Douglas Magazine - Oct/Nov 2020

SMALL BUSINESS ISSUE

OCT/NOV 2020

SPECIAL THIS ISSUE GU

HOSPITALITY’S SECRET WEAPON

EST EDITOR JILL DOUCET TE OF SYNERGY ENTERPRISES

Leadership and excellence when the sector needs it most THE STRUGGLE OF SUCCESS TOFINO AT A CROSSROADS GROWING RESILIENCY HOW THE PANDEMIC AFFECTS FOOD SECURITY EXPORTING THE ISLAND GETTING OUR PRODUCTS TO THE WORLD

PM41295544

Theresa Ito, founder of Blue Mountain Solutions

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BEDS: 3 BATHS: 3 2,479 SQ. FT.

BEDS: 3 BATHS: 5 2,937 SQ. FT.

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LAND ASSEMBLY OPPORTUNITY

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Your local experts.

Andy Stephenson

VICTORIA 250.380.3933

Andrew Maxwell

OAK BAY 250.592.1042

Beth Hayhurst

SALT SPRING 250.537.1778

Brad Maclaren

VANCOUVER 604.632.3300

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« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S

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Custom built 6 bedroom Cordova Bay family home on a large corner lot with lots of parking. A must see.

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« S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E S IN T RO DUC I N G

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES »

SOLD

«

INT RODUCI N G

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SOTHEBYSREALTY.CA

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OCT/NOV 2020

CONTENTS

26

FEATURES

20 Hospitality’s Secret Weapon

Guest Editor Jill Doucette connects with consultant Theresa Ito, principal of Blue Mountain Solutions, to discuss the toll of COVID on small business, helping others flourish, and taking anti-racism action beyond social media.

34

26 Growing Resiliency

The pandemic has shifted how we feed ourselves — how our food is produced, distributed, sold and consumed — and it affects everyone in the food community, from farmers and retailers to chefs and consumers.

BY CINDA CHAVICH

32 How Will Malls Survive?

How can shopping centres remain relevant in the new normal?

BY CARLA SORRELL

34 Tofino: The Struggle with Success

Tofino is at a crucial crossroads: how does it continue benefiting from its booming tourism industry while preserving the environment and nurturing a healthy, sustainable and livable community? BY ANDREW FINDLAY

44 Exporting the Island

DEPARTMENTS 8 FROM THE EDITOR

A note from guest editor Jill Doucette.

During the pandemic, the shop locally mantra of small business has taken on an even greater urgency. But what if your market isn’t local?

BY KEITH NORBURY

44

11 IN THE KNOW Saving B.C. beaches

and small business, kickstarting the Island ecomony, ethical period care, and new business innovation.

62 LAST PAGE

Portofino Bakery rises to the challenge.

INTEL (BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE) 56 MINDSET

COVID vs the female entrepreneur.

BY ERIN SKILLEN

57 ENTREPRENEUR

Going with your gut. BY JIM HAYHURST

60 NEXT LEVEL

Your brain on coaching. BY ALEX VAN TOL

50 VIEA 2020 A look at this year’s digital State of the Island Economic Summit.

6 DOUGLAS

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BELLE WHITE/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

A NOTE FROM THE GUEST EDITOR

Enriched Thinking™ for your family, business and future.

A team-based approach for a total wealth strategy that addresses the entirety of your life.

C.P. (Chuck) McNaughton, PFP Senior Wealth Advisor 250.654.3342 charles.mcnaughton@scotiawealth.com

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IT HAS BEEN AN HONOUR to be a part of Douglas’s Small Business Issue and be immersed in the incredible stories within our community that give us hope. Small businesses have had a wild ride this year, with intense bursts of change, adaptation and resilience.

What I’ve heard from many business owners is how incredible their teams have been through this crisis. I have been beyond impressed with my own team, who took these new challenges and turned crisis into positive change.

As I work in the environmental sector, many people have asked me “Will the pandemic put sustainability on the back burner?” I am pleased to report this has not been the case.

We have had an absolute roller-coaster year, but we did not leave our values behind as the foundations of our businesses shifted beneath our feet. In fact, we are seeing that more small businesses are coming back to their core values and why they started their businesses in the first place. We now know we can pivot quickly, and our teams are resilient, smart and adaptable to change. I wonder what more are we capable of?

We are seeing that At the beginning of COVID, I met with other members of the BC Small Business Roundtable and Michelle more small businesses Mungall, the honourable minister of jobs, economic are coming back to development and competitiveness, every two weeks. their core values and The statistics and stories of despair poured in like a tidal wave. It was intense, emotional and all-consuming as we why they started their shifted from a growth mindset to pure survival mode. businesses in the first Toward the late summer, there was a change; we started place. We now know hearing stories of bold transformation, quick policy changes, businesses rising to the challenge and doing we can pivot quickly, incredible things in their communities. and our teams are While the feeling of “doom and gloom” comes in resilient, smart and waves, I am inspired and hopeful for our future, not in spite of the pandemic, but because of what it has adaptable to change. taught us.

Take our regional food system for instance; being on an island, food security became a top concern as the unemployment rate rose and supply chains began to show broken links. Cinda Chavich’s story on local food sovereignty highlights the region’s action to reinvent and reconnect to our local food supply chain.

This issue is full of stories of small businesses who have risen to the challenge. Andrew Findlay’s article illustrates efforts in the Tofino community to strike a balance between ecological strains and a booming tourism industry. You’ll also find an article by Keith Norbury about how local businesses are making and exporting world-class products, ranging from hand-crafted boots, outdoor lighting systems, rowboats, air compressors and seaweed.

Small businesses are the bedrock of our community. Even with restraints, we are resilient. Let’s continue to show the love for small businesses and create a brighter future for decades to come.

Onward and upward.

®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. Scotia Capital Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. For more information visit www.scotiawealthmanagement.com. McNaughton Group is a personal trade name of C.P. (Chuck) McNaughton.

8 DOUGLAS

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Our Small Businesses Give Us Hope

2016-08-04 12:33 PM

— Jill Doucette

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www.douglasmagazine.com VOLUME 14 NUMBER 6

We believe the ultimate measure of our performance is our clients’ success. It has guided our approach for over 30 years.

PUBLISHERS Lise Gyorkos, Georgina Camilleri

MANAGING EDITOR Athena McKenzie GUEST EDITOR Jill Doucette DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Jeffrey Bosdet PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Kühtz DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Amanda Wilson

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jo-Ann Loro

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DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR Belle White ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Deana Brown, Cynthia Hanischuk, Gary Hollick

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cinda Chavich, Andrew Findlay, Jim Hayhurst, Danica Jeffery, Keith Norbury, Erin Skillen, Alex Van Tol CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jeffrey Bosdet, Jo-Ann Loro, Belle White

Ian Clark, CIM, CFP 250-405-2928 iandavidclark.com

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PROOFREADER Paula Marchese CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Getty Images p. 13, 58 GENERAL INQUIRIES info@douglasmagazine.com

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10 DOUGLAS

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

[IN THE KNOW]

As part of the Marine Debris Removal Initiative, Maple Leaf Adventures embarked on a six-week expedition to the Great Bear Rainforest, to remove between 75 and 100 tons of marine waste.

PHOTOS: SIMON AGER

SAVING BEACHES AND SMALL-SHIP TOURISM

BY DANICA JEFFERY Maple Leaf Adventures has been offering specialized small ship cruises highlighting the natural and cultural history of the Canadian and Alaskan coastal regions since 1986, aboard its fleet of restored classic sailing ships, tugboats and a steel-hulled expedition ship. This season COVID kept its ships on the shore.

The pandemic meant the company had to pivot its business focus in rough waters, shifting their fiscal goals and marketing efforts toward creative

collaboration within the industry.

“In the midst of cancelling our entire season, we developed a project, in collaboration with the Small Ship Tour Operators Association, The Wilderness Tourism Association and Coastal First Nations, to give back to the environment that sustains our work with a marine debris shoreline clean up in the Great Bear Rainforest,” says Maureen Gordon, co-owner of Maple Leaf Adventures. “The project reminded us how important it is for our crew

and people’s lives to have such meaningful work for the coast we love, that is the lifeblood of tourism and our business.”

As part of the Marine Debris Removal Initiative — a project funded by the provincial Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy — Maple Leaf Adventures embarked on a six-week expedition to the Great Bear Rainforest, to remove between 75 and 100 tons of marine waste. This initiative provided work for a 100-plus crew and guides on nine ships, from five

B.C. ecotourism companies.

“Being able to keep our crew and guides working is really important because it keeps these highly skilled people in the industry,” Gordon says. “As an ecotourism company, we’re always focussed on replenishing the environment that gives us our livelihood. This year that means the clean up but it also means taking care of our crew, so that they’re back this fall and back next year to share the coast’s natural wonders with our guests.”

DOUGLAS 11

ECONOMIC DASHBOARD Unemployment Rate August February

10.3% 3.2%

June

Hotel Occupancy Rate July July 2019

21% 35.78% 85.78%

Average BC Transit Weekly Ridership

MOVING THE NEEDLE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY

August 2020

43,175

August 2019

94,822

SOURCE: SIPP'S MONTHLY ECONOMIC RECOVERY DASHBOARD, SEPTEMBER 2020

S

‘‘

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

ome communities and sectors are starting to recover in our region, but we all need to rise together for a long-lasting, robust recovery,” says Emilie de Rosenroll, CEO of the South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP) and chair of the Rising Economy Taskforce. “Rising Economy Week is about bringing that vision together and moving forward with a strategic regional recovery plan."

The conference will kick off on November 16 with a declaration from the mayors of the Southern Vancouver Island municipalities and then feature a selection of virtual events designed to highlight the specific challenges of the regional economy. Along with keynote speakers and panelists on its virtual mainstage, Rising Economy Week will include live events on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, plus a selection of collaborative workshops on a range of topics critical to the

Pacific Northwest region.

Themes include: Recovery to Resilience, Workforce of Tomorrow, 2021 Megatrends, Building Back Better and the Next Economy.

A highlight of the conference will be the public release of the Rising Economy Taskforce Report. The taskforce was convened on April 16, 2020, to develop the region’s economic recovery strategy, and it released its preliminary The Rising Economy Taskforce’s preliminary Retail, Services and Restaurants Committee Committee Reports in August.

Report states that these sectors employ 40,000 people in the Greater Victoria region.

These initial reports featured The committee recommends all levels of government expand financial supports and regulatory reform to help these businesses remain solvent through 2021.

40 recommendations, and the final report will focus on results of 120-plus stakeholders ShopLocalYYJ and agrotourism; decisive actions. from multiple sectors coming helping businesses adapt by Emerging recommendations, together to confirm what is outlined in the Committee Reports creating a responsive regulatory environment; investing in needed to move forward on the include: expanding access to route to recovery,” says Craig financial support; infrastructure inclusion; and leveraging areas of opportunity and growth that can Norris, chair of SIPP. “The development and other resources resulting recommendations to help businesses stay solvent, be capitalized on by coordinating strategic responses across sectors. are inclusive, innovative and investing in the future workforce; expanding and promoting “The recommendations in the actionable over the next 18 months.” initiatives, such as Buy BC, Committee Reports represent the

[ SKILLS REVOLUTION ]

[ INDIGENOMICS ]

[ GREATER VICTORIA RISING ]

Keynote speaker John Stackhouse, Senior Vice President, Office of the CEO at RBC, presents Skills Revolution: Our Future Depends On It. Stackhouse interprets trends for RBC’s executive leadership team with insights on how these affect their clients and our society.

A recognized First Nation’s business leader and adviser, keynote speaker Carol Anne Hilton presents Indigenomics: Opportunities in the Indigenous Economy.

As CEO and Founder of The Indigenomics Institute, Hilton has led the establishment of a line of thought called #indigenomics — the building and strengthening of Indigenous economies.

Greater Victoria Rising: How Do We Position Ourselves to Leverage Our Strengths by keynote speaker Dr. Tim Moonen, Managing Director of The Business of Cities, looks at the long-term future of city regions and the urban strategies of global businesses.

12 DOUGLAS

JO-ANN LORO/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

THE RISING ECONOMY WEEK CONFERENCE WILL BRING TOGETHER LEADERS FROM BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND THE NON-PROFIT SECTORS TO STRATEGIZE WAYS TO ENERGIZE THE REGION’S ECONOMY.

LINDA BIGGS AND JAYESH VEKARIYA

BELLE WHITE/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

HOW THEY DID IT

BUSINESS IMPACT KEY STRATEGIES OF THE B.C. GOVERNMENT’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN

CHANGING PERIOD CARE

BY DANICA JEFFERY

MANY GLOBAL ‘FEM TECH’ GIANTS place an average mark up of 5000 per cent on feminine hygiene products that often take more than 300 years to break down in landfills. This poses both accessibility issues for those in need of period care products and creates an obvious long-term environmental impact. Victoria-based joni aims to change this — one sustainable sanitary product at a time — with its subscription-based service.

CHALLENGE What began as an MBA project for founder Jayesh Vekariya, joni has blossomed into a fullfledged business. Vekariya saw an opportunity to change how feminine products were made and distributed through the creation of more costeffective, sustainable options that would be less environmentally impactful. Together, he and cofounder Linda Biggs launched their line of ethical menstrual products in recognition of the fact that one out of three Canadians with periods under age 25 aren’t able to afford period products.

SOLUTION Their quest to dismantle product stigma helped create buzz leading up to its March 2020 launch; however, that momentum came to a screeching halt when the pandemic hit. The joni team scaled back, streamlining their focus on R&D, in order to expand the product line to meet an expanded customer demand for economically sustainable alternatives.

Biggs says that even during difficult times, it was important for joni “to provide all who menstruate with a sense of confidence and empowerment through safe and sustainable period-care products that suit their needs.” To date, the company has maintained their 1-for-1 promise to donate one product for every product purchased, with more than 40,000 joni products being distributed to communities and people in need across Canada.

1

Encouraging businesses to hire more workers by offering a 15 per cent tax credit on eligible new payroll.

2

Providing a temporary PST rebate on select machinery and equipment.

3

A new Small and Medium Sized Business Recovery Grant program. This grant includes an enhanced amount for tourism operators.

4

Deferring the scheduled increase to the carbon tax to April 1, 2021.

INNOVATE

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED THE NEXSTREAM TECH COMPETITION HAS ATTRACTED INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION IN ITS CALL FOR INNOVATIONS TO SOLVE SOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST CHALLENGES.

Quadra Island’s Wild Isle Ferments and Vancouver’s Portable Electric are the winners of the inaugural NexStream Tech Competition presented by the City of Campbell River’s Economic Development Department and the Campbell River Area Portable Electric Angel Group. Thirtyseven teams entered the competition, contending for prizes of up to $75,000 and receiving valuable mentorship and support to help them move their ideas and businesses forward to address challenges related to energy, wildlife monitoring and food security.

The NexStream Tech Competition is open to innovators from around the world. Each year the competition will feature a new set of challenges that are inspired by Campbell River and B.C.’s coastal regions but address the needs of communities and industries worldwide. Applications for the second NexStream Tech Competition will be accepted until the end of October.



TOP TOOLS

GUEST EDITOR’S PICKS

WHAT ON EARTH WITH LAURA LYNCH, ON CBC From regenerative farming to net-zero communities and the role of COVID-19 in shaping our climate future, this podcast unpacks some big picture issues and questions for the decade ahead.

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DOUGLAS 13

Turn a trusted relationship into intelligent investments.

CASE STUDY

THE POWER OF PLANTS

“Our genetically modified plants have been growing here in Victoria for over a year now, and we plan to scale production and distribution with Canadian companies. This is something that we as a company take great pride in.”

— ANDREW CRAWFORD, CTO, ORIGEN AIR

B.C.-based health-tech start-up Origen Air uses enhanced plant technology for their living-air purifiers.

With the smoky start to fall, it seems the perfect time for Origen Air to be working on its full-scale, smart, living air purification prototype called TRL 6.

“Our plants, genetically modified to clean toxins out of indoor air, are micro-propagated in collaboration with UVic’s biology department,” says Susan Blanchet, Origen Air’s CEO. “After considerable COVID-related delays, we are thrilled to be pushing forward with this project. It will run for the next

24 months at Origen Air’s head office and at the UVic campus.”

The company hopes to see its first commercial model, the Sentinel Purifier, to hit the market in Q3 of 2021.

“Our target market is smart air purification,” says CIO Ryan Lider. “This segment is made up of air purification technology companies, capable of real-time IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) measurement, purification and integration within a building management systems.”

A rendering of Origen Air’s Sentinel purifier.

Investing is about working together.

Your goals. Our solutions.

Jeff Cohen, BA, CFP, FCSI Wealth Advisor Tel: 250-361-2408 jeff.cohen@nbpcd.com

BMO Wealth Management is the brand name for a business group consisting of Bank of Montreal and certain of its affiliates, including BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., in providing wealth management products and services. ® “BMO (M-bar roundel symbol)” is a registered trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence. ® “Nesbitt Burns” is a registered trade-mark of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Montreal. If you are already a client of BMO Nesbitt Burns, please contact your Investment Advisor for more information.

Member - Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

Member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.

14 DOUGLAS

$ THE MONEY The project, in partnership with the University of Victoria, is funded by Mitacs, a national, not-forprofit research and training organization dedicated to advancing collaborations between industry, academia and government in Canada.

THE APP Origen purifiers will have a proprietary app, available on mobile or desktop devices, to display indoor air quality improvements.

THE MARKET Along with air purification companies, Origen’s targeted secondary market is the health and wellness industry, specifically focused on publicly traded companies and B-Corporations looking to improve their Environmental Social Governance ratings.

THE HEAD OFFICE The air purifiers will be made in Victoria, where Origen Air’s sister company Origen Clean, also has a distribution centre.

THERE’S AN EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE

REWARD YOURSELF WORK STYLE

BECOME A LEADER THAT MATTERS

How can you become a more caring and engaged leader? Dan Pontefract, founder and CEO of the Pontefract Group shares his key lessons in his latest book Lead. Care. Win.

BE RELATABLE

focus your leadership on the development and sustainability of relationships.

PLAY FOR MEANING

find the balance between your needs and wants and your aspiration to do great things, while remaining true to yourself.

STAY PRESENT

don’t depend on time management — manage your behaviour as it relates to time. Behaviour change is key.

REMAIN CURIOUS

commit yourself to being a lifelong learner.

DARE TO SHARE

offer up your information and wisdom.

DOUGLAS READS

EMBRACE CHANGE

easy to say, harder to do, but once you accept change is constant, you can use it as a leadership skill.

Now more than ever before, it’s time to get out and treat yourself, or someone you love, to some fun with a circuit gift certificate. All driving days are designed with one thing in mind, to ensure you have an experience of a lifetime.

From professional coaching to open lapping, the Circuit has something for every driver, every skill level and every occasion.

Visit us online and find the experience for you.

PEACE OF MIND WITH EVERY VISIT Increased Sanitization

On-Site Safety Procedures

COMMAND CLARITY

know where you are heading and when it should change, based on circumstances.

COMMIT TO BALANCE

operate from a position of inclusion, where ideas and opinions are welcomed from all.

CHAMPION OTHERS It’s time for leaders to be modest and humble. Start caring.

Be kind.

Learn more about these lessons and discover related exercises at leadcarewin.com

GUEST EDITOR’S PICK

DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS

by Kate Raworth Kate is a renegade economist with a practical and bold vision for how business, the environment and global society can thrive together. Her work inspires a new vision for our economic future.

— Jill Doucette

mag@islandmotorsportcircuit.com | 1-844-856-0122

DOUGLAS 15

ANDREW MAXWELL Victoria Real Estate Professional

DESIGN/BUILD

Buying or selling, I am dedicated to providing my clients with exceptional service, sound negotiating techniques and constant communication through the process.

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CRYOLOGISTICS DELIVERS SUSTAINABILITY TO THE COLD CHAIN SHIPPING INDUSTRY

Take advantage of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada’s comprehensive and well thought out approach to marketing real estate. Luxury isn’t about price point but about an experience.

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Call today to find out how Andrew can assist you with your real estate needs.

250.213.2104 amaxwell@sothebysrealty.ca ANDREW MAXW E LL.CA Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E

SOTHEBYSR EALT Y.CA

It’s been a busy year for Victoria-based CryoLogistics Refrigeration Technologies, who entered commercial production in October for their SnowSHIP units designed specifically for temperature-sensitive foods.

The unique technology behind SnowSHIP centres around a proprietary heat exchange device that controls carbon dioxide levels and self monitors, providing real time, on-the-road updates to customers, merchants and drivers.

It’s zero carbon footprint and reduced noise levels only make it that much more of an attractive option within the industry. Add to that, the units are completely customizable and can be integrated into existing food transport trucks, as well as other carriers.

CryoLogistics CEO Peter Evans sees a broader application for this clean-tech, cold-chain equipment as it extends to the needs of other industries, including medical, be that organ transport or even the mass shipment of vaccines — something this company may put to good use during these times.

Douglas Publisher named Business Person of the Year

THE FACE OF INNOVATION Anita Pawluk | CPA | RaceRocks Hire a CPA bccpa.ca

16 DOUGLAS

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Business Awards named Lise Gyorkos, cofounder of Page One Publishing, (which publishes Douglas, YAM and Spruce magazines) as Business Person of the Year during a televised ceremony on September 19.

“I am fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented people, including my business partner Georgina Camilleri and our outstanding team at Page One,” Gyorkos says. “I am extremely honoured to be receiving this award. A huge thank you to the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and congratulations to all the winners and finalists. Our goal at Page One has always been to support our community and we will continue to do so during these challenging times.”

IDEAS TO ACTION

THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

BY DANICA JEFFERY

Welcome to Victoria

Project Zero, an incubator run by the Synergy Foundation and supported

by Vancity, is an eight-month program for Vancouver Island entrepreneurs who are turning waste materials into new products.

Here’s what some of the 2020 cohort are working on: Salt Legacy Salt Legacy aims to repurpose retired sails in order to extend their legacy and storied adventures.

“I am very much in the beginning stages but have been making a lot of progress working toward creating a project that connects interests and passions for a greater good,” founder Meaghan McDonald says. “Sailing, the ocean, conservation and more sustainable alternatives are very important to me.”

Salt Legacy’s brand will feature custom products constructed from donated journeyed sails and other technical materials.

Basecamp Outdoor Repair Basecamp Outdoor Repair is a passion project for partners Alex Welsh-Piedrahita and Nicholas Courval who are working to breathe new life into well-loved, everyday outdoor gear. Considering the 30% carbon reduction that results when you upcycle your outdoor wear, they’re onto something.

The duo are focused on acquiring repair certifications from major outdoor brands in order to offer their gear repair services to the huge market they’ve identified on Vancouver Island and beyond.

“We want our customers to know we do quality work to keep their best equipment going strong and extend their enjoyment and memories at the same time.”

Polar Engineering Spearheaded by UVic engineering graduate Ian Welle, Polar Engineering brings components of Europeandesigned technology to create highefficiency heat-recovery systems, helping clients reduce their carbon footprint. Thus far, Polar Engineering has assisted in shrinking energy usage and operational costs by up to 40 per cent for its clients, curtailing greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent.

“Ultimately, our goal is to put fossil fuel companies out of business,” Welle says. “We want to help clients shift away from reliance on fossil fuels.”

So far, their clients include airports, recreation centres, hotels, hospitals and major developers.

Now, more than ever, our economy is a local one. Your diverse restaurants, boutique shops, services, and vibrant retail storefronts that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year are the very same local businesses our residents love.

Let the Business Hub be your first point of contact to support you through recovery with programs such as Build Back Victoria.

Connect with our Business Ambassador today!

Open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

250.361.0629 bizhub@victoria.ca victoria.ca/bizresources

DOUGLAS 17

It’s where smart business happens.

OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, LANGFORD HAS DEDICATED ITSELF TO REMARKABLE GROWTH. IT HAS FOSTERED LEADING-EDGE INVESTMENT, PROVIDED EXCITING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND OFFERED EVER-EXPANDING OPTIONS FOR INNOVATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

LANGFORD’S OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN (OCP) is both flexible and focused, enabling options for growth and development. Through its OCP, the City of Langford welcomes new ideas and fresh approaches with an eye to making the process easy and transparent. Every proposal is carefully reviewed and discussed. As the incredibly dynamic city it is, Langford likes to say “yes!”

“AS YOU INVEST YOUR HARD-EARNED RESOURCES INTO OUR COMMUNITY, WE TOO DEVOTE OUR INGENUITY AND FLEXIBILITY INTO CREATING A FRIENDLY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO LANGFORD.” — MAYOR STEWART YOUNG

Langford is conveniently just 14kms from Victoria, is close to multiple transportation hubs and provides easy access to Vancouver, Silicon Valley and more generally, Asian, US and national markets.

Technology businesses continue to seek out office space in Langford as they look to offer talent access to more affordable housing as well as endless recreational opportunities. Langford is a City surrounded by nature and is a draw for highly-valued new talent who are looking for more of a work/life balance. The lifestyle offers endless outdoor recreational opportunities including epic hiking trails, mountain biking and paddle boarding all within minutes of the office.

$80,331 M E D I A N AG E

38.3

M E D I A N S I N G L E FA M I LY H O M E

$594,700

WITH A POPULATION OF 45,000+, LANGFORD IS B.C.’S FASTEST-GROWING COMMUNITY. THE LANGFORD ADVANTAGE Without a doubt, Langford’s economic growth is unparalleled in the Capital Regional District. Over the years, it has attracted large, everpopular retail stores as well as a wide range of smaller, owner-operated stores and restaurants. These valued businesses provide a strong tax base for the City and diverse shopping and dining options for residents. Several of Langford’s restaurants have also been nationally recognized for excellence and innovation.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP!

Langford also enjoys a wide range of professional services, including doctors, dentists, physical therapists, lawyers, accountants, estheticians, hairdressers, massage therapists and others.

With so much to offer, Langford is the ideal place to work, live and raise a family. Whether you want to develop a piece of land, open or relocate a business, consider pursuing your dreams in Langford. We invite you into our thriving community and promise to do our best to provide you with the most current, complete and reliable information you need to turn that dream into a reality.

Increasingly, Langford attracts investors, business owners, and service providers who share Langford’s vision of a vibrant, sustainable, healthy and familyfriendly community for all to enjoy.

NEW COMMERCIAL OFFICE & RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES

Already home to the Westhills YMCA-YWCA of Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria Public Library Langford Heritage Branch, Victoria Conservatory of Music, Lakepoint One Condominiums, medical professionals and government offices, Lakepoint Village is a 30-acre commercial mixed-use (office, retail and residential) area within Westhills, poised for immediate growth.

Terminus at District 56 is a 5 storey, mass timber building designed to connect residents and businesses in the West Shore. With four storeys of dedicated professional office space over ground floor commercial space, Terminus presents buyers with a rare opportunity to lease or purchase new purpose-built office space in Downtown Langford. Flexible floor plans range from 680 to 15,175 sq.ft.

Keycorp is pleased to present the opportunity to pre-lease new warehouse space in the Glenshire Business Park. Tenants have the ability to work with landlord and architect to design and build out the space. Located in one of the Westshore’s newest business parks, tenants will benefit from flexible industrial zoning allowing a wide variety of uses.

Deborah Moore 250-999-9841 deb.moore@breakwaterrealty.ca westhillsbc.com/commercial

Matt Fraleigh 250-414-8440 matt.fraleigh@colliers.com district56.ca

Ross Marshall 250-386-0004 Ross.marshall@cbre.com cbre.com

TO OPEN A BUSINESS IN LANGFORD CONTACT: DONNA PETRIE, MANAGER OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

dpetrie@langford.ca 250.391.3403

Learn more at: langfordedc.ca

where it all happens.

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

IN CONVERSATION WITH THERESA ITO, FOUNDER OF BLUE MOUNTAIN SOLUTIONS

Hospitality’s Secret Weapon Guest Editor Jill Doucette connects with consultant Theresa Ito, founder of Blue Mountain Solutions, to discuss the toll of COVID on small businesses, helping others flourish, and taking anti-racism action beyond social media.

20 DOUGLAS

EDITED BY ATHENA MCKENZIE

PHOTO BY JEFFREY BOSDET

Guest editor Jill Doucette (left), founder and CEO of Synergy, with Theresa Ito, principal owner of Blue Mountain Solutions.

DOUGLAS 21

W

alking into the Inn at Laurel Point with Theresa Ito of Blue Mountain Solutions is a little like arriving with a beloved celebrity. From the clerks at the front desk and the maintenance crew cleaning out a display case in the lobby, to the staff in Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio, everyone offers exuberant waves and happy greetings — many of them taking the time for a quick chat. Ito might not be a household name, but she’s a force of nature in the hospitality world.

“I just had to come over and check out your shoes,” says one masked server to Ito, pointing to her stylish stilettos. “Not that I or anyone could ever fill them,” she adds with a laugh.

While few could wear the strappy high heels with as much grace as Ito, the server is not speaking literally. As a trusted advisor and coach for hospitality and tourism businesses — both local and around the world — Ito brings an expertise and calm competence that few can match.

Her company, Blue Mountain Solutions, boasts clients as varied as the five-star Esperanza Auberge Resort in Mexico, the private members Reform Club in London, and Destination Greater Victoria, The Parkside Hotel & Spa and Monk Office, here in Victoria.

“We provide leadership and team development, operational and culinary support and consultancy to the hospitality and tourism industry,” Ito says. “We love hospitality, and we want others to be successful at it. With our pooled experience, we know shortcuts that can really help people to get there. It’s exciting to share that.”

Before Ito started her consultancy firm, she spent decades in the hospitality industry, making her way from housekeeping in a London hotel to general manager of the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay, as well as other management positions. Twelve years ago, after a holiday to Vancouver Island, her family decided this was where they wanted to live.

“The majority of the reason I moved here was it was a better place to raise my children,” Ito says. “This is the environment I want them to be in, and it has not disappointed.”

Her early years in the City were spent as food and beverage manager at the Fairmont Empress.

Later, she was general manager at Swans Hotel. In between, she worked at the Inn at Laurel Point as director of rooms (her husband, Takashi Ito was executive chef at AURA Waterfront Restaurant until he joined Blue Mountain as Culinary Business Advisor this spring), but her latest role with the property was providing leadership training to their management staff.

Jill Doucette (JD): You have years of working in the hospitality industry. What are the big lessons you bring from this experience to your work at Blue Mountain?

Theresa Ito (TI): I’m passionate about people.

In my first 10 years of being in the industry, I focused on the guest experience — just wowing people and exceeding expectations. If I could do more than they expected, it would make my day. It was really about delighting the guests.

In the next 20, I realized how much I enjoyed developing others, connecting with them and watching them flourish. It becomes much more impactful because you’re helping others succeed — and then you’re just multiplying it. Helping people flourish and grow became my focus.

middle of this?” — that’s exactly when people need you. Often we shy away when someone’s going through something terrible. We don’t reach out because we tell ourselves all sorts of stories. As soon as I started calling and talking to people, I realized they needed my support, which I gave, complimentary to my clients.

JD: How did this evolve beyond your clients?

TI: I started free hospitality professional sessions, every week, to keep the connection going. It was offered to anybody in hospitality or tourism that wanted to be involved, because many people were laid off and felt they had lost their sense of purpose. There were 42 industry professionals that joined me on that journey for 12 weeks.

JD: What changes have you had to make with your work since COVID?

JD: What are you hearing from your clients now? What are their biggest challenges?

TI: In the beginning, the business just disappeared. Everything in the calendar just fell away, cancelled. For me, this was the time that leadership was most important. You can’t begin to do anything for anyone else before you look after yourself. I had to breathe, look after myself. Financially, we lost business, but our four children were well and close to us. Once I knew that, I needed to connect with my clients and my colleagues. Even though others would think “Why would you call someone in the

TI: From the line-staff level, it’s that the guests are unreasonably rude, unfortunately, and not following protocols. We are so used to giving hospitality service, looking after our guests’ needs, but in this situation and with the health and safety concerns, we have to draw the line, and we have to be able to communicate that.

Through training and coaching and giving them the right phrases to fall back on and tools to use, that’s really been helpful. We’re just not used to ever having to say no, but finding an alternative.

22 DOUGLAS

"That’s why they’ve come out — they want something great. This might be the first time they’ve eaten out in months. This matters more than most meals out. This is really important."

For leaders, it’s how to change their businesses to stay open, or in some instances be profitable. Those are the biggest challenges by far.

JD: Change is a real test of leadership.

TI: Yes, and it could change again next week. As we change phases, parameters change. We have to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable because it’s going to be like this for a while. If every change — and it will happen, not may happen — throws us into a tailspin, then not only are we not managing ourselves or our mental health, we’re certainly not leading our teams or our businesses clearly either. The sooner we realize this is how it’s going to be — lots of change — then we can do better.

JD: How must we change as leaders to navigate and address COVID? TI: Keep communicating with your team. And keep checking in with your team and your guests.

Being honest and open was always the best way, and never has it been more true than today.

It’s realizing that everybody’s going through this differently. As leaders, we need to be more empathetic and seek assistance, if we’re not sure.

We live in an incredible country, and never has that been more true — I can say my country because I became a Canadian citizen two years ago — and we have the assistance here.

JD: How have your clients impressed you through this?

TI: I’ve been so impressed. From the day we were allowed to go out to eat safely — day one, Takashi and I were out — we have seen so much positivity and creativity. This industry bounces back so well. For example, Chateau Victoria created a bar in their arrival driveway, and it’s fantastic. Prince of Whales made the most entertaining and fun protocol video, but without losing the important messages, and without downplaying what was important. Cristen DeCarolis of Prima Strada, one of my clients, switched over to take away with an app. That was my first takeout order since [COVID hit].

I think from the industry perspective, it was the BC Tourism Resiliency Network. It has been very rewarding to see that the smallest restaurants to larger hotels can access expert help, at no cost, when they need it.

JD: You recently trained others in delivering exceptional service through a mask. What does that look like?

TI: It’s really rephrasing the negative. Instead of saying “No stop, don’t go,” it’s “Please enter through these doors today.” Not mentioning the pandemic or COVID all the time. No one wants to hear that when they’re coming in for an elegant meal or even going out for fish and chips — we don’t need to be reminded by those words. Also using empathy with anxious guests, because as we step out of our bubble and into a new environment, we feel on edge. It’s realizing body language needs to change when you cover three-quarters of your face with a mask — encouraging gestures, greetings and postures. Being emotionally intelligent and empathetic to guests who might come across abrupt. A lot of them are frightened, and it’s important to give them a really positive experience.

JD: What other things are your clients asking for?

TI: I’m spending more time on bullying and harassment and on Black Lives Matter, because that’s what my clients are saying they want advice on. This diversity piece is huge, so let’s talk about it. I have a Jamaican father, English mother, Japanese husband.

We are so multicultural in our family. Let’s not be shy to talk about it.

JD: How do you approach this and direct them with that conversation?

TI: That they need to talk about it, and they need to listen. Often I’m asked by a senior leader, questions like “What do you think we should post on social media about this?” And I say, “Don’t worry about social media. Think about your company.” Social media is just a reflection of who you are.

So it’s not about constructing something.

What’s happening within the company?

Are people given fair opportunity? How do we look? When you look at our board of directors, who are you looking at? Is it a fair demographic of who’s out there? Are we just hiring people who are like us or are we hiring people that will make this team stronger because we’re diverse?

When I’m asked, “What should we do with Black Lives Matter? Do we donate?”

Well, that starts with your core values of your business. It’s about focusing on the areas that matter, whether they look pretty in a photo shoot or not. I think it’s about finding what the company wants to do, even if that’s just a line item that says, “Causes that matter to us,” and then voting on them as a team, but it needs to come from your team. ■

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DOUGLAS 23

Expect the Unexpected in Sidney by the Sea What makes Sidney so unique? It could be the incredibly beautiful environment with its stunning views across the Salish Sea, or it might be the clean, safe, walkable streets, or maybe it’s the many fun things to do in Sidney. Most likely it’s all of these, plus all the great shops, restaurants, cafés and professional services available.

A

“

ll together,” says Devon Bird, owner of the boutique clothing store, Moden, “it’s the full Sidney experience that makes locals and visitors return time and again to our bustling downtown. People leave happy!”

As a young, creative entrepreneur, Devon established Moden in Sidney because she felt it was the ideal place to start a new business.

“I looked around,” she says, “and saw many

thriving businesses that had been here for years, which meant they were successful. I wanted to be another Sidney success story!”

Since starting her business nearly two years ago, Devon has been impressed by many things, although two stand out: “I see customers from all over. Many locals come to shop regularly, and we have visitors from around the globe! I think people are truly looking for the total experience,” Devon

says. “They come to shop and then head for a coffee or lunch, maybe even a wander on the beach. There aren’t many places in the world where you can do all that without moving your car!”

Devon, along with other Sidney business owners, is also very impressed with the collaborative spirit that exists among the downtown business owners. “People help one another and regularly cross-market.

I love recommending Sidney’s great shoe, accessory or other clothing shops to customers. We’re all in this together, so why not enable customers to have the best possible experience? ” Devon’s not alone in her enthusiasm for Sidney’s inclusive and friendly business culture. Chris Straub, lawyer and partner of Henley and Straub agrees. “It’s all about the customer,” Chris says. “We make every effort to provide the best possible service, and, of course, sometimes that includes making a referral to one or more other fine businesses.

It’s an incredibly welcoming, responsive and helpful business environment.”

Murrae Wilson is another passionate Sidney business owner. She opened Le Petit Lapin, an eyelash and waxing boutique that features

other services and locally made jewellery, and has since gone on to launch a brand new beauty salon in the heart of downtown Sidney alongside business partner, Elyse Barkley. She agrees that Sidney is a “great” place to do business and is delighted to see so many other young entrepreneurs settling into Sidney.

Behind all these exceptional business ventures, the Sidney BIA and the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce creatively market, promote and support businesses in Sidney and on the Peninsula.

“We are so fortunate,” says Morgan Shaw, Executive Director of the Sidney BIA. “We have an extraordinary array of businesses and are always happy to assist others who may be interested to learn more about Sidney’s thriving business community.”

Left to right: Chris Straub, Henley & Straub LLP; Devon Bird, MODEN Boutique; Murrae Wilson, La Boutique; Abbey Lopez, Studio A Hair & Beauty Bar; Marc Bourdon, Gravity Insurance Brokers; Anna Savage, Cottons & Blues; Todd Wiebe, Salvador Davis & Co

To arrange a tour or learn more, contact Morgan at morgan@sidneybia.ca or check out sidneybia.ca.

SidneyBIA.ca

Tyler Browne covers greens at The Plot Market Garden.

The quarter-acre farm in Saanich grows seasonal root vegetables, artisan greens and summer vegetables.

26 DOUGLAS

GROWING RESILIENCE THE PANDEMIC EFFECT ON FOOD SECURITY ON VANCOUVER ISLAND How we feed ourselves — how our food is produced, distributed, sold and consumed — effects everyone in the food community, from farmers and retailers to chefs and consumers.

BY CINDA CHAVICH PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET

One positive thing about the current world pandemic is that it’s offered us time to rethink the issue of food sovereignty.

“The pandemic exposed some serious cracks in our supply chains, in particular the global supply chains,” says Linda Geggie, executive director of the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CRFAIR), a network of organizations devoted to local food security. “The COVID-19 outbreak created an unprecedented impact on sales of locallyproduced food in the Capital Region.”

“With 97 per cent of sales in the region being through direct sales from small mixed farms,” she adds, “the closure of restaurants and limits to local farm markets created a very difficult situation.”

But the pandemic also exposed the resiliency of small-scale food production. As the crisis evolved, the food community rallied, with new ideas and initiatives that make it easier to buy food produced and prepared close to home.

DOUGLAS 27

On the Farm The sudden uncertainty around markets and sales imposed by the pandemic meant farmers had to move fast, even as they prepared for the new growing season.

“It was really difficult to know what to plant, but in that moment, we decided to diversify,” says Emily Harris of The Plot Market Garden, an intensive quarter-acre farm in West Saanich.

Harris and partner Tyler Browne designed their business to supply city chefs with unique produce, but like many small farmers, they were suddenly caught with crops to harvest and

experiencing booms with up to 400 per cent of local sales. We also saw a burgeoning of interest in Victorians around cooking and growing their own food.”

It was a chance for consumers to see the Island food system in action and learn more about the local food supply chain.

Still, the region is far from food secure — less than 10 per cent of the food consumed in the CRD is produced here. The goal, set by CRFAIR’s Good Food Network, is to reach 25 per cent by 2025. The CRD’s 2018 Regional Growth Strategy also set a target of

Emily Harris of The Plot Market Garden harvests cherry tomatoes. This is the third season the small farm has provided fresh produce to local restaurants and CSA customers.

no restaurant orders. So they quickly shifted to retail sales, supplying local grocers and expanding their weekly box program with a new online market and delivery service.

Sales grew from 10 CSA boxes per week to 50, and Harris included products from other producers in her online store. Along with The Plot’s $30 weekly box of organic produce, customers could buy wild berries from forager Lance Staples, Old Soul Jam Co. salsas, mushrooms from Foragers Galley and Symphony Vineyard wines.

Savvy consumers were the winners, with new access to ingredients once destined for top tables. The Plot boosted their production to meet demand, even contemplating a greenhouse to extend the season.

It was the same situation across the region, with small farms proving they were nimble and creative in a crisis.

“Some farms reported losing 40 per cent of their sales in the first few months,” says Geggie.

“On the other hand, direct-to-customer box programs soared and farm gate markets were 28 DOUGLAS

5,000 additional hectares of land in food production by 2038.

With agricultural land prices increasing faster here than anywhere in B.C., up 25 per cent in two years, the costs facing new farmers can be daunting.

But by using bio-intensive, regenerative farming methods — with zero-till, 30-inch beds and hand tools, not tractors — Browne and Harris make the most of their small plot, proving it doesn’t require a lot of land to produce a lot of local food. Kale, greens, and baby vegetables are their staples, rather than potatoes and onions, crops that require a longer growing season.

“We do focus on quality and, very particularly, on tasty vegetables and crops with a quicker turnaround,” Harris says. “I do think Vancouver Island could support itself with food if more people took this approach. There’s so much room for local farming to grow.”

Field To Market CSA food boxes, farm stands and markets are all bustling, but beyond direct sales, there are other

innovative ways farmers are getting local food out to hungry consumers.

Both the Moss Street and Esquimalt farmer’s markets reorganized spaces to allow for social distancing, spreading their vendors across large outdoor areas. Both also now list their products online via localline.ca, allowing for pre-orders for pick up and delivery.

They’re following the precedent set in 2014 by the Cow-op, the non-profit virtual farm market connecting Cowichan Valley farmers directly with consumers using a pioneering online retail and distribution model.

More than 100 valley food producers — including farmers, cheese makers, bakers and others — list their wares on the cow-op.ca site.

Customers place their weekly orders online, and farmers deliver to the Cow-op’s food hub, where orders are packed for pick up and delivery in Duncan and Victoria.

Cow-op manager Derrick Pawlowski says sales “increased ten fold” when the pandemic hit, with volunteers springing into action to make sure orders were filled and delivered.

“It meant a complete change to our original system,” says Pawlowski, explaining that the Duncan warehouse was set up to process a maximum of 60 orders per week.

“In one week, 27 orders were typical, but, all of a sudden, it jumped to 68, then 160, and went to 240,” he says. “I think this is going to change the Cow-op forever.”

Another innovation that’s evolved as a result of COVID is the South Island FarmHub, a new farmer-driven produce distribution centre based in Victoria. An injection of capital via the Rapid Relief Fund helped fast track the hub.

“This was a solution where charities who wanted to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to those impacted by losing jobs or economic pressures would be granted Farmbucks to buy from local farmers who had lost their markets,” says Geggie. “Having the Good Food Network, Farmer2Farmer and the Food Share network in place allowed us to mobilize quickly, launching the SI FarmHub in less than 30 days, to distribute local produce to agencies serving the most vulnerable in our community.”

The FarmHub is now set up for both wholesale and retail customers and offers a weekly home delivery service of curated, seasonal food boxes from more than 20 CRD farms.

FarmHub promises to be a game changer for farmers, consumers, retailers and restaurants, another vital piece in the food security puzzle.

The Grocers Even as the pandemic caused food sales to spike for big box retailers like Walmart and Costco, Victorians filled their freezers and pantries with local food, supplied by local independent grocers.

DINING IN STYLE

“This warm, contemporary dining room invites you to enjoy nourishing meals with family and close friends in your “bubble.” Warm metals, soft wood and supple leather create a stylish mix of textures while the geometric light fixture illuminates a reflective glow throughout the room.”

— JANINE LANGE, LUXE DESIGNER

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The owners of the new Urban Grocer, at the Junction of Oak Bay Avenue and Fort Street, hoped to open by the end of September. The store will prioritize produce, feature a deli with in-house chef creations, and offer a full selection of everyday grocery items.

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30 DOUGLAS

Small retailers could pivot fast to serve both their communities and their suppliers, keeping the local supply chains intact by buying more food from Island farms and setting up shopping and delivery services.

Local grocers like Pepper’s Foods and The Root Cellar offered comfort in uncertain times — neighbourhood anchors where shoppers turned for a sense of safety and trust.

“Customer engagement has gone through the roof,” says Daisy Orser who owns The Root Cellar with her husband Adam Orser. “The amount of gratitude and endorsement we have received for our local focus and COVID-risk mitigation efforts has been astronomical these past few months and is a concrete indicator of our consumer’s awareness of the impact of where they’re spending their food dollars.”

Just as the pandemic has come in waves, so has the panic around food buying. In late March, as consumers stocked up, there was a 45 per cent surge in grocery sales, with canned goods, rice and pasta, baking supplies and flour flying off the shelves. That shopping frenzy has since stabilized but consumers are still buying more groceries, shifting their food dollars away from restaurants and cooking more at home.

Orser says The Root Cellar’s customer count was down by nearly 50 per cent at the beginning of the pandemic, while the average “ticket” rose by 46 per cent. By mid-summer those percentages dropped to 25 and 20 respectively, leaving the local grocer with a nearly steady balance sheet.

On the supply side, Orser says sales of local SunWing bunch carrots reached 1,871 in July,

compared with 326 a year earlier, and customers have bought 2,458 pounds of their beefsteak tomatoes (225 pounds in 2019). The Root Cellar has sold nearly 42,000 Island-grown English cucumbers, a three-fold jump.

It’s the same story in the meat department.

“We are buying six whole local lambs a week to break down in The Chop Shop, compared to one per week last year at this time,” Orser says. “Some of the increases will be because we have emphasized our local focus and made more available, in an effort to further support local growers. Some will be because local growers simply had more available, and some will be because consumers are being more conscientious of their choices.”

The Root Cellar also announced plans to open a second location in Cook Street Village, in the space currently occupied by Oxford Foods.

Though four large chain operators dominate Canada’s grocery business — including Loblaws, Metro, The Jim Pattison Group (Saveon-Foods, Quality Foods, Choices Markets) and Empire Co. (Sobeys, Safeway and Thrifty Foods) — the Retail Council of Canada says smaller grocery stores are gaining market share.

Statista.com reported Walmart was the most popular store in Canada for purchasing food and beverages in 2019, with Real Canadian Superstore and Costco not far behind, but 2020’s crisis may forever change buying habits.

Grocery trend watchers also point to growth of specialty grocers that offer curated selections that appeal to consumers’ aspirations. Victoria’s organic Lifestyle Markets and the package-free

Zero Waste Emporium are prime examples.

Two new independent grocers recently opened their doors, too.

Lorne Campbell, son of Thrifty Foods cofounder Alex Campbell, opened a city branch of The Old Farm Market in Oak Bay, after purchasing the longtime roadside produce market near Duncan in 2017.

Leigh Large, whose family founded the Island’s Country Grocer supermarket chain, is

behind Urban Grocer, a new upscale market at the junction of Fort Street and Oak Bay Avenue.

Set to open by the end of September, it promises a contemporary shopping experience, with sleek black shelving and white tiles, with a deli/coffee bar for take-out salads and sandwiches, and a fermentation station for local kombucha, to enjoy on the adjacent patio.

“We will be making a sincere effort to carry as much local product as we can, to support our local farms and vendors as we have always done, but especially during the pandemic,” says general manager Shawn Fahr.

Vegetables from small farms — including Salt Spring Island’s Duck Creek Farm, Haliburton Farm, Gobind Farms and The Plot Market Garden — will be featured.

“Whatever they can grow, I will buy,” says produce manager Mario Prudhomme.

A Sustainable System The topic of local food security is always top of mind here in the relatively isolated confines of Vancouver Island, and consumers will have a hand in how the future unfolds.

The Retail Council of Canada, which represents the largest Canadian grocery chains, acknowledges that ”sourcing locally and domestically has helped compensate for disrupted or delayed supply chains during the pandemic,” but also warns that “Canadians will have to pay more for local goods and have seasonal diets” without reliance on global supply chains. Companies will need to “find a balance between sourcing locally, domestically and globally,” but consumer choices can shape that balance.

Nearly half of those surveyed in a recent Angus Reid poll said they plan to cook at home more often, even post-pandemic.

Investing time in sourcing high quality, local food may be part of that shift.

“COVID created a huge opportunity to fast forward our personal growth in this area,” says Daisy Orser. “Whatever your values may be, they have been affected, and you are more aware of the impact you can have with your food dollars.”

She adds, “Knowing your farmer or your grocer has become more rewarding for many.

My personal hope is that it’s like a local strawberry, or a still warm garden-grown tomato, that once people realign their values around food sourcing, they won’t be able to go back.” ■

Disciplined Value Investing That Works COMPOUND ANNUAL RETURNS1 (Including reinvested dividends, as of August 15, 2020) Odlum Brown Model Portfolio S&P/TSX Total Return Index

1 YEAR

3 YEAR

5 YEAR

10 YEAR

20 YEAR

INCEPTION2

8.9% 6.6%

7.7% 6.3%

7.2% 6.2%

12.9% 6.8%

11.3% 4.7%

14.2% 8.1%

Except for YTD period. 2December 15, 1994. The Odlum Brown Model Portfolio is an all-equity portfolio that was established by the Odlum Brown Equity Research Department on December 15, 1994 with a hypothetical investment of$250,000. It showcases how we believe individual security recommendations may be used within the context of a client portfolio. The Model also provides a basis with which to measure the quality of our advice and the effectiveness of our disciplined investment strategy. Trades are made using the closing price on the day a change is announced. Performance figures do not include any allowance for fees. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

1

Successful investing is done by buying and holding high-quality businesses, particularly during times of market uncertainty. I invest alongside my clients in the very same businesses, focusing on companies that will continue to show long-term growth.

If you would like to discuss your investment strategy and whether it aligns with your life goals, please contact me today.

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DOUGLAS 31

How Will Malls Survive?

WHAT CAN SHOPPING CENTRES DO TO REMAIN RELEVANT IN THE NEW NORMAL?

BY CARLA SORRELL

Safety and convenience After two months, Victoria’s malls reopened under Phase Two of BC’s Restart Plan. To bring shoppers back safely they implemented one-way systems, sanitization stations and distancing measures. Mayfair — which never fully closed because of essential service tenants — invested in extra security patrollers, adding ambassadors to help customers adopt new routines.

Annual footfall In a recent report, The Future of the Mall, Deloitte Canada used research from senior executives, retailers and consumers across Canada to identify future trends for malls and retailers. While the report found foot traffic in Canada’s top 10 malls fell by 22 per cent between 2018 and 2019, Victoria bucked the trend with increased footfall in that same period — 24 per cent at Mayfair and 1 per cent at the Bay Centre. However, the national situation may have an impact locally. Many brands represented in Victoria’s malls have announced pullbacks to their store count, including DAVIDsTea, Le Château, ALDO Shoes, La Senza, Alia N TanJay.

Laura Poland, general manager of Mayfair Shopping Centre. “If you weren’t a building owner or retailer trying to figure out your part in the omnichannel experience already, then the pandemic left you working on it fast and furious to catch up … We’ve got click and collect, curbside pickup, and are looking at line management technology and parking apps.”

5

MAKE WAY FOR THE FOOD REVOLUTION Look to food and beverage venues to become the new anchor to the mall as a destination, filling vacancies left by retailers and appealing to the demand for local flavours.

Rethinking the role of the store The role of the store is changing. Large, flagship stores like those of Lululemon and Aritzia offer experiences including yoga, food and events.

“The Island is a smaller market so you’re not going to see the wow factor flagship stores here,” says Poland, “but we’ll see elements like improved or contactless checkout.”

Closing the loop in a customer’s digital engagement with the brand will mean many retailers will opt for smaller storefronts.

4 FOCUS ON SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE Carefully balance consumers’ desire for social interaction with their need for a safe, easy shopping experience.

The food revolution Deloitte predicts that the food and beverage sector will uptake space

Change from pre-pandemic habits to planned post-pandemic habits

RENDERINGS BY LIFANG PROVIDED BY WA ARCHITECTS LTD

When British Columbia declared a state of emergency on March 17, retailers assessed the risk, most opting to close as the province entered lockdown and consumers stayed home. This hit the sector hard, with the soaring success of e-commerce calling into question an oversaturation of stores.

EXTERIOR RENDERING OF THE UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT PLANS

Online

In Store

Embracing technology The pandemic exposed huge differences in retail vulnerability, with less digitally savvy companies left playing catch up.

“It has fast tracked everything,” says

WHAT INNOVATIONS WILL GET CONSUMERS TO THE MALL?

35%

CHOSE A GREAT ASSORTMENT OF FOOD AND RESTAURANTS

33%

CHOSE A SHOWCASE OF LOCAL MERCHANTS

30%

CHOSE GREEN SPACE, TREES AND PARKLAND

1

BECOME A NEW DESTINATION Create a multi-purpose environment that appeals to the consumer demand for one-stop shop destinations. This offer will see leisure activity combined with other services such as office, residential and cultural amenities.

5 KEY CHANGES 

2 EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY Use technology to enhance the brand experience, both in store and online, and to maximize efficiency and productivity of customer interaction.

3

RETHINK THE ROLE OF THE STORE Re-evaluate bricks-andmortar stores to enhance value for customers through exceptional customer support, in-store experiences, and services that compliment the digital offer.

previously leased to retailers. With Victoria’s already strong foodie culture, this seems a safe bet.

“We have 18 to 20 eateries right now, and that likely will grow,” says Darlene Hollstein, general manager of the Bay Centre. “It’s all about the experience, coming in and tasting local offerings.”

At the Bay Centre, with 30 to 40 per cent local offerings, Hollstein cites Purdys Chocolatier and Chai Fashions as examples that appeal to the growing trend for local or Canadian products with a sustainable, traceable origin story.

Becoming a new destination Malls already offer the increasingly desired convenience of a one-stop shop, but consumers are looking for much more. Uptown Shopping Centre is well positioned to cater to the post-pandemic needs of shoppers, with stores set around a flexible public green space with a fully pedestrianised central thoroughfare.

Kristy Lowes, general manager of Uptown, saw a need for retailers to access new spaces.

“Browns expanded their patio space onto the Uptown boulevard,”

she says. “Annex Raw added a location at Uptown to be able to facilitate more people in classes, given the current distancing restrictions.”

Redevelopment plans for University Heights at Shelbourne and McKenzie speak to a similar localisation of shopping through the combination of retail, residential and office space. Over the last three years, community consultations have resulted in the addition of a public park, larger daycare facilities, transportation improvements and a flexible public plaza.

What remains to be seen in the region is who will go that extra mile to create a destination beyond commercial needs, where leisure, health and entertainment play a part in a more holistic and essentially efficient experience.

The evolution of the mall was in the works long before COVID, which brought safety and convenience to the forefront. “At the end of the day the customer experience is the most important consideration,” says Hollstein.

“Those that excel will be the leaders in the future of retail.” ■ SOURCE: DELOITTE

FOOT TRAFFIC IN CANADA’S TOP-10 MALLS

2019 VS 2018

22%

FEB 2019 VS FEB 2020

42%

➞

26%

CHOSE A CENTRALIZED PRODUCT RETURN FOR ALL PURCHASES

➞

30%

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THE STRUGGLE

MELISSA RENWICK

Tofino is at a crucial crossroads, exploring how to continue benefiting from its booming tourism industry while preserving the environment and nurturing a healthy, sustainable and livable community. BY ANDREW FINDLAY

WITH SUCCESS DOUGLAS 35

“We really need to have a discussion around how to balance the many benefits of tourism with the need to preserve the environment and a healthy community.”

T

The World is Watching Despite its biosphere designation, fish farming in Clayoquot Sound (Cermaq Canada currently has 16 open-net pen farm operations and Creative Salmon Co. runs four operations) continues to be a thorn in Tofino’s crown. A study commissioned by Clayoquot Action in 2019 found that 90 per cent of Cermaq’s farms and 100 per cent of Creative Salmon’s farms were 36 DOUGLAS

CLAYOQUOT ACTION

An open-net pen salmon farm in Clayoquot Sound

Wild salmon stocks in the Sound are being pushed to the brink — Tranquil Creek supported between 1,000 and 3,000 chinook salmon in the 1970s but saw fewer than 60 chinooks returning to spawn in 2018. Past logging practices are partly to blame.

BONNY GLAMBECK

here’s a 12-car jam at the fourway intersection on Campbell Street next to the popular restaurant Wolf In The Fog. Nearby there’s an equally long human queue outside Rhino Coffee House, as tourists and locals await their morning espresso shot and maple-bacon donut fix. Welcome to postCOVID lockdown in Tofino. Dan Lewis sits outside the shoebox-sized headquarters of Clayoquot Action, the grassroots conservation society he formed with his partner Bonny Glambeck in 2013, after they closed Rainforest Kayak Adventures to dive full time into environmental activism.

“When COVID shut things down in the spring, people were like, ‘Wow, this is what Tofino used to be like,’” says Lewis, originally from Vancouver but who has spent more than the better part of four decades in Tofino as an entrepreneur and activist. “It’s really brought the question of overtourism to the forefront.

We really need to have a discussion around how to balance the many benefits of tourism with the need to preserve the environment and a healthy community.”

That is the eternal question in this town of 2000 full-time residents on the doorstep of Pacific Rim National Park and the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, comprised of Hesquiaht, Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht traditional territories. More than one million people visit the Pacific Rim annually, drawn by the surf, wildlife and rainforest. However, Tofino is as beautiful a place as it is fraught with tension between the economy and environment, between human endeavour and hubris. Housing availability and affordability has become a critical issue for employers and employees alike. The cost of living is high; Tofitians pay on average 12 per cent more for a bag of groceries than their neighbours in Port Alberni, a winding 90-minute drive east over rugged Sutton Pass on Highway 4.

infected by PRV (Piscine orthoreovirus), a virus believed to originate from the North Atlantic and linked with disease in fragile wild Pacific salmon stocks. In 2018 and 2019, fish farms in the Sound experienced a major outbreak of sea lice, further undermining the industry’s tenuous social license in the community. At the same time, wild salmon stocks in the Sound are being pushed to the brink — Tranquil Creek supported between 1000 and 3000 chinook salmon in the 1970s but saw fewer than 60 chinooks returning to spawn in 2018. Past logging practices are partly to blame.

In the early 1990s, protests against oldgrowth logging in Clayoquot Sound flared into a massive movement that became known as the War in the Woods. It brought global attention — and shame — to the Province of B.C. An unintended side effect of this global notoriety was that Tofino and Clayoquot Sound suddenly climbed onto the bucket list of millions of

travellers from around the world. Few people imagined what the area’s tourism would become. Today visitors spend $295 million every year in the local economy. The sector generates $57 million in municipal, provincial and federal taxes and $220 million in GDP. Tofino also punches above its weight as one of 14 B.C. communities with Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) status, a designation that gives its members access to $10.5 million in annual provincial funding to invest in tourism development and infrastructure. The community hosts roughly 300 visitors per capita, three times the average for RMI communities that include Whistler. But such a hefty tourism sector comes with a responsibility and cost; tourism entrepreneurs in Tofino are tasked with being stewards of the very ecological and cultural wonders upon which their businesses are built.

As Tofino’s beaches were being swamped with COVID lockdown escapees, the human impact

on this special place where the rainforest meets the Pacific surf was brought into sharp focus. The toll is visible – empty beer cans left on the beach, toilet paper discarded next to trails and illegal camping in parking lots. The disrespect rankles locals.

In 2019 the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust and the District of Tofino joined forces to host the Vital Conversation on Sustainable Tourism. It brought stakeholders together from the business, First Nations, non-profit and government sectors to talk tourism. It was a testy conversation that revealed growing angst about the impact of tourism, particularly regarding the demands for high-cost infrastructure, such as water, waste management and roads; residents’ sense of well- being and an overall concern about continued visitor growth at the expense of environmental integrity. The following comment from one of the participants sums up the sentiment: “Communicate the impacts to visitors, generate a sense of community, stop sugar-coating the reality for tourists.”

Rebecca Hurwitz, executive director of the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, knows the world is watching.

“Pre-COVID, we were working with community partners to attract visitors who share our values of sustainable development, biodiversity conservation and reconciliation,” Hurwitz says. “COVID has further amplified many of the risks and vulnerabilities we documented in the Vital Conversation.”

“It’s not about creating a local versus tourist conflict, but we need to ask some big questions about the kind of visitors we’re attracting, what we’re giving to them and what they’re contributing to the community.”

— JOSIE OSBORNE, TOFINO MAYOR

TOFINO RESORT + MARINA

into the towering cedars and Sitka spruce surrounding the hotel.

That faith was reinforced when the inn reopened in late June of this year. McDiarmid found to his surprise that with only modest marketing efforts in Vancouver, the void left by foreigners, who typically account for more than half of the Wick’s clientele, was being replaced by regional Canadian travellers.

As for the issue of overtourism, McDiarmid says it’s “real.”

“Tofino is in demand,” he says, but adds that hoteliers often shoulder unfair blame for crowding.

He points to the explosion of Airbnb, VRBO and other vacation rentals far exceeding the number of conventional hotel beds, limiting or pricing available housing stock beyond the reach of seasonal workers.

That’s why in 2017, Tofino’s council put homeowners on notice that it would start enforcing bylaws aimed at curtailing the number of illegal vacation rentals.

(The number of Airbnbs has dropped from 350 in 2016 to around 300 in 2018.) Still, affordability remains a challenge that requires the Wickaninnish to manage 85 beds of employee housing.

McDiarmid grew up in Tofino, which gave him “a natural appreciation for the environment. But I don’t lead with it. It’s just something we’re always working on,” McDiarmid says, about the Wick’s efforts to green up.

He uses a wellA Town in Demand worn but apt cliché to The War in the Woods describe these efforts, was raging when Charles calling it “a journey not McDiarmid cobbled together a destination,” that is a business plan to build always balanced with the Wickaninnish Inn on a guest expectations. stunning, windswept point And for Relais & at the north end of North Châteaux guests, those The community hosts roughly Chesterman Beach. His expectations can be physician father Howard, 300 visitors per capita, three times high. The details can a Socred MLA for Alberni the average for RMI communities that be mind-boggling and Clayoquot between 1966 and include Whistler. not necessarily sexy 1972, played a key role lobbying work. For example, there for the creation of Pacific Rim are the mundane things, like converting all fixtures National Park Reserve. He had bought the entire north to energy-efficient bulbs and creating a meticulously and south Chesterman waterfront when it was untamed organized recycling system. Then there are more old growth and dense salal. (He later subdivided it and sold lots for $2,500 apiece.) Charles helped clear the land inspiring initiatives, like the hotel’s Green Committee, with reps from every department who meet once for construction in 1995 and welcomed his first guests a month to share ideas about best environmental the following year. In 1997 the Wickaninnish acquired practices. And if a detail is overlooked, watchdogs coveted Relais & Châteaux branding. like Lewis and Glambeck at Clayoquot Action are Right from the beginning, McDiarmid aimed for an there to keep business owners honest. For example, in experience that would be luxurious while honouring 2019 these tenacious activists introduced Get Wild!, a the place and people of the Clayoquot region. Before program to encourage Tofino restaurateurs and vendors breaking ground, the hotel was designed in a way to source only wild salmon for their menus. So far 24 that minimized the number of trees that had to be local businesses have signed on, and Lewis has the removed. Beams salvaged from St. Ann’s Academy in Wickaninnish in his crosshairs.

Victoria were repurposed into window casings, trim and “If we get the Wick to sign that will be huge in furniture. terms of influence,” Lewis says about a campaign that “We had faith in Tofino as a destination, but it he hopes will turn up the pressure to have fish farms exceeded our wildest expectations,” McDiarmid tells me removed from Clayoquot Sound by 2025. on a day when a briny breeze is blowing off the Pacific

“When COVID shut things down in the spring, people were like, ‘Wow, this is what Tofino used to be like. It’s really brought the question of over-tourism to the forefront. We really need to have a discussion around how to balance the many benefits of tourism with the need to preserve the environment and a healthy community.”

— DAN LEWIS, CLAYOQUOT ACTION

DOUGLAS 37

“Fish are my passion. I grew up fishing in the Broughton Archipelago and eating salmon sandwiches,” Mitchell says. “I knew we would love it here, but I never knew how much.”

Tribal Parks Alliance

Through its tours, Ocean Outfitters aims to educate guests about the rich biodiversity of Clayoquot Sound, and the threats facing wildlife, habitat and indigenous culture in the area.

If the Wickaninnish is subtle about sustainability, at Ocean Outfitters in downtown Tofino it’s the raison d’être. When Dutchman Daan Delen (who declined an interview) bought the company several years ago, he completely reimagined its mission into a social enterprise of the next order. All profits from Ocean Outfitters’ wildlife viewing, kayak tours and fishing charters are now invested back into environmental education, community projects and conservation activism.

“Several years ago, as a company we started asking ourselves tough questions. How do we redefine what wildlife tourism means? How do we become a socially and ecologically conscious business?” explains Ocean Outfitters general manager Ocean Simone Shine, as guests sign waivers before embarking on a Meares Island tour. “We want to play an active role in restoring Clayoquot Sound, because we feel it’s our responsibility to ensure not only its survival but to restore its abundance. I think we reached that threshold, beyond balance, a while ago.

The more growth Tofino sees, the less quality it can offer, and the greater the impact on the environment and sustainability.”

In 2018 and 2019 Ocean Outfitters donated $640,000 to initiatives like the Tranquil Creek watershed restoration and the non-profit Cedar Coast Field Station.

Not far from Ocean Outfitters’ waterfront headquarters, ex-NHL’er Willie Mitchell chats with guests at Tofino Resort + Marina after a long day fishing albacore tuna 40 km offshore. In 2016 the Port McNeill-raised Mitchell partnered with fellow pro hockey player Dan Hamhuis and developer Andrew Purdey to purchase the aging, 63-room Marina West Resort. With the combination of extensive renovations and early growing pains with staff and management, Mitchell admits it’s been a steep learning curve for “a guy who chased rubber for a living.”

38 DOUGLAS

Prior to the pandemic shutdown, Mitchell was thrust into the managing partner role. In early July, he hired a new general manager as the resort grappled to adopt operating procedures in line with the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 guidelines, while at the same time struggling to find staff. (Mitchell blames the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program and perhaps a genuine fear among potential employees of working in frontline hospitality as COVID cases in B.C. surge toward a second wave.)

Despite these challenges, resort revenues have grown 28 per cent year over year for the past two fiscals. And as the business starts to stabilize, so too does Mitchell’s vision of what it means to be a business owner in Tofino.

He’s a newcomer in Tofino, still commuting between a Vancouver home, with his wife Meg and his three-year-old son Paxton, until they break ground on a prime two-acre lot on Rosie Bay. Anyone who knows Mitchell, knows he’s a fishing fanatic, but he’s had to reassess his relationship with the ocean.

He purposefully removed the weigh scale from the resort’s dock, hoping to move the needle from an ego-based, biggest-is-best sport fishing mentality to one that is more rooted in respect.

Mitchell also hosts an annual catch-andrelease fish derby to raise money for Fish for the Future, a partnership between the resort and the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust that directs funds towards watershed projects. So far, Mitchell says they have raised $70,000, with plans to grow the fund with a 1 percent flow through from annual revenues. And he’s no fan of fish farming.

CHRISTINA GAREAU

A Capital of Social Enterprise

Tofino is that kind of place. It gets into the soul. For the Tla-o-qui-aht, part of that soul is recognizing that every surfboard rented, cappuccino poured, and spoonful of dirt removed for a new build happens on unceded Indigenous territory with a history of occupation dating back more than 5,000 years.

The Tla-o-qui-aht are active players in the local economy. The nation owns a run-of-river hydroelectricity project that generates enough power for 2,000 homes, the Tin Wis Best Western, and TFN Seafoods. In 2014, the nation declared its entire territory a tribal park, the seeds of which were planted in 1984 when the Tla-o-qui-aht successfully challenged MacMillan Bloedel’s plans to log Meares Island. Through the Tribal Parks Alliance, the Tla-o-qui-aht have so far enlisted 37 businesses and organizations as allies, with the goal of having members charge a 1 per cent “ecosystem service fee” on all transactions to support a guardian program and ensure that the nation benefits from economic activities on tribal park land.

Surfrider Pacific Rim organizes a dedicated group of 40 volunteers for Flash Clean Friday beach clean ups, among other initiatives.

“We’re under-resourced right now,” says Tlao-qui-aht tribal administrator Saya Masso about the need to have guardians on the territory, and to be able to fund a salmon habitat, eel grass, a clamming bed and countless other restoration projects. “We don’t want the businesses to pay; we want their customers to pay.”

On an unusually grey wet and chilly August afternoon, some 300 people are bobbing in the Cox Bay swell, most of them on foam rental boards. Very few of them can surf, but

they’re out there just the same. Meanwhile, on Tuff City Radio, the local FM station, the host is talking with a longtime surf instructor about overcrowding and the pipedream of a locals-only surf beach. Those are the sorts of conversations that are being discussed in this town that has grown so dependent on tourism.

Third-term Tofino mayor Josie Osborne says the community made a conscious decision 30 years ago to shift away from resource extraction to tourism. Now Tofino is feeling the pressures that booming tourism brings to bear upon any rural community, like a high cost of living, expensive housing, crowds, a growing gap between haves and have-nots, and an increasing desire to face the uncomfortable question – how much tourism is too much tourism?

“We don’t want to be the Disneyland of the West Coast,” Osborne says. “It’s not about creating a local versus tourist conflict, but we need to ask some big questions about the kind of visitors we’re attracting, what we’re giving to them and what they’re contributing to the community.”

Going Above and Beyond The crush of COVID-19 lockdown escapees has only magnified these challenges. A few kilometres down the Pacific Rim Highway, away from the Cox Bay crowds, it’s a relatively tranquil scene at Tofino Botanical Gardens, the outdoor art gallery and garden that has been the passion project of founder George Patterson for the past 23 years. (The 10-acre property with a café and 12 bedroom eco-lodge was recently listed for $3.75 million.)

Lilly Woodbury, chapter manager for Surfrider Foundation Pacific Rim, strolls from her ground floor office in the eco-lodge across the gardens to Darwin’s Café. She was born in Tofino after the War in the Woods was over but moved to Ontario with her family as a kid. She says she always knew she’d come back, which she did first to work in hospitality before joining the staff at Friends of Clayoquot Sound, then stepping into her leadership role at Surfrider. It’s a busy office. Woodbury manages a dedicated group of 40 volunteers for Flash Clean Friday beach clean ups, among other initiatives. Surfrider spearheaded the Ban the Bags and Straws Suck campaigns to help businesses remove plastics from the waste stream, and she also works with 15 local businesses that have signed onto the Ocean Friendly Business campaign.

“It’s not in our mandate to determine a threshold for sustainable tourism, but the fact is businesses are profiting from the beauty of this place,” Woodbury says. “We need to go above and beyond.”

The challenge for Tofino is finding that balance when more and more people want a piece of this coastal paradise. ■

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DOUGLAS 39

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MAYFAIR OPTOMETRIC CLINIC Keeping your eyes happy

D L to R: Doctors Peddle, Taylor (in his off-duty Seahawks mask!) and Genereux — ready to look after your eyecare needs

r. Stephen Taylor, owner of Mayfair Optometric Clinic, has been serving the Greater Victoria area for over 30 years. Dr. Trevor Peddle has been with the clinic over 10 years, and they have recently welcomed Dr. Brad Genereux to the practice.

Eye infections, irritations and injuries don’t stop during a pandemic, so neither did our optometrists. All three doctors continued seeing patients during the “essential services” phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safety precautions in our clinic are keeping us and our clients safe, and we are now seeing patients for routine eye care, glasses and contact lenses, daily, 10:00am to 4:00pm, by appointment only.

3196 Douglas Street // mayfairoptometric.com // 250-361-4444 // Daily, 10am–4pm, by appointment only

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FEATURED BUSINESS

MAKING MORE POSSIBLE Where Drones and Cellular Technology Meet

True North, True Potential InDro Robotics is the leading Canadian expert in the innovative field of drone technology. Founded on Salt Spring Island, B.C., in 2014, InDro Robotics operates commercial drones, also known as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). In the wake of COVID-19, InDro Robotics extended its reach when urgent help was needed to get medical supplies to remote communities along B.C.’s rugged coastline. Working with Rogers award-winning network,

InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece (left), together with an InDro pilot and technician, prep a drone flight to Penelakut Island.

InDro Robotics is utilizing state-of-the-art technology and playing an important role in the fight against a global pandemic.

Previously, InDro could only use longrange radio for flying drones, which meant flying within a radio line of sight. Recently, by working with the Rogers for Business team and using their wireless technology, InDro Robotics became the first to pilot BVLOS (Beyond-Visual-Line-Of-Sight) flights. Says their CEO and Founder Philip Reece: “With Rogers network connectivity, our drones are now able to travel more efficiently with limited interruption, and are capable of executing more tasks such as imaging, flight navigation and task management. This will enable new levels of drone ability for essential services.”

Their drones can now safely fly wireless tower-to-tower, spreading over an incredibly vast area — an advancement that has truly proven valuable in addressing today’s digital divide.

1 2

Canadian Innovation Fuelled by Inter-Canadian Businesses Operating its drones on Rogers’ most reliable1 wireless network (combined with access to the latest drone technologies and, importantly, local regulatory permissions) means InDro Robotics is even better poised to address the needs of Canadians by keeping communities connected during natural disasters or other emergencies.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and travel was restricted, the Penelakut First Nations on Penelakut Island, located in the Southern Gulf Islands, faced the challenge of dwindling medical supplies.

“Being an island community, the Penelakut Nation has traditionally relied on boat transport for access to essential services and supplies,” says Faren Charlie, Health Director for Penelakut Nations. “The InDro Robotics project presents new possibilities to serve our people faster, which will be life-saving in the face of a pandemic.”

Working closely with First Nations Health Authority and Vancouver Island Health Authority, InDro Robotics and Rogers developed a solution to use drones to transport Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), defibrillators and other medical supplies to Penelakut Island. The program is also offering training to members of Penelakut First Nation to learn the mechanics of flying and eventually become certified and employable as advanced drone pilots.

5G Forward Thinking Rogers was the first to make 5G available in Canada, launching the country’s largest 5G network2. They have developed strategic partners to commercialize madein-Canada 5G technology and applications and are ready to push the boundaries of what a 5G network can bring to life. In partnership with the University of British Columbia, Rogers is working to bring 5G technology to InDro Robotics drones — which would mean allowing the drones to eventually transmit real time footage in high definition.

Most reliable based on umlaut performance benchmark audit of Canadian mobile networks, June 2020.

Largest based on total square kilometers of Rogers 5G coverage compared to published coverage of other national networks.

“Investment in leading-edge, resilient wireless solutions is essential to better serving rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Strong digital infrastructure and this nextgeneration technology are critical to fuel productivity and innovation, and our work with InDro Robotics is a testament to that.”

Rick Sellers, Rogers Communications, B.C. Region President

As 5G technology continues to roll out across Canada, we will see innovations beyond drones, including autonomous vehicles, telesurgery, smart cities and more.

“Investment in leading-edge, resilient wireless solutions is essential to better serving rural, remote and Indigenous communities,” says Rogers Communications B.C. Region President Rick Sellers. “Strong digital infrastructure and this next-generation technology are critical to fuel productivity and innovation and our work with InDro Robotics is a testament to that.”

Learn more about Rogers for Business: rogers.com/business | 778-938-4544 media@rci.rogers.com

FEATURED BUSINESS

THE DIGITAL IMPERATIVE Helping the Island Economy

I

n response to the economic impact of COVID-19, the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC) and the Innovation Island Technology Association (IITA) have joined forces to help small- to medium-sized businesses enter or expand in the digital economy.

Working in partnership with Innovate BC on a regionally focused initiative called the Digital Economy Rapid Response + Resiliency (DER3) Program, VIATEC and IITA will be taking their decades-long expertise in the tech sector and applying it to businesses in need who are navigating technology adoption or business recovery and enhancement.

Developed and launched this past April by Innovation Island, with support from the Island Coastal Economic Trust and Western Economic Diversification Canada, IITA has been working with over 200 businesses on everything from simply getting online, to assisting with advanced application development.

“One of the most powerful aspects of this program is that VIATEC and IITA can tap the hundreds of tech-based companies that we work with to help solve main-street business challenges that simply weren’t as acute before the COVID crisis. This, plus a strong network of subject matter experts, covering all sorts of skills and digital services, is our secret sauce to GSD (getting stuff done),” says Graham Truax, Executive Director, Innovation Island.

“One of the most powerful aspects of this program is that VIATEC and IITA can tap the hundreds of tech-based companies that we work with to help solve main-street business challenges that simply weren’t as acute before the COVID crisis.”

DER3 is a no-cost, no-obligation program that works one-to-one (confidentially) with business owners on their unique needs and circumstances, recognizing that while COVID affects all of us, the impacts are different.

While the program does not provide direct funding, it’s advisory services and network effects have proven successful in helping businesses to transition in the recovery phase(s) and/or to make small — and sometimes large — pivots in their business models.

DER3 also provides VIATEC and IITA an opportunity to work with the other organizations focused on our local smalland medium-sized businesses, such as Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development groups, municipalities, downtown business associations, merchant groups, Rotary, Community Futures, BDC, industry organizations, etc.

This streamlined single-minded approach

To learn more, or to register for the program, visit viatec.ca | innovationisland.ca

to assisting business owners is focused on creating a quick, tangible impact for those who are committed to seeking and implementing advice from experienced professionals.

“With our local tech sector quickly adapting to the challenges of COVID-19, it just makes sense for us to offer the advisors, models and tools to the rest of our economy with the aim of helping main street businesses survive and thrive during the crisis and beyond,” says Dan Gunn, CEO of VIATEC. Part of DER3’s unique approach stems from its deep understanding of digital ecosystems. The program advisors work with businesses to understand respective digital starting points; this, along with a hefty dose of humanity and empathy, allows the program to weave together both “technology” and critical human elements to problem solving!

Exporting the Island During the COVID-19 pandemic, the shop locally mantra of small business has taken on an even greater urgency.

But what if your market isn’t local?

BY KEITH NORBURY

PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET

Many Vancouver Island small- and mediumsized businesses export the bulk of their products. Those businesses are a diverse lot, selling exquisite rowboats, handcrafted work boots, compressors for work trucks, control systems for trains, solar-powered outdoor lighting systems, and seaweed.

About 80 per cent of Viberg Boot’s sales are outside the country, mostly to the U.S., says company president Brett Viberg, the third generation of Vibergs to lead the company.

Established by his grandfather in Saskatchewan in the 1930s, Viberg Boot has been a fixture in Greater Victoria since 1970.

It now produces about 10,000 boots annually at its facility on Boleskine Road in Saanich.

“It’s slow manufacturing. It’s made the traditional way,” Viberg says of the boots, which retail for $800 to $1,800. “Most companies would produce our yearly output in less than a week.”

Last year, before the pandemic struck, the company had more than 50 employees and was poised for growth. Viberg planned to import four skilled workers from overseas, which would have resulted in hiring 10 Canadians to complement their skills.

While COVID-19 has had an impact on the business, it’s hard to quantify because of seasonal fluctuations.

“We’re over capacity with orders. And we’re way behind schedule,” Viberg says.

Viberg is nevertheless looking to expand its market in locales like Japan, where a decade ago the company exploited a demand among fashionistas for stylized 44 DOUGLAS

work boots. While that trend has run its course, Viberg is working with an agent in Japan to take advantage of reduced duties on footwear made possible by the TransPacific Partnership trade deal.

A similar trade deal between Canada and the European Union should also create greater opportunities. Nevertheless, exporting presents daunting challenges for a small business.

“To take advantage of all these new trade agreements, there’s a lot of homework that has to be done,” Viberg says.

That includes using the correct HS code — the international product identifier — when doing the paperwork. “Because the last thing you want to do is ship it to a customer, and they get charged $1,000 duty.”

Seeing New Light It’s no wonder then that Victoria’s First Light Technologies, which makes solar-powered outdoor lighting systems, has put zero effort into Asian and European markets.

“It’s really tough when you have the world’s largest economy as our neighbour,” says Sean Bourquin, First Light’s president and chief executive officer. “We’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible for us in the markets we already participate in.”

About 90 per cent of the company’s sales are to the U.S. Its products illuminate such iconic sites as the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Whitehall Rowing & Sail makes its handcrafted Classic rowboats in a 6,000-square-foot facility on Dallas Road. The company exports 65 per cent of its products.

DOUGLAS 45

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Viberg produces about 10,000 boots annually at its facility on Boleskine Road in Saanich. About 80 per cent of Viberg Boot’s sales are outside the country.

“Nobody knows who we are in this town,” Bourquin says. “Nobody knows who we are anywhere. But our customers know.”

The company designs and assembles its systems at a 7,000-square-foot facility on Tennyson Avenue in Saanich. Metal castings, circuit boards and other components are built elsewhere, although First Light strives to source locally whenever possible.

Eleven years ago, in its first partial year of operation, First Light generated just $42,000 in sales. Its annual sales are now around $5 million.

It accomplishes that with 23 employees. Not even the pandemic is slowing its organic growth.

“The bad things that really could have happened didn’t manifest themselves yet for us,” Bourquin says.

He credits his company’s success to mentoring he received as “an impressionable” University of Victoria engineering co-op student, working at Carmanah Technologies under its founder David Green. Green subsequently became an angel investor in First Light and is still an owner and advisor.

“We’ve got the skills and experience where we can go and design things that can outdo what the world’s best can do. That’s a cool skill set to have developed here in Victoria,” Bourquin says.

Rowboats by Pony Express At about 6,000 square feet, Whitehall Rowing & Sail’s building on Victoria’s Dallas Road is also a modest size. Yet it too exports most of its products — about 65 per cent.

About half of those exports go to the U.S. 46 DOUGLAS

But Australia, New Zealand, South America and Europe are also destinations, says Marie Hutchinson, who co-owns Whitehall with her life partner Harold Aune.

Whitehall’s signature exports are its hand-crafted Classic Whitehall Spirit rowboats. Made in Victoria, they fetch as much as $50,000 each. The company, in business since 1987, only sells 20 to 30 of its Classics a year, though.

“There’s a lot of detailing in them.

So they take a long time to build,” Hutchinson says.

Of late, its bigger seller is the trademarked Oar Board, which turns a paddle board into a row- boat. The Oar Boards and Whitehall’s copolymer boats are designed by Aune in Victoria but manufactured elsewhere.

The Oar Boards are now sold in more than 66 countries, Aune says.

The internet has enabled that but so has a passionate crew that includes former Olympic rower Adam Kreek on the marketing side.

“We realized that you cannot send something halfway around the planet and have it break or be defective. It has to be perfect,” Aune says.

“So that means it has to be packaged correctly.”

Since the Oar Boards travel by courier, they have to fit in boxes that weigh less than 50 pounds, for example. The Classic rowboats have to be crated for overseas shipping.

“And in North America we use our own delivery system, which we call the Pony Express,” Aune says.

That system consists of a Ford F-150 truck that tows a trailer carrying up to 10 boats. The truck even has a small sleeper unit for the driver, Wilf Lewis, who will log around 8,000 miles on a trip.

“In fact, it’s so busy this year, the driver’s doing back-to-back deliveries,” says Aune, who estimates monthly sales at about half a million dollars.

Hutchinson says that business has doubled during the pandemic, which she attributes to people having more free time and desire to keep fit.

“You can’t beat rowing for staying healthy,” she says.

For customs brokerage, Whitehall uses FedEx Trade Networks, which brokers an entire shipment as a single unit.

“It’s trickier than it seems,” Aune says. “We have to do everything that a major corporation does except it’s all miniaturized.”

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business during the last decade to the point where two-thirds of its products are shipped outside of Canada.

“The majority is to the U.S.,” says company president Tod Gilbert. “But last year we shipped to 13 different countries in total.”

VMAC — which stands for vehicle mounted air compressor — primarily manufactures equipment for work trucks, although it also has a division that supports other equipment makers. “And then those companies also export outside of North America,” Gilbert says.

VMAC’s products sell from about $5,000 to $20,000. The local market for those products seems small. But then Gilbert puts that in perspective.

“A lot of our competitors are sourcing components overseas,” Gilbert says. “Even though our products are manufactured on Vancouver Island, it’s still a lot more local to the central U.S. than, say, China or Mexico or Europe.”

The pandemic slowed VMAC’s business largely because North American truck and auto plants shut down during the spring, squeezing the supply of chassis for work truck upfitters.

“Obviously that has an impact when we’re supplying parts for vehicles,” Gilbert says.

VMAC avoided any layoffs of its 130 workers during the pandemic, although it did arrange for a lot of work to be done at home — including a little bit of assembly. “So I can say with certainty, when the rebound happens, we’ll be stronger than we were going in,” Gilbert says.

Seaweed to Go Cascadia Seaweed, one of Douglas magazine’s 2020 Ten to Watch winners, is a small company just gearing up its export business. It plans to launch a line of packaged seafood products for distribution in Western Canada and along the Interstate 5 corridor in Washington, Oregon and 48 DOUGLAS

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VMAC Global Technology, based in Nanaimo, exports two-thirds of its air compressors outside of Canada, with the majority going to the U.S.

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California, says chairman Bill Collins.

Headquartered in Sidney, Cascadia grows its seaweed in Barkley Sound and processes it at the new food hub in Port Alberni. Cascadia has nine employees and was planning to add three more as this went to press.

Seaweed is quite a different market from the products of Central Saanich-based Quester Tangent, of which Collins is still board chairman and part-owner. A manufacturer of control systems for trains, radio communications, passenger signage and other electronics, Quester Tangent exports about 90 percent of its products.

That company employs close to 100 people, with some downsizing having occurred during the pandemic. But like so many exporters, the company was designated an essential service, says Collins, who is no longer involved in Quester Tangent’s day-to-day operations.

Collins brought his expert experience to the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA).

“My remit was to develop business cases for Vancouver Island where we have a competitive advantage globally,” he says.

Through VIEA Collins is on the advisory board of Foreign Trade Zone–Vancouver Island, which the federal government established in September 2018 to foster, among other things, the Island’s exports.

“We have world class products here,” he says. “And we’re in a very, very good geographic location — a gateway location.

By getting the support of the feds in the designation, as a foreign trade zone, we are able to focus attention on companies that can excel in an export market, and we have a lot of them … Our goal is to raise awareness to attract foreign direct investment because there’s so many competitive advantages to being on the Island.” ■

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14th Annual ‘State of the Island’ Economic Summit OCTOBER 27, 28 & 29, 2020 To register for the conference go to viea.ca

BY GEORGE HANSON, PRESIDENT, VANCOUVER ISLAND ECONOMIC ALLIANCE

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

CREATING LASTING CHANGE I am no fan of boxing but 2020 has felt like a steady stream of blows taken from an opponent we didn’t see come into the ring. It reminds me of what former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson once said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” While we may have shaken off the initial shock and steadied our wobbly legs, whatever plans we had in March — before we got hit — were meaningless by April.

The world has been left bobbing and weaving, pivoting and adjusting to our changed circumstances. Here in B.C., and across Canada, a degree of stability was quickly established by both the federal and provincial government’s effective responses to the pandemic.

This is not to diminish the impact on our lives of these last seven months — the effects of COVID-19 are much more harsh for some people and business sectors than others.

I noted on Canada Day this year that

I have never been prouder or happier to be Canadian; and live on Vancouver Island. Living on the Island, have you ever noticed how winter tides and weather reconfigure the shoreline? This year, I watched a freshwater stream descending from sandstone cliffs, its course changed over time by the many tons of sand relocated by winter seas.

The mouth of this stream had moved some 200 metres from its normal path.

The sand, stream, stones, logs, gulls, pipers and sea were still there, but in a much-changed configuration.

The normal course of our lives has, and will continue, to change. The shifting of these sands is devastating to some, impactful but manageable for many, and bountiful for others.

While dine-in restaurants have been hammered, those adept at the transition to takeout have fared well, and grocery stores have boomed. While conference centres have either closed or repurposed themselves as hospitals in some

cities, video conferencing services have exploded and in doing so expanded the scope of who can come together.

It’s not about getting back to normal — there really is no going back. It’s more about where we go from here. If the result of COVID-19 is a new normal, perhaps more digital but essentially the same, we will have squandered our opportunity for profound change. But if we can harness our collective intelligence and determination to transform our economy, there is hope.

What if we can make lasting changes?

What if we can find solutions to nagging problems that we used to think couldn’t be addressed, because doing so would be too disruptive? We all know that there are problems in our economy, in our society, in our communities, and in our environment, worthy of our best efforts.

With this disruption already in place, why not swing for the fence? That’s exactly what we hope this year’s Summit will do.

KURT KNOCK

Live Edge Design

DOUGLAS 51

THE DIGITAL SUMMIT Whether or not you have participated in the Economic Summit before, this annual grassroots event will bring you together with other business, community, and government leaders to help shape our Island economy. Every session is an opportunity to explore emerging trends, find solutions to nagging problems, or identify opportunities worthy of pursuit. There has never been a more important time to connect, learn, share ideas, think and ask questions together.

The Summit Planning Committee spent months considering how to deliver a meaningful, engaging, thought-provoking, action-inspiring event through a digital platform. With a gathering that normally exceeds 600, the Summit could not take place in person this year. By going digital we’ve eliminated restrictions to geographic boundaries, bringing this virtual experience to our stakeholders wherever they may be, and with significantly reduced fees.

Registration for the Summit is available at viea.ca, where you can also find detailed information about the program, panelists, and keynote presenters. You can choose a Three-Pack subscription giving you access to three sessions of your choice, or a Full Access pass to participate in all sessions, chat groups, and marketplace events.

There’s a discounted rate for students. Summit participants will receive a digital copy of the 2020 State of the Island Economic Report, essential reading for anyone serious about business on Vancouver Island in 2020 and beyond.

Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA, pronounced Vie-Ee-Yah) is a not-for-profit organization, established in 2006, that prompts economic opportunities all over Vancouver Island. The idea that ‘together we’re better’ is at the heart of the organization, and is

perhaps truer and more relevant today than ever.

VIEA is unique in Canada, a non-government organization dedicated to collaboration to help ensure a vital and sustainable Island and Gulf Island economy.

The annual Economic Summit is hosted by VIEA for the expressed purpose of uniting and connecting decision makers, informing and adding to the conversation on economic vitality,

Clockwise from left: Cowichan Valley based Island Good manufacturer hOMe Grown Living Foods sells its products across Canada; Island Good manufacturer Fawcett makes it mattresses in Victoria; Vancouver Island University’s (Nanaimo campus shown here) is one of the postsecondary institutions looking at how to adapt; Island Good manufacturer Woodland Custom Wood Flooring & Countertops is based in the Comox Valley.

THIS YEAR’S KEY QUESTIONS Is there a theme to the Summit?

The theme is always the same – ‘The State of the Island.’ We made the decision very early on in our process, back in March, that we would not explicitly make the summit about COVID. But if there was ever something telling us how important it is for us to be pulling in the same direction, it’s the pandemic.

What themes have appeared through planning?

This year one of the themes that has emerged is the aid of the public realm.

We have a session on communities, the challenges and opportunities that they’re observing [Community Challenges and Opportunities COVID]. There’s another one called 52 DOUGLAS

Changing Our Ways, which is about improving the relationship between municipalities and developers. It’s Good to Produce Goods is about that tug of war between commercial zoning and local production.

Has the pandemic reinforced some of VIEA’s pre existing priorities?

It actually has. All of our initiatives are showing themselves to be even more important now. For instance, the entire reason for the Island Good brand is to raise consumer awareness about local products, to increase market share and demand so that we could build a climate where more products are produced on the Island. The pandemic exposes the challenges we have depending on

global supply lines, and increases everybody’s understanding that local foods and local products are important.

Why is it especially important to have this conference this year?

It’s always important to bring the stakeholders together to make connections, network, learn more at a grassroots level about what is going on in the Island – who is doing things that are interesting and where the challenges are.

What were some of the considerations you took into account in choosing a format?

From our annual surveys we know that people who attend the summit

value the quality of networking they have access to. We spent a lot of time and energy on determining which platform to use to keep the quality of interaction strong. We’ve been keeping our digital providers feet to the fire to make sure that we created optimum opportunity for people to interact and to engage.

How will you provide networking opportunities?

We’ve worked really hard to replicate the in person experience in the digital environment. Conversations are critically important so we’re including a Q&A with every session, we’ve created a follow up to every presentation [roundtables] so that people have an opportunity to go

and leading the creation of new economic opportunities. Unprecedented in terms of its global impact, the pandemic has brought a sense of urgency to this year’s event. As an organization dedicated to building collaborative partnerships, VIEA welcomes your voice at the table. More than that actually, we need your voice, your expertise, your ideas, your support — we all do, there is a lot to talk about.

If you are already a member of VIEA, thank you. Your engagement enables VIEA to exist.

If you are not yet a member, I invite you to join and be part of shaping the future of our Island home. We are excited to see widespread participation in the Summit this year. It will be a new experience for all of us, myself included.

THE VIRTUAL 2020 ECONOMIC SUMMIT: PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS While the impacts and implications of our COVID-19 experience are unavoidable, the Summit will deliberately focus on topics that transcend present circumstances and promise new approaches for improved results.

■ Indigenomics & Reconciliation, Wednesday Oct 28, 8:30-9:30am PST A discussion about what reconciliation looks like on the ground, face-to-face in business dealings and community interactions. As Island First Nations continue developing their economies, how will all of our local economies relate for mutual benefit?

Moderator: Dan Hurley, Principal, Hurley Martin Group Panel: Carol Anne Hilton, Founder & CEO, Indigenomics Institute; Karen Joseph, CEO, Reconciliation Canada

The path ahead The actions you take today will define your future. With five offices across Vancouver Island, we’re here to provide you with clear, straightforward business advice to help you chart your course and achieve your vision for your path ahead.

deeper with the moderators and panelists. We’ve created a marketplace where sponsors and exhibitors can schedule one-to-one meetings and host chat sessions. Anybody attending can reach out and set meetings with other attendees.

What are the benefits of having a digital conference?

We really attempted to space things out.

Knowing that it’s difficult to sit at a desk all day was a consideration. When the conference was in person each summit session would be 90 minutes, with an hour long presentation followed by 20-30 minutes for questions. Now each talk is an hour long and we have left breaks up to three hours between each so people can choose to do work in between, or take a break or do some networking. Another benefit is that the content of the summit will be accessible for a year to anyone registered.

Steve Wellburn, CPA, CA 250.388.6554 | steve.wellburn@mnp.ca MNP.ca

DOUGLAS 53

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■ The Future of Post-secondary Education, Wednesday Oct 28, 2:30-3:30pm PST International students make an enormous contribution to our Island economy, their valuable global perspective promoting innovative thought and action. Universities around the world are suffering from the immobility of students to travel internationally, and looking for ways to deliver education under current restrictions. How will institutions adjust? How will curricula for domestic students be affected?

Moderator: Michael Hawes, Executive Director, Fulbright Canada Panel: Deborah Saucier, President, Vancouver Island University; Philip Steenkamp, President, Royal Roads University; Chris Horbachewski, Vice-President External Relations, University of Victoria ■ Getting Goods to Market: We Can’t Get There from Here, Thursday Oct 29, 2:30-3:30pm PST When the pandemic fuelled fears of global food shortages consumers became more aware than ever of the origin of their food – the demand for local fare has never been higher. How can Island producers overcome the long-standing challenge of transporting products to local markets? This talk will address distribution and discuss help that appears to be on the way.

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Panel: Jaymie Collins, General Manager, Vancouver Island Farm Products; Mark Smith, Principal, Query Distribution; David McCormick, Director Public Relations & Business Development ■ Leadership Is Essential: We Now Know What This Does and Doesn’t Looks Like, Thursday Oct 29, 2:30-3:30pm PST The importance of true leadership within our communities has come to the forefront through the pandemic. At every level of society leadership, or lack thereof, has been key to how we have dealt with the current crisis. Going forward, how will we discover, promote and nurture leadership within our communities?

What traits, skills and values will distinguish the individuals who take on key roles in our society and economy? This talk brings together a panel of elected officials to consider how to inspire a new generation of leaders.

Moderator: Kristi Rivait, Co-founding Director, Scale Collaborative Panel: Terry Beech, MP for Burnaby North— Seymour, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard; Lana Popham, BC Minister of Agriculture; Erralyn Thomas, Councilor, Snuneymuxw First Nation; Robert Filmer, Councillor, Town of Qualicum Beach

■ Entrepreneurs Panel: Island Good Manufacturers Share Their Unfinished Stories, Thursday Oct 29, 10-11am PST VIEA’s Island Good brand continues to build recognition and strength in its original food and beverage category with more than 90 licensees. Since 2018 the brand, which guarantees a secure supply of local goods, has raised public awareness of local producers and manufacturers, a focus that has become even more of a heightened concern for buyers throughout the pandemic.

Moderator: Kristi Rivait, Co-founding Director, Scale Collaborative Panel: Landon Sheck, Principal, Auxbox; Duane Franklin, Partner, Fawcett Mattress; Nels Dugstad, Owner/Principal, Jade Fine Food and Packaging and Arbutus Farms – Fresh Deli Foods ■ The Pros & Cons of Going Digital: Working From Home, Competing Online, and Doing Business More Virtually, Tuesday Oct 27, 12:30-1:30pm PST While so many of us have undergone the transition to working from home, and taking on the daunting task of developing new business models so we can continue to deliver products and services to our customers, this talk couldn’t come at a better time!

Moderator: Graham Truax, Executive Director, Innovation Island

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Kate O’Neill, Founder & CEO of KO Insights based in New York City. Kate is referred to as ‘tech humanist’ by companies like Google, Etsy and Cisco, and will share her optimism about the role of technology in the world as she explores the human impact of a tech-driven future.

Dr. Justin G. Bull, Lecturer at the Sauder School of Business and Chair of the Sustainability and Ethics Group. Justin will provide insights regarding the interconnectedness of our economic, health, education, social and ecological systems, through the lens of sustainability and innovation.

Susan Mowbray, Partner & Senior Economist, Consulting MNP-LLP. Susan will present findings from VIEA’s 2020 State of the Island Economic Report.

Her presentation will suggest trends in various sectors—perhaps sobering expectations in some areas while highlighting opportunities in others.

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BY ERIN SKILLEN

COVID vs. the Female Entrepreneur There is considerable evidence that COVID-19 has an uneven effect on women and diverse groups. What does this mean for female entrepreneurs who are trying to keep their businesses alive amidst the chaos?

T

he negative impacts of COVID-19 are experienced very differently by men and women. The Royal Bank of Canada recently released a report on these differences, stating that “in a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic knocked women’s participation in the labour force down from a historic high to its lowest level in over 30 years.” The World Economic Forum has a similar message, stating that “COVID-19 is the biggest setback to gender equality in a decade.” So what does this mean for female entrepreneurs who are trying to keep their businesses alive amidst the chaos?

As the cofounder and COO of a mental health company and a single co-parent of two kids, COVID-19 was an articulate illustration of what can happen when mothers in business have it all — all at once. Unlike many companies, ours didn’t experience a decrease in business during lockdown.

We were in demand with clients urgently seeking solutions to support their teams. At the exact same time, schools closed, my kids were home all day and both grandmas were kept safely off limits for babysitting. My business needed me full time and more at the exact same time my kids needed me full time and more. I made the difficult — and financially challenging — decision to cut my hours to part-time so I could care for my kids, homeschool them and do my best to ensure the whole experience wasn’t traumatic for them. And I wasn’t alone.

Female entrepreneurs in our community and around the world were facing the same simultaneous challenge of needing to pour 100 per cent of their time and energy into their company and 100 per cent into their family.

“I spent the 6 months before COVID trying to do the impossible. It is impossible but somehow people think working and taking care of a kid can all happen simultaneously and well.

It cannot. It just can’t. It’s about letting go of the impossible and understanding it’s impossible.

There is no one perfect solution for this. We’re constantly adapting to that. We’ve really tried to focus on the balance between the short term and the long term.”

— LORI MUNOZ MALCOLM, COMMUNITY STRATEGIST & FOUNDER, HEARTPRESS

Even without a global pandemic in the mix, female-led ventures face more hurdles than their male-led counterparts. Female entrepreneurs get less investment from angels and VCs. They get less debt financing from the big banks. As CEO of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE), Paulina Cameron has witnessed the existing challenges and has a rare glimpse into the breadth of what female-led B.C. companies are facing.

“COVID-19 and the responses to it simply exacerbated barriers and inequities — seen and unseen — with added and unique challenges facing racialized women, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, immigrant women, women in rural areas, and older women engaged in entrepreneurship.”

Why are women-owned businesses having a tougher time surviving the pandemic? If a sudden primary caregiving role didn’t disrupt their productivity, it likely impacted that of at 56 DOUGLAS

JEFFREY BOSDET/DOUGLAS MAGAZINE

The Gender Gap

least some of their team members, as femaleled companies hire more female employees.

COVID and its related safety protocols have also disproportionately affected industries like travel and personal services where femaleled companies are more common. Cameron noted that the pre-existing challenge of a lack of financing and investment also means that an “under-resourced business will have minimal or no cash flow reserves, leaving it particularly vulnerable to external changes. No or little cash in the bank makes it hard to buy yourself time to transition to online or to shift processes or logistics and to be able to keep up with regular expenses when revenues become compromised.”

The Way Forward The World Economic Forum has made it clear why we need to act to help these companies get through the pandemic: “Women entrepreneurs have overcome so many barriers to get their businesses thriving and to overcome poverty.

And it is precisely these women that hold the power to face the gigantic task ahead.” Female entrepreneurs will play a key role in rebuilding our economy. How can we help them survive?  More Inclusive Wage Subsidies Female-led companies have a greater percentage of contractor/part-time labour than male-led businesses. Many female entrepreneurs are self-employed and pay their taxes directly as a sole proprietor, rather than through corporate payroll taxes. As a result, subsidy programs based exclusively on traditional employee payroll excludes many companies that need them.  Flexible Criteria for Corporate Loans Federal business loans during the first wave of COVID were based on a decline in year-overyear revenue. This meant that start-ups that

ENTREPRENEUR

were growing substantially, companies with a healthy AR but with COVID-delayed cash flow, bookings and orders cancelled months in advance and other financial realities didn’t qualify for assistance. The criteria needs to be broader and more flexible.  Practice Gender Equity While financial challenges are very real for many families, couples also need to consider other impacts of gender inequality in their families.

What are the long term impacts to a woman’s business and career if she has to step out for an indeterminate amount of time to provide care?

While deferring to the biggest earner may seem like the obvious solution, look at the whole picture and consider the long term.  Universal Child Care Providing safe, effective and affordable child care is key to keeping working moms, who are also entrepreneurs, in business and those who aren’t entrepreneurs able to keep their jobs. Yes, COVID makes this more complex as there are a myriad of health challenges to consider. But without child care and gender equity, many women with children don’t stand a chance of regaining their pre-COVID success and building on it.  Become Customers + Incentivize Investors Governments at all levels can create targets for the volume of goods and services they procure from female-led companies. They can also create tax incentives and credits for angels and VCs investing in women entrepreneurs.

Erin Skillen is a writer, handles Creative + Ops at Amira Health, is a harried co-parent of two kids and six chickens, and is co-host and producer of the new Demarried Life podcast.

— NICOLE SMITH, FOUNDER & CEO, FLYTOGRAPHER

BY JIM HAYHURST

Going with Your Gut A true story about choices, character and intuition in tough times.

T

“Let’s face it, it’s impossible to work/run a company and homeschool at the same time — even when we don’t have the crushing stress of your business being suddenly nuked. As a society, we need to come together and support each other through this period, so we can all make it to the other side. Providing additional resources for parents — especially those with younger children — is imperative. The government needs to step up and help bridge the gaps.”

he best business advice I ever received rarely came in the form of advice. It always arrived wrapped in a story.

In thinking about this column, I considered what possible advice I could offer up to small business owners and teams that would truly help in these unique times. It made sense to turn to my old faithful: a story. It’s not a checklist or framework or even a case study. I don’t even decode the lessons for you at the end. But I hope it helps.

In February my dad died. He chose to pursue Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) after enduring years with a debilitating pain condition. This choice gave us precious time with him, which he used, true to form, to share some of his favourite business stories and life advice with his grandchildren.

I thought sharing one here might be appropriate.

The Tale of the Two Cheques Not long after my father joined his family's advertising agency, he bought it. And then never told anyone. As a young son-of-a-founder, a lot of people wondered why he was there in the first place. He knew he needed to work his way up in the business and earn the respect of the senior executives who, in some cases, were waiting for “the kid” to fail. But he needed to know he would eventually be in control.

So he worked a quiet deal with his family, stayed in his role as a junior account executive, learned the ropes and assessed who in the company he would eventually tap as his trusted lieutenants and partners.

DOUGLAS 57

When he finally announced that he had bought it (and had owned it for a while), there were a lot of surprised faces. And some scared ones. Those who had treated him poorly wondered whether their time was up.

But he was fair — and a pragmatist. He knew they were exceptionally talented people who, with the agency’s best intentions at heart, had given him a tough education.

One of them we’ll call him David (not his real name). David not only thought my father wasn’t up to the challenge, he told him. A lot.

And often he was right. David was exceptionally talented and managed the agency’s most important accounts. He was legendary in the industry.

David also had a drinking problem. And soon, the shine of David’s considerable skills was tarnished irretrievably by his inability to hold his liquor — or his tongue.

When he threatened to throw the president of an international consumer goods company ( a major client) off the balcony of a Toronto hotel, my father was left with no choice. David had to go.

This is my dad’s account of the story, recorded by his grandson, Cameron: So I asked David to come up to a meeting

room on the fifth floor. Not my office, not his office, not a big room. A small, innocuous place.

I said, “I know you’re angry. I know you’ve seen everything in this agency and know more things than I do. You know all the hidden secrets. But I have to fire you.”

“Well, I’m taking you to court,” David said.

“I’m going to call in all the clients – and they’re

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going to hate that because they don’t like to get involved in this stuff – and I’m going to get every penny I can out of you.”

I said, “Well, you might break the agency.”

And he said, “I don’t care. I want to get you.”

So I made a gamble. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do.” I said. “I’m going to put two pieces of paper on the table here. I want you to write on your piece of paper what you want as

severance. And I’m going to write on mine what I’m prepared to give you. Then we’re going to flip them over, and I’m going to give you the higher of the two.”

He looked at me and said, “You screwed it up again, Hayhurst! You mean the lower.”

I said, “David, deep down inside, you really have a love of this agency and a respect for us.

And I don’t think you want to take down this agency. I think you want to get what you can out of us, but you don’t want to take us down.”

He said, “I could write down millions of dollars! And if I do that, you’ll pay it?”

“Well, whatever you write, I will give you everything I’ve got to help you get to the number.”

He got up and wandered around this little office, sat back down and said, “You’re nuts.”

So we grabbed our pieces of paper and wrote our numbers down. Now, I’m panicked.

If he writes millions, I have to pay it. So I’m hoping my judgment of his character is right, and I’m resting my whole career — my whole company — on my judgment.

He turns it over. And then he turns over mine.

And he says, “I’ll be damned, my number is lower than yours. You’re right. I couldn’t take you down. I may hate you, I may be angry as hell. But it’s a good company. You do good things. I know I have to go. Ah, jeez. Your number is higher than mine.”

So I went downstairs and got two cheques.

One for his number. And one for the difference between his number and my number. And I gave him both cheques.

He never cashed the second cheque. He was an honourable guy.

Cleaning the oceans, one pound of plastic at a time

Stories Create Connection There’s an old saying I learned early on in my career: If you want money, ask for advice. If you want advice, ask for money. I might add, too, that if you want to give really good advice, start by telling your stories.

Stories create connection — the first and most important ingredient in helping others see their way through difficult times. Moreover, the lessons tend to reveal themselves in ways you never anticipated, often over years and decades. You don’t even have to draw conclusions for people. Even as I write this, my father’s stories still ring in my ears and provide perspective and guidance And for that, I am eternally grateful. ■ Jim Hayhurst is a trusted advisor to purposedriven organizations and leaders. He is currently active in six companies and social impact projects that elevate Victoria’s reputation as a hub of innovation, collaboration and big thinking.

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DOUGLAS 59

NEXT LEVEL

BY ALEX VAN TOL

Your Brain On Coaching Coaching is quickly becoming a growing trend in business, with companies enticing new hires with the promise of regular learning and leadership development.

W

e talk about how the brain develops throughout childhood and adolescence; however it’s also true that our brains continue to change throughout the human lifespan. Our ability to learn new things and rewire old neural pathways — stopping smoking, for example, or shifting from judging to questioning during conflict — is known as neuroplasticity. When we engage in coaching, we are similarly teaching our brains to process differently and thereby engage us in a different set of behaviours.

The neuroscience of coaching supports several conclusions: that experiences transform the brain; that emotions underpin the formation of memories (and thereby our models for behaviour); and that human relationships are the best practice arena for brain transformation.

“Part of how we show up is based on our habits that we’ve formed over the years,” says Heather Lehmann, principal of Heather Lehmann & Associates in Vancouver. “What are those habits? What are the beliefs that they’re based on? And how can you start to shift some

of that stuff so that people can show up in a better way?”

While engaging in leadership development is key to finding your edge and showing up as your best possible self, actually applying that new learning makes all the difference. Following up a leadership intensive with coaching ensures that new learnings and practices stick.

“Coaching is one of the best and most direct paths to actually helping leaders be better leaders,” says Lehmann, who specializes in using neuroscience to optimize leadership development. “It’s a process of application.

How do I actually apply [new learning] on a regular basis, day in, day out, and as I’m coming up against new things that maybe I hadn’t even thought of when I originally did that training?”

Your Advantage: The Coach In a world where organizations share many commonalities (e.g., access to markets, business and operational models, employee benefits), leadership is one of the biggest

This Is Personal Coaching also “improves” people on a deeper human level. The way we express ourselves at work is simply an activation of our neural programs: our beliefs about ourselves and the world; our ability to manage our thoughts (many of which are not productive or positive, at least before coaching); and the habits we fall back into when we relate to others.

Demonstrates organizational commitment to human resource development

Empowers individuals and encourages them to take responsibility

The Benefits of Coaching in Organizations

Increases employee and staff engagement

Helps identify and develop high potential employees

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differentiators that can offer your business a competitive advantage. How do the leaders in your organization show up? Organizations with tight, functional leadership teams have the power to attract the best candidates.

Ask yourself what you’re doing to hone and leverage the leaders within your organization.

While coaching has been around for decades, its transformative power suddenly pops into clear relief when we apply neuroscience to its principles. For years, leaders have dismissed a lot of excellent approaches to organizational development — including coaching — because they sound wishy-washy or are tricky to measure. Looking through the lens of neuroscience changes everything. “[When you say] OK, this is how our brains work, so this is why it makes sense to do these things … that’s something that leaders really respond to,” says Lehmann. “They don’t want to do stuff that they consider to be airy-fairy. They want to do stuff that’s going to get results.”

Helps to motivate and empower individuals to excel

Helps identify organizational and individual strengths and development opportunities

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THE RIGHT COACH FOR YOU

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Consider what you hope to get out of coaching when choosing who you want to work with. Every coach, just like every teacher/life partner/friend/employer, has something to offer, if you are open to it.

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“Coaching works because it is a balancing act of offering support and provocation,” says Adele Fraser, business coach and head of HR for The Village Restaurants.

“Choose someone who you recognize might take you a little out of your comfort zone. It may be on the fringe of discomfort where there is something new to discover.”

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INSURANCE QUESTIONS ANSWERS It doesn’t stop there though. What makes coaching attractive to a prospective employee is that the development they experience from coaching is theirs for the long term, even if they Choice and competition matter. move to a different organization.

Why does insurance seem As a broker, we represent over 60 “Coaching services offered to employees is so expensive for what I get? insurance companies and can have a good-faith investment by employers,” Fraser them compete for your business. says. “It says, ‘We want you to be the best version of you, whether you are working with us or working with someone else.’ It says, ‘We care We invest in education and I don’t have time to read about you as a person, not just as a number on we’re proud our team have the the fine print. Why can’t certifications to prove it. We a financial statement’.” policies and coverages be understand insurance and can It’s a wide-angle view that we see reflected easier to understand? help you. in the new economic and socio-emotional perspectives emerging as we collectively Claims are not a side job for us. navigate a global pandemic: We are all in this If I do have a claim, will I We are unique, having created our together. And when we work together for the be treated fairly? own MFI team of dedicated claims common good, we all enjoy life more, not to professionals to advocate for you. mention we achieve way better results.

Who wouldn’t want to work for that kind of Improving the lives of our Clients, Team and Community employer? And wouldn’t you want to be that kind of employer? ■

→ → →

Alex Van Tol works with organizations to shape and communicate their brand story. Across the charitable, institutional and business sectors, she brings big thinkers together to collaborate on ideas that drive human betterment.

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DOUGLAS 61

LAST PAGE

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

BY DANICA JEFFERY PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET

Vancouver Island’s Portofino Bakery has been satisfying cravings for specialty baked goods since 2001, thanks to founder Jaap Verbeke. The baker, who began his career at age 11 as an apprentice in Holland, opened up the original Portofino retail shop in Broadmead Village after moving to Canada.

The company has since solidified itself as one of Victoria’s top suppliers of artisan breads and pastries, producing them in its 25,000 squarefoot production space off Keating Cross Road in Saanichton.

Its success made Verbeke’s decision to retire as general manager that much easier, after an ownership change in June of 2019. Matthew Cimon officially became president and CEO this year.

Cimon and his team remain committed to maintaining the strong roots within the community that have been vital to building the company’s success. He has sought to hire predominantly local talent who bring a unique, in-depth understanding of the industry to Portofino.

The company employs over 170 people and is looking to increase distribution across Canada soon.

“Over the past five years, the company has seen a year-overyear growth of 15 per cent, driven by continued expansion on Vancouver Island, as well as to the Vancouver mainland market,” Cimon says.

As with many businesses, COVID dealt Portofino a blow. The company saw a huge loss in sales to its restaurant customers. But it wasn’t all bad news.

“The bakery saw a 50 per cent uptick in sales of Portofino Sourdough Bread – long a consumer favourite,” Cimon says.

A shift in shoppers buying a greater range of products has also helped keep items like Brioche Buns and Peasant Artisan Loaf in top sales spots.

This focus on customer demand has been a key ingredient in Portofino’s recipe for success — helping it rise from a neighbourhood bakery to a grocery-store staple.

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Some bakers begin their shifts at 4:00 a.m. and baking continues through the day. After the dough is mixed, formed and proofed, the loaves are baked in the oven room, then the bread is transferred to a cooling area. Once the loaves are cooled, workers slice, package and label them.

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