Business Examiner Vancouver Island - August 2015

AUGUST 2015

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LADYSMTIH Haarsma creates niche for innovative solutions to waste management

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DUNCAN Somenos Construction construction company celebrates its 30thanniversary

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460 Group grows against the grain Real estate and communications organization takes unique approach to business A NA I MO – T he ͘ ͚ ͔ Group of Companies has experienced rapid growth since its inception in 2013.

Comprised of ͚͔͘ Realty, ͚͔͘ Propert y Management, ͚͔͘ Mortgage Investment Corporation (MIC), and ͚͔͘ Communications, the organization’s success has been largely driven through challenging traditional business models.

“My thought process constantly revolves around the question, ‘how can I do things differently?’” says company Co-Founder and Operations Direction Randy Forbes. “That mantra is a really big part of our culture here, we want to be the people finding out new and better ways to do things in real estate and communications.

“It’s really how this all started, My business partner David Robinson and I felt there was an opportunity in real estate to rethink the traditional brokerage

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Some of the faces you might expect to see at the 460 Group of Companies office model. We spent a lot of time looking at situations where a more inclusive business structure was successful, and we built the 460 brand around the results of those findings.”

The market’s response to an alternative way of doing business has been nothing but positive.

Currently 460 Realty has the 2 nd highest sales volume of any brokerage in Nanaimo after 1.5

years. They have 32 sales representatives on their roster, spread across Central and Northern Vancouver Island, and expect to SEE 460 GROUP | PAGE 23

Aspengrove Prepares the Leaders of Tomorrow A Designated IB Institution

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ANAIMO - More than ever in human history the world has become an interconnected place. Communication and commerce cross international boundaries and political ideologies as effortlessly as water flows downstream. Preparing tomorrow’s leaders to embrace

that global perspective is at the heart of everything Nanaimo’s Aspengrove School does. “It’s i mpor ta nt i n today’s g loba l economy to have our students understand that there is a bigger world out there,” explained Zinda FitzgGerald, Aspengrove’s Head of School.

“But also to have the students be prepared to be active citizens and to feel equipped to operate within that world. We may live on a small island, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do great things.”

Situated in an idyllic rustic setting just north of Nanaimo, Aspengrove School’s facilities

take up only a small part of its 40 acre footprint, which ensures ample room for any and all future expansion. Currently entering its 13th year of operations Aspengrove is an independent educational institution offering SEE ASPENGROVE SCHOOL | PAGE 21

NEWS UPDATE

2 WEST COAST $1.27 million in new funding for Long Beach Airport

QUALICUM BEACH Seaweed harvest licences issued for 2015 season The Ministry of Agriculture is offering three Mazzaella Japonica harvest licences and increased quotas for the 2015-16 beach-cast seaweed harvest season in the Deep Bay and Bowser area. For the first time, two additional licences are also being issued for a new area fronting the Qualicum First Nation Reserve.

Three companies – Stormy Shores Seaproducts Inc., Pacific Seaplants Inc., and Island Seaweeds Inc. – have held licences in good standing for the past few seasons. For this year’s season, they will now be able to harvest a maximum of 500 tonnes each in the Deep Bay and Bowser area, from the previous limits of 300 tonnes.

The Qualicum First Nation and Island Scallops Ltd are being offered Mazzaella Japonica licences of 250 tonnes each for the area fronting the Qualicum First Nation Reserve in Qualicum Beach.

The beach-cast seaweed harvest decisions are based on thorough field observations that include a May 2015 Vancouver Island University (VIU) research study that determined the harvest did not have a detectable effect on the amount of Mazzaella Japonica deposited on the beaches in the study area. A three year study conducted by the University of Victoria also informed the decisions.

The Ministry of Agriculture has allocated $50,000 to VIU to continue their research and monitoring this season, including the new harvest area.

In addition to the VIU study, provincial fisheries inspectors will continue to monitor the harvest. The Ministry of Agriculture evaluates licence conditions over the harvest season, and will consider the results of the harvest, of continued research information, and any feedback from the community in adjudicating licence applications in subsequent years. This helps ensure an environmentally sustainable approach to harvesting, while providing for local jobs.

Mazzaella Japonica was inadvertently introduced to BC waters in the early 1900’s. It is rich in carrageenan that is used in many products including processed foods (ice cream), cosmetics (toothpaste) and pharmaceuticals.

VANCOUVER ISLAND Two new sites for Salmon Aquaculture Following the federal government’s decision to issue aquaculture licences, the BC government has issued two new tenures under the Land Act for salmon aquaculture purposes, near Hope Island off the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and offered two more, one in the

Clio Channel, east of Port McNeill, and one near Flores Island, north of Tofino.

The Hope Island sites are Heath Bay (Wanx Talis) and Bull Harbour (Ghi Ya) and will be operated by the Tlatlasikwala First Nation in partnership with Marine Harvest Canada. The Clio Channel site is at Sambo Point (Wa Kwa) and will be operated by Grieg Seafood BC, which has an impact-benefit agreement with the Tlowitsis First Nation. The Flores Island site at Yaakswiis will be operated by Cermaq which has an impact-benefit agreement with the Ahousaht First Nation.

The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans issues the aquaculture licences, following a scientific review of any potential impacts the new operations could have on wild fisheries, fish health, the marine habitat and environment and the ocean floor. DFO also regulates all operational activities of aquaculture including farm size, species and production, fish health and fish containment.

The BC government, in its role as landlord, issues Crown land tenures in the form of leases or licences of occupation that allow businesses to operate on provincial Crown land, including water lots and any related activities on shore to ensure any potential impacts on other leases can be managed. As part of the tenure application review process, other agencies, First Nations, local governments and the public are consulted.

Provincial aquaculture tenure

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AGS

Long Beach Airport will receive $1.27 million in funding from the new BC Air Access Program, part of BC on the Move, the Government of BC’s 10-year transportation plan.

“Providing funding to the Long Beach Airport is a perfect example of how the BC Air Access Program will help smaller and regional airports make crucial improvements to their infrastructure,” said MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky Jordan Sturdy “Safety is a key component for these projects and the Long Beach Airport runway lighting project provides a good example of the type of safety improvements we are seeing through the program.”

Tofino, Ucluelet, Long Beach and the surrounding areas are known for their world-class tourism attractions and experiences. Adding new runway lighting will allow the airport to expand its services, especially with the expected increase in tourists visiting the area, and ultimately encouraging further economic growth in the region.

The improvements will also allow for enhanced emergency health care services to the area. Without runway lighting, access was limited, especially during the winter

months. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, which owns and operates the airport, will contribute just over $424,000 toward the project. “ T h e A l b e r n i- C l a y o q u o t Regional District welcomes the provincial funding support for the Long Beach Airport (CYAZ) airfield lighting project,” said ACRD chair Josie Osborne. “The airport continues to grow and prosper as a critical transportation link for the west coast of Vancouver Island.

This funding will help us provide a more reliable and accessible transportation link to the rest of the province, and a foundation for ongoing safety enhancements at the airport.”

Through the BC Air Access Program, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure cost shares with public airports on projects such as lighting and navigational systems, terminal building expansion or upgrades, and runway improvements.

These types of projects allow airports to improve safety and accommodate larger aircraft and more frequent flights, supporting the continued growth of local and provincial economies. The program also encourages funding partnerships with the federal government, local and regional governments and agencies, and the private sector.

The ministry is investing $24 million over the next three years for the BC Air Access Program.

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AUGUST 2015

applications are reviewed and decided by provincial government employees who have been designated as statutory decision makers under the Land Act. Currently there are 74 active finfish aquaculture farm sites in British Columbia, producing 81,500 metric tonnes of fish. BC produced 483 different seafood products, with a combined wholesale value of $1.43 billion.

Farmed salmon was BC’s top seafood commodity in 2013, accounting for $475.8 million, almost 59 per cent of total seafood revenues and 95 per cent of salmon revenues.

COWICHAN VALLEY Cowichan Incubator Farm grow Opportunities for New Farmers Farmers are getting older, and the number of new food producers is declining, region-wide. A new program in the Cowichan Valley is aiming to reverse that trend by teaching new farm entrepreneurs the ins and outs of this demanding but rewarding business.

The Island Coastal Economic Trust is providing $10,000 in funding toward the Cowichan Farm Incubator Project.

Spearheaded by the Cowichan Green Community Society, the project - with a total budget of only $108,000 - will help new farm entrepreneurs establish successful businesses by offering them temporary access to land and the use of equipment at low rates. Participants will also have resources and services that are often difficult for new farmers to access on their own. By providing these opportunities to new farmers, participant farmers will have a better chance of being successful in achieving their farm business goals.

“Food production is something many of us just take for granted, and we need to get more proactive in our thinking about farm business,” said ICET Board Chair Phil Kent.

“This incubator project will help new farmers - particularly young farmers - to develop the skills and competencies they need for success.”

The Cowichan Green Community has secured a 3.5 acre parcel of land

through the District of North Cowichan to implement the program.

By offering low rental rates for land, the Cowichan Farm Incubator will help six new farmers get the experience they need in the business of agriculture.

The project will cover all aspects of farming from local food production, processing and distribution to business planning, marketing and sales.

Participants will also receive ongoing support as they start their farming operations, with workshops and mentorship programs.

In addition, the project will develop a regional seed-bank social enterprise, filling a gap in the local agriculture sector when it comes to knowledge transfer and seed saving.

Estimates on job creation show 12 temporary jobs, and 10 permanent jobs arising from this project over the first 3-5 years.

NANAIMO VIU received over $1 Million in funding Western Economic Diversification, announced over $1,000,000 in funding for Vancouver Island University to establish a mobile forestry skills training program on BC`s Central Coast and Vancouver Island.

The investment, provided through the Western Diversification Program, will allow Vancouver Island University to purchase mobile training simulators and a truck and trailer unit. The project will help prepare students for a variety of in-demand careers in the forestry industry, including heavy-duty mechanics, heavy equipment operators, logging truck drivers, forestry technicians, logging workers and hand fallers.

With many rural and Aboriginal communities in the region dependent on the forestry industry, this investment will allow program participants to learn and work where they live, reducing education and employment barriers.

Between 2013 and 2022, BC’s coastal forestry industry anticipates 4,650 job openings. Almost 10 per cent of Vancouver Island University’s students are Aboriginal.

“This project is further showcasing Vancouver Island University (VIU) as a dynamic, forward-looking

institution. By supporting this project, our Government will enable VIU to deliver training that will allow students to transition from training into the forestry industry, a sector that has many jobs to offer,” said John Duncan, Minister of State and Chief Government Whip.

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NANAIMO VIU and Port Authority sign MOU Vancouver Island University and the Nanaimo Port Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote collaboration between the organizations in order to support the educational, social, environmental and economic prosperity of the region.

The MOU, signed on June 25, will strengthen the partnership between the two organizations by outlining key objectives for collaboration.

“VIU is focused on fostering and creating prosperous and sustainable communities in our region. To do this we must build strong community partnerships, as reflected in the MOU with the Nanaimo Port Authority,” said VIU’s President & Vice-Chancellor, Ralph Nilson. “I’d like to thank the Port Authority for their leadership and I look forward to working with them on new initiatives that will allow us to continue to build a strong and prosperous region.”

The objectives outlined in the MOU include developing opportunities for educational and research activities to create enhanced learning opportunities for VIU’s students as well as joint initiatives the organizations can work on in order to enhance the sustainability of the marine environment.

"The MOU with Vancouver Island University provides us a key community partner in the development of the economy and environmental prosperity for Vancouver Island,” states Bernie A. Dumas, President and CEO of the Nanaimo Port Authority. “This agreement also reflects our continued relationship with VIU, an organization that shares the Nanaimo Port Authority’s same vision and respect for our Island – the University is a special partner and mentor for success."

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PORT ALBERNI

4 Chinese pilots use Martin Mars bombers for training

Alberni Valley Times The Hawaii Mars water bomber took to the skies over Sproat Lake again recently in a flight training program for Chinese pilots.

Fourteen flight school students from China travelled to Port Alberni to test fly the Hawaii Mars with the International Test Pilot School, a program based in London, Ont. The school contracted the flying boat with Coulson Flying Tankers, which owns and operates the Martin Mars bombers. Four of the Chinese students are pilots, either with the government or Chinese companies. The group includes nine engineers and one interpreter, in addition to the ITPS instructors.

The Chinese pilots and flight engineers are working with the ITPS in preparation for the TA-600 series of large amphibious "flying boat" airplanes currently under construction in China.

The TA-600, powered by four turboprop engines, will be used for search and rescue operations and fighting wildfires. "They're going to learn how to handle the water taxiing in the [Mars] airplane," said Wayne Coulson, CEO of Coulson Flying Tankers.

"What it's like to take off a big four-engine airplane."

"This has been in the works for the last couple of years," said Mayco Noel, manager for Coulson Flying Tankers.

The Mars was made flight-ready this year in preparation for the Chinese pilots, Noel added.

It was a coincidence that the water bomber could also be contracted by the province to fight forest fires for this summer, which has seen a greater need than previous years with heat and drought causing a large number of wildfires early in the season - including the recent Dog Mountain blaze on Sproat Lake.

ITPS began with the Chinese flight students in Ontario, flying smaller planes for 150 hours before travelling to Port Alberni to fly the mighty Mars this week, Tryggvason said.

Group of residents buy old post office Alberni Valley Times The former federal building on the corner

AUGUST 2015

of Argyle Street and Fourth Avenue is getting a facelift.

Under new ownership, the partners released their plans for the historic landmark, which housed Canada Post and other government offices until 2008.

Now ca l led Libberock, the bu i ld i ng was purchased by local business owners and active community members, Brent and Stacey Manson and Mike and Elizabeth McKay. The family-oriented foursome came up with the name from a combination of their children's names, Libby, Roxy and Rockford.

Brent said the intention of the purchase was to invest in the community and enhance Port Alberni's rich heritage.

"Mainly it was a decision to invest locally," Brent sa id . " We were encou ra ged by the revitalization of the Uptown area. The community has supported our families and businesses and now we are in a position to give back."

The lifelong friends acquired the keys to the building just after the May long weekend but the entire sale process took close to one year to complete.

Over the year, the new owners have had a vision of what the transformation will be, but said the process takes several steps.

The plan first is to bring the building's appearance back to its original, if not better, state, so it is ready to accommodate new or existing business tenants.

There has already been a lot of work done by local contractors hired to restore the exterior.

Brent said they intend to keep the original features of the early 1960s heritage building, including the sandstone and marble walls and terrazzo flooring.

After a complete environmental remediation is complete, work can begin on the interior in the fall.

"We want to keep the timeless architecture that many people like, but it is hard to find in small communities," Brent added.

The partners are open to the types of businesses looking to start up in or relocate to the space. With 30,000 square feet available, Stacey said the possibilities are endless.

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AUGUST 2015

CHAMBER EXCEEDS MEMBERSHIP GOAL

COWICHAN VALLEY SONJA NAGEL

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ugust is a busy time for the Chamber. It’s year-end which means everything from counting inventory, to membership renewals, to launching speaker events for the upcoming fiscal year.

We are fortunate to be located in the Cowichan Regional Visitor Centre. What a joy it is to come in everyday and hear accents of visitors from all over the world who have come to explore Cowichan and the Island. The Centre is on track to exceed visitor stats for the month of August, which is typically the busiest month of the year.

We also continue to attract new members and anticipate exceeding our goal of 450 members by the end of August. Businesses recognize the value of belonging to an organization with a key mandate to help grow their businesses.

Everything we do at the Chamber addresses the value proposition, or as we call it, the VOI Value of the Investment members make when they join and support the Chamber.

Members particularly value the Chamber’s many networking, promotional and professional development opportunities. In addition to Lunch ‘n Learns, Business Mixers, and New Member Breakfasts, we launch our

2015/16 Luncheon Speaker series. This year the series includes Providence Farm, the Aerospace Industries Assn of Canada, Cowichan Sport Tourism, Steelhead LNG, Mike Corrigan President and CEO BC Ferries, and others. For the first time, we’ll offer bulk pricing for our luncheon “regulars�, those who purchase five or more lunches.

In July, we upgraded to a responsive website, making it easier for members to use and view the website on a mobile phone. The site receives about 300,000 hits annually, making it a valuable tool for online marketing. Members enjoy digital marketing opportunities on the website, in the weekly e-News and on social media.

Cowichan Valley was recently ranked among Vacay.ca’s 20 Best Places to Visit in Canada.

Enrico Winery’s 2014 Tempest Ortega earned the Lieutenant Governor Award for Excellence in BC Wines. What an honour for Cowichan wineries - it is only the second time an Island wine has been selected! Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon personally presented the prestigious award at a celebration catered by Hilary’s Cheese and Wine Bar of Cowichan Bay. The Valley’s vineyards, wineries, cidery, craft distilleries and breweries are gearing up for the Savour Cowichan Festival, 10 days of celebrating and show casing the Cowichan Valley’s remarkable cornucopia of locally produced food and drink. Over 40 artisanal food and beverage producers will be hosting more than 60 epicurean events throughout the region. Join us in the beautiful Cowichan Valley September 25 – October 4, 2015.

Sonja Nagel is Executive Director of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at manager@duncancc.bc.ca or 250-748-1111

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SALES

AUGUST 2015

SIX WAYS TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE

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ou know good customer service when you experience it.

It’s hard to explain at times when it’s not so great, but it’s easy to recognize when a customer service agent has gone above and beyond to make sure you’re satisfied.

At some point, every day, everyone is a customer. A good customer service experience is something that everyone can relate to – so what is it that makes for an exquisite customer service touchpoint?

Because of word-of-mouth and social media, companies can’t afford to provide less than stellar customer service. Sandler Training teaches companies how to focus on the fundamentals of customer service due to its direct impact on the bottom line.

Whether you’re in B2C or B2B sales, the following tips are tried and true and will help your company reap the rewards that come with exceptional customer care.

Ask questions upfront. From the very beginning of a customer relationship, it’s crucial to know exactly what’s expected. This allows for you to manage expectations and also gauge what your customer will consider a success.

If you’ve heard Sandler mention the “upfront contract” you know it all starts at this step.

Listen to your customer. When a customer speaks, you should be listening. This is when you’ll discover their pain and identify where you’ll really be able to make an impact and move the needle for their business. Additionally, sometimes a customer just needs an outside opinion to ‘hear them.’

This is when you’ll establish that trusting relationship salespeople long for.

Communicate regularly. A good business practice is to always be ahead of your customer. They should never be wondering when they’ll be hearing from you. Make it your practice to establish regular communications. And if there’s a particular situation that needs tending to, make sure you’re on top of the need and communicating accordingly. Remember, you’re there to make their job easier and more efficient.

Be sincere. This should go without saying, but your efforts and communications with your customers should be nothing short of sincere. Take a moment and put yourself in their shoes. If it’s important and pressing to them then make sure they know you understand their concerns and needs. Then, do your best to provide solutions to remedy the problem.

Request feedback. A customer likes to be heard – and why shouldn’t they? They’re paying for a service and want to be handled to their liking. Insist that they rate you and give their feedback so that you can better service their needs. This is mutually beneficial as you’ll grow as a professional and they’ll likely continue to do business with you.

K e e p a l o n g-t e r m m i n dset. There’s no quick fix when it comes to customer service. Companies that thrive invest in longterm training that the tackles behaviors, attitudes and techniques that are essential to customer service.

Customer service has often been called the “frontline” of an organization. When executed properly, a happy customer will share their positive experience which will ultimately lead to referrals and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

What are some of your customer service best practices?

John Glennon is the owner of Insight Sales Consulting Inc, an authorized Sandler Training Licensee. He can be reached at jglennon@sandler.com, toll free at 1-866-645-2047 or visit www.glennon.sandler.com

Royal LePage aquires Coast Realty Group

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oyal LePage Real Estate Services has announced the acquisition of the Coast Realty Group brokerage and property management business which will operate under the Royal LePage banner, effective immediately.

Established in 1984, Coast Realty Group is a large, independent real estate company operating out of nine offices on Vancouver Island and one office on the mainland in Powell River, British Columbia.

Barry Clark and Travis Carmichael, broker owners of Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty have acquired and will merge their brokerage with Coast Realty Group offices in Nanaimo and Ladysmith and

on Gabriola Island. Combined, the brokerage has the largest market share in Ladysmith and on Gabriola Island and has almost tripled its market share in Nanaimo, based on units sold.

Clinton Miller, broker owner of Royal LePage Port Alberni-Pacific Rim Realty has acquired the Coast Realty Group offices in Port Alberni and Ucluelet.

The Port Alberni office will merge with Miller’s brokerage in Port Alberni and the Ucluelet office will be a branch office of that location. Both offices will operate as Royal LePage Port Alberni-Pacific Rim Realty. Combined, the brokerage has the largest market share in both Port Alberni and Ucluelet, based on units sold.

NANAIMO

AUGUST 2015

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Business grows into impressive enterprise Nanaimo Daily News uring the late 1970s, a large cheese manufacturing company in Nanaimo was embroiled in a labour dispute. Entrepreneur George Thomson saw that as an opportunity to launch Paradise Island Foods. It started out as a home business, Thomson would buy cheese in bulk, chop it and distribute it to local business. In 2003 Thomson passed his business to his sons, Kevin and Len. The family run business has evolved into a 37,000 squarefoot manufacturing and warehousing facility with a fleet of semi-trailers and a nationwide distribution network. A few years ago the brothers purchased Bothwell Cheese, which is based out of Winnipeg.

Len is the president of Paradise Island Cheese and Kevin is the president of Bothwell Cheese.

Why did you decide to keep Paradise Island Foods in Nanaimo?

It would make sense for us to be positioned in Vancouver, but we've chosen Nanaimo.

This is home for all of our team, our employees, this is home and always will be.

Kevin is the president and CEO of Bothwell Cheese but Kevin still resides in

D

Brothers Len and Kevin Thomson own and operate Paradise Island Foods Inc. Nanaimo. Kevin commutes, he's in Winnipeg every two weeks but his family, home, culture, everything is here in Nanaimo, we have no desire to move. We very much enjoy it here, we love Vancouver Island, we love what it has to offer recreationally and love the people here.

What challenges have you faced?

One of the attributes of Vancouver Island many years ago was that there was a lot of

Non-stop WestJet flights to Edmonton coming soon The Nanaimo Daily News anaimo passengers will have nonstop flights to Edmonton starting in December.

The Calgary-based national air carrier WestJet announced the service recently. Nanaimo Airport officials are pleased to see all the hard work finally pay off.

"It's one of those things we've been working on for a couple of years," said Nanaimo Airport CEO Mike Hooper. "We had a venue in the fall that included WestJet folks and we were pushing for it then. We're delighted it's a go, both for our passengers and our communities."

It's the third service expansion by WestJet, which first introduced non-stop Calgary service in June 2013, then added a second daily trip last fall.

Edmonton flights will depart Nanaimo at 2:25 p.m. and arrive in the Alberta capital at 5:12 p.m. Introductory fares are on offer for $170.23, taxes included, $196.48 Edmonton to Nanaimo.

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For people who live on the Island and work in northern Alberta, it's another option.

"By the end of 2015, we're expecting about 320,000 (passengers)," Hooper said.

That level of traffic was forecast for 2021, meaning the Nanaimo Airport is now six years ahead of schedule, and that means an expansion originally planned for 2020 is needed earlier.

"We're hoping in the next number of years to double the size of our terminal building.

We need space for a customs facility, also," Hooper said.

The airport submitted an application in February for $3.7 million in federal funding, for an $11-million expansion which would be shared three ways with the province and the airport.

"Hopefully we can get the Build Canada money to increase our terminal size," Hooper said.

"We're just waiting to see if we're successful."

independent business. We've seen over the years a lot of the independent businesses have been purchased. Vancouver Island for the longest time was the independent market of Canada and still very much is.

What has happened over time is the independents have somewhat been reduced as large corporations come on the Island.

That has impacted our business in that there's not as many independents as there used to be. What we have done is grown our business, now more than 50 per cent of our business is off Vancouver Island, and yes, we stay here.

W hat are your future plans for the business?

We want to continue to grow our brand

and specifically what separates our brand from the national brand. Our advantage is we don't use any modified milk ingredients or any other fillers.

What advice do you have to entrepreneurs just starting out?

My recommendation is to take their vision, put it into a solid business plan and find your point of difference to the rest of the market and focus on that. Sweat equity is a big part of how we got to where we have gotten to. It's a solid plan.

And don't be afraid to ask for advice.

Over the years we've gotten a lot of good advice and we've heeded it, whether it's customers, whether it's vendors or even if it's contracted professionally. Seek advice.

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REAL ESTATE

AUGUST 2015

HOUSING MARKET COOLS SLIGHTLY IN JULY BUT REMAINS STRONG

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IREB’s robust spring and summer housing market cooled slightly in July but was still significantly stronger than one year ago.

L a s t m o n t h , 5 15 s i ngle-family homes sold on the MLS system compared to 636 in June 2015, a decrease of 19 per cent. However, year-over-year sales rose by 13 per cent from July 2014. Inventory levels continue to decline, with active listings down 14 per cent since last July.

BCREA Chief Economist Cameron Muir states that although experts are predicting a “technical recession” for Canada, BC’s economy continues to lead the country and shows no signs of slowing down. The province’s gross domestic product (GDP) is holding at between 2.0 and 2.3 per cent.

“Low interest rates and high consumer confidence continue to drive housing sales throughout the province,” says Muir.

“Waning inventory is also accelerating activity in many markets.”

VIREB President-Elect Margo Hoffman confirms that sales in our area reflect what is happening in the rest of the province.

She attributes the decrease in July sales to a particularly strong June rather than a weakening market. In fact, although the summer months are traditionally quieter, realtors in the VIREB area are very busy.

“We haven’t slowed down at all this summer, which is unusual,” says Hoffman. “Normally, July and August are

quieter due to consumers’ holiday plans, but not this year.”

Hoffman notes that although inventory levels have declined each month since the beginning of the year, our benchmark price for single-family homes is up just under five per cent from a year ago.

“Our market is still in balanced territory, but some areas are on the cusp between a seller’s and buyer’s market, depending on the property type,” says Hoffman.

In July 2015, the benchmark price for a single-family home in the VIREB coverage area was $338,700, up approximately five per cent from 2014. Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area. The average price of a single-family home was $364,277 compared to $346,811 in July 2014, an increase of five per cent.

The July 2015 benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area was $285,500, an increase of 5.22 per cent from last year. In the Comox Valley, the benchmark price was $335,200, up 1.77 per cent from 2014. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $299,400, an increase of 6.84 per cent over the same month in 2014. Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose 5.88 per cent to $354,700 while the Parksville-Qualicum area saw its benchmark price rise by 5.89 per cent to $375,500.

The price for a benchmark home in Port Alberni was $194,300, a decrease of 3.25 per cent since July 2014.

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ACCOUNTING

AUGUST 2015

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USING INSURANCE TO PROVIDE TAX FREE CASH TO YOUR ESTATE/BUSINESS

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ost people, especially in North America, rely heavily on insurance to cover personal losses, damage, illness, or death. What everyone does not know is that insurance can also provide tax free cash to your business or estate.

How does it work?

Businesses with excess cash u su a l ly look for avenues to invest. They should consider placing them in life insurance instead of placing them in taxable investments since there are permanent life insurance policies that allows tax-deferred growth of the cash value of the policy. The cash value growth within an exempt policy is not subject to annual accrual taxation and is only subject to tax if there is a disposition (deemed or otherwise) of the policy.

In addition to tax free investment, corporate owned life insurance can reduce taxes paid on the shares of a corporation at death of shareholder since the death benefit received by a corporation from a life insurance policy may give rise to a capital dividend account (CDA) credit (which is tax free).

W h a t i s a C DA o r Cap i t a l Dividend Account? CDA is a notiona l ta x accou nt created as a means of tracking tax

Another characteristic of a corporate owned life insurance is the effect of reducing the value of the corporation on the deemed distribution of Joyce Smith, President and CEO of JA Smith & Associates free amounts for income tax pu r poses a nd passi ng these a mou nts t h rou g h to sh a reholders by means of a tax free dividend.

Death benefits from an exempt life insurance policy received by a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC) create a credit to its CDA. The CDA credit is equal to the excess of the death benefit proceeds over the corporation’s adjusted cost basis (ACB) immediately before death. Because of the CDA credit, the corporation can declare and pay capital dividends.

Capital dividends received from a CCPC are not taxable to the sha reholder. T herefore, the proceeds from a life insurance death benefit in excess of the ACB of the policy are tax free.

corporate assets at the time of death

What is an ACB or adjusted cost basis? ACB is the cost of the insurance policy. There are numerous factors that increase or decrease an ACB but the most com mon a re prem iu m s a nd the net cost of pure insurance (NCPI). It is increased by the total of all premiums paid and decreased by the annual NCPI. NCPI roughly speaking is the mortality charge for the pure insurance element of a policy.

Another characteristic of a corporate owned life insurance is the effect of reducing the value of the corporation on the deemed distribution of corporate assets at the time of death. Deemed disposition at death are valued at

fair market value and fair market value of a corporate owned life insurance policy on a shareholder is generally limited to the cash surrender value only. Thus, corporate dollars held in a life insurance policy can be sheltered from the personal tax that would otherwise arise at death.

These potential benefits make investing in a life insurance attractive for private corporations wholly owned by an individual.

In other words, while the policy may provide the same death benefit whether held in a corporation or personally, the corporately owned policy provides the additional benefit of potentially reducing the tax payable on the shares of the corporation at death and on the distribution of the corporation’s assets to the estate.

Sti l l not getti ng the whole picture? Visit your professional accountant for a thorough explanation of the benefits of getting a life insurance for your business.

J.A. Smith & Associates Inc. is a team of dedicated professionals who provide reliable accounting, financial management and tax services to businesses and individuals. They can be reached at 1-800-343-6133.

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KIM SMYTHE This summer, the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce unites forces with Tourism Nanaimo to focus the spotlight of our local tourism industry on a networking, professional development and leadership awareness program called “Tourism Matters”.

With annual visitor spending of over $75,000,000 in the Nanaimo area, tourism is clearly vital to our community and its economy.

From hotels to campgrounds, retailers to car rentals and restaurants – Nanaimo has more than 1,200 businesses that cater to visitors year-round. Therefore, a partnership of the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Nanaimo makes perfect sense to salute this sector on a regular and frequent basis.

“Tourism Matters” is a sector-focused endeavor -- just one more way of bringing the working parts of that particular business community together to get to know each other, educate themselves about their industry, and share in professional development events.

The first partnered “Tourism Matters” event took place in July at Pioneer Waterfront Plaza, with

the venue sponsored by the Nanaimo Port Authority. Additional sponsorship came through the DNBIA. Representatives of major summer events and festivals provided an overview of Nanaimo’s coming celebrations. Intense networking spread the word about other tourism businesses in the community, and there were plenty of ‘outside the box’ idea exchanges to add energy.

W hether you’re a Chamber member or not, “Tourism Matters” events are a great way for businesses to get to know each other, contribute to the offers we make to tourists and help enhance Nanaimo as a great destination.

Watch the Chamber website for announcements of future events.

The Chamber will also be creating similar future opportunities with the manufacturing, export, and technology sectors in the coming months as well. Those efforts won’t be a duplication of “Tourism Matters”, instead programs will be developed that suit the individual needs and demands of each sector. Keep connected.

NOTE: “Feast-ival” is coming September 26. It’s a new and exciting showcase of the local food and beverage scene featuring some of the finest locally-sourced products, ingredients, talent and attractions on the mid-Island. Meet the folks who make and grow your favourite food and drink, all in one place, at one amazing event.

Tickets available at the Chamber of Commerce 250-756-1191, ext #4 or email: registration@nanaimochamber.bc.ca Kim Smythe is CEO of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce.

He can be reached at ceo@ nanaimochamber.bc.ca

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une was an excellent month for t he Na n a i mo tou r i sm industry, according to information released by Chemistry Consulting Group (CCG), a human resource consulting firm that works in partnership w ith GT Hiring Solutions, a Nanaimo-based job placement agency.

The June tourism report released by CCG indicated the Harbour City recorded an occupancy rate of nearly 70 percent that month, the highest level since 2008. The monthly stats report indicated the overall room occupancy rate in Nanaimo was up just over t h ree p ercent ye a r-to-d ate when compa red to the sa me period in 2014.

“This growth in occupancy i s combi ned w it h a hea lt hy i nc re a s e i n ro om rate s a nd RevPAR (revenue per available

The Nanaimo Airport saw more than 27,000 passengers pass through its terminal in June room) which accommodators s h o u l d b e p l e a s e d w it h . I n general, all key June and YTD indicators show improvement re l a t ive to l a s t ye a r w h i c h bodes well for the rest of the summer,” stated Frank Bourree, a principle with CCG. A few highlights of the June report showed that room occupancy in the city was up just over one percent f rom Ju ne 2014, while the revenues generated by those rooms was up an average of $8 per room when compared to the same time last year.

In addition, vehicle traffic coming through the BC Ferry terminal at Departure Bay was up just over one percent from June 2014. In contrast vehicle t ra f f ic pa ssi ng t h roug h t he Duke Point BC Ferry terminal recorded a jump of more than nine percent. Walk-on passenger traffic through Duke Point was also up, by more than six percent over the same month last year.

T he Na na i mo A i r p or t saw more than 27,000 passengers pass through its term inal in Ju n e , a s p i k e o f m o re t h a n 16 p erc ent f rom Ju ne 201 4.

Ju n e w a s a n e x c e p t i o n a l l y good month for the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (VICC) which saw more than 4,500 persons use the downtown facility in June, a jump of nearly 69 percent from June 2014.

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AUGUST 2015

25 YEARS 1990 Creative employs 4 and stocks 20,000 Chinook 2001 Creative eliminates the use of antibiotics in its market fish 2013 Company becomes certified organic under the Canadian General Standards Board

FISH FARM CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS Organic product and strong relationship with First Nation boosts company’s success

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OFINO - Setting historical landmarks, creating a unique product and finding a niche market is part of Creative Salmon’s 25-year success story.

“In a world of very large companies farming salmon, we needed to find a competitive edge,” said Bill Vernon, Creative’s first general manager.

The company found it, not only in producing Canada’s first certified organic farmed salmon, but also in its relationships with the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation.

The first salmon farming company in BC to hire a full-time Aboriginal liaison, Creative worked with members of the Nation including, hereditary chief, Bruce Frank, who now chairs the Creative Salmon/Tla-o-qui-aht Fish Farm Committee, in establishing a formal protocol. Frank credits ongoing communication and relationship building for the success of the agreement.

The list of Creative’s firsts doesn’t stop there however. It was also the first salmon farm to implement an environmental monitoring

program.

Vernon said concern for the environment and fish health led to a decision to eliminate copper and chemical antifoulants on nets, to early use of underwater cameras during feeding and to the decision to move away from antibiotic use.

Current general manager, Tim Rundle, said Creative Salmon has much to be proud of, as a founding member of the Pacific Organic Seafood Association; it was a driving force in seeing the organic certification established.

2014 Tla-o-qui-aht Nation signs formal protocol agreement with Creative Salmon

COMPANY OVERVIEW North America’s largest supplier of Pacific Chinook salmon, Creative is fully integrated, producing its own broodstock and smolts at its hatchery in Chemainus, raising and harvesting the fish in Clayoquot Sound and processing the fish in a plant on the docks in Tofino.

Chinook or King salmon, indigenous to British Columbia waters, is the species that Creative raises exclusively. With a higher fat content than most salmon, Chinook has a rich flavour that chefs around the world demand and appreciate.

Creative employs 55 people full-time and year round. It operates four farms with its six site tenures and distributes its certified organic Chinook salmon to locations in Canada, the United States and Japan.

“Creative has always pushed to be different and to always get better,” Rundle said. He added that as Canada’s first certified organic farm raised salmon producer, it has a lot to celebrate.

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AUGUST 2015

AIRPORTS AIRPORTS PLAY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN BUILDING COMMUNITY BC’s airports see increase in passenger numbers across the board BETH HENDRY-YIM

A

irports across BC forecast continued growth and expansion due to increased passenger numbers and demand for services.

James Bogusz, vice-president operations and development, Victoria Airport Authority (YYJ) said that the demand for more flights and new routes has put the capital’s airport in growth mode.

The economic generation of an airport cannot be understated JAMES BOGUSZ VICE-PRESIDENT OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY

YXS receives world’s second largest cargo plane carrying seven helicopters

Mike Hooper said Nanaimo airport has already passed 2020 passenger traffic projections

YYJ is the tenth busiest airport in Canada, sees 1.65 million passengers a year and has annual revenue of $26 million.

“Over the past five years passenger numbers grew, with a record in 2014 pushing six per cent year over year growth.” He added that this consistent growth has stimulated several capital projects including increased parking for planes.

“Traffic is either a flight of origin or destination. We have no connecting flights. As a result we have aircraft needing to park overnight.”

He added that as part of the airport’s capital initiative it is expanding the north apron to add two to three additional parking stalls. YYJ also adding

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AIRPORTS

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storm water collection and a glycol treatment pond.

In addition to accommodating aircrafts, YYJ is also planning more parking for passengers.

“We want to be prepared for the future and to accommodate long term parking,” he said. “Last Christmas parking went beyond capacity with cars parked on the side of the road. It’s a short but busy 15-day window around the holiday season.”

Recently, YYJ announced that Delta Airlines will be providing service to Victoria starting April 2016, with three daily flights between Seattle and Victoria.

“Currently, the airport has five flights a day to Seattle through Horizon Airlines,” Bogusz said, adding that the additional flights will serve the Delta hub and introduce a new airline to the capital region.

“The economic generation of an airport cannot be understated,” he said. “As a result of having an airport and the ability to have air transportation into the city, we can grow tourism, technology and direct and indirect jobs. We have a greater capacity to move cargo and the ability to get business people where they need to go.”

Airport authorities receive no funding from the government. Each airport is responsible for its own operating costs. Flight fees alone do not cover the enormous budget. Most airports add to the cash flow coffers through non-aeronautical revenue.

“Low fees are attractive to airlines,” Bogusz said, adding that $3 million in revenue comes from renting land to high tech, manufacturing and industrial companies as well as to aviation related companies like Paciϐic Sky

AUGUST 2015

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James Bogusz said Victoria Airport Authority is the tenth busiest airport in Canada Aviation, Viking Air, and Vancouver Island Helicopters. Additional revenue comes from concessions, restaurants and retail outlets.

Mike Hooper, president and chief executive officer, Nanaimo Airport (YCD), said land leases offset the central island’s airport fees.

With 500 acres of property 18 km south of Nanaimo and 10 minutes from the ferries, rail and port, it offers highly visible development opportunities to aeronautical and non-aeronautical businesses.

With this year already surpassing 2020 projections and every month breaking records in passenger numbers, Hooper said YCD is taking steps to ensure passenger and air carrier needs are met, noting that several projects from safety equipment to additional destinations are currently in process.

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AUGUST 2015

AIRPORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

firefighters, and a fire station that should be completed by early 2016.”

YCD has also put in a request for $11 million for a terminal expansion from Build Canada Fund.

“YCD is looking to double the size of the terminal,” Hooper said. “A third of the $11 million would be from the province, a third from the federal government and a third from YCD.” He added that when approval for the funding gets a green light expansion of the terminal should be completed within 24 months.

Kelowna Airport (YLW) has also seen steady growth, up 79 per cent since 2004. Jenelle Hynes,

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Blue Navigator volunteers at Nanaimo Airport help coach passengers through arriving and departing business development and community relations, YLW, said that in January 2015 the airport had seen 25 consecutive record breaking months.

She added that from February to May they saw a 0.4 per cent decrease, citing changes in the oil industry and fewer charter flights as the cause.

“We feel a stronger ripple effect at YLW because of the larger number of oil workers who live here and work in the oil fields.”

The eleventh busiest airport in Canada, YLW sees approximately 65 per cent leisure travel and 35 per cent business. Hynes said that Kelowna has an older affluent demographic of seniors with a set income and sufficient disposable income for traveling. She added that YLW also sees Albertans, with second homes in Kelowna, traveling back

and forth to visit grandchildren.

“At the end of October we’ll have our winter schedule in place. That’s when we have our flights to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Mexico and Cuba.”

Providing strong seasonal service is a draw for airlines looking at creating additional flights to different destinations.

“YLW researches and establishes a business case for a destination; so does the airline,” Hynes said.

“When the airline sees a lot of connectivity, for instance when a passenger from Kelowna flies to Vancouver and then to another destination, the airline can track it and then determine what destinations are in demand.”

Recently, Sunwing, with established service at YLW added a new direct flight to Cuba.

“Domestically, with Air North f ly i ng from W h ite Horse to

Kelowna and back twice a week and Paciϐic Coastal Airlines flying Cranbrook to Kelowna, we are seeing the passengers from these flights using YLW as the connecting airport to other destinations like Mexico,” Hynes said.

“As the third largest airport in BC, only 50,000 passengers separate us from second place Victoria. Our city population is much smaller than the capital city, but, as a hub, we service the Thompson-Okanagan as well as parts of BC’s southern interior.”

Growing services means the need for expansion and Hynes said that YLW, between 2010 and 2020, will invest more than $92 million in expansions and upgrades.

“Our outbound baggage haul expansion will more than double the processing capability and we’ll be using modern technology for screening and a self-baggage drop.”

She added that the large project would be completed in three years.

In addition, the departure area and existing retail outlets will have modern upgrades as well as the addition of food kiosks, duty free shops and a family center.

“YLW wanted to be smart with expansion and growth,’ she said.

“We didn’t want to build just for the sake of building. Planning and design considers growth, but it also maintains customer satisfaction levels.”

Lindsay Cotter, manager of communications, Prince George Airport (YXS), called YXS the Gateway

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to Northern BC. With healthy, steady growth, its passenger travel is heavier on the business side.

She said that YXS, with the third longest runway in Canada, has a fairly aggressive cargo program.

“Any aircraft can land on our runway. We’ve had the third largest operating cargo plane in the world land here, picking up seven helicopters headed to Angola.”

Expanding the runway to 11,450 ft. was the first step in the airport’s cargo program. Cotter said that the second was bringing in common storage fuel tanks.

“We have the capacity to store 600,000 litres of fuel onsite. Now, we can offer fuel at more competitive prices.”

The third phase is the construction of a 25,000 sq ft cargo warehouse. Only announced at the end of June 2015, the project will be completed by the end of November.

The cargo program puts YXS as the closest Canadian airport to the Asian market, not only for refueling, but also for distribution of cargo to and from Northern BC. “Cargo planes can use us as a fuel stop before flying on to places like Chicago,” Cotter said.

Airports in BC are strong economic drivers, bringing direct and indirect business and revenue to each region. As each airport authority in BC plans and executes expansion and development projects, passengers and businesses will continue to use and enjoy the flight experience.

FL Y FREE!

AIRPORTS

AUGUST 2015

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PASSENGER SERVICE AND TRAFFIC SEES DRAMATIC GROWTH Making the early Air Canada and Westjet flights provide more connectivity for travellers

connection means passengers no longer have to spend a night in

C

OMOX -Wit h a n ea rly morning departure and late evening return, Fred Bigelow, CEO, Comox Valley Airport Commission (CVAC) said passengers can now connect to 14 additional Westjet markets from its base in Calgary.

“Making the early connection means passengers no longer have to spend a night in the city before flying to places like Cuba, Mexico and the United States,” he said.

Westjet provides three daily f l ig hts yea r rou nd a nd fou r flights in the summer from Comox to Calgary, and from November 2015 to April 2016 they offer non-stop service from YQQ to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

“We’ve seen an increase in our leisure flights with Westjet’s connections in Calgary and the addition of Air Canada flights to Vancouver.”

In Vancouver, passengers have more than 20 Air Canada destinations to connect with the same day. Bigelow said that this provides choices for passengers traveling to international

the city before flying to places like Cuba, Mexico and the United States FRED BIGELOW CEO COMOX VALLEY AIRPORT COMMISSION

Ex-military, Fred Bigelow said the relationship between the Crown and YQQ is symbiotic CREDIT:CHRISTIANNE WILE

destinations like Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing and London and Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

“The extra capacity increased p a s s e n ge r t ra f f i c w i t h t h e added bonus that Air Canada passengers can now collect or redeem Aeroplan miles from YQQ instead of driving down to Nanaimo.”

The economic impact of new air service brings extensive benefits to the local economy with potential impacts of up to $13.5 million in direct GDP and $26.4 million in direct economic output.

Central Mountain Air continues to provide direct flights from Comox to Va ncouver’s I nternationa l ma i n term i nal with a code-share with Air Canada that allows passengers direct connections within Air Canada’s network and seaml e s s b a g g a ge t ra n s fe r. A nd Pacif ic Coast al Airlines offers low fares to Vancouver’s south terminal, a less congested

area with close proximity to parking.

YQQ is well prepared for the i ncrease i n t ra f f ic. Bigelow said that its strategic plan was well laid out with careful forethought to support the growing service and traffic.

“We can carry on with a significant increase in passenger levels without needing to increase anything other than the parking lot.”

He added t h at t he a i r p or t h a s a n u n c o n d i t i o n a l p u rchase agreement on a piece of su rrou nd i ng la nd that YQQ is eyeing for expanded parking facilities, and an airport improvement fee of $5.00 per passenger provides the opportunity to save for future land acqu isitions a nd term i na l improvements.

The past fiscal year has been successful for YQQ with a reported three per cent increase in revenue, a one per cent decrease in expenses and a healthy $816,925 surplus.

Established in 1996 as a nonshare capital and not-for-profit organization, CVAC operates the civil aviation facilities, including the terminal and apron at YQQ. Originally a military a i r ba se, to d ay t he a i r f ield a nd its associated system s, including air traffic control,

are operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force on a continuous 24-hour basis.

Ex-military himself, Bigelow said that the relationship between YQQ and the military is symbiotic with the Crown paying for the taxiways, runways, air traffic control, crash and firefighting response and YQQ providing service for members and their families. “ T h e a i r forc e move s p ersonnel from our terminal for disaster relief, deploying for exercise purposes and to areas of conflict. It works out well for the military as we maintain the terminal and they get the use of the airport facilities like baggage handling and screening.”

Bigelow said that the airport is preparing its fall ad campaign broadcasting the benefits of using YQQ for domestic and international flights.

“It makes good sense to start your journey from here, without having to worry about the added expense and hassle of taking the ferry to the mainland. Tack on gas, drive time, parking and possibly overnight accommodation and that discount ticket from the mainland suddenly becomes a lot pricier.”

The Comox Valley Airport is at 1250 Knight Rd. in Courtenay www.comoxairport.com

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AUGUST 2015

WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY EXPANDS REACH When you’re a hands on Local company creates niche for innovative solutions to waste management

company, you can focus on all the little details DEREK HAARSMA

L

OWNER

ADYSMITH - He’s been called David to the corporate Goliath, slaying monopolizing waste disposal giants and building a locally grown successful business. But waste management innovator, D e r e k H a a r s m a , ow ner of Haarsma Waste Innovations is doing more than calling out the big boys, he’s setting precedents and standards in an industry with a significant global impact.

T he company is the largest i ndependent, fa m i ly ow ned and operated commercial and re s id ent i a l wa s te m a n a gement and recycling company in the mid-island region with expansion of their services to the southern tip of the island.

Specializing in customizing com merci a l t ra sh remova l, recycl i ng a nd orga n ic composting programs to suit business and residential needs it provides service from Victoria to Campbell River.

Haa rsma, who has been i n the business since he was nine years old, earning an allowance helping his dad with his waste management company, left the business in 2003, citing cutthroat ethics and unfair dealings.

I n 2008, he decided to get b a c k i n to t h e b u s i n e s s b u t was met with such strong anti-competition practices that he took t he two G ol iat hs to court and won.

Tod ay Ha a rsm a Waste I nnovations services more than 800 customers with 11 employees, 10 specialized trucks and its own processing facility in Cassidy.

“We’re a local company with a n eye for deta i l,” Haa rsma said. “We keep our containers and equipment clean and

HAARSMA WASTE INNOVATIONS

Derek Haarsma started in the business at nine years old earning allowance helping his dad

Business partners Joe Avaiki and Derek Haarsma have been friends for 23 years

Congratulations Haarsma Waste Innovations Inc! We are proud to work with Derek and his team!

Always A Pleasure Working With Derek, and The Haarsma Team!

MACK Sales & Service of Nanaimo Ltd. 2213 McCullough Rd. Nanaimo

www.rollinsmachinery.ca | 1-800-665-9060 | Langley - Chilliwack - Parksville

Ph: 250-758-0185

19

AUGUST 2015

What can and can’t be composted

Trash bins range in size from 1 yd to 8yds well-maintained, our drivers clean the trucks every night after finishing their day.”

It even has a system for taking care of graffiti on containers right away. “ W h e n yo u’re a h a n d s o n compa ny, you c a n fo cu s on all the little details like how to quickly and efficiently take care of tags on bins.”

One of those details set Haarsma up as an innovator.

Recognizing the need for custom ized waste programs for apartment buildings, the company introduced composting in addition to its recycling and waste disposal services. It provided the education and literature and pioneered this service.

“When food scraps are covered up at the landfill it produce s met h a ne ga s, a more destr uctive compou nd tha n carbon dioxide,” he said, addi ng that ta k i ng the waste to Nanaimo Organics and having it composted into dirt removes it from the waste stream and turns it into something useful.

“Restaurants are the biggest ge n e rators of org a n i c fo o d waste,” Ha a rsm a sa id. “We supply specia l ized bi ns a nd solutions for the high volume of waste they generate.”

He added that the company provides service for 90 per cent of the Tim Horton’s in the region, the MacDonalds’ restaurants and Dairy Queen.

“We’re the largest commercial handler in the mid island for composting,” he said. “We handle a lot of food waste from our restaurants, apartments and strata complexes.”

Ha a rsma I n novat ions a lso prov ides waste ma nagement solut ion s to G a br iol a a nd T het i s I sl a nd s a nd i s a

contractor for Multi Material BC (MMBC).

“M MBC is a non-profit organization that handles all recycling material and we are one of its designated contractors.”

He said that the contract with MMBC is for apartment buildings in Nanaimo that want a full spectrum of recycling, including all paper, packaging, containers and tin. Haarsma Innovations picks up the waste a nd del ivers it to a n M M BC plant for sorting and recycling.

“Apa r tment bu i ld i ngs a nd multi family units get a much better recycling program than they have had in the past with this system.”

Trash totes or custom trash bins range in size from 1 yard to 8 yards and fit into recycling compounds. For larger complexes, the addition of smaller spotter trucks that can maneuver in tighter locations with re s t r i c te d c e i l i n g h e i g h t s ,

Very proud to work with Derek at Haarsma Waste Innovation!

allows Haarsma Innovations to convert apartment buildings waste and recycling totes to streamlined metal bins.

The company also provides a spring clean up service where it will pick up larger items and because they do not cha nge curbside and strata collection days for the holidays the schedule is always up to date.

At t he Ha a rsma Waste I nnovat ions pla nt i n Cassidy, 200 metric tons of paper, including commercial cardboard from restaurants, is processed, bailed and shipped every month to various mills.

A lthoug h the secret to the compa ny’s success cou ld be rel ate d to t he new g uy t r iumphing over the entrenched ones w ith a strong foothold in the market, Haarsma said he believes its success comes from the hard work he, his wife Tiffany, business partner and friend of 23 years, Joe Avaiki,

and staff have put into the job of growing a business.

Growing up in the industry, and owning and running several businesses has given Haarsma a broad level of expertise and experience with customer service, management and dealing with the competition.

“T he i ndustry is evolv i ng, it’s no longer just hauling garbage to the dump. That’s only a small portion.”

He added that stay i ng on top of i ndust r y sta nd a rds and regulations is important because the reasons beh i nd proper management of trash has changed, from getting rid of to reusing.

Haarsma believes that being loca l ly ow ned a nd operated gives his company and clients an advantage over multi national competitors.

“When a client needs us, we are there. They phone our office and a local employee answers the phone. You won’t get a call service. We live in the same community as our customers and really care about what our clients need and how waste is managed.”

He said that supporting a local business keeps dollars, jobs and products in the community.

“Most of our competitors are f rom t he Un ited States a nd aside from wages most of the money goes south of the border.

That’s not supporting a local sustainable economy.”

He added that h is customers appreciate the fact that his company is locally owned, that it has the extensive experience and that all-important, bordering on fanatical, attention to detail.

Haarsma Waste Innovations contributes back into the community, supporting baseball and hockey teams, Children’s Hospital, Tour de Rock, Till icu m Hou se a nd i s a proud supporter of the BC Summer Games and Haarsma himself is a member of the Nanaimo Lion’s Club H a a r s m a Wa s t e I n n o v ations is at 6833 Metro Rd. in Lantzville www.haarsma.ca

Congratulations Derek and everyone who has helped along the way making

P 250-758-5217 F 250-758-1444 2230 McCullough Road Nanaimo, BC V9S 4M8

a leader in waste reduction and environmental awareness. We look forward to your continuing success.

Decals Signs Banners 1.250.743.5553

RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE ...Torch Award Nominations Do you know of a business that goes above and beyond expectations? Do you do business with a company that is committed to being ethical in all their business practices and stands behind their promises? Now is the time to nominate them for a BBB Torch Award.

Each year BBB of Vancouver Island celebrates companies that stand out from the crowd through our annual Torch Award celebration. We collect nominations from customers and other Rosalind Scott, BBBVI President & CEO local businesses, and ask nominees to share with us the story of what a company has done to demonstrate that they are worthy of winning a prestigious BBB Torch Award.

a special thanks to our

Community Partners

to

Once nominations are received, BBB staff review the nominations and organize them into different categories and groupings that fairly represent the companies that are being honoured. A small panel of judges then screens all the nominations, picking out the best ones to become Torch Award finalists. Next a larger panel of independent judges from the local business community once again reviews the nominations by specific categories and carefully chooses a winner.

Judges will make their decision on which company should win a Torch Award in each business category based on how well the nomination explains the company’s commitment to: 1) Ethical Decision Making – Does the company demonstrate positive, honest, fair, reliable business practices? How does the company treat its customers, employees, suppliers/vendors/contractors and the community at large?

2) Trustworthiness – Can the company be trusted to deliver on its promises?

3) Customer Service Excellence – Does the company strive to go above and beyond in its operations, services and commitment to customer satisfaction?

4) Community Engagement – How does the company take a leadership role in supporting the greater community of which it is a part?

Anyone can nominate a business for a Torch Award. It is important to note that BBB is looking for a good story – a story that contains concrete examples of the nominator’s personal experience doing business with the company.

To nominate a business for a Torch Award, go to the BBB website at: bbb.org/Vancouver-island and download a Torch Award Nomination Form.

You then have a few different options: • Complete the fillable PDF form, save it and email it back to us; or • Send us an email with the same information required on the nomination form; or • Print off the form and fax us a copy of the completed nomination; or • Print off the form, fill it out and drop it in the mail or pop by our office.

(Our email, fax and mailing address is located directly on the nomination form itself.)

The deadline for nominations to be submitted for the 2015 Torch Awards is August 31, 2015. For more information about BBB serving Vancouver Island and the Torch Awards go to: bbb.org/Vancouver-island.

*Trade-mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus used under license.

Nominate a Business for a Torch Award Do you know of a business that stands out from the crowd?

Nominate them for a BBB Torch Award.

Visit bbb.org/

vancouver-island for details. *Note: We also accept business-to-business nominations.

WELCOME OUR NEWEST ACCREDITED BUSINESSES For more information on becoming a BBB Accredited Business call: 250.386.6348 ext. 105 or 115.

AREC Environmental Group (Saanichton) CBS Stoneworks (Victoria) Interactive Construction Inc. (Victoria) Merit Home Furniture (Duncan) Rhino Refinishing Services (Victoria)

Become an Accredited Business

Sooke Point Ocean Front Cottage Resort (Sooke)

AUGUST 2015

WEST COAST/OFF THE COVER

21

ASPENGROVE SCHOOL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

a Ministry of Education approved curriculum for students ranging from pre-kindergarten to Grade 12. “It was started by a group of doctors and dentists who decided that they wanted more in the way of education for children in Nanaimo. They felt there weren’t the sort of enriched programs that they were looking for in the public school system,” FitzGerald explained.

“They really wanted something that was more focused on preparing students for university. It’s really for people who subscribe to the IB (International Baccalaureate) Philosophy, and for those who feel education is important and they want to ensure the best opportunities for their children.”

A designated IB institution, its students are taught to academic standards that are recognized across the globe. “One of the myths out there is that schools such as ours don’t have to follow any rules. But of course we do.

We operate under the Ministry’s guidelines. In fact we are inspected more than public schools are. We have regular inspections by the Ministry to ensure that we’re following the curriculum that is mandated by the Ministry of Education,” she said.

“But we go above and beyond that as we are doing the IB program which is a world-recognized program. So you can’t just decide that you want to be an IB school. You first have to make application to the IB organization and it typically takes a few years to get accepted, your staff have to be trained and many other requirements. Basically it is a globally standardized program.

So whatever we’re doing here is

Situated on a 40 acre parcel of land just north of Nanaimo, Aspengrove School is a private K-12 school that is based on a philosophy of global understanding.

Aspengrove’s Head of School, Zinda FitzGerald, says her school is a business, and its product is its students. Her task is preparing them for the future. also being done in Asia or Europe if you’re an IB school.”

Featuring school uniforms and adhering to the school’s motto: Spirit of Inquiry, there are currently nearly 300 students enrolled at Aspengrove. “Most of our students come from within driving distance of the school but we also have a number of international students, not a huge number, but we do have some who then stay with home-stay families in the area. We pride ourselves on wanting to be an international school.

The IB program really subscribes to the idea of global understanding, global awareness.”

FitzG era ld says her school better prepares its students to embrace today’s interconnected world. “Having a diploma that is recognized around the world is where we think we really give our students an advantage. Our students will also know where they rank when compared to students elsewhere, if they wish to, as it all done on a point system so they can tell how they’re doing.”

Located at 7660 Clark Drive in Lantzville (just north of Nanaimo) Aspengrove first opened its doors in 2002.

With 42 fu l l a nd pa rt ti me teachers on staff class sizes are typically smaller and more individually focused than those found in the public school system. “Our average class size is around 20 to 22. That being said you’ll find some classes that have as few as six, when they get to high school and they split up into sciences, become more focused on one area.”

Costs are what separate private from public schools, but FitzGerald says the money paid is

actually an investment in the future. “People are prepared to pay a lot of money to place a child in a sports program with very little hope their child might someday become recognized. But what we can guarantee is that if you and the family believe in what we do, and work with us and invest in this, your child will be successful. We can guarantee that!”

As she says, “Our business is all about preparing students for the future.” www.aspengroveschool.ca/

highlighting the efforts of local businesses to conserve water on social media, and these run the gamut from using low-flush toilets to changing practices in restaurants and surf shops to conserve (hashtag #TofinoH2O).

The business community is also stepping up to the challenge, with many passing along the message to visitors in creative ways. For more, check out the efforts of Jamie’s Rainforst Inn and Chef Ian Riddick’s efforts at the Great Room at Long Beach Lodge Resort (www.jamiesinn. com, www.longbeachlodgeresort.com).

Local resorts and other businesses are transporting water from commercial producers on Vancouver Island in order to give guests their full experiences. Many local businesses have rainwater catchment systems they make use of during shortage periods and in the summer when water rates are higher.

L a st mont h brou g ht some

exciting news for the local whale watching industry and marine community here in Tofino. A female transient orca gave birth to a new calf in Clayoquot Sound a rou nd Ju ne 9. L oca l wha le watchers John Forde and Jennifer Steven of The Whale Centre were able to identify the mother and even get an underwater recording of the new calf. Rod Palm and his crew at Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society keep a close eye on local marine mammals and other species. Rod has suggested “Fortune” as a name for the new Tofino resident, after the channel in which the baby was born.

Thanks to all those who visited the west coast this summer, and to all those frontline workers who make your experience a memorable one!

BUSIEST SINGLE DAYS OF SALES

TOFINO JEN DART

T

he busy summer season is in full swing here on the west coast.

Our second quarter visitor statistics are on par with some of the busiest years in recent memory (2005-06), and businesses in Tofino are anecdotally reporting that they’ve had the busiest single days of sales in their overall history.

The District of Tofino is running a free shuttle bus to resorts, beaches and many stops in between, for the second year in a row. The free shuttle helps to

Regional transporta on difficul es directly affect business, impac ng the flow of both employees and poten al customers

alleviate congestion and parking issues in the small downtown core of Tofino.

This is a unique seasonal solution to loca l tra nsportation issues, funded by the District of Tofino through the Resort Municipality Initiative, and supported by Tourism Tofino. Local leaders, including the Chamber

of Commerce, hope to see the service expanded to include the neig hbou ri ng com mu nities of Ty-histannis, Esowista and Ucluelet, as well as Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on a year-round basis. Regional transportation difficulties directly affect business, impacting the flow of both employees and potential customers. Currently there is no public transportation available between west coast communities.

Like many Island communities, Tofino is facing water restrictions this summer. The Every Drop of Water Counts campaign run by Tourism Tofino and the District of Tofino’s 20% Challenge are two programs aimed at urging conservation among residents, visitors and businesses. This proactive approach is similar to the one being undertaken by the Regional District of Nanaimo, where neighbours can nominate one another as water champions. The Chamber is also

Jen Dart is Executive Director of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce.

PORT ALBERNI

22

AUGUST 2015

WEST COAST HOCKEY PREP CAMP GREAT FOR YOUNG ATHLETES AND ALBERNI VALLEY ECONOMY The 825 athletes attending the camp are between 12 and 22 years of age and from all over North America, Europe, Asia and the Commonwealth

PORT ALBERNI ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAT DEAKIN 600 mea ls a d ay; u n l i m ited helpi ngs; k itchen open from 6:45 A M to 8:30 PM; food on the table before and after meals! A cruise ship’s offerings?

A camp serving the oil and gas industry? No, it’s one of the scenes at the West Coast Hockey Prep Camp in Port A lbern i a nd, Mike Cof lin a nd Terry Gladson, two of the camp directors say that the catering crew really are the stars of the show. That’s high praise a nd ha rd to bel ieve g iven that Mike

Johnson, Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Barry Smith, Di rector of Pl ayer Development for t he Ch icago Blackhawks and Ryan Walter who played 1,000 games in the NHL during his 17 seasons have all been with t he you ng people i n t he Ca mp t hus

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far with more notables in the hockey world to come.

The 825 athletes attending the camp are between 12 and 22 years of age and f rom a l l over Nor t h A mer ic a, Eu rop e, A si a a nd t he Com monwe a lt h.

The Camp is divided into 4 one-week sessions including a week for elite female athletes. Daily life at the Camp is rigorous: two ice-times of 75 minutes each, two dry-land training sessions of one-hour each, nightly seminars and of course, the meals, which come with one rule...eat everything you take.”

This business makes contributions on every i mag i nable front for those attending the Camp: increased player confidence; additional life skills; opportunities to showcase their talent in front of higher-level coaches; and, i ncreased awa reness of educationa l opt ions for players a nd for pa rents t h i n k i n g a b out t he f ut u re of t hei r young athletes.

The Camp also delivers huge benef its for t he com mu n ity: it employs about 110 people for its duration; buys a huge amount of goods and services from many local businesses; provides about 60 per cent of the revenues for a non-prof it orga n i zat ion; don ates leftover food to a shelter; and gives our community increased positive exposure through stays in the Alberni Valley by parents, coaches and others in the professional hockey world.

PORT ALBERNI BILL COLLETTE

• Business ready

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Nanaimo: 250.729.8624 • Victoria: 250.384.8624 • Courtenay: 250.898.8624 1DQDLPR 2ɝFH %REDQ 'U DFURVV IURP 6KDZ EXLOGLQJ

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For information on other investments being made and upcoming events, please email, call or text Pat Deakin: patrick_deakin@ portalberni.ca or 250.720.9117.

ONGOING ECONOMIC RECOVERY

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T he Camp’s Directors also include Nate Leslie, Ronnie Patterson and Mark Taylor. A read through the five Directors’ bios is very impressive so it stands to reason that the Camp’s phenomenal growth over the last few years is based on their collective ability to attract topnotch instructors, their competitive prices and increasing awareness of the results of the Camp. The Directors also report that their great relationships with the business community, the City of Port Alberni and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs have contributed to their success. As Mike unwraps a catch of sockeye from his early morning fishing with a couple of parents who have kids in the Camp, he pauses and adds with a smile “of course the fishing and this heat are also some of the reasons we like to run the Camp here.”

Each night from Aug 3rd through Aug 7th, the elite male Camp participants (players at the Junior A, College and Pro level) will be playing hockey games at 6 a nd 9 PM at the A lbern i Va l ley Multiplex. It’s free of charge, a great ch a nce to see some up a nd com i ng stars and an opportunity to get cool on a hot day. www.prepcamp.com

eems someone let the secret out!

Visitor Counts for 2015 are booming in the Alberni Valley as evidenced by a whopping 265% increase in June alone. In fact, the Visitor Centre operations that is handled via the Chamber of Commerce, confirms that June 2015 was its busiest month in recent memory servicing well over 8600 people. July numbers are way up as well with current stats showing a near 100% increase over 2014 and that’s just through the 18th of the month.

The translation to this is that our local businesses are all doing very well. We’ve heard of restaurants calling in additional resources on a daily basis to handle the increased volume, motels are reporting full occupancy, B&B’s are doing well and try to find a campsite! The Home Hardware Store reported an unusual day just recently with unusual meaning that

it was more usual to 2014. They’ve been very busy!

All of this bodes well for the ongoing economic recovery happening throughout the Alberni Valley. In fact, we’ve seen nearly 60 new business licenses in the City of Port Alberni since the start of the year ranging from Flooring stores, B&B’s, Coffee Shops, A bookstore, Liquor Store, Constructions Services, Flower Shop and more. The collective ownership of these stores are keen to invest their money and their ongoing efforts into the future of the area; and that looks to be very good! Add to this the rather common request for us at the Chamber of Commerce to answer inquiries from as close as Nanoose Bay to more distant locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan as people there are beginning to take notice. Many of these calls surround the desire to find out more about real estate opportunities, employment growth etc., etc.

Much of this interest in our area starts at the Visitor level. Tourists, should they enjoy what they see can eventually become residents and from there they look around for investment opportunities and this is why our area is becoming more and more dedicated to the Tourism opportunities.

So yes, the secret is out; and we’re good with that.

Bill Collette is executive director of the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach him at 250-724-6535 or bill@albernichamber.ca

OFF THE COVER

AUGUST 2015

23

460 GROUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

have 35 by the end of the summer.

460 Property Management was started alongside the realty brokerage in 2013, and now manages 106 units.

The 460 MIC was initiated in the summer of 2014 and is responsible for managing $3 million in capital, with investors seeing an average return of 7-10 per cent. The vision for the MIC is for it to reach $20 million in capital, which will be focused on aiding local builders, developers, and people who are interested in leveraging their home equity with unique credit situations.

“Everyone is engaged within the company, there’s a high level of ‘buy-in’ from each member of the team,” says Forbes. “As a smaller independent company we offer a more personalized feel that has a lot of appeal. Our success comes down to our people, we really care about who we bring onboard.

“We have a business model that encourages group success, there is profit sharing and employee ownership involved. It creates an environment where each person is working hard not only for their own success, but for the benefit of each of their co-workers.

There’s a special motivation there because how you perform and act is a reflection of everyone else in the company.”

Randy Forbes, Co-Founder and Operations Director of the 460 Group of Companies 460 Communications is the most recent add ition to the brand, beginning this past February, and is headed by Director Erin MacDonald. It specializes in strategic communications, marketing, digital media and public relations. Right now MacDonald is in the process of developing workshops aimed at small businesses and non-profit organizations across Vancouver Island.

The focus of the workshops will be on enabling organizations to fulfill their communications needs through efficient tactics.

“People genuinely like coming to work, and that really has an impact on everyone else in the office,” says MacDonald. “It creates a dynamic environment that fosters a lot of great energy and

CARTO INVESTMENTS FINDS NEW HOME New location provides better service for clients ANAIMO - Carto Investment & Insurance Solutions Inc. has a new home.

The company, associated with Sun Life Financial, is moving from its current location on Turner Road to a bright new office complex on Portsmouth Road in Nanaimo.

Dean Carto*, Sun Life Financial advisor and owner of Carto Investment & Insurance Solutions, said the new location provides a unique and professional environment for his clients and staff.

“I wanted to create a high level of privacy for my clients in a location that is easily accessible and well planned.”

After looking for several years, Carto purchased office space in the Portsmouth Professional Building. He said there’s plenty of parking close to the ground level entrance and the complex is easy to get to from all directions.

“Many of our clients come from Parksville, as well as Nanaimo,” he said. “The building is easy to find and parking won’t be an issue.”

Carto has been offering financial products and services on the

N

Lower Mainland and in Nanaimo for more than 15 years. He specializes in helping clients with their comprehensive retirement planning needs, including finding tax-efficient strategies to preserve wealth for future generations and assisting families with their unique insurance and investment needs.

“We also offer group benefit packages as well as key person protection, buy/sell agreements and disability insurance,” he said.

“All clients have specific financial goals. At Carto Investment and Insurance, clients will receive expertise and exceptional service that will help them select the best financial products to help them fulfill those goals,” said Carto adding that he believes the new location, with its modern look and feel, its private offices, board room and large reception area will allow he and his team to provide even better service to clients.

“Client service will now be even more seamless with no interruptions or distractions,” he said. Their new phone number is 250-933-2500.

Carto Investment and Insurance is at 6543 Portsmouth Road in Nanaimo. *Mutual funds offered by Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc.

Erin MacDonald, Director of 460 Comunications

creativity. As I’ve been in the process of growing the new communications arm of the company, it’s been really important for me to be surrounded by this kind of atmosphere.

“We have a really fresh and attractive brand that’s started to gain a lot of traction. The culture here is very infectious, and it’s reflected in how we do business and engage with each other and our clients.”

Recently 460 brought on Bradley Knight as a real estate broker, and the workplace environment and culture were what drew him to the brand.

“There’s a really genuine feel here,” he says. “Each member of the staff has something unique to offer both the company and our

Bradley Knight, Realtor at 460 Realty

customers, and 460 celebrates the importance of that individuality.

That’s what attracted me to the brand, it’s a place where my skillset can be used in its own unique way.

“T he env i ron ment creates comfort for the customer, especially in the process of purchasing a home, where it can be such a serious and life changing decision. Our goal is to make the process as enjoyable as possible, and the inclusive culture of 460 is a key component of making that happen.”

Having an outside-the-box approach to business has been, and will continue to be a significant part of 460’s game plan going forward.

“The proof is in the pudding,” says Forbes. “We’re not going to

be the biggest in town, but we bring a personalized and engaged level of care to our clients that no one else is offering.

“We treat people the way we’d want to be treated, from our real estate clients receiving individualized care, to MIC investors having the knowledge that our own money is invested in the fund, we’re taking the steps necessary to differentiate ourselves from everyone else, and our success to date reinforces that the approach has been working.”

460’s name is derived from the length in kilometers of Vancouver Island from tip to tip. www.460realty.com www.460mic.com www.460pm.com www.460communications.com

We are moving to a bright new office!

We will be welcoming you to our new location on August 17th at

101 - 6543 Portsmouth Road, Nanaimo Dean Carto* Carto Investment & Insurance Solutions Inc. Tel: 250-933-2500 Toll free: 1-877-591-6948 Fax: 250-933-2501 dean.carto@sunlife.com www.sunlife.ca/dean.carto *Mutual funds offered by Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies. © Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2015.

24

AUGUST 2015

APPRAISAL FIRM WELCOMES MENTOR AND APPRAISER David Osland joins Cunningham Rivard to focus on valuations

Our Victoria office benefits from Osland’s knowledge and

V

ICTORIA/NANAIMO - Cunningham Rivard A p p r a i s a l s (CR A) on Vancouver Island recently announced that Dav id Osland, accredited appraiser Canadian Institute (AACI), P.App, Fellow, will be joining its team. With more than 40 years of experience in appraisals and as a past partner at Baker & Osland Appraisals, he brings an added level of expertise and experience to the company.

David Kirk, AACI and partner at CR A Vancouver Island since 1993, said it is a win-win situation.

“This is a much anticipated addition to our Victoria office.

Osland is free to wind down before retiring and, to focus on valuations and our Victoria office benefits from his knowledge and mentorship.”

Osland said, with retirement age getting closer, running a business wasn’t as rewarding as working on appraisals. At CRA in Victoria he can now take care of his clients and share his wealth of knowledge with the younger appraisers.

Greg Rounis, AACI and partner at CRA, said, “It’s a good fit. Osland has been working in Victoria for many years and brings extensive connections and clientele.”

Osland said that the move will be seamless for his clients with no disruption of service or quality of care.

Starting his career as an appraiser for the BC provincial govern ment a nd the C it y of Victoria, Osland now specializes in all forms of real property appraising with an emphasis on complicated valuations like submerged lands, privately owned timberland, one-off properties, and condo developments.

He has prov ided ex pert

mentorship DAVID KIRK PARTNER CUNNINGHAM RIVARD APPRAISALS (VANCOUVER ISLAND)

Dave Kirk became a partner at CRA in 1993

Doyle Childs is experienced as an expert witness CREDIT:GREG ROUNIS

evidence in courts of revision, a s s e s s m ent ap p e a l b oa rd s, arbitration hearings, expropriation compensation, Supreme Court of BC and the Federal Court of Canada.

As a former member of the BC Assessment Appeal Board, Osl a nd h a s lectu red on appraisal principles and advanced appraisal courses at the Universit y of British Columbia and the Victoria Real Estate Board.

He said that appraisers draw from several valuation techniques to determine the value of real property. In some cases an appraisal requires a market comparison, but in most cases complex formulas and careful consideration of multiple

factors must be analyzed before an accurate valuation can be made.

“If a piece of land is expropriated, for example, it isn’t just the value of the land that is considered. Damages to the remainder of the property also have to be considered.”

He added that becoming an appraiser requires several years of university-credited courses as well as the fulfillment of ongoing continuing education credits.

“Book learning to become an appraiser is extensive,” he said.

“When combined with field experience it gives the customers a more accurate valuation.”

Part of the reason he is looking forward to joining CR A, is to provide that hands on practice via mentorship with the newer appraisers.

Rounis said that the junior appraisers in the office will benefit from Osland’s experience by exchanging and sharing ideas and from his valued opinion.

“T hey w i l l be able to work on different types of appraisals with Osland and learn from

those experiences.”

Kirk said that as Vancouver Island’s largest real estate appraisal firms, CR A provides comprehensive services to a broad client base in both the private and public sectors.

With offices in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Duncan, CRA prov ides ca ref u l ly resea rched, reasoned and supported analysis of industrial, commercial and residential real estate.

Fo u n d e d i n 19 67 b y F r e d Cunning ham and L ar r y R ivard, CR A grew rapidly with branches in several communities around BC. In 1973 Rivard retired and the company was sold with Cunningham remaining as regional manager. In 1978, when Cunningham retired, the branch offices were sold to the employees allowing each office to be independently owned and operated.

In 1980 Al Brown joined the Vancouver Island branch and became a partner in 1986. Dave Kirk followed in 1992 and became a partner a year later. As the company’s experience and reputation grew, more appraisers

joined its growing roster, Doyle Childs becoming partner in 2003 and Jason Mikes, Greg Rounis and Simon Wainwright joining between 2003 and 2007 and becoming partners in 2012.

Each appraiser brings a unique skill set and specialty to the company, creating comprehensive service for fulfilling clients’ needs from appraisals on unique waterfront property to commercial and income producing property.

With its 12 appraisers and support staff across the south and mid-island region CRA has the right expert, whether it is services concerning expropriation, development, partial takings, golf courses, private islands and First Nations land claim issues, or for on-going-concern properties like pubs, hotels, restaurants or gas bars, valuations on agricultural land, conservation covenants, wetlands, marinas and/or leasehold interests.

“When you get more specialized, the pool of professionals able to fulfill a particular job is much narrower,” Kirk said, adding that CRA in Victoria is

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AUGUST 2015

The Beach Club earns significant honour from Wine Spectator

Jason Mikes became a partner in 2012. Each partner specializes in unique aspects of appraisals establishing a pool of younger up and coming appraisers that can learn and get experience in these unique and highly specialized areas.

“The intent is to have Osland introducing his clients to CRA and its appraisers,” he said, adding that he wants Osland’s clients to feel confident that even though Osland will eventually be retiring and leaving, they will still be well taken care of.

“They will know that someone very capable is taking over their file, with the blessing of Osland.”

O s l a nd i s n’t t h e on ly one at CRA with experience as an expert witness. Kirk, Rounis, Childs and Wainwright also are recognized and provide service in this field. Kirk said that his experience was gained while working as a highway right-ofway agent, speaking before the expropriation compensation board on behalf of the province and the ministry of highways.

“From there it was a matter of becoming involved in those kinds of files, going to court, testifying and producing good work.”

Becoming an appraiser accreditation through the Canadian Institute of Appraisers, Simon Wainwright joined Cunningham & Rivard in 2007 and became a partner in 2012.

He added that he built his reputation as an expert witness over the years through lease arbitration and being a decent witness, that not every appraiser enjoys getting on the stand providing testimony.

Both Osland and Kirk agree that the need for an appraisal varies and doesn’t always require expert testimony in court. It can involve all levels of real estate from residential to commercial to industrial.

Osland said that most people will know about an appraisal of a home for lending purposes but valuing property for lending institutions is only one area of appraisal work. Appraisals are also needed in cases of divorce where assets are valued and split or for legal purposes where one person is suing another.

“If someone cuts down a tree on your property, not only does an appraiser have to look at the value of the tree, but also the destruction of privacy, the potential devaluation of the property and the damage that may occur to the remaining trees and property.”

He said that estate planning can also benefit from the services of an appraiser for fair dispensation of property assets after death.

In cases of insurance, having an accurate appraisal ensures the right value for the property just in case an insurance claim needs to be filed.

He also added that certain projects involve issues that require a deeper knowledge of city zoning, permits and regulations.

“It isn’t just about formulas, but also contacts and getting the information you need when you need it,” he said.

Kirk said CRA Vancouver Island understands the value of having Osland join its team, not just in the connections and clients Osland brings with him, but also in the knowledge and experience he will pass on. Kirk and the rest of the island team are looking forward to growing their presence in Victoria and being a part of helping Osland take the next step in his career.

Cunningham Rivard Appraisals Vancouver Island is at 771 Vernon Avenue in Victoria www.crisland.com

Trusted Real Estate Valuation since 1973.

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The Parksville Qualicum Beach News An outstanding wine list — combined with knowledgeable servers — has resulted in a significant distinction for The Beach Club Resort in Parksville.

The Pacific Prime Restaurant and Lounge has made the 2015 Wi ne Spectator’s Wi ne List Award. Food and beverage director Ian Lane agreed that making the list is the equivalent of receiving an Oscar.

“This is a very big deal. There are only about 600 wine spect ator awa rd w i n ners i n t he entire world and the large majority of those are in the U.S. We are the only one on the Island north of Victoria. There a re t h re e i n V ic tor i a a nd a couple in Vancouver but that’s about it for the province,” he pointed out.

The Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Program has been honouring the world’s best wine programs since 1981.

Award winners generally offer selections with superior breadth a nd depth from some of the world’s classic wine-producing regions.

They have also passed a rigorous inspection that evaluates the overall quality of their wine program, cellars, service, ambience and cuisine.

Lane said earning the distinction took a huge team effort and it is not just about having a great wine list.

“That is part of it but it is also the service side. We have a team of real professionals who do a great job and enjoy doing a great job.”

He said their talented chef Rick Davidson plays a huge role as well, making sure the wine pairings work with the food as well as their special wine dinners.

He said the application process was lengthy and many requirements needed to be met.

“To win the award you have to submit what your training programs are… do you have the proper type of storage? How do you maintain the integrity of your wine… all those sorts of things.”

Resort manager Arthur Wong said obtaining the award is a huge honour and is part of the way they look at business in the long term.

“Part of that strategy is investing in your team to continue that long term growth. We have started to create some stability here at The Beach Club. Ian is our longest serving food and beverage manager and we are starting to see a lot of tenure here. Dave Paul has been here over six years. At the end of the day, it comes down

to the team to execute my ideas,” said Wong.

Lane said they applied for the award in January, but the work leading up to it started when he began working at the resort a year and half ago.

“Arthur put that goal in my lap from the moment I started.

We worked for a full year to get ourselves ready. We were looking for a waiter with good wine knowledge and we were able to get Michel Pambrun, who is beyond that. He is a fully certified sommelier.”

Pambrun, who started at the restaurant in January, is a member of The Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) which is affiliated with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), headquartered in Paris. He has the highest level of wine education on the team and when he arrived he helped tweak the current wine list.

“Dave, Ian and I sat down and our goal was to win Wine Spectator award of excellence,” said Pambrun. “The wine list was very BC focused. When I started we had 88 wines and 80 of those were BC wines. We reassessed everything and filled in the holes that we needed to. On the international, front we brought in 24 wines in from France, Germany, Spain, and South Africa.

Lane said prior to his arrival, Paul had a great wine foundation in place at the restaurant and in fact it is because of some of Paul’s connections they are able to obtain some special vintages.

“Dave has helped us hugely in obtaining exclusive wines. Tightrope is a winery, for example, that is very hard to find in the stores.

Due to Dave’s connections, we always have a good selection of Tightrope wines in house,” said Lane.

He said their wine list is half BC and half international and going forward they will keep that balance.

He emphasized that their overall goal, besides being a great place for food and wine and service, is to be that place outside of Victoria on Vancouver Island where you can go for the complete package.

Pambrun said this is the first restaurant he has been with that has achieved the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and he is thrilled to be part of the team.

Paul, who has been at the restaurant the longest and was this year’s recipient of the Parksville and District Business Award for outstanding customer service, said he is pleased with this new accolade.

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AUGUST 2015

SCAFFOLDING SERVICES SET HIGH SAFETY STANDARDS No job too much for owner operator business ROFTON - Indu s t r ia l Scaffolding Services Ltd (ISSL) boasts an impressive roster of clients and projects.

The company provides scaffolding services and rentals to industrial customers throughout Western Canada. Some of those jobs have included installing scaffolding for naval ship and submarine repairs and transporting 40,000 pounds of material to an island lighthouse for retrofitting.

Owner Al Brown said, “No two days are the same. We’re dealing with different situations and people every day.”

ISSL supplies, erects and dismantles industrial scaffolding for safe worker access to specific job locations, including the pulp and paper industry, mining, shipyards, hydroelectric dams and the oil and gas industry.

Brown said that each project requires a different configuration and design, adding that some can get quite complex.

“No job is too much for us,” he said. “With 25 years of experience we have a strong understanding

C

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Leaving a legacy for his community and sons of industrial facilities and the equipment needed.”

When the Sealaunch Odyssey was damaged during a test rocket launch in 2007, it docked in Victoria Harbour and called on ISSL. The constructed scaffolding allowed engineers to conduct a thorough condition study of the ship’s metal integrity. And when two lighthouses on Ballenas and Sisters Islands, just off French Creek on Va ncouver Isla nd, needed retrofitting, ISSL traveled by Zodiac and Coast Guard helicopter to make sure the scaffolding materials got there and were safely constructed for the repair technicians.

Aaron Olsen, environmental, health and safety manager, said that every aspect of installation and dismantling requires careful and thorough safety consideration.

Olsen was contracted by ISSL in

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AUGUST 2015

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The company liked his work and suggestions and offered him a job implementing the changes. He jumped at the chance and said that he’s glad he did.

“All workers receive initial and ongoing training in fall protection, confined space, construction safety and hazardous material management,” he said.

He added that safety is paramount and owners and management take it seriously.

Having regional offices and local employees allows for a safer environment and quick response because supervisors are on site, not miles away.

“Our supervisors have additional training through the Site Supervisor Training program that includes Construction Safety Training and first aid. Each supervisor monitors the safety of the employees and ensures that workplace safety exceeds

industry best practices.”

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AUGUST 2015

SCAFFOLDING SERVICES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Energy for their safety record on the CIMS Ltd, Fort Hills Alberta project.

Craig Taylor, ISSL Fort Hills Alberta supervisor, said that t h e s u b-c o n t ra c t h a d I S S L workers helping with the building of North America’s largest thickener tank/machine. He added that a rough, cold winter saw his workers building protective coverings.

Brown said ISSL is committed to a safe environment because it en su res t he f utu re of t he younger workers ISSL is mentoring and training.

“I want everyone that works for ISSL to have a good job and be able to go home to their families at the end of the day.”

He added that the specia lized training ISSL employees receive, like forklift and bobcat operation, is done partly at its home office in Crofton, but more in-depth training is conducted at the Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas or the United Brotherhood of Carpenters training at the Universit y of BC Training Centre.

Brian Parton, vice-president, said that it’s hard to survive in the scaffolding world without putting safety first.

He said that because of ISSL’s exceptional safety culture, it is seeing

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a migration of younger scaffolders looking to join its employee ranks. ISSL is encouraging this new stream of employees through mentoring and international apprenticeship programs.

I n Fe b r u a r y o f t h i s y e a r, Brown and Mark Derton, president of the BC Regional Counc i l of C a r penter s (BCRCC), sig ned a memora ndu m of understanding with the Treaty ͜ Tribal Association to identify and facilitate training and employment opportunities for members of the Treaty 8 region.

In March, ISSF in Fort St. John partnered with the North East Native Advancing Society and BCRCC to offer a mobile training program for First Nations.

ISSL’s collaborative efforts introduced members of Treaty 8 to scaffolding apprenticeship-training programs, demonstrating the opportunities a v a i l a b l e i n a n i n-d e m a n d trade, especially in the Peace River region.

“We put out an internal company-wide program to meet a ratio of apprentice to journeyman,” Brown said. “For every two journeymen we hire, we hire one apprentice to ensure journeymen are available in the future.”

He added that companies like Suncor encourage hiring and training apprentices by ongoing site checks to ensure the right ratios are being met.

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At any given time ISSL can employ anywhere from 200 to 350 employees, but Brown said that the company maintains and encourages a close connection to its staff and field employees.

“We’re not a company worki n g re m o te l y ; w e’re o w n e r operated. If a decision needs to be made, it isn’t made from three time zones away; sometimes, it’s from the seat of our pickup truck.”

Regional centers of ISSL are located throughout the Cariboo and Kootenays, Thompson-Okanagan, Northeast BC, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, North Coast, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

K e epi n g c on ne c te d i s one of t he reasons ISSL created regional centers. Supervisors and company representatives are local; they know the environment, climate and work cond it ion s. Ol sen sa id t h i s gives supervisors a better idea of safety issues, like surface stability for forklift operation, specific worker habits to make work more efficient, and climate conditions for erecting the scaffold structure and safety barriers.

Kim Green, office manager, said that supervisors are also tra i ned i n ad m i n istration work and are responsible for onsite paperwork. She added that hav i ng the superv isors tra i ned a nd competent i n things like time sheets, hazardous assessment, estimates, rep or t s a nd a n a ly si s m i n imizes time delays and lowers costs for customers.

Brown said that keeping a project on time and on budget is why contractors throughout Western Canada trust ISSL. “When a job is time sensitive our regional centers are ready to go, from start to finish,” said Brown. “We have warehouses th roug hout ou r reg ions a nd crew that are ready 24 hours a day.”

G i l l i a n J a c q u e s , reg ion a l manager Northern BC, said that the inclusive work culture encourages teamwork with everyone focused on the same goals.

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“ We a l l w o rk to ge t h e r to achieve the same results. Communication is encouraged and we all get along,” he said.

Parton said that ISSL wants to hear what its employees have to say, adding that encouraging dialogue stimulates innovative thinking.

He said that looking at projects from different perspectives, seeing where time and money can be saved and how those savings can be passed on to the customer is a priority at all levels.

Brown said that ISSL is not satisfied w ith just the traditiona l way of doi ng th i ngs.

Cost effectiveness and on-site safety performance may require a fresh look, and ISSL staff is encouraged to find solutions that get better results.

I n 2 0 0 7, I S S L a d d e d e nvironmental containment to its line-up of services. Known as, ‘shrink wrapping,’ the covering provides an additional safety barrier for asbestos removal, lead abatement, submarines and storage sheds for

sandblasting and painting of ships.

“It’s a plastic wrap that goes around buildings similar to the wrapping found on new boats or cars.” Brown said. “We use the wrap on structures to keep contaminants inside.”

Parton added that when used on ships being sandblasted, the wrap prevents contaminants from entering the water.

“Shrink wrap has added another layer of safety for the environment and workers,” he said.

With safety as the priority, ISSL believes it is setting the bar, not just in industry standards, but also for employee job satisfaction and retention.

“My two sons work for the c om p a ny,” B ro w n s a i d . H e wa nts to leave the legacy of a growing company that will continue to serve the employees and community in jobs and service.

Industrial Scaffolding Services is at 2076 Balsam Rd. in Nanaimo www.industiralscaffoldservices. com

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COMOX VALLEY

AUGUST 2015

29

NEW ASSOCIATION WILL REPRESENT DEVELOPERS

BUILDING LINKS CLARICE COTY

W

e recently compiled the second qu a r ter c o n s t r u c t i o n s t atistics and values for January to Ju ne, 2015 for the Comox Valley and Campbell River region. Construction values are

showing different trends in different areas. For example, single family home building has decreased in Cumberland, Campbell River and the Comox Valley Regional District between 34% and 44%. Comox and Courtenay each reported the construction of one more homes this quarter as compared to 2014.

New single family home construction at this time in 2014 was 162 units in the Comox Valley/Campbell River region compared to 112 units this year. This is a decrease of 50 permits and a decline of 30%. More new single family homes are slated for construction and we expect to see an increase during the third quarter. Over all construction values were up by 256% during the second quarter of 2015

compared to 2014, due to the construction of the new hospitals in Campbell R iver and Courtenay, and the John Hart Dam generating station replacement project. Total values this quarter were $2 42.8 m illion compared to $68.2 million last year. z z z A new association called the Comox Valley Development & Construction Association held its first social meeting in July.

This new association will represent developers, builders and associated businesses in the construction industry in the Comox Valley. The association expressed its desire to contact loca l pol it icia ns w it h ideas about the affordable housing issue, along with engaging in

GOVERNANCE REVIEW NEEDED ACROSS THE ISLAND

COMOX VALLEY DIANNE HAWKINS

A

recent T imes Colonist editorial by Frank Bouree stated, “It’s time for the province to commission a study of local governance in the capital region.”

In Victoria, there is a majority support and demand to improve local governance. It is clear that major progress has not been made with individual municipalities, which has hindered opportunities for the area. Strong and united regional governance is needed to sustain a growing and vibrant community.

The Comox Valley is faced with similar issues, which has been the catalyst for the Chamber to petition for a governance review. This study, conducted by the province

of BC, would provide actionable results for the Valley to improve services and governance on a united front.

As a Valley, we’ve grown. There are many services we share and collaborative management is important to the wellbeing of the community. A governance review provides a vital opportunity for our community to leverage change in the governance of the Comox Valley – change that would ultimately benefit and ensure growth and sustainability for our future generations.

The Chamber has been petitioning for signatures to request this study. To date, we’ve collected over 2,800 signatures in the Comox Valley. When the Chamber speaks to people about the governance review study and its purpose, the majority have been positively supportive. As such, reaching our goal of 5,000 signatures (roughly 10 per cent of the Valley electorate) is simply a matter of time and resources. In a recent business leader’s survey conducted by MNP, out of 200 local business leaders surveyed in the Comox Valley, 88 per cent supported the idea of conducting a governance review.

As Andrew Gower, Chair of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, recently said: “I am hopeful the

BC Chamber’s position on governance and the restructuring of Improvement Districts will be heard in Victoria and lead to positive improvements for Chamber members throughout the province, and specifically here in the Comox Valley.”

About the Governance Review Task Force The goal of the Comox Valley Governance Review Task Force is to initiate an independent study to determine if the governance of the Comox Valley is structured in a manner that best satisfies the political, cultural and public services the community needs in order to meet the challenges that growth brings. To support this Chamber initiative, visit our office or print a petition sheet online and ask your friends and family to do the same.

Welcome to new members A warm welcome goes to our new members joining the chamber as since the beginning of July. ILS Learning Corporation, Max Rein, Morgan Ebbett Career Services and Walker 24 Menswear. We look forward to supporting you and the future of your business.

Dianne Hawkins is president and CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at dhawkins@ comoxvalleychamber.com

SAVE THE DATE – Upcoming Chamber Events Tuesday, September 8th – Chamber Business Mixer, hosted by Hans Peter Meyer for #WeAreYQQ Tuesday, September 15th – Chamber Business Mixer, hosted by Vancouver Island Vocational and Rehabilitation Services (VIVRS) Tuesday, September 22nd – Chamber Business Mixer, hosted by NIC School of Business Wednesday, October 21st – 2015 Tech Expo Launch Party Thursday, October 22nd – 2015 Tech Expo Tuesday, November 3rd – Chamber Business Mixer, hosted by I-Hos Gallery Thursday, November 19th – Chamber Breakfast Tuesday, December 8th – Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce Community Partners Christmas Mixer

dialogue about the importance of the development and construction industry to the Comox Valley.

T he construction i ndustry support many workers directly and also provides a trickledown effect on other Comox Valley businesses. The association is seeking feedback from developers and associated businesses in the construction industry for their first meeting on Sept. 15.

For the first year of the association, Murray Presley will be the chair and Rick Waldhaus will be the vice-chair. A board of directors will also be in place by the first business meeting. For more information, contact Murray Presley 250 338-1394 or mpresley@presleyandpartners.com z z z Comox c ou nci l gave f i n a l adopt ion to a zon i ng byl aw amendment for the development permit application to allow

for the construction of the new Lorne Hotel Project to proceed.

T h is decision a llows for the construction of a five-storey, mixed-use building that will include the Lorne Pub, bistro and liquor store along with 21 residential units and a rooftop patio. Changes were reflected in the revised drawings to meet concerns of the public.

The new design includes: a two metre clearance for the sidewalk in front of the pub and bistro, a six metre dedication for more public seating, enhancements to the front entrance and an outside historical mural. Completed construction drawings are expected in September, at which time a building permit application will be submitted.

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30

AUGUST 2015

SOMENOS’ SUCCESS BUILT ON EXCELLENCE Cowichan Valley construction company celebrates its 30th anniversary

D

U NCA N – Somenos Constr uction i s celebrating 30 years in business thanks to its dedication to excellence.

The company provides commercia l constr uction a nd renovation, light industrial, and custom residential services to customers throughout the Cowichan Valley and Gulf Islands.

Somenos Construction staff, from left to right: Journeyman Carpenters Greg “Millsy” Mills, Luke Baker, Bob Kaiser, Evan Watson, Greg “Magoo” McLeod, D’Arcy Beaveridge (Owner) and Chris Clarke

I’d rather be on the jobsite than working in the office any day. Every project we work on is something new; each one has its own intricacies and details that make it interesting. We’ve been really fortunate to have built many ‘one-of-a-kind’ homes

Reaching such a significant m i le s tone h a s b e en l a rgely due to company owner D’Arcy Beaveridge’s passion for his job.

“I absolutely love what I do,” he says. “I’d rather be on the jobsite t h a n work i ng i n t he office any day. Every project we work on is something new; each one has its own intricacies and details that make it

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31

AUGUST 2015

Applying those principles consistently has allowed us to mature, we’re now at the point where each guy knows exactly how something needs to be done. There’s a standard we all understand, and it gets met every time.

interesting. We’ve been really fortunate to have built many ‘one-of-a-kind’ homes.

“The prospect of a new, challenging project gets me out of bed i n t he mor n i ng, I k now there’s a lways goi ng to be a new one a rou nd the corner.

The more complicated things get, the more I’m interested in working on the job.”

His excitement and enthusiasm has fueled Somenos’ reputation for excellence.

“I really focus on leading by example,” he says. “My philosophy is to do the best quality work that I can at every stage of a project. I ensure each guy on my team works to the standard that I do, and that’s really paid off for us over the years.

“There is no doubt that we’ve e a r ne d ou r rep ut at ion , t he quality of what we do is very high. Even if it means taking a h it on t he prof itabi l ity of a project, we’re goi ng to go t he ex t ra m i le to m a ke su re i t t u r n s o u t p e r fe c t ly. T h e end resu lt of t h at approach has been a high level of repeat busi ness; one customer h as used us for 20 years to build all of their commercial projects, and we have another who has used us for 3 different residential projects.”

His company has completed many different high-end custom homes throughout the Cowichan Valley, and commercial work for customers like Peter Baljet GM, Bow-Mel Chrysler,

One of Somenos Construction’s custom homes

A residential project by Somenos Construction

Discovery Honda and Island Savings, among others.

“As the economy has ‘ebbed a nd f lowed’, it’s been rea l ly important to have a diversified service offering,” says Beaveridge. “The balance has pushed us through the recent challenging global economic climate.

We had some very large custom home projects that kept us busy while things were slow for everyone else.

“I believe it speaks to the kind of experience that we provide, the quality that we deliver, and the way we treat people. We take so much pride in our work, o n e o f t h e m o s t re w a rd i n g parts of the job is completing a project and handing over the keys to a client who’s getting a new home or building that they’re truly excited about.”

T h e fo c u s o n q u a l i t y h a s opened up doors for the compa ny, a nd h a s a l lowed it to evolve its service offerings.

“4 years ago I built a custom home for my own family,” he said. “The positive feedback I received was incredible, and I ended up getting three different jobs out of it. People were asking me to sell it almost immediately, or saying ‘I want you to bu ild me a house just like this one’. “ I end e d up helpi n g t hem build their own unique homes, SEE SOMENOS’ SUCCESS | PAGE 32

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is a great accomplishment.

32

AUGUST 2015

SOMENOS’ SUCCESS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

and assisting in designing the home itself. This represents a shift for us, as we’ve worked primarily as a builder in the past, but our reputation and quality have started to create new opportunities.”

Maintaining a specific work s ta nd a rd for 30 ye a rs i s no small feat, but over that period Beaveridge seems to have found the formula that works best for him.

“M a n ag i ng t he si ze of t he company has been vital to our success,” he says. “The focus on not getting too big pushed us through the economic crash, we work within our means and don’t overex tend ou rselves.

I make a point of reinvesting money back into the company, putting my staff through the most current industry traini n g , a n d m a k i n g s u re t h e y have the best equipment. It all makes a difference.

“Applying those principles consistently has a l lowed us to matu re, we’re now at the point where each guy knows exactly how something needs to be done. There’s a standard

Duncan’s Bow-Mel Chrysler dealership, built by Somenos Construction

The Discovery Honda dealership in Duncan, built by Somenos Construction

we all understand, and it gets met every time.”

The company currently employs 5 full time carpenters, a nd i n t he pa st h ave h ad a s ma ny as 15. One of the 5 has been working for Somenos for 27 yea rs, a nd 3 ot hers h ave been there for more than 15.

Despite celebrati ng such a significant milestone, Beaveridge is focused on continuing to evolve a nd look i ng to the future.

“I’ve learned over time that n o t h i n g h ap p e n s q u i c k ly,” he says. “It’s been really impor ta nt for us to determ i ne goals, usually about 5 years, and working steadily towards them. Having those plateaus allows us to keep the ups and downs in focus.

“On top of planning, we’re committed to staying on top of what’s going on in the industry. My team is always looking to increase their training

and abilities, they reg u larly participate in education prog ra m s , a n d i m p l e m e n t t h e latest systems and technology trends into their work wherever possible.”

Beaveridge got h is sta rt i n construction in the early 80s after trying out a number of d i f fe re n t c a re e r p a t h s . H e fo r m e d S o m e n o s a f t e r t h e company he was apprenticing u nder went out of busi ness.

In order to complete his apprenticeship, he hired a more ex p er ienc e d c a r p enter a nd worked under him until he received his Red Seal.

T he compa ny i s a member of the Vancouver Island Construction Association, and is a big supporter of minor hockey, baseball and soccer programs.

Beaveridge is a father of two boys, following in his footsteps and are both beginning careers in the trades. www.somenosconstruction.com

Congratulations

Somenos Construction!

Congratulations D’Arcy on 30 Years!

It’s been a pleasure working with you and your crew & all the best in your future endeavours for years to come.

Rick Appleby

Bus.: 250-715-1913 Cell: 250-246-7607 Fax: 250-715-1918 Email: rappleby@telus.net

6804 Southview Terrace Duncan, B.C. V9L 5YV9

Congratulations!

Building homes & creating memories for over 30 years!

All the Best from Copycat Printing

Congratulations Somenos Construction on more than 30 years in business.

We are proud to work with you.

CAMPBELL RIVER/NORTH ISLAND

AUGUST 2015

New City Manager for Campbell River to arrive in September Deborah Sargent will become the new chief administrative officer for the City of Campbell River in September. Deborah has been the chief adm inistrative officer for Smithers for the past eight years. She is an executive leader and registered community planner with more than 20 years of experience in local government in BC and was selected among 90 applicants after months of recruitment.

“Deborah’s experience along with her innovative, collaborative style, and results-driven approach will bring stability a nd ski l ls that w i l l complement our senior management team and supporting staff,” says Mayor Andy Adams. “We are looking forward to Deborah joining us in early September.”

“I am looking forward to being a part of the Campbell River community and working with the Mayor and Council of the City of Campbell River to realize their strategic goals,” says Deborah Sargent. “Collaborating with community groups, organizations and citizens in Smithers has proved to be a winning approach for harnessing the energy and ideas of the community. I am eager to take on this new role i n Ca mpb el l R iver a nd work together with a focused Council, a strong management team at the City and a willingness to listen to the community

a nd i mplement cha nges a nd i m p rove m e nt s a s n e e d e d .”

“Our senior management team under the direction of Acting CAO Ron Neufeld have done an excellent job in maintaining City operations du ri ng th is interim period. Council is extremely appreciative of the job staff have done. Now, for the first time in many years, we will have a complete team to carry out and implement initiatives, services and projects for Campbell River,” says Mayor Adams.

“The firm of Pinton Forrest & Madden was instrumental in providing Council with a wide variety of candidates. It is evident that candidates from all parts of Western Canada now see the City of Campbell River as a desirable place to work, live and play, which is a good indication of the positive changes that our community is experiencing,” the Mayor adds.

Water supply plans will locate treatment facilities at lake pump station Plans for the City’s new water supply project now include a water transmission line down Highway 28 to connect to the existing water main off Powerhouse Rd., and relocation of the City’s ultra violet and sodium hypochlorite treatment facilities to the new pump station building that will be constr ucted at Joh n Ha r t La ke.

T he new plan is based on an

amendment to the 2014 agreement between the City of Campbell River and BC Hydro that had the electrical utility funding up to 75 per cent of the costs associated with a new water supply. In addition, BC Hydro was to fund 100 per cent of the water line along Surge Tower Road off H ighway 28. Su rge Tower Road is the main haul route for the John Hart project.

“The opportunity to revisit our original agreement arose given the cost, complexities and interactions with the City waterworks project and the John Hart project along Surge Tower Rd, and from that, better efficiencies in having one City domestic water building on BC Hydro property versus two at different locations. We appreciate the City’s collaborative work in developing a better solution,” says Stephen Watson of BC Hydro.

“When we considered all the elements, the City determined that we could lower BC Hydro’s costs as well as eliminate shared use of Surge Tower Rd. during con st r uct ion by combi n i ng all water treatment at the new lakeside pump station,” explains Jason Hartley, the City’s capital works manager. “This would a lso remove a major section of the water transmission line from the park, minimizing our impact on an important community and provincial asset.”

The entire drinking water project is now valued at $22.4 million, with BC Hydro’s overall maximum contribution at $18.3

THE TRUE NORTH ISLAND

N MT. WADDINGTON DAVID MITCHELL

orth Islanders, like all of Vancouver Islanders, are enjoying the great summer weather we’ve had so far. Needless to say, we too are concerned about the rea l ity of drought conditions and the threat of forest fires. Port Hardy already experienced a wild fire in close proximity to residences that needed to be evacuated.

The weather impact is also felt in our forest industry, which is

Their innovative production process was developed by Dr. Brian Oates of Pacific Coast Wasabi and Malcolm Island has now become the largest wasabi producer in North America

NORTHERN ROPES & Industrial Supply Ltd.

Industrial & Safety Supplies Fire Ext. Charging & Testing, Complete Wire Rope Rigging Shop Campbell River, B.C.

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subject to shut down during dry conditions.

On the downside of the North Island economy, approximately three hundred and eighty employees of Neucel Specialty Cellulose continue to be affected by global market conditions for the mill’s specialty pulp products.

This most recent shut down,

m i l l ion, wh ich i ncludes 100 per cent of the additional $5.8 million work to consolidate the treatment facilities and run the water transmission line down the highway to Powerhouse Rd. The City’s cost remains at $4.15 million, to be paid for through a combination of water capital and debt from borrowing.

The new drinking water source is scheduled to be operating in fall 2017, before the existing BC Hyd ro penstocks a re removed as part of the $1.1 bill i o n Jo h n H a r t G e n e ra t i n g Station replacement project.

Campbell River’s water system distributes water for domestic, commercial and industrial use as well as fire protection via water mains running throughout the community and to customers on local First Nations reserves and in a portion of Area D.

Wei Wai Kum sign innovative forestry agreement T he P rov i nce h as issued a woodland licence to Campbell River's Wei Wai Kum First Nation, enhancing employment and economic opportunities in the region, Minister of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson announced recently.

T h is 25-yea r Fi rst Nations woodland licence allows the Wei Wai Kum to harvest almost 9,900 cubic metres of timber per year from their traditional territories. The agreement covers which started in March 2015, is expected to continue for a while yet. According to Tai Cheng, Vice President Community & Government Affairs, prices are starting to stabilize, which is good news.

Neucel is currently assessing a number of projects at the mill aimed at increasing production ef f iciency. A n nou ncements about these upgrades may be forthcoming this fall.

Cut backs in ferry service between Prince Rupert and Port Hardy have had an impact on visitor numbers to the region in the first half of the tourism season, but there are signs that August will be a good month for our tourism operators.

Entrepreneurship on the North Island continues to be an area of growth on the North Island. No matter the sector, we are seeing more and more “succession deals” happening, where retiring business owners are selling to younger entrepreneurs.

The recently formed Kawatsi Economic Development Corporation by the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw NaƟons, has been very busy this past spring. K EDC purchased the Port Hardy Inn, a nd a fter a qu ick ma keover, they are up and operating this summer, under the new Operations Manager Terry Balfour.

The hotel will be fully renovated

33 a 2,414 hectare parcel of Crown land near Heydon Bay on BC’s south central mainland coast and another 1,212 hectares by Pye Lake, north of Campbell River.

This is the third First Nations woodland licence issued since the Province began the program in 2011. These area-based, direct-award forest licences give First Nations a stronger role in forest and land stewardship and make it easier for First Nations forest companies to secure investment and loans.

“We h ave enjoyed success with a variety of economic development projects including the Discovery Harbour Marina and Shopping Centre, House of T reasures n at ive a r t a nd gift shop and the Thunderbird Campground. T h is new forest licence allows us to build on our strong economic base, while taking the lead in managing traditional lands and better conservation of our cultural interests in the region,”said Robert Pollard, Chief, Wei Wai Kum First Nation.

The Province signed the first direct-award agreement with Fi rst Nat ion s i n September 2002. Since then, the Province has signed forestry agreements with 177 First Nations providing $382 million in revenue-sharing and providing access to 180 million cubic metres of timber.

First Nations woodland licences have also been awarded to the Huu-ay-aht First Nation on Vancouver Island. in the off-season. KEDC is also preparing to open a new 10,000 square foot cold storage unit in Port Hardy.

Malcolm Island Growers, owned

by Andrew Cole and Kyla Lee, has now completed its first production cycle of “wasabi” on Malcolm Island. MIG started with four greenhouses 18 months ago and this year expanded to eight.

Their innovative production process was developed by Dr. Brian Oates of Pacific Coast Wasabi and Malcolm Island has now become the largest wasabi producer in North America.

Summertime is also a time for North Island community celebrations. In July Port Hardy hosted another highly successful Filomi Days celebration. Alert Bay hosted SeaFest on the August long weekend and Port McNeill’s “OrcaFest” will light up that community on August 15th.

Looking ahead, September 12 and 13 the Mount Waddington Regional Fall Fair will be held in Port McNeill. The Fair is an annual event that has brought Nor t h I s l a n d c om m u n it i e s together for more than 50 years.

David Mitchell is General Manager of Community Futures Mt. Waddington.

He can be contacted at david@ cfmw.ca or 250-956-2220.

WHO IS SUING WHOM

34 WHO IS SUING WHOM

AUGUST 2015

DEFENDANT

DEFENDANT

DEFENDANT

DEFENDANT

Comfort Group Heating Corporation 201 Selby St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Manhas, Kulvinder CLAIM $12,297

Evans Bay Contracting Ltd PO Box 596, Heriot Bay, BC PLAINTIFF Northwest Wire Rope Ltd CLAIM $10,996

Little Elf Garden Centre 1062 Goldstream Ave, Langford, BC PLAINTIFF Fisher Farms CLAIM $23,256

Sei Bella Studio 8739 Cordero Cres, North Saanich, BC PLAINTIFF Murgatroyd, Cheryl CLAIM $ 25,156

DEFENDANT Dean Park Plumbing & Heating Ltd 6-7855 East Saanich Road, Saanichton, BC PLAINTIFF Newsome, Richard CLAIM $25,216

DEFENDANT Evergreen Medicinal Supply Inc 4000 Granville Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Prices Alarm Systems (2009) Ltd CLAIM $10,001

DEFENDANT Maximillian Huxley Construction Ltd 7th Floor 1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Sunflower The Painting Company CLAIM $23,454

DEFENDANT Dynamex Canada Limited 500-8801 Trans Canada Hwy, St Laurent, QC PLAINTIFF Fletcher, Cris CLAIM $9,324

DEFENDANT Fanny Bay Service Ltd 16749 84a Ave, Surrey, BC PLAINTIFF Mid Island Consumer Services Cooperative CLAIM $ 161,123

DEFENDANT Richmond Property Group Ltd 4599 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Footprints Security Patrol Inc CLAIM $ 9,901

DEFENDANT Canadian Internet Marketing Ltd 240 Dallas Road, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF 602 Courtney Street Ltd CLAIM $145,730

DEFENDANT Easy Living Holdings Ltd. 201 Selby St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Mid Island Consumer Services Cooperative CLAIM $43,958

DEFENDANT Goodsense Plumbing Inc 202 Crease Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Faust, Carol Ann CLAIM $ 17,682

DEFENDANT Ripple Rock Restorations & Renovations 1671 Petersen Rd, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF McLellan, James Gordon CLAIM $ 13,216

DEFENDANT Coast Realty Group (Campbell River) Ltd 30 Front St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Le Fevre & Company Property Agents CLAIM $21,241

DEFENDANT Electrix Ltd 167 Maquinna Ave, Zeballos, BC PLAINTIFF Christenson, Barry Gordon CLAIM $18,449

DEFENDANT Kin Wah Company Limited 4599 Chatterton Way, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Chow, Edward CLAIM $ 376,409

DEFENDANT Roofco Roofing Corp 201-156 Morison Ave, Parksville BC PLAINTIFF Cedar Grove Building Product Ltd CLAIM $ 144,257

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 4MS Storage & Mini Storage 5352 North Island Hwy, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Arcilla Mariel CLAIM $25,396 DEFENDANT Andron Holdings Ltd 906 Island Hwy, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Tillett, Lyndon CLAIM $25,156

DEFENDANT Shoreline Autobody 10045 McDonald Park Rd, Sidney, BC PLAINTIFF Quiroz Borrero, Eduardo CLAIM $ 7,045 DEFENDANT South Island Inspectech Building Inspections Inc 816 Dalewood Lane, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Cady, George Phillip Douglas CLAIM $ 25,196 DEFENDANT Tech Mechanical Systems Ltd 200-911 Yates St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Swandel, Catherine CLAIM $ 21,248 DEFENDANT Westwood Roofing Inc 2450 Highland Blvd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Integrated Solutions Inc CLAIM $ 7,280

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AUGUST 2015

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

wellness, and is located at Woodgrove Pines.

COWICHAN VALLEY

Spa in the Pines, located at 6135 Metral Drive, celebrated its grand opening. The spa specializes in nail services, body waxing, eyebrow and eyelash tinting and therapeutic massages.

Community Futures Central Island is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Solar panels may be coming to the Cowichan Valley Regional District. In January, Cowichan locals requested that the CVRD support solar installations in the Cowichan Valley.

John Duncan, MP for Vancouver Island North recently announced funding for upgrades to the Centennial Hall and the Little League ball park. Lake Cowichan will be receiving the funds from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure fund.

NANAIMO The Nanaimo School District has approved a spending bylaw for about $2.27 million in provincial government annual facilities grant money for the 2015-16 school year.

The majority of the money will go toward school re-roofing at a cost of $559,058, while $500,000 will go toward converting Cedar back into a high school. The remaining funds are purposed for system upgrades, a strategic energy management plan, and giving Cedar elementary a facelift.

Lantzville has a new top Chief Administrative Officer. Brad McRae, former CAO for the District of Lillooet, will become Lantzville’s CAO this August. McRae will take over the position on August 31st and will also take on the responsibility of approving officer for subdivisions.

Top-Lite Car Service Ltd has moved from its location in Harewood to 11 Cliff Street. The local automotive shop moved after the lease expired in Harewood.

The Medigas location in Nanaimo has moved from Dufferin Crescent to Rock City Centre, directly behind the Gone Fishing store.

Medigas is the home healthcare division of Praxair Canada Inc, which provides physicians and their patients sleep therapy, home oxygen therapy and home medical equipment.

Lenhart Insurance Brokers has relocated to Westhill Plaza at 101-1808 Bowen Road and will run under the banner of Vancouver Island Insurance Centres.

Fibber Magees will be closing its doors this month, and the business will reopen under a new name and format in September.

K.D. Beausoliel Company Inc, currently located on Victoria Crescent, will move to their new location at 255 Terminal Avenue this fall.

Island Natural Markets has taken a new name and new owners. The natural food store on Metral Drive is now called Pomme Natural Market and is owned by a group of Victoriabased business people who also operate two other Pomme Natural Market stores in Vancouver and Port Coquitlam.

Nanaimo North Town Centre will be welcoming a number of new tenants to its shopping centre, including: Sun Life Financial, which will be relocating in January, Lowes, which will open in the spring of 2016, and a possibility of a men’s shoe store opening in the near future. The former location of Kelsey’s, located outside the mall, may become a Red Lobster in the future.

Shari Molchan of Molchan Financial has moved

35

Jim Pattison Hyundai has announced the appointment of Jon Beekman as its new sales manager. her office to 55 Museum Way, sharing the office space with Michelle Graham of Graham and Associates.

Heather Larkham, owner and operator of dance studio Urban Connection, will be moving the business to a new location at 2780 Island Highway in Willow Point.

The Mid Island Co-op is building a new commercial card lock location at Boxwood and Northfield Road. Across the street construction has also begun for a new Tim Hortons.

WestJet will be starting a daily non-stop service between Edmonton and Nanaimo in December.

The Nanaimo Arts Council will be vacating its storefront at Nanaimo North Town Centre, and potentially moving to the empty space below McLean’s Specialty Foods on Fitzwilliam.

An application has been put forth for a new 4-storey residential care facility on Wills Road.

Tiah Workman Notary Public will be moving from its Aulds Road location to #101-5220 Dublin Way on August 24.

Woodgrove Centre has named Julia Dow as the new general manager. Dow will be replacing Mark Fenwick who has been hired as general manager of the new Tsawwassen Mills Mall.

Mike Keough is now the manager of the Nanaimo Cabelas store.

John Day is celebrating his fifth anniversary as The Foam Guy. Realty Executives Mid Island welcomes back Katerina Gamlin after taking the last year off to spend time with her family.

Nanaimo city council has agreed to buy back 100 Gordon Street from SSS Manhao, who called off plans for a $50-million, 21-storey hotel.

Frankie’s Modern Diner has now closed its doors. Owner Franki Naccarato is looking for someone to buy the diner, and has said he will take some time off for a rest before deciding what he will pursue next.

The Downstairs is celebrating its grand opening at B1-6135 Metral Drive. The fitness centre takes a holistic approach to health and

Classic Care Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning has welcomed Doug Kielly to its team of professionals, located at #3-4131 Mostar Road.

PARKSVILLEQUALICUM Qualicum locals Thomas Riva and BC Liberal MLA Michelle Stillwell both earned gold medals at the Canadian National Track and Field Championships held in Edmonton, Alberta this past month.

Vancouver-based developer Seacliff Properties Ltd. has been identified as the purchaser of the Fairwinds Oceanfront Community in Nanoose. The sale includes the Fairwinds Golf Course, Schooner Cove Marina, Fairwinds Centre and development lands.

The firm that currently manages Fairwinds, Bentall Kennedy Residential Services made the announcement in a press release this past month.

SEE MOVERS AND SHAKERS | PAGE 36

Nanaimo’s Berwick on the Lake retirement facility will be undergoing major renovations.

Nail Infusion will soon be opening for business at 312 Fitzwilliam Street.

Serenity Seniors Home has applied for a business license at the former Hecate Lodge.

MKD Accountants, formerly located on Wallace Street, has moved to a new location at #3-4890 Rutherford Road.

Nanaimo Veterinary Hospital on Wellington Road has announced plans to expand its office space, with renovations to begin in October and finish in early December.

J.A. Smith Associates congratulates Murray McCulloch on receiving his Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified General Accountant designations.

Daniel Caron and Tammy Deline, owners of 2 Chefs Affair have purchased Modern Cafe from long-time owner Bill Belland. The restaurant will retain the same name, and the new owners are committed to working with local farmers to introduce more local products.

Siegfried Hildebrandt, former owner of Ziggy’s Driving Academy has now established a new company; Discovery Motorcycle Tours Nanaimo. The company will provide motorcycle tours around Vancouver Island that Hildebrandt will personally lead.

Nanaimo’s Wenner Group of Companies has now launched Wenner Security. The new company will offer complete home and business security systems across Vancouver Island.

Locally owned & operated

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

36 MOVERS AND SHAKERS

AUGUST 2015

Macdonald Realty Ltd. has welcomed the addition of Jo Pederson and Kim Young to its team of professionals. The company has also celebrated the opening of the new home of Amy Hadikin and Donald Ballard’s second real estate office, location on the Island Highway in the former x-ray clinic.Â

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

Parksville’s British Bobby Restaurant recently underwent some major renovations. Owners John and Mary St. John have just completed a $20,000 renovation and expansion adding a medieval theme to their restaurant.

Mark Watson, volunteer firefighter at the Qualicum Beach Fire Hall has been recognized by town council for his 25 years of service.

Revera, a Mississauga Ontario-based company has purchased property beside city hall and the conference centre on Jensen Avenue from MacLean Homes. Revera has applied for a demolition permit to tear the existing structure on the property down and plans to construct a new development that will provide Parksville seniors with high-quality living choices.

The Society of Organized Services has elected Garry Cox as their new president, and Elaine McKinlay has also come in as a new director.

The Board of Directors for the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce is considering consolidating its two office spaces, moving all operations into the visitor›s centre on the beach.Â

The Englishman River Water Service Board has passed motions forwarding a new water treatment facility plan to Parksville city council. If approved by council and the regional district, the project will call for the $28.3 million facility to be completed by June of 2018, with City of Parksville taxpayers accounting for 74 per cent of the cost.Â

PORT ALBERNI Lorna Crowshaw has received recognition as Emeritus Designee. Crowshaw, who retired from North Island College’s Port Alberni Campus in 2014 was honoured with the award which recognizes the outstanding service of retired employees at the college’s year-end event in Campbell River.

Tar’s Auto is celebrating their 35th year in business.

Harris Oceanside Chevrolet Buick GMC has welcomed Gerald Ferguson to its service team, located at 512 East Island Highway. Little Qualicum Cheeseworks will be providing 1,953 kilograms of its brie cheese to White Spot for its new menu, which features a variety of foods and wines, all from BC.Â

Multi-Max has moved to 4746 Johnston Road.

They celebrated their grand opening August 6th.

Archie Cardinal, owner of Slammer’s Gym, has purchased the Italian Hall. The building will undergo renovations to including an 80-seat restaurant downstairs in the basement as well as plumbing and electrical upgrades. Elliot Drew is the general manager.

Photo caption: Pot Luck Ceramics is now open for business at their new location at 4473 Gertrude Street Extensive renovations of the Best Western Barclay hotel are now complete.

Alberni Toyota celebrated 4 years at their Alberni Highway location at the end of July.

Improvements to the trail system through Rogers Creek ravine will continue as the province announced $70,000 in funding last month.

A new 80-seat, high end Italian restaurant will be moving into the Italian Hall in October 2015.

WEST COAST For the second year in a row, The Wickaninnish Inn took the top spot on the Travel + Leisure

2015 World’s Best Awards list of Top Resorts in Canada. The World’s Best Awards are judged based off of guest experience ranked under a number of categories where readers rate their experience.

Two Vancouver Island destinations have been listed among some of the best places in British Columbia. According to a new Insights West poll of the province’s leisure travelers, Tofino came in second overall, earning a “best place� designation with 38 per cent of total votes.

Greater Victoria’s Butchart Gardens ranked fourth on the list.

Tofino’s municipal council recently granted $2,000 to the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce to help grow their ‘Buy Local’ campaign, as well as $5,000 to hire a

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AUGUST 2015

contractor to prepare a framework for the Community Economic Development Committee, and $1,000 to support an Innovation Island workshop series.

Funding has been announced for exterior lights at the Fisgard Lighthouse. Additionally, the Westcoast Trail will see repairs to bridges, boardwalks and ladders, and other parts of the Pacific Rim National Park will also be upgraded.

Highway 4 will be experiencing road repairs and repaving. Funding for the $10.7 million project was announced earlier this year.

Jeff Swann, Sandy Rantz and Solidarity Snacks were recognized with awards at the closing ceremonies of Ukee Days in Ucluelet. Rantz was presented with the Volunteer of the Year Award, Kasia Kromka and Cody Naples, owners of Solidarity Snacks, were presented with the Business of the Year award, and Swann was presented with the Citizen of the Year Award.

COMOX VALLEY The Federal Government has announced more than $59,000 in funding to help equip youth in Courtenay to find jobs. The funding grant was given to the Comox Valley Art Gallery, which will deliver a project to help nine youth in Courtenay to successfully transition to the job market or return to school.

The Comox Valley Small Business Association recently honoured several of its members at its annual awards reception. Recipients of the 2015 Small Business Awards were: Russ Ball of Audio Xcellence DJ Services, Business of the Year, Carmie Dixon of Carmie’s Catering, New Business of the Year, Heather Thompson of Dove Designs, Lawrence Belfrage Memorial Award, and Lori Ball of Comox Valley Fossil Adventures, Merit Award.

J.R. Edgett Excavating is celebrating 40 years of business in the Comox Valley this year.

The City of Courtenay has appointed Brian Parschauer, BA, CPA, CMA as their new Director of Financial Services. Parschauer, who worked the last 19 years as the Assistant Director of Finance for the City of Prince Albert replaces Tillie Manthey who recently retired after over 22 years with the City of Courtenay.

The Courtenay and District Fish and Game Protective Association has been recognized as the winner of the Province of British Columbia and Ducks Unlimited Canada Conservation Award for 2014-15.

The Canadian Cancer Society has recognized Sandra Dupuis, Sandra Mawhinney, Catherine Porter,

Betty Miller, and Barb Ellis-Clay for their hard work and contribution as volunteers at their Cliffe Avenue office in Courtenay.

The Downtown Social Club Coffee Studio has opened its doors at 574 Cumberland Road in Courtenay.

Next Wave, a new business networking group has begun in the Comox Valley. Lara Austin is the president and Darcy Lefebre is vicepresident. They have been meeting Tuesday’s at 7 am at the White Spot since last fall.

Vancouver Island North MP, John Duncan has announced that the Western Economic Diversification has approved a grant for the Comox Marina Centre Meeting Place project.

During a recent audit, the City of Courtenay received top marks from WorkSafeBC for their safety program.

Forbidden Brewing Co., the third microbrewery in the Comox Valley is now open for business.

The Courtenay and District Fish & Game Association has received $100,000 worth of funding from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program to go towards the upgrade of the association’s clubhouse. The town of Port McNeill, the Cape Mudge Indian Band, and the Sayward Community Recreation Association were also recipients of funds for projects through the program.

Adam Gilchrist returns to automotive sales as a product advisor at Rice Toyota. He brings over 20 years’ experience in the car business.

CAMPBELL RIVER Construction of an all-weather field at Robron Park is set to begin this month. The construction of the project was awarded to Upland Contracting Ltd. with AstroTurf West Distributors installing the synthetic turf and Musco Sports Lighting LLC supplying and delivering the sports lighting. The field is scheduled to be completed by mid-November of this year.

Quicksilver Resources Canada’s application for an export license was recently approved by the National Energy Board. This brings Quicksilver one step closer to being able to export Liquefied Natural Gas from its Discovery LNG site in Campbell River.

Len Hiquebran of Chan Nowosad Boates has obtained his Chartered Accountant designation. He has been with the firm since 2012.

Dr. Gabriela Gorea joins the staff at The Bridge Medical Clinic at 2207 – F Glenmore Road.

The City of Campbell River will be relocating its ultraviolet and sodium hypochlorite water treatment facilities to a new pump station at John Hart Lake that will be built by BC Hydro.

A new Dairy Queen has been proposed for the corner of 12th avenue and Dogwood Street.

The Ladore Dam is currently undergoing a $6 million upgrade to its water intake gates and supporting mechanical works.

Council approved a major development for Sweet-Zees Holding Company Ltd., an affiliate of Zimmfor Management Services Ltd. to develop

a new building across the road from Campbell River Airport. Sweet-Zees intends to lease the building to tenants for industrial, commercial and compound storage purposes.

Dr. Mike Finn and his team have welcomed Dr. Sarah Reynhoudt to the dentistry practice, located at 150 Dogwood Street.

Campbell River city council is applying to the provincial government for funding to aid in developing a water conservation plan, which aims to minimize spending on costly future water projects. The application is to the province’s infrastructure planning grant, which offers up to $10,000 to

37 help local governments plan, design and manage infrastructure such as sewer and water symptoms.

Pier Street Dental has moved its practice, led by Dr. Andy Wong, to a new waterfront clinic at #201-871 Island Highway.

A 2.1 million gallon cement tank that is 300 feet long by 100 feet wide at Shelter Point Distillery is being repurposed as a film set as part of the Screen BC Day proclamation by the provincial government.

Septen Financial Ltd announced the addition of Laurie Shambrook. She brings 27 years of investment and banking experience.

OPINION

38

AUGUST 2015 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Head Office 25 Cavan Street, Nanaimo, V9R 2T9 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684

PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald, lise@businessexaminer.ca SALES | Shawn Bishop - shawn@businessexaminer.ca, Josh Higgins – josh@ businessexaminer.ca, Joanne Iormetti – joanne@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Goody Niosi, John MacDonald, Julia MacDonald, Beth Hendry-Yim, John MacDonald, David Holmes WEBSITE | www.businessexaminer.ca

COUPONS, GROUPONS AND DISCOUNTS: ARE THEY A SLIPPERY SLOPE?

MARK MACDONALD

T

here are many different ways to attract customers to your place of business.

Advertising and marketing options are an obvious place to start, and it is clear that entrepreneurs are adept at putting on their thinking caps to come up with unique ways to bring new clients through the doors.

Coupons, groupons and discounts are popular, but are they short-term gain resulting in long-term pain? Do they present eventual problems for business profitability? Yes, these methods do bring people in, but do they on their own get cash registers to ring at amounts that ultimately make sense for the owner?

If you’re considering using

coupons/groupons, make sure the offer is substantial enough to entice customers to come your way. 10 per cent off is viewed as paltry. . .a “we pay the tax” offer, a slight increase, is more appealing, because, well, we all hate paying tax. But effective coupons need to promise more than a slight savings in order to work effectively.

Generally speaking, if a business receives a 10 per cent redemption rate on coupons, that’s looked at as a “win”. Depending on what discount/offer is being extended, and to how many potential customers, that could prove enormously costly and perhaps not even worth the effort, once the till tapes are tabulated.

And even if a coupon works, if a person only buys once, was it worth the effort at all to get them into the business?

At best, coupons/groupons/discounts can be likened to “tasters”.

Perhaps no-one is better at “tasters” than Costco. There, if a visit is timed right, mom and dad can feed the whole family by walking up and down the aisles around lunch or dinner time. An entire meal isn’t available at every station, but one can get enough nibbles to make

the tummy rumblings seriously subside until reaching the till and beyond.

Tasters are effective, and they do work, but the vendors aren’t giving away the farm. They are giving potential buyers a nibble, a try, in hopes that their taste buds are satisfactorily affected, enough to encourage their brains to buy the entire bag or box.

Still, they are only samples. By the end of the day, the product presenter has divvied up plenty of product, but it’s only a little bit at a time to a wide number of potential customers. The message is clear: If you like what you’ve tasted, buy the bundle.

But, lest we forget, someone, somewhere, needs to pay full price – or a reasonable price - frequently, or there won’t be a company at all.

Like most business exercises, the bottom line of the company is the ultimate statement about whether or not any sales method is effective.

And if, at the end of the day or sale period, it results in red ink, then what’s the point?

Discounting is a slippery slope, and, while being the easy way out for salespeople, it can become a very real problem for the company. If

people become accustomed to buying items at discounted prices and their frequency is based on price alone, how does a store get them to pay higher rates that make sense for the business? Yes, discounting works. But by continuing to do so, are you devaluing your business?

And is it making you work harder and longer, with nothing to show for the effort at the end of the day?

The answer is one word: Value.

Many years ago, a presenter at a sales seminar made a statement – over and over – that has been permanently etched in my mind: “In the absence of value, price becomes an issue.”

He urged us to concentrate on value when making sales pitches.

He encouraged us to equip our staff to make skilled sales presentations and help buyers make purchases knowing they are making an investment in quality.

It takes research, product knowledge and confidence in order for a salesperson to be confident to sell on value, rather than price, but the investment is always worth it. If the sales team is educated about what they’re selling, they’ll be able to present an understanding of value to customers prior to purchase.

Commission-based salespeople need to be reminded that their longevity with the company depends on their ability to sell goods and services at healthy margins that make sense for the owners, as well as the customers.

Not everyone buys based solely on price. Of course there are many who do, but there is always a segment of the market that buys products and services based on long-lasting value. It is these who are more apt become loyal, longterm, valuable customers, and likely word-of-mouth advertisers for the company if they’re happy.

If selling your products at or near your cost has become the long-term standard of conducting business, perhaps the next major discount the regular “customers” will get from the business is from the “going out of business” sale as you sell the remainder of your assets.

It all comes down to the issue of value.

Do you believe in your company, your products, and your people?

Then it’s worth holding the line on the prices you’re asking. The results are much better than the alternative.

WHAT SMALL BUSINESS WANTS TO SEE FROM FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN Government spending, taxes and red tape top concerns Reducing red tape is a high-priority issue that all parties support

LAURA JONES

E

lections are exciting and br i ng out t he b est a nd wors t i n u s. T he b e s t: Contemplating the future direction of the country, debating policy choices, and thoughtfully deciding how to vote based on what is most important to us. The worst: Inattention to substance in favour of muck.

The antidote to the latter is to look carefully at the policy platforms (or a reliable summary), particularly with respect to the issues that matter most to you.

T o h e l p s m a l l b u s i n e s ses, which cover all stripes of

t he pol it ic a l sp ect r u m, t he Ca n ad ia n Federat ion of I ndependent Busi ness has put questions to all party leaders on the issues that we know matter most, including spending, taxes, and red tape. Responses will be posted on our website at cfib.ca.

T his week, we released the list of policy commitments we would like to see leaders make based on our frequent surveys of sma l l busi ness ow ners.

Below are some of the issues we are following carefully: 1) A balanced budget and government spending Cont rol l i ng gover n ment

s p e n d i n g a n d d e b t i s s u pported by 86 per cent of the 6,874 sma l l busi nesses that responded to a poll last fall on the question of political parties should include in their platforms. A specific commitment that businesses are looking for is that governments balance the budget — someth i ng a l l party leaders have said they wou ld do. B u si ness ow ners wou ld a l so l i ke to see more fairness between public- and private-sector wages and benefits (cu rrently, federa l public-sector employees earn over 30 per cent more in wages and benefits relative to the same job in the private sector).

2) Taxes T he tota l ta x bu rden consistently ranks among the top challenges for small business owners across Canada on CFIB surveys. One ta x issue, sure to get attention du ri ng th is election campaign, is whether Canada Pension Plan premiums should be increased to ultimately fund higher payouts.

Small business owners and

the general public believe there are better ways to help Canadians save for retirement. For example, reducing the tax load in other areas to allow more money to be put into savings or creating some form of incentive like a one-time match to an RRSP contribution to encourage saving.

Another tax issue is the reduction of the small business corporate tax rate, an idea originally brought forward by the NDP in the last federal election.

The rate is currently scheduled to be reduced from 11 per cent to nine per cent over four years.

All parties seem to agree with this direction.

3) Red tape Reducing red tape is a highpriority issue that all parties support. The Red Tape Reduction Act, which eliminates one regulation (and equivalent burden) for every new one introduced, had nea r u na n i mous support: 2 45 votes in favour a nd one opposed. T here has been a lot of good work done in this area, some of it started

with the previous Liberal gover n ment. However, t here is a lot more heavy lifting to be done, and 71 per cent of small business owners want to see commitments to this effect in the platforms. In particular, sma l l busi nesses wou ld l i ke to see the federal government take a page out of B.C.’s policy book and set a red tape reduction target. B.C. reduced its red tape by over 40 per cent relative to its 2001 baseline.

Federal parties should commit to at least a 20-per-cent reduction.

A few other tips for sticking to substance: Turn off the attack ads and tune in to the debates.

It will be an interesting few months on the federal scene.

Good luck staying above the muck!

Laura Jones is Executive Vice President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. She can be reached at laura.jones@cfib.ca. Follow her on Twitter @CFIBideas.

SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.NET. DISTRIBUTION: FOURTH WEEK OF EACH MONTH VIA CANADA POST AD MAIL. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Produced and published in British Columbia. All contents copyright Business Examiner Vancouver Island, 2015. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

LAW/INVENTING

AUGUST 2015

AM I AN INVENTOR OR NOT?

PATENTING A COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED INVENTION LAW

Therefore, someone

Patent Eligible Claims

who has an idea is not an inventor unless they do something with the

INVENTING

idea to reduce it to practice

ANNE FLANAGAN

I

t is very easy to determ i ne who is a n i nventor when one person comes up with an idea and then develops it into a product, process or method. T he waters are soon muddied when one person has an idea, a n o t h e r re d u c e s i t to practise and yet another o w n s i t . W h o a re t h e inventors?

F i r s t o f a l l , o w n e rship and inventor-ship are totally different. If someone is working for a company to invent, or is contracted to invent, they are an inventor and must be listed as such.

An inventor never loses inventor-ship. In comparison, an owner is only an owner until they sell the invention. W hile they can be an inventor and an owner, they are not an inventor because they are an owner.

It is probably easiest to d e te r m i n e i n v e n tor-ship by considering the fact that an invention is not an idea. Therefore, someone who has an idea is not a n i nventor u nless they do something with the idea to reduce it to practice. T hat may involve preparing draw ings, or ma king a protot y p e. O f ten, t he “ideas person” identifies a problem that needs to be solved. Obviously, they are not an inventor unless they do something to solve the problem.

Is the person that takes the idea and develops a pro du ct or pro c e ss or m e t h o d a n i n v e n t o r?

Yes, they are an inventor. However, if a person is tasked w ith, for example, solving routine eng i neer i ng or desig n problems or is asked to perform experiments or conduct testing, they are not an inventor.

W hen f i l i ng a patent a p p l i c a t i o n , i t i s i mpor ta nt to be able to

determine who is an inventor and who is not. If a mistake is made, and an inventor has not been listed, it is an easy matter to add an inventor. Similarly, an inventor can be removed, but only if the inventor did not contribute to the invention being claimed (this is quite common with patent applications that include multiple inventions that are then divided into a number of different patent applications).

A last note – don’t include people as inventors just to be nice. A true inventive contribution must be made for anyone to be listed as an inventor. And remember to get the ownership sorted out and documented as once they are listed as an inventor, there must be a chain of title demonstrating that they have transferred their rights a s a n i n v e n to r to t h e owner.

39

In order for a claim to be patent eligible, it must clearly convey that the

F

or a number of years, many US patents relating to computer implemented inventions and the internet were granted. Then, on June 19, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its unanimous decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International. It had long been established that one cannot patent an “abstract idea”, but for many years, it was possible to obtain a patent for a business method (essentially an abstract idea) as implemented on a computer. However, in Alice Corp., the U.S. Supreme Court held that merely implementing an abstract idea on a “generic computer” does not make it patent eligible.

The Court further held that claims describi ng i mplementation of a method “using a handful of generic computer components” are not patentable either. The Alice Corp. decision severely weakened, if not destroyed, any business method patent that claims a demonstrably old and fundamental method with nothing more specific or “innovative” in the claims than implementation of that method on a computer.

A series of cases then followed in which the Alice Corp. decision was

computer is programmed to perform the steps of the method applied. For example, in Ultramercial Inc v Hulu LLC, a claimed method of offering free streaming video in exchange for viewing an advertisement was held to be not patent eligible. A year has passed since the Alice Corp. decision and it is now time to revisit what is and is not patentable regarding computer implemented inventions. The U.S. Patent Office acknowledges that a general purpose computer, when programmed by program software to perform a series of steps, creates a new machine because a general purpose computer becomes a special purpose computer once it is programmed to perform particular functions pursuant to instructions from the program software.

In order for a claim to be patent eligible, it must clearly convey that the computer is programmed to perform the steps of the method. There must be integral use of the computer to

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achieve performance of the method, as compared to the computer being merely being an object on which the method operates. The computer must impose meaningful limits on the execution of the claimed method steps, as compared to the computer contributing only nominally to the execution of the method steps (e.g., in a data gathering).

By following the method claimed, one should produce an observable and verifiable result. The foregoing can be used as a guide in determining whether a com puter implemented invention is patent eligible. It is important to understand that what is being considered is the invention “as claimed” (the claims are the part of a patent application that define the exclusive rights that the applicant hopes to obtain) and that care should be taken in the claiming strategy.

When preparing an application for subject matter that could be characterized as a mere abstract idea, it is important to emphasize in the claims, and fully describe, features that differentiate the claimed subject matter from a mere abstract idea, for example, specific technical details that are only possible or practical when implemented on a computer.

Michael Cooper and Douglas Thompson of Thompson Cooper LLP

PATENTS TRADEMARKS COPYRIGHT

CONTACT:

SHAWN BISHOP shawn@businessexaminer.ca

1.866.758.2684, ext. 130 Michael Cooper & Douglas B. Thompson

Anne Flanagan is the principal at Alliance Patents.

She works with a cadre of highly skilled professionals and can help you build the team you need to succeed.

She can be reached at anne. flanagan@alliancepatents. com

We assist your corporate lawyer by protecting your inventions and trademarks

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