Living/Working

March 3, 2023

'It's essential': Nearly 200 beds part of B.C.'s $1B investment in mental health, addiction treatment

The Canadian Mental Health Association BC will be a large beneficiary of the funds

The new spending includes a $171-million investment fund for Indigenous-led treatment, recovery and aftercare services | Elena Popova/Moment/Getty Images

B.C. Premier David Eby announced Thursday more specifics about the provincial government’s $1-billion investment in mental health supports, including an additional 195 treatment and recovery beds for people addicted to drugs and those suffering from mental illness, or both.

“It's essential that people who struggle with mental health and addiction can find and stay connected to the care they need quickly," stated Eby in a statement, as he spoke to health-care providers at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver Thursday.

The $1 billion in support was included in the 2023 budget, which will run a deficit of $4.2 billion, following a $5-billion surplus last year.

The new beds include 100 new “community adult substance-use treatment and recovery beds,” with no fees for British Columbians and 95 beds that will offer seamless care for the entirety of recovery.

The beds will be placed throughout the province and follow the model of Coquitlam’s Red Fish Healing Centre Assessment and Stabilization Unit. Red Fish offers treatment for concurrent disorders and includes research and education and virtual health services.

The new spending includes a $171-million investment fund for Indigenous-led treatment, recovery and aftercare services.

There is also a broad promise to “increase services for young people, including crisis supports, culturally safe wraparound services, enhanced transition services and improved emergency room hospital-based care and discharge planning.”

The BC NDP government claims that since coming into power in 2017 it has added more than 360 new adult and youth substance-use treatment beds.

The Canadian Mental Health Association BC will be a large beneficiary of the funds.

“The funding announced today will allow CMHA BC to continue leading this important grant funding program for treatment and recovery beds while allowing us to expand the program to a total of 205 beds across B.C.,” said JonnyMorris, CMHA CEO.

gwood@glaciermedia.ca

 

Downtown Vancouver to lose massive Nordstrom department store very soon

nordstrom rk
Nordstrom outlet at CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver | Rob Kruyt, BIV

Seattle-based department store Nordstrom announced Thursday (March 2) that it had made the decision to "discontinue support for Nordstrom Canada's business operations." Consequently, all of the stores in Canada, including the one at the corner of Granville and Georgia in Downtown Vancouver, will be closing.

The Nordstrom.ca e-commerce site ceased operation today according to a document acquired by V.I.A., however, information regarding the upcoming liquidation sale, and other important bulletins will be available on the website during what the company is calling "the wind-down period."

Nordstrom is wasting no time terminating its Canadian business and in a recent press release suggests that all stores will be closed by late June 2023.

"Nordstrom Canada intends to wind down its Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores across Canada, with the help of a third-party liquidator," reads the press release. The liquidation sale is subject to approval by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act and the hearing is scheduled for March 20.

'Despite our best efforts, we do not see a realistic path to profitability for the Canadian business': Nordstrom CEO

"We entered Canada in 2014 with a plan to build and sustain a long-term business there," says CEO Erik Nordstrom. "Despite our best efforts, we do not see a realistic path to profitability for the Canadian business. We want to thank our team for their performance and dedication in serving customers in Canada. This decision will simplify our structure, intensify focus on our growth and profitability goals and position us to create greater value for our shareholders." 

The estimated Canadian workforce losing their jobs is 2,500 across six Nordstrom stores and seven Nordstrom Racks. 

The closest Nordstrom Rack to Vancouver is located in Langley. 

The 230,000-square-foot Pacific Centre Nordstrom opened in 2015 and has been a busy shopping destination for Vancouverites ever since.

What to expect at Nordstrom's Vancouver store as of now

Anyone who has returns or exchanges to make can do so in-store until March 17. Afterwards, all sales are final and returns and exchanges will no longer be permitted. In addition, all Nordy Club points that haven't been converted to Nordy Notes will expire as of today.

Alterations services for new fittings will not be provided after today, all existing alterations orders will be completed and must be picked up by March 17 or they will be considered a “return” and the product will be sold during the liquidation sale.

The store is no longer accepting stylist appointments or offering curbside pick-up and all food services and restaurant locations, including the newly opened Milk Bar will be closed by March 15.

 

B.C. and Ottawa reach $27B health funding agreement

B.C. Premier David Eby. The British Columbia government has agreed in principle to a $27.47 billion deal for health-care funding from the federal government. | Government of B.C. / Flickr

LANGLEY, B.C. — Millions in immediate federal funding will make a difference in the "acute situation" in British Columbia's hospitals, especially in rural communities, Premier David Eby said Wednesday. 

Eby joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to announce the British Columbia government signed an agreement in principle for $27.47 billion of health-care funding from the federal government over the next 10 years. 

The deal is part of a $196-billion health-care funding proposal that Trudeau made to Canada's premiers last month. 

Before the announcement, Trudeau and Eby met with nursing students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley, B.C., where they visited a classroom filled with hospital beds and mannequin patients.

The money for B.C. includes an immediate $273 million to address urgent needs, especially in pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms and to address long wait times for surgeries. 

Eby said that cash will go toward supporting emergency care and overwhelmed hospitals. 

"We know that the acute situation in many of our hospitals is particularly challenging in rural communities, where communities have lost doctors where the strain following the pandemic has hit particularly hard."

Both B.C. and Saskatchewan announced agreements in principle on Wednesday, leaving only Quebec and the territories to sign on to the federal health-care funding agreement.

Trudeau said the agreements are tailored for each province or territory, "but consistent among all is a joint responsibility to collect information that monitors how the health-care system is performing. So, we know that it is delivering the improvements that Canadians deserve."

The B.C. funding also includes a $3.32-billion bilateral agreement to help Canadians age in their homes, with access to home care or care in long-term care facilities. 

The B.C. government said in a news release that its priorities for the additional cash will be to expand access to primary health care including in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, reduce wait-lists, support health-care workers, improve access to quality mental health and substance-use services, and modernize health data systems.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the agreement means the province will have access to even more life-saving services, closer to home. 

"When people make the important decision to reach out for help, it's vital that services are available to meet them every step of their journey. That's why our government is continuing to make historic investments and add new supports to our mental health and substance-use system of care," Dix said in the news release. 

More than 11,000 people have died in B.C. from illicit drug overdoses since B.C. declared a public health emergency in 2016.

Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the agreement with B.C. is an opportunity to improve the experience of health workers and those they care for. 

"It will modernize our health-care system, improve access to family health services and mental health services, reduce surgical backlogs and support health workers. Better quality of care means helping British Columbia and Canadians live longer, healthier lives."

Ottawa has said the provinces must come up with specific plans for how they would spend the money and prove that their health-care systems are getting better.

The offer made by Trudeau to Canada's premiers included health transfers of $2 billion right away and annual increases of five per cent over the next five years, but only if each province agreed to conditions, including upgrading health data collection.

Trudeau said they know that fixing the health-care system is a big issue. 

"We know we can't solve it overnight, but our government will continue pushing forward together with our partners, so that we can deliver real results for Canadians and uphold the principles of publicly funded universal health care that Canadians are so rightly proud of."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 1, 2023. 

Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

 

Popular Vancouver car share service increases rates, adds new travel fee

There will also be a drop-off fee for those travelling to the airport.

Evo Car Share is increasing its rates starting March 3, 2023, citing rising fuel and operation costs | Glacier Media file photo

Vancouverites relying on car-sharing to get around town should prepare to pay a little more.

Evo Car Share announced a jump in rates starting March 3. The BCAA-owned car-sharing company cites increasing fuel and operation costs as the reason for the hike in rates.

"Price adjustments are a big deal to us," says Evo in a news release. "Our rates always include parking, fuel, insurance and unlimited kilometers."

This is the second time in eight years that the company has amended its rates. 

Evo is also adding more cars to its fleet, more service areas, and new features such as radar that detects surrounding pedestrians, bicycles, and traffic, as well as additional services like round-trips. 

Here is how much Evo car-sharing will cost effective March 3:

  • Per-minute rate increase from $0.45 to $0.49
  • Per-hour rate increase from $16.99 to $17.99
  • Per-day rate increase from $99.99 to $104.99
  • All-access fee increase from $1.00 to $1.25

Users travelling to the Vancouver International Airport will have to pay a new YVR Park'N Fly drop off fee of $5 starting March 15. 

 

In an early federal election, there is no clear frontrunner

If an early federal election were called and Canadians had to vote tomorrow, polling shows no party sees a clear win or majority | Government of Canada

The past few days have provided more opportunities for speculation about an early federal election in Canada.

Topics such as foreign interference and the type of people who some of our members of Parliament choose to meet dominated the airwaves. In any case, a supply and confidence agreement is firmly in place in Ottawa, and the latest events have not catapulted any party to a sizable lead.

When Research Co. and Glacier Media asked Canadians about their behaviour if they were asked to cast a ballot tomorrow, there was no clear frontrunner. The two main political organizations in Canada are in a statistical tie among decided voters, with the Liberal Party at 34 per cent (up three points since October) and the Conservative Party at 33 per cent (down two points).

There is little momentum for the New Democratic Party (NDP) (18 per cent, down one point), the Bloc Québécois (eight per cent, unchanged), the Green Party (three per cent, down one point) and the People’s Party (one per cent, down one point).

The Liberals have managed to climb back this month on account of their superior performance in two provinces: Ontario (39 per cent, with the Conservatives at 34 per cent) and Quebec (39 per cent, with the Bloc at 29 per cent). The Conservatives continue to dominate in Alberta (58 per cent), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (48 per cent) and British Columbia (38 per cent).

The approval rating for Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau improved slightly from 44 per cent in October to 46 per cent this month. On this indicator, there is also growth for Official Opposition and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre (41 per cent, up four points) and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh (49 per cent, up three points).

Elizabeth May starts her new tenure as leader of the Green Party with an approval rating of 32 per cent, 10 points higher than the numbers posted by Amita Kuttner in October. People’s Party leader Maxime Bernier, out of parliament but still with plenty to say on social media, checks in at 15 per cent (down two points).

The nationwide drop in Conservative Party support is accompanied by a noticeable shift in the preferred prime minister question. Poilievre is the first choice of 25 per cent of Canadians to oversee the federal government (up one point), while Trudeau remains in first place with 35 per cent (up five points). Singh is a distant third at 15 per cent (down two points).

When Canadians are asked about the most important issue facing the country today, the economy and jobs (26 per cent, down three points), health care (also 26 per cent, up five points) and housing, homelessness and poverty (21 per cent, unchanged) are the only ones in double digits.

The increase observed on health care is understandable against the backdrop of funding discussions among the federal government and its provincial counterparts. Canadians aged 55 and over are more likely to be primarily concerned about medical services now (34 per cent) than in October (29 per cent). This group – whose turnout can define electoral outcomes – is currently favouring the Liberals (36 per cent) over the Conservatives (33 per cent).

This month, the proportion of Canadians who say they are satisfied with what the Liberals and the NDP have accomplished since their March 2022 agreement increased by three points to 47 per cent. We continue to see Liberal voters captivated by the supply and confidence deal (79 per cent), but satisfaction stands at 59 per cent among NDP voters. Put differently, 32 per cent of NDP supporters from 2021 expect more from this partnership.

With the economy and jobs staying at the top of the issue landscape, the perceptions of Canadians on the capabilities of the two main leaders are stagnant. We see 44 per cent of Canadians (up one point) saying they are comfortable with Trudeau being in charge of the national economy and 40 per cent (also up one point) saying they would be comfortable with Poilievre taking the reins.

The past four months have done little to sway Canadians on the purported economic failures of the current head of government or the promise of brighter days from the person seeking the top job. It remains to be seen if the latest news will turn into quagmires for the government or the opposition. A couple of decades ago, the so-called “Sponsorship Scandal” percolated slowly and had an impact on two federal elections.

Our latest survey does offer a small dose of good news for the two main parties. The Liberals can take solace in the fact that more Canadians look at Trudeau as the best person to run the government, even if the national average is heavily boosted by Ontarians and Quebecers. The Conservatives have confirmed their dominance in Western Canada and may celebrate the fact that some voters went from “undecided” to “approve” when asked to think of Poilievre.

Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.

Results are based on an online study conducted from Feb. 25-27, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

 
Conversations with Influential Women in Business Award winners

IWIB Awards: A Q&A with Lynda Brown-Ganzert

The founder and CEO of RxPx will be recognized at an event on International Women's Day

BIV will recognize five exceptional leaders at its annual Influential Women in Business Awards event on March 8 in Vancouver.

The following Q&A with award recipient Lynda Brown-Ganzert, founder and CEO of RxPx, was originally published in the Feb. 27 print edition of BIV.

Brown-Ganzert is a world-renowned leader in digital media, health technology and innovation. She leads the team at RxPx (previously Curatio), where their digital-health network offering is used by some of the world’s largest companies to support patients in more than 80 countries. 

Over her career, Brown-Ganzert has produced more than 100 programs, products and initiatives. 

She is chair emerita of Simon Fraser University, and a past director of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. 

What career highlight are you most proud of?  

Growing Curatio from a concept to a global digital-health platform alongside an incredible team, and then exiting to form RxPx last year. Representing Canada on two United Nations missions for digital media was also a very proud moment.

Your toughest professional challenge?

Businesses are made by people. Uniting people around a vision, aligning the team towards a common strategy and helping people find deep meaning in their work is both a challenge and wonderful honour. As well, the early days of startup when you’re broke and lying awake trying to figure out how to meet payroll with your own personal credit cards maxed. 

Greatest advice ever received? 

Persist. As a company, we have been very fortunate to work with the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) to help us develop and commercialize our technology. Persist was the advice I received from Riz, a treasured mentor with IRAP. So often, entrepreneurs are closer than they think to success. Persistence is key. 

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out? 

It is so important to invest in a network of business peers. My CEO roundtable colleagues have seen the best and the worst of me. They have been a huge part of my personal journey and an integral factor in our company’s success.

What does it take to be a leader in 2023?  

Empathy, compassion, situational leadership and, above all, a growth mindset.

What are you looking forward to personally and professionally this year?  

Professionally, supporting the RxPx team as we help patients and doctors around the world. Personally, celebrating love with friends’ weddings and my family. 

What is your best habit?

Reading every night.

A book you would recommend?

So many! From The Ashes by Jesse Thistle is an important read for all Canadians.

One surprising or improbable fact about yourself?

I (used to) speak Portuguese.

A female leader or woman in business you admire?

Hayley Wickenheiser.

A cause or non-profit you support?

Ballet Kelowna.

What do you do to relax?

Ski! Anything outside clears my mind.

A top tip for staying organized?

At night, writing out the top three things I need to accomplish the next day to move the business forward.

A favourite quote?

Carpe diem! 

Celebrate Brown-Ganzert and BIV's four other 2023 Influential Women in Business Award recipients on International Women's Day, March 8. Tickets and event details are available here.

 

IWIB Awards: A Q&A with Radha Curpen

The vice-chair and Vancouver managing partner of Bennett Jones will be recognized at an event on International Women's Day

BIV will recognize five exceptional leaders at its annual Influential Women in Business Awards event on March 8 in Vancouver.

The following Q&A with award recipient Radha Curpen was originally published in the Feb. 27 print edition of BIV.

At Bennett Jones, Curpen is the firm’s vice-chair, national leader in environmental, social and governance strategy and solutions, Vancouver managing partner and co-head of the firm’s environmental law practice.

Curpen is recognized as a preeminent legal expert on areas such as environment, regulatory, climate change, Indigenous relations and governance for energy, infrastructure and other industrial and natural resource sectors.

She is currently chair of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

What career highlight are you most proud of?

Convincing my firm in my 20s after four years of practice that I should start a new practice in environmental law where there was no business yet.

Your toughest professional challenge?

I have moved cities/countries and firms throughout my career. Each time I adapted to a new environment and learned in this new environment. The biggest one was returning to Toronto in 2010 after working in New York City for five and a half years, having lived and worked in Toronto only for four years before I left in 2004.

Greatest advice ever received?

My father continues to remind me, even to this day, about the importance of building, nurturing and fostering relationships. And my mother taught me early on about giving with no expectation of receiving and to feel grateful every day.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

Life is full of surprises. Expect the unexpected.

What does it take to be a leader in 2023?

Empower people. Show them how it is in their interest to work towards a common goal and to build a team around it. Be courageous and earn trust so people can believe in the integrity of the leader they are following. Foster connections and give importance to relationships.

What are you looking forward to personally and professionally this year?

Personally – travelling with my husband, family and friends. Professionally – helping clients and the business community navigate the global, national and local dynamic changes at play, especially as a lawyer and chair of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

What is your best habit?

Ability to adapt to change.

A book you would recommend?

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel.

One surprising or improbable fact about yourself?

I am Francophone.

A female leader or woman in business you admire?

Oprah Winfrey. Also, the powerful women (sisters) in my circle.

A cause or non-profit you support?

Women's empowerment.

What do you do to relax?

Read.

A top tip for staying organized?

Checklists.

A favourite quote?

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." – Warren Buffet

Celebrate Curpen and BIV's four other 2023 Influential Women in Business Award recipients on International Women's Day, March 8. Tickets and event details are available here. 

 

IWIB Awards: A Q&A with Jeanette Jackson

The CEO of Foresight Canada will be recognized at an event on International Women's Day

BIV will recognize five exceptional leaders at its annual Influential Women in Business Awards event on March 8 in Vancouver.

The following Q&A with award recipient Jeanette Jackson, CEO of Foresight Canada, was originally published in the Feb. 27 print edition of BIV.

In her current role, Jackson led the rapid growth and transformation of a regional organization into Canada’s largest cleantech accelerator.

Under her leadership, Foresight has expanded accelerator programs across the country, built an industry innovation program and launched a sectoral approach to accelerate cleantech innovation.

Previously, Jackson was the founding CEO of Light-Based Technologies. As an executive-in-residence with Foresight, she has advised more than 20 ventures in several markets.

What career highlight are you most proud of?

In late 2008, I was working on scaling my cleantech venture just as the financial crisis was about to hit. We stayed the course and were able to close our Series B round of financing, one of the only and last ventures to secure funding for 12 to 18 months.

Your toughest professional challenge?

See above. I guess sometimes the toughest challenges can turn into the most meaningful accomplishments.

Greatest advice ever received?

The greatest advice I have ever received was to remember that with every obstacle comes an opportunity. Business is full of challenges, but with each challenge comes an opportunity to reflect and move forward more effectively than before.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

I wish I knew that there are times to give and times to take. When you are building something under your vision, you need to be coachable and open to other perspectives while still staying true to yourself and the underlying why that drove you to start your venture or business in the first place. 

What does it take to be a leader in 2023?

I believe the most important characteristics for leaders in 2023 are vision, empathy and (brutal) honesty. If you have a vision, find a way to communicate it clearly so that your team understands how they fit in. From there, you need to understand that to be successful you cannot do it alone. Finally, be direct and honest with feedback, good and bad. It helps create a space of trust and respect. 

What are you looking forward to personally and professionally this year?

This year, I’m personally looking forward to seeing my daughter take the next steps in her soccer career. Professionally, I’m looking forward to continuing to build Foresight into a globally recognized cleantech innovation network that supports all provinces and territories.

What is your best habit?

Staying relentless. Regardless of the challenge, I stay focused and diligent.

A book you would recommend?

The World According to Garp – a classic read.

One surprising or improbable fact about yourself?

I quarterbacked a women’s football team for four years in my late 30s.

A female leader or woman in business you admire?

MacKenzie Scott – she is changing the game on philanthropy.

A cause or non-profit you support?

Foresight Canada.

What do you do to relax?

Walk my pups and pilates.

A top tip for staying organized?

Use your calendar.

A favourite quote?

Change is the only thing that is constant.

Celebrate Jackson and BIV's four other 2023 Influential Women in Business Award recipients on International Women's Day, March 8. Tickets and event details are available here. 

 

IWIB Awards: A Q&A with Leah Nguyen

The chief investment officer of InBC Investment Corp. will be recognized at an event on International Women's Day

BIV will recognize five exceptional leaders at its annual Influential Women in Business Awards event on March 8 in Vancouver.

The following Q&A with award recipient Leah Nguyen, chief investment officer of InBC Investment Corp., was originally published in the Feb. 27 print edition of BIV.

Nguyen is the inaugural chief investment officer of InBC, a recently created Crown corporation with a $500 million investment fund.

In her role, Nguyen leads the development and execution of InBC’s investment strategy to deliver on the organization’s triple bottom-line approach of investing for people, planet and profit.

Previously, Nguyen was an investment director for the Telus Pollinator Fund for Good, one of the world’s largest corporate impact funds.

What career highlight are you most proud of?

Launching InBC’s investment strategy and completing our first three investments have been highlights, and we’re just getting started! We’re in startup mode, building the organization while also making things happen. We’ve got a big mandate to drive investment opportunities for a more inclusive, sustainable and prosperous British Columbia.

Your toughest professional challenge?

My toughest professional challenge is balancing a busy career with having quality time with my family; they inspire me to want to make a meaningful difference in my work. The balancing act requires a truly supportive partner and constantly prioritizing my personal and professional time to be there for what matters.

Greatest advice ever received?

I remember debating whether to apply for a job I was excited for but worried I wasn’t qualified for, versus accept another opportunity. My husband asked me two simple questions: “Do you want the job? Do you think you can do the job?” It was a great reminder to not underestimate what you are capable of.

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

It’s okay to not be perfect and have all the answers right away. As I’ve progressed in my career, my ability to ask questions, adapt to changing conditions, work collaboratively, solve problems and always be learning has helped me accelerate my career, as opposed to having the “perfect” background or experience.

What does it take to be a leader in 2023?

To me, being a leader is about fostering a collaborative environment that unlocks the full potential of your team to want to do their best work and make a difference. Foundational to that are trust, communication, empathy, adaptability and having a sense of humour.

What are you looking forward to personally and professionally this year?

I am excited to transition from the past year of launching InBC’s investment strategy to now making investments in funds and entrepreneurs that are aligned with InBC’s impact objectives, provide strong benefits to B.C. and have the ability to drive financial returns. Personally, my husband and I are celebrating 15 years of marriage!

What is your best habit?

Always being curious and asking lots of questions!

A book you would recommend?

Becoming by Michelle Obama for inspiration, or The Design of Business by Roger Martin on how to embed innovation in an organization.

One surprising or improbable fact about yourself?

I’ve run five half-marathons.

A female leader or woman in business you admire?

I’ve had the fortune to go school and work with Reshma Mehta (a 2019 BIV Forty under 40 winner). She is someone who inspires me in her leadership and collaboration.

A cause or non-profit you support?

The Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.

What do you do to relax?

Reading a good book or doing craft projects with my kids.

A top tip for staying organized?

Lots of post-it notes, to-do lists and shared calendars.

A favourite quote?

“Because you are alive, everything is possible.” – Thich Nhat Hanh.

Celebrate Nguyen and BIV's four other 2023 Influential Women in Business Award recipients on International Women's Day, March 8. Tickets and event details are available here. 

 

IWIB Awards: A Q&A with Lillian Tummonds

The vice-president of office operations at Cadillac Fairview will be recognized at an event on International Women's Day

BIV will recognize five exceptional leaders at its annual Influential Women in Business Awards event on March 8 in Vancouver.

The following Q&A with award recipient Lillian Tummonds, vice-president of office operations at Cadillac Fairview, was originally published in the Feb. 27 print edition of BIV.

At Cadillac Fairview, Tummonds has overall responsibility for more than 5.5 million square feet of space in Vancouver and Calgary.

Tummonds has been in property management for over 26 years – with more than 22 of those years at Cadillac Fairview – working in a variety of roles.

In addition to serving as past chair of the board of the Building Owners and Managers Association of British Columbia, Tummonds serves as chair of the Museum of Vancouver’s board, and volunteers in mentorship capacities with Ascend Canada, Minerva BC and the YWCA.

What career highlight are you most proud of?

I was able to significantly improve employee engagement by 30 per cent (reaching a 77 per cent score) within one year of taking on a new team. That meant to me that the team was happier, which made me happy. 

Your toughest professional challenge?

Sometimes spreading myself too thin and accommodating everything that I am asked to be part of. 

Greatest advice ever received?

Every day is a gift: Make the most of it. 

What do you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

I used to take things so personally and would spend a lot of time analyzing situations – every moment is a learning opportunity.

What does it take to be a leader in 2023?

Being kind, thoughtful, authentic and honest.

What are you looking forward to personally and professionally this year?

I am looking forward to more opportunities to volunteer and give back to the community, which I find very rewarding; gaining new perspectives when you expose yourself to different environments.

What is your best habit?

I try to get eight hours of sleep and usually am in bed by 9 p.m. (Yes, I know – so boring.) 

A book you would recommend?

The Collective Wisdom of High-Performing Women: Leadership Lessons from The Judy Project.

One surprising or improbable fact about yourself?

This is very revealing and personal: I was born with a very rare congenital disorder – Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.

A female leader or woman in business you admire?

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble.

A cause or non-profit you support?

BC Pets and Friends – volunteer pet-therapy teams sharing the love with people in hospitals, care facilities and universities since 1982.

What do you do to relax?

I love going for a good run with my dog Daisy.

A top tip for staying organized?

Having a very organized inbox and calendar. 

A favourite quote?

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get next.” – Winston Groom, Forrest Gump.

Celebrate Tummonds and BIV's four other 2023 Influential Women in Business Award recipients on International Women's Day, March 8. Tickets and event details are available here.