» CRAFT BEER
JULY 2018
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COLWOOD H.I. Mechanical brings team-oriented, personalized approach to trades
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VICTORIA
Third Generation CEO Leads At Monk Office Caitlin Mckenzie Follows In The Footsteps Of Father James, Grandfather Ron
The Pacific Coast Land Company is in the business of building communities.
BY MARK MACDONALD BUSINESS EXAMINER
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INDEX News Update
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Saanich Peninsula
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West Shore
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Greater Victoria
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Esquimalt 18 Who is Suing Whom 22 Movers and Shakers 23 Opinion 26 Contact us: 1-866-758-2684
ICTORIA – There’s a familiar name leading the way at Monk Office. Caitlin McKenzie is the new CEO and President of the Vancouver Island office products and services company, proudly following in the footsteps of her father, Chair of the Board James McKenzie. Caitlin takes over from Mark Breslauer, and her arrival at the helm of the family business completes a circuitous route mapped out yea rs ago that i ncluded earning her stripes outside the company. “My Dad told my brother, Max, and I that we had to work outside the company in order to get a different perspective and experience if we ever wanted to have the opportunity to lead it,” Caitlin says. To that end, she left in 2003 and was away from Monk for 12 years before returning in 2015. “It was hard. . .there was a lot of time for self-reflection,” she adds. “Monk Office is a family
business, and my grandfather Ron started it, so there is a family-legacy piece as well. Plus, you think of all the people here that count on Monk for food and shelter – there are 140 people on our staff now. “Naturally, these are big shoes to fill, but I will remind myself that I would not have been considered for this position if my Dad or our Advisory Committee didn’t think I would be the best person for the job. They would never put someone in this position if they didn’t qualify for the job.” Charlie Monk opened the first Monk store in 1951, and the business was later sold to Caitlin’s g ra nd father, Ron McKenzie. James grew up in the business and took over from his father, Ron, in 1990. Today, Monk offers copy centre services, business machines, office furniture and supplies at 10 retail locations across Vancouver Island: 6 in Greater Victoria, and outlets in Duncan, Courtenay, Campbell River and Port Hardy. SEE CAITLIN MCKENZIE | PAGE 18
Caitlin McKenzie is the new CEO and President of Monk Office
OUR 30TH YEAR
Top Marks For Peninsula Co-Op Team Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240
Island-Wide Company Earns Top Marks At Victoria Business Awards BY MARK MACDONALD BUSINESS EXAMINER
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ICTORIA – Being cooperative pays off. With 330 employees in 25 outlets, and 95,000 members, the growing Peninsula Co-op is
1.800.663.3923
all about cooperation and teamwork, earning them recognition as Business of the Year (Over 40 Employees) at the recent Greater Victoria Business Awards. “It felt great,” says CEO and G enera l Ma nager Dave Hoy, explaining his feelings when
Peninsula Co-op was named the top award winner. “I was very elated, and it was an internal good feeling for all of our board, management and staff, as it takes all of us to win these awards. “I am always surprised when ou r na me is a n nou nced as a
winner,” he adds. “I always think about the many other competitors and businesses who also do such a good job.” Human Resources Manager Toni Stansfield adds “It’s such SEE PENINSULA CO-OP | PAGE 15
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NEWS UPDATE
JULY 2018
VICTORIA Camosun College Program Celebrates Landmark
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Camosun College’s Fine Furniture program is celebrating their 30 th anniversary. In celebration of the landmark, program co-founders Cam Russell and Ken Guenter are collaborating on an exhibition entitled Making it: A 30 Year Retrospective Celebration of Camosun College›s Fine Furniture Program. The exhibit runs from July 14 to September 22 at the University of Victoria’s Legacy Art Gallery on Yates Street. Doug Hastie is head coach of Camosun College’s Chargers Golf program. Coach Hastie is a Class “A” member of the PGA of Canada and in 2016, was named the Vancouver Island Class “A” Professional of the Year. He is a PGA of British Columbia Teacher of the Year and was last year’s recipient of the PGA of BC Professional Development Award. The college has named their latest capital building project The Alex & Jo Campbell Centre for Health and Wellness, after a visionary donation from Victoria’s wel l-k now n Ca mpb el l family. The generous contribution is part of the Camosun College Foundation’s capital fundraising campaign, Together for Health, to help raise funds for the new facility and the latest teaching technologies for students in health and human service programs at Camosun. On May 30, the Foundation announced the capital campaign has already reached over 50 per cent of its goal of $5 million, thanks to the generosity of donors such as Jo Campbell and her family. T h e l a te A lex Ca mpbell, founder of Thrifty Foods, the local grocery chain with stores around Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, passed away from cancer in 2011, though his spirit lives on through his family. Alex’s wife Jo Campbell wanted to support health care and ongoing learning because of the care that Alex received when he was in hospital.
VICTORIA Construction on Support Ships Begins Seaspan Shipyards recently celebrated the start
of construction on the first Joint Support Ship (JSS) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The steel cutting ceremony held at Vancouver Shipyards was a milestone for Seaspan, the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and Canada’s shipbuilding industry. The start of construction ensures that Seaspan will see the continued growth of Vancouver Shipyards’ workforce while mitigating any possible downturn in production. At its peak, work on JSS will contribute towards sustaining an estimated 1,000 jobs for tradespeople and approximately 300 office staff at Vancouver Shipyards. In addition, Seaspan’s work on JSS will leverage its broader Canadian supply chain and support the continued growth of Canada’s shipbuilding and marine industries. At over 17 3 metres i n length and with a design displacement of nearly 20,000 tonnes, JSS will be among the largest ships built on Canada’s West Coast once complete. JSS will support the RCN’s work at home and abroad for both defence and humanitarian missions. These ships will deliver fuel and other vital supplies to vessels at sea, offer modern medical and dental facilities, and provide support for helicopter operations and equipment repair. The ships will be built to the highest stand a rd a nd w it h moder n equipment, propulsion redundancy, a 30+ year life expectancy and the ability to stand in harm’s way if required. To d ate, Seaspa n h as $600M in committed contracts and engaged approximately 500 Canadian firms thanks to its NSS-related work alone. Seaspan Sh ipya rd s i s Ca n ad a’s non-combat shipbuilder under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). In this capacity, the company is building state-of-theart ships in Canada for the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy.
COLWOOD Municipalities Maximize West Shore Parks The five municipalities t h at joi nt ly ow n West Shore Parks & Recreation are working together on a plan to maximize the potential of the facilities a nd prog ra ms of fered.
The plan stems from a thorough and ongoing review of the Society’s facilities, operations, and programs, which Colwood, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin and View Royal Councils have unanimously agreed to undertake. A change in board membership was approved at the 2018 Annual General Meeting on June 14, 2018. Interim membership will include the five municipal owners, represented by the Chief Administrative Officers from each municipality. The change provides the opportunity to assess core pr ior it ies, create ef f iciencies, and ensure that the Society continues to provide high-performing recreational facilities and programs that will meet the needs of West Shore residents for the next 20 years and beyond. The municipalities will work collaboratively on a renewed vision and strategic plan for West Shore Parks and Recreation, to ensure it continues to be an organization that provides diverse, accessible, and affordable sports and recreation opportunities that allow all West Shore residents to enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle. “We believe that these actions w i l l resu lt i n a stronger and more sustainable future for West Shore Parks and Recreation,” said View Royal Mayor David Screech. “View Royal thanks the board and the staff at West Shore Parks & Recreation for their work and commitment.” “I’m very excited that this review is going forward,” said Mayor of Langford Stewart Young. “An independent and thorough assessment of the Society’s facilities and operations will ensure that ongoing programs meet the needs of a growing West Shore and are of good value for taxpayers.”
VICTORIA Price Pressure Continues on Housing in CRD Lower-priced demand spiked while higher-priced demand fell last month for real estate in Victoria according to the Victoria Real Estate Board’s (VREB) Multiple Listing Service (MLS). A total of 755 properties sold in the VREB region this May 25 per cent fewer than SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3
NEWS UPDATE
JULY 2018
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New Distribution System For Business Examiner Victoria
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ICTORIA – Business Examiner Victoria is changing gears with its distribution to Greater Victoria businesses. Since starting in 1984, Business Examiner has been distributed through Canada Post AdMail, but starting with the August, 2018 issue, the monthly business publication will be distributed through a new, highly efficient distribution network under the supervision of Mark Goodwin. “We are excited about this new phase of our development, as it’s something we’ve been considering for awhile now,” says Mark MacDonald, Publisher of Business
Examiner Victoria. “Canada Post AdMail has served us well over the years, but Mark’s team has demonstrated its efficiency and accuracy, and the number of publications utilizing their system is a testament to their ability to get papers where they need to be, in easy to find, convenient locations.” Goodwin’s system includes a network of 166 high traffic boxes strategically placed throughout Greater Victoria, including busy office towers, grocery stores, recreation centres, libraries and locations where business people congregate.
“Not only are we looking forward to having Business Examiner exposed to new readers with our monthly digest of news and information this way, but we’ll be making online versions of the publication to participating Chambers of Commerce in the Capital Region,” says MacDonald. “This is expected to add several thousand new businesses to our readership roll. “Studies we’ve conducted over many years indicate that each copy of the Business Examiner is read by three-plus people. With 10,000 distribution, that means over 30,000 readers for each issue,
NEWS UPDATE
VICTORIA
ease congestion on the Malahat and ferry traffic between Brentwood Bay and Mill Bay. Dogwood Ferries led by CEO Dylan Hildebrand alongside partners Jessica Castle and Trevor Small are proposing to build a 45-minute ferry service between Pat Bay and Cowichan Bay. The company is proposing to build a terminal near the Victoria Airport’s seaplane dock as well as a terminal in Cowichan Bay to run an all-day ferry service between the two ports. They are planning on beginning the service in the spring of 2020 as a car/
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the 1,006 properties sold in May of last year, and a 2.5 per cent decrease from April 2018. The sales of condominiums were also down 17.4 per cent from last year in May with 237 units sold while the sales of single family homes were down 23 per cent from 2017 with 406 sold this May. “It’s no surprise that our current market is very different than it was last year,” says Victoria Real Estate Board President Kyle Kerr. “Due to recent changes in mortgage qualification rules, many buyers’ purchasing power has been reduced. Unfortunately, in our area we have one third fewer single family homes for sale under $750,000 when compared to last year, so we’re seeing pressure from increased competition on a smaller number of homes, which is really pushing the under million-dollar market. We have a much larger inventory of higher value homes this year. For listings priced at $1.5 million and above, the number of active listings is almost 50 per cent higher than last year at this time. Arguably, many of these properties may be listed due to new and incoming taxes from the provincial government. The Foreign Buyer Property Transfer Tax, the Speculation Tax, and the increased School Tax are putting pressure on those high value home owners. Unfortunately, these taxes are not resulting in what the government said it intends - to increase the availability of affordable housing.” The Multiple Listing Service Home Price Index benchmark value for a single-family home in the Victoria Core in May 2017 was $820,800, while the benchmark value for the same home in May 2018 increased by 7 per cent to $878,100 over the previous month. The MLS HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in May 2017 was $426,900, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in May 2018 increased by 15.7 per cent to $493,900, slightly lower than April’s value of $495,100.
RRU and Songhees Work Toward Agreement Royal Roads University (RRU) and the Songhees Nation are closer to reaching an agreement over land occupied by the university after the two organizations signed a framework agreement. The agreement acts as a guide to allow the university and the Songhees people to reach a mutually beneficial agreement for the 565 acres owned, but declared surplus, by the Department of National Defence. A cornerstone objective of the university is to become owner of the 170 to 180 acres occupied by its campus, including Hatley Castle, the classroom spaces and residence building. The heritage buildings, gardens and seaside setting of the university have become an indispensable part of the university’s education experience. The agreement is a collaborative framework that will allow the university and the Songhees people to both benefit from the land. The Songhees people began negotiations with the federal government of the dispersion of the land 24 years ago and hope to strike a modern treaty. Presently, only around 350 of the 650 Songhees people can live on reserve lands, 126 acres on Admirals Road and some small island. There is not enough housing or money to build houses. If an agreement is reached, then the Songhees people can work with local and broader governing bodies to further develop their community. With the agreement signed over what the land disposition should look like, this may speed up the process of working with the federal government.
SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 5
and with our exciting new online options through the Chambers, we expect the number of people reading the Business Examiner will jump significantly. That’s good news for our advertisers.”
Fo r m o re i n fo r m a t i o n o n Busi ness Exa m i ner Victoria d i s t r i b ut ion , em a i l m a rk@ businessexaminer.ca, and for subscriptions, visit www.businessexaminer.ca
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JULY 2018
I
n May I attended my first BC Chamber Conference and AGM, which this year took place in Kamloops. There were lots of opportunities to learn, enjoy and network, but what has particularly stuck with me are the policy sessions. Sixtyone Chambers of Commerce from across British Columbia came together to vote on policies which will steer the BC Chamber in its advocacy with the provincial government, as well as the federal government, over the next year. One of the policies that was passed was “Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” Both the BC and
the Canadian Chambers acknowledge the role the business community can play in implementing the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. If as a business owner you would like to be supportive but don’t know where to start, one option is to get in touch with the Indigenous Perspectives Society at ipsociety.ca. Another very relevant policy that was supported by the BC Chamber membership was “Anti-Canadian Tariff – Pressing the Pause Button on BC’s Proposed Speculation Tax.” Concern about the Speculation Tax continues to grow, as was evidenced by the approximately 450 people in attendance at the 6th Bi-Annual United Nations Kenneth W. & Patricia Mariash Global Issues Dialogue on the BC Housing Crisis in Victoria on June 12th. The WestShore Chamber has expressed its concern by joining the “Scrap the Speculation Tax” campaign. While there is clear support for targeting property speculators, many in the business community and beyond do not believe the
Tax in its current form will do so. “I’m worried about jobs more than anything else,” said City of Langford Mayor Stewart Young. “This is a direct job killer. I want jobs in Langford. I don’t want to begin on a speculation tax that kills jobs.” Chambers also voted overwhelmingly to support the policy “Minimizing Undue Negative Impacts of the Employer Health Tax,” although I have to say that this politely worded policy in no way captures the level of concern expressed by BC Chambers. This Tax in its current form will impact on everyone in BC, with businesses shouldering an unreasonable proportion of the bill. You can add your voice by expressing your concerns in writing to Premier John Horgan, Finance Minister Carole James and your local MLA. You can also check out scrapthespeculationtax.ca Julie Lawlor is the Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. You can reach her at jlawlor@ westshore.bc.ca
THE KNOCK-OUT PUNCH OF A TESTIMONIAL
SAANICH PENINSULA DENNY WARNER
T
his email from one of our members arrived in my inbox one day. The sender had copied it to five employees within his organization. It read: “Hi Denny I am writing to express my most sincere gratitude to the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce for the unbelievable supp or t yo u h ave of fe re d to EMCS Industries Ltd (MARELCO). From your initial support in providing us a letter of support, to the Tour of Industry, multiple informative articles in the Peninsula News Review, Facebook exposure, SPCOC website and today the Chamber
Directory distributed in the Peninsula News, I cannot thank you enough for putting us out there after being anonymous locally for so long. Anodes are now a known entity, and the enormous expense they save in the shipping industry is now almost common knowledge in our seaside paradise we call home. With a new Anti-Fouling product to be released to the recreational vessel market in the very near future, the fact that we will have a visible platform to work from is entirely thanks to the support we have received from the Chamber. We are very excited about our future, and your support is, and will always be, paramount. Please pass on our big thanks to all Directors and staff, we really appreciate you guys! All the very best Trevor Tasker President” Reading it made my year. The fact that it was unsolicited was the icing on a fantastic cake. I printed it out and hung it by my desk. It continues to inspire me
and remind me that what we do truly makes a difference. You may be wondering if it was an isolated incident. It wasn’t. We dropped the ball when we didn’t celebrate by sharing what our members were saying about us. When your customers tell you they love you, let people know! Testimonials send a clear signal to potential clients that your current customers trust and have faith in you. Trust is a precious commodity in business. Those unbiased, genuine opinions from the peers, friends, and neighbours of your potential clients represent a golden opportunity. No more will we squander those precious testimonials. Taking our lead from a popular hot sauce tag line, going forward we will be sprinkling that sh*t on everything. And so should you. Denny Warner is the Executive Director at the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at execdir@ peninsulachamber.ca
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JULY 2018
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SPORT TOURISM COMMISSION ANNOUNCED
TOURISM VICTORIA PAUL NURSEY
T
he past few months have been very busy in regards to the sport tourism file. On April 1st, 2018, we launched the Greater Victoria Sport Touri s m Commi ss ion (t he Commission) and on April 15th, we announced Keith Wells as the Executive Director, Sport Tourism for the organization. Keith is a fantastic individual with a deep knowledge of both the sport sector and Greater Victoria community. We could not be happier with our choice to lead the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission. Greater Victoria has a long and rich history with sports. It should come as no surprise that the sport
hosting opportunities did not take long to materialize following the creation of the new sport tourism entity. The first success for Keith and the Commission was landing an exhibition match between the Canadian men’s national basketball team and the People’s Republic of China men’s national basketball team, to be held on June 24th at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena. The game is part of the Pacific Rim Basketball Classic, a two game series with matches in Victoria and Vancouver. Several NBA players will be on Canada’s roster. The quality of the competition should be world-class and we look forward to welcoming both teams to our community. The Greater Victoria Sports Tourism Commission is also in the middle of completing a bid for the BC 55+ Games in one of 2020, 2021 or 2022. The BC 55+ Games have never been held in Greater Victoria. This is a tremendous opportunity to bring athletes from all over British Columbia to Greater Victoria and showcase our hotels, restaurants and attractions. Typical participation for the BC 55+ Games numbers around 4,000. We are very excited to put this bid together and are hopeful for its success.
Lastly, as many of you already know Canada, along with the USA and Mexico were awarded the World Cup in 2026. Although British Columbia will not be hosting any games, there are still opportunities for Greater Victoria to host a team for its base camp. Seattle and Edmonton are possible locations for World Cup matches – both short distances away and easily accessible from Greater Victoria. Decisions on base camps will not be made until closer to 2026, but the possibility of hosting a World Cup team certainly has the local sporting community excited. In late July we will be bringing together stakeholders and partners to discuss a short, medium and long term sports tourism strategy for the region. If you are interested in participating please reach out to Keith Wells at keith.wells@victoriasporttourism. com. It will be a busy summer for the new Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission, but one that comes with opportunities for success and growth in the sport tourism sector. Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Tourism Victoria.
NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
passenger ferry with the hopes of encouraging more passengers to use the service in the long-term. Currently the ferry operating from Brentwood Bay to Mill Bay is the second busiest in the BC Ferries system in terms of capacity, but the vessel is small causing frequent sailing waits. Alternatively, congestion on the Malahat is only increasing due to construction and more commuters travelling from Langford, Esquimalt and Sooke. The company has begun talks with local First Nations as the ferry would travel through the territorial waters of the Cowichan and Tseycum Tribes. Dogwood has signed a Letter of Friendship with the Tseycum and is hoping to mostly employ First Nations people. The company has made an inquiry to the provincial Ministry of Transportation regarding the project. The Ministry noted they would consider proposals for alternative forms of transportation and that they are serious about addressing transportation between the two regions of the island.
VICTORIA Viking Air Confirms Waterbomber Order Bridger Aerospace Group has
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signed a contract and confirmed their purchase of three modernized SuperScooper waterbombers at $30-million each from Longview AviationCapital. The order will see 50 new skilled trades jobs come to North Saanich and another 150 to Calgary. The first two SuperScooper’s will be delivered to Bridger in 2020 in time for that year’s firefighting season, while a third will be delivered in 2021. Bridger has the option to buy two more. The waterbomber is a revamping of an existing plane and is known for its short scooping distance at a water source. This is the latest innovation coming from Viking Air. The company recently made news for reviving the Twin Otter plane to service rugged terrain. They now sell this plane around the world and are turning one out every month. Viking’s manufacturing facility in North Saanich currently employs 400 workers and will add an additional 50 to turn out conversion kits for the waterbombers which will be assembled in Calgary. The 150 workers added to Longview’s team will join the existing 100 employees working from the location. A total of 11 CL-215 aircraft are standing by to be converted into SuperScooper’s. The company is currently determining whether there is adequate demand for new waterbombers. If so, they would likely sell for around $40-million, higher than the conversion aircraft of about $30-million.
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ow that we a re halfway through the year, it’s a good time to review the state of business on the South Island, where we’ve had success and what challenges lie ahead. Back in mid-winter, when su m mer seemed so fa r away, The Chamber set out to define the advocacy priorities for the Greater Victoria business community. In 2017, we identified access to quality employees as a major concern for employers in Greater Victoria. We’ve all heard how hard it is to attract great employees to this area, and to keep them once they arrive or even keep them in the workforce once they have children. There was good news on this front when the Province unveiled its 2018 budget. One of the highlights for business was the announcement of a comprehensive new plan for subsidizing child care in BC. On June 21, the Province followed up with $750,000 in grants to help unlicensed child care operators obtain certification. This will allow providers to expand from a maximum
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of two kids to up to eight children. The spring budget also presented the Province’s plan to address the housing crunch that affects workforce retention. The proposed speculation tax rema i ns controversia l, though the dialogue has spa rked d i scu ssion on other ways we can get a handle on our overheated rea l estate ma rket. On June 20, the government announced a new public registry that would reveal who actually owns real estate, with the aim of ensuring appropriate taxes are paid. Businesses will need to keep an eye on how these initiatives play out. And then there’s the Employer Health Tax, which continues to be a concern because of the damper it places on businesses of all sizes and in every sector of the economy. The Chamber recently submitted a formal call for action to the Finance Minister on behalf of the City of Victoria, Tourism Victoria, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and the Downtown Victoria Business Association. T h is is a n issue the entire business community needs to rally
• Thursday, July 19 Ju l y B u s i n e s s M i x e r 5 to 7 pm @ Victoria HarbourCats at Royal Athletic Park behind. The provincial budget also included a two-cent sales tax on gasoline and diesel that will help fund expanded transit services in Greater Victoria. And last month, Premier John Horgan told a sold out Chamber Business Leaders Luncheon that, within this mandate, we will see the E&N corridor used to move commuters between downtown and the West Shore. Looking ahead, another area business can be excited about is the work being done by Saanich and Victoria to start down the road to a single city by way of a Citizens’ Assembly. Better governance through fewer governments is needed. With local elections set for October, The Chamber will continue working with the business community to identify concerns and opportunities we will expect serious candidates to address this fall. Catherine Holt is the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at CEO@ victoriachamber.ca, www. victoriachamber.ca
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• Tuesday, July 10 Board Election Information Session 12 to 1 pm @ The Chamber
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E
ver been hit by a situation completely out of ‘left field’? Yes, there is a lot of repetition in customer care, but there are also situations that are so completely ‘out there’ that we have to touch our
fingers to our chins to close our own mouths. One of the most important skills a customer care provider can have is the ability to read, evaluate and act on a situation. And we must do this as if it’s a normal occurrence quickly, and with confidence and grace. Customer care providers use their understanding of people and psychology to size up things like sincerity, honesty, and seriousness to first assess the people involved. Next they use their broad knowledge of the company’s guidelines, products and services to see if and how they can address the issue. And finally, they
read the overall situation and clearly communicate a solution to a customer. That’s a lot of reading. If your ‘reading’ skills can use some sharpening, the first step may be to become a keen observer of human nature, a great listener and an empathetic help to people… no matter what the situation, or how strange and different it may sound. Lucy Glennon specializes in customer service training and recruitment and hiring. She can be reached at 866.645.2047 or lucyg@ hireguru.com or at the HireGuru.
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JULY 2018
Sue Connors Named Head Of BC’s Biggest Bidding Platform New BidCentral CEO Brings Decades of Tech Experience
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ICTORIA - Sue Connors is the new CEO of the BC Construction Association (BCCA) hi-tech bidding platform, BidCentral. BidCentral facilitates tendering services for public construction projects using a secure online system for document and bid management. With access to thousands of public, private and early stage prebid projects, BidCentral houses BC’s largest construction bidding directory. The organization has been operating for 20 years, tendering $24.65 Billion with over 10,000 different contractors. Based i n Victor i a w it h i n t he B CC A of f ices, BidCentra l operates i n pa rtnersh ip with the regional construction associations. It is supported locally by project services staff, project experts who serve the needs of association members. “BidCentral is ready to grow,” says Connors. “It’s got a solid foundation of 20 years of project data, an established brand, expert staff, and thousands of contractors, manufacturers and suppliers accessing it.
(L to R) Chris Atchison, President of BCCA; Sue Connors, new CEO of Bid Central; Alan Fletcher, Chair, BCCA Board of Directors “With 50,000 projects and $24.65 Billion tendered through BidCentral to date, I’m looking forward to expanding our services and reach, further solidifying BidCentral as BC’s largest Construction bidding marketplace.” Chris Atchison, President and CEO of BCCA announced the appointment of Connors to the position June 14. Connors has a deep background in developing and implementing grow th strategies for global ecommerce marketplaces and
B2B platforms. With over 25 years in the tech i ndu st r y, Con nors br i ngs a wealth of experience to the table. She worked as a network administrator and systems analyst at the City of Victoria through most of the 1990s, introducing over 1,200 city staff to new personal computer technology. She helped create a web presence for the city, and promoted their Smart City concept with public presentations on a plan to make Victoria a technology hub.
Eventually, she hosted a shaw@ home weekly TV series, focussed on introducing home owners to the internet. Prior to her appointment at BidCentral, she was Vice President of Business Development at RevenueWire, where she was responsible for revenue growth, global expansion and strategic channel development. During her almost decade-long tenure, RevenueWire became an award winning industry leader in performance marketing and online payment processing. Prior to her position at RevenueWire, Sue was VP of Sales and Seller Management for global bookselling giant Abebooks.com, which was acquired by Amazon in a deal estimated at $120 Million USD. She was contracted by ActNow BC, where she used online marketing and partnership strategies to promote BC’s healthy living initiative tied to Vancouver’s hosting of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. During this time, she facilitated and promoted over 100 Olympic-themed offline events. In her new role at BidCentral Connors will be responsible
for aggressively expanding the public and private industrial, commercial, and institutional pre-bid and project content in the platform, with additional focus on developing services and partnerships to improve the user experience. In the past year BidCentral made a sign i fica nt busi ness model change, opening premium project access to all companies working in BC’s construction sector regardless of Association membersh ip status – a fi rst i n twenty yea rs of platform operations. “BCCA takes procurement seriously and BidCentral is our commitment to the industry” says Atchison. “With so much construction underway and planned for BC it’s more important than ever that BidCentral operate to its maximum potential.” We’re thrilled to have Sue’s technology and platform experience to guide us forward at this crucial time.” At time of writing there are 881 listed prebid opportunities and 365 projects out for tender on BidCentral. www.bidcentral.ca
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER SAYS RESTAURANT VISIBILITY IS ESSENTIAL Public Events & Food Fairs Can Be The Ideal Marketing Venues For Restaurants
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A NA I MO – Ef fect ive marketing for any business, but especially one in the hospitality or food services industries, has to be centered on the amount of exposure the business receives. Competition for restaurant customers is always high, so being low key and stealthy are not the ways to develop a following and to enhance business success. For Tim McGrath, corporate marketing consultant and professional photographer, playing an active role in such public undertakings as food fairs and other special events is the perfect way for a company to showcase their wares while helping dramatically to enhance their exposure. “In many cities there are festivals that include a food component, these can be organized to mark a certain recurring event, such as Nanaimo’s Vancouver Island Exhibition (VIEX) or they can be a fundraising event. Regardless of the focus of the activity, if there is an opportunity for a restaurant, or a food truck, or just
Tim McGrath has worked as a professional food photographer for more than a decade, while serving as a marketing consultant
“The key of course is to McGrath says public events such as the annual VIEX are excellent venues for restaurants to show their wares TOURISM NANAIMO PHOTO
about anyone in the hospitality sector to attend, it could really be in their best interests to do so,” McGrath explained. The owner of ITS-Food.ca and a working professional food photographer for more than a decade, McGrath’s work has been used in everything from newspaper advertising, to restaurant menus, to cookbooks. Specializing in his unique photography niche, he understands that effective exposure is among the best way for a restaurant to attract a following, and long term repeat clientele. McGrath says that the success
of annual celebrations such as Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) clearly demonstrates how effective a draw quality food can be. “You go to the PNE and half of the event for the visitors is the food they get to sample, not only the rides and the entertainment. The PNE has been a huge success for decades thanks in large part to the range of carnival food, the carnival eats you get to try – food can be a big draw at any event,” he said. As a photographer and marketer he also encourages participating food service providers to make effective use of their imagery,
be visible and to show just how good your product is.” TIM MCGRATH OWNER, ITS FOOD.CA
both to illustrate their products on site and in all of their preevent marketing, especially when it involves social media. “If a restaurant has chosen to participate in a festival or food fair of some sort, always make sure the photos or videos you post on your Facebook page are appealing.
Social media can be one of your most effective marketing tools, especially when the event is still taking pace – it is your silent 24hour per day salesman that is helping to encourage visitors to stop by and try your products. You can post items while the event is going on. That level of immediacy simply can’t be attained in any other way,” McGrath stated. What type of events should restaurants or other food providers participate in? That’s a decision based solely on the operation’s budget, and target audience. In addition to annual fairs, many communities are now featuring summer festivals with a food component. Some Island centers also organize activities that serve as charitable fund raisers, while the traditional trade shows that can occur throughout the year also offer some select opportunities. McGrath stresses that it’s important for prospective participants to do their research to find the correct venue for their needs beforehand, and to then simply give it a try. “You’ll know if it works for you, and can readjust next year if a particular event didn’t work. The key of course is to be visible and to show just how good your product is. That’s what will help to get those customers coming back,” he said. www.its-food.ca
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ONE-STOP MECHANICAL SERVICE COVERS ALL THE BASES
The staff at H.I. Mechanical operate like a sports team, and all employees are treated equally with many opportunities to grow
H.I. Mechanical Brings Team-Oriented, Personalized Approach to Trades
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OLWOOD - H.I. Mechanical is celebrati ng a meteoric first year in the business. Two months shy of their first anniversary, their team of veterans and promising prospects has far exceeded their growth expectations. H.I. Mechanical offers the full scope of mechanical services, including plumbing, gas fitting, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pump services, which are all completed in house by their experienced staff. Co-owners Tristan Hall and Craig Inglis started the company in August 2017, after working together for 10 years. “Our work relationship soon turned into a friendship, and we realized we shared a lot of the same ideas on how a mechanical company should work and how to create a good work environment,” says Hall. Hall is a Red Seal Journeyman plumber, Red Seal Journeyman Refrigeration and A/C mechanic, and a Class B gas fitter. He started in the mechanical industry in his final year of high school and has been growing in his skills ever since.
They offer all in-house services including plumbing, gas fitting, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pump services
They service residential and commercial markets, from big construction companies to individual home owners
He worked his way up to a project management position at his previous job, where he gained insight into the technicalities of business operations and handling large projects. Inglis’s background is in trades through his family, and he was
strong relationships with others in the industry. When H.I. Mechanical officially launched, Hall and Inglis were the sole employees, with one company truck. “We decided to step out and have a go at running our own
a chef for a number of years before starting a plumbing apprenticeship. He is now a Red Seal Journeyman plumber and Class B Gas fitter. Both owners have a combined 20 plus years of experience working in the trades and have built
operation, with plans to hopefully hire in spring of 2018,” says Hall. “Now there are nine of us and four vehicles.” Hall believes that H.I. Mechanical’s commitment to creating a SEE H.I. MECHANICAL | PAGE 9
FIRE • PLUMBING • HVAC • ENERGY Mechanical Engineering Consultants
P: 778-265-2500 | F: 778-265-1099 E: HVAC-Victoria@emcoltd.com
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Employee Benefits Corporate Insurance Planning Personal Insurance & Investment Planning
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Currently, the team at H.I. is working on the Meridian Row Townhomes project with SEBA Construction, and is about to start work on the West Commons Townhome Collection in Royal Bay with GableCraft Homes
H.I. Mechanical started in August 2017, with two employees and one truck. They now have four vehicles and nine staff members.
H.I. MECHANICAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
positive work environment and dedication to keeping clients happy has been the key to their success. “Both Craig and I are big sports guys,” says Hall. “We spent a lot of our lives playing and being captains on sports teams throughout the city. Craig actually travelled to England for a while to play rugby.” Their approach to business is based on their experiences with sports teams. “We structure our company with three main go-to guys beyond ourselves, kind of like our first liners,” says Hall. “All our employees are treated equally and given opportunities to grow, and we hire with a focus on personality. We ask if a new hire is going to fit with our team, because one guy can really make or break the team.” H.I. Mecha n ica l is a l ready reaping the benefits of this culture, as their employees are able to work and learn in a happy, fun environment. “We’re all instrumental to the success of our company,” says Hall. Hall and Inglis function as team captains, working with their clients and co-workers to ensure a personalized, quality service. “We are full mechanical contractors, so when we bid on a commercial project, we submit a price for the entire mechanical scope,” says Hall. Their key employees have a diverse range of skills to meet a variety of workplace needs.
“Our work relationship soon turned into a friendship, and we realized we shared a lot of the same ideas on how a mechanical company should work and how to create a good work environment.” TRISTAN HALL CO-OWNER OF H.I. MECHANICAL
Joe Latka, Tyler Adams, and Bryce Adams bring decades of plumbing, refrigeration, sheet metal, and gas fitting experience
to the team, forming an in-depth, multi-trade team. Along with several apprentices, the team at H.I. Mechanical is able to provide one stop service with a personalized touch to everyone from commercial contractors to home owners. “Craig and I are always out on the tools, and we ensure quality by being hands-on owners,” says Hall. Hall and Inglis plan on continuing to grow, but their hands-on approach means that they intend to limit the team size to under 15. “We need to keep that personal touch,” says Hall. “Craig and I come from a background where we worked for a very large company. It’s hard to keep up with things when you have a big staff. “Because we’re hands-on business owners, we always want to be able to ensure the quality of the work we do, so we’re planning
Congratulations to H.I. Mechanical on your success in business. www.emcobc.ca www.facebook.com/EmcoCorp
on limiting our staff size,” he says. Currently, the team at H.I. is working on the Meridian Row
Townhomes project with SEBA Construction, and is about to start work on the West Commons Townhome Collection in Royal Bay with GableCraft Homes. “All of our work for these projects will be in house, except for fire sprinklers, where we work with subcontractors,” says Hall. In addition to large projects like these two, H.I. Mechanical does a lot of work with high-end custom homes. “We provide clients with products ranging from heat pumps and simple bathroom faucets change outs,” says Hall. “We can come in and help clients maximize their custom house project with a single mechanical contractor.” www.himechanical.ca
Congratulations!
A young, vibrant, professional service team that gets the job done!
www.vividsolutions.com
• Fine Workmanship • Highest Standard of Project Management Tel: 250-383-6961 Fax: 250-380-3093 EC Lic. No. 4514
859 Viewfield Rd Victoria, BC
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CRAFT BEER BC Craft Beer Sees Explosive Growth With Breweries in Over 60 BC Communities, the Craft Beer Craze Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
At least 20 new craft breweries have opened each year since 2013 BY ROBERT MACDONALD
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here’s no slowing down BC’s craft beer scene. In the last five years, the industry has experienced explosive growth. Thanks to some helpful government policies, the number of craft breweries has skyrocketed from under 50 breweries in 2012 to a staggering 154 today. In 1982, John Mitchell effectively created Canada’s craft beer industry when he launched the country’s first licensed craft brewery. Mitchell owned Troller Pub in Horseshoe Bay, which was suffering due to an extensive beer strike. With the help of seasoned brewer Frank Appleton, Horseshoe Bay Brewing was born, creating an industry that has now spread across Canada. Appleton has personally trained some of BC’s finest craft brewers, including Sean Hoyne of Hoyne Brewing Co., who is continuing to pass this knowledge to the next generation. Victoria’s Paul Hatfield is another key pioneer in the craft beer industry, launching Spinnakers, Canada’s first brewpub, in 1984. The industry grew steadily for 30 years, before experiencing its recent meteoric growth. “Things began to change in 20132015, when the federal government commissioned a liquor policy review,” says Ken Beattie, Executive Director of the BC Craft Brewers
“When the government allowed tasting rooms and removed a certain tax that limited brewery growth, we started to see craft breweries opening all over the place.” KEN BEATTIE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BC CRAFT BREWERS GUILD
Guild. “When the government allowed tasting rooms and removed a certain tax that limited brewery growth, we started to see craft breweries opening all over the place.” Each year since 2012, at least 20 craft breweries have opened in BC, with a record-setting 28 opening in 2017. “They’re opening so fast, it’s hard to keep up,” says Beattie. “There’s growth across the province, and we’re moving toward having a brewery in almost every town.” Of the 11 that have opened this year, two are located in Smithers. Craft breweries can be found in over 60 different BC communities, and that number is growing. “There are some bigger challenges with selling beer because of all the new breweries,” says Harley
Ken Beattie is Executive Director of the BC Craft Brewers Guild, an organization that advocates and educates on behalf of over 100 BC Breweries Smith, co-owner at the Longwood Brewery in Nanaimo. “The number of breweries is growing faster than the number of craft beer drinkers. “At the same time, we’re becoming a more powerful group, and converting more people to our product.” The growth has been accompanied by national and global recognition for BC brews. At the 2018 Canadian Brewing Awards, BC breweries medaled 51 times, with Burnaby’s Dageraad Brewing taking home Brewery of the Year. At this year’s World Beer Cup,
Craft breweries do more than just provide consumers with exceptional product. They serve as meeting places and sources of community pride BC took home 9 of Canada’s 14 medals (the second most of any country). Among these wins, Riot Brewing of Chemainus took home a bronze for their Breakfast of Champions coffee beer, and a gold for their Working Class Hero Dark Mild. Riot Brewing’s blend of coffee and beer is one example of how BC brewers are getting creative with their craft. Longwood Brewery recently introduced Honey Hop Pale Ale, a beer that uses a distinct honey flavoured hop. “There are honey beers out there, SEE BC CRAFT BEER | PAGE 13
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JULY 2018
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AXE & BARREL BREWING COMPANY: ONE OF THE REGION’S BEST Westshore Craft Brewery Looking Forward To A Great Summer Season
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ESTSHORE– The success of the Axe & Barrel Brewing Company is what happens when you combine a passion for quality craft beer with a location that has terrific local significance. Located at the site of The Loghouse Pub, the Axe & Barrel Brewery is part of a complex of structures (situated at 2323 Millstream Road) that include a revamped public house, the vast Liquor Planet liquor store and the new Axe & Barrel Brewery. “Getting to where we are now is the result of a gradual evolution. Since it’s a two acre property, we had plenty of room. We took the small liquor store, built a big one, moved the product over and then ramped up Liquor Planet making it one of the biggest liquor stores in BC,” explained Ron Cheeke, who works with his wife and business partner Diana Cheeke. Cheeke, a one-time realtor and natural born entrepreneur, recognized that with the Liquor Planet outlet open and the old liquor store vacant he had a building at his disposal he could put to good use – the catalyst for the launch of his own brewery. “About five years ago we started exploring the idea of becoming craft brewers. There we were, we already had a pub and a liquor store, so what would go hand in hand with those? Well you already know, we decided to become the first brewery in Langford, which is what we created,” he said. But a brewery can’t exist without a Brewmaster and with Andrew Tessier at the helm as the Axe & Barrel’s Head Brewer the operation has the very best. Having been involved in craft brewing literally since he was in high school, Tessier brings more than 20 years of experience to his position. Before joining the Axe & Barrel team he worked in various small breweries across the country, including spending a decade at Victoria’s iconic Swans Brewery,
A cool brew on a hot day, this tempting beverage is one sample of the various brews crafted by Axe & Barrel Tessier uses those skills to create the Axe & Barrel’s expanding range of distinctive products. “We have a few select brands of beer that we produce and Ron encourages me to be creative and experiment. It’s exciting to try out new things, like our Mother Pucker, our Westshore PA and our Langford Lager. It’s exciting to be able to try out new recipes,” he said. A unique aspect of the Axe & Barrel is its distinctive 75 seat lounge, licensed to seat 35 indoor and 40 on the adjoining patio. “Having a lounge is a key component of the Axe & Barrel Brewery. This is a fairly new feature but something that’s becoming increasingly popular among craft brewers, where the brewery is allowed to have a lounge rather than just a small tap room,” Tessier said. “I n fact, we were the f i rst brewery lounge in the Victoria area. This provides a great way for people to come to the brewery, to sit and enjoy and sample our product in a mini pub like setting. It’s a cool feature for a brewery to have a place where people can come and enjoy full servings of our craft beer, local wines, spirits and snacks as opposed to just a taster. You can also fill a growler, take home a six-pack of beer and purchase some great branded clothing items.”
One of the unique features of Axe & Barrel is its lounge which allows patrons to enjoy full servings of its products
The Axe & Barrel Brewing Company is conveniently located on a two acre parcel at 2323 Millstream Road Located as it is in a significant residential area the Axe & Barrel’s owners anticipate the expansive operation will become an increasingly popular local focal point. “With the brewery and the fully stocked liquor store on site we’re offering one stop convenience,” Cheeke said. “Our key location, with two seven storey apartment towers going
in right now across the street, and another pair on the Liquor Planet side, we’re getting a lot of our neighbours and local residents who can simply walk over and join us in the lounge or on our sunny grass patio. Our goal is to become ‘the local’ for the people living in our community.” While a relative newcomer to the Victoria area’s craft beer
scene, the Axe & Barrel has already earned a significant reputation. “We were recently ranked as one of Victoria’s top five breweries in a CBC survey which really bowled me over. With the summer coming up this will be great time for people to come out and join us for a quality fresh craft beer,” Cheeke said. www.axeandbarrel.com
BREWERY•LOUNGE Brewery Open Tuesday - Sunday, Noon - 8:00 pm Now serving fresh craft beer, wine, cocktails and cider. Join us on the Westshore’s sunniest patio!! Food menu available.
2323MillstreamRoad,Langford 778.433.6746 www.axeandbarrel.com
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COMPANY HELPS CRAFT BEER SELLERS TO POUR THE PERFECT PINT Draught WISE Draught Integrity Technicians Keeping The Beverage Industry Flowing
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ICTOR I A – It’s one of t hose t h i ngs t hat you may never have thought of. You go to your favourite pub, you ask the barman for a pint of his best, he pulls the handle and a mug of amber delight effortlessly fills the chilled glass. The seamless way that process happened may very well have been the direct results of the efforts of Shelly Plaxton, the Principal of Draught WISE Draught Integrity Technicians and her team. “O u r job i s to i n s t a l l a n d maintain craft beer systems in the Greater Victoria area, even though we have on occasion completed i nsta l ls as fa r up Island as Campbell River and even Port Hardy. So really we do cover Vancouver Island from end to end,” Plaxton explained. Worki ng w ith her husba nd and business partner Gregory Plaxton, Draught W ISE was launched about 10 years ago when t he pa i r recog n i zed a
unique business opportunity – to provide, install and maintain systems that allow their clients to distribute craft beers to their clients without issue or factors that would impact the taste or quality of the product. “We visit our existing clients (more than 200 at last count) on a regular basis to perform inspections of their beer systems to ensure they are pouring quality craft beer, as the brewer intended,” she explained. Draught W ISE is a member of The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and follows the standards and guidelines of not only the breweries they serve but also the Brewer’s Association of Canada, the American Brewer’s Association and that of the Micro-Matic Dispense Institute. “When we launched this company in 2008 we knew we were filling an important niche, one that was missing in the local industry. I wanted to show our clients how they could maximize their profits by being able to pou r more beers w it hout bei ng too cold or too foa my because of usi ng t he w rong pressures or systems,” Plaxton explained. If a beer is not poured properly the pub or restaurant could lose
profits through needless waste, while the customer might receive a product that is not as good as it might have been, due to excess foam, taste or other factors. “Your customers are less likely to drink another beer if the one they’ve been served h a s not b e en p u shed at t he proper pressure. It’s all about delivering a product the way the brewer intended it to be,” she said. Contracted by bars, restaurants and brewery growler bars, Draught WISE essentially designs and installs the systems used to move beer from the kegs it was stored in to the operator who dispenses the brew to the customer. “It can be from five feet away or it can be from 150 feet away, every situation and location is different,” she said. “I guess the bottom line, if I was to describe what it is we do, is to provide outstanding service to ensure you’re getting the product that was created for you by the brew master. Looking further into the future our next step would be to open a branch office further north to better serve our clients Island-wide, but there’s no timetable for that yet.” www.draughtwise.com
VESSEL LIQUOR STORE EDUCATES VICTORIA BEVERAGE COMMUNITY Locally Owned Liquor Store Fills Unique Niche in Market
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ICT OR I A - Vessel Liquor Store is educating the masses. The locally owned and operated outlet is offering regular beer and wine classes to their customers. Owner/operator Ross Borland started the business in 2015, after over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. “I always had that entrepreneurial desire,” he says. “I did a business admin program in college with a focus on running my own business, so it was always in the back of my mind.” With years of managing hotels, pubs, and liquor stores, B o r l a n d g a i n e d h a n d s- o n knowledge of the wine industry, including some formalized education through the International Sommelier Guild (ISG). “It took about two years to find a license, location, and a l l the other components of opening the business,” he says. “There was a lack of private liquor stores in our area, so we saw an opportunity here.”
Vessel fills a unique niche in its industry, offering multiple classes for consumers and staff every month. “We have a classroom upstairs, and we’re starting to do more advanced classes,” says Borland. “We have a few regular customers who’ve been participating in our classes regularly, and are wanting to explore a little more.” Borland wants his employees to be as knowledgeable as possible when it comes to the product they carry, so Vessel offers professional Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) education for all his employees. “ We c a r r y a r o u n d 3 ,0 0 0 products, so if a customer sees a w ine from somewhere like Au st r i a a nd wa nts to k now more, our employees need to be able to explain the product,” he says. This accreditation program is offered to the community at large, making the business a hub for the beverage community in Victoria. They offer training to other industry professionals, with an option to further their education through the WSET program in Vancouver. “A lot of employees end up
moving on to bigger and bett e r t h i n g s ,” s a y s B o rl a n d . “They have an opportunity to meet wine reps, principles of wineries, and other industry professionals.” Vessel Liquor Store also has a big focus on craft brewery products. “Wine and craft beer are our two ma i n focuses as a business,” says Borland. “When we were in the process of starting the business, we went really heavy into craft beer. “It took two years to get our project off the ground, and in those two years, craft beer had just exploded. We didn’t realize it would be so popular, so it worked out well for us.” Since their beginnings, they have expanded their cooler offerings twice to meet the growing demand for craft beer. Over the past couple of years, Vessel has been recognized by both the Victoria Times Colonist and Victoria News as top in their list of three best wine stores. “We’re very community oriented, and we want to connect with customers,” says Borland. “That’s the vision and goal of the company.” www.vesselliquor.com
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helping our members get access to best practices and resources, and helping the public learn about craft brewing,” says Beattie. The Guild is now in its third year of promoted the BC Ale Trail, where they worked with local economic development organizations to create 18 self-guided craft beer tours around the province.
Tasting rooms like the one at Longwood Brewery have been key in the explosion of Craft Breweries
BC CRAFT BEER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
and there are pale ales out there, but to get a crafty hybrid that’s also vegan friendly is pretty rare,” says Smith. “Since we use all malt, it’s easier to ferment and it has a nice taste.” Brewmasters are constantly experimenting with hybridization, and using various yeasts and microorganisms. While BC’s brewers are constantly innovating their craft, they continue to have a deep respect for brewing traditions like Irish Stouts, German Lagers, and British Bitters. “One of the most popular styles right now is East Coast IPA, also
called Hazy IPA,” says Beattie. “We went through a phase where IPAs could knock the enamel off of your teeth. This variety uses different hops, so it’s juicier, and doesn’t have so much of a piney taste. In the past few years, craft brewers have been working with a lot more lagers and pilsners. “Historically, this was the area of expertise for some of the world’s largest breweries,” says Beattie. “Ales were preferred by craft brewers because they don’t ferment as long, but thanks to some of these new growth opportunities, many breweries are able to put these beers through the necessary process.” This is helping craft breweries
reach more consumers than ever before, offering a range of products that appeals to a diverse set of tastes. “These breweries have become a community meeting place, and a source for community pride,” says Beattie. “You’ll get guys from Nanaimo saying their beer is better than Victoria’s and vice versa. There’s a lot of playful competition in the industry.” With such industry sales doubling over the past four years, the BC Craft Brewers Guild plays an important role in promoting and advocating for their brewing establishments. “We act as a collective voice for the industry, as well as educators,
EXCITING LINE-UP FOR HOYNE BREWING Hoyne Brewing Creates New Craft Beer Experiences
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ICTORIA - Hoyne Brewing Co. is aging well. Brew Master Sean Hoyne started Hoyne Brewing Co. in 2011, having worked in a variety of breweries since 1989. “We seem to be enjoying a very healthy growth rate,” says Hoyne. “We grew by about 26 per cent last year, and are in the process of expanding our operations. “We’re building a bottling facility that will enable us to put our beer into 12 ounce bottles. We’ll be able to produce six packs, and eventually 12 packs. Within a year, we also hope to be launching a lineup of canned beers.” Hoyne is excited about their new products. “We have come out with a new stout, called Finnegans Irish Stout,” he says. The stout is named after Finnegans Wake, a novel by Irish author James Joyce, and includes a portrait of Joyce on the label. “One of our beers that is growing very quickly is our new IPA, called Alpha Acid IPA,” says Hoyne. “Alpha acids are one of the components in hops, they provide some of that beautiful hop character you
Alpha Acid and Finnegans Irish Stout are two of several exciting new beers coming out of Hoyne Brewing Co. get in an IPA. Alpha Acid has the tropical fruit/citrusy aroma that people seem to be loving these days.” Hoyne Brewing Co. has also just launched this years batch of Entre Nous (French for “Between Us”), which is their brand of Belgian
Cherry Witbier, using organic cherries from the Okanagan. “We’re also really excited about our Young Lions series,” says Hoyne. “This series showcases beers designed and brewed by our younger brewers. “It was my great fortune to have learned my craft under Frank Appleton, who pioneered BC’s craft beer industry. It is now my honour to be able to pass this knowledge on to the next generation of brewers. The Young Lions series gives them a chance to shine.” “It’s been a remarkable success,” says Hoyne. “Right now, we’re showcasing a Belgian White IPA called Carte Blanche, which was created by four of our young brewers.” When Hoyne Brewing isn’t making beer, it is giving back to their community. “We support an enormous number of charities, community events, and causes,” says Hoyne. “Each month, we choose a new charity to support. This month, we’re supporting Vancouver-based Atira, which supports women in need, giving them a helping hand to find housing and other necessities. “We’re donating 50 cents from every bottle of Summer Haze Honey Wheat Beer Sales from across the province. Last year, we raised about $7,500, and this year, our goal is $10,000.” www.hoynebrewing.ca
13 “One of our biggest challenges as an industry is an escalating beer tax, which increases the tax placed on beer every single year without a vote,” says Beattie With Canadians already paying 47 per cent in beer tax, this number will rise indefinitely unless stopped. www.axethebeertax.ca
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OFF THE COVER
JULY 2018
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PENINSULA CO-OP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
a great honour to be recognized like this for what our staff does, and what we all do. We feel very proud of being in a position to win an award like this.” Peninsula amalgamated with Campbell River-based North Island Co-op this April, and that followed a similar merger with the Comox Valley Co-op in April, 2016. Together, that brought in two new gas centres and a card lock location. Peninsula Co-op currently has 18 gas locations and has a partnership with Save-On Gas locations in the Greater Victoria and Malahat to Duncan areas. Pen i n s u l a Co-op rem a i n s 100 per cent locally owned and operated a nd has more tha n 95,000 members. Last year, it returned $5.3 million to its member-owners in cash back and equity, while contributing $480,000 to more than 330 charities, community groups, student scholarships, capital projects and initiatives. Pen i nsu la Co-op has been serving the region from Duncan to Greater Victoria, and most recently Comox and Campbell River for over 40 years. Founded by a small group of Saanich Peninsula residents with a vision and a strong belief in the principles upon which all Co-ops are based, the original members went door-to-door back in the mid 1970’s recruiting members and promoting the new Co-op. The Peninsula Co-op Food Centre opened its doors in May 1977 on Keating Crossing Road in Saanichton. It ventured into the petroleum business in the early 1980’s and began a partnership with Save-On Gas Ltd. in 1985.
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www.acousti-trac.com Human Resources Manager Toni Stansfield in the Peninsula Co-op grocery store on Keating Crossing Road. Hoy sta rted w ith Co-op i n Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in 1977 as a food store clerk, and worked his way up through various Co-ops over the years. In 2000, he moved to become General Manager of Nanaimo-based Mid Island Co-op, and accepted t h e C E O/G e n e ra l M a n a ge r position at Peninsula Co-op in March, 2013. Since joining Peninsula, the C o-o p’s a n n u a l s a l e s h a v e jumped from $166 million to $219 million, and the number of outlets, including the food store on Keating Crossing Road in Saanich, gas stations and card locks, has increased from 20 to 25. Hoy notes that the prospect of further growth is on the horizon as well. www.peninsulaco-op.com
Get your investments on track.
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Sharlene Martin, CFP Investment Specialist and Financial Planner
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*
Dave Hoy, left, of Peninsula Co-op, receives the Business of the Year (Over 40 Employees) from Dave Obee of the Victoria Times Colonist
* To redeem for this offer you must present this advertisement upon completion of your investment review conversation with a Scotiabank Investment Specialist on or before August 31, 2018. Upon completion of the review, you will receive a reward code to redeem from your choice of The Ultimate Dining® E-Promo Card, Indigo® E-Promo Card, Esso ™ E-Gift Card or Cineplex® E-Gift Card at www.scotiabank.com/reviewreward. A valid email address is required in order to receive the E-Promo or E-Gift Card. E-Promo Cards are valid for 90 days after activation. E-Gift Cards do not expire. No purchase required. Maximum one offer per customer. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be duplicated. ® *Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. Scotiabank includes The Bank of Nova Scotia and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Scotia Securities Inc. As used in this document, “Investment Specialist and Financial Planner” and “Scotiabank Investment Specialist” refers to a Scotia Securities Inc. mutual fund representative. Scotia Securities Inc. is a member of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association.. ®/™Trademarks of Cara Operations Limited and its affiliates. Indigo, Chapters and Coles are registered trademarks of Indigo Books & Music Inc. ™/® Cineplex Entertainment LP or used under license. Esso is a trademark of Imperial Oil Limited. Imperial Oil, licensee. Imperial Oil is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of this promotion. Indigo Books & Music is not affiliated, sponsoring or endorsing the contest or any Scotiabank products or services. 4194-2018-0621 F1
4194-2018-0621 - IS Offer ad - Van W- Sharlene Martin F1.indd 1
2018-06-26 2:22 PM
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
JULY 2018
Westcom Plumbing Owner Nets Provincial Construction Award
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Mary-Anne Bowcott Honoured for Supporting Female Construction Workers BY ROBERT MACDONALD
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ICTOR IA - Westcom Plumbing and Gas owner/operator Mary-Anne Bowcott is paving the way for women in construction. This past April, Bowcott was one of six individuals awarded the prestigious BC Construction Association’s Provincial Construction Leadership Award, which recognized her for her company’s work in employing and supporting female construction workers. Bowcott started Westcom Plumbing and Gas in 2015 after years of working in the trades. Westcom provides a variety of services including plumbing, gas, fireplaces, repair, and installations. “When I was younger, I originally wanted to be a doctor, but the idea of serving eight years to life in school made me a little unsure,” says Bowcott. “I was raised on a farm, so I worked hard every day doing manual labour. I thought I’d try to get a job in trades until I figured out what I wanted to do.” Initially, finding work in the trades was a challenge for Bowcott. “I was 18 and 95 pounds soaking wet, so it was difficult to be taken seriously, especially back in the day,” she says. “I didn’t really pick my trade. I took whatever I could get.” She worked in the roofing industry for about five years before getting an opportunity at a friend’s plumbing company. “I was pestering the owner for about a year and a half, so after he went through a streak of bad employees, he called me up to offer an apprenticeship,” she says. Bowcott quickly proved her worth to her new employer, eventually working her way to a foreman position. “I initially didn’t want to start my own company,” she says. “It was pretty easy getting a paycheck and not having to deal with the business sides of things.” When she experienced an injury, she was able to rethink her plans for the future. “My pa rtner Dale
Bowcott started Westcom Plumbing and Gas in 2015, after years of working in the trades suggested that I try my own thing,” she says. “The idea was that I could pick and choose my jobs and wouldn’t have to work as much. That wasn’t correct at all.” When Bowcott finally decided to go out on her own, her initial challenge was finding a name for the new enterprise. “I was given a lot of advice from a lot of people,” she says. “I was unsure if I should go with a feminine sort of name, to let people know it’s owned by a woman, or if I should try and hide the fact that I’m a woman.” She eventually decided to call her company Westcom, taken from Western Community. “I had a lot of fear based on the female factor, and in the end, I didn’t even put my name on the business cards,” she says. “I had people not even look at my resume because I was female.” Looking back, Bowcott has had a very positive experience as a woman in the industry. “People have been very supportive, and love having me come into their house,”
she says. “A lot of women are uncomfortable with having men come in when no-one else is around, so they feel more at ease working with a female tradesperson.” “I can also fit into some really small spaces, and I’m not claustrophobic, so that’s a bonus.” According to Bowcott, it’s easier than ever for women to get involved in the trades. “There’s a massive trades shortage right now, and women a re a hu ge u ntapped labour force that n e e d to b e s h o w n t h e oppor tu n it ies t hat a re there for them,” she says. “You can get a good career out of it, and make a good wage. It’s shocking that it’s not more enticing for the younger generation.” Bowcott is working to create more opportunities for women wishing to enter the trades. She gets phone calls and resumes from many women, some of whom have no experience at all. “I don’t care if they have ex p er ience, a s long a s they work hard,” she says. “I a lways wa nt to g ive people a chance to prove themselves.” www.westcomplumbing. ca
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
JULY 2018
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CREATIVE
CREATIVE SPACIZ DESIGN STUDIO WAS FOUNDED IN 1993
DESIGN STUDIO
Tracey Lamoureux 28 years design experience • Interior Design • Technical Drafting • Colours & Finishes • Planning & Logistics Unit G, 661 Alpha Street, Victoria BC, V8Z 1B5
Phone: 250.386.1117
w w w. s p a c i z . c o m
Multi Award-Winning Designers Work For Residential & Commercial Clients
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ICTORIA – As an award winning interior designer Tracey Lamoureux the Founder and Senior Designer at Victoria’s Spaciz Design Studio has seen a lot of changes occur in the construction industry since launching her career more than 25 years ago – but the one element of the sector that hasn’t changed is the need to offer a variety of services, approach every job as a professional and to provide a distinctive look for all our clients. “My team and I regularly work for both residential and commercial clients as well as with builders and developers – essentially all sectors of the market. Interior design is certainly one of the few areas in the construction industry that is dominated by women, but honestly I’ve generally always had positive experiences with construction teams and enjoyed being part of project problem solving, which is a big part of my job” she explained. “That said I am seeing more a nd more women ta k i ng on more active roles in the industry,
including trade positions, which I think is super exciting and helps bring a balanced perspective to any project.” A graduate of the highly accredited Interior Design program from Mount Royal University in Calgary Alberta, Lamoureux has been the creative force behind a number of award winning projects over the years, including having garnered the Victoria Real Estate Board’s (VREB) Commercial Real Estate Award of Excellence and multiple CARE (Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence) awards from the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA). Lamoureux and her all female staff has worked for clients all across Western Canada since the firm was launched in 1993 and have assembled over the years an extensive portfolio of projects that include exceptional single family homes, entire multi-family developments and numerous retail outlets. We call ourselves “The Broad Thinkers” says Lamoureux. “I love working directly with the clients, listening with fortitude to capture the vision they have, not just my own. It’s highly important to understand the limitations of the budget of course, but good design doesn’t have to be expensive. Interior design isn’t an elitist thing and it isn’t about spending a lot of money. In realty it’s all about making the best use of the interior
space that you have. Often it’s the simple changes that can make a big difference to how a room feels and functions,” she said. In addition to Lamoureux, the compact and focussed team at Creative Spaciz Design Studio includes Designer Carley Petillion, Designer Emily Fisher, and Designer Madison Leslie. All of whom share either in the business profits or bonuses. She states, “If Spaciz is growing, they all deserve to be growing along with us.” Thanks to a creative background that includes millwork and her own home building projects Lamoureux has a thorough understanding of the construction process which proves invaluable when working with clients, builders and trades. “It does help to know the process and I enjoy working with builders and seeing the process through from concept to completion. We’re helping to create something that will be used and enjoyed for a long time and that has a satisfaction of its own,” she said. Creative, experienced and truly passionate about interior design, Creative Spaciz Design Studio has, as its website Mission statements states: Spaciz Designers aspire to avoid predictable, question existing standards, blend visual influences, listen with fortitude, and nudge you to go further. www.spaciz.com
OFF THE COVER
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JULY 2018
Caitlin Mckenzie Follows In The Footsteps THREE SUMMERTIME MISCONCEPTIONS SALES MANAGERS MUST OVERCOME Of Father James, Grandfather Ron CAITLIN MCKENZIE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Head office is at 800 Viewfield Road in Esquimalt. While still Chair of the Board, James is also a partner with Jed Grieve in Cook Culture, a popular kitchen and cookware retail outlet with four stores, three in Vancouver and another in The Atrium on Blanshard Street. Caitlin’s brother Max, besides managing properties with Len Wansborough, is working in other family businesses with James: Self-storage operations in Shawnigan and Cobble Hill. James recalls discussing the possibility of Caitlin managing the company while she was a teenager. “We basically started the process when she was 1416 years of age,” he recalls. “She has worked elsewhere and done very well, and I’m just thrilled about what she has done. I’m very proud of Caitlin.” Caitlin started at the bottom at Monk and worked her way up through the
warehouse, stores, customer service, operations and online ordering. After leaving Monk in 2003, she was in the life insurance industry, then T h r i f t y Fo o d s , b e fo re joining the Oak Bay Marine Group, where she held several positions over nine yea rs, i nclud i ng Sa les Manager. Three years ago, she decided it was time to return to Monk. Like everyone else, she had to apply. “I had to submit a cover letter and resume, and interviewed for the Director of Sales position to lead the Back to School Program. I saw that as a great opportunity to grow that part of the business.” Grow it she did, and it proved to be the last step in her preparation to lead the company. “I’m very fortunate to be able to do this,” Caitlin says noting her father, James, is “my Dad, my buddy, and he’s my mentor. He has never really been like my boss, actually. If I ever asked him a question, he would tell me who I should
ask, and I needed to go to them and find out the answer.” Besides her responsibilities at head office, Caitlin plans on visiting all the retail stores. “I’m curious to find out what our staff would like us to do,” she says, “and where they’d like to see the company go as well.” Caitlin will continue to sit on the board of the Think Local First com m ittee, which encourages support for local business. “There has been an increase in awareness and support for local companies, and that is definitely an asset on the Island,” she says. “Our team here is phenomenal,” she adds, noting that having such a knowledgeable staff is a competitive advantage. “W hen our customers come into our retail stores, they are greeted immediately and asked ‘How can we help?’ There’s something to be said about that level of service, and that’s what we strive for.” www.monk.ca
SALES JOHN GLENNON #1 “Most of my team’s most important prospects for new business are on vacation during the summer months.” Salespeople say this so often that lots of managers who ought to know better sometimes come to believe it. Actually, summer is a great time for your salespeople to reach out to decision makers. Many top executives are in the office while their staff is away. Find a case that proves this (it won’t take long) and then share the results with your team. A side note: My own best month has consistently been July… because in June I start calling top-level decision makers directly, knowing that the rank-and-file players are more likely to be out camping or having fun at
the beach during the summer months. Guess who’s more likely to be minding the store? The senior people! #2 “New business comes from new accounts.” Most of the salespeople we work with are content to have just one or two active contacts at even their most important accounts. Summer is the perfect time to remedy this state of affairs, broaden the contact network, and, ultimately increase your wallet share. Ask your team, “Who’s three deep and three wide at (insert company name here)?” If you get a blank stare in response – and you probably will – explain that “three deep” means having a professional relationship with one person above and one person below their current primary contact on the organizational chart, and “three wide” means having such a relationship with at least two of that contact’s peers. The stronger the relationships, the more likely you are to generate new business from that account. Some of these folks are going to be receptive to meeting with members of your team. (After
all, it may be their “slow season” too.) Use the summer months to go “three deep and three wide” at all your current accounts! #3 “No one buys anything during the summer.” Head trash alert! This is a self-limiting belief. If even one of your salespeople operates on this assumption, or says it out loud, your whole team is susceptible to taking it on. If you start to operate on this assumption, the situation is even more serious! Worrying about the time of year isn’t going to help your team hit its Q3 quota. We can help your team to transform something they can control: their behavior. Copyright 2018 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 1-866-6452047 or visit www.glennon. sandler.com
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Serving all of Vancouver Island You take pride in your business… and your parking lot reflects this. Don’t let worn out, faded pavement markings, poor layout and bent sign posts make a bad first impression on your customers!
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1.888.227.5043 www.finelinemarking.com
ESQUIMALT CHRIS EDLEY
B
usinesses love to be taxed because they are rolling in cash and love to pay other people’s bills – said no business owner ever! Unfortunately, however, (with a few exceptions) the mindset that businesses can handle an ever-increasing tax burden appears to be the trend across BC municipalities. I applaud the article that Catherine Holt wrote for the TC; some of what I’m about to say comes from that article, but inspiration comes from talking to local business owners who are feeling a real pinch from skyrocketing taxes. To me, it defies logic to d isproportionately ta x the very people that bring
prosperity to a community. Did you know that there is a group of people in Greater Victoria that pay between 2.1 and 6 times the residential property tax rates? These are the people who hire local workers, provide a place for you to buy your beer and a place to chat over a coffee, sell you a hat or a pair of shoes, and provide a place to buy your groceries or go and see your doctor or mail a package to your aunt. This multiple of 2.1 to 6 times the residential tax-rate has been increasing annually, meaning as taxes go up, the business rise goes up even higher. It is also noteworthy that industry is often taxed at double or more of the regular business rates! Soon, we’ll also be paying for our municipality’s portion of the NDP payroll tax also – businesses at 2.1 to 6 times the residential rate on top of their own payroll tax! From what I understand, in our region, only Langford has an actual plan to bring their business multiplier down to 2.5. They are not the lowest, but they are recognizing that creating an environment
that will attract and retain business brings prosperity to their community. Other municipalities should take a page from their book. There are a number of ways to keep the multiplier at reasonable levels, these include keeping a tight watch on spending within municipalities, looking for ways to streamline municipal operations, increasing residential tax-base with density, and increasing the number of businesses. We strong ly u rge ou r municipalities to think carefully about the impact their taxes have on businesses. Business owners do think very carefully about their operating costs in order to decide whether they can survive in any given municipality. Having a plan in place to control tax rates can provide a competitive advantage for a municipality and help drive prosperity. Chris Edly, CD P.Eng is President of the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at chris@ edley.ca
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JULY 2018
MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPER HAS A WESTSHORE FOCUS The Pacific Coast Land Company: In The Business Of Building Communities
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ICTORIA – Pacific Coast Land Company (PCLC) does more than construct rental accommodation, it helps to create local communities. Recognizing the ongoing need for first rate accommodation in the Victoria area, PCLC was founded in 2003 by a small group of business professionals with both a shared national heritage and a common desire to elevate the quality of the city’s property inventory. “In 2003, my father (Jon Gulbrandsen) and Harald Skadberg, along with two other Norwegians, who all grew up in the same area in Norway, decided to launch the company with the goal of building multi-family residences,” explains Operations Manager, Ben Gulbrandsen. “From 2003 to 2010, we focused on building townhouse d e v e l o p m e n t s . T h e s e p rojects were designed, built and then sold to owner / occupiers. Since then we’ve changed SEE PCLC | PAGE 20
Harald Skadberg (left) and Ben Gulbrandsen taking part in the ground breaking at the Pacific Lakeside project
Bradley and Clayton Weber (Ben Gulbrandsen’s nephews) are introduced to the firm by Beverly Gulbrandsen, wife of company founder Jon Gulbrandsen
Let’s raise a glass to a job well done. Let’s raise a glass toProud a job well done. Financing Partner of Pacific Coast Land Company Tate Knowles | 250-888-4483 Senior Manager, Commercial Real Estate
Ready to work, the construction crews at the Pacific Lakeside project are hard at work completing the development
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT RESIDENTIAL | STRATA | COMMERCIAL “A Proud Past. A Confident Future”
Since 1918, we’ve been helping renters and owners successfully find and manage properties across Vancouver Island, from Sidney by the Sea to the Cowichan Valley. Today, we’re here to help you, wherever you are. We are proud to be the Property Management Company for Pacific Coast Land Company and to work with such a great team. Congratulations on 15 years and to many more! 1125 Blanshard St
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Victoria, BC
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250.385.8771
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info@brownbros.com
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JULY 2018
PCLC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
our business model. We recognized that Victoria needs more affordable, accessible properties and more rentals, so we made a shift to building larger rental developments.” Ben Gulbrandsen has been with PCLC for the past three years. He returned from California where he was a practicing attorney. Gulbrandsen is not certified to practice law in Canada - he can however use his legal expertise while carrying out the scope of his duties with the company. In 2010 the company underwent some significant changes, both in ownership and in its overall business model. “In 2010 Harald and my Dad essentially took over the operation of the entire company. The other two original partners were primarily interested in building homes, so the company underwent a slight change,” Gulbrandsen explained. Pacific Coast Land Company’s latest undertaking is the spectacular Pacific Lakeside project which consists of a 60 unit apartment complex taking shape near Thetis Lake in Langford. Ground breaking on the project began at the beginning of this year, with the project (located near the Six Mile Pub) expected to be completed by next fall. “Harald is a very experienced builder, having constructed
Proud Lighting Supplier of Pacific Coast Land Company. Congratulations on all of your success! 250-475-0105 pinelightingvictoria.com 790 Spruce Avenue, Victoria, BC
When complete the Pacific Lakeside will be a 60 unit apartment complex conveniently located near Thetis Lake nearly 200 homes on Vancouver Island since the 1990s, so his experience and skill is a crucial part of the success of the company,” Gulbrandsen said. Harald Skadberg, PCLC’s CoFounder and CEO, moved to Canada with his parents when he was only 16. The creation of the Pacific Coast Land Company was a way to capitalize on his skills and experience as builder, while providing accommodation in a city in desperate need of new inventory. It was a bonus that he was able to work with other Norwegian expats, including personal friends he has known since his school days. “Yes it’s kind of odd how this became an all-Norwegian show, but two of the original directors of the company and I have been friends our entire lives- our families go way back. We’re not related, except by geography, but we really do operate like family,” he explained. “I’ve been a builder my whole working life, starting out here in Victoria working for another Norwegian builder before going out on my own at a young age. My partner Jon ended up moving over
from Norway and that led directly to the formation of Pacific Coast Land.” Skadberg describes PCLC’s primary focus as a firm that purchases land, and then constructs buildings, mainly multi-family apartment buildings to service the city’s appetite for rental accommodation. “We definitely do a bit of everything, rentals and owner occupied properties. Certainly in the past few years it’s been mostly about rentals but it’s not always been that way,” he said. Gradually expanding its portfolio of projects from developments featuring half a dozen or so properties, to major undertakings like Pacific Lakeside, the Pacific Coast Land Company is now seeking additional partners and investors to allow it to pursue developments on an even grander scale. “Today we’re willing to take on investors or partners on various initiatives so we can take these projects to the next level. From the very beginning our emphasis has been on the Victoria marketplace, specifically the Westshore. We have found that we have an
Legal Surveys • Municipal Engineering Land Development Consulting
Victoria | Nanaimo | Parksville | Campbell River www.jeanderson.com | Proud Supporter Serving the Community since 1959
Pacific Coast Land Company works with many of the Capital Region’s top contractors to produce its developments excellent relationship with the mayors and councils in both Langford and in View Royal. They and their staff are great to deal with and have been very supportive of the types of projects we’ve been involved with,” Skadberg explained. PCLC and its owners have always enjoyed the opportunity and the benefits that working from their home towns has provided. “I live in the community of View Royal and think it’s a great place to be. The community provides
easy access to everything, and I enjoy living and working there. The entire Westshore area has a very bright future so we’re very excited to be a part of it.” Gulbrandsen echoed Skadberg’s appreciation for the welcoming approach provided by the Westshore communities to their company’s developments. “The Westshore communities have been very responsive to a number of developers including SEE PCLC | PAGE 21
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A large number of skilled workers are required to create a development the size of the new Pacific Lakeside project us, in large part due to the zoning regulations that are in place. The rest of Victoria needs to get onboard and recognize the opportunity projects like these can offer to a community to address the ongoing housing crisis. Going through six months or a year to complete a re-zoning, without knowing if it’s going to make it through, is a big risk for a developer,” he explained. “If you know you have a good product and if you can follow the simple processes you need to get it approved it provides much less risk. That’s a big reason so much development is taking place on the Westshore.” The ongoing building boom that has energized the Greater Victoria area’s construction industry in recent years, coupled with the Capital’s expanding population and its ongoing need for additional accommodation, has seen the Pacific Coast Land Company and its expertise in this sector come together at exactly the right time. Skadberg suggests that the success of the Pacific Lakeside apartment project could serve as a model for the company’s future endeavours. “Our plan is to keep doing what we’ve been doing, creating more multi-family developments, perhaps making them gradually larger as we go along. We’re very excited about Pacific Lakeside. It’s in a great location right by the lake and the Galloping Goose
Trail. The site offers easy access, has all manner of available transit options including biking and walking trails, add to that its proximity to Thetis Lake and you have a project that has attracted a lot of positive interest,” he said. For Gulbrandsen the Pacific Lakeside project is a clear sign of the future direction for the firm founded by his father (now retired) and Skadberg created 15 years ago. “It’s kind of neat how a group of Norwegians, and for whatever reason there are a lot of Norwegians in Victoria, got together, and created this company that has ultimately led to this project. It’s not a prerequisite to be Norwegian to work with us, but it just happened to work out that way,” he said. “There’s been a real evolution in the company as well, from our original build and sell model to the build and hold philosophy we do today, all coming about because of the recognized need for rental properties. When we began we didn’t have the expertise to build projects like this one, we were smaller and just learning through doing. This current project is really the first case where we see the input of other investors, where we’re not just using our own money, which is another part of the evolving nature of our business and its business model.” Moving forward PCLC could become actively involved in helping to provide additional affordable
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housing in a region desperately in need of it. “Budgets are being made available to help service this market, and our experience in creating projects on the scale of Pacific Lakeside would be ideal for building affordable housing projects as those tend to be in the 60 plus unit size,” Gulbrandsen said. “In the past we had worked in the six to 16 unit development size, now we’re working in the 60 unit range, so for the future could see us expanding into even larger projects. We’ll be hiring another project supervisor in the near future just to help keep up with the next few projects as they take shape. Right now we’re just starting to bring our next projects together, so for the future we might see 100 unit projects, 120 unit projects or even bigger. That’s definitely the direction we’ll be moving toward.” Having grown from a neophyte developer creating small scale developments, to the visionaries behind entire rental communities, the Pacific Coast Land Company has expanded and evolved to match the needs and changing requirements of the region is serves. “Building communities – that’s a good way of looking at what we do. Once you have a larger number of people all living together you have to be intentional about creating some sort of culture and establishing the services to help keep that local culture viable and appealing.” he said.
“If you have six units people can generally just choose to give each other solitude if that’s what they want. But as you get bigger, and you have many people interacting as they pass in the hallways, and while they are using the elevators you need some sort of culture and a plan to make it all work effectively. We have about 40 rental units right now, with Lakeside there will be 60 more, and with the project after that there will be even more. So we have to evolve our business as our model changes.” Looking toward the future Skadberg anticipates taking on even larger developments, with the input and support of new investors and business partners. “With Ben in place, we have the next generation becoming increasingly involved in the daily operations of the company, which really helps to prepare us for the future. It’s exciting and satisfying to see some of the great ideas Ben brings to the table, he has a great background, is a bright and hard-working guy so it’s exciting to have him onboard. I expect the company to continue to grow and flourish in the years ahead,” Skadberg said. “Things have gone well for us so far and we’re looking at many more years of expansion as we continue to create new multifamily projects. We do the odd single family home, for very select clients, but on the whole our focus has always been on the
multi-family market. Today it’s becoming more common to see projects such as these be more mixed-use in nature, where offices and commercial space is included with the residential elements, so that could also become an important part of our projects as we move forward.” For Gulbrandsen the future looks equally bright as the Pacific Coast Land Company continues to grow, and to create increasingly larger projects, with the support of its new investors and partners. “As the actual construction work is carried out by contractors the company itself is fairly small, but that size means we can be nimble, able to make decisions quickly, but that also means there’s no one to pass things off to if something goes wrong. That’s part of the appeal and the challenges of a company like ours,” he said. “Our goal is to find additional investors, looking to expand into the Victoria rental market. Without additional investment we will continue on our current trajectory. But with additional funding, we can scale to considerably larger projects. We’re fine working the way we are, building the projects that we do, but it makes sense to scale in order to meet the market demand for more rental units. We are successful doing it on our own, but it would be a win-win to get other investors on board with a similar outlook on the positive future of Victoria.” www.pclandco.com
Proud to supply
We are proud of our relationship with PCLC and we congratulate you on many years of success.
Please visit us at our new showroom location:
2920 Ed Nixon Terrace, Langford
Congratulations on 15 years of being a successful, reputable and homegrown company we are proud to work with! Vancouver Island, BC | (250) 383-0600 odellslinger@gmail.com | www.odellslinger.com
22 WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date. DEFENDANT 1946328 Ontario Limited 2546 Government St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Haynes, Craig Frederick CLAIM $32,171 DEFENDANT 19812506 BC 2006 Ltd 51 Northshore Rd, Lake Cowichan, BC PLAINTIFF 0762956 BC LTD CLAIM $41,056 DEFENDANT ABRC Holdings Corp 800-1070 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Business Development Bank Of Canada CLAIM $5,969
WHO IS SUING WHOM DEFENDANT Cow Cafe & Cookhouse 51 Northshore Rd, Lake Cowichan, BC PLAINTIFF 0762956 BC LTD CLAIM $41,056 DEFENDANT Crane Canada Co 2400-745 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Becher, Christine CLAIM $ 35,256 DEFENDANT Eminnow Holdings Inc 204-655 TYEE RD, VICTORIA, BC PLAINTIFF Business Development Bank Of Canada CLAIM $152,641 DEFENDANT First National Financial Corporation 1200-100 University Ave, Toronto, ON PLAINTIFF Ferguson, Colin David CLAIM $ 15,832 DEFENDANT Graham Design Builders LP 1200-200 BURRARD ST, VANCOUVER, BC
PLAINTIFF Island Precision Manufacturing Ltd CLAIM $ 558,572 DEFENDANT Graham Design Builders Ltd 1200-200 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Island Precision Manufacturing Ltd CLAIM $ 558,572 DEFENDANT Hilo Granite 4628 West Saanich Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Petes On Site Service CLAIM $ 5,517 DEFENDANT Jurassic Vac Ltd 2500-10303 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB PLAINTIFF Sterling, Vicki Maxine CLAIM $ 25,203 DEFENDANT L&R Holdings Ltd 4080 Riverside Rd, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF C&L Supply (1998) Ltd CLAIM $ 17,605
DEFENDANT Rawganique Eco Apparel Ltd 201-467 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Cloutier Matthews CPA LLP CLAIM $ 5,215 DEFENDANT Sam The Roofer Inc 800-1070 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Business Development Bank Of Canada CLAIM $ 23,879 DEFENDANT South Island Power Sweeping Ltd 2130 James White Blvd, Sidney, BC PLAINTIFF Enex Fuels Ltd CLAIM $ 23,585 DEFENDANT Summit Leasing Corporation 1700-750 West Pender St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Westshore Towing Ltd CLAIM $ 13,446 DEFENDANT Syncronet Systems Corp 200-1682 West 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC
JULY 2018
PLAINTIFF Carats Investments Inc CLAIM $ 28,632 DEFENDANT THP GBB Inc 900-400 St Mary Ave, Winnipeg, MB PLAINTIFF Island Precision Manufacturing Ltd CLAIM $ 558,572 DEFENDANT Thp Partnership 1406-1030 West Georgia St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Island Precision Manufacturing Ltd CLAIM $ 558,572 DEFENDANT
Valley Exteriors 643 Powell St, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Brennan, Michelle CLAIM $ 10,216 DEFENDANT Valley Roofing & Exteriors 111 Park Rd, Lake Cowichan, BC PLAINTIFF Brennan, Michelle CLAIM $ 10,216
DEFENDANT Victoria Fish Company Ltd 610 Davida Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Vintage Roofing Ltd CLAIM $ 9,826 DEFENDANT Westsea Construction Ltd 300-1122 Mainland St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Rourke, Peter James CLAIM $ 28,953 DEFENDANT Wing Lee Holdings Ltd 1817 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Leaf Compassion CLAIM $ 66,772 DEFENDANT Word Of Mouth Construction Ltd 1-505 Fisgard St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Grewal, Kamaljit Kaur CLAIM $ 5,752
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
JULY 2018
Al Hasham, President and CEO of Maximum Express Courier, Freight & Logistics and Max Furniture, has been elected as Vancouver Island’s representative to the BC Chamber of Commerce board of directors. David Ellis of McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. has been appointed to the board of directors for the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of BC for the 2018/19 term. Ellis is the Young Professionals Group Chair for the organization. Susan and Michael Nyikes are celebrating their 15th anniversary of their company Little Vienna Bakery & Café on July 1 st . The bakery is an artisanal European bakery and coffee shop at 6726 West Coast Road in Sooke. Malcolm Hall has opened Solo Suites, a new building fully dedicated to Airbnb suites at 590 Goldstream Avenue in Langford. The six-storey building has 42-units made of one- and two-bedroom suites. The facility has no front desk or concierge, but parking is free and each suite features a full kitchen for guests to make their own food among other amenities. OakTree Naturals recently celebrated their grand opening at 705 Goldstream Avenue in Langford. Re/Max Camosun announces their top producers for May. They are Tania Delmonico, Eric Smith, Dale Sheppard, Shannon Jackson, Tom Krumpic and Kevin Koetke. Re/Max Camosun is at 101 – 791 Goldstream Avenue.
Jocelyn Jenkyns The City of Victoria announced that acting City Manager Jocelyn Jenkyns has been hired as a permanent replacement for Jason Johnson, who was relieved of his position in September 2017. Jenkyns has worked for the City for over 15 years and is the first internally promoted city manager in nearly 20 years. Greg Sherwell and his wife h ave op ened t he Esquimalt Roasting Company at 1207B Esquimalt Road. The company is a micro-roastery focussed on selling whole beans to customers from their retail space. The shop will also feature baked goods from Bond Bond’s Bakery. Re/Max Camosun Peninsula congratulates their top performers for May. The top producers a re t he Gower/Smith Team,
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Daniel Juricic, Brooke Miller and Jeff Meyer while the top lister was Michelle Martin. The real estate agency is at #14 – 2510 Bevan Avenue in Sidney. Nexgen Hearing has moved to a new location at 2215 Oak Bay Avenue. Squash Canada recently awarded Stuart Dixon with the Certificate of Achievement for his ongoing contributions to squash in the province. Dixon was inducted into Squash Canada’s Hall of Fame in 2010 for his coaching achievements and has been instrumental in establishing the Victoria Squash Club on Cook Street. Satnam Lalli of Broadmead Pharmasave was recently presented with the Alumni Builder Award from the University of British Columbia. Satnam received the award for his contributions to UBC and the local community. Broadmead Pharmasave is at 310 – 777 Royal Oak Drive in the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre. Bosley’s by Pet Value celebrated their grand opening at 1497 Admirals Road. Sutton West Coast Realty announces the addition of Cale Grieve to their staff at 103 – 4400 Chatterton Way.
Trees Dispensary has locations in Oak Bay, Victoria, Nanaimo and Duncan. Victoria was voted the hottest market in the world for luxury real estate in a report by Christie’s International Real Estate. The report, published in Christie’s sixth annual magazine, Luxury Defined, synthesized over 81 luxury real estate brokerages around the world. According to the report, based on increases in both luxury sales prices and volume, Victoria ranked number one in the top five “luxury thermometer” list for primary homes, beating out San Diego, Orange County, Washington, DC and Paris. The University of Victoria has named their 2018 honorary degree recipients. Joseph Arvay, QC, will receive and Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD), A mb.
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Gordon Head Recreation Centre has appointed Sandra Pearson as the new manager for the recreation centre at 4100 Lambrick Way. Mr. Lube celebrated their grand opening at 319 Wale Road in Colwood. The Rootcellar Village Green Grocer recently celebrated their 10th anniversary at 1286 McKenzie Avenue. Trees Dispensary has submitted a proposal to the City of Langford to open two storefront locations – one in the Millstream Village area and a second near the Happy Valley area that would be part of a mixed-use development in the future. In addition, the dispensary is proposing to expand its ancillary health and wellness services and is hoping to offer acupuncture, yoga and art therapy to their members. The City will likely review the proposals in-camera, which if approved could see the first store open in the next few months.
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MOVERS AND SHAKERS
MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
Nicholas Kuhanga will receive an Honorary Doctor of Education (DEd), Peter Moss an honorary Doctor of Education (DEd), Sandra Richardson an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) and Robert Waisman will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD). Sandra Richardson is a Victoria local and the CEO of the Victoria Foundation since 2001. In her time as CEO, she has grown the foundation’s assets from $20-million to $357-million. The Peninsula Country Market opened for their 27 th season on June 2nd at the Brentwood Bay Festival at Pioneer Park. The Market returned to their traditional site at the Saanich Fairground (1528 Stelly’s Cross Road) on June 9th. The market runs every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm until Thanksgiving. Trevor Wassermann joins Remedy’sRx as a pharmacist at Unit 134 - 10030 Resthaven Drive in Sidney. The lifestyle and entertainment website, Uproxx, has listed Victoria as one of the world’s top cities for beer. The site ranked Victoria No. 17, coming in behind Portland, Oregon. Among the local breweries that were noted were Driftwood, Hoyne and the saloon-style restaurant Little Jumbo.
Sue Connors V i c to r i a’s Sue Con nors i s now the CEO of BidCentral, BC’s largest construction bidding marketplace, headquartered within the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) and operating in partnership with BC’s regional construction associations. Connors was formerly the vice president of business development at Revenue Wire, an award-winning industry leader in performance marketing and online payment processing. Connors will be responsible for expanding the public and private industrial, commercial, and institutional pre-bid and project content in the platform. Paula Carey and Cheryl Hebb, CRE were elected to the Board of the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society at the Society’s recent Annual General Meeting. Paula is a Member of Community Cabinet with
focus on Navy Sails and BC211. ca and supports numerous local non-profit organizations. Cheryl is currently the director of fund development at the University of Victoria. Carl Wilkinson and Nick Weymess retired from the board and were thanked for their service to the society. The newly elected Board Members will join previously elected members, Stephen Lyons, Moira Dann, Maureen Abraham, Barbara Armstrong, Lorne Beally, Astrid Braunschmidt, and Barri Marlatt. Co-op announced they will provide $56,000 in funding for the Food Eco District (FED) to help build the FED Urban Learning Garden at the Greater Victoria Public Library. Once completed the garden will provide a space and outdoor classroom where the publ ic ca n lea rn how to save seeds, identify local plant species, discover First Nations plant uses and how to grow food in urban spaces. The funding is being provided through the Coop Community Spaces Program which invests in community projects in Western Canada. Lighthouse Brewing Company’s Seaport Vanilla Stout won silver in the Flavoured Stouts/Porters category at the recent Canadian Brewing Awards. Lighthouse Brewing is in their 20th anniversary year and is at 836 Devonshire Road.
JULY 2018
John Hanna Dr. Philip Steenkamp D r. Ph i l ip Ste e n k a m p h a s been appoi nted Royal Roads University’s fourth president and vice-chancellor for a fiveyea r term effective Ja nua r y 1, 2019. Steenkamp has over two decades of senior leadership experience in the public and post-secondary sectors. Steen ka mp w i l l succeed Dr. Allan Cahoon, who led Royal Roads University as president and vice-chancellor for 11 years. The Town of View Royal approved rezoning a former youth custody site to make way for a T herapeutic Recovery Comm u n i t y. T h e p r o v i n c e a nnou nced i n May they wou ld provide $4.7-million for the facility, which will be run by Our Place Society. The centre which is slated to open in the fall uses an ev idence-based model to help citizens struggling with addiction to rebuild their lives.
John Hanna, CFO of Vecima Networks Inc. was the winner in the Small Public Company category at the 2018 BC CFO Awards Gala on June 7 th at the Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver. Vecima Networks is a globally recognized designer and manufacturer of technology solutions. The Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC) recently held their 17 th Annual Awards at the Royal Theatre. T h i s yea r Vecima Networks was the recipient of Technology Company of the Year (50+ Employees) award, Kano for the 11-49 employee’s category and Appreciation Engine for Emerging Technology Company of the Year. Barnacle Systems was named Startup of the Year, Temediq won out in the Product of the Year category, SEE MOVERS & SHAKERS| PAGE 25
CHEMISTRY CONSULTING– BUSINESS EXAMINER MOVERS AND SHAKERS 4.8” × 6.2” 06/15/18
JULY 2018
MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24
Saasquatch in Team of the Year and Bambora in Employer of the Year. Delta-X Research took home top honours in the Innovative Excellence – Software or Service category, Latitude Technologies in Innovative Excellence – Ha rdwa re a nd Starfish Medical in Community Champion. Valerie Foster of JSF Technologies was named Leader of the Yea r, Sarah Gulbrandsen of RingPartner was Emerging Leader of the Yea r, Hannes Blum received the A ngel of the Year Award, Mia Maki the Colin Lennox Award for Tech nolog y Cha mpion and finally, Jim Hayhurst and Ian Chisholm were the recipients of the VIATEC Member of the Year Award. T h e V i c t o r i a I n t e rnational Marina in Victoria officia l ly opened t hei r fa ci l it y to ya cht owners for the Melges24 Wo r l d C h a m p i o n s h i p Regatta. The 10-day regatta was the first major opening for the new 28-slip marina that has a men it ie s i nclu d i n g a 24/7 concierge service, p e r s o n a l i z e d s e c u rity, 2 4/7 access to private office, boardroom and support services to name a few. The Victoria International Marina is at 1 Cooperage Place. The Royal BC Museum’s 2017 book, The Language of Family: Stories of Bonds and Belonging, received two awards in the 2018 P u bWe s t B o o k D e s i g n Awards – including a gold award in the Adult Trade – Illustrated category and the Judge’s Choice Award. T h e P u bWe s t D e s i g n Awards recognize superior design and outstanding production quality of books, e-books and book mobile apps from across North America. Victoria General Hospital and Victoria General Hospital Auxiliary recently celebrated their 35 th anniversary. Victoria G enera l i s t he t rau m a cent re for t he Isl a nd and it offers specialized pediatric services including neo-natal intensive care. It is also home to the Stroke Rapid Assessment and Breast Health Patient Navigator. V 2V Va c a t i o n s , n o w in its second year of
prov id i n g a fer r y serv ice b et we en Victor i a and Vancouver, has annou nced a new leadership team. Bryden Smith h a s b e e n p rom o te d to vice-president of operations and senior master, responsible for the operations of the 242-passenger V2V Empress ferry. Smith is a Victoria native who has more than a decade of experience in the BC coastal ferry service industry, including e x p er ienc e a s c ap t a i n of luxurious expedition ships. New to the team i s B r i g it te D i e m- G uy, who has been appointed vice-president of sales a nd m a rket i n g. M ieka Robertson’s role has expa nded to i nclude d i rector of finance, IT and administration. Stewart T u rnbu ll rem a i n s terminal manager and David Payne has been appointed technical superintendent. T he Op en Space A r ts Society h a s app oi nted L i n d s ay D e l a ro n d e a s acti ng Aborig i na l cu rator of their artist-run centre. Lindsay has been a professional artist for the past five years and is currently the City of Victoria’s Indigenous A rtist in Residence. Raj Sen was a lso na med acti ng director for a one-year term. Sen spent the past five years working in the i nternationa l contemporary art world and was recently the director of the Singapore branch of Sundaram Tagore Gallery. Open Space Arts Society is at 510 Fort Street. Ch ris Ha m i lton, d i re c tor of at h l e t ic s a nd re cre at ion at t he Un iversity of Victoria, has joined the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame board of directors. Other board members include R ick L eggett, Robert Hope, Chris Graham, Tom T u r nb u l l, Dave Erb, Lois Smith, Robert Bettauer, Fern Johnson, Cal Mackay, Louise Hodgson-Jones, Jim Swanson and Stacie Louttit.
Jim Pattison Toyota, Robin Haggar of Jim Pattison Lexus, Ed Daniel of Pacific Mazda, Frank O’Brien of Wheaton, David Vollet of Audi Autohaus, Allan Collins of Volkswagen V i c to r i a , G r a h a m S imons of Victoria Hyundai, Ali Ziaee of Harris Auto, Tyson Johnson of Porsche Centre, Dav id R abii of T h ree P T Motors, Nolan Balfe of BMW Victoria, Jason Ogilvie of Volvo, Frank Burgaretta of Wi l le Dodge, Justi n Stacey of Jenner, Mike Smith of Campus Honda, Richard Vaughan-Thomas of Ca mpus In f i n iti, Tamer Feitah of Graham KIA, Frank Percorelli of C a m p u s N i s s a n , M i ke Delmeire of Jim Pattison Subaru and Nick Lee of Campus Acura. Ronson’s shoe store is c e l e b ra t i n g t h e i r 3 0 t h anniversary. Garnett Rancier is looking to sell BC Shaver and Hob bie s, a d o w n to w n retail fixture for over 50 years, as he looks to reti re. Ra ncier w ishes to sell the whole business and its inventory: model trains, radio-controlled aircraft, boats and cars, working model rockets, wooden ship models and more. BC Shaver a nd Hobbies i s at 742 For t Street. Island Link Bus is celeb ra t i n g t h e i r 2 0 t h a nn iversa r y. Isl a nd L i n k Bus carries over 50,000 pa ssen gers a ye a r a nd op e rate s 10 b u s e s, a l l equipped with free wi-fi for passenger enjoyment. N e w p o r t R e a l t y a nnounces that Jack Barker and Lori Sutherland have joined the firm. Jack has been a municipal Councillor for Sidney and was Sidney’s representative for Tourism Victoria. Lori is a former small business owner in Brentwood Bay and a tireless volunteer in the community.
DFH Real Estate Services recently announced their office leaders of the month. Sandy McManus Prec was the leader for Victoria, Stephanie Peat for Sidney and Peter Miller for Cowichan.
The Courtney Room has opened for business at 619 Courtney Street. The restaurant is a modern dining space in the style of a classic French bistro and i s a n ex ten sion of T he Magnolia Hotel & Spa’s award-winning boutique hotel experience.
Auto dealerships from a c ro s s V ic tor i a a nnounced their top salespeople of the month. They are Nick Bhalla of
I f y o u h a v e a n y a nnouncements for Movers and Shakers, please contact Josh Higgins at josh@businessexaminer.ca.
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OPINION
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JULY 2018 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. 200-3060 Cedar Hill Road, Victoria V8T 3J5 Fax: 1.250.642.2870 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Website: www.businessexaminer.ca
PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald SALES | Josh Higgins – josh@businessexaminer.ca, Cheryl Lee – cheryl@businessexaminer.ca John MacDonald - john@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Julia MacDonald, Beth Hendry-Yim, David Holmes, Kristin Van Vloten, Val Lennox
WHEN CARBON TAXES AND ANTI-RESOURCE THINKING AND ECONOMICS COLLIDE
MARK MACDONLD
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here have been rumblings and hints of a push to rid Canada Pension funds of so-called “unethical” funds, i.e. anything tarsands or oil/petroleum related. That day has come, as the University of Victoria has released a report titled “Canada’s Fossil-Fuelled Pensions: the case of the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation”. UVIC political ecologist James Rowe states that BC Investment (BCI) has a duty to “act in the best financial interests of plan members. Its carbon-heavy holdings, however, raise questions about BCI’s management of these interlinked climactic and financial risks.” I thought the people behind Canada Pension were doing just that: By investing in companies that provide the best possible returns for their customers, in this case, pensioners
across Canada. There’s a very good reason why Canadian pension portfolios include oil and gas holdings: Because they yield better returns than other stocks. How do we know that? Because oil and gas stocks wouldn’t be included if they didn’t produce solid yields. This is yet another demonstration of how climate change advocates believe they can push markets and bend them to their will. There is, however, something greater at work here. It’s called the law of supply and demand. And there is plenty of demand for oil and gas globally, even though Canada’s supply of the resource is being restrained. If anybody is watching, while the Canadian government believes it is setting an example in regards to global warming/climate change/ the weather policy, it might want to look around and notice that fewer countries are following their lead. The economic surge in the U.S. is due in no small part to its expansion of the energy sector, most notably oil and gas. Demand is increasing. Demand is on the increase for the foreseeable future, throughout the world. That’s why oil and gas stocks are valuable members of any portfolio, particularly Canada’s pensions. Most people, directly or indirectly through mutual funds
or pension funds, are invested in that sector. Take oil and gas out, and watch what happens to the fund. Another way of looking at it is how the finance industry declares by its actions how they view global warming/climate change/the weather. Many scientists maintain that one of the by-products of rising temperatures could be higher ocean levels. However, if bankers or others in mortgage-related finance – and insurers - truly believed that, one would think they would automatically deny applications for ocean waterfront properties, right? Since they’re likely to be covered by salt water in the not too distant future, financiers would be, literally, “under water”. Yet they don’t stop approving oceanfront mortgages. And are there more cautious people than lenders? They don’t hand out financing unless they’re assured the investment is solid, and they can get their money back, with interest, of course. Interesting, isn’t it? Carbon Tax Expensive The Fraser Institute has released information from a report to the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources by University of Calgary economics professor Jennifer Winter that revealed the bottom line of the Trudeau Carbon
price. If implemented, it will cost Alberta taxpayers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia over $1,000 per year to comply with the self-imposed $50 per tonne carbon tax mandated for 2022. BC residents will pay $603 – but we can’t forget that we already have a carbon tax. If the goal jumps to $100 per tonne, the average price per home would rocket far above $1,000 per household per year. More taxes for life’s essentials translates into less spending on other retail/lifestyle items by Canadians. Tax Revolt Last month’s column testing the waters about a possible Tax Revolt by business owners produced some interesting responses and commentary in support of the idea. None against. A couple of ideas that came up were withholding the payment of business property taxes, which would undoubtedly get the attention of civic governments. Then there was the thought of charging federal and/or provincial governments a fee for collecting taxes on their behalf. The latter is particularly interesting, as business owners know well how much staff time is taken up calculating and remitting taxes to Victoria and Ottawa. Just think about how much time – at how much per hour – someone
on the company payroll has to put in, collecting from customers, employees and the business itself. It isn’t free. Since governments already charge companies for various licenses and imposes fees for the right to start and operate a business, wouldn’t it be fair to send them a bill for the time its staff members spend on tax remittance? And then there’s this: Seattle city council recently unanimously imposed a $275 head tax per employee which would be paid by companies. After backroom protests by Starbucks and Amazon, with strong suggestions that further expansion in Seattle would be thwarted by the extra levy, the tax was unanimously withdrawn. Most businesses would have been against the tax, and there was loud vocal opposition to it, but it was the two heavyweights that tipped the scales. The objections included this: That Seattle already collected enough tax revenue to solve the homeless problem and others – so stop siphoning off more. It was a vivid, recent lesson that when businesses band together, they can get government to back up. There may be no other way to stop tax inhalation. As Seattle has just demonstrated, unified, coordinated objections to objectionable taxes can still work. Let us know if you have any other ideas: info@businessexaminer.ca
Unfortunately, this federal government’s misunderstanding of the role and importance of incentives is not limited to differences between the government sector and private businesses. Since coming to office, it has introduced a number of policies it believed would not adversely affect the economy because the incentive effects were weak or non-existent. For instance, the federal income tax increase, which affects entrepreneurs, professionals and business-owners, combined with similar policies by many provinces, means that the top combined income tax rate now exceeds 50 per cent in seven provinces, with the remaining provinces just below 50 per cent. And because Canada’s capital gains tax is linked to personal income taxes, these rate changes have also increased our capital gains taxes. Ottawa doesn’t believe that a tax rate near or above 50 per cent changes the willingness of entrepreneurs, professionals or business people to invest and start businesses. These tax changes are on top of
other tax increases, new regulations and a distinctly anti-business rhetoric from Ottawa and several provinces. These policies - and the incentive changes they produce - have had adverse consequences for the economy. There’s a general consensus, including in the federal Department of Finance, that economic growth will slow starting this year and continuing into the future. In addition, rates of entrepreneurship are declining and investment, particularly by foreigners, is collapsing. This is not the basis for long-term prosperity. The foundation for a better economy and higher living standards relies on improving incentives for entrepreneurship, investment and work effort. That would require a wholesale reversal of many, if not most, of the economic policies enacted by this federal government and a recognition that incentives do indeed matter.
ECONOMIC INCENTIVES PAY DIVIDENDS
FRASER INSTITUTE JASON CLEMENS, ELMIRA ALIAKBARI AND ASHLEY STEDMAN
T
here have been many assessments, mostly critical, of the federal government’s decision to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline. And yet, a key aspect of the decision - this government’s dismissive view of the importance of incentives - has been almost entirely ignored. The government doesn’t believe incentives matter all that much in the economic decision-making of individuals, families, entrepreneurs and businesses.
Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced the government’s decision on May 29, two days before Kinder Morgan’s self-imposed May 31 deadline. The minister revealed the government’s confidence in the public sector to undertake and complete activities as well, if not better, than the private sector. While avoiding the specific question of how much the government expects to pay for the construction and ongoing operation of the pipeline, Morneau repeatedly assured Canadians that the value of the pipeline would be secured. This belies Canada’s experience and international research. Oxford University scholar Bent Flyvbjerg co-authored a study examining major government projects in 20 countries and found that nine out of 10 public infrastructure projects incurred cost overruns. Flyvbjerg concluded that large projects done in the public sector are inefficient in minimizing costs. His findings support a large review completed in the early 2000s on the benefits of transferring publicly-owned assets to the private sector.
That’s not to say the public sector is not staffed by well-intentioned, skilled bureaucrats. Indeed, Canada can be quite proud of having one of the best, most professional bureaucracies in the industrialized world. The problem - and what the federal government seems oblivious to - is that bureaucrats face markedly different incentives than people in the private sector. If Kinder Morgan (or any private company) goes over budget on infrastructure projects, their owners and employees pay the price through lower rates of return, lower share prices and/or reduced compensation. The costs of missteps are borne directly by those responsible, which imposes a real discipline on financial and economic decisions. This discipline is wholly absent in the public sector. If the construction of the pipeline is over budget or if it sells in the future at a price below market, no politician or bureaucrat will lose their own money. It’s a basic economic axiom that people are far more careful with their money than with other people’s money.
Jason Clemens, Elmira Aliakbari and Ashley Stedman are analysts with the Fraser Institute
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Together, we can help BC’s contractors get paid on time. It’s only fair. Do you like to be paid on time? So would mechanical and other BC trade contractors. But all too often, they must wait, and wait, and wait to be paid, leading to cash flow problems for companies that are mostly small- to medium-sized enterprises and are often family-run.
BC needs Prompt Payment legislation to ensure BC’s 16,000 contractors are paid on a timely basis. Prompt Payment BC, a coalition of 11 BC trade and sub-trade associations, has come together to lobby for Prompt Payment legislation.
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