As 2017 is coming to an end I am happy to report that we have had great attendance for both

the October and November meetings. In October we had Russ Drackett from Schneider Electric present prior to the general meeting and was followed by Heather Thompson from Anixter speaking about Labour Reduction Solutions in regards to cable pulling. Nathan Ward from SAIT also spoke about the SAIT Electrical Skill Training Program & Solar PV training. November’s meeting had Drazen Jerkovic from Eaton/Prolux Lighting providing the pre-presentation and spoke about the future of Connected Lighting. He was followed by Adam Ecarnot of FBC giving talk about the Tax Changes for Small business. I would like to thank all the presenters for giving some of their time and providing great value to

our members. I would also like to thank our refreshment sponsors for the last two months; October was Heather Thompson from Anixter and in November Vince Ho from FBC.

In October and November we were lucky to add a few new members to our association; Jeff Carefoot of Engraving Edge Ltd., Doug Prusky from A.M. Agencies, Doug Baird from Aon Risk Solutions and Mike Weisbeck from Federal Metals. We also had Rod Puhalj receive his PEC cetification.

December 14th we will be having our annual Christmas Social, which will include a traditional Christmas dinner & a silent auction. Also at this event we will be accepting monetary & food donations for the Food Bank. Last year through the generosity of our membership we donated $5,192.00 & 500lbs of food to the Food Bank. Hopefully this year we can exceed that.

Our next meeting will be held January 11th 2018 at the Port O’Call Inn. I am looking forward to continuing my tenure as your President in the New Year and having another successful year for the Calgary Chapter.

It's been a busy fourth quarter and much has transpired since our last Contactor issue. It is a pleasure to

report that I have managed to visit all of our chapters before the year is up as the insight gained from doing so is important to have as we move into the new year. Being able to hear reports on challenges faced in each area of the Province from the members that came out to the various meetings, I have a clear sense of how valuable this Association is to our industry. In addition to getting out to all of our chapters, I was also honoured to represent ECAA at multiple events these past few months such as Stars Building Magic in the Air Gala on October 14th, the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Association (CME) Cabinet Ministers Dinner which was held on November 1st and Careers Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) and CTS Scholarship celebration on November 17th. Working with Grant Ainsley on videos released through our various social media platforms we have also been able to drastically increase the information flow on issues that the electrical industry is facing. This can only get better as we move into the new year so I will use this platform to remind all to “Like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn. Grant has also put our updates on all the activities the ECAA is involved in as they happen on social media. As 2017 draws to a close we have much to celebrate. Like many at this time of year, gratitude is a common theme in my thoughts as I review the accomplishments of the past 12 months. In our December 7th board meeting we discussed goals that we set back in 2014 as an association. It became

clear very quickly how much progress we had made in the areas of industry, public and government awareness of the ECAA and how much we have really been able to communicate the value of belonging to our members. From the efforts of our Office Staff, Provincial Board, Chapter Executives, Industry Partners and Associate Members who have gone above and beyond to provide informative presentations at all of our meetings province wide, the ECAA mission rings through loud and clear as the voice and information center of the electrical industry. Thank you to each and every one of you for making 2017 a successful year for the ECAA. Yours in service

President’s Message

Chapter Reports

C. Eric Fadden, PEC

CalgaryAndrew McGuire

CAREERS RAP & CTS Scholarship Celebration

Provincial President Eric Fadden with Janice Lawrence-Harper,

CAREERS, and Marlin Schmidt, Minister of Advanced Education

Facilitator, Rick Moyse with Provincial President Eric Fadden

Well another new season is upon us as we find ourselves covered with the ‘white stuff’!

Fort McMurray received a very significant snowfall this past week ranging between 20 to 40 centimeters. Looking at the positive side of that, the current ‘Fire Risk’ ranking has moved from Low to EXTREMELY LOW!

With that said, we had a lot of great things happen this fall leading into our most recent Chapter meeting which took place on November 14th. We had a nice turnout as eighteen members and associates were in attendance. We were fortunate to have our Provincial President, Eric Fadden in attendance. Eric provided a fantastic update to our guests through power point. Our thanks also goes out to Drazen Jerkovic from Eaton/Prolux lighting who did a fantastic presentation on ‘Connected Lighting’ and IOT, etc. We also participated in the local Career Expo which was held on October 19th. There was a large number of young students who participated in this year’s fair and we would like to give out a special thank you to our partners from Keyano College for their wonderful support as they not only had folks at their own booth, but they also had great representation at our ECAA booth as well. This is just another great example of the benefits of working together and networking with our partners, contractors and suppliers in our region. Speaking of Keyano’s involvement in the region, we were all invited up to Father Mercredi High School for an open house where we were allowed to interact with students as they demonstrated their hands on skills in a lab which was constructed by Keyano College. These students are enrolled in a dual credit electrical program which runs every day for an entire semester. Here the students are taught both theory and practical skills by Keyano instructors. These students were very enthusiastic in showing off their skills and knowledge and are certainly excited about the prospects of potentially being hired by local contractors following their graduation. This is a wonderful program and I believe it is important for our ECAA contractors to become more involved with this program and look to take on and support these local students and keep them living local and working within the community in which they were raised. These young people are key to the success

of our future in the electrical industry and we must do everything we can to support and help shape their future.

I am looking forward to our continued networking and supporting of one another as we head into the New Year and I would strongly encourage all Contractor members to join in and participate in the meetings if possible. Your experience and input is very valuable to everyone in our community and you can certainly play a great role in the decisions and direction your association takes going forward. Remember you are the Voice of the Electrical Industry in Alberta.

One preview going into the New Year, we have voted on a date of Wednesday, August 15th for the upcoming Wood Buffalo Apprenticeship Classic golf tournament. Please save the date in your calendars and we look forward to seeing you all out there.

I would like to thank Sheri McLean and her team for all of their support as they continuously go above and beyond to bring success to every meeting and event! I would also like to thank the support of our new Provincial President Eric Fadden as well as past President Darrell Castor and the Executive board for their support and guidance. We are very fortunate to have so much experience and leadership within the association.

The Edmonton Chapter held two meetings since my last report. The first was on October 16.

Fifty-eight members and guests attended the pre meeting presentation on “Switchboard installation costs and time savers” by Russ Drackett from Schneider Electric. Our evening meeting welcomed 51 members and guests, and our presenter and sponsor was CQN Advantage. Patrick Robinson and Ronnie Tallman provided information on “Contractor Prequalification”. Scott Hutton introduced himself as the new Open Shop Chair, and Eric Fadden updated us on the happenings at the Provincial Board Level.

We recognized New Associate Member - A.M. Agencies, New Contractor - H&S Electrical Solutions Inc., as well as New Journeyperson Associate - Brian Geis

Our next meeting was on November 20. Sixty members and guests were in attendance for the pre meeting presentation by Drazen Jerkovic from Eaton Lighting on “Connected Lighting”. The evening presenter and sponsor was Total Integration, who provided us with valuable information on wireless fire alarm devices.

We recognized Aon Risk Solutions as a new Associate member, 1518708 Alberta Ltd, and Wave Control Systems as new contractors, and three new PEC’s, Craig Moore, Raymond Schultz, and Shani Ahmed.

Our evening draws winners:50/50 - Pat Logan and Chris CliffordDoor Prize – Jim Maynard and Ian McGinnessEvaluation Draw – Chris Clifford and Josh Humeny

Our next meeting is January 15, 2018The Edmonton Chapter Presidents Ball is January 20, 2018 (tickets available for purchase)

On behalf of your Edmonton Chapter Executive, we would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season and all the best in 2018.

EdmontonBrent Connell, PEC

Touring Father Mercredi High school dual credit program

Fort McMurrayTim Brundage

As the year 2017 comes to an end, I look back and think “wow” we made it. The North West

Chapter went for an economic rollercoaster ride this past year. Best wishes to the contractors that did not make it through and good luck in your future endeavors. To the contractors that were able to weather the storm, well done and good luck for 2018.

As a membership in the Northwest Chapter, 2017 was a year for involvement and education. I can’t thank Sheri, Camille, Christine, Dorothy and Tammy enough for all the hard work and dedication they gave to reach goals I had for the Chapter. The North West is so diversified in the Electrical industry. It is imperative that the members come together and sit as professionals working towards success. The last meeting in the spring saw almost 30 members attend the chapter meeting with a strong representation from the contractors and the associates. During the summer the North West Chapter was getting a rework. The plan to change from two chapter meetings a year to four came into action. Presenters were selected by the quality of information and the effectiveness of the presenter. Starting in September moving forward, this quality of presented information was coming to The North west.

Additionally, we needed to get the Professional Electrical Contractor (PEC) training courses to the North West. The September course was rescheduled for lack of attendance but has been rescheduled for January. The November course was well attended and delivered. There was a student from as far away as Yellowknife NWT. Moving forward Chapter meetings will have a PEC course on the same date. The September meeting and the most recent November meeting had over 22 members in attendance.

The increased involvement from the membership, the modern current information being presented, and the education being delivered has been received well in the membership. Our members see value in the presenters, in the networking, in the education and in the more frequent meetings. The members are hungry for more, and are enthused with the direction thus far. I can tell you that 2018 is going to be much of the same.

This time of year, I need to give thanks to all involved, from the Provincial Board of Directors and Executive, 2016 and 2017. It has been a pleasure to be part of such an extraordinary group of professional men and women. Thanks to Sheri and her hardworking Staff. Christine, Camille, Dorothy and Tammy, I know I speak for all Chapter Presidents when I say we couldn’t do this without you. Thank you to all the Associates for your sponsorship and support over the past year; as well as all of the presenters that gave time to educate our membership. Lastly thank you to all ECAA members for this last year and years to come, best wishes for 2018, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

North WestBrandon Thoma, PEC #239

CommitteesT he last Board of Director’s

Meeting was December 1, 2017. Russ Nairne provided an

overview on the changes to the OH&S Act and WCB:Three fundamental rights of workers

• Right to know• Right to participate• Right to refuse dangerous work

Employers• Ensure workers are not subject

to or participate on harassment or violence

• Ensure workers have competent supervision• Consult and cooperate with JWSHSC or health and safety

representative and resolve issues in a timely manner• Ensure prime contractor is advised of names of supervisors

Service Providers have been addedPrime Contractor has been changed

• Required on construction or oil and gas worksites with 2 or more employers or self-employed persons

Self-employed person has been addedTemporary staffing agencies have been addedJoint Work Site Health and Safety Committee and Representative

• 20 or more workers• Safety Representative required if 5 to 19 employees• Work will last 90 days or more

• JWSHSC training up to 2 days• Meeting quarterly

Health and Safety Programs are required if an employer has 20 or more workersChanging Occupational Health and Safety Council to OHS Advisory Council

• Responsibility for OHS Appeals transferred to Alberta Labour Relations Board

Reporting of Serious Injuries and Incidents• Incident resulting in hospitalization of worker• Incidents with the potential to cause serious injury (near miss) must

be reportedStop Work / Stop Use Orders

• Affected workers may be reassigned to other work, but receive the same wages and benefits

Acceptance and Approvals• Approvals may be given to industry not just employer

Information Collection and Exchange• The government must publish information (statistical information,

orders, administrative penalties, acceptances and approvals issued) at regular intervals

• Allow Alberta Labour to share data with other government bodies, agencies, and external organizations beyond the WCB

• Funded Health and Safety Associations form the WCB submit reports to the Minister each year, Minister may provide recommendations on effectiveness of association

The changes would come into effect June 1, 2018

Alberta Construction Safety Association Dave Hagen

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WCB• Appeals Commission to identify commonly seen

linkages between Employers in a particular industry

• Introduction of a Fair Practice Office• Removal of maximum insurable earning cap• Lump sum fatality benefits equal to $90,772.22• Adjust the benefits of young workers• Obligation to Reinstate Work and Continue to

Provide Benefits• They did reject the WCB Review Panel

recommendation to end the current practice of distrusting surplus money

WCB has indicated that they will be sending out cheques in December for the excess funds that were held in 2017.

ACSA• Budget was provided and new WCB has

recalculated the levy at 2.25%• CSTS update to be completed by January

1, 2019• Added Code of Conduct for board members

to Board Charter• Presented Strategic Priorities with strategies

and how outcome can be measured○ This includes increased interaction at

senior management level• The ACSA is delaying the development of a

new e-audit tool until more clarification on

what Partnership requirements will be

• The ACSA has formed an Engagement Advisory Committee comprised of members of the regional safety committees

• ACSA piloted a Contractor Management course on December 1

• A new WHMIS TTT will be released in January 2018

• There was positive discussion around the ACSA not making changes that impact employers until approved by the Board

A huge thank you goes out to all of our active Associate members. Be assured that we are an intricate, important and valued

segment of the ECAA as a whole. Our ongoing presence, participation and meeting sponsorship plays a key role in the success of all chapter meetings.

The recent implementation of highly informative presentations prior to chapter meetings has resulted in attendance almost doubling and has also seen a steady increase in membership as well. As Associate members, the delivery of important industry evolving information to our Contractor members as well as each other is at the core of what we are about.

I sincerely want to thank all who have selflessly scheduled their time to travel to our chapters in order to participate, share their knowledge and educate. I look forward to our upcoming presentations and remain receptive to any other offers to educate from other Associates. Please contact me directly

if you are interested in participating and sharing your knowledge.From an economic perspective, the market is still really challenging, but we are experiencing steady although minimal improvement.

Alberta’s population increased by 1.2% from the year prior in the second quarter which was on par with Canada’s overall population growth. Alberta welcomed 10,400 international migrants and saw 4,914 leave for other provinces for a net gain of 5,486. This was the eighth consecutive quarterly decline to other provinces. Alberta added 11,900 full time jobs in October, the largest gain since March. The unemployment rate fell .1% to 7.8% while Canada’s rate increased by .1% to 6.3%. Alberta employment has increased by 40,900 since July 2016.

• Rig activity in Alberta averaged 133, up 5% from September and 31% year over year.

• Alberta housing starts rose 13% in September.• Building permits were up 6.2% in August to $1.1B.

Lastly … be active … communicate … educate and learn … be seen … be heard … be known!

Associate LiaisonBob Clarke

ACSA (Continued)

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Aon Risk Solutions

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Learn more our exclusive insurance programs, designed to fit your risk!

construction.aon.ca

Aon Risk Solutions

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construction.aon.ca

CALGARY CHRISTMAS SOCIAL

Greetings. The Marketing Committee has been fairly busy this last quarter

with meetings to discuss Digital Marketing that can incorporate videos, social media and you tube advertising. Our committee met with Mike Blackmore on October 13th and 18th, of who is one of two top advisors for google and has extensive marketing experience. I am pleased to announce a campaign proposal has been presented and accepted to work in conjunction with Grant Ainsley, our social media expert, as we partner together to get the brand awareness of the ECAA out to industry.

We are very pleased with the opportunity to work with these incredible people who can help build our brand and continue to get the word out how the ECAA is the Voice of the Electrical Industry and why it matters to be connected to our association. It will also promote the awareness to the general public about why you should be hiring a certified electrician, among many other hot topics.

We are getting very social as was mentioned in the last Spark issue. Stats are showing that we are getting better at telling our story!

• In August we had around 5000 impressions on Twitter. In October that number jumped to over 36,000, roughly 72 times higher.

• During the same period, our profile visits on Twitter went from 139 to over 1000 and the number of our followers jumped by a third.

• On Facebook, in October our number of people engaged jumped by almost 400%

• Around 1000 people visited the ECAA website in October. Each person looked at about 3.5 pages and the most popular pages on the site related to training and finding an ECAA member.

• Videos, videos, and videos – check them out! They are now linked to the ECAA website, as well as twitter. Lots of great content including topics that are relevant to our industry such as the latest cannabis legislation awareness.

Many of our members are not aware that ECAA has a face book page. All you need to do is “like” our page on Facebook. By liking our page it will appear in your news feed anytime a post goes on and you will stay connected with all kinds of great news feeds that are relevant to our industry.

As always, the ECAA is here for you the membership. We exist for you to make your company, your professional development, your industry stronger. Together we are the “Voice of the Electrical Industry” in the Province of Alberta.

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas filled with HOPE, JOY and PEACE. May you all have a safe, healthy and prosperous 2018.

CommunicationsJeanette DeBruin

ECAA OPEN HOUSE

The Electrical Sub-Council member to sit on the Building Sub-Council was discussed and confirmed.

Previous meeting discussions identified the logic and preference of a member that resides in Edmonton due to the frequency and activity demands of the Building Sub-Council. Gerry Wiles was confirmed to represent this appointment.

• The appointment of Barry Voogd to represent “Electrical for Residential Construction” for a term ending Jan 31, 2021. This appointment represents the merged associations of “The Canadian Home Builders Association” and “Urban Development Institute Alberta” as the new “Building Industry and Land Development Alberta Association” (BILD Alberta).

• There will be a Standata alteration to explain the intent of using wireless switches that have been approved for use in Canada.

○ Rules 30-500 to 30-510 Luminaires in Buildings of Residential Occupancy Wall Switches Rules 30-500 to 30-510 prescribe the requirements for wall switches in residential occupancies. For the purpose of these Rules, a wall switch may include any form of wall mounted lighting controls, including wireless, provided that

the following conditions are met: • Wall switches are permanently mounted in a location as per the prescriptive requirements of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I and the Alberta Building Code. • Electrical equipment is approved in order to satisfy the legislative requirements of the Electrical Code Regulation

• The Safety Codes Council will continue to explore ideas and concepts for improvement of the existing permit regulation. This will be a long term exorcize for the next couple of years.

• The Safety Codes Council is implementing new software for managing the diverse operations within the Council and will be called “Council Connect”.

• There are continued discussions referencing the Educational requirements of the upcoming new Canadian Electrical Code 24th Edition and the enforcement date of February 2, 2019.

The Master Electrician Working Group also held a meeting on October 30 where discussions focussed on the preparation of the Masters Exam questions relating to the new Canadian Electrical Code 24th Edition and the enforcement date of February 2, 2019. The next few meetings will be to review the changes in the new CEC and prepare exam questions relative to the changes. Previous meeting discussions talked about adding an AMA representative to the matrix of this Working Group. Further discussions have concluded there is no need to change the matrix for this option but to include an invitation to any Government representative who wishes to attend the meetings.

Electrical Sub-Council Darcy Teichroeb, PEC, CME

Kevan Jess has changed rolls and will now be the Fire Commissioner. Tina Parker will be the Acting Provincial Chief Fire Administrator.

Tina has worked alongside Kevan for as long as I remember. It will be an easy transition for her.

Administrative penalties regulation will officially be enforceable as of Dec 1st 2017. This gives any administrator the ability to issue penalties for non-compliance with the safety codes act and any section governed by the act.

Calgary has implemented a by-law enforcing the reporting of non-compliant fire alarm systems

through 311 after inspection if the owner is not working with the contractor to ensure the safety of the public and repairing the system. I have been working with the contractors in Calgary to get answers and we may look at hosting the City of Calgary and have them do a talk on this.

The final item is in regards to fire alarm training in the province. I have been working with Sherri on aligning with the CFAA and working with a local trainer to put on fire alarm training to assist with both electricians and fire alarm techs in the province that are in need of this training to work on fire alarm systems. I really feel that this is something that has been missing after the Alberta Building and Fire code update. Thanks

I think with the new requirements in Calgary and the 311 reporting I think this is a great opportunity to discuss the requirements for fire alarm testing. Most of us in the electrical field are very familiar with

a verification of a fire alarm system when the building is being built but once it’s turned over to the owner then there is a completely different set of standards that come into play once the Fire Code takes over from the Building Code. Under the ABC we are required to complete a verification as per CAN/ULC-S537 and this becomes the guild for how the building fire alarm system operates and confirms that it is installed as per CAN/ULC-S524. This document is very important and is incorporated into the owners Fire Safety Plan for the facility and then they need to follow CAN/ULC-S536 for inspection and testing of the fire alarm system for the years to come. Under S536 there are

requirements to do daily, weekly, and monthly and annually on the fire alarm system. These tests range from a daily check to ensure that the power light is on and functioning which can be done by the building owner to a monthly test which includes alarming the system all the way up to the annual once a year test that is required to be done by a trained and certified individual. This is where Calgary is enforcing the continued maintenance of the fire alarm and life safety systems. CAN/ULC-S536 has all of the documentation that is required to be filled out and kept on site after these inspection an also dictates what is required.

Merry Christmas.

Fire Sub-Council Joe Davis

Framework Bargaining Endorsed

On December 1st the Registered Employer Organizations (REOs) and

the Building Trades of Alberta (BTA) have again endorsed the Framework Bargaining process to renew the General Construction Agreements coming to term in 2019. This process was utilized in the 2010/11 and 2014/15 rounds of bargaining. The outcomes from using this process of Interest Bargaining were: creative solutions; a large majority of collective agreements ratified prior to expiry; the trades which did not participate or opted out largely followed the pattern of settlement; relationships between REOs and Trades were enhanced and a platform for joint problem solving during collective agreement terms was developed.

The addition of the Framework Bargaining process to Registration Bargaining adds another level of stability to the unionized construction and maintenance industries. The number of collective bargaining strikes and lockouts during the approximately 28 years the current Registration Bargaining regime has been in place is exactly zero. The number of collective bargaining strikes and lockouts since 1986 is exactly zero.

Progressive Discipline EndorsedLocal 424 and ECAA continue to collectively support the process of progressive discipline. When used by an Employer undesirable behaviors and performance of Employees is corrected. The IBEW also uses progressive discipline with their Members when the Member displays undesirable behaviors and performance on the job. To enhance the Union’s process Contractors are encouraged to inform the Union about any undesirable behavior or performance displayed by their Employees. The Union wants to be informed of the members who may benefit from peer discipline.

The Letter signed between 424 and ECAA supporting Discipline Reports being sent to the Union can be viewed on the Union Contractor Page on the ECAA website. Contractors may use the Discipline Form on the website or use their own form to notify the Union.

LabourBrian Halina

Since our last Board meeting on October 13th we have added 5 new Contractors

and 11 Associate members.

Your Provincial Membership Chair attended Chapter meetings in Edmonton (October 16), Calgary (November 9), Fort McMurray (November 14), Grande Prairie (November 16) and Edmonton (November 20). While in Fort McMurray, we were invited to Industry Day at Father Patrick Mercerdi School. They offer the Dual Credit Program. It is an alternative path for those that are on track for RAP placements. They take the 8 week first period electrical program from AIT and offer it over 16 weeks where the students will also have a chance to work on the tools and gain some additional skills that will prepare them for when they get a placement in the field. At the end of the course they will write the AIT first period branch exam, the only piece missing is that they will not yet be indentured in the trade.

It has been a pleasure traveling with our Provincial President Eric Fadden, PEC to many of these meetings. As always, thank you to all our Associates for stepping up and sponsoring the refreshments in all our Chapters.On October 26th, I had the privilege to be invited to attend Jim Nelson’s

(Wesco) retirement party in Grande Prairie. I wish Jim and his wife Barbara a happy retirement.

We look forward to the ECAA Open House on December 7 and the Calgary Christmas Social on December 14th.

To those of you who are not members yet, here are some of the benefits you are missing out on:

• Networking with your peers and connecting to your industry• Industry specific training• Voice to Government• Membership discounts for Corporate, Personal and Health Insurance • Preferred rates through our Affinity Partners

Thank you to Sheri and her staff: Camille; Christine; Dorothy and Tammy for their assistance.

2018 is just around the corner. We look forward to continued growth of our Association as the Voice of the Electrical Industry in Alberta.

If you would like any more information you can contact me at: 780.446.2350 or e-mail: grover12@telus.net

MembershipSteve Warholik

Happy 80th birthday John Gullion, Wirtanen Electric

As the Christmas season is upon us and I cannot believe that this year is

almost over because it seems like yesterday that I welcomed everyone back from their summer vacations.

The good news about the year 2017 ending is that in 2018 the PEC program will celebrate its 25th year of existence. It all began when the ECAA first started the PEC program back in 1993 and since 25 years is a major milestone we all need to celebrate by doing something special! This is where I am hoping that my fellow PEC’s can help me out by making suggestions on how we should celebrate it. If you have any ideas please put them on paper and e-mail them to me at maslankob@gmail.com . This would be greatly appreciated! We had a meeting with the PEC Communications Committee back in November and put together some of our own idea’s, but we really want to hear from you so we have scheduled another meeting for January 26th. I would like to present your ideas to the committee at that time.

The PEC courses remain in very high demand and the ECAA office has added additional dates including some in your local chapters. Please go to our ECAA website for the updated dates and locations and as promised we will continue to offer the courses in your area if the demand

is there.

In January our revamped PEC courses will be rolled out. Thank you to Mike Fleming, PEC for conducting course content reviews to streamline course content. These courses will be now using a common set of drawings and specifications which will help us provide consistency in our courses. Once again thank you Mike and to all the course instructors who, along with Larry Cantelo, assisted Mike with this task.

Speaking of Larry Cantelo, he is just finishing the final touches for this year’s PEC Training Day which will be held on May 25th, 2018 at the historic Fairmont Hotel MacDonald in downtown Edmonton. Make sure you save this date and plan on attending as Larry, together with his Education Committee, has once again put together another great line-up of interesting topics with highly qualified presenters. It’s a great way to meet fellow PEC’s and earn your APD points for the year. Registration packages will be available through the ECAA office prior to the end of December.

Speaking of other ways to earn APD points, Mike Fleming, PEC and Bob Clark our Provincial Associates Chair have put together a list of very interesting presenters for our various local chapter meetings. Please get out and attend your local chapter meetings to see for yourselves and remember these presentations are made to help keep you, our contractors, better informed.

To remain a Professional one must stay current and with that thought in mind I would like to wish each and every one of you a Happy Holiday Season and an even better New Year.

Professional Electrical ContractorBob Maslanko, PEC

Brett Kissel posing with ECAA and friends at Building Magic in the Air STARS Gala

Purchasing insurance for your business is a significant investment. As with any

investment, you want to make sure you’re getting the most value for your dollar. Before you purchase coverage, a great amount of time, effort and research should be invested to ensure you obtain the best coverage to meet your business’ needs. Below are some tips to consider and some questions you’ll want to ask before you insure your business.

Understand your risksNo one knows your business better than you. Ask yourself: What are your needs and who can best fulfill them? What makes up your operations? Where do your jobs take place? How long is the duration of the project you’re working on? What are the common risks in your industry? There are multiple companies out there offering a variety of coverages. Each answer could affect the amount of insurance you will need.

Shop aroundThere are many factors that affect your insurance premium. Your own loss experience and industry losses are just two considerations. When shopping for insurance, shop smart by asking yourself what your needs are and doing your research. There are multiple insurance companies offering a variety of coverages. It is important to compare apples to apples when determining what to do. Look at what the policy covers in detail including exclusions, endorsements, limits and deductibles to see which ones best fit your business’ needs. Above all, ask yourself which one allows you to sleep peacefully at night knowing that your business and assets are protected.

Review your policy limitsAs your needs evolve, so will the needs of your business. That’s why it’s important to review your policy regularly and see if your coverages still meet your needs. Insurance companies offer a wide range of coverage limits. Ask yourself: What limits do your contracts require? How much is enough? Keep in mind that if your actions cause injuries or loss of life, large claims could occur so you’ll want to be insured to cover those costs. Consider bundling several policies with one insurance carrier. Layering and umbrella insurance are some ways to get the most from your coverage while controlling your costs. Deductibles are also important to consider since they can affect your premium and may allow you to purchase more insurance where it is better needed.

Once you have a good understanding of your needs, here are some questions to ask your insurance specialist:

1. What is the expertise of the insurer in your industry?2. What is the financial rating of the insurer? Have there been any recent

changes?3. Does the insurer have access to all the types of insurance that your

company requires?4. What are the limits on coverages?5. What are the exclusions and endorsements?6. What payment options are available?7. How will service issues be managed and escalated?8. How will the renewal process be handled?9. Who do I contact if I require Certificates of Insurance for multiple

projects? Are there any restrictions on the number of certificates that I can request? What is the cost, and how long does it take to get one?

10. What’s your claims process?

Here are some insurance terms that you should understand when researching your insurance needs and coverage.

Definitions:• Insurance: is the sharing of loss by the few individuals within a group,

amongst the many members of that group.

• Insurance policy: is a contract between the insurer and the insured, which determines the claims which the insurer is legally required to pay in exchange for payment.

• Declarations page: provides the name of the insured, policy period, coverage, limits, and deductibles, and premium.

• Policy wordings: tell you what is covered and what is excluded.

• Endorsements: can add or deny coverage, add or delete conditions, change payment limits, and add additional named insureds.

• Co-insurance clause: requires the insured to have an equal or greater amount of the stated coinsurance percentage of the insurable value of the covered property.

• Umbrella insurance: is excess coverage over and above the general liability and automobile policies.

• Deductible: is the portion of the loss that the insured pays. There are a variety of amounts and can have a significant effect on the cost of the coverage.

• Certificate of insurance: is a document issued by an insurance company to provide evidence that an insurance policy is in force. You can request this of subcontractors to ensure they have insurance and they can be requested from you to prove that you have insurance.

What to consider before purchasing business insuranceBy Richard Frost LOSS PREVENTION CONSULTANT, NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND ASSOCIATIONS | www.federated.ca

richard.frost@federated.caRichard Frost

© Federated Insurance Company of Canada. All rights reserved.This article is provided by Federated Insurance Company of Canada (“Federated”) for informational purposes only to augment your own internal safety, compliance and risk management practices, and is not intended as a substitute for assessment or other professional advice by a qualified person or entity.Federated makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this document. Federated shall not be responsible in any manner for any loss, or any direct, indirect, consequential, special, punitive or other damages, arising out of your, or any other person’s, use or reliance on the information contained in this document. Alexander Callahan is the Director of Client Strategy & Business Development at Federated Insurance.

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