Page 8 - GBC summer English 2025

Message From The CEO, NGCOA Canada • Jeff Calderwood
Opening Drive
At the NGCOA Canada, we are
receiving more inquiries about
succession planning from golf courses
than ever before.
As owners and operators
contemplate their future exit strat-
egies, they eventually realize how
complex the issues can be and the
need for careful advance planning. So,
on their behalf, we are now devoting
more NGCOA Canada resources to this
important topic.
This issue of Golf Business
Canada features our cover story on
your Succession Planning. The article
outlines all of your key considerations
and enables you to map out how best
to transition to the next generation
within your family, to your manage-
ment team, or to a 3rd party buyer.
Authored by the team of experts
at GGA Partners, I think you will find
this cover story very insightful. For
those looking to invest in further
professional consultation, GGA Partners
are the leading international advisors
to golf course owners, investors and
developers on succession planning,
valuations, strategic planning and
major golf transactions.
Of note, GGA Partners are also
the professional advisors to the
ownership of Deer Creek Golf Club as
they sold their property to ClubLink in
February.
Among the other great articles in
this Golf Business Canada, Shawn
Hunter profiles the Buy Canadian
angle and how your golf operation can
leverage some effective solutions to
align with Canadian golfers’
preferences.
His editorial includes references
to some of the leading Canadian
supplier options and case studies of
golf course management strategies
that are leveraging great success from
that Buy Canadian theme.
However, I will take it a step
further here. I would like to reinforce
some of the longer-term silver linings
that Trump has inadvertently
triggered in Canada, notwithstanding
the unavoidable short-term pain being
inflicted upon Canadian consumers
and businesses.
I believe that the Buy Canadian
movement will stick. Even if the trade
war were to end by the time you read
this, the depth of commitment to
supporting Canadian-made products
and strengthening domestic supply
chains will be long lasting. Most
Canadians feel that the trust in our
“closest friend” has been permanently
breached. This will drive home-grown
Canadian demand for years to come,
which is a very positive outcome.
Similarly, I doubt if there has
been any time since the Second World
War when Canadians have been more
united. War has a tendency to do that.
And for a country as geographically
large and diverse as Canada, national
unity is not easy to maintain. But thank
you, Donald.
Breaking down our inter-
provincial barriers has been long
overdue. We now have the necessary
motivation to overcome those hurdles
that had been limiting Canada’s
internal business and employment
opportunities. Estimates in the $220
billion range of incremental annual
GDP have been forecasted. A great
economic benefit that would not have
been motivated without Trump’s
chaotic treatment of Canada.
In order to compete more
effectively, I expect Canada to reduce
corporate tax rates, and to add better
incentives to attract business
investment. Very likely, some
improvement to our high personal
income tax rates will also follow. The
financial benefits ought to grow our
economy and drive future consumer
spending, including on golf.
Canadian productivity per worker,
which has trailed the USA, will now
increase due to Trump’s aggression.
We became complacent trusting that
such a big customer base across the
border would always be there. Watch
out for the new and improved
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Golf Business Canada