies weren’t pre-portioned.

Instead of giving up on the opportunity, Dean and Scott decided to find a solution. They tried different ideas to portion their pies, but were unable to create an efficient and cost-effective single serve solution. Instead they developed an “Apple Crostada” as a shared dessert, which Red Lobster put on the menu.

Still puzzled with the demand for a single serve apple pie, Scott and his wife, Mary, came up with a concept called an Apple Blossom®. This single serve dessert was a perfect fit for everyone - families and restaurants - and it began to sell well.

“For the next five years it felt like we didn’t eat or sleep,” shares Dean. “We needed to make hay while the sun was shining. We were hiring, learning, making mistakes, hiring, learning and making more mistakes.”

But these born and bred entrepreneurs knew it was all part of the process. “Our grandfather was always exploring new growing science. Our Dad was an entrepreneur in marketing entertainment farming. Scott and I learned that every day is new opportunity,” reflects Dean.

Today Chudleigh’s Ltd. makes 120 frozen desserts and serve 15 private label brands, which they ship across Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Norway and soon Dubai. In fact, 70 percent of their products are exported outside of Canada. The bakery employs 250 people and the farm employs 100 people seasonally.

Dean’s ever-evolving role is now one that he defines as ambassador and interpreter. “Really I spent very little time as a guy making pies, maybe five years, and then moved on to other roles. My brother has championed the sales and marketing.

“I turned into an engineer to build our facility. I was buying and selling commercial property for our plant. I needed to figure out distribution routes for our product to get from California to Florida to Texas. Now Scott and I have hired people to do those things better than we ever could,” he shares.

“We spend our time outside of the business searching for innovative ideas to bring back to the business and interpreting what the rest of the world wants for their next dessert product.”

This has influenced their next venture: branding.

“We’re going to maintain the world of the private label, but we are going back to our branding attempt from over 30 years ago,” says Dean.

“We spent the last year doing really thorough research throughout North America on what the brand means to people. People are looking for a brand that means something and our packaging will tell our story,” explains Dean.

The first customer for their refreshed brand is Wal-Mart US, with more products under the Chudleigh’s Ltd. brand coming in the next year.

U of G Research Communications Director Elected President of Ag Journalists Group

GUELPH, Ontario Tuesday July 20, 2016 - NEWS IN BRIEF -  A University of Guelph staffer has been elected president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ).


Owen Roberts, director of research communications in U of G’s Office of Research, was elected by representatives from 41 countries at a meeting this month in Bonn, Germany.

Roberts has served as president of the Eastern Canada Farm Writers’ Association and has held various positions with the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation, including serving as president and newsletter editor.

He said he hopes to implement a strategic plan during his two-year term that will include reaching out to more countries, especially those in the developing world.

“Agricultural journalism is fundamental to advancing agriculture in any country, as it helps mobilize information,” said Roberts, previously IFAJ secretary-general and vice-president.

“Here at Guelph, we have a goal to extend knowledge about agriculture and food to various audiences, including consumers, farmers, media and decision-makers. I’ve specialized in communicating about research. In agriculture and all fields, research is key to helping solve problems and address opportunities.”