Members of the Construction Industry in British Columbia and across Canada are committed to giving back to the communities in which they live and work. From corporate sponsored community gardens to unique back to work programs, construction industry members are giving back on big levels. As British Columbia’s Construction Charity, we want to recognize industry members who are HERE FOR GOOD.
This month, we would like to introduce you to Canada Scaffold Supply, not for the things they do for external organizations, but for the things they are doing for their own community of staff members.
Canada Scaffold Supply has been an industry mainstay in British Columbia for over 40 years and is a full-service company offering sales, rental and installation of top quality scaffolding systems and structural steel packages across the province.
The Foundation team caught up with Alice Lazarian, Madlene Lazarian and Christopher Jones at the Canada Scaffold head office on Mitchell Island in Richmond earlier this month and were treated to a tour of the facility. (We were lucky enough to meet company founder, Sam Lazarian, who still comes in to the office every day, and he is over 90 years old!). Check out highlights of our time with them in the video below, or follow this link.
THE COMMUNITY GARDEN
At right around 20,000 square feet, the garden is cared for by a team of dedicated staff members and includes fruit trees, figs, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, corn, beets, beans, peas, tomatoes, various types of kale and pumpkins…large pumpkins that can tip the scales at over 388 pounds.
Harvests are shared with staff, who can help themselves to fresh produce harvested by the gardening committee each week… except for the garlic! The garlic is sold to staff to cover the cost of fertilizing the garden, and this is only because the fertilizer provider will only accept cash.
Looking ahead they are planning to add a restaurant and deli to the site for staff to access healthy food, as the dining options on Mitchell Island are slim and not always nutritious.
THE DAYCARE
Canada Scaffold allocated some of their space for a local daycare to open and offers staff members a 50% reimbursement on daycare costs for their children between 6 months and 5 years of age.
This perk has recognized immediate benefits, as parents are able to check in on their kids throughout the day and provide comfort, when they otherwise may have had to leave work.
HEALTH & WELLNESS PROGRAM
There is also a 5000-square foot health and wellness facility onsite that employees can access daily. Included in this offering is access to personal trainers that come in during set times to provide personal training advice and nutritional guidance.
Given that a majority of their team members perform physical tasks daily, the ownership set out to provide them with a location that would allow them to get in shape and stay safe in the workplace. Reducing injuries and keeping people safe is top of mind for Canada Scaffold, as safety is critical on worksites.
Recognizing that fun contributes to wellness, there are also pool tables, ping pong and foosball in the space that many of the staff members use during breaks and after hours.
WHY DO THEY DO IT?
Alice says it best, “It’s karma. We’ve been lucky. Our parents worked hard, the community invested in us and we want to give back. You do good and good comes back to you. It’s very simple.”
One thing is evident when speaking with the leaders of Canada Scaffold, they care for their employees and want to ensure that they are happy to come to work each day. With employees staying on for 40+ years, it appears that they are doing something right!
Canada Scaffold recently celebrated their 43rd anniversary. Congratulations!
To connect with Canada Scaffold visit www.canadascaffold.com
If you would like to nominate an individual or company that is “Here for Good”, please contact us at pr@constructionfoundation.ca
