West Winnipeg Business Review

SPRING 2024 • THE ASSINIBOIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 21 B I O S C I E N C E A S S O C I AT I O N M A N I T O B A From Job Search to Job Success. BAM members enjoy exclusive access to showcase current job openings through BAM. Seamlessly bridge the gap between employers and prospective employees by fostering a more efficient and targeted approach to your recruitment process. Join our community and find your right talent. www.biomb.ca Connect with BAM for programs and insights for finding ideal candidates and navigating the job search journey. In the following years, Leatt and Poole ran BGP on the side while pursuing their other jobs. As of last fall, they have focused on BGP full-time. One of BGP's main offerings is the REME HALO-LED. This home air purification system proactively treats every cubic inch of air-conditioned space, reducing airborne and surface contaminants and pollutants. The company also offers a range of environmentally friendly wastewater treatment solutions. "If you have a house with a septic tank and need to get it pumped quarterly, we have a product that you put into that septic tank that will convert everything into water," Leatt says. "Within 48 hours, you don't have any smell from your sep- tic tank—it gets rid of the VOCs (volatile organic compounds). I have to underline that this is a green product; there are no chemicals." BGP is currently pursuing contracts throughout Canada and looking into potential projects in Ghana and Peru. In Peru, BGP is working on track and field surfaces made using both recycled and virgin rubber. It's an exciting time for Leatt, who has always brought an entrepreneurial spirit to whatever he does. Born and raised on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands, Leatt was an accomplished pastry chef by the time he was 20. After working in the hospitality industry for several years, he had the opportunity to work at the local dairy. Eventually, he worked his way up to a managerial role before becoming director of distribution. After a few years, Leatt needed to change paths to be more present for his family. He ended up as one of two part- ners in a human resources company. Leatt had always been fascinated by Canada's size and yearned to move there. "Where I'm from, it's 47 square miles with the tide out, and then you have the English Channel," he says. "You can drive around (Jersey) in 45 minutes. In Canada, if you drive east, you can drive for six days and still not hit the coast." Eventually, Leatt made the move. He lived in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto before settling in Winnipeg in 2003. A few months later, he started working in publishing. "Living and working here for the last 20 years has been the best 20 years of my life," he says. With BGP as his full-time focus, Leatt has high hopes: BGP wants to work with every municipality in Canada to improve water and air quality. "Our goal is to make a difference in the community not just by cleaning up wastewater but by giving five percent (of our earnings) back to local communities," he says. I believe it's important to give back. People want economic sustainabil- ity and economic growth, and you aren't going to get those things just by taking." Our goal is to make a difference in the community not just by cleaning up wastewater but by giving five percent (of our earnings) back to local communities. Ian Leatt, BGP Environmental Grooup

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