In Canada’s saturated BNPL ecosystem, Zip stands out by putting customers at the centre and helping retailers increase conversions.

Consumer financing tools like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) have traditionally been a way to help customers fit purchases into their budget and for retailers to boost their sales. “What’s new is the digital aspect which lets people get the approval and do the purchase instantly through their phone,” says Steve Croth, Managing Director in Canada for Zip, a payments and consumer financing firm founded in Australia eight years ago that recently expanded into Canada. 

Providing a superior experience 

Using Zip’s BNPL technology purchasers can break a payment into four equal interest-free instalments spaced two weeks apart. “It kind of hits the sweet spot of that millennial shopper who doesn’t have a credit card or doesn’t want to use one because of the high fees, but is comfortable using a phone or shopping online,” says Croth.

With a consistently high Net Promotor Score (NPS), Zip is managing to not only satisfy but also delight its customers, something Croth attributes to three core pillars of its market approach — an obsession with customer experience, a customer-first mindset, and constant measurement. 

“Keeping customers delighted really starts with the experience, so ours includes an easy-to-use product that provides a frictionless transaction backed up by great customer support, with no late fees or penalties,” says Croth. 

Zip’s customer-first mindset views customers as brand ambassadors, rather than simply people transacting using the technology. “As brand ambassadors we know they’re going to go spread the word about us good or bad, so our customer-first mindset focuses on customer satisfaction, resolving their issues quickly, and being empathetic,” says Croth.  

Finally, the company constantly measures and monitors its customer feedback. “We dissect all the reviews and comments and use that data to improve our service model,” says Croth.

Helping retailers convert budding shoppers into repeat customers

These three core pillars are also integrated with Zip’s merchant experience. “It’s about being a steward of their brand by representing their brand values and upholding the highest standard in customer experience because their customers are our customers,” says Croth. 

The strong customer experience focus extends to helping retailers struggling with low customer conversion rates. “I find many e-commerce merchants tend to focus at the top of the funnel, but you need to focus at the bottom. It’s kind of like a leaky bucket. You need to plug the leaks first and our technology, tools and processes can give retailers certain efficiencies to do that and get people to successfully transact,” says Croth. 

With improved efficiencies, it’s easier for retailers to convert the casual shopper, the shopper on a tight budget or the shopper without a credit card. “We help retailers sell more stuff to more people by getting customers for them online, in-store, and in their sales funnel,” says Croth. The increased transaction volume in turn helps to improve the retailer’s efficiencies in key performance indicators like customer acquisition costs, return on marketing costs, and average order value. 

With about ten million users of its app in 14 markets, Zip services 82,000 retailers globally. “I think by having one of the best products in the market from an experience and technology perspective really lets us deliver on our promise to retailers to drive top line, increase order values, and improve conversion rates,” says Croth.

The post Superior Customer Experience Sets Zip Apart in the BNPL Space appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Cheryl McGrath

Area VP & Country General Manager, Optiv Canada

The art of balancing innovation and risk management in the world of IoT

As organizations continue to digitally transform, Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as cell phones, tablets, watches, refrigerators, medical devices, vehicles and many more, are becoming critical components to enable companies to act quickly on information to increase competitive advantages and operational efficiencies. 

The addition of these devices to IT environments allows for improved data utilization to better manage technology, increase output and reduce costs and downtime. However, the effort to utilize these new data sources significantly alters an organization’s threat landscape, opening up vulnerabilities that previously couldn’t be exploited. In many instances, network security is unable to detect IoT connections or provide visibility into the extent of an organization’s expanded threat landscape.

Organizational goals are often focused on accelerating time to market. As such, much of the attention and celebration goes to the developers and pioneers who create these IoT tools. In the rush to market, many companies’ security programs are not optimized or utilized at all.  

In conversation with Cheryl McGrath, Area VP & Country General Manager at Optiv, Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director of Digital Economy, of Technology & Innovation at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, takes a closer look at some of the key concerns around IoT security. As the discussion demonstrates, the importance of this issue is pressing, as the trail of technological innovation, especially over the last five years, has also served as a pathway for threat actors to target what they should go after next. 

The term IoT is increasingly being used, and yet, the risks of its real use and application aren’t necessarily well understood. How can this discrepancy be explained?

Companies are looking to unlock data from the next asset class to consume and monetize   —   and that’s IoT.  

The physical interface to digital systems is changing along with everything else. Developers have unlocked tools and gadgets for a wide range of applications   —   machines that don’t run off of regular user laptops or standard servers. Keyboards and mice are being replaced with voice commands and VR.  And that is just the beginning. The development of this is still in its infancy and is guaranteed to create vast issues for security teams during this evolution.  

For critical infrastructure, let’s face it   —   IoT devices control most of the physical world. Everything from the gas in the pumps to our cars, medical devices, the temperature in food processing plants and nuclear facilities. Devices that operate without standard operating procedures are everywhere. 

You can’t secure what you can’t see and most organizations don’t have complete visibility to all of the devices on their networks. If threat actors exploit these IoT vulnerabilities, it can be disastrous. Look at Log4j.

The physical interface to digital systems is changing along with everything else.

How will security be knitted into these new environments? 

These devices are becoming integrated into many new forms of data. For example, consider modern distribution centers, where product is moved from one side of a factory to another via conveyer belt. Once these facilities had just a few sensors used for measurements for the whole facility. Now, more than a hundred sensors are used   —   per foot. We’re livestreaming terabytes of data regarding destination, package shape and weight and much more, but not securing the system any differently. Some security teams are still assuming that one external firewall will secure the facility. Contrast this with the cathedrals of defense implemented on the IT side. The rate of data creation is outstripping our ability to use and secure it.

As we look ahead to the next three years, what should people and businesses be considering with regard to IoT?

There are “three wants” that need to be considered.

Uptime: Many facilities care more about the ability to operate than they do about security. We are replacing aged digital infrastructure with modem cloud networks. A shift of this scale requires people to change their mentality and that can sometimes be a big ask. We also know that people are often wary of new business practices, so that needs to be thought through and immediately actioned.

Digital tools: Think of something as ubiquitous as temperature controls. Many automation systems are trained and honed to regulate small bands of temperature constraints. This plays out in many environments in varying degrees of criticality, ranging from data centers to food storage. All of these facilities have their own digital record, which will need to be extracted, centralized and made tamper-proof.

Security: In many organizations, these new data paths and devices have not been fully monitored or assessed against company risk thresholds. It took us 15 years to secure the modern ATM. These new IoT devices can be larger and closer to more valuable data (yes, more valuable than an ATM full of cash). With information this valuable and technology this new and vulnerable, security and risk mitigation have to be at the forefront of all organizations.

What can companies do to mitigate IoT risks?  

To be proactive, businesses can: 

1. Tap into their production networks to identify all IoT-connected devices and identify the most vulnerable assets.  Then assess devices for vulnerabilities and mitigate outstanding security issues.

2. Understand security in relation to new IoT devices that an organization is looking to purchase and how they may affect their network.  Companies may want to hire a trusted security provider with IoT labs to test devices before they’re implemented on company networks. This is done in order to ensure third party devices aren’t erroneously capturing private data via back door portals and to test integrations with their other technologies end-to-end.

3. Adopt a policy-driven, risk framework based on the organization’s business needs. These policies should include a baseline platform for the development of automated vulnerability management and incident response solutions for IoT.

The post Transitioning from the Internet of Things to the Interconnectedness of Everything appeared first on HiveInnovates.

As a co-founder of a thriving business and the first Indigenous certified Communication Management Professional, what does representation mean to you?

Representation in the communications profession means that more people are being seen and heard by organizational leaders everywhere. More diversity among communications professionals means more people listening to and raising the voices of those who are often excluded from the broader conversations held by predominantly cisgendered white folks.

Representation in the profession means we can have difficult conversations around systemic racism and more positive conversations around how to be more anti-racist in our day-to-day work. These are tough conversations to have, but they’re critical to making our workplaces and broader cultures more diverse and inclusive.

Why is diversity in the workplace important?

I’m a firm believer that more diversity in the workplace means more innovation and creativity. An office full of people who all look the same and come from similar cultural backgrounds runs the risk of people conforming and ultimately groupthink.

As an Indigenous communicator, I’m keenly aware that introducing diverse voices into organizational networks can shake things up inside the workplace.

Being well-versed in the corporate sector, where do you see gaps or barriers to entry for Indigenous professionals or Indigenous-owned businesses, and how do you think we can mitigate this?

I’m very pleased to see the increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) inside organizations. However, there are still significant gaps in recruiting and retaining Indigenous talent. This is partly due to a growing talent pool that’s still being nurtured, but also due to organizations not adopting long-term strategies to nurture diverse talent and promote them throughout the organization. Personally, I left an organization because I only encountered barriers to my desire to enter leadership roles. I could only move horizontally, not vertically. This ultimately caused me to resign and grow my skill set on my own. In cases where people leave on these terms, it’s only to the detriment of the organization — and I think organizational leaders need to start recognizing that this happens a lot, and they need to stop letting talent walk out the door.

Do you have any additional recommendations for a more inclusive Canadian business landscape?

I have a couple of recommendations for a few more inclusive Canadian business landscape. First, develop or re-evaluate your DE&I practices. Make sure that DE&I isn’t housed in one department but embedded across the entire organization. DE&I should become part of your daily practice — not just a philosophy or strategy.

Second, give deep and meaningful consideration to how your organization is responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. These calls to action are more than a document with ideas, but a map for a pathway forward for organizations to build more respectful nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous people.

The post Q&A with Ben Borne: Why Representation and Diversity in the Workplace Matter appeared first on HiveInnovates.

What exactly is energy storage technology?

Energy storage technology captures energy produced and stores it for later use. Energy is stored through a variety of technologies including, but not limited to, pumped hydro, batteries, compressed air, hydrogen storage and thermal storage. The ability to store energy for later use allows increased regulation of the amount of power supplied to an energy system and contributes to the overall resilience of the power grid.

Why do we need energy storage?

Energy storage is flexible and can act as a generation, transmission, or distribution asset – sometimes in a single resource. Energy storage assets can augment any number of resources in an energy system. While energy storage is a great complement to the intermittent generation of renewable assets, it can also respond to fluctuations in grid demand, helping meet peaks in demand, and reducing the need for generators to increase production. Low-cost energy can be stored to supply the additional energy needed during these high-cost peaks, which in addition to increasing the energy available, reduces costs for consumers. Energy storage is also able to serve as a backup if power generation is interrupted, augmenting an energy system’s reliability and resilience, and helping to reduce the environmental impacts of increased energy demands.

How is energy storage useful on a grid scale?

Energy storage’s flexibility and its ability to complement existing systems, offer a range of benefits at the grid level. It improves the overall efficiency of the operation of the grid, helps meet high-cost demand during peak periods, and reduces grid congestion, which can cause damage to the grid. The ability to store this excess energy until it is needed also reduces the need to build additional power generation assets if existing transmission infrastructure may be hard-pressed to meet increases or changes in demand. Energy storage can solve this problem by storing the energy (possibly even sited near the generation source) and moving the energy to where it is needed prior to periods of congestion. Energy Storage also tends to gain less public opposition than more visible powerlines or other power generation projects.

What can we expect to see in terms of innovation in storage technology in the next 5-10 years?

Because energy storage tends to still be categorized as an “emerging technology,” an argument could be made that all energy storage technologies and applications are innovative. However, in the next five to ten years, as the costs of energy storage systems continue to decrease, it’s likely there will be a greater prevalence of all energy storage technologies. It’s possible in that time frame we might also see different battery storage chemistry, or different mechanical storage solutions, such as technologies harnessing kinetic or gravitational energy. Hydrogen storage options are also generating a lot of interest currently, which could present some interesting and innovative energy storage solutions in the coming years. Another area of interest that is ripe for innovation is long-duration energy storage (LDES), energy storage technologies that hold energy for longer periods of time, upwards of 24 hours or more. The great thing about energy storage in terms of innovation is that as ready as many technologies are to be incorporated into existing grids, the solutions today are just the beginning. It’s an area that is ripe for growth and innovation for a long time to come.

What actions have been taken by industry and government stakeholders to advance energy storage technologies in Canada? What more needs to be done?

The provinces in Canada that are ahead of the game (Ontario and Alberta) have taken steps to review existing legislation and regulation, in consultation with industry stakeholders, to identify barriers to the incorporation of energy storage and have started taking steps to remove those barriers. There continue to be conversations surrounding the timelines these provinces have laid out to fully enable energy storage, but they do have a plan or road map in place that provides a line of sight to advance energy storage in their jurisdiction. Other provinces could certainly look to these leading jurisdictions to support the development of similar road maps for their own provinces. In terms of the federal government, federal funding opportunities or guidance could be compelling levers to assist in that task. In terms of energy storage development for Canada, it’s less that more needs to be done and more that the processes being undertaken need to move faster because the energy storage industry is ready to meet the growing needs of Canada’s energy grids and to help Canada meet its net-zero goals!

The post Q&A with Energy Storage Canada appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Ten years ago, during the dawn of the modern all-electric vehicle with the launch of the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S in quick succession, executives from both companies tacitly admitted that despite key EV advantages in smoothness, zero emissions, cost of fueling and even being able to remote start in one’s warm garage, there were also two extra challenges for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in cold climates: driving range, and overall charging speeds.

These days, longer range batteries, quicker overall charging speeds and more plug-in vehicle options have helped to make winter driving much easier and a realistic option for many drivers, current EV owners and others. But many areas in Canada are still well behind in DC quick charging options, which help especially with those two winter issues.

Most automakers have now declared themselves committed to a zero emissions future for their vehicles, some more enthusiastically than others, prompted by countries such as Canada that have mandated such measures. This is slated to occur by 2035 in Canada, but as early as 2025 (or earlier) in Norway, the runaway global market leader in electric vehicle sales. With 64.2 percent of the entire new vehicle market in Norway consisting of BEVs in 2021 (roughly 92 percent of new vehicle sales if you include plug-in hybrids and hybrid sales to the end of November 2021), Norway is an oil-rich nation that should be a model for Canada that even countries with serious winter weather can embrace modern EV technology.

A study of the early Norwegian EV market found that installing public quick chargers helped increase the adoption of BEVs by roughly 200 percent over five years, by addressing the range issue in both urban and inter-city travel, with the addition of quick charging points every 50 km along major highways. And momentum seems to be building in this direction in Canada as well, after the provinces of Quebec and BC were also early to establish quick charging public networks in those provinces early on, helping to drive BEV adoption in those provinces, along with rebates and more recently ZEV mandates as well.

Electric vehicle drivers in Ontario were super excited to learn in early December that its popular network of ONroute highway stops would finally receive long-promised quick charging capabilities in 2022, as part of the Ivy Charging Network. Ivy is a joint venture between Hydro One and Ontario Power Generation (OPG), which will install and operate quick chargers of up to 150 kW speeds as early as the end of January, with 17 planned to be operational by the summer road trip season, and 20 by the end of 2022. These will cover some of the busiest stretches of highway on the continent, along the 401 and 400 north-south routes.

Such DC quick chargers will very much help with the inter-city travel that has traditionally been more of a challenge for EVs, especially in the winter, as will longer-range batteries and better thermal management systems in modern EVs. Where highway quick charging won’t help nearly as much is with urban drivers who don’t have access to a garage or a regular parking spot with overnight charging abilities.

It’s these drivers that would most benefit from more urban charging capabilities – as would all who work or live in cities, through lower pollution and climate-changing emissions. This could involve simple new 110-volt outlets in street lamps, more street-side Level 2 (240-volt) chargers, or more downtown DC quick charging (480 volts, or Level 3), such as Tesla offers with its Superchargers. 

The success of Tesla is undoubtedly in large part due to its Supercharger network, which is both urban and inter-urban, but unfortunately not nearly as built out in Canada as in the US. If Canada is to successfully reach its goal of all zero emissions consumer vehicles in Canada by 2035, with all the health and climate benefits, more charging commitments in all areas of the country are needed.

The post Canada Needs More DC Quick Charging, Especially in Winter appeared first on HiveInnovates.

What sparked your passion for a zero-waste lifestyle?

⁠It might be surprising but I didn’t start going zero waste because I loved the planet: I suffered from a major hormonal imbalance in college which led to a lot of pain, doctor visits, full-blown cystic acne, mood swings and mental health issues. So, I started reducing my exposure to endocrine disruptors which are found in a lot of products we come into daily contact with. One of my favourite books on this topic is Estrogeneration which explores the link between synthetic estrogen with our bodies and nature.

It all clicked for me when I moved to California, that the changes I was making to my personal health weren’t only better for me, they were also better for the planet.

I started my blog goingzerowaste.com because I wanted people to know they could save money, be healthier, and be more ecofriendly. It seemed like a no-brainer, and I wanted to help people make this transition easy and fun.

What does zero waste or eco-friendly living mean to you?

To me, it’s just about wasting less and being a good steward of what I have.

Buy fewer items. Use that last drop of shampoo. Upcycle your glass salsa jar to store leftovers. Reuse that promotional cotton tote until the straps fall off and then stitch them back on. Invest in products that will last a lifetime. Focus on timeless things that bring you joy rather than trends. Shop second hand. Eat fewer animal products, more plants, and remember, it’s not about being perfect.

We need to hold corporations and legislators accountable to ensure safe access to clean air, clean drinking water, and a safe environment for everyone.

What are your top tips for getting started?

1. I recommend that everyone start with the big four.
2. Say no to straws. If you need straws or like them, try and opt for a reusable one. My personal favourite is glass.
3. Ditch the plastic water bottles. Did you know tap water is more regulated than bottled water? If you don’t like the taste of you
4. Ditch plastic water bottles. Did you know tap water is more regulated than bottled water? If you don’t like the taste of your water, invest in a filter, you will save so much money in the long run. I prefer an insulated water bottle that keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold.
5. Bring your own bags to the store. If you tend to forget, get a couple that fold up real small and attach to your key ring so they’ll always be with you.
6. Avoid coffee cups which are actually lined with plastic and unrecyclable in most places. The lids aren’t recyclable either. If you have your handy-dandy insulated water bottle on you, you can grab your coffee, or ask for it in a real
   mug to stay.

The post Kathryn Kellogg’s Advice on “Going Zero Waste” appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Unlike learning a new skill or hobby, there is no “how-to” handbook for entrepreneurship – that’s where non-partisan, well-connected support organizations come in. In an ecosystem filled with hyper-specialized, regionally diverse entities, there is a benefit in having access to a “30,000 foot overview” of the resources and opportunities within the startup landscape. Support organizations and their teams can point new and existing founders in the right direction, help them make informed decisions, and empower their success through connections and collaboration. Ecosystem connectors are also uniquely poised to identify the support gaps that really exist in the space.

There is much to consider when launching a new business – everything from financing and HR to marketing and legal. According to Startup Canada’s 2020 census, founders in the space are looking for more streamlined, centralized overviews of support available across the ecosystem. Startup Canada is committed to creating and fostering an entrepreneurial environment in Canada that is as supportive to new projects as it is to those that are established. Knowing that no two journeys are the same, we have created a list of resources for all aspiring and existing founders.

Here’s a good place to start:

Financing

• Hockeystick connects startups to funding using AI and data to drive connections.
• Clearco is a lending firm specializing in non-dilutive revenue-share agreements with startups.
• Backstage Capital is a venture capital firm specializing in funding women, People of Colour, and LGBT+ led startups.
• The 51 is a Financial Feminist platform where investors and founders come together for democratized access to women-led capital for women-led businesses.
• The National Angel Capital Organization is a steward of the angel capital asset class and informs evidence-based policy in partnership with the government.
• The Government of Canada has many loan and grant programs meant to empower Canada’s founders.
• Bank loans for SMEs: BDC, Scotiabank, etc.

Pitching

Volition brings a community-building approach to advising and events for entrepreneurs.

Human Resources & Hiring

Essential HR provides streamlined HR relief to small businesses through hands-on support.

Marketing & PR

• THINK DIFFERENT[LY] is a PR company helping organizations build, test, and measure effective growth strategies.
• Comms Bar works like an Apple Genius Bar, helping founders to use PR, marketing, and publicity to grow their business.

Global Growth

Startup Global connects a pan-Canadian cohort of entrepreneurs wanting to build global businesses through workshops, bootcamps, pitch building, advisory support, digital resources, and more.

Mentorship & Community

• Mentorly is a leading online mentorship platform connecting emerging and seasoned entrepreneurs for meaningful, one-on-one mentorship.
• Startup Communities are local, grassroots networks on a mission to fuel a culture and environment of entrepreneurship at the local and industry level.

Demographic-specific Support

Women-identifying Support

• FLIK is a curated portal allowing ambitious women to take on a mentorship-based apprenticeship under a woman leader.
• Startup Women helps women founders through mentorship, events, and resources.

Rural Support

• Rural on Purpose is a social purpose business with a global mission to introduce a new era of rural entrepreneurship.
• Clearing a New Path Podcast amplifies the underrepresented voices of rural women founders across the country.
• Community Futures operates 267 non-profit offices across Canada providing small business services to those in rural communities.

Indigenous Founder Support

• Okwaho Equal Source is a social purpose enterprise on a mission to fuel social impact through human-centred design, innovation, and Indigenous-led research.
• NACCA is a network of over 50 Aboriginal Financial Institutions dedicated to stimulating economic growth for Indigenous people in Canada.
• Pow Wow Pitch is a grassroots community of Indigenous entrepreneurs purpose-built to provide a platform for education, celebration, mentorship, and reconciliation.

Black Founder Support

• The Black Entrepreneurship Program is a partnership between the Government of Canada, Black-led business owners, and financial institutions which includes an investment of up to $350.8 million over four years.
• Black Entrepreneurs BC provides advocacy, access to funding facilitation, advisory and mentorship services to help Black businesses grow, scale, and become sustainable.

LGBT+ Support

• The CGLCC is the only chamber of commerce uniting and advocating for Canada’s 28,000+ LGBT+ owned and operated businesses.
• Pride at Work uses dialogue, education, and thought leadership to empower Canadian employers to build workplaces that celebrate LGBT+ employees.
• TransFocus Consulting brings systems-thinking to gender inclusion, helping organizations transform from the inside out.

Disability Support

Liberty Co is a consultancy focused on increasing the participation of Neurodiverse individuals in the workforce.

Youth Support

Futurpreneur provides financing, mentorship, and support tools to aspiring founders aged 18-39.

Specialized tools and resources have their benefits, but to truly empower Canadian entrepreneurs we need centralized, reliable, dedicated support spaces where founder success is central to mission and mandate.

Kayla Isabelle is the Chief Executive Officer at Startup Canada, the gateway to Canada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem that points you in the right direction, eliminates barriers, and champions your needs to private and public sector partners. Startup Canada’s mission is to connect Canada’s entrepreneurs with the tools, community, and support they need to start and build their businesses. Kayla has dedicated her career to supporting entrepreneurs, both in Canada and internationally. As an award-winning strategic communications consultant and change management facilitator, Kayla is passionate about leveraging the power of storytelling in the entrepreneurial community.

The post Entrepreneur Support Organizations: Helping to Understand the Ecosystem appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Mediaplanet spoke with Tracy Primeau about the opportunities in Canada’s nuclear industry, working with Indigenous communities, and more.

What initially sparked your interest in the nuclear industry? 

I grew up in the town of Tiverton, Ont., which is where the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station is situated and where my father started working in 1971 as a mechanic. I had zero desire to work in the nuclear industry, although I was always good at math and science. I had a dream of being a high school history teacher. I was fortunate enough to try working with high school students and decided that it wasn’t for me and I took the tests for the nuclear operator job, passed them and was given an offer .

So, I ended up having a different dream that someday I wanted to work in the control room and be an authorized nuclear operator. My father had encouraged me to apply to operations and the combination of family influence and a love of science drove this decision. I sort of ended up being a teacher anyway, teaching operators and shift supervisors, and it ended up becoming a big part of my job. To this day, I’m still taking on a mentor and teacher role, which I absolutely love.

What is a challenge in your career that you’ve faced as a woman and how did you overcome it?

Women weren’t allowed to work in nuclear plants until the 1980s. I worked with an authorized nuclear operator who refused to have women on his unit and a shift manager who refused to have women on his crew.

At the time, I was married and didn’t have kids yet. I could out-swear anybody and was very much one of the guys. I grew up in Bruce County, so I could hold my beer and talk hockey as well. That worked for me until I got pregnant with my first child, and all of a sudden they realized that I wasn’t one of the guys and they started to treat me differently. I also realized that I was trying to hard to “fit in” ­— I was who I was, and everyone was going to have to deal with it.

I was the first woman to ever enter the control room as an authorized nuclear operator at the Bruce A Nuclear Generating Station. When I got there, I brought some colour — my work boots were pink, my nails were always done, and I had a little heel in my boot. I came to the understanding that there’s no fitting in, you can only be yourself. As long as you have integrity and you remain true to yourself, you’ll be fine. Not only will you be happier, but you’ll be more respected. As I moved into the Shift Manager and other leadership roles, this continued to be my anchor.

Why do you think it’s important to encourage young women to get involved in Canada’s nuclear industry?

There’s a nuclear renaissance happening — we have small modular reactors and new isotopes being developed, and the technology itself is growing by leaps and bounds. There are job opportunities not just in Ontario and New Brunswick anymore, but Canada-wide and globally.

The opportunities are great and there’s a shortage of workers. Do you want to go into nuclear engineering, health physics, or radiation physics, or do you want to be an electrician or a carpenter? There are opportunities for every single one of those in multiple places. Aside from the abundance of opportunities, these are well-paying jobs and the opportunities for promotion are great in the nuclear world.

Finally, it’s important work for the future of our planet. If you want your work to be meaningful, and I think most people do, it’s not just about a paycheque. You’re coming into an industry that’s fighting climate change. You’re doing something that means something to the world.

How can leaders in Canada’s nuclear energy industry respect and advance reconciliation with Indigenous communities?

In my opinion, economic reconciliation is where we make the biggest difference. Additionally, collaborating and partnering with a First Nations community where everyone is committed and everyone benefits is another great way to work on reconciliation. A subset of collaboration is employment. Set a target or create a program where you aim to hire a certain percentage of Indigenous employees by a certain time.

This should be embedded in every part of your company — it can’t just be the Indigenous Relations or HR team that’s thinking about this. Collaborating with Indigenous communities should be on your mind in everything you do. Indigenous people are bringing knowledge to every conversation, especially around climate change, that you may not have thought of because you didn’t come from the same background as they did.

In your opinion, do you think that we can get to net zero without nuclear? 

Someday, maybe, but not by 2050. Net zero needs baseload, and there’s no better baseload that doesn’t emit CO2 than nuclear, except for hydroelectric. But we’re running out of water — we don’t have lots of undiscovered dams, and climate change is going to affect hydroelectric more and more, whether the water is low or high. With nuclear, we can build the baseload and we know exactly how many megawatts it’ll put on the grid all the time. Does it need to work with wind, solar, and other renewables? Absolutely. But these renewables come and go with the weather. We can store some of it, but not enough to get to net zero by 2050. This simply isn’t possible without nuclear.

The post Q&A with Industry Icon Tracy Primeau on Mentorship and Opportunities in Nuclear appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Mediaplanet chatted with Darryl Spector, President of Promation, about Canada’s world-leading nuclear industry, its recent innovations, and where it’s headed.

Why is nuclear energy necessary to help us combat climate change?  

There simply is no path to net zero without nuclear. Although it’s true that other green technologies, such as energy from other generation sources such as wind, solar, tidal, and so on, are evolving rapidly and that their costs are dropping as the technology and supply chain evolves, it’s not there yet and is still decades away from being pervasive enough to displace the existing carbon-based baseload energy supply options around the world. Nuclear is still — and will likely remain so for many years to come — the only reliable, large-scale, low-carbon pervasive baseload energy supply option. This fact is understood and echoed by the majority of the world’s leading climate scientists and stakeholders.

How is Canada ensuring that nuclear power is a safe means of generating electricity? 

Canada’s nuclear industry enjoys a world-leading safety record, thanks in part to operating under one of the most rigorous and globally-respected regulatory agencies and frameworks, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The CNSC mandates and monitors an extremely regimented threshold of compliance standards that all Canadian nuclear operators must comply with on a routine basis. The CNSC operates as a federally-regulated agency, and as such, operates at an arm’s length from the nuclear industry to provide reliable oversight, much like the agencies that oversee safety and quality compliance for the aerospace or automotive sector, or for the elevators that we use every day.  

In addition, the Canadian nuclear industry operates on the clear principles of safety first — without question — and has established an extremely robust safety and compliance culture that models the best-in-class behaviours and practices from around the world through organizations such as the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), amongst which Canada repeatedly ranks amongst the top.

What emerging trends and innovations in Canada’s nuclear industry are you most excited about? 

The immediate one that comes to mind — and likely the least appreciated but the most relevant to the everyday public — is the profound advancements in the area of nuclear medicine. Canada is quickly becoming a global leader in the adoption and large scale-up production of critical, life-saving radiopharmaceutical medical isotopes for both diagnostic and therapeutic benefits. Cobalt-60 (⁶⁰Co) for example, has been produced in Canadian nuclear utility reactors for decades, yet this isn’t well-known, and over 40 percent of the world’s single-use medical devices have been sterilized using ⁶⁰Co produced in Canadian reactors! More recently, we’ve made huge advancements in Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) and Molybdenum-99 (Moly-99), allowing their production to be scaled up substantially at an industrial level that will elevate Canada’s role as a world-leading major global exporter of these life-saving medicines. This will directly result in saving thousands of lives that we would’ve otherwise lost to prostate cancer (Lu-177) or heart disease (Moly-99). These deaths can be avoided by amazing advances in treatment and early detection.

The other one that people may be more aware of is the advancements in the area of small modular reactors (SMRs), which have been around for decades in research reactors, or more commonly in nuclear-powered submarines. In the past decade, we’ve seen exponential advancements in the development of commercially-viable and scalable deployment cases for SMRs around the world. Additionally, Canada’s licensing framework to enable the development of a prudent and rigorous framework is seen globally as being industry-leading, which has attracted the focus of many internationally-based SMR players, in addition to homegrown initiatives. Again, many leading climate scientists and political policy leaders acknowledge the critical role that SMRs will play in the climate solution in the coming years and decades.

Where do you see Canada’s nuclear energy industry headed? 

Canada’s nuclear energy industry will continue to play a foundational role in providing low-cost, reliable, clean, and low-carbon baseload power for decades as the major sites at Bruce Power in Kincardine, Ont., as well as at Ontario Power Generation in Darlington continue through their unprecedented asset life-extension programs. In addition, the advances that the Canadian nuclear energy industry has made in embracing, enabling, and leading the large scale-up will help to change the face of diagnostics and the treatment of historically chronic and pervasive conditions around the world. Finally, as a global leader in enabling the advancement of SMRs, Canada is well-poised to facilitate the influence that large-scale SMRs will have on providing reliable solutions to satisfy evolving, unique, and scalable energy supply needs to ensure we achieve our climate targets while satisfying our ever-growing energy consumption needs — which is even more relevant as we continue to electrify our grids and transportation fleets.

What recent achievements in the nuclear space should Canada be proud of? 

Canada is an admired and respected player on the global stage amongst every major jurisdiction in terms of our culture, safety record, performance record, technology adoption, and workforce. Leaders from the Canadian nuclear industry are in demand and are often sought after for international positions in the field. Additionally, our fleet of nuclear reactors continues to achieve world-leading performance records, and we boast the world’s largest operating nuclear utility site at Bruce Power.

The life-extension programs currently underway at Bruce Power and Ontario Power Generation are the largest green infrastructure projects in the nation, and we’re quickly becoming a global leader and champion in the medical isotope space. We need to take far more credit for our amazing accomplishments, but we don’t to the degree that we should. And what is more Canadian than that? Steady, reliable, respected, and modest — it’s the Canadian way!

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Why is financial literacy important for young Canadians?

Managing money is one of the most important lessons a young person can learn. You speak to any rich families and that is the first lesson they teach their children. Financial literacy pops up in all aspects of our lives very early. From how much to pay for a game, is it wise to spend money on popular video game sites without any tangible returns, and what do you do with that money you made selling lemonade? Do you put it in a piggy bank or do you invest it in a financial instrument that can allow that money to grow?

What’s something you wish you told your younger self when it comes to money management?

I wish I had learned early the importance of saving and investing. Saving is not just about putting money in the bank but how do you make that money work to your benefit? I recall in my younger years I would spend every cent I earned as it came in. But in my early twenties, I realized that the value of building equity was far greater than that of mindlessly spending. So, I worked twice as hard to save so that I could invest – eventually going on to purchase my first house. I quickly learned that renting was not making me any money. As a result of home ownership, the equity that eventually built up into my then house allowed me to be a better contender for a sizeable loan. This same loan that I took out against my family home allowed me to start a business which continued to build value for me.

Leverage is something that I wish I had known when I was younger. The key (I now know) is to learn how using other people’s money, in particular a bank, can and will build your own wealth. But to do that you must have something to give them as collateral (something to give them as value to hold in case you run into trouble and cannot repay the debt). If we have no asset to use as collateral to obtain leverage, getting a neighbour or adult with excellent credit to guarantee the debt for you could also work.  Therefore, it’s important to show good work ethic and attitude early because you never know who could help you based solely on your conduct or work ethic.

Why is it important for Canadians to invest in their wealth?

Wealth provides certain freedom in life. It is not just about driving a nice car or living in a nice neighbourhood. Wealth allows you the flexibility to tackle important social issues through philanthropy whether that be education, health care or racial justice. Let’s say you are from an under-served neighbourhood, you can then use your wealth to help others in that neighbourhood escape poverty. If you came from poverty, it’s important that you return and help as many people as possible. Wealth allows you to pay that forward.

What are your top money management tips for new businesses?

Watch the Bottomline. In translation – watch how much money you earn versus how much you spend. Many business owners focus on the money they bring in (revenue) which is fine to an extent, however, though you may be doing a good job bringing money in, only governments can spend more money than they make and stay in business. Do not overspend on anything. I see the same mistakes by new business owners repeatedly – they tend to spend too much on rent or leasehold improvements on their office or space to look trendy. I wish business owners knew that flashy renovations can come after you are profitable, and after you have proven yourself.

Every dollar you spend earlier on in starting your business must be spent very wisely and methodically. Ask yourself, is this spend necessary? How will it advance my business? Is there a cheaper or more effective alternative?

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