Business Examiner Victoria - September 2020

www.BusinessExaminer.ca

AUGUST 2020

ARBUTUS RV & MARINE SALES LTD. TAKE DEEP-ROOTED PRIDE IN BEING A BC BUSINESS - 16 ROYAL ROADS LOOKS TO MODERNIZE WEST SHORE CAMPUS – 14 Innov8 the way you work.

Innovation goes beyond products; it’s the processes and support services that help a business prepare for growth and long-term success. We can help automate some of your company’s tasks, so your team can spend more time doing what they do best.

PACIFIC RIDGE LANDSCAPES CREATE LIFELONG FANS WITH FULL-SERVICE CARE AND CREATIVITY – 20 Did you know?

Managed Print Services from Innov8 can save your company as much as 50% each year.

Call us for a free Office Assessment

®

myinnov8.ca . 250.384.7243

Printers . Copiers . Software

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

604.736.5611

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

macdonaldcommercial.com

Thank you for stopping by this issue of the Business Examiner!

With summer coming to a close and the economy recovering a little more each day we’re excited about what the fall and winter hold for Vancouver Island businesses.

This month we have great stories on Arbutus RV & Marine Sales, updates from Greater Victoria area chambers of commerce, Coastal Community Credit Union, Pacific Ridge Landscape, and our own curated content features.

Let us know of any feedback or story ideas that you have, by submitting them to info@ businessexaminer.ca.

John MacDonald, Director, Business Development

Contact Us 25 Cavan Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9 +1 866-758-2684 info@businessexaminer.ca www.BusinessExaminer.ca Office Hours Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 5:00 pm Saturday – Sunday: Closed Publisher: Mark MacDonald (mark@businessexaminer.ca) Editor: Lise MacDonald (lise@businessexaminer.ca) Press Releases & Story Ideas: (media@businessexaminer.ca) Sales: John MacDonald (john@businessexaminer.ca)

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

3

7 NEWS UPDATE

4

10 GREATER VICTORIA

14

CITIFIED

12

13

WEST SHORE

SAANICH PENINSULA

18 TOURISM

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

16 ARBUTUS RV 5

30 NELSON ROOFING

20 PACIFIC RIDGE LANSCAPES

6

22 WHO IS SUING WHOM

24

28

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

OPINION

NEWS UPDATE

BC HOUSING MARKETS HEAT UP AS SUMMER ENDS

PROVINCE TAKES ACTION ON PLASTICS

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 10,172 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in August 2020, an increase of 42.8 per cent from August 2019.

The average MLS residential price in BC was $771,309, a 12.7 per cent increase from $684,093 recorded the previous year. Total sales dollar volume in August was $7.8 billion, a 61.1 per cent increase over 2019. “Very strong provincial home sales continued in August,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “While pent-up demand from the spring is driving much of the increase, we anticipate a sustained strong level of sales through the fall.”

Total provincial active listings are still down more than 10 per cent year-over-year, with some markets even more under-supplied as the pandemic continues to keep listings low. As a result, prices are sharply rising around the province.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume was up 15.8 per cent to $40.4 billion, compared with the same period in 2019. Residential unit sales were up 4.9 per cent to 53,336 units, while the average MLS® residential price was up 10.4 per cent to $757,504.

T h r o u g h n e w i n i t i a t i v e s , t h e G o vern ment of BC is ta k i ng action to prevent plastic waste from polluting communities, shorelines and ending up in landfills.

As part of the new set of steps, the Province is moving to approve bylaws banning single-use plastics for the municipalities of Richmond, Victoria, Saanich, Tofino and Ucluelet, clearing the way for those communities to implement their bans and will also consider other bylaws as they are submitted.

The Province is also laying the groundwork to allow local governments to ban certain types of plastic products and is proposing to draft a new regulation under the Community Charter to allow local governments to ban single-use plastics, such as shopping bags, plastic straws and polystyrene foam take-out containers, without requiring provincial approval.

In addition, the Province is expanding the number of single-use products to be recycled through industry-funded residential recycling programs, including plastic cutlery, sandwich bags, stir sticks and other items. Details on how residents can participate will be part of future consultations.

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

7

NEWS UPDATE

VICTORIA LITERACY LEADERSHIP GROUP RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD 8

Story Studio Writing Society, a non-profit, literacy-focused organization that has demonstrated innovative leadership by inspiring, educating and empowering youth through storytelling, has been awarded BC’s 2020 Council of the Federation Literacy Award (COFLA).

Based in Victoria, Story Studio Writing Society started in 2011. Its facilitators bring together kids of all ages with authors and illustrators. Together, they produce around 1,500 youth-authored books annually, creating a memorable experience for each young writer. Story Studio volunteers, writers and illustrators have worked with almost 10,000 youth, taking a unique, fun and creative approach to improve their literacy skills and build self-confidence.

While working at the community level, Story Studio recognizes marginalized or lower-income families’ needs, as 80 per cent of its programming is focused on supporting and engaging vulnerable youth. To maximize its accessibility and resources, it partners with a broad range of community organizations, including the Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) and Royal BC Museum.

BC ALE TRAIL BRINGS THE SPIRIT OF EUROPE TO BC BRITISH COLUMBIA – While most people’s European vacations have been put on hold, the BC Ale Trail is providing consumers the opportunity to explore Europe with 100 European-style beers, brewed right here in BC. The BC Ale Trail highlights a sampling of 100 beers produced by BC craft breweries (organized by country of origin) that allow British Columbians to “take a tour” of European-style beers without leaving the province.

“We wanted to give people the opportunity to feel like they’re on an ‘Ale-Venture’ while still staying close to home,” says Monica Frost, BC Ale Trail Project Lead. “Plus, it’s a fun way to explore some craft beer styles that folks might not be that familiar with.”

Organized by European country, the BC Ale Trail blog features the full list of 100 beers and recommends choosing a starting point – like a suggestion in a guidebook, that sends you to a neighbourhood in a foreign city you might never have explored on your own. Download the BC Ale Trail App, the insider’s guide to craft beer and start exploring!

AUGUST 2020

NEWS UPDATE

Inez Louden, FRI Associate Broker 250-812-7710 inezlouden@telus.net Pemberton Holmes – Sidney 107 – 2360 Beacon Avenue

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

“I love my job and have been very fortunate to have met so many wonderful people who have referred me to their family and friends”.

If you are thinking of making a real estate move, give Inez a call at 250-812-7710 and put her 31 years of experience and knowledge to work for you.

A

R

D

-S

C

E

N

T

E

D

!

9

W

A $13-million investment by the Province will enable the University of Victoria (UVic) to build its much-anticipated National Centre for Indigenous Laws.

The new addition will be home to the world’s first joint degree in Indigenous legal orders and Canadian common law (JD/JID), which launched at UVic in 2018, and to the Indigenous Law Research Unit. The 2,440-square-metre (26,264-sq.-ft.) addition to the Anne and Murray Fraser (Law) Building is designed to reflect and honour the law school’s location and long-standing relationship with the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples on whose territory the university resides.

New high-tech digital infrastructure will enable students to connect with their home communities and also enable sharing of legal traditions with one another. It will also enable UVic to host conferences, public workshops, research and partnerships for faculty, students and visitors. The new addition will include public lecture theatres, faculty and staff offices, classrooms, meeting space, an Elders’ room and spaces for gathering, ceremonies and sharing of histories and knowledge.

The $27.1-million project is being funded by the Province ($13 million), the federal government ($9.1 million) and the Law Foundation of BC ($5 million).

In 2019, BC was the first province or territory to pass legislation to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Inez believes education and staying current on changes in the real estate industry is very important in representing, and providing. the best service to her clients. Her FRI (Fellow of the Real Estate Institute) and Associate Broker designations, plus membership in the Real Estate Institute of Canada and Better Business Bureau are part of her education achievements.

A

UVIC EXPANSION TO HOUSE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR INDIGENOUS LAWS

Inez was raised in a family of 6 children and was taught to work hard, do the best she could and always work honestly and ethically. “My Grandfather, who lived with us in his last years, told me to treat others as I would want to be treated – but do it first.” In honour of her Grandfather, and in keeping with the way she was raised, Inez has always tried to follow this one simple rule in life.

™

Geeks on the Beach WEB

DESIGN-ONLINE

MARKETING-SEO

778.432.2600 - GEEKSONTHEBEACH.CA

GREATER VICTORIA

NEW JOBS LANDSCAPE WILL REQUIRE FOCUSED RETRAINING The $44.1 million Health Career Access Program will recruit 7,000 health-care workers for long-term care and assisted-living

BRUCE WILLIAMS

10

How will business restart successfully and help our economy return to the level we enjoyed before COVID-19? W hat does it mean to “build back better?”

Well, one answer is retraining our workforce to ensure we are more resilient for many years to come. Before the pandemic, Greater Victoria was booming. We were at or near what economists would consider capacity as our unemployment rate was among the lowest in Canada. Our fundamentals were strong then, and that will be key to helping us get back on our feet. But, as with all things, there is room for improvement.

Our region benefits from being the seat of British Columbia’s public sector. Downtown Victoria is home to thousands of provincial government workers whose paycheques are not directly affected by undulations in the market. We also have CFB Esquimalt, which, every day, sees thousands of military and civilian personnel go to work inside its gates.

These major employers create a stability that

has allowed other business sectors to thrive.

The unparalleled beauty of our landscape, and the aspirational lifestyle it allows, also make us a magnet for technology companies and tourism operators.

The pandemic has turned much of our world upside down. But, in doing so, it has shown us how resilient and innovative we are, and what we need to do to become even more so in the years ahead.

It starts with people. A promising hiring and retraining program was announced by the provincial government in early September.

The $44.1 million Health Career Access Program will recruit 7,000 health-care workers for long-term care and assisted-living. About 3,000 applicants will be people who need to be retrained on the job, specifically workers who have had their jobs displaced during the pandemic. Many hospitality businesses have had to change their business models, focusing on takeout and delivery for example, and cutting back on staff. These workers know how to provide great service and are ideal candidates for new jobs that are being created

AUGUST 2020

GREATER VICTORIA in health care.

Of course, taking people out of one industry to help another is not a perfect solution. As the economy recovers, and those hospitality employers start to rehire, they’ll need staff.

But we will all be better off as a community if the overall pool of workers in our region continues to grow in size and skill. Right now, we face a real risk of our workforce eroding as people leave for better opportunities elsewhere. Losing potential employees could be devastating to all industries that are not able to find and keep workers needed to grow their revenue. Fortunately, there are options for employers such as the BC Employer Training Grant Program. It provides funds to help staff adapt to changing job requirements and learn new skills and competencies.

Greater Victoria has all the fundamentals in place to get back to a thriving economy but it’s going to take many months to get there.

Let’s use this time to develop those resources that will ensure our workforce has the skills and flexibility to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

Bruce Williams is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

11

BUSINESS MOVES IN

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

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

INCREASED FALL/WINTER SCHEDULE

helijet | 1.800.665.4354

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

WEST SHORE

GEARING UP FOR THE BEST OF THE WESTSHORE AWARDS 2020

12

JULIE LAWLOR

One of my favourite things about September at the WestShore Chamber is the Best of the WestShore Awards. A partnership between the Goldstream Gazette and the WestShore Chamber, the Best of the WestShore celebrates the favourite businesses, non-profits and community places in Colwood, the Highlands, Langford, Metchosin and View Royal. Entirely decided by public vote, this year as in previous years voting was open from July until Labour Day. In 2019, over 40,000 votes were received across 44 categories. As I write this, voting is still open so who knows what 2020 will bring?

Best of the WestShore planning and activities take place throughout the year with the announcement of the winners and finalists taking place in October, so what’s so special about September? In September after the voting closes. we find out who has been voted into the top three in each category. And then we have the pleasure of

calling approximately 130 organisations to tell them the good news. In 2020 more than ever, businesses need good news, support and opportunity for promotion. This year more than ever before, making these phone calls will be a pleasure.

Of course, not everyone can be voted into the top three – especially when some of the categories have 20+ nominations. You can support your favourite businesses by making purchases with them and saying, while you’re there, “I voted for you.” Knowing that they have this kind of support in the community makes a real difference to business owners, managers and staff right now.

On behalf of our Title Sponsor Coastal Community Credit Union, thank you to everyone who has participated and voted in The Best of the WestShore Awards 2020. We look forward to welcoming you to our virtual events announcing our winners and finalists during the week of October 26th!

Julie Lawlor is the Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce.

AUGUST 2020

SAANICH PENINSULA

CHALLENGES OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ONLINE PLATFORMS

DENNY WARNER

I have been pondering the idea of public engagement recently. The three municipalities on the Saanich Peninsula are at various stages of updating their Official Community Plans and public engagement will be an essential component of their reviews. It is challenging to get wide-ranging participation in “normal” times but it will be even more difficult during a pandemic.

COVID-19 has driven us to meet, communicate, and debate online. The platforms we are using are in some ways inherently more inclusive than in-person engagement and in some ways are more problematic, especially to those who don’t have access to the technology. Location, lack of awareness, access, and the times events are scheduled can be barriers to participation.

Consultants will be soliciting the opinions of a wide range of stakeholders. Regardless of the consultation platform, I wonder if the stated preferences and opinions gathered will be useful as the subject is complex and the final product will

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

be managed by experienced planners and engineers who better understand its context and application. Those who participate in stakeholder consultations assume their opinions matter, that their voice will be heard, and that their opinions will be acted upon but accommodating everyone is clearly impossible.

I will be watching with interest to see if consultants are able to solicit input from groups beyond the disproportionately influential. The views of residents are important as they are experts in knowing how they use the infrastructure in their community. So too, are the views of the business leaders who create employment and contribute to our economic vitality.

It would seem the best, most inclusive, way to do public engagement is in public, in person.

Watching how people move throughout the community. Listening to their struggles. People’s actions can often be more informative than their words. Context is everything.

Denny Warner is the Executive Director at the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

13

Citified.ca

ROYAL ROADS LOOKS TO MODERNIZE WEST SHORE CAMPUS Sponsored by COLWOOD

14

Royal Roads University (RRU) is considering building a pre-fabricated office complex with capacity for upwards of 150 workers as its looks to modernize its West Shore campus.

RRU has outlined a series of must-haves for the envisioned building that include a life expectancy of 35 years, a construction timeline that yields an occupancy permit within two years of the start date, and that the design be environmentally leading and accessible to persons with disabilities.

Although specifics like the architectural presence, footprint and massing of the project will not be known until chosen parties are further into the design process, the intended location for the project is in proximity to parking lot 4, which is situated within an oval-shaped gravel track immediately to the west of the main university thoroughfare connecting to the entrance on Sooke Road.

COWICHAN VALLEY

A landmark real-estate holding in the City of Duncan has been put up for sale to the tune of $8 million as pressures on the lodging industry mount.

The Ramada Duncan Cowichan Valley hotel at 140 Trans-Canada Highway north of the Cowichan River bridges represents a strategic investment opportunity along the town’s main thoroughfare which has seen several E

R

FO

L SA

3000 Tillicum Road Saanich, BC Freestanding Owner Occupier Building with Future Development Potential Opportunity to purchase a mixed use commercial/residential building with 10 onsite parking stalls. $1,400,000

E

R

L SA

FO

high-profile redevelopment scenarios in recent years.

Land improvements occupy just one and-a-half acres of the 3.5-acre holding, leaving significant room for additional buildings or a comprehensive re-envisioning of the entire property with roughly 160 meters of highway frontage.

LANGFORD

TJX Companies plans to open the Capital Region’s second Marshalls off-price department store later this fall or by early winter of 2021 at Millstream Village shopping centre.

The roughly 20,000 square foot store, coming to the former locations of a Tommy Hilfiger outlet, a La Vie En Rose lingerie boutique, and three spaces between them, will become one of the shopping centre’s anchor tenants joining large-format retailers like PetSmart, Michael’s, Golf Town and local grocery chain The Market on Millstream.

Woodsmere Holdings is nearing the start of construction on a 9.2-acre industrial park along Highway 14 between Glenshire Drive and Loledo Place as Langford’s western entranceway from Metchosin and Sooke goes into development overdrive.

The property, which requires significant terraforming to level its rocky topography, is being prepped by blasting crews for a six building Pharmacy Portfolio Lake Cowichan, BC Long Term Investment Opportunity Four strata units with anchor tenant IDA Pharmacies. The properties are easy to manage and offer 7+ years of term at 7.1% return. $1,950,000

SO

LD

Meaford Lands Langford, BC 10.76 Acres of mixed use development lands located in Langford’s town centre.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE EXPERTS Ross Marshall

Personal Real Estate Corporation Senior Vice President CBRE Investment Properties Group 250 386 0004 ross.marshall@cbre.com

Chris Rust

Personal Real Estate Corporation Senior Vice President CBRE Investment Properties Group 250 386 0005 chris.rust@cbre.com

Opt in to receive our property listings! www.cbrevictoria.com CBRE Limited, Real Estate Brokerage | 1026 Fort Street, Victoria, BC | 250 386 0000

AUGUST 2020

Citified.ca

Photo credit: Blasting crews are preparing a nine-acre land parcel bordered by Sooke Road, Glenshire Drive, Loledo Place and Slegg’s Building Materials for an industrial development by Woodsmere Holdings. Seen from the Slegg’s property, looking north, the future industrial park is one of several terraforming initiatives underway in Langford at its western border along the Highway 14 corridor. © Citified.ca

construction effort fronting the 2900-block of Sooke Road/Highway 14 that will deliver nearly 200,000 square feet of light industrial space, mini storage, and live-work residences.

A project site plan issued by Woodsmere Holdings indicates that a three-storey mini storage facility will overlook the highway from the northwest corner of the land at the curve west of Slegg’s Building Materials, while a single floor but over-height industrial building will be situated immediately to its south. Further south along Loledo Place, two rows of bi-level livework buildings will rise with nearly 30-units between them. The eastern perimeter will include two additional single storey industrial buildings.

VICTORIA A highrise rental tower proposed for the 900-block of View Street adjacent to the View Towers complex has grown in height and unit density as it enters year three of municipal planning.

Developer Nelson Investments with Victoria-based architectural firm de Hoog Kierulf have transitioned plans from what was initially envisioned to be a 15-storey, 215-unit rental tower circa 2017, to an 18-storey, 267-unit proposal that would stand taller than the 19-storey View Towers constructed in the 1960s.

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

British Columbia’s provincial cannabis dispensary chain plans to open the Capital Region’s second location at The Bay Centre.

BC Cannabis Stores is pursuing approvals to situate a dispensary within a nearly 1,800 square foot retail unit along the Bay Centre’s 600-block of Fort Street frontage. The space formerly housed a Teavana tea store.

The transformation of the Medical Arts Building on Pandora Avenue at Cook Street into condominiums and ground level retail space is nearing completion. The multi-year endeavour has repurposed the 1950’s modernist era complex into The Wade, a 102 residential suite undertaking that includes a new-build portion with frontage onto Johnson Street and a commercial ground floor.

Construction has begun on the final phase of The Hudson District and what will measure up as Victoria’s second-tallest building.

Hudson Place Two – a 23-storey rental tower comprised of nearly 250 residences and 8,300 square feet of commercial space – has progressed to an active construction site following the completion of its 25-storey counterpart and the Island’s tallest building, the Hudson Place One condominium tower, which received occupancy earlier this summer.

15

OFF THE COVER

Beginning in their Mill Bay location here, Arbutus RV has grown to include Nanaimo, Sidney, Courtenay, Port Alberni and their newest location in Parksville.

Arbutus RV & Marine Sales Ltd. Take DeepRooted Pride In Being A BC Business 16

AN ISLAND MAINSTAY SINCE 1988, ARBUTUS RV THRIVES ON TIES TO COMMUNITY AND PASSIONATE CUSTOMER SERVICE VANCOUVER ISLAND - Craig Little likes to say he has deep Island roots; an intimate and personal connection to the place he started his family, and a now thriving business. He takes pride in that connection to Vancouver Island, and the communities that call it home.

“Although I was originally born in Leroy, Saskatchewan, I have lived on the same Vancouver Island property in Cobble Hill since 1957,”Explains Craig.

“We now have three generations of family living on our original Cobble Hill homestead. When I was seventeen I built my own log cabin on the property.

We’ve added on to it over the years, and are still proud to call it home. In 1988 I opened the doors to our first Arbutus RV dealership across the highway from where I had grown up.”

From that humble dealership grew Arbutus RV & Marine Sales Ltd, today with locations in Mill Bay, Nanaimo, Sidney, Courtenay, Port Alberni, and most recently a brand new location in Parksville.

Craig and wife Rose Little have watched their business thrive, and by extension the community in which

they work, with their one-hundred and fifty plus employees Island-sourced.

Elaborates Rose, “Having our own Island roots down so deep in our local market has provided us with the support and wisdom to flourish and continue to

Arbutus RV owners Craig and Rose Little thrive off the community in which they work, their locally-sourced team, and giving back to BC with their charitable endeavors.

AUGUST 2020

OFF THE COVER grow. We are very proud of our team and their families. Our strength lies in our people, and the quality of service we provide. We believe quality customer care and compassionate community giving have resulted in a strong team spirit and a unique dedication to our guests and our communities. It’s our greatest accomplishment.”

This community giving includes regular fundraising and significant contributions to numerous Island food banks and several other charitable causes across BC. Arbutus does more than selling, servicing and listing RVs. In 1998 they launched the Island RV Guide, a monthly fifty-six page publication highlighting not only their inventory, but featuring tech tips, potential RV destinations, and featuring travel story submissions from Arbutus customers. A digital publication today, the Island RV Guide can be viewed online. Most recently, they’ve also added another feature to their already deep set of services, creating the Arbutus RV Medic, a mobile RV repair service currently running in the Great Victoria Marketplace.

True to their commitment to community, Craig and his team made the decision to remain open during the COVID-19 crisis, understanding that their particular line of business is uniquely valuable in a time of social distancing and protecting loved ones.

Elaborates Craig, “Given the fact that a lot of our Arbutus community are full-time RVers, and many rely on RVs as a means to safely isolate while either working in frontline positions or wanting to protect those who might be immunocompromised, we as a company decided to remain open to support those essential services in our Island communities. Despite this, we’ve encouraged and supported any of our staff with health concerns to stay home until they’re comfortable returning to join us.”

As BC has re-opened from the pandemic, Arbutus RV has seen a growing demand for the RV lifestyle, allowing Islanders to get in touch with nature and family while still socially distancing.

While the pandemic has been difficult, Craig and Rose feel the situation has motivated many families to examine their lifestyles and vacation options, and see the RV lifestyle as the ultimate way to social distance while rekindling and reinforcing time spent together enjoying everything Vancouver Island has to offer.

As things have slowly opened up over recent months, the value of their business has only been reinforced.

Concludes Craig, “The Island lifestyle and it’s endless natural beauty are a perfect fit for the RV business, and we have seen a huge lift since BC began re-opening its business doors. We feel very fortunate to live and work in BC, particularly on Vancouver Island. Both the economic climate and our general weather are arguably the best in Canada. We plan to continue growing the Arbutus RV brand and expand our services to meet the needs of our continually growing customer base as the island opens up, and far beyond.” www.arbutusrv.ca

Arbutus maintains strong relationships with BC RV Manufacturers, successfully partnering with a number of them to build Arbutus RV “Island” branded product lines.

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

17

VICTORIA TOURISM

VISITORS WELCOME DESPITE OPERATING CHALLENGES

18

In the first week of September Chemistry Consulting released July 2020 Greater Victoria tourism statist i c s . C h e mistry’s bulletin confirmed what we already knew. Several key statistical indicators revealed business PAUL NURSEY was down markedly from 2019. For example, in July 2019 hotel occupancy in Greater Victoria was 85.78 per cent. In July 2020 hotel occupancy was 35.78 per cent.

Average daily room rate in July 2019 was $249.50. In July 2020 average daily room rate was $177.76. In July 2019 revenue per available room (RevPAR) – a key statistical indicator on the health of hotel business – was $214.03. In July 2020 RevPAR was just $63.61. BC Ferries Route 1 (Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay) traffic, as well as Victoria International Airport traffic were also down.

This is a gloomy picture, but this situation is no fault of the people – employers or employees – of the Greater Victoria visitor economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted longer and had a more sustained impact than we could have imagined six months ago. As government officials discouraged travel and closed the Canada-US border to non-essential crossings, the Greater Victoria visitor economy saw what was forecasted to be a healthy year become the worst year in memory.

Many of Destination Greater Victoria’s members have adjusted to COVID-19 guidelines and have bravely reopened. This is especially the

case for our bars and restaurants. Attractions such as The Butchart Gardens and WildPlay Adventure Parks are open as well and doing their best through this difficult period. I would like to thank those members.

Despite the difficulty in operating they continue to welcome visitors to our destination.

Greater Victoria remains an attractive place to visit. Our proximity to nature and open spaces are key selling propositions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Visitor Centre is seeing steady traffic with clients from source markets such as Vancouver, Alberta and even Ontario.

Destination Greater Victoria continues to take a leadership role advocating on behalf of our members. The hotels, restaurants, attractions, and transportation partners that comprise the Greater Victoria tourism ecosystem are important sources of employment and community identity.

As we continue to work with our members and partners on response, our mind is also very focused on recovery. We are hard at work on creating our business plan for 2021 and a recovery and renewal strategy to guide us through 2026. As we move into the fall your destination marketing organization will work hard on your behalf.

Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Destination Greater Victoria

AUGUST 2020

ADVISORY

ACCELERATING YOUR BUSINESS’S RECOVERY What do I need to refinance?

To refinance, you’ll need to show an updated Business Plan. You’ll want to include:

ALANA HALALIKU As BC reopens the economy, the ability to remain agile and adapt to challenging times has never been more important. Some Island businesses have been re-evaluating their operations to see if there are inventive ways they can pivot to adapt to the “new normal.”

For example, we’ve seen distilleries start to produce hand sanitizer, clothing companies fashioning masks, and independent labs contributing their skills to better virus detection.

Businesses are also thinking outside the box to keep cash flow coming in. They might be exploring how they can take their enterprise online or implement new delivery models.

Maybe they want to take advantage of reduced in-person traffic and remodel their business space.

The issue? All of these ideas need access to capital.

With the CEBA program projected to end August 31st, refinancing may be an option to consider.

If you’re planning to pivot an aspect of your business, the first step should be to talk to your financial team.

Knowing you and your business, they will work with you to decide if refinancing is the best option to meet your goals.

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

• An overview of your current business and the proposed new business stream • Your current and projected sales and marketing strategies • Your day-to-day operations plan, with any changes due to COVID-19 • Your ownership structure and management experience and history • Your financial plan with: a. Your business’s historical financials and forecasted cash flow for your existing and new business b. Any capital requirements—don’t forget to include any outside resources you can access The current pandemic has shown the value of including a continuity plan in your overall Business Plan. Identifying business risks and how to mitigate them will help you steer your business through rough waters.

At Coastal Community, we never forget that small and medium-sized businesses are the cornerstone of our Island economies. Credit is due to the Island businesses that are bravely facing these unprecedented challenges. We applaud your efforts!

Alana Halaliku is a Senior Business Relationship Manager at Coastal Community Credit Union. For more information on refinancing your business, call 1.888.741.1010.

19

20

Mentored by Rick Bartel, a worldwide industry leader in water features who created designs for the ‘16 Rio Olympics, Merle crafts stunning water features for BC residents.

PACIFIC RIDGE LANDSCAPES CREATE LIFELONG FANS WITH FULL-SERVICE CARE AND CREATIVITY EDMONTON TRANSPLANTS MERLE AND KATIE KROEKER MAKE LANDSCAPING DREAMS REALITY IN BC SIDNEY - Katie and Merle Kroeker didn’t set out to get into the landscaping business, but circumstance and some natural ability conspired to put them on that fruitful path.

Between jobs as a graphic designer, Merle joined a friend’s landscaping business, his design talents and experience as a draftsman made him a natural fit in landscape design. After three years of mentoring, Merle took over, starting his career with a single job lead, one truck and a small installation crew.

Prairie Ridge Landscapes was born.

Having a vested interest in the business and not one to be left out, Katie enrolled in Guelph University’s Landscape Design Program, soon joining Merle full-time in 2013. After a few too many frig id w i nters i n Ed monton, the Kroeker’s packed up their business and moved west, settling on Vancouver Island in Sidney.

With a new location came a more geog raph ica l ly representative AUGUST 2020

Merle enjoy a strong relationship with their city and region.

Concludes Kate, “We are proud to be part of the Sidney and Peninsula communities. Our office is on the Waterfront in the heart of Sidney and we couldn’t be luckier. We have incredible clients who continually inspire us to bigger and better things.” www.pacificridgelandscape.com

Katie and Merle Kroeker co-own Pacific Ridge Landscapes in Sidney, crafting stunning landscapes with a talented team and expert subcontractors.

name. Today, Pacific Ridge Landscapes provides a multitude of services in BC, from landscape design and consultation, to installation and maintenance, and their clients love what they do.

“They tell us how much more time they spend outside,” explains Katie. “They say how much it means to them to have a place to rest and relax. Recently, one of our clients said that our landscaping was the best thing she and her husband had ever done for themselves. Having a business that makes such a significant difference in people’s lives is an incredible privilege.”

Partnering with top-line builders, architects, developers, engineers and biologists on their projects, with an ever-expanding list of professional collaborators in their network, Pacific Ridge does it all.

Beginning with Katie and Merle as co-lead designers, an installation team keeping clients informed and happy throughout the scope of the project, and maintenance crews for longterm care, Pacific Ridge Landscapes is truly a full-service experience.

Active members of the business community, Katie will soon be President of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. She and WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

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

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

Social Media

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

Public Relations

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

Crisis Management

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

Book Writing

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

Contact us for a

FREE consultation

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

21

WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party DEFENDANT resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some Cox Developments Ltd 301-1025 Meares St, Victoria, BC of these cases may have been resolved by publication date.

PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT CN Ryzuk & Associates Ltd DEFENDANT 1110837 BC Ltd AWG Holdings Ltd 986 Seapearl Pl, Victoria, BC DEFENDANT 2715 Seaview Dr, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Driver Enterprises Ltd Canada Hanjiang Construction Ltd PLAINTIFF 5536 Sooke Rd, Sooke, BC Gough, Brenda PLAINTIFF DEFENDANT District of Sooke Arbutus Capital Vehicle Leasing DEFENDANT Boxwood Forest Products And Ltd DEFENDANT 1530-355 Burrard St, Vancouver, Services Ltd Eiffage Innovation Canada Inc 1867 Stewart Rd, Nanoose Bay, BC BC 2900-550 Burrard St, Vancouver, PLAINTIFF PLAINTIFF BC Cedar Peaks Mortgage Invest- Aviva Insurance Company Of PLAINTIFF Canada ments Inc Musfelt Excavating Ltd

22

DEFENDANT Arbutus Leasing Ltd 1530-355 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Cedar Peaks Mortgage Investments Inc

DEFENDANT Chace Whitson Personal Real Estate Corporation 201-2377 Bevan Ave, Sidney, BC PLAINTIFF Wiseman, Kaeley

DEFENDANT G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd 1212-1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Yanitskiy, Dmitry

AUGUST 2020

WHO IS SUING WHOM DEFENDANT G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd 1212-1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Goold, Jose Catherine DEFENDANT Kenlyn Contracting Ltd 200-1260 Shoppers Row, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Zimmerman, Donald Robert DEFENDANT Kingsbridge Management Ltd 402-707 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Yarr, Michael Lewis CLAIM $21,117 DEFENDANT Lees Noodle House Ltd 986 Seapearl Pl, Victoria, BC

PLAINTIFF Canada Hanjiang Construction Ltd DEFENDANT Macs Cycle Centre 3627 Shelbourne St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Wiseman, Kaeley DEFENDANT McCan Franchises Ltd 980 Pandora Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Charlie, Elaine Sandra DEFENDANT Quay West Properties Inc 7120 Gold River Hwy, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Lascelle, Shirley DEFENDANT S u p e r D a ve s C o n s t r u c t i o n

Services 3345 Acemink Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Cedar Peaks Mortgage Investments Inc DEFENDANT Top Quality Janitorial Service Inc 2818 Sooke Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Cobblestone Inn Ltd DEFENDANT Turk Landscaping Design 1127 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Hodson, Paul Michael CLAIM $35,206 DEFENDANT Winchester Galleries Ltd 204-655 Tyee Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF David Blackwood Inc

Region

Project Address

Project Type

Project Details

Owner/Contractor

Amount

Victoria

210 Gorge Rd East

Multi-family new

Affordable housing & Commercial - 72 units

Knappett Projects Inc

$10,637,000

Saanich

321 Prospect Lake Rd

Institutional new

Modular classroom - Prospect Lake Elem

Aurora Cascade Ent Ltd

$200,000

Saanich

1145 Royal Oak Dr

Institutional new

Child Care modular - Lochside Elem

School District 63

$400,000

Langford

1262 Centauri Dr

Residential new

Single family dwelling - 97 sm

Verity Construction

$215,000

Central Saanich

7098 Wallace Dr

Mixed-use dev

Commercial - Condominiums

Seemar Developments

$6,000,000

Sidney

9645 Fifth St

Multi-family new

Townhouses - 6 units

Straight Goods Construction

$1,456,000

Cowichan Valley RD

9566 Creekside Dr

Residential new

Single family dwelling

Jason Powell Construction

$574,000

North Cowichan

2895 River Rd

Multi-family new

Townhouse - 4 units - 778 sm

Not available

$826,000

Nanaimo

531 Kennedy St

Multi-family new

Townhouses 8 units

Roberto Allegrini

$575,000

Nanaimo

3250 Island Hwy North

Commercial new

Units 101 - 104

Country Club Centre

$1,850,000

Nanaimo

4830 Cedar Ridge Pl

Multi-family new

Apartments - 80 units

Highstreet Ventures Inc

$12,271,000

Port Alberni

5005 Nuupts' Ikapis Way

Industrial new

Building D - 6,000 sm

San Forest Products Ltd

$4,500,000

Courtenay

1421 McPhee Ave

Industrial new

Industrial

Pickard Construction

$350,000

Campbell River

739 Bushbuck Dr

Residential new

Single family dwelling - 219 sm

Caflisch Contracting

$379,000

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

23

MOVERS & SHAKERS Announcements, business changes, celebrations and other hidden gems from around Central/North Vancouver Island.

Curated just for you.

Submit your company’s announcement to: media@businessexaminer.ca

24

Victoria councillors have approved an initial proposal to build a large storage silo to house materials for making concrete at 2800 Bridge Street, the site of a new concrete plant. The 32-metre silo would feature thousands of LED lights as a design element, and contribute to a reduction in greenhouse emissions for the plant.

The BC government has purchased property at 1176 Yates Street for a project that would provide up to forty homes for vulnerable members of the community. The site was purchased for $1.8 million, and will provide self-contained studio homes with 24/7 on-site staff, amongst other support amenities. A non-profit housing provider will be hired to manage the building.

A new urgent and primary care centre will open in a temporary space in Esquimalt late spring 2021, providing access to services for locals with extended hours of care. This will be the fourth centre announced under the province’s primary health strategy for Island Health.

Uber is in the final stages of approval, and is expected to be operational in Victoria by Christmas. The service has already been up and running in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for six months. Uber recently submitted their application to the Passenger Transportation

Board to operate in all regions in the province.

The Sooke School District has elected Farmer Construction Ltd. to take on the $55.2 million dollar construction project to build Pexsisen Elementary and Centre Mountain Lellum Middle schools in Langford. Farmer Construction will be using a number of south Island sub-contractors, including architectural designs by HCMA. Construction will begin in late September and is estimated to be complete by September 2022.

Omicron Development Inc. and Lotus Capital Corp. have filed a development application with the City of Colwood for Seaspan Victoria Shipyards, a nearly four-acre site that is part of Allendale District, a twenty-acre mixed-use centre located at Memorial Parkway and allandale Road.

Lotus and Omicro plan to build 81,500 square feet of office and warehouse space to consolidate its South Island supply chain operations once permits are secured.

Rather than ship excess dirt away from the McKenzie Interchange construction site, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) have opted to form a large, flat-topped berm beside the Trans Canada Highway in Cuthbert Holmes Park.

The District of Saanich has an agreement with the ministry for landscaping to be added, with Friends AUGUST 2020

MOVERS AND SHAKERS of Cuthbert Holmes Park and Saanich Parks, Recreation and Community Services involved in developing a landscaping plan that includes native trees and plants to enhance the nearby park.

The City of Langford is selling just under two acres of property at 2855 Westshore Pkwy. and 1365 Goldstream Ave. to Canwest Hotels for $5 million.

Site plans include a hotel, standalone restaurant, and thirty townhomes. Projected to cost in the area of $30 million, hotel construction would begin next summer, with completion targeted for May of 2022.

Victoria has installed its first zero waste stations at the corner of Government and Humboldt streets to improve composting and recycling options.

Mayor Lisa Helps notes that over one tonne of waste is generated every day in Victoria streets and parks, costing the city over $5 million a year to manage. The zero waste stations reduce landfill stress, and require less contact and lifting from city workers.

The BC Ministry of Health has announced an investment of $2.6 million in annual funding and a one-time fund of about $1.1 million through Island Health to increase capacity and improve access to the Island Sexual Health Community Centre in Victoria. The investment will allow the Island Sexual Health Society to hire additional health professionals, add examination rooms, meeting spaces and more. Renovations are expected to be complete in fall 2020.

The University of Victoria will house the National Centre for Indigenous Laws thanks to $9.1 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments. Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training Melanie Mark has committed $13 million towards the construction of the Centre, expanding on the Anne and Murray Fraser (Law) Building at UVic by 2,440 Square metres. Additionally, the Law Foundation of BC is providing $5 million toward the project.

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) has applied to the City of Victoria to open a cannabis retail store in the Bay Centre. The application was filed August 5 to rezone 1150 Douglas Street for cannabis retail. If approved, the BC Cannabis Store would occupy a 1300 square foot retail space, with an estimated opening date of late spring or early summer 2021.

T he Royal BC Museum has purchased the adjacent IMAX theatre from Destination Cinema Inc. for $3.8 million through a government grant. Made as part of a long term plan to modernize the museum, the purchase will bring the IMAX Jack Lohman experience into the museum’s operations, according to Professor and CEO Jack Lohman.

25

MOVERS AND SHAKERS The South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP), in partnership with over 120 stakeholders from business, government and non-profit sectors has provided a detailed, forty-point action plan to instigate economic growth and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Amongst other things, it calls for investment in retraining workers, providing financial support for businesses and strengthening calls to shop local. The release of the full SIPP economic recovery strategy will occur during Rising Economic Week this coming November.

Royal Jubilee Hospital will receive critical care equipment thanks to funds raised through the It’s Critical campaign, launched in April by the Victoria Hospital Foundation. Having already raised $1 million, the donations will facilitate opening of an interim high acuity unit (HAU) at Royal Jubilee Hospital in October, giving care teams increased capacity to provide critical care and

manage surges during flu season, the COVID-19 pandemic and other casualty scenarios such as natural disasters. To learn more or donate, go to www.victoriahf.ca or call 250-519-1750.

Compass Mexican Bistro has updated their menu. The made-from-scratch eatery at 1770 Shawnigan Lake-Mill Bay Road offers authentic Mexican food, from fish tacos to quesadillas and more, with take out and delivery options.

Elite Self Storage is opening later this month at 4402 Westshore Pkwy, in Victoria. To learn more visit www.eliteselfstorage.ca or call 250-995-2735.

Hillside Veterinary Hospital congratulates Dr. Michelle Lareau for completing the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society program while Dr. Kristin Zajaczkowski and Dr. Devin Keller have completed the Canine Rehabilitation Institute

26

Find serenity in comfort.

Want to win a $5,000 Home Office Makeover?

Start the new year off by revamping your home office to be fun, fresh and functional. Enter to win a fabulous furniture home office makeover with one of our Monk Furniture Specialists and work from home in the space of your dreams.

Head over to monk.ca for full details and to enter.

Authorized Dealer

One-line Lock Up

AUGUST 2020

MOVERS AND SHAKERS program. The province has purchased the 1176 Yates St. property for a project providing up to 40 homes for people experiencing homelessness for $1.8 million.

Jonathan Candee

H YA S , a l e a d e r i n threat intelligence, adversary infrastructure, and attribution based in Victoria has appointed Jonathan Candee as Senior Vice President for Global Sales. Jonathan has over twenty years’ experience driving revenue growth and scaling organizations in the internet technology sphere.

Crust Bakery at 730 Fort Street has expanded and opened a Kiosk at Uptown Mall. Owners Crystal and Tom Moore offer artisan breads, finger foods and pastries. Online delivery is available.

Trio Ready Mix, a division of the Ralmax Group, is proposing to build a 32-metre silo to store raw aggregate materials at 2800 Bridge St. on the Gorge Waterway. The silo offers environmental advantages.

The finalists have been announced for the 2020 City of Victoria Butler Book Prize and Children’s Book Prize. The five finalists are: Lorna Crozier (poetry) - The House the Spirit Builds (Douglas & McIntyre); Carla Funk (non-fiction) - Every Little Scrap and Wonder: A Small-Town Childhood (Greystone;) Christin Geall (non-fiction) - Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style (Princeton Architectural Press); Carey Newman & Kirstie Hudson (non-fiction) - Picking Up the Pieces: Residential School Memories and the Making of the Witness Blanket (Orca Book Publishers); and Steven Price (fiction) Lampedusa (McClelland & Stewart). Finalists for the best children’s book published in the preceding year are: Sara Cassidy - Nevers (Orca Book Publishers) Mark Leiren-Young - Orcas Everywhere: The Mystery and History of Killer Whales (Orca Book Publishers) and Sylvia Olsen & Odelia Smith - Neekah’s Knitting Needles (Sono Nis Press).

27 Do you know where YOUR DATA is?

Visit our Co-Location Datacenter in Nanaimo

Urban Grocers at the junction of Oak Bay Ave. and Fort St are set to open September and plant to revive the grocery tradition.

The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) held its fifth AGM on September 9th and announced its Board of Directors. Included on the board are locals Stuart Newton as Director and Martha Thomas, also a Director.

After 37 years at the helm of Camosun College’s Recreation and Athletics department, Graham Matthews is retiring.

WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

• World class technical staff • Full IT services (networking, servers, computers) • Class ‘A’ Co-location Datacenter • IntraBAC Secured Offsite Backup • Web/Cloud Solutions

OPINION

BUSINESS EXAMINER’S ‘UNOFFICIAL’ VANCOUVER ISLAND RESTAURANT GUIDE

28

MARK MACDONALD “Where should I eat when I’m in. . .”

It’s a question we get asked fairly frequently, as we have covered business across Vancouver Island for over 30 years now. We’ve had countless great meals in restaurants and cafes from Victoria to Port Hardy, so here are some recommendations for great eats. It’s been a number of years since we’ve done this, but to support our island establishments that have been so hard hit with COVID 19 restrictions, please find the latest installment of our “Business Examiner Restaurant Guide”.

We haven’t included franchise restaurants, which we frequent, as I remain heartbroken that Earls closed its doors in Nanaimo several years ago. Earls in Victoria is always great, and nobody beats their wings – and I have about eight favourites on their regular menu. And then there’s my all-time favourite, Japanese Village on Broughton in downtown Victoria.

I used to hint that I liked their famous steak

sauce so much I’d drink it through a straw.

Unbelievably tasty, and the chef’s antics while cooking the meal in front of you is always entertaining. I always hope it’s my guest’s birthday so I can hear their staff sing their stirring rendition of “Happy Birthday”, with their own unique twist.

So, in alphabetical order of the city, here are our Business Examiner recommendations for good meals up and down Vancouver Island.

Campbell River – The Driftwood Restaurant.

We love Chinese food, and this is the best Chinese food in the Campbell River area (it’s in Oyster River), hands down.

Comox Valley – Locals Restaurant in Courtenay is the unquestioned favourite Island restaurant of my wife Lise, and owner/head chef Ronald St. Pierre’s menu offerings never disappoint. I am constantly amazed by the creativity and thoughtfulness that goes into each dish. The Blackfin Pub is also a great place to eat with plenty of choice, and they must have the friendliest staff around.

Cowichan Valley – A trip to Merridale Cidery in Cobble Hill and its cozy mid-apple orchard ambience is worth it just for their strawberry-rhubarb pie. . .unparalleled excellence in dessert. In Duncan it has to be Brunch on 3 rd , which has carved out a reputation for amazing eggs benedict dishes. Who can forget The Dog House, which has been on my radar since having a foot-long hot dog there as a kid.

Portions so big you won’t have to eat again for two days, including breakfast served on a bed of Tater Tots. Amazing flavours. And in Chemainus, we’ve enjoyed a number of good meals at The Sawmill, which offers great AUGUST 2020

OPINION fare in a unique lumber industry setting. The Chemainus Theatre buffet, combined with an evening at one of their amazing plays, is a great night out.

Ladysmith – The Spice Hut Indian Cuisine is a must stop, some of our team members insist.

And nobody, but nobody, makes better, bigger cinnamon buns than the Old Town Bakery.

It’s the Island’s own “Cinnamon Bun Run” destination, and always worth the trip.

Nanaimo – Downtown, there’s The Firehouse Grill downtown presents unequalled Jambalaya, and if you want to put it over the edge, add the restaurant’s epic Firehouse sauce.

I’ve been telling them for years they should bottle/sell it on its own. Greek food specialist Asteras presents the best lamb around and a spectacular Ekmek dessert. In North Nanaimo, Simonholt is always worth a visit, and they make an amazing seafood chowder.

Nori Sushi has to be the Island’s best sushi restaurant. My personal favourite, created for a friend of ours, which I order every time we go, is the Damn Good Roll.

Port Alberni – The Boomerang Café on Highway 4. Very generous portions, and a one-ofa-kind Steak Salad. I always ask for Caesar dressing, which pushes the limits.

Tofino – The Shelter has long been a favourite – especially their calamari with jalapenos, and SoBo Restaurant for its smoked fish chowder. A trip to the West Coast always includes a stop at the Tacofino food truck for a taste of Mexico.

Ucluelet – Pluvio Restaurant. High-end dining with exquisite presentation.

Victoria – Long lineups are a testament to the popularity of Red Fish Blue Fish on the downtown harbour, and other favourites are the Blue Crab Café for its seafood, Il Terrazzo and Nourish. Café Brio features Italian WWW.BUSINESSEX AMINER.CA

entrees, famous for their charcuterie boards and own cured meats. Every meal we’ve ever had at The Union Club has been excellent, and it’s one of the rare places where if you ask for a medium rare steak, it actually arrives as medium rare, to perfection.

D I G I TA L Your Local Marketing Partner Strategy • Search • Social Web Design • Pay-Per-Click P: 250.758.2684 ext. 130 E: bedigital@businessexaminer.ca www.BEDigitalMarketing.ca

29

NELSON ROOFING & SHEET METAL LTD KEEP A DRY ROOF OVER CANADIAN HEADS A FAMILY BUSINESS WITH LOCAL HISTORY TAKE THEIR TALENT AND AMBITION COAST-TO-COAST

30

CUMBERLAND - In 2014, Chris and Tatyana Smith bought Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd, a company with almost four decades of solid reputation across BC already under its belt. Launched in the Comox Valley in 1980 under Russ and Sharon Nelson, it was eventually taken over by Russ’ son, Lyle, in 1999, becoming the largest roofing and cladding contractor north of Victoria.

Joining as a project manager and eventual coowner in 2006, Chris Smith already had a strong relationship with the business before making it his own. Chris and his dedicated team of professionals put their best foot forward immediately, pulling down the largest contract in the company’s thirty-five year history, a roofing contract for two hospitals in Campbell River and the Comox Valley.

It was a promising start, and with a momentum that has continued even through the difficulties of global pandemic.

Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd provides the highest quality installations of roofing systems for commercial, residential, industrial and institutional clients, as well as specializing in architectural wall cladding and HVAC systems. With branches in Cumberland, Campbell River and Powell River, their team of ticketed journeymen, talented apprentices, experienced roofers, office staff, mechanics and more have the resources and know-how to tackle any project, with the ambition to bring their services to every territory and province in Canada.

Chris elaborates on this goal, “We have over sixty vehicles, loyal suppliers, full-time safety coordinators and metal forming machines at our disposal.

We have the team and talent to take Nelson Roofing national, and have already completed projects in Alberta, Nunavut and the Yukon.”

He hasn’t forgotten the company’s roots, however, nor have longtime local clients. “We’ve had customers who remember our work from decades ago reaching out to us once more to re-roof their homes,” Chris explains. “They remember the quality service we provided, the strong warranty and above all, the workmanship that went into keeping their homes dry.”

In fact, a significant portion of their business comes from repeat customers who happily pay for the high-quality service Nelson Roofing provides.

Maintaining this relationship with the local BC community goes beyond their paid work, however.

Chris and his team, including Shingle Roofing Systems Manager John Lewis have worked closely with GAF and Local 276 to donate roof systems to Habitat for Humanity. Nelson Roofing also participates in Social Procurement initiatives that originated in Cumberland, paying even further into the company’s local ties.

As many in the construction industry have struggled through the uncertainty of COVID-19, Nelson Roofing has continued to soldier on, taking contracts and serving their community. In a recent statement to his team on the future in the face of pandemic, Chris was optimistic.

“We built this business based on doing the job better than anyone else, listening to our employees and exceeding our customers’ expectations.

If we continue to build on the things that make us Nelson Roofing, like our strong values, our quality craftsmanship, our culture of safety, and our customer focus, then I see no reason why we won’t be here for another forty years. I am proud to be at the helm of this company as we look to the future.” www.nelsonroofing.com AUGUST 2020

Working together, staying apart.

Reconfiguring the office setup doesn’t have to be complicated.

Panel dividers, glass panels and stackers can all be easily employed to separate your workers’ physical space.

• Enable collaboration with low panels & full glass panels • Create privacy with tall panels, stackers & sliding door option • Simple product design allows for quick adds & changes to keep your space functional and safe.

It’s how you’ll work, today.

e. info@graphicoffice.com Authorised Dealer ©2016 Steelcase Inc. All rights reserved.

Trademarks used herein are the property of Steelcase Inc. or of their respective owners.

Victoria p. 250.544.3500

graphicoffice.com

Nanaimo p. 250.741.8996