Business Examiner Vancouver Island - December 2019

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DECEMBER 2019

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COMOX VALLEY Manatee Holdings Cracks National List for Fastest Growing Companies

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When Business Meets Politics Tim Horton’s Owner Ed Mayne Enjoying Second Term As Parksville Mayor PAGE 9

BY MARK MACDONALD BUSINESS EXAMINER

DUNCAN Organic Growth Takes West Coast Evergreen to New Heights

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INDEX News Update Digital Marketing Port Alberni Nanaimo Parksville Cowichan Valley Comox Valley Campbell River Who Is Suing Whom Movers and Shakers Opinion

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ARKSVILLE – When Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne says he’s “taking care of business”, believe it. The second-term Council leader and his family owns three Tim Horton’s franchises, and his successful business background was undoubtedly one of the reasons he swept two-t h i rd s of t he mayoral vote in last year’s civic elections and made him Parksville’s mayor for the second time. It’s also helping him lead the city into a new era, riding an air of optimism. One of the first things Mayne did in his mandate is something he learned in business: Listen to your customers. He set up a Mayor’s Round Table in January, inviting 80 citizens from all walks of life, interests and income levels to participate in a day-long session with a professional moderator. “We wanted to hear from them about what they envisioned for

Ed Mayne is in his second term as Mayor of the City of Parksville Parksville in the next five years,” he says, adding the resulting summary included Five Points: 1. Affordable Housing 2. Public

Safety. 3. Doctors. 4. Recreation. 5. Economic Development. “These became our five objectives, and everyone on council

can rotate back to these steps regarding any issue, and stay focused on that what people told us they would like for us to do. This makes our jobs a lot easier.” Mayne holds “Coffee With The Mayor” every second Thursday at City Hall, when citizens can stop by and air their concerns, or just visit. “It’s the most fun part of my job,” he says, adding it helps him stay connected to citizens. “I get to talk and listen to people. You’re going to get complaints, but you also get some people who come by to say you’re doing a good job.” Quiet, friendly conversations with Qualicum Beach Mayor Brian Wiese have resulted in the recent announcement that both communities have reached an agreement to jointly operate one Fire Department for the Oceanside region. The streamlining of operations will eliminate cost and service duplications, while SEE ED MAYNE | PAGE 12

Judging Underway For Business Excellence Awards January 30 Grant Thornton LLP BE Awards Gala Set For Westin Bear Mountain Resort

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ANAIMO – Organizers of the 20th Annual Grant Thornton LLP Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards have been busy gathering nomination information from businesses across the island for the annual celebration of the best of the best in Island business. “2019 has been good year for

business on Vancouver Island,” notes Mark MacDonald of Business Examiner, which coordinates the event, set for January 30 at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria. “Every year, the quality and quantity of companies that take part in these awards is outstanding, and there are some outstanding, innovative companies

that have been nominated for the event this year. “These awards bring out new, exciting businesses and the judges’ job to determine winners in the categories is always a tough task.” Grant Thornton LLP is the Title Sponsor of the Awards, and along with Gold Sponsor RBC Royal Bank and Business Examiner, will

host a morning-after “Breakfast For Champions” business round table for winners of the event’s 17 categories. Black Press is a Platinum Medium Sponsor of the BE Awards this year. Categories this year are: ■ Automotive (car and truck SEE BE AWARDS | PAGE 17

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NEWS UPDATE

DECEMBER 2019

PARKSVILLE New Outdoor Theatre Coming To Parksville Funding from the Island Coastal Economic Trust will support the development of a new outdoor theatre in the Oceanside area, creating new opportunities for arts, culture and the attraction of new visitor markets to the region. Spearheaded by the Parksville Beach Festival Society, the outdoor performance theatre will be located in Parksville Community Park. It will feature a covered stage with lighting, sound, a retractable movie screen, dressing rooms, and washrooms. The new facility will be owned, managed, and marketed by the City of Parksville. The theatre fills an infrastructure gap in the tourism-focused community. “This type of strategic tourism infrastructure project enhances the attractiveness and livability of the City for residents, in addition to serving a vital role in creating the vibrancy and activity that keeps visitors coming back,” said ICET Chair Josie Osborne. “Venues such as this also strengthen the

region’s reputation as a destination for festivals and the performing arts.” The multi-purpose facility will accommodate a wide range of uses, from small musical groups to symphony orchestras, theatrical performances, movies in the park, Indigenous celebrations, and more. “Parksville Beach Festival’s international sand sculpting exhibition attracts more than 100,000 visitors, and throughout the year, more than a half-million people come to Parksville,” said Parksville Beach Festival Society President, Cheryl Dill. “A permanent, professional outdoor theatre will enhance the quantity and quality of outdoor entertainment for visitors and residents.” Economic analysis of the project carried out by ICET forecasts that the outdoor theatre will help to draw an additional 23,000 visitordays per year, generating a n add itiona l $2.8M to the regional and provincial economy. That figure translates into support for approximately 29 direct and indirect jobs in the region. The outdoor theatre, valued at just over $1 million, will receive $204,000 in support from the Island Coastal Economic Trust.

Community fundraising has also been an important aspect of the project, demonstrating strong support from Oceanside region residents and businesses. “With this significant financial support from ICET and the vision of the Parksville Beach Festival Society, we will soon have a new outdoor performance stage in the Parksville Community Park,” said Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne. “We look forward to this facility being available for our many community groups and organizations to bring new and exciting cultural events to Parksville.” Construction of the new facility is expected to begin in late 2020.

VANCOUVER ISLAND Film And TV Have Multimillion-Dollar Economic Impact Nanaimo News Bulletin Chesapeake Shores and t h e S o n i c t h e H e d g ehog mov ie were a mong productions that contributed close to $20 SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3

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NEWS UPDATE

DECEMBER 2019

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Harbour Air’s Inaugural Flight

NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

million to the economy across the Regional District of Nanaimo, says a local film commissioner. Joan Miller, film commissioner for Vancouver Island North Film Commission (INFilm), made a funding request presentation at the RDN committee of the whole meeting Nov. 26, seeking $50,000. The commission promotes the region to the film industry and Miller said Chesapeake Shores, the Hallmark Channel series, has provided a multimillion-dollar boon for the economy over the last few years. “ T h e tot a l i mp a c t to t he reg ion for [Chesapeake Shores’] last four seasons has been $18.5 million, so we broke it down to over 35,000 room nights, vendor spend $9 million, local payroll $9 million, so you can see the impact [filming] is having and job creation is having in your region,â€? Miller told RDN directors at the meeting. Miller also said INFilm worked on a number of bigger features in the past year-and-a-half, including Disney’s Descendants 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog, which filmed in Ladysmith and on the Island Highway within the RDN. “Nanaimo was its base, that’s where all the hotel rooms were, that’s where all the services came out of and The Amazing Race Canada, another project we worked on this year, their extra total room nights were 4,000 and close to $1 million,â€? Miller said. “So when you look at adding it up in the last year and a half, it’s been close to $20 million directly input into this region.â€? Miller said INFilm has a studio in Errington, but it is booked until 2022 and research is being done on the

possibility of another. She said she has been working with the City of Nanaimo and Lantzville. “T he sta f f h ave been forwarding me names of developers ‌ and so I’m in a series of meetings now because we desperately need more stage space,â€? said Miller. “We’ve got a lot of production coming in 2020-2021. They might come here for more than just our locations. They’d like to come here and set up, but we actually need facilities.â€? As part of its budget discussions for 2020, the RDN committee gave preliminary approval to INFilm’s funding request.

VANCOUVER ISLAND Inaugural Flight Of First Commercial Electric Airplane A Success H a r b o u r A i r,  N o r t h America’s largest seaplane airline and magniX, the compa ny poweri ng the electric aviation revolution, announced the successful flight of the world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft. The successful flight of the ePlane, a six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver magnified by a 750-horsepower (560 kW) magni500 propulsion system, took place on the Fraser River at Harbour Air Seaplanes terminal in Richmond (YVR South) this morning. The plane was piloted by Harbour Air CEO and founder Greg McDougall. This historic flight signifies the start of the third era in aviation – the electric age. “Today, we made history,â€? said Greg McDougall, CEO and founder of Harbour Air Seaplanes.

“I am incredibly proud of Harbour Air’s leadership role in re-defining safety and innovation in the aviation and seaplane industry. Canada has long held an iconic role in the history of aviation, and to be part of this incredible world-first milestone is something we can all be really proud of.� Earlier this year, Harbour Air announced its partnership with magniX and the company’s intention to build the world’s first completely electric commercial seaplane fleet. The magni500, which was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June, 2019, is a high-powerdensity electric propulsion system that provides a clean and efficient way to power airplanes. Today that plan took flight and became a reality. “In December 1903, the Wright Brothers launched a new era of transportation— the aviation age—with the first flight of a powered aircraft. Today, 116 years later, with the first flight of a n a l l-electric powered commercial aircraft, we launched the electric era of aviation,� said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX. “The transportation industry and specifically the aviation segment that has been, for the most part, stagnant since the late 1930s, is ripe for a massive disruption. Now we are proving that low-cost, environmentally friendly, commercial electric air travel can be a reality in the very near future.� magniX and Harbour Air will now begin the certification and approval process for the propulsion system and the retrofitting of aircraft. Once the certification is complete, the rest of the fleet can be magnified with magniX’s all-electric propulsion technology.

SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 4

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NEWS UPDATE

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DECEMBER 2019

NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

BC Chartered Accountants Of BC Sign MOU To Strengthen First Nations Financial Management On December 5, 2019, the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of British Columbia (AFOA BC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation (MOUC) to work together to strengthen First Nations program and service delivery through the enhancement of financial and management skills within Indigenous communities. Both CPABC and AFOA BC believe that the key to building First Nations governance capacity and creating a better life for Canada’s First Nations’ peoples lies in developing capacity in financial management and government administration, as well as, in improving the skills of those responsible for the stewardship and management of First Nations resources.

To faci l itate creati ng greater capacity, both organizations will support and promote the attainment of Certified Aboriginal Financial Management designation, other First Nations certifications and designations, and/or the CPA designation. They will also work towards better identifying the number of Indigenous professionals currently working in the financial and accounting sector. “Part of our core mandate is to enhance the accessibility of the profession and serve all of society, including Indigenous peoples. We look forward to working with AFOA BC to enhance First Nations financial and management skills, which will ultimately strengthen First Nations program and service delivery. This agreement is an important milestone in strengthening CPABC’s partnership with AFOA BC,� said Lori Mathison, FCPA, FCGA, LLB, President and CEO of CPABC “Support from Indigenous institutions is a critical component of self-determination for Indigenous peoples. Given the current agendas of both the federal and provincial governments, this is an important time for Indigenous institutional

development to support what First Nations communities have been working to reclaim for generations. AFOA BC is pleased to be entering into this Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation with CPABC and commits to continuing to deliver capacity support based on the needs of communities, as we have done for more than 20 years,� said Carol Reimer, Vice President of AFOA BC.

NANAIMO Market Conditions Reflect Seasonal Norms Sales of single-family homes in November rose by three per cent from 2018 and were nine per cent lower than in October. Apartment and townhouse sales dipped by eight per cent and 33 per cent, respectively. L a st mont h, 31 2 si ngle-family homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service System compared to 343 the previous month and 304 in November 2018. In the apartment category, 65 units sold last month, while 26 townhouses changed hands. Inventory of single-family SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 13

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DIGITAL MARKETING

DECEMBER 2019

5

COMMUNICATION CRITICAL FOR GROWTH

BE DIGITAL JOHN MACDONALD

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veryone – busi nesses included – like to think they’re special. That they have a unique product or service that sets them apart, and some people just “don’t get it”. While that may be true in some cases, the reality is that there is often a gap between their ability to talk to people outside of their business about what really sets them apart. Plumbers, electricians, construction companies, boutique professional service firms, and others each have specialized education and experience that makes them an expert in their fields. But these organizations don’t always have the ability to take that specialized education and simplify it for customers who need, or don’t know they need those services. If you are not taking a proactive

approach to simplifying your communication, you could be missing out on attracting new customers. Content marketing involves the creation and distribution of relevant content that provides value to your business’s target audience. T his content can be shared with prospective clients in many forms: stories and advertorials, blog posts, white papers, case studies, how-to g uides, etc. The main purpose of content marketing is to offer consumers value by presenting a solution to their needs, influencing the buying cycle. The main difference between traditional marketing methods and content marketing tactics is how each strategy affects the buying cycle for consumers. Content marketing, or pull tactics, aim to increase consumer awareness and provide helpful information about the product or service your business offers as a solution. The benefit of content marketing is that it may lead consumers to recognize a problem or need in their lives that they would have otherwise been unaware of. This will draw them into your business when they are ready to buy, rather than knocking on doors or cold calling to try and

Content marketing can lead someone to recognize a problem or need in their business that they would have otherwise been unaware of convince someone to buy something from you now. Publishing valuable content will lead consumers to discover your business and product offerings as they search for solutions to the problem they are facing. By making content available to consumers, your business will communicate an awareness of consumer needs, humanizing your brand with a personality

that is friendly and helpful, as well as creating the opportunity for customers to form a relationship with you. Content that is relevant to the needs of consumers and offers them a valuable solution establishes your business as a thought leader in your industry, which helps build a trusting relationship with consumers. Attaining this level of

credibility will lead consumers to prefer your goods and services over alternative solutions, since they are aware of the unique value proposition offered by your business: that you are the knowledgeable experts in your field. If the content your business releases is designed to be a mix of time-sensitive and evergreen pieces, your business’s content library will still be relevant to consumers as time passes. Hightraffic content will also improve search engine rankings, and the consistent release of content can serve as a continuous source of interested consumers. Content marketing is an effect ive st rateg y to i nteract with consumers and introduce them to your business’s brand. By providing consumers with value before they even visit your store, you are building positive relationships and connections to you r bra nd , res u lt i n g i n long-lasting customer loyalty and brand equity for your business. John MacDonald is the Director of Business Development with the Business Examiner News Group. Call him at 604.751.0819, or email BEDigital@ businessexaminer.ca.

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PORT ALBERNI

6

DECEMBER 2019

HELP WANTED IN A THRIVING MARINE INDUSTRIAL COMPANY!

PORT ALBERNI PAT DEAKIN

I

f you are a welder, an electricia n, a pipe-fitter or a draftsman-estimator, (or know someone who is) the Port Alberni division of Canadian Maritime Engineering (CME) would like to hear from you! CM E has eig ht projects on the go i n th ree faci l ities on our waterfront and with more coming down the pipe is looking to fill about 25 of the aforementioned positions. Within 24 hours of officially

opening their new fabrication building on the shores of the A lberni Inlet recently, there were two 85’ vessels in there for work. In a large shed on the Port Alberni Port Authority’s property, there are 4 barges being constructed for another client. And in their original premises at Harbour Quay, two ice-breakers are being constructed for a third client. After a $600,000 investment in upgrading their marine rail outside the Harbour Quay facility, CME is looking forward to doing some refitting work on the Frances Barkley, the lovely coastal freighter owned by the Lady Rose Marine Group. For more on these opportunities, please contact Simon Schofield at 250.723.0111 ext. 241 or by email simon.schofield@ cmelimited.com. Although commuting is an option, those interested in moving

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here will find our housing prices are the lowest on Vancouver Island and our community’s lifestyle is full of fun. To check that out go to the #explorePortAlberni channels. ■■■ Sw itch i ng gea rs, i n recent weeks we’ve had our share of Christmas and Holiday craft fairs and a Christmas Light-Up event. But we’ve also had a SailPast complete with fireworks and live music thanks to the very community-minded Blue Marlin Inn. Our Winter Wonderland at the Port Alberni Multiplex is looking fantastic and thanks to

sponsorships from many businesses, service clubs and organizations, the community is enjoying that free of charge. The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce and the City of Port Alberni have also launched a really well-designed campaign called #PurchasedinPA – Don’t Buy From Strangers initiative designed to encourage local shopping. Kudos to the Chamber’s Executive-Director Bill Collette and the #explorePortAlberni crew for this terrific campaign. So on that note and on behalf of our community, we would like to extend our best wishes to all

Business Examiner readers for a safe and happy holiday season. And remember to be in touch with Simon at CME if you are looking for a job in the marine industry. Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250-720-2527 or Patrick_ deakin@portalberni.ca

Coulson Aviation Sends Helicopters To Chile, Australia To Fight Wildfires Alberni Valley News ORT ALBERNI - Coulson Aviation is expanding its firefighting operations into Chile and sending more aircraft to Australia to help both countries battle wildfires. For the next 100 days, Coulson Aviation, headquartered in Port Alberni, BC, will be working with its new partner PESCO and Chile’s National Forest Corporation (CONAF) to fight against the current wildfire season. The CH47D Chinook helicopter that Coulson sent to Bolivia to help fight fires in the Amazon rainforest has been sent to Chile, said Foster Coulson. T h e N a t i o n a l Fo r e s t C o rporation (CONA F) is a Chilean non-profit organization, through which Chile contributes to the management of the cou nt r y’s forest resou rces. Together with the new partner PESCO, a leading company in equipment and machinery for the forestry, mining, environmental, municipal, and emerg i ng i ndust r ies, Cou lson Aviation is bringing their expertise in firefighting into Chile. “We a re th ri l led as a company to partner with another fa m i ly-ow ned a nd operated company, PESCO, who share the same passion about delivering a world-class service as we do.” Coulson said. “With this new partnership, we have been able to secure a contract with CONAF, who for the first time will be hiring a CH47D Chinook to support their firefighting needs.” The Chinook helicopter and Coulson’s crew arrived near Sa nt iago, Ch i le, on Nov. 16 and immediately began providing structure protection. In two hours on its first day, the Chinook completed 49 drops, delivering more than 100,000 gallons of water on the fire— more than triple the amount of

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all the other 17 aircraft on the fire combined. On a nother day, Cou lson’s aircraft—the only super-heavy helicopter in the country, Coulson said—dropped two million gallons of water. “That’s a lot of water to deliver to the fire.” Chile has faced devastating wildfires in the past. The worst fire in Chile’s modern history happened two years ago and killed at least 11 people, destroyed a tow n, a nd a rou nd 600,000 hectares of land. Climate change and the replacement of n at ive forests w it h flammable eucalyptus and pine plantations is a growing threat of wildfires to Chile. Over recent years, Chile has seen an i ncre a si ng nu mb er of more massive wildfires as well as an extended wildfire period. This year, Chile expects the a rea bu r ned by w i ld f i res to double compared to last year. T he Coulson crew spent 45 days in Bolivia with three aircraft before moving into Chile, Coulson said. Two of the Sikorsky S-61s have been sent to Australia, while the Chinook travelled to Chile. “This is the first time we have been to Chile,” Coulson said. He worked with the Canadian Embassy in Santiago, which put them in touch with PESCO, another family-owned business. Coulson has been liaising with Chile’s Minister of Emergency Services to bring their aircraft to the South American country. L a st week t he M i n i ster of Emergency Services and Chile’s president, Sebastian Pinera, visited the base to see the Canadian aircraft, Coulson said. “The president…was wishing our team well.” The team has garnered a lot of media attention in the country, he added. The two helicopters heading to Australia were going to Victoria State. One of the company’s C-130s is in New South Wales

providing support to the wildfires raging on Australia’s east coast. “Within the next month our Boeing 737 Fireliner will be flying to New South Wales and our C130 will move down to Victoria State.” Coulson Aviation became the first in Australia to conduct night fire suppression operations successfully. Back i n Port A lbern i, the next Fireliner—the company’s third Boeing 737—and will soon undergo conversion. Right now, there are two other CH47D Chinooks undergoing conversion to heli tankers. “They will be ready by early next year,” Coulson said, giving the company four operational Chinooks. “T here’s def i n itely lots of operations so we’re doing our best to keep up with the market. When you have great team members and great aircraft, countries call on you. That’s what we’ve become, is the first call for a lot of these countries.” Coulson Aviation now operates on three continents, 2 4 hours a day, seven days a week. “It’s exciting to see our company constantly evolving and now operating on three continents, ” Britt Coulson said. “Our goal is to create a lasting presence in Chile for years to come.” T h e p a r t n e rs h i p b e t w e e n Coulson Aviation and PESCO will test methods to contain the wildfires in Chile, further expanding Coulson Aviation’s g loba l reach a nd i ndu st r i a l leadership, Britt Coulson said. Foster Coulson said the company continues to expand the number of people it employs. “We’re a Canadian company, we’re from a community such as Port Alberni and yet our services are required all over the world and we’re doing business all over the world,” he added. “We support all those businesses from the Alberni Valley.”

NANAIMO

DECEMBER 2019

7

TIM HORTON’S READYING TO ADD MORE NANAIMO AREA STORES MNP LLP Expands Again, Adding Kelowna Accounting Firm

NANAIMO MARK MACDONALD Tim Horton’s continues to grow across the country, and Nanaimo is no exception. The announced new store at the corner of Bruce Avenue and 5th Street in Harewood is not the only new outlet. The long anticipated Tim Horton’s is expected to open at the new Shell gas station on the Island Highway at Nanoose First Nation by January. There has also been more construction on the location of another previously announced Tim Horton’s, next to the Esso gas station on Northfield Road near the Nanaimo Parkway access. No opening date has been announced.

■ ■ ■ MNP LLP is at it again – expanding. The Chartered Professional Accountant firm, which has a big office in downtown Nanaimo, has announced another expansion, this time in the Okanagan. MNP LLP, Canada’s fifth largest national accounting and business consulting firm, has added Chun & Co. of Kelowna in its latest merger. The move will be effective February 3, 2020, and MNP LLP now has 21 locations throughout British Columbia. ■ ■ ■ The former location of Harewood School has been vacant for several years, but that’s about to change, as Snuneymuxw First Nation, BC Housing and School District 68 have announced plans for the property at the corner of 5th Street and Harewood Road.

Peter Richmond The Te’tuxwtun project will include new affordable rental housing along with learning, child care, health care and cultural, parks and recreational services once completed. ■ ■ ■ Congratulations to the Por t of Na na i mo u p o n marking the three millionth seaplane passenger go through their Seaplane Terminal this year through carriers Harbour Air and Sunshine Coast Air.

Speaking of Harbour Air, the company is to be congratulated on conducting the i naug u ra l f l ig ht of their first electric-powered seaplane. ■ ■ ■ Practicar at 111 South Terminal Avenue has become a new U-Haul dealer for Nanaimo. ■ ■ ■ T here’s some positive changes in the food business in the Central Island. Peter Richmond says the

family owned 49th Parallel Grocery has broken ground on their new store at Berkley Corner in Duncan. 49th started in Ladysmith, and has an outlet in Cedar. In Chase River, Country Grocer is expanding the deli section of their Southgate store, and has expanded their offering of dine-in and take-out hot foods, to match their successful setup at their Dufferin/Bowen Road location. ■ ■ ■ Speaking of food, there are several other developments in the Nanaimo area. The opening date for Big Wheel Burger at 4 th and Bruce in Harewood has been pushed back to March. Sandy’s Kitchen, famous for its Ukrainian-style food at its long-time location on the old Island Highway near the Salvation Army, has moved to a new site in the Rock City Plaza. Cha-Cha’s Take Out is taking over the former location of Rocky Mountain Chocolate at the BC Ferries terminal at Departure Bay. Up i n Pa rk sv i l le, t he owner of Huong Lan restaurant in Nanaimo is opening a new eatery, called Lan Restaurant.

In Ladysmith/Saltair, The Coffee Shack has opened in Stocking Creek Village on Chemainus Road. And Rawmbas Restaurant is gearing up to make products for sale in stores by the opening of a certified gluten free kitchen facility on Northfield Road. Rawmbas is said to be considering offering franchises in the near future. ■ ■ ■ Harvey Hurd is back running the Beban Park Golf Course. ■ ■ ■ Stralberg Physiotherapy is moving to 6453 Portsmouth Road, to a new three-storey professional building, where they’ll be on the top floor, and will be changing their name to Tapestry Integrative Health. Stralberg has been a home-based business in Nanaimo. Also making the move to the top floor of the Portsmouth property is Skin Care West, which has been operating in Country Club Centre. Mark MacDonald writes about business in Nanaimo. Tell him your story by emailing him at mark@businessexaminer.ca

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DECEMBER 2019

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he Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to be part of a collaborative working agreement with key business and tourism stakeholders. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the Lighthouse Country Business Association (LCBA), the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce (PDCC), Parksville Downtown Business Association (PDBA), Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association (PQBTA) and Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce (QBCC) has been developed to a support a cooperative relationship to promote business and tourism in the Oceanside Region. The partners agree to focus their collective efforts on developing a strategic plan identifying economic drivers, developing a position statement on business attraction,

growth and retention and promoting economic development in the region. To have a successful economic development strategy in place, the partners recognize working together on common goals better serves the community and a stronger regional economy. The roles and responsibilities of each organization will not change but the MOU will enhance the opportunity of working together with common goals in mind. ■ PQBTA’s mandate is external destination marketing. ■ PDBA – promotes and enhances businesses within a defined area of downtown Parksville. ■ The Chambers are the voice of business and deliver visitor services in their respective communities. ■ LCBA – advances the interests and prosperity of the businesses within the Lighthouse Country. ■■■

Partners finalized and signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on November 28, at the QB Town office lobby. On hand to sign for each organization were: ■ Dietmar Baumeister – Quint, representing the Lighthouse Country Business Association ■ Jeannie Maltesen, representing the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce ■ Sandy Herle, representing Parksville Downtown Business Association ■ Paul Drummond, representing the Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association ■ Sarah Duncan, representing the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce Kim Burden is Executive Director of the Parksville Chamber of Commerce.

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DECEMBER 2019

MANATEE HOLDINGS CRACKS NATIONAL LIST FOR FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES Family-Owned Aquaculture Business Finds Winning Strategy in Eco-Friendly Approach

C

O U R T E N AY – M a n ate e Hold i ngs Ltd. h a s been recognized as one of the nation’s fastest growing companies. Eric Gant founded the company as a dive fishing company in 1988, with an initial investment of $2,000. Since that time the company has grown to the point where it is now on the Globe and Mail’s ranking (#180 out of 400) of Canada’s Top Growing Companies for 2019. As a child, growing up in northern Saskatchewa n, Eric was raised as a hunter in a ranching and farming district. This hunting background helped prepare him to become an underwater hunter building his harvesting fleet in the dive fisheries of BC. However, as a child, he had also witnessed many species being hunted into extinction. He also saw how huge areas of the natural forest were destroyed by the farmers and ranchers as they raised food for humans around the world. As a commercial food diver, he watched as the same

Manatee Holdings was recognized on the Globe and Mail’s ranking (#180 out of 400) of Canada’s Top Growing Companies for 2019 pattern was being repeated in the sea. Upon realizing this, Eric began looking for solutions. “I helped change the dive fisheries from the shotgun system to the Individual Quota (IQ ) system,� says Eric. “This helped reduce some of the more devastating impacts the fishermen were having on the stocks. Manatee then spearheaded the creation of the geoduck aquaculture industry in BC in order to resolve the remaining flaws within the fishery. “Finally, we created our, ‘Sea Change’ strategy to address the

inherent flaws within the traditional forms of aquaculture. We think our new strategy will help us to live up to our company’s mandate to become the most environmentally beneficial food production operation on land or sea anywhere in the world.� According to Lourdes Gant (Eric’s wife and co-owner), careful planning and a commitment to ethical practices are behind the company’s success. “We have taken our social contribution program to help people from around the world to immigrate into Canada from less fortunate circumstances,� she says. “We then combined the program with our company’s business strategy as an equal opportunity employer, to seek out and find the very best people from around the world to work with us in our company.� “This program gives us leverage in terms of international perspectives. And is combined with leading edge training programs to help give our staff a better quality of life; and, to make them more valuable to our company as employees.� When discussing the reasons behind the company’s strong growth Eric cites three main factors that contributed to its success. “First, Manatee Holdings was able to a nticipate the major

changes in food consumption around the world,� he says. This allowed them to prepare to meet global demand.� “Second, when creating the business, one of our key strategies was to make their company a family-based business in order to give the company the generations of time it needs to reach its long term goals,� he says. “Then, we made certain that the family business is always based upon merit. In short, don’t leave a legacy to your children; live it with them.� Lourdes joined the company in 2008 and became a co-owner in 2014 to head the Finance and Public Relations Division. Briana Gant (Eric’s second daughter) joined as one of the commercial divers in 2017, and is now being trained to be one of Manatee Holdings’ Field Operations Supervisors. Elan Gant, (Lourdes and Eric’s ten year old son), now works as a hatchery tour guide and electronic consultant to the rest of the family. Third, the owners recognized that when it comes to good ideas, implementation is the key. The company has focussed on creating structures that allow their vision to become reality. Accord i ng to L ou rdes, the g row th that Ma natee Holdings has already seen is only the beginning. “ We a re n o w p l a n n i n g to

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accelerate the expansion of our company’s operations to take advantage of the next major change we see that will soon be happening,� she says. The company is now looking for the right Investor Directors to help it expand to its next level of development based upon its strategic mandate. “As part of this strategy we are offering an equity position to qualified Investor Directors for an investment between $8 Million to $20 Million who will share our core focus of ‘creating food while benefitting the ocean’s ecology,’� says Lourdes. sustainableaquaculture.ca

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COWICHAN VALLEY

10

DECEMBER 2019

CHAMBER’S 2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANNOUNCED

COWICHAN VALLEY SONJA NAGEL

T

he Du nca n Cow icha n Cha mber of Commerce held its AGM on November 26th, w ith a record-breaking crowd of 67 in attendance, representing 47 member organizations. The evening included a presentation from Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone, newly elected Chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Mayor Stone enthusiastically addressed the members with his vision for economic development in Cowichan. C h a m b e r P re s i d e n t Ch r is Duncan reported that it’s been another fantastic year with record growth in membership, and another year where the Chamber has once again proven that they are the voice of business in Cowichan. The Chamber’s advocacy efforts were extensive, including advocating for Thriving Orcas Thriving Coastal

Communities, a coalition of 17 Island Chambers proposing a balanced socio-economic approach to DFO’s measures to protect the Southern Resident Killer Whales. The Chamber also put forward a policy at the BC Chamber of Commerce AGM regarding the surplus of funds held currently by WorkSafe BC. On the local front, the Chamber supported the rezoning application from Western Stevedoring, protecting the jobs and business of Pacific Industrial Marine, while recognizing their environmental

stewardship efforts in Cowichan Bay estuary. Past President Julie Scurr presented the financial report in absence of Secretary-Treasurer Danielle Killam. Scurr noted that revenues were down due to the absence of The Black Tie Awards in 2019 and a decrease in municipal grant revenue. However, program income from meetings and events was up, as was the revenue f rom a n nu a l membership investment – a testament of the Chamber’s growing membership.

Executive Director Sonja Nagel reported that membership is at 584 members strong, making the Duncan Cowichan Chamber one of the largest on the Island. Delivering value for members’ annual investment continues to be the number one priority for the Chamber. Staff created five value-added programs for members to connect and engage: Small Business BIG DAY; Business Expo & Community Social; The Kingpin of 10pin; For the Love of Nonprofits and Amazing Race Cowichan.

■■■ Welcome 2020 Board of Directors! Chris Duncan, MNP LLP, will remain as President until the December Board Meeting, when the Executive will be elected. Directors acclaimed were Leah Hudson, Grant Thornton LLP; Arlene Johnson, G3 Mechatronics Inc.; Karen Partington, Bank of Montreal; Elly Ruge, Cowichan Auto Repair; Julie Scurr, Coast Salish Insurance; Warren Goulding, Cowichan Valley Citizen and Zaida Giron, MNP LLP. Directors who are continuing their term are: Vince Avery, Thrive Now Physiotherapy; Karen Bresler, KBL Law Corporation; Christopher Schmerk, TD Canada Trust and Pamela Stover, PD Stover Professional Corporation. Liaisons: Ian Locke, Downtown Duncan BIA; Warren Weir, Vancouver Island University; Cathy Robertson, Community Futures Cowichan; Barry O’Riordan, Economic Development Cowichan; Al Siebring, Mayor, Municipality of North Cowichan and Carol Newington, Councillor, City of Duncan. Sonja Nagel is the Executive Director of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at 250-748-1111 or manager@ duncancc.bc.ca.

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DECEMBER 2019

Big Cheese Charity Classic A Cool Hockey Fundraiser Annual Hockey Gala Featuring Local Business Owners And Managers A Big Hit

2019 Big Cheese Charity Classic participants. Team Red, Back row, from left: Referee Kevin Brydges, Rod Maley of Hornby’s Canopy City, Dave Kirk of Cunningham Rivard Appraisals, Jim Dickinson of Holland Creek Limited Partnership, Grant McDonald of Church Pickard Chartered Professional Accountants, Dawn Walton of Dawn Walton & Associates, Jeff Boehm of Boehm Construction. Front row, from left: Stephen Montpetit of Nicol Street Pawnbrokers, Rick Bayko of DenMar Electric, John MacDonald of Business Examiner Vancouver Island, Kent Cookman of BMO Nesbitt Burns, Dave Young of Parkland Fuel Corporation and Mark MacDonald of Business Examiner Vancouver Island. Missing is Mike Klassen of The Whole Show Restorations and Colin Jones of Nicol Street Pawnbrokers. Team White, Back row, from left: Dennis Campbell of Budget Brake & Muffler Auto Centres, Brad McCarthy of White Sails Brewing, Blair Franklin of Johnston Franklin Bishop Lawyers, Scott Lewis of Aplin & Martin Consultants, John Jordan of MacIsaac Group of Law Firms, Wes Holmes of The Flavr Shop, Lance Sullivan of Concept Photography and Mike Carson of The Sign Zone. Front row, from left: Roger Beck of RE/MAX of Nanaimo, Mike Jones of Colt’s Coating Inspection, Mike Stone of Top Drawer Graphics, Darren Hauca of The Communication Connection, Kyla Hartnell of Long Lake Sports and Orthopaedic Physiotherapy and Dave Dugan of Central Island Distributors.

N

A N A I MO - Te a m R e d broke open a 3-3 half-time tie with six second half goals to beat Team White 9-5 in the 11th Annual Big Cheese Charity Classic hockey game November 8, at Frank Crane Arena. Besides the 30 participants who own or manage companies that took part in the event, the big winners have been local charities. Over $40,000 has been raised and distributed to local worthy organizations and needy families. This year’s recipient was Youth Unlimited, which has five breakfast and lunch clubs to feed hungry children in local schools, and puts on summer youth camps. Funds from Big Cheese will help repair the roof of the facility they lease for sports activities.

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and her brother, former National Hockey League player Scott Hartnell. The event was organized by Grant McDonald of Church Pickard Chartered Professional Accountants, Darren Hauca of The Communication Connection, and Mark MacDonald of Business Examiner Vancouver Island.

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platters of cheese for the event. Participants left with an armload full of schwag, which this year included a sweater and a towel with the Big Cheese logo, colour photo of both teams from Concept Photography, Official Game Programs, and a copy of the “Hartnell Down� book written by Kyla Hartnell

In the game, leading the way for Team Red were Mike Klassen and Jeff Boehm with two goals apiece, with single tallies coming from Dave Kirk, John MacDonald, Rick Bayko, Jim Dickinson and Kent Cookman. White goals came from John Jordan, Wes Holmes, Dennis Campbell, Lance Sullivan and Mike Carson. The annual fundraising event featured the expected amount of big laughs, great plays and consumption of food and drink by business owners who paid $325 each to play. There were some nice surprises this year, with 460 Realty donating $200 from their “Random Acts of Kindness� fund, and almost $200 coming in from an impromptu auction at the after-game d i n ner at Nanaimo Golf Club. Paradise Island Cheese generously donated

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DECEMBER 2019

Tim Horton’s Owner Ed Mayne Enjoying Second Term As Parksville Mayor ED MAYNE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

providing better, more coordinated fire prevention and containment services. “A ll of the administration, equipment, and training can now be done as one,” Mayne says. “For example, when you buy two pairs of boots, it costs this much. . .and if you buy 20 pairs of boots, it costs that much. Buying them altogether will get us better pricing. It’s simple business.” “Not only that, it’s a lot easier to find one really good chief for a Fire Department instead of two.” Mayne says Langford Mayor Stew Young “is my idol. . .he gets things done.” Young, also a very successful business person, has been mayor of the Victoria suburb since 1993 and has been credited with much of the substantial growth and development in Langford since. “Is running the city really any different than running a business?,” Mayne asks. “I want to get things done. I don’t want to talk about it, or send things back and forth to staff for every little detail. And I believe that it’s okay to make mistakes, because if we don’t make a few mistakes, it’s probably because we’re not working hard enough.” Mayne raves about Parksville’s

leadership team on council, and staff. “The senior staff here have been incredible,” he says, adding that Chief Administrative Officer Keeva Kehler, who moved into the position in January, has been a great addition to lead staff. “Development permits are being issued now in 3-6 months, and before, it was somewhere between 12-18 months. Building permits are being issued in weeks, not months, and our staff is very customer-oriented. It’s running like a retail outlet, really.” That will have a positive effect on Parksville’s vacancy rate, which, prior to the last civic election, was less than one per cent. “Now we have over 400 units permitted to be built, and when they’re completed, it will bring the vacancy rate down to 5 per cent, which will help drive the cost of rent down,” he notes. A f fo rd a bl e, a v a i l a bl e a ccommodation is critical when it comes to attracting younger people to live and work in a community like Parksville, which has one of the oldest demographics in the country. “If someone comes here with a project that needs 100 workers, and we don’t have that many workers available, that will have an impact on economic development,” he observes.

“That is going to change, but it’s going to take time.” Mayne had moved to Parksville in 2003 to become the local franchisee for Tim Horton’s, the company he started with in 1984. “I was the Vice President of Construction and Engineering for Tim Horton’s and Wendy’s, so it was my department that built the store in Parksville. Then I took it over,” he recalls, adding he chose Parksville over Detroit, Buffalo and Ladysmith, which were also available. In 2013, the Maynes opened the Tim Horton’s behind Rutherford Mall/Nanaimo North Town Centre, and purchased their third outlet, at Rock City Plaza in Nanaimo, in 2018. Mayne’s wife, Lillian and Ed’s daughter Jennifer run the Tim Horton’s stores. “I let them do what they do, and I do what I need to do,” he says. “Other than going in for coffee in the morning and visiting with customers every once in a while, I’m not there.” The three stores employ 130 people. There are 85 employees at the City of Parksville for his Mayor’s position, which is technically a part-time job. Mayne has also earned a reputation in local music circles for his band, “Eddie and the Funk”, which has been together for a

decade. Over 500 people showed up for their concert and impromptu dance in the park last summer during the Parksville Beach Fest. “We have the most fun you could ever have,” says Mayne, who plays bass. “The best part with music is, that I could have had the worst day of my life, but when I pick up my guitar and start playing, within minutes, all the problems go away. It’s the best stress relief I’ve found.” Mayne became Parksville’s mayor for the first time in 2008, despite having no previous political experience. “I just didn’t like the direction things were going,” he recalls. The most notable accomplishment in that term was getting funding from the Vancouver Island Health Authority to build the Oceanside Health Centre. Mayne decided to resign midterm and run for the leadership of the BC Liberal party, a decision that raised a few eyebrows and ruffled a few feathers. Mayne saw it as an opportunity to make a difference for the province. “I heard people say we needed to have someone other than a politician run,” he says. During the campaign, ultimately won by Christy Clark, Mayne floated the idea of having a percentage of the Provincial Sales Tax

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returned to municipalities to help fund civic operations. It was an idea that had merit and demonstrated innovative thinking, but ultimately wasn’t adopted by the government. “Everything seems to be politically motivated,” Mayne laments. “People think ‘What will get me the most votes in the next election’, instead of doing what’s best for the next generation. It’s really that short-term vision that gets us into some of the situations we get into.” Mayne’s decision to run in the 2018 civic election was made largely because the last council’s fumbling of the 222 Corfield supportive housing project. From the start of this term, Mayne made a point of conne ct i n g w it h ot her cou nci l members and building strong relationships. It’s paid off. “We’ve accomplished a lot, and I’ve got the best council one could ask for, and we all work together,” he notes. “The part I like about this council now is that when we make a decision, no matter what side someone takes, when the decision is made, it becomes a council decision. “We may fight in the council chambers to get votes, but when we’re done we’re all friends and nobody bad-mouths each other. That makes all the difference in the world.”

REAL ESTATE

DECEMBER 2019

NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

homes in November rose by eight per cent from one year ago (1,065 to 1,155), the lowest since March, which saw 1,172 properties for sale. Active listings of apartments increased by 15 per cent (319 to 368) year over year while townhouse inventory dropped by 31 per cent (177 to 123). The British Columbia Real Estate Association reports that after a slow start to 2019, MLS home sales in the province embarked on a sustained upward climb in the spring, returning to trend after adjusting to market

shocks caused by federal mortgage rules and provincial tax policies. The benchmark price of a single-family home board-wide was $517,100 in November, a three per cent increase from one year ago and down slightly from October. (Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area.) In the apartment category, the year-over-year benchmark price rose by three per cent, hitting $297,000 but down one per cent from October. The benchmark price of a townhouse rose by two per cent year over year, climbing to $405,700 last month and slightly higher than in October.

Regionally, the benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area last month was $440,200, an increase of five per cent over November 2018. In the Comox Valley, the benchmark price reached $530,200, up by five per cent from one year ago. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $479,500, an increase of two per cent from November 2018. Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose by less than one per cent to $558,400 in November, while the Parksville-Qualicum area saw its benchmark price increase by around two per cent to $576,500. The cost of a benchmark single-family home in

Port Alberni reached $329,000 in November, a six per cent increase from one year ago. Trend-wise, VIREB’s housing market is balanced in most areas and inching towards a buyers’ market in a few zones. Overall, however, home sales and listing activity are at typical levels for our region. Realtors across the Island are reporting that there is interest among buyers; however, they are price-savvy, not in a hurry, and willing to walk away from deals. Some buyers and sellers are also choosing to wait until spring, hopi ng for more favou rable conditions.

13

Right, Geoff Dodds, CPA, CA, First Vice Chair of CPABC and Left, Carol Reimer, Vice President of AFOA BC

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he Comox Valley Chamber honoured milestone members on September 28 at the Courtenay & District Museum as part of the year-long Chamber Centennial celebrations. 70 Chamber members have had a membership for 25 years or more. During the milestone event the Cha mber ack nowledged 25 year plus members and presented locally-crafted awards to 6 longest standing members: CIBC – 100 years, Waypoint Insurance – 51 years, Desolation Sound Yacht Charters – 41 years; and the Finneron Family, Service Canada, and Jackson & Associates celebrated 39 years as members. ■■■ In 2019 the Chamber’s focus of the Centennial year was to look

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back on 100 years and highlight interesting and change-making items the Chamber accomplished. Visit the Centennial blog on the Chamber website to read about the early days and the transition times. ■■■ 2020 is on continuing collaborations and providing excellent value to Chamber members. The Comox Valley Chamber works in many ways to engage Chamber members and the community through advocacy, brand exposure, individually focused resources, professional learning opportunities, business leadership, and solid connections. ■■■ T he Cha mber w i l l host its annual Economic Forecasting Breakfast with partners MNP, CVEDS, and Cumberland Economic Development in January 2020. MNP is in the process of compiling data from a local business leaders survey completed in November 2019. Results of the survey will be presented as well as a panel of experts. This

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CVRD Moving to New Office Location this Holiday Season

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data-driven event is vital to the Chamber’s programming and ensures all stakeholders are aware of the challenges facing business and to provide value to businesses in the Comox Valley. To get tickets to Economic Forecasting Breakfast visit the Chamber website under events. ■■■ The Comox Valley Chamber has honoured members of the business community with an award since 1974. The Chamber Awards, as they are now called, is a true reflection of the community with all nominations coming from the community at large. As 2019 wraps up with a bow, the Chamber looks ahead and is excited about next year’s opportunities and connection with the community.

he Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) will be moving to its new office location starting December 20. On December 30, the new office at 770 Harmston Avenue in Courtenay will officially be open to the public. In 2014, after years of analysis, the CVRD Board determined that based on the current flood prone location on Comox Road, limited space, and expensive lease costs, a new regional office building was a strategic priority. On August 29, 2017, the CVRD Board adopted the borrowing bylaw for the new office building based on the results of the Alternative Approval Process that occurred July 6 until August 18, 2017. The financing strategy for the office redirects the current $330,000 per year lease payments towards a debt repayment plan. In 2018, Knappett Projects Inc. was awarded the construction contract for the new facility. “It is very exciting to see the new office come to fruition,” explains CVRD Board Chair Jesse Ketler. “Many residents are not aware of the 99 services that the CVRD provides on a daily basis. By having

the facility outside the floodplain and with a new post disaster emergency operations centre, those essential services that so many residents require daily will be able to continue in times of need.” The new office building has been built to LEED Gold standards. Some of the sustainable design elements incorporated within the building include a chilled beam heating and cooling system which is 50 per cent more efficient than a conventional forced air system, LED lighting with timers, drought tolerant landscaping, two public electric vehicle charging stations, and sun shades over windows to reduce heat transfer and glare. The CVRD main office at 600 Comox Road will have limited services available the week of December 23. The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities providing sustainable services for residents and visitors to the area. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.

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DECEMBER 2019

Globetrotting Jeweler Sells Rare Gems from Around the World Impeccable Finds Niche Selling One-of-a-Kind Jewelry

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UNCAN - The jewellery business has taken Brad Leith across the globe in search of some of the world’s rarest, most unique gems and stones. These stones eventually end up in Leith’s Duncan-based store, Impeccable Jewellery, where they captivate visitors with their quality and unique character. “There are very few businesses in this country that do what we do,” he says. “Most of the major jewellery retail outlets and online stores sell a generic product that has been mass produced. “Everything we sell is custom. I personally design each piece of jewelry to complement the unique characteristics of the stone, and they are hand-made by second- and third-generation silversmiths in our factory in Bali.” Customers notice a difference immediately after entering the store. The glass cases house hundreds of one-of-a-kind pieces, many of which feature polished, but uncut stones. Among these stones, Leith sells jewellery made from moon rocks, fossilized trees, petrified rocks, meteorites, Australian opal, and more. “Some of our most fascinating products are made with 2,500 year old Roman trade glass,” Leith remarks. “We purchased some ancient vials and urns at an auction in Italy. The broken pieces were used for jewellery, and we used the in-tact pieces in a nice display in our store.” Leith acquires these stones during his many trips across the globe. Earlier this year, he was in Indonesia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. He typically travels to Europe once or twice a year, visiting auctions in the UK, Italy, Turkey, and more. T h rough va rious auctions, Leith has acquired gems from every continent besides Antarctica for his jewellery pieces. Impeccable Jewellery makes

Fossils are one of many unique types of stones that are featured in Impeccable’s Raw line of products

“Everything we sell is custom. I personally design each piece of jewelry to complement the unique characteristics of the stone, and they are hand-made Brad Leith, owner of Impeccable Jewellery three main lines: Trend, Raw, and Luxe. Trend is the entry level line, which includes some of the store’s most affordable products. “For our Raw line, which includes the pieces made from the Roman trade glass, we take the uncut stone and fashion the Silver and Gold to bring out the beauty in that stone,” he says. Luxe is the estate jewellery line, which uses some of the rarest stones, including Australian opal. Impeccable also does a lot of custom creations and restoration. “We have the highest quality, latest 3-D printers,” he says. & “Our CAD allows us to show people the finished product before it’s actually finished. We can do everything that a bigger

Vancouver company can do, and local.” The company also does a lot of reposition for individuals who may have inherited jewellery that doesn’t fit with their stylistic preferences. “Once people come through our doors, it’s easy to get a life-long customer,” he says. “With a lot of stores, many people will leave saying ‘l’ll be back,’ and they never do. For us, I’d say about 95 per cent of people who say that, actually do come back, which means we’re doing something that people love.” T he success of t he store wouldn’t be possible without the efforts and professionalism of Leith’s staff.

by second- and third-generation silversmiths in our factory in Bali.” BRAD LEITH OWNER OF IMPECCABLE JEWELLERY

“Staff is one of the most important parts of any business,” he says. “Our staff go through rigorous training, but most of all we instill upon them that we must provide the client with an Excellent Experience along with Wonderful products. We’re always looking for people who have a passion for this personalized business. It is very tough for those new to the industry, because there’s a very steep learning curve.” Leith hasn’t always been in

the jewellery business. Originally, he owned a tech company which he sold in 2006 when he semi-retired. He first entered the industry in 2008, working in several markets before settling on Duncan in December 2013. “This location works best for us,” he states. “It’s close enough to Victoria and Nanaimo, and we have enough market share between the two cities to maintain reasonably consistent growth.” www.impeccablejewellery.com

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FORESTRY CRITICALLY AFFECTED BY GOVERNMENT POLICY According to a forestry insider there are two massive challenges – BC’s stumpage system and the

CAMPBELL RIVER

markets

MARY RUTH SNYDER

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o say 2019 has not been a good year for forestry wou ld probably be regarded as the understatement of the year. In Campbell River forestry represents 7 per cent of our local workforce. The numerical facts as reported by MOSAIC Forest Management in the Forestry week presentation: Employment 1 in 17 jobs

January 30 Grant Thornton LLP BE Awards Gala Set For Westin Bear Mountain Resort BE AWARDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

dealerships & fleet sales) ■ Construction/ Development/ Real Estate ■ Entrepreneur ■ Food & Food Production (agriculture, seafood, food products) ■ Green & Technology ■ Health Care ■ Hospitality ■ Industrial Manufacturer ■ M a n u f a c t u r e d Wo o d Products ■ Ocean Products ■ Professional (legal, accounting, insurance, coaching) ■ Construction/Development/ Real Estate ■ Retail ■ Small Business (under 20 employees & under $1 million in sales) ■ Tourism ■ Trades (automotive repair, plumbing, electrical, roofing, etc. ■ Business of the Year (over 50 employees & over $1 million in sales). “Almost without fail, each year nominations are generally evenly split between companies south of the Malahat, and those from north of the Malahat,” says MacDonald. “That has proven to be the case again this year. And it shows the strength of the economy on Vancouver Island is spread out.” For more information on the event contact MacDonald at 1-866-758-2684 ext. 120 or email: mark@businessexaminer.ca To book tickets ($125 each), visit www.businessexaminer.ca/ events.

province-wide, and 1 in 4 manufacturing jobs, is directly tied to the forest industry. Revenues Forestry contributes $12.9 billion to BC’s GDP, and generates $8.6 billion in wages and benefits annually. According to a forestry insider there are two massive challenges – BC’s stumpage system and the markets. Because of the softwood lumber agreement, some of the biggest lumber producers are being tariffed 24-26 per cent depending on the size of their shipment to the United States, and this is on top of the selling price. Then, in some locations, the stumpage rate has increased 110 per cent in a single quarter. The current BC Government talking point is that next quarter the stumpage will go down; however, you need wood entering the system at a lower price in order to

lower the stumpage rates. Well, right now, no one is logging, so there is no wood going into the system so the stumpage rate will default back to the previous price which keeps the rate up. Other than the U.S., our main export markets are Korea, Japan and China. While China has not specifically said it will not take Canadian wood — there are only two ports in China that usually accept raw logs — and neither port is currently accepting Canadian wood. Russia, however, has exported more logs into China this year than ever before. Historically, China has preferred our wood due to the high quality and consistent delivery. Though no public statement has been made, it would seem that due to the Huawei extradition issue, Canada is being excluded. The forest companies — with no

exports to speak of, and a market pricing stumpage system that is considered way too slow to react to market changes — have no work. No work has led to mass layoffs and closures throughout BC and Vancouver Island. And, what happens when you add in the six-month long strike? It all cumulates into the perfect storm with no clear passage out. Now, imagine walking into the grocery store only to discover the 2L jug of 2% milk you bought yesterday for $3.85 is now $8.09, an increase of 110 per cent like the stumpage rates. With the current state of the forestry industry, the families affected will be struggling to purchase a jug of milk at any price. Mary Ruth Snyder is Executive Director of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce.

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18

DECEMBER 2019

CONSTRUCTION Residential Construction Industry Enters New Era BC Home Builders Face New Challenges in Coming Decade

The next decade will spell big changes for BC’s residential construction industry

A

s we say goodbye to the 2010s, the construction industry is preparing for a number of changes and challenges that will transform the residential market as we know it.

Whether it’s the provincial government’s ambitious plans to create a net-zero building

code by 2032, or the rising cost of housing in communities throughout BC, home builders are putting their heads together to meet new challenges and keep the industry strong. 2018 data packages from the Canadian Home Builders Association showed that BC’s

residential market saw 40,857 in new housing starts, 207,184 on- and off-site private sector jobs (totalling $12.6 billion in wages), and a total investment value of $28.3 billion (over a sixth of the nation’s economic activity in this sector). I n order to protect t he

industry’s economic impact and ensure that future British Columbians, organizations like the Canadian Home Builders Association British Columbia (CHBA BC) and its regional counterparts are working hard SEE CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 19

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CONSTRUCTION

DECEMBER 2019

Advocacy organizations are working to keep homes affordable

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

to advocate on behalf of their industry.

CHBA BC has found a good deal of success in its advocacy efforts surrounding some of the legislation that has concerned industry leaders.

From February to October 2018, the organization worked closely with Carole James, Minister of Finance, to create speculation and vacancy tax

SIX TECHNOLOGIES HELPS KEEP CRIMINALS OFF ISLAND CONSTRUCTION SITES Video Security Monitoring on Construction Sites Deter Criminals, Lower Insurance Premiums

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ICTORIA - With so much new construction happening on Vancouver Island, petty crime rates on building sites are extremely high. In response, builders are turning to Six Technologies Victoria Inc. to provide video security monitoring for their projects. “Insurance companies are quite nervous about the new construction going up, because wood frame construction is very vulnerable to petty theft, vandalism, and fire damage,” says Graham Wright, Director of Operations, Vancouver Island. “Having a good, reliable camera installation around the entire perimeter, with professional real-time monitoring, lights, and sirens, can significantly help in reducing insurance premiums.” Recently, Wright was in Nanaimo, giving a quote for a project that had experienced break-ins, camping, and theft almost every single night over the last few

Six Technologies employee Matthew Evans installing a security system on a construction site weeks. After the video monitoring system is installed, these incidents stop almost immediately. “Most times, the intrusion siren will scare off trespassers,” says Wright. “Sometimes, a trespasser will ignore the intrusion siren, and it will result in an arrest. We have a good relationship with the RCMP. The monitoring station has direct communications with responding officers so we provide them with footage from our cameras when there’s a crime in the

area, and they are very responsive to our calls.” Currently, Wright and his team have systems installed in projects all over the Island, from Campbell River to the Greater Victoria Area and as far east as Kelowna. “These systems not only help with crime prevention,” Wright continues. “They help with site safety and behaviour. We’ve noticed that employees are far more careful when they know they’re on camera. There’s footage for everything. It also helps smooth out the WorkSafe claim process in the event of an accident.” In addition to offering these monitoring services for building sites, Six Technologies specializes in alarm, CCTV, and access control hardware installations. Because the company is headquartered in Victoria, Six Technologies is poised to quickly deal with any technical issues with their systems. “If a system goes down, the owners of the company are local, and ready to respond,” says Adam Hubbard, the company’s President. “Our systems are reliable, our pricing is very competitive, and we are known for our topnotch customer service.” www.six-tech-victoria.com www.victoria-security.com

(SVT) exemptions for residential land under development in the approval, construction, or sale stages. A CHBA BC press release

19 stated, “Without an exemption, our members would have been mandated to pay the SVT, as the properties would not have available units to rent or own while under construction or development, which were key requirements for the implementation of the tax.” Using data from a recent provincial government report, their efforts were shown to be effective. The report showed that 15,106 exemptions were claimed for construction or renovation, 3,015 for vacant new inventory, and 1,876 for phased developments. “We called for a speculation tax exemption for residential construction because we knew it would have a direct impact on housing affordability,” said CHBA BC CEO Neil Moody. “The government listened, which was a positive step to make new homes more affordable in British Columbia. This newly-released data shows that our efforts were beneficial for thousands of future home buyers, who would have otherwise been impacted by the tax.” In late 2017, BC became the first North American jurisdiction to create a regulated pathway to net-zero energy-ready buildings with the creation of the BC Energy Step Code. While the ambition plan has SEE CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 21

20

CONSTRUCTION

DECEMBER 2019

ORGANIC GROWTH TAKES WEST COAST EVERGREEN TO NEW HEIGHTS Local Landscaping Company Finds Niche in Commercial Gardening Maintenance

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U NC A N - W hen t hey started West Coast Everg re en G a rden i ng I nc. (WCEG) in 2009, co-owners Rick and Grace MacDougall had no idea how big things were going to get. Now a decade old, the company has grown from a small-time residential landscaping operation to a high-quality commercial grounds maintenance, irrigation and gardening services company working throughout the South Island. “I had been working in management for a number of years when we decided to start our own business,” says Rick. “I decided to do residential gardening, which was the main focus of the business for the first few months. A little while in, I was asked by a former colleague if we were interested in working on one of his commercial properties, a plaza in Duncan. “We did a good job, and got more jobs of this type, until we were doing maintenance for most of the malls in Duncan. Then, we started doing malls in Victoria.” West Coast Evergreen now provides a variety of services to shopping centres throughout the South Island (from Victoria to Chemainus). They do lot maintenance, landscaping and garden maintenance, irrigation work, arboreal work, property work (like graffiti removal), and more. “Today, we almost exclusively do commercial work, unless it’s a really big estate,” he says. “We’ve also begun to move into the municipal market, doing landscaping and maintenance

WCEG maintains a number of buildings in the South Island, including Hillside Mall in Victoria for city halls, courthouses, RCMP stations, and federal and commercial buildings.” As the company has grown, the MacDougalls have been careful to control their growth, to ensure their team is able to maintain their quality of work as they take on new jobs. “We don’t take on more than 10 per cent in new business each year,” says Rick. “If there’s too much work for our team, the quality goes down. This growth pattern has worked very well for us, and we’ve been progressing every year since 2010, when we took on our first mall project.” Part of West Coast Evergreen’s appeal is the company’s commitment to professional accountability. Currently, the company maintains addreditations with ContractorCheck and ComplyWorks, as well as WorkSafe BC. Both ContractorCheck and ComplyWorks hold companies to standards that exceed the minimum requirements of WCB. “We’re one of the few companies

The West Coast Evergreen team boasts a diverse set of skilled workers, including a certified arborist and horticulturist

“Having an educated staff is really important to us. The industry is always changing, with new techniques and new diseases, so we work to keep our staff up on the trends by sending them to industry shows and information sessions.” RICK MACDOUGALL CO-OWNER OF WEST COAST EVERGREEN GARDENING INC.

Rick and Grace MacDougall, owners of West Coast Evergreen Gardening Inc.

in the region that holds these standards,” says Rick. “We follow very strict guidelines to ensure that our employees work in the best possible environment.” Most of the company’s staff have been on the team for over half of the company’s lifespan, including one team member who has been with the company since day one. Between the safe environment and various incentive programs, West Coast Evergreen has been able to attract a longterm, stable workforce, which has been one of the main reasons behind their consistent success. The West Coast Evergreen team boasts a diverse set of skilled workers, including a certified arborist and horticulturist. “Having an educated staff is really important to us,” Rick remarks. “The industry is always changing, with new techniques and new diseases, so we work to keep our staff up on the trends by sending them to industry shows and information sessions.” “We’re always looking for more great people to join our team,” he continues. “We’re looking for people with passion and a love for what we do. Team members are asked to do continuing education

in gardening, which WCEG contributes to.” The company uses integrated pest management, which is a multidisciplinary, ecological approach. They also use integrated plant health, which is a comprehensive approach that incorporates an array of practices such as pruning, nutrient management, and water management among others. “Our company is large enough that you could be doing something different every day,” says Rick. “One day you’ll be on top of a building, the next day planting bulbs, and the next day hedging and pruning.” West Coast Evergreen is always working to improve the communities in which they live and work. “We give between 10 and 15 of our profits to charity groups,” he says. “We’re very community oriented, and we feel that it’s important to give to others. In addition to money, we spend time working on charity projects and encourage our staff to offer their own contributions.” To find out more, visit www. westcoastevergreengardening. com

CONSTRUCTION

DECEMBER 2019

Neil Moody, CEO of CHBA BC

BC became the first North American jurisdiction to create a regulated pathway to net-zero energyready buildings with the creation of the BC Energy Step Code

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

been widely praised, CHBA BC has stated several concerns regarding its implementation. “We do not fear a tiered-code system. It provides predictability and transparency,” the organization states in a press release. “The biggest danger is inter-governmental pressures that may drive implementation of higher steps before communities are ready. Accelerating market transformation without first resolving market

barriers will be problematic for all.” CHBA BC then lays out several suggestions for how to best implement the code. The organization’s position statement emphasizes that housing affordability must be a core objective when implementing changes to the building code. It also states that unique regional needs and concerns must be taken into account, such as a remote area’s access to training, products, and qualified professionals. It goes on to state, “A ny

implementation challenges must be resolved before widespread regulation or expansion to higher steps can be considered or supported. If a delayed implementation of 2032 targets prevents unintended consequences, it is worth adjusting timelines as needed. “Local governments should be able to follow the Step Code as legislated, beginning at Step One, without undue pressure and benchmarking against other jurisdictions. Voluntary municipal incentives for builders and homeowners can

encourage the adoption of higher-than-code steps. “Before implementing the Step Code in new areas, local governments should consider cost-benefit analysis; incentives, including density bonusing, permit timelines, rebates, and more; industry knowledge and capacity; availability of necessary materials; and proximity of licensed energy advisors to ensure a cost-effective and competitive environment.” As a final point in its position statement, the CHBA BC emphasizes the need for industry consultation. “Industry and government must be i n consta nt communication,” it says. “While government is the driver of

21 “We called for a speculation tax exemption for residential construction because we knew it would have a direct impact on housing affordability. The government listened, which was a positive step to make new homes more affordable in British Columbia. This newly-released data shows that our efforts were beneficial for thousands of future home buyers, who would have otherwise been impacted by the tax.” NEIL MOODY CEO OF CHBA BC

regulation, builders and industry professionals are the ones actually implementing the changes. Their concerns and ideas must be heard at all times.” To find out more, visit www. chbabc.org

WHO IS SUING WHOM

22 WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date. DEFENDANT 0926234 BC Ltd 1C-9851 Seaport Pl, Sidney, BC PLAINTIFF Deep Cove Marina Ltd CLAIM $200,000 DEFENDANT 1119065 BC Ltd 1700-666 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Living Stones Interlocking Brick Inc CLAIM $52,327 DEFENDANT Accurate Home Inspection 3625 Fowlie Cres, Port Alberni, BC PLAINTIFF McPhail, Diana CLAIM $35,000 DEFENDANT Achteck Construction Ltd 5660 Yew St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Island Equipment Rentals Ltd CLAIM $8,525

DEFENDANT Anita Davey Consulting Services Ltd 2881 Virago Pl, Ladysmith, BC PLAINTIFF Morris, Rollyn Charles CLAIM $43,220 DEFENDANT Blue Marlin Inn Ltd 330-522 7th St, New Westminster, BC PLAINTIFF Sysco Canada Inc CLAIM $27,264 DEFENDANT Builders Group And Space Setters Construction 1630 Davies Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Watson, Leif CLAIM $40,186 DEFENDANT Craig Bay Estates 1301 Cape Cod Dr, Parksville, BC PLAINTIFF Clark Pacific Snow Incorporated CLAIM $88,830 DEFENDANT DC Marina Ltd Inc 101-9766 4th St, Sidney, BC PLAINTIFF Deep Cove Marina Ltd CLAIM $200,000 DEFENDANT DJ Excavating

Keeping projects on time and on budget

7890 Clark Dr West, Lantzville, BC PLAINTIFF Yee, Kim CLAIM $10,000 DEFENDANT Dumas Trucking Ltd 32090 3rd Ave, Port Alberni, BC PLAINTIFF Simon, Glenn CLAIM $15,216 DEFENDANT Noble Extracts Inc 1626 Garnet Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Paul, Zachary CLAIM $35,163 DEFENDANT Norstar Alliance Real Estate Services Ltd 97 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Clark, Lynn Anne CLAIM $100,000 DEFENDANT North Island Chipping PO Box 190, Port McNeill, BC PLAINTIFF Upper Cut Construction CLAIM $11,415 DEFENDANT Pacific Rim Realty 1-4505 Victoria Quay, Port Alberni, BC PLAINTIFF

DECEMBER 2019

McPhail, Diana CLAIM $35,000 DEFENDANT Peak Wellness Ltd 2751 Sea View Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Paul, Zachary CLAIM $35,163 DEFENDANT Pioneer West Acceptance Corporation 201-814 West 15th St North, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Nuamah, Francis Nelson CLAIM $15,216 DEFENDANT PR Mechanical Ltd 800-15355 24th Ave, Surrey, BC PLAINTIFF Big Rock Mechanical Inc CLAIM $45,239 DEFENDANT Royal Le Page Port Alberni 1-4505 Victoria Quay, Port Alberni, BC PLAINTIFF McPhail, Diana CLAIM $35,000 DEFENDANT Sacpyr Investments Ltd 102-4190 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby, BC PLAINTIFF Island Equipment Rentals Ltd CLAIM

$8,525 DEFENDANT Spirit Bay Developments Limited Partnership 4th Flr 1007 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Zabunyan, Dikran CLAIM $31,656 DEFENDANT Stadnuk Ventures Inc 411-15368 16a Ave, Surrey, BC PLAINTIFF Nuamah, Francis Nelson CLAIM $15,216 DEFENDANT Valhalla Pure Outfitters Inc 3009B 28th St Vernon, BC PLAINTIFF Brooks, Nancy Ann CLAIM $25,183 DEFENDANT Westurban Developments Ltd 26 Bastion Square, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Living Stones Interlocking Brick Inc CLAIM $52,327 DEFENDANT Worthy Real Estate Developments Ltd 200-931 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Slegg Building Materials CLAIM $26,072

23

DECEMBER 2019

Business Examiner Gold Event Sponsors

NORTH ISLAND Northern communities have upgraded used oil recycling facilities thanks to the Return Collection Facility infrastructure grant that Comox Strathcona Waste Management a nd T he Village of Port Alice received from BC Used Oil Management Association.

WEST COAST Surfrider Pacific Rim is sending tattered wetsuits to Southern California where they will be turn into yoga mats for SUGA, an American company. Other surf shops participating are Surf Sisters and Pacific Surf and Relic. They have recycled approximately 4.5 tonnes of wetsuits, booties and gloves. Far West Distributors hosts and supports the initiative as well. Tofino is moving ahead with an affordable housing project in partnership with the Tofino Housing Corporation. The 14unit multi-family development will be built at 700 Sharpe Road and constructed and managed by Catalyst Community Developments. The project should commence in early 2020 according to Tofino’s manager of community sustainability Aaron Rodgers. Tofino’s District Manager of Engineering and Public Works, Ricardo Arraya, has left his position as of November 4th to pursue other opportunities. The position is still vacant.

COMOX VALLEY

the Year: Dr. Paul Helpard, Patrick McKenna, and Mike Trimble. For Business of the Year, Canadian Tire, Excel Career College, and Hot Chocolates & Cakebread Artisan Bakery. For Customer Service, Peter Diespecker, Kevin East, and Bill & Bonnie Moore. For the Family First Award, Tsolum & Tsable Environmental, Wachiay Friendship Centre, and Wedler Engineering. For Heritage Recognition, Project Watershed, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 17 Courtenay, and Sunwest RV Centres. For Innovative Business, Ambassador Transportation - Comox Valley Connector, Goldfinch Small Home Design, and J. Zsiros Contracting. For the Land of Plenty Award, Beaver Meadow Farms, Salish Sea Foods, and Stone Croft Farm. For Lifetime Achievemen, Betty Annand, Bunny Shannon, and Margaret Wootton. For New Business of the Year, Blue Spruce Ice Cream, Church St. Taphouse, and Land and Sea Brewing Co. For Not for Profit, Comox Valley Minor Hockey Association, Eureka Support Society, and Lush Valley Food Action Society. For Small Business of the Year, Comox Bike Co., DN Auto, and Komox Grind. For Sustainability, Core Landscape Products, Focused Energy Assessments, and Manatee Holdings. For Young Entrepreneur, Lyndsey Bell and Jay Valeri (Bigfoot Donuts), Chloe Gyoerick (Chloe Lorraine Makeup Artistry), Robert Keeping (West Coast Water Sports), and Morgan Klieber (Wild + United Athletics).

The Comox Valley Regional District is moving to a new office, which will officially open on December 30. The new location can be found at 770 Harmston Avenue. Ryan Sykes has been named Salesperson of the Month at Brian McLean Chevrolet for the month of November. The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce announced their finalists for the 2019 Chamber Awards. For Business Leader of

Westview Ford announced that Trevor Martin is their new Service Department Shop Foreman. The team at Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North welcomes Karen McKinnon as their new family service manager. McKinnon is the owner of loca l busi ness McK innon Photography.

Jane Murphy North Island College (NIC) announced that it has re-elected both chair Jane Murphy and vicechair Eric Mosley to a second, 12-month term on the board of governors. Jacob and Jasmen Cristoph of Chrisoph Real Estate, Darryl Robbins of Robbins & Company, and Aaron Bellmore of Fresh Coast Investments have partnered to match donations made to Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North made up to December 31. T.J. Dafoe is Comox Valley Dodge’s top salesperson for the month of November.

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C o m ox Va l ley Toyot a a nnounced that John Dewitt is their top salesperson for November.\ Gordon Hutchens, a master potter from Denman Island, has received a 2019 Award of Distinction from the British Columbia Achievement Foundation (BCAF). The award recognizes Hutchens for his contribution to the cultural and economic fabric of BC. Island Honda congratulates Gary Wall, who wa s n a med Salesperson of the Month for November 2019.

CLASSI CAL

Mike Trimble was recognized with the Canadian Fair Champion award from the Canadian Association of Fairs & Exhibition for his work in the Comox Valley Exhibition (CVEX).

Celebrating 25 Years of LIVE Music on the Island!

The board of directors at Comox Valley Family Services Association announced the appointment of Lisa Iverson as their new executive director.

Brett Giese Brett Giese of Veyron Properties Group announced the proposal of a new apartment building at 1025 Ryan Road, across from Superstore. The proposed building will contain 118 units and 141 parking stalls (some of them underground).

Duncan Muller has joined the team at Coastal Community Private Wealth Group. Muller will be working as a Private Wealth Advisor for Coastal Community, and an Investment Advisor for Credential Securities.

Ian Hargreaves will be serving as the new chair for the Comox Valley board of education. Hargreaves was elected at a November 26 meeting. The Village of Cumberland has named its new chief administrative officer. Clayton Postings will be joining the Village as CAO starting January 13, 2020.

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Comox’s Land & Sea Brewing Co. won the BC Ale Trail’s Best Brewery Experience Award. This is the second year that BC Ale Trail has presented this award. The brewery is one year old this month. Courtenay teacher Andrew Young has won the prestigious SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 24

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

24 MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

2019 Alex Trebek Medal for Geographic Literacy. The Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons (CPS) announced that Comox’s Peter Bolton is their new chief commander. CPS is a volunteer boating organization with 15,000 members nation-wide.

NANAIMO Trail Appliances has opened its new showroom at #5-6334 Metral Drive. The 12,000 square foot space will feature 50 different brands and nine display kitchens. The Directors of Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty and their Marin Team announced the addition of Milton Senft to their Royal Service Group. Milton has been a Campbell River resident since 1980 and will offer his services in Nanaimo and Campbell River.

operations of Nanaimo Seniors Village. Ms. Abermann has a 25-year career in seniors care in British Columbia, including serving as Island Health’s lead for residential care services. Harmac Pacific received over $800,000 from CleanBC Indstry Fund for a new sludge treatment system. The fund was created through carbon tax revenue. The system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of natural gas it needs to burn for its boilers. The $82-milllion sewage treatment upgrade at Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre on Hammond Bay Road is nearing completion. The project will add secondary treatment ability and boost sewage capacity. Ian Thorpe has been re-elected chairman of the Regional District of Nanaimo board of directors. He will again serve for the year as the head and CEO of the RDN.

Tilray Inc, a global pioneer in cannabis research, cultivation, production and distribution, announced that the merger with Privateer Holdings, Inc., which closed on December 12, 2019.

Nanaimo Art Gallery Executive Director, Julie Bevan, is taking a new position with City of Nanaimo’s as Manager of Culture and Events. She will begin her position in the spring.

Administrator, Susan Abermann, has been temporarily appointed by the Island Health Board of Directors to manage a nd oversee the day-to-day

M i ke Gri f f i n, g ra nd son of former Bulletin publisher, Roy Linder, and former Nanaimo Pirate has been selected as Czech Baseball’s Coach of the Year. He

led the Czech national team to a third-place finish at the Olympic qualifiers. Griffin has also coached with the MLB Development Centre in China.

DECEMBER 2019

Janice O’Reilly celebrates 20 years working for dentist Dr. Louise Beaudoin. Errington Cedar Products has shut down, causing the loss of 50 local jobs. The mill supplied western red cedar and yellow cedar products to the world lumber market.

Chinook Scaffold Systems won Contractor of the Year at the Builders Code Champion Awards held at the Ocean Pointe Resort in Victoria. The awards were hosted by the BC Construction Association and Minerva BC. The awards celebrate tradeswomen, workplace diversity and positive worksite culture.

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks held its 15 th Christmas on the Farm event. Swiss cheesemaker Levi Friess was on hand with his house-made raclette cheese.

PARKSVILLE

Dr. Cheyenne Knight joins Seaside Veterinary Care at 1-1343 Alberni Highway.

M& N M att re ss, o w n e d b y Neelam and Mark Nagra has receive their fourth Better Business Bureau Vancouver Island Torch Award at the recent gala. The award was in the Lifestyle and Leisure category. Earlier in 2019 they won Retailer of the Year at the Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards. Jayson Ward and Marija Midgley have opened a third Westcoastees location at #5 – 160 Corfield Street. T hey cu rrently have stores in Duncan and Campbell River. Westcoastees offers Vancouver Island inspired T-shirts and sweaters. Hub City Fish Market at 3051 Van Horne Road, next to Hilliers Meats, is now open to the public.

Irene Creally received the BC Golf Volunteer Recognition Award for her extraordinary contribution to the sport of golf. She is a member of the Eaglecrest Ladies Golf Club. Tidal Brewing Co. Lounge received approval for a liquor licence from Qualicum Beach council. The The brewery will be part of a residential and commercial mix development call East Village.

COWICHAN VALLEY Ve t e r a n r e a l t o r D e b b i e

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Si m monds h a s move d f rom R E\M A X to eXp Realty, T he Real Estate Cloud Brokerage. Simmonds claims the company offers more options than the current MLS system as well as a pension plan through their revenue-sharing model. She is a Plati nu m Club member, Founders Club honouree, the Cowichan Valley’s top market producer and previously managing d irector for some R E\ MAX locations. Duncan Orthodontist, Dr. Paul Helpard, who owns and operates Shoreline Orthodontics has helped spearhead Corus Orthodontists with 17 other orthodontists from Canada and the U.S.. The goal of the network is to help new grads beginning their careers and who are wanting to become owners. They are paired with more experienced practice owners who are nearing retirement. The initiative offers options other than having to work for practices purchased by private equity firms who are not involved with the day to day operations and relationships. Cammy and James Lockwood, of Lockwood Farms in Cobble H i l l, have received the 2019 O utstanding Younger Farmers for BC designation. Their environmentally sustainable business and concern for animal SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 25

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

DECEMBER 2019

MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

welfare was noticed by the Outstanding Young Fa rmer prog ra m. T hey raise, grow and sell eggs and vegetables on their Cobble Hill Farm. A new 30-unit transition house is soon to be built in the Valley. It will be operated by Cowichan Women Against Violence Society a nd constr ucted by BC Housing. Construction is anticipated to begin in fall of 2020. North Cowichan Council rejected Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit’s second request to expand their facility. The decision has opened the municipality up to a possible $60-million lawsuit.

CAMPBELL RIVER A new reg ion a l composting facility will be built at the Campbell River Waste Management Centre. Construction will be complete in 2021, enabling a phased introduction of orga n ics col lection for over 30,000 single family dwellings in Campbell River, Comox, Cumberland and Courtenay. Campbell River Hyundai announced that Aaron Boles achieved top sales for the month of November. The Campbell River Arts Council announced that it is launching a fund that

25

will set aside money for the installation of local art in the hospital. School District 72 received the go-a head to host the Vancouver Island School Trustees’ Association (VISTA)’s semi-annual meeting in fall 2020.

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T he Ca mpbel l R iver School Board re-elected Richard Franklin as board chairperson and John Kerr as vice-chair.

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T h e Ca mpb el l R iver Chamber is now accepting nominations for their 2019 Business Awards of Distinction. Another event, the Local Hero Awards, presented by the Campbell SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 27

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OPINION

26

DECEMBER 2019

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FINANCE MINISTER JAMES IS A NICE PERSON, BUT DOES SHE REALLY LISTEN?

MARK MACDONALD

I

had just sat down for dinner in Hitacu, at a Ucluelet First Nation banquet November 12, when someone I hadn’t yet met, but looked very familiar, sat down across from me. It was provincial Finance Minister Carole James. How fortuitous, I thought. I’d written about the former NDP leader many times in editorials, and shared my opinions on her party’s fiscal finance ideology. Now, here she was, sitting right in front of me, for an hour or so. Slowly and gently, I asked questions, then shared my thoughts with James. And, for the record, “my thoughts” in regards to the NDP governments’ handling of the province’s finances are shared by many, many business people – who have been negatively affected by the same. I h a d re a c h e d o u t , s e v e ral times, to James directly via email, only to run into “gatekeepers” who provided benign,

off-putting, non-answers to direct questions regarding the NDP’s apparent plan to reduce the price of BC residential real estate “20-30 per cent”, which James had reportedly told a Kelowna businessperson within the year. The staffer didn’t confirm or deny the conversation, and although the percentage wasn’t confirmed, James did later say publicly that, in effect, reductions in the cost of real estate would be a good thing, as it would make it more affordable. Which is true – but that doesn’t take into account the hit that homeowners would take in terms of their number one nest egg, one which in many cases forms the backbone of their retirement income plans. In a separate column, I wrote about how juvenile and overly simplistic the idea was – that a combination of raising the minimum wage and lower housing prices would make house purchasing a possibility for those working in non-skilled labour positions. That has rarely, if ever, b e en t he c a se. Hou se buying jobs are generally from the skilled, trained labour and management/ownership employment pool. W hat ma kes housi ng more affordable is more supply, and as the NDP and their philosophical soulmates on civic councils continue their traditional fights

against development, that keeps the number of housing units low, driving up the price. It’s very simple economics. The simplest, really. Supply and demand. I digress. . . Carole James is a nice woman, and easy to talk to. After introducing myself by name to her, I mentioned that the Vancouver Sun was suggesting that the NDP should consider running deficits in light of plunging provincial revenues. She responded that would be “like putting the hen in charge of the hen house”, and we both laughed. A few minutes later I asked her what, if anything, her government was going to do in regards to the struggling forest industry and stumpage rates (for log extraction). She replied with the predictable NDP response about “raw logs” and “secondary manufacturing”, and added if they adjusted stumpage rates the United States would protest, compla i n i ng about subsidization. All standard NDP fare. But another non-answer that indicated only that no changes would be forthcoming. I d id n’t wa nt to get i nto a lengthy discussion with James on a ny of t he topics, wh ich I’ve written about on several occasions, th i n k i ng neither of us wou ld be i nterested i n

overriding dinner with political arm-wrestling. She then asked if I was in finance, and I told her we owned t he B usiness Examine r. She knew of it, and the conversation, while still cordial, became more guarded. Not wanting to push too hard, I thoug ht I’d ta ke one more opportunity to appeal to James. I offered that the economy under BC L ibera l P rem ier Christy Clark basically ran on “auto pilot”, and asked if there was anything particularly dynamic in terms of policy that Clark introduced to stimulate growth. She couldn’t think of anything, and chuckled. We agreed. Then I said: “So why doesn’t your government do the same? You could have left the economy alone, and spend the surpluses on projects that your government wants to, like affordable housing, hospitals. . .Why do you always think you have to tinker with the economy?” She listened and was quiet, but didn’t answer. I shared about a lengthy meeting I had with then NDP leader Adrian Dix with MLA Doug Routley prior to the election he was expected to win, but lost to Clark. I started by stating that since the NDP doesn’t understand finance, why don’t they try this: Get an expert from outside the party to run the finance

department should they become government. They couldn’t lose, for if that person was successful, it was their idea. And if they failed, the NDP could blame them. Of course they didn’t form government, and who knows if Dix would have gone down that road. I doubt it very much, because if there’s one thing about the ruling bourgeoisie of the NDP, they do think they’re smart, and of course their economic ideas are better than those of free enterprisers. Yet here the NDP is again, tinkering with an engine that didn’t need fixing at all, with the same old policies that crippled BC in the 1990’s – and some new ones tossed in. Surely they can’t be surprised they’re getting the same results. Died in the wool NDPers seem to have a strong aversion, perhaps even an inability, to listen and consider any idea that comes from the other side of the philosophical divide that opposes their doctrine. They refuse to listen, or learn. I would flatter myself to think that James would listen to me any more than any other business person who has complained about the NDP’s punitive, anti-business and growth policies and taxation, and its negative impact on the economy. But one can only hope.

MANY CANADIANS PAY A GREAT DEAL FOR ‘FREE’ HEALTH CARE

THE FRASER INSTITUTE MILAGROS PALACIOS AND BACCHUS BARUA

T

he fall federal election showed that politicians across the spectr u m are happy to promise to spend more on our government-run health-care system. Whether the spending is for long-term care or pharmacare, the political solution

to any health-care problem seems to be to pump more money into it. Of course, the Canadian taxpayer is stuck with the bill. So just how large of a tab did we run up last year? While it’s fairly easy to obtain a receipt for our health-care bill ($163 billion in 2018), most Canadians remain unaware of their individual contributions. This is through no fault of their own. It’s primarily because general government revenues – not a dedicated tax – finance health care in Canada. That means we pay for health care through a variety of taxes, including income, sales and so-called sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco. Even per-person estimates ($4,389) a re m islead i ng because Canadians don’t pay equal amounts of tax each year. For example, children and dependents are not taxpayers. Meanwhile, health insurance prem iu ms i n prov i nces that

impose them only cover a fraction of the true cost of health care, which further exacerbates the confusion. In reality, the amount we pay for health care through the tax system depends on family income and size. And while difficult, it’s possible to estimate these relative contributions using data from Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information. A recent study by the Fraser Institute does just that. Calculating estimates across six common family types, the study finds that a typical Canadian family (two parents, two children) with an average household income of $140,049 will pay $13,311 for public health care this year. A single-parent family with two children (earning $65,858) will pay $3,833. The amount individual Canadian families pay for health care varies widely across the income

spectrum. For example, the 10 per cent of families with the lowest incomes (earning $15,070 per household, on average) will pay $464 for health care in 2019 while families in the top 10 per cent of income earners (with a household income of $298,872, on average) will pay $39,486. Why should we care how much Canadian families pay for health care? Because knowing how much we pay enables us to better judge whether we receive good value for our health-care dollars. For example, while some Canadians may consider these amounts reasonable for a system that provides life-saving treatment in the emergency room, others may rue the fact that despite spending thousands of dollars, they had to wait more than 26 weeks for neurosurgery last year. By comparing how much families annually contribute towards the public system, we can better

understand the impact of the growing burden of public health care. For example, between 1997 and 2019, the cost of public health care for the average Canadian family grew 1.7 times faster than the average income. However – again due to the complex nature of how we pay for health care – many Canadians are unaware of this unsustainable growth in the cost of health care relative to their incomes. These numbers should help disabuse Canadians of any notion that we have a ‘free’ health-care system. Families across Canada pay a lot for health care through our tax system, and it’s important they know just how much of the $163-billion bill is on their tab. Milagros Palacios and Bacchus Barua are analysts at the Fraser Institute.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

DECEMBER 2019

MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

River Mirror and Mowi, are now accepting nominations for their 2020 awards. Preston Jewellers, located at 979 Shoppers Row in the Discovery Inn, is permanently closing its doors. Bill Howich Chrysler named Erica Fast as the top salesperson for November. Its counterpart, Bill Howich RV & Marine, recognized Norm Potoski for the same achievement. The Strathcona Regional District announced that it will be hosting the upcoming North Island Outdoor Adventure Show. The two-day event will be held at Strathcona Gardens from April 25-26. Broadstreet Properties has been granted development approval for Campbell River’s tallest building, to be built at 525 Dogwo o d S t re et. T he 302-u n it housing structure includes four distinct phases. Phase three will consist of an 80-unit tower that will be eight storeys tall. Vic’s Printing closed on November 15. All files, materials and plates were transferred to Kast Graphics Ltd., which will continue to serve Vic’s former customers.

Swicked Cycles has now moved into their new location at 1924 14th Avenue, across from the Gymnastics Club. The Mortgage Centre named mortgage brokers Rob Fuccenecco and Jill Cook as top performers in the company.

PORT ALBERNI The Speedy Glass location at 3599 3rd Avenue is now open. Jim’s Clothes Closet’s Por t Alberni location held its grand re-opening after completing renovations. They celebrated with a sale at all four locations. T houg h the footpri nt is the same, the new layout makes the retail location look bigger, with a design that matches the Courtenay and Prince George stores.

A l b e r n i D i s t r i c t S e c o n dary School physical education teacher Doug Chase has been inducted into the World Baseball Softball Confederation Hall of Fame at a presentation ceremony in Vancouver. All Mex’d Up Taco Shop at Harbour Quayhas acquired its liquor license. Their license extends to the outdoor space, which includes a fenced area in front of the shop. The City of Port Alberni has received its permit to start up the ice refrigeration plant at the Alberni Valley Multiplex again. The multiplex had been closed since November 6, after staff noticed a low-level ammonia leak from

27

the ice refrigeration plant.

managed by Stephanie Wakelin.

After 48 years in business, local appliance repair company House of Service is closing its doors. Ed, the company’s owner closed the store permanently on November 30 to begin his retirement.

Wynans Furniture & Upholstery is celebrating their 64th anniversary. They are located at 4573 Merrifield Street.

November 30th was the Tofino Bus depot’s last day in Port Alberni. While the depot is now closed, the service will continue with two different stops in the Port Alberni, and tickets can be purchased online or over the phone. Anytime Fitness is making a home at Alberni Mall starting in 2020. The store, one of 4,000 worldwide locations, will be

Pacific West Home Solutions announced the launch of its new service division, Pacific West Home Appliance Service and Repair. The division is run by Norm and Mary, who bring a combined 31 years of industry experience. United Floors welcomes Laura to their team. Between her experience in flooring and design background, Laura brings 13 years of combined experience to the store.

Wild Coast Canna Inc. is looking for a new location for its largescale cannabis facility west of Port Alberni. The company announced its plans to build a cannapark in June, eyeing the former Pine Dell Farm, a few kilometres west of the city. CEO Brian Harris clarified that the company is not pulling out of the farm property, but is examining other options in response to upcoming bylaw changes. Space Gain Storage is now open in its location on Tebo Avenue.

PHOTO CREDIT: SUSAN QUINN ,ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS

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