Well ahead of its time, Admiral Canada has been prioritizing work-life balance for years. Admiral Canada Operations Director, Rebecca Cable, notes work-life balance was already a major focus back in 2007 when Admiral opened its Halifax office. With their UK staff working late into the evening to service clients until 10 pm, Admiral was motivated to find a solution that would provide better balance for employees. “We needed a location that fit our time zone requirement to ease the load for our UK workforce, and a community that could provide professional, high-end customer service,” says Cable.
With the help of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), Halifax, Nova Scotia was selected. With the office eventually expanding to more than 400 staff, Admiral Canada grew to support 5.98 million customers across the UK with home and motor insurance policies. The expansion into Nova Scotia was a resounding success, offering standard workday hours for both the UK and Halifax office.
That is, until Covid-19 hit.
With closures and a lack of work from home infrastructure in place, operations quickly halted. But it’s no surprise a company like Admiral Canada, with an already well-established employee-centric philosophy, adapted quickly and efficiently to the new world order.
“What we thought wasn’t possible came to be within three weeks. We were able to take our first calls remotely at home, due to the team coming together locally with our IT staff. And although people were nervous at the beginning, today, they overwhelmingly prefer it,” says Cable.
PHOTO: Rebecca Cable
The result was an opportunity that changed the direction of their operations in Halifax and beyond. Staff became confident in the work-from-home model, and leadership saw surprising stability in performance. The resounding success of Admiral’s work-from-home pivot during the pandemic gave the company the confidence to explore and consider other workforce solutions, such as establishing a location in Cape Breton.
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, is known for its coastal views, hiking trails, and Celtic culture. However, its best kept secrets may be its available and skilled workforce, favourable time zone, and competitive business costs. To those knowledgeable, Cape Breton is an untapped and competitive business environment.
“Our leadership team initially considered Cape Breton, but no one knew how to progress it. The restructuring of our office to a work-from-home model and NSBI’s involvement was fundamental in moving that forward and making it happen,” says Cable.
Through conversations with NSBI and the Cape Breton Partnership, an assessment was completed, and the data showed that in comparison to other locations, Cape Breton offered a clear competitive advantage. Plus, Cable explains, it has an overwhelming sense of community support. “We were touched by how genuine NSBI and the Cape Breton Partnership’s interest was in seeing our operations and the remote workforce succeed. It was obvious the growth of our company and quality job creation were important to everyone involved.”
WATCH: Take a look back when Alex MacDonald, former vice president of Admiral, shared the key role Nova Scotia’s time zone and strong service-driven culture played when Admiral was choosing a new location.
“The Cape Breton Partnership is excited about the new career opportunities Admiral Insurance Services brings to Cape Breton – Unama’ki,” says Tyler Mattheis, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “The workforce in Nova Scotia’s second largest urban centre has a lot to offer both local and global employers. I’m confident Admiral, our local communities, and newcomers that take advantage of these new positions will benefit from this excellent opportunity facilitated by our valued partners at Nova Scotia Business Inc.”
NSBI provided added support via a payroll rebate that incentivized hiring exclusively in rural Nova Scotia. “NSBI was very attentive and supportive throughout the negotiation of the rebate, which we were successful in getting. Overall, NSBI played a huge part in making sure we took the plunge to move into Cape Breton.”
When asked how the trial of the remote “office” in Cape Breton is performing, Cable is quick to confirm, “There’s just no question it was the right thing to do. There’s untapped talent in rural Nova Scotia, particularly Sydney right now, that is a terrific opportunity for us and others. It’s given us confidence to expand and attract more people in the area to allow us to grow our operation in Canada.”
What started as a move to improve work-life balance for their UK staff, turned into a successful remote work expansion into Cape Breton.
“We are seeing revived growth, business opportunities and excitement across Cape Breton Island and no one could have expected the swift pace of that growth,” says Amanda McDougall, Mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. “Having the Cape Breton Partnership and Nova Scotia Business Inc. showcasing CBRM’s labour force helps many of our local communities. This collaboration encourages business to explore Cape Breton Island, helping them find creative ways to grow and thrive while ensuring their workforce is fully supported.”
Elevate is Cape Breton – Unama’ki’s business-focused publication brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership. To evolve with our business audience, the publication has now moved from a print publication to fully online. Starting in 2022, our readers can expect to see Elevate articles appearing on both our website and on Saltwire.com.
On Wednesday, May 4, 2022, Membertou Trade & Convention Centre came to life as the Cape Breton Partnership, along with event partners and sponsors at the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration (LSI) and WCB Nova Scotia hosted the 10th Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium, and the first in-person symposium since the pandemic began.
The day was filled with learning and discussion, featuring inspirational words from the Honourable Brian Comer, Minister Responsible for Mental Health and Addictions, keynote speaker Pamela MacLean, who presented Fearless Organizations – Promoting Psychological Health in our Workplaces, updates from both LSI and WCB Nova Scotia, three rounds of interactive breakout sessions, the 2022 Safety First Awards, and real stories of workplace tragedy and incidents from Joe Legge, a volunteer speaker and workplace tragedy survivor with Threads of Life, and David Seaboyer of Foreshore Property Specialists.
“It was terrific to be able to hold this event in person, “said Kelly Johnston-Noseworthy, Relationship Manager at WCB Nova Scotia, and Co-Chair of the Safety First in Cape Breton committee. “All of us have faced challenges in the past two years and, while some safety processes and practices have changed and evolved, one thing has remained clear – workplace health and safety has never been more important than it is right now. Being able to hold this in-person was a great chance for the Safety First Network to see first-hand the variety of industries that the network supports, and provide an engaging and interactive experience for attendees.”
In addition to focusing on mental health and a variety of topics around wellness and physical safety, attendees were able to take in two stories of workplace tragedy. The stories taught attendees about the profound consequences that so many have to endure after a workplace tragedy, such as permanent injury, the loss of a loved one, and what the consequences are for a business or organization.
“We were so honoured to have Joe Legge share his touching and impactful story as a survivor of a very serious workplace incident,” said Blaise MacNeil, Safety Advisor with the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration and Co-Chair of the Safety First in Cape Breton committee. “We were also grateful to have David Seaboyer present virtually to us about a workplace incident that occurred in 2018 and resulted in the death of Michael Wile, for which his company SiteLogic was found responsible.”
As a result of his sentence, Seaboyer was required to present the facts of the case as part of his sentencing requirements to workplaces around the province. While his requirements are now complete, he agreed to share his story at this year’s symposium to continue spreading awareness about how safety negligence can lead to tragedy.
MacNeil concluded, “The reality is that nobody ever thinks a workplace tragedy will happen to them, but it’s stories like Joe’s, Michael’s, and David’s that we hope underscored the importance of following and adhering to workplace safety protocols. The bottom line is that protocols are in place to prevent incidents and we all must do our part to make Cape Breton – Unama’ki the safest place to do business.”
To learn more about the Safety First in Cape Breton Network, please visit www.safetyfirstcapebreton.com.
Elevate is Cape Breton – Unama’ki’s business-focused publication brought to you by the Cape Breton Partnership. To evolve with our business audience, the publication has now moved from a print publication to fully online. Starting in 2022, our readers can expect to see Elevate articles appearing on both our website and on Saltwire.com.
Held on May 19, 2022, this is the fourth session of the Ocean Farming Series held by the Cape Breton Partnership and Nova Scotia Community College: Ocean Farming – Pathways to Entry and Regulations.
The session featured panel presentations and discussions with Michelle Theriault, Director of Université Sainte-Anne’s Marine Research Centre and satellite campus in Petit de Grat, NS, Ashley Sprague, Manager Seafood Services at Perennia, and Giulia Pereira, Sea Farm Operations Faculty, Department of Technology & Environment at Nova Scotia Community College. The session will be moderated by Dan Lane, Interim Director – Lobster Quality Research & Innovation Centre de recherche marine, Université Sainte-Anne. He is also a Professor Emeritus at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa.
This event is part of the Cape Breton Partnership’s and Nova Scotia Community College’s Ocean Farming Series, bringing our local Unama’ki – Cape Breton business community together to hear from industry experts on a range of topics important to the success and growth of the ocean farming sector on Cape Breton Island.
Future topics include: Innovation & Readiness
For more information:
Carly Appleton
Cape Breton Partnership
902.562.0122
carly@capebretonpartnership.com
Amanda Mombourquette
Nova Scotia Community College
902.227.7836
Amanda.Mombourquette@nscc.ca
About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.
About Nova Scotia Community College
NSCC is committed to building Nova Scotia’s economy and quality of life through education and innovation, transforming Nova Scotia one learner at a time. NSCC offers more than 130 career-oriented programs throughout the province at our 14 campuses, including our online eCampus. Learn more at https://www.nscc.ca/.
Held on April 14, 2022, this is the third session of the Ocean Farming Series held by the Cape Breton Partnership and Nova Scotia Community College: Ocean Farming – Pathways to Entry and Regulations.
The session featured panel presentations and discussions with Tom Smith, Executive Director with Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia, Michael Moore, Manager with Louisbourg Seafoods – Cape Breton Bivalve, and Melissa Rommens, Vice President with Sustain Aqua. The session was moderated by Nathaniel Feindel, Manager of Aquaculture Development and Marine Plants Harvesting for the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
This event is part of the Cape Breton Partnership’s and Nova Scotia Community College’s Ocean Farming Series, bringing our local Unama’ki – Cape Breton business community together to hear from industry experts on a range of topics important to the success and growth of the ocean farming sector on Cape Breton Island.
Future topics include: Innovation & Readiness and Quality & Capacity.
For more information:
Carly Appleton
Cape Breton Partnership
902.562.0122
carly@capebretonpartnership.com
Amanda Mombourquette
Nova Scotia Community College
902.227.7836
Amanda.Mombourquette@nscc.ca
About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.
About Nova Scotia Community College
NSCC is committed to building Nova Scotia’s economy and quality of life through education and innovation, transforming Nova Scotia one learner at a time. NSCC offers more than 130 career-oriented programs throughout the province at our 14 campuses, including our online eCampus. Learn more at https://www.nscc.ca/.
Cape Breton Island, NS – The Cape Breton Partnership is pleased to announce, together with our partners at the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration (LSI) and Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, that the 2022 Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium will be held in person on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at Membertou Trade & Convention Centre.
In addition to discussions on the 2022 Symposium theme of destigmatizing mental health, participants will also have the opportunity to participate and engage in a number of breakout sessions, which will cover a variety of topics, including: self-care and living healthy, how managers can support a worker in crisis, ergonomics, business continuity in a pandemic, and much more.
“We are excited that we are able to co-host this important Island-wide event, after two years of not being able to hold the symposium in person,” said Tyler Mattheis, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “Safety and mental wellness is extremely important in the workplace, especially given what organizations and individuals have experienced as a result of the pandemic over the course of the last two years.”
This year’s agenda will be both insightful and impactful, and will serve as a great learning opportunity for attendees to network and discuss how the pandemic has changed safety in our workplaces and in our everyday lives.
“The Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium is an important event for the entire Island, because it shines a light on relevant health and safety issues, while bringing employers and employees together to learn about, and discuss health and safety issues that are important to them,” says Blaise MacNeil, Safety Advisor with the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “Attending the symposium is a great way to find out what is going on in the world of health and safety, collaborate with one another, and share your experiences about health and safety in your workplace.”
To learn more about the Safety First in Cape Breton Network, register for the 2022 symposium, or participate as a sponsor for this year’s event, please visit http://www.safetyfirstcapebreton.com/safetyfirstsymposium. Registration closes Monday, April 25, 2022.
To nominate an individual or organization for a Safety First in Cape Breton Award, please fill out a nomination form by visiting http://www.safetyfirstcapebreton.com/about-safetyfirstawards and submit by April 18, 2022.
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Media Contact
Carly Appleton
Cape Breton Partnership
info@capebretonpartnership.com
(902) 562-0122
About the Cape Breton Partnership
The Cape Breton Partnership is Cape Breton – Unama’ki’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live, work, and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. Learn more at https://capebretonpartnership.com/.