It's 2020. Our economy is still trying to recover, the workforce now spans four generations (hello, Gen Zs), and the way business is conducted is constantly being redefined by emerging technologies... and this is only a small sample of the disruptive forces we as business owners must consider as we make decisions that will impact the future of our companies.

Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to help your business thrive in this changing environment, no matter what line of business you're in.

Western Canada's energy and natural resources sectors are synonymous with the provisions of commodities across Canada and throughout the world, which is no easy feat. Large plays where valuable natural resources are sourced are often in areas that are virtually inaccessible. Unstable land foundations such as high-water tables and soft layers of earth effectively impede safe and efficient access to these regions.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” — Arthur C. Clarke

Roads are an indispensable part of modern infrastructure. They enable the transport of people and goods around the world and have been around for thousands of years. In fact, the earliest evidence of constructed roads dates all the way back to 4,000 B.C., in former Mesopotamia (now Iraq) where these ancient, stone-paved roads were built using mud bricks and bitumen. 

As humans, we seek to innovate. We push the bounds of what technology can accomplish in order to improve our quality of living. This can happen as a result of the development of new technologies and procedures, or as a result of improvements to existing technologies and procedures. Either way, the end goal is the same: being better off than we once were.

“Every experience is a paradox in that it means to be absolute, and yet is relative; in that it somehow always goes beyond itself and yet never escapes itself.” — T.S. Eliot

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a paradox (par· a· dox) as “a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.”

While a fluffy layer of freshly-fallen snow can easily transform an average scene into an Instagram-worthy backdrop, it also presents challenges for those of us who earn our livelihoods by working in the elements.

Winter is coming... along with extreme weather and environmental conditions, which can greatly impact the productivity of companies with labour-intensive, outdoor operations. And although no one can control Mother Nature, we all have control over how we prepare for these types of conditions.

For most of us, roads are long stretches of pavement that serpentine through the countryside and keep our cities organized in neat grids. But – as with anything – there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface.

When it comes to designing transportation infrastructure, only some engineering firms proactively seek out new roadbuilding technologies. Instead, many choose to stick to conventional roadbuilding methods – a decision that isn’t necessarily in your company’s best interest.