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Green Business Of The Year: Woodchuck Roofing makes eco-friendliness a priority

Operating since 2009, Woodchuck Roofing is a company based on honest and recognizably sincere work explained owner, Charles Busque.
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GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - Charles Busque of Woodchuck Roofing accepts the award for Green Business of the Year during the 2016 Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. Jenna Swan/Sylvan Lake

Operating since 2009, Woodchuck Roofing is a company based on honest and recognizably sincere work explained owner, Charles Busque.

Offering roofing and general exterior renovation services extending to siding, eaves troughs, soffit/fascia and some framing, the Woodchuck crew were recognized on Friday evening at the Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce Awards as Green Business of the Year.

“As a business owner, one is positioned to be a leader and influence his employees, costumers and his general entourage by his actions,” said Busque on Woodchuck’s decision to go green. “Being greener starts with caring for your kids’ future.”

“I felt very honored and surprised to be nominated. When I won the award it felt like an unexpected gift of recognition, for all my efforts, for caring about reducing waste and making this great province a little greener.”

With a waste output averaging 250-300 tons a year, Busque explained he felt guilty when heading for the landfill. He began recycling large amounts of waste, primarily shingles, when the Town of Sylvan Lake started offering an alternative for shingles only.

“No plastics, rubber, metals, cardboard etc. It had to be separated on site and I saw a great opportunity to reduce my waste,” he explained.

While it wasn’t easy to implement in his crew’s mind initially, recycling slowly became a habit. Now a large portion of the company’s waste gets recycled or diverted.

Installing metal roofs was another great leap forward for the local business. Metal roofs have a life expectancy between 40-50 years and are much less likely to get damaged by a hail storm than asphalt shingles, so much that some insurance companies now discount premiums for people who switch to metal roofs.

“I saw a great business opportunity when I arrived in Sylvan Lake because of the lake life and the surrounding real estate,” he explained of the company’s start. “People are very often turning to local businesses for services. It only took a handful of projects to get my name out there and it took off. Word of mouth is my best advertising.”

Busque added he would like to thank and congratulate Leanne Bertram with Clean Conscience Recycling for educating the Woodchuck crew and for being so helpful with reducing their waste output, adding her win for New Business of the Year was well deserved.

Also nominated for Green Business of the Year was Western Mobile + Office Ltd.

editor@sylvanlakenews.com