Progress
The Chilliwack
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Antarctic adventure for Sardis teacher.
Firefighters support Bowls of Hope.
Curling legend Randy Ferbey visits Chilliwack.
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Shelter expansion moves forward Jessica Peters The Progress There will be more beds available for Chilliwack’s homeless soon, thanks to a hefty donation by a local organization. This week, the Chilliwack Fraser Rotar y Club passed over a cheque for $73,000 to help Ruth and Naomi’s expand their shelter. The covered vestibule at the entrance to the building w was only being used as a smokThere’s a real ing area. With a little planning, need here and the donation from the Rotary, that area is now ~ Gary being closed in Armstrong to become new sleeping quarters for the homeless. One room will house beds for 12 men, another will hold four beds for women, and there will be two more office areas and a lounge incorporated into the plan. Currently, there is room for about 14 people in the shelter overnight. However, the beds are stored away in a bathroom during the day and rolled out in the evening. Those using the shelter arrive at 9 p.m., get something to eat and hit the showers. They’re clothes are washed for them, and they get a warm sleep with a breakfast in the morning. The new area being built will mean they can house more people, and can do so without needing to rearrange furniture every night and morning to accommodate them.
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Off Target: Retailer shutters Canadian stores Chilliwack location among 19 Target stores to be closed in BC, 133 nation-wide Jeff Nagel Black Press U.S. retailer Target is abandoning its short-lived foray into Canada. The company says it will close all 133 Canadian stores, including its Chilliwack location – one of 19 in B.C.. It employs 17,600 people in Canada and the closures could throw thousands out of work in this province. Target chairman CEO Brian Cornell said there was no realis-
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coverage for workers not needed for the full wind-down period. The decision came after an unsuccessful holiday season, Cornell said, despite best efforts by Target Canada to win over shoppers. “There is no doubt that the next several weeks will be difficult, but we will make every effort to handle our exit in an appropriate and orderly way.” The American retail giant launched its Canadian expansion in 2013, buying up former Zellers locations and arranging grocery stock through Sobey’s. SFU business and marketing Continued: CHAIN/ p22
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tic scenario for the money-losing Canadian arm to reach profitability until at least 2021. It was granted protection from its creditors in Ontario Supreme Court Thursday. “We had great expectations for Canada but our early missteps proved too difficult to overcome,” Cornell said. “Personally, this was a very difficult decision, but it was the right decision for our company.” Besides its Chilliwack location, the Minneapolis-based retailer
is in Campbell River, Courtenay, Nanaimo, Victoria, Saanich, Burnaby, Richmond, Coquitlam, Delta, Surrey, Langley, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, Cranbrook and Prince George. Target stores will remain open during a court-supervised liquidation. The Chilliwack store opened in 2013 after extensive renovations to the Cottonwood Mall location. It expected to hire about 150 people. Target is placing $70 million in an employee trust to ensure a minimum 16 weeks compensation, including wage and benefit
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American-based Target is closing all of its Canadian stores, including the one in Chilliwack which opened in the fall of 2013.