editor’s
letter
Mission critical sounds a lot like a term you’d hear in a sci-fi movie or action-
packed thriller, but for Quebec-based Kelvin Emtech, the phrase is at the heart
of their business. The consulting engineering company graces the cover of
this month’s issue, sharing a fascinating look into the world of mission criti-
cal services and how they keep those vital operations, from TV broadcasts to
production plant operations to the online connections critical to hospitals,
up and running all day, every day.
There’s no question that we take many of those services for granted as we go
about our day-to-day business. We expect factories to continuously produce
our food and consumer goods and we rely on our Internet connections as an
integral part of our daily jobs. And as we watch Hollywood’s latest version of
the post-apocalyptic movie, we’re quite confident that our world won’t ever
be one without water, electricity, food or … perish the thought … access to email!
But those are exactly the scenarios that Kelvin Emtech works to avoid; situations where shutdowns or pow-
er outages would have a critical impact on a company’s bottom line. They devote themselves to understand-
ing their customers and what is critical for each of them, and then help to design or support infrastructure
that can offer performance and reliability, whether it’s a new lighting system or a multi-million-dollar data
centre. Company president Michel Chartier says that while clients are responsible for the brains of their
operations, Kelvin Emtech is more concerned with the “heart” and the “lungs” of the project; it’s their job to
design, build and maintain a strong life support system for the company.
You can learn more about Kelvin Emtech by reading their profile on page 6. Also in this issue:
• AccelLAB is involved in some of the earliest stages of research that eventually lead to the development of
life-saving devices and procedures.
• Lendified, launched last month, supplies small business loans through an online platform and offers an
approval rate of 80 to 90 per cent. The process is fast and efficient, allowing new ventures to get up and
running as quickly as possible.
• It’s been nothing but success for the Bouchier Group, one of Canada’s leading Aboriginal businesses oper-
ating out of Alberta’s Wood Buffalo region.
• The Dryden name is well known in hockey circles, but did you know that this enterprising Ontario family
has been working hard since 1970 to provide bedding and other essentials to needy children around the
world? We hope you enjoy this issue, and we look forward to sharing the stories behind more Canadian businesses
next month.
Cheryl Long
Editor
MARCH 2016
H
business elite canada 3
