AUGUST 2019
AUGUST 2019
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COWICHAN VALLEY
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Port Alberni Company Bringing Manufacturing Home From China
NANAIMO Enex Energy Corporation President, Todd Nicklin National Award Finalist
Patents, Product, Fire Up Coulson Ice Blast BY MARK MACDONALD BUSINESS EXAMINER
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INDEX News Update
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ORT A LBER NI – Foster Coulson is fired up about the success and growth of Coulson Ice Blast, and growing increasingly protective. The company’s third product, the smaller, cheaper, mass market ice blasting system IceStorm45, was launched in late July. It’s only been three years since the newest addition to The Coulson Group of Companies got underway on 3rd Avenue, with an innovative product designed to use ice or dry ice in a proprietary cleaning system. Now, the operation is taking off, in the 150,000 square foot former Woodward’s building next door, where Coulson oversees the research, development, design and assembly of the units, with plans to bring the entire manufacturing operation home from China, creating more local jobs. Everything The Coulson Group manufactures now is patented to protect thei r i ntel lectua l property, as Foster views the
company as primarily a technology business. “We put a lot of blood, sweat, tears, time, energy and money into the products we develop here, and we now have patents on everything we do here,” he says. “We’ve been in business as entrepreneurs for 60 years, and that’s a big difference from just being in business. We’ve found a way to make it work through pivoting and trying things, and moving and growing with the markets.” CV Magazine, a global media outlet focused on technology and innovation, has awarded Coulson’s IceStorm90+ as “The Most Innovative Industrial Cleaning Technology of 2018” and R&D Magazine named it as one of the top 100 technologically significant products of the year. “As we continue to stay on the world stage for industrial cleaning equipment, we continue to tote that companies in Vancouver Island can be innovative and disruptive,” Coulson says. SEE FOSTER COULSON | PAGE 11
Foster Coulson with the IceStorm45, Coulson Ice Blast’s latest product
$46.2M For Port of Nanaimo’s Duke Point Expansion Up To 900 Jobs To Be Created With Major Port Expansion Project
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ANAIMO – $46.2 million in funding announced by the federal government July 24 will enable the Port of Nanaimo to make significant infrastructure improvements and expansions at its Duke Point facilities.
“ I d on’t t h i n k we’ve ever seen this type of major financia l i nvestment i n Na na i mo before,” says Port of Nanaimo Board Chair Donna Hais. “I’m extremely excited about what this will provide for the community of Nanaimo and for the
mid-island Region as a whole; it will create a lot of well-paying jobs.” An estimated 900 jobs will be created in the region during construction, besides the long-term employees who will be working at the expanded facilities.
The funding means the existing wharf will be expanded to 325 metres from its current 182, an existing crane will be replaced with two 24-metre cranes, a new warehouse will be built for SEE PORT OF NANAIMO | PAGE 15
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AUGUST 2019
CUMBERLAND
COMOX VALLEY
Tree Island Proposes New Facility
CVRD Awards Contract for Treatment System
Tree Island Yogurt has submitted a proposal to Cumberland council to build a facility on a site at 3901 Bevan Road. The proposal includes a request to subdivide the site into six lots, one of which would be home to the new facility. The land is situated on a site north of the Comox Valley Waste Management facility that spans 6.9-hectares. Cumberland Village’s official community plan (OCP) has the site already zoned for industrial purposes, but the land is also in an environmental development permit area. Tree Island hired Ecofish to complete an inventory of the site as required by the OCP. The report detailed considerations like soils, aquifer, plant life and animals; possible impact and proposed mitigation measures. The report called for a survey of invasive plant species to be completed during growing season and concluded that remaining proposed lots would likely provide space for future light industrial development. Council agreed to refer the proposal to the Advisory Planning Commission before making a decision. T r e e I s l a n d Yo g u r t i s a C o u r t enay-based yogurt producer that is owned by Merissa Myles and Scott DiGuistini. The couple started the company after experiencing artisanal yogurt while on a trip to France. The company is currently at 3747 Island Highway South.
The Comox Valley Regional District’s (C V R D) n e w wate r t re at m e nt s y stem project is now i n the construction phase. T he CV R D pen ned a n ag reement to awa rd t he desig n a nd build contract to AECON Water Infrastructure Inc. The agreement calls for a construction start to begin this fall with the new system being complete by 2021. O nc e op erat ion a l , t he s y s tem w i l l eliminate turbidity-related boil water notices, meet current health standards and deliver high-quality, safe drinking water to Comox residents. AECON’s proposal came in with the lowest budget and included an innovative design that meets best industry practice standards. The proposal provisioned an underground pump station at Comox Lake that will remove concerns about noise and esthetic impacts to the natural setting. Designs will be shared with the community at an open house that is scheduled for the fall. T h e p ro j e c t b u d ge t h a s b e e n i ncreased to $126-million up from the 2017 estimate of $110-million in order to better ref lect i ncreased costs for labour and materials. The budget increase will be covered by an increase in contribution from reserves as well as grant funding. SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3
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PORT ALBERNI City Pitches Fish Processing Hub The City of Port Alberni has submitted a proposal to the provincial government that could see the creation of a full-scale food processing facility in a once-prosperous processing plant. The City submitted a response to the BC Ministry of Agriculture’s Request for Qualification (R FQ ) that will see the city become a contestant in a twostage competition designed to develop a nd support reg iona l food hub sites around the province. Ten regions from across the province will be invited to submit proposals to receive $750,000 for food processing equipment and training on food processing safety. Only successful candidates of the ten proponents will be awarded the funding. T h e P o r t A l b e r n i P o r t A u t h o r it y (PAPA) has offered matching funds to bring the former Port Fish plant near Tyee Landing to meet current seafood processing standards. Canadian Seafood Processing Ltd. has already secured funding to establish a seafood processing operation that will see them utilize 4,000-square-feet of the 12,000-square-feet available in the Tyee landing building. T he rema i n i ng 8,000-squa re-feet has been suggested as an ideal site for additional equipment to be configured so that the area could be used for fruit, vegetable and meat processing.
Port Fish was the former occupant of the Tyee landing building, which closed in 2011 and has since remained empty. The company was well known for processing groundfish and hake. Nuu-ch a h-nu lt h S e a fo o d L i m ite d Partnership, Cascadia Seaweed, North Island College and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District’s Agricultural Development Committee are also partnering on the project.
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CAMPBELL RIVER Council Approves Communications Towers Freedom Mobile is planning on installing two communications towers in Campbell River, enabling it to provide telecommunications services in the region on its own network. The company currently has preliminary agreements in place with the owners of the properties at 2135 Shetland Road and 2300 Airport Drive to install the new towers. While the installation for telecommunications towers is ultimately subject to federal approval, Campbell River council provided comment recently to Innovation Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada, the federal organization responsible for making the decisions on land use for telecommunications towers. Council indicated they would like to ensure that environmental monitoring of the tributary of Willow Creek, next to the Airport Drive site takes place during
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AUGUST 2019
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installation. They also indicated that the existing trees surrounding the Shetland Road property should be preserved. While the federal agency has the ultimate say in the approval of the installation, it does require that proponents try to address concerns raised by residents and municipal governments. Council voted in favor of the proposals with the two given conditions and is planning to develop a policy to clarify its position on applications that come before the city in the future. No timeline is currently available for the installation of the towers. Freedom Mobile was formerly known as Wind Mobile and is owned by Shaw Communications.
LADYSMITH Holland Creek Begins Phase Two Phase two of a plan to add 610 housing units to Ladysmith over the next two decades is now underway. The multi-phased Holland Creek development launched its second phase recently, after completing the first phase this spring. Phase two will see 38 single-family homes added to the 26 completed in phase one. Additional phases of development are being planned in conjunction with market demand. EDJ Projects, led by Jim Dickinson, is the developer behind the project that is 50 per cent owned by the Stz’uminus First Nation. Roughly 43 per cent of the total development has been designated as a green
space, which includes paths and walking trails that connect to Heart Lake and Stocking Lake. In comparison, housing developments typically dedicate about 4 per cent of land to green space. The prioritization of environmental stewardship was emphasized by the Stz’uminus First Nation which is a 50 per cent shareholder in the development. The Nation originally owned the land and released it to the provincial government years ago to be used for expanding Ladysmith. Once the land was released for sale, Stz’uminus acquired it and began the process of developing the property.
CUMBERLAND Village Moves Forward On Natural Gas The Village of Cumberland has agreed to help Fortis BC find a site in the community for a vehicle filling station. Fortis has been meeting with local and regional governments to establish a station to use gas produced from landfill sites to help fuel vehicles, particularly the area’s waste collection trucks. Council approved a motion that calls for staff to work with the natural gas utility to find a location for a compressed natural gas (CNG) or renewable CNG (R-CNG) multi-fueling station in Cumberland. The motion also called for considering a requirement for CNG or R-CNG to be in new waste collection contracts and for multi-fueling stations to be referred to during a following strategic planning SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 22
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DIGITAL
AUGUST 2019
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99 PROBLEMS, 1 GOAL
BE DIGITAL JOHN MACDONALD
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dentifying potential customers with buying intent can be an immensely challenging task in today’s marketing world. Google AdWords, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other social platforms, those nosey display ads that follow you around on your online browsing, mobile ads, the list goes on. How do you know exactly what platform(s) potential customers are using? Even if you select the correct channel, through either a research or gut instinct-based approach, how do you know if the customer has plans to buy? In the majority of sales transactions, whether consumer or business to business, there is a face-to-face component taking place. Especially at the local and regional levels. Auto sales happen on the lot, legal transactions take place in an
Identify potential buyers expressing purchasing intent in areas as small as 500 square feet to convert them to customers. office or courtroom, tourism and hospitality rely on out of town visitors, the list goes on. Resea rch a nd some “shopping” does occur pre-purchase. Whether it takes place in-person or online largely depends on the product and service type. Keeping in mind the relationship between physical location, pre-p u rch a se re se a rch a nd
buying intent, the question now becomes: How to identify the physical location and behaviour of potential customers, AND market to them across any of the digital platforms they use? Step 1 - Identify potential buyers by marking the locations of competitors and pre-purchase indicators.
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T h i n k ‘c h i ro p ra c to r ’ a n d ‘physiotherapist’ visitors as a pre-purchase indicator for a personal injury lawyer. ‘T hink ‘Toyota’ dealership v i sitors a s a n i nd ic ator for ‘Honda’ purchases. ‘Think ‘new car’ dealership visitors as an indicator for ‘auto repair and servicing’ purchases. Step 2 - Connect with these identified buyers by displaying your company’s products and serv ices to them across a ny device they own with internet connectivity. Step 3 - Influence them with an offer redeemed by visit, call, or online form fill by remarketing to them across their online v iew i ng beh av iou r t h roug h d i s p l a y, s e a r c h a n d v i d e o marketing. Step 4 - Convert buyers displ ay i n g i ntent ion a l b uy i n g behaviour by measuring conversions through store visits,
phone calls, or online lead form completions. Process-wise, the answer is straightforward enough, but actually executing and measuring a campaign like this requires an experienced digital marketing team with expertise in each marketing channel. Your company may be lucky enough to have a large marketing department to fulfill these kinds of digital strategies. However, if you don’t have these resources readily available, and are interested in leveraging this buying intent identification strategy, a digital marketing agency like BE Digital can help make it possible. 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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NANAIMO
AUGUST 2019
EUROPEAN SPECIALTY ANNOUNCES NEW LOCATION FOR NEXT YEAR T he i mpor t auto sa les a nd Ian Marr Named President Underhood 70 Air Compressor NANAIMO service operation has been at for 2019 RAM trucks with CumMARK MACDONALD
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uropean Specialty Automotive Services is gearing up for a move to a new location next year.
1702 Northfield Road since its inception, and will be moving in next to other vehicle dealerships at the under construction area in the former Madills site between Labieux Road and the Laird Wheaton GM dealership on Bowen Road. Port of Nanaimo President & CEO Ian Marr has been appointed President of the Association of Pacific Ports (APP).
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Marr, who was named CEO of the Port of Nanaimo last fall, was chosen to head the APP at its 106th Annual Conference July 1417 in Portland, Oregon. Nanaimo will host the event in 2020, from August 9-12. The APP is a trade and information association founded in 1913 as the Pacific Coast Association of Port Authorities (PCA PA) for the pu r pose of promoting increased efficiency and effectiveness of the ports of the Pacific. There are currently 27 members of the APP and 47 associate members, from Canada, the United States (Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii), and countries as far away as Tonga and Taiwan. NAI Commercial Central Vancouver Island Ltd. is moving
Of Association Of Pacific Ports
from Skinner Street to the 460 Realty offices at 102-1551 Estevan Road in Terminal Park. They will be in their new location August 23. A tip of the hat to Derek Rickwood of Rickwood Menswear & Art Service, who has created a new presentation for professional men and women called “Dress For Success”. He is also having his first traditional paint exhibition about Vancouver Island on October 26, to support the Pacific Salmon Foundation. www.derekrickwood.com. Congratulations to VMAC for earning a place on the Great Place To Work’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing list, joining the top 11 manufacturing organizations in Canada. VMAC President Tod Gilbert made the announcement. V M AC has also released its
mins diesel engines.
Nanaimo City Council has announced that Jake Rudolph will remain as the City of Nanaimo’s Chief Administrative Officer on a permanent basis. Smythe LLP has promoted 12 managers across its three office locations, including Lesley France and Alanna Mann, both CPAs, in Nanaimo. Nanaimo council has approved a 181 unit mixed-use development in Harewood at 560 Third Street, that is bordered by Lambert and Howard Avenues. DLX on Third is a Wertman Development Corporation designed by Wensley Architecture Ltd., and will consist of two four-storey buildings, one of which will include commercial space on the ground level. Re d H a re Re a lty D evelopment wants to build a 32-unit, five-storey residential building at 930 Terminal Avenue that will include a 2,000 square foot coffee shop on the ground floor. T he development would be nex t to the Cypress Glen SEE NANAIMO | PAGE 7
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facilities, and Island West Coast Developments is doing the work. Evening Cove Oysters has moved from Stewart Avenue to 1844 Thatcher Road, and is selling its Booth Bay oyster farm on Saltspring Island. A new daycare facility is going into the Quarterway Fitness building at 1451 Bowen Road, ca l led Nanaimo Little Champions Daycare. Remedy Coffee has opened at 10 Chapel Street in downtown Nanaimo. EB Games is moving inside Woodgrove Centre, from #27 to unit 102. The International Widows and Orphans Fund (IWOF) and the Grace Orphanage
Enjoying the Party For A Purpose, from left: Johann Van Rensburg, Dr. Kristen Butler, Jami Christie and Kerianne Hamelin
NANAIMO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
Apartments and Colonial Motel, and will include three townhouse units and a rooftop garden. Joyce Reid Troost Architecture is involved with the project. After many years as the Marketing Director at Woodgrove Centre, Nola Dunn is moving on. She will now join the sales team at The Wolf and The Wave radio stations, which operate under the Jim Pattison Group banner. A gluten free kitchen is being installed at 3-1850 Northfield Road for Rawmba’s Commissary, which will be a distribution centre for vegan and gluten free products. Tilray is planning an expansion to its Duke Point operations, in both the office and warehouse. Na na i mo restau rateu r Gaetan
Brousseau, well-known for his previous culinary exploits at Mon Petit Choux and The Bistro at Westwood Lake, is about to get back into the business, in the former location of Rewsters Restaurant on Commercial Street. The new eatery is expected to open in September. Venue Financial has moved its office to 4-1708 Bowen Road. Renovations are taking place on both floors at the 5777 Turner Road location of TD Canada Trust. In the same Longwood Station shopping centre, the BC Liquor Store is expanding, and MD Financial is moving into the former Blue Ginger restaurant on the upper level of the centre. Mood Cannabis is the name of the new business at 5-6404 Metral Drive. Port Place Hair Spa has new managers: T h e Ch i ld D evelopment Cent re i s getting an expansion to their Daycare
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in the Congo was the recipient of over $61,000, the proceeds from a recent Grace Ministries fundraiser “Party For A Purpose”. This from Johann van Rensburg, Manager of the Business Centre at BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada), who was overwhelmed with the generosity of local businesses and individuals. The funding will go towards a communal water supply including drilling a water well, water towers, tanks and piping; a solar power system, construction of a communal kitchen, beds and mattresses for new homes, and ongoing construction and operating costs. Mark MacDonald writes about business in Nanaimo. Tell him your story by emailing him at mark@businessexaminer.ca
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AUGUST 2019
K2 CONSTRUCTION CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF BUILDING COMMUNITY Company Thrives Despite Changing Construction Industry
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OW ICH A N VA L L E Y Handing over the keys is their favourite moment. For 30 years now, K2 Construction owner-founder Kevin Fraser and his team have crafted homes for their Cowichan Valley neighbours. Driving around town they see their work. Visiting the grocery store, they are greeted by previous clients. “Throughout the project, we form a strong bond,” Fraser said. “At the end, we give them the keys to their new well-built home, genuinely adding value to their lives.” Site supervisor Rick Porter, who has worked with Fraser for 27 years, agrees, saying “At the end of the job, it’s always nice to hand the keys to the homeowner for a brand-new, sparkly, wellbuilt house.” Constructing a well-built house is a coordinated process honed over decades. When Fraser founded K2 Construction in 1989, he wa nted a compa ny that was well-respected for its workmanship, solid core values, and delivering as promised. His vision was
backed with experience and education: He had University of BC diplomas in appraisal, finance and management, a decade of handson carpentry and more than 20 years’ experience in construction management. Now 30 years later, he has built K2 into a reputable builder of custom homes and acknowledges there were some bumps along the way, most being shifts in the market and changes in the industry. A decade after he started his business, there was an economic downturn, starting in 1999, and construction contracts just dried up. K2 was still a relatively young company, busy building its reputation and developing the company’s networks, so the recession hit hard. Fraser kept the company solvent by being flexible. When contracts dwindled, he switched his team to general contracting, building spec homes, commercial buildings and handling renovations. “Construction was a challenging career to take on but I managed to weather the industry downturns,” he recalls. In the mid 2000’s, the company was invited to do several joint venture housing projects, at the same time clients also began requesting custom homes again. In 2007, with the joint ventures completed, Fraser re-focused his company solely on its core custom
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The entrance to this west coast contemporary home features custom tiles, a teak door, and unique cement board siding home business. These are Fraser’s favourite builds. “We find it rewarding to help a family through the process of creating their home,” he says, adding that some clients enter the process with apprehension, either from previous experience or media reports about difficult contractors. K2 works directly with the family on implementing their vision for their home, while keeping the process as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. It’s not unusual that, by the end of the build, the new homeowners are inviting the K2 team over for a celebratory barbecue. They often also become friends. “We’ll meet these people in the community for the next 5- 10 or more years,” he says. One previous client recently approached K2 to build a guest cottage, 15 years after K2 built their main home. When the economy dipped after the financial crisis of 2008, K2 was well-enough established in the Cowichan Valley that the contracts continued to flow in. Roughly half of K2’s clients are already residents of the Cowichan
K2 updated an older waterfront home to create this sleek and modern interior, with wood tongue and groove walls, wood and barn floor, and a massive stone fireplace Valley, and the remainder are new arrivals. Ages range from young families and middle-aged baby boomers with teens, to empty-nesters building their retirement dream home. Some hear of K2 by word-ofmouth, or from testimonials on the company’s website. References like: “T he best indicator of high-quality workmanship and
pride is what people do with the parts of a home that you cannot see when it is complete. After watching our home and others around us being built, it is obvious that the quality and pride of K2 is far above the rest of the industry.” “Not only did they (K2) keep their promises, they added value in numerous ways, in suggestions SEE K2 CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 9
Congratulations K2 construction on 30 successful years, we look forward to continuing our successful partnership
Congratulations to K2 Construction on 30 years of very high standards! Glad to have been a part of the success.
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AUGUST 2019
K2 crafted a dream kitchen as part of a whole home renovation. Appliances were wood-panelled to blend into the tongue-andgroove wood walls and wood barn flooring. Custom cabinetry provides extensive out-of-sight storage
K2 CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
on a better way to do things, how to save me money without compromising quality, again a highly valuable trait that unfortunately many companies today do not offer. But K2 does!” “This is how house construction should always be. On time – in fact a week early – and under budget, yet nothing but top quality from top to bottom. We did our homework and learned that K2 was the best in the Valley and well worth waiting for;” Because of its popularity, K2 is tasked with managing demand, mea n i ng somet i mes cl ients must wait for an opening in their schedule. “We’re always careful not to take on more than we can thoroughly manage,” Fraser says, noting that at times, the company turns away as many contracts as it accepts. At any one time, K2 will have three to four simultaneous builds underway, all of them meticulously planned to make the most of every hour. Porter oversees the stages, drawing on his experience with
K2 to ensure every project stays on its interlocked schedule. He has also mentored Jared Morton, who joined the company 12 years ago, to give K2 a second expert site supervisor. Porter describes the sequencing of a typical job with a fluidity, as each trade comes in on time and merges into the next section. First the foundation, then the initial framing, usually overseen by Morton. Porter comes onto the site just before the mechanical trades. He monitors the finishing framing. Plumbers, HVAC, and electrical enter on cue to complete their installations. Details are important. For example, Porter makes sure the electricians install switch boxes at the same height, using a laser level to confirm the alignment. This is especially important above counters. It ensures that when a tile backsplash is added later, tile cuts and grout lines will be perfectly straight. The next steps are insulation and drywall, followed by primer and the first coat of paint. Paint is the start of the visible finishing. It leads into flooring, tile and stonework. The finish carpenter
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SEE K2 CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 10
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they have not been able to visit for a few weeks, and seeing their response to how far the project has progressed from the last time they saw it. “We show up to an empty lot and a few months later, there’s a house,” he says. “I get a good sense of accomplishment from that because we’re creating a product.” For clients who cannot visit the build site, K2 shares frequent updates and images via the internet. Communication is constant, so homeowners are linked in real time and able to provide input on the project as it is being built. K2 also uses software for estimating, project management, and budget tracking to keep the entire
YEARS!
A clean, minimalist design creates a bath setting worthy of a high-end spa for these homeowners
does a star turn as cabinets and woodwork are installed. Porter lends a hand when needed, but otherwise sees himself as a conductor, noting “I ensure the tradespeople come when required and complete what they need to complete on schedule.” T he schedule is important. When multiple homes are being constructed, the projects are synchronized in sequence so no time is wasted waiting on trades. Subtrades are scheduled so they can move from house to house, finishing up their part of the project in one house, then moving to the next. Having worked with many of the sub-trades for a decade or more, Porter knows they will meet the schedule. He enjoys seeing homeowners stop by the job site, especially if
build on schedule and on budget. For Morton, software is a tool that supports his commitment to the clients. “If I said we’re going to have your house locked up by November 14, I’ll do everything I can to make that happen,” he says. Fraser developed the K2 team by looking for people with that same work ethic and attitude, pointing out that often, attitude is more important than experience. Porter joined K2 in 1992. He had worked in construction and helped his dad build the family home, but then found work in island sawmills. However, he was looking for something more stable in terms of employment, met Fraser, was impressed, and never looked back. “I thought he was the best
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K2 CONSTRUCTION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
builder I worked with,” he recalls. “He started showing me the ropes – most importantly the need to be accurate so that everything is square, strong and built correctly.” In 2007, Morton had completed his pre-apprenticeship carpentry program at Vancouver Island University. He asked his instructor to recommend a reputable company, where he could work and gain the right kind of skills, and was pointed towards K-2. “That was the first one I talked to – and the last one I talked to,” Morton says, adding he has worked for K-2 ever since. He is now a lead carpenter and site supervisor.
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Making the most of every inch of Cowichan Lake waterfront, this custom home includes glass walls to bring in the view, an outdoor kitchen and a covered patio. Massive folding doors allow seamless passage from outside to inside Peter Greenway joined K-2 in 2016 as a contracts manager, bringing project and permit management experience. Hiring Greenway was part of Fraser’s succession plan for K2. Key staff have always received shares in the company and now two of those shareholders are preparing to take over. After Morton joined K2 in 2007, he demonstrated enough commitment to become a minority shareholder, which took place four years ago. Within the next year, he will become a co-owner. The other co-owner will be Greenway. He was selected to join the company in 2016 because his skills and background perfectly complemented Morton as a future co-owner. Together they have
the attitudes, construction background, and project management skills to maintain K2’s reputation and standards. Morton and Greenway plan to take over the company sometime in 2020. Fraser is looking forward to semi-retirement although he will be available as a consultant to K2. Porter hopes to keep working, adding “I can’t quite retire yet so hopefully they’ll hire me back for a year or two.” As pending co-owners, Morton and Greenway recognize the constant shifts that exist in the construction industry. That includes continuing to navigate increasing environmental regulations including flood and earthquake protection; dealing with increased
scrutiny of building materials; and meet demands that homes be eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and cost-effective. Greenway also deals with all the new regulatory requirements and changes. Some are directly aimed at development and construction while others, like the mortgage stress-test, have a broader impact on the housing market. The team is tasked with protecting the K 2 standard and reputation in an increasingly challenging market, and is confident it can succeed. Some of the building lots their projects are on present their own unique sets of circumstances. Greenway notes that, for example, available waterfront lots
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in the Cowichan Valley tend to be steeper, rocky, and heavily treed. Carving out a building site can require blasting, which creates another layer of dealing with bureaucracy. “The easy stuff has long since been built on,” he said. “The properties we’re looking at now come with a whole new set of challenges.” To date, K2 has always found a way to make it work, even as costs continue to rise, along with expectations. Over the three decades, Fraser has noticed an uptick in the demand for luxury items like hardwood floors, granite countertops, steam showers and soaker tubs. At the same time, operating costs are dropping as homes are better-built and heating/cooling system become more energy efficient. Another factor is the internet, which offers homeowners inspiration from projects around the world, as well as in-progress access to viewing their jobs online. With all the changes, Greenway and Morton are looking forward to, and up to the challenges and opportunities that await K2 Construction, because they “want to keep handing over those keys. “It’s incredibly rewarding to build a home for a family, to go through all those hurdles, and then to hand over the keys with a big smile and hug,” Greenway says. www.k2construction.com
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OFF THE COVER
AUGUST 2019
Port Alberni Company Bringing Manufacturing Home From China FOSTER COULSON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Not surprising, considering Coulson Ice Blast (CIB) grew over 500 per cent last year, a pace that h a s a l re a dy b e e n s u rpassed in 2019. Coulson Ice Blast also announced that Steamatic Restoration & Cleaning, one of the largest restoration franchisee companies in the world is adding Coulson Ice Blast to their fleet. “This is big news in the cleaning world and really puts our technology as a major contender in the industry,” he says, noting the product is competing in an industry that produces $1 billion in revenues annually. “We’re in a very s t ro n g g ro w t h p e r i o d right now, and it’s just a matter of controlling the growth.” Wayne Coulson is CEO of The Coulson Group of Compa n ies, wh ich h i s father, Cliff, started in 1960. Today, the Coulson Group leads in a variety of global industries including Coulson Aviation which is responsible for
ma i nta i n i ng a nd operat i n g t he re-p u r p osed B o e i n g 7 37 a i r pl a n e s, C-130 Hercules and helicopters used to fight fires throughout the world. The company has historically shown an acute ability to be proactive and move ahead of markets, and Foster says, “It’s an i nteresti ng ti me i n ou r company’s history. We’ve moved from forestry and logging to new products where we own the intellectual property.” Registering patents is a critica l aspect of the process, as Foster cites a situation in 2010 where Coulson Forest Products spent five years developing an innovative combined cedar veneer/siding product, only to see competitors sit back, wait and copy their designs – then compete against Coulson in big box stores across North America. “ We took h ig h-g rade cedar boards, sliced them into thinner veneers that were glued to low-grade cedar for cedar siding in homes,” he recalls. “But it was a race to the (price)
bottom, and we got out at the right time,” he says, vowing to go the patent route from then on. Coulson sold their Port Alberni sawmill operation to the Surrey-based San Group in 2017. Foster says ma nu facturing in Canada, while prev iously bei ng less cost-effective, now bec o m e s v i a b l e d u e to a f leet of 3-Di mensiona l printers. “ We c a n m a k e t h e m more efficiently here now, rather than having them manufactured abroad,” he says, adding a recently announced $800,000 grant from Western Econ o m ic D ive rsi f ic at io n Canada will also help in the process. “T h is w i l l ma ke a big d i f ferenc e i n ter m s of quality,” he adds. “This g ives us so much more control over the process, and it will result in a good amount of jobs. We have 25 here now, and we will soon have over 50 people wo rk i n g i n t h e b u i l ding. This is good for Port Alberni.” www.coulsongroup.com
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n today’s economic environment, business success is no longer defined by only monetary gain but also by the affect it has on people and the planet. Referred to as triple bottom line or social impact, businesses seek to gauge an organization’s level of commitment to corporate social responsibility and its impact on the environment over time. In our complex and ever evolving world, I believe that many of us are becoming more engaged in what our business impact is in our community, the environment and how we conduct ourselves both here a nd abroad. More people are thinking about sustainability and the three
“P’s – people, planet and profit”. As leaders, many of us are thinking that we can and should do more. Fair trade (human rights and poverty reduction), social impact investment, environmental stewardship, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and Farm to Table are all commitments to corporate social responsibility. Community governments have begun to adopt social procurement policies. The Village of Cumberland uses a social procurement framework to leverage public dollars and achieve desirable and targeted social impact for their community through competitive bidding and purchasing activities. Their procurement framework expands on the traditional understanding of “best value” to include positive societal benefits, alongside high quality and competitive bids. Often small to medium si zed busi ness g rapple with how they can adopt or implement practices that address social impact. Recently, I read an article in Nanaimo Magazine
that illustrates how Gabriel’s Café, a local eatery in Nanaimo, is tackling sustainability and growing community on Vancouver Island. Concerned with whole food and local sourcing, they buy direct from farmers’ whenever possible. T heir kitchen operates at zero waste and recycling, upcycling and composting are foundational practices at their establishment. They also give to the community through their very own ‘Soup Token Program’ allowing for homeless citizens to escape the weather and enjoy a hot bowl of soup in their establishment. Small steps with powerful results! Leadership in business and community need to challenge their current status quo and begin to shift mindsets to how we can find solutions for a better tomorrow that include people, planet and profit. Jolynn Green is Executive Director of Community Futures Central Island. Jolynn can be reached at ed@cfnanaimo.org or 250-591-7499.
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POLICY DISCUSSION AIMS TO IMPROVE BUSINESS CLIMATE ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
COWICHAN VALLEY SONJA NAGEL
O
n July 30, fifteen Chambers of Commerce from Vancouver Island and The Gulf Islands met with 21 government
representatives—including Deputy Ministers and Assistant Deputy Ministers across 11 ministries —to discuss both local and pan-provincial issues affecting businesses on Vancouver Island. Typically, the BC Chamber sits down with government to review the policies adopted at the BC Chamber AGM, followed by regular updates to the 120 Chambers across BC of the steps being taken by various levels of government to address issues impacting BC businesses. This year, the Government suggested a new format which was rolled out in Nanaimo as the first-ever Vancouver Island Regional Consultation, Policy and
Positions Meeting with the BC Government. The Island consortium presented policies which contained recommendations to various government ministries. Specifically, the Vancouver-Gulf Islands consortium addressed the pan provincial issues including: Taxation (Competitiveness), Species-At-Risk Act legislation and considering the impacts on business, Transportation and Infrastructure, Emergency Management and Housing. Vancouver Island and Gulf Island regional concerns included: Aquaculture opportunities for Canadian Seafood producers, Protecting
old-growth rainforest to the economic benefit of tourism-based communities, Supporting land based cideries, wineries, and distilleries, Promoting innovation in regional solid waste management, and Addressing barriers to succession planning for SMEs. It was an enlightening process for both Chamber and Government representatives, to share perspectives and learn where there is opportunity for progress and successes on several policies affecting our island communities and businesses. We look forward to working collaboratively with government in the year ahead that will expand opportunities
for business and to strengthen the Island economy. Welcome new members to the Duncan Cowichan Chamber: Cowichan Housing Association, Mill Bay Masonry, LMG Insurance Services, Sands and Associates, Bay to Bay Charters, Duncan Pharmacy, Cowichan Valley Bluegrass Festival, Sheer Essentials Lingerie and Swim, and Seymour Digital Media. 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.
COMOX VALLEY
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AUGUST 2019
MANY BUSINESSES CONTRIBUTE TO LONG STANDING SUCCESS OF CHAMBER
I COMOX VALLEY DIANNE HAWKINS
t’s i ncre d i ble wh at c a n happen in a century. As the Chamber celebrates turning 100 years young this year, we’ve been reflecting on how the Chamber has stayed a consistent part of the community since 1919. We feel it’s worth turning the focus onto some of our long-standing members who have supported the Chamber throughout the years.
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CIBC h a s b e en a memb er of t he Ch a mber si nce 1919 (100 years!) and is a strong advocate for the local business community. In addition to offering banking services, C I B C s u p p o r t s n u m e ro u s cha ritable i n itiatives each year, like YANA and KidStart, th rough CIBC Miracle Day. We a re proud to have thei r support through 2019 as one of ou r Corporate Pa rtners, a s wel l a s Head l i ne Sponsors for our birthday party in September, the Centen n ia l Celebration. Wa y p o i n t I n s u r a n c e i n Courtenay, formerly Vancouver Island InsuranceCentre, has been a member since 1968. It was way back in 1863 when t hen BC L a nd & Insu ra nce Group recorded its first transaction in the Comox Valley. Now Waypoint has locations across the island and on the mainland. Since 1978, the same year t hey op ene d for b u si ne ss, D e s o l a t i o n S o u n d Ya c h t Charters has been a member. They focus on creating a green boat i ng ex p er ience. Ca n’t afford your own ‘yacht’ just charter one from Desolation Sound Yacht Charters. I n 1 9 8 0 , C o m o x Va l l e y Hyundai, Service Canada and
Jackson & Associates became Chamber members. For more than 35 years, Comox Valley Hyundai has been a trusted and respected car dealer on Vancouver Island. Jackson & Associates has been providi ng i ndependent appra i sa l and consulting services in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast for almost 40 years. Service Canada plays an integral part in providing essential federal services to the Comox Valley. Our ‘younger’ members have their own milestones to celebrate this year. ACS Computer Solutions, a member since 2001, is celebrating 25 years of business in the Comox Valley. ACS gives back to the local community by donating to a different charitable organization each month through their computer recycling program. So far, ACS has donated over $1,200 to local charities, including Habitat for Humanity, Kitty Kat PALS, YANA and the Boys and Girls Club. The team at Hot Chocolates (Chamber member since 1993) and Cakebread Artisan Bakery pedalled their way to a winning spot in the Comox Valley Regional District’s Commuter Challenge this year. They also helped raise over $13,000
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through the Best Valley Vonka Fundraiser for YANA. Not on ly are these organizations long-time Chamber members, they are also longtime community members. Some of these organizations were in business long before they joined the Chamber, and some of them have changed ownership throughout their lifetime. We’ll be celebrating our long-time members at a n e x c lu s ive M i l e s ton e ceremony on September 28. A fter the ceremony, everyone is invited to come to our birthday bash, the Centennial Celebration, which features l ive music f rom t he w i ld ly entertaining band, the Timebenders and local, craft beer from Land and Sea Brewing Co. Tickets are available on ou r website, w w w.comoxvalleychamber.com. The Comox Valley Chamber is proud of its accomplishments since 1919 and is looking forward to the next 100. Dianne Hawkins, CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber: Building Good Business For more information on the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit: www. comoxvalleychamber.com or call 250-334-3234.
OFF THE COVER
AUGUST 2019
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Up To 900 Jobs To Be Created With Major Port Expansion Project
An aerial view of Duke Point Terminal, with the Upland Expansion Area at right
PORT OF NANAIMO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
general cargo, a new maintenance and administration building, truck gate, increasing the terminal’s storage area and upgrades will be made for electrical, sewer, drainage, water and security systems around the facility. The funding announcement by Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, came after months of work by the Port of Nanaimo team, which included terminal operator D.P. World. “This has been a team effort, and we’re all celebrating together,” Hais ads. “This improves our ability to receive goods directly here in
Nanaimo, and provide for all of Vancouver Island.” Port of Nanaimo CEO Ian Marr says the funding is an integral step towards the Port’s goal of expanding its short-sea shipping and cargo operations. Mr. Marr comments: “I would especially like to recognize our past Board Chair, Michelle Corfield, for the volume of work she has done on this project since its inception.” Marr adds, “With our location and the high volumes of cargo moving into and out of Vancouver and Vancouver Island, we are ideally situated to become the primary point of entry and exit for trans-shipment of goods for Vancouver Island,” says Marr.
“Our new equipment and facilities will make us an ideal, attractive and efficient option for local, national and international companies. We’re coming off our best financial year yet, and we expect these new developments will allow us to create new growth for the region.” The announcement is the latest major announcement for the Port of Nanaimo, which opened the Vehicle Processing Centre in the spring. The federal government contributed $6.3 million towards that project, which created 200 jobs during construction and will have 80-100 full-time workers once peak capacity of processing 50,000 vehicles to be is reached.
Port of Nanaimo Director Michelle Corfield, Port VP of Asset Management Emil Tomescu, Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse, DP World General Manager Maksim Mihic, Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau, Port President and CEO Ian Marr, and Port Board Chair Donna Hais
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AUGUST 2019
AUTOMOTIVE Sponsored by
Fastest Growing Industry Has Transportation Ministry Taking Key Actions BY BETH HENDRY-YIM
K
ey actions by both the provincial and federal governments aim to address the trucking industries growing demand for safer roads, skilled drivers, more efficient infrastructure, fair and balanced compensation, and regulated technology. With transportation rapidly evolving, in part to avoid disruptions in service and keep goods moving, the government strategies will see vital changes positively impacting consumers and truckers. “This is an invisible industry,” said Dave Earle, president and CEO of the BC Trucking Association. “People don’t know it’s there until they stop being able to buy the things they want and need.” Safety is the priority, and standardized regulations around Electron ic L ogg i ng Dev ices (ELDs) will ensure drivers comply with hours of service rules, which limit the amount of time they can operate a commercial heavy truck. “With ELD’s, everything is tracked from pit stops to downtime. Drivers can be 13 hours on the road and that’s it,” said
Earle, adding that, by June 2021 drivers and trucking companies that operate federally – on routes across Canada – must have devices in place and working and providing real-time information for improved safety and efficiency. “There will be no more paper log books, so people won’t be able to cheat!” he stressed. “Plus, the information gathered will give companies a good understanding of what’s happening on the road from speed and fuel consumption to switch point efficiency.” Improving switch points, Earle says, where one driver turns the keys over to the next, means fewer hours on the road for individual drivers and the opportunity to get home at night. “We need to find ways of attracting drivers and most workers find getting home at night appealing.” According to Stats Canada, the trucking industry has the highest vacancy rate of any sector in BC, at 17 per cent. Earle said that trucking companies are continuously looking to hire qualified workers. “If they don’t have a driver, a load doesn’t get transported. SEE AUTOMOTIVE | PAGE 17
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AUTOMOTIVE
AUGUST 2019
17
The McKenzie Interchange could cut up to 20 minutes off commute time between Victoria and Colwood
Growth of BC Trucking beats out all other industries at 3 per cent in 2018
AUTOMOTIVE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
That effects more than just the industry!” In an effort bring stability to the industry, on the recommendation of the BC container trucking commissioner’s rate and remuneration report, the BC government changed the rate structure for container truck drivers to include a 2 per cent trip and hourly rate increase. Effective June 1, 2019 the rate structure will help ensure fair compensation for drivers. Claire Trevena, Minister of T ra n s p or t at ion a n d I n f rastructure said that as a result of the report, “…we are creating an enhanced rate structure and implementing several measures, which will benefit more than 1,700 hard-working British Columbians and their families. With these actions, we are delivering on our commitment to act on the 2014 Joint Action Plan, and we are going even further to benefit drivers and the industry.” The primary focus for employers is to find employees with strong skills. Earle says that most employers want experience from their drivers and support a government mandated entry level training program. In a 2018 audit of commercial driving license standards, fi nd i ngs showed that heav y
commercial trucks represent three per cent of vehicles on the road but are involved in 19 per cent of fatal accidents. “Safety on our highways is our top priority and advancing the
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Claire Trevena said that southern Vancouver island is one of the fastest growing regions in the province skill development of new commercial drivers would make roads even safer for everyone,” said
Dave Earle, president and CEO of the BC Trucking Association said trucking is an invisible yet vital industry Trevena. “The BC Trucking Association has recommended that BC consider minimum standards for
entry-level training for Class 1 drivers, and this focused consultation is designed to help us define and set effective standards,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “Everyone has a stake in ensuring that new commercial drivers have a minimum body of skills and knowledge before they begin operating some of the largest and heaviest vehicles on BC roads.” But Earle said, that training can be expensive for new commercial drivers and employers are stepping up and in some cases working with government funded programs to ensure the costs aren’t stopping potential new workers. SEE AUTOMOTIVE | PAGE 18
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AUTOMOTIVE
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Changes in insurance coverage will also come into effect this fall. ICBC will be considering the personal driving history of the commercial driver to determine costs of coverage. For those who may not have a clean personal driving record it may put up the cost of their commercial insurance. Although the issues of employment and regulations impact all of BC, Vancouver Island and Victoria present another real problem for transportation stability. “T he Island geography and fragility of its infrastructure is unique,” Earle explained. “If there is congestion on the Malahat, there is no alternate route.”
He added that, although completion of the McKenzie interchange will help with traffic flow to a certain extent, a few miles down the highway, traffic once again hits a congestion point. “Our members spend a lot of wasted time sitting in traffic.” In January, the ministry announced that it is taking a comprehensive and co-ordinated look at the issue of traffic flow. “ We k n o w t h a t s o u t h e r n Vancouver Island is one of the fastest-growing regions in the province,” said Trevena. “For too long, the infrastructure needs of the communities there have been ignored. It is time we start investing in long-term, innovative, multi-modal solutions to address congestion, while respecting and
honouring the wishes and rights of local First Nations.” Part of the strategy, the ministry said, will be to look at the feasibility of a temporary emergency detour route that could be activated in the event of a Malahat road closure. With growth of BC trucking beating out all other industries, at 3 per cent in 2018, making the industry safe, efficient and appealing, is a priority. “Everything you see around you now,” Earle said. “Unless you grew it in your yard, somewhere along the line it came on the back of a truck. If we don’t have a safe and efficient transportation network and supply chain we simply aren’t living the life we want or need.”
AUGUST 2019
The BC government changed the rate structure for container truck drivers to include a 2% trip and hourly rate increase to help offset higher operational costs
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AUGUST 2019
ENEX ENERGY CORPORATION PRESIDENT NAMED FINALIST FOR NATIONAL AWARD Nicklin Keeps Fuel In The Family
N
A NA I MO - Without question, the petroleum industry energizes Todd Nicklin. Others have taken notice, as the President of Enex Energy Corporation, Nicklin has been named a finalist in the Natural Resources and Energy sector for the Pacific Region of the 2019 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Being nominated is the first step in the process, and a judges reception was held in Vancouver in July to determine the finalists. An October 3 gala at the Vancouver Convention Centre will unveil the Pacific Region winner who will head to the national awards banquet in Toronto in January. Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year will represent the country at the International Awards Ceremony in Monaco next year. “It’s certainly not something I expected…our banker nominated me in the spring,” says Nicklin. “As much as this seems to be an individual award, we really couldn’t do it alone. We have an amazing, knowledgeable team and we couldn’t have done this without them.” There are three divisions under the Enex Energy Corporation umbrella that offer Esso fuels and Mobil lubricants. Enex Fuels, based on Vancouver Island, was started in 1996 as Nicklin Petroleum, changing to Enex Fuels after merging with South Island Fuels in 2009. Fuelex Energy on the lower mainland, is the amalgamation of two companies purchased in January, 2016 and December, 2018. Peace Country Petroleum Sales, which operates in Grande Prairie, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson, came into the fold in September, 2018. Each division has about 50 employees, for 150 overall. There are four main business segments: Delivered Fuels (Home heating oils, diesel, gasoline and aviation fuels), Lubricants (bulk
Enex Aviation Service fuels up planes at Nanaimo Airport
Enex Energy Corporation President Todd Nicklin and packaged), Cardlocks (9 locations) and Equipment (sales, service and installation). “We are fortunate to be small enough to really care about our customers and large enough to provide a full suite of products, services and programs that our customers require,” Nicklin says. “Our aim is to conduct business with our focus on serving our customers exceptionally well, in a safe and responsible manner. Our
Todd Nicklin, second from left, with Mobil 1 Lube Express team members award winning team has decades of industry knowledge and experience and a passion for serving our customers. “As well, we continually strive to exceed Best in Class and Best in Industry safety principles and practices.” The Nicklin family has been in the fuel business for decades, as Todd’s father, Ray Nicklin started
Shoreline Petroleums in Port Alberni in the 1970’s. Shoreline is a predecessor company to Enex. “I did almost everything I could to not be involved in my father’s business,” jokes Nicklin, adding his background includes accounting, software and property development. One night in a hotel in Newfoundland, he said to himself, “it’s time to go home now, and by
that time, the business had grown a bit and there was room for me.” Today, wh i le Nick l i n ca l ls Qualicum Beach home, he spends an increasing amount of time doing business in the lower mainland and northern BC. Nicklin notes that the business has changed dramatically in the SEE ENEX ENERGY | PAGE 20
Congratulations to Todd and the team at Enex Fuels on your recognition as one of Canada’s leading Entrepreneurs!
www.nanaimoairport.com
20
AUGUST 2019
ENEX ENERGY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
last number of years. “The scope of the customer base has changed radically, from where it was focused mostly on the forest industry and transportation, to now, where it’s also marine, aviation, oil and gas and mega-projects like the Site C Dam,” he says. Prior to the merger with South Isla nd Fuels, operators l i ke Nicklin were called agents, a “quasi-franchise” where they were resellers and distributors of Imperial Oil products. “Imperial Oil had a lot of control; they owned the customer lists and regulated pricing, and we owned the physical assets. Basically, it
was like a being a hired manager.” It’s structured differently now. “We’re completely independent from Imperial Oil, as we have a buy/sel l relationsh ip with the company,” Nicklin explains. “We control all aspects of the business. That was a game changer for us, and since we formed Enex, our business has grown 10 times its size since we started in 1996.” Enex is the owner/operator of the fuel facility at Nanaimo Airport, tasked with fueling Air Canada and WestJet planes, as well as other airline operations. “If you’re sitting in one of their planes, and you see a fuel truck filling it up, it’s us,” he says, adding that Enex Aviation Service is
Congratulations to Todd Nicklin and Enex Fuels on all your success!
another ancillary company, as are 12 Mobil 1 Lube Express oil change franchises (one each in Nanaimo, Campbell River and Fort St. John, and 9 in the lower mainland). “We’re reaching out and we’re now serving customers across Canada,” he says. “The business has changed drastically for us in terms of what we can do. It’s now unlimited. “We have customers in Inuvik, Tuktoyuktuk (in the Northwest Territories), the Dempster Highway, and we even own our own little railway, with its own locomotive, in our Peace Country Division,” he says. “We have a rail spur and are actually a registered railway. We have a little locomotive that shunts rail cars around our Dawson Creek terminal . Looking ahead, Nicklin is very optimistic about the petroleum industry, although he recognizes changes are coming to the automotive sector in particular, as consumers express an increasing interest in electric vehicles. He doesn’t see that as a threat to fossi l-based f uels, citi ng world demand for energy from all sources and technological advances that have made fossil fuels more economical to use and efficient in terms of productivity. W hile leading Exxon Mobil Corp., Rex Tillerson undertook an analysis of global fuel consumption projections for the next 30 years. The resulting 1,000 page
report looked at supply, demand, geopolitical and technological aspects of the industry. “One of the things it showed was that the world will need every available source of energy over the next 30 years,” Nicklin says. “It’s not a question of one form of energy replacing another – we need them all. There will be a shift, but we need all sources of energy.” He points to China and India, where demands for fossil fuels continue to increase, with much more growth expected. “Electrification (of vehicles) is coming, although nobody knows how fast it will grow. The petroleum industry is going to adjust, as it already has and continues to do,” he says. “(Fossil fuel) vehicles are more efficient now than they’ve ever been.” Major hydroelectric generating projects like Site C Dam, which is a major consumer of Enex products, Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) projects planned for northwest BC, and the Trans Mountain Pipeline are all part of the energy picture. “Site C Dam is an enabler, and we need that energy and more supply to support electrical vehicles, amongst other things we all use,” he notes. “But there is a cost to ‘clean’ energy, and we don’t really know what that will eventually be.” For example, while shopping centres and civic-funded locations may currently offer “free”
electrical charge-ups for vehicles, that certainly won’t last. Any energy source will ultimately be visited by the governments searching for additional tax revenue. To some, petroleum “is not the sexiest industry in the world, but it continues to respond to make sure it’s safe and as efficient as possible. Until there is a viable alternative, if there is going to be, it is what it is.” Besides road vehicles, Enex products are focused on the airline and rail industries – and any sector that is a consumer of petroleum products. “Every machine, every moving part in an engine needs some form of lubricant,” he says. “Locomotives, ships, trucks, airplanes – they all require products we offer.” Nicklin points out that Enex is positioned for growth to continue. “We have the scale, capacity, stakeholder support and systems in place now,” he says. “We are a technology company that happens to deliver fuel and lubricants. It’s pretty easy to add on additional businesses once you have that. There’s lots of opportunity.” “Having really great people on our team is the primary reason for our growth,” Nicklin says. “Without great people, we’re out of business, and without them, we wouldn’t be able to continue to grow.” www.enexfuels.ca
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AUGUST 2019
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NEWS UPDATE
22 NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
session. Commercial transportation currently accounts for roughly a quarter of province-wide emissions, though in the Comox Valley that portion is almost 60 per cent. The Village of Cumberland’s current waste hauling vehicles are run on diesel fuel. Natural gas reliant vehicles operate with less emissions, are quieter and do not release particulate matter associated with other fuels. The site could also be the future home of hydrogen fueling or EV fast charging. Fortis is planning on submitting an application to Natural
Resources Canada for funding to build a station through a program designed to fund transitioning from high-carbon fuels. Before the utility could submit an application, it was required to hear from any local government. A timeline for the development of t he project h a s not b een provided.
VANCOUVER ISLAND Home Sales Hold Steady Sales of single-family homes in July throughout the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) region dipped by three per cent
AUGUST 2019
year over year but were 12 per cent higher than in June. Last month, 453 single-family homes sold on VIREB’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS) System compared to 406 the previous month and 438 in July 2018. Sales of apartments dropped by 14 per cent year over year while townhouse sales increased by 22 per cent. Realtors are reporting that housing sales are steady, even brisk in some areas, but certainly less robust than they were in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Weaker housing demand has contributed to an increase in total active residential listings across the province. In the VIREB area, inventory of single-family homes in June rose by nine per cent
from one year ago (1,419 to 1,552). Active listings of apartments climbed by 30 per cent (292 to 381) year over year but townhouse inventory decreased by 10 per cent (195 to 217). Prices in the VIREB area are still rising, but they are softening compared to the price increases posted during our long-running sellers’ market. The benchmark price of a single-family home was $513,700 in July, a three per cent increase from one year ago and slightly lower than in June. In the apartment category, the year-over-year benchmark price rose by five per cent, climbing to $302,600, but was slightly lower than in June. The benchmark price of a townhouse rose by two per cent, hitting $410,600 last
month, the same price as in June. Regionally, the benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area last month was $434,300, an increase of six per cent over July 2018. I n t he Comox Va l ley, the benchmark price reached $516,200, up by two per from one year ago. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $472,000, an increase of two per cent from July 2018. Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose by three per cent to $556, 4 0 0 wh i l e t h e Pa rk sv i l le-Qua l icu m a rea saw its benchmark price increase by two per cent to $588,500. The cost of a benchmark single-family home in Port Alberni reached $322,500 in July, an 11 per cent increase from one year ago.
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WHO IS SUING WHOM
AUGUST 2019
WHO IS SUING WHOM
PLAINTIFF Bank Of Montreal CLAIM $203,900
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 Comox Valley Floor Centre A-2920 Moray Ave, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Wilson, Robert Fraser CLAIM $11,372
DEFENDANT Camosun Properties Ltd 4440 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Curran, Cheryl CLAIM $31,750 DEFENDANT Campbell River Fraternal Hall Society 200-1260 Shoppers Row, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Behm, Michael CLAIM $7,196 DEFENDANT Caveman Construction & Aggregates Ltd PO Box 138, Qualicum Beach, BC PLAINTIFF Hazelwood Construction Services Inc CLAIM $26,951 DEFENDANT Coastline Management Group Incorporated 1201 Teasdale Rd, Kelowna, BC
DEFENDANT Constantin Popa Personal Real Estate Corporation 4-470 Meredith Rd, Mill Bay, BC PLAINTIFF Hayden, Michele Andrea CLAIM $35,176 DEFENDANT Dun Rite Sweeping Services Inc 1201 Teasdale Rd, Kelowna, BC PLAINTIFF Bank Of Montreal CLAIM $203,900 DEFENDANT Fleetwood Building Inspections 109 Kingham Pl, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Aitken, Vern Lorayne CLAIM $18,737 DEFENDANT J S Plumbing & Heating Ltd 5268 Boal Rd, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Hodgson, Dean C
CLAIM $20,133 DEFENDANT Remax Camosun 4440 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Curran, Cheryl CLAIM $31,750 DEFENDANT Resolution Construction System 14-555 Ravenswood Dr, North Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Alpine Insulation Limited CLAIM $5,876 DEFENDANT Resolution Construction System 14-555 Ravenswood Dr, North Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Dalcon Construction 2001 Ltd CLAIM $35,256 DEFENDANT Sakman Fine Woodworks 551 Treanor Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Cathcart, Susan CLAIM $14,059 DEFENDANT Scala Development Consultant Ltd 7th Flr 1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Smackdown Roofing & Siding Ltd CLAIM
$9,140 DEFENDANT SHH Holdings Limited 6795 West Coast Rd, Sooke, BC PLAINTIFF T M Thorpe Holdings Ltd CLAIM $2,990,946 DEFENDANT SHH Management Limited 6795 West Coast Rd, Sooke, BC PLAINTIFF T M Thorpe Holdings Ltd CLAIM $2,990,946 DEFENDANT Smartway Restoration Ltd 931 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Butler, Marjorie CLAIM $35,216 DEFENDANT Sooke Harbour House Inc 1212-1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Save On Septic Services Inc CLAIM $23,395 DEFENDANT Sooke Harbour House Inc 1212-1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF T M Thorpe Holdings Ltd CLAIM $2,990,946 DEFENDANT
23 Staples Canada ULC 6 Staples Ave, Richmond Hill, ON PLAINTIFF Bronstein, Sharon CLAIM $19,160 DEFENDANT Trisoma Holdings Ltd PO Box 41047 RPO Woodgrove, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Williams, Cally Howe Yue CLAIM $35,156 DEFENDANT West Rock Drilling Ltd 201 Selby St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Collins, David CLAIM $13,299 DEFENDANT Westview Ford Sales Ltd 4901 North Island Hwy, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF TJ Inspection Inc CLAIM $14,926
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
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Rob Fuccenecco are the company’s top performers of the month.
AUGUST 2019
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Klassy K Esthetics is now open for business in Pier Street Salon and Day Spa at 916 Island Highway.
NORTH ISLAND CAMPBELL RIVER Windsor Plywood held an official 50th anniversary celebration on July 13 at its Port McNeill location at 1917 Nimpkish Crescent. Fresh & Rendezvous in the North Island Mall in Port Hardy celebrated its first anniversary July 12. Port Hardy RCMP Constable Paul Starr has transferred to Ladysmith after five years of working with Indigenous communities throughout the North Island. North Island Secondary School (NISS) Principal Jay Dixon is moving to a new role with the provincial Ministry of Education effective August 1. Dixon will work on curriculum support and resource development in the new role and has been hired for a period ending July 31, 2020 with the potential for a year-long extension. Stacia Johnson, the vice principal of NISS will take over Dixon’s position.
Lesley Stav Chef Lesley Stav was recently presented with the President’s Award from the Culinary Foundation (CF). The award recognizes knowledge, skill, professionalism as a mentor, leader and teacher in the culinary arts. Stav is the president of the North Vancouver Island Chefs Association (NVICA). Campbell River Toyota welcomes Jessica Kroon and Tannis Sutcliffe to its sales team at 2785 North Island Highway. The Mortgage Centre Campbell River announces that Jill Cook and
The City of Campbell River has been recognized once again for its financial reporting. The city’s finance and communications staff were recently presented with the 2019 Canadian Award for Financial Reporting. The award was established by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) and celebrates “significant accomplishments by a government and its management”. Pauline Bernard was the recipient of the Heath Care Hero Award at the 2019 BC Health Care Awards. Bernard was presented with the award for her work in establishing the Sunshine Wellness Centre, an integrated chronic disease management unit. Bill Howich Chrysler announces that Ron May is the top salesperson for the dealership at 2777 North Island Highway. Justin Lynn was the top salesperson of the month for Bill Howich RV & Marine at 1632 Coulter Road. Campbell River’s Diana Stevan is among three finalists in the fiction category of the Whistler Independent Book Awards (WIBAs).
Stevan’s third novel Sunflowers Under Fire is up for consideration for the award.
COMOX VALLEY COBS Bread celebrated the grand opening of its new location in Driftwood Mall on July 20, next door to Quality Foods. As part of the celebration, 100 per cent of the proceeds from purchases made throughout the day were donated to the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA).
Dan Caley Mt. Washington Alpine Resort has added two members to its executive team. Longtime Mt.
Washington employee Daniel Caley has been appointed to the role of Director of Maintenance and Facilities while Layne Marett has been added as the new director of mountain operations. Both positions replace the outgoing Director of Operations, George Trousdell, who has been with Mt. Washington for 37 years. Comox Valley RV welcomes Kurt Dawson and Peter Klobucar to their team at 1608 Ryan Road East in Comox. Dr. Kirsten Emmott has moved on from Southwood Medical Clinic at 1700 – 2751 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay. Work on the exterior siding and interior finishings are underway at the new Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) building at 770 Harmston Avenue with construction expected to be complete later this year. Knappett Projects Inc. was awarded the SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 25
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MOVERS AND SHAKERS
AUGUST 2019
MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24
construction contract for the 2,105-square-metre structure and was issued a building permit last October valued at $8.3-million. K nappett was recently awarded the contract to construct an equalization basin (EQ) at the Water Pollution Control Centre valued at $1,878,062. The CVRD estimates that the final cost of building the basin will be roughly $3.5-million. Cumberland Village Bakery is celebrating its 15th anniversary at 2747 Dunsmuir Avenue in Cumberland. 40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery celebrates its 5th anniversary at 2400 Anderton Road in Comox. The winery is owned and operated by Layne Craig and wife Brenda Hetman-Craig. Congratulations to Ryan Sykes on being the top salesperson of the month at Brian McLean Chevrolet Buick GMC at 2145 Cliffe Avenue. David Stevenson is the new producer of Comox Nautical Days, taking over from former festival producer Sue Wood and John Mang, who was responsible for site operations and entertainment. Galaxy Motors Courtenay congratulates Richard Caissie on being the top salesperson of the month for the dealership at 605 Crown Isle Boulevard.
Susan Auchterlonie The Comox Valley Community Foundation (CVCF) has appointed Susan Auchterlonie as its new Executive Director. Susan has an extensive background in fundraising and communications, most recently with ZINC Strategies as a senior communications consultant and previously with the new North Island College Foundation as Executive Director. New Tradition Brewing Company and City Cannabis Co. are preparing to open next to each other at Comox Centre Mall once renovations are complete. The brewery is the most recent addition to the city’s list of brewers and is located on the
south side of the shopping center. Rotary Club of Comox member Maureen Fritz-Roberts has been selected as Rotary District 5020 District Governor for 2019-20. District 5020 is one of the largest districts in the world by population, with nearly 4,700 Rotarians in 90 clubs from Port Hardy to just north of Oregon. Col. Dany Poitras assumed command of 19 Wing Comox on July 18th, taking over from Brig.-Gen. Mike Atkins in a ceremony that included members from 19 Wing Comox and the community.
PARKSVILLEQUALICUM BEACH Kiwi Cuts Hair Salon celebrated its grand opening July 20 at Unit #1 – 675 Fir Street in Qualicum Beach. Harris Parksville Chevrolet Buick GMC welcomes Mitch Lock to the position of service manager. Mitch has over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry and with GM vehicles, beginning his career in the GM Parts department in Nelson in 1979. Dr. Cheyenne Knight joins the team at Seaside Veterinary Care at 1 – 1343 Alberni Highway in Parksville. Smart Move Services Ltd. celebrated its grand opening on July 6 at 1824 Port Alberni Highway in Coombs. The store is filled with household goods including modern furniture, dining room and bath items, antiques, books, electronics and more. Bard to Broadway Theatre Society celebrated the beginning of its 20th anniversary season on July 2nd. The season runs until August 17th and features plays like Hairspray and Jenny’s House of Joy. Oceanside RCMP Auxiliary Constable Michael Dally was recently presented with the Commissioner’s Commendation for Volunteer Service. The award was given to Const. Dally at a ceremony at the RCMP Island District Headquarters on July 3rd.
PORT ALBERNI The BC Hockey League (BCHL) board of governors
recently unanimously approved the majority sale of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs to Keycorp Sports & Entertainment Ltd. of Victoria. Keycorp is also the owner of the Western Lacrosse Association’s Victoria Shamrocks. Other owners include Ron Coutre of Victoria, Dennis See, Stefanie Weber and Tim MacLean of Port Alberni. David Michaud, president of Keycorp Sports joined Alberni Valley Bulldogs in December 2018 and has been appointed as the president of the team. Brandon Shaw and Jamie McCaig join the coaching staff for the team in the 2019-20 season. Shaw will serve as an assistant coach and player development coordinator and was most recently the assistant coach of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials. Jamie joins the team as goaltending coach, bringing 12 years of coaching experience to the post, including time with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice, the Merritt Centennials and the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints.
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Meet MNP’s New Partners Sean Jordan and Michael Furnell MNP congratulates Sean Jordan and Michael Furnell on their appointments to the Partnership. Based in Nanaimo and serving diverse clients across Vancouver Island, Sean and Michael offer strategic, local insight backed by the expertise and capabilities of MNP’s national network of professionals. Both integral members of MNP’s Vancouver Island team, our newest Partners provide the advice and services you need to overcome challenges and grow your business. Contact one of our new Partners today: Sean Jordan, CPA, CA Partner, Tax Services T: 250.734.4151 E: sean.jordan@mnp.ca
Michael Furnell, CPA, CA Partner, Professionals Services T: 250.734.4311 E: michael.furnell@mnp.ca
MNP.ca
Lukh Saran
Re/MAX Mid-Island Realty welcomes Lukh Saran to their team of professionals at 4201 Johnston Road. Ojas Cats has moved his tattoo shop from Nelson, BC to a renovated space at 4977 Pemberton Road. The new shop called Cats Tats is located in a renovated space that used to be home to a car dealership. Healthy Habits is a new bike shop open for business at 2940 3 rd Avenue in the former space of Pine Café.
Macdonald Commercial’s team of outstanding professionals are here to assist you with all of your apartment real estate needs.
604.736.5611
Brie & Barrel Bistro is now open for business at 5059 Argyle Street. The new restaurant is owned by Colin and Sharie Minions and features a menu that includes pasta, vegan options and a myriad of desserts. Portal Curios and Oddities held a grand reopening art show on July 21st following renovations at 104 – 5405 Argyle Street. CJ’s Place Restaurant also completed renovations to its space on Argyle Street and updated its menu in the process. CJ’s is at 5170 Argyle Street.
At Macdonald Commercial we‘ve built our reputation by providing our clients with the very best in full service commercial real estate services PERFORMANCE, TRUST & PROVEN RESULTS - ALL UNDER ONE ROOF
Vern Whittle has retired SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 27
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OPINION
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AUGUST 2019 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Vancouver Island Office 25 Cavan Street,Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 1.778.441.3373 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca
PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald SALES | John MacDonald – john@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Val Lennox, Robert MacDonald, Beth Hendry-Yim WEBSITE | John MacDonald – john@businessexaminer.ca
DEMOCRACY IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS; ANARCHY AND VERBAL CIVIL WAR IS NOT
MARK MACDONALD
W
atching the consistent escalation of rhetoric in the United States is discomfiting to say the least. It’s like watching the country take turns ripping itself apart, piece by piece. There is a difference between attacking President Donald Trump and the President of the United States. Although they are currently one and the same person, the unabated vitriol and hatred for the man is unparalleled in a democracy. Certainly within my lifetime. In order for any democracy to succeed and survive, the laws of the land and the offices of elected officials need to be respected. The leader(s) of the country need to be held in high esteem, as “they”, as in the leader, is a reflection of “us”, as in the voters. With the next U.S. election a year and a half away, the loathing of Trump continues, unabated. It is
absolutely unprecedented to watch the mainstream media continue to abrogate its responsibility of informing the masses with unbiased content, as they continue assailing Trump as if it’s their democratic duty to do so. It’s a complete departure from what the press is morally mandated to do. . .they’ve lost their way, and show no inclination to either get back to its roots of objectivity, or stop their steep descent into the nether regions of relevance. I’ve given up talking to most about U.S. politics, usually after the first statement/innuendo/dig at Trump. Why? Because if anyone doesn’t see it their way, they are stupid, ignorant, insane. . .take your pick. My first questions to these people, because they obviously consider themselves informed and educated – even though their source for “thinking” is predictable, would be: • What is your preferred provider of news? If the answer is ABC/NBC/CBS/ CNN, etc., then: • Have you ever met Trump? Why do you hate him so much? There’s nothing more to ask, because those who have been seemingly affected by “Trump Derangement Syndrome” automatically look at the “others” as the terminally unwashed. Look, I have never met Donald
Trump, and didn’t like him before he became President. Who has a TV show where he fires employees – and seems to enjoy it? Yet what is his biggest “crime”? The Mueller Report was designed to incriminate Trump by linking him with Russian interference in the last election, and came up dry. Yet the media marches on as if it was a full-blown indictment and justification for impeachment. Impeachment. As if that’s the catch-all solution to a sitting U.S. President; the ultimate defense of democracy. The ignorance surrounding the term’s usage is appalling. Impeachment is nothing more than a slap in the wrist, an indictment, a statement of charges. . .not a conviction. Bill Clinton was impeached for his “performance” as President, but was not removed from office, thanks to a Democratic Senate. Other than being personally embarrassing, it’s pretty much a fruitless pursuit. The U.S. does have a very good system to remove a President. It’s called an election, which happens every four years. And if that’s not soon enough, then turn the tables in the mid-terms and curtail the President’s powers. It’s as fair a system as exists in democracy, which Winston Churchill said is “the worst form of government, except for all those other forms”.
We have elections so we elect representatives of “us” to the place of power to make decisions and govern for the common good. The system is set up to avoid having to fight each and every issue via protest or descending into kritocracy, or “rule of the judges”. Hmmm….isn’t that what the NDP is using to stop/delay/ cancel the Trans Mountain Pipeline? Is that what we want? Unelected judges deciding every issue, after we hire legions of lawyers? Must we leave jobs to counter-protest every project that “professional” protesters vow to stop? W h a t e x a c t l y i s T r u m p ’s “crime”? That he cuts taxes and is following through on his promise to “drain the swamp” of cultured bureaucracy in Washington? That his “America First” policies run counterclockwise to globalism? That he negotiates trade agreements with other nations in public, using typical business-style, behind-closed-doors tactics, which send shock-waves throughout global markets? Is it because, as National Post founder Conrad Black writes, “Trump has done more than any U.S. President since Calvin Coolidge”? Is it because people call him “stupid”, the ultimate insult hurled by those who run out of facts for their
argument? Please. . . That he’s a “bare-knuckle” street fighter that slags opponents with nick-names? I watch Trump with fascination, and marvel at his hubris, and lack of fear. It’s like every obstacle only steels his resolve to overcome it. If Americans don’t like it, they can vote him out – according to the rules set out by the founding fathers in an amazing, unparalleled document called its Constitution. I am afraid that if current trends continue, with verbal civil war rhetoric ramping up with each new “outrage”, then it isn’t inconceivable that America descends into civil war and anarchy. What then, for the world’s other democracies? If we’re going to belong to great countries, it is up to all citizens to respect laws and institutions – including the offices and positions held by our elected officials. Change them at election time. This march to anarchy needs to stop. Respect needs to return and reign, for if it doesn’t, the only solution to return to civilization once anarchy sets in is militia-dominated government that instills its own idea of order, removing choice for all. To survive and thrive, business needs stability in democracy, starting with the United States, and their economy is the catalyst for the global economy.
THE COMPELLING CASE FOR SELLING CANADA’S WATER TO THE U.S.
FRONTIER CENTRE FOR PUBLIC POLICY BRIAN GIESBRECHT
“W
ater is more valua b l e t h a n oi l .” – f o r m e r U. S . President George W. Bush Canada exports huge quantities of water to the United States and all over the world. As the world’s fifth largest exporter of agricultural products – which are composed mainly of water – huge amounts of Canadian water leave the country every day. W hole lakes are shipped in
every direction by means of our vast and efficient agricultural system. And the world is a better place because of it. International customers get qua l ity food to feed hu ng ry populations. Canadian farmers prosper – and so does the rest of the country. Early explorers were simply astounded at the endless plains, fertile soil and the relatively predictable rainfall we are blessed with. Improved farming techniques and farming science have meant that each year there is more crop available for export. New crops come on – like canola and soybeans – and this means even more business for our agricultural export business. The more crop there is for export, the more water goes overseas, or down south. Canada owes its success in large part to its agricultural sector, and no matter how much new technology comes on the scene,
people will always need good food. The fact that so much water leaves our country every year in our agricultural exports troubles no one, nor should it. It’s part of a natural cycle. Eventually that water comes back. Water leaves our country every day in thousands of other products as well. So if a politician announced a sale to a foreign nation of four trillion litres of water locked in agricultural products, he would be praised. But just let that politician propose that the same amount of bulk water be sold to a foreign country – especially to the United States – and he would have to run for cover. It would be the end of his or her political career. Most Canadians are perfectly happy to sell our water to the highest bidder when that water is contained in agricultural products or the thousands of other export products that contain water. But we have some kind of
visceral reaction when anyone dares to suggest we sell water that’s not contained in something else. Over the years, many schemes have been proposed for the largescale sale of water. Massive diversions, dams, container ship transport. Almost all of these plans have been shot down. The world is getting hotter, drier and thirstier. Demands for freshwater are growing louder all the time. Wars have even been fought over water. The American southwest is getting drier by the day. Water is being drawn from the Ogallala aquifer, from which the southwest takes so much of its water, at a rate eight times faster than it is being replenished. Anyone looking over at Glen Canyon Dam water level knows how far down the overused Columbia River sinks every year. Americans need water and we have it. Canadians should begin to look
at water as a commodity – the blue gold that it is. It goes without saying that the ecological and environmental impediments to any water export plan must be dealt with intelligently. In some cases, those plans will make no sense. But in some cases they will. Much of our national aversion to selling water to the U.S. southwest is just thinly disguised anti-Americanism. We shou ld put such triv ia l emotions behind us and look at the big picture. Our water could help those incredibly productive places like Silicon Valley keep boosting our standard of living. Our water could turn that southwest desert into a garden that can grow food for the world. And our water – our blue gold – can make us rich. Brian Giesbrecht is a retired judge and a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.
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MOVERS AND SHAKERS
AUGUST 2019
MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
from A R. Anderson & Associates CPAs at 5155 Argyle Street. A retirement celebration was held for Vern on July 30th at Chances Rim Rock. Valley Catering Lunch, owned by Wendy McKinney, has completed renovations at 4309 10th Avenue.
the area. Among the amenities at the new facility are a touch-screen interpretive program that presents users with information on the history, geography, culture and wildlife unique to the region.
NANAIMO
Purple Cactus Lingerie celebrated its grand opening July 18 at #67 – 6631 Island Highway North in Woodgrove Centre.
TOFINOUCLUELET Uclu elet’s mu n icipa l council has approved a request to add cannabis sales as a permitted use on three properties. The properties include Leaf Compassion at 1972 Peninsula Road, Ucluelet Cannabis Co. at 1786 Peninsula Road and Green Leaves Cannabis Co. at 1685 Peninsula Road. A public hearing is expected to be held soon for the proposed shops to bring them closer to opening their doors for business. Tourism Tofino unveiled the new Cox Bay Visitor Centre, a new $2-million, 1,400-square-foot building designed to assist tourists in making their way through
with stops in Kelowna and Prince George using a Boeing 737. Charter f lights bega n i n m id-Ju ne a nd depart and return to Nanaimo on Thursdays. The airline is awaiting approval from Transport Canada to turn the service to a regular weekly year-round passenger service, allowing the company to sell seats to the general public on the route.
Andrea van Rossum Andrea van Rossum has been appointed recruitment officer at Vancouver Island University (VIU). Van Rossum was most recently a senior director with 460 Communications and holds a Bachelor of Arts from VIU in Business Management & Marketing. Derek Kennedy is the top salesperson of the month for Harris Nanaimo Kia at 2575 Bowen Road. Air North has launched week ly ch a r ter f l ig hts from Nanaimo Airport to Watson Lake in the Yukon
Kirsten Michieli is the top salesperson of the month for Nanaimo Toyota at 2555 Bowen Road. Former Oceanside Generals head coach Jesse Hammill joins the coaching staff of the Nanaimo Buccaneers for the club’s upcoming season. Hammill has coached in Nanaimo Minor Hockey, the VIJHL and most recently the Vancouver Island University Mariners. Owner/ he a d c oa ch i s Clay ton Robinson. Peter Hall, vice-president and chief executive economist with Export Development Canada (EDC) has been announced as one
of four keynote speakers at the 13th annual State of the Island Economic Summit in October. The summit will be held at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre from October 23-24. Sue Douglas was recently presented with the Canadian Federation of University Women’s Sage Award – an award given in recognition of a club chapter’s longest serving member. Douglas has been a member of the organization for 56 years.
LADYSMITHCHEMAINUS The former Chemainus Foods building in downtown Chemainus will soon be the home of a market, fish and chips outlet and other shops. Laurie Douglas, formerly of 49th Parallel Grocery has been selected by the new owning investors to manage the new market. Once complete, the market will be designed to allow 10by 10-foot or even 10- by 15foot stalls to open for short or long-term leasing. Services provided from the stalls may range from massages, to art and artisanal goods. More details for the project
including renovations and branding are expected soon. Budget Blinds is opening a new showroom and location on August 15 at 19 High Street in Ladysmith. The new location is being opened by David Anderson who operates locations in Courtenay, Surrey, Delta and White Rock. The new outlet will service customers from Nanoose Bay to Shawnigan Lake. DP Singh is the owner of the new Canco service station on Chemainus Road at the former site of Down Town Auto. The gas station opened July 16 and plans are in order for a grand opening celebration soon. Ladysmith Machine Shop is preparing to undergo a $2.25-million upgrade and has received a $1.8-million federal gas tax funding grant to do so. The shop will undergo upgrades to ensure it remains accessible and operational to arts culture and heritage. Construction is expected to begin shortly, and funding must be fully used by the end of 2019. The majority of the budget will be used to replace the roof of the building to ensure the structure meets current building code standards.
27 The shop is currently home to the Ladysmith Waterfront Art Gallery, Harbour Heritage Centre, art studios and administrative spaces for the Ladysmith Maritime Society and the Ladysmith Arts Council.
COWICHAN VALLEY After 27 years of ownership, GolfBC has sold Arbutus Ridge Golf Course in Cobble Hill to Yi Jing Golf Club Inc., a company led by Weihong Liu and her husband Zhao Zheng Fu. The property includes a semi-private course, the Satellite Bar & Grille, a banquet room and an indoor tennis facility. The market price for the course was $6.8-million while the sale price was $4.5-million. St. Joh n’s Ac ademy Shawnigan Lake has a new school building opening its doors this September. The school has been operating since 1992 and the new Shawnigan Lake school is its second campus. The school is open to students from grades 6 to 12 and focuses on offering courses that develop skills in language arts and applied skills.
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