Committee Reports

Government Relations Committee

No doubt the many issues facing our industry from Burn it Smart to EnerGuide for Gas Fireplaces sometimes leave you to wonder who is watching out for the industry in this time of change. To better assist and provide recommendations to the HPBAC board of directors and HPBAC staff, the new HPBAC Government Relations committee has been formed. Ray Bonar (ICC/RSF) is the acting chair and he is ably joined by Roger Gripton (Napoleon), Marc-Antoine Cantin (SBI), Pat Bourque (Maritime Fireplaces), Peter Henderson (Kerr Controls), John Vukanovich (Selkirk) and Rebecca MacKay (Pacific Energy). Tom Pugh, Chair of the HPBA government relations committee, also joined us on our first call.

Of particular interest to the committee was the proposed legislation and changeout for Nova Scotia, the gas fireplace incentive program being considered in BC and the ongoing issues related to residential wood heat, including discussion around retaining outside assistance for our public relations efforts. Our next call will be held early in the new year in order to stay on top of the issues before the industry.

First Nations Fact Sheet on Woodburning

To better respond to the needs of First Nations communities HPBAC has been working with CMHC, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada and WETT to develop a new approach to wood heat messages. The new fact sheet is based on some of the non verbal techniques you find in airline safety cards. With the help of John Gulland, HPBAC has been heading up this innovative project.

Communications Committee Report

Updates to www.hpbacanada.org

We've revamped the Barbecue Homeowner section of the web site and added barbecue cleaning tips to address concerns about grill cleaning brush bristles. In the Hearth Homeowner section we've added Energy Saving Tips and will be continuing our modifications to the section in the new year. If you have any suggestions for content on the site please contact Laura Litchfield at hpbac@bellnet.ca.

Ambassador Kit

Our HPBAC Ambassador Kit has been forwarded to the Membership Committee for their input. We believe this tool will be very helpful in recruiting members. The kit can be downloaded from the web site by clicking here. Keep in mind, if everyone brought in a member, HPBAC membership would double to over 800 members.

Press Relations

We've had requests for information from several publications this fall. Check out the February issue of Canadian House and Home for a comparison of Electric and Gas Fireplaces to which we contributed. Cottage Life magazine also requested industry recommendations on keeping grilled food free of barbecue brush bristles. We provided recommendations on proper use of grill cleaning brushes and have added the recommendations to hpbacanada.org. The Communications Committee will be discussing ways to expand on our media relations early next year.

Membership Report

The Membership Committee met in December to review our current list of member programs. Committee members felt we have some great member benefits that are not being taken advantage of so we will be working on increasing awareness of and participation in the programs in the coming year. In particular we hope to increase awareness of the Insurance, Financing and Mystery Shopping Programs as well as the discounts from Petro Canada and Choice Hotels.

One problem we run into with programs is when members use the rates as leverage with their existing supplier. This undermines our ability to continue to offer the programs as we do not get the participation level we ensured the supplier we could deliver. Nearly every retailer who has requested an insurance quote has signed up for the program. Many of the retailers who are participating have saved money and all have improved their coverage. You must also carefully check the exclusions section of your policy for wording that excludes "the rendering of, or failure to render, professional services including: surveys, supervisory, inspections, opinions, reports, etc." or similar. If you have this type of exclusion you are not covered for errors and omissions. If you'd like additional information on any of the member programs or would like to provide comments on our programs please call 1-800-792-5284 or email hpbac@bellnet.ca.

Benchmarking Study for Retailers

HPBA in partnership with HPBAC will be offering 2 great opportunities to improve your business. The first is a "benchmarking study" a repeat of an earlier initiative which is returning by popular demand. For a small investment and a copy of your financials you can find out how you compare with other retailers across the country in key areas, in combination with some analysis on areas where you can make improvements. In his Blueprints for Success seminars, Tom Pugh has been a strong advocate of using this opportunity to better understand your business and improve your bottom line. Stay tuned for details.

HPBA Member Success Club

This program is based on the National Association of Home Builders' Builder 20 Club - the single most successful program ever offered by NAHB to their members. This means a bigger investment for participants (travel, time and fees) but it will also mean a bigger bang. It's a great opportunity to meet face to face with some of the best and most innovative retailers on both sides of the border using an outside facilitator to help get down to brass. Space will be limited and spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Once again, watch for details as they unfold.