Business in Vancouver 2011-06-14

LOCAL. BUSINESS. INTELLIGENCE. June 14–20, 2011 • Issue 1129

INSIDE U.S. real estate opportunities abound for Canadian commercial and residential buyers 3 Sam Belzberg’s boardroom battle 7 Business complacency hurting B.C. economic prospects, conference told 8 Meryle Corbett piloting Flightcraft’s success 16 How to harness technology to keep ahead of the competition 28 Property tax justice delayed for industries in B.C. 36

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Gas peddling push on >With exports to foreign markets

still years away, energy companies are looking to promote gas consumption on B.C.’s home turf David England’s growing real estate industry empire 39 Top 100 private companies in B.C. 18, 20, 22, 24

By Joel McKay

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’s multibillion-dollar natural gas industry is all pumped up but struggling to find a place to go.

Although the province is awash in trillions of feet of natural gas, the industry is struggling to nail down buyers for the resource.

In less than a decade, North America has gone from being a net importer of natural gas to an exporter, with some speculating the U.S. has a century’s worth of gas resources sitting in the ground.

But the rush to extract these resources has been so successful it’s created a market oversupplied to the point that it can cost more to extract the resources from the ground than they can be sold for.

B.C.’s biggest challenge is being at the end of the demand pipeline. That has gas companies thinking about how they can take advantage of home-grown demand.

“We have to be the biggest advocates now of our own resources because it’s so important to our economy,” said Gary Weilinger, vice-president strategic development and external affairs at gas giant Spectra Energy (NYSE:SE). “And the reason why we need to do that is in spite of the fact we have so much natural gas we are handicapped in that we’re furthest from the market.”

Business in Vancouver investigative feature – 4, 5

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Daily business news at www.biv.com

CONTENTS Real Estate Roundup Peter Mitham BizPharmacy Cyri Jones/ Ivan Surjanovic Thumbs up/ Thumbs down Public Eye Sean Holman Podium Seth Klein Podium Greg Munden Golden Goals Bob Mackin

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By the numbers 8 BIV lists 18, 20, 22, 24 Trouble 29–31 Lawsuit of the week 31 People on the move 32–33 Datebook 35–36 Business classified 38

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Finance Technology Real estate Top 100 Small business Law Business tool kit Comment

8–9 11 12 15–25 27 29–31 28 36–37

Coastal Contacts sues former employee for launching competitor

BIV Business Today Daily Online Edition

Falcon accuses Dix of misinforming public Westport Innovations to acquire Emer Taseko revises Prosperity Mine proposal Face the World gala raises $1 million to fight homelessness

June 14–20, 2011

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FULL DISCLOSURE Public scrutiny: B.C. has traditionally been a hot-bed of new companies seeking to raise capital through initial public offerings. But the relative dearth of IPO activity in recent years is raising questions about the value of investing the time and resources to tap publicmarket capital, particularly for non-resource sectors.

Vancouver’s international

reputation as a global mining centre might be limiting the availability of public capital for other sectors.

TOP 100 Business in Vancouver’s annual ranking of the province’s top 100 public companies.

Top 100 public companies in B.C.

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News

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

3

U.S. housing crash attracting more Canadian investor cash High loonie, distressed American market providing good fundamentals for local commercial and residential real estate buyers

By Glen Korstrom

ith the U.S. house-price crash officially becoming worse than during the Great Depression last month, a growing number of Canadians are sinking their highpriced loonies into American real estate.

Dean Duperron and wife Sherri Duperron are among those Canadian real estate shoppers.

They successfully bid $2.7 million to buy a 64-unit apartment building in Washington state’s Tri-Cities region in May – the same month the S&P-Case-Shiller price index estimated that national residential rates were down 33% from their 2006 peak. That compares with a 31% decline during the Great Depression.

E x per ts pred ict t hat t he U.S. housing market will drop further before it starts to rise, but as Vancouver-based Colliers International vice-president John Gee joked: “Predictions are difficult, especially about the future.”

What is clear is that now is an abnormally good time to buy U.S. real estate.

Last year, Jim Gillespie, the CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corp., told Business in Vancouver, “This is the best time I’ve ever seen in my 35 years in this business to buy in [sand] states [such as Florida, Arizona and California].”

Gillespie knows real estate well.

He oversees 100,000 sales representatives in more than 3,000 offices in 49 countries around the world.

The Duperrons decided to dip their toe in the U.S. market after buying a 28-unit apartment building in Langley for $2.96 million. They also own four houses,

Dominic Schaefer

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Duperron Investment Group principal Dean Duperron: bought a 28-unit apartment in Langley for $2.96 million and is now negotiating to buy a 64-unit complex in the U.S. for $2.7 million

a tri-plex and two individual apartments in Canada.

Sherr i sold Sprott Shaw Community College to CIBT Education Group Inc. for $12 million in 2007.

Accord i ng to Dea n, t he advantages of buying in the U.S. include: •capitalization (cap) rates are higher; •prices are more attractive; and •there’s more available housing supply in communities that have 200,000 or more residents.

In addition, the U.S. real estate market collapse has prompted many Americans to rent rather than own.

“If you can buy low and sell high, then you make a lot of money over time” – Troy Peterson, director of U.S. operations, Aperture Investment Group

According to California brokerage Marcus & Millchap, the crush of new renters has pushed the value of U.S. apartment buildings up 16% in 2010. In contrast, apartment building prices fell 27% between 2006 and 2009.

Research firm Green Street Advisors now estimates that the prices

of U.S. apartment buildings that are owned by real estate investment trusts (REITs) are within 10% of their 2007 peak.

Duperron said the apartment building he’s buying is priced higher than it was a few years ago, but so are the rents.

“The property six years ago rented its units for $300 per unit. Today, they’re renting for $640,” Duperron said. “Apartment buildings have some minimum value for land and buildings, but the key value is the cap rate, which is the return that you’re getting.”

The cap rate is the ratio between an asset’s net operating income and its original price. For example, a

$1 million property that generates $100,000 annually after expenses would give the owner a 10% cap rate.

Duperron’s Langley apartment building came with a 6% cap rate; the rate for the Tri-Cities property is 8.4%.

But Gee warned that high cap rates are a sign of risk.

“The reason buildings have a high cap rate is because demand is low, because it’s risky and people would rather buy something else,” Gee said. “I have a building in Burnaby, which is a 4% cap rate, and one in the West End, which is a 4.2% cap rate – that’s a great deal.”

Gee knows of some buildings in Atlanta, Georgia, that come with 20% cap rates. He said a friend of his bought one for what the friend said was about the same price as it would cost to carpet the structure.

Gee added that properties with extremely high cap rates could continue to drop in value.

The crash in the value of single-family homes makes residential real estate even more desirable than buying apartment buildings, said Troy Peterson, who is director of U.S. operations at Aperture Investment Group.

He pointed out that singlefamily homes have higher cap rates and higher long-term appreciation potential than apartment buildings.

“If you can buy low and sell high, then you make a lot of money over time.”

Aperture, a month-old Vancouver-based company that helps Canadians buy U.S. single-family homes, does not provide tax, accounting or legal advice. It refers clients to consultants as needed. • gkorstrom@biv.com

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NEWS

Daily business news at www.biv.com

June 14–20, 2011

FULL DISCLOSURE

Domestic market needed to exploit B.C.’s gas riches Industry leaders say natural gas vehicles and power generation are the two best options for driving local resource consumption

By Joel McKay

D

oug Stout has a tough job on his hands.

The Vancouver-based executive needs to figure out how to get more people in B.C. to use natural gas.

That’s no easy feat in a

province where people have enjoyed cheap hydroelectricity for decades and, like the rest of North America, are addicted to ample supplies of gasoline and diesel.

On top of that, the province has turned away from natural gas as a power source, and past

attempts to install natural gas fuelling stations have met with little success.

But Stout, vice-president energy solutions and external relations at FortisBC (formerly Terasen), believes abundant gas resources in northeast B.C.’s Horn River and Mont-

ney basins could be coupled with other existing resources to create a more balanced energy grid.

“If you don’t want transmission lines built through your backyard, then how do we better use all the other resources we have on a more

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SFU professor Mark Jaccard: “there is no environmental or save-the-planet case for burning natural gas in British Columbia”

system-integrated approach?” said Stout.

FortisBC is just one of many companies looking to sell more gas to more customers in B.C. A decade ago, the province’s gas industry was virtually non-existent.

But advancements in horizontal drilling techniques, more commonly known as fracking, have allowed companies to tap gargantuan shale gas reserves in northern B.C. Almost overnight, the province has created a $6 billion fossil fuel industry, generating jobs and attracting investment from energy giants the world over.

Last month, the province and the National Energy Board published a joint report that more than doubled a previous assessment of gas resources in B.C. The province believes there is 78 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the Horn River Basin alone, enough energy to fuel the country’s needs for 26 years.

At the same time, massive gas reserves have also been discovered in the U.S., meaning that country is unlikely to look north of its border for supply any time soon.

That leaves B.C. gas companies with two options: •export the resources to Asian markets; and •create demand at home.

Plans are already underway for a $3 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal near Kitimat.

But t hat faci lit y, if approved, is still years away from being built.

Until then, B.C.’s gas resources are land-locked.

“There is more opportunity here for B.C. to be its own best customer,” said Gary Weilinger, vice-president strategic development and external affairs at Spectra Energy.

Despite an immediate lack of demand, Spectra is bullish about B.C.’s prospects.

Spectra Energy vice-president Gary Weilinger: “there is more opportunity here for B.C. to be its own best customer”

Between 2009 and 2011 it will invest about $1.5 billion in natural gas infrastructure in this province.

Still, the only realistic markets for gas consumption in B.C. are transportation and heat and power generation.

“What we think is the biggest opportunity, and we’re aligned with Fortis on this, is … large fleet natural gas vehicles where there’s return-to-base or point-to-point [movements],” Weilenger said.

The idea is simple.

Focus on truck companies that have hauling routes restricted to the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

That way natural gas fuelling stations don’t need to be installed on every corner, but could be built at fleet headquarters and topped up as needed for the day’s operations.

“The operating cost savings for the end user is probably 30% to 50%,” Stout said of natural gas vehicles.

FortisBC already built a gas refuelling station for Waste Management in Coquitlam.

The company has 20 compressed natural gas trucks picking up garbage and recyclables throughout the Lower Mainland.

In Abbotsford, Vedder Transport has invested in 50 LNG-powered vehicles that it says are cost-efficient and

SPECTRA ENERGY CORP. (NYSE:SE) $40 $30 $20 $10 $0

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Houston, TX CEO: Gregory Ebel Employees: N/A Market cap: $17.6b P/E ratio: 16.81 EPS: $1.62 SOURCES: STOCKWATCH, NYSE, GLOBE INVESTOR

full disclosure But Simon Fraser University professor Mark Jaccard is concerned the business case for natural gas power in B.C. is so positive that the government might ignore its own clean energy policies and embrace it.

“I think there’s an excellent business case for burning natural gas, which is why there’s a risk that stupid humans would do it,” said Jaccard, the former chairman and CEO of the B.C. Utilities Commission and a renowned climate change expert. “There is no environmental or savethe-planet case for burning natural gas in British Columbia.”

In 2009, the Gordon Campbell government closed the door on future natural gas power generation when it relegated the 900-megawatt Burrard Thermal plant in Port Moody to “back-up” status.

Energy Minister Rich

Horn River Montney tight gas

Marcellus Woodford

Fayetteville

Barnett

Fortis vice-president Doug Stout: “if you don’t want transmission lines built through your backyard, then how do we better use all the other resources we have on a more system-integrated approach?”

Coleman said he’s reviewing all economic opportunities for natural gas in B.C. He’s keen to see the transportation sector use more natural gas, but said the province’s hydroelectric plans could negate the need for

Haynesville

Eagle Ford

Dominic Schaefer

cleaner burning.

Still, they have a hefty price tag.

Stout said a natural gas truck could cost $80,000 to $90,000 more than its traditional diesel counterpart.

Although the cost difference has steered customers away in the past, FortisBC isn’t giving up.

“We’ve provided incentives through our energy efficiency programs, demandside management, to cover the incremental cost of that capital,” said Stout. “We’ve offered to build our own [fuelling] stations.”

But getting companies to make the switch to natural gas power vehicles isn’t easy.

Westport Innovations (TSX:WPT), a natural gas engine manufacturer in Vancouver, continues to sell most of its products outside of B.C. “The fact is there just hasn’t been the drive, incentive and interest locally … to move to natural gas,” said Westport spokesman Darren Seed.

If the transportation option doesn’t work out, gas companies are also keen to look at power production.

Spectra met with the provincial government last month to talk about the benefits of natural gas power generation.

According to Spectra, natural gas generation costs between $60 and $80 per megawatt hour compared with more than $100 for biomass, wind and solar sources.

Natural gas plants also provide a consistent power base, whereas renewable sources are often intermittent, Spectra said. At a time when BC Hydro is looking to increase power rates 32% over the next three years to pay for $6 billion in capital upgrades and the province is charging ahead with its $7.9 billion Site C hydroelectric project, gas proponents say it might be financially wise to consider other options.

5

News

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

future gas power production.

“At this stage of the game we’re not in need of the power, because we’re going to build Site C,” Coleman said.

Even if the province were to consider future power produc-

tion from gas, it would have a number of political and environmental hurdles to overcome. The David Suzuki Foundation hasn’t been quiet about the fact that natural gas power plants emit “danger-

North America’s largest shale and tight gas basins ously small” particulates that can harm human health.

There is also rising concern about the effect fracking is having on the environment.

In December, New York halted fracking in the state over concerns the process, which injects sand, water and chemicals into the ground, could affect drinking water.

In B.C., the provincial government has said it will conduct a health review focusing on the impact of the northeast’s extractive industries. But one of the biggest risks to B.C.’s natural gas industry is that the cost to extract the resource is sometimes more than the prevailing market price.

One analyst told Business in Vancouver it costs between $4 and $6 per thousand cubic feet to extract gas from a well. The Alberta spot price for natural gas is $4.02.

Encana (TSX:ECA), one of B.C.’s largest shale gas players, has hedged some of

its price contracts at higher rates to weather the low price environment. But as more and more gas reserves are found, it’s difficult for anyone to say when prices might climb out of the current supply gut.

Encana spokesman Alan Boras said exports to Asia, where gas can be sold for $12 per million cubic feet, would be a major boon for the longterm viability of the industry.

But with export terminals a few years away, the industry remains on tentative grounds.

Stout and Weilenger believe the low-price environment creates more incentive for greater natural gas use.

But Tyler Bryant takes a different stance.

“It just doesn’t seem there’s a lot of economic sense to that gas,” said Bryant, an energy policy analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation.

“For some reason we have this natural gas industry which doesn’t seem to be that competitive.” • jmckay@biv.com

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News

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Financier-philanthropist sparks boardroom battle Sam Belzberg pushing to replace Bennett Environmental’s board of directors

By Glen Korstrom

O

ne of Vancouver’s bestknown investors and philanthropists is plotting a boardroom coup because of numerous disagreements with a soil remediation company’s board.

S a m B e l zb er g t old Business in Vancouver that he is frustrated that the board of Bennett Environmental Inc. (TSX:BEV) has “not done anything to enhance shareholder value.”

Specifically, he gripes that the company: •is attempting, without a shareholder vote, to ram through a merger that is “dilutive, high-risk and non-arm’s-length;” •has not made any “valueenhancing” acquisitions despite declaring two years ago its intention to make some; •passed up the opportunity to buy one of Belzberg’s companies at a price that was less than what the company eventually sold for; •has a board with a “lack of transaction experience”; •is burning money while idling its only soil remediation plant in Quebec; •has a “highly unusual stock option backstopping guarantee” that enables management to exercise stock options and then sell the resulting stock to a securities dealer instead of the open market – a situation that allows directors to get the best possible price while leaving the company with the risk of reselling the

Investor Sam Belzberg: frustrated that the board has “not done anything to enhance shareholder value”

shares at a lower price; •is considering issuing a cash dividend when that money would be better spent making acquisitions; and •paid a director $93,000 in 2010 and $50,000 so far this year to draft letters of intent and perform due diligence – a situation that he believes taints the independence expected of board members.

“It’s a shame, but sometimes you have to do certain things in life to keep going,” Belzberg said.

Shareholders have until June 24 to have their proxy votes received by the company.

A meeting will then be held June 29.

Belzberg embarked on his successful business career by founding City Savings and Trust in Edmonton in 1962. He moved to Vancouver in 1968 and eventually built his First City Financial Corp. into what was reported to be a $7 billion company.

He is quick to say he is not a billionaire. He has, however, given several $1 million donations to Simon Fraser University. First, it was so the university could create the Samuel and Frances Belzberg Library.

More recently he donated $1 million to the university’s Wosk Centre and $1 million to its new SFU Woodward’s campus.

The 82-year-old’s Second City Capital Partners owns a 23.2% stake in Bennett.

He has convinced I.A. Investment Counsel Ltd., which owns a 18.2% stake in the company, to back his preferred slate of directors: •Farris Vaughan Wills and Murphy LLP partner Mitchell Gropper; •Greenstone Venture Partners partner Livia Mahler; •McMillan LLP partner John Reynolds; •S e c ond Cit y ma naging director Jamie Farrar; and •Toronto private equity expert Ian Kidson.

Belzberg and his supporters are now attempting to convince shareholders who own the remaining 68.6% of the company to back that slate.

“Read his letter to shareholders. It’s offensive,” Bennett’s current CEO Jack Shaw told Business in Vancouver. “I find it offensive that Mr. Belzberg has pretended that certain things weren’t disclosed.”

Bennett’s core business is remediating soils that have persistent organic com-

Bennett Environmental Inc. CEO Jack Shaw: “I find it offensive that Mr. Belzberg has pretended that certain things weren’t disclosed”

pounds (POCs), which are difficult to remove from soil. It’s an expensive service that customers would not buy if regulators did not force them to.

Shaw describes the business as “lumpy” because work comes in fits and starts.

The company’s thermal treatment facility is most efficient when it operates around-the-clock. So Bennett’s plant operates at full capacity for several months and then temporarily shuts down. Shaw expects to reopen the plant in August.

S h aw d e fe nd e d h i s board’s experience stickhandling acquisitions and said that there is no requirement that directors have large stakes in the company.

“I hold 600,000 shares that are currently trading at $2 each,” Shaw said.

“For me, that’s a disproportionate amount of my net worth.” • gkorstrom@biv.com

7

daily online edition

BUSINESS TODAY Raincoast Books snags major American client

Travel bloggers in town for conference

The sixth largest commercial book publisher in the U.S. has contracted a Vancouver company to distribute its books across Canada, thereby shunning many large Torontobased book distributors.

New York-based Macmillan Publishers chose Raincoast Book Distribution Ltd. to handle sales, distribution and marketing for the Macmillan imprints previously sold by H.B. Fenn and Co. “It’s a big deal because of how big they are as a publishing entity,” Raincoast’s vicepresident of marketing, Jamie Broadhurst, told Business in Vancouver June 9.

Both companies will begin transitioning immediately and Raincoast will be responsible for selling Macmillan’s fall lists.

The world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers is coming to Vancouver for the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre June 11 and 12.

The conference will bring approximately 550 North American travel bloggers and travel industry professionals here for professional development.

This is the first time Vancouver has hosted the TBEX conference, which has previously been held in New York and Chicago.

Friday June 10

Coastal Contacts sues former employee Vancouver-based online contact lens seller Coastal Contacts Inc. is suing former employee Nelson Tin for allegedly misappropriating confidential information and using it to launch a competing venture named IseeIsee Optical.

Tin was a laboratory supervisor when he left Coastal Contacts (TSX:COA) in October 2010.

According to the lawsuit filed June 1, Tin’s position gave him access to supplier lists, customer lists and detailed financial information.

Thursday, June 9

Thursday, June 9

Dix misinforming the public, Falcon says B.C. Finance Minister Kevin Falcon accused NDP leader Adrian Dix June 8 of “embarking on an Alice-inWonderland misinformation campaign by trying to convince British Columbians that 12 is less than 10,” Falcon said.

Dix kicked off his Vote Yes campaign at his family’s home in Burnaby June 7.

Even if the tax drops 10%, as the Liberal government promises, Dix said the HST still represents a $1.3 billion shift onto consumers.

Falcon took aim at Dix’s claims that a two-income family with each parent earning $50,000 is paying more than $1,000 a year in extra tax under the HST. Falcon said that under the “improved HST,” the average family will be $120 ahead.

Thursday, June 9

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Finance

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

BY THE NUMBERS

Losses are shown in brackets. Graph information by Stockwatch.

Iplayco Corp. Ltd. (TSX-V:IPC) Play time: Langley-based Iplayco saw sales in its manufacturing division tumble 41.7% in the second quarter of 2011 compared with the same period the year before. This while revenue at its Family Entertainment Centre operations was up 5.4%. The economic downturn has resulted in lower Earnings per share demand for its larger play structures. The company finished 3 months 2011 the period with negative cash flow of $216k.

▼32% ($198k) ($0.02) Revenue: $1.3m 3 months 2011

Net income 3 months 2011

$0.40 $0.30 $0.20 $0.10 $0.00

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BioteQ Environmental Technologies Inc. (TSX:BQE) Sewered: The environmental-technology company saw revenues drop 48% in the first quarter because sales were actually substantially higher for the first period in 2010, which was the result of one-time revenue from a plant in Yukon. The company ended the period with $6.1m in cash Earnings per share and had no debt. BioteQ also saw its net loss for the period 3 months 2011 increase 82% to $1.3 million.

▼48% ($1.3m) ($0.02) Revenue: $1.3m 3 months 2011

Net income 3 months 2011

$1.20 $0.80 $0.40 $0.00

Western Wind Energy Corp. (TSX-V:WND) Figures in U.S. dollars Trade winds: Western Wind saw an increase in wind energy sales to $511k in the first quarter of 2011 due to a 38% increase in energy production, though that was partially offset by a decrease in price due to lower natural gas prices.

The increase in energy production was the result of stronger Earnings per share winds. Construction at two wind farm projects are on 3 months 2011 budget. The company finished period with $1.1m in cash.

▲4% ($398k) ($0.01) Revenue: $511k 3 months 2011

Net income 3 months 2011

$2.0 $1.5 $1.0 $0.5 $0.0

Complacency and inefficiency limiting B.C.’s global opportunity, conference told Inaugural economic-outlook conference in Whistler challenges business and government to tackle weaknesses in B.C.’s economy to ensure that the province continues to prosper over the next decade

By Richard Chu

’s entrepreneurs, execut ives a nd their employees will have to work hard to capitalize on the province’s economic opportunities over the next decade.

That was one of the key messages delivered to nearly 200 attendees at this year’s inaugural two-day economic-outlook conference held June 5 and 6 in Whistler.

The Whistler Outlook Symposium examined a host of issues focused on the question: is B.C. positioned to prosper over the next 10 years?

The short answer: yes.

Analysts and economists ranging from Andrew Ramlo of the Urban Futures Institute and Sam Shaw, Encana’s vice-president of natural gas policy and development to Niels Veld-

Richard Chu

BC

Roger Gibbins, Canada West Foundation: it’s a mistake to be complacent about marketing B.C.’s strengths to the world

Peter Leitch, Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BC chairman: governments need to be better co-ordinated

Pascal Spothelfer, BC Technology Industry Association CEO: vital for B.C.’s tech sector to grow to the point where it can export its products and services

Fiona Famulak, president of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce: the 16 speakers at the symposium bullish about the prospects for B.C.

Andrew Ramlo of the Urban Futures Institute: business cultures need to do more to promote the sharing of experience among different generations of workers

huis of the Fraser Institute and Roger Gibbins of the Canada West Foundation noted B.C.’s vast opportunities and its natural position as the gateway between Canada and Asia for trade, investment and talent.

But poor labour productivity along with complacency and the inability

of business and political leaders to adapt to a volatile global economy remain key roadblocks to exploiting that potential.

B.C.’s productivity level has consistently remained low for decades.

According to BC Stats, that productivity is below the national aver-

age and exceeds only the Atlantic provinces.

W h i le a sig n i f ic a nt investment in technology is required to help boost productivity in B.C., Ramlo said business cultures need to do more to promote the sharing of experience among different generations of workers and executives to improve

efficiency and processes.

“We need to work on downloading the information from the older generation to the newer one more effectively,” he said.

Gibbins also warned agains being complacent about marketing B.C.’s strengths to the world.

He said the province

remains a relatively small player on the world stage so it needs to work continually to attract the attention of potential buyers.

“The reality is, we have to beat the path to the world’s door.

“We’re not alone in having what the world wants.” see Talent, 9

finance

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Talent: Executive expertise in short supply from Complacency, 8

Tourism needs to focus on finding the next “Olympic” event Mark Andrew, Pacif ic Northwest regional vicepresident for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, noted that the tourism sector must guard against believing its own public relations about the significance of events like hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics and obtaining approved-destination status from China in boosting our reputation abroad.

While these events will help keep B.C. on the radar of international tourists, Andrew said the province needs to think about the next big global event that will again draw the world’s eye to B.C. “If you go to Beijing, they see B.C. as being very much like the rest of Canada, which they now have access to. But it’s not as near on the map as Europe or other parts of Asia. We can’t rest on our laurels of the Olympics.”

Andrew also advised that the sector should not neglect its existing tourism markets as it focuses on new markets like China.

“The business from Asia is huge, but the business we’ve got from the U.S., Australia and Europe is even bigger. Australia produces thousands of room nights for [our B.C.] properties because people are coming here for the experience. As we sell the experience, we need to adapt it to lots of different markets. It’s so much more than moose, mountains, Mounties and maple leafs.”

Attracting global companies is key to B.C.’s film industry growth Peter Leitch, chairman of the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BC, said the various levels of government need to be better co-ordinated to avoid decisions that can deter world-class companies from operating in B.C. He pointed out that recent changes to Canada’s immigration policy that limit the time foreign workers can stay in Canada are potentially damaging to his industry.

“It will affect us from day one, because, they’ll say, ‘You know, we’re not going to be able to bring up some of our talent, so we might as well not start here.’”

Such deterrents also hamper the industry’s ability to attract the industry’s biggest players like Pixar, Deluxe, and Sony to B.C., which he says is vital to develop the province’s film sector by providing the training ground to improve the skills of the local talent pool.

“It’s one of the most important things we can do, [because] we don’t have the time to train people up to speed as fast as we need to be competitive. The best training you can get is bringing the best companies in the world up here.”

Developing the province’s talent is key to trans-

“It’s fair to say that the 16 speakers at the symposium are quite bullish about the prospects for B.C., but there is work to do.

Bearing in mind that 98% of our business base is small business, it has to happen at the grassrooots” – Fiona Famulak, president, Whistler Chamber of Commerce

forming B.C. from being simply a film location into a centre for film production.

While B.C. continues to attract productions from Los Angeles, he said the domestic industr y also needs to look at itself as a business.

“We don’t seem to create things to sell to the world market or figure out where the market is before we create them.”

Bottlenecks threaten B.C.’s resource boom Tim McEwan, president and CEO of Initiatives Prince George Development Corp., noted that skills shortages, infrastructure bottlenecks and inefficient regulation threaten to dampen the potential for growth in the resource sectors across the province.

Skills shortages are already acute in northern jurisdictions like Prince George, where unemploy-

ment is at 5.7%.

“We’re near full employment as we speak, so we have to focus on building capacities in aboriginal communities and focus on immigration.”

Strengthening managerial talent vital to tech sector development Pascal Spothelfer, president and CEO of the BC Technology Industry Association, noted that for B.C.’s technology companies to tap the global market, the province’s tech sector must grow to the point where it can effectively export its products and services. That remains a challenge even though the tech sector is among B.C.’s fastest growing sectors.

Spothelfer noted that key challenges to improving the sector’s export potential include a shortage of capital and a dearth of management capable of developing small businesses into mediumsized companies.

“There is a shortage of capital, but we also don’t have enough people who know how to take a company from 10 people to 100. And unless you are a 100-person company, you can’t export effectively. If you can’t export effectively, you can’t grow.”

Complacency will continue to slow economic growth Speakers emphasized the need for entrepreneurs and business and government leaders to address the roadblocks to B.C.’s prosperity.

Fiona Famulak, president of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, said, “It’s fair to say that the 16 speakers at the symposium are quite bullish about the prospects for B.C., but there is work to do. Bearing in mind that 98% of our business base is small business, it has to happen at the grassroots.”

In closing the conference, Gibbon said, “B.C. has a great foundation, but it’s up to us to build on that foundation.

This means that if we are to be resilient in the face of unrelenting global change, we must be thoughtful of the future. We can’t just sit back and let the future happen to us. We have to step up to the challenges we anticipate and don’t live in a status quo world. I still believe intensely that B.C. has an extraordinary future, but B.C.’s success in a global economy is not a given.” • rchu@biv.com

9

B.C. wages rise 1.3% in q1 Province lags behind national increases

▲1.6% ▲1.3% ▲2.6% ▲1.7% Labour income in 2011 Q1 (Canada)

Labour income in 2011 Q1 (B.C.)

Labour income in 2011 Q1 (Alberta)

Labour income in 2011 Q1 (Manitoba)

Wages, salaries and benefits earned by B.C. workers grew 1.3% (seasonally adjusted) during the first quarter. The increase in labour income was slightly lower than the national average (1.6%). Newfoundland and Labrador (2.9%) and Alberta (2.6%) posted the strongest growth rates. In the rest of the country, labour income rose at rates ranging from 0.7% in Nova Scotia to 1.7% in Manitoba.

B.C. restaurant receipts decline further in March Receipts at food services and drinking places in the province fell (-0.6%, seasonally adjusted) in March, marking the third consecutive month of declines.

Drinking places were hardest-hit, but food service establishments also saw revenues drop in March. BC was the only province to record lower sales in April.

-BC Stats Infoline, Issue 11-22, June 3

B.C. sawmills see year-over-year boost in March B.C.’s sawmills registered yet another year-over-year boost in March as output of lumber jumped 6.6%.

Both Coastal (7.5%) and Interior (6.5%) mills ramped up lumber production significantly. Nationally, production was also higher (0.7%) than in the same month last year.

-BC Stats Infoline, Issue 11-22, June 3

Non-resident investment climbs in 2011 Q1 Investment by non-residents in Canadian bonds, stocks and the money market increased $21.8 billion in the first quarter. Foreign investment in Canadian bonds slowed to the lowest level since late 2008, but investment in stocks continued to strengthen.

-BC Stats Infoline, Issue 11-22, June 3

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10 Advertising Feature

Business in Vancouver June 14–20, 2011

FOCUSONSUCCESS

Alpha Technologies Ltd. Providing reliable, sustainable power solutions A

lpha Technologies Ltd. clients run the gamut from telecom providers to cable TV broadcasters, from traffic signal-and-light controllers to security systems, but they all have one thing in common.

They need reliable, high-quality, uninterrupted power to keep their own customers happy by avoiding service interruptions.

“We build power electronics and related products to power critical facilities, systems, and devices to maintain operations,” says Dave Boroevich, Vice President of Marketing at Alpha Technologies.

Alpha Technologies customers also need customized solutions from a manufacturer that understands the unique requirements and constraints of each of these industries.

Boroevich says that Alpha Technologies is very good at understanding each of its customers and their markets, and knows each has unique power requirements.

“One solution does not fit all,” says Boroevich. “We design and engineer solutions for each application. We use AC, DC, and renewable energy solutions and we choose what is best, given a customer’s specific situation. These solutions often include back-up batteries and sophisticated enclosures. It’s not just the power; we tailor the entire system to fit together. ” It is an approach borne 35 years ago when company founder, Fred Kaiser, was personally unhappy with the reliability of the cable signal in his home. TV, he thought, lacked reliability in the provision of service. He used his engineering background and developed a solution which he built and sold to Delta Cable, Rogers, and others. From this humble beginning, the

With over three million powering solutions in operation globally, for over 35 years The Alpha Group has been developing solutions that solve our customers’ unique powering challenges

company evolved into the de facto solution for power for cable networks worldwide, and has captured more than 90 per cent of the North American cable market.

Boroevich says that founder Kaiser had the foresight to see an explosion in the cable TV business and focused on the market at a time when no one else was pursuing it. The company’s technology was welcomed with open arms, he says, and that welcome still exists today.

“The company then moved into like applications in the telecom industry, which needed a different solution but the same essential application: keeping the network working all the time. Using our core competencies, we built a solution that could operate in a rugged environment, often an extreme environment with dust, wind, hot and cold temperatures. It is a sustainable solution that can operate reliably in these conditions,” says Boroevich.

The key with uninterrupted power sources is they are not needed until something else goes wrong, so they must work when needed. Boroevich says Alpha Technologies has the expertise to understand the industries it works in, and to design solutions that won’t fail.

“It’s the same in the traffic and security industries. They have different requirements but all need to work reliably under the same tough conditions.”

“Back-up power is more necessary today than ever before,” says Boroevich. “As consumers we rely on telecom and cable service providers for multiple services: phone, TV, wireless, the Internet. We didn’t have these dependencies before but today, it’s critical we remain connected.”

“That dependence has grown,” he says, adding that the current traditional power grid is more unreliable than before, with its aging postwar architecture beginning to disintegrate. “As overall demand for power increases, the rate of failure is accelerating.

It will get worse before it gets better.”

It’s easy to see why reliable, sustainable back-up power is vital to each of us, though we often take it for granted until it isn’t there when we need it. For example, we expect

Alpha Modular Power System 80 (AMPS 80) – revolutionary ‘green’ powering technology. instant access day or night to our wireless services. In traffic control, when the power is down, intersections can become hazardous with four-way stop procedures, in addition to being inefficient at moving traffic.

Security systems, when they lose power, lose all their ability to protect both human and material assets.

“Due to the competitive nature of business, consumers leave if service isn’t reliable,” says Boroevich of telecom and cable service providers.

“Companies in these markets need to be at least as reliable as the next guy.”

In January 2010, Alpha Technologies acquired another member of the Alpha Group (a global collective of companies that are dedicated to creating world-class powering solutions for communication, commercial, industrial and renewable energy markets), Argus Technologies.

The two Alpha Group companies had been in operation in Vancouver for 20 years. Coincident with the merger, Alpha Technologies Ltd. consolidated its operations from three disparate facilities into its new 113,000ft2 state-of-theart headquarters in Burnaby’s Big Bend Industrial Park. This impressive structure is home to Alpha Technologies’ 500+ employees, corporate offices, customer service, R & D labs, AC and DC product production, warehousing, circuit board design, prototype development, and final assembly and testing.

From this new location, the company designs, manufactures, installs, and services powering solutions including ruggedized Uninterruptible Power Supplies and Backup Power Solutions, Power Rectifiers, Converters, Inverters, Indoor and Outdoor Power System Enclosures, Generators, and Batteries.

Boroevich says that the company has experienced tremendous growth, averaging 25 per cent increase in revenues year over year for the past five years, as a result of identifying market opportunities and shaping innovative solutions to address them.

“We are 100 per cent market driven, not technology driven.

The opportunities we pursue come to us in the form of powering challenges being experienced by our customers.“ That’s because, he says, Alpha Technologies understands the needs of its customers better than anyone else as the company focuses on unique segments of the power market.

“We live and breathe in the industries where we develop solutions. We’ve got good at it and remain competitive over larger competitors who only dabble in these markets,” says Boroevich.

“We build customized solutions because we understand the unique requirements of our customers, and our solutions address those specific needs. Others simply sell off-the-shelf.”

Further cementing the company’s continued success is its ability to rely on other expertise in the Alpha Group for new solutions in power supply, including integrating solar and other renewable power into customer solutions.

“In our market sectors,” says Boroevich, “people are familiar with Alpha Technologies and what we bring to those markets: reliable, quality solutions specifically tailored to their needs. We are a known and respected entity—buying an Alpha power solution gives decision-makers confidence as they know our solution will work. There’s no worry, just peace of mind. They can focus on their own businesses and let Alpha Technologies focus on the power solution.” u

❚company profile Company name: Alpha Technologies Ltd. Founded: 1975 President & CEO: Mark W. Schnarr Contact info: Phone 604-436-5900 Email: sales@alpha.ca URL: www.alpha.ca

Technology

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

11

New sunrise for sustainable energy in B.C. as pro-solar campaign launched But keynote speaker at Vancouver conference disagrees with direct subsidies for economically impractical options

By Nelson Bennett

BC

’s sola r energ y industry is trying to shine a light through what it believes is a glaring gap in B.C.’s energy policies.

The Stand Up for Solar c a mpa ig n – of f icia l ly launched May 31 at the recent SolarWest 2011 conference in Vancouver – is designed to pressure the B.C. government into adopting policies that would encourage more solar energy use in B.C. But one of the conference’s keynote speakers, Mark Jaccard – professor of sustainable energy at Simon Fraser University, former chairman of the BC Utilities Commission and author of Sustainable Fossil Fuels – threw cold water on the industry.

If governments are going to directly subsidize renewable energy, it makes little sense to pick the most expensive one, he told Business in Vancouver.

“While I support policies that will help renewables, including solar, I don’t think it’s wise to run around pretending that every jurisdiction is going to copy a policy that is extremely biased toward solar at the expense of other renewables,” Jaccard said.

Roughly 50 companies in B.C. are involved in solar energy in one form or another. Dave Egles is president of one of them: Victoria’s Home Energy Solutions.

Last year, the company

Ray Chan, project manager for Home Energy Solutions: inspecting the work he did on a 75kW solar installation for the T’Sou-ke Nation

was commissioned to install a $1.5 million solar energy system for the T’Sou-ke First Nation. The project received some help from the B.C. government’s Green Technology Fund.

But Egles, who sits on the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) board of directors, said the B.C. government’s energy policies virtually ignore the solar sector.

“We want to see B.C. include solar energy in its portfolio,” he said. “Up until now, they’ve said they’re only interested in cheap electricity, and they have put out really, really lofty goals for conservation.”

The government of Ontario directly subsidizes solar power through feed-in tariffs. But as Jaccard points out, those kinds of subsidies are vulnerable to political whim.

“The party that is leading in the polls for the upcoming election in Ontario says they’ll kill that thing,” he said.

And due to a glut of solar products – followed by reductions in feed-in tariffs in Europe – Vancouver’s Day4 Energy Inc. (TSX:DFE) has been hammered recently by falling orders and prices for its photovoltaic modules.

Jaccard said the viability of a given renewable energy is largely dependent on its region. In places like the Mojave Desert – or even Kamloops – solar energy may make economic sense, whereas it might not in overcast coastal B.C. In San Bernadino County, California, for example, BrightSource Energy is building a massive $2.2 billion solar thermal energy plant that capitalizes on the

region’s sunny climate.

It will use 347,000 mirrors spread over 5.5 square miles focusing sunlight onto towermounted boilers, which will produce steam to drive turbines and produce 370 megawatts of electricity.

Such a project in B.C. is unlikely, because solar power can’t compete with B.C.’s cheap, clean hydroelectric power or plentiful and relatively cheap natural gas.

That’s especially so, Jaccard said, when industries that burn natural gas can use the atmosphere as “a free waste receptacle.”

Egles said his industry is not trying to compete with large-scale utility power generators. But he added that solar can make sense as a form of energy conservation on smaller scales, especially

given that BC Hydro’s future energy policies are largely posited on conservation.

“Seasonally, it can contribute, and in the not-so-far future, it’ll contribute cheaper than anything to do with fossil fuels,” Egles said. “It will be the cheapest source of electricity that a homeowner could choose to buy.

“It’s more expensive now, but as it grows it’s clearly on a track for grid parity. Within about 10 years, solar electricity will be cheaper than BC Hydro’s electricity.”

However, Jaccard said that such claims are counterproductive. For one thing, an MIT study that he presented at last week’s conference shows natural gas prices remaining cheap, thanks to abundance created from newly discovered shale gas reserves all over North America – something he said solar industry advocates appear to be ignoring.

Secondly, he said it lets politicians “off the hook” because they conclude that the solar energy industry can compete with other forms of energy production without any government support.

Jaccard believes governments need policies that encourage renewable energy.

He favours policies like the one Japan recently adopted, in which all new buildings must have solar thermal energy for heating water included in the building.

“Within about 10 years, solar electricity will be cheaper than BC Hydro’s electricity” – Dave Egles, president, Home Energy Solutions

But he doesn’t believe governments should pick and choose which renewable energy sectors to support through direct subsidies, especially the most expensive one.

“Our goal is not to have solar – our goal is not to destroy the planet,” he said.

“And if you try to achieve your goal the most expensive way possible, you risk putting in place a policy that won’t endure.” •

“ ” nbennett@biv.com

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REAL ESTATE PETER MITHAM

BUSINESS TODAY

HST, rising lease rates boosting demand for office ownership; Bonnis buys Hollywood Theatre

May housing starts up 70% in Metro Vancouver

Wednesday, June 8

UBC approves hospice The University of British Columbia’s board of governors on June 8 approved a 15-bed hospice on its west side Vancouver campus near a highrise condominium where many residents opposed building the facility.

The approval comes a week after the board of governors’ planning committee gave the project its blessing.

The $10 million project is a joint venture between UBC’s faculty of medicine and the Order of St. John and would be operated by Vancouver Coastal Health. Many of the residents are Chinese and told board members in public hearings that it’s bad luck to live near the dying.

UBC spokesman Stephen Owen told media that the best place for the hospice would be integrated into the community.

Wednesday, June 8

Full stories and other local business news at www.biv.com/businesstoday Daily business news direct to your inbox!

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June 14–20, 2011

REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP

daily online edition

Housing starts in the Vancouver census metropolitan area were up 70% to 1,991 in May relative to a year ago, according to numbers released

by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) this morning.

“What we’re seeing mostly has been increases on the multiple-unit side of construction,” CMHC senior market analyst Robyn Adamache said. “So far this year, we’ve seen about a 58% increase.”

Adamache noted that, for the first five months of 2011, Richmond, Coquitlam and Surrey recorded key increases in multiple-unit housing starts. For the City of Vancouver, housing starts were up to 439 in May from 402 a year ago, with starts for multiple-family units rising 15% to 374 and starts for single-detached units dropping 20% to 65.

Daily business news at www.biv.com

Own or lease?

Two new buildings are testing users’ desire to own or lease downtown Vancouver office space.

The acquisition of 60,000 square feet at the Offices at Hotel Georgia by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. has broker Avison Young suggesting that strata space is as much in vogue downtown as elsewhere in the Lower Mainland.

“The transaction may signal a trend for downtown office users to acquire their own space,” said Michael Keenan, managing director of the Vancouver office and senior vice-president of Avison Young.

Historically low interest rates and rising lease rates (compounded by the HST, which applies to commercial rents) are factors prompting users to consider buying space.

Susan Prins, communications director for the college, said the college has been hoping to buy space since 2002, when it recognized that it was outgrowing its former premises at 1807 West 10th Avenue. It has been leasing space at 858 Beatty Street, but the introduction of the HST lent extra impetus to its quest.

The college doesn’t charge HST on licensing fees, its main source of income, and so is unable to offset the HST it pays on rent.

The college considered 24 buildings in Vancouver and Burnaby before settling on the Offices at the Hotel Georgia. The premises will house offices and the college’s library, and ownership will help keep licensing fees lower rather than have them rise to cover rent and taxes.

Terms of the deal, which closed June 3, weren’t disclosed. The college is now the majority owner in the project’s office component, which totals 71,500 square feet.

Bosa Properties Inc. isn’t being swayed by the factors in favour of strata sales, however.

Strata space at Jameson House on West Hastings that was formerly offered for sale is now listed for lease with Cushman & Wakefield Ltd.

The property has 58,000 square feet of office space, of which approximately 43,800 square feet is available for lease. Bosa will be moving its offices to the remainder.

Bosa president Greg Tylee and Daryl Simpson, the company’s vicepresident, sales and marketing, were both unavailable last week for comment on Bosa’s reasons for leasing rather than selling the space.

Going Hollywood Word of the historic Hollywood Theatre’s sale and probable closure has been circulating for months.

Now, the West Broadway landmark has indeed closed with the conclusion of the property’s sale to Dino Bonnis, whose Bonnis Properties Inc. is an active investor on the West Side. RealNet Canada data indicates the deal closed May 30 for $2.9 million.

The theatre was built in 1935. Last fall, founding owners the Fairleigh family hosted a 75th birthday party at the Hollywood that included a rousing rendition of “God Save the King” – for George V, of course, the man whose bearded visage adorned Canada’s coinage at the time the theatre opened.

There are no concrete plans for the property at this time.

Cycle through change May became June, and this columnist took the opportunity between other endeavours to slip in at the back of a couple of presentations discussing Vancouver’s urban fabric.

SFU’s City Program welcomed Elizabeth Macdonald, professor of Urban Design at the University of California-Berkeley on May 30 as part of an evening the city co-hosted to discuss the potential for Broadway to become a “Really Good” street and even a “Great Street” (yes, the capitalization was in the original announcement).

Macdonald’s philosophy was that streets must be flexible and open

to a variety of traffic types. Pedestrians should be comfortable using all streets, but other uses should be mixed such that thoroughfares are places to drive through and places to be.

She expounded a vision of streets where, “nobody gets everything they want, but everybody gets a lot.”

Big storey: strata office space adjacent to Delta Land Development Ltd.’s Hotel Georgia recently sold to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C.

No surprise, then that she was happy with “the wonderful experiment” the city has been conducting with separated bike lanes on Hornby and Dunsmuir streets.

“We know it’s been controversial in the city, but we would really applaud it,” she said. “We understand there’s a lot of more who feel comfortable getting on their bikes.”

Bikes were also the pride of presentations to the local Urban Land Institute chapter on June 2 exploring land-use scenarios through 2050.

Ken Greenberg, principal of Toronto’s Greenberg Consultants, acknowledgedthedebateinVancouver

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around bike lanes while hoping that kids might one day ride bicycles to school again. “We’ll still have real vehicles, but they will occupy a very different place in the hierarchy,” he said of cities in 2050.

Vancouver planning director Brent Toderian rounded out the presentations to ULI by noting that bike lanes are key to transportation into Vancouver’s downtown.

Toderian said lanes for bicycling, which is second to walking in the downtown transportation plan, are “an incredibly strategic choice” for moving people quickly and greenly through the city. • pmitham@telus.net

13

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver Daily email edition: www.biv.com

Colliers International RETAIL 1208 West Pender Street, Fls 1 & 2 The Ritz Vancouver

1310-1360 West 4th Avenue Hemlock Station Vancouver

2511 Quebec Street OnQue

High profile, excellent exposure retail space in Coal Harbour’s The Ritz.

Investment opportunity on Vancouver’s westside at 4th & Hemlock.

Up to 4,745 SF of new attractive retail for purchase along Broadway Corridor.

Sherman Scott Ted Mildon

$27.00/SF

4462-4470 Beresford Street MetroPlace Burnaby

$8,500,000

Sheldon Scott* Casey Pollard

1899 Rosser Avenue Madison Centre

Sale/Lease

Burnaby

Vancouver

Sherman Scott Ted Mildon

1199 Lynn Valley Road Lynn Valley Centre North Vancouver

Popular Lynn Valley Mall offers excellent retail opportunities.

$35.00/SF

Brent Heed

1097 Nicola Avenue Nicola Sation Port Coquitlam

32451 South Fraser Way Fraser Way Place Abbotsford

32,943 SF of high quality retail space.

Premium location with ideal tenant mix.

Freestanding pad or in-line CRU from 1,100 SF. Centrally located.

Strata retail units across from the Metrotown SkyTrain Station.

Various retail units available in Burnaby’s Madison Centre.

Sheldon Scott* Casey Pollard

Sale

$32.00-33.00/SF

$14,925,000

Brent Heed

Sheldon Scott*

$28.00/SF

Sean Ogilvie

OFFICE 984 West Broadway Broadway & Oak

Vancouver

New LEED® Gold building at Broadway and Oak. Up to 95,000 SF.

Lease

Marco DiPaolo

1795 Willingdon Avenue

Burnaby

5446 152nd Street Panorama Business Centre

160,656 SF. Fitness facility, cafeteria and storage. Expires March 30, 2013.

Sublease

Surrey

Up to 25,069 SF available of premium office/retail strata. Completion early 2012.

Rob Chasmar* Jason Mah

Sale

Jason Teahen

32988 South Fraser Way EMCO Building Abbotsford

Newest office development with up to 31,800 SF available.

$18.00/SF/annum

Jason Teahen

In the Know METRO VANCOUVER OFFICE MARKET OVERVIEW Metro Vancouver Historical Performance

25

Thousands (SF)

800 20

600 400

15

200 10

0 -200

5

-400 -600

Vacancy (%) / Net Asking Rent ($)

1,000

0

Net Absorption (SF) Current Quarter

Weighted Average Asking Net Rent

Vacancy Rate

In Q1 2011, Colliers removed over 1.7 million square feet of non-competitive space from its inventory in order to adhere to new North American standards.

In Q3 2010, Colliers began calculating its rental rates using a weighted average. As a result, Q3 rental rates appeared to jump, but in reality remained stable.

The first quarter of 2011 started the year on a very optimistic note as the Metro Vancouver office market experienced a significant spike in lease activity. Net absorption for the quarter totalled 260,164 square feet, the highest it has been since the second quarter of 2007, and the vacancy rate decreased from 7.6 percent last quarter to 7.5 percent this quarter.

Downtown vacancy is expected to continue to experience downward pressure in 2011 considering there will be no new supply delivered and demand is predicted to remain strong. For many of the Suburban markets, vacancy is expected to remain flat or decrease minimally throughout 2011. This may not be the case for Burnaby, however, as the market is set to receive significant amounts of space back from current tenants.

This document/email has been prepared by Colliers International for advertising and general information only. Colliers International makes no guarantees, representations or warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, regarding the information including, but not limited to, warranties of content, accuracy and reliability. Any interested party should undertake their own inquiries as to the accuracy of the information. Colliers International excludes unequivocally all inferred or implied terms, conditions and warranties arising out of this document and excludes all liability for loss and damages arising there from. This publication is the copyrighted property of Colliers International and /or its licensor(s). © 2011. All rights reserved.

This communication is not intended to cause or induce breach of an existing listing agreement. Colliers Macaulay Nicolls Brokerage Inc. (Vancouver). *Personal Real Estate Corporation. PO #11059.

200 Granville Street, 19th Floor, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2R6 | 1 604 681 4111 | www.collierscanada.com

14

Daily business news at www.biv.com Business in Vancouver June 14–20, 2011

HST will be reduced from 12% to 10%.

After listening to British Columbians, the government has proposed an HST reduction from 12% to 11% by 2012, then to 10% by 2014.

This proposed change will take effect if the province votes to keep the HST in the referendum. If B.C. votes to return to the GST + PST system, the combined rate will remain at 12%.

Transition cheques for families & seniors.

Under the proposed change to a 10% HST rate, the average B.C. family will be $120 better off annually than under the old 12% GST + PST system. And to help transition to the lower rate, the government will provide $175 for every child under 18 and every senior with income up to $40,000.

Decide for yourself. Learn more at HSTinBC.ca

Top 100 Private companies

Sponsored by:

Annual News Report

June 14–20, 2011; issue 1129

B.C.’s private evolution

Inside

Innovation key to success for B.C.’s private companies following a flat year of growth, where revenue increases showed up mostly in the financial sector

By the numbers

1.7% $59 29.6% $234.5

rise in combined revenue of the Top 100 list from 2009

billion: combined revenue of the Top 100 list rise in profits of B.C.’s 45 credit unions illion: profits of nine m credit unions on the Top 100 list

On the bleeding edge – 19 Retailers innovate to survive

Thanks for sharing – 27 Co-ops’ models for success

Taking all the credit – 21 Companies build profits by putting people first

Top 100 private companies in B.C. – 18, 20, 22, 24

Ranked by the percentage change in revenue between 2009 and 2010 50%

40%

30%

20%

rou lfe

Aut

oG

ies Wo

log hno Tec

Ins

ust ria

Cre ati on

ific

lA

p

Inc

nce ura

rou

Col

llia nce

lier

Pac

s In

Cor

ter

nat

ix G

ion

rou el G Ste ng

rci

p

al

p

e Kal ein fo SR LM

STE

grandmother’s chocolate.’ That’s

Tir

Ltd es Jam

MC

ELL

Ray m

Tec

ond

hno

ecy

log

clin

ies

gL

td

Inc

10%

CR

“We never want to be ‘your

School of hard rocks – 25 New diamond mines for HRA

Top 10 fastest-growing private companies (2009-2010)

AB

something we’ve heard for years

Ind

T

he Great Recession continues to cast a long shadow over B.C.’s economy.

While many of the province’s largest companies continue to recover from the shocks of the financial crisis, the recovery has neither been as swift nor as uniform across the province’s diverse corporate landscape as many might have hoped.

Overall, this year’s list of top 100 private companies in B.C. had a modest increase in revenue in 2010. Combined revenue of the list rose 1.7% to $59 billion, up from $58 billion in 2009.

By industry, much of the growth can be found in the financial sector. B.C.’s credit unions, for example, posted a new record in profits for the co-operative financial system. Profits for the province’s 45 credit unions rose 29.6% to $380.4 million, up from the previous record in 2009 of $293.6 million. (See story, page 21) B.C.’s largest credit unions contributed to much of that growth. The nine credit unions on this year’s Top 100 list collectively posted a 33.4% year-overyear increase in profit in 2010 to $234.5 million from a 17% increase in revenue to $1.4 billion.

For most financial institutions, rising interest rates that led to a 75-basis point increase in the prime lending rate last summer contributed to their record performance.

Those increases helped boost margins on most variable-rate lending products, primarily in mortgages.

Other financial companies reporting significant growth last year included Raymond James Ltd., which posted a 23.6% increase in revenue to $265.7 million, and Industrial Alliance Pacific Insurance, which posted 17.9% revenue growth to $927.3 million, making them among the fastest growing companies year-overyear.

Besides the finance sector, however, revenue growth remained relatively flat for other sectors. B.C.’s largest auto dealers, manufacturers and retail companies, collectively posted flat revenue between 2009 and 2010.

But while top-line revenue growth may

be hard to find, that didn’t mean B.C.’s private companies simply stayed with the status quo. B.C.’s corporate landscape continued to grow and evolve last year, with several companies completing merger and acquisition deals. Among companies that grew by acquisition was Burnaby’s Golden Boy Foods, which expanded through its acquisition of Markham, Ontario-based Nutco, which produces private-label peanut butter for Canadian, U.S. and international markets.

Other big deals last year included Dollar Giant’s sale to Cheasapeake, Virginia-based based Dollar Tree for $62 million, giving the U.S. Fortune 500 company a foothold in the Canadian market. Earlier this year, Britco Structures became a subsidiary of Vancouver’s WesternOne Equity Income Fund (TSX:WEQ. UN), in a $93 million deal that closed in early June.

for Laura Secord, and so our effort is to continue to be relevant

Top 100 private revenue (2004-2010)

in graphics, design and how we

$70 $61

position ourselves in the market” – Karen Flavelle, CEO, Purdy’s Chocolates

For some of B.C.’s dominant private companies, the need to stay fresh and innovative continues to be a key to their success. At this year’s conference by the Vancouver chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG Vancouver), Karen Flavelle, CEO of Purdy’s Chocolates, noted the importance of knowing when to bring in fresh new ideas and energy, especially in a business that has been around for a long time.

In the case of Purdy’s, which was founded more than a hundred years ago, Flavelle’s focus is to keep the company’s brand relevant to its customer-base that spans generations.

“We need to continually hone Purdy’s image,” said Flavelle. “We never want to be ‘your grandmother’s chocolate.’ That’s something we’ve heard for years for Laura Secord, and so our effort is to continue to be relevant in graphics, design and how we position ourselves in the market.”

Key to that is ensuring its operations and sales processes continue to evolve and become more effective. This includes

$60 Total revenue ($billions)

By Richard Chu

Weathering the storm – 16 BIV talks to Kelowna Flightcraft

$50

$54

$55

$58

$59 $58

$43

$40 $30 $20 $10

2004

2005

2006

bringing in new people at the right time, especially for a family business.

“Being a family business, it tends to mean that the leader of a company is in place for a long time, and I’ve seen the charts of companies that have had the same leader for 20 to 30 years, and it’s not a pretty sight because the performance of the company starts to decline over time. So, I’ve been careful to bring in new people.”

Knowing what’s fundamental for a company to grow is also key. For Kari Yuers of Kryton International, having capable staff and a steady stream of new

2007

2008

2009

2010

products that fill its customers’ needs have remained vital for the company’s doubledigit growth over the years.

But even more fundamental is having sound financial management for the company her father founded. “A powerful lesson I’ve learned over the past 20 years is that revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash flow is, in fact, reality.

I’ve been mindful how important it is to have cash. It pays dividends with regards to being able to do what may seem like a risky thing. But when it works out, you’re a hero.” • rchu@biv.com

16 Top 100 Private companies

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Sponsor’s Message

BRUCE HURST, FCGA Chair of the Board of Governors Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia

On behalf of the Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia, I am pleased to congratulate all those who were selected as Business in Vancouver’s Top 100 Public Companies.

The companies who are being honoured have made important contributions to business in B.C. and they deserve to be recognized.

What is even more important, however, is that each company’s success can be so far reaching. Corporations today cannot serve their own interests exclusively but must also consider their impact in the communities in which they operate.

This year’s honorees carry on a wonderful legacy of achievement and community involvement throughout the province and are to be commended.

CGA-BC is a proud sponsor of these awards. On behalf of our Association’s nearly 15,000 CGAs and CGA students I would like to thank Business in Vancouver for recognizing these remarkable companies. CGA-BC represents accounting professionals who work at every level of government, in public practice and for companies throughout the province. CGAs have been a vital part of the business community in B.C. for more than 60 years and we wish all those who were honoured continued success.

Sincerely,

Bruce Hurst, FCGA Chair of the Board of Governors Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia

Aircraft maintenance company weathers storm

Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter is the exclusive air cargo carrier for Purolator Courier

Kelowna Flightcraft is trimming costs, buying up inexpensive parts and retaining key talent with make-work projects to keep itself strong for the future and to stay competitive

By Jenny Wagler

M

eryle Corbett is CFO and director of finance for Kelownabased aircraft maintenance, air cargo and pilot training company Kelowna Flightcraft Group of Companies.

BIV talked with her about strategies the company has used to weather the downturn and the high Canadian dollar, the importance of holding onto good talent through tough times and what’s on the horizon for 2011.

What’s your competitive edge?

We compete on quality and we get an airplane out on time. Other people will charge way cheaper labour rates, but then you’re stuck in the hangar and they can’t get done on a deadline. If you’re two weeks late with a plane grounded, that’s millions of dollars to the passenger companies. So our focus is quality and timeliness. We get a plane out on time. It doesn’t matter what the barriers. Our theme is really, “Get ‘er done.” You hear that everywhere you go.

Since the recession hit in 2008, which has been toughest year for Kelowna Flightcraft?

I think last year was probably our hardest. Work dried up a little bit in the summertime. But we’ve invested so much in training our employees, what we don’t want to do is have trained a guy on so many different aircraft types and specializations and then lay him off.

If he leaves, then when things ramp up in three months you’ve got to go back and retrain, you’ve got to find them, you’ve got to hire them and then you’ve got to re-invest in training. So we try to stay loyal to our employees and keep the ones that have good skills and expertise. In a downturn, we’d buy some inventory at auction and we’d re-certify it and clean it up and do those kinds of things. We try to find some make-work projects during the slow times to help out.

How is the high Canadian dollar impacting the company?

We have to buy U.S. parts in order to service our planes and a lot of the planes we service are Boeing. We buy a lot out of the Seattle area and from all over the States. So that costs us on the purchasing side although we can

Meryle Corbett, CFO and director of finance, Kelowna Flightcraft Group of Companies: “just because [business] is picking up doesn’t mean you can sit back, kick your feet up and relax yet”

manage currency risk a little bit.

The other thing on the Canadian dollar is the labour rates we charge are always compared to the U.S. labour rate down in the Southern states or even down in South America, where they’ll charge $40 or $45 an hour to do the same kind of airplane labour, whereas right now, $65 to $68 is our rack rate. So there’s quite a difference. The problem [for customers] is, sometimes if you can be a little more efficient on costs, sometimes you get what you pay for.

What strategies did you employ to achieve your 2010 results?

We got lucky in 2010 because we were able to successfully gain a military contract for search and rescue off the coast of B.C. We do all the maintenance for them. So that contract was worth between $30 and $40 million and that helped absorb some of the downturn we would have normally have had where other companies were struggling.

Have you pursued any new cost-cutting measures?

We’ve always been pretty cheap here.

It’s the culture of the company: when you can save costs it goes right to your bottom-line profitability. And that impacts our employee bonus system so everybody’s fairly conscious of it.

We went out to bid to find IT cost savings last year. We’re saving six figures on some of our IT stuff by

Engine shop assembly technician Kris Ramberg puts finishing touches on a recently repaired Pratt&Whitney JT8D aircraft engine used to power one of Kelowna Flightcraft’s Boeing 727 cargo freighter aircraft

standardizing to one telecommunications provider. Instead of four different companies supporting four different bases, one company can support all of them, streamline the processes and give us some savings. We’ve also been using our technology to understand our vendor patterns, where we spend a lot of money and going back and saying, “Look, we spend this many millions of dollars with you, we need better discounts or we want freight concessions or something.”

matter of months. You have to always be ready and be on your game because you never know when you’re going to get a similar kind of situation. It could bounce all over the place. So we manage the risk on those things and we watch it. The business and market is picking up just slightly. There’s more interest in our work.

We’re booked out a couple months longer than we would have been this year in terms of maintenance projects in our hangars, so that’s good news.

Have tough times pushed you to look at this more closely?

It adds to it. It gives us that little extra incentive to do that. When you’ve got a hot market and you’re desperate to hire people because the economy’s climbing, there’s not enough time to always focus on that, whereas here we know we have to focus down to stay efficient.

And your suppliers are more willing to receive it that way too because they’ve got to compete for their survival so they’re willing to bend a little.

We try and make it a win-win. We can lock in a long-term relationship with a supplier. They win because they know they can rely on us to keep ordering from them. And we win because we have known costs and an ability to keep it down. To me, win-win always works better.

What are your top goals for 2011?

We’ve got 600 jobs here in Kelowna. Our first goal is that we’ve got to keep livelihoods going in the community. We don’t have to make big profit when times are down. We want to keep customers happy so they remember a good experience. And then we’ll pick up later when times are better.

But what we’re doing is we’re shifting strategy to do things like go pick up better deals on the market when you can buy inventory at auction and stockpile your parts so that when you need your parts in two years and the market’s gone crazy again, you got them in at a deal at the low times.

Our volume is probably going to be maybe 10% higher than last year.

The HST helps a little bit. Lots of little things have just starting to pick up. But just because it’s picking up doesn’t mean you can sit back, kick your feet up and relax yet. •

What do you see ahead for 2011?

I think the landscape is going to stay volatile. We don’t know where the Canadian dollar is going to go. It can go from US$1.20 to US$0.90 in a

jwagler@biv.com

17

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver Daily email edition: www.biv.com

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18 This list sponsored by Canaccord

Business in Vancouver June 14–20, 2011

Top 100 private companies in B.C.

Top 100 private companies in B.C.

DEKKER HEWETT GROUP Vancouver’s Trusted Wealth Management Team

604.643.0285

www.dekkerhewettgroup.com

Ranked by 2010 revenue

Company

1

Jim Pattison Group

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Best Buy Canada Ltd

Principal(s)

Majority shareholder

Year founded

B.C. Assets employees '10/'09 '11/'10 (000s)

1961

NP 17,889

Revenue '10/ '09 (000s) % change

Primary business

Partial list of subsidiaries

NP NP

Diversified

Jim Pattison Auto Group, Overwaitea Food Group, Buy Low Foods, Canadian Fishing Co., $7,200,000 Genpak, the News Group, Pattison Sign $7,100,000 Group, Pattison Outdoor, the Jim Pattison 1% Broadcast Group, Ripley Entertainment, Westshore Terminals

Jim Pattison, managing director, CEO and chair

Jim Pattison

Mike Pratt, president and COO

Best Buy Co. Inc. 1982 (NYSE: BBY)

NP NP

$474,0001 $462,0001

Consumer electronics retailer and etailer (home office, home theatre, None entertainment and appliances)

Brandt Louie, CEO

Louie family

1933

NP NP

NP NP

Wholesale groceries

Marketplace IGA, Sonora Resort, London Drugs, London Air

$4,470,0003 $4,400,0003 2%

NP

Spectra Energy Corp. (NYSE:SE)

1957

NP NP

$11,952,000 $11,463,000

Natural gas gathering, processing, transmission and storage and distribution

Union Gas Ltd., Maritimes and Northeast Pipelines LP, St. Clair Pipelines (1996) Ltd.

$3,387,000 $3,466,000 -2%

Lindsay Gordon, president and CEO

HSBC Holdings plc

1981

NP 3,932

$71,496,000 $71,337,000

Banking and financial services

HSBC Capital (Canada) Inc., HSBC Financial Corporation Ltd., HSBC Investment Funds $2,493,000 (Canada) Inc., HSBC Global Asset Management (Canada) Ltd., HSBC Securities $2,576,000 -3% (Canada) Inc., HSBC Trust Company (Canada)

1111 Georgia St W Suite 1000, Vancouver V6E 4M4 P:604-576-7000 F: 604-592-7677 www.fortisbc.com

John Walker, president and CEO

Fortis Inc.

1897

2,072 2,0235

$6,646,241 $5,148,9005

Utility - Natural gas, electricity and alternative energy solutions

FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Energy (Vancouver Island) Inc., FortisBC Energy (Whistler) Inc.

$1,830,014 $1,686,7005 8%

Ledcor Group of Companies

Ron Stevenson, COO Dave Lede, chair and CEO Cliff Lede, vice-chair

Employee owned 1947 (100%)

2,043 1,000

NP NP

Diversified construction company

NP

$1,600,000 $2,300,000 -30%

London Drugs Ltd

Wynne Powell, president and CEO H.Y. Louie Co. Brandt Louie, chair

1945

NP 6,000

NP NP

Retail drugs and mass merchandiser TLD Computers Inc.

NP NP

Building materials distribution and manufacturing, investments

CanWel Building Materials (TSX:CWX) (24%), Tree Island Industries (TSX:TIL-UN) (19.9%), $1,400,000 Hardwoods Distribution (TSX:HWD.UN) $1,440,000 -3% (15%), Coast Wholesale Appliances (TSX:CWA.UN) (15%)

1067 Cordova St W Suite 1800, Vancouver V6C 1C7 P:604-688-6764 F: 604-694-6917 www.jimpattison.com

8800 Glenlyon Pkwy, Burnaby V5J 5K3 P:604-435-8223 F: 604-412-5237 www.bestbuycanadaltd.ca

HY Louie Co Ltd

2821 Production Way, Burnaby V5A 3G7 P:604-421-4242 F: 604-444-6231 NP

Westcoast Energy Inc

1055 Georgia St W Suite 1100, Vancouver V6E 3R5 P:604-488-8000 F: 604-488-8500 noms.wei-pipeline.com

HSBC Bank Canada

885 Georgia St W Suite 300, Vancouver V6C 3E9 P:604-685-1000 F: 604-641-2506 www.hsbc.ca

FortisBC4

1067 Cordova St W Suite 1200, Vancouver V6C 1C7 P:604-681-7500 F: 604-681-9700 www.ledcor.com 12251 Horseshoe Way, Richmond V7A 4X5 P:604-272-7400 F: 604-272-7579 www.londondrugs.com

The Futura Corp

$5,631,4932 $5,783,7242 -3%

$1,580,0003 $1,550,0003 2%

PO Box 10017, 700 Georgia St W, Vancouver V7Y 1A1 P:604-608-6600 F: 604-608-6700 www.futura corporation.com

Amar Doman, president and CEO

Amar S. Doman (100%)

1999

1,420 1,500

CHC Helicopter Corp6

Bill Amelio, president and CEO Rick Davis, CFO

First Reserve Corp.

1987

NP NP

NP NP

Provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry in more than 30 countries

NP

$1,400,0003 $1,305,667 7%

Univar Canada Ltd

Randy Craddock, president Joel Kallner, vice-president, Univar finance

1950

107 109

NP NP

Wholesale chemical distribution

NP

$1,306,000 $1,314,000 -1%

Sue Paish, CEO

Co-op members

1981

70 NP

NP NP

National retail drug store chain franchisor

None

$1,300,0007 $1,249,0007 4%

Kenneth Martin, president and CEO

NP

1997 by merger 1942

690 683

$436,564 $400,981

Group and individual products insurance carrier

Brtish Columbia Life & Casualty Co.

$1,209,860 $1,197,798 1%

Robert Foord, president Ken Chaun, CFO

Privately held

1953

1,350 1,300

NP NP

Tire and mechanical sales and service

None

$1,055,000 $857,000 23%

Gerry Bouwers, president and COO

Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

1951

319 325

$5,578,678 $4,752,777

Insurance and financial services

NP

$927,272 $786,744 18%

Tina Osen Chad Robertson, CEOs

NP

1998

870 904

NP NP

Commercial, auto, marine, and personal insurance products and services, as well as life and employee benefits products and services.

None

$896,277 $811,927 10%

200 Granville St Suite 1900, Vancouver V6C 2R6 P:604-681-4111 F: 604-661-0849 www.colliers.com

David Bowden, CEO, Canada

FirstService Corp.

1898

471 460

NP NP

Commercial real estate services

None

$861,900 $713,864 21%

Boston Pizza International Inc

Jim Treliving, co-chair George Melville, co-chair Jim Treliving and Mark Pacinda, president and George Melville 1964 COO

1808 180

NP NP

Restaurant franchiser

None

$853,0009 $848,0009 1%

Paul Hollands, president and Privately held CEO

1956

110 95

$120,210 $111,448

Quick-service restaurants

A&W Root Beer Beverages of Canada Inc.

$794,000 $757,000 5%

Gary Charlwood, chair and CEO

Charlwood family 1972 (100%)

NP NP

NP NP

Travel agency and real estate franchiser

Uniglobe Travel International Ltd., Century 21 Canada LP, Centum

$760,0003 $760,0003 0%

David Hahn, president and CEO

NP

1960

4,500 NP

$1,806,973 $1,841,900

Ferry services along B.C.'s Pacific Coast

Pacific Marine Ventures Inc.

$732,305 $681,800 7%

Dianne Doyle, president and Providence Health Care CEO Society

2000

6,397 6,302

$274,472 $292,095

Hospital operator and health-care provider

None

$709,379 $664,321 7%

Robert Gaglardi, Chair Tom Gaglardi, president

Gaglardi family (100%)

1963

5,400 4,750

NP NP

Hotels, real estate, restaurants

Northland Asset Management, Sandman Hotels Inns and Suites, Dencan Restaurants $611,000 Inc., Moxies Restaurants, CHOP Restaurants, $549,000 11% Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Masaru Oda, president and CEO

Mitsubishi International Corp. (100%)

1965

40 40

NP $154,092

International trading

None

$560,0003 $739,658 -24%

John Anderson, chair, president and CEO

John Anderson

1858

101 102

NP NP

International marketer of fresh produce

None

$533,808 $537,625 -1%

4740 Agar Dr, Richmond V7B 1A3 P:604-276-7500 F: 604-232-7385 www.chc.ca 9800 Van Horne Way, Richmond V6X 1W5 P:604-273-1441 F: 604-273-2046 www.univarcanada.com

Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd.

8411 - 200 St, Langley V2Y 0E7 P:604-455 -2400 F: 604-455-2493 www.pharmasave.com

Pacific Blue Cross

4250 Canada Way, Burnaby V6B 4E1 P:604-419-2000 F: 604-419-2990 www.pac.bluecross.ca

Kal Tire

2501 48th Ave, Vernon V1T 3P9 P:250-542-2366 F: 250-542-1218 www.kaltire.com

Industrial Alliance Pacific Insurance and Financial Services Inc 2165 Broadway W, Vancouver V6K 4N5 P:604-734-1667 F: 604-734-8221 www.iapacific.com

Hub International Canada West Co 3875 Henning Dr, Burnaby V5C 6N5 P:604-293-1481 F: 604-293-1493 www.hubinternational.com

Colliers International

5500 Parkwood Way, Richmond V6V 2M4 P:604-270-1108 F: 604-270-4168 www.bostonpizza.com

A&W Food Services of Canada Inc

171 Esplanade W Suite 300, North Vancouver V7M 3K9 P:604-988-2141 F: 604-988-5531 www.aw.ca

Charlwood Pacific Group

1199 Pender St W Suite 900, Vancouver V6E 2R1 P:604-718-2600 F: 604-718-2678 www.uniglobetravel.com www.century21.ca

BC Ferry Services Inc

1112 Fort St, Victoria V8V 4V2 P:250-381-1401 F: 250-388-7754 www.bcferries.com

Providence Health Care 1081 Burrard St, Vancouver V6Z 1Y6 P:604-806-8022 F: 604-806-8303 www.providencehealthcare.org

Northland Properties Corp

1755 Broadway W Suite 310, Vancouver V6J 4S5 P:604-730-6610 F: 604-730-4645 www.northland.ca

Mitsubishi Canada Ltd

200 Granville St Suite 2800, Vancouver V6C 1G6 P:604-654-8000 F: 604-654-8222 www.mitsubishicorp.com

The Oppenheimer Group

11 Burbidge St Suite 101, Coquitlam V3K 7B2 P:604-461-6779 F: 604-461-4781 www.oppyproduce.com

Sources: Interviews with above companies and BIV research. NR Not ranked NP Not provided 1 - In U.S. dollars 2 - Converted from U.S. dollars 3 - BIV estimate 4 Combined financial figures for FortisBC Holdings (formerly Terasen Inc.) and FortisBC 5 - Figures for Terasen Inc. only 6 - Acquired by First Reserve Corp. in $3.7 billion deal in 2008 7 - System-wide sales 8 - 2010 figure 9 - System sales

Business in Vancouver makes every attempt to publish accurate information in The List, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Researched by Richard Chu, 604-608-5114.

604.643.0285

www.dekkerhewettgroup.com

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A DIVISION OF CANACCORD GENUITY CORP., MEMBER – CANADIAN INVESTOR PROTECTION FUND

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PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Top 100 Private companies 19

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Executives on the bleeding edge of change Retailers introduce new payment technologies and self-serve kiosks as strategies to maintain their market advantage

By Glen Korstrom

xecutives at B.C.’s 100 largest private companies understand that innovation is vital to stay in growth mode. The key, however, is to strike a balance and sometimes not take the risks that can harm those who are on the bleeding edge of change.

Retailers are eagerly watching the rapid evolution in how customers want to pay for goods and services. Access to the “digital wallet,” which Google Inc. and MasterCard Inc. announced May 26, may come to Canada sooner than many think.

Now being tested in New York and San Francisco, the program allows customers to pay for goods with a wave of their smartphone. It is set to be rolled out across the U.S. this summer among the 120,000 or so retailers who use MasterCard’s proprietary PayPass technology.

“We’ve seen, in the past three years, the unbelievable evolution of what is going on with regard to how people in [Asia] are using their cell phones,” Starbucks Corp. CEO Howard Schultz told a Vancouver audience on the same day that Google made its big announcement.

“I’ll make a prediction that in

Dominic Schaefer

E

A&W Food Services of Canada CEO Paul Hollands believes that executives’ first priority should be to think about what their customers want and not simply what technology enables the company to provide

two years – three years maximum – the amount of commerce that everyone in this room is doing on their smartphone is going to be close to 50% of how you are currently paying for your bills, services, products and things you are going to buy.”

Schulz did not wait to embrace the ability for his American customers to pay for goods with their iPhones.

He rolled out a program earlier this year that does not use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to send bank account numbers to Starbucks headquarters. Instead, customers use a

Starbucks app and wave their iPhones in front of a scanner while revealing a barcode that links with the customer’s Starbucks account.

“This is a time in the world when, not only can you not embrace the status quo, but you must push for reinvention,” said Schultz, who opened his first coffee shop outside Seattle in Vancouver’s Seabus terminal. That was in the 1980s, and the shop was named Il Giornale. He later bought Starbucks and rebranded the location with that now-ubiquitous moniker.

A&W Food Services of Canada

Inc. CEO Paul Hollands counters that corporate executives’ first priority should be to think about what their customers want and not exclusively about what technology enables the company to provide.

He is closely watching the evolution of digital payment technology but has opted to be more progressive when it comes to having selfserve kiosks inside the company’s seven new urban street-front locations.

That’s something Starbucks has not done.

“We don’t want to be the leader in the payment technology area simply because we think it’s an area that continues to evolve and we want to make sure that the technology that we do use is proven, safe, secure and what our customers want,” he said.

Hollands’ self-serve kiosks allow customers to touch a screen to select their order and tailored toppings and then to pay by credit card.

The company has recently opened seven prominent streetfront urban locations including outlets on Robson Street, at the Seabus terminal and on Alberni Street.

Those outlets are a diversion from the company’s historic roots either in malls or as a drive-in restaurant.

CONSTRUCTION

The kiosks were selected for those locations because Hollands believes that the demographic who eats there is younger and more technology savvy.

Mountain Equipment Co-op CEO David Labistour told Business in Vancouver that, like Hollands, his big concern about new-fangled technological payment platforms is that they may put customer personal information at risk.

“We don’t compromise our members’ info in any way,” he said.

“We’re looking at everything but we’re looking at it through the lens of, ‘We don’t want to drop the ball like Sony [Corp.]did,’” Labistour said.

That Japanese multinational recently endured the wrath of consumers when it had a security breach that put personal information in more than 100 million accounts, mainly in its PlayStation gaming network, at risk.

“The key is not so much innovation as adaptability,” Labistour said.

“As markets change, opportunities exist all around you. If the rate of change outside your organization exceeds the rate of change inside your organization, you’re going backward.” • gkorstrom@biv.com

MARINE

Global Ability, Made in Canada REAL ESTATE

MANUFACTURING

travelsmart.ca

700 - 1901 Rosser Avenue Burnaby, British Columbia V5C 6R6

Telephone: 604-294-3301 Toll Free: 1-800-263-3313

www.cmwinsurance.com

20 This list sponsored by Mercedes

Daily business news at www.biv.com Business in Vancouver June 14–20, 2011

Top 100 private companies in B.C.

Top 100 private companies in B.C.

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 604-331-BENZ

Ranked by 2010 revenue

Company

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 34 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43

Seaspan Marine Corp1

44 45 46 47 48 49 50

First West Credit Union5

10 Pemberton Ave, North Vancouver V7P 2R1 P:604-988-3111 F: 604-984-1615 www.seaspan.com

Principal(s)

Majority shareholder

Jonathan Whitworth, CEO

Washington family

Primary business

File:subsidiaries Partial list of

1898

NP NP

NP NP

Marine transportation, ship repair and construction and related services

Seaspan International Ltd.; McKay Creek 2 Trim: 2” x 1.5” Technologies; Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd.; $500,000 Proof: 2 Vancouver Drydock Co.; Victoria Shipyards $500,000 0% Co. Ltd., Seaspan Coastal Intermodal Co.

420 365

$689,000 $549,800

Products for water and wastewater distribution systems to turnkey sustainable multi-utility systems management

475 430

NP NP

Contract electronic manufacturing services provider

NP NP

NP NP

Steakhouse restaurants

None

517 518

$286,734 $290,549

North American truck and heavy equipment dealer

Inland Kenworth, Parker Pacific; PacLease

$484,798 -11%

1981

NP NP

NP NP

Distributor of alcoholic beverages

Mission Hill Family Estate

$425,0002 $415,0002 2%

CAI Capital Co., Brett Hodson, president and Management 1188 Georgia St W Suite 1160, Vancouver V6E 4A2 B.C. Investment 1999 CEO Management P:604-697-6700 F: 604-697-6703 www.corix.com Corp.

Arthur Tymos, president and Creation Technologies Inc CEO 3939 North Fraser Way, Burnaby V5J 5J2 Employee owned 1991 Walsh, CFO P:604-430-4336 F: 604-430-4337 www.creationtech.com Michael Geoff Reed, chair David Aisenstat, chair, Keg Restaurants Ltd president and CEO David Aisenstat 1971 10100 Shellbridge Way, Richmond V6X 2W7 Croteau, COO P:604-276-0242 F: 604-276-2681 www.kegsteakhouse.com Jim Neil Maclean, CFO Leigh Parker, chair Richard McConnachie, viceInland Group chair Parker family 1949 2482 Douglas Rd, Burnaby V5C 6C9 Bill Currie, president P:604-291-6021 F: 604-299-7819 www.inland-group.com Les Ziegler, CFO 887 Great Northern Way, Vancouver V5T 4T5 P:604-263-9994 F: 604-263-9913 www.markanthony.com

Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity)

Anthony Mandl, chair and CEO

NP

Tamara Vrooman, president Member owned and CEO

1946

NP 2,115

$14,468,165 $14,410,528

Shato Holdings Ltd

Ronald Toigo Peter Toigo, managing directors

Estate of Peter Toigo (100%)

1969

3,875 3,675

NP NP

Black Press Ltd

David Black, president and CEO Rick O'Connor, COO John Walker, CFO

David Black

1969

NP NP

NP NP

4550 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby V5C 3Z5 P:604-291-2266 F: 604-291-2204 www.carterauto.com

Joe Mitchell, president

Carter/Mitchell Family (100%)

1963

NP 560

Polygon Homes Ltd

Neil Chrystal, president and Owned by senior CEO 1980 officers Michael Audain, chair Kyo Oshima, president

818 Broughton St, Victoria V8W 1E4 P:250-480-3220 F: 250-480-3219 www.bcnewsgroup.com

Carter Automotive Group

1333 Broadway W Suite 900, Vancouver V6H 4C2 P:604-877-1131 F: 604-876-1258 www.polyhomes.com

Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd 510 Burrard St Suite 700, Vancouver V6C 3A8 P:604-684-4326 F: 604-684-0512 www.dmi.ca

Vancouver Airport Authority

Box 23750 APO, Richmond V7B 1Y7 P:604-276-5600 F: 604-276-6505 www.yvr.ca

Super Save Group of Companies

19395 Hwy No 10, Surrey V3S 6K1 P:604-533-4423 F: 604-534-3811 www.supersave.ca

Versacold International Corp

2115 Commissioner St, Vancouver V5L 1A6 P:604-255-4656 F: 604-255-4330 www.versacold.com

Openroad Auto Group Ltd

13251 Smallwood Pl, Richmond V6V 1W8 P:604-273-3233 F: 604-232-5323 www.openroad autogroup.com

Sunrise Farms

13542 73A Ave, Surrey V3W 1C9 P:604-596-9505 F: 604-596-6966 NA

Coast Capital Savings Credit Union 15117 101st Ave, Surrey V3R 8P7 P:604-517-7400 F: 604-517-7405 www.coastcapital savings.com

'09 (000s) % change

3148_Merc_BIV_earlug

2

Docket: Client: Mercedes Corix Water Products, Corix Water Systems,

Corix Utilities Job: Newspaper

$486,200 $403,600 20%

Date: Feb 14, 2011 Time: 1:29 PM

NP

$479,000 $408,000 17%

File Created: Feb 14, 2011 – CB Preflight: CB

Colour: 4C

183 Terminal Ave, Vancouver V6A 4G2 P:604-877-7000 or 888-826-2489 F: 604-877-8292 www.vancity.com 4088 Cambie St Suite 300, Vancouver V5Z 2X8 P:604-874-5533 F: 604-874-2066 NP

Business In Vancouver Revenue '10/ Feb 22 2011

B.C. Assets employees '10/'09 '11/'10 (000s)

Corix Group

Mark Anthony Group Inc

PUB: DATE:

Year founded

PR: CW:

AD: AE:

$461,0002

CD: $463,014 OP: -0% CB

Suite 300 - 455 Granville Street • Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 • Tel: 604.669.4444 • Fax: 604.681.0093 $432,123

Citizens Bank of Canada, Inventure Full service credit union, microSolutions Inc., Inhance Investment finance, growth capital, socially Management Inc., Vancity Insurance responsible real estate development Services Ltd., Vancity Investment Management, Vancity Enterprises White Spot Ltd., J.D. Sweid Foods, Winreal Restaurant operations, food Operating Co., Delta Town and Country Inn, processing and real estate Tsawwassen Golf & Country Club, Riverhouse Restaurant and Pub

$424,0143 $381,1653 11% $410,000 $420,000 -2%

Newspaper printing and publishing

NP

$390,0004 $390,000 0%

NP NP

Automotive dealer

Carter GM Burnaby, Carter Chevrolet North Vancouver, Carter Chevrolet Port Coquitlam, Carter Dodge Chrysler Ltd. Burnaby, Carter Honda, Carter Motosports, Howard Carter Lease

$390,0002 $390,0002 0%

150 150

NP NP

Home building

NP

$388,000 NP NP

Marubeni Corp. and Nippon 1969 Paper Industries

NP NP

NP NP

Pulp manufacturing

NP

$386,4774 $386,477 0%

Larry Berg, president and CEO

NA

1992

NP NP

$1,827,164 $1,887,608

Airport management

YVR Project Management, YVR Airport Services, Vancouver Airport Enterprises

$368,842 $359,093 3%

William Vandekerkhove, president

William Vandekerkhove (100%)

1977

680 685

NP NP

Gas and propane retailing, disposal Super Save Gas, Super Save Propane, Super $358,000 services, propane distribution, fence Save Disposal, Super Save Fence Rentals, $343,000 4% and portable toilet rentals Super Save Toilet Rentals, Super Cash

Joel Smith, CEO

Eimskip

1946

600 616

$266,223 $1,466,180

Public refrigerated warehousing and Various transportation

Christian Chia, president and CEO

Chia family

1978

495 473

$193,209 $174,000

Retail auto dealer with ten dealerships and an auto body shop in the Lower Mainland

Middlegate Honda; OpenRoad HyundaiRichmond; OpenRoad Toyota Port Moody; Richmond Lexus; North Shore Acura; OpenRoad Toyota Richmond, OpenRoad Audi-Vancouver

$338,115 $344,000 -2%

Peter Shoore, president

Privately held

1983

825 800

NP NP

Food processing

NP

$327,760 $289,328 13%

2000

1,900 1,833

$10,407,051 $11,126,844

Full-service financial institution

3 Coast Capital Insurance Services Ltd., Coast $318,460 $295,3323 Capital Equipment Finance Ltd. 8%

1946

1,343 1,150

$5,073,009 $3,204,964

Full-service credit union

Valley First Financial Services Ltd. Western Interior Financial Ltd. Valley First Insurance $292,8633 (50%) First West Capital Envision Investment Services Ltd. Envision Insurance NP NP Services Ltd. CU Dealerlink Ltd. Envision Leasing Ltd. NP

Tracy Redies, president and Member owned CEO

$339,841 $1,318,500 -74%

Launi Skinner, CEO, First West Credit Union

Member owned

Paul Allison, chairman and CEO

Raymond James Financial, Inc. 1929 (NYSE: RJF)

369 NP

NP NP

Full-service investment firm

David Labistour, CEO

Member owned

1971

633 621

$183,304 $177,619

Manufacturer and retailer of outdoor None clothing and equipment

$261,374 $262,056 -0%

601 Cordova St W Suite 300, Vancouver V6B 1G1 P:604-681-7311 F: 604-681-4098 www.impark.com

Allan Copping, president & CEO

The Gates Group LLC/ Babcock & 1962 Brown

865 865

NP NP

Parking management

NP

$260,5796 $263,0576 -1%

Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited

Lorenzo Creighton, CEO

NP

1992

2,418 2,468

NP NP

Gaming

None

$257,566 $248,667 4%

Kelowna Flightcraft Group of Companies

5655 Airport Way, Kelowna V1V 1S1 P:250-491-5500 F: 250-765-1489 www.flightcraft.ca

Barry Lapointe, president

Rainmaker Industries Inc.

1970

540 575

$452,000 $396,000

Aircraft cargo, heavy maintenance and aircraft modifications, repair and overhaul, avionics, pilot flight training, leasing

Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter Ltd.; Kelowna Flightcraft Limited; Regency Aero Lease, Regengy Logistics GP, Allied Wings Group

$235,000 $238,000 -1%

Nature's Path Foods Inc

Arran Stephens, founder and president Ratana Stephens, COO

Stephens family

1985

NP NP

NP NP

Breakfast cereal manufacturer

NP

$220,0002 $215,0002 2%

303—15252 32nd Avenue, Surrey V3S 0R7 P:604-501-4260 F: NP www.firstwestcu.ca

Raymond James Ltd

925 Georgia St W Suite 2200, Vancouver V6C 3L2 P:604-659-8000 F: 604-659-8099 www.raymondjames.ca

Mountain Equipment Co-op

149 4th Ave W, Vancouver V5Y 4A6 P:604-707-3300 F: 604-731-6483 www.mec.ca

Imperial Parking Corp (Impark)

4621 Canada Way Suite 300, Burnaby V5G 4X8 P:604-412-0166 F: 604-412-0117 www.gatewaycasinos.com

9100 Van Horne Way, Richmond V6X 1W3 P:888-808-9505 F: 604-248-8760 www.naturespath.com

$265,668 $214,881 24%

Business in Vancouver makes every attempt to publish accurate information in The List, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Researched by Richard Chu, lists@biv.com.

Sources: Interviews with above companies and BIV research. NR Not ranked NP Not provided 1 - Formerly Washington Marine Group 2 - BIV estimate 3 - Net interest income and other income 4 - 2009 figure 5 - Created following the merger of Envision Financial and Valley First Credit Union that closed January 1, 2010 6 Converted from U.S. dollars

“Sprinter has the lowest cost of ownership in its class” – Vincentric

(independent, third party automotive researcher)

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter starting at $42,900 Sprinter Sales and Service Centre 1502 Boundary Road, Burnaby 604-331-Benz

Top 100 Private companies 21

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Credit unions holding strong in B.C.’s economy Second and third-largest co-operative financial institutions in B.C. prove that putting people first, whether it’s cutomers or employees, can be profitable

grow gr ow Centre your business in a strong, liveable, healthy community 25% PARKS AND OPEN SPACE

By Jen O’Rourke

W

alking the talk of being people-based and providing simple banking solutions is what ensures the success of two of B.C.’s largest credit unions, according to their respective CEOs. Launi Skinner, CEO of First West Credit Union and Tracy Redies, president and CEO of Coast Capital Savings Credit Union agree that when it comes to doing good business, the key is in offering people what they need in a way that they want.

“I think credit unions offer a different financial-services model at a time when Canadians, and indeed perhaps a lot of people around the globe, are looking for something more from the companies that they do business with,” said Redies.

“It’s not just about maximizing the bottom line of the company; it’s about the way they treat the people they employ, how they serve the customers that do business with them and how they work and live in the communities they serve.”

Both Coast Capital and First West reported record growth last year and have landed in at numbers 31 and 32 on BIV’s Top 100 private companies in B.C. list.

First West, formed in Januar y 2010 from the merger of Penticton-based Valley First Credit Union and Langley-based Envision Financial, reported an annual profit rise of 17.3% to $46.3 million.

Skinner told BIV that through having a larger balance sheet and employee base from the merger, First West has been able to make some important business decisions that increase and diversify several of its portfolios while still keeping things local.

“We’ve seen a number of opportunities over the past year that have presented themselves that we were able to be the financial provider for, and make the difference in the lives of our members because we had a stronger balance sheet that enabled, for example Valley First, to participate where they

Launi Skinner, CEO, First West Credit Union: “it’s a pleasure and it’s fun to come to work every day”

wouldn’t have been able to in the past,” said Skinner.

Coast Capital reported an annual jump in profits of 20.4% to $65.4 million, with a large increase in the retail deposits and mortgages in part due the launch of its “you’re the boss” mortgage.

“I think credit unions offer a different financialservices model at a time when Canadians, and indeed perhaps a lot of people around the globe, are looking for something more from the companies that they do business with” – Tracy Redies, president and CEO, Coast Capital Savings Credit Union

Redies describes Coast’s approach to banking as being simple and fun while offering innovative, competitive products aimed at meeting the needs of the average Canadian.

“If we didn’t provide those simple, innovative products that British Columbians really like, I don’t think we’d have experienced the growth that we have,” said Redies.

Tracy Redies, CEO, Coast Capital Savings Credit Union: “our purpose is now to change the way Canadians feel about banking forever”

“We’re all about trying to make banking easy and fun.

All of this is about differentiating ourselves from the big banks. If you speak of fun and easy in banking, it’s almost an oxymoron.”

In a competitive, overbanked Canadian financial market, credit unions in B.C. are showing their strength and place in the market by taking up the first- (VanCity), third- (Coast Capital) and fifth-largest (First West) credit unions in Canada slots (excluding Quebec) in a report released in March by Credit Union Central of Canada.

In B.C., the credit union industry is comprised of 45 individual institutions that employ 8,000 people and have combined total assets under management of $49 billion.

According to Skinner, being a local entity is key for credit union business. Members have the ability to walk in the door and receive help on the spot for virtually all of their financial needs.

Unlike a bank, which typically requires processing through sending requests such as loan applications to a head office for a decision,

credit unions have the ability to make most decisions in-branch.

Skinner describes the difference this makes in realworld terms.

“If you walked into a local credit union, your ability to get a retail mortgage or even a small-business loan would be made by the local team in that branch versus having to go up to different levels for approval,” said Skinner.

According to Central 1, the central financial facility and trade association for the B.C. and Ontario credit union systems, approximately one-third of British Columbians do business with a credit union and a further one-third who have changed their financial institutions have made the switch to a credit union.

Redies uses a unique analogy to exemplify how credit unions such as Coast Capital differ by offering their members help rather than just advice.

“You can think about the concept of help and advice by the example of someone drowning in a lake,” she said. “Advice you get from someone on the shore who’s basically advising that person who’s drowning what the quickest way to get to shore is; help is about throwing them a life preserver.”

Another quality that sets credit unions apart in the financial industry is that while still competing with one another, they will come together to make decisions that work towards making the credit union system in Canada and B.C. stronger.

“We also work together co-operatively behind the scenes so that we know that even together as credit unions we’re stronger,” said Redies. • jorourke@biv.com

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22 Top 100 Private Companies

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Top 100 private companies in B.C.

list

Ranked by 2010 revenue

Principal(s)

Majority shareholder

Year founded

B.C. Assets employees '10/'09 '11/'10 (000s)

Primary business

Partial list of subsidiaries

Jack Lee, president

NP

1995

240 65

NP NP

Fuel management

NP

$216,166 $229,626 -6%

Cal Yonker, CEO Warren Beach, CFO

Golden Gate Capital

1966

337 336

NP NP

Professional service solutions for business re-engineering & strategy, systems integration, technology implementation and application managed services

NP

$209,0002 $209,000 0%

Shuhachi Naito, senior vice- Okabe North president America

1972

NP NP

NP NP

Hotel ownership, management and franchising

None

$208,322 $191,823 9%

Dick Jones, president Tom Jones, CEO

Tom and Dick Jones

1947

770 NP

NP NP

Cedar Products, Stag Timber, J.S. Logging, sawmills, planer, shake and Teal Jones, Titan Ridge, Cascade Cedar, Teal shingle mills Cedar Lumber

$200,000 $250,0003 -20%

Brian Hill, CEO

Brian Hill, Berkshire Partners LLC

1984

NP NP

NP NP

Women's apparel retailer

NP

$200,0002 $200,000 0%

Stuart Haskins, general manager and vice-president

Moray Keith

1926

410 440

NP $144,857

Auto dealership

Dueck Lansdowne Pontiac Buick Cadillac GMC Ltd., Dueck Downtown, Dueck on Marine

$197,469 $206,903 -5%

Greg Sims, president and CEO

Licensee owned

1953

71 74

$128,427 $139,984

Tire and automotive services

None

$187,851 $209,741 -10%

Richard Harris, president and CEO

Tricor Pacific Capital Inc.

1973

220 300

NP NP

Private-label manufacturer and distributor of peanut butter, snacking nuts, trail mixes, raisins, dried fruits and raw baking nuts

Golden Nut Company Inc

$185,000 $166,000 11%

Keith Beedie, CEO Ryan Beedie, president

Keith Beedie and Ryan Beedie 1954 (Privately held)

126 118

NP NP

Integrated industrial land development, construction and property management

None

$185,000 $95,000 95%

#110 - 2925 Virtual Way, Vancouver V5M 4X5 P:604-732-1411 F: 604-732-3782 www.welcolumber.com

Brad Johansen, president and CEO

Brad Johansen, Brian Elcock

1983

25 22

NP NP

Wholesale lumber distribution

NP

$181,274 NP NP

Graham Construction & Engineering Inc

Bill Frost, director of Business Developement Wayne Henderson, VP Commercial

Employee owned 1926

NP 120

NP NP

General contracting, construction management and design build

Gracom Masonry, Gracorp Development

$180,000 $220,0004 -18%

uniPHARM Wholesale Drugs Ltd

Ron Gracan, president Derek Desrosiers, CEO Stephen Mavety, CFO

NP

1980

78 78

NP NP

Wholesale distribution of pharmaceuticals

None

$173,602 $183,007 -5%

1944

372 382

$10,375,582 $11,056,676

Wholesale financial services to B.C. and Ontario credit unions

Central Financial Corp. (1989) Ltd., C.U. Financial Services Ltd., Central Data Systems Ltd., Central Risk and Insurance Management Services Ltd., Inovera Solutions Inc., Landmark Credit

$169,5175 $226,7005 -25%

1986

55 45

NP NP

Automotive, aircraft and equipment leasing

NP

$165,000 $161,000 2%

1975

475 300

NP NP

Power electronics manufacturing

None

$165,000 NP NP

1917

NP NP

NP NP

Motorcycle distribution

NP

$162,3187 $200,9467 -19%

NP $1,463,120

Development and acquisition of commercial and industrial properties, rental housing, multifamily condominiums, seniors living communities and resort projects

None

$156,648 $165,890 -6%

Company

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

4REFUEL Canada Ltd

67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75

Concert Properties Ltd

9440 202 St Suite 215, Langley V1M 4A6 P:604-513-0386 F: 604-513-0397 www.4refuel.com

Sierra Systems1

1177 Hastings St W Suite 2500, Vancouver V6E 2K3 P:604-688-1371 F: 604-688-6482 www.sierrasystems.com

Coast Hotels & Resorts

1090 Georgia St W Suite 900, Vancouver V6E 3V7 P:604-682-7982 F: 604-682-8942 www.coasthotels.com

Teal Jones Group

17897 Trigg Rd, Surrey V4N 4M8 P:604-587-8700 F: 604-581-6162 www.tealjones.com

Aritzia LP

611 Alexander St Suite 327, Vancouver V6A 1E1 P:604-251-3132 F: 604-251-6575 www.aritzia.com

Dueck Auto Group

400 Marine Dr SE, Vancouver V5X 4X2 P:604-324-7222 F: 604-324-4414 www.dueckgm.com

Ok Tire Stores Ltd

19082 - 21st Ave , Surrey V3S 3M3 P:604-542-7999 F: 604-542-7990 www.oktire.com

Golden Boy Foods Ltd

7725 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby V5A 4V8 P:604-433-2200 F: 604-433-0051 www.goldenboyfoods.com

Beedie Group

3030 Gilmore Diversion, Burnaby V5G 3B4 P:604-435-3321 F: 604-432-7349 www.beediegroup.ca

Welco Lumber Corp

7216 Brown St, Delta V4G 1G8 P:604-940-4500 F: 604-940-4502 www.graham.ca

2051 Vandyke Pl, Richmond V6V 1X6 P:604-270-9745 F: 604-270-8537 www.unipharm.com

Central 1 Credit Union

1441 Creekside Dr, Vancouver V6J 4S7 P:604-734-2511 F: 604-734-5055 www.central1.com

Don Rolfe, president and CEO B.C. and Ontario Rowland Kelly, COO and CFO credit unions

Travelers Financial Corporation

Gary Thompson Dennis Holmes NP Jim Case Roberto Cortese, COO Mark Schnarr, president and CEO NP John Kalbfleisch, COO Sam Wong, CFO

4180 Lougheed Hwy Suite 500, Burnaby V5C 6A7 P:604-293-0202 F: 604-473-3816 www.travelersfinancial.com

Alpha Technologies Ltd6

7700 Riverfront Gate, Burnaby V5J 5M4 P:604-436-5900 F: 604-436-1233 www.alpha.ca

Fred Deeley Imports Ltd/ HarleyDavidson Canada

Revenue '10/ '09 (000s) % change

Don James, chair and CEO Malcolm Hunter, president and COO

NP

David Podmore, Chair and CEO Brian McCauley, president John McLaughlin, CFO

Union and management pension funds

1989

139 122

Dale Constantinoff, president and CEO

Comex Group 100%

1911

8008 800

NP NP

Manufacturing and sales of paint

NP

$154,0002 $154,000 0%

Arjang Nowtash, president

Nowtash family

1971

204 195

NP NP

Sales and distribution of dental supplies and equipment

None

$152,000 $144,000 6%

Uri Ariel, CEO

Uri and Sara Ariel 1982

35 46

$82,000 $68,000

Diamond manufacturing and distribution

Hyperion Resources, SGI International, HRAUSA, Crossworks Manufacturing

$150,000 $135,000 11%

David Yochlowitz, CEO

David Yochlowitz 1912

155 125

$49,000 $41,000

Scrap-metal processor, exporter and NP trader

$150,000 $100,000 50%

Greg Dixon, president

Flight Centre Ltd. 1995

456 451

NP NP

Travel agency

None

$130,000 $125,000 4%

Jack Nicholson, general manager

Member owned

1922

300 300

$49,942 $53,310

Groceries, clothing, gasoline, home and farm hardware retailer, manufacturer of animal feeds, wholesaler of bagged feeds and pet food

None

$127,539 $113,212 13%

4567 Canada Way, Burnaby V5G 4T1 P:604-268-5000 F: 604-268-5585 www.bcaa.com

Tim Condon, president and CEO

Registered society

1906

897 1,132

$241,025 $225,294

Member services (including roadside B.C.A.A. Holdings Ltd., BCAA Insurance Corp., $120,126 assistance, vehicle inspections and B.C.A.A. Associated Services Ltd., BCAA $129,783 -7% road travel services), and insurance Insurance Agency Ltd.

Coastal Pacific Xpress Inc

Jim Mickey, president and Jim Mickey, Glen 1986 general manager Glen Parsons, vice-president Parsons

NP NP

NP NP

Transportation/warehousing

13500 Verdun Pl, Richmond V6V 1V4 P:604-273-5421 F: 604-273-2029 www.harley canada.com

1190 Hornby St 9th floor, Vancouver V6Z 2K5 P:604-688-9460 F: 604-688-6882 www.concert properties.com

General Paint Corp

950 Raymur Ave, Vancouver V6A 3L5 P:604-253-3131 F: 604-253-1169 www.generalpaint.com

Sinclair Dental

900 Harbourside Dr, North Vancouver V7P 3T8 P:604-986-1544 F: 604-986-1543 www.sinclairdental.com

HRA Group of Companies

1066 Hastings St W Suite 2160, Vancouver V6E 3X1 P:604-669-9562 F: 604-669-5626 www.hrausa.com

ABC Recycling Ltd

8081 Meadow Ave, Burnaby V3N 2V9 P:604-522-9727 F: 604-522-9723 www.abcrecycling.com

Flight Centre (Canada)9

1133 Melville St Suite 600, Vancouver V6E 4E5 P:877-967-5302 F: NP www.flightcentre.ca

Otter Farm & Home Co-operative Association

3600 248th St, Aldergrove V4W 1Y8 P:604-856-2517 F: 604-856-2674 www.ottercoop.com

BCAA

5355 152nd St Suite 105, Surrey V3S 5A5 P:604-575-0983 F: 604-575-0973 www.cpx.ca

Sources: Interviews with above companies and BIV research. NR Not ranked NP Not provided 1 - Acquired by Golden Gate Capital in January 2007 2 - 2009 figure 3 2008 figure 4 - B.C. billings 5 - Net interest income and other income 6 - Merged with Argus Technologies Ltd. on Jan. 1, 2010 7 - Converted from U.S. dollars 8 - 2010 figure 9 - In 2008, Flight Centre North America was divided into Flight Centre (Canada) and Flight Centre (USA)

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$120,0003 $120,0003 0%

NP

Business in Vancouver makes every attempt to publish accurate information in The List, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Researched by Richard Chu, lists@biv.com

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23

24 Top 100 Private Companies

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Top 100 private companies in B.C.

list

Ranked by 2010 revenue Majority shareholder

Year founded

B.C. Assets employees '10/'09 '11/'10 (000s)

11580 Mitchell Rd, Richmond V6V 1T7 P:604-324-1333 F: 604-323-7429 www.arrow.ca

Jack Charles Jr., president Jack Charles Sr., chairman and CEO Mitchell Zulinick, COO

Charles family (100%)

1919

249 450

PO Box 1800, 31632 Marshall Rd, Abbotsford V2S 7G3 P:604-855-7431 F: 604-855-7439 www.goldenvalley.com

Marion Juhasz, controller

Privately held

1950

6464 Fraser St, Vancouver V5W 3A4 P:604-338-1496 F: 604-913-3138 www.dollargiant.ca

Joseph Calvano, president and CEO

Dollar Tree

17474 56th Ave, Surrey V3S 1C3 P:604-575-7020 F: 604-575-7045 www.mainroad.ca

David Zerr, president and CEO

Company

Principal(s)

76 Arrow Transportation Systems Inc 77 Golden Valley Foods Ltd 78 Dollar Giant 79 Mainroad Group 80 B&B Contracting Ltd 81 Gorman Bros Lumber Ltd 82 Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd Interior Savings Credit Union 83 84 LMS Reinforcing Steel Group 85 Wolfe Auto Group 86 Coastal Community Credit Union 87 Prospera Credit Union Metro-Can Construction Ltd 88 89 Urban Barn Ltd 90 Britco Structures 91 Westminster Savings Credit Union 92 North Shore Credit Union McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd 93 94 STEMCELL Technologies Inc 95 Island Savings Credit Union 96 Frontier Power Products Ltd 97 Securiguard Services Ltd 98 Canron Western Constructors Ltd 99 Serta - Western Sleep Products Ltd Teldon Print Media 100 1

19429 54th Ave Suite 100, Surrey V3S 7X2 Gary Bailey, president P:604-539-7200 F: 604-539-7230 www.bbcontracting.com

Revenue '10/ '09 (000s) % change

Primary business

Partial list of subsidiaries

NP NP

Transportation and reload

NP

$119,300 $107,200 11%

NP 125

NP NP

Shell egg grading station and wholesaler

NP

$114,894 $114,894 0%

2001

NP 650

NP NP

Dollar store retail chain

NP

$100,000 $95,000 5%

Employee owned 1988

500 450

NP NP

Highway construction and maintenance

Salvador Redi-Mix, OnTime Electrical, Mainroad Pavement Marking, G&E $98,000 Contracing, Mainroad Maintenance $106,000 -8% Products.Mainroad Infrastructure Maintenance, Mainroad Fraser Maintenance

Gary Bailey

1948

250 200

NP NP

Utility works, subdivision preparation, road building, aggregate sales and trenchless construction

Fraser Valley Aggregates

$89,000 $83,000 7%

Oroville Reman and Reload Inc.

$85,000 $75,000 13%

3900 Dunfield Rd, Westbank V4T 2G3 P:250-768-5131 F: 250-768-2822 www.gormanbros.com

Rick Scott, CFO Ron Gorman, president and CEO

Privately held

1951

350 320

NP NP

Lumber manufacturer

27101 56th Ave, Langley V4W 3Y4 P:604-607-7426 F: 604-607-7461 www.freybe.com

Sven Freybe, CEO Sandy Muir, CFO

Freybe family

1844

NP 400

NP NP

Manufacturer of specialty deli meats, NP salamis, hams and sausages

$83,0002 $83,000 0%

678 Bernard Ave Suite 300, Kelowna V1Y 6P3 P:250-869-8200 F: 250-762-9581 www.interiorsavings.com

Barry Meckler, president and CEO

Member owned

1939

456 471

$1,963,058 $1,894,209

Full-service local credit union

NP

$74,9163 $68,8903 9%

6320 148th St, Surrey V3S 3C4 P:604-598-9930 F: 604-598-9931 www.lmsgroup.ca

Ron McNeil, co-chair and founder Ivan Harmatny, co-chair and Privately held founder Norm Streu, COO

1999

350 250

$41,862 $41,215

Supply, fabrication and installation of reinforcing steel

NP

$73,550 $60,186 22%

19360 Langley Bypass, Surrey V3S 7R2 P:604-534-0181 F: 604-575-0278 www.wolfesauto.com

Gordon Wolfe, president Michael Hacquard, vicepresident

Gordon Wolfe

1987

110 100

$27,748 $18,896

Auto sales, service & in-house leasing

Wolfe Langley Mazda, Wolfe Subaru, Wolfe Mitsubishi, Wolfe Chilliwack Mazda, Vespa Surrey

$69,802 $60,022 16%

13 Victoria Cres Suite 21, Nanaimo V9R 5B9 P:250-741-3200 F: 250-741-3223 www.cccu.ca

Adrian Legin, president and CEO

Member owned

2005

NP NP

$1,646,008 $1,634,022

Full-service credit union

NP

$69,0003 $64,1443 8%

32071 South Fraser Way Suite 500, Abbotsford V2T 1W3 P:888-440-4480 F: 604-864-6690 www.prospera.ca

Bruce Howell, president and Member owned CEO

1942

500 500

$2,018,443 $1,942,477

Banking and wealth management services

None

$67,1273 $61,5323 9%

10470 152nd St Suite 520, Surrey V3R 0Y3 P:604-583-1174 F: 604-583-3321 www.metrocanconstruction.com

Don Voth, president

Don Voth family

1985

50 23

NP NP

General contractor, residential highrise, commercial, value engineering

None

$65,000 $270,000 -76%

4085 Marine Way Unit 1, Burnaby V5J 5E2 P:604-456-2200 F: 604-434-2278 www.urbanbarn.com

Linda Letts, president

Privately held

1990

162 152

$26,974 $21,531

Retail home furnishings

None

$64,078 $55,209 16%

21690 Smith Cres, Langley V2Y 2R1 P:604-888-2000 F: 604-888-2086 www.britco.com

Mike Ridley, president

WesternOne Equity Income Fund (TSX:WEQ.UN)

1977

268 244

$59,381 $58,445

Custom design and manufacturing of None modular buildings

$63,655 $66,867 -5%

960 Quayside Dr Suite 108, New Westminster V3M 6G2 P:604-517-0100 F: 604-528-3812 www.wscu.com

Barry Forbes, president and Member owned CEO

1944

NP NP

$1,898,025 $1,796,812

Financial institution

WS Leasing Ltd.; Westminster Savings Financial Planning Ltd.

1112 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver V7M 2H2 P:604-983-4500 F: 604-985-6810 www.nscu.com

Chris Catliff, president and CEO

Member owned

1941

318 273

$1,863,883 $1,557,314

Full-service financial institution

North Shore Insurance Services Ltd., Norcu 3 Insurance Services, Pacific Spirit Properties $57,798 $51,6993 Ltd., United Mortgage Group, North Shore 12% Capital Corp., North Shore Leasing

780 Beatty St Suite 100, Vancouver V6B 2M1 P:604-683-8521 F: 604-669-5080 www.mcelhanney.com/ mcsl

Chris Newcomb, president and CEO

Employee owned 1910

319 349

$18,000 $17,000

Surveying, engineering, GIS and PT McElhanney Indonesia mapping and environmental services

$54,600 $55,700 -2%

570 7th Ave W Suite 400, Vancouver V5Z 1B3 P:604-877-0713 F: 604-675-7830 www.stemcell.com

Allen Eaves, president and CEO

Allen Eaves

1993

300 276

NP NP

Tissue culture supplies, cell separation products, cytokines, antibodies, contract assays and research

4

$50,000 $39,000 28%

499 Canada Ave Suite 300, Duncan V9L 1T7 P:250-748-4728 F: 250-748-8831 www.iscu.com

Rod Dewar, president and CEO

Member-owned

1951

NP 396

$1,342,899 $1,309,913

Credit union, full financial services

ISIS Insurance

$49,3543 $42,4853 16%

Larrie York

1983

35 35

NP NP

Other Engine. Electrical Power Generation and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing

NP

$41,500 NP NP

Darcy Kernaghan, president Darcy Kernaghan 1974 and CEO

1,600 1,600

$5,728 $6,506

Integrated security solutions, security officers, K9, mobile, bike, remote video verification

Westguard Security Services (1986) Inc.

$40,726 $37,383 9%

1168 Derwent Way, Delta V3M 5R1 P:604-524-4421 F: 604-521-9487 www.supremegroup.ca

Jim McLagan, vice-president NP

1912

150 150

NP NP

Design, fabrication and installation of structural steel, mechanical, Canron is part of Supreme Group electrical construction services in particular for industrial installations

$40,000 $40,000 0%

7260 Winston St, Burnaby V5A 4N2 P:604-420-5333 F: 604-420-9194 www.sertacanada.com

Denis Jones, president

1967

NP 130

NP NP

Mattress manufacturing

NP

$40,000 $38,000 5%

3500 Viking Way, Richmond V6V 1N6 P:604-273-4500 F: 604-273-6100 www.teldonprintmedia.com

Michael McAdam, president Employee-owned 1969 and CEO, Teldon Media Group

220 216

NP NP

Commercial printing

None

$38,800 $41,200 -6%

4

5

7983 Progress Way, Delta V4G 1A3 Larrie York, president P:604-946-5531 F: 604-946-8524 www.frontierpower.com 1575 Georgia St W Suite 300, Vancouver V6G 2V3 P:604-685-6011 F: 604-685-0013 www.securiguard.com 6

Sources: Interviews with above companies and BIV research. NR Not ranked NP Not provided 1 - Acquired by Dollar Tree in a $62 million deal 2 - 2009 figure 3 - Net interest income and other income 4 - Also known as Lower Mainland Steel 5 Acquired by WesternOne Equity Income Fund in a $93 million deal that closed in June 2011 6 - Part of Supreme Group

NP

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Business in Vancouver makes every attempt to publish accurate information in The List, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Researched by Richard Chu, lists@biv.com

>Next week: Top 100 public companies in B.C.

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Top 100 Private companies 25

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Canada poised to become world’s second-largest diamond producer Vancouver-based HRA Group predicts continued growth with imminent opening of three new diamond mines in Canada, as well as offices in Milan and Hong Kong productions, Canadian production is considered very clean and is very wellregarded.

By Jennifer Harrison

H

What are the risks/ challenges associated with the diamond industry?

The investment in the infrastructure and the investment in the product is a very large one. The market is going up and commodities are going up, and we bring a value to the consumer.

It is a challenge from our perspective to compete in the global market where people are taking their production to China and India and paying

What are some notable opportunities in the Canadian diamond industry?

We have a huge opportunity here in Canada. We are one of the few places in the world where new mines are coming up. We have now two mines, Gahcho Kue [DeBeers Canada Inc.] and Shore Gold [Star Diamond project] coming in, along with the Stornoway [Diamond Corp.] mine. I don’t know yet the exact total value of what will come from these mines but this will for sure put Canada to number two in the world in diamond production. So, it will be Botswana at number 1, Canada at number 2 and Russia, number 3; and all of this done in 11 years.

Do you see continued growth in the diamond industry in Canada? What is the future?

The new mines will bring more rough diamonds to the market, which will

provide room for us in the secondary diamond industry to continue to grow. We are the only company today in Canada that has three factories, one in Sudbury, one in Yellowknife and one in Vancouver. For us this is a huge, huge opportunity, with the new mines and the companies that have beneficiation policies we will continue to get [priority] and our allocation will grow tremendously.

Where does the Canadian diamond industry lie in context with the international diamond industry?

The demand for Canadian diamonds is behind in other continents and even in the U.S. So for us, we are planning to launch a program to continue to grow in Europe and Asia. We are opening a new office in Milan and in Hong Kong to give service to our customers in the Far East. This is basically to increase and satisfy demand for Canadian-produced diamonds. Compared to other

To what extent does corporate social responsibility play a role in your business?

Today – I don’t know about tomorrow – we are the first one in the market to be audited by SGS for the Responsible Jewellery Council.

We will be the first major diamond manufacturer certified by this process in the world under the concept of social responsibility.

Our company is also being audited by KPMG. We believe in full transparency.

Our customers will have all the information they need and the company is leading in our industry in this transparency we bring to the market.

We make it a policy to be involved in every community in which we are working; we bring investment to the community and this is a big part of our success. • jharrison@biv.com

Help kids make the right choices.

What are some key trends in the diamond sector in Canada?

The Canadian consumer cares where the products are made and this is very important in luxury products such as diamonds. There is full transparency in Canada today when the consumer is buying the product. Here you get an authenticity certificate of the product, from mine to market. This model was so well received in Canada that other countries are now trying to implement the same model in their diamond industries.

workers there less. Our companies are working in Canada under stricter Canadian laws so it is difficult to compete.

Canadians pay over $100,000 a year to keep an adolescent in detention while a university education in Canada costs $12,000 a year.

How have you seen the industry evolve since you began?

The Canadian market was a small market globally and 10 years ago became the thirdlargest producer of rough diamonds. This is something the global diamond industry had never seen before, going from zero dollars to $3 billion in 11 years. So, this definitely put Canada on the map.

Since 2009 the HRA Group has purchased over $75 million of rough diamonds from the Victor Mine in Ontario

To what do you attribute your success?

As a Canadian company, I am very proud to compete with the global competition and with a low environmental impact. Because we work so hard and support our clients in good times and bad, this is why we feel our market is very stable. And our customers are very loyal and happy that the market grows bigger and bigger on a monthly basis.

Your donations to United Way will support after-school tutoring and summer activity programs for 42,000 school-age children across the Lower Mainland to help kids make the right choices. Thank you.

RA Group of Companies president and CEO Uri Ariel has spent 30 years working in Canada and has been involved in the Canadian diamond industry since its inception.

From the day BHP Billiton Canada Inc. opened Canada’s first diamond mine, EKATI, in 1998, and started providing Canadian diamonds to the Canadian market, the HRA Group has been manufacturing and distributing those gems for the retail and wholesale jewelry markets.

Ariel spoke to BIV about the unprecedented growth of Canada’s diamond industry and his predictions for the future.

www.uwlm.ca

26

Daily business news at www.biv.com Business in Vancouver June 14–20, 2011

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Top 100 Private companies 27

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Co-op business model proves successful Vancity Credit Union and Mountain Equipment Co-op maintain high profitability despite shaky economic times

By Nelson Bennett

By the numbers

$77.4 $23

million: Vancity net revenue

illion: Dividends m Vancity returned to members

$261

illion: Mountain m Equipment Co-op revenue

$2.2 3.4 1%:

million: Dividends paid

by MEC

million: Number of MEC members p ercentage of gross sales MEC donates to environmental causes

Vancity CEO Tamara Vrooman credits the co-operative business model for the resilience co-ops and credit unions demonstrated during the recent global economic downturn

and nine credit unions on the Top 100 private companies list.

Vancity CEO Tamara Vrooman credits the co-operative model for the resilience it and other co-ops and credit unions worldwide have demonstrated during the recent global recession.

Unfettered by the need to show short-term returns, co-ops and credit unions tend to take a long-term approach and make “more balanced decisions,” Vrooman said.

“It’s no accident that, if you look around the world, co-operatives have done better through the economic crisis than either privately held or publicly traded companies because they have the requirement to balance those decisions,” said Vrooman.

“We put in place some policies that really assisted our not-for-profit members. We didn’t go the foreclosure route. Instead, we provided extra funds to allow people to work through the economic dislocation, and as a result, we haven’t had to take that many losses.”

Not all co-operatives or credit unions are as successful as MEC and Vancity. Just because they follow a different business model doesn’t

mean they don’t have to follow good business practices, said MEC CEO David Labistour.

“The fact that [MEC and Vancity] are on that list of 100 means that both organizations run their businesses well,” he said.

Like many co-ops, MEC was born out of necessity. Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the co-op was founded in Vancouver by six outdoor enthusiasts who couldn’t get mountaineering equipment locally.

They charged $5 for a membership, which now stands at 3.4 million, and used their collective buying power to buy outdoor recreation gear and clothing at lower prices.

Forty years later, MEC memberships are still only $5.

The co-op now has 14 outlets Canada-wide, three of which are in B.C. (Vancouver, North Vancouver and Victoria). Its website is its fastest growing sales channel, however, despite the fact it features a gear swap that allows members to buy second-hand gear and clothing from each other.

MEC is not without its detractors. Co-operatives pay no income tax on profits, which has prompted

Dominic Schaefer

wo companies that consistently make Business in Vancouver’s Top 100 private companies list follow business models that are more like hybrids of private and public ownership models: member-owned co-operatives.

Mountain Equipment Co-op and Vancity Credit Union share one other thing in common, besides their co-operative business model: They’re highly profitable and demonstrated great resilience throughout the recent recession.

Last year, Vancity posted its most profitable year in its 65-year history, with net earnings of $77.4 million. It exceeded its own targets by 44% and returned $23 million in dividends to members and communities.

MEC, meanwhile, had revenue of $261 million in 2010 and paid $2.2 million in dividends to 17,000 of its members.

Vancity ranks 32nd in BIV’s Top 100 private companies list in 2010, with revenue of $424 million (an increase of 11% over 2009). MEC ranked 46th with $261 million (unchanged from 2009).

There are a total of four co-ops

Dominic Schaefer

T

Mountain Equipment Co-op was founded 40 years ago by a handful of outdoor enthusiasts who never expected the co-op to grow as successfully as it has, said MEC CEO David Labistour

the charge that MEC has an unfair advantage over its competitors.

On the other hand, co-ops don’t have access to capital markets. Since it can’t borrow money, all of its capital has to come from its members.

“The fact that [MEC and Vancity] are on that list of 100 means that both organizations run their businesses well” – David Labistour, CEO, Mountain Equipment Co-op

“There certainly are our competitors that believe that we have an unfair advantage,” Labistour said.

“And to them we always say, ‘Well, if we do so, let us instruct you in how to become a co-op.’ Of course

that is a bit disingenuous because none of them want to do it because the reason they’re there is to make money.”

As a business model, co-ops share some resemblance to a publicly traded company in that members, like shareholders, get to vote on the makeup of the board of directors and on how the business is run.

“Your shareholder, your customer and your staff are all the same people really,” Labistour said. “That can be a pro and a con, by the way, but it certainly allows you to focus and you don’t have competing agendas.”

One thing MEC’s members insist on is a commitment to environmental causes. MEC donates 1% of gross sales to environmental causes.

Vancity also has a similar social mandate. Over the past 12 months, the credit union has handed out $940,000 in grants to various nonprofit organizations. • nbennett@biv.comw

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Issue: September 13, 2011 Sponsored by:

> Submission deadline: 5pm, August 5, 2011 to rchu@biv.com

28

Business tool kit

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

BizPharmacy

Cyri Jones and Ivan Surjanovic Tech tips for staying on top of your competition Symptom “I’m constantly feeling anxious that my competition is gaining ground, particularly on the Internet, and they’re going to outperform my company before I know it. I realize that in today’s age, you can’t keep your eye off the competition, whether it’s from next door, across the world or on the web. I’m losing sleep over this, but I don’t know where to start.”

How-To

Recommended medications Ivan: This is a typical case of “competitus infolackius.” Depending on your condition, I’d recommend several “web pills” to try for a week and then choose those that work best to keep this dangerous disease at bay.

•Monday: alexa.com will help you determine your own site’s traffic rank on the Internet and lets you compare it with your competition.

•Tuesday: linkpopularity. com will help you see who is linking to your competition’s website. You can also test it on yourself. Generally, the more quality links you have the healthier shape you’re in.

•We d n e s d a y : g o o g l e . com/trends will help you see if your competitor’s health is on the upswing or downturn. Type in the

na me of a ny product, person or company and see if people search them more or less than in the past. For example, you’ll see that iPhone has now outperformed BlackBerry in terms of search popularity.

•Thursday: google.com/insights/search is another Google treatment. It helps you compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories and time frames.

•Friday: archive.org allows you to see previous versions of your competitor’s website.

Maybe you want to see what products used to be offered or perhaps who used to be on their staff.

•Saturday: mikes-marketingtools.com/ranking-reports will show where your competitors rank on search engines like Google, Yahoo, BING or AOL. •Sunday: Watch the Canucks, go for a stroll, even have a beer or coffee or a slice of your favourite cheesecake.

You have done a good job keeping an eye on your competitors Monday to Saturday so you have at least one day to relax!

Cyri: The good news is that, like most of the other medications we recommend, this one is free. There’s no reason staying in good business health has to cost an

arm and a leg!

But Ivan, I think you forgot some of your favourite folk remedies.

Ivan: How could I forget? This is one that surprisingly few people use to their advantage, but it can be very powerful in alleviating “competitus infolackius.”

Chop a bunch of onions, crush some garlic, mix them in a bag and attach it to your socks for a few days.

While you’re doing that, sign up for an RSS reader such as Google.com/reader and subscribe to your competitors’ RSS feeds. If you have never used this RSS treatment before, a good video resource is commoncraft.com/rss_plain_ english. In a nutshell, if you see any RSS feeds on your competitors’ sites – usually identified by a square orange broadcast style icon – just click on them, copy the URL, click on the add subscription button in Google Reader, paste in the URL and you’re off to the races. Instead of having to keep going back to your competitors’ websites to see what’s new, all the latest updates will get sent to you automatically.

Actually, this works just fine without the onions and garlic part but people never believe me when I say RSS alone can make such a difference.

Cyri: I also have some ancient healing tips to share.

Whenever there is a full moon, you can gain special insight on your competitors.

Go to dnscoop.com and discover when your competitor’s website went live and how old its domain name is. Check out domaintools. com to see who the owner of

Instead of having to keep going back to your competitors’ websites to see what’s new, all the latest updates will get sent to you automatically any domain name is, where their site is hosted and how many times the domain name changed hands.

Ivan: I find these tools work even when there isn’t a full moon, but it does seem magical how you can get so much information with just a few mouse clicks.

Cyri: And finally, if you want to learn what’s going on in real time on social media, don’t forget to use search.twitter.com to see who is tweeting about your competition in real time. There are also other social media tracking

maximize meeting value and optimize results

David Gouthro/ The Consulting Edge

M

eetings are the bane of organizational existence. How can you increase the return on investment of all the time and money spent on them? Simple: use a facilitator.

What is a facilitator?

“To facilitate” means to make something easy. In business, a facilitator is a skilled professional who eases tasks involving important conversations with two or more persons, such as planning, problem-solving, developing teams, setting goals, resolving conflicts, identifying corporate values, creating an organizational mission or determining criteria for selecting new business partners.

Why bother using one?

A facilitator creates a safe, productive meeting environment, allowing

for conversations that engage participants more fully. Improved efficiency, wiser decisions, greater commitment to action and, ultimately, better outcomes result. Facilitators apply flexible processes to resolve complex issues; mitigate power imbalances; allow junior participants to offer opinions without fear of reprisal; ensure that conversations focus on issues, not personal agendas; adapt to required changes in direction; move people back on task when they wander; and, afterwards, help ensure that clients keep the commitments they’ve made.

What to seek in a facilitator Look for facilitators who are great communicators, observant, flexible, quick to learn, client-focused, politically savvy and broadly experienced. They should have many proven group processes upon which to draw and be able to blend them

together seamlessly. They should have the courage to deliver tough messages that clients need to hear (even if they do not wish to). Ideally, they use humour in skilful ways to energize and engage participants while they’re working toward desired outcomes.

Are all facilitators created equal?

As in any field, no two facilitators are identical, nor is anyone appropriate for every client. Facilitators have different strengths. One may be wonderful at rigorously following a tight, minute-to-minute agenda, while another may have an exceptional ability to shift gears quickly to follow issues of organizational value. Some develop depth and expertise in one or two specific industries, whereas others work across a wide range of industries and organizations. Do your due diligence by talking to a few different facilitators

tools that you can put to use to monitor just about anything, including your competition: twellow.com, sproutsocial. com, topsy.com, wefollow.com, tweepi.com, backtype.com and websitegrader.com. New social media medications are being developed pretty much daily, but these will get you started.

Prognosis Ivan: These treatment strategies shou ld help you control your symptoms and soon your anxiety will be replaced with confidence, but keep your eyes open and get to know many more tools. Check out great resources for competitive research such as tools.seobook.com/ competitive-research-tools/ or ci.trellian.com.

Future management of this condition Cyri: You don’t get in good shape by just going to the gym for one week per year.

The real key is to regularly use these tools to prevent problems in the future. Think of our recommendations more like vitamins that become a daily habit.

Cost: Free for the Mondayto-Saturday prescriptions.

Some of the social media tools and others listed on seobook. com and trellian.com will require you to dig into your wallet a bit.

Generic name and alternative medicine Ivan: The generic name is really just competitive intelligence. The only difference here is that you are doing your

(and their clients!) to find the one who best suits your needs.

How to work with a facilitator To gain maximum value from your investment in a facilitator, work closely with him or her well ahead of time to ensure good understanding of the organization’s issues and culture and the desired outcomes for the meeting. This process may include interviews with key stakeholders. Appoint an executive committee or a representative sample of the meeting’s participants to help plan and organize the meeting. Buyin to the meeting’s purpose and process thus builds long before the meeting even begins. Allow the facilitator to draw upon a wide range of his or her experiences and to recommend processes and technologies for helping groups reach desired objectives.

A final agenda should be mutually agreed upon and distributed to participants. If you wish the facilitator to take on additional tasks such as reporting, follow-up or ongoing support after the meeting, you should agree on such additional elements in advance.

research 100% online. As far as alternative medicine, if you can’t discipline yourself to take these pills regularly, you can always set up Google Alerts (google.com/alerts) and get Google to regularly send you news about your competition.

Precautions/warnings Cyri: The general problem with most web-tracking tools is their accuracy and reliability. Most of the above tools, like Alexa, use statistical estimates; by definition they’re not completely reliable. Yet this is still better than not having any information at all. One way to address the reliability issue is by using more than one tool for each task or by combining your own insights with those that you get from web tools. Also, don’t forget that monitoring your competition is useless if you don’t use information to improve your strategy and decision-making. Don’t fall into “analysis paralysis.” • Cyri and Ivan’s medication rating: ★★★★ Cyri Jones teaches entrepreneurship, project management and information technology at BCIT and Capilano University and is the co-founder of ZedPress.com. He blogs at 24posts.com. Ivan Surjanovic is a marketing faculty at Capilano University and CEO of iPower Lab. He blogs at whereispuck.com and at bizpharmacy.com.

Can’t afford a facilitator?

Ask yourself whether you can afford the cost of fixing the mistakes that result from an unsuccessful or unproductive meeting. Weigh the cost of a facilitator against work hours lost if your team has to go back to the drawing board time and time again. Relative to the cost of bringing people together for a meeting in the first place, the incremental cost of a facilitator is invariably a wise investment.

Some organizations use internal facilitators to reduce costs or capitalize on corporate insights.

In many cases, this decision is prudent. Yet when meetings are likely to involve large egos, high stakes, complexity, multiple levels of the organization, large numbers of participants, tension or low degrees of trust, using experienced, skilled facilitators can greatly increase the likelihood of positive outcomes, saving you time, money and irritation. • Originally published in BIV’s How~2 magazine – expert advice on essential business products and services.

Law

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Trouble

DISCIPLINE •British Columbia

Securities Commission

As part of a settlement agreement with the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. (TDW) has paid $30,000 for trading in securities that were subject to cease trade orders, on behalf of B.C. clients, the regulator announced June 1.

The agreement states that TDW, a Toronto-based investment dealer and member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), self-reported trades it had made in the securities of four cease-traded companies.

The companies involved were Oriens Travel & Hotel Management Corp., Flotek Industries Inc., Sungro Minerals Inc. and Lux Energy Corp.

The agreement also references two cases where TDW did not report breaches of cease-trade orders.

Commission staff notified TDW of breaches involving Kunekt Corp. and Americas Energy Company.

TDW has entered into previous settlement agreements with the BCSC for trading in cease-traded securities.

In December of 2001, TDW paid $28,923.07 to the

commission, after which the company agreed to develop and implement systems to monitor and report ceasetrade orders.

In November 2005, TDW agreed to pay $20,000 to the commission in relation to trades involving cease-traded companies.

•

Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada

A June 2 Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) hearing panel imposed penalties against Rocco Tony Cornacchia and Northern Securities Inc. after finding that both had violated IIROC rules in the following manner: •Cornacchia facilitated the participation of 12 clients in a private placement based upon an exemption for which they did not qualify; and he failed in his knowyour-client duties by not updating client account forms; •Northern Securities Inc. failed to ensure the 12 client accounts qualified for the indicated exemption required for participation in the private placement.

The panel also found the firm failed to establish and maintain procedures, training and guidance regarding purchases of private placements using the exemption.

As penalties, the panel ordered that:

•Cornacchia pay a $10,000 fine and $1,768 as disgorgement of profits.

Cornacchia must pay these amounts within 12 months of the panel’s order. In the same period he must also successfully complete the conduct and practises handbook course and work under terms of close supervision.

•Northern Securities pay a $25,000 fine and $1,768 as disgorgement of profits. The firm must pay these amounts within 45 days of the panel’s order.

BUYER’S ALERT Companies listed below,

which are not members of the Better Business Bureau, have failed to respond, as of June 3, 2011, to Better Business Bureau of Mainland B.C.’s efforts to mediate complaints from May 23 to May 27, 2010. In some instances, the company may have taken care of the complaint and considered the matter closed, or may believe the complaint is unjustified; however, if the BBB has not received a response, records cannot reveal either position.

Please note that BBB members must respond to customer complaints that are brought to their attention.

Source: BBB. Camosun Financial Services Group, Vancouver Captain Hook Towing, Kelowna Coastal Ford Sales Ltd., Vancouver

Emtech Home Services, Coquitlam Enterprise Rent A Car, Abbotsford HowtoDJfast.com, Vancouver Maynards Industries Ltd., Vancouver MESH Hair Studio, Vancouver Murray Scott Construction, Vancouver Northwest Boarding Kennels Ltd., North Vancouver Volco Tires Ltd., Richmond The following companies have responded to the BBB subsequent to being published: Tili Electrical Co. Ltd., Burnaby

Who’s Getting Sued These corporate writs were

filed with the B.C. Supreme Court registry in Vancouver.

Information is derived from notices of civil claim. Civil claims have yet to be proven in court.

Defendants: Gamma Investments Ltd. and Sukhdev Singh Sandhu aka Sukhdev S. Sandhu aka Sukhdev (Dave) Sandhu aka Dave Sandhu 204–4676 Main St., Vancouver and 2528–138 St., Surrey Plaintiff: HSBC Bank Canada 800–885 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $1,501,680 against

Gamma for debt; and $750,000 against Sandhu arising from a personal guarantee.

Defendant: Talisman Energy Inc. 2000–888 Third St. S.W., Calgary Plaintiff: 812597 B.C. Ltd. dba First Choice Waterboy Enterprises 1400–510 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: $606,150 for debt for mobilization and demobilization services, the use of the water treatment plant and equipment.

Defendants: Canpower International B.V. aka Canpower International Ltd. and Addwest Minerals, Inc. and Mojave Desert Minerals, LLC and James Ralph Houston and John Doe Co. 1800–400 West Market St., Louisville, KY and 2394 E. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ and 601–1766 Duchess Ave., West Vancouver Plaintiff: Kilderry Holdings Ltd. 906–925 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: US$499,996 against Canpower and Addwest for debt arising from a breached agreement including denying the plaintiff a promised 5% stake in the Gold Road Mine; damages; damages against Houston for fraudulent misrepresentation; a

Nominations are open!

After 20 years, Business in Vancouver continues to find 40 outstanding young business professionals worthy of the Forty under 40 distinction each year.

Forty under 40 celebrates the depth of business talent in British Columbia, from the rising stars of the corporate world to successful entrepreneurs, and non-profit leaders. Winners are chosen based on such values as achievement, experience, innovation, vision, leadership, and community involvement.

By nominating some one for BIV’s Forty under 40, you are supporting and developing today’s young business leaders. Winners of BIV’s Forty under 40 have gone on to shape our city and our province in many different ways!

Go to www.biv.com/40under40 to submit a nomination.

Deadline: June 30th, 2011 Sponsored by:

29

declaration that Gold Road Mine is held subject to a constructive trust in favour of Kilderry; an accounting, and, damages.

Defendants: Revolution Developments Corp. and Oleander Sun Properties Inc. and Randy Lim Box 11140, 2010–1055 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 1600–925 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Plaintiffs: Edmond Wong and Shirley Wong 6641 Grant St., Burnaby Claim: $327,520 against Revolution and Lim for debt arising from promissory notes for financing a development project.

Against the Oleander Drive Property: an equitable mortgage.

Defendants: Compression Technology Inc. and Ken Dobb and John Doe 10307 92St., Fort St. John, BC and addresses unknown Plaintiff: Bailey Helicopters Ltd. R.R. #1, Site 7, Compound 19, Fort St. John, BC Claim: $292,416 for damages arising from a plastic fuel container being thrown into a helicopter’s main rotor blades, causing damage.

Defendant: 0693313 B.C. Ltd. 107–20644 Eastleigh Crescent St., Langley Plaintiff: Sandhill Development Ltd. 1220–1200 W. 73rd Ave.

Previous winners: Avtar Bains – 1990 Peter Busby – 1991 Glen Clark – 1991 Rick Hansen – 1991 Susan Mendelson – 1991 Bev Briscoe – 1992 Bob Rennie – 1992 Arthur Griffiths – 1993 Chip Wilson – 1993 Sam Hirji – 1994 Sandra Miles – 1997 Gregor Robertson – 1997 Brian Scudamore – 1997 Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia – 1998 Darren Entwistle – 2000 Thane Stenner – 2000 Peter ter Weeme – 2000 Tracey Axelsson – 2001 Christina Anthony – 2002 Dave Cobb – 2002 Rob Feenie – 2002 Claire Newell – 2004 Colin Bosa – 2005 Steve Mossop – 2005 Stephanie Cadieux – 2006 Jennifer Podmore – 2007 Chris Breikks – 2008 Paul Haagenson – 2009 Jill Earthy – 2010

30 Law

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Balance Sheet Prowess • Traditional accounting values combined with cutting edge IT • Network of experienced professionals • Proud member of the Certified General Accountants of BC and Canada George Wilson-Tagoe, BSc., CGA

Trouble AUDIT TAX

ADVISORY certified general accountant

For more information visit: www.wilson-tagoe.com Suite 1000–355 Burrard St. Vancouver Ph: 604-608-6156 wiltagoe@intergate.ca • www.wilson-tagoe.com • Cell: 604-818-0127

Change a Child’s Life

Give them an experience they won’t forget

...with Kids Up Front Put a child in need in your seat!

sports, concerts, theater, attractions…indoors & outdoors

If you can’t use your tickets, then give them to us and we will send a child in need to the event, and issue you a tax receipt.

Since 2004, Kids Up Front has provided more than 170,000 life-changing experiences to at-risk children across Greater Vancouver.

To donate your ticket and provide a child with a lifetime experience, call 604.266.KIDS(5437) or visit us at: kidsupfrontvancouver.com

The BIV Media Group is proud to help!

one little ticket, one big lift!

Claim: $264,160 arising from a breached purchase and sale agreement for a property; specific performance of the purchase and sale agreement; and damages.

Defendant: North Kootenay Reman Ltd. (Surrey) Address unavailable Plaintiffs: Superior Propane, a division of Superior Plus LP, by its general partner Superior General Partner Inc. 2300–550 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: $161,098 for breach of contract for the supply of gasoline and diesel fuel and unjust enrichment.

Defendants: F.S. 17 Enterprises Ltd. and John Doe and Jane Doe and Reza Keyvani and Bank of Montreal Addresses unknown and 1–1161 The High St., Coquitlam Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada 1055 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $150,406 against F.S. 17 for forged cheques; $74,00 against Keyvanini; an accounting; a tracing; a declaration against Bank of Montreal that the funds in Keyvani’s account are the property of the plaintiff and are held in trust for the plaintiff; and an order that the funds be paid into court

by Bank of Montreal.

7TH ANNUAL

MEGA JOB FAIR

AND TRAINING SOLUTIONS THURSDAY, JULY 21st, 2011 North Surrey Recreation Centre 10275 - 135th Street, Surrey 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Are you recruiting?

Call before June 30th to register your company.

Over 8000 Job seekers are expected to attend.

Contact: renu.gambhir@pics.bc.ca

Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) www.pics.bc.ca • Fax: 604-596-7721

604-596-7722

Ext. 125

Defendants: S.L.H. Transport Inc. and Gregory Bach Addresses unavailable Plaintiff: J. Perrotta Trucking Ltd. 2200–10155 102 St., Edmonton Claim: $101,500 for losses and damages arising from a collision that created a fire and damaged the plaintiff’s tractor-trailer and cargo.

Defendants: Susan Perry and Henry Robert Menzel 7476 Prospect St., Pemberton, B.C. Plaintiff: Terraine Construction Ltd. Box 770 Pemberton, B.C. Claim: $85,000 for debt arising from personal loans.

Defendants: Window Stick Alarms Ltd. and Robert G. Allen Box 190, 30 Front St., Nanaimo and 109B–425 E. Stanford Ave., Parksville Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga, ON Claim: $76,589 for debt.

Defendants: Cankor BBQ Ltd. and Min Suk Michael Kim 1518 Robson St., Vancouver Plaintiff: Carmichael Engineering Ltd. 130–13751 Mayfield Pl., Richmond Claim: $70,000 for debt for construction, equipment installation and finishing.

Defendants: Malcolm D. Lefcort and Heuristic Engineering Inc. and Access Energy Technologies Ltd. 3040 W. 5th Ave., Vancouver and 1100–1200 W. 73 rd Ave., Vancouver Plaintiff: Robert H. Barrigar 3610 Cadboro Bay Rd., Victoria Claim: A declaration the defendants have breached a settlement agreement; an order, or, $63,000, or, judgment for the amount due.

Defendant: Contemporary Security Canada ULC 2200–1055 W. Hastings St., Vanouver Plaintiff: Target Management Canada, Ltd. Box 11, 1100 One Bentall Centre, 505 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: $62,682 for debt arising from an agreement for temporary accommodation facilities in Whistler during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; a declaration the defendant owes the plaintiff damages of $49,487.

Defendants: Stewart Design Group Ltd. and Gerald Stewart aka Gerald E. Stewart aka Gerald Edward Stewart and Wen Hua Zhang Stewart aka Wen Hua Stewart 221–3011 Louie Dr., West Bank, B.C. and 1121 Steele Crt., Kelowna Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A., Mississauga, ON Claim: $48,748 for debt.

Defendant: Dean Scarpino aka Millenium Auto Centre 4997 Christie Rd., Ladysmith, B.C. Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga, ON Claim: $39,584 for debt.

Defendant: Chet Constructino (1976) Ltd. aka Chet Construction (1976) Ltd. 330–522 Seventh St., New Westminster Plaintiffs: Suncor Energy Products Partnership dba Petro-Canada 2700–700 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $32,769 for debt.

Defendant: Pan Pacific Quadling Quarry Ltd. 22695 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford Plaintiff: BC Hydro 333 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver Claim: $30,812 for damage caused when the defendant trespassed on the plaintiff’s right of way and damaged BC Hydro works; and an injunction.

Defendants: Joy Select Hair Ltd. and Pho Pae Bobbie Choi 207–181 Keefer Pl., Vancouver and 8–63 Keefer Pl., Vancouver Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga Claim: $30,482 against Joy for debt; and $33,207 against Choi.

Defendants: Uniwest Trading Corp. and Mahnaz Khoddami 2–1500 Marine Dr., North Vancouver and 1198 W.21st Ave., North Vancouver Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga, ON Claim: $30,316 against Uniwest and Khoddami for debt; and a declaration that the security agreement is in priority to any right, title or interest of any of the defendants.

Defendants: 494743 B.C. Ltd. dba Flame Engineering & Construction and the said 494743 B.C. Ltd. and the said Flame Engineering & Construction and Sirus Familamiri and Satpal Kaur and Mehran Vakily and Darab Ahmadi 3131 B St. Johns St., Port Moody and 140–34A– 2755 Lougheed Hwy., Port Coquitlam and 3088 Firestone Pl., Coquitlam and 561 St. Andrews Rd., West Vancouver Plaintiff: Akal Plumbing & Heating Ltd. 111–13035 84th Ave., Surrey Claim: $24,625 for debt arising from plumbing and other work; and a builder’s lien for $24,625.

Defendants: Ceres Gonzales Pajaron and Cathreen Gonzales Pajaron and Cristho Ray Gonzales Pajaron and CCP Foods & Services Inc. 9491 Blundell Rd.,

Richmond Plaintiffs: Hikmat Quaddoumi and Joyce Qaddoumi 133–12520 Horseshoe Way, Richmond Claim: $23,500 for the sale of business assets; and $17,151 against Ceres and Cristho Ray for indemnity provisions of the assignment agreement.

Defendants: Okanagan Trucking Ltd. and Leslie Dwayne Pidwerbesky and Sharon Lee Pidwerbesky 1545 Hardy St., Kelowna and 245 Moubray Rd., Kelowna Plaintiff: Sovereign Vehicle Leasing Ltd. 1200–805 W. Broadway, Vancouver Claim: $11,379 for debt for a vehicle lease.

Defendants: Ara Tech Enterprises Inc. and Maryam Ebrahimi 880–1500 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 572 Granada Cres., North Vancouver Plaintiff: 431814 Canada Inc. 2580 Gilmore Ave., Burnaby Claim: $7,311 for a breached credit agreement with Rona; and a builders lien for $7,311.

Defendant: Aleksandar Cuk dba Fairway Painting & Decorating 7523 Elwell St., Burnaby Plaintiff: Vancouver City Savings Credit Union 2500–700 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $4,767 for debt arising from a loan.

Defendants: 942252 Alberta Ltd. and Westminster Steel Inc. and Erik Steverlynck 300–906 Roderick Ave., Coquitlam and 20060 113B Ave., Maple Ridge Plaintiff: F & G Delivery Ltd. 330-522 Seventh St., New Westminster Claim: $3,958 for debt for transportation and crane services; and a builders lien for $3,958.

Defendants: Sukhraj Kaur Bal and Interline Motor Freight Inc. and Harmon Singh Bal 804 E. 37th Ave., Vancouver and Box 12577, 2480–1066 W. Hastings St., Vancouver and 5108–13562 Maycrest Way, Richmond Plaintiff: Day and Knight Plumbing Heating Ltd. 506–938 Howe St., Vancouver Claim: $3,145 against Sukrah Bal for debt for the labour and installation of a hot water boiler; orders; a builder’s lien for $3,145; and $2,625 against Interline and Harmon Bal. Defendant: White Rock Business Improvement Association Address unavailable Plaintiff: Cynthia Anne Richards 700–1006 Beach Ave., Vancouver Claim: Damages for wrongful dismissal of an executive director.

Defendants: Miller Capilano Maintenance Corp. and The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

Law 31

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Trouble LAWSUIT OF THE WEEK

Golfer sues over back-nine skewer Delta resident David Charles Campbell is seeking damages against a local golf club and several farm investors after a flagpole impaled his hand.

According to a April 14 B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim, Campbell’s right hand was impaled and lacerated by the tenth hole flag pole on Northview Golf & Country Club Ltd.’s Canal Course on April 24, 2009.

Northview has been named a defendant in the case, in addition to Donald George Stewart, Marilyn Joan Stewart, Wendy Dawn Chanasyk, Suzanne Joan Dahl and Nancy Colleen Pollon, all of whom are described in the suit as farm investors who live in Surrey.

The notice of claim does not detail how the flagpole impaled Campbell’s hand.

Still, Campbell has alleged the flagpole was on land the defendants owned or were occupiers of, and as a result they are responsible under the Occupiers Liability Act. Campbell further alleges the defendants were negligent in the installation, inspection and maintenance of the flagpole.

He is seeking damages against the defendants pursuant to the Health Care Costs Recovery Act. A response to the claim had not been filed by press time.

General (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and J. Doe and J. Roe and members of The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Her Majesty the Queen in the right of the Province of B.C. as represented by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure 118 Bridge Rd., West Vancouver and 3rd f loor, 1001 Douglas St., Victoria and 5B–940 Blanshard St., Victoria Plaintiffs: Telus Corp. and Gregory Peskett 1800–401 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: A declaration the plaintiffs are entitled to indemnity and/or contribution from the defendants with respect to the settlement funds paid to Holly Jean Poupore in an action arising from a collision; a declaration that the liability be apportioned amongst the parties responsible; judgment for any amount that may be found due from the defendants; and judgment for the plaintiff ’s costs in the Poupore action.

Defendants: Antonio Russo and Jackie Russo and Nazzareno Russo and Chris Truckle and Monique Truckle and Circadian Project Management Ltd. and 652604 B.C. Ltd. and C.T. Pioneer Construction Ltd. and Cross Roads Excavating Ltd. Addresses unknown and 901–1788 W. Broadway, Vancouver and address unknown and 111 Wallace St., Nanaimo Plaintiffs: Cape Construction (2001) Ltd. and Cape Development Corp.

500–5811 Cooney Rd., Richmond Claim: A declaration again Tony and

Nazzareno Russo, Truckle and C.T. Pioneer for liability to account for the fund arising from fraudulently authorized payments for subcontracted services; a declaration the plaintiffs are entitled to a tracing; and damages; a declaration they are liable to account for all portions of the fund paid to them or for their benefit; payment for those portions of the fund; a declaration that the lands are subject to a lien; and orders.

Defendants: GDI Software Services Canada Inc. and IG Systems International Ltd. and Nordex Software Services Inc. and Joseph Lacascia and Ariel Dvorkin and Ronald Kadarishko and Sally Cramer and Pedro Nunes and Siong Heng Chan and Carlos Wong and Peter Smith-Gibbons and Scott Abraham and Les Sanderson and Blackbelt Media and Craig Levitt and Joshua Ofer Baazov and Egan Engel 1300–1500 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 6844 195A St., Surrey and 1077 W. Cordova St., Vancouver and 2501–1077 W. Cordova St., Vancouver and 1456 W. 53rd Ave., Vancouver and 18–6465 184A St., Surrey and 14682 59A Ave., Surrey and addresses unknown and 101–7075 Robert-Joncas Place, Saint Laurent, QC Plaintiffs: Secured Opportunities Fund, LLC and Future Visions, Inc. and Visionary Investments Limited Partnership and SOF Management, LLC 1300–777 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver Claim: Judgment for debt owned under the loan and security documents arising from breach of contract; judgment for possession and sale of the collateral in accordance with the loan and security documents; orders; and damages against Blackbelt, Levitt, Baazov and Engel for

unlawful interference with contractual relations.

Defendants: Maicon Construction (1996) Ltd. and G & G Holdings Ltd. formerly G & G Fire Protection Ltd. and G & G Fire Protection and Keldon Electric & Data Ltd. and John Doe 1 and John Does 2-3 301–1665 Ellis St., Kelowna and 22–4520 Gallaghers Lookout, Kelowna and 101– 1461 St. Paul St., Kelowna and address unknown Plaintiff: Owners, Strata Plan KAS 2676 2400–200 Granville St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for breach of contract and negligence arising from the construction of the premises sold to the plaintiffs.

Defendants: Future Vehicle Technologies Inc. and EIG America, Inc. and Manzanita Micro, LLC and Car Design Co. and Car Manufacturer Co. and Car Supplier Co. and Battery Supplier Co. and Battery Distributor Co. and Battery Retailer Co. and Charger Supplier Co. and Charger Distributor Co. and Charger Retailer Co. 7929 120th St. Delta and 190–2105 S Bascom Ave., Campbell, CA and 26519 Bond Rd., Kingston, WA and addresses unknown Plaintiff: Kenmar Auto Services Ltd. dba Haney Automotive 22334 McIntosh Ave Claim: Damages for negligence causing a prototype hybrid concept car to catch fire when it was being tested on a dynamometer machine.

Defendants: West Coast Railway Association operating as Westcoast Railway Heritage Park and The District of Squamish and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia as represented by The Ministry of the Attorney General and Hit Entertainment Ltd. aka Hit Entertainment Inc. 39645 Government Rd., Squamish and 37955 Second Ave., Squamish and address unavailable and Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Rd., London, UK Plaintiff: Taryn Pickering 1668 Golf Club Dr., Delta Claim: Damages for injuries sustained when the plaintiff’s right hand and fingers were crushed by a train.

Defendants: William Anderson and Edward Trueman and Thomas L. Wiss 202B–4059 200 St., Langley and 107–477 Peace Portal Dr., Blaine, WA Plaintiffs: Sole Gear Design Inc. and Toby Reid 3000–1055 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 756 E. 5th St., North Vancouver Claim: Judgment against Trueman and Anderson for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, unlawful interference with contractual and economic

relations and defamation arising from the theft of the plaintiff’s confidential information for use in a competing business; orders; judgment against Wiss for unlawful interference with contractual and economic relations and defamation; and damages against all; injunctions; and a declaration Sole Gear owns the name “Solegear Bioplastics Inc.” Defendants: Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc. and Steve Hicks and AXA Pacific Insurance Co. and certain underwriters at Lloyd’s as arranged by Lloyd and Partners Ltd. 350–4396 West Saanich Rd., Victoria Plaintiffs: Coles Marine Diesel Repairs Ltd. and Hill’s Machine Shop Ltd. and Fleetwood Forest Products Ltd. 524 Marine Dr., Gibsons, B.C. Claim: Insurance indemnity from AXA and Lloyds arising from a fire that destroyed a property; a declaration that Jardine and Hicks failed to increase insurance limits as instructed and failed to recommend review of a wholly inadequate contents limit; a declaration that upon replacement of the building, Coles and Hill’s are entitled to indemnity for the cost of its replacement to the extent it exceeds actual cash value; and damages.

601–815 Hornby St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for injuries sustained when the plaintiff sliced her finger on a piece of ragged metal on a double door.

Defendants: Multiform Harvest Inc. and Adam Ranjit Sumel aka Adam Ranjit Singh Sumel and Dr. Keith E. Bowers and Matthew Wilson 3109 S. Frontenac St., Seattle and 4266 W. 8th Ave., Vancouver and 501–3811 Hastings St., Burnaby Plaintiff: Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. 300–1168 Hamilton St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for misuse of trade secrets, misappropriation of confidential information, conspiracy, intentional interference with economic interests related to a confidentiality agreement signed during acquisition discussions regarding a technology that recovers phosphorous from animal waste; an injunction; an order; an accounting; damages against Bowers; orders; damages against Wilson; orders; damages against Sumel; orders; and damages aginst Multiform.

Defendants: Dr. Shenin Mohamed and Dr. Shenin Mohamed Podiatric Corp.

1873 Marine Dr., West Vancouver Plaintiff: Lourdes Capuno

490-789 W. Pender St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for medical negligence and breach of contractual duty arising from failed surgeries on the plaintiff’s feet, which resulted in injuries; and health-care costs.

Defendant: Nelson Tin 828–8155 Park Rd., Richmond Plaintiff: Coastal Contacts Inc. 2900–595 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: An injunction restraining Tin from using or disclosing Coastal’s confidential information, soliciting customers or procuring any business from a customer related to breach of an employment agreement; disgorgement of any profits or other benefits acquired or received by Tin; and damages.

Defendants: Ivanhoe Cambridge I Inc. and Loblaw Companies Ltd. and Loblaws Inc. and The Real Canadian Superstore 2200–1055 W. Hastings St., Vancouver and 1200–200 Burrard St., Vancouver Plaintiff: Kushla Krishna 6232 S.E. Marine Dr., Burnaby Claim: Damages for injuries sustained when the plaintiff slipped on liquid soap or an unknown substance at the Superstore in Metrotown Shopping Centre; and health-care costs. •

Defendants: The City of Merritt and ThompsonNicola Regional District and VSA Highway Maintenance Ltd. and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia Box 189, 2185 Voght St., Merritt and 300–465 Victoria St., Kamloops and 4th floor, 3201 30th Ave., Vernon and 815 Hornby St., Vancouver Plaintiff: Gaetano Dino Mario Dinicolo 163 W. Kings Rd., North Vancouver Claim: Damages for injuries sustained during a collision on a snow-covered roadway.

Defendant: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia as represented by the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Address unavailable Plaintiff: Artis King Edward Property Ltd. Box 48600, 1200–200 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: Compensation and disturbance damages arising from a land purchase agreement as part of building an overpass on King Edward Street; and reasonable costs, expenses and losses directly attributable to the disturbance caused to Artis by the transfer, dedication and licensing or use of the affected areas.

Defendant: Cedar Community Association 2388 Cedar Rd., Nanaimo Plaintiff: Lillian Glass

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30 Law

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Balance Sheet Prowess • Traditional accounting values combined with cutting edge IT • Network of experienced professionals • Proud member of the Certified General Accountants of BC and Canada George Wilson-Tagoe, BSc., CGA

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Claim: $264,160 arising from a breached purchase and sale agreement for a property; specific performance of the purchase and sale agreement; and damages.

Defendant: North Kootenay Reman Ltd. (Surrey) Address unavailable Plaintiffs: Superior Propane, a division of Superior Plus LP, by its general partner Superior General Partner Inc. 2300–550 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: $161,098 for breach of contract for the supply of gasoline and diesel fuel and unjust enrichment.

Defendants: F.S. 17 Enterprises Ltd. and John Doe and Jane Doe and Reza Keyvani and Bank of Montreal Addresses unknown and 1–1161 The High St., Coquitlam Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada 1055 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $150,406 against F.S. 17 for forged cheques; $74,00 against Keyvanini; an accounting; a tracing; a declaration against Bank of Montreal that the funds in Keyvani’s account are the property of the plaintiff and are held in trust for the plaintiff; and an order that the funds be paid into court

by Bank of Montreal.

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Ext. 125

Defendants: S.L.H. Transport Inc. and Gregory Bach Addresses unavailable Plaintiff: J. Perrotta Trucking Ltd. 2200–10155 102 St., Edmonton Claim: $101,500 for losses and damages arising from a collision that created a fire and damaged the plaintiff’s tractor-trailer and cargo.

Defendants: Susan Perry and Henry Robert Menzel 7476 Prospect St., Pemberton, B.C. Plaintiff: Terraine Construction Ltd. Box 770 Pemberton, B.C. Claim: $85,000 for debt arising from personal loans.

Defendants: Window Stick Alarms Ltd. and Robert G. Allen Box 190, 30 Front St., Nanaimo and 109B–425 E. Stanford Ave., Parksville Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga, ON Claim: $76,589 for debt.

Defendants: Cankor BBQ Ltd. and Min Suk Michael Kim 1518 Robson St., Vancouver Plaintiff: Carmichael Engineering Ltd. 130–13751 Mayfield Pl., Richmond Claim: $70,000 for debt for construction, equipment installation and finishing.

Defendants: Malcolm D. Lefcort and Heuristic Engineering Inc. and Access Energy Technologies Ltd. 3040 W. 5th Ave., Vancouver and 1100–1200 W. 73 rd Ave., Vancouver Plaintiff: Robert H. Barrigar 3610 Cadboro Bay Rd., Victoria Claim: A declaration the defendants have breached a settlement agreement; an order, or, $63,000, or, judgment for the amount due.

Defendant: Contemporary Security Canada ULC 2200–1055 W. Hastings St., Vanouver Plaintiff: Target Management Canada, Ltd. Box 11, 1100 One Bentall Centre, 505 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: $62,682 for debt arising from an agreement for temporary accommodation facilities in Whistler during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; a declaration the defendant owes the plaintiff damages of $49,487.

Defendants: Stewart Design Group Ltd. and Gerald Stewart aka Gerald E. Stewart aka Gerald Edward Stewart and Wen Hua Zhang Stewart aka Wen Hua Stewart 221–3011 Louie Dr., West Bank, B.C. and 1121 Steele Crt., Kelowna Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A., Mississauga, ON Claim: $48,748 for debt.

Defendant: Dean Scarpino aka Millenium Auto Centre 4997 Christie Rd., Ladysmith, B.C. Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga, ON Claim: $39,584 for debt.

Defendant: Chet Constructino (1976) Ltd. aka Chet Construction (1976) Ltd. 330–522 Seventh St., New Westminster Plaintiffs: Suncor Energy Products Partnership dba Petro-Canada 2700–700 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $32,769 for debt.

Defendant: Pan Pacific Quadling Quarry Ltd. 22695 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford Plaintiff: BC Hydro 333 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver Claim: $30,812 for damage caused when the defendant trespassed on the plaintiff’s right of way and damaged BC Hydro works; and an injunction.

Defendants: Joy Select Hair Ltd. and Pho Pae Bobbie Choi 207–181 Keefer Pl., Vancouver and 8–63 Keefer Pl., Vancouver Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga Claim: $30,482 against Joy for debt; and $33,207 against Choi.

Defendants: Uniwest Trading Corp. and Mahnaz Khoddami 2–1500 Marine Dr., North Vancouver and 1198 W.21st Ave., North Vancouver Plaintiff: Royal Bank of Canada Box 5050, Station A, Mississauga, ON Claim: $30,316 against Uniwest and Khoddami for debt; and a declaration that the security agreement is in priority to any right, title or interest of any of the defendants.

Defendants: 494743 B.C. Ltd. dba Flame Engineering & Construction and the said 494743 B.C. Ltd. and the said Flame Engineering & Construction and Sirus Familamiri and Satpal Kaur and Mehran Vakily and Darab Ahmadi 3131 B St. Johns St., Port Moody and 140–34A– 2755 Lougheed Hwy., Port Coquitlam and 3088 Firestone Pl., Coquitlam and 561 St. Andrews Rd., West Vancouver Plaintiff: Akal Plumbing & Heating Ltd. 111–13035 84th Ave., Surrey Claim: $24,625 for debt arising from plumbing and other work; and a builder’s lien for $24,625.

Defendants: Ceres Gonzales Pajaron and Cathreen Gonzales Pajaron and Cristho Ray Gonzales Pajaron and CCP Foods & Services Inc. 9491 Blundell Rd.,

Richmond Plaintiffs: Hikmat Quaddoumi and Joyce Qaddoumi 133–12520 Horseshoe Way, Richmond Claim: $23,500 for the sale of business assets; and $17,151 against Ceres and Cristho Ray for indemnity provisions of the assignment agreement.

Defendants: Okanagan Trucking Ltd. and Leslie Dwayne Pidwerbesky and Sharon Lee Pidwerbesky 1545 Hardy St., Kelowna and 245 Moubray Rd., Kelowna Plaintiff: Sovereign Vehicle Leasing Ltd. 1200–805 W. Broadway, Vancouver Claim: $11,379 for debt for a vehicle lease.

Defendants: Ara Tech Enterprises Inc. and Maryam Ebrahimi 880–1500 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 572 Granada Cres., North Vancouver Plaintiff: 431814 Canada Inc. 2580 Gilmore Ave., Burnaby Claim: $7,311 for a breached credit agreement with Rona; and a builders lien for $7,311.

Defendant: Aleksandar Cuk dba Fairway Painting & Decorating 7523 Elwell St., Burnaby Plaintiff: Vancouver City Savings Credit Union 2500–700 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: $4,767 for debt arising from a loan.

Defendants: 942252 Alberta Ltd. and Westminster Steel Inc. and Erik Steverlynck 300–906 Roderick Ave., Coquitlam and 20060 113B Ave., Maple Ridge Plaintiff: F & G Delivery Ltd. 330-522 Seventh St., New Westminster Claim: $3,958 for debt for transportation and crane services; and a builders lien for $3,958.

Defendants: Sukhraj Kaur Bal and Interline Motor Freight Inc. and Harmon Singh Bal 804 E. 37th Ave., Vancouver and Box 12577, 2480–1066 W. Hastings St., Vancouver and 5108–13562 Maycrest Way, Richmond Plaintiff: Day and Knight Plumbing Heating Ltd. 506–938 Howe St., Vancouver Claim: $3,145 against Sukrah Bal for debt for the labour and installation of a hot water boiler; orders; a builder’s lien for $3,145; and $2,625 against Interline and Harmon Bal. Defendant: White Rock Business Improvement Association Address unavailable Plaintiff: Cynthia Anne Richards 700–1006 Beach Ave., Vancouver Claim: Damages for wrongful dismissal of an executive director.

Defendants: Miller Capilano Maintenance Corp. and The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

LAW 31

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Trouble LAWSUIT OF THE WEEK

Golfer sues over back-nine skewer Delta resident David Charles Campbell is seeking damages against a local golf club and several farm investors after a flagpole impaled his hand.

According to a April 14 B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim, Campbell’s right hand was impaled and lacerated by the tenth hole flag pole on Northview Golf & Country Club Ltd.’s Canal Course on April 24, 2009.

Northview has been named a defendant in the case, in addition to Donald George Stewart, Marilyn Joan Stewart, Wendy Dawn Chanasyk, Suzanne Joan Dahl and Nancy Colleen Pollon, all of whom are described in the suit as farm investors who live in Surrey.

The notice of claim does not detail how the flagpole impaled Campbell’s hand.

Still, Campbell has alleged the flagpole was on land the defendants owned or were occupiers of, and as a result they are responsible under the Occupiers Liability Act. Campbell further alleges the defendants were negligent in the installation, inspection and maintenance of the flagpole.

He is seeking damages against the defendants pursuant to the Health Care Costs Recovery Act. A response to the claim had not been filed by press time.

General (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and J. Doe and J. Roe and members of The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Her Majesty the Queen in the right of the Province of B.C. as represented by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure 118 Bridge Rd., West Vancouver and 3rd f loor, 1001 Douglas St., Victoria and 5B–940 Blanshard St., Victoria Plaintiffs: Telus Corp. and Gregory Peskett 1800–401 W. Georgia St., Vancouver Claim: A declaration the plaintiffs are entitled to indemnity and/or contribution from the defendants with respect to the settlement funds paid to Holly Jean Poupore in an action arising from a collision; a declaration that the liability be apportioned amongst the parties responsible; judgment for any amount that may be found due from the defendants; and judgment for the plaintiff ’s costs in the Poupore action.

Defendants: Antonio Russo and Jackie Russo and Nazzareno Russo and Chris Truckle and Monique Truckle and Circadian Project Management Ltd. and 652604 B.C. Ltd. and C.T. Pioneer Construction Ltd. and Cross Roads Excavating Ltd. Addresses unknown and 901–1788 W. Broadway, Vancouver and address unknown and 111 Wallace St., Nanaimo Plaintiffs: Cape Construction (2001) Ltd. and Cape Development Corp.

500–5811 Cooney Rd., Richmond Claim: A declaration again Tony and

Nazzareno Russo, Truckle and C.T. Pioneer for liability to account for the fund arising from fraudulently authorized payments for subcontracted services; a declaration the plaintiffs are entitled to a tracing; and damages; a declaration they are liable to account for all portions of the fund paid to them or for their benefit; payment for those portions of the fund; a declaration that the lands are subject to a lien; and orders.

Defendants: GDI Software Services Canada Inc. and IG Systems International Ltd. and Nordex Software Services Inc. and Joseph Lacascia and Ariel Dvorkin and Ronald Kadarishko and Sally Cramer and Pedro Nunes and Siong Heng Chan and Carlos Wong and Peter Smith-Gibbons and Scott Abraham and Les Sanderson and Blackbelt Media and Craig Levitt and Joshua Ofer Baazov and Egan Engel 1300–1500 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 6844 195A St., Surrey and 1077 W. Cordova St., Vancouver and 2501–1077 W. Cordova St., Vancouver and 1456 W. 53rd Ave., Vancouver and 18–6465 184A St., Surrey and 14682 59A Ave., Surrey and addresses unknown and 101–7075 Robert-Joncas Place, Saint Laurent, QC Plaintiffs: Secured Opportunities Fund, LLC and Future Visions, Inc. and Visionary Investments Limited Partnership and SOF Management, LLC 1300–777 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver Claim: Judgment for debt owned under the loan and security documents arising from breach of contract; judgment for possession and sale of the collateral in accordance with the loan and security documents; orders; and damages against Blackbelt, Levitt, Baazov and Engel for

unlawful interference with contractual relations.

Defendants: Maicon Construction (1996) Ltd. and G & G Holdings Ltd. formerly G & G Fire Protection Ltd. and G & G Fire Protection and Keldon Electric & Data Ltd. and John Doe #1 and John Does #2-3 301–1665 Ellis St., Kelowna and 22–4520 Gallaghers Lookout, Kelowna and 101– 1461 St. Paul St., Kelowna and address unknown Plaintiff: Owners, Strata Plan KAS 2676 2400–200 Granville St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for breach of contract and negligence arising from the construction of the premises sold to the plaintiffs.

Defendants: Future Vehicle Technologies Inc. and EIG America, Inc. and Manzanita Micro, LLC and Car Design Co. and Car Manufacturer Co. and Car Supplier Co. and Battery Supplier Co. and Battery Distributor Co. and Battery Retailer Co. and Charger Supplier Co. and Charger Distributor Co. and Charger Retailer Co. 7929 120th St. Delta and 190–2105 S Bascom Ave., Campbell, CA and 26519 Bond Rd., Kingston, WA and addresses unknown Plaintiff: Kenmar Auto Services Ltd. dba Haney Automotive 22334 McIntosh Ave Claim: Damages for negligence causing a prototype hybrid concept car to catch fire when it was being tested on a dynamometer machine.

Defendants: West Coast Railway Association operating as Westcoast Railway Heritage Park and The District of Squamish and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia as represented by The Ministry of the Attorney General and Hit Entertainment Ltd. aka Hit Entertainment Inc. 39645 Government Rd., Squamish and 37955 Second Ave., Squamish and address unavailable and Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Rd., London, UK Plaintiff: Taryn Pickering 1668 Golf Club Dr., Delta Claim: Damages for injuries sustained when the plaintiff’s right hand and fingers were crushed by a train.

Defendants: William Anderson and Edward Trueman and Thomas L. Wiss 202B–4059 200 St., Langley and 107–477 Peace Portal Dr., Blaine, WA Plaintiffs: Sole Gear Design Inc. and Toby Reid 3000–1055 W. Georgia St., Vancouver and 756 E. 5th St., North Vancouver Claim: Judgment against Trueman and Anderson for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, unlawful interference with contractual and economic

relations and defamation arising from the theft of the plaintiff’s confidential information for use in a competing business; orders; judgment against Wiss for unlawful interference with contractual and economic relations and defamation; and damages against all; injunctions; and a declaration Sole Gear owns the name “Solegear Bioplastics Inc.” Defendants: Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc. and Steve Hicks and AXA Pacific Insurance Co. and certain underwriters at Lloyd’s as arranged by Lloyd and Partners Ltd. 350–4396 West Saanich Rd., Victoria Plaintiffs: Coles Marine Diesel Repairs Ltd. and Hill’s Machine Shop Ltd. and Fleetwood Forest Products Ltd. 524 Marine Dr., Gibsons, B.C. Claim: Insurance indemnity from AXA and Lloyds arising from a fire that destroyed a property; a declaration that Jardine and Hicks failed to increase insurance limits as instructed and failed to recommend review of a wholly inadequate contents limit; a declaration that upon replacement of the building, Coles and Hill’s are entitled to indemnity for the cost of its replacement to the extent it exceeds actual cash value; and damages.

601–815 Hornby St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for injuries sustained when the plaintiff sliced her finger on a piece of ragged metal on a double door.

Defendants: Multiform Harvest Inc. and Adam Ranjit Sumel aka Adam Ranjit Singh Sumel and Dr. Keith E. Bowers and Matthew Wilson 3109 S. Frontenac St., Seattle and 4266 W. 8th Ave., Vancouver and 501–3811 Hastings St., Burnaby Plaintiff: Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. 300–1168 Hamilton St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for misuse of trade secrets, misappropriation of confidential information, conspiracy, intentional interference with economic interests related to a confidentiality agreement signed during acquisition discussions regarding a technology that recovers phosphorous from animal waste; an injunction; an order; an accounting; damages against Bowers; orders; damages against Wilson; orders; damages against Sumel; orders; and damages aginst Multiform.

Defendants: Dr. Shenin Mohamed and Dr. Shenin Mohamed Podiatric Corp.

1873 Marine Dr., West Vancouver Plaintiff: Lourdes Capuno

490-789 W. Pender St., Vancouver Claim: Damages for medical negligence and breach of contractual duty arising from failed surgeries on the plaintiff’s feet, which resulted in injuries; and health-care costs.

Defendant: Nelson Tin 828–8155 Park Rd., Richmond Plaintiff: Coastal Contacts Inc. 2900–595 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: An injunction restraining Tin from using or disclosing Coastal’s confidential information, soliciting customers or procuring any business from a customer related to breach of an employment agreement; disgorgement of any profits or other benefits acquired or received by Tin; and damages.

Defendants: Ivanhoe Cambridge I Inc. and Loblaw Companies Ltd. and Loblaws Inc. and The Real Canadian Superstore 2200–1055 W. Hastings St., Vancouver and 1200–200 Burrard St., Vancouver Plaintiff: Kushla Krishna 6232 S.E. Marine Dr., Burnaby Claim: Damages for injuries sustained when the plaintiff slipped on liquid soap or an unknown substance at the Superstore in Metrotown Shopping Centre; and health-care costs. •

Defendants: The City of Merritt and ThompsonNicola Regional District and VSA Highway Maintenance Ltd. and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia Box 189, 2185 Voght St., Merritt and 300–465 Victoria St., Kamloops and 4th floor, 3201 30th Ave., Vernon and 815 Hornby St., Vancouver Plaintiff: Gaetano Dino Mario Dinicolo 163 W. Kings Rd., North Vancouver Claim: Damages for injuries sustained during a collision on a snow-covered roadway.

Defendant: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia as represented by the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Address unavailable Plaintiff: Artis King Edward Property Ltd. Box 48600, 1200–200 Burrard St., Vancouver Claim: Compensation and disturbance damages arising from a land purchase agreement as part of building an overpass on King Edward Street; and reasonable costs, expenses and losses directly attributable to the disturbance caused to Artis by the transfer, dedication and licensing or use of the affected areas.

Defendant: Cedar Community Association 2388 Cedar Rd., Nanaimo Plaintiff: Lillian Glass

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32

For the record

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

index The following are People on the Move categories. Not all appear each week.

• Accounting • Advertising • Aerospace • Architecture • Associations/Societies • Biotech/Life Sciences • Communications/PR • Community • Design • Development/Construction • Education • Energy • Engineering • Finance • General

People on the Move Email your For the Record

information to: fortherecord@biv.com. Please include a high-resolution, colour headshot where possible.

•Advertising

Dean Elissat has joined Engine Digital as vicepresident, client engagement. He was previously managing director at Publicis Vancouver.

•

Associations/ Societies

Bill Woodley has been appointed president of the B.C. Ringette Association.

He is vice-president of Legacy Pacific Group and was previously senior manager with Nintendo of Canada.

• Health/Medical • Hospitality/Tourism /Convention • Human Resources • Legal • Marine • Manufacturing • Media • Public • Real Estate • Resources • Sales/ Marketing • Technology • Telecommunications

Bill Tam has been appointed president and CEO of the BC Technology Industry Association taking over for Pascal Spothelfer. Tam was previously CEO of EQO Communications, a venture partner at SpringBank TechVentures, vicepresident business development at AT&T Canada and vice-president of product strategy and marketing at MetroNet.

Gina Wu joins Richards Buell Sutton as an associate

Jennifer Spencer Dean Elissat is partner at joins Engine Miller Thomson Digital as vicepresident, client engagement

finance; and CFO, respectively, at Western Wind Energy Corp. Thompson was previously CFO and Craig was previously corporate finance manager at Western Wind.

•Finance

Jessica Mori has joined Saint Bernadine Mission Communications Inc. as a copywriter. She was previously a copywriter at Spring Advertising.

Dale MacLean has been appointed president and CEO of Tree Island Industries and has joined the board of the Tree Island Wire Income Fund. He was previously executive vicepresident and general manager of Taymor Industries, chair of the board of the Prince Rupert Port Authority and vice-president marketing and sales at BC Rail.

•Energy

•Legal

•Communications/PR

Chris Thompson and Keven Craig have been promoted to senior vice-president, project

Jennifer Spencer and Kevin Sorochan have been named partners at Miller Thomson

Jessica Mori joins Saint Bernadine Mission Communications Inc. as copywriter

LLP. Spencer was previously an associate in commercial litigation and regulatory matters and Sorochan was previously an associate in securities.

Gina Wu has joined Richards Buell Sutton LLP (RBS) as an associate in the securities and corporate finance group. She completed her articles at RBS.

•Resources

L i n g Z hu , D av id B o and Liang Shi have been appointed CEO and director; chair and director; and director; respectively, at China Minerals Mining Corp. Zhu was previously a senior executive with the Skyocean Group, Shi is director of Skocean Holdings and Bo was previously general manager, business

RCH Foundation director of leadership-giving Gordon Stewart and Plenary Health’s vice-president of project development Chris Coulter

development, at the Ivanhoe Capital Corp.

Fred Buck ingham has joined Molycor Gold Corp. as a consultant. He works with MPR Associates.

Bryan Hyde has joined Rockridge Capital Corp. as technical director. He was previously project managing director of Mirabela Nickel Ltd., group technical consultant to LionOre Mining International, chair and managing director of LionOre Australia Pty Ltd. and manging director of Tati Nickel Mining Company (Pty) Ltd. Pe g g y Wu h a s b e e n appointed CFO of Corvus Gold Inc., replacing Michael Kinley who remains as a consultant. Wu is CFO of

Indico Resources Inc. and financial reporting specialist for the Cardero Group of Companies. She was previously senior staff accountant and supervisor at Smythe Ratcliffe LLP. Henr y Pa rk ha s been appointed a director of Tintina Resources Inc. He is managing director of Electrum Frontier and was previously a commodities analyst at Soros Fund Management and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley.

Anna Ladd, Paul Keller, Dayle Rusk, Daniel Marinov and Erin Walmesly have joined Trevali Mining Corp. as CFO, vicepresident of operations, vice-president of explorat ion , c h ie f ge olo g i s t and corporate secretary,

Metro vancouver BMW retailers

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European models shown. Features and equipment may vary in Canada. MSRP of a 2011 328i Classic Edition xDrive28i Auto with Premium Package, starts at $44,100. Lease rates are those offered by BMW Financial Services Canada only on approved credit (OAC). *Lease rate of 2.5% available for up to 39 months. Lease example based on $328 a month for 39 months. Down payment or equivalent trade of $5,500. Freight and PDI and other additional fees are extra and due on signing. HST and licence fee are extra. Total obligation is $18,311.89. The residual value of the vehicle at end of term is $22,491. Annual kilometres limited to 16,000; $0.15 per excess kilometre. Excess wear-and-tear charges may apply. Additional province-specific fees, taxes, and charges may be extra. Retailers are free to set individual prices and charge administration fees, which may change the APR or the price of the vehicle. Event runs June 15, 2011 to June 19, 2011 inclusive. Delivery must be taken by July 3, 2011. Offer requires Retailer participation. Offer is subject to availability and may be cancelled or changed without notice. Certain conditions apply. See your local BMW Retailer or vancouverretailers.bmw.ca for full details. †Certain limitations apply; see Retailer for details. ©2011 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.

for the record 33

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Adrienne Bakker, RCH Foundation president and CEO, with Bruce Hogg, branch manager and chair BMO BC/Yukon Employee Charitable Foundation, and staff of the 6th Street New Westminster location of BMO Bank of Montreal

respectively. Ladd was previously director of finance at Kinross Gold Corp., and CFO at Crowflight Minerals Inc. Keller is vicepresident of operations at Kria Resources Ltd. and was previously vicepresident of operations for North America and general manager for Century Mining Corp. and COO of Crowf light Minerals.

Rusk was previously chief of technical services for Imperial Metals and senior production geologist at Goldcorp, Anglo American and Kria Resources.

Marinov was previously project exploration manager at Anglo American.

Walmesley was previously cor porate secreta r y at Montreux Capital Corp. and IDIFF Indico Resources Ltd. and a paralegal at Maitland & Co. David Sidoo has been appointed executive chair of the board at East West Petroleum Corp. He is former owner of Lumiere restaurant.

Mike Martin has retired as general manager Trail operations and Greg Belland has been appointed to the same position at Teck Resources Ltd. He was previously manager, commercial services, raw materials manager, operating manager and sales manager at Teck.

Michael McInnis has been appointed to the board of Burnstone Ventures Inc. He is also on the board of Abacus Mining & Exploration Corp., Canasil Resources Inc. and Victoria Gold Corp.

Carl Pines has been appointed interim CEO of Alpha Gold Corp. He is associate counsel with

Careers

Owen Bird Law Corp. and was previously director and audit committee chair at Alpha Gold.

Michael Allen has been appointed CFO PMI Gold Corp., replacing Philip Gibbs. Allen was previously CFO and company secretary for Dragon Mining NL and a principal in the corporate finance division of RSM Bird Cameron.

A ngela Yap ha s be en appointed CFO at Cream Minerals Ltd. She was previously director of corporate accounting with the Anthem Properties Group.

Colin Andrew has joined t he board of Sunward Resources Ltd. He is CEO of the company.

Bob Thompson has been appointed chief geologist at Northern Vertex Capital Inc. He was previously with the Geological Survey of Canada and was senior adviser to the Deputy Minister of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources.

Michael Riley and Thomas Graham Jr. have been named director and chair of the board, respectively at CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Riley is chair of the audit committee of BC Lottery Corporation and a member of the board of Primero Mining Corp. He was previously an audit partner with Ernst & Young LLP. Graham has served under four successive U.S. presidents as a senior U.S. diplomat involved nuclear non-proliferation. He is chairman of Mexco Energy Corp. and executive chairof Lightbridge Corp.

David Michaud has been appointed executive chair of

Martha Davis, Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation representative, and Moby Dick owners James Morrison, Monika Oswald and Ralph Oswald

Weststar Resources Corp.

He is a consult for for MetallurgyInMotion Inc. and was previoulsy operations manager to Corriente Resources Inc. Matthew Fowler has been appointed CFO of Marifil Mines Ltd. He is a senior consultant with Sharp Executive Associates, Inc. and was previously partner, CFO and CCP at Strata Partners, LLC. Michael Maslowski has been appointed vice-president, exploration (Canada), at Golden Predator Corp. He was previously general manager and director of exploration for Coeur d’Alene Mines and chief geologist and exploration geologist for Apollo Gold Corp. and Pegasus Gold Inc.

Companies on the Move • Name change

Copper Ridge Explorations Inc. has changed its name to Redtail Metals Corp. and will trade under the symbol TSX:RTZ

Moby Dick Seafood Restaurant donated $1,615 to Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation.

ClearlyContacts.ca donated 4,500 pairs of prescription eyeglasses, reading eyeglasses and UV protecting sunglasses to local school children, adults and seniors on a recent trip to Panama through its Change the View project.

The Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation presented certificates of recognition to

Work With us & groW a career Glacier Media Group is growing. Check our job board regularly for the latest openings:

The 2011 Architecture Institute of BC Architectural Award Recipients were: Medals - Patkau Architects for the Beaty Biodiversity Centre / Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory; and Bing Thom Architects Inc. for the Arena Stage at the Mead Centre for American Theatre. Merit Gair Williamson Architect Inc. for the Cordova Street Stables; Walter Francl Architecture Inc. and Nick Milkovich Architects Inc. for the Creekside Community Centre; Bing Thom Architects for the SAIT Parkade; and Acton Ostry Architects Inc. for the Sauder School of Business. AIBC Special Jury Award the Woodward’s Redevelopment by Henriquez Partners Architects; the John Tizya Cultural Centre by Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd.; and the Ty-Histanis Community Infrastructure by David Nairne + Associates Ltd. •

Thank you so very much to our generous sponsors & supporters for BC’s special children!

comes submissions from local small businesses and large corporations alike that demonstrate examples of corporate philanthropy and community involvement in the Vancouver area. High-resolution images are also welcome.

Teck Resources Inc. donated $1.5 million to Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences.

volunteer committee; Hoang Nguyen, fundraiser, Charity: water; Amanda Ovenden, marketing programs specialist for Talent Technology; Marcin Samiec, business analyst and privacy officer at BackCheck; Sonya Schafer, Cloverdale Rodeo; Jamie Schreder, realtor and property manager; Anisha Virk, Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Youth Volunteer program; Hayley Woodin, Kwantlen’s President’s Ambassador Team; and Emily Wright, cofounder of Excel Basketball Academy.

On June 2, the 24th annual Women’s Media Golf Classic raised over $125,000 for BC’s Special Children, Pacific Autism Family Centre & the Mediated Learning Academy!

Hats Off Business in Vancouver wel-

• www.employmentinvancouver.com • E-mail: employpaper@biv.com • Tel: 604-688-8828 • Fax: 604-669-2154

www.glaciermedia.ca/careers

the BMO Employee Charitable Foundation for its donation of $5,000 toward the funding of a second digital breast imaging machine at the hospital to help reduce wait times for breast cancer diagnoses and to Plenary Health for its bronze level support of the RCH Foundation’s SHINE Gala.

The Surrey Board of Trade’s Top 25 under 25 Awards winners were: Sunpreet Bains, volunteer, Surrey Memorial Hospital and Kwantlen Polytechnic University student life promotion team; Ben Brown Bentley, founder and co-owner of Adrenaline Productions; Jennifer Boyd, volunteer at Guildford Park Secondary’s Fresh Start Program and outside sales representative for Printfastic Printing; Glen Chua, founder of the Surrey Film Festival; Raman Dasanjh, OfficeTeam; Randip Gill, cofounder of Ujump; Ashish Gurung, social media consultant and creator and coowner of QuikPiq; Paul Hillsdon, creator and chief editor of CivicSurrey.com; Denny Hollick, community leader, the Rotary Club Youth Leadership Program and Kwantlen’s President’s Ambassador Team; Sunny Jo h a l , c o -f o u n d e r o f Ujump;. Ryan Keigher, Kwa nt len’s President ’s Ambassador Team and board of governors; Ameet Khabra, owner Straight Rocked Entertainment Inc. and a volunteer with Surrey Women’s Centre; Kyle Krystalowich, president of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at Simon Fraser University; Dana Miller, volunteer at the Cloverdale Rodeo; Antony Mudim, Acting Together; Mao Murakami, program co-ordinator at the Electrical Industry Training Institute; Nicole Reader, co-chair Cloverdale Rodeo

Chair & Founder Wendy Lisogar - Cocchia

Special Thanks to Our Fantastic Event Day Volunteers who made it all Possible!!

Golf Course

Donna Allen • Ray Anderson • Lucas Aykroyd • Tanja Bartel • Maureen Bellinger Jason Chu • Penny Hurst • Shelley Janze • Stephen Kern • Helen Lim • Anne Pustil Cam Varcoe • Monica Woldring • Doris Wong • Musqueam Golf & Learning Academy Marshals • Staff of Eny’s Cafe

Team Ambassadors

Jose Abundo • Ishar Barason • Bill Bymal • Sukh Chera • Greg Cherniwchan BJ Chute • Wes Day • Dave Dickerson • Perry Fiedler • Troy Gienger Ian Gordon • Craig Griffiths • Jeff Harris • Chris Hastings • Dave Jakeway Bruce Kennedy • Ed McCormick • Cory Marsden • Sean Mercer • Randy Motkuluk Sewa Pangalia • Jay Pruniak • Gord Robbins • Georgina Spencer • Ryan Steele Jim Stoughton • Darren Watts

Banquet

Naz Degan • Marilyn Gardner • Debbie Osing • Susan Semeniw Carey Summerfelt • Sarah Summerfelt • Karen St. Aubin • Teresa Anderson Naomi Lynam • Karen Englave • Julie Vegesund

34

Datebook

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Guarantee the publication of your listing for $50 per issue (plus hst). 604-608-5189 or datebook@biv.com Deadline for Datebook listings is noon Tuesday for the following week’s paper. Listings are published on a guaranteed basis for $50 per week, plus gst. Free listings will run in print as space permits. Go to www.bivdatebook. ca to post your listing. Published Datebook listings are at the discretion of BIV.

Breakfast, Luncheon, Dinner Meetings Debunking the HST Myth June 14, 2011, 11:45 AM: Robert McFarlane, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Telus Communications, Peter Leitch, Chairman, Motion Picture Production Industry Association of B.C. and Chris Thompson, C o n su m er, U B C Eco n o mic s Graduate and law student. Price: $69 members and guests/$96 future-members. Vancouver

Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, Pinnacle Ballroom, 1128 West Hastings Street. Vancouver, BC. reservations@boardoftrade.com. www.boardoftrade.com.

Get More Leads From Your Website June 14, 2011, 5:00 PM: Join us and prepare to be energized!

Expect to leave this session with insight and a passion to improve your conversion rate and ultimately get more leads and sales from your website! $55 SMEI members/$75 Nonmembers. Terminal City Club, 837 West Hastings. Vancouver. 604266-0090 or vancouver@smei. org. smeivancouver.org.

A Sustainable Breakfast with Chef Robert Clark June 15, 2011, 7:00 AM: The Best of BC chefs, food, local, organic, free range, delicious.

Chefs Table Society members host breakfast tables for you to mix and mingle with the stars of BC’s and Canada’s culinary world. Breakfast is made with

BC products and Rob Clark is inspiring. $50 +tax, VIP Table $1500. Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, 1133 West Hastings Street. Vancouver. Dawn Donahue dawn@gogolfevents. c o m ; 6 0 4 - 6 2 8 - 9 5 4 7. w w w. june15breakfast.eventbrite.com.

applied in the building and operation of this novel research campus. $50 members; $60 future members. Vancouver Club, 915 West Hastings Street. Vancouver.

Vancouver CREW: 604-601-5107; office@vancouvercrew.org. www. vancouvercrew.org.

Steady Hand Uncertain Times: Mark Carney on Canada’s Economy June 15, 2011, 11:30 AM: Mark C a r n ey, G over n o r, B a nk of Canada Members. $79 +HST; Nonmembers $110 +HST. Pan Pacific Vancouver, Crystal Pavilion, 999 Canada Place. Vancouver, BC. www.reservations@boardoftrade. com. www.boardoftrade.com.

Dinner with Gordon Campbell: Economic Reflections & Lessons for the Future June 15, 2011, 5:30 PM: Reserve your table or tickets today for this exclusive event and join other business leaders in acknowledging the exceptional contributions made by former premier Campbell to public policy and improving the quality of life for all British Columbians. $139.00/ticket or $1390.00/table of 10. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

H e a t h e r C o r b et t : eve n t s @ fraserinstitute.org, 604-6880221,x525. www.fraserinstitute. org.

Vancouver CREW Speaker Series Luncheon: Joanne Curry - Executive Director, SFU Surrey June 15, 2011, 11:30 AM: Vancouver CREW welcomes Joanne Curry, founding Executive Director of SFU Surrey Campus.

Joanne will speak about the transformation and strategies

Signature Events at Shangri-La

Conway Room From private boardrooms of 10 to elegant events for 110, experience your next event in Shangri-La. Each of our 6 unique meeting spaces offers natural lighting, and a state of the art audio visual system.

“The room, too, pleased him; it was admirably proportioned…

He felt a soothing comfort of mind and body…”

– From the novel Lost Horizon

Tri-City VWN Women’s Networking Lunch June 17, 2011, 11:30 AM: Join us for a fun, supportive and interactive networking lunch with like-minded business women.

You’ll leave with an abundance of ideas and develop new contacts and resources in your community.

Guests welcome! Members $25, guests $30. Vancouver Golf Club, 771 Austin Avenue. Coquitlam.

Reservations required by June 14th at 5pm. Please call Joan Seaton at 604.216.7076 or email joans@obbgifts.com. http://www. valleywomensnetwork.com/ node/53.

Rising Dragon: China’s Influence on Economic Reform and Globilization June 17, 2011, 11:45 AM: Dr. Fan Gang, Director, National

TechForum: Intelligent Utilities - Building BC Hydro’s Smart Grid June 23, 2011, 11:30 AM: Join Don Stuckert, Julius Pataky and Kip Morison of BC Hydro as they discuss smart grids, te c h n o l o g y re q u i re m e n t s , future plans and the economic opportunities this represents for the technology industry in British Columbia and beyond. Member $55; Non-member $80; Student $36. Sutton Place Hotel, 845 Burrard St. Vancouver. Rebecca Clark: 604.602.5241, rclark@ bctia.org. www.regonline.ca/ techforumsmartgrid.

How to Structure Your Financial Assets June 23, 2011, 6:30 PM: Learn how to coordinate your personal a n d co r p o ra te inve s tm ent strategies. Use your capital more effectively and reduce taxes.

Speaker: Dave Lee, ScotiaMcLeod.

Complimentary admission. 100 - 1676 Martin Drive. White Rock.

Dave Lee, 604-535-4743. www. dave-lee.ca.

Vancouver AM Tourism June Association Meeting June 24, 2011, 7:00 AM: Speaker: Deputy Commissioner Peter German, District Commander RCMP Lower Mainland . $ 28 members; $38 non-members; $23 students. RCMP Officer’s Mess, 5255 Heather Street.

Va n co u ve r. 6 0 4 -7 3 8 - 5 5 0 6 ; office@vancouveram.ca. www. vancouveram.ca.

First and Goal: Kicking off the Season with the BC Lions June 24, 2011, 11:45 AM: Wally Buono, General Manager, Head Coach, BC Lions and Alternate Governor, Canadian Football League $69 members and guests/ $96 future-members (+HST).

The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, British Columbia Ballroom, 900 West Georgia Street. Vancouver, BC. reservations@boardoftrade. com. www.boardoftrade.com.

UNIQUELY

DI F F E R E N

T

For your next meeting contact us at: events.slv@shangri-la.com Phone: (604) 661-3361 www.shangri-la.com/vancouver

124th Annual General Meeting of The Vancouver Board of Trade June 16, 2011, 11:15 AM: Lesley Stahl, Legenday Broadcast Journalist and Co-Editor, 60 Minutes. $129 members and guests/$180 future members (+HST ). The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, British Columbia Ballroom, 900 West Georgia Street. Vancouver, BC. www. reservations@boardoftrade.com. www.boardoftrade.com.

Economic Research Institute ( N E R I ), B ei ji n g ; C h a i r m a n , China Reform Foundation. $79 members and guests/$110 future-members (+HST). The C o a s t C o a l H a r b o u r, C o a l Harbour Ballroom, 1180 Hastings Street West. Vancouver, BC. www. reservations@boardoftrade.com. www.boardoftrade.com.

Where Else Can You meet in spaces so inviting you won’t want to adjourn...

Only at Tulalip.

Sales & Catering: (888) 272-1111 www.tulalipresort.com 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd.

Tulalip, WA 98271 I-5, Exit 200 between Seattle & Vancouver BC

Oil Sands Innovation and Technology: The Key to Current and Future Challenges June 28, 2011, 11:45 AM: Don Thompson, President, Oil Sands Developers Group (OSDG). $69 members and guests/$96 futuremembers (+HST). The Sutton Place Hotel, Versailles Ballroom, 845 Burrard Street. Vancouver, BC. reservations@boardoftrade. com. www.boardoftrade.com.

Vancouver AM Tourism July Association Meeting July 8, 2011, 7:00 AM: Inside the brand new Bank of Montreal tent! Speaker : Christopher Graze, Artistic Director for Bard on the Beach. $28 members; $38

www.bivdatebook.com non-members; $23 students.

Bard on the Beach, Vanier Park.

Va n co u ve r. 6 0 4 -7 3 8 - 5 5 0 6 ; office@vancouveram.ca. www. vancouveram.ca.

Conferences, Conventions, Tradeshows Project Management Conference and Free Career Fair Hosted by Canadian West Coast Chapter-PMI June 15, 2011, 7:00 AM: We are offering 8x90 minute sessions focusing on practical project management topics a n d 2 ke y n o te s . Yo u h a ve a choice of 2 educational session streams. The Career Fair is FREE to all (registration is required). Recruiters have active PM positions available. $299 members or $349 for nonmembers. Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, 791 West Georgia Street. Vancouver, BC. pd@pmi. bc.ca. pmibc2011.ca/biv.

The Hundred Hired Challenge June 16, 2011, 10:00 AM: A challenge to businesses, to commit to providing real jobs to real people from the poorest postal code in Canada. This event will provide a venue to recognize employers that are helping to build a stronger and sustainable community by hiring residents.

Free. 390 Main Street. vancouver BC. Tradeworks.ca/Pathways.

YES! You Can! Forum Series - IMAGE: It’s More Than Just a Logo June 26, 2011, 11:00 AM: A must-attend event for savvy business women, this event features interactive workshops with industry professionals, networking, and specific techniques, tools and tips to assist us in creating and keeping our edge in this economy. (Did we m e ntio n n et wo r k in g?! ) Early bird registration before June 15th - $169. Holiday Inn Express 2889 East Hastings St. Vancouver, BC. Cathy. connect@ theconnectedwoman.com. http:// bit.ly/fhnJ0P. UBC Summer Institute in Sustainability Leadership July 4, 2011, 8:15 AM: Oneweek professional development program designed to help you accelerate the sustainability agenda in your organization/ community. Participants gain the perspectives and strategies needed to develop policies, create plans and manage sustainability plans. Prices vary. UBC Point Grey Campus. Vancouver, BC. sustainability@cstudies.ubc.ca. cstudies.ubc.ca/sisl.

Courses, Workshops, Seminars Dragon Feast of the Century June 14, 2011, 12:30 PM: 15 Dragon Chefs create a visual and

DATEBOOK 35

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

culinary feast. The Best Chinese lunch - with lobster, crab, duck, tenderloin, arctic charr, sweet and savoury. This once in a lifetime luncheon showcases the best of our award winning asian culinary team. $150. Rain Flower Seafood Restaurant, 3600 No. 3 Road. Richmond. Dawn Donahue: dawn@gogolfevents.com, 604.628.9547. www.dragonfeast. eventbrite.com.

Aboriginal Lunch with Chef Andrew George and Metis Nation June 15, 2011, 12:00 PM: Ten signature aboriginal foods.

Meet Chef Andrew, learn about traditional aboriginal cuisine, enjoy a Pacific Nor th West potlatch feast, a wild game charcuterie station, juniper duck canapes, clam fritters, braised rabbit, fresh tuna salad, corn and wild rice. $50.00.

Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, 1133 West Hastings Street. Vancouver. Dawn Donahue: dawn@gogolfevents.com, 604.628.9547. www.chefandrew. eventbrite.com.

Sales and Marketing Peer Group Roundtable: Winning Strategies for Complex Sales June 21, 2011, 5:30 PM: Join in the discussion as Mike Smith, President of StrataMax Business D evel o p m e n t , sh a re s b e s t practices, war stories and case histories in an effort to help you develop a methodology that will work for your product or service in your markets. Member $15; Non-member $30. Segal School of Business, 500 Granville Street.

Vancouver. Reb ecc a Clark , rclark@bctia.org. www.regonline. ca/junesmg.

HR Metrics Benchmarking Service - Demo & Overview June 23, 2011, 9:00 AM: If you are looking to learn more about the

HR Metrics Service, sign up for this one hour demo. No charge.

Online. 604.694.6946. http://www. bchrma.org/content/events/ls/ details.cfm?EventID=035-241.

Leadership Skills for Managers & Supervisors/ Managing Generational Differences June 28, 2011, 9:00 AM: Learn the differences between being a great leader who develops high performing and engaged teams, and one who simply manages them, and how leaders create more prof it . G ain a deeper understanding of the characteristics and behaviours of the generations. $125.00 +HST for a 1/2 day, $199.00 +HST for a full day. BCIT Downtown Campus, 555 Seymour Street. Vancouver. dwalmsley@dlionline.ca or 604 824-6776. https://www.dlionline. ca/seminars.php.

BCBusiness TOP 100 - See and Hear Jimmy Live!

June 29, 2011, 1:00 PM: Less than 100 tickets remain to see and hear Jimmy Pattison live.

For only $99, learn how to make your business better. You’ll also receive a one-year subscription to BCBusiness magazine and a copy of Peter Legge’s best selling book The Power of a Dream. $75 plus HST. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

T i m R eye s , 6 0 4 - 6 3 9 -3 7 9 8 . bcusinessonline.ca/top100event.

Canadian Securities Course (CSC) July 6, 2011: Have the skills and knowledge to become a licenced mutual funds salesperson with our Canadian Securities Course.

Ashton College. Vancouver. 604899-0803/info@ashtoncollege. com. www.ashtoncollege.com.

HR Metrics Service - Demo & Overview: Manufacturing July 21, 2011, 9:30 AM: Come

An evening full of Fun, Food & Fundraising

Project Empty Bowl presented by Coast Capital Savings

Thursday July 7, 2011 6:30PM at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel Tickets: $85 if purchased before June 24, 2011 $100 if purchased after June 24, 2011 Tickets on sale now at www.alovingspoonful.org or you can call 604-682-6325 to purchase by phone Visa/MC/AMEX accepted Email: PEB@alovingspoonful.org More info at www.alovingspoonful.org

join us for an overview of the HR Metrics Benchmarking Service with a special focus on the Manufacturing Sector. No charge.

Online. 604.694.6946. http://www. bchrma.org/content/events/ls/ details.cfm?EventID=035-237.

FESTIVALS Agassiz Slow Food Cycle Tour July 23, 2011, 9:00 AM: This tour provides an educational and culinary experience exploring many farms, some that are open to the public on these days only.

This is an event that is suitable for families of all ages. $20/person.

Children 12 and under are free.

On the corner of Cameron and McCallum Road. Agassiz. www. slowfoodvancouver.com.

Harbourside, 1133 West Hastings Street. Vancouver. Dawn Donahue, dawn@gogolfevents.com. www. presidentsball.eventbrite.com.

GOLF TOURNAMENTS

Fathers Day Walk/Run for Prostate Cancer June 19, 2011, 10:00 AM: Join us Sunday June 19th at Burnaby Lake Park for the 13th Annual walk/run for prostate cancer.

Fr e e f o o d , e n t e r t a i n m e n t and prizes. Visit our website to register or for more information. $35 Registration Fe e . B ur na by L a ke Pa r k at the Rowing Pavilion. Burnaby.

Michelle@prostatecancerbc. c a o r 6 0 4 . 5 74 . 4 0 1 2 . w w w. walktolive.ca.

CCFCC Golf Tournament: Chef Convention Fabolous Country Classic June 16, 2011, 10:30 AM: Chefs hosting food and beverage stations, chefs golfing, power carts, lunch, dinner, prizes - pig roast for dinner, Golfing with chefs is always a delicious affair.

Everyone welcome - a tradeshow booth on every teebox. A fun, scramble tournament. $250 per golfer includes everything.

Furry Creek Golf Course. Furry Creek, BC. Dawn Donahue: dawn@ gogolfevents.com, 604.628.9547. www.ccfccgolf.eventbrite.com.

FUNDRAISERS, GALA EVENTS GENERAL EVENTS CCFCC Chefs Presidents Ball June 15, 2011, 5:30 PM: Culinary Team Canada creates a multi-course meal. This gala event presents Chef of the Year, as well as National Chefs Challenges winners, plus an amazing meal created for chefs, by chefs, honouring chefs. This is one gala dinner you should not miss. $175.00 +tax includes multi-courses and beverages.

Renaissance Vancouver Hotel

Wines of Chile Presents Dish n’ Dazzle June 17, 2011, 6:30 PM: The B C H o sp i t a li t y Fo u n da tio n and Wines of Chile present Dish n’ Dazzle at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Featuring more than 20 wineries from Chile, 12 restaurants and a cocktail competition, this night is sure to delight! $99 (or $90 f o r g r o u p s o f 6 o r m o r e) .

Fairmont Pacif ic Rim , 103 8 C a n a d a P l a c e . Va n c o u v e r. kate @ ccltd .c a . http://www. bchospitalityfoundation.com/.

Vancouver CREW 6th Annual Golf Tournament and Silent Auction Fundraiser July 21, 2011, 11:00 AM: Join us at the 6th Annual Vancouver CREW Golf Tournament. The tournament includes 18 holes of golf with a golf cart, the West Coast Classic Buffet dinner, and prizes. Members $225; nonmembers $250. Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club. Richmond.

Vancouver CREW: 604-601-5107; office@vancouvercrew.org. www. vancouvercrew.org.

Business Leaders Golf Tournament August 23, 2011, 12:00 PM: Play golf with the Vancouver

business community including senior executives, deal-makers and professionals involved in corporate growth, development, and mergers and acquisitions.

A f ull day eve nt in clu din g golf, dinner and great prizes! $175 BIV subscribers, ACG or TMA members/$200 for the general public. University Golf Club, 5 185 University Blvd.

Vancouver. Aly-Khan Virani: avirani@biv.com, 604.608.5197. https://www.eplyevents.com/ BusinessLeadersGolfTournament.

NETWORKING FUNCTIONS Mature Women’s Network: Prepare for the Unexpected June 25, 2011, 1:00 PM: An invitation to women over 40 years to our monthly meeting with talk, Being Prepared for the Unexpected! by Patricia Barrett of Canadian Red Cross, formerly Guide Guides and Provincial Emergency Services Volunteer.

Learn how to get emergency information. $5.00 non-members; $4.00 members at door. 1480 West 7th Avenue (1/2 block east of Granville). Vancouver.

604.681.3986 or m_miller77@ hotmail.com. http://upcoming. yahoo.com/event/7210588/BC/ Vancouver/Being-Preparedfor-the-Unexpected/MatureWomen39s-Network/. •

36

Comment Thumbs up

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Thumbs down

More budget brass needed from Tory majority Thumbs down:

To a federal budget that’s still failing to adequately address the need to reduce government spending and the federal debt’s drag on the economy and the country’s ability to compete. Note to Tory fiscal conservatives: the party now has a majority, so tough decisions can be made without brokering deals with NDP, Liberal or Bloc Québécois coalition forces.

It appears, however, that once the political spin starts on the fiscal front it’s tough to get off the merry-go-round.

The good news is there is talk of spending cuts – an initiative that most governments have long since removed from standard operating procedure manuals. According to federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, those cuts will trim $4 billion annually from his government’s direct-program spending regime following the completion in 2011-12 of a Strategic and Operating Review.

That renders opaque any immediate window into where and what those cuts might be. The only firm detail on spending cuts thus far is the elimination starting in 2012 of the $27 million in taxpayer subsidies to federal political parties. That’s already setting hair afire in opposition party ranks, but it will be some comfort to Canadians who have seen their tax dollars in past years go to fund parties dedicated to the breakup of the country.

Confidence in the Conservative government’s ability to cut has understandably reached a low ebb. How to spend, it knows well; how to cut – not so much. For example, its 2009-10 program spending increased 13.1% – a rise that followed three years of annual spending increases in the 7% range. The

Confidence in the government’s ability to cut has understandably reached a low ebb

government is now hoping to keep overall program spending increases to an average annual rate of 2%. So it’s moving in the right direction, but with the majority mandate it secured in the May 2 election, the Conservative government needs to show that it has the backbone to do more than slow overall spending. It needs to take a leadership role similar to that of the Liberal government in the mid-1990s, which cut annual spending by closer to 10% than the 5% promised in Flaherty’s new budget. True, the federal deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year is now pegged at $36.2 billion, $4.3 billion less than the $40.5 billion estimated in the March version of the Tory budget, but in 201112 it will increase to $32.3 billion from the previously estimated $29.6 billion.

The government is also committed to balancing the budget by 2014, which is one year earlier than previously outlined. However, the country’s debt is projected to hit $614 billion by 2014, and the Tories’ budget-balancing ambitions are heavily reliant on optimistic revenue growth and a U.S. economy that itself remains enfeebled by massive government and personal debt.

Meanwhile, much of the aforementioned revenue growth will come via personal income tax. Increases there will be hard for Canadians to swallow.

As the Fraser Institute pointed out in April, “the average Canadian family spent more than 41% of its annual income in taxes in 2010, more than it paid for food, clothing and shelter combined.” Without a globally competitive tax regime, the country’s ability to compete for the talent needed to drive innovation will be seriously impaired.

Flaherty deserves applause in a number or areas, including maintaining his government’s planned corporate tax rate reductions, extending the 15% mineral exploration tax credit until 2012 and providing a temporary hiring credit for small business. Overall, however, the finance minister and the rest of the Tory government need to be far more bold in setting the agenda for a fiscally robust and globally competitive Canada. That’s in part why Canadians committed to providing the Conservatives with a majority mandate. The party needs to deliver on that commitment or it won’t be a majority government for long • trenshaw@biv.com

What’s your opinion?

BIV welcomes readers’ opinions. All letters, including those sent by e-mail, must include the author’s name, address and daytime telephone number.

Business in Vancouver, 102 East 4th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1G2.

Fax: 604-688‑1963. E-mail: news@biv.com.

We reserve the right to edit for brevity, clarity and legality.

Cartoon by Rice

Public Eye

Sean Holman Tax justice delayed for B.C. businesses

A

review of British Columbia’s industrial property taxes has ground to a halt, nine months after a promised deadline to resolve long-standing business concerns about those rates.

But a government spokesman has insisted the province is still committed to do just that, as it helps fund yet another study into the issue.

For many years, the private sector has felt some municipalities have been gouging them, forcing businesses to pay higher property taxes so residents can pay less.

Those feelings turned into headlines in 2009 when Catalyst Paper Corp. triggered an industrial tax revolt by paying just $6 million of the $23 million it owed to four municipalities, challenging the fairness of that bill in court (see “Forest companies lobbying for lighter tax load” – issue 1022; May 26-June 1, 2009).

Catalyst lost that case and eventually agreed to give three of the four municipalities their money – although it’s appealing the ruling.

In the meantime, back in March 2010, the province, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) and the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) committed to come up with recommendations for a better industrial property tax system.

The deadline for those recommendation was September 2010.

But that date has come and gone without a resolution to the dispute.

And according to Jock Finlayson, BCBC’s executive vice-president of policy, the review’s steering committee hasn’t even had a meeting for the past four months.

“The process sort of ran out of gas in terms of where the government was going with it,” he said,

“The process sort of ran out of gas in terms of where the government was going with it” – Jock Finlayson, executive vice-president of policy, BCBC

noting four different ministers have been responsible for the file since it was first opened.

To a certain extent, that’s understandable given the recent political turmoil in British Columbia and the government’s “preoccupation with HST.” Nevertheless, Finalyson said, the process has been “much slower than I envisaged at the front-end.”

In the midst of that morass, the UBCM has announced it’s looking for a consultant to “determine the conditions under which municipal property taxes have a material effect on business decisions for major industry.”

According to a bid document quietly posted on the government’s procurement website, the UBCM is

spending $50,000 for the study – with $25,000 of that amount coming from the province.

The UBCM and the government have said that work is separate but will inform the stalled review process. But Finlayson questioned whether that study will give local government the answers it’s looking for.

“If they want to go and do a study and get some more up-todate information and shed some new light on this topic that’s fine,” he said.

“Although, as an economist I can tell you I think they’re going to have some challenges in actually executing the study.”

For example, it’ll be difficult to measure how much impact the uncertainty of industrial property taxes – which can shift with the makeup of a local council – has on investment.

And, in any case, the study’s results won’t change the fact that the province is ultimately responsible for both creating and cleaning up the present property tax mess.

After all, it’s the province that gave municipalities the power to set those rates in the first place – 27 years ago. • Sean Holman (editorial@publiceyeonline.com) is editor of the online provincial political news journal Public Eye (www.publiceyeonline.com).

Peter Ladner is on vacation.

President and Interim Publisher: Paul Harris; Editor: Timothy Renshaw; News Features Editor: Baila Lazarus; Editorial Proofreader: Noa Glouberman; Staff Writers: Richard Chu, Glen Korstrom, Joel McKay, Jenny Wagler; Art Director: Randy Pearsall; Photographer: Dominic Schaefer; Production Manager: Don Schuetze; Production: Rob Benac, Carole Readman, Natalie Reynolds, Soraya Romao, Annette Spreeuw, David Tong; Director Sales and Marketing: Cheryl Carter; Marketing & Events: Paige Millar, Aly-Khan Virani; Display Advertising Sales: Janice Frome, Blair Johnston, Michele MacKenzie, Pia Tomlins, Chris Wilson, BIV Magazines Publisher: Paul Harris; Editor: Naomi Wittes Reichstein; Sales Manager: Joan McGrogan; Advertising Sales: Lori Borden, Corinne Tkachuk; Administrator: Katherine Butler; Senior Researcher: Anna Liczmanska; Research/Verification: Caroline Smith; Director, Audience Development: Todd Babick; Subscription Sales Supervisor: Navreet Gill; Circulation Manager: Veera Irani; Subscription Sales: Gerard Veeneman; System Administrator: Les Valan; Accounting: Denise Moffatt; Credit Manager: Yvonne Posch Business in Vancouver is published by BIV Media Limited Partnership at 102 East 4th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1G2. Telephone 604-688-2398; fax 604-688-1963—For reprints: Veera Irani 604-608-5115 E-mail addresses: subscribe@biv.com, ads@biv.com, news@biv.com, letters@biv.com TWITTER@BIZINVANCOUVER • Www.biv.com • www.bivinteractive.com

comment 37

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

Podium

Podium

Seth Klein

Greg Munden

Why I’m voting against the HST: the harmonized tax fails the fairness test

The HST is good for small businesses too

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eluctantly, I’ll be voting against the HST this June. It’s a difficult decision (and indeed some associated with my organization have landed on the other side of this question).

I come to my position reluctantly because: a) I do not relish joining anti-tax campaigns (they tap into a current in political culture that ill serves us in the long term); and b) I accept the arguments that a value-added sales tax such as the HST is more economically efficient than the old PST. That said, the economic benefits of the HST have been grossly overstated by its proponents.

Many of the businesses that will most benefit from the HST (particularly in the resource sector) are much more sensitive to demand-side considerations (namely the global market for their products) than to supply-side considerations (such as taxes) when making their investment decisions.

These caveats notwithstanding, there are core design flaws in the HST that mean the tax as currently structured is simply unfair and exacerbates trends that have undermined the overall progressivity of B.C.’s tax system for the past decade.

Those trends are two-fold: •a shift in government revenue from corporations to households; and •at the household level, a shift from progressive income taxes to regressive consumption taxes, such that upper-income households have seen a much larger drop in their taxes.

The economic benefits of the HST have been grossly overstated by its proponents From the time the HST was introduced, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) economists have provided nuanced analysis highlighting key flaws, but showing how these can be fixed. Their recommendations, however, have thus far been ignored. The government has stubbornly refused to fix what is broken. And in the absence of a willingness to redress these defects, I am resigned to voting against the tax.

When comparing the overall corporate tax regime in B.C. to other jurisdictions, there is simply no compelling case that the corporate sector in B.C. was in need of a massive tax

reduction (the HST system, by providing rebates for taxes paid on inputs, bestows upon businesses a tax cut of somewhere between $730 million and $2 billion). As it is, corporate tax rates have been dropping for years, and global accounting firm KMPG consistently finds B.C. to be one of the least expensive places in which to do business in the industrialized world. I’m sure many businesses appreciated the tax cut, but there is no evidence they needed it.

At the household level, British Columbian consumers will be paying more (about $1.3 billion more, according to the recent report of the government-appointed HST panel).

Fundamentally, the HST and its low-income credit, as currently structured, fail the equity test. The credit largely off-sets the higher HST costs for the poorest British Columbians, but its early and quick phase-out means that many modest and middle income households will be facing higher costs.

It is possible, however, to envision a reformed HST regime that I would be happy to support; changes that would see B.C. realize the economic and efficiency benefits of the HST, while adequately addressing and offsetting the equity impacts of this shift from the PST to the HST. The HST credit should be restructured along the lines of the Canada Child Tax Benefit or Old Age Security, such that the phase-out is much more gradual. This more generous credit could be paid for by an increase in the general corporate income tax rate (equivalent to what the corporate sector is saving due to the HST).

Such an approach would not affect most of the smaller service-sector businesses that have been harmed by the HST (as they are subject to the much lower small-business corporate income tax rate).

Ultimately, it is unfortunate that we will be voting on a terribly narrow referendum question that will produce no particularly positive outcome either way.

As a province, we would be much better served by a fair tax commission in which we put the entire B.C. tax and royalty regime on the table. British Columbians deserve a chance to thoughtfully deliberate on all the options and to determine together how we want to raise the revenue we need to meet our social, environmental and economic goals. • Seth Klein is the B.C. Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Integrated Project Management

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haven’t been paying much attention to the debate about the HST – mostly because I didn’t think that it was at risk.

Even a f ter t he referendu m w a s announced, I didn’t think that a vote was going to change anything. But it seems that the threat to the HST is real and I should explain why I’m going to vote to keep the HST during the HST referendum in June.

I am not a corporate bigwig. I own a third generation, family-owned trucking company in Kamloops that was built from the ground up by my grandparents and parents. Today, I run the company with my two brothers and our wives. I don’t make millions of dollars, but our family business provides employment to 35 staff.

They have families to support, so the longterm success of our business affects a lot of people.

The HST has meant that my company could aggressively invest in new trucks.

We have recently spent more money and bought more trucks than if the HST weren’t in place, because we’re able to claim input tax credits for the HST we pay for business-related expenses – including when we replace older, less efficient equipment.

That means that our employees – I’m calling them employees, but they’re really our friends – can operate newer, trouble-free equipment with more safety features.

Newer tractors are also more environmentally friendly because they create far less pollution than older models. They are more reliable and require less maintenance, which means that our customers have all-around better service.

The trucking industry is feeling a lot of

effective & efficient project management training & tools

The HST has meant that my company could aggressively invest in new trucks business is suffering. I really feel for him, and I don’t like having to pay the HST on restaurant bills either.

But I believe that, on balance, having the HST is better than going back to the PST and having a dual tax system. I’ve got to believe that the experience of my small business is being repeated across the province, but those business owners aren’t talking about it because it’s too controversial and it’s easier not to.

The problem is, if we don’t talk about why we support the HST, it could very well be defeated during the referendum by people who think it doesn’t benefit anyone other than big business.

To me, the HST isn’t just about big business. It’s also about small businesses like mine, and the families and communities we support. • Greg Munden is the president of Munden Ventures Ltd., a third-generation transportation business based in Kamloops.

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Sports

Daily business news at www.biv.com June 14–20, 2011

Golden Goals

Bob Mackin Canadian Olympic Committee branding gets simpler, clearer and stronger; NHL makes Sutton the place

T

he Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) went back to basics for its new branding. It also came back to

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chandising for VANOC, chose multitalented designer Ben Hulse to re-evaluate the COC look. Hulse worked under the late Leo Obstbaum and Ali Gardner (now the Vancouver Canucks’ vice-president of marketing) in Vancouver 2010’s creative services department and was credited with designing the official Olympic and Paralympic posters.

“We weren’t sure which way we were going to go, whether we were going to develop something new or be inspired by the research we did,” Hulse said. “We discovered how significant the maple leaf was. The use of the single maple leaf predates the Canadian flag by 60 years.”

He added that the burning cauldron/maple leaf combination introduced before the Salt Lake 2002 Olympics, was “over-communicating.”

So a mark reminiscent of the Montreal 1976 era, a red maple leaf above the Olympic rings inside an ovular border representing a running or speed-skating track,

was launched June 6 when Marketing magazine hosted a sports marketing conference in Toronto.

“It wasn’t necessarily that we wanted to do a retro mark or speak to a specific era,” Hulse said. “It was looking to communicate in the simplest, most pure form.”

Hulse was assisted by Greg Durrell, Adam Bognar and Andrew Simpson on the project and directed a rebranding video that appeared on a COC microsite.

Hotel NHL The Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup run brought back memories of the 2010 Winter Olympics on downtown streets and in its hotels.

The Sutton Place scored when the NHL was shooting in the second round for rooms in case the Stanley Cup Final came to Vancouver.

“We were lucky enough to offer one of the largest blocks for the NHL, making us the headquarters hotel,” said Sutton Place director of sales and

marketing Kyle Matheson.

Matheson said 125 to 150 people – mainly media – stayed at the 561-room Sutton when the series with the Boston Bruins opened here.

The hotel was festooned with NHL branding and there was even an appearance by Vancouver’s Green Men for interviews with visiting reporters.

“I’d rather it was Canucks in four,” Matheson said, “but from a business perspective, happy to have game five.”

Canucks’ Heat wave Before the Stanley Cup Final started, Canucks’ general manager Mike Gillis told reporters that the location of the club’s farm team next season would be solved in a few weeks.

Gillis even suggested the Canucks could be owners of their minor-league affiliate.

The Manitoba Moose are headed to St. John’s, Newfoundland, with players from Winnipeg’s new NHL franchise, instead of Canucks prospects. If Canucks Sports and Entertainment is in the market to buy a team, wouldn’t the Abbotsford Heat be the most logical target?

The Canucks’ ownership is too savvy to simply buy a team and let it become a money pit.

A farm team in the Fraser Valley would be a certain revenue generator.

Game network NBC agreed June 7 to pay the International Olympic Committee (IOC) $4.382 billion to broadcast the Olympics through 2020. The Peacock network, now owned by Comcast, did the four-Games deal despite not knowing who will host in 2018 or 2020. The IOC will decide in Durban, South Africa, on July 6 whether PyeongChang, South Korea, Annecy, France, or Munich, Germany, hosts winter 2018.

The broadcast bidding was delayed because of the troubled global economy.

Comcast signed a 10-year, $2 billion deal for National Hockey League rights in April, so the league and its players’ association will be compelled to pause the regular season for Sochi 2014 and wherever the Winter Games are in 2018.

Where does that leave the Canadian rights?

“There is no set date,” said CTV Olympics spokeswoman Andrea Goldstein.

“We await further direction from the IOC on bid timing for the Canadian market?” • 2010goldrush@gmail.com twitter.com/bobmackin

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Profile

June 14–20, 2011 Business in Vancouver

39

David England

By Peter Mitham

hortly after he finished his bachelor’s degree at Simon Fraser University in 1993, David England attended a lunch arranged by his father with a local businessman.

His father, Ken England, a broker for Colliers International, thought his son would benefit from the wisdom of someone older. The younger England, like many university grads, was more keen to pursue his dreams but headed over to Yew at the Four Seasons for the lunch.

Joe Segal was waiting. Segal told the young England that if he really wanted to make his mark, he should run his own business.

The advice came back to England, now 43, when he left the medical supply business in 2006 to work with his father at Colliers International. England’s long-time friend and software developer Grant Wilson offered to develop a website for the Englands.

“There really wasn’t anyone at the time that had a commercial [real estate] website,” England said.

Commercial brokers, unlike residential brokers, typically operate under the wing of a brokerage house with very little leeway given to building their own brand. But the quality of the leads that began rolling in for the Englands through the site Wilson designed prompted England to think a viable business might be possible if Wilson’s service could be made the basis of a new web-savvy brokerage.

“We could probably build a pretty solid business around that if we were to start our own real estate brokerage and have the business supported by this proprietary software system that happened to generate a bunch of great leads,” England said. “It all went back to that discussion I had with Joe Segal 20 years ago: how can you turn a great idea into a business?”

England provided financing to Wilson for the launch of Eco Realty Inc., a residential firm, in 2007.

A holding company, Eco Realty Canada Inc., was incorporated in 2008, and in 2010, England joined as chairman and head of the venture’s commercial division.

The venture began attracting respected commercial brokers such as Nhi Denis and Dan Schulz (also Colliers alumni), setting the stage for this spring’s launch of HQ Real Estate Services Inc. with England as president.

The businesses now have 13,000 square feet at two locations in Vancouver and 47 brokers, including such well-known names as apartment brokers David and Mark Goodman.

The “great idea” behind the residential and commercial divisions is simple.

Buyers want information and brokers want leads. Eco Realty’s software seeks to deliver both. The listings, which also draw from the MLS database, make as much information as possible available to online search engines, while inquiries from prospective clients are quickly routed to the broker responsible.

Wilson, a former residential realtor with a clear aptitude for software development, knows buyers are looking for properties, not realtors, when they go online. But the software underpinning Eco Realty ensures customers reach the brokers who can handle them with less hassle. That speeds deal velocity.

“What we’re trying to do is lower our conversion ratio,” Wilson explained. “We’re now down to about 68 [visits per lead], and we think we can get it down to about 55 visits for one lead.”

England touts the venture, somewhat ambitiously, as the Google of real estate.

But the site also features a feed of new listings, which is what people are looking for after they’ve gone through the existing inventory, making it more like Facebook or the Vancouver-based dating site Plenty of Fish. A better metaphor might be to call it a networking site for people looking to connect with property.

With more than 2,000 visitors a day spending an average of 10 minutes on Eco Realty’s site, and each visitor viewing about 18 listings per visit, the site excites consultants such as Ben Nyland, president of Rampworth Capital Services Inc. in North Vancouver.

Nyland helped develop financial projections for Eco Realty and develop the pitch England and Wilson made to the venture’s initial investors, who have since anted up $2 million for the venture. HQ’s launch this spring is a further evolution of the initial idea.

“It’s a very promising company,” Nyland said. “They’re going to change the way commercial real estate is done in Vancouver.”

While most shops are relatively closed with a few key players and tight controls on information flows, Nyland said England and Wilson have harnessed their personal understanding of the real estate industry and web savvy to open the transaction process to greater buyer participation.

Property

values Eco Realty chairman David England building a business based on

Dominic Schaefer

S

marrying buyers with information and brokers with leads Eco Realty chairman David England: “it all went back to that discussion I had with Joe Segal 20 years ago: how can you turn a great idea into a business?”

“What Eco Realty and HQ are bringing is a really solid understanding both of how the web works, in terms of how people are searching, as well as ... how the real estate industry works,” Nyland said. “They’re doing a great job of bringing the two together in a way that just naturally fits with the way people want to find real estate and do business.”

The brokers attracted to the business bear this out, Nyland added.

England’s relationships with the commercial industry have been fundamental to garnering that support.

“He’s very well-respected in the industry,” Nyland said, citing England’s work at Colliers both with his father and on his own.

England was introduced to Rampworth through a friend of his father, while his own connections allowed England to attract many of

the brokers now working for HQ Real Estate.

England is quieter about his connections with investors, saying only that they’re well-known locally but prefer to maintain a low profile. He feels it’s just a matter of time before regulators require reciprocity agreements between the country’s 93 real estate boards, a move that would open the door to the roll-out of Eco Realty’s platform nationwide.

“We’re planning on expanding the company across Canada, and we’ll be raising more capital and bringing in more investors as we do that,” he said, optimistically. “We want to give consumers the information that they’re looking for, and we want to make it fast and easy for them to find the information that they want regarding real estate.” •

Mission: Build an information-driven real estate firm that connects brokers with buyers Assets: Strong relationships developed during careers in the medical supply and commercial real estate sectors Yield: A new commercial brokerage with 10 brokers and sights on national expansion

pmitham@telus.net

DiD you miss these recent eDitorial profiles?

Louise Yako

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BC Trucking Association’s new boss aiming to unravel complex border policies Issue: June 7

Publisher turns his hand to launching new Station X marketing enterprise Issue: May 31

Jay Giraud on his quest to build fossil fuel transportation alternatives Issue: May 24

Check them out at www.biv.com/profiles

40

Daily business news at www.biv.com Business in Vancouver June 14–20, 2011

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