Business Examiner Vancouver Island - April 2019

APRIL 2019

APRIL 2019

» XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA–PAGE XX

AGS

NANAIMO VI Tree Service Celebrates Fifth Year in Business

Business Systems

(866) 248-4251 AGScanada.com

Vancouver Island WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA

PAGE 28

NANAIMO La-Z-Boy Making Your Dream Spaces Come True

PAGE 22

INDEX News Update

2

Nanaimo 10 Port Alberni

11

Comox Valley

12

HR 15 Digital Marketing 27’ Construction 31 Cowichan Valley

32

Who is Suing Whom 33

Legasea Wins VIREB Commercial Building Awards 40 Projects Celebrated At 12th Annual Gala April 4 In Courtenay

C

OURTENAY – Legasea, a mixed use condominium project in Departure Bay in Nanaimo, was named the Judges’ Choice best overall entry in the 12th Annual Vancouver Island Real Estate Board Commercial Building Awards April 4 at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay.

There were 40 finalist projects in the competition, which celebrates the best in commercial, community and industrial buildings north of the Malahat on Vancouver Island, which were completed between January 1 and December 31, 2018.

“I was so honoured and humbled to accept these awards,” says Legasea developer Tony Harris, as the project also won the Mixed Use category. “It was my pleasure to work with so many on this project. Collaboration, thoughtfulness, patience and persistence drove the success of this project.”

This was the second time that Courtenay hosted the awards, which have taken place in Nanaimo and Parksville.

“The Comox Valley was an excellent host for the event, and we are very pleased with the turnout and support,” notes Mark MacDonald of Business Examiner Vancouver Island, which coordinates the event. “T he buildings were amazing this year, and that’s what makes this event so great – it celebrates the people behind the scenes that take the risks to make them become reality.”

A team of independent judges chose the winners in the 10 categories of these awards: Renovation, Multi Family Townhome, Multi Family Apartment, Multi Family Non Market, Institutional, Civil, Community, Mixed Use, SEE AWARDS | PAGE 16

Ian Lindsay of RE/MAX Commercial presents the Judges Choice Best Overall Award to Tony Harris of Legasea in Nanaimo PHOTOS BY ARTEZ PHOTOGRAPHY

Movers and Shakers 35 Opinion 38 Sales 39

Contact us: 1-866-758-2684

OUR 15TH YEAR

Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

VIU Tunes In To Local Needs With New Programs Institution Develops New Two Graduate Programs To Support Business Growth

N

ANAIMO - Vancouver Island University (VIU) has developed two new Faculty of Management graduate programs to meet the needs of the Island’s rapidly growing economy.

“As a regional university, we are constantly assessing the needs of the industries in the communities we serve,” says Joanna Hesketh, VIU Graduate Business Studies Director.

“These two programs support the growing need for these skill

sets and will expand our students’ capacity to find employment upon graduation.”

Both the Graduate Diploma in International Trade Graduate Diploma in Project Management are 12-month programs that start this September, Last fall the Island was officially designated as a Foreign Trade Zone by the Federal government.

With that designation, local organizations like the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) are focused on increasing the

visibility of the Island’s diverse economy and strategic location.

Combining international exporting sectors like aquaculture and manufacturing with a high level of accessibility via airports, and multiple deep-water ports puts the region in a highly competitive position.

T h i s t ra n sl ates i nto more opportunities for new businesses and a demand for employees with training and skills within international trade.

Students of the GDIT program

will learn important management principles as they relate to international business and trade.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to pursue the Certified International Trade Professional designation.

GDPM program students are provided with the opportunity to receive the designation of Certified Associate in Project Management and Project Management Professional upon completion of SEE VIU | PAGE 14

NEWS UPDATE

2

194 Cliff Street Nanaimo BC V9R 5E7

Providing Smart Workspace Solutions • Newly Furnished Offices • Hot Desk & Co-working Stations • High Speed Wireless Internet • Access to Scanning, Copying & Printing • Reception & Lunch Area • Hourly or Daily, Short or Long Term Rentals

Coming Soon!

13 Industrial Units for Sale/ Lease in Green Rock Industrial Park

250.755.6487 | 250.754.3219

office@nanaimobusinessservices.com

www.nanaimobusinessservices.com

APRIL 2019

VANCOUVER ISLAND Paper Excellence Finalizes Acquisition Paper Excellence Canada (PEC) has finalized the acquisition of Catalyst Paper.

The acquisition has Paper Excel lence ta k i ng over Catalyst Paper’s Crofton Mill as well as its two mills in Port Alberni and Powell River.

T h e B C-b a s e d P a p e r Excellence adds the mills to the five it operates in Canada and another two mills it runs in France. The company has produced 2.7-million tonnes of pulp and paper products over the past decade.

The acquisition expands the company’s products range to include printing papers, specialty and packaging papers and increased pulp production to service cu stomers worldw ide.

Catalyst brings about 1,500 forestry workers to PEC, including about 570 at the Crofton mill, as well as its other two mills in Port Alberni and Powell River.

The deal will see PEC assume all Catalyst’s obligations to its employees,

including pension plans as part of the deal. Catalyst has been generating over $2-billion in annual economic activity in BC and has about 1,500 employees.

VANCOUVER ISLAND BC Ferries Expands Coastal Sailings BC Ferries adds fer r y sailings effective April 1 on coastal routes with the aim of adding 2,700 round trip sailings for coastal community residents.

Additional service will be provided on the following routes: Crofton to Vesuvius; Earls Cove to Saltery Bay; Horshoe Bay to Bowen Island; Port Hardy to MidCoast to Prince Rupert; Haida Gwaii to Prince Rupert; Powell River to Texada Island; Campbell River to Quadra Island; Quadra Island to Cortes Island and Nanaimo Harbour to Gabriola Island.

T he province has also contracted for additional sailings between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert and the route between Alliford Bay and Skidegate.

T he increase between Por t Ha rdy a nd P ri nce

Rupert will not commence until the summer, due to vessel refitting and required recruitment. The ferry service is also looking at extending the summer schedule into the fall, with more service added next year.

NANAIMO New Microbrewery Proposed Cliffside Brewing Company is proposing to build a microbrewery at 11 Cliff Street near White Sails Brew i ng. I f ap prove d , the space would include a lounge, outdoor patio and manufacturing space.

Proposed operating hours are from 3 pm to 11 pm on Tuesday through Thursday, 11 am to midnight on Friday and Saturday; and 11 am to 6 pm on Sunday.

The company has submitted a liquor manufacturing application to the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. They also require a lounge endorsement from Nanaimo councilors in order for its application with the BC LCRB to be approved.

SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3

Equip your Business with the Latest Technology Contact us Today (866) 248-4251 40 years of trusted service on Vancouver Island

AGS

Business Systems

Nanaimo Parksville Courtenay Victoria

(866) 248-4251

AGScanada.com

NEWS UPDATE

APRIL 2019

NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

The existing zoning for Cliff Street allows for a microbrewery.

A public hearing for the proposal is scheduled for May 2 nd , after which council will vote on the application.

NANAIMO New Care Clinic Announced A new u rgent a nd pri ma r y care clinic will be installed on South Terminal Avenue in the Port Place Mall and will expand the existing Medical Arts Centre Clinic.

The facility will see doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and other healthcare professionals be made available to the public. The centre will have extended hours and same-day appointments and is expected to be open in early June. The annual operating cost will be roughly $2.7-million.

The care facility joins six similar facilities that have already been built or announced in cities like Burnaby, Vancouver, Langford and Surrey.

The centres consolidate multiple health services and other programs under one roof in an approach to healthcare called “team-based service”. The new facility is expected to support up to 25,000 additional patient visits per year and will be the second urgent and primary care clinic on Vancouver Island. The first clinic opened in Langford in November.

The provincial government announced it aims to open at least 10 urgent and primary care centres within the next decade.

VANCOUVER ISLAND Guideline B-20 Hampers Housing Market Sales of single-family homes in March dipped by 23 per cent from last year but were up 36 per cent

from the previous month.

Last month, 309 single-family homes sold on the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board’s Multiple Listing Service System compared to 399 in March 2018 and 227 in February. In the apartment and townhouse categories, sales dropped by 10 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.

Housing sales have weakened throughout most of the province, which the British Columbia Real Estate Association largely attributes to the mortgage stress test (Guideline B-20). While the BC economy continues to be highly supportive of housing demand, the negative shock to affordability and purchasing power created by the stress test is expected to continue preventing many buyers, particularly millennials, from entering the housing market.

In the VIREB area, the stress test is helping reduce demand for higher-priced properties and pushing buyers towards less expensive homes. In turn, this is compressing the lower end of the market.

Weakened housing demand has also contributed to an increase in total active residential listings across the province. In the VIREB area, inventory of single-family homes in March rose by 20 per cent from one year ago (976 to 1,172) while active listings of apartments climbed by 20 per cent (237 to 284) year over year and townhouses by 24 per cent (148 to 183).

However, despite decreased demand, prices in the VIREB area continue to rise over last year, although increases are expected to soften in the coming months.

The benchmark price of a single-family home board-wide was $510,800 in March, a six per cent increase from one year ago and up slightly from February. (Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area.) In the apartment category, the benchmark price climbed to $319,800 from one year ago, an eight per cent increase but down somewhat from the previous month. The benchmark price of a townhouse hit $414,700 last month, up eight per cent over March 2018 and slightly higher

than in February.

Month over month, Campbell River, Parksville-Qualicum, and Port Alberni saw modest reductions in their benchmark prices while Comox Valley, Duncan, and Nanaimo recorded small increases.

VANCOUVER ISLAND Rural Grants Support Island Communities T he prov i nce is f u nd i ng $278,000 to the K’omoks First Nation, Village of Cumberland and the District of Lantzville for three community projects.

The Corporation of the Village of Cumberland is being awarded $80,000 to implement action items from the village’s economic development strategy, including an investment-attraction analysis and a web portal to promote economic opportunities in the community.

K’omoks First Nation is being awarded $98,800 to develop a land-use plan and zoning law for reserve lands. The project will provide an overarching vision for future land use, identify areas for community and economic development, and establish land use regulations.

The District of Lantzville is being awarded $100,000 to implement phases of the district’s economic development strategy.

3 The project includes contracting an economic development officer to help attract new business and support existing businesses to thrive.

These grants help fund projects that support economic development and diversification in rural communities throughout the province. Grants can be up to $100,000 for a single-applicant project or up to $500,000 for partnership projects.

The Rural Dividend encourages economic diversification through community capacity building, workforce development, community and economic development, and business sector development.

SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 4

ISLA OWNEND OPER D & SINCE ATED 1968

lf your Company is considering any Office Technology changes be sure to call Island Office Equipment for a no obligation consultation.

Whether you’re looking to replace an aging copier/printer or would like to learn more about how our Electronic Content Management (ECM) System can make your office more productive and help you become more paperless, we can help.

Multi-Functional Systems Managed Print Services Document Management Solutions Wide Format Plotters Scanning Systems Network Printers NANAIMO Unit C - 2110 Northfield Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 3B9

VICTORIA Bob Janes Managing Partner

104-3375 Whittier Ave. Victoria, BC V8Z 3R1

Laura Bauder Account Executive

w w w.isla ndoffice. c a | 1 -8 7 7-7 1 6 -3 5 77

Need Creative Financing Solutions?

Liquid Capital West Coast Financing Corp.* provides non-traditional financing options, giving businesses quick access to operating cash with Accounts Receivable Factoring, Asset Based Lending, Purchase Order Financing and more.

To learn more, contact Stephen Ison or Rebekah Hutchison at 778.265.7990 or visit www.lcwestcoastfinancing.com. * Island operated and owned.

F5_250 WCF_Ad_V3.indd 1

2017-06-05 3:55 PM

NEWS UPDATE

4

APRIL 2019

NEWS UPDATE

When your employees have Benefits Questions,

Do You Have The Answers?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

NANAIMO Telus Investing $75M In Nanaimo Service

We do! Call us today Take advantage of the team that combines 110 years of Employee benefits experience.

Dental, Extended Health, Disability, Critical Illness frank@frankallenfinancial.com

(250) 753-2101

www.frankallenfinancial.com

Nanaimo News Bulletin Telus will spend $75 million to bring faster internet speed and better cellphone service to the Nanaimo and Lantzville areas.

The telecommunications company announced it will connect over 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the areas, including Snuneymuxw and SnawNaw-As first nation land, to its PureFibre network.

Telus’ “gigabit-enabled” network will allow for faster movie download, online gaming and web browsing, as well as video conferencing. It also sets the stage for future 5G mobile technology.

“We don’t have a map published by any means, but what we look to do is, as we build the fibre network, we’re going to look for opportunities to extend both coverage, to put cell service where it maybe not as good today and improve that capacity to give people higher speeds …

it really gives the ability to start to get much more targeted and deliver improved service to where people in Nanaimo want it most,” said Andy Balser, Telus’ vice-president of marketing.

Balser said he couldn’t speak specifically about any plans to build cellphone towers locally but d id say steps are being made to improve service.

Connection comes at no cost to taxpayers and work will last from April until 2021. Representatives will door-knock seeking permission from residents to connect with no obligation to sign with Telus.

Balser said there could be minor traffic detours while work is being completed, but they will be “short-lived.”

“Traffic may be slow, but your internet is about to get a whole lot faster,” said Balser.

NORTH ISLAND Pacific Coastal Announces Summer Schedule Pacific Coastal Airlines

recently announced its 2019 Summer Schedule for the Port Hardy (YZT) and Bella Bella (ZEL) Airports.

T he schedule comes into effect on Ju ne 23 rd and will provide travelers with more seat capacity on board larger aircraft, not to mention new non-stop daily flights from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) South Terminal to both Bella Bella and Port Hardy.

Implementing the new non-stop route from Vancouver to Bella Bella will reduce total flight time by about an hour.

The new schedule will include providing three nonstop daily return flights with larger Saab aircraft between Port Hardy and Vancouver on weekdays.

T he new a i rcra f t h ave more amenities than the prev ious pla nes a nd i n addition to increased seating they have more room for cargo storage.

Flights between Bella Bella and Vancouver will also now use the larger Saab crafts and will include 2 da i ly non-stop flights on weekdays.

In order to make these schedule changes, Pacific Coastal is handing off its SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 5

Jay Cousins jay cousins realty

An Independent Member Broker

PH 250-751-1223 TF 1-877-335-4380 E jay@jaycousins.com W jaycousins.com FEATURED PROPERTIES

VANCOUVER ISLAND COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT PROPERTIES 2- STOREY CONCRETE COMMERCIAL BUILDING 3,600 Sq. Ft. over 2 levels close to downtown Nanaimo Complete Reno’s approx. 10 yrs ago $449,900 Information Portfolio Available

INN, PUB, RESTAURANT, LIQUOR STORE Alert Bay - $675,000 Opportunity for a Live, Work, Play Life Style Profitable & Busy Family Run Enterprise

located on Beautiful Cormorant Island

Purchase Incl. Business, Building & Land Vendor Take-back Financing possible Great Location close to Ferry Terminal Information Portfolio Available

SOLD

$1,199,000

WELL ESTABLISHED SHOE STORE Nicely Updated 922 Sq. Ft. Office Space COR-3 Zoning offers a broad range of uses 3 Offices, Board/Conference Room, Bright

Reception, Storage, Private Washroom Great Location in a Great Complex Available July 1, 2019 Information Portfolio Available

LEASES

2,033 Sq. Ft. 2nd Floor Office Space – Downtown Nanaimo, T.N. includes HVAC, Hydro & Utilities. Available for Immediate Occupancy $9.50/SF + TN Light Industrial Space in Diver Lake Area 1,380 Sq. Ft. 2nd Level, Gross BUSINESS W/BUILDING & LAND DAKOVA SQUARE - DUNCAN Lease + GST, Tenant pays own Hydro. Available Jan 1/19 $9.75/SF + GST 12 Yr Old Highly Successful Mid-Island Operation Suite 102 is 2,890 Sq. Ft. Main Level Unit 1,630 Sq. Ft. Main Level Unit - Downtown Nanaimo High Visibility location Sale incl/Truck Fleet, Warehouse, 12 Ft Ceilings, Residential Above $719,900 $3,600,000 $1,755,000 Industrial Yard & Customer List with use of sign off building, Heat (HVAC) & Hydro are included, DT-4 Gateway Entrance to Downtown Commercial Zoning $2,000/Mo + GST COURT ORDERED SALE - VACANT LAND STIR FRY RESTAURANT - DUNCAN 900 Sq. Ft. Commercial Unit Nanaimo - Corner Location, DT-2 Zoning Quality Location across from Somass River - Port Alberni Very Successful Restaurant with 35 Seats uses within restaurant/retail/office & service industries $12/Sq. Ft. + TN Great Location across from School Potential Development Opportunity of $119,900 $279,900 Information Portfolio Available Multi/Single Family/Senior Housing 2nd Floor 3,948 Sq. Ft. Office Space Quality Building downtown Nanaimo, TN Expense incl. HVAC, Hydro, Taxes & Utilities $12/Sq. Ft. + TN DELIVERY & STORAGE BUSINESS - MID-ISLAND NEW COMMERCIAL STRATA UNIT - DUNCAN 1,199 Sq. Ft. Main Level Corner Unit - Parksville - Great Exposure in Suite 103 is 3,104 Sq Ft Main Level Unit-Dakova Square Highly Successful Provider of Trucking, Delivery and

Shopping Centre Location close to Downtown $12/SF + TN Great Visibility, Close to Downtown Warehousing Services $769,900 Residential Suites above $705,000 Information Portfolio Available 922 Sq. Ft. Quality Corner Office Space - Metral Centre - COR-3 Zoned Unit. 3 Offices, Board/conference room, bright reception, storage & private 2 COMMERCIAL HERITAGE BUILDING - NANAIMO RESTAURANT & GROCERY STORE - NANAIMO piece washroom. Great Location in a great Complex $18/SF + TN Prime Downtown Location, All 3 Units are Tenanted Popular Mediterranean Café & Market Business Excellent Holding Property Solid Revenue Stream/Info Package

METRAL CENTRE OFFICE SPACE Nanaimo - $18.00/Sq.Ft + TN

RICKY’S ALL DAY GRILL - COURTENAY Quality Full Service 135 Seat Restaurant Franchise Over 20 Years in this Location $379,900 Full Training Available to New Owner

Upscale Women’s Footwear Store in Courtenay, BC High Visibility Boutique Location $39,900 Loyal Clientele, Long-term Suppliers

FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT Free Standing Location, Ample Parking, Fully Turnkey Gross Sales in excess of 1.2M $229,900 Information Portfolio Available

Great Location in Townsite Plaza Restaurant is on Skip the Dishes List

$29,000

AUTO REPAIR SERVICE STATION Highly Visible Family Business since 1960's Strong & Loyal Business in Place $1,199,000 Chemainus, Info Package Available

NEW COMMERCIAL SUITE - DAKOVA SQUARE Suite 101 is 2,287 Sq. Ft. Main Level in Duncan 12 Ft. Ceilings, Vacant and Ready Parking Avail. for Commercial Suites

$569,900

BUSINESSES Family Style Restaurant - Nanaimo Ricky’s Family Restaurant - All Day Grill Franchise - Courtenay Delivery & Storage Business - Mid-Island Shoebiz Shoe Store - Courtenay Baan Do’s Stir Fry Restaurant - Duncan - REDUCED Sinbad’s Café - Townsite Plaza - Nanaimo

$229,900 $379,900 $705,000 $39,900 $119,900 $29,000

COWICHAN VALLEY

APRIL 2019

5

COWICHAN INDUSTRIAL LAND USE STRATEGY HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL EMPLOYMENT LANDS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COWICHAN AMY MELMOCK

A

newly completed Cowichan Industrial Land Use Strategy has identified the connection between creating and preserving industrial lands in the Cowichan region a nd creati ng the jobs of the future.

Commissioned by Economic Development Cowichan (EDC), the strategy examines the vital role industrial lands play in shaping the economic future and social health of our region.

Work i n g w it h t he con s u lting firm Urban Systems, EDC launched the strategy in 2018 to engage with current industrial land users, examine employment trends and determine the sector development opportunities that will fuel job growth in the Cowichan region.

“The completed strategy gives us a more complete picture of the future demand for industrial land,” said Ian Morrison, Chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. “It’s important that we are prepared to meet this demand, with the capacity to work in partnership to realize

new growth opportunities.”

Local government planners and industry stakeholders from across the region participated in the development of the Industrial Land Use Study, which identi f ies the ongoi ng need and desire to streamline development approval processes related to industrial land. Of the 51 industrial park business respondents that participated in an EDC survey, 42 per cent indicated they hope to expand at their current location or another site within the Cowichan region.

T he strategy demonstrated that the current industry sectors with the greatest demand for industrial land in the region are mining and quarrying, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing. Emerging sectors generating demand for industrial land include construction and design, manufacturing, specialty food processing and recreational cannabis. Also on the horizon are jobs related to clean tech, aquaculture, transportation and warehousing and marine services.

“With only a small percentage of the total land base in Cowichan zoned or designated as industrial, the need to manage, develop and expand the footprint of key employment lands must be a priority for local government if the diversification of our local employment base is to continue,” said Amy Melmock, Manager of Economic Development Cowichan.

Cow ich a n cu r rent ly h a s a competitive cost adva ntage

NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

service between Port Hardy and Bella Bella to Wilderness Seaplanes for the summer schedule. Pacific Coastal will resume service between Port Hardy and Bella Bella in the fall. Wilderness Seaplanes is operated out of Port Hardy and is affiliated with Pacific Coastal.

NANAIMO Residential Development Pitched on Third A high-density residential development has been proposed to be constructed at 560 Third Street between Howard Avenue and Lambert Avenue.

Wertman Development Corporation is behind a development permit application for the space that was recently approved by the City of Nanaimo and the municipality’s design advisory panel. The project called DLX on Third calls for the construction of two four-storey buildings, providing 181 residential units and 511 square meters of commercial space on

over neighboring regions when it comes to industrial land. To take advantage of the competitive advantages in the region, the Cowichan Industrial Land Use Strategy calls upon local governments to support land intensification and the adoption of highest and best use standards at strategically located industrial parks throughout the region.

For Economic Development Cow icha n, the strateg y has prov ided a n oppor tu n ity to build relationships within local government and to collaborate with regional industry players, landowners and First Nations representatives through the formation of an Industry Advisory Panel.

Over the coming fiscal year, EDC will act on the strategy’s key recommendations by suppor ti ng the development of Foo d P ro ce ss in g Fea s i bilit y Strategy and embarking on an Air Transport Study that may illuminate opportunities for industrial land partnerships.

EDC will also be updating its website to provide up-to-date information on commercial and industrial lands, and to highlight key industry players in Cowichan.

Cont a c t A my M el mo c k at

1.3-hectares of land.

The residential portion would consist of a mixture of micro-units, studio units, one- and two-bedroom units and one- and two-bedroom lofts. One of the buildings is planned to include commercial space on the ground floor. There would also be 188 parking spaces and 100 bicycle spaces on the property.

The proposed structures are across the street from 525 Third Street where construction has started on a mixed-use student housing complex. Once completed the development will have a residents-only fitness center and the commercial space will likely be the site of a restaurant.

The project doesn’t require rezoning after a Surrey-based developer came forward with similar plans for a project called Armishaw Crossing.

Conditioned on the development receiving all the necessary permits, construction could potentially begin in later summer or early fall.

The Wertman Development Corporation is also behind a proposed 24-storey condominium in downtown Nanaimo.

amelmock@cvrd.bc.ca or visit the Economic Development Cowichan website at www.ecdevcowichan.com

Amy Melmock is the Manager of the Economic Development Cowichan Valley Regional District. She can be reache at amelmock@cvrd.bc.ca

Your local advisory firm.

Smythe Advisory is a BC-based practice recognized for exceptional work in the areas of business valuations, transaction advisory, litigation support, financing and capital structuring.

Our team of Chartered Business Valuators is just the right size to bring you the service and value you need. We are small enough to be flexible, cost-effective and committed to our clients, yet large enough to offer a full range of business advisory services to our clients of various sizes and industries.

201 – 1825 Bowen Rd Nanaimo, British Columbia T: (250) 755-2116 E: mberris@smythecpa.com

A proud partner in your success.

Contact us today to see how we can help you on your next project. the leaders in lighting // mclarenlighting.com

SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 32

6

APRIL 2019

HARBOUR KITCHENS AND MILLWORK INSTALLS BRAGGING RIGHTS Company expansion meets demand for custom kitchens, baths, and built-ins

C

OURTENAY - Bragging rights go to homeowners in the Comox Valley as new kitchens are being installed weekly by Harbour Kitchens and Millwork. Established in 1996, the company has expanded to a new showroom to handle the surging demand for high-end custom kitchens, built-ins, vanities, and more.

Lead Designer Chelsy Venoit said the move to a new location a year ago increased the display space six-fold, from a cramped 500 square feet to a 3000 square foot showroom at 2930 Kilpatrick Avenue in Courtney.

The showroom boasts what the company can do, featuring five full size kitchens. “Just walking into the space feels grand, allowing clients to envision their new kitchen.” Each 10’ by 10’ kitchen showcases unique design and style, featuring modern products and accessories.

T he compa ny’s desig ners, Chelsy Venoit a nd Cathleen Leduc, have each completed a two-year interior architectural design program. They have the knowledge and experience to help their clients achieve the look and style they want.

Company owner Shaun Nelson is also the operations manager for the eight-member production team. Aware of the increasing demand for quality cabinets, he initiated the expansion of the showroom and the production facility. “It was a substantial investment. We have more than doubled our sales and maintained our high standard of quality,” says Nelson.

The production facility has also been revamped. It has been completely transformed into a modern 10,000 square foot shop. State of the art machines manufacture custom cabinets and millwork in-house with a

This modern take on traditional styling features Cambria Summerhill, supplied and installed by Floform Countertops, plus a customstained wood base for an island and a custom stained hood MEREDITH ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

(left - right) Chelsy Veniot, Shaun Nelson, and Jayneen Pannell of Harbour Kitchens & Millwork PHOTO CREDIT: FLOFORM

decreased wa it ti me for the customer.

Their shop uses only top quality, North American made products from Hardwoods and Richelieu.

Choosing these products ensures compliance with California’s CARB Phase 2 Composite Wood Products Regulations. Starting in 2009, these regulations reduced formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products, hardwood plywood, particleboard and high-density fiberboard (HDF).

This standard, in combination with new dust collection and air filtration system, means a safer work environment for the employees and greener products in the home.

HK Millwork prides themselves on their in-house installation team and the quality control at

FLOFORM salutes our friends at Harbour Kitchens for their sustained growth in the marketplace.

Congrats on the new showroom and we wish you continued success going forward.

Proud supporter of Harbour Kitchens & Millwork, congratulations on your new location!

877.FLOFORM | FLOFORM.COM

1025 McPhee, Courtenay P: 250.334.3522 E: courtenayglassltd@gmail.com www.courtenayglass.com

the shop and throughout the production line and into installation. From the first point of contact with the CNC machine, to the sanding department, then off to the finishing booth.

Finishing is where the magic h appen s. Some of t he newer products on the market are engineered sheet goods. These come in a wide range of veneered wood or laminated patterns and textures, which are durable and very economical. Venoit notes that many people are opting for the veneered finishes, which are easy to clean and require less maintenance.

There is no repainting required and these kitchens will still look good in 15 to 20 years. From the manufacturing side, these newer materials are easy to work with and allow a quicker turn-around time.

Business in the Comox Valley is booming. Retirees from across Canada, including the lower mainland of BC, Alberta, and Ontario, are selling their properties and moving to the island. “We install our cabinets in stunning high-end homes, individual family homes as well as multi-family projects.” Whether clients are building new or renovating old, both keep Harbour Kitchens & Millwork busy.

Around 80 per cent of the business is referrals from casual conversations in the community.

T he company has developed great relationships with local SEE HARBOUR KITCHENS | PAGE 7

7

APRIL 2019

“We install our cabinets in stunning high-end homes, individual family homes as well as multifamily projects.”

CHELSY VENOIT DESIGNER

This striking modern farmhouse look includes a rustic wood table plus a convenient work island and stainless steel appliances.

Painted maple doors are by Siskin Cabinet Doors Ltd. in Saanichton MEREDITH ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

HARBOUR KITCHENS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

builders, interior designers, and real estate agents from up and down the Comox Valley.

Venoit notes current top trends are the modern farmhouse design, which incorporates traditional charm with a fresh twist, a nd u ltra-modern, wh ich is minimalist and sleek. A few years ago, two-tone kitchens, many white and dark grey, were popular.

Now many people are opting for warmer tones in paint or a warmer off-white finish. “It is what is on trend right now.”

Customers regularly bring in samples of their colour inspiration. Harbour Kitchen’s paint supplier easily matches the sample in the required product, be it stain, paint, or lacquer.

A m o n g t h e m o s t e x c it i n g

projects for the company are the whole home packages, which can include the kitchen, bathrooms, walk-in closets, bars, and fireplace built-ins Visitors to the showroom will be greeted by the knowledgeable design team of Venoit and Leduc, Showroom Coordinator Jayneen Pannell, and Project Coordinator Jonathan Toms.

Harbour Kitchens and Millwork is the Premier Dealer on the north end of Vancouver Island for Cambria Surfaces through Floform Countertops. This gives them the opportunity to have over 160 designs available for clients to choose from.

In addition to the five full-size kitchens, the showroom offers c ou nter top s, Koh ler si n k s, faucets, and more. Thanks to a partnership with Courtenay Appliances, they also showcase high end Bertazzoni appliances

in their showroom.

T he term custom m i l lwork means the display kitchens are just the starting point. Unlike the one-size-fits-all-or-else model of pre-cut, pre-boxed cabinets, Harbour Kitchens and Millwork makes individually designed elements, where custom is their standard.

Q u a l ity products a l so ensure your kitchen will age well.

“Your kitchen should last the lifetime of your home”, Venoit says. “We’ve designed any style asked of us”.

Among the suppliers used by the compa ny, Marathon a nd Richelieu are at the top of the market, continuously expanding in style and trends when it comes to hardware and accessories.

Images of the company’s products, customer testimonials, and contact details are on their website at hkmillwork.com.

Congratulations to the team at Harbour Kitchens & Millwork on all your success!

Customized millwork by Harbour Kitchens and Millwork can be applied to more than kitchens, as demonstrated by this welldesigned entry MEREDITH ROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

612 Garbally Road,�Victoria P:�(250) 475-2295 E:�columbiaindustrialsupplies@shaw.ca www.columbiaindustrialsupplies.com

8

APRIL 2019

UNDERSTANDING CASH FLOW IS KING Bookkeeping may seem mundane but it is essential to keep track of the cash that

“A Classic Rejuvenated”

Now accepting Group Bookings for 2019 and 2020 Limited Memberships Available

www.morningstargolf.com E-Mail: info@morningstargolf.com

1.800.567.1320 525 Lowry’s Rd, Parksville, BC

is going in and out of

SMALL BUSINESS

your business

JOLYNN GREEN

A

healthy cash flow is the lifeblood of any small business, and knowing how to manage the business’s cash can be the difference between success and failure. The often quoted phrase, ‘Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity but cash is reality” certainly says it all in 10 words. Having ample cash on hand will ensure that suppliers, employees and others can be paid on time.

Understanding your numbers will allow you to make informed decisions quickly when an opportunity comes up that can translate to increased revenue and profit.

Cash management can be as simple as a cash flow

spread sheet that monitors the movement of cash into or out of a business, matching outlays of cash with money owed to your business. As a small business owner, you must keep a record of all payments, bank statements, bills from all customer sales, vendor and supplier purchases, items received and checks disbursed-including payroll.

Bookkeeping may seem mundane but it is essential to keep track of the cash that is going in and out of your business. If keeping the books up to date is not

your strength, find a professional who will ensure you stay up to date with all GST and payroll submissions, as well as, all regular tax filings.

A s a n added bonus, a professional bookkeeper can have all the information ready for a seamless transfer to your accountant for year-end filings; your accountant will be able to offer advice on anything you shou ld be doi ng to keep your business fiscally healthy. Best of all, a professional can take care of the books and you can do what you do best whether it’s sales, marketing or management.

Making more than your business is spending? That is good. Is your cash flow regularly edging into the red? Not so good! It’s time to get some help. All it takes are a few smart moves to bring your business into the black.

Jolynn Green is Executive Director of Community Futures Central Island.

Jolynn can be reached at ed@cfnanaimo.org or 250-591-7499

"Our goal is to make a long term customer, not just a sale."

If you are looking for the Circus! Balloons! Free BBQs! and Gimmicks! ...

PARKSVILLE CHRYSLER

IS NOT YOUR DEALERSHIP!

If, however, you are look ing to buy a Quality Ve hicle at a Fair and Hon est Price ...

PARKSVILL E CHRYSLE R IS YOUR DEA LERSHIP!

H O N E S T Y • Q U A L I T Y • I N T E G R I T Y • VA L U E

Parksville

w w w. p a r k s v i l l e c h r y s l e r. c o m

|

1-800-561-3281

9

APRIL 2019

DenMar Electric Wins Construction Leadership Award

B

Lindsay Groves, Program Coordinator, STEP/BCCA presents a Construction Leadership Award to Chris Turnbull, Operations Manager, DenMar Electric

C’s constr uction commu n ity honou red si x companies and individuals for their leadership and contributions to the construction industry this week at the annual Construction Leadership Dinner held at the Royal BC Museum.

Hosted by the BC Construction Association (BCCA), the gala dinner is one of the many festivities and events celebrating Construction and Skilled Trades Month in BC. Island winners included: Roger Yager, Vice President, Knappett Projects (Victoria); the STEP Award: DenMar Electric (Nanaimo) and BidCentral Award:

Farmer Construction (Victoria).

BC Construction and Skilled Trades Month celebrates the many contributions BC’s construction industry makes across our province, in every community, every day. It also highlights construction’s status as No. 1 employer in BC’s goods sector, with more than 242,000 people relying directly on construction for a paycheque: that’s up 21 per cent since 2014, and at 10 per cent of the workforce, is more than any other sector, including forestry, mining, agriculture and fishing combined.

“O n beh a l f of ever yone at BCCA, and our dinner and BC

Construction and Skilled Trades Month sponsors, I want to congratulate our deserving winners tonight for so ably representing the nearly one quarter million women and men in construction who are helping build a better BC,” said Chris Atchison, President, BCCA. “These awards and BC Construction Month are a chance to showcase individual industry success stories like tonight’s winners and how they’re using innovation and best practices to grow their businesses, diversify our workforce, and support our communities.”

T he BCCA’s Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP)

fi nds ready-to-work ca nd idates for construction employers with jobs to fill. The STEP Award went to DenMar Electric of Nanaimo, who are champions for apprenticeships. Dedicated to the community and its customers, DenMar’s motto is “We’ll be there today!” To that end, DenMar has worked closely with STEP for several years and sourced many electricians through the program. The company is committed to providing equal opportunity employment in the trades. Owned by Rick Bayko and Chris Turnbull, Denmar has been a “Best of the City” recipient every year since 2009.

DON’T WEAR IT?

SELL IT!

BUY | SELL | TRADE We Deal in Rolex, Cartier, Breitling, Zenith, Tudor, & other Luxury Watches Complete Jewellery & Watch Repairs - Custom Designs

211 CRAIG ST, DOWNTOWN DUNCAN | 250 748 7709

10

NANAIMO

APRIL 2019

APRIL CONSTRUCTION START EXPECTED FOR COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT HOTEL Harbour Air Seaplanes

cooling company in Nanaimo.

Announces Move Towards

The very popular Cedar Farm Market, which has set up next to the Crow and Gate Pub i n Cedar on Sundays for a number of years, will be moving to a new location this year.

Electric Motors

The new location will be announced in the near future.

NANAIMO MARK MACDONALD

T

he long awaited and much anticipated nine-storey, 172 room Courtyard by Marriott hotel has its building perm it from the City of Nanaimo, and is expected to begin construction in April.

Utah-based PEG Companies is expected to start construction soon on the 100 Gordon Street property, across from the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

Amenities in the $22 million building will include a luxury spa, large pool, all-inclusive fitness centre and street level café.

Omicron Construction is the general contractor for the hotel.

PEG ow ns a nd ma nages over 35 hospitality properties th roug hout Ca nada a nd the United States. It has also built a Courtyard by Marriott in Prince George.

Doug Johnston Harbour Air is going the extra mile to preserve the environment, as the company has announced plans to convert over three dozen of its seaplanes so they can be powered by electric motors.

A partnership with MagniX Technologies has set the wheels in motion for the conversions, with the first passenger flights targeted for 2021. The propulsion system will give the six-seat Beaver aircraft a range of around 100 miles.

“I think electrification of all different vehicles now is going to become so prevalent it’s just going to be something like, ‘Oh, that’s something going electric as well’,” says Harbour Air founder and Chief Executive

Businessexaminer.ca Breaking Business News Previous Business Examiner Issues Brand & Link your Business

Officer Greg McDougall. “It’s just a natural evolution.”

Marcielo, a 110-unit, 24-storey residential condo building is moving towards construction next to the 91 Chapel Street project currently being built in downtown Nanaimo.

Wertman Development Corporation is the company behind the Marcielo condos, and the company has also announced plans to build 181 residential units in DLX on Third on the former Armishaw farm land at 560 Third Street.

An official opening of the new Vehicle Processing Centre at the Port of Nanaimo was held April 9.

It is an exciting time for the Port, as the project is creating dozens of new, well paying jobs and the area surrounding the Centre is crowded with new, high-end vehicles. They’ll receive final detailing before delivery to dealerships throughout the region.

Turner Land Surveying has purchased a building across from Midland Tools on Terminal Avenue, and will be moving there in late April.

James Duffy is the new owner of Pro Temp Control, a heating and

Meanwhile, a farmer’s market will be held on Saturdays next to the Cassidy Country Kitchen restaurant in Cassidy, next to the Island Highway near Nanaimo River.

McDonald’s Restaurant on Nicol Street will be expanding their drive-through area to two lanes, like the operations on Bowen Road, south Terminal Park and near Nanaimo North Town Centre.

TELUS has announced it will be investing $75 million to expand its fibre optic network to cover over 90 per cent of the businesses and homes in Nanaimo and Lantzville.

A new nine-house townhouse is going to be built behind Vancouver Island Honda, which is located on Bowen Road.

Construction continues at a rapid pace in Harewood.

The commercial buildings at the corner of 5th Street and Bruce Avenue a re risi ng out of the ground, and will soon be home to a new Tim Hortons restaurant and a bank, amongst other stores.

Townhouses, four-plexes and duplexes are being built at the corner of Ninth Street and Howard Avenue.

This comes after the recent open i ng of t he new Quality Foods store off Bruce, which is fronted by a mixed use, residential commercial unit in front of the store, next to the Co-op Gas outlet.

R.W. (Bob) Wall Contracting Ltd. is working on designs and plans for the Harewood Community Centre on Fourth Street, which will be renovated to become the new home for the Nanaimo Search & Rescue Society.

D o ug Joh n s ton , fo u n d i n g partner of Johnston, Johnston & Associates Ltd. Professional Accountants says he’s retired, but one would never know.

He’s been busy orchestrating a major fundraising effort for the Vancouver Island University Mariners men’s hockey team that netted $7,800, which was much-needed funding to cover costs of the team’s playoff expenses.

He’s now President of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Conservative Electoral District Association, and managing the campaign for Conservative candidate John Hirst in the upcoming byelection in the riding. Doug is excited about the new EDA board that’s joined him.

Former Nanaimo Clipper goalie Terry Kleisinger was back in town recently to visit friends and family.

Terry’s mother, Joyce, was a long-term manager at Smitty’s Restaurant downtown for former owner Dale Huck. Terry now lives in Colorado and owns a grain mill in Missouri, and he’s on his way to Mexico City, as he’s been hired to coach the goalies for the New Zealand team that will be competing in the Division II World Hockey Championships.

Vancouver-based engineering firm Aplin Martin will be opening an office in Nanaimo, states Scott Lewis.

Mark MacDonald writes about business in Nanaimo. Tell him your news by emailing him at mark@ businessexaminer.ca

PORT ALBERNI

APRIL 2019

INVESTING IN YOUNG PEOPLE

PORT ALBERNI PAT DEAKIN

P

eople in Port Alberni are investing time and money in support of the young people in our community. With thanks to the Alberni Valley News, here’s a quick look at some of what’s been happening in 2019 in the arts, education and sports.

At the recent Youth Variety Show, 14-yea r old Emma Fines became the first recipient of the Pat Cummings Performing Arts Award, named after the late Port Alberni dance teacher Pat Cummings. Fines, who has been dancing for 10 years and who dances 5 days a week, was one of five artists selected to make a video submission to the Funding Alberni Valley Arts Society,

and the ultimate winner of the competition.

Professional Cook Level 1 students will be opening North Island College’s Roger Street Bistro April 8th. The students have been training with culinary instructor Al Irving since January and the program is the first step toward Red Seal certification as a chef.

North Island College (NIC) has also launched a 10-week, full-time program offering targeted, entry-level skills training for the cruise line travel industry. This prog ra m h a s b een f u nded through the Community Workforce Response Grant a nd is bei ng taug ht by Amanda Hathorn, a recruiter for major cruise lines.

In a move aimed at attracting young agrarians and delivering on local food security and safety goals, the Port Alberni Shelter Society, has partnered with NIC to launch a Market Gardener Training Program. Students are learning plant and soil biology, greenhouse ma nagement methods, preparation of seedlings for planting, direct seeding of crops, how to transplant seedlings, intensive

greenhouse production methods, crop management, skills in irrigation and weeding, Integrated Pest Management and disease control as well as Business Planning and Entrepreneurship courses. The course work will be done at NIC, at Famers Markets and on the Shelter Society’s 140 acre farm just outside the City.

The Tseshaht Pride U13 g i rl s’ ba sketba l l te a m came home from the Junior All-Native Basketball Tournament in K itimat with silver medals. Two of the girls, Jennifer Taylor and Natalie Clappis, were named to the U13 All Star Team and Taylor was also named Most Inspirational Player.

This is just a small sampling of what the remarkable young people of Port Alberni are doing and what is available to them here. In closing we are grateful to all who are playing a part in delivering, and realizing, these opportunities.

Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250-720-2527 or Patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca

11

Mid Island Investment Opportunities

5038 Montrose street – MLS 450865 $999,900 10 Suite Residential Complex.

2667 6th Avenue – MLS 450675 $309,999 Duplex with two additional small residences.

JOHN CLARK Mobile: 250.731.4101 john@jcrealtor.ca jcrealtor.ca

SLEEP LIKE A BABY WITH BUSINESS PROTECTION 24/7

Fire Protection Services: • Inspections • Installations • Repairs • Upgrades

Call Today: 250.244.6303 E: admin@caledoniafire.com www.caledoniafireprotection.com

COMOX VALLEY

12

COMOX VALLEY CHAMBER 1919 TO 1939: BUILDING BONDS BETWEEN THE WARS

COMOX VALLEY CHAMBER DIANNE HAWKINS

I

n 1919, after five years of war, Courtenay-Comox was ready to get back to business. On March 22, riding a new-found sense of optimism, a group of businessmen officially chartered the Chamber of Commerce (then called the Board of Trade). Charging an annual $5 fee, the board stipulated members must be directly involved with tourism.

So began our 100-year journey advocating for tourism, trade and the Comox Valley. In this centennial year, we look back at our beginnings, celebrating the highs, looking at the lows and finding out about the in-betweens.

The Roaring Twenties – Valley-Style Even with their mandate to

expand tourism, the new Board quickly became involved in other matters, big and small, about town.

W hile discussions with the CPR to extend the railway past Courtenay and support for the creation of parks topped the agenda, the Board made sure to champion members’ causes.

Imagine the insults flying at the protest about higher express rates being charged – shipping 50 pounds of butter to Ladysmith had risen from 45 cents to 70 cents! Improving roads and boat, rail and mail service perennially took precedent, but they still found time to coordinate community dances, where fun was had by all – after all, prohibition ended in 1920!

I t w a s w e l l-k n o w n t h a t “Courtenay’s future is on the river,” so the Board got involved i n orga n i zi ng d redg i ng a nd straightening the channel to ease navigation. By 1929, they began pushing for an airport, and ferries between Comox and Powell River, and Buckley Bay and Denman Island.

The Dirty Thirties – A Time Of Expansion, Challenges W hile little mention of the 1929 market crash made the local paper, some effects of the

Depression started seeping in.

The 1930 Klondike Dance wasn’t held, straining cash flow as the Board relied on that $250 profit.

Depression or not, the start of the decade saw plenty of activity, as well as cooperation with the Cumberland and Campbell River Boards. The Comox Airport was approved, and a daily Comox-Powell River ferry began running in 1931.

However, as the decade progressed, the world’s financial crisis and political tensions impacted with rising gas prices and employment issues. But by 1939, the Courtenay-Comox Board had been in existence for 20 years and showed no sign of stopping. It had established itself as a permanent and significant part of the community, then and into the future.

To see other articles celebrating our past, including the full version of this one, visit our website at www.comoxvalleychamber.com.

Dianne Hawkins, CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber: Building Good Business For more information on the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit: www.comoxvalleychamber.com or call 250-334-3234.

Do you know where YOUR DATA is?

Visit our Co-Location Datacenter in Nanaimo

APRIL 2019

New Projects Planned In Courtenay Comox Valley Record OMOX VALLEY - Woodsmere Holdings of Victoria has submitted an application to build a pair of four-storey apartment buildings at 2600 Mission Rd. near the Courtenay Hospital.

The two buildings will contain 94 apartments: 16 three-bedrooms, 46 two-bedrooms and 32 one-bedrooms. The 1.06 hectare property is within walking distance of North Island College, Queneesh Elementary School and the Comox Valley Aquatic Centre.

The company has incorporated 54 bicycles stalls, six electric car

C

chargers and two amenity areas with pergolas.

Woodsmere has yet to set the rental rates.

Another housing project will be constructed on the Costco side of Crown Isle Drive.

WestUrban Developments of Campbell River has received development permit approval for a 56-unit apartment building and 40-unit townhome project.

The apartments will be rentals.

The townhouses, to be built in pods of five units, will be up for sale. A building permit application is expected to be submitted shortly.

NIC’s Nursing Program Receives Provincial Recognition For High Quality

C

OMOX VALLEY - The BC College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) has recognized North Island College’s practical nursing program for its high-quality curriculum and faculty.

The BCCNP is the largest health care college in Western Canada, representing licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). Part of its mandate is to review and recognize education programs and courses.

N IC’s prog ra m re c eive d a four-year recognition, and the program does not have to be reviewed again until 2024. “ R e c e i v i n g a f o u r- y e a r

recognition acknowledges the strength of our teaching and learning processes,” said RaeAnn Hartman, associate dea n of health and human services. “It’s a wonderful recognition of the hard work our faculty does to ensure our students develop to the highest possible professional standard.”

NIC’s Practical Nursing program supports students as they develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to become a licensed practical nurse, including more than 650 hours of hands-on clinical practice hours in communities across the region.

The next intake of NIC’s Practical Nursing program begins in September in Port Alberni.

Installing Peace of Mind since 1980 • Word class technical staff • Full IT services (networking, servers, computers) • Class ‘A’ Co-location Datacenter • IntraBAC Secured Offsite Backup

Call today for your free estimate Torch-on and Low Slope Roof Systems Metal Roof & Wall Systems Shingle Roof Systems HVAC

• Web/Cloud Solutions

nelsonroofing.com 250-336-8088

13

APRIL 2019

Comox Valley Lifestyle Attractive To Tech Workers And Companies

C

OMOX VA L L E Y – Lifestyle.

That’s the overwhelming reason given by many of the over 400 members of the Facebook group titled Comox Valley Tech Talk as one of the biggest benefits of living and working in the Comox Valley.

The combination of local lifestyle and recreation opportunities and community facilities, along with weather that permits skiing at Mt. Washington Alpine Resort in the morning and golfing at courses like Crown Isle in the afternoon, are unique to Va ncouver Isla nd. Not to mention the “10 minute commute” from here to everywhere in the Comox Valley, which is extremely attractive to those wishing to escape the snarled traffic congestion of the Lower Mainland.

Comox Valley Economic Development Society Executive Director John Watson firmly believes that lifestyle is part of the “Comox Valley Advantage”, and a reason why the technology sector is thriving and growing.

People want to live, work and play in the Valley.

“The Comox Valley is growing as a home to technology professionals and entrepreneurs who have chosen to change the way they live, work and play,” says Watson. “No longer are we destined to live in traditional urban environments to ply our trade while struggling to maintain or attain a comfortable lifestyle. The Comox Valley offers the comforts of the city, from breweries, restaurants and burgeoning arts and culture, as well as the benefits of living in an affordable, livable, recreation-rich and family-friendly Vancouver Island location.

“It’s a perfect mix for those seeking a work /life balance, and interested in being part of a growing tech oriented business community.”

No longer are employees destined to live in traditional urban environments to ply their trades while struggling to maintain or attain a comfortable lifestyle, he adds, noting regularly scheduled f lights at Comox Valley Airport make it easy to get in and out of the Valley, which is a must for many businesses.

Con sider t hese com ments from transplanted technology workers: “I previously lived and worked in Toronto and then Vancouver. The design and technology sector in those cities has a very strong presence and is a widely celebrated economic driver,” says one, noting there are a large number of people working in the tech industry from home.

“Working in tech has allowed me to live, work and play here wh i le ea rn i ng revenue from m o s t l y o u t s i d e t h e C o m ox

From left: Comox Valley Economic Development Society Executive Director John Watson chats with Business Examiner Publisher Mark MacDonald, and one of the judges, Dave Kirk of Cunningham Rivard Appraisals, at April 4 Vancouver Island Real Estate Board Commercial Building Awards at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay Valley. I didn’t move here for all the possibilities in tech, but because working in tech made it possible to move here.”

Another notes: “Living in the Comox Valley has allowed me to take risks I couldn’t have in a big city. The cost of living is much lower, and quality of life is better. Because of this, I’m able to try new things that aren’t guaranteed to be an overnight moneymaker.”

Then this: “There’s a lot of people out here that are doing interesting work in various tech related fields, but a lot of them are doing it remotely. As a result, if you don’t know that’s what t hey do, you’d h ave no way of figuring that out,” says an operations engineer working remotely for an international company. “We chose the Comox Valley because it’s a small town with great community, easy access to mountains and ocean, affordable housing, and being closer to California and Washington makes it easier to get to tech conferences.”

Research shows the Comox Valley is attracting the best a nd brightest from a l l over.

From professionals who work remotely for startups and large corporations, to consultants, entrepreneurs, to locals just starting out. Designers and developers, marketers and analysts, scientists and engineers, business types and executives, live and work in the area.

Examples of local technology operations that attract highly educated and motivated staff include the Deep Bay Research Centre, which is a key research facility for Vancouver Island University. Because it is located

on the ba l m ier east coast of Vancouver Island, it makes it easily accessible to important community amenities.

North Island College has the Centre for Applied Research, Tech nology a nd In novation (CARTI), which connects staff and students with local businesses and organizations to develop innovative solutions to current challenges. CARTI’s goal is to connect communities through research, and does so by offering services to support research project development, project management and funding.

19 Wing Comox is at the Canadian Forces Base Comox, and

their Aurora crews keep watch over the ocean looking for illegal fishing, migration, drugs a nd pol lution i n add ition to foreign submarines. Its CC-115 Buffalo Aircraft and CH-149 Cor mora nt Hel icopters a re staffed and maintained at the base, preparing them to carry out sea rch a nd rescue operations in the busiest region in Canada.

One of the most exciting arrivals in the Comox Valley is the Anandia Cannabis Innovation Center, which opened recently in Comox.

Anandia, whose headquarters are in Vancouver, has been voted

the Top Cannabis Testing Lab in Canada. It now has a highly trained team set up in the Comox Valley facility for cannabis testing, genetics, and research, where they study everything from microbial contaminants to foreign matter in quality-control testing services that ensure safe and saleable products.

The Comox Valley Tech Talk group is an unofficial “support group” that provides an idea of the scope of the industry. Nanaimo-based Innovation Island a lso offers con nections a nd start-up tips for Comox Valley tech workers and companies.

Community Tech Groups As stated, many of these compa n ies com for tably operate within the friendly confines of home. But for those who need to get out and change their environment, or even if they are in a pinch, there are a number of worker-friendly cafes and restaurants offering WiFi services. There are also shared workspaces like Coastal Co-working and Creator Space in Courtenay.

Watson sees even brig hter days ahead for the Comox Valley tech sector, as North Island College offers one and two-year digital design and web development programs, and Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo also offers courses that are preparing the next wave of tech workers.

“The local tech workforce has been under development for several years at both the secondary and post secondary levels,” he notes. “Local secondary schools offer digital design and engineering courses and sport robotics teams that compete internationally.” www.investcomoxvalley.com

Looking For Land & Investment Opportunities?

Great things happen when you’re in the right place!

The Comox Valley has extensive business & investment opporutnities, downtown incentive zones and support services for companies and entrepreneurs exploring start-up, expansion or new investment.

And it’s all featured on the Online Interactive Mapping Tool.

investcomoxvalley.com

OFF THE COVER

14

APRIL 2019

Institution Develops New Two Graduate Programs To Support Business Growth

Joanna Hesketh is the Director, Graduate Business Studies at Vancouver Island University PHOTO CREDIT: VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY:

VIU CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

further exams.

“Students in this specialization will be set up to get their certification and have their fees paid for to become part of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and gain their valuable resources,” says Hesketh.

PMI is a global organization for project management professionals, providing certifications,

Vancouver Island University (VIU) has developed two new Faculty of Management graduate programs to support the substantial growth of the business sector PHOTO CREDIT: VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

resources, academic research and professional development courses to its 550,000 members.

According to the organization, through 2027, the project management-oriented labour force is expected to grow by 33

per cent, almost 22 million new jobs.

“If you do a quick job search on Vancouver Island, you will see that a large majority of jobs a re requ i r i ng t hose project management skills,” says Amber

McMillan, President of the Project Management Institute – Vancouver Island Chapter.

“If you attend school for project management, there will be a job waiting for you at graduation. There is a huge need for

these skills and demand is only increasing.”

Both the GDIT and GDPM program are currently accepting applications for enrolment in September 2019. www.viu.ca

UPPER ISLAND SAFETY CONFERENCE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS Booth Space Still Available for Annual Health & Safety Event

MAY 27-29, 2019 / CAMPBELL RIVER

225 South Dogwood Street Phone: 250.830.6777 • E: uisafety@srd.ca www.strathconagardens.com/upper-island-safety-conference

C

A MPBELL R IV ER - On May 27-29, the Strathcona Regional District will be presenting the 2019 Upper Island Safety Conference, which will be held at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex.

The event will run for three days, featu ri ng optiona l post-conference training sessions on the third day. In all, the conference will host 15 educational sessions, two keynote speakers, three optional post conference training sessions, and a trade show with up to 25 exhibitor booths.

“This conference is a great way to interact with other occupational health and safety representatives from other organizations,” says Craig Robertson, Program Coordinator the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex. “We usually see close to 200 delegates each year, so this conference provides a great opportunity to see how other organizations manage health and safety.”

Conference attendees may include: safety committee members, facility supervisors and managers, safety officers and professionals, safety business owners or sales representatives, anyone responsible for workplace safety, and anyone employed in the business of safety.

“This conference offers a great opportunity for both networking and education,” says Robertson.

“All our presenters are very experienced in the field and offer a lot of insight that will prove invaluable to our conference attendees.

“One of our post-conference courses is an eight hour course called Joint Health and Safety Committee Fundamentals, which is required for any person sitting on a health and safety committee.”

Paul Krismer, “T he Happiness Expert”, is one of the conference’s key note spea kers.

Krismer boasts a 20-year track record as a senior leader within worker’s compensation systems and a consulting expert for high claims volume and high-risk employers.

As a public speaker and trainer, Paul’s authentic and passionate commitment to his subject matter shines through. Each

presentation is packed with useful information and practical tools, accented by playful and funny storytelling.

T he event will also feature keynote speaker Dave Fennel, who was selected as Canada’s 2013 Safety Professional of the Year by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering.

Fen nel’s ca reer ex perience includes 29 years of hands-on practical safety to help front line workers go home safely every day and to help the most senior management develop and sustain world class approaches to safety. His work in safety has been used in safety management videos and training by companies around the world.

This past year, the conference launched its new website, which includes up-to-date information for all attendees. Conference-goers can register online through this website, with early bird rates available until April 16.

“There are still exhibitor booth spaces ava i lable, a nd t hose wishing to participate in the trade show can register on our website as well,” says Robertson.

To find out more or to register, www.strathconagardens.com/ upper-island-safety-conference or call 250-830-6777.

HR

APRIL 2019

15

LEADERSHIP

HR CHRISTINE WILLOW

T

he leadership style of business owners, managers and even parents, sets the tone for and impacts the day-to-day activities of everyone in the leader’s sphere of influence.

The definition of a leader means different things to different people. For me, leadership is about demonstrating the behaviour that is expected, being there to provide support as needed, allowing people to have small failures but knowing when to step in to assist, and having the courage to make hard decisions when required.

Throughout my career in the hospitality and consulting industries, and as a business owner, I have always

held firm to the belief that I do not need to be the best at something to be able to lead effectively; rather, a key contribution that I can make is to bring out the best in others.

I believe it is important to understand my team’s strengths and skills, to recognize gaps, and to assess how I can best support my team to reach objectives. I confess that it does not always come easily to me to sit back and observe my team in action, particularly when I know how to do a task better or quicker. However, by not interfering, I’ve learned that my team may have ways of getting the job done that are just as effective as mine, plus I’ve allowed people the chance to grow and reach their potential.

As a leader, it is my role to ensure that people have the tools they need to do their job. My team knows that I am there for them to discuss issues or bounce ideas off.

And, when things don’t go as planned, we work together to find out why, and how to correct or avoid it altogether in the future. I believe that creativity is hindered if people feel they are not allowed to make mistakes.

What is important is how

mistakes are dealt with after the fact – have lessons been learned and corrections made?

Leadership also means recognizing when it is time to make a staffing change. Even with support, not everyone will be successful. It can be as simple as the right person in the wrong position. If you avoid staffing decisions that are difficult or unpleasant and allow either bad behaviour or performance to continue, it will negatively affect everyone and, ultimately, your business. I believe that employees look to their leaders to have the courage to make tough decisions - but in a professional manner.

So, what does leadership mean to me? Walk the talk, create an environment of trust which allows people at all levels the opportunity to contribute, take corrective action when needed, and be willing to adjust your style to suit your team and business circumstances. Having said all this, I know I still have much to learn about being a great leader.

Christine Willow is a Partner with Chemistry Consulting Group and GT Hiring Solutions.

Do you own a rental property?

Legislation regarding property management in BC changes frequently, here's a few things you need to know: The vacant possession clause has been abolished - all tenancies go month-to-month after the lease ends.

The annual rental rate increase is 2.5% for 2019.

The damage deposit may not exceed 1/2 of one month's rent.

The pet deposit (if applicable) may not exceed 1/2 of one month's rent.

Tenants must be given two full months' notice if the landlord or a close family member intend to occupy the unit.

Tenants must be given four full months' notice if the landlord intends to displace them to renovate the unit.

Rather have a professional management company keep up with the changing legislation for you?

We'd be happy to help.

(250) 753-9688

michelleb@thepropertymanagers.ca

Offering full service property management in Nanaimo 503 Comox Road

Nanaimo, BC.

midislandrentals.ca

16

VIREB AWARDS

APRIL 2019

40 Projects Celebrated At 12th Annual Gala April 4 In Courtenay

Mike Delves of MNP LLP presents the Renovation Award of Excellence to Bonnie Park of the Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn

AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Industrial and Retail.

Gold sponsors of the event were Re/MAX Commercial, MNP LLP

Legasea of Nanaimo also won the Mixed Use category. From left, architect Raymond De Beeld, Tony Harris holds the award, and to his right are Chris Lundy of Westmark Construction and Adam Fraser of Coastal Community Credit Union and Coastal Community Credit Union. Category sponsors were NAI Commercial, Yellow Sheet

Need Space?

Let our team of professionals assist you

Review, Herold Engineering, Colliers International, Invest Comox Valley, CIBC, BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) and Berk’s Intertruck. Black Press was the Media Sponsor.

Legasea features six townhouses and a coffee shop in Departure Bay, Personal elevators in residential suites, Roof decks were designed for hot tubs and fire pits, and the project includes a green roof, roof deck, custom planters, rainwater collection a nd non p ot able l a nd sc ap e irrigation.

Westmark Construction was the General Contractor, Raymond de Beeld Architect the Architect/ Designer, and Herold Engineering Ltd. the Engineer.

VIREB 2019 Award of Excellence Winners: Renovation - Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn of Duncan.

Developer was Eco Construction Inc., and Architect/Designer Alan Lowe Architect Inc. The hotel underwent a $4 million makeover, as each of 42 existing rooms were taken to bare bones and refurbished brand new, including an elevator and additional floor to boost the total number of rooms to 64.

Multi Family Townhome - Glacier View Townhomes of Comox (Owner/Developer and General Contractor: AFC Construction; Architect/Designer: James Matthew Design Ltd.) and Magnolia Apartments of Nanaimo (Owner/ Developer: Magnolia Apartments Ltd.; Architect/Designer: Rafii Architects Inc.; General Contractor: Saywell Contracting Ltd. Glacier View includes a variety of units that complement the SEE AWARDS | PAGE 18

remaxcommercial.ca Manjit and Balbir Parhar of the Parhar Group were double winners, with an Award of Excellence for Herring Gull Warehouse in Parksville and an Award of Merit for Parhar Business Park in Duncan in the Industrial category

VIREB AWARDS

APRIL 2019

17

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE 2019 VANCOUVER ISLAND BUILDING AWARDS NOMINEES! Colliers is proud to be a Category Sponsor of the VIREB Building Awards, highlighting the best in commercial building throughout the Mid-Island region.

Our professionals are committed to accelerating your success. With offices in 68 countries, we work in partnership with our clients to deliver commercial real estate services with exceptional results. We add value through our specialization, service excellence, and local expertise with a global platform.

OUR LOCAL PROFESSIONALS

JASON WINTON Vice President & Managing Broker +1 778 690 2091 jason.winton@colliers.com

BRAD BAILEY Associate Vice President +1 778 690 2088 brad.bailey@colliers.com

BRAD ARCHIBALD Senior Associate +1 778 690 2090 brad.archibald@colliers.com

BEN WEDGE Associate +1 778 690 2089 ben.wedge@colliers.com

OUR SERVICE LINES z

z

z

z

z

z

Retail Sales & Leasing Office Sales & Leasing Industrial Sales & Leasing Investment Sales Land & Development Site Sales Multi-Family Sales

z

z

z

z

Tenant Representation Real Estate Management Services Valuation & Appraisal Commercial Financing

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 335 Wesley Street, Suite 105 Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T5 M: +1 250 740 1060 F: +1 250 740 1067 www.collierscanada.com/nanaimo

Brett Giese, left, of Crowne Pacific Development Corp. and David Echaiz-McGrath of Wensley Architecture Ltd. with the Multi-Family Apartment Award of Excellence

COASTAL COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION BUILDING HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

I

mprov ing financial health, enriching lives, and building healthier communities… These are at the core of who we are and what we do at Coastal Community Credit Union.

With these as our focus areas, the Coastal Community family of companies continues to grow our position as the largest Island-based financial organization, and third largest in BC when measured by membership. We serve over 120,000 members and clients and close to 9,000 community organizations and businesses on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

To help our members and clients improve their financial health, our business lines offer a full range of products and services for personal, business and commercial banking, insurance and wealth management. Our Island

communities are our homes, so we make decisions based on knowledge of the local market, strengthening local economies. And we never stop looking for ways to improve the way we do business.

As a financial co-operative, we are 100 per cent member-owned.

Our shareholders are our neighbours and fellow citizens, so we are focused on building strong a nd v ibra nt c om mu n ities by keeping our jobs, our earnings, and our community efforts local.

Each year, Coastal Community invests over half a million dollars into communities across the Islands through community funding grants, education awards, sponsorships and fundraising initiatives Coastal Community congratulates this yea r’s Com mercia l Building award winners and nominees on a job well done!

VIREB AWARDS

18 AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

neighbourhood, and is nestled into the landscape by retaining many existing site trees and tricky site constraints.

Magnolia provides Nanaimo’s rental market access to a unique product that offers more privacy than the average rental. The elegant complex is separated into two buildings, each building containing 18 two-storey townhouse style units.

Multi Family Apartment - The Lookout of Campbell River.

APRIL 2019

Owner/Developer/General Contractor: Crowne Pacific Development Corp.; Architect/Designer: Wensley Architecture Ltd. The Lookout overlooks Discovery Passage and includes six penthouse suites with expansive outdoor living spaces and numerous amenities, including a leisure gathering room, gym facility and secured underground parking and bike storage.

Multi Family Non Market - Nuutsumuut Lelum of Nanaimo.

Developer: Constructive Management; Architect/Designer: DYS Architecture; General Contractor: Saywell Contracting Ltd.

MNP Real Estate & Construction Services

From left, Karl Binder, Louise Turch and Sheldon Saywell, of Saywell Contracting were jubilant after their Magnolia Apartments project won the Multi-Family Townhome Award of Excellence

BUILDING SOMETHING BETTER

At MNP, we believe in being your partner in business. That’s why more than 500 clients from all sectors of the real estate and construction industry on Vancouver Island rely on MNP for industry-specific expertise and strategic business advice.

The primary sustainability goal for the project was to reduce rental housing energy use, which was achieved with the Passive House standard, the highest step on BC’s new Energy Step Code. It is the first multi-family Passive House built on Vancouver Island.

Institutional – Vancouver Island University Centre for Health and Science of Nanaimo.

Architect/Designer; Perkins + Will Architects; General Contractor: Ledcor.

This is a modern, four-level, multi-purpose post-secondary health and science learning facility, designed to accommodate 888 students and 80 faculty and features 10 lecture rooms, 14 labs and other amenities.

SEE AWARDS | PAGE 19

To find out how MNP can help you, visit MNP.ca/construction

Our clients include: CONSTRUCTION

REAL ESTATE • Developers

• Residential builders

• Brokerages

• Commercial builders

• Property managers

• General contractors

• Real estate investment trusts

• Sub trades

• Limited partnerships

• Engineers and architects

• Mortgage investment corporations

• Other supporting professionals

We can help you with: • Accounting and compliance tax

• U.S. tax planning and compliance

• Structuring your real estate investments

• IT system reviews and software selection

• Succession and estate planning

• Hiring a controller or key manager

• Selling your business

• Risk management and cyber security

• Due diligence for business acquisitions

• Property tax recovery

• Corporate re-organizations

• Business Valuations

Contact Doug Tyce at 250.734.4368 or doug.tyce@mnp.ca

From the original kitchen concept, to drafting and installation of your kitchen, we work with you at every stage of the process to create a kitchen of exceptional beauty that captures the essence of your lifestyle.

Contact us today for your next project!

MNP IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

164 West Is. Hwy | Parksville, BC 250-951-0509 | www.classickitchensbc.com

VIREB AWARDS

APRIL 2019

Nuutsumuut Lelum in Nanaimo won the Award of Excellence in the Multi Family Non-Market category. From left are Walter Hoogland, Chris Beaton, Karl Binder and Jade Du of CIBC

AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

Civil - Campbell River Water Supply Centre of Campbell River.

G e n e r a l C o n t r a c to r : Knappett Projects Inc. T he new water supply centre is the largest infrastructure project in City of Campbell River history.

It was delivered within a strict and tight timeline,

while incorporating a design that highlights the natural beauty of the area.

Community - Centennial Park Covered Multi-Purpose Court Building of Nanaimo.

General Contractor: CANbuild Solutions Inc.; Architect/Designer: Finlayson Bonet Architecture Ltd. The one-of-a-kind open structure multi-purpose court is a complementary

a d d it ion to H a rewo o d Centennial Park, providing an all-weather location for lacrosse, several other court sports and community functions.

Industrial - Herring Gull Warehouse of Parksville.

Owner/Developer/General Contractor: Parhar Group; Architect/Designer: Ellins Architect.

SEE AWARDS | PAGE 20

YELLOW SHEET KEEPS CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ON TRACK

V

ICTORIA - Making s o u n d d e v e l o pment decisions based on accurate and upto-date information is the most important ingredient in being a successful leader in Vancouver I s l a nd’s c on s t r u c t ion sector.

A ll development projects a nd the resu lting buildings – of every ty pe – i nvolve ma ki ng a mu ltitude of choices along every step of the development process.

At Yellow Sheet Construction Data we equip the construction sector w i t h t h e i n fo r m a t i o n tool s needed for opt imum decision-making.

We know that consistent data, regularly updated and effectively presented over time, provides the best foundation on which to layer your own experience and knowledge, current anecdotes, insights, and other inputs, to arrive at the best choices for delivering on time, on budget and on profit projects.

Ye l l o w S h e e t

Construction Data is proud to be Va ncouver Island’s premier source of continuously updated information about construction activity here a nd adjacent a reas i ncluding the Gulf Islands, Powell River and Haida Gwaii. Our coverage is u n r iva l led, del iver i ng thoroughly researched and exceptionally accurate profiles of both public and private construction activity - from contemplation to completion.

We have 39 years of experience providing superb business leads and p ower f u l comp et it ive ma rket i nsights to ou r e v e r-e x p a n d i n g s u bscriber base. The quality of our data is assured t h a n k s to sk i l l f u l a nd methodical information gathering. Every counci l agenda, from every district, is reviewed, we have bu i ld i ng per m its from every region on the Island, and we track public and private tender data through to the bid result or award. YSCD also has an extensive portfolio of

architects, consultants, and developers that we connect with regularly.

Yellow Sheet’s subscription is an online platform that provides multi-dimensional search, profile and tracking functions to retrieve data with pinpoint accuracy. Every day our subscribers log into the Yellow Sheet to access continuously generated construction leads, identify emerging and waning markets, track and monitor competition and formulate winning bids.

Yellow Sheet also offers a n adver tisi ng ser v ice that puts our advertisers in front of hundreds of construction industry subscribers with rare 100 per cent ta rgeti ng that stays in full view of readers 24/7/365.

To l e a r n m ore a b o ut Yellow Sheet Construction Data or sign-up for a free demonstration, visit us at www.yellowsheet.ca

BDC is pleased to be associated with the the 2019 with 2017 Building Awards.

BDC is pleased to be associated with the 2017 Building Awards.

As the only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs, we’re proud to congratulate all the nominees and winners for their outstanding contributions and acheivements.

CCourtenay Business Centre

Adam Speigel, Senior Manager

all the nominees and winners for their 250-331-9570 outstanding contributions and acheivements. bdc.ca

19

20

VIREB AWARDS

APRIL 2019

From left: Cliff Thompson, and Daryoush Firouzli, receiving the Retail Award of Excellence from Brad Archibald of Colliers International, with Ken Schley of the Quality Foods building

HEROLD ENGINEERING LIMITED is proud to be a part of the 2019 VIREB Commercial Building Awards.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

HEROLD ENGINEERING LIMITED is a Vancouver Island based consulting, civil, structural, building enclosure, marine and bridge engineering company with offices in Nanaimo, Victoria and Ucluelet. We are a dynamic and diverse company with over 65 employees involved in a wide variety of public and private sector building, transportation, marine and civil/municipal infrastructure projects throughout British Columbia and beyond. We are a proud member of our community, supporting local businesses, organizations and charities. www.heroldengineering.com

VIREB AWARDS

APRIL 2019

21

Architect Jerry Ellins receives the Industrial Award of Excellence for the Herring Gull Warehouse in Parksville from Scott Forbes of NAI Commercial

AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

This commercial space in central Parksville is a green, eco-friendly project that uses high efficiency lighting throughout.

Retail - Quality Foods Harewood of Nanaimo.

Owner: Kelland Foods Holdings; Architect/Designer: Daryoush Firouzli Architecture Inc.; General Contractor: Windley Contracting Ltd. This new store required demolition of the existing

structure in order to build t he new 51,000 squ a re foot grocery store, which has all of the amenities of other Qua l ity Foods stores, as well as a restaurant in the deli with patio seating, and A Step Above reta i l s tore a nd restaurant.

Awards of Merit went to: M i x e d U s e : I n te r I sl a n d D e sig n C e nt re o f Parksville.

Industrial: Parhar Business Park of Duncan.

R e t a i l : H a rb o u r v i ew Autohaus of Nanaimo.

Geoff Crawford of Invest Comox Valley presented an Award of Excellence to Glacier View Townhomes in the Multi-Family Townhome category

Re novat ion : Building E nvelop e Reme d iat ion Construction Service of Nanaimo.

Multi-Family Townhome: Brownstone Townhomes of Campbell River.

M u l t i-Fa m i l y A p a r tment: Harbour City Flats of Nanaimo.

Multi-Family Non-Market: Tla-o-qui-aht Demonstration Container Housing of Tofino.

Institutional: Brentwood College Athletic Facility of Mill Bay, and Comox Valley Child Development Centre Autism Centre for Excellence of Courtenay.

Civil: Meade Creek Recycling Facility of Lake Cowichan.

Community: Arbutus Park Washrooms of Youbou.

Honou rable Mentions went to: Mixed Use: Lucky House of Tofino.

Retail: La-Z-Boy Furniture Gallery of Nanaimo.

Renovation: Lions Valley View Estates of Courtenay.

Institutional: Berwick Comox Valley of Comox.

Community: Faye Smith Memorial of Q u a l icu m Beach.

T he Official Souvenir Book for the Awards can be viewed at: https://issuu. com/businessexaminer/ docs/2019_vireb_book_lr_ final_v3_bc The official video for the event is at: https://youtu. be/BtLn72ig6Rw For fu rther questions about the event, contact MacDonald at mark@businessexaminer.ca

1 eB ag p S– Rd B1 Wa ge a B paucket g e – IR dS B Fillin ge tV a aR ep Se da aW W B et o e ck g u R R n B i C ll VI Fi e ag Rd at ep Se s Co i Wd Re t o » CR jec nstr Rd pro the co s d t Co an l e 5s age in 0 s 5 e2 p R 1 ti 12 w rI » e20130 oormy en jec str ve

13 20

s nk li ve n g ha di ams il d to Bu ee te cte for 1T3hr sele ids land

20

B

be

Is en e b id orth ject ov o

pr Pr rkNs aijon als gml ohsapvite in ld amHs d to ui te re

Th

te r lec s fo nd se id Isla en e b id orth ject ov o N pr Pr jor ls ma pita s Ho

e

be

’ n foCratweg impo inurn2do0in1o2Junandeateofeof cllyon dis ana und y0o5fsNbatrenaaakgagcroeompleinti ’lltgehtdaicreaal aitndh a,” lH s 2 to pith 14n. we e g w ers o 15 e C0ite I r h13 ects r w 20e at of m 2 n ion es to l enr a s g 12e20tw uvn eak n exthpaSisteweypetegaomoyrbhmyeorpmebsisoinptheinacgetiaeio2dn0linine1s1r2Juatinnaslndgnpaeadthrloteaoacfrottofitsthheefhrloomporedaaslticwha oo y e o ncd is br is’but Doendcnoanfs-ooC. r “nMicpeeancnaotaaimlpgg n ofu ,leadtido acy reaainll ddh a ro V Ha Haworlgdrm–oakutertnyhleasgserCllanLCedtdity.n–ottof dNbgreritsoahaukida ceH1o4aam.ispphaewsrmeo’lnlmthgeeesetdhamicovgpicalweaasnitn.aehrfeas,”w cwal nat’s aamisaaisnkc’shtseiolpnginginenderuasdl.m(BaoVanbls) WoItpmahreeeexsthnpidteiscceveotsypemelotea-rpmygw-behseorps2ee0bsiseinarthvsawetaicaiaioteclllinons1foetfefsels2pgasreloeatrmacnqttouitsvhitioinenendhrgoomptoueearsdatoidotosictawhade n t o s brHestisruis theter in aoR..WShedisDevoenloCnopaans-hnDdSema“onMficawehcicaotphameldgspfecgen“dpeWdreainopgsleythpoarcoet,”inahsefhloeinhosregawlteilhnl as no d co i, i a Nrtn im ll’sut ne c , ao. all n peelon p o , a foarc fulla ildd ev st ern Tofi m we t Alb and uris Ha HaepaNanarl. Wd –a abnkaedtiarhaletiossntirsoannsed,gs.–dedv grotuidarHiaathnishearmnathreeemwopbuamsn.e anawrechau r t ge pa

23

By

Vancouver Island | Thompson-Okanagan | Peace| Cariboo Skeena Vancouver Island| Victoria | Victoria | thompson-okanagan Fraser Valley

5 ge 15 20 pa 12 130 20 ry go te Ca

5 ge 15 20 pa 12 130 20 ry go te a C

YOUR SOURCE OF LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS

What’s happening in your region? Make sure you find out by subscribing to:

5 ge 15 20 pa 12 130 20 ry go te a C

Peace Cariboo Skeena

MEDIA KIT 2013

To get your own copy of Business Examiner, starting with Vancouver provide Island | Victoria | thompson-okanagan | Fraser Valley the next issue, simply us with the information required below, and it will be on its way to your door!

ONLY

(includes GST)

Ve IN

go

SI Io o a oy rae intd oa t p - o nsh oe -c lwc y N in Rw.W a f y,gCmorspt r rpnoaguaillldL ent a Rs eesea a oicmes ffee brvecicalte ha feicto od s Cv of e ae no’s nin Cu oa -

IC

in

M no eesBs e omRCR an eVxpIRr s n ngec 5 N ia ic sdsealst ce stproag irst in r n s La– F CR Ma cto V Wa Vi U CmRieoC nou ressoeL R a n ls Nexpa R e5 a RdJ o ag c eo C i p s e s a – aS R CeR LL » UV ie W ect

N Ro roj e c JaNmt Nanad VI st pn in th o e S, Isl S e e r I ew m euRve eR NoW ’ n r wo f Ntnc eW aisound fo VIVa H e2nsKc BR , r p a ks g » n eS o 1 r t I n k:agepWoes Im eR donaaisgbarnea eW bVaICenevN–itepalwrizmeapn aeutno kaH t BR -o s n » e d o r Ge o rtsK so

13 20

4

W k: wn tban o t es wn do wn W o t wn do I

n a t pWoes Im gaI Nt ks na en loo ize n au2to0 e alw ka StM o i t a i e t N o n- Ve ra rev ermg so IN abo to Gpa ks SS– mp oN coll o o o e 0o th CUSNew nl e.62p tio SIN Fo g g29 ora U lu a1 ” » ar –.6px 1.8 re lab & B l E 1 o S x po w c IeS eS20 8” Ne IC IN 2. ew 6ampum p om th

L n 1en2g9.lco S BU caerlsug6etxb po a ro 8” yrs E 0r1a.i s x 1. F Nt ictIori eS & n ni e s oupirsesp2se2.8”mpaulra5dRurCiv V CI NM n I R r n L x o e e ngeeeep a h o ee c s V r l C a p p c i se w repb o k go Nt » UVmie Cas neosuRnpog eLrnLiitte–menpt atarnydyri Me y m on ur Ja RN e ne yp hNrai colmuctoim V pre gkee SCo ew y tre eto go R e l e v l » e oung etnirtmaetnt anreynt tNW rn Va

14

3 01

220

5 15 20 e 12 130 ag p ry 20 go te Ca 5 15 20 e 12 130 ag p ry 20 go te Ca

your source of local Business news

Fax us at 250-758-2668 so we can start your subscription today!

your source of local Business news

Please send cheque to:

Invest Northwest Publishing, 25 Cavan St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9

13 20

T

13 20

r s yocomsmtlioorenr i my IN se , V tro een Fra eS lmuo issig RIlley y in gr v uois ortte t e d W Va le el srsee q o sdotlra in en e g fi ase t d er pe BR er n » Fras La wn titrpor s eeraen olor ssim nd i r m i : o brolaegynimi imlaidunsatgganse quis dboalonrtkealwize pWao s g s M e f-ioek es dsot vNit an Lan ompwprsanon dit pratis eWrate ks to re Germ ck wa ed r li o m sn o il oles h b h c ut d im is t agni imoiuw ion lo year il rs Ut dolo tem t min alit M gAGe do dolu ssis essn borat our 28th t sim te raw p–aP ali la p lpu i erit o u k S– anc qu col d P S iw sveedli tem l U w il le dolu NPe ch ut do sim Ne ilis r RSAI Ut dolo tem g 129 min alit do dolu ssis BWU rlu x 8” t t e it sim ali D&S Ea 01.6 x 1. lpu er R S XssX nu qui I a X A 2 .8” e li mXcXl I ve W te 2 XlXd C lu A r X o I dw a X Xo anrc oNLG XpI pom brxtmemeceutiv eD iro dL te o ace inIt imri tJe es na W a BeUN Nap M p nd N a s RERN ri m estJ VTeH Ch w cotirrepoprxrteemtcnuahtfnstioeteahvg X gOoR de in ne uanngaimeoneisarttJmedteoesnndeiroeacto »» N

T

14

3 01

220

d

eX lXl vXiX mXsX edd aXrX leasn naslit ut cXhX tmdeorl psim la uolpte

u m gyr pisronm uini 24 Sut teolo U il ge q ad to vt erelita pam te sdtro ate dm oalurm elu ye min lintcdh adho is th a w sw -to gesro llsim rita sem

Paper Name: Name: Address: City:

ts m p o’s es cha erWh w al e W ry b s La itori th eve em at it re 84 ed hin ike “m wh mo d us: ct 8-26 wit r. l b e on But yon 5 nta nts alie to g r. be er Co 66-7 ha av l is usin g fo ing ord 1-8 erc eC oa c in k m id l s g – fo look e loo ts in y sa r, it ic” are ey’r tac tl en i b e ntr ers th con rec d ce emb at, ular as ran e ar m an threg he as r h reb id th eir d. mbe of ests e to ng dS ng ou k to . th pan cha cess r W oL tra s y bac ase ex he pro ate yN a li T e re d s y a g e c n,” Re av th G un nit in th tio ed the . l e C hair so u om be ra usi RIC 4 c s de e ht omm is c s to llabo ’s a b er & ye gee24 a B g o ig li c k e a o o papa Tra in c as c t m at a a n seemew c rr. H Cav e c ict S rd th stb at n lie e s th tr a 14 We t th rds: ava .J. L ll a Dis bo rrge u o C N e d pa be r e , b o w Le t at as w k an . m fe a s n li Tw orm gis td.., ba rce me m it ss “ N dir rate s L est me u r h o id sSep adliCt la sa 3ss st iate e W om on o f w alen orl lput adgo sim ne ssoc of th of C is y o u aunt r'W A 14air ber cus a n Utk boelod ilis n ui O ch am r fo e , m m bd emr' liq ef duo tite ll ve olute C2h0 ou b a s Bri lu “ Ddois is min lit d 2ip s in S y a s2h oe 14 ew eW lle a ss M

e

Postal Code:

MAKE IT EASY!

Order your subscription online at

I

M St

By

V

13 20

per year

SI

1 20

5 ge 15 20 pa 12 130 20 ry go te Ca

47

Io

13 20

13 20

$

yN od

is itte oefr erco s s hueit e dto Hth c l) bW sid e m a pealp t d m Mg orfo td a m h nenin raatal dicoab aollp.re, sthco mpm- bers otsha endeins leet q v in eu s t’s ais is t iom10esntre m.e(B ls iomnen rvceolo hgaems e m avw ell litte g fmo nodno eafiidra olv . aW H r u c he g are R.W .Wis itp Due aonCa ohtichhly in s. It“’sWinpgleo ac-e a hsehs thweilr, s t is t r in bySRhe eavdedlo oanshfo aim s fag l m aflsw gphed ie neo f N a o ulo vit inp e or spopllle,” din livkeen is ne o. I nd snitCs Naannd is d tenr , hs,eall eovroe acti bneg onfo Ha part naim all’s nia pefu builnan e pha S l re e d o d th a d ia a ’s n a . e a W h a r e a N . n re e ati rctie o d is gs ren ttta am th w-erfuewnse. w isoma : -acarel c in R.W , Ca poGr oera adnin hild aatRao as nat poom tec glth a l a 26 r N m f r p c il e y b c f e o r o g n C o buu er r is th w tC ariloy o je k iena icd ic o a pa l ll.h dee shite te roosf D pa ent ata c afo e rin a h e de f H o hset 0bme imoothn tedp eler t t m Mnae im m str edic aall no,nshyeoamr m2m fir 10 m . W iow uisr c oC’sha ahneamr rveolvu’snlidtt f ooof e Noa nal.e T th imo Nt uin e. It e -g h- itsh d freor, 2 are R.W d it fo a lseo ’hcly v s anrin o ta sp n th y ad on nim i ie t N o lafa l a is 9 b I n sits ana bisy th a ug svsit qguin netof l Hple e like r N he H X d oro rceti -bse dcoen el rpaeo ed th pa 11 an reate e. S is th mn’spa t0h0e dja n a. s a n de date y e refu i h a m s ,0 c G in s Up Valle re t G d a e a l uercw is : 18 mer r an hild a3t0a ansicn noaw w aen26 p nilyypN je c t i n g a l li io Ne u er c th ecw t ahg ic 9 ic g s fo p r o a a 1 o pD r o a k e d h e w h Rmee Co aimo all nd e5ar s 0 g omo n t p e r ttht m na imT he 2a cim 2105 wo 20 n le a d io is y ’sp na e Na vil 12 22130 th imo Na u r r e u nyes-mf o he N ital. d fro rks oas2t ey ’ c v adr o t sp n a 0 y pa n C e i a 2 32 y th o la t r st a9ll r bgo a is e s s s qlu ent al H the We ox V Rive H p r 0 - c er ” ed X rs 3t4e pp nt ll11 ke de date omy Ca i m 0,0 0 adjal Gesntrcfiht,athse in s Up VaClle mpbe 8Sha s a nta &1 3 n ic na bepu of . It w n ng ccou Ca rs Ne ha to a cli giothaenyhair ors e vi ve 9 eeas p , c rn d th wic sa toria app and et Mo orial1 Rw Co aimo 5 g s om ic ve an .” ke o Da it 2105s: n 4 pea ls] cinag of go ionitohn ituc 280 Vic elop ings ed ille th IM g Na v u 0 s 6 2 m s h s is v B v 2 t s t 1 e c s le by a“Nlealxi-n c 2 183-2 rk as de d sa gres 05 2 ie CaarnyaMr boardus daedpyeop ion F ia pa Co ey nta 6-7 aNsi il is 3 m uosye y’s o l 0 st or all Co r 2 bu k pro g it im 2 dec rd w eople We ox V Rive1-86 rs [Ja 4eSh ct cp 3a8tidt ers nan had the bt,o”a vi p .“ traap tant ke a s om bell e e a iv e fi C h g.”e hav saidSe s n st nth rC2 un s a u itte aid deth mp &S ng ccou Ca ouof wa mm sels s ehaenb mairbliof lrsto. It ,”e he awaa rs to a vi ve u ly e co as itastet ,hcuh errfnuo ydoth sa toria app and Mo orial sity tia l d C m e an cu.”te hav ra s r n t it m] w agnic nodv in oue reo eD 5 Vic elop ings ed n ive idues: e sa68t4, ceols inga wofog faisitiohn oounaityyyth IM a SI ge s v v esctitte 8-2en ass citehinIta’s U prta pa Io rd eirec espyle ilnitb ais“Neacx-er o de d sa gres N e ia a M C y t h ia’sConm m6r-7e5s id itmeier t,saenar’s b“o ot uths d apkeo nis sibio awnaNhs mb le il ri od n g e 6p cra eSeuy ity pu o2m0 poec erd bu k pro to go h e ictor h co1-8 ba m eop y c ic w of [J am id h rs nim lsd rees dels p t.

By bo a le tra sv V a rc ne list d to s 8t e ena aha eth sse 1 ga.”s ave wsahida al erie e d a g ha r 2 univras taivu ittee ath id Cdath s n v 8 h e hea s s in tin teou iswta m ls an m19bliltly.to n,”ohw g,”aw ky TV in ku nly e o f au n ida y of lin com asse tee hin u o u u t le f o u c u av o d m g il C mit nd dfaer yinoy cyuote w n a d a n rsitd nadtia at sp oksv ootin ey u h er m a n “ e d o haI d he c : ive aid 5 n e s e,r o co g wo ith uu’ra yo eSreIde Sp tspasghe Vall itIoS at t inUgn icres itteeleeandt nary citinIt’s ir fa syyoo ility WispcRa r o r n de mp e did ioria er “ the ake sib e nNeh b e y N th clu es ite ildt, t h de’s ncm sta icha w t n ea od arse vris e inn acraiaercieom w pu o miospno beSg mem Ne go he • to ph ew-bp aonfdc ip bmuen Co ls are t e ey s By at Vic aerxc vanlue ligic e g els s a st sdhto me tive 0an5th ll e 2 u icpCaass 81 at wh e se •ad a ate g tiohna acu t12 va seri ra15 0m w h 9 tr a in . y s in o 1 y ,n gis ic 13m f St realate es in k TV in lt dk d g,” yin th to au•n•a is incentr2f0co koso ille d id sin d m g or sacyu woeu aonun f t- l o w n a d a n Bu dara sinp veoksv ootin ey eg tofa iey 012y e o f e 17 gl d o had he c : • Fa unnd den leevre y onat rate e rev“inou2’re Junate oeSId ge o pa t g ic• Stu had ar rsC cu t w oy d in d pR in s Shpa ts sh Vall it t d in a am d tor il an e Hedigle lsion leepre e ac tha naimroun tieoNneW ally th clud dem nc• s a g plee Bu e te cte staforwich •s ilvis pild b a a re ew le d re 3 in ac perie e-ba nsdk pbeou ould idate of N reaiok ncom S l get icNal a Th n se bids Co lan a aip wen nd ity bat a . e’l d 4 • ex valu gic • wi e Is e sh It a C toic ith 14 w be vide rth ject 7 •a ate tion ac“umthe c the ectsu nar w r 20 thatt of m long o o tr X te s ofg ic exmp mye be e is thtiaon, ts a ctiti pro r N Pro 10 •S rela es in de pda jo ls ntr o is m p y a d s ra e in ws u a ma pita 14 •a usin drais ce of c thSreipate y ho msabiniecwiaeli ral p at sh e B n nt- el na to “M ctoo vpe e g th oth s e ri 6 17 o g N • 1 n e u te e v n c n 5 e e re to gn H l s ge in or um Vic vepnati h 17 •F Stud h let Do5cvoin-rso.20cunraice y 1 es0o ac gdaetnwtaup of is, add acyine ma aninrnd In anic hore alle 1S8I • H ig– blsu12thelesps3 aa t 1 bendte.a s th gro Ha harmnhth e Sa st S an V rs NIo 20 •orldskilakeople0 lder a ap y id p og hboop is td We wich 3 hakoedy om ’s2w1 g ma ps t r yw2noaug dllidL entor sa ee a bicroesu ueseeds rvinicite e s rv ocff sne itc 23 2 •d u“Itma caWna stidegmCo les &4ySgog Wh man elp2in ge c sgsu qnud in ral oeb) prea co p- e,”se afo 7 pa h a rs B in e ta a nt lo ids -as llbn gset ovs?in eX ate S Move ’s Su 10 t’s ais isc t iongene o.f(Bthalso C lt me eveaensatsge ham we Wpea m o t d upd leX .W ia hcich d er- “ prelesuce ahna 14 H r u e R e is lop D W iXlX Wh w as in ws a al s t th in Sh ve shtoderm rwy eb s eo a ip s co i,Ne tofirino ng sXvX dd La itori 16 ais is ner o. ’s de n Caicath n ell5 voef eloepm at it rep r spsh ll,”ugm X t m rn ti o ic 7 e 4 im s in : a X rt , e d VT n m H1us a n8a all ia5 v n o dfo re fuannbui e“vm e wh iam aXr leasn naslit ut 1 tiitohnino0lnik2s,e0bs edg we Alb and Invuerisnich ore e lley T n a ct a 1p8 N-2a6 . W nad2w cXhX tmdeorl psim r.ti tinog ag onotaBrutt theyeo- htot ninewoaormd rt let la uolpte a Sh Va e13 nta in580 .W a 1tsorraa0 u e to a m Po olira R r. s a b m uergf bec w Cokers66-7 2of R1ny, Chyaoenrpa v2 ild psin rgayfo th S est han gyr pisronm uini rp uis lue SUut teolo rdr o sed b heitail W wic oin ittekeinogf Cooro il Uc ture Ccao l abl cu is q ad ha -8 om p2a 2eetnrcht C ta rnt-in M to vt erelita c tem le icgao all.fo, tsehoegkmmloobetsr inothb efoecduinta p Co les & S g1Wh sdtro ate 2 id dm m8 – na lo co’re amce,”m lv yesttgleu saenlfd ca stra eds W et 2m oalurm elu ye fo Sa vers Suin o rk sa r,mit f reurey Ch ta 10 . ” ioC e r v a a min lintcdh ic adho is id th o n th min enIttl’sbliinaggsitot rdltso? m tr ddeitrs n fothimocsots abree Rn.W weX ow M o’s a ou c dnin p oNsaau h a b oat,na r ealsocghhalys ere lsXl llsim ies. in n oBre bcye m -t geiXsro f pleha W r itrla W l ts u a s y b In a v X a ra e is v a u g e w th ip e a Nth g he veorroereahm n eoh oeg m ndasin terre cti tbbeit id he as La itori drit mXsX esedm a seotsdreo ul ps a m S eth bnm’s ohf ere ath a irin pa d reite hrce.ndikd.eis amre e erfd ws.c nin e utos: ng 84 aXrX leasn naslit ut y Se h e aln ed “cetnsastwthr unWtam ngct26you8-2c6k toe. Gtwm won er tuisarTg Ld cXhX tmdeorl psim s la uolpte ta r elixeupr.r aheetrocchhbilpro ietoje cn i n ts g aoeeawr.teaB stbpeoy ilaeylrN No u th m a sCtoranpaygaes6-7g5ba cas ,” r m n w y y n Ja a t fo e r u a k in e o a T g e d fo is e o h g e onhy av lll thudse G v p rin t a e i SU 5 teolog ilpisro sh R n it 6 in gr m o aoDrd quin m C n tair IC docn eainr 0kin ou un 1-8m e th raettirch ulsei-C goaa ew e r rt-t m 15 20 o ada mto vt erelita ein aim eR t s m co b ab2om 8 aaidb eitr &s – foathsloistohyekdoee’s.lo2oeacnlts rmte r ech n dsta oseelfN e244 12 130 sdtrp eluated in ye By -” agge hoalu 2’s li igh com k is s to ollr cta csucor -e nutlyr e-gfoitth ya’r nenN osfp ppa 20 c u He s abvear, etcroic trs are nTaerim radyho wthm walintcd ’ t m at a ba n seemew o r. cioa is a s s ivceq u adint to arHdo 9 en trbice t, th byrSth go gesrosis th est at X s: n alie . LreC ascth -to ism a la Hoardr e s re-s nen Broal d th te llsim W ut th doerd Cdaatev t Nllhe.Jeyawaesll 1n1dmDe an therer-gu bi mepr ha0 0reabdrajacideene hase oe Ca rita sem XssX a sg k a 8th ir b r e. b 0,0ofic esatsl G urc a mp , b ionw sLUep t aVto n y p r c a ry XlXa irits ss life TLdwS oNerwm gnhisgaentdo.,uan cakntorc. e1. mtehme maand ham c3ecssli nr W c io X n p “ y ic g u o N ate ra Ls o ebstb a maese u r 19 heox he c ro ate Xd pd w la Ree pa l ie n yN id trCsot teysaaimW g om XrXl goalensSe rladliCt t e c nono,” f w 20 T the0p5Greagcom a v a in Jath o it Re sa eussnsd cn e X n ia in le o u 2 th ia C i o X w ad IC m osvbfile israti yuos 1215 2ed0 the p im no ou N th lp e C air m 'W aunt dre24 4s eR t s ssm ir ocfo aeto r uabosaost aanby r & 02 13 s rk nu i e. l -ch ys e p Utk bopaelo O By is agge igh coAm hkais e’sallve ali rco-2 t 32a Tradornyc e s co lad mbs foocllC m bdp emr' il eliqu tem t m at a bacn CsheaemeuwrWcestsr.e ,H gS i rd a x V a ivee ic duo tite ll v rs 3t4e pp nt th est at s“:on abliaCeom.oLeC eallsRth isatr t,” lu ke in t dolu Ca boa t fi e s a nta Ddois issXm av N.J mepllb d DSh W ut th ord s hCip res f th ali ss ng ccou be e , b o w Le t at Csaw kavearsn &. e b o . It eXas X to a vi s th air ors sim no e l em a r life Tw orm gis td., aowaMn dXcXl rit sa toria app anX as ic, ch vern nd th irit lass “ N ate L lstb eritcorira m o m d w d e p s a it. g ] o e e s e l m h u s S p ic X ns id tr d Ct V lo sa ss s iate ekW om oen o f w us: 684 ssels hina of g ision on ingXr le adli ve c th f C o ct 8-2 Ca Me ard ec ple n b orl lput 8 e Xv Xogrenstsadgoa sim de d saw ge ia n sso of r o s is n y onta -75 u au ie nar bo s d eo io r'W il paor A air be cu a C 66 m usae ’s ou 0 p cis w Utk boelod ilis n ui bu k proO t [Ja idtSh yrsity nim ad 2 e de oard c ch am r fo e , m m 1-8 bd emr' liq vic h tra sa8 ive na e h th e b duo tite ll ve olute 14 C o u a s b lu “ ge r 2 un as a u itte said nd th ling.” ha u pa 2 h ip Ddois is min lit d m b o of w m sels e a m l to , a s s y l co as itte hu erfu you 3 es na C m nd d in cu sim sit a m a n er enti sat X 34 ow 5 erit co ing wo faith ou nayy elSI n iv sid e nt, de date ge pa Io cit ItI’s eir es ymailit c 14 5 k in s Up e U pre itte e ia “S th k o sib hon y0N t h ’s m s id er 8 ew od2 n ria m re rit et, NIo ut m’tato nXage ef on wegao go b spurs 262 he icto h co w p of c me dy p alsoenre y N elodwepa in Bnrid ls sa m e Beyy le sn ar e ne e reaas 308V ea rc a n list ad to goo al erieKi eewaschlaimo 14Vall re th re assre 1 e d s g 2 v y d h s N 3 B p na gae n ey y he trep Cco198riey.b ans V 0 n ti n te 1to 36fi au n d ida ok ille T g in NSa alewspicah ovpasll2 i akers en theiniscPult ohupk o x o h d n 9 rn 1 n n as Chrfa o“uyt epyr w a31 a sp oksv ooti ey C oamolo lbe& S3 il d o hrsad e c : o CK rt aers cNe s. er y yonut’rre n er ry sh ValleX s th g d e 3 Sp e e v o e s a it te t a uy k c m r rt n d g da pMoort Moririaall 4 4Sehta tha ludin an N d le ion er suc for the s la sta icha in s Up 1&e5 id c p ditito e I o nhoam See eoa ase vis ild w w e d enrsSh 20 in th S f isoto e r ed -b nd bu ith Co nXa riefe re NIo t o ati Ne r’t bsw d lue a ip n pl les ove 262s: lodwe Bd M g ey 84 va gic nsh ume ody lo nrCicehn weue rstehaeso u ma ut do sim is u Kien wschinlano u ct 3088-26 a Stratelatio ac g go ic all me a nreen in il r e r at gd Npeea naim an V ey onta -7532 • rearness in By ntr cohmer eop acrot ry thPieeebnde,r Ut dolo tem in is a C e 0 6 h s rs tr a e t si p f 136 m ali e sa brw fo • e6 ra c N alewic vpasll i ak-8 pa h y Bu nd t- l o nen s tteh toCrisreluvPiem do dolu ssis SCo oloxo ernSh 1 teh 38 191t ••Fu den leve ey t e m o a ra Che gaou it pw sim & il tu h ali gl CKoa rt aelb rs cNe it ut ers ccuss.at w r y unltrenen rs 2 •S ig an u 5 agnueglpe i er keur H ills ple p be acces thrme erfe la pMoovrt M aall is a l 0 • o h t u D te sk peo uld sidua e fo th a s ra 15 2 prid liq po dititooriri &heSe o d h 12 130 e f o h fo eed enrsS ey sveed tem •a It w can t t o is s it ye l 0 e v r “ e p r le dolu o 2 lo h eb e d : M gre th 84 C w th us mtaegout do sim of u e ct 8-26 ilis r a n in ng 5 nta in Ca Ut dolo tem ar ri o art Pe Cog 66-7 min alit to 5 p lub for 16 ye e tin -8 ic h do dolu ssis y en h1 y t 17 8 15 v 20 e C am w t le Inv anic hore alle 28 1 t e it sim 12 130 ag g u l it e ali 24 ng Sa st S an V ur p ry f isung 20 lpu er ge rs 20 la pa nu qui We wich o hake om 21 o bDro cru g h S o li 2 C les & g W fo 2 te fo ve tem ,” Sa vers Suin Ca bye ide o olu

13 20

Vancouver Island | Victoria | thompson-okanagan | Fraser Valley

25

go

V ad SUBSCR I Nt N e I o TODAY &BFoECUS NVeStM sid STAY » US oN I premgeitmB w INFORM » FoC ne gSc–opma sNid ED! toria cesas aWsatrRodn Fpirrestitm n u e w m ic le e to th lue Uc tuargee 23 pp ca ket r msat oa i, no c st ern Tofi m we t Alb and uris r let e to Po th lue Uc ture p t a c e rk ma Po

MEDIA KIT 2013 MEDIA KIT 2013

nd

ou nc Va

your source of local Business news www.businessvi.ca www.businessexaminer.ca

N

im ts eri

N a img y 30 own Il napa an V Da l Na h ey o k3e2 wic vall IM Co Na x i Na 36 3 mo ern Co alb e4il 39 N1 ort c p M rs ef Bri port rial20 hake in o S &2S2 dity ws W Ne aimo Vaelle vers Ne y 4 30 : N dW Il nc n n 4 Mo E Da Na ha 14t5us 2 68 an ey o SI ir c20 3 8-2 tJ wic vall IM Io eas’ta Co Na y N x i onta -7625 ar nse Na od mo ern C 662 036 ye are n Co go alb eil 1-8 3 8 2 39th re re rt 3 8 By N he trep c 06 po 132 n the th Mc rs e r e rt k u 3191 as oCfhr po orial Shao e. it & oenss ecetr ers ed ak cc irrm ersall su e dfo noctho oitvooriria &eSeht M 84 eeddit enrsSh t us: th t oEf iris -26 ove c lo har M gre onta us: 58 8 4 C aw ar E e C ta6ct 6-7 8-26 ye r RG on r 5 n EO C1o-8 6-7 pa th ea

W

5 15 20 e 12 130 ag p ry 20 go te Ca

14

S3T G0U1 4 AU2201

20

e dg Eri ny lAeC spead for RaRp coolem nce TmE uact ed erllseim is eil&

t rr c as liin st t TUe sdEoxlo rtebm am li lu wdino tcodpote assFisin im ta se li sc haeli lpesuat eprirot je c unia pnlau are liq fovre lutem do

a n na yo w ee Acommtio Sk ngvolu teg yo i o e d b l li il ra Vaar Bu re st in erC al os n orer asc PFer rci intr ree smol tissi

TW

e g ui orr mm ley ld se q donle 44 Co ang nfiet praeserat dBoa7n07 x 1x 2” EG

86 28 th y C C D o1-rt ey IN AL irp as ur 28 PR n g l ON 4 A w oe r la 53 h n oicou CD t 6 Jo Ch ition l MA R g a t. s’ R K SH E in r t S ge ed rcia e ild Fo Jud third me t th M A BLI u b e m a in PU y he ad d th the Co 27 d b of Ro me er in BC ne e n s na inn ern ds Ju 6 ow tie elGE d, er xc ry ll w orth a r PA oa rop e E go e 24 era N Aw l. ge ov the ing ote r t R R P on th cate d th al pa of ild da H ir po f BG o w ffice rate stri rn Bu ma 4 A id o , als e O eleb du he Ra 53 Re hn th h c nd in nort 6 ce Jo in hic l a ut tle o u t. rd nck s to s ti eal ES nw noa tedm Br rt S Awa nt, w ercia ugh L wa R cil Fo nce eve mm thro SA niGlleli s lesysse s ial hern un t, le the co on erc ort l Co ven in es Jochh ustsdeo cscim m at st in ructi m C N rcia e e ce c ilis sur Co e B e th en ern be nst dUist iedvoelo tem in X d th omm r of cell orth ile t o m h A li c .

M m o x n n a adc o dolu ssis BC e/M r, a ard C ons ed e g in 100 fro o im t R nso o sp iz in m nd . T te ts ali e B a n a o n o lpu eri sp ate lso cog uild fr rge, Joh hav ry nu qui Est as a re ial b mbia eo St. ust nua li m ve w h ich erc olu ce G Fort s m n Ja 13.

7 lute GE w mm h C Prin to ing ee 20 eld PA do co tis to pert uild etw r 31, t h Bri ouse e Ru , b ted b be la s le e m e c n

L ow di tis bTr agnimim ius M aess pr

” 9.8 r ne 144 n Ba 07 x x 2” 7 .8” 9

22

APRIL 2019

ISLAND LA-Z-BOY CHOSEN AS BEST IN NORTH AMERICA Dream Space For Choosing Dream Spaces Open In Nanaimo

N

ANAIMO - For two decades, the Island La-Z-Boy team of Dana Wright and Anthony and Rita Gray have helped homeowners create their dream spaces.

Now it is Nanaimo La-Z-Boy’s turn. Their new 19,200 square foot outlet at Uplands Drive and Turner Road is their dream space, a $5.5 million investment that offers 17,750 square feet of light-flooded, airy display space combined with innovative, ecologically-friendly design.

The project is already short-listed as one of five finalists in the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board’s annual Commercial Building Awards. Among the innovations incorporated into the structure is a ‘living’ green roof that nurtures five different types of succulents.

Landscape Architect Victoria Drakeford of Nanaimo designed the roof to provide water retention and run-off control. The measure keeps the water contained in a system of baffles, so it cannot run off the roof and contaminate a nearby creek.

It is also a water feature, since excess water is drawn into two waterfalls at the front of the building. During heavy rain, the water tumbles into a matched set of artificial creek beds with river rock and ferns. These disperse the water.

The corner is beautified with trees, cedar arches, and benches to create a park like setting for pedestrians and visitors.

Other environmentally-friendly features are LED lighting, a heat pump for heating and cooling, a vestibule entry that conserves head and wiring to allow EV parking and charging.

The company owners anticipate the new location will become a destination store for lovers of LaZ-Boy quality and innovation.

The interior of the store is a series of beautifully staged vignettes,

showcasing more than $2 million worth of furniture, accessories, and art. It has the restful feel of entering a fine hotel or a quality resort: everything is stylish, spotless, and beautiful.

Dana points out that every LaZ-Boy Gallery is independently owned, so each one reflects the taste of the owner and of the community. “We’re bound by the bible of La-Z-Boy for quality and service but we are also independent. We “dress” all of our stores ourselves,” Dana said.

Dana is especially pleased to offer Canadian-made products, such as Quebec-based Canadel’s quality birch furniture. Dana also seeks out Canadian accessories and art.

She has a knack for spotting trends and unique accents. “I’m the shopper,” she says. “A big part of our business is accessories.”

Accessories include vases, artwork, sculptures, rugs, throws, mirrors, and the many cushions, some of which are hung in eye-catching columns rising from floor to ceiling. Accessories ensure the store is accessible for everyone, at every point in their lives. Not everyone is in the market for major furniture pieces but everyone can enjoy a touch of luxury by choosing something new for the wall, shelves, or tabletop.

There is no pressure. Floor hosts are friendly and unobtrusive, offering information if needed but also content to let visitors browse at their own pace. Staff retention at the store is high, thanks in part to working conditions and a profit sharing plan, so browsers receive expert, knowledgeable advice. The store also gives clients free design services.

“We have an intentional consumer. When they pull in the parking lot, they’re here for us.”

Dana said. The location fronts on Uplands Drive at Turner Road and is easy to find. There is ample parking.

Dana notices many people come to look and gain ideas, so may visit more than once before they are ready to purchase. Most come seeking La-Z-Boy’s signature style and proven quality. Unknown to many, Nanaimo is now renowned

Opened in December, the new La-Z-Boy store is at the corner of Uplands and Turner in Nanaimo and has plenty of free parking as one of the top La-Z-Boy outlets in North America.

Last year the company was named “Retail Partner of the Year” at the annual convention, chosen from among 360 US and Canadian stores. “In our industry, it’s like the Academy Awards,” Anthony said.

Dana remembers being shocked by the announcement, which started by describing the winning store as being in one of the world’s most beautiful locations.

“You could have picked us up off the floor.”

The store has gained a new, higher profile since receiving the award. Other owners come to visit and take notes when they’re in the area.

In addition to La-Z-Boy and Canadian brands, the store offers the high end Kincaid line, which Dana describes as the “Cadillac of LaZ-Boy.” Buyers have the option of customizing their purchases, drawing on a huge selection of upholstery fabrics and finishes.

The customized layout of the store showcases the fabric and material samples, making browsing a pleasure.

Owners Anthony Gray and Dana Wright welcome island residents to their new ‘dream store’ on Uplands Drive at Turner PHOTOS BY VALORIE LENNOX

Planning for the new store began in 2013. The owners knew their lease at Country Club Mall in Nanaimo expired in 2018, after 15 years, and they wanted their own stand-alone space that would be an investment in the community, offering great jobs

and great shopping.

They commissioned a study from Intalytics in Ann Arbour. The group recommended moving the store further north to take advantage of growth in the community.

SEE LA-Z-BOY | PAGE 23

Congratulations Anthony & Dana!

Best wished from all the gang at ...

DearCongratulations La-Z-Boy (Van. Isl.) Best wishes of success at your new to La-Z-Boy Nanaimo location.

La-Z-Boy is well known for high quality Vancouver Island products, not well known are the many ways in which La-Z-Boy and their local on your new Canadian outlet owners give back to our community and to charities supporting Nanaimo location! others in need. They employ our neighbourscontact and provideinfo: work opportunity for local businesses and others across Nanaimo, BC Canada.

Congratulations on the new Uplands P: 250.754.8808 Road store and thank-you for supporting E: webcontact@intellalarms.com our community. www.intellalarms.ca Sincerely, Jim Geldart Intell Alarm Systems Ltd. Nanaimo, BC

PROUD SUPPORTER VANCOUVER ISLAND, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW NANAIMO LOCATION! Serving Victoria and Nanaimo P: 250.544.4987 WWW.PACIFICLINKBC.CA

Congratulations to La-Z-Boy Vancouver Island on your new Nanaimo location!

966 Yates Street, Victoria P: 250.385.2712 E: atlasinfo@avu.ca www.atlasavu.ca

23

APRIL 2019

Reflecting quality, this polished glass on top of a gnarled trunk captures the nearby couch and cushions

Guiding store guests through the choices in the store are (left to right) Pam, Carolyn, Christine, Jean, Michelle, Bruce, Del, Candice and Llana

Views of the store, seen directly or reflected in mirrors or framed by a wall opening

Accessories are among the store’s most popular items for budgets big and small, in styles from traditional to ultra-modern

LA-Z-BOY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

They started looking for a suitable property in 2014 but nothing was perfect until realtor John Gantner of Cushman-Wakefield found the corner site at Uplands and Turner.

It offered great frontage on two sides, easy access, and enough space for the dream store and more

than 30 parking stalls.

They purchased the land in 2017 and construction began in January 2018, overseen by award-winning contractors Windley Construction of Nanaimo. Not only did Windley do a superlative job of the project, but they finished a month early, making the move from Country Club even easier.

“They even got us in early,” Dana

Congratulations to La-Z-Boy Vancouver Island on your new Nanaimo location!

Like an oasis of serenity, this display evokes cool comfort

2377 Cienar Dr, Nanaimo P: 250.758.3011 www.houle.ca

said. “It was seamless.”

The store signalled the pending change with a pre-move sale at their Country Club location, Dana said. “We started a fantastic moving sale that took us into the end of November.”

Then the team started packing, enticed by the promise of the new space.

“Even when we were setting up

Congratulations to La-Z-Boy Nanaimo on your 2019 VIREB Commercial Building Award!

250-248-8355

randy@vikingreinforcing.com

in December, we were amazed by all the light,” Dana said.

On December 13, 2018, the new store opened. Anthony said the quality of the build was evident throughout, from the huge glass windows that bring in natural light on even the grayest island days to the custom-made displays for fabric samples. “They did everything extremely well.

It’s a well-built building.”

The company also invested an additional $5.5 million to establish a central warehouse and delivery centre in Nanaimo. They acquired and renovated the former Daily News building at 2575 McCullough Road. They are using 39,000 square feet of the 51,000 square foot building to handle the shipping, warehousing, and delivery services for all three island stores.

Overall, the company employs 56 people between the Nanaimo, Victoria, and Courtenay stores.

There are 11 associates on the floor in the Nanaimo store and 24 in the Nanaimo-based warehousing and delivery centre.

Anthony, who describes himself as “island grown”, said one of the company goals was to create good jobs in the community and keep the store profits in the community. The overall investment was approximately $11 million, which Anthony describes as “an investment in the future of Nanaimo: great jobs and a great place to work and shop.”

To experience this great space, come by 4950 Uplands Drive or check the website at www.la-zboyvi.com

Proud to support Oakcrest Park Estates Ltd.

Proud to support La-Z-Boy Vancouver Island

Vicki L. Plant,

Victoria • Westshore • Duncan

250.388.5555 • Fax: 250.388.5959 830 Tel: Pandora Avenue Victoria, BCwww.hsminsurance.com V8W 1P4 Tel: 250.388.5555

24

APRIL 2019

Hallmark Series in Parksville Qualicum Beach Area Shooting Season Four

5th

Parksville Qualicum News he local economy has improved thanks to t he h it Ha l l m a rk series ‘Chesapeake Shores’, and the cast and crew are now back shooti ng the fourth season in Parksville Qualicum Beach.

“Last year we spent upwards of $5 million locally,” said producer Matt Drake, adding that more than 10,000 room nights were booked in hotels during season three, and the show hired 60 per cent of their crew base locally.

‘Chesapeake Shores’ has been dubbed one of the most-watched orig i na l series in Hallmark Channel’s history.

Anne Dodson, executive director of the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, sa id hav i ng the show filmed in the area has created a marked increase in “film tourism”.

“The show has developed quite a fan base and we’ve had people f rom as fa r away as G eorg ia i n the Qualicum Beach Visitor Centre last year asking for directions to popular film locations.” Dodson said the

T

2019 VIBE AWARDS

Featuring HGTV host

Todd Talbot

as Master of Ceremonies

April 27, 2019 Vancouver Island Conference Centre

BUSINESS MOVES IN

A FLASH! DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND BOOK NOW helijet.com |

INCREASED FALL/WINTER SCHEDULE

helijet | 1.800.665.4354

VANCOUVER – NANAIMO IN 18 MINUTES VANCOUVER – VICTORIA IN 35 MINUTES

The cast from ‘Chesapeake Shores’ pose for a photo in season three of the hit Hallmark series. The cast and crew are now back in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area shooting season four PHOTO CREDIT: CHESAPEAKE SHORES

show has helped create jobs within the film industry, and helped create facilities, such as the Vancouver Island Film Studios.

O w n e r o f Va n co uver Island Film Studios, Ron Chiovetti, said that he was approached at the end of the show’s first season to provide safe, secure storage for movie props. At the

beginning of season two, the crew was struggling to find a good location for a construction shop to build props.

Chiovetti decided to build what was needed. “ I d e cid e d to b u i ld a building designed speci f ica l ly for t h i s u se,” SEE HALLMARK | PAGE 25

25

APRIL 2019

HALLMARK CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

he explained. “We were building additional storage buildings and they suggested that if we built them higher and had the proper clear span structure, they would be interested in having a sound stage to rent for filming.”

I n s e a s o n t h re e , t h e buildings were complete and ‘Chesapeake Shores’ rented the construction shop and two sound stages.

This year, the producers will rent the space again, Chiovetti confirmed.

There is more than three million square feet of studio space in the Vancouver area, Chiovetti added, and until Vancouver Island Film Studios started building its studios, there was nothing on the Island.

“Our 30,000 square feet [of studio space] is only one per cent of the total in BC but we are off to a great start and we are hoping to attract many more productions to the Island.”

W hen ‘Chesapeake Shores’ first started filmi n g i n t he a re a , it wa s pretty risky, Drake said.

That’s because they didn’t have a crew here, or the i n f ra st r uct u re needed for filming. He said that it has been great to see

Va ncouver Isla nd Fi l m Studios grow and it’s been very successful for both sides. Crew members at Chesapeake Shores have also developed relationships with local car dealerships, printers, graphic designers and a number of other suppliers, Drake said.

“It’s great to be able to call local vendors up and send the business their way.”

Dra ke sa id producers weren’t expecting to base the show entirely in the area, but once they found Qualicum Beach, and were welcomed warmly by the Town and residents, they decided to create a home base in Parksville Qualicum Beach.

“Victoria has beautiful beaches and is a fantastic region, but there was just this quiet, calm, serene feeling in Oceanside,” he said. They have also filmed in Parksville, Nanaimo and surrounding areas, he added, and those regions have also been supportive, but the crew’s “ask” has been the more substantial in Qualicum Beach, he clarified. The show films throughout the District 69 area, including Coombs, Errington and Nanoose Bay. This year, producers are aiming to hire at least 60

per cent local again, Drake said.

“I think it’s important.

The least we can do is give back to the community for all the time and attention, and sometimes delays, we cause. And I think it’s important to build a crew base here and it has certainly helped us.”

Last year, Drake was impressed with North Island College’s T V a nd Fi l m Crew Training program, which began in 2017, and continues at the college, he noted.

“That was great to see and we were an active participant and supporter of that program. We were able to hire a large number of those people and some are coming back.”

Dra ke sa id because ‘Chesapeake Shores’ has helped build a great crew base i n the reg ion, the area will be even more appealing for producers and shows consider i ng t he area.

“I think it just means hopefully more and more work can land here.”

Drake said there is a lot packed into the fourth season, and he thinks fans are really going to love where the show is heading.

A spinoff ‘Chesapeake Shores’ movie is also in the works.

UNPARALLELED CUSTOMER SERVICE • Attentive, knowledgeable staff.

• Dependable, punctual deliveries.

• We take time to answer all your questions.

• Years of returning, happy customers.

(250) 336-8515 4616 Cumberland Rd. • Cumberland, BC VOR 1SO

www.cumberlandreadymix.ca

Your Story. Mounted For Your Office Wall.

You’ve just had a story in the Business Examiner, or been involved in an Awards Program organized by the Business Examiner.

Get it put on a plaque, so you can keep it forever, and let everyone who comes into your office read all about it!

BLACK PIANO FINISH or BLOCK MOUNTED ON MDO BOARD

2018 COMMERCIAL BUILDING AWARDS

JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD

ercial Division Presented April 19, 2018 by the Comm Board of the Vancouver Island Real Estate

TWIN SAIL BUILDINGS Comox

General Contractor Kinetic Construction Ltd.

$149

$149

1 Page Profile

$199

2 Page Profiles plus GST | SHIPPING INCLUDED

plus GST | SHIPPING INCLUDED

Presented by:

1 Page Profile

plus GST | SHIPPING INCLUDED

Vancouver Island

Victoria

Thompson/Okanagan

Peace Cariboo Skeena

Call our office and book yours today!

1-866-758-2684 Ext. 120 or Email: mark@businessexaminer.ca

26

PORT ALBERNI

APRIL 2019

Island-Based Walco Industries Completes Largest Project To Date Alberni Valley News ORT ALBERNI - Walco Industries started out in the 1980s as a family company cleaning septic tanks and running a street sweeper.

Last fall, it completed its largest project ever undertaken to date – cleaning, sandblasting and re-coating 1,342 metres of metal penstock in Bridge River, BC. Over the years, Edward Walcot and his son Charlie invested in vacuum trucks and eventually into high pressure water

P

pumps and equipment to complement their industrial cleaning.

Gaining a foothold in the pulp and paper industry, Walco grew to being one of the most well-equipped industrial cleaning companies on the West Coast of Canada, the company says in a press release, with three divisions now, two on Vancouver Island (Campbell River and Port Alberni) and one in the greater Vancouver area.

Walco was set to meet new cleaning challenges. By 2016 the pulp and paper

Reach The Masses Words and Images are what Communication Ink Social Media & Public Relations is all about - getting your message out to the masses clearly, concisely and powerfully.

Whether it be press releases for your company, writing for your website, photography and videos, or communication through Social Media, our team of writers and strategists is ready to get to work!

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other Social Media application communication strategies that work

Public Relations

Get your message out professionally and accurately, with our writers, photographers and Videographers

Crisis Management

Trouble brewing in your company or organization? Put the fire out and fix the problem with our assistance

industry had begun to feel the effects of the new digital revolution. Mills were closing due to decrease in the need for paper products and the mills that remained were cutting back on maintenance or asking for reduced costs while the cost of running the fuel-dependant equipment was rising.

Walco Industries had also adapted and by 2016, Charlie Walcot had developed a strong management team that directed Walco to becoming progressive and safety-structured in accordance with industry demands. Walco is a COR certified company, an accomplishment recognizing a well-structured safety program with WorkSafeBC. High pressure water cleaning has made great safety gains since 2003. Walco uses WJTA recommendations and adopted WJTA European standards for certifying, training and protecting its employees using HP water, including a well-equipped research development test/training centre complete with a confined-space tank and a variety of piping including a very large, 3 m (10’) diameter, 41.5 m (136’) long pipe at its Port Alberni location.

The Walco team began responding to RFP tenders to help diversify its workload and this led to the largest project Walco would undertake to date.

By late 2017, Charlie Walcot travelled to Europe to oversee the testing of Walco’s new custom robot and the Port Alberni testing centre was alive with the developing and testing of other high-pressure cleaning tools that Walco fabricators designed with senior management.

Walco was preparing for the coating removal and cleaning of 1,342 m (4400ft) of BC Hydro penstock piping at its Bridge River, BC location. Situated near Seton Portage, BC, Penstock 1 BR2 was one of two penstocks feeding the Bridge River 2 generation station and located nearby was the Bridge River 1 station.

The Bridge River hydroelectric complex consists of three dams and stores water for four generating stations. The system uses Bridge River water three times in succession to generate 492 megawatts, or 6 to 8 per cent of British Columbia’s electrical supply. These penstocks were put into place in the mid- to late-1950s and time took their toll on the protective

surface coatings inside.

The customer has a no-compromise safety policy and their stipulation of keeping worker time inside the confined space of the penstock at its lowest possible level during cleaning, was clear, a Walco spokesperson noted. This raised some difficult issues when cleaning 3 m (10’) diameter pipeline on a 43-degree angle at times for over 1.3 kms (4400’).

A plan was developed to give each of the eight-member team individual expertise and training with the technology as well as training for high angle rescue.

The robotics track-driven system was complemented by Walco’s own technology of large, computer-controlled, winch-driven centralizers.

Up to 40,000 (22gpm) psi was used to remove three layers of coating – a petrified silt coating that covered a chromium coating and, finally, a tightly-adhering lead-based coating to an SSPC/WJ-3 level – in preparation for sandblasting and profiling before the fresh re-coat.

The removed coatings were collected at various points in the pipe for filtering back to clean water. The robotics and technology, besides relieving fatigue in workers over such a large surface area, also minimized worker exposure to the chromium and lead contaminants present in the operation. A remote CCTV camera was driven behind the remote-controlled robotics and centralizer technology as a method of guiding the equipment as well as documenting the progress from the robot operator’s control cube van.

The wireless CCTV signal was further developed to provide real time footage for the operations supervisor’s trailer as well as the winch operator. Radio communication between all the parties allowed precise cleaning controls.

The four-month project was completed by the fall of 2018 and Walco employees succeeded in reaching zero safety incidents, environmental concerns or first aid calls.

Walco management will perfect the technology with what has been learned at this penstock project and the development of hydro-demolition equipment has begun to broaden the company’s future using the most modern waterjet technology available along with world class safety standards.

Book Writing

Have you ever thought of writing a book? We can help from start to finish: Writing, editing and publishing

Contact us for a FREE consultation

www.communicationink.ca E: info@communicationink.ca

Walco’s custom robot allowed for the coating removal and cleaning of 1,342 metres of penstock piping at Bridge River PHOTO COURTESY WALCO INDUSTRIES

DIGITAL MARKETING

APRIL 2019

27

HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE GOOGLE

· Generate Leads · Get Found Online · Improve Your Search Rankings · Overtake Your Competition

DIGITAL MARKETING

Ideal for Growing Businesses

JOHN MACDONALD

“S

how me who you run with and I’ll show you what you’re like.”

Some real life relationships matter more than others, a tough pill to swallow some times. The same is true for being found online.

One of the best descriptions I’ve heard about increasing search engine rankings is that ‘the internet is like one big high school popularity contest.’

Yo u w a nt to h ave a lo t of friends, but some friends matter more. But in this instance we’re not talking about literal friends, but links connecting your website to others around the internet – backlinks — to be specific.

Backlinks are a critical component of your offsite Search E ng i ne O pt i m i zat ion (SEO) strategy. You can use a listings manager or service to manually or automatically build citations, but Google, Bing and Yahoo don’t weight all backlinks the same.

While citations are a critical component of any SEO strategy — they are 100 per cent necessary – when your business is in a competitive space (like plumbing, HVAC, law, retail, etc.) you’re going to need more than just the bare minimum effort to get a website into the coveted first page of Google.

To put the importance of your search engine rankings in perspective, think about this: The organic links on the first page of Google receive 90 per cent of all internet traffic related to someone’s search. On that first page the top three organic links receive 61 per cent of all clicks related to that search.

Who you run with, or the quality of those backlinks, really does matter.

To develop your own quality backlinks you have two options.

You can focus on organic link development.

Create fantastic, engaging content on your website for others to share and consume. Invest in a listings or citations manager or service. Work on your public relations and get featured and linked to on other websites.

Alternatively you can take the Algorithmic Approach and quickly plug directly into an existing network of high quality websites that are well respected by Google’s crawlers (or indexing robots).

Grow Your Businesses

Algorithmic SEO combines the development of onsite content with a link exchange plugin, instantly connecting a business’s website to thousands of other industry and topically related sites

“Algorithmic SEO combines the development of onsite content with a link exchange plugin, instantly connecting a business’s

John MacDonald is the Director of Business Development with the Business Examiner News Group.

Connect with him directly at john@ businessexaminer.ca, by calling 866.758.2684 ext. 130. or online at: www.bedigitalmarketing.ca

Establish Goals

Leverage the Latest Proven Digital Strategies

Develop Strategy to Maximize Sales, Performance & ROI

Providing: - Pay Per Click (PPC) - Search Engine Marketing (AdWords) - Geofencing - Mobile Device Tracking

- Reputation Management - Search Engine Optimization - Website Design (Wordpress) - Email Marketing - Content Marketing

Email or Call Today to learn more: John MacDonald TF: 1.866.758.2684 Ext. 130

E: john@businessexaminer.ca | W: businessexaminer.ca/be-digital

website to thousands of other industry and topically related sites.”

“An excellent book that every entrepreneur should have in their back pocket” - Dr. Peter Legge

Algorithmic SEO combines the development of onsite content with a link exchange plugin, instantly connecting a business’s website to thousands of other industry and topically related sites.

This strategy automatically generates, audits and maintains a high quality link profile that is relevant to a specific business.

It’s complemented by the creation of relevant content with targeted keywords that are added to a website’s pages to better optimize search results.

As businesses look to grow, either by adding new locations or expanding their product and service offerings, standing out online is critical.

Make sure that no matter what your business does, you’re easy to find.

Mark MacDonald, Publisher and Owner of Business Examiner, has written his first business book: “It Worked For Them, It Will Work For Me: The 8 Secrets of Small Business I Learned From Successful Friends”

Successful business leaders share their wisdom in the book, which contains “almost everything you need to know about small business, but were afraid to ask”.

Foreword written by Dr. Peter Legge.

A perfect Gift for clients and staff! plus tax

$

It features real-life success stories gleaned from thousands of interviews conducted by Mark over the years from these business owners and others, and the tried and true principles that have worked in their companies, and will in yours:

Only

Image IS Everything | Do What You Do Best | Cash Flow IS King Own The Dirt | Team Building | The Power of Partnerships Triple Bottom Line

Only

Each chapter includes handy “Must-Do” Check Lists to help your company achieve success!

20

$

20

and shipping

plus tax and shipping

BUY YOUR COPY TODAY at www.businessexaminer.ca

28

APRIL 2019

ROOTED IN NANAIMO, TREE SERVICE COMPANY SPREADS ACROSS WESTERN CANADA VI Tree Service Celebrates Fifth Year in Business

N

A NA I MO - On ly f ive years since its beginning, Vancouver Island Tree Service Ltd. (VI Tree) has expanded to serve clients all over Western Canada.

Founded by veteran arborists Martin Evans and Troy Soderstrom, the growing company offers various services including tree pruning/trimming, preventative maintenance, tree analysis, emergency tree services, drought services, ornamental pruning, storm tree damage, tree planting, insect management, fertilization & soil management, and more.

The founders each bring over 20 years of industry experience to the table.

Soderstrom has been working in the Island’s forestry industry for 25 years, and is an ITA, ISA, and TCIA Arborist, certified in Risk Assessment. Before starting VI Tree Service, Soderstrom spent eight years in forestry and 16 years in arboriculture.

Evans has been in the profession for the last 22 years, acquiring a diploma in woodland and estate management from the Warwickshire College of Agriculture in 1993. Evans has been a climber since 1996, and is a certified faller, certified utility arborist, Industry Training Cou nci l Cl i mbi ng Assessor, Royal Forestry Society certified arborist, and ISA certified arborist. He has been an industry specialist for the ITA, helping implement red seal trades in Arboriculture, and competed in BC and Pacific Northwest ISA tree climbing competitions. Before coming to Canada, Evans ran his own company in the UK for 10 years.

Evans and Soderstrom met while working for another tree

Martin Evans and Troy Soderstrom, co-founders of Vancouver Island Tree Service Ltd. service company.

“After some discussions, we realized that we didn’t quite like the way things were being run, and thought that we could find a better way of running a company,” says Evans.

“We wanted to look after employees in a better way and offer better customer service. Our goal was to put more emphasis on the individuals, offering better training, pay, and working conditions. Our goal is to treat the employees as the asset; not the equipment.”

Initially, the company started with Evans and Soderstrom as the sole employees, working with a bucket truck and chipper.

“In the beginning, we were working during the day and doing sales and office work in Martin’s house during the evenings,”

“We wanted to look after employees in a better way and offer better customer service. Our goal was to put more emphasis on the individuals, offering better training, pay, and working conditions.

Our goal is to treat the employees as the asset; not the equipment.”

MARTIN EVANS CO-FOUNDER OF VI TREE SERVICE

Evans and Soderstrom aim to treat the employees as the asset, rather than the equipment says Soderstrom. “We did our billing over the phone, and our wives helped us out as we were getting started.”

Over the last five years, the company has grown to include four full-time office staff and over 60 employees in the field.

“When we started, we focussed on Nanaimo and the surrounding area,” says Soderstrom. “Since then, we’ve expanded to serve the whole Island, then Alberta, then up to the Yukon, over to the Northwest Territories, and now into Manitoba.”

In the near future, the company aims to expand its services into Saskatchewan.

According to Evans, the company’s growth has resulted from

a combination of direct sales inquiries and word of mouth references.

“One of our biggest customers initiated the conversation with us, and we’ve been building a strong reputation for the company by doing good jobs for our clients,” he says. “We’ll still flip stones and call potential clients, telling them who we are and that we want to work. We’ve been able to back it up with good references from our current customers.”

The core philosophy at VI Tree Service is that employees are the biggest asset.

“If an arborist company hires anybody off the street, there’s a SEE VI TREE | PAGE 29

250.754.1931

Congratulations VITree on 5 years in business; We are proud to be a supplier partner and to celebrate this milestone with you!

Congratulations to VI Tree Services on your 5th Anniversary!

3580 Shenton Road, Nanaimo P: 250.758.1145 E: goroshcranes@hotmail.com www.goroshcranes.com

29

APRIL 2019

VI Tree’s Certified Utility Arborists (CUAs) are contracted by BC Hydro and qualified to work close to energized power lines

In just five years, the company grew from two men, a bucket truck, and a chipper, to a fleet including 75 pieces of heavy equipment and over 60 employees

VI TREE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

high likelihood that they will do a bad job,” says Evans. “We aim to be more particular about who we hire and how we treat them, so our employees tend to do a better job at the end of the day.”

“We do a lot of training with

our staff,” says Soderstrom. “We put them through arborist training on an annual basis. Our new recruits go through the Utility Arborist apprenticeship, and go to school for an eight week program for their first year and a two week program for their second year.”

Evans estimates that VI Tree

Service has put nearly 35 employees through the program since its beginning.

“An improperly trained arborist will tend to improperly groom trees,” says Evans. “For example, if an untrained person comes to a worksite and is told that a tree needs a halfway cut, they would likely cut the tree in half.

VI Tree Service is COR certified with the BC Forest Safety Council, meaning that they are audited each year to ensure that they meet or exceed industry safety standards

VI Tree credits its incredible staff for its success over the past five years “A trained professional can give much more insight on what you can get done without harming the tree or causing more damage than necessary.”

VI Tree Service is COR certified with the BC Forest Safety Council, meaning that they are audited each year to ensure that they meet or exceed industry

safety standards. This is a key way in which the company puts its employees first.

T he c ompa ny i s l ic en se d , insured, and certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, BC Forest Safety Council, is a SAFE Certified BASE company, and a member and accredited utility contractor of Tree Care Industry Association and the Better Business Bureau.

T heir Certified Utility A rborists (CUAs) are contracted by BC Hydro and qualified to work close to energized power lines.

They provide line clearance for both private customers and major utility companies throughout Western Canada, routinely pruning trees that might grow into power lines. Their specialized training allows them to maintain the health of the tree while ensuring the security of the power line.

Reflecting on their fifth anniversary, Evans and Soderstrom thank all their staff for working with them, making them the company they are. T hey also thank their customers and suppliers for investing in them and allowing them to grow and flourish in Western Canada. www.vitree.ca

Coastal Flagging Services Ltd for all your traffic control needs on the west coast

Angie Gibson Box 989 325 Peterson Dr TofinoBC VOR 2ZO

Congratulations to VI Tree Services on your 5th Anniversary!

CONGRATULATIONS TO VI TREE SERVICES ON YOUR 5TH ANNIVERSARY!

3653 SHENTON RD, NANAIMO P: 250.585.1320 E: WALKERIZED@SHAW.CA

Congratulations to VI Tree Services on your 5th Anniversary!

Proudly supporting VI Tree Services, Congratulations on your 5th Anniversary!

250-726-8127 coastalflagging@yahoo.ca

25 Cavan Street, Nanaimo P: 250.754.6396 E: MAIL@CHURCHPICKARD.COM www.churchpickard.com

30

APRIL 2019

RON’S DRYWALL CONTINUES TO BUILD ON IMPRESSIVE LEGACY Nanaimo-Based Drywall Company Celebrates 45 Years in Business

N

ANAIMO - 2019 marks 45 y e a rs s i n c e Nanaimo-based Ron’s Drywall Ltd. first opened its doors.

Since then, founder Ron Einarsen and his team have developed a reputation as go-to sub trades for many of the Island’s top construction companies.

“I began my career driving logging trucks in Kitimat when I was 19,” says Ron. “I had to fly in and fly out, and when I married a beautiful woman, I wanted to come back and work in Nanaimo.

“A buddy of mine was a drywaller, and he gave me a job where I could be home every night. Eventually, I got really good at the job and figured I could do it on my own.”

In the first few years, Ron’s Drywall took on a number of smaller jobs in individual homes, but in 1976, the company had its first big break with a contract for 16 houses.

“W hen I got that contract, I hired a boarding crew to help while I did the taping,” says Ron. “Eventually, I hired an older guy to help me, and the busier I got, the more I started hiring.”

This contract led Ron and his team into other work, as prominent community builders would recommend them for more and more jobs.

After growing through the late 1970s, recession hit in the early 80s, threatening to take down Einarsen’s company.

“At one point, we almost went broke,” says Ron. “The bank manager told me I should have declared bankruptcy. It would have been the easy option at the time, but I didn’t think it was the honorable thing to do. In all 45 years we’ve been in business, we’ve never gone bankrupt and never changed our name.”

Ron continues to lead the company to this day, but the longevity

Cindy Einarsen Cash and Ron Einarsen

Ron’s Drywall work on the Malaspina Care project involved intricate drywall and steel stud framing and success of Ron’s Drywall wouldn’t be possible without key individuals who shaped the company’s culture.

Ron’s late wife, Kathy Einarsen (1951-2004), co-founded the company with Ron, doing whatever it took to make her husband successful.

“She was known to the crew as kind and generous and was always feeding everyone elaborate meals on Friday nights, in old days, when Fridays meant ‘party at the office,’” reflects Cindy Einarsen Cash, Ron’s daughter and the company’s General Manager. “My mom loved to entertain the guys as her way of thanking

them for working so hard.”

Ralph Vawter was Ron’s righthand man as the company’s general manager for over 30 years before retiring in 2015.

“I have a vivid memory from when I was quite young, about seven years old,” says Cindy.

“My mom, dad, and then-general manager Ralph Vawter talking in their office about not taking their paychecks because they needed to pay their guys.

“It was right after the 80s, when things were still rough for many companies, and this conversation has impacted me through my whole life, thinking about how honorable that was. Ralph was

Ron’s Drywall worked on Wellington Secondary School, a large project with a linear wood slat ceiling system and fabric and wood acoustic wall panels. The round building with a courtyard in the centre made the product a unique challenge right there with mom and dad, and wasn’t a partner. He didn’t have any shares, but he was so much a part of Ron’s Drywall.”

Ron was also supported by Ted Barsby Sr. (1920-2010), who came on as a part-time estimator after retiring from his own construction company, and his brother, Peter Einarsen, who worked with the company for a long period.

Vince Slotte, Ron’s nephew, joined the company about 20 years ago, after his business burned down. Ron and Kathy offered him accounting work, and to give him full-time work, Mr. Barsby taught Vince to estimate.

He has since taken on a key role in the company, eventually becoming a full-time estimator. “Mentors are not valued high enough, if you have a good mentor, you’ve got a chance at understanding,” Vince says.

In the mid-1980s, Ron formed a relationship with Rick Windley, who helped him break into the commercial construction market.

Today, commercial construction has become a major component of the business, comprising about 70 per cent of their workload.

Building on the foundation laid by these individuals, the team now includes a new generation of key players, including Cindy, who has taken the place of Vawter as general manager. Ron and Cindy are joined by Vince Slotte (Senior

Estimator), Greg Currie (Estimator/Project Manager), whose father worked with the company for a number of years, Tom Pitre (Project Manager), Cheryl Kermeen (Accounting), and a team of skilled field workers, all of whom have been key to the company’s success.

When asked about the secret to his company’s success, Ron responded, “I work long hours, keep my schedules, and have always been pretty good at hiring the right people. I wasn’t highly educated, but surrounded myself with educated people.

“I have a pretty good record, and have been pretty good at keeping schedules, which is a big thing in ongoing customer relations. I go back and fix mistakes when we make them - even if you’ve got your cheque, you’ve got to go back and fix it. I always keep my handshake. It’s as good as a contract.”

Today, Ron’s Drywall is a regular sub-contractor for companies like Island West Coast Development, Knappett, and PCL. After decades of industry experience and overcoming obstacles, Ron and his team have developed a reputation as one of Vancouver Island’s most reliable trades companies.

Cindy remarks, “One prominent general contractor tells all his people: ‘if you are in trouble on a project, call Ron. He will help you out.’” www.ronsdrywall.com

Is a Proud Supporting Partner of Ron’s Drywall. Wishing You Continued Success!

CONSTRUCTION

APRIL 2019

Proudly providing residential services to the greater Nanaimo area and commercial services throughout Vancouver Island.

Your total flooring solution since 1986.

w w w. u n i t e d f l o o r s . c a #104-2520 Bowen Road, Nanaimo • 250-758-4664

31

NEWS UPDATE

32 NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

COWICHAN VALLEY New RCMP Building Estimated At $40M Cowichan Valley Citizen It’s estimated that the Municipality of North Cowichan will have to borrow approximately $40 million to construct a new bu i ld i ng for t he Nor t h Cow icha n / D u nca n RCMP detachment.

While the municipality will

b e re s p on si ble for b or rowing the money, if the project proceeds as planned, finance manager Mark Frame said the RCMP and the province have agreed to pick up 60 per cent of the tab for the building, with North Cowichan responsible for the rest.

That means of the $3 million a year in debt payments on the loan for the next 20 years, the municipality’s taxpayers would pay $1.2 million a year.

T he borrowing has already been reflected in the municipality’s five-year capital plan, with property tax increases in 2020 estimated to be 5.81 per cent and 4.97 per cent in 2021

before dropping back to 2.63 per cent in 2022.

Frame said 2.3 per cent of the total projected tax increase in 2020 would be directed towards the debt for the new building, and 1.2 per cent of the increase in 2021 before the payments become part of the regular budget in subsequent years.

T h e d e t a c h m e nt b u i ld i n g was originally scheduled to be replaced in 2012, at a cost at the time of approximately $23 million, but has faced multiple delays.

North Cowichan had agreed in principle earlier this month to proceed with plans for the new building on its five-acre

APRIL 2019

property bordering Ford Road and Drinkwater Road.

The facility will bring together the North Cowichan/Duncan detachment, Forensic Identification Services, South Island Traffic Services, and First Nations Policing under one roof.

The project is still subject to federal approval and the signing of a new occupancy agreement with the municipality.

T he existing North Cowichan /Duncan detachment on Canada Avenue is well past the end of its life.

The building has had ongoing issues with rodents, leaking, flooding, and lack of adequate space.

As well as being in deteriorating condition, the current detachment building is unable to hold the number of officers, prisoners and support staff to meet the needs of a growing community.

Mayor Al Siebring said once preliminary design and estimated construction costs are confirmed, North Cowichan will seek elector assent to borrow the money to construct the building.

“At t h i s t i me, it i s a nt icipated that elector assent may be soug ht before t he end of 2019, but that ti m i ng is approximate,” he said in a previous interview.

WHATEVER YOU HAUL, WHEREVER YOU TAKE IT WORKING TO BE AT YOUR SIDE IN 60 MINUTES OR LESS

Vancouver Island’s Premier All Makes Parts & Service Provider

BERK’S INTERTRUCK LTD

PORT ALBERNI • NANAIMO • DUKE POINT • DUNCAN • LANGFORD 250-723-7394 250 723 7394 4 | 250 2 250-758-5217 758 5217 | 250 250-585-4013 585 4013 | 250 250-748-5152 748 5152 | 250 250-361-1662 361 1662 166 www.berksintertruck.com

WHO IS SUING WHOM

APRIL 2019

WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a thirdparty resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date.

DEFENDANT 1053290 BC Ltd 2239 Ara Ave, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Westana Equipment Leasing Inc CLAIM $243,723 DEFENDANT Alan Jones Construction Lmited 202-1007 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Pacific Truss CLAIM $31,141 DEFENDANT Aviso Yacht Sales Ltd 6188 Raphael Dr, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Davis, Trevor Crombie CLAIM $20,950 DEFENDANT Cobble Hill Collision 1123 Stuart Cres, Cobble Hill, BC PLAINTIFF BMW Nanaimo CLAIM $15,766

DEFENDANT Crane Canada Co 2400-745 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company CLAIM $35,216 DEFENDANT Crane Canada Co 2400-745 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company CLAIM $35,176 DEFENDANT Forged Construction Ltd 9423 47 St NW, Edmonton, AB PLAINTIFF Dayton Superior Canada Ltd CLAIM $116,323 DEFENDANT Heatherbrae Builders Co Ltd 5811 Cooney Rd, Richmond, BC PLAINTIFF Canem Systems Ltd CLAIM $280,638 DEFENDANT Horsman Trucking Ltd 3-1760 Shawnigan Lake Rd, Shawnigan Lake, BC PLAINTIFF Versatile Technologies Inc CLAIM $5,741

DEFENDANT Infonet Technology Corporation 1100-505 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF 672606 BC Ltd CLAIM $347,225 DEFENDANT Ironclad Developments Inc 26 Bastion Square, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF SLA Freight Inc CLAIM $134,451 DEFENDANT Island Community Mental Health 125 Skinner St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Gondor, Darian CLAIM $9,144 DEFENDANT Jasper Constructors Ltd PO Box 99 STN T, Calgary, AB PLAINTIFF Gallop, Stephen CLAIM $29,556 DEFENDANT Lowes Companies Canada 1959 Upper Water St, Halifax, NS PLAINTIFF Frayne, Erin CLAIM $15,661 DEFENDANT Mid Island Aggregate 2013 Ltd

602-732 Broughton St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF 1064799 Alberta Ltd CLAIM $130,012 DEFENDANT Park Forest Holdings Inc 402-707 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF SLA FREIGHT INC CLAIM $134,451 DEFENDANT Picture This Today 3D Inc 34 Carly Lane, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Kathirkamanathan, Naren CLAIM $18,216 DEFENDANT Quadra Management Ltd 200-1260 Shoppers Row, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Sysco Canada Inc CLAIM $12,208 DEFENDANT Remax Camosun 4440 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Formaggia, Laura Felisa CLAIM $35,156 DEFENDANT Rodgers Fishing Lodge 200-1260 Shoppers Row,

33 Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Sysco Canada Inc CLAIM $12,208 DEFENDANT Rolling Tides Construction Inc 1929 West Shawnigan Lake Rd, Shawnigan Lake, BC PLAINTIFF Sherwin Williams Canada Inc CLAIM $14,622 DEFENDANT Seabrook Developments Ltd 200-7169 West Saanich Rd, Brentwood Bay, BC PLAINTIFF Tidy Ground Services CLAIM $20,903 DEFENDANT Viking Marine Outdoor Ltd 7455 Island Hwy West, Bowser, BC PLAINTIFF Davis, Trevor Crombie CLAIM $20,950

34

NANAIMO

APRIL 2019

City Experiences Major Investment In The First Quarter Of 2019 The Construction Value Of First Quarter Building Permits Exceeds $130M

N

ANAIMO - The City of Nanaimo issued a number of significant permits in the first three months of 2019, with the total construction values (CV) for this period registering at just over $130M. In comparison, the total 2018 construction value was $216M and the previous tenyear annual average was $185M. The $130M construction value total includes approximately $70M residential, $56.6M commercial, and $3.1M industrial.

“The number of significant

building permits issued in the first quarter of 2019 represents a new high-water mark for the city, and is reflective of the significant pubic and private investments currently being made in our community,” says Dale Lindsay, Director of Community Development for the City of Nanaimo.

Significant permits issued in the first quarter include: • 1 0 0 G o r d o n S t r e e t – 9-storey, 172-unit hotel; $22M CV • 15 Front Street – 6-storey,

89-unit hotel; $9M CV • 2020 Estevan Road – 74unit affordable and market rental; $20.5M CV • 20 Prideaux Street - 57unit affordable seniors housing, $6M CV • 6544 Metral Drive – 32 rental units; $5.2M CV • 4900 Upla nds Dr ive – Dodd’s Furniture; $5M CV • 1965 Boxwood Road – Industrial; $2.1M CV • 1925 Boxwood Road – Industrial; $2M CV

• 440 Selby Street – 45-unit hotel; $2.8M CV • 6 97 3 I s l a n d H i g h w a y North - 49 rental units; $6M CV • 3425 Uplands Drive – 28 units of affordable housing; $5M CV • 1515 Dufferin Crescent – 5-storey medical office bu i ld i ng a nd pa rk ade; $12M CV These projects, and their cumulative construction value, confirm that growth and investment

in Nanaimo remains strong.

I n the fi rst qua rter of 2019, the City issued building permits for 365 new residential units, including 54 detached homes, 58 secondary suites, and 244 multiple dwelling units.

Permits issued for hotels at 100 Gordon Street, 15 Front Street, and 440 Selby Street will add more than 300 lodging units to the downtown core.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

APRIL 2019

35

Business Examiner Gold Event Sponsors

NORTH ISLAND Seven Hills Golf and Country Club has hired Jaegan Patron as its new golf pro. Seven Hills is in Port Hardy.

Pete Nelson-Smith has been permanently appointed to the role of chief administrative officer (CAO) for the Town of Port McNeill. Peter has over 17 years of experience in municipal governance and began his career with the Town of Port McNeill as harbour manager.

Applewood Ford celebrates its first anniversary of its ownership of the long-time dealership at 7150 Market Street in Port Hardy.

Scotiabank is closing down its Port Alice location at 1071 Marine Drive as of October 24th.

CAMPBELL RIVER Brenda Leigh has been elected chair of the Vancouver Island Regional Library. Brend a i s the director for the Strathcona Regional District a nd has 16 years of experience as a trustee.

Bill Howich Chrysler RV & Marine cong ratu lates Brant Peniuk, Justin Lynn and Norm

Potaski on being its top salespeople of the month. Bill Howich Chrysler is at 2777 North Island Highway while the RV & Marine dealership is at 1632 Coulter Road.

COMOX VALLEY Blinds and Bubbles Boutique is moving out of its Church Street, Comox location and is moving in with Home Hardware/Central Builders effective April 10. The company’s new address is 610 Anderton Avenue in Courtenay.

Long & McQuade Music is reopening in a new location which has 3,000 more square feet of space then its Cliffe Avenue space. The company will open at 960 England Avenue in the middle of this month.

North Island College (N IC) has signed a multilateral agreement that will expand its study abroad program for students.

T he college signed T he University Mobility in Asia and

the Pacific (UMAP) Multilateral Student Exchange Program, an agreement that streamlines the study abroad process for over 500 institutions. The program includes numerous studyabroad options ranging from semester-long exchanges and summer programs to short-term opportunities.

Mount Washington closes its winter operations for the season on April 6. Summer operations are expected to commence on June 29 with the opening of its downhill bike park. Ted’s Bar & Grill will be open during the off-season.

Wherever Business Takes You From start up to succession, across B.C. and beyond borders – MNP provides clear, straightforward business advice and a full suite of accounting, tax and consulting services to help you succeed.

Victoria | Duncan | Nanaimo | Courtenay | Campbell River

T he two-storey Travelodge motel at 2605 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay has been sold for $5.35-million. The Travelodge is a 91-room motel situated on a 2.28-acre lot and has an assessed value of $4.11-million.

Crown Isle Resort and Golf Com m u n it y h a s re b ra n d e d SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 36

Vancouver Island’s Office Outfitter® Office Supplies Business Machines Interiors

On monk.ca

Authorized Dealer

36

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

ARE YOU READY TO INCREASE YOUR PROFIT MARGINS?

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

We help general and trade

D. A . S c h a f f r i c k L a w Corporation has moved to 9 – 2225 Guthrie Road in Comox. The new space is located i n the Aspen Grove Plaza next to Quality Foods.

contractors across Vancouver Island, providing consulting services that give them effective strategies to boost the profitability of both their individual projects and overall business.

Call Mark Taylor P.Eng., G.S.C. Phone: 250.668.8050 www.mtcasl.com

Construction Advisory Services

Longlands Golf Course to The Park @ Crown Isle.

The company acquired the 18-hole, par-3 course on Anderton Road last year.

Crown Isle also celebrated the grand opening of the Atrium, a fine dining experience open from 5 to 11 pm, Wednesday to Saturday at 399 Clubhouse Drive in Courtenay.

The Comox Valley Multic u lt u r a l & I m m i g r a n t Support Society is moving into a space in the building at the corner of Sixth and England in downtown Courtenay. The volunteer organization which helps newcomers integrate into their new communities has been until now operating without an office.

Southwood Med ical Clinic welcomes Dr. Adewale B. Ganiyu to its team at 1700 – 2751 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay.

Phone 250 591 0360

w w w. ro b b i n s a n d co . c a

R E / M A X M i d-I s l a n d Realty welcomes Sonja Sutton and Gary Gray to their team at 4201 Johnston Road. Sonja was born and raised in the Valley and has over 13 years of experience selling real estate. Gary was also born and raised in the Alberni area and has been involved in real estate and private business for over 35 years.

Jill Gibson has opened Raven Wool A rt Studio and Store on Burde Street.

The shop offers classes, wool sales and supplies for knitters of all ages.

Dave Koszegi

Calais Spas celebrates its 25 th anniversary from April 2 nd to 6th at 10 – 2998 Kilpatrick Avenue.

The Dave Team, led by realtor Dave Koszegi, has received the Transaction Award Top Team for BC from RE/MAX Canada. The award is presented in recognition of the Dave Team selling 264 properties in 2018.

John Hope

The Roger Street Bistro in Port Alberni reopens for business April 8. The bistro is operated by North Island College Professional Cook Level 1 students, which has been training under the instruction of Chef Al Irving since January. The bistro is at 3699 Roger Street and will be open from 11:45 am to 1 pm from Monday through Thursday.

Joh n Hop e a nd Ma rie M c C o o ey h a v e m o v e d Royal LePage in the Comox Valley to a new office space at 121 – 750 Comox Road in Courtenay.

10 Esplanade, Nanaimo V9R 4Y7

Elizabeth Street.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

A C C O U N T I N G • TA X • E S TAT E S

Brandon Charlesworth BBA, CPA, CGA

APRIL 2019

Suzy Shier in the Smartcentre plaza is closing down permanently in May. The store will have been open for 11 months as of April and the closu re w i l l i mpact eig ht employees.

PORT ALBERNI C l a rk s to n e & D e a r i n Notary Corporation are celebrati ng 25 yea rs of serving the Valley at 4679

The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce is ramping up for its Community Excellence Awards on April 26. The awards will be held at the Italian Hall and will present this year’s recipients with awards in 18 different categories.

Dr. Donald A. Sander’s medical practice is now permanently closed, and all patient files have been forwarded to DOCUdavit Solutions.

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs announce the resignation of head coach and gen era l m a n a ger Matt Hughes effective March 21. Hughes resigned from his position from the club in a mutual agreement with

the club. A search for his replacement is underway and the club hopes to name a new head coach and general manager shortly.

T wo reta i l ca n nabis stores have been approved

by Port Alberni City Council. Alberni Cannabis on Redford Street and Platinum Cannabis on Johnston Road have both received positive recommendations from council. These recommendations will now be forwarded to the Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).

Port A lberni poet and former North Island Colle ge i n s t r u c to r D e re k Hanebury has been shortlisted for the 2019 Literary Writes contest. The contest is held by the Federation of British Columbia Writers. T h is is Ha nebury’s third shortlisting in the contest.

TOFINOUCLUELET Tofi no’s Crystal Cove Beach Resort h a s b een awa rded TripAdvisor’s best family destination designation. The travel review website recently released its 2019 Traveler’s Choice awards and Crystal Cove leads the list of the top 25 hotels for families in Canada. The resort placed second in the same category last year, behind only Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls.

Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network (CARE) announces that the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District approved its proposal to lease a small lot of land at the Tofino-Long Beach Airport for a regional animal shelter and care facility. This will be the first animal care facility for the West Coast. Plans are now underway to raise funds to build the facility.

After 37 years, Chef Richard Peter Norwood of Norwoods Restaurant has retired, with that taking place at the end of March.

Chef Nor wood opened his 32-seat restaurant on Peninsula Road in April 2009 and was at one point ranked the number one restaurant in Canada on TripAdvisor. Chef Warren Barr and General Manager Lily Verney-Downey will be stepping up to take over from the now retired chef.

SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 37

The Parksville Downtown Business Association has appointed its officers for 2019-20. They are: President Sandy Herle, Close to You Ladies Fashion and Lingerie; Vice-president Kristy Lotzien, Soak Essentials Marketplace; and Secretary-treasurer Nicole Thomas, RBC Royal Bank.

Other directors elected to the PDBA Board at its recent Annual General Meeting are Michelle Jones, Timberlake-Jones Engineering, and Carol Ormiston, Parksville Home Hardware. They join continuing director Helen Dyck, Marlin Travel. The Parksville Downtown Business Association administers Parksville’s downtown Busi ness I mprovement Area.

T he Vancouver Island Real Estate Board has presented Margo Hoffman its 2018 realtor of the year award. Margo is a realtor with Royal LePage Parksv i l le-Q u a l icu m Rea lty and was recognized for her professionalism, donating countless hours to organized real estate and dedication to community service. This year’s Care Award recipients were Kat Dwolinsky of Royal LePage Port Alberni – Pacific Rim Realty; Katerina Gamlin of Re/Max of Nanaimo; Susan Forrest of Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty; and Brittany Pickard-Brown of Re/ Max Ocean Pointe Realty Ladysmith.

Body works Fitness i s opening its third location in the heart of Qualicum Beach at 1-141 Fourth Avenue East. The new fitness center officially branded Bodyworks Fitness for Women Qualicum Beach is in a renovated and restored space that includes a range of workout equipment and training amenities.

Kaye Broens T he Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) has appointed a new executive for 2019. Nanaimo real estate agent Kaye Broens of eXp Realty has been na med as t he V I R E B’s president for 2019. Realtor Kevin Reid of the Comox Valley has been na med president-elect and Don McCl i nto ck of D u n c a n i s past-president. Mea nw h i l e, Kel ly O’D w yer, Blair Herbert, and Judy Gray have been appointed as board members, joining Erica Kavanaugh, Chris Quinn, Ray Francis and Ian Mackay.

Ivan Vazquez CFP, MBA joins the financial planning team at Irvine Financial at 4553 Uplands Drive.

Royal LePage Nanaimo R e a lt y a n n o u n c e s t h e addition of Teri Marshall to its royal service group as a member of the Marin Marketing Team. Royal LePage Nanaimo is at 4200 Island Highway.

Miracle Ear has rebranded and is now amplifon at Unit 8C – 3200 North Island Highway.

D

Pho Thi Vietnamese Cuisine celebrated its grand opening at 135 Nicol Street on March 2.

E

NANAIMO

R

D

-S

C

E

N

T

T he Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Awards will be held on April 11 at the Port Theatre.

Roman’s Restaurant and Lounge is now open for bu si ness at 70 Chu rch Street.

A

PARKSVILLEQUALICUM BEACH

its Nanaimo office at 503 Comox Road.

W

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

Family Ford announces t h at Sue Cha rbon neau i s back work i ng at t he company’s dealership in Parksville at 410 Island Highway East. Sue had previously worked at this location from 1989 to 2012 in the service department and returns from Vancouver where she ran a Ford Service department.

A

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

37

!

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

APRIL 2019

Ca r dea lersh ips f rom across the city have named their top salespeople of the month. Rob Willoughby is the top salesperson for Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln, Keith Pope for Nanaimo Toyota and Jag Mahil for Harris Mazda.

Schmooze Productions a rtistic producer Dean Chadwick is the recipient of the City of Nanaimo’s Honour in Culture award for 2019. Chadwick will be honoured at the City of Nanaimo’s Culture and Heritage Awards ceremony on April 18 th at the Port Theatre.

™

Geeks on the Beach WEB

DESIGN-ONLINE

MARKETING-SEO

778.432.2600 - GEEKSONTHEBEACH.CA

LADYSMITHCHEMAINUS Pharmasave Chemainus celebrated its 5th anniversary at 110B – 3055 Oak Street.

The Chemainus Health Care Auxiliary’s Thrift Shop is conver ti ng the deck of the former apartment building upstairs into 400-square-feet of office space. Renovations are expected to be completed about half-way through this month at the shop at 9867 Maple Street.

Macdonald Commercial’s team of outstanding professionals are here to assist you with all of your apartment real estate needs.

604.736.5611

COWICHAN VALLEY

At Macdonald Commercial we‘ve built our reputation by providing our clients with the very best in full service commercial real estate services PERFORMANCE, TRUST & PROVEN RESULTS - ALL UNDER ONE ROOF

Kim Johannsen Andrew McLane Sue Charbonneau

Pemberton Holmes welcomes Andrew McLane to

K im Johannsen of Johannsen Group Realty was presented with a Diamond SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 39

macdonaldcommercial.com

OPINION

38

APRIL 2019 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Vancouver Island Office 25 Cavan Street,Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 1.778.441.3373 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald SALES | John MacDonald – john@businessexaminer.ca, Josh Higgins – josh@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Val Lennox, Robert MacDonald WEBSITE | John MacDonald – john@businessexaminer.ca

MINIMUM WAGE HIKES HURT BUSINESS OWNERS AND LOW-INCOME EMPLOYEES

MARK MACDONALD

P

ol iticia ns, pa rticu la rly those on the left side of the spectrum, love to tantalize voters with promises of an increase in the minimum wage.

It’s obviously a winner at the ballot box, as those on the bottom end of the earning scale see a hike as not only something they want and need, and in many cases, believe they deserve. So they vote for the person who promises them more money.

Here’s the problem. It’s a mirage. The paycheque gains only make a difference for the first few months, until the market catches up.

I ate at a popular restaurant last week, which was packed with hungry customers. The server in front of me was, it turned out, the co-owner, and I asked her “How is business?”

Hers was an obvious answer – “great” – but a second later, added that she and her husband were going to have to raise prices

to keep up with the increase in the minimum wage.

They are already feeling it.

Their profits are down. Time to raise prices to recoup their losses.

And so it goes, again: a real life example of who pays for the minimum wage increase? Customers, as usual.

And if the customers don’t pay, then the employees do, as their hours are cut back.

In the United States, where the economy is in full gear with no end in sight, a Fox News article noted, “small business owners across the country are beginning to feel the pinch as more states move toward a $15 minimum wage.”

The piece continues: “It’s the ugly side to the highly touted wage hikes, economists say, add i n g t h at t he b u mps c a n u n leash a ‘pay rol l tsu na m i’ for smaller businesses already stretched thin from rising rents and soaring health care costs.

“For some of these businesses, the minimum wage hikes tip the balance between staying in business and going out of business,” Panos Mourdoukoutas, professor of economics at LIU Post in New York, wrote in Forbes.

The story goes on to give examples of a nearly 200 year old restaurant in Boston closing because the owners couldn’t keep up with hikes in wages and

health care premiums.

Investor’s Business Daily reports that 4,000 workers lost their jobs at full-service restaurants in the last three months of 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By the end of the year, there were fewer restaurant workers in New York than in November, 2016, the story stated.

Maryland became the sixth state to approve a gradual increase to $15 an hour, and the American Action Forum predicts the move “could cost the state 94,600 jobs.”

It is compelling, and chilling reading. This is where the rubber meets the road.

Here’s a better solution that will actually work: If people want more money and a wage hike, go back to school.

Get some training. Acquire more skills. Sell more. Do more.

Minimum wage jobs are minimum for a reason. They aren’t intended to be – and cannot be – family supporting incomes.

T hey are starting positions, filled in many cases by students or as secondary household incomes. In most cases, it’s not skilled work.

For those who eschew training to better themselves and thei r opportu n ities, they’re missing a tremendous chance to move forward. We’ve been told for two decades that a skill

shortage was coming, and it’s now in full bloom – and we’re still short. Companies are snapping up new trainees as soon as they graduate, and many times before then, as they clamour for skilled help to meet their contractual obligations.

North American society seems to have a built-in assumptive attitude that every business owner is “rich”. Nothing could be further from the truth despite the fervent lobbying of some educators and the mainstream media. 50 per cent of businesses fail to make it to their fifth year of operation. 85 per cent of restaurants fail.

I remem b er wel l when we started our company 15 years ago. We were greeted by congratulations from well meaning friends: Those who assumed we’d suddenly won the lottery and would live leisurely, happily, and rich, ever after. And those who knew better. . .because they were in business for themselves.

Successful business friends had a knowing look in their eye when they shook my hand, as in “welcome to the club”, and “now you’re on of us”. And in some cases, there was a little twinkle that I have since learned may have meant: “Now you’re really going to work hard.”

And we have. My wife, Lise, and I have never considered ourselves to be sluggards. But

little did we know what the new meaning of “hard work” was.

Not that it hasn’t been worth it, because it has. But there have def i n itely been t i mes when both of us technically worked for “minimum wage” as market cycles revolved.

The interviews I’ve done over many years revealed stories of how business owners managed to survive and thrive to keep their companies moving forward and profitable – for without profits, there is no business.

One of my favourites was a man who ran his hands through the bottom of his couch looking for spare change to help him meet payroll. Not the piggy bank – it was empty.

T hat’s what ca n happen i n the “real world” while owning a business. And if margins are tight already, and along comes a politician with a great idea to increase the wages of their voting supporters, what must an owner do? Raise prices, or cut costs, and unfortunately, that often means the hours of those who can least afford it.

The scariest words a business will ever hear are these: “We’re here from the government, and we’re here to help.” Their voter-friendly promises not only hurt owners and may permanently drive them out of business, but they also negatively affect those they intend to help.

SNC-LAVALIN REMINDS US THAT BIG GOVERNMENT INVITES BIG SCANDALS

THE FRASER INSTITUTE VINCENT GELOSO

T

he SNC-Lavalin scandal, which continues to domi nate head l i nes across Canada, has many moving parts.

It’s hard to disentangle everything so as to assign blame. But the situation provides an important lesson that seemingly many have forgot: big government invites big scandals.

Political power can be misused for personal gain. It can be wielded in ways that favour a party’s electoral prospects or personally enrich government officials. The greater the powers, the scale and the scope of governments, the greater the temptation to misuse power.

In that regard, there’s a rich economic and political literature that ties size and scope to corruption and political opportunism. Most of it relies on the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World index, which captures the two main mechanisms that allow for the misuse of power.

The first mechanism hinges on the fact that government restricts economic activity via regulation. When this happens, there’s an incentive for corrupt officials to ‘grease the wheels.’

The idea is that, because of regulations, firm owners will pay to speed up the process (permit

approvals, for example). The index can test the relationship between corruption and regulation. One paper, using a large international sample, found that some regulations tend to increase corruption – especially those related to restrictions on property rights. Other studies have confirmed this idea, noting corruption involving restrictions against importing foreign goods.

The second mechanism relies on government spending. Political actors can direct spending towards privileged parties that have corrupted them. For example, government contracts going to party friends or favoured firms. For this, there’s some empirical evidence.

However, scandals from this mechanism, unlike regulatory mechanisms, are found in electoral machinations. As governments can decide where to allocate spending and to whom,

political actors have an incentive to use that power in ways that favour their re-election (or even their personal wealth). Here, the economic history literature is rife with examples.

For example, during the Great Depression in the United States, the poorest states hit the hardest by the crisis received very little of the public spending meant to alleviate the crisis. These states, largely in the south, were already solidly in the column of states that would vote for the president’s re-election. As a result, dollars spent there would yield little electoral rewards. Most of the spending went to electorally important states. Another study, using the same historical episodes, noted that the same thing happened at the congressional level, whereby those with political clout were able to redirect spending their way.

Finally, there’s a recent Canadian example to corroborate

this point. When the last federal government enacted a stimulus package, a disproportionate share of the spending went to electoral districts crucial to the acquisition of a majority position in Parliament.

T his wide body of research suggests that if we want fewer scandals, we ought to find ways to scale back government to limit the temptation to indulge in scandalous behaviour.

If anything positive comes out of the SNC-Lavalin scandal, perhaps it will be a reminder of this important fact.

Vincent Geloso is a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and visiting professor of economics at Bates College who earned his PhD from the London School of Economics.

SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA. DISTRIBUTION: SECOND WEEK OF EACH MONTH VIA CANADA POST AD MAIL. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Produced and published in British Columbia. All contents copyright Business Examiner Vancouver Island, 2018. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

APRIL 2019

SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 39

Award and a 25 Years of Service Recognition Award from RE/MAX Western Canada at a recent ceremony. The Johannsen Group also made the list of Re/Max Western Canada Top 100 Teams for the first 2 months of 2019.

The BC Forest Discovery Centre celebrates the grand opening of its new exhibit “Forests Forever” on April 24th. The exhibit will feature new, immersive and interactive exhibits that illustrate the lifecycle of a tree from seeding to finished product.

The BC Forest Discovery Centre is at 2892 Drinkwater Road in Duncan.

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) appointed Laurie Stewart as GameSense advisor at Chances Cowichan. The role is designed to ensure players at Chances Cowichan have healthy-gaming habits and refer those facing challenges to the support resources they need. BCLC is the crown corporation responsible for commercial gaming in the province.

Community Futures Cowichan (CFC) has named Dana Thorne as its Volunteer of the Year for 2019.

Thorne is the associate director of housing for Cowichan Tribes and is a member of its board of directors.

Speaking of Cowichan Tribes, the Band is leading a partnership that plans to open the first legal cannabis shop in the Cowichan Valley on April 15th. The shop called Costa Canna will

MOVERS AND SHAKERS/SALES be located in the Duncan Mall. The shop is the first retail outlet opened by the partnership which hopes to expand across Vancouver Island and eventually into growing and distributing cannabis.

LONG-TERM SUCCESS = DISCIPLINED HIRING

Greg’s RV is celebrating its 20 th anniversary at 5267 Boal Road in Duncan.

Discovery Honda announces that Joe Graham and Trevor Sheck are its top stars of the month for March. The dealership is at 6466 Bell McKinnon Road.

Pemberton Holmes congratulates its top agents for 2018 from Duncan.

They are Ray Little, Dan Johnson, Grant Scholefield, Ken Neal, Jason Finlayson, Sarah Doyle, Catherine Hobbs, Helena Bowen, Renee Russell, Wendy Hitton, Shannon Norris and Melinda Banfield. The agency also saw Shannon Norris and Paul Gala named leading new agents for 2018.

Habitat for Humanity’s Cowichan Valley branch celebrates the 1st anniversary of its ReStore outlet on Government Street in downtown Duncan.

The Board of Education announced that Robyn Gray has been selected as the new Superintendent of Learning and CEO of the Cowichan Valley School District. Gray comes to the Valley from the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District, where she was assistant superintendent and director of instruction.

SALES JOHN GLENNON

T

he hot labor market is stressing hiring managers and their organizations like no other job cycle in the last 20 years. Despite the mounting pressure of filling an open role, organizations that remain true to their hiring standards will win in the long term. As tempting as it may be to cut corners and quickly fill a position, that short-term v iew w i l l on ly feed into your organization’s vulnerability to the cycle of turnover and poor productivity. Below are some tips in this tough labor environment which can increase the odds of long-term growth and success.

Proactively Source: Why are you waiting for candidates to come to you? T his passive approach only ensures that you’ll have a pool of candidates which are ... just “OK.”

Is your printer always running out of toner?

As an industry leader in office technology, Innov8 is always working to make your business more effective and efficient.

Our Managed Print Services allow you to: • Monitor and control your business printing, helping you save as much as 50% each year • Track your print usage and ship toner and ink so you never run out • Decrease your environmental footprint • Improve your document security.

Call us today for a free Office Assessment.

®

myinnov8.ca | 250.758.7373

39

Many of the most successful hiring/recruiting managers have a bench list of potential candidates that are sought out proactively. Getting creative in finding talent includes a variety of activities like secret shopping to see potential talent in action or actively participating in industry networking events to build a pool of potential candidates.

Standardize the Interview Process: Have a sta nd a rd interview format that can be used during the process which will help in comparing candidates more efficiently and accurately.

Back-up Plan: During the selection process, maintain relationships with secondand third-choice applicants.

Keep in communication with them on the position’s status and ensure they know exactly when they may hear back from you. This way, if your first choice turns you down, you’ll have other individuals who are options to make an offer.

Stay T r ue to You r Sta ndards: It’s imperative that you avoid the urge of cutting out a step or two to get to a quicker offer in hopes of filling an opening sooner. Eliminating crucial steps in the process like background checks or behavioral assessments creates voids

of valuable information which will only lead to mediocre productivity within the talent pool of your organization.

As the battle for talent continues to escalate, it’s the organization who is willing to work harder at finding talent that succeeds. Don’t simply accept your fate of being captive to a tight labor market by thinking, “This is the best we can get.” Great talent is out there, yet it rarely finds you on its own. It’s not time to simplify your process to accommodate the tight labor market. More so, it’s time to get agg ressive a nd rev iew your approach to talent acquisition which will help you determ i ne i f you a re positioned to win in this labor market. These organizations will increase their odds of success both in terms of winning the talent war now and building a highly successful business for years to come.

Copy r ig ht 2018 Sa nd ler Training and Insight Sales Consulting Inc. A ll rights reserved.

John Glennon is the owner of Insight Sales Consulting Inc, the authorized Sandler Training Licensee for the Interior of British Columbia.