HAABC Conference 2012 Nanaimo BC
The Harbour Authority Association of BC held their 15th Annual AGM and conference February 7-10th at the well appointed Vancouver Island Conference Center on the Nanaimo waterfront. As in previous years, the conference was well
attended, and feedback indicated the venue, presentations and workshops were of the highest quality. Such enthusiastic responses from delegates make all the hard work worthwhile and highlights the positive results
that arise when we all come together!
The conference theme was:
Proactive, Practical & Professional: Characteristics of Effective Harbour
Management
The conference started with 2 bonus (optional) training sessions; Environmental Management Planning and Electrical Safety. This provided a great opportunity to deliver some much needed training for Harbour staff and directors.
A social officially opened the conference on Tuesday evening. The Wellington High School Jazz Ensemble added to the relaxing atmosphere, and the conference catering centre provided some sumptuous appetizers. The reception was well attended by SCH staff, HA staff, and exhibitors. They all took full advantage of this opportunity to chat with old and new friends and it was clear by evening’s end that everyone was excited about the next day’s events.
The next morning started off bright and early. Bob Baziuk served as the Master of Ceremonies. Bob introduced Jim Parsons and Shawn Cator who gave a colorful and informative presentation highlighting the major project rejuvenating the Powell River Waterfront. This project required careful long term planning which put them in good stead to take advantage of Economic Action Plan Funding through SCH. Although to both Jim and Shawn it seemed to take forever, this project was incredibly extensive and they are to be congratulated for having the vision to see it to completion.
The HAABC was honoured with the presence of Claudette Raymond and Donna Jean Kilpatrick, both representing SCH Ottawa, as well as Léo M. Vienneau, representing SCH Maritime Region. We greatly appreciate the time they devoted to attend our conference. The opportunity to celebrate our successes with the rest of the country is very dear to the HAABC.
Sylvie Berube, Associate Regional Director of SCH Pacific and Ken Smith, Regional Director of SCH Pacific took the podium and both expressed positive sentiments regarding the Harbour Authority Program and SCH.
SCH Regional Distinction awards were presented to:
Bick Benedict: Individual Commitment
Fanny Bay Harbour Authority: Harbour
Authority Achievement
HAs from the South Island, Mid Island, and North Island gave harbour updates during the first Ports of Call session. Despite the end of the Canada Action Plan in March of last year, harbours are still busy finishing up projects. Immediately following a delicious lunch Bob Gowe of Transport Canada spoke about the Navigable Waters Protection Program and Derelict/Abandoned Vessels. He was joined by Mike Carlson of DFO/RCMP who addressed the RCMP perspective on Derelict and Abandoned Vessels. He outlined the parameters the RCMP must adhere to when asked to assist an HA faced with both troublesome vessels and vessel owners. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a good working relationship with your local detachment. As expected Bob and Mike were peppered with a lot of questions from the delegates; the communication between Harbours and Transport Canada will continue to be strong.
Ben Mabberley took the stage after the break and gave a presentation outlining changes to the Harbour Authority Corporation insurance. The insurance now covers Bodily injury for volunteers that meet specific criteria. This presentation was able to clarify the HAC program for many HAs.
Gina McKay of Fishsafe BC then took the podium to present the new Safe Catch Program. She sees the HAs as the best venue to get the word out to fisherman on the importance of Fish safety and the programs Fishsafe BC have to offer. Many harbours are already providing material and workshop space to this program, and the safety training within the commercial fishing fleet has vastly improved since the fishsafe program has been established.
The AGM followed. The new and improved version of the HAABC bylaws were ratified. New directors elected were Shawn Cator of Powell River, and Bob Baziuk of Steveston HA. Allowing their names to stand for another term were Janet Rooke of Tsehum HA, and Eric Gregory of Alert Bay HA. Without these directors and their commitment to the HAABC our organization would be unable to function. Thank you!
Day 2 began with technical tools as an electronic survey was presented to delegates. This process continued periodically throughout the day. The information gleaned from the survey greatly helps the HAABC and SCH make plans for the future.
The morning began with a presentation entitled “Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act: How do I get there from here?” by Coleen Kirby of Industry Canada. Coleen Kirby of Industry Canada was kind enough to join us from Ottawa to give this important presentation. This presentation was a good first step in informing HAs of the requirements that must be met to maintain their not for profit status. As if that was not enough information for one morning, a Risk Management and Liability Exposure Workshop followed. Many questions made clear the desire that HAs have to have a better understanding of insurance and risk management. The afternoon provided some lighter fare, with a ports of call session for the north coast, sunshine coast, and the Lower Mainland. The day ended with a breakout session, Preparing Financial Statements with Keri Cargill CGA and Planning with SCH lead by Ken Smith. Although planning and financials could be considered “dry subjects”, both workshops had the delegates quickly sharing ideas and future plans.
A fabulous banquet featuring Wild BC Sockeye was followed by some zany entertainment. Alex Zerbe, hailing from Olympia WA enlisted the assistance of Art Childs, Phyllis Titus, Janet Rooke, and Tim Hobbs to display his particular brand of humour and juggling skills. Thanks for being good sports, your participation was clearly enjoyed by all. More than a few in the crowd laughed so hard they were brought to tears. A raffle and 50/50 draw raised funds for the Dick Maughan Scholarship Fund which allows the HAABC to contribute to the education of a deserving individual.
The final day of the conference began with a hearty breakfast after which zone meetings were held. Thank you to those who stayed for the zone meetings; they go a long way in allowing the board to determine the direction the membership would like the HAABC to take for the coming year.
If your harbour did not attend the 2012 conference, please start planning to attend next year. It is truly a great forum to learn from and share with your peers. You are all a wealth of information and we can only get better by learning from each other.
HAABC Conference 2011 Nanaimo BC
The 14th annual Harbour Authority Association of BC Conference and AGM was held from January 18 to 21 at the beautiful new Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo. The conference was well attended and response to both the venue and presentations was enthusiastic.
The conference theme was:
Myths, Misconceptions and Realities, Planning for success in Uncertain Times.
The theme was well supported by the speakers and information sessions.
The conference started with a meet and greet reception, we were entertained by the Wellington High School Jazz Ensemble and were treated to some sumptuous appetizers supplied by the Conference Centre catering staff.
The next morning started off bright and early. After introductions from Art Childs and Janet Rooke we got into the meat of the agenda.
Alec Finnsson of Mission Harbour took the stage. Alec gave a brief presentation on the progress that Mission HA has made in the last few years.
Ken Smith of SCH spoke about the success of the Economic Action Plan for SCH and the plans for the future. Collaborative planning and connecting with HA Boards are tops on the list. SCH achievement awards were presented to:
Lorraine Williams: Individual Commitment
Ladner Harbour Authority: Harbour Authority Achievement
Tsehum Harbour Authority: HA Environmental Stewardship Award
HAs from the South Island, Mid Island, and North Island gave harbour updates during the first Ports of Call session. HAs have clearly been busy with EAP project implementation.
Paul A. Michaud, an accountant from North Vancouver, spoke about the importance of the board. The board’s role is to give direction to the harbour. Policies, plans and budgets are some of the most important issues the board must pay attention to. In addition, they ensure the right people are hired to run the day-to-day operation of the HA. Paul supported his presentation with a great handout.
Vahid Kahnamelli, Acting Regional Engineer and his team gave an overview of project planning, allowing for questions from the audience.
Ben Mabbereley gave an update on the HAC insurance plan, paid volunteers working at your harbour are now covered under the plan.
The AGM rounded out the day. Three new directors were elected; Alec Finnsson, Lower Mainland; Eric Gregory, North Island; and Lutz Budde, North Coast.
Day 2 began with an electronic survey and this continued periodically throughout the day. The information gleaned from the survey helps the HAABC and SCH make plans for the future.
Shelly Chapelski from the law firmBull Housser Tupper, was joined this year by Kaitlin McKinnon also from BHT. They spoke about derelict and delinquent vessels and offered some strategies and solutions.
Mario Govorchin’s workshop on ‘Challenging Conversations’ was both entertaining and informative. After lunch the North Coast, Sunshine Coast and Lower Mainland harbours had their opportunity to give updates during the final session of the Ports of Call.
This was followed by a breakout session; ‘Harbour Admin and You’ was facilitated by Dave Garrett. This café style brainstorming workshop focused on developing systems in your organization. Robin Richardson and Mike Doutaz gave an excellent session for directors outlining the process for undertaking projects in Harbours.
A fabulous banquet featuring Wild BC Sockeye was followed by some special entertainment. Joe Jewell, harbour manager at Des Moines Washington provided a Frank Sinatra review that was highly entertaining. Chris Lougheed of Ladner HA won the raffle prize, a painting by Campbell River artist Dan Telosky. Bruce Haynes won the 50/50 draw.
The final day of the conference began with David Mailloux of Nanaimo Port Authority introducing the concept of forming a partnership between the HAABC and Tourism BC to market the Marine Sector. Henry Helin, from Western Canada Marine Response, shared his experience working on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the devastation that occurred and the challenges faced.
The group divided into their zones for a round of zone meetings to close the conference.
If your harbour did not attend the 2011 conference, you may want to start to plan now to attend next year. It is truly a great forum to learn and share. For either HA directors or HA staff the conference will rebuild your interest in your HA.
New Fisheries Minister Announced May 18, 2011
New Brunswick Member of Parliament Keith Ashfield has been appointed Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway.
Minister Ashfield, first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 for the federal riding of Fredericton, has previously served in Cabinet as Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway.
Prior to his election to Parliament, Minister Ashfield served in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly. He was provincial Minister of Natural Resources from 2003 to 2006, and served as Deputy Speaker of the Legislature from 1999 to 2003.
Minister Ashfield studied business administration at the University of New Brunswick.
He lives in Lincoln, New Brunswick and is married with two children.
Day 2 began with technical tools as an electronic survey was presented to delegates. This process continued periodically throughout the day. The information gleaned from the survey greatly helps the HAABC and SCH make plans for the future.
The 14th annual Harbour Authority Association of BC Conference and AGM was held from January 18 to 21 at the beautiful new Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo. The conference was well attended and response to both the venue and presentations was enthusiastic.
The conference theme was:
Myths, Misconceptions and Realities, Planning for success in Uncertain Times.
The theme was well supported by the speakers and information sessions.
The conference started with a meet and greet reception, we were entertained by the Wellington High School Jazz Ensemble and were treated to some sumptuous appetizers supplied by the Conference Centre catering staff.
The next morning started off bright and early. After introductions from Art Childs and Janet Rooke we got into the meat of the agenda.
Alec Finnsson of Mission Harbour took the stage. Alec gave a brief presentation on the progress that Mission HA has made in the last few years.
Ken Smith of SCH spoke about the success of the Economic Action Plan for SCH and the plans for the future. Collaborative planning and connecting with HA Boards are tops on the list. SCH achievement awards were presented to:
Lorraine Williams: Individual Commitment
Ladner Harbour Authority: Harbour Authority Achievement
Tsehum Harbour Authority: HA Environmental Stewardship Award
HAs from the South Island, Mid Island, and North Island gave harbour updates during the first Ports of Call session. HAs have clearly been busy with EAP project implementation.
Paul A. Michaud, an accountant from North Vancouver, spoke about the importance of the board. The board’s role is to give direction to the harbour. Policies, plans and budgets are some of the most important issues the board must pay attention to. In addition, they ensure the right people are hired to run the day-to-day operation of the HA. Paul supported his presentation with a great handout.
Vahid Kahnamelli, Acting Regional Engineer and his team gave an overview of project planning, allowing for questions from the audience.
Ben Mabbereley gave an update on the HAC insurance plan, paid volunteers working at your harbour are now covered under the plan.
The AGM rounded out the day. Three new directors were elected; Alec Finnsson, Lower Mainland; Eric Gregory, North Island; and Lutz Budde, North Coast.
Day 2 began with an electronic survey and this continued periodically throughout the day. The information gleaned from the survey helps the HAABC and SCH make plans for the future.
Shelly Chapelski from the law firmBull Housser Tupper, was joined this year by Kaitlin McKinnon also from BHT. They spoke about derelict and delinquent vessels and offered some strategies and solutions.
Mario Govorchin’s workshop on ‘Challenging Conversations’ was both entertaining and informative. After lunch the North Coast, Sunshine Coast and Lower Mainland harbours had their opportunity to give updates during the final session of the Ports of Call.
This was followed by a breakout session; ‘Harbour Admin and You’ was facilitated by Dave Garrett. This café style brainstorming workshop focused on developing systems in your organization. Robin Richardson and Mike Doutaz gave an excellent session for directors outlining the process for undertaking projects in Harbours.
A fabulous banquet featuring Wild BC Sockeye was followed by some special entertainment. Joe Jewell, harbour manager at Des Moines Washington provided a Frank Sinatra review that was highly entertaining. Chris Lougheed of Ladner HA won the raffle prize, a painting by Campbell River artist Dan Telosky. Bruce Haynes won the 50/50 draw.
The final day of the conference began with David Mailloux of Nanaimo Port Authority introducing the concept of forming a partnership between the HAABC and Tourism BC to market the Marine Sector. Henry Helin, from Western Canada Marine Response, shared his experience working on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the devastation that occurred and the challenges faced.
The group divided into their zones for a round of zone meetings to close the conference.
If your harbour did not attend the 2011 conference, you may want to start to plan now to attend next year. It is truly a great forum to learn and share. For either HA directors or HA staff the conference will rebuild your interest in your HA.
Dave Thorne Memorial Bench
A Memorial Bench for Dave Thorne has been erected on the boardwalk at Steveston Harbour. If you are in Steveston, please take the time to visit the bench and pay tribute to this inspirational man. He would be so proud and pleased with the progress the HAABC has made in the 2 years since his passing.
