Business Examiner Victoria - December 2015 by Business Examiner Media Group

DECEMBER 2014

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INDEX News Update 2 West Shore 5 Sooke 5 Victoria 6 Going Green 15 Think First 15 Saanich Peninsula 24 Technology 26 Sale/Inventing 32 Who is Suing Whom 33 Movers and Shakers 34 Opinion 38 Law 39 Contact us: 1-866-758-2684

OUR 30TH YEAR

Island Savings Credit Union becomes part of First West Bigger resources mean bigger opportunities for business BY GOODY NIOSI

n January 1 2015, Island Savings Credit Union will officially become a division of Langley based First West Credit Union – but that doesn’t mean members will notice any changes. “ T h e whole b el ief b eh i nd First West is how do you keep the local brand and the local community credit unions who know their markets and know their members and have local leadership – how to keep that strong a nd ma ke it stronger while having a bigger balance sheet,” said Launi Skinner, CEO of First West. “How do you keep what is great about the historical perspective and uniqueness of credit unions alive while at the same time knowing it’s getting to be a tougher and tougher business to operate in?” The answer, she said, is not to change a ny th i ng about loca l cred it unions except to increase the

For jobs big or small… Unity Business Systems has the products to handle them all SEE ISLAND SAVINGS CREDIT | PAGE 16

Farm raised salmon bringing wealth to BC Fish farming is a growing industry BY GOODY NIOSI

T Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

Launi Skinner and Rod Dewar are pleased about the new partnership between First West and Island Savings

he economic impact of salmon farming on the West Coast is significant. Currently it is an $800 million industry, and Jeremy Dunn, executive director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) said it could

easily rise to over $1 billion in the next five years. Salmon farms also put people to work on Vancouver Island. The BCFSA has social and economic partnerships with 17 First Nations. Very importantly, Dunn said, the fish farms are being operated to world-class standards. “We make our decisions on management based on science.

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Our members are all third party certified and our growers of Atlantic salmon who have the best aquaculture practices certification have now committed to a global leading position to have the Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification by 2020. This is the most stringent third party certification in the food business.” He added that wild

salmon stocks have always run in cycles, even long before the first fish farm appeared on the West Coast. In fact, this year is seeing a record sockeye run and a near-record pink salmon run. About 80% of BC farmed salmon is exported to the United SEE FARM RAISED SALMON | PAGE 4

NEWS UPDATE

2 VICTORIA

City Receives $1.4 Million for David Foster Harbour Pathway A $1.4 million contribution from the T ra ns Ca nada T ra i l (TCT) w i l l help advance construction of the David Foster Harbour Pathway i n 2015, a 5k m h igh-qua lity, paved portion of Victoria’s section of the T ra ns Ca nada Trail. Construction on this project will mainly focus on infrastructural elements including pedestrian bridges, culverts and underpasses. The David Foster Harbour Pathway is also an important link on the 7.4-km stretch of the TCT from the Johnson Street Bridge to Clover Point, kilometre-zero of the Western section of the Trans Canada Trail. The City has received confirmation that the Trans Canada Trail will contribute up to $1.4 million to advance the planned public pathway along Victoria’s harbour between Ogden Point and Rock Bay. Upon completion, this Trail section will become a significant public amenity that will give the City’s community of 83,000 residents, as well as visitors, easy access to the harbour waterfront and help improve quality of life. Public consultation and construction will commence in 2015. “We’re delighted to be able to work w ith the City of Victoria to prov ide funding for this diverse and much loved urban Trail section that will enhance the City’s world class waterfront Trail

on Dallas Road,” said TCT President and CEO Deborah Apps. “This project is especially significant for us since it bears the name of one of our national TCT champions. The David Foster Ha rbou r Pathway w i l l bri ng us one step closer to connecting the Trail in B.C. and across Canada in time for the 150thanniversary of Confederation in 2017.”

1,006 new child-care spaces coming to BC families Families in 28 communities throughout BC w i l l benefit from 1,006 new licensed child-care spaces, announced Children and Family Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux and Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Minister John Rustad. In May 2014, the Province encouraged child-care providers throughout the province to apply for major capital funding to create new licensed childcare spaces for BC kids. As a result of this process, 32 child-care providers are receiving a total of $7 million to create new spaces in their communities. This is the first phase of child-care major capital funding, which allows non-profit and private child-care organizations to: build a new child care facility, including the cost of buying land or a building; assemble a modular building and develop a site; renovate an existing building; buy eligible equipment (including playground equipment) and furnishings to support new childcare spaces in an existing facility. As stated in the criteria outlined as part of the application process, priority

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was g iven to appl icat ions to create child-care spaces in underserved areas of BC – such as Surrey, Fort St. John and Langford – and on school grounds, where children can smoothly transition from early years’ programs, to the classroom, to after-school care. The organizations receiving funding from the first intake period will create 447 child-care spaces on school grounds a nd a f u rther 559 ch i ld-ca re spaces i n other faci l ities, two of wh ich a re BC Early Years Centres, thus creating a comprehensive one-stop shop for parents looking to access early years services and supports.

Pacific Coastal Airlines Announces New Service Between Victoria and Prince George Pacif ic Coasta l A irlines i s add i ng a new reg ularly scheduled non-stop service between Victoria and Prince George effective Monday, January 12, 2015. The new flight will operate once every day except Saturday. It is scheduled to depart Victoria International Airport at 5:00 pm, arriving at Prince George Airport at 6:40 pm. The aircraft will depart Prince George at 7:05 pm, arriving back in Victoria at 8:45 pm. “We are looking forward to adding Prince George to our growing list of more than sixty-five destinations in British Columbia”, says Pacific Coastal Airlines’ Vice-President of Commercial Services Spencer Smith. “The addition of this new destination is an integral part of our strategic development plan and evidence of our ongoing commitment to ser v i ng the tra nspor tation needs of British Columbia. It provides us with a northern base in an area that is gearing up for future grow th”, he adds. Development and operation of the new route is supported through a strong partnership with Victoria International Airport and Prince George Airport. “We are very pleased to see this new service and thank Pacific Coastal for sta r ti ng the new f l ig hts. T here has been tremendous economic growth in Northern BC and this route is a natural for Victoria,” said Geoff Dickson President and CEO Victoria A irport Authority.\

Carmanah Reports Third Quarter 2014 Results

Greater Victoria areas

DECEMBER 2014

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Carmanah Technologies Corporation reported its third quarter financial results for nine and three months ended September 30, 2014. For the quarter ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded revenues of $12.2 m i l l ion, net i ncome of $0.2 million and EBITDA of $0.4 million. This is an increase from the same period in 2013 which had revenues of $4.9 million, a net loss of $1.4 million and an EBITDA loss of $1.3 million. “Our positive momentum continued in the third quarter with revenues up 149% compared to 2013’s third quart e r,” s t a t e d Jo h n S i m m o n s , C E O. “While some of the gain was attributed to the inclusion of revenues from our acquisition of Sol Inc., our traditional Carmanah revenues were up 105% on a comparative basis. Naturally, we are delighted with the results.” Added Mr. Simmons, “For the first

time in Carmanah’s recent history we have produced operating profit in three successive quarters. As we enter our final quarter for 2014 we do so with an order backlog that continues to grow. At the end of the third quarter our order backlog totalled $11.7 million which is up from $7.7 million at the end of the second quarter.

Island Blue Purchases Direct To Garment Printer Locally owned Island Blue Print Co. Ltd. enters the short-run, on demand direct to garment printing market with the acquisition of the latest innovation in garment printing, the FreeJet 330TX direct to garment printer. The FreeJet 330TX will provide Island Blue the abi l ity to pri nt d i rectly on t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags and more producing bright and vivid prints on light and dark garments with optimal wash fastness on both cotton and cotton blends. Ex pa nd i ng on its pri nt on dema nd services, the garment printer allows Island Blue to print customized, full colour, photo realistic images directly to cotton t-shirts in quantities as few as one. Island Blue Print Co. Ltd, operating as Island Blue, is a locally owned, family operated business serving Greater Victoria since 1912. Island Blue’s “Reprographic Digital Printing & Imaging Division” offers a wide variety of digital printing services, utilizing the most up-to-date equipment to produce black & white or full colour documents and presentation graphics in a variety of formats and sizes. The company provides the most basic of photocopying services right through to large format signage, posters, trade show materials, banners, or building plans for major architectural projects. “ P r i nto r i u m B o ok wo rk s”, I s l a n d Blue’s book printing brand, specializes in black & white and colour short-run printing of soft cover books, manuals and comic books catering to the self published author and the book publishing industry across Canada.

BC university degree a good investment A BC university degree is a proven path to employment and a good investment in the future says a new report released today by BC’s si x resea rch u n iversit ies, wh ich t racks t he outcomes of the graduating class of 2008. Called Putting Degrees to Work, the report uses student survey data collected by BC Stats showing that five yea rs a fter g raduati ng, the Class of 2008 has lower unemployment rates and higher salaries than those who did not complete a n u nderg raduate degree. Contrary to the view that university degrees aren’t relevant to today’s job market, the report shows that the vast majority of university graduates are working in fields related to their education. “T he Cl a ss of 2008 g radu ate d on the cusp of the worst global economic downturn since the Great Depression,” sa id A ndrew Petter, Cha i r of the Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia. “Tod ay’s su r vey shows that the skills and knowledge

NEWS UPDATE

DECEMBER 2014

these students acquired at a BC university prepared them to take advantage of the economic recovery.” A c c ord i n g to t h e rep or t’s findings, the graduating class of 2008 had an unemployment rate of 4.7 per cent five years after collecting their degrees. T his number was well below t h e o v e ra l l p ro v i n c i a l u nemploy ment rate of 6.6 per cent and the provincial youth unemployment rate of 12.9 per cent. At the same time, those graduates were earning a yearly average of $60,000. University of Victoria President Jamie Cassels sa id that the survey reflects what employers around the province a re tel l i ng h i m. “Ma ny of B r it i sh Colu m bi a’s le ad i n g job creators a re look i ng for people with the kinds of skills that university teaches, from critical thinking to clear communication. That is one reason why we are seeing graduates in every program succeed in the job market.” Royal Roads University President Allan Cahoon added that “continuous learning o p p o r t u n i t i e s p ro v i d e d b y universities like Royal Roads are extremely valuable to employers who a re look i ng for graduates who can adapt and r e s p o n d t o f a s t- c h a n g i n g labour market demands.”

Tourism Victoria celebrates with results round up On the heels of one of the best tourism seasons in years and after receiving the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association’s coveted Marketer of the Year award at a gala in Vancouver, the tourism industry in Greater Victoria has a lot to celebrate. Ad Tracking Survey Fo r t h e f i r s t t i m e , To u rism Victoria has used a n i nd ep end ent t h i rd pa r t y to measu re the i mpact of thei r ca mpa ig ns th roug h a qua ntitative lens. T he survey mea su red t he ef fect iveness a nd c onvers ion of t h e V i ctoria Calling ca mpa ig n i n Seattle. It showed a 39:1 retu rn on i nvestment, when the industry standard is 12:1. It also showed the campaign was d i rectly responsible for 10,400 Seattleites booking a trip to Victoria which resulted in a $4.68 m illion econom ic impact to the Greater Victoria region. “Tourism Victoria is first and foremost a sales and marketing organization focused on generating demand for this destination. The results from this survey speak for themselves; ou r m a rket i ng ef for ts a re paying off and we are driving business to the Greater Victoria region,” says Paul Nursey, President & CEO, Tourism

Victoria. Christmas T h e F i n d C h r i s t m a s H e re campaign has been launched i n Seatt le, Va ncouver, Ca lgary, Portland and San Francisco. The campaign features i l lust rated Victor ia Ch r istmas experiences paired with surprising headlines such as It’s like an Extra Shot in your Eggnog. Targeted advertising w i l l i nclude tra nsit, on l i ne, social and a special video all d riv i ng to TourismVictoria. com/Christmas. China Mission Tou r i sm Victor i a recent ly concluded a successful sales mission to China that was attended by eight local tourism related businesses, who collectively had more than 1,000 sales calls and appointments. Tourism Victoria garnered 80 busi ness leads for members out of 95 appointments. New travel opportunities were discussed to encourage shoulder season v isitat ion a nd m a ny Chinese operators committed to building overnight stays in Greater Victoria into their tour offerings to Canada.

New local product will really curl your hair! SassyFrassy, the brainchild of Victoria entrepreneu r Kate Jordan, promises to free women from being limited to styl i ng ha i r at home, a nd i n a salon using hair damaging curling irons. Jordan’s portable chic invention can be used by women on the go, whether to work, to t he k ids’ soccer ga mes, to the g y m or wherever a busy day takes you. The Sassyba nd a lso works g reat at the spa, just a fter a sw i m or b et ter ye t wh i le you a re sleepi ng com for tably overnight. The result is two fabulous looks: a great look while you are wearing the band and great curls after you take the Sassyband out. Unlike the bristle and foam rol lers t hat a prev ious generation of women would hide u nder a sca r f wh i le i n public, SassyFrassy users sport a stylish salon-type up do while their hair is curling. “My friends and I get compliments about our “new hairstyle” while wearing the Sassyband,” says Jordan, formerly a Vancouver businesswoma n. She ow ned Flaming Ju ne Day Spa k now n for its outreach program for at risk teen girls, and for pioneering the spa experience for groups of women relaxing together. Jorda n sold Fla m i ng Ju ne i n 2004, and it operated successfully for 15 years. Users tie the patented Sassy hairband around their head, and simply wrap sections of hair around the band. After about a half hour or more (depending on preference of curl/wave), users

untie the Sassyband, shake out their hair, and enjoy a headful of bouncy curls. Or insert a sachet of lavender for the benefit of some relaxing aromatherapy while the curls form in their own time. The Sassyband is offered in different colors and fabrics, and is manufactured locally. Jordan is donating 10% of her profits to charities including the Victoria Women’s T ransition House. SassyFrassy kits retail for $24.95 and include the band and the instant heat i nserts. Add itiona l heat a nd lavender inserts are available at $3 a pair. For additional information and instructional video, visit www.sassyfrassy.com

Strong Victoria Real Estate Market Again in October T h e V i c to r i a R e a l E s t a t e Board released its report on real estate activity in the Victoria area for October 2014. 602 prop er t ies sold i n t he Victoria region this October, a n i n c re a s e o f 17.6% w h e n compared to the 512 properties sold i n the sa me month last year. “Here we are again, a month i n 2 01 4 e n d i n g w i t h m o r e sales than in 2013,” Victoria Rea l Estate Boa rd P resident T i m Ay res says. “T h i s ye a r

has been a solid year for local re a l e s t ate - i nd e e d we a re on ly 15 4 t ra n sact ion s away from meeting the total number of sa les from 2013 - a nd t here a re t wo more mont h s left in the year!” The Multiple Listing Service Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core this time last year was $547,800. T his month the bench ma rk va lue increased to $553,900. “A l l yea r we’ve seen a decrease in the number of active listings and increase in sales compared to 2013 numbers,” adds President Ay res. “Last year at the end of October we saw 4,322 active listings, and this year we see 3,927 active listings, that’s a 9.1% change.”

Blue Beetle Creative Media launched Blue Beetle Books I nc. has launched Blue Beetle Creative Media; the new division of this successful custom publishing company will offer a full menu of communications services targeted at small to medium size businesses. President, Mike Wicks says, “We’re a full-service agency, but our team works in a virtual environment, rather than in expensive offices. This reduces ou r overhead, lowers our cost to clients, and means

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“There is a vast market in

FARM RAISED SALMON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

States; salmon is now the number two seafood consumed in the US, second only to shrimp – and the number is growing. Meanwhile, the Asian market is clamouring for BC farmed salmon. “There is a vast market in Asia that we are currently not serving,” Dunn said. “This is an industry that BC can look at as a true growth industry.” The Namgis First Nation’s venture into closed containment salmon farming has shown very promising results. They were able to bring their pilot project to market at market prices and they’ve got a willing buyer in Safeway for

Asia that we are currently not serving. This is an industry that BC can look at as a true growth industry.” JEREMY DUNN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BC SALMON FARMERS ASSOCIATION

Jeremy Dunn says that salmon farming has a $1 billion plus potential for the BC economy

Karen Wristen says closed containment farms are economically sustainable

every fish they can produce – and that means they are also creating jobs for their youth. Wristen said that the initial

capital outlay for a closed containment operation is more than for a traditional open net pen farm, but lower operational costs make up for

that. And every major grocery chain in Canada has taken on the Sea Choice program that is dedicated to selling only sustainable seafood, which includes closed containment farmed salmon. Wristen said that the business of closed containment farming is growing. “Market demand is really going to fuel the growth in that. Salmon from open net pens is still red listed whereas the closed containment salmon has just received a green listing – so that’s going to drive things.” James Walkus of James Walkus Fishing Company Ltd. in Port Hardy believes that farmed and wild salmon can thrive side by side. Walkus’ fleet of 10 boasts, including a new 105-footer, divides its time between fishing for wild salmon and transporting farmed salmon from open net pen farms to Port Hardy. He said that there simply aren’t enough wild fish to fill the consumer demand. However, that doesn’t mean that wild stocks are declining, he said. “Four years ago there were more sockeye than we’ve ever had. And then, this year again, we had a tremendous run of sockeye.” He added that fish farming is also important to the economy of Vancouver Island and all of BC. “I think the future for both farmed and wild salmon is very positive. We’re always trying to get our politicians to create jobs and the fish farm companies employ a lot of people and they employ companies like mine.” Dunn said there is an even bigger picture for the province to consider. “It’s not just farm raised salmon, but agriculture and aquaculture as a sector. We have great opportunities in our oceans and on our land to grow quality food that is recognized as extremely high end around the world. We’ve got great access to hungry markets. When people move from poverty into the middle class, they don’t first reach for an iPhone, they want to feed their families better, and that includes healthy protein that was out of their reach financially.”

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Fast Facts: BC Salmon Farming – Coastal Economic Engine: • In 2008, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) estimated that salmon farming in BC generates $800-  Mill ion each yea r towa rds

•

the provincial economy. Through regulatory, policy and program  reforms alone it could be generating over $1-Billion within the next five years.   The total BC salmon farming tenures remains unchanged since 2008 at 120, with 64-75  operating and 35-45 resting at any given time.   Currently about 80% of all salmon farmed in BC is exported – with the vast majority of that  destined for markets in the United States. Approximately 10% of exports are destined for Asia.   BC salmon farmers a re lead i ng t he way i n ach iev i n g t h i rd-pa r t y certifications, continually  developing high fish health and environmental monitoring practices, and leading the world in  their com m it ment to t ra nsparency of information sharing.   Farm-raised salmon has the highest landed and wholesale value for a seafood sector produced  in BC. In 2008, PwC estimated that salmon farming in BC accounted for 6,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs. Today’s number is likely lower as a result of stagnated growth, however the opportunity to exceed it is extremely achievable within two to three years.   7 75 p eople a re d i rectly employed by BC’s four largest salmon farming companies.   30% of the total d irect employment of BC’s four largest salmon farming companies is First  Nations, representing 240 direct First Nations jobs.   $36.8-Million is the total gross combined payroll of BC’s four largest salmon farming companies.   $22 is the average hourly wage paid by BC’s four largest salmon farming companies.   $237.8-Million is the total collective value of the service and supply contracts of BC’s four largest  salmon farming companies.

SOOKE/WESTSHORE

DECEMBER 2014

SHINING LIGHT ON THE PRESENT AND FUTURE JOB MARKETS

WEST SHORE CRAIG SOROCHAN

he WestShore Chamber is looking to the present for answers about the future. The WestShore Chamber of Commerce is interested in hearing from businesses and organizations from across the region about where the gaps are in our current and future labour markets. With a relatively young population and more room to grow, the West

Shore is well situated to take advantage of future job market oppor tu n ities. It’s been wel l reported that there a re concerns from i ndustry a nd b u s i n e s s e s t h ro u g ho ut t h e Greater Victoria Region worried about a substantial shortfall in projected skilled trades and very qualified personnel. This shortfall has resulted in delayed expansion plans and has hampered overall economic growth in the region. In order to address this concerning situation the Greater Victoria and West Shore Labour M a rket Pa r t nersh ip P roject will assess current and future skilled labour market gaps in BC’s Capita l Reg ion, w ith a focus on the fastest growing area in BC, “the West Shore.” The project will encompass the entire Greater Victoria region and data used from the LMP

will be shared with the Greater Victoria Development Agency. Spearheading the research for the LMP is the Community Social Planning Council (CSPC). T he LMP project will make specific recommendations on the most important training prog ra m s a nd l a b o u r forc e development act iv it ies. To accomplish this research the WestShore Chamber and CSPC will require the insight of businesses and organizations from across the entire CRD, so there is a complete picture that will fill in the gaps in the currently available data. This will help us understand the projected skills demands and potential shortages by sector over a ten year

period, together with estimated number and percentage of jobs to be created by sector based on planned commercial and industrial growth. Understanding the gaps in the job market will help the province identify the educational investments that need to be made. Fo c u s g roups w i l l b e held across the region along with stakeholder interviews and a comprehensive survey of businesses. We ask that you take a moment to identify the current needs of your business and think about what will be needed to make your business thrive in the future. Please tell us what your businesses looks like and needs are when we reach out

to you in the months to come. T he P rov i nce of BC L abou r Market Partnerships program us f u nd i ng t h is project a nd the information will be shared with a variety of community stakeholders. The WestShore Cha mber hopes that we ca n count on the insight from businesses from across the region to help us better understand today’s labour landscape and to ensure the labour needs of the future economy are met. Craig Sorochan is manager at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. Reach him at 250478-1130 or craig@westshore. bc.ca

NOW LET’S GET ON WITH BUSINESS!

SOOKE MICHAEL NYIKES

C communities have just completed another great exercise in democracy as the people went to the polls to vote for new municipal council representatives. It certainly didn’t come without drama though! In the weeks leading up to our local election, Sooke residents had a front row seat to “the good, the bad, and the ugly” as some of the candidates, a few of the usual naysayer-type locals, and one of the town newspapers regularly slung mud, made uninformed accusations, and demonstrated clear bias against those they did not like. Fortunately, most of the candidates and the majority of general public members chose to approach these elections with integrity, thoughtfulness and respect. These people didn’t make personal attacks, they kept things on a professional level, and they were able to articulate their positions intelligently. Throughout the election process, they received countless inquiries from the business community and the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce general public as to who we felt would be the best candidates to serve

our town in the most effective ways. Of course as an un-biased, non-partisan organization we couldn’t offer our perspectives or endorsements to any candidate; however we were proud to play a critical role in the decision-making process through the facilitation of an all-candidates forum which saw over 400 citizens in attendance. With upwards of 50 questions posed by a professional moderator and the general public via an open mic, there were many defining moments at the Chamber’s all-candidates forum which clearly gave people an “apples to apples” comparison of the candidates through their responses. This effectively lead Sooke’s citizens to make informed decisions on who they felt would be best for the community’s future. Our Chamber was particularly pleased to note that the ambitions expressed by most of the candidates at the forum reflected the items that were important to Chamber members. Issues such as urban renewal of the downtown core, transportation and infrastructure improvements, strategies for economic development stimulation, and tangible support for small businesses through realistic tax rates and incentives were repeatedly discussed. Sooke is poised for continued exponential growth. With our new Mayor and Councillors in place, the Chamber is excited to continue our established partnership with our local government to collaboratively work towards the necessary short and long term economic and social benefits for our community.

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annually

in excess of $20 million

C Ferries will continue to be a priority for our region, and for the entire Island. Recent discussions around increasing efficiencies within the BC Ferries structure have caused considerable debate and have raised concerns on the Island. The current challenge for BC Ferries is that there are only two profitable routes. These profitable routes continue to support the minor routes in excess of $20 million annually. With this in mind, along with the fact that fares have reached their limit, there is concern that additional increases will have a negative economic impact with further declining ridership. We have advocated the need for BC Ferries to identify cost-saving efficiencies including terminal

rationalization and passenger ferry service as a few possible solutions. In September of this year, BC Ferries published its report Strategies for Enhancing Efficiencies in Performance Term Four and Beyond. It received much media attention, specifically around the major route sh i f t to address terminal upgrade issues at Horseshoe Bay. Both the Minister of Transportation and the Premier were quick to respond. The Transportation Minister committed to continued service

and appears determined to not have any routes changed or shifted. The Premier that fares have reached their tipping point. So, where does that leave ferry dependent communities? I see three main levers to address sustainability issues. One, finding efficiencies including cutting costs, terminal rationalization, etc. That has already been denied. Two, increase fares. That’s an unending game of diminishing returns. Three, government funding (cash). Specifically, government cash in the form of larger subsidies. How much cash? Boat loads upon boat loads of cash. Addressing budget shortfalls, maintaining fleet renewal and creating a sustainable long-term ferry system can only be accomplished by the last lever the government has left available. That’s more money from government. Although we would like to see BC Ferries identify and implement efficiencies that result in cost savings, such innovative strategies are not supported by the sole shareholder, the BC government. So, where do we get the money….?

DECEMBER CHAMBER EVENTS • Wednesday, December 3 Chair’s Holiday Reception 5:30 – 7:30 pm Co-hosted by: Vancity Savings Credit Union and Royal BC Museum (location) • Thursday, December 4 Industry Tour: Times Colonist 10:30 – 12:00 noon Location: Times

Protect your business from the usual suspects.

For a chance to win a $1,000 cash reward, visit: iscu.com/UsualSuspects JOB ISCU-15894 CLIENT: ISLAND SAVINGS CREDIT UNION PUBLICATION: BUSINESS VANCOUVER ISLAND AD INSERTION DATE: TBD

• Tuesday, December 16 Business Awards Nomination Information Session 8:00 – 9:00 am Location: The Chamber • Thursday, December 25 – Friday, January 2 Holiday Office Closure Location: The Chamber

Coming in January: August:

Bruce Carter is CEO of Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce bcarter@victoriachamber.ca (250) 383-7191

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DECEMBER 2014

TAILINGS POND AT MOUNT WASHINGTON HOLDS MINERAL WEALTH “The old coal seams made North Bay Resources has information for potential future development

ancouver Island has untapped mineral potential just beneath the ground. So says Jacques Houle of Jacques Houle Mineral Exploration Consulting, a geologist who has a 35year career history, working out of Nanaimo since 2000. Initially he worked with the BC government, setting up his own practice in 2003 to consult with mining companies across Canada. One of his most recent assignments, saw him working with North Bay Resources, headquartered in Pennsylvania, to explore the potential of an old mine site at Mount Washington for which it holds mineral claims. North Bay Resources is seeking $1 million from investors to get a better handle on the extinct volcano’s hidden worth in a variety of locations around the mountain. On Tuesday, Sept. 23 North Bay Resources released a 288 page technical report that Houle authored about its Mount Washington Project, which compiled previous information about minerals on its property and revealed new information about what exactly is in

Nanaimo. The wealth created from that had a very strong impact on the formation of British Columbia and bringing it into Canada.” JACQUES HOULE PROPRIETOR, JACQUES HOULE MINERAL EXPLORATION CONSULTING

has held the claim to the old mine tailings pond and the surrounding area since 2011. The pond isn’t the only location with enormous potential. Houle noted that one of the most interesting sites is called the Domineer and is located underneath the Boomerang ski lift on Mount Washington. The Domineer is a flatline gold bearing quartz vein. Houle said it was structurally similar to the nearby open pit copper mine, which the government is working on as reclamation project to stop it from leaching metals into the environment. “In previous days we didn’t know any better as an industry,” he said. “Sometimes we did things

Jacques Houle says there is abundant potential in Vancouver Island’s mineral wealth record. The pond is just one of many possibilities on the island. Houle said the wider potential is “outstanding.” “The old coal seams made Nanaimo. The wealth created from that had a very strong impact on the formation of British Columbia and bringing it into Canada.

T here’s fabu lous h istory on that. There is great potential for more mines like Island Copper, Myra Falls and the Quinsam Coal Mine. We have potential for many more of those kinds of projects.” He added that BC’s environmental regulations are world class and that industry and

1 eB ag –p S the environment can exist side aRd B1 W ge by side. Ba paucket g e – IR dS B Fillin ge tV “What we do is, we generate a aR ep Se da aW W B et o needed e wealth,” he said. “The jobs ck g u R R B llin C VI Fi e ag Rd There at are here are very important. ep m Se Co Wd Re t istr o c » liveCRhere who a lot of people who e j ns Rd pro e co d Cohere and would love0to work annot 05stage in th is m 13 Re 2 p n 15 0e Isl t 2 12 w 3 e r 1 » s e20 oormy jec str ve nk

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that weren’t the best. I think we’re way better now.” The testing at the tailings pond provides information, and for now that’s all it is, Houle said. Anyone who thinks work will begin due to this new information is ahead of themselves. Houle said that if North Bay Resources were to extract minerals from the tailings pond, they might have to build a second one. “Or you could stack the material on one end of the pond and then process through a plant, extract what you can and then redeposit it on the other side – it’s possible.” But no work is scheduled to go ahead at this time. The key thing, Houle said, is that the findings are documented and on the

is- itte oefr erco s s hueit e dto Hth c l) bW sid e m a pealp t d m Mg orfo td a m h nenin raatal dicoab aollp.re, sthco mpm- bers otsha endeins leet q v in eu rsa a lv n olo ms t’s ais is t iom10esntre m.e(B o ell litte gofmo nodno eafiid . aWls iomne rvce hgae e m vw H r u c he g are R.W .Wis itp Due aonCa ohtichhly in s. It“’sWinpgle ac-e a hsehs thweilr,l a s t is t r in bySRhe eavdedlo oanshfo aim s fag ly m aflsw gphed ie neo f N a no co i, o ulo vit inp e or spopllle,” din livkeen is ne o. I nd snitCs Naannd is st lbern d Tofi m d tenr , hs,eall eovroe acti bneg onfo Ha part naim all’s nia e pefu builnan e pharu is S o d th a a n s d n’s threia eed fual re w tA a Na . W na re an tour a m er wse. w ma e acare c ati rctie.o d is g r in R.W , Ca poGr oera - e n teciso :h- l a l nin ildre tRaott s naat thom let w e Po a d e 26 g r a N m h f cb nalt aic th o ny Co orp buuril er c tha te lu ge wae tCpo y f pa Uc ture l ll.h deer is shite roosf Dearilo rino je a khie e deicd f oH a pa ent ata c afo o hset p 0bme imoothn tedp eler t t m Mnae im m str edic aall no,nshyeoamr m2m r ca ket r 10 m . W iow uisr c oC’sha ahneamr rveolvu’snlidtt f ooof e Noa nal.e Tfi or,m th imo Nt uin e. It e -g h- itsh d fre ma 2 are R.W d it fo a lseo ’hcly v s anrin ta sp n th y ad on nim i ie toN o lafa ly a is 9 b I n sits ana bisy th a ug svsit qguin netof l Hple e like r X d r N he H oro rceti -bse dcoen el rpaeo ed th pa 11 an reate e. 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the tailings debris itself. In 2011 Houle noted t h e r e c o u l d b e $ 5-10 m i llion in metals in the tailings. This official resource estimate now indicates that out of 325,400 tonnes of material in total there is 241,625 tonnes at 0.119 grams/ tonne of gold, 5.68 grams/tonne of silver, 0.098% copper, and 8.26 grams/tonne of tellurium. It also infers there is 83,775 tonnes at 0.119 grams/tonne of gold, 5.68 grams/tonne of silver, 0.098% copper, and 8.26 grams/tonne of tellurium. Like many of his clients, North Bay Resources is a small company that has acquired mineral claims and has to advance them in order to retain them. The company

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Vancouver Island | Victoria | Thompson-Okanagan | Fraser Valley

Jacques Houle says the tailings pod at Mount Washington has the potential to yield valuable minerals

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DECEMBER 2014

INSURANCE Insurance essential for everyone Different needs need different policies BY GOODY NIOSI

eople need insurance, said financial planner Frank Allen of the Frank Allen Financial Group, especially business people. What kind of insurance do they need? The short answer is that every situation is different, with one common denominator. “Debts should last no longer than the person who created them,” Allen said. “Business owners typically have a lot of debt – that’s not uncommon, whether the business has the debt or the business owner has the debt, so the first thing we look at is coverage for a case where, if somebody died today, we want to make sure that debt is paid off.” That is not only important for a business owner, Allen said, but also for an individual. However, that is not the primary use of life insurance. The more common scenario is disability. Statistically, 20% of people buying insurance at age 30 will become disabled for at least a few months before the age of 65. “It doesn’t matter who we are, we all rely on our incomes,” Allen said. “If a business owner is disabled for five or six months, the company can keep paying the salary but after a while, you say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to replace me; we’ve got to have someone come in and do the work that I was doing’ and disability insurance is logical, either through an employee’s disability plan or individually.” Insurance also plays a role in estate planning. A business owner may have more than one child, but only one or two are involved in the business. In that case, it makes sense for the business to go to the child or children in the business. Life insurance can then be used to equal out the division of the estate. Insurance is also useful for succession planning. When a company passes to a child, a new corporation is formed where the common shares are owned by the child or successor and the preferred shares are held by the founder. “Often life insurance is required to say that there will be a large tax

Serge Corbeil says a big part of his job with the Insurance Bureau of Canada is education

“Put it all on the table and really work with that broker to look at the different options that exist that would best suit the needs of that business” SERGE CORBEIL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER WESTERN AND PACIFIC, INSURANCE BUREAU OF CANADA

Financial Planner Frank Allen says business owners need life insurance

bill at the death of the elder and we want to make sure it’s paid,” Allen said. The business can then continue to function successfully without having massive amounts of capital withdrawn. He added one last important item: when a life insurance policy has a named beneficiary that money is protected from creditors – and that can be crucial for business owners as well as for individuals and their families. Serge Corbeil, govern ment relations manager Western and Pacific for the Insurance Bureau of Canada agreed that the short answer to “Who needs insurance?” is, “Everyone.” Automobile insurance is mandatory – the only insurance that is. Mortgage insurance is requested by the mortgage provider and can almost be considered mandatory. And most people understand the importance of insuring their assets. “Everyone needs insurance that has assets that they believe would cause them great financial distress if anything happened to those assets,” Corbeil said. “So you want to protect your home and your goods. Insurance is there to replace the goods due to loss or damage.” He added that another aspect of insurance that

is not as widely known is liability coverage. “Typically a homeowner’s insurance policy or a renter’s policy would come with that liability protection,” he said, adding that this kind of insurance is particularly important for businesses. A business would have a property policy as well as a commercial general liability policy. A retail shop or professional firm that sees the public coming to the premises would want insurance against accidents such as a slip and fall. “In the commercial environment, it’s more complex and more involved than a homeowner’s policy,” Corbeil said. “Businesses are all different. If you’re a restaurant you have different needs than if you’re a consultant on floral arrangements.” He said that the number one advice he has for business owners or people thinking about starting a business is to talk to a broker and explain, in detail, the nature of the business. “Put it all on the table and really work with that broker to look at the different options that exist that would best suit the needs of that business.” When it comes to liability, even people who volunteer on boards of directors have to

INSURANCE

DECEMBER 2014

ask about liability insurance. Corbeil said that when he volunteers for a board, his first questions is always, “Do we have directors’ and officers’ liability insurance?” His number two piece of advice for new business owners is to shop around, or have your broker look at different insurance companies – some offer better premiums than others. He also noted that some brokers specialize in commercial insurance, dealing with more complex risks. The third piece of advice, Corbeil gives is to have a risk management plan. “Look around and think of everything that could go wrong. How can you minimize the risk to you and, ultimately, to your

customers?” he also advised people who run home-based businesses to talk to their insurance professional. Homeowner’s insurance might not be enough. “It’s essential that you give the most information that is available so they can correctly assess your risk,” he said. “People don’t really think a lot about insurance but it plays an essential role.” He said that a one-time pillar of the insurance industry once said, “Without insurance no plane would fly, no building would be constructed and no business would operate.” Insurance companies take on the risk that allow commerce and progress in today’s world.

Benefits Made Easy Need a Benefits Plan with Stable Rates & Better Service? Tap into 35 years of Benefits Plan experience! Dental-Extended Health-LTD-Critical Illness

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Frank Allen

Vancouver Island | Victoria | Thompsomn-Okanagan | Fraser Valley

FINANCIAL GROUP INC.

frank@frankallennancial.com

(250) 753-2101

www.businessexaminer.ca to subscribe LOCAL INSURANCE BROKERS EAGER TO WORK WITH BUSINESS “All of our staff live SeaFirst Insurance helps local community while giving business rare service

ocal decision making with international backing gives SeaFirst Insurance Brokers in Victoria a big advantage. Where some insurance companies are pulling out of business offerings that include earthquake insurance, SeaFirst Insurance Brokers, which deals with local insurance companies as well as Lloyds of London, can handle any needs a business might have. SeaFirst is locally owned and while it has only moved to the West Shore a little more than a year ago, if boasts a proud 40-year history on the Saanich Peninsula that, very importantly, includes a strong culture of community involvement. “We live here and we work here,” said office manager Shawn Fehr. “All of our staff live within minutes of the office and we want to support the people who are our neighbours and our friends.” He noted that most staff members, himself included, have children attending local schools and children who are in the athletics and arts programs, so SeaFirst donates time, energy

within minutes of the office and we want to support the people who are our neighbours and our friends.” SHAWN FEHR OFFICE MANAGER, SEAFIRST INSURANCE BROKERS

and money to local sports teams and other school programs. “We try to get involved where the kids are,” he said. “Giving back to the community is part of our culture.” He pointed out that as an independent brokerage, the company’s heart is in the community. He added that SeaFirst offers a full range of insurance options including ICBC and home insurance, including high value home insurance. “But our real edge comes on the business insurance side. We’re open for business. Our markets are excited for the next year or two to write business that no one else is able to write. Our markets are our advantage” SeaFirst Insurance Brokers is at 115 – 2244 Sooke Road in Victoria. www.seafirstinsurance.com

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SeaFirst is part of your community. We have creative and competitive solutions for all of your insurance needs. Please visit us in the Hatley Park Mall at 2244 Sooke Road or call us at 250-478-9110. Brentwood Bay | Saanichton | Salt Spring Island | Sidney Oak Bay | Westshore | Pender Island

www.seafirstinsurance.com

DECEMBER 2014

ARCHIE JOHNSTONE PLUMBING AND HEATING OPENS OFFICE IN VICTORIA “There’s a customer Archie Johnstone acquires Victoria’s Cairnview Mechanical

base here, meaning we have already established customers

rchie Johnstone Plumbi ng & He at i ng Ltd ., a third generation family owned business headquartered in Nanaimo, acquired the assets and goodwill of Victoria-based Cairnview Mechanical Ltd. on September 1. President and general manager, Garth Johnstone said that already the new Archie Johnstone office’s service department is experiencing steady grow th with six technicians handling a full work load daily. He noted that 20 years ago, the company had opened an office in Victoria to service its new construction work. With the new acquisition, it is taking a different approach. “This time we’re starting with service work,” he said. “There’s a customer base here, meaning we have already established customers that we are continuing with, and building on the relationships that Cairnview had.” Archie Johnstone has kept the ref r igerat ion a nd plu mbi ng technicians on staff as well as dispatcher Corey Dreger. Angus

that we are continuing with, and building on the relationship that Cairnview had.” GARTH JOHNSTONE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, ARCHIE JOHNSTONE PLUMBING & HEATING LTD.

Macpherson is also staying under a management agreement as project manager and estimator. Johnstone said that since the acquisition, customer reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. “A lot of Victoria clients already deal with us in the mid-island area,” he said. “We work with the facility and property managers, so we already have a relationship with them, and they like our culture. So, for them, we’re a onestop shop for service.” He added that the company would like to add one service van a year in Victoria and take on two or three new construction projects annually. Already, Archie Johnstone

Garth Johnstone says the new Victoria office is already going strong

Johnstone is a one-stop for plumbing, HVAC and more, including service

is working on the renovations of the Dalton Hotel at Blanshard and Yates as well as on the Rithet Reservoir in Saanich. A rch ie Joh nstone has been operating on Vancouver Island since 1954 and currently boasts about 80 staff. The company is a true one- stop contractor for complete mechanical infrastructure: plumbing, heating, sheet metal, air-conditioning and refrigeration including ice machines, walk-in coolers and more. It is a member of the Island Mechanical Industrial Relations Association, the Mechanical

Contractors Association of BC, the Va ncouver Isla nd Sheet Metal Contractors Association, the National Fire Protection Association, the British Columbia Construction Association and the Vancouver Island Construction Association. Archie Johnstone Plumbing & Heating has worked on dozens of large and prestigious projects on Vancouver Island. Jo h n s to n e s a i d t h a t h e i s st ressi ng to proper ty m a nagers that the company has the knowledge and craftsmen to look after plumbing and HVAC

in commercial buildings. The company’s intentions are also to establish a highly skilled Victoria workforce for new construction projects. Being a strong member of the community is important, Johnstone said, especially for a company that plans to continue to be successful in communities on Vancouver Island for many more years to come. Archie Johnstone Plumbing & Heating Ltd. is at 734 Tyee Road in Victoria 113 Gava Place in Nanaimo and. www.ajph.com

ARCHIE JOHNSTONE MERGES WITH CAIRNVIEW MECHANICAL

Reliable Service to Commercial & Property Management Industries for over 60 Years

24 Hour Service • 250-385-8439 • www.ajph.com • 734 Tyee Rd., Victoria

DECEMBER 2014

OUGHTRED COFFEE AND TEA CHAMPIONS SUSTAINABILITY, ETHICS AND QUALITY “While our offerings are Victoria based company distributes a superior product made from directly sourced coffee cherries

ughtred Coffee & Tea stands out as an industry leading sustainable, ethical coffee distributor committed to delivering a superior product. The Victoria based company distributes premium specialty coffees including Rainforest Alliance, fair trade, organic, bird friendly and shade grown brands to a range of customers along with a growing line of additional products including tea, specialty syrups and chocolates. “Our ability to control the quality and freshness is what sets the company apart,” Co-Owner Michael Oughtred explains. “Coffee is one of the most important fresh products in this part of the world.” O w n i n g Pa r t ners M ichael Oughtred and his brother John Oughtred were born into the family business and are proud to be the new owners after purchasing the company from their father in January this year. “My father founded the business in 1973, and I was born in 1975,” says Michael Oughtred. “My family background is Brazilian and Canadian. Having a mother from Brazil, I learned a lot about the coffee growing and

specialty coffees, our goal is for the average coffee drinker to see the quality of this product and positive impacts on the environment. By directly sourcing our coffee and building relationships with farmers, we improve transparency and are able to deliver a premium product that we can produce in small batches.” MICHAEL OUGHTRED OWNING PARTNER, OUGHTRED COFFEE & TEA

production side. With my father being Canadian, I was exposed to the roasting and product distribution aspects of the coffee business,” says Oughtred. “Even when we were younger, going through university during spring break, we came back and worked in the company, helping out with a variety of tasks,” says Oughtred.

Oughtred’s direct trade partners in Guatemala express gratitude and appreciation recognize long term partnership after finishing a deal that Solidified the price for procuring their microlot coffee

Owning Partners and Brothers Michael Oughtred (Left) and John Oughtred (Right) continue the family legacy of sustainable, premium quality specialty coffee import, production and distribution “In 1997, I joined the company full time, and my brother John joined in 1999. I have had the opportunity to be part of all aspects of coffee production, including sourcing, business development and customer service.” A diverse customer base has played a key role in the success of the company, which distributes coffee directly sourced from all over the globe by its sister company in Delta. The coffee is then roasted in small batches of 60 pounds at a time, which ensures quality and great flavors. “Anywhere that sells specialty coffee may carry our product. Our customers include high end coffee bars, grocery stores and the hospitality industry, but food service coffee where our roots are remains as part of the business,” says Oughtred. “While our offerings are specialty coffees, our goal is for the average coffee drinker to see the quality of this product and positive impacts on the environment. By directly sourcing our coffee and building relationships with farmers, we improve transparency and are able to deliver a premium product that we can produce in small batches.” A major distinguishing factor for the Oughtred brand and the way the company does business is taking care of the land through

stewardship and the people, through education. “The better the land and the people were treated, the better the product becomes,” Oughtred explains with satisfaction. Traditionally grown sun coffees can produce a high yield in the short run, but in the long term, growers and communities pay for it in soil changes, pesticide use and collapse of the ecosystem that would keep the coffee healthy and relatively pest free. “Coffee does not like to be exposed to direct sunlight,” says Oughtred. “By protecting the canopy, you provide shade, which enhances the resiliency of the crop and long term sustainability. Biodiversity is supported as the ecosystem is maintained, increasing the health of the coffee plants and landscape while reducing pest activity as predatory birds are attracted.”| Farmers who adopt sustainable growing practices note the bounty of life on a coffee farm from birds, to plants and even big cats along with healthy plants producing great flavors. “It’s probably the most beautiful thing I have seen in my life,” declares Oughtred. “We are so proud to support these farmers with our business.” “In our experience, we found

that quality and sustainability was something we wanted to be part of,” Oughtred says. “It really made sense and set us apart back when coffee was cheap. We put extra efforts into making a product that reflects quality, sustainability and customer satisfaction in purchasing a delicious, green and socially responsible product.” Asked about key factors in the success of the company, Oughtred explains “It’s not rocket science; it’s just hard work and the right decisions.” Hav i ng t he menta l ity of a very small business is essential, Oughtred feels, and together with direct sourced quality products, contributes substantially to differentiating the company from mainstream competition. “Customers are really all you have. If you don’t know what they have and what they need its pretty difficult,” says Oughtred. Diversification is a key element of the company strategy for continued success, Oughtred points out. “We even import specialty coffee equipment from all across the world to produce a one stop shop solution for customers in a variety of markets.” Oughtred Coffee & Tea is at 723 B Vanalman Ave in Victoria Visit www.oughtred.com

Espresso Coffee Machines Co.

SPECIALIZING IN ITALIAN FOOD EQUIPMENT Gelato, Pasta, Pizza… and more! Family owned and operated for over 40 years. 3709 1st Ave Burnaby, B.C.

604.291.6363 www.ecm.bc.ca

Congratulations to Oughtred Coffee & Tea for over 40 years of dedication to the specialty coffee industry from the legal team of:

DECEMBER 2014

PARKER JOHNSTON INDUSTRIES LTD. RECOGNIZED BY THE 2014 VICTORIA COMMERCIAL BUILDING AWARDS Vancouver Island’s leading building envelope contractor went above and beyond in new warehouse project

ANNICHTON – Vancouver Island’s leading design/build contractor for building envelopes on Vancouver has again been recognized in

the Victoria Commercial Building Awards. Parker Johnston Industries Ltd. of Victor i a pl aced a s a finalist in the 2014 Commercial Building Awards for their new ma nu factu ri ng faci l ity with 22,000 sq ft warehouse space a nd 7,000 sq f t of office space. The building will accom modate the grow th of Parker Johnston Industries and features a cutting edge exterior design job. Owning Partner and General

Raider Hansen has had the pleasure of working with Parker Johnston for several years now. They are not only providing an excellent quality of workmanship, they are providing multiple training and employment opportunities. Parker Johnston is very much, serving our Community. Congratulations on all your successes!

Commitment to Excellence The Best in Construction & Industrial Products 100% BC Owned and Operated www.raiderhansen.com 250.383.0223

Manager Rod Parker is proud of the company track record built upon the quality, innovation and excellence recognized in this latest project. “Being the finalist for the 2014 Building awards is a validation of what we do. The building is a functional warehouse that gave us the opportunity to gain recognition as a finalist for our hard work and innovation,” says Parker. “This project showcases what we can do to make buildings better for owners and hopefully drive tenancy and value up for their buildings so they see some recovery out of it at the end of the day.” I n t he c a se of t he pl a ci n g warehouse project, the work featured an attractive aluminum panel exterior augmented by concrete tilt up panels, which lend texture and great aesthetics.” “We could have just put a concrete façade on this building rather than a panel façade, and it would have functioned just as well but it would not have been as easy to re- lease.” “We have moved out of our location 7 times, and we keep the buildings and lease them out. As landlords ourselves we

Owning Partner/General Manager Rod Parker, pictured with wife Marian de Monye is proud of the continued success of the Parker Johnston Industries as an innovator and finder of solutions clients are familiar how to improve the leasing appeal of a property,” says Parker. B a se d i n V ic tor i a w it h a n add it ion a l lo c at ion i n Ca lgary, Parker Johnston employs around 250 people and enjoys continued success and a strong place in the Western Canadian construction market thanks long term staff, capacity and strong management. “My g ra nd fat her sta r ted the business with his partner

65 years ago, my father took over the business in the early 70’s, a nd I mostly took over the business by becoming an owning partner as well as General Manager in 2001. My dad is still active as an owning partner.” T he company has th ree d isti nct d iv isions ser v i ng a well-defined yet wide range of client needs. “We have a residential and commercial roofing division

Congratulations Parker Johnston Industries Ltd.! We look forward to working together on future projects.

First class work on high profile buildings such as the UVIC Social Sciences and Mathematics Building cements the reputation of Parker Johnston

CLAY & COMPANY LAWYERS Proud to work with Parker Johnston Industries

Congratulations Parker Johnston Industries Ltd. Best wishes for continued success! 1201 Douglas St., Victoria, BC V8W 2E6 (250) 383-1206 | www.cwbank.com

Paul G. Scambler, Q.C. Margaret Sasges Jessica Koch Christian Wilson

Robert S. Gill Kristil Hammer Almut Keil

Main Floor, 837 Burdett Avenue Victoria, B.C. V8W 1B3

www.clay.bc.ca Phone: (250) 386-2261 Facsimile: (250) 389-1336

DECEMBER 2014

Buildings with envelopes completed by Parker Johnston have been repeatedly recognized in the Victoria Commercial Building Awards. Pictured is the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence that services the general public and completes re-roofing for houses and stratas,” says Parker. “We have an exterior wall systems division that does metal cladding, composite cladding, speci a lty cl add i ng, outside walls, primarily in the commercial industrial and institutional sector.”| “We have a sister company Integrity Exteriors that does leaky condo remediation and building and middle life cycle upgrades for apartment buildings and stratas,” Parker concludes. “That division employs about 50 people of the overall larger company.” “Key to our success is having the capacity essential in our industry. We can move people and equipment across jurisdictions and that gives us a huge advantage in the building market,” says Parker. “A lot of the time we optimize costs for the owner. They come in with a generic design from an architect and we can cut the cost 15 or 20 percent without impacting the quality of the building or the tenancy.” Seeing buildings perform for the end user beyond their expectations with the maintenance costs of the building being lower, or the building achieving a higher than usual rent or selling price are key measures of success for Parker Johnston Industries.

“A s fa r a s t he com merci a l building awards go over their past 5 years in existence, each year we have done 50 percent of award winner’s exterior envelopes. If you look at BMW, you look at Uptown Mall or any of T ri-eagles bu i ld i ngs, we proud to say we did them,” says Parker. “The more we get involved in these sorts of awards and the more validation we get, the easier it is for us to go to an owner and interest them in working w ith us. Hea ri ng com ments from the respective developers that it was easier to sell the project mea ns that ou r va lues were aligned. That is very satisfying.”

Vancouver Island’s largest building envelope contractor has completed a wide range of projects, including the re-roofing for St. John the Martyr Church

Asked about industry challenges, Parker ex plains that “difficulties in our industry are purely succession based.” “We have a huge number of retiring business owners, and one or two major national consolidators. The challenge will be to remain a locally focused contractor while fending off massive takeovers in the industry. This is a family business and we want to hold our ground in the market. You have to be committed to the business and committed to growth otherwise your market position will be eroded.” Parker Johnston Industries Ltd. is at 6791 Oldfield Road in Saanichton, Visit www.parkerjohnston.com

CONGRATULATIONS Parker Johnston Industries On Your Nomination For Commercial Project Of The Year!

Building value in family business KPMG Enterprise’s network of professionals is dedicated to helping family business owners and entreprenuers of privatelyheld companies grow and build value in their business for the long term. For more information on how KPMG can help, contact Sang Ly, Partner, at 250-480-3527.

kpmg.ca/enterprise

Proud to be a supplier of Parker Johnston Industries Ltd.

Vancouver Island’s Most Complete Building Supply Company 12 Locations to serve you

To ﬁnd a location near you please visit: www.SLEGGLUMBER.com

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RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL Roofing • Cladding • Wall Systems • Construction Congratulations to all the Winners and Finalists at the 2014 Victoria Commercial Building Awards! Making house calls since 1950 • 250-382-9181 • www.parkerjohnston.com

PHILANTHROPY

DECEMBER 2014

Local Community Micro Lending Organization Turns Five

O A GIFT

A GIFT

Support The Mustard Seed this Christmas Have your gifts wrapped by donation here:

n November 25th, at the Atrium Building, Canada’s first peer-topeer micro lending organization celebrated its fifth birthday. Founded in 2009 by a group of business and community leaders, including Victoria Mayor Elect Lisa Helps, the innovative organization has helped people living in or near poverty start small businesses. “What we’ve been able to do over the last five years” says Executive Director Vu Ndlovu, “is transform lives one loan at a time. Each loan we give provides people with the opportunity to move out of poverty and live a life full of purpose.” CML entrepreneur Charlane Simpson won a battle with cancer 4 years ago, but lost her job in the process. She ended up bankrupt and without a home. With a loan from CML, she was able to start a business, I’m SEW Excited, making entertaining

Island Savings to help Big Brothers Big Sisters go Lean

lready seeing the benefits of greater efficiency and less waste, Island Savings will pay its recent Lean learning forward to help long-time community partner Big Brothers Big Sisters reduce the time it currently takes to match a child with his or her big brother or sister. “Island Savings has already improved its service to our members by applying Lean principles to shave the number of

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aprons. “The loan has transformed my life because I’m living my life. I’m living a new life,” Charlane says. “I feel like I have a purpose.” The event showcased Community Micro Lending entrepreneurs whose businesses were funded by local lenders. It’s an opportunity to hear some inspiring success stories and start holiday shopping at the same time. Community Micro Lending has once again hooked up with students in the Camosun College Hospitality Program who helped to organize the event as their term project. MC’d by Meribeth Burton the evening featured guest speakers Lisa Helps, Mark de Medeiros, Senior Manager of Business Banking at Island Savings the event sponsor, and a hot-off-the-press video showcasing the organizations success stories.

employee hours spent on paperwork and bulky processes, “ says Steve Chubby, senior manager of retail banking at Island Savings and a director on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Victoria and Southern Gulf Islands chapter. “The idea here is to extend the reach of this well-respected program to help Big Brothers Big Sisters bring even more value to the kids they work with across the Islands.”

CORPORATE GIVING MATTERS

Your legacy: a better future for everyone touched by cancer Discovery needs willing partners. When you remember the BC Cancer Foundation in your will, you’ll be supporting world-renowned research in BC that is shaping the future of cancer care in your community. Please be sure to use the full legal name of our organization:

BC Cancer Foundation Registration Number: 11881 8434 RR0001

250.519.5550

1.866.519.5550

bccancerfoundation.com

“We want research Business donations help BC Cancer Foundation fund important research

orporate donations ma ke a l l t he d i fference to the BC Cancer Foundation. The fou ndation’s president and CEO Doug Nelson said that donations by business represent 10 – 15% of total donations annually and because they tend to be consistent, they allow the foundation to commit to research projects in a timely manner. Corporate support takes the form of sponsoring events such as the R ide to Conquer Cancer or the upcoming Jingle Mingle in Victoria Dec. 4. Corporations also make direct donations to particular projects and many participate by fielding teams i n the R ide to Conquer Cancer. “Corporate sponsorship allows us to put on very high calibre events that give people the opportunity

projects to turn into care options for patients down the road.” DOUG NELSON PRESIDENT AND CEO, BC CANCER FOUNDATION

to make individual donations,” Nelson said, noting that the BC Cancer Foundation tends to get strong support because so many people have been touched by cancer. “There is a common denominator,” he said. “They want to make a difference to the lives of cancer pat ient s h ere i n B r it i s h

Columbia., and we work very closely with our corporate sponsors to profile their support so that they can tell others how they are supporting us – and that helps us spread the message that philanthropy and research really are improving cancer care.” He cited Thrifty Foods as the foundation’s largest corporation sponsor and also singled out the Campbell family for its years of support. A current priority is research in immunotherapy taking place at the Deeley Research Centre in Victoria. Immunotherapy aims to use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. T he BC Cancer Foundation is the largest funder of cancer research i n the prov i nce w ith 115,000 donors a year. “We fund a few things very deeply and over a period of time so that they can make a difference,” Nelson said. “We want research projects to turn into care options for patients down the road.” The BC Cancer Foundation is at 250 Lee Avenue in Victoria. www.bccancerfoundation.com

DECEMBER 2014

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR GOING GREEN

GOING GREEN CRAIG SOROCHAN

here is a common misconception that it costs a fortune to “go green” which often inhibits small businesses from even trying–let alone considering it during tough times. Until recently, many businesses viewed sustainability as a matter of corporate philanthropy. Today a g row i ng nu mber of businesses are finding that sustainability isn’t just about ethics; it also makes good business sense. W hen operat i ng you r ow n busi ness, determ i n i ng you r “return on investment” is always a top priority when making decisions. One big decision for your company is whether or not to implement green initiatives. Green initiatives can include everything from reducing

energy consumption to wasting less paper. When considering the decision to “go green,” look at both the short and long term results of green initiatives and, chances are, you’ll discover a number of benefits. Those benefits go well beyond feeling good about helping the environment. They also directly impact your business because they not only reduce your operational costs but also streamline your practices by maximizing the efficiency of capital and labour inputs. Accord i ng to cha rtered accountant Mike Harris, a partner at PwC, “Corporations now not only understand the significance of reducing their carbon footprint, but can see sustainable initiatives as investments in opportunities to operate more efficiently”. Reducing unnecessary materials and packaging constitutes “going green,” and also cuts costs. Going paperless can save lots of money on the printing of documents. Another example of going green is moving the site of production closer to where the goods are being consumed—that’s what the whole movement toward eating locally grown foods is all about—because it saves on transportation costs.

Plus you are helping the environment by reducing the fuel input. Buying local can also prove to be cheaper than importing because of saved transportation costs. R isk m itigation is a nother crucial benefit. Organizations with well-established sustainability policies are less subject to rising fuel prices, tightening of environmental regulations, or environmental mandates. Furthermore, you may be eligible to receive grants and other incentives for making your company green, which can put money back in your pocket. Ultimately, the most significant impact comes from the cumulative effect of sustainability initiatives. Cost savings, increased certainty, and growth opportunities all add to the bottom line, when considering the decision to green you business. Whether one cares about environmental and social benefits or not, in today’s economy there are few business strategies that sound more practical – than going green. To learn more on how to green your business visit: vigbc.ca Craig Sorochan is the Program Manager of the Vancouver Island Green Business Certification Program. He can be reached at craig@vigbc.ca

COMMUNITY MERRY GO ROUND – SHOP LOCAL We know how big of an impact you can personally make this holiday season, by shifting just 10% of your shopping to local businesses,

THINK FIRST GAYLE ROBINSON

ith the holidays around the corner, what better way to spend your holiday dollars than in the local businesses that support your community! Did you know that spending money in a locally owned business, allows local business owners to support other shops & services here and they’re much more likely to spend that same dollar back in the Victoria community. Talk about a community Merry-go-round! So who are these local businesses? WE ARE! We are THINK LOCAL FIRST VICTORIA and we represent over 165 locally owned and operated businesses here in the greater Victoria region. View a full list of member businesses at www.

25% more stays here thinklocalvictoria.com “Think Local Week” running December 1st -7 th , is a perfect opportunity to dedicate a portion of your holiday spending directly to local businesses. Like us on Facebook and enter to win up to $1000 in prizes. But how much is a “portion”? We represent the 10% Shift. We know how big of an impact you can personally make this holiday season, by shifting just 10% of your shopping to local businesses, 25% more stays here. The impact is HUGE! Go ahead, buy those holiday gifts but please, keep in mind the local business owner. This year, let’s increase holiday cheer for everyone! Gayle Robinson is president of Think Local Victoria and owner of Robinson’s Outdoor Store.

Experience Christmas in Sidney R

emember when holiday shopping brought a smile to your face and a bounce to your step? If so, check out Sidney as your “go-to” holiday hub. There will be horse-drawn carriage rides, traditional story-book Christmas carolers, beautiful shop windows, and just about the best customer service you could imagine. Without doubt, it will be a Christmas to remember! The Christmas Grotto will light up the faces of kids from 1 to 100. Sponsored by the Sidney Business Improvement Area (Sidney BIA), the Grotto is the place to visit Santa, get your Christmas wrapping done for a small donation, meet with friends and neighbors, and make a donation to the Food Bank and Toys for Tots. Nestled between Miss Bliss and Alexander’s Coffee Shop at 2387 Beacon Avenue, the Grotto will be open until December 21. As a special treat, Victoria Carriage Tours will offer horse drawn carriage tours on Thursdays between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. and on Sundays between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. until December 21st. Enjoy a festive ride through downtown Sidney and take in the charming, holiday ambiance. Be sure to pick up a hot beverage and something to eat from one of Sidney’s lively coffee shops or restaurants before you depart. Add to the holiday magic by attending one of the many holiday concerts or the Peninsula Players traditional pantomime, A Christmas Carol. Plan to visit one or more of several Christmas craft shows, the popular Teddy Bear exhibit at the Sidney Historical Museum, and Christmas in the Village at Heritage Acres where children can take in train rides and visit with Santa. The Mary Winspear Centre offers an incredible line-up of holiday entertainment for all ages and tastes including the Festival of Trees display. The Community Arts Council features the Artisans Gift Gallery at Tulista Park on Fifth Street, a perfect place to select a beautiful hand-made gift for that special person on your holiday gift list.

Feeding the Communit y 9819 Fifth St., Sidney • 250-655-7467 • www.onestopfurniture.ca

Pick up a copy of the Sidney Christmas Wish Book, which details all the activities and events taking place in Sidney and on the Peninsula. There you will find a sample of offerings from Sidney retailers featuring unique products and gift ideas to make your holiday shopping even easier. There is also a Wish List for you to give to Santa when you visit the Grotto so he knows what your heart desires! Visit the NEW on-line community events calendar for a complete listing of all of the abovementioned events and many, many more at www.DistinctlySidney.ca.

OFF THE COVER

16 ISLAND SAVINGS CREDIT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

number of products they offer and to increase the amount they can loan to members – in other words, leverage the increased size. She said that in January, Island Savings members will see the same faces at the branch, work with the same accounts and chequebooks and essentially notice nothing different, except for some papers identifying Island Savings as a division of First West. On Nov. 13, members voted overwhelmingly in favour of selling Island Savings’ assets to First West, with almost 80% holding class A and C shares saying yes. First West was created in Jan 2010 when Envision Financial in Langley And Valley First in the Southern Okanagan came together, with a vision of keeping their local names but being able to have a more sustainable future. In 2013 Enderby Financial also joined. Lending caps for Island Savings members will rise from $8 to $15 million with those decisions still made in-branch. With certain approvals, First West can make loans of $35 million because of the bigger balance sheet. “It means we can better grow with those members who are at that level,” Sk i n ner sa id.

DECEMBER 2014

“The whole belief behind First West is how do you keep the local brand and the local community credit unions – how to keep that strong and make it stronger while having a bigger balance sheet” LAUNI SKINNER

Launi Skinner says the partnership of Island Savings with First West is a win-win

CEO, FIRST WEST

“They don’t have to do their banking elsewhere. In 2013 First West launched 22 new products and services And we can offer those products to Island Savings members, It’s efficient for us to have that many more members and for Island Savings, they have an organization that’s helping them create new products and services that maybe they weren’t able to do on their own. It’s a win-win that way.” Skinner will remain as chief executive of First West, while current Island Savings chief operating officer Randy Bertsch will become president of Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union. Rod Dewar, the current president and CEO of Island Savings said he is sorry

to leave the team he has been working with but is delighted w ith the new oppor tu n ities for Island Savings to grow and prosper. “Members won’t see much difference in their day-to-day interactions with the organization,” he said. “But where there will be change over time is in access to new products and services and Island savings ability to invest in technology will be enhanced.” He added that the biggest difference will be for business accounts. He noted that some businesses that joined Island Savings years ago, have outgrown the credit union’s ability to offer them the financial options they need. Now that will no longer be necessary. The new higher lending caps also afford an opportunity for new business. “We haven’t been able to secu re mu n icipa l ity bu si ness – a nd you wou ld th i n k that would be a natural thing if, for example, you have a head office in Duncan of over 150 people, that would be able to do the banking for Duncan. But because of our size and some of the restrictions municipalities have on their banking needs, we haven’t been able to participate in that opportunity. We will now be able to do that – to pitch our products and opportunities to the communities we serve.” As for a nsweri ng the fea rs

some members had about mergers meaning job layoffs, none of those will be realized, Dewar said. “Past mergers in the financial services sector have typically meant lost jobs, lost brands, decision making that moves away,” he said. “In fact, the First West model is the opposite of that. It’s all about protecting the jobs that are here and utilizing the technology to continue the business without moving people. And the decision making continues to be here on the island.” If anything,

Rod Dewar says the partnership is good for members of Island Savings he said, this partnership will see job growth and possibly even more Island Savings branches in the future. T h e a p p ro v a l of t h e m e rger automatically activates a $2-million Island Savings Community Endowment that was announced in October. Housed at the First West Foundation, funds granted from this endowment will benefit local charities and initiatives in the communities that Island Savings serves. Isla nd Sav i ngs has 49,000 members and manages a portfolio of $2.8 billion. First West is B.C.’s third largest credit union with 177,000 members at 38 branches and $7.7 billion under administration.

CHRISTMAS •••••

IS COMING • • • • •

Y SHELLEY CLARKE

YANA TAYLOR

Our registered nurses are committed to working with you to meet your individual goals and skincare needs. Please call Clinic 805 today to book your complimentary skincare consultation.

Please give generously during the 2014 Christmas Kettle Campaign. www.SalvationArmy.ca/BritishColumbia

DECEMBER 2014

SYNERGY ENTERPRISES HELPS ALL TYPES OF BUSINESSES REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABILITY Victoria based company founded by entrepreneur Jill Doucette integrates environmental responsibility and profit

ICTORIA – Synergy Enterprises Owner/Founder Jill Doucette was completing her biology degree when she saw the gulf between the view of business being detrimental to the environment and her vision for green business development. “I was always interested in the environment and in business. During my biology degree at the University of Victoria, the discourse was about how business is bad for the environment and I wanted to make the opposite true,” says Doucette. “Synergy is an environmental consulting company that I started in 2008 to help businesses become leaders in environmental sustainability.” “At Synergy, we aim to ‘Catalyze the green economy’ allowing businesses to achieve their goals in a sustainable manner and experience the associated market benefits.” Synergy recognizes the potential of business as an essential and positive force in the world,

environmental interactions included. The company employs a variety of innovative tools and techniques to develop action plans for businesses to become more sustainable, engage peers and benefit from these achievements in the marketplace. “We support businesses that want to lead in sustainability,” says Doucette. “What all of our clients have in common is the passion and desire to break the mould and advance their sector towards a more sustainable future. These businesses are in a variety of sectors, from office supplies to high tech and hospitality. They also range in size, from a dozen to hundreds of employees.” A sustainability service must help companies seamlessly integrate environmental metrics and performance into their operations in order to be attractive. Synergy provides the essential guidance and capacity for companies to realize the multiple direct paybacks and side benefits from investing in sustainability. “The changes made must have real environmental impact, while positively impacting the bottom line and corporate culture. That is the only way to make an environmental program last,” says Doucette. A wide range of businesses assisted Synergy stand out as powerful success stories. On the list is Fort Realty, who started working with Synergy in 2014. Under the

With the help of Synergy, Zambri’s Restaurant in downtown Victoria has gone carbon neutral and become a leader in progressive environmental practice.

Synergy Enterprises Founder and Owner Jill Doucette aims to “Catalyze the green economy.” Her company has helped a wide range of BC businesses to become more sustainable, and therefore, more successful leadership of the owners, the company has become a true Triple Bottom Line (people, planet, profit) business with regular performance measurement. “We worked with their team to measure the environmental footprint of their properties and develop a plan to improve environmental performance,” says Doucette. “This included resources use protocols and a green tenant guide with rebates available for responsible users.” The Inn at Laurel Point is a local hotel that worked with Synergy to develop a system for monitoring its environmental impact on an annual basis and continually improve its environmental performance. The first Carbon Neutral hotel in BC has a fantastic recycling program and uses hydrothermal technology for passive heating. Social trends and workplace culture are core factors in improving sustainability. “Successful programs can also enhance the overall corporate culture, by attracting talented employees and enhancing overall morale, and appealing to value oriented millennials,” says Doucette. “We find that many businesses are afraid to talk about sustainability because they do not want to

Total Emissions (tCO2e)

Best wishes to Synergy Enterprises for continued success!

Project Manager for Synergy Kayli Anderson brings her education in psychology and her experience in the restaurant industry to the table for sustainable marketing and business development

The environmental consulting model Synergy offers is based on Assessing, Engaging, Implementing and Marketing to help businesses in their quest to enhance sustainability, and their bottom line be seen as ‘green washing’ or engaging in sustainability solely for marketing purposes; however, it is important for leaders to communicate their achievements if we are to see widespread industry change. “ “We show businesses how to communicate their achievements and values and that builds strong peer to peer marketing and consumer awareness” To maintain the integrity of their programs and the reputation of clients, Synergy has a transparent and well defined process to offer companies interested in improving sustainability. “Before we help a business engage

in any public relations measures around sustainability, they have to make significant efforts to reduce their environmental impact”. “We take special precautions to avoid any greenwashing. Blanket statements are always a red flag for people. With our help, clients can then monitor, quantify and publicly showcase their green achievements,” says Doucette. Project Manager Kayli Anderson, studied anthropology and psychology and gained experience in the restaurant industry managing restaurants and cafes both in Victoria and abroad. She and Doucette look forward to seeing the business expand up Island and internationally. “Our long term vision is to have satellite offices serving other areas around the world.” says Anderson. “Cu rrently we serv ice approximately 50 businesses per year. Our goal is to service 100 or 150 companies annually”, Doucette explains. “We are seeing a big push in sustainability across the globe and the opportunities for local business to lead that momentum is massive. We will continue to help business become not only a part of the solution, but the driver of the future we need both in commerce and our communities as a whole. ” Synergy Enterprises is at 415-620 View Street in Victoria Visit www.synergyenterprises.ca

Thank you to Synergy for helping Monk Office become a leader in environmental practices!

Accounting and Assurance Services Tax Advisory Services Retirement Planning and Estate Planning Specialized Tax Services 701-1803 Douglas Street, Victoria

250-388-6554 | www.hcwca.net

10 locations on Vancouver Island www.monk.ca A Proud Dealer of Basics® Office Products

DECEMBER 2014

WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING LTD: HAVING A BLAST FOR 30 YEARS “We have four or five Victoria company does the tough work behind and below the scenes, preparing the way for other firms

drills that allow us to get into areas inside existing buildings and drill up to 150 feet deep,

BY MARK MACDONALD,

if required.”

PUBLISHER

JARED WELLS

WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING LTD. GENERAL

f employees at Western Grater Contracting Ltd. say they’re having a blast on their jobs, believe them. Blasting, drilling, installing rock anchors, shotcrete applications and slope stabilization are services the company, now in its 30th year in business, offers customers. “It started as a drilling and bl a s t i n g c o m p a n y, b u t i t’s grown to be so much more,” says General Manager Jared Wells. “About 50 per cent of our business is blasting now, and we do a lot of other work that is associated with drilling. If it’s drilling or associated with drilling, we do it.” “Our state of the art equipment is ready for the job, whether it is on land, sea or mountain,” he adds. Western Grater has close to 40

MANAGER

Western Grater’s management team, from left: Assistant Manager Matt Floch, General Manager Jared Wells, Project Coordinator Dustin Krizsan, and Superintendent Tony Miller employees, including 10 fulltime blasters fully certified by WorkSafe BC and the provincial Ministry of Energy and Mines. Their fleet includes 18 modern hydraulic drills and support equipment. Best practices and d rilling procedures ensures that rock blasting is closely controlled. The use of heavy rubber blasting mats fully controls the ejection of rock from each blast, and the company utilizes 220 heavy rubber blasting mats, each weighing in excess of 2,700 kilograms on their job sites. Most of the company’s work takes place on Vancouver Island, and more specifically Greater

Victoria, although they have been expanding their operations elsewhere. They’re working on the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminals in Kitimat, thanks to their closer proximity due to the Port Hardy-Prince Rupert ferry. “We might have an advantage over other lower mainland companies because of the ferry,” he notes. Western Grater is commencing the blasting excavation before underground work starts at the massive John Hart Dam project in Campbell River. “We anticipate close to four months on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” he notes, SEE WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING | PAGE 19

Congratulations to the team at Western Grater Contracting Ltd on this major milestone.

Best wishes as you celebrate

30 years

• Savings • Safety • Reliability • Control orica.com

www.4refuel.com

DECEMBER 2014

Rockfall hazard mitigation on a private lot

"CONGRATULATIONS" from the staff at Advantage Crane, on your 30 years in business.

One of Western Grater Contracting Ltd.’s Atlas Copco drills in action

WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

adding the job includes drilling, blasting, spraying ‘shotcrete’ (concrete projected at high velocity onto a surface) and setting rock anchors to prepare the site for other work to be done. “There is no tolerance for any rock coming off the wall for jobs like this, so that’s why we apply shotcrete,” he says, adding they enlist the services of geotechnical and structural engineers and company nozzlemen certified by the American Concrete Institute on projects of that

magnitude. They also will be doing some slope stabilization work on the new Campbell River hospital. Western Grater has done a large number of jobs in downtown Victoria, most notably Juliet, The 834, and the. The latter Hudson, a renovation/ repositioning of the landmark heritage building that was home to the Hudson’s Bay Company department store, required extra special care. “We went into the existing heritage building and drilled SEE WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING | PAGE 20

1-844-920-9691 | www.advantagecrane.com

Congratulations Western Grater! We wish you another thirty years of continued success!

TRUMER Schutzbauten www.trumer.cc

• ROCKFALL • AVALANCHE • DEBRIS FLOW • UNSTABLE SLOPES

canada@trumer.cc

604-732-0325

COAST INDUSTRIAL PARTS LIMITED

Congratulations Western Grater Contracting on 30 years. We are proud to be your partner.

DECEMBER 2014

WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

seismic anchors in the basement, and blasted rock inside the building,” Wells says. Dockside Green, the Esquimalt Graving Dock, and Johnson Street bridge a re other projects that Western Grater has undertaken. Western Grater Contracting Ltd. is ow ned by the Pacific Group of Companies, which purchased the company in 2011 from Wells’ father Andy Wells, and Graham Terlson, who started the company together in 1983. “They’re very hands-off and let us run the operation as we see

fit,” says Wells. “They understand the Vancouver Island market is really different than the lower mainland, and let us run our own ship here.” Wells literally grew up in the business, starting with odd jobs, then summer relief while he attended the University of Victoria, before making the move up into management. Western Grater has fostered a culture of safety awareness a mongst its employees. T he company safety program includes written company policies with penalties for non-compliance, and they hold mandatory monthly joint management and worker representative safety

EXCEL ADJUSTCO INC Congratulations to Western Grater on this milestone anniversary. We are proud to be a business partner for the past 26 years. Adjusters, surveyors, appraisers

An underwater blast at West Bay Marina

250-479-2842 WWW.DSICANADA.CA

Congratulations Western Grater

BRIAN ROBERTS AUTO ELECTRIC LTD.

Happy to provide our services to Western Grater Contracting

www.brae.ca|(250)385-2422

meetings when current and past safety issues are discussed and recommendations implemented. Rock Superintendent Tony Miller, who has been with the company for 20 years, visits each job site frequently to ensure proper procedures are being followed. Follow up visits and further site specific quality control is provided by jobsite foremen. Western Grater has honed its skills to suit Victoria’s landscape. Throughout Greater Victoria, the soil, known as blue clay, lies on top of the bedrock, and requires that the company employ several different drilling and shotcrete technologies to suit the unique topography. “Geotechnical engineering is a

critical part of the jobs we do here, which ensures the jobs we do are done successfully,” Wells says. I n add ition to d ri l l i ng a nd blasting activ ities, Western Grater Contracting has extensive experience in a wide variety of other fields, including seismic upgrading, tiebacks and retrofitting of buildings, bridges and dams. Slope stabilization such as scaling, shotcrete and anchor tendon shoring, internal brace shoring and rockfall mesh installation make up an integral portion of hteir business. “Our versatile fleet of equipment allows us to easily access SEE WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING | PAGE 21

Congratulations to the team at Western Grater Contracting Ltd on this major milestone.

Congratulations on your 30 years serving our community! Auto Body Painting Complete Mechanical Auto Glass All Types of Insurance Claims Courtesy Cars Available

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250.478.5567 www.belmontcollision.com

DECEMBER 2014

difficult areas, such as backyards and inside buildings,” says Wells. “Limited access drills are critical for our consolidation grouting and geological and environmental exploration capabilities. The company has added several other specialties to their list of services, including making their own folding drill that compresses to a size which allows it to fit through doorways before expanding inside the building to perform the work. That comes in handy when they work with single family residences, many of which enlist Western Grater to dig or blast out bedrock to enlarge the basement.

Congratulations on your 30 years of success

“We have four or five drills that allow us to get into areas inside existing buildings and drill up to 150 feet deep, if required,” he states. Wells expects that to become a strong growth area for Western Grater, as a number of older buildings in downtown Victoria are due for seismic upgrades. “We have one unit that folds down so it can get inside an 8 foot room and drill a 150 foot bore hole and install anchors.” One of their sister companies under the Pacific Group, Pacific Blasting and Demolition, is also available for building implosions, SEE WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING | PAGE 22

It is your moment to shine! Well done Western Grater!

250.478.5222 www.scansa.ca

Shotcrete-shoring at the Hudson Mews Project

www.kristofftrucking.com

CLAY & COMPANY LAWYERS Proud to have provided legal advice to Western Grater Contracting since 1982

Four Atlas Copco rock drills at a quarry

Congratulations Western Grater from the Union and Employees

Paul G. Scambler, Q.C. Margaret Sasges Jessica Koch Christian Wilson

Robert S. Gill Kristil Hammer Almut Keil

Main Floor, 837 Burdett Avenue Victoria, B.C. V8W 1B3

www.clay.bc.ca Phone: (250) 386-2261 Facsimile: (250) 389-1336

ROCK DRILLING TOOLS Pacific Bit of Canada supplies rock drilling tools to the mining and construction industries. Based in B.C. with a branch in Ontario, Pacific Bit has one of the largest inventories in the country. Western Grater has recognized Pacific Bit as a key supplier/partner to their operation and Pacific Bit is very proud of the close cooperation. Congratulations to Western Grater for all the great achievements during these 30 years of business. Unit 204, 9485 - 189 Street, Surrey (Port Kells), B.C. V4N 5L8 P:604.513.4292 F:604.513.4291 Toll Free:1.877.511.4292

www.pacific-bit.com

We wish Western Grater continued success as you celebrate this important milestone.

Congratulations from all of us!

www.pipe-piling.com

DECEMBER 2014

WESTERN GRATER CONTRACTING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

where the building collapses inward upon detonation. Western Grater is sensitive to concerns neighbouring properties may have regarding blasting, its possible effects and noise. As required by Worksafe BC, all blasts are preceded by approved warning signals and all approaches are guarded prior to firing the shot. The shots can be adjusted as required based on the readings provided by the instrument. “There is a lot of science behind blast vibration, and we run seismographs on all of our jobs that meet industry standards,” he says. “I take our jobs very seriously. When we come in to do a job, I want to be able to see someone in the supermarket and not have them get mad at me because of the blasting.” Wells says Western Grater take pride in the quality of its work and are constantly striving to maintain the highest standards in an industry where the safety of workers and the public at large is of the highest importance. “I think what we do is great, because we’re helping to build our communities,” he notes. “It’s exciting to get to build Victoria and Vancouver Island.” www.westerngrater.com

Shotcrete being sprayed from a Genie manlift

Proud to work alongside Western Grater Contracting

Shotcrete-shoring which terminates at rock elevation. The rock was then line-drilled and cushion blasted to achieve the vertical cut visible here

Wylie-Crump Insurance & Surety Services is proud to be associated with Western Grater Contracting and their best in class operations.

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SAANICH PENINSULA

I WAS THINKING

BE Award Nominations piling up

This is nothing new – at times we’re inundated with programs to ‘engage’ or ‘empower’ our people - yet many of them are considered too complex, expensive and time

SAANICH PENINSULA

consuming to implement

IAN BROWN

hen one of ou r employees begins a conversation with “ I was thinking …” we often overlook the tremendous power contained within that phrase. We may consider it as nothing more than an off ha nd com ment but when we interpret it that way, we’re missing that what they’re really saying is “ I have an idea that will make our company better ….” And that’s something we should not disregard. S e v e ra l y e a r s a go w h e n I was working on Total Quality Management programs in Britain, our team leader regularly used a little catch phrase “… we

hire people for their hands, and get their heads for free …” to remind our clients that their employees had much more to offer than what they did with their hands. This is nothing new – at times we’re inundated with programs to ‘engage’ or ‘empower’ our people - yet many of them are considered too complex, expensive and time consuming to implement. But it doesn’t have to be that way. All it really requires is a few simple conditions: an environment within which our people feel comfortable taking thoughtful initiative; the freedom to make small changes that - even if they don’t produce the expected result - are considered ‘successful tries’; and a company attitude that encourages and reinforces this type

aan

ich

Sidney

of behaviour. At the recent Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce’s Crystal Awards celebrating Excellence In Business, Stacey Towes of Level Ground Trading told us how an employee - ‘thinking’ about a better way to organize the testing room – took the initiative not only to fit better shelves but did it in a manner consistent with the company’s planet sensitive mantra by using re-cycled wood and colouring it with natural coffee oils. Supporting behaviour like this is clearly a benefit to the company but possibly even more important it encourages a self-reinforcing attitude of positive contribution that fuels an improved sense of worth in the employee as they come to understand that they can make a difference. And that makes for happier employees – employees who look forward to coming to work –and employees who will spur the company achieve levels that even we entrepreneurial ‘dreamers’ didn’t envisage. The key to this process is recognizing that when one of your employees begins a conversation with “… I was thinking…” it’s not just a phrase but rather a brightly coloured waving flag that’s saying “… look at me, I have an idea and I want to make a contribution…” All we need do is listen.

om inations a re pou ring in for the 15th Annual Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards, set for Thursday, January 22 at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort in Langford. “We shouldn’t be surprised at the level of interest and quality of nominations for these awards,” says Business Examiner Victoria Publisher Mark MacDonald. “Each year they’re outstanding. But this year, there seems to be a special, extra level at which the companies nominated are operating.” “It looks like we’re headed for a record number of nominations this year.” Deadline for nomination is Dec. 13, with nomination forms available at www.businessvi.ca/events Hayes, Stewar t Lit t le &

Company Chartered Accountants and RBC Royal Bank are Gold Sponsors of the event, coordinated by Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd., which publishes Business Examiner Victoria and Business Examiner Vancouver Island newspapers. There are 18 categories in the awards this year: Automotive, Business of the Year (over 50 employees), Construction/Development, Entrepreneur, Forestry/ Wood Products, Health Company, Hospitality/Tourism, Small Business of the Year (under 50 employees), Insurance/Financial Services, Professional, Real Estate, Retailer, Manufacturer, Technology, Green, Trades and Ocean Products. For further information on the awards, contact Mark MacDonald at 1-866-758-2684 ext 120.

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phone: 250.656.3616 info@peninsulachamber.ca

DECEMBER 2014

LA TAQUISA IS A SPICY HIT “The reputation we had Mexican Restaurant opens second location in Victoria

developed in Cook Street Village helped us get our name out there.”

n Victoria’s restaurant scene, La Taquisa is arguably one of the city’s biggest success stories – and it’s not just the food, service and atmosphere. La Taquisa recently won two prestigious commercial building awards presented by the Victoria Real Estate Board for the renovation of its location at 1017 Blanshard Street, Restaurant owner/operator Scott Demner said that the contractor, Wilf Gorter of Gorter Construction Ltd. and Gregory Damant and Peter Johannknecht of Cascadia Architecture did a superlative job of exposing the original brick walls, highlighting the old ceiling rafters and giving the space a warm and welcoming look. Blanshard Street is the second location for La Taquisa, which first opened in Vic West June 8 2011. Before that, the popular Mexican restaurant was a food truck in Cook Street Village. Demner said it was his father-in-law who gave La Taquisa its start. His wife is from Guadalajara and one day, while they were in Mexico, he put the bug in Demner’s ear. “He said we should open a Mexican restaurant in Canada,” Demner recalled. “And I’d been in the restaurant business as a chef for

SCOTT DEMNER OWNER/OPERATOR, LA TAQUISA

12 years.” He also loved Mexican food and had spent a considerable amount of time in Mexico. To inspire him even farther, he gleaned authentic recipes from his wife’s grandmother, mother and aunt. Still, the investment in a restaurant was daunting. So Demner decided to dip his toe in cautiously and start with a food truck. It was an instant hit. “We had a really great response from the community,” he said. “Because everything we do is fresh to order. Someone will come and order a couple of tacos and we have a tortilla roller – we roll them right out and cook them right in front of the customers. And we make all the fillings from scratch and all the salsas from scratch using my wife’s family recipes.” Even through that first winter, the food truck continued to enjoy high traffic – and that’s when Demner felt confident about opening his first restaurant. Like the food truck, it was an instant hit. “It was amazing,” he said. “The reputation we had developed in Cook Street Village helped us get

La Taquisa has been an instant success SAMA JIM CANZIAN

DCS Island Farmhouse Poultry would like to congratulate

La Taquisa

on their 2014 Victoria Commercial Building Awards

250-746-6163 www.farmhousepoultry.ca

The restaurant features authentic Mexican food gleaned from family recipes SAMA JIM CANZIAN

The interior has been expertly renovated and restored SAMA JIM CANZIAN

our name out there.” He noted that even the construction workers who built the first location were telling their friends about it before it even opened. Then less than a year later, Demner and his wife were already searching for a downtown location when Gorter, a regular customer, alerted them to the Blanshard Street site. “When we saw it we knew it was just the right spot for us,” Demner said. The new restaurant opened November 6, 2013. Not surprisingly, it too was immediately successful. With a new baby in their lives, the Demners have never been busier – or happier with their decisions. “We’ve had an amazing response from the community and great support from them,” Demner said. “That makes us feel that we want to keep pushing the quality to make sure that the consistency is always there. It’s our way of thanking people for their support.” But two successful restaurants are not the end of the road for Demner. He and

Demner Consulting Services Ltd.

his wife are already searching for a third location either in Langford or University Heights. They will also introduce a breakfast menu at the downtown location before the end of the year. Authentic Mexican breakfast choices include mollete: a baguette with beans, melted cheese and fresh salsa, and chilaquiles: fried tortillas, a fried egg, cheese, beans and salsa. Demner said he prides himself on all the authentic food choices on the menu including, tacos, burritos, el gordos, quesadillas and moles. La Taquisa’s menu also accommodates vegetarians and vegans. Most menu items are gluten free and all meats are locally sourced – hormone and antibiotic free. Demner said that he and his wife are ecstatic about the trajectory La Taquisa has enjoyed so far, “We’re ecstatic because of the response from the community,” he said. “And we also have this great pride that we’re serving my wife’s grandmother’s recipes and

her mother’s recipes and her aunt’s recipes. Whenever we go back to Mexico, we like to give them an update.” He added that the family also likes to visit Victoria and check up on La Taquisa. His father-in-law takes particular pride in pointing out that it was his idea. “And that’s fair enough,” Demner said “He’s definitely allowed.” La Taquisa Restaurant is at 1017 Blanshard Street in Victoria and 120 – 176 Wilson Street in Vic West. www.lataquisa.com

CASCADIA ARCHITECTS DAMANT + JOHANNKNECHT

Proud to be designers and supporters of La Taquisa. PASSIVE HOUSE DESIGN URBAN PLANNING INTERIOR DESIGN ARCHITECTURE WWW.CASCADIAARCHITECTS.CA

Gorter Construction Ltd 250-380-7343

Congratulations, Scott, for supplying Victoria with excellent Mexican food at a reasonable price. Michael Demner - Actuary 40 Years Experience Specializing in Financial & Retirement Planning, Pension Entitlements and Advice Serving clients in Victoria and Vancouver Email: michael@demner.com | www.demner.com

General Contractor Construction Manager Custom Home Commercial Projects New Construction Renovations

“Congratulations on all your success La Taquisa!” MEMBER

TECHNOLOGY

DECEMBER 2014

SERVE YOUR CUSTOMERS RELEVANT PRODUCTS WITH REMARKETING Google has reported Any company with a website is eligible

companies seeing an increase of up to double the number of purchases

n the world of advertising, finding a relevant audience for your products or services can be one of the toughest yet most rewarding goals you can achieve. Luckily, Google AdWords has made it a little easier with their new Dynamic Remarketing Display Ads, which use the remarketing method to target customers who you know are interested in what you have to offer. What is remarketing? “Remarketing” is a form of advertising aimed at gaining return customers. It targets customers who have bought from you before, as well as those who displayed interest in a product or began a checkout without completing the buying process. Given that 96% of visitors leave a website without converting, 70% abandon shopping carts without purchasing, and 49% visit 2-4 websites for a product before making their final purchase, remarketing aims to lower those numbers and focus your advertising efforts on

on their websites, with a much lower cost per acquisition, after employing Dynamic Kendra Savich of Radar Hill

Remarketing

customers who are more likely to buy from your company. Who’s eligible? Any company with a website, an advertising budget, and a product or service feed (a type of digital list) is eligible for Dynamic Remarketing with Google AdWords. An automated feed of your company’s products or services can be created by programmers at your website company, or one can be manually created and managed

who are your website visitors? what are they doing on your website? disCover their seCrets! Do you know how many website visitors are actually giving you business? How did they find you? What led them to buy? Who got partway through the checkout process but did not finish?

Discover the secret of who is visiting your website In this next in our series by our Google certified specialist, learn about Goal Tracking in Google Analytics. Date: Wednesday, January 14, 9:00 – 11:30 am Place: Radar Hill Web Design Boardroom, 5th Floor 3301 Douglas Street, Victoria BC V8Z 3L2 Price: $79. SPecial offer: Register with coupon code rHBeX and pay only $24.95 Details & to register: www.radarhill.com/offer RSVP TODAY! SeATing iS limiTeD TO 15. OuR lAST TwO wORkShOPS SOlD OuT eARlY.

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within AdWords by your advertising agency. Dynamic Remarketing used to only be available to regular retail stores, but AdWords now accepts feeds for all industries, including airlines, hotels, education, real estate, service deals, job listings, and more. How does Dynamic Remarketing work? AdWords’ Dynamic Remarketing ads are shown on the Google Display Network. Rather than show in Google’s search results, these ads appear on websites around the world who have agreed to provide advertising space to Google AdWords clients. The ads can also appear on Google partner websites, such

as Gmail.com, Ask.com, and other major web portals. With Dynamic Remarketing, an ad template is created with blank fields where product or service information would normally go. The remarketing code is then installed on your website to track user behavior. When the ad is launched, AdWords automatically goes through your feed to find the best product to feature in the ad, based on products that the customer viewed on your website. Sometimes an ad can show multiple products, chosen based on the customer’s demographics and other indicators. As a n exa mple: A loca l pet store has employed a Dynamic Remarketing campaign to target customers who buy cat toys and accessories online. A customer comes to the pet store’s website and browses their selection of scratching posts. Uncertain which post to buy, the customer leaves the site and goes to a cat owner blog that has reviews on different kinds of posts. The customer gets distracted by other conversations going on, but the blog happens to be a member of Google’s Display Network. While the customer is there, the blog’s advertising space recognizes the customer and then displays the pet store’s ad, filled with

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information on three scratching posts that the customer had been looking at. Reminded of their browsing, the customer clicks on the ad to go back to the pet store’s website, and buys one of the scratching posts. How does this help your business? As shown, this advertising method can be a powerful tool for recapturing customer attention. Google has reported companies seeing an increase of up to double the number of purchases on their websites, with a much lower cost per acquisition, after employing Dynamic Remarketing. On top of that, there’s no extra charge from Google to run Dynamic Remarketing ads compared to regular Google AdWords Display ads, getting you twice the return for the same cost. All in all, a pretty great deal. Kendra Savich is Radar Hill’s content specialist certified in both Google AdWords and Analytics. Armed with a wide array of testing and analysis tools, she’s always researching the latest SEO trends and works hard to make sure that websites and online marketing campaigns deliver a top-notch customer experience. Kendra can be reached at info@radarhill.com or by visiting www.radarhill.com

DECEMBER 2014

COMPANY STRONG ON SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS “I’m a small local B&D Lift Truck Service celebrates 30 years in the community

or 30 years, B&D Lift Truck Service Ltd. in Victoria has been supporting the local community. B&D supports local businesses on Vancouver Island by selling, renting and servicing forklifts – but its commitment to the community goes deeper than that. “We strongly support the local small business community – I’m big about that,” said owner Todd Jury. “I’m a small local business so I want to support small local business. I try to get all my supplies for my shop locally.” For Jury that means suppliers must be Victoria

B&D Lift Truck Service is the only company on the island that sells forklifts

business so I want to support small local business. I try to get all my supplies for my shop locally.” TODD JURY OWNER, B&D LIFT TRUCK SERVICES LTD.

Todd Jury cares about local communities and local businesses owned and based, or Vancouver Island owned and based. When he has to deal with suppliers on the Mainland, he makes sure they are BC owned. He deals with only one company that is not based in BC, but it is Canadian owned. “That’s my biggest thing,” he said. “My second biggest thing is service. We service the heck out of local companies here. We make sure they get the support and the service they deserve. If I have a customer who has a problem, I’ll go and deal with it myself. I’m a working owner.” That philosophy of doing business has stood Jury in good stead. Most of his costumers have been with him for the long term. Thrifty Foods, for instance, opened its first store shortly after

B&D began operations – and the company has been a loyal customer ever since. B&D was founded by Jury’s mother and father, Darlene and Bob Jury, in 1984. Bob had been working for another forklift company when he set out on his own. But those were tough economic times in the province. In his first month, Jury managed to bring in $4,600. Today an average month sees revenues of about $150,000. B&D covers most of Vancouver Island from Victoria to Campbell River. Jury said that he is meticulous about making sure the website is constantly updated, listing forklifts sold and for sale. The

We wish to thank all of our clients and partners for their support over the past 30 years.

inventory is almost always between 40 – 50 units. Jury pointed out that B&D is the only company on the island with an inventory for sale. B&D also delivers rentals and does it quickly. B&D is now entering its third generation as a family business with Jury’s sons, Hayden and Travis coming up through the ranks. “Our biggest thing is our service and our name,” Jury said. “And we want to service the heck out of anyone who phones us – and we have an awesome staff – they are just phenomenal.” B&D Lift Truck Service Ltd. is at 2678 Sooke Road in Victoria. www.bdlifttruck.ca

Congratulations B&D Lift Truck Service Ltd

on 30 years in business

www.bdlifttruck.ca 250.475.0155

www.gordonngordon.com

(250) 474-2100

DECEMBER 2014

GORDON ‘N’ GORDON EXPERTS AT INSIDE JOBS “We still have the same Local company specializes in steel studs, drywall, insulation and acoustic ceilings

ordon ‘N’ Gordon Interiors Ltd. in Victoria specializes in steel studs, drywall, insulation and acoustic ceilings for commercial and residential projects. The company is known for reliability and exceptional service. Since 1983, it has been working with local developers and contractors on some of the most prestigious projects in Victoria and Vancouver Island. By request from customers, Gordon ’N’ Gordon has even worked as far afield as the Yukon and Saskatchewan. Stew Gordon began working with his brother, Brad, when he was still in school. He recalled that those were difficult days in the early 1980s. “He used to pick me up from school and I used to do all the menial jobs – I was the gofer. We were broke and trying to feed our family.” The brothers were born and raised in Langford and that’s where they took on any job they could find – the two of them in a small van.

Proud to work alongside the pros at Gordon N' Gordon Interiors

www.mrcraneservices.com

250.888.2721

Congratulations on all of your success - From all of us at Alpine Group

contractors that we started with – and some of them are huge now.” STEW GORDON OWNER, GORDON ‘N’ GORDON INTERIORS LTD.

The company completed interior work for Songhees Wellness Centre in Victoria

“We knew enough people to keep the thing running,” Gordon said. “Back then it was renovations and just trying to make a few dollars to feed the kids and pay a mortgage.” Inevitably, the economy improved and the Gordon’s reputation grew. Hiring their first employee was an early milestone. As they hired more people, they also retained those workers. Gordon noted that the company’s longest-term employee, Dave Brown, has been with the company for 30 years. Another has been working with Gordon ‘N’ Gordon 29 years, and 18 more for over 20 years. Brown, like so many employees, started with the company right

The new Porsche dealership in Victoria is a recent project CREDIT:C&M DEVELOPMENT INC.

out of school; he now manages the mid-island division. Today Gordon ‘N’ Gordon boasts 100 plus employees. Asked about the company’s formula for success, Gordon said, “It’s 150% service. Lot’s of

that it all boils down to getting back what you put in – and Gordon ‘N’ Gordon puts in its best work on every project. Ten years ago, Gordon’s son, Jim, joined the business and is now a principal in the company.

We’re proud to support business members like Gordon ‘N’ Gordon Interiors.

www.alpinegroup.ca

250-474-5145

people do drywall, so our key has always been that everything is swept up and everything is clean and looks really good. We still have the same contractors that we started with – and some of them are huge now.” He added

The Islands’ most recommended B A N K I N G

EXPERIENCE.

Gordon & Gordon works on prestigious projects like Shutters Spa and Residences CREDIT:PETER HUMPHRIES

DECEMBER 2014

Jim Gordon says the company will expand as the economy grows Jim is taking over the reins as the company grows once again. Stew noted that as older workers retire, a younger crew is stepping in. “Younger people are the key to any organization, no matter if you’re a mason or in construction or in the office,” he said. “Young people are so smart now. I’m really fortunate to have young people around me – I love my job and I love coming to work.” Jim is just as passionate about his work, having started as a steel stud apprentice before moving into management. “Ou r i ndustry is cha ng i ng d a i ly,” he sa id, not i ng t h at paperwork and safety requires have become far more stringent – and that’s a good thing, he said, “A safe workplace is a happy workplace.” Over the years, Gordon ‘N’ Gordon has worked on some of the biggest projects on Vancouver Island including Bear Mountain, Hudson Mews, The Aria, high end residential homes and various car dealerships like Porsche, BMW, and Infinity. It also recently completed the Squamish Casino on the Lower Mainland. Commercial projects can be particularly creative and often cha l leng i ng, Ji m sa id – a nd Gordon ‘N’ Gordon is known for rising to the challenge and solving problems. For instance, the new Victoria Porsche dealership needed a cost efficient alternative to high end metal wall panels specified by the architect, Gordon ‘N’ Gordon created the desired effect with drywall for a very impressive look at a fraction of the price. The interiors business is highly competitive Stew said, but he believes that’s a good thing. “It makes for really good work,” he said. “We keep up our service and our quality of work.” Jim added that the company is poised to expand as the economy grows. But expansion will only take place if the level of service remains the same. As natives of Langford, the Gordons also believe in giving back to the community. Stew said he is especially dedicated

Gordon ‘N’ Gordon works on all manner of high rise projects PETER HUMPHRIES

to sponsoring young peoples sports. ‘I like to help out as much as we can,” he said, adding that the company is also a strong supporter of the Langford and Colwood fire departments.

“We’re trying to build a better community,” he said. “Every little bit helps.” Gordon ‘N’ Gordon Interiors Ltd. is at 845 Orono Drive in Victoria. www.gordonngordon.com

400-1208 Wharf Street, Victoria BC V8W 3B9 The Aria is a prestigious project completed by Gordon ‘N’ Gordon CREDIT:WIKIMAPIA.ORG

Happy to provide our services to Gordon N’ Gordon Interiors

(250) 386-1115

www.cpcm.ca

Proud Supplier to:

Gordon N' Gordon Interiors Georgia-Pacific

The largest supplier of drywall and steel stud on Vancouver Island www.bdlifttruck.ca

250.475.0155

12 locations to serve both contractors and DIY home owners To ﬁnd the location nearest you visit: www.SLEGGLUMBER.com

DECEMBER 2014

WEST BAY MECHANICAL IS THE ISLAND’S ONE STOP SHOP Local company offers complete residential and commercial services

ince 1978, West Bay Mechanical Ltd. in Victoria has been the go-to shop for everything from minor residential plumbing needs to full-scale industrial and commercial mechanical projects. As one of the largest shops on Vancouver Island, West Bay Mechanical does it all with expertise. Company president Morey Rozon said, “We provide anything from a tap washer replacement to full mechanical systems in a hotel or high rise. We’re pretty much a one-stop shop.” Rozon’s father Ralph Rozon began his career working for

Congratulations on your many years of success

MODERN TOOL (B.C.) LTD.

NEW & USED MACHINE TOOLS FABRICATION AND SHEET METAL EQUIPMENT

PETER BALDRY

President Cell: (604) 250-3976 1385 KINGSWAY AVENUE PORT COQUITLAM, B.C. V3C 1S2 www.moderntoolbc.com TEL: (604) 472-1444 FAX: (604) 472-1455 TOLL FREE: 1 -800-717-1440 peter@moderntoolbc.com

The West Bay owner team – l to r: Ray Rozon, Ralph Rozon, David Young, Morey Rozon his brother Glenn, at Highland Plumbing and Heating. West Bay was a spin-off in 1972 that Ralph purchased in 1978. Today, Ralph, at age 76, still goes to work every day, doing fleet maintenance and performing the duties of his son’s “right hand man.” It was in 1978 that Ken Rozon, Morey’s older brother joined the business. Another brother, Ray Rozon, joined two years later. Morey joined the family business in 1983. Today, Ken has moved on to work with his own development company while Ray is one of West Bay’s senior foremen for some of its larger projects. Rounding out the management team is Dave Young, who joined the company in 1999. Today he is

* Safety * Quality * Service

a partner and general manager of the Victoria and Nanaimo offices as well as a project manager. All the partners are Red Seal certified in their trade. “It’s a very close-knit company,” Morey Rozon said, “We like to call it a family. I know a lot of companies say that, but I’m pretty confident that if you talked to any of our employees, some of whom have been here over 30 years, they would agree. My dad taught us to treat others the way you would expect to be treated. After that, everything else falls into place.” In the early days, the company was very much about family with Morey’s mother, Marlene, looking after the books. “Between mom and dad and Ken, we just started off doing houses and townhouses,” Rozon recalled. “But we decided that we had an opportunity with some of our clients to take on some larger projects and we grew with them.” All three sons spent their summer holidays working in the family business before they jumped in full time. Until the 1990s, West Bay Mechanical was a relatively small company with fewer than

“We can handle everything in-house. We don’t have to subcontract out our ventilation or our commercial refrigeration.” MOREY ROZON PRESIDENT, WEST BAY MECHANICAL LTD.

15 employees. At that time the economy was sluggish, so in the mid 1990s they decided to branch out to bring in more business, Going off-island was a good business decision, Rozon said. West Bay Mechanical increased its workforce and picked up commercial and institutional work in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Prince Rupert, Fort St. John and Whistler for 10 years where it did major work on the Olympic venues. “We had to get diversified to survive and to thrive,” Rozon said. “At that time we had a very small service department and

a cash flow from only residential and small commercial work wasn’t enough.” Diversification made a big difference to the company then and even more so now. Since 2009, the economy has once again slowed and the variety of work West Bay Mechanical does has kept it strong. The company did extensive work at Bear Mountain just before the economic downturn. That was when the recently expanded service department and residential heat pump division helped pick up the slack. “ We p ro v i d e s e r v i c e a n d maintenance for anything from homeowners to multi residential, institutional and commercial clients,” Rozon said. “Commercial refrigeration is also a big thing for us – when we got into that, it generated a lot of revenue. And our residential heat pump division is also doing very well. We have some highly qualified people in that department. Between that and our regular commercial clients, we’ve carried on through the tough times.” Today West Bay Mechanical is a recognized leader in mechanical contracting, providing

The Industry Leader Through Customer Choice

Specializing in Commercial and Industrial Mechanical Insulation Systems

Congratulations West Bay Mechanical on your continuing success! We are proud to be your partner.

Aarc-West Mechanical Insulation 550 Windthrop Road, Victoria, BC V9C 3B5 Phone: 250.477.8396 | Fax: 250.477.8359 www.aarc-west.com

www.lennox.com

Congratulations to West Bay Mechanical on more than 35 years of: service in our community. We are extremely proud to have been your partner for the last 15 years, most recently on the Center for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities at UVIC.

Construction Security Systems Building Controls Data Networks Industrial Sector Power Quality 24-Hr Emergency Service

Houle Electric congratulates West Bay Mechanical on more than 35 years of leadership and teamwork www.houle.ca

DECEMBER 2014

West Bay is known for large projects like Millstream Village Shopping Centre top-quality services to commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential clients, as well as homeowners. The company employs licensed journeymen, apprentices, superintendents, project managers, and estimators, as well as safety and administrative support staff in Victoria and Nanaimo. West Bay Mechanical has built long-standing relationships with specialized subcontractors, vendors, mechanical engineers, developers and general contractors on Vancouver Island, Whistler, the Gulf Islands and all throughout British Columbia. T he company has the right

people to take on design, installation, renovations, conversions, maintenance and service for mechanical projects involving plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, gas fitting, fire suppression, controls automation, welding and fabrication, geothermal and solar systems and any other mechanical system needs. Some of the company’s top projects are UVic Centre for Athletics Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA), The Aria, the DoubleTree Hotel renovation and expansion, Victoria Airport, the Naval Officers Training Centre, the Wickanninish Inn in Tofino,

Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, both the Nanaimo and Duncan Aquatic Centres, Bear Mountain Resort, Poet’s Cove Resort and Whistler’s new High Performance Athletes Centre and Whistler Sliding Centre. About 10 years ago, West Bay Mechanical opened a second office in Nanaimo. The company had previously manned a small office in the late 1990s when it first ventured farther afield. That office closed in the early 2000s. But when the construction boom hit in about 2004, it was clearly time to invest in the mid-island area.

“I think that was a very good decision,” Rozon said. “It definitely helped us grow our revenue and we started doing a lot of work in Nanaimo and farther north. That local office has enabled us to work pretty efficiently.” He added that West Bay Mechanical is currently the largest non-union firm on the island employing upwards of 100 people. A recent expansion in Nanaimo saw the addition of a full sheet metal shop, allowing the company to do all its sheet metal in-house. For many of its jobs, West Bay Mechanical does not go through a bidding process. It has formed excellent long-term relationships with many clients that allows them to negotiate and work together to produce topnotch results. Rozon said that good customer service has been forged both in the office and in the field. He said that clients have compelling reasons to work with his company, “now we can handle everything in-house. We no longer have to subcontract out our ventilation or our commercial refrigeration. For example, we can do the entire plumbing, heating and gas systems, including the ventilation systems for commercial kitchens as well as the walk-in cooler/freezer refrigeration systems in-house – and our experience alone in the office and the field is exceptional. We also have a lot of design/build experience, so we can work with

First in Quality, First in Service Congratulations West Bay Mechanical on more than 35 years of success.

Representing the highest quality HVAC-R equipment available in the market today

Congratulations West Bay!

the developer or the owner and consultants to maybe come up with some better ideas to build a project more economically. Our track record speaks for itself.” He added that follow-ups are also a big part of customer service. “We want to know if there’s a problem. We want to address issues right away.” The service department has also developed a stellar reputation with 11 experienced technicians and a service manager, Rob Archer, who Rozon considers one of the best technicians in the business. Rozon said that he expects the company to grow as the market demands. His son, Kevin Rozon, is now a journeyman plumber and is poised to be one of West Bays next key foremen. Now and in the future, West Bay Mechanical is ready to expand. “If the market and the workforce allowed, we’d grow it to 200 people tomorrow if we could,” Rozon said. “But we don’t want to grow too large where we can’t have ha nds-on ex perienced people looking after our customers.” He pointed out that even as president of the company, he still takes on the project manager role on West Bay’s larger projects and isn’t prepared to let go of this hands-on role any time soon. West Bay Mechanical Ltd. is at 584 Ledsham Road in Victoria and 2510B Kenworth Road in Nanaimo. www.westbaymechanical.com

Congratulations West Bay on a well-deserved reputation for excellence.

— From ESC Automation Nanaimo

www.escautomation.com

West Bay supplied the mechanical work for Bear Mountain Finlayson Reach Condos

1 888-756-3006

Congratulations to West Bay Mechanical on over 35 years of commitment to quality and service in the Plumbing and Mechanical Industry on Vancouver Island. EMCO is proud to be a supporting partner in your success. www.emcobc.ca www.facebook.com/EmcoCorp

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Congratulations to West Bay Mechanical on more than 35 years of HVAC work on Vancouver Island! (250) 758-1551 | www.flocor.ca

SALES/INVENTING

DECEMBER 2014

SO YOUR PROSPECT ASKS YOU FOR A PROPOSAL SOMEONE COPIED MY PRODUCT

SALES JOHN GLENNON

n one hand it sounds really positive. Your prospect wants to get budget approval. On the other hand it’s going to require a lot of your time to prepare a proposal. She may not get budget approval. Maybe she’s not being totally straight with you and she just wants your proposal to beat a competitor up on price? So what do you do?...... If you say “no” to the prospects request you risk putting her nose out of joint. You can “challenge” her, but you’re likely to sound like a pernicious pain in the ass. Instead, I would attempt to gently change her frame of reference so that she comes to the conclusion that this course of action is not in anyone’s best interest. The best way to do this in my experience is to tell a story…… For example…..

Prospect: “I’ll need to get budget approval first. Can you send me a proposal that I can share with my manager to get this signed off?” You: “That sounds like a good idea. [Hesitantly] ….. do you mind if share a concern though? .......... A few years ago my wife and I were looking for a house. We looked at several really nice places before finally settling on one that was perfect for both of us. The asking price was high, but we felt it was worth it, so I went to my bank manager to get funding approved but unfortunately he didn’t share my enthusiasm. He wasn’t willing to give me the amount I was looking for. The upshot was that everyone was mad at me. The real estate agent, the vendor, my wife. They all felt that I had wasted their time. It was a big lesson for me. And they were right; I should have secured the funding before putting in all that effort” “So, Mr. Prospect, can we do this instead …..?” “If, I give you a ballpark range, can you check if that kind of money, for the right solution, is going to be ok with your colleagues and manager? If we get a red light, we don’t need to pursue this any further and nobody has wasted any time. If we get a green light, then we can roll up our sleeves and get a detailed proposal

on the table: ……….”Does that sound fair?” Any story where you wasted time because you didn’t deal with the money issues first will work. If you have a personal story, use that. If not, make one up….. I just did! That’s because stories are not about what’s true (i.e. the facts) but about a ‘truth’. The truth here that if you don’t deal with money up front, you risk wasting time and upsetting people in the process. Copyright 2014 Sandler Training and Insight Sales Consulting Inc. All rights reserved. John Glennon is the owner of Insight Sales Consulting Inc, the authorized Sandler Training Licensee for the Interior of British Columbia. He can be reached at jglennon@sandler. com, toll free at 1-866-645-2047 or visit www.glennon.sandler.com

INVENTING ANNE FLANAGAN

have had this question asked a number of times. Someone starts a company around a product. They develop a business plan, get some financing in place and start selling. Before they know it, they have a North American market, are in hundreds of stores and are looking to expand into Europe. Along the way, they were coached to get patent protection. Sometimes that just seems to be too much of a distraction and money that they do not want to spend. Other times, they are misguided by people, including professionals, that fail to understand the value of the product, or cannot see the patentable aspect of the product. Time goes on. Before they know it, there are copy cat products being marketed. What can they do? There are a number of scenarios. In Canada, if it is within one year of public disclosure of the product, they can

file a patent application. In the US, if it is within one year of offering to sell, they can file a patent application. In Europe, there is an absolute novelty requirement, so it is too late. What happens if more than a year has gone by since the first offer to sell or public disclosure? The invention is no longer patentable in its current form. The options are improving the invention or coming up with a new invention. Both will keep the company ahead of the competition and both will potentially provide the opportunity to obtain patent protection. The tricky part is ensuring that the new or improved invention is patentable. There is little point in sinking a lot of time and money into product development, only to find that it is not patentable. This is where a technology strategist can really help. By understanding the current product, the market and the patent landscape, they can work with the inventor/company to find a path, on paper that will provide the best chance of arriving at a patentable new or improved invention. Once the new or improved invention is sufficiently developed, they can then draft a patent application. Anne Flanagan is the principal at Alliance Patents. She can be reached at anne.flanagan@ alliancepatents.com

WHO IS SUING WHOM

DECEMBER 2014

WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date. DEFENDANT 0959361 BC Ltd 512 Andrew Ave, Comox, BC PLAINTIFF Treviso Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 1,940,064 DEFENDANT 0960933B Ltd 512 Andrew Ave, Comox, BC PLAINTIFF Treviso Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 1,940,064 DEFENDANT 2 Burley Men Moving & Hauling 585 Burnside Rd. East, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Large, Earl CLAIM $7,886

DEFENDANT

6252 Thomson Terrace, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Mid Island Consumer Services Cooperative CLAIM $60,983

BJ Backhoe Service Ltd 3925 Vaux Rd, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Adams Trucking Ltd CLAIM $19,254 DEFENDANT Black Creek Auction Mart Ltd 8571B Reinhold Rd, Black Creek, BC PLAINTIFF Evans, Jim CLAIM $22,842

DEFENDANT Ladysmith Maritime Society 614 Oyster Bay Way, Ladysmith, BC PLAINTIFF Patrickson, Nikki CLAIM $25,156

DEFENDANT Cherokee Land Investments Ltd. 846 Broughton St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Island Savings Credit Union CLAIM $1,140,206

DEFENDANT Line Level Landscaping & Development 163 Levista Place, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF 4Refuel Canada LP CLAIM $23,787

DEFENDANT Forward Equestrian Inc 2253 Dalhousie St, BC PLAINTIFF Line Level Landscaping & Development Corp CLAIM $47,325

DEFENDANT Marble Canyon Development Company 201-907 Baker St, Cranbrook, BC PLAINTIFF CIBC Mortgages Inc CLAIM $330,432

DEFENDANT Golden Rule Roofing Inc 201-64 Station St, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Slegg Construction Materials Ltd CLAIM $151,676

DEFENDANT Masari Investments Ltd 500-645 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Bedi, Surjit CLAIM $1,250,000

5397 Parker, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Solotki, Janice CLAIM $25,171 DEFENDANT Pacific Concept Developments 4275 Faithwood, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Slegg Construction Materials Ltd CLAIM $31,202 DEFENDANT Pacific Rim Exteriors 3248 Puffin Pl, Victoria BC PLAINTIFF Khachane, Pierre CLAIM $25,175 DEFENDANT Pacific Rim Ventures Ltd 210-3260 Norwell Dr, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Mid Island Consumer Services Cooperative CLAIM $134,984 DEFENDANT Philbrooks Boatyard Ltd 104-9710 2nd St, Sidney, BC PLAINTIFF Zheng, Gui CLAIM $16,714

DEFENDANT Abbeyfield House St. Peter’s Society 1133A Reynolds Rd, Victoria, BC DEFENDANT PLAINTIFF Jones, Je-Anne Powerhouse Sheet Rock Ltd DEFENDANT DEFENDANT CLAIM 602-732 Broughton St, Victoria, BC Client: McGregor & Thompson / Size: / CMYK / BUSINESS $18,666 IS Wight & Sons Trucking Ltd 9.8” X 6.2” Owners Strata Plan VIS734EXAMINER PLAINTIFF

33 Commercial Construction Supply Ltd CLAIM $19,694 DEFENDANT R&T Rainforest Tours 2081 Grandview Dr, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Maxwell, Deanna CLAIM $9,384 DEFENDANT SCS Steel Container Systems Inc 200-1808 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Organico Waste Recovery Systems Ltd. CLAIM $10,561 DEFENDANT Tai-Pan Ventures 846 Broughton St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Island Savings Credit Union CLAIM $750,000 DEFENDANT Tal Developments Ltd 846 Broughton St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Island Savings Credit Union CLAIM $750,000

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE CONSTRUCTION SPECIALTIES WASHROOM ACCESSORIES ELECTRONIC SECURITY DOORS & FRAMES LOCKERS

McGregor Thompson has been providing quality products to the construction industry for 50 years. Over that time, we’ve built relationships with clients, suppliers, and employees with honesty and respect, relationships that inspire and motivate us every day. For the past years and for all the years to come — thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Visit our expanded showroom at 466 Bay St., Victoria, 250.383.8666 Ser ving Victoria since 1990.

Version 1

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

DECEMBER 2014

Shaun Wysiecki has been appointed as branch manager of BMO Bank of Montreal’s Westshore branch. Doug Taylor has been appointed as Island representative for the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters British Columbia.

recently welcomed Shelley Clarke, R.N. Laser/Skincare specialist, to its professional team. Yana Taylor, R.N., also with the clinic, has been awarded as the first nurse injector in Western Canada to receive the CANS (Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist) accreditation.

To get in Movers and Shakers, call Thom at 250-661-2297 or email thom@businessexaminer.net The City of Victoria has been talking with Airbnb, a website for people who rent out lodgings in their homes, exploring the idea of entering into a partnership that would allow the city to collect the equivalent of its hotel tax from people using the site. The Capital Regional District has approved a 4.3 per cent increase in the wholesale water rate for 2015. This increase adds to the 1.8 per cent increase for 2014. Dr. Kenneth Smith and staff at Clinic 805 have received their four-year Level 1 accreditation from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia for non-hospital surgical medical facilities. The clinic has also

Pemberton Holmes congratulated the top 10% of its sales representatives for October 2014. Representatives were: Eli Mavrikos, Dan Johnson, Rick Couvelier, Jerry Bola, Justin Cownden, David Hale, Gunner Stephenson, Tracy Menzies, Kelli Anderson, Ken Janicki, Andrew Plant, Gregg Mah, Bo Han, Myles Wilson, Arvid Chalmers, Kerry Couvelier, Norman Rothwell, Susan Hatch, Jacqueline Baker, Corie Meyer, Mike Hardy, Allan Bruce, Shae Webber, Paul King, Tom Navratil, Pat Miller Jane Johnston, Ray Little, Jerry Mireau, Jacqueline Baker, Greg Long, Patricia Kiteke and1 David Scotney. The Downtown Victoria Business

Association has been approved for another five years to work on improving and promoting the downtown core. The United Way of Greater Victoria has welcomed Lee Anne Davies as its new director of community investment. Davies will be responsible for managing partnerships, grants and communitybased research.

Authority will be looking for a new Chief Executive Officer, as current CEO Curtis Grad will be leaving to lead the Skwin’ang’eth Se’las Development Company. Christie’s International Real Estate has chosen Newport Realty as its Western Canada affiliate. Christie’s is considered the largest marketer of luxury homes in the world with 27,000 agents in 950 offices in 46 countries.

The Moss Street Market has announced that it will be opening an indoor winter market, following its open-air markets in the summer, which will allow it to remain open year-round. Esquimalt staff has estimated the cost of repairing rot discovered in the Archie Browning Sports Centre’s façade would add roughly $430,000 to the $387,000 in renovations currently underway. The Greater Victoria Harbour

Shaun Wysiecki

Victoria-based Western Allergy will be expanding its allergy treatment business into Australia. The company provides patient-specific vaccines for those that suffer from allergies. The Greater Victoria Automotive Salespeople of the Month have been announced, and include: Ron Howlett of Jenner GMC, Don Rusk of Metro Toyota, David Vollet of Audi Autohaus, Brent Moroz of Volkswagen Victoria, Nathan Forbes of Harris Auto, Joe Halasz of Pacific Mazda, Ryan Brown of Wheaton, Chris Hoeg of Wille Dodge, Nick Lee of Campus Acura, Matt Kennard of Porsche Centre Victoria, Adam Mikasko of Three Point Motors, Richard Meng of Victoria BMW, Phil Hines of Saunders Subaru, Marilee Atkinson of Volvo, Jim Galand of Campus Honda, Ian Lang of Campus Infinite, Nelson Chan of Graham KIA, Frank Pecorelli of Campus Nissan, Danny Usher of Galaxy Motors. City Council has given the first three readings to a rezoning application that would see a new mixed commercial residential development in downtown Duncan.

Last Call For Nominations mark@businessvi.ca or 250 758 2684 ext 120 BE Awards

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

DECEMBER 2014

congratulated its top producers for the month of October. Associates include: Tammi Dimock, Luke Beckner, Saira Waters, Cheryl Bejcar, Mark McDougall, Tim Ayres, Brenda Russell, Rosemarie Colterman, Pat Meadows, Sharen Warde, Tammy Hatter, Justen Lalonde, Don Beckner, Beth Hayhurst, Jay Rockwell, James Liu, Mike McCulloch, Goran Tambic, Marlene Arden, Justine Connor, Allan Poole, Sonya Conn, Sandra Govender, Stacey English, Shaunna Jones, Andrea Knight-Ratcliff. Wendy Klyne of Royal LePage has announced her retirement from Real Estate effective at the end of October.

Salvador Davis & Co was the winner of Business of the Year (1-15 employees) at the Saanich Chamber of Commerce 2014 Crystal Awards. From left to right, Steven Heywood, Lisa Ehrlich and Shelby Jorgensen from Salvador Davis and Denny Warner. PHOTO CREDIT: NUTTYCAKE

Raymond James has congratulated Dee-Ann Mayburry on being recognized as a recipient of the Raymond James Woman of Distinction Award for 2014. Raymond James has also welcomed the addition of John Gowans to its team of professionals. Baggins Shoes opened a new store at 580 Johnson St. The store is managed by Brydie Griffin. y Winners have been announced for the eighth annual Crystal Awards for Business Excellence for Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, and include: Terry Stewart for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Salvador Davis & Co. for Business of the Year (1-15 Employees), Peninsula Co-op for Business of the Year (16+ Employees), Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation for Non-Profit Organization, Island Savings Credit Union for Contribution to the Community, BCHAZMAT Management Ltd. for Green Business of the Year, Bistro Suisse for Entrepreneurial Spirit, Pacifica Real Estate for New Business, Panorama Rec Centre for Employer of the Year, Vancouver Island Almost Free Magazine for New Product or Service, Helping Hands Personal Support Services for Outstanding Customer Service, Viking Air for Newsmaker of the Year.

A new branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library has been proposed for the Capital Park development behind the legislature. Top sellers for ReMax Alliance-Victoria are Ron Neal, Chris Cochrane, Karen Love, Laura Godbeer, Mark Salter, Alex Burns, Robyn Wildman, Susan Carley, Julia Swift and Manpreet Kandola. Dr. Eric Meiner will be relocating to his new practice location on Brae Road in Duncan. White Light Marine has opened for business at 507 Louise Road in Ladysmith. Guy Bezeau has sold ReMax Ocean Pointe Realty in Ladysmith to a buyer from Saskatoon. The Community Farm Store celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 2-5380 TransCanada Highway. Coastal Community Credit Union congratulated Moira Hauk on being appointed as Regional Manager for its South Vancouver Island region. Flagship Ford congratulated David Faithful on achieving top sales for the month of September. Royal LePage Victoria

Peter Baljet GM has announced the promotion of Dean McIlroy to Assistance Service Manager. The dealership congratulated its top performing sales associates for the month of September: Jerry Deol, Steve Aydon and Morgan Harrison. Pemberton Holmes announced its top five individual producers for the month of September, which includes: Dan Johnson, Catherine Hobbs, Shannon Roome, Ray Little, Ken Neal. Little Caesars Pizza is celebrating the grand opening of its newest location at 112-2763 Beverly Street. ReMax Duncan/Mill Bay has announced its top performing associates for the month of September. The top three individuals are Cordell Ensign, Clint Steigenberger and Mette Hobden. The top teams are Cal Kaiser’s Team, Kim Johannsen’s Team and Debbie Meiner’s Team. Michaels is in the process of renovating the former Best Buy location at Uptown shopping centre, and is expected to open a store there in the Spring. Viking Air has signed a deal to sell two Twin Otters to the Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. The University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business has welcomed three new members its advisory board: Patrick Kelly, Christian Kittleson and Elizabeth Dutton.

The Cridge Centre for the Family has appointed Joanne Specht as manager of communication and fund development. The Centre has also elected its 201415 Board of Directors, which includes: Valerie Fuller as president, Del Phillips as vice-president, Michael Cridge as treasurer, Mary Jane Spray as secretary, Claudia Dorrington, Harold McNabb, Louise Parton, Jo Politano, Hilary Pryor, David Rand and Rosemary Smyth. Construction has begun on The Clive apartment building at 1510 Clive Drive in Oak Bay. Hemp & Company has opened in its new location at 1312 Government Street.

Laursen, Angela Liu, Darcy O’Neill, Erzsebet Orosz, Keith Parker, Michael Rolston, Jessie Rowe, Jason Shephard, Kelly Wheeler. Owners Tony and Karen Martin of Monarch Furnishings are expanding their store on 1807 Store St. They are making room for containers from Central Java in Indonesia. This is their third major expansion.

Jan Donaldson displaying her artwork Lighthouse Brewery has redesigned some of its packaging, added new brews, and changed the name of its IPA from Switchback to Shipwreck. Maple Bay branding firm Taiji Brand Group has been awarded the rebranding assignment for American Iron & Metal. Sharon Moir has joined ScotiaMcLeod’s Greenard Group as administrative associate. Brian Simmers has been named vicepresident of corporate services and chief financial officer of the BC Safety Authority. Tourism Victoria has named the BC Hospitality Foundation as its charitable partner. Victoria City Council has approved two major adorable rental-housing developments – one in Victoria West and the other on Blanshard Street. Both developments are expected to be under construction in early Spring. Royal Roads University has launched live virtual tours of the campus using Google Glass and GoPro. Securities regulators in BC have fined David Michael Michaels, a former mutual fund salesperson, $17.5 million and permanently banned him from the province’s capital markets for perpetuating fraud on hundreds of people. Kuterra land-raised Atlantic salmon has received recognition fin the US for its product, being granted a Seafood Watch and Sea-Choice Green Best Choice recommendation from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. Katy Fairley has won a gold award of excellence in the Vancouver Regional Construction Association’s annual awards. Monarch Furnishings is celebrating its ninth anniversary this year.

Westshore community awards Business of the Year winner was Saunders Subaru. (L - R): Mindy Kobayashi, Doug Kobayashi (President, WestShore Chamber of Commerce), Dave Suanders, Norma Saunders and Bob Saunders

Twenty-two Victoria certified management accountants have received their CPA, CMA designation from the Certified Management Accountants Society of BC at a convocation ceremony. They are: John Alan Brick, Sam Broadbent, Gillian Carrigan, Carmen Crosman, Andrew Dean, Ralph Goring, Keith Grainger, Gregory Hill, Kyu-Chang Jo, Kathryn Johnson, Kyle Johnson, Pan Mook Kang, Sherrie Kardos, Sandra

The Vancouver Island Construction Association has announced its new Board of Directors for the 2014-15 term. Members include: Don Cameron as Chair, Angus Macpherson as Past Chair, Alan Fletcher as Vice Chair, Anthony Minniti as Treasurer, and directors Katy Fairley, Dave Flint, Tyler Galbraith, Jason Kinch, Doug Savory, Sheldon Saywell, Todd Skelton, Yosef Suna, Eric Ulrich, Gerrit Vink and Roger Yager. Jan Donaldson is celebrating 35 years in business with her exhibit, “Threads of Passon 35” in her Studio/Showroom at 9738 Willow Street in Chemainus. Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa has received the Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Award by Conde Nast Traveler for being the 9th best resort in Canada. NEXUS is now available to be used at the Victoria International Airport. Pemberton Holmes Ltd. has welcomed Michelle Appleton, Rene Blais, Clint Tupper and Paul Greenwood to its team of real estate professionals. The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has welcomed account representatives Elizabeth Archer, formerly with the Yellow Pages Group and Bob Haugen, formerly with Northern Lights College and the Solar Cities project. They join Victoria Mitchell on the sales team. Marlin Travel at Broadmead Village has welcomed the addition of Eva Florian and Cyndi Paddock to its office. Stevenson Luchies & Legh celebrated the grand opening of its new location in Sooke, at 6689 Sooke Road. The Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce has announced the promotion of Chamber Office Administrator Aline Doiron to the position of Office Manager. Lisa Leverington, Certified Financial Planner, has recently partnered with Phil Gibson of Investment Planning Counsel Victoria. Business Excellence awards winners for Saanich Peninsula are: Salvador Davis & Co. – Business of the Year (1-15 employees); Peninsula Co-op Laura and Laura Petites has opened for business at The Bay Centre.

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DECEMBER 2014

The Province is teaming up with the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres

i n i s te r o f A b o r i gi n a l R el at ion s a nd Reconciliation John Rustad and BCA A FC President A n nette Morgan h ave sig ned a protocol ca l led “I mprov i ng Employ ment O utcomes for O f f-Reser ve Aboriginal Peoples”. T he protocol supports the Of f-Reser ve Aborig i nal Action Plan to better the lives of Aboriginal people and places a strong focus on education, training and jobs with t h ree m a i n goa ls: i ncreasi ng education a nd tra i n i ng op p or t u n it ie s; i nc re a s i n g employment recruitment and retention; and engaging the growing youth population. T he new ag reement l i n ks t h e B C A A F C ’s 5 X 5 J o b s Strategy with BC’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint. The BCAAFC st rateg y h a s a goa l of emp l o y i n g 5 , 0 0 0 A b o r i g i nal people over the next five years. Released in April 2014, the Skills for Jobs Blueprint s e t a t a r ge t o f e m p l o y i n g 15,000 new Aboriginal workers over the next 10 years. “Through the BC Skills for Jobs Blueprint, we are committed to working with First Nat ion s to i n c re a s e s k i l l s

tra i n i ng opportu n ities a nd participation in the jobs market. T he BCA A FC is one of the most robust partners we have for reaching out to the u rba n A b or i g i n a l p op u l at ion. T he rev i sed protocol lays the fou ndation for i ncreased employ ment rates, and better education and job training that will ultimately increase positive outcomes for Aboriginal people,” says Rustad. The Off-Reserve Aboriginal Action Plan is a partnership between the Province, Government of Canada, BC A sso ci at ion of A b or i g i n a l Friendsh ip Centres, Un ion of BC Municipalities and the Métis Nation of British Columbia, to better the lives of people living off reserve. To a ch ieve t he 5 X 5 job s ta rget, t he BCA A FC w i l l leverage its existing $40 million in provincial and federal f r iendsh ip cent re prog ra m f u nd i ng, a long w it h members’ col lective k nowledge and experience, to build relationships and resources. BCA A FC is the leading A b or ig i n a l so ci a l ser v ices agency in the province with 25 f r i e n d s h i p c e n t re s a n d

a host of m ajor events a nd ca mpa ig ns such as the a nnual “Gathering Our Voices” yout h con ference, a nd t he Moose Hide Campaign to end violence against Aboriginal women and children. BC’s Sk i l ls for Jobs Blueprint is a detailed action plan prov id ing a comprehensive pat h f rom scho ol to workplace, w ith an emphasis on shifting training dollars and programs to jobs in demand. By 2022, one m illion job openings are expected in BC, a long w it h h ig her dem a nd for skills - more than 78% of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 43% will be in trades and technical occupations. Includ i ng Métis people, 7 8% o f B C’s A b o r i g i n a l population lives off-reserve. The off-reserve unemployment rate, while lower than for those living on reserve, hovers at ab out 18% - approximately three times the rate for non-Aboriginals. A b or i g i n a l yout h a re t he fastest growing population i n Ca nada. 48% of Aboriginal youth are under 25, compared to 31% of the rest of the population.

Commissioner approves plans to convert spirit class vessels to liquefied natural gas BC Ferries will be operating five vessels on LNG by 2018

he BC Ferries Commissioner has approved BC Ferries’ application to convert its two largest vessels, the Spirit of Vancouver Island and the Spirit of British Columbia, to dual fuel, as well as to proceed with the mid-life upgrades of the vessels. By using LNG instead of marine diesel fuel, as well as making some hull modifications, BC Ferries expects to save approximately $9.2 million per year (in today’s dollars) over the remaining 27-year life cycle of the two vessels. “This is a huge step forward to help address fare affordability, as using LNG will greatly reduce our operating expenses on these two vessels,” said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering. “LNG also offers significant environmental benefits, cutting carbon emissions by about 25 per cent, sulphur oxides by almost 100 per cent and nitrogen oxides by 85 per cent, which translates into much cleaner exhaust emissions than diesel fuel.” In addition to converting the two Spirit Class vessels to LNG, BC Ferries is also building three, dual fuel intermediate class vessels scheduled for delivery in 2016 and 2017. These ships will operate in the Southern

Gulf Islands and on the Powell River – Comox route. BC Ferries spent $126 million on fuel last fiscal year and the two Spirit Class vessels consume approximately 15 per cent of the fleet total. Converting these ships to LNG will reduce their cost of fuel by approximately 50 per cent. The Spirit of Vancouver Island’s LNG conversion and mid-life upgrade is planned from the fall of 2016 through the spring of 2017. The Spirit of British Columbia’s project is planned to occur from the fall of 2017 through the spring of 2018. BC Ferries is presently conducting a worldwide procurement process to select a prime contractor and the dual fuel propulsion equipment supplier. The company plans to make a selection not later than the second quarter of 2015. Under Section 55 of the Coastal Ferry Act, BC Ferries must not incur a major capital expenditure without first obtaining approval for the expenditure from the BC Ferries Commissioner. Under contract to the Province of British Columbia, BC Ferries is the service provider responsible for the delivery of safe, efficient and dependable ferry service along coastal British Columbia.

GO2MOBI – WORLDWIDE MOBILE ADVERTISING PLATFORM

TECHNOLOGY ROB COOPER

s you get to know Victoria’s tech landscape it becomes clear that there are a growing number of local firms doing a great job competing globally. Local start-up Go2Mobi is one such company. Founded in 2011 by Gavin Aitken and Tom Desaulniers, Go2Mobi has made fast inroads into the global online advertising market by focusing on the emerging technologies of mobile advertising combined with real time bidding, wrapped up in world leading reporting technology in their “demand site platform.” Explained in plain English, most mobile advertising is sold by individual ad networks and exchanges. Buyers can often buy directly from these networks. However, by using a “demand side platform” (a high tech interface used to programmatically buy ads), advertisers can automate bids and place ads on multiple networks and exchanges through a single interface, which also offers consistent reporting across all networks. This advertising is generally sold by bidding

according to how much you’re willing to pay for 1000 ad impressions or, in some cases, how much you’re willing to pay per individual ad click. Further complicating matters, ad buyers can also set different bids for different regions, different types of mobile sties and apps, and even different mobile devices and carriers. While this sounds ridiculously complex (and it is), Go2Mobi simplifies things by making campaigns as simple as walking through a single page process and setting all targeting and bidding criteria in minutes. Best of all, Go2Mobi is able to boast the best technology and transparency in the industry on the reporting side. The strength of their reporting platform is what allows advertisers to identify the absolute best performing ads and campaigns. Even more importantly, advertisers can dig into endless sub-sections within their campaigns to understand exactly which parts succeeded or failed, allowing them to then build larger, stronger campaigns based only on the successful parts of their past campaigns. Go2Mobi has proven extremely popular with performance marketers who want to generate new customers cost effectively as well as huge international brands who want their ads seen by millions of mobile users to launch products or build brand awareness. They are already well on their way and this is one start-up to keep a close eye on! Rob is a Director at VIATeC and founder of PlusROI Online Marketing, a strategic web marketing firm. He can be reached at Rob@PlusROI.com

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OPINION

DECEMBER 2014 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Head Office 1027 Pandora Avenue, Victoria, BC V8V 3P6 Ph: 1.250.661.2297 Fax: 1.250.642.2870 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Website: www.businessexaminer.net

PUBLISHER | Mark A. MacDonald, mark@businessexaminer.net EDITOR | Lise MacDonald, lise@businessvi.ca SALES | Thom Klos, thom@businessexaminer.net; josh@businessvi.ca, shawn@businessvi.ca WRITERS | Goody Niosi, Julia MacDonald, Christopher Stephens

THE NEW WEST: MONEY, JOBS AND A FLOOD OF YOUNG ADULTS

MARK MILKE

uestion: If you’re young, or have very little education, where’s the best place in the country to find a job, make a decent income and prosper? Answer: Alberta, followed by Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Most Canadians likely suspect that economic opportunities are increasingly available in Western Canada. But the hard numbers for young adults (a group I spotlighted in my recent study) reveal stunning, positive facts about the three Western-most provinces. The same data is flashing neon warning signs at Central and Eastern Canada. Consider migration patterns for the 25 to 34 age group— call them the “young career class”

likely finished their education and seeking a job. Over a 10-year period (2003 to 2012), Alberta gained 60,855 young career class adults, on a net basis, from other parts of the country. British Columbia gained 10,643 while Saskatchewan stopped losing young people and gained 581. During that same 10-year period, on a net basis, Quebec lost 24,355 young adults while Ontario lost 27,451. (Manitoba and Atlantic Canada also bled young adults but that’s been a constant for some time.) So what explains this westward migration? Private sector investment, which left a cornucopia of jobs and income in its wake. The figures for private sector investment (excluding residential construction but capturing non-residential structures, machinery and equipment) clearly point West. The numbers are a slog, but revealing. In 2013 alone, Alberta garnered a total of $83.5 billion in investment followed by Ontario ($42.1 billion), Quebec ($26.8 billion), British Columbia ($23.3 billion) and Saskatchewan ($14.6 billion). Do the math. Canada’s two most populous provinces, Ontario

and Quebec, had less investment than did just Alberta. With Newfoundland and Labrador added in (which had $8.2 billion in total private sector investment last year) and converting to per worker calculations, the results are even more stark: In 2013, per worker private sector investment was $57,122 in Newfoundland and Labrador followed by Alberta ($56,675), Saskatchewan ($47,348), and Manitoba ($16,918). Meanwhile, Ontario ($9,411) saw less private sector investment per worker than did Nova Scotia ($9,878) and also lagged Quebec ($10,206). All three were only slightly ahead of Prince Edward Island ($9,159). The relative lack of private sector investment should greatly concern Ontarians and Quebecers. It signals that their economies now replicate the economic malaise of Atlantic Canada—save the very recent uptick in Newfoundland and Labrador. More numbers. The 10-year average unemployment rates for the young career class were significantly higher in Quebec (7.3 per cent) and Ontario (7.1 per cent) when compared with Alberta (4.2

per cent) and Saskatchewan (4.8 per cent). And here’s another statistic to keep in mind. As a share of those already unemployed in the young career class, here is the proportion of those out of work for six months or longer: Alberta (11.5 per cent) and Saskatchewan (13 per cent), and Ontario, where 23.5 per cent were unemployed for more than six months - the highest percentage in the country. But what about the wallets and bank accounts of working Canadians? Alberta and Saskatchewan have the smallest proportion of tax filers who declared less than $30,000 in income (42.2 per cent and 47.4 per cent respectively). In every other province, more than half of declared tax filers earn less than $30,000. Alberta and Saskatchewan also have the largest middle classes as a percentage of their populations and a larger share of high–income earners (above $100,000) compared with the other eight provinces. Lastly, take a look at total household per capita income (adjusted for inflation). Eleven years ago, Alberta led the league (at $40,744)

with Ontario second ($37,018). By 2012, while Albertans ($52,207) remained on top, followed by Saskatchewan ($42,249) and British Columbia ($41,239), Ontario had dropped to fourth place ($40,838) with Newfoundland and Labrador ($39,836) nipping at Ontario’s heels. Here’s the takeaway. In recent years, the young adult career class in Canada has flocked to Alberta, and to a lesser degree, British Columbia; Saskatchewan is now retaining its young adults. Why? Because the West is where private sector investment money flowed. And jobs, low unemployment, shorter durations of unemployment, and high incomes have followed. Meanwhile, Central Canada now resembles Atlantic Canada, except Newfoundland and Labrador where things are picking up. Mark Milke is Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute. A long-time contributor to the Institute, Mr. Milke is the author of four books on Canadian politics and policy and dozens of studies, on topics such as property rights, public sector pensions, corporate welfare, competition policy, aboriginal matters and taxes.

BLUE IS BEAUTIFUL, AND THE BEST WAY TO MAKE GREEN

MARK MACDONALD

omehow, we need to trade our presentation of “the trades”. “T he trades”, i.e. welders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, pipefitters, etc. – you know, the ones who build things, many of whom are working in the oil and gas industry, particularly in northern BC and Alberta. This is a very real “land of possibility” for young people wanting to find meaningful employment that pays handsomely well. If parents and educators still don’t give “the trades” the respect they deserve, and present them as significant, important and fulfilling vocations, then

we a l l lose, rea l ly. You nger students, who are easily influenced, could benefit from having these jobs presented as a gold standard for occupation. T he lon g-pre d ic te d s k i l l s shortage has arrived, and Canada’s lack of tradespeople is being magnified, largley, because we aren’t encouraging enough young people in the trades. Last year, the B.C. Construction Association went to Ireland to try and find 600 Irish trades people to fill positions. Two years ago, studies indicated that 30,500 trades jobs would go unfilled in B.C. What would that figure be now? And as the northern Alberta oil fields continue to expand, so will the demand for skilled workers, and we’re simply not producing enough. It’s as if our academics heard the skill shortage warnings and set about to encourage and turn out more “skills”, but those of the white collar variety. As the jobs multiply and baby boomers begin their withdrawal from the workforce, Canada now has to open up its immigration gates to

bring in the workers that major industry needs, namely trades people. One can’t blame a lot of teachers for pushing academia. That’s how the system has been set up. But people aren’t “one size fits all”, and there are undoubtedly students who are bored with sitting at a desk in a warm classroom that would be magnificent trades people. It’s a shame that something hasn’t been done earlier yet to identify these strengths. Germany, for example, identifies potential tradespeople much earlier in the educational cycle. As a result, the average age of a graduating tradesman is 19. In Canada, it’s 28. There is much room for improvement. It’s sad to see teenagers graduate from high school, scratching their heads, with absolutely no idea of what they want to do employment-wise, taking almost a decade longer to discover the promise a trades job holds for their futures. Hats off to the provincial government for stepping in to push

the education system to identify and train potential tradespeople earlier, and provide training to get them on their way to a successful vocation earlier. There are simply too many stories of graduates, awash in student loans, entering a workforce with bleak prospects for employment, and facing pay cheques wages as they try to not only pay back their loans, but get ahead financially. For generations now, there is a sense of prestige bestowed upon young people who pursue white collar occupations. Parents are proud to note that their sons and daughters are doctors, lawyers, accountants. . . These are all admirable professions, without a doubt. But they also could be limiting, especially in terms of making enough money to pay for student loans required to obtain degrees in these, and other office-based occupations. I had dinner with a young lawyer from Ireland, who moved to B.C. in search of work, as that country’s economy difficulties

following a post-technology boom. He said he – and many other young white collar workers – a re st r ugg l i ng to f i nd enough work in what is a very competitive industry. W hen they do find a paycheque, the pickings can be fairly scant. What Canada had a generation ago was a burgeoning middle class, filled with trades and industry-based workers who were paid handsomely for extracting resources in the fishing/ logging/mining industries and bringing products to market. That is back now, with the oil and gas industry driving the middle class back to prosperity. The average wage in the Fort McMurray is $189,000 a year. T here are many white collar workers who make a quarter of that sum. Money isn’t everything, without a doubt. But if we really want to give our young people the same opportunities we have had, we need to reinforce and glorify the value of blue collar jobs for those entering the workforce.

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LAW

DECEMBER 2014

USING A LAWYER TO DRAFT OR REVIEW A CONTRACT CAN SAVE YOU MONEY LAW

A contract sets out the rules of a future relationship

usinesspeople sometimes avoid using lawyers to draft or review agreements out of concern for the cost. Cost should always be considered, but avoiding legal advice is false economy. Using a lawyer upfront can result in significant long-term savings. For simple one-off contracts in common situations, a lawyer can adapt a pre-written contract quickly, competently, and cost-effectively. For complex contracts and unusual situations, it is especially important not to “wing it,” and to seek professional help. Legal advice will reduce your risk and let you sleep more easily at night. If you will be using the same contract repeatedly, your upfront investment will be amortized over time. Involve Your Lawyer from the Beginning In court, we often see the unfortunate results of people not using lawyers to draft or review contracts, or not involving a lawyer until it is too late. If you are considering entering into a significant business transaction, avoid unnecessary risk. The long-term business consequences

James Legh of Stevenson Luchies Legh of a poorly-drafted contract, and the cost of litigation, can greatly exceed the short-term savings of avoiding a legal “checkup.” Certain types of contracts seem to be especially problematic: shareholder agreements, partnership agreements, commercial leases, real estate deals, franchise agreements, and sales of businesses. These are complex, important matters where there is an understandable temptation to reduce costs. Contracts presented by a party in a strong bargaining position who has had full access to lawyers, such as a franchisor or a commercial landlord, often benefit from an independent review. There is sometimes room

for negotiation, even when it appears there is not. Legal review will identify issues and help you know whether you need to negotiate further, or even walk away from a bad deal. A lawyer can be extremely useful at the negotiation stage, either as an intermediary or to evaluate the deal from a different perspective. Contracts Should be Clear and in Writing A contract sets out the rules of a future relationship. A well-drafted contract is clear and unambiguous, anticipates problems, and allocates risk between the parties. There is no legal requirement for most contracts to be in written form. Verbal agreements can work – as long as nothing goes wrong. Unfortunately, when a business relationship goes off the rails, there is often disagreement about what the terms of a verbal agreement actually were. You may have noticed that it is easier to come to an agreement at the beginning of a business relationship, rather than to negotiate changes or fix problems later on. With the passage of time, things happen, business ideas succeed or fail, and risks materialize or disappear. An agreement that everyone thought was fair at the beginning sometimes proves to be better for one side than the other. Parties whose interests are not

being met by an agreement often engage in “wishful thinking,” remembering things in a way that would be better for them. This can make a verbal agreement or something sketched out on a napkin, difficult or impossible to enforce. A well-drafted written contract leaves little doubt what the intent of the parties originally was, recorded at a time when the parties both understood the agreement was a good idea. Sometimes people think that leaving intentional gaps in an agreement is actually in their interests. This is a dangerous way of thinking. Where there is ambiguity in your agreement, it can turn into a dark cloud over the entire future of your business relationship. Whether things go well, or poorly, you may find that your own rights and obligations are uncertain – ultimately ending up in a loss even if you are successful in litigation. Avoid Using Form Contracts Most of us would never dream of doing our own surgery to save money. Drafting your own contract, or piecing one together, is like doing your own vasectomy. It is unnecessarily painful and risky, and you could easily miss something important. It is simply not recommended. We have found that a major source of problems comes from contracts

which are found on the Internet, in self-help books, or come from friends and family. There are a number of reasons why they can cause future difficulties: These contracts may not be professionally drafted, and use unclear language. Those which are professionally drafted may be intended for completely different situations. A lease for a home is very different from a lease for an office. Contracts written for other provinces or legal systems may be problematic as tax and consumer protection laws vary widely. W hen contracts are edited, sometimes important details are removed, or contradictory terms are added. When paragraphs are renumbered, references to the original numbering can be missed. Important topics are sometimes overlooked. For example, a loan agreement may fail to set out the terms of an intended personal guarantee, or miss provisions for security in collateral. Contracts can appear simple. Good contracts are written in plain English, but the words do not always mean what they appear to say, which becomes particularly obvious when the parties have a subsequent disagreement. The devil is in the details.

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