NOVEMBER 2016
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KELOWNA Universal Packaging A Finalist for ‘Manufacturer of the Year
Thompson/Okanagan WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA
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KAMLOOPS Brother & Sister Team Turned A Dream Into Success
Okanagan College Trades Building Wins Top Honours At Sica Commercial Building Awards 8th Annual event highlights the best of the best in Thompson, Okanagan and Kootenay commercial building
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INDEX News Update
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TOTA 3 Vernon 4 Hiring Guru
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Kelowna 5 West Kelowna
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Kamloops 8 Penticton 30 Green Sheet
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Movers and Shakers 32 Opinion 34 Contact us: 1-866-758-2684
OUR 8TH YEAR
ELOWNA – Okanagan College Trades Building was named the Judges’ Choice Best Overall entry in the 8th Annual Southern Interior Construction Association Commercial Building Awards October 27 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel. There were 28 finalists in the event, which had cities in the Thompson, Okanagan and Kootenay regions represented, with entries from Kamloops, Monte Creek, Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Enderby, Vernon, Lake Country, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Summerland, Penticton and Cranbrook. “This was one of the very best commercial building awards fo r t h e re g io n ,” s ay s Ma rk SEE BUILDING AWARDS | PAGE 26
PHOTOS BY ETHAN DELICHTE
Yeti Farm Creative On A Roll With Talent Expansion and B.C. Job Makers Award The full service animation studio’s profile is rising steeply with the expansion of its senior team and recent industry distinction
K Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240
Okanagan College Trades Building won the Community Institutional category and Judges’ Choice Best Overall Entry at the SICA Commercial Building Awards. From left, Steve Thomson, MLA for Kelowna Mission and the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Okanagan College Regional Dean Heather Schneider, Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton, Gary McEwan of PCL Constructors West Coast Inc., and Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna Lake Country and Minister of Agriculture
ELOWNA— 2016 has been a very good year indeed for Yeti Farm Creative. In September, the Okanagan animation studio received the B.C. Job Makers Award, and one month later, they announced the addition of leading industry talent to their senior team. And it would appear Yeti Farm is
only getting started. “There’s so much coming down the pipeline,” enthuses CEO and Co-Founder Ashley Ramsay. “And it’s big stuff, but we can only give hints as to what it is.” Ramsay acknowledges that the studio has just had a “huge project green-lit…a series that will have 35
animators working.” She also says that a third creative director (whose name cannot be announced yet) is joining Yeti Farm’s senior team. The expansion of Yeti Farm’s cutting-edge dark fiber geothermal studio in Kelowna’s increasingly hot tech district earlier in the year appears to have been timely.
With their recent staff acquisitions, they have “120 seats available”— meaning they employ that many animators. It was no great surprise then that Yeti Farm took the high profile B.C. Job Maker’s Award earlier in the SEE YETI FARM | PAGE 9
Canada’s Leading Group Benefit Plan For Firms with 1-50 Employees. Kevin Flynn
Salmon Arm Financial
Tel: 250-832-1088
www.salmonarmfinancial.com
For more information contact us, or your local Chamber office.
NEWS UPDATE
2 KELOWNA
KAMLOOPS
COEDC Celebrates International and Provincial Recognition
Thompson Rivers University Receive $4.16M Investment from Province
T he Regional District of Central Okanagan’s Economic Development Commission (COE D C) wa s re cog n i z e d with an international award acknowledging excellence in econom ic development a nd as a finalist for the BC Small Business Roundtable Open for Business Awards. T h e C O E D C h a s re c e i v e d the E xcel lence i n Econom ic Development Gold Award by t he International Econom ic Development Council (IEDC) fo r it s M a k e D i g it a l M e d i a Here: Workforce and Investment Attraction Campaign in the category of Special Events. T he awa rd was presented i n Cleveland, Ohio on September 27, 2016. I EDC’s E xcel lence i n Econom ic Development Awa rds recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most i n f luentia l leaders. T hese awards honour organizations and individuals for their effor ts i n creat i ng posit ive cha nge i n u rba n, subu rba n, and rural communities. The Regional District COEDC is also honoured to be one of 11 fina lists for the BC Sma ll Business Roundtable Open for Business Award, recognizing t he mos t b u si ne ss f r iend ly communities in BC at a ceremony at t he BC L eg i sl at ive Bu i ld i ngs on September 26, 2016. T he COE D C wou ld l i ke to congratulate District of Lake Country for their recognition as a busi ness f r iend ly community. Of the 11 finalists, District of Lake Country was one of 5 BC communities who were awa rd e d t he 2016 O p en for Business Award. The COEDC is very proud of the District of Lake Country’s efforts to promote business friendly initiatives in the Central Okanagan.
The BC government has announced an investment of $4.16 million in Thompson Rivers University (TRU) for skills training in high-priority trades seats. The investment, through the Industry Training Authority (ITA), will fund 1,588 seats through to March 31, 2017 in various trades, including: electricians, welders, cooks, heavy mechanical group trades, and carpenters. The funding is part of the ITA’s allocation to BC post-secondary institutions and training providers to run various training programs throughout the province. In response to the objectives outlined in BC’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint and the McDonald Report, the BC government has worked in partnership with the ITA to begin building a demanddriven trades training system with funding aligned to specific in-demand trades. The provincial government invests more than $94 million annually in industry training through the ITA. The ITA leads and co-ordinates British Columbia’s skilled trades system by working with employers, employees, industry, labour, training providers and government to issue credentials, manage apprenticeships, set program standards and increase opportunities in the trades.
KELOWNA OK College Business Team Takes Home Social EnterPrize A team consisting of two Okanagan College professors and one student researcher are among only five teams across the country to be awarded prestigious research grants from the Trico Charitable Foundation. Dr. Kyleen Myrah and Kerry Rempel of the Oka naga n
NOVEMBER 2016
Col lege School of Busi ness, along with Cassandra McColman, a third-year business student, recently received a Trico Social EnterPrize award for case study research. The biennial awards go to Canadian organizations demonstrating best practices, impact and innovation in social enterprise. T he Oka naga n Col lege researchers partnered with Mission Possible, a Vancouver-based non-profit that helps people challenged by homelessness and poverty find meaningful work. The hope is that the detailed case study of Mission Possible’s social enterprise model will aid other organizations looking to do the same. The social entrepreneurship course Myrah teaches has led to over 200 community based student projects since 2007 and incorporates real cases, such as this one, into the curriculum. The case will be published and shared extensively by the Trico Charitable Foundation in the coming months. For Myrah, the award marks the second time being recognized by the Foundation. In 2014, her case study was among four Social EnterPrize studies supported by the Foundation. Myrah was lead researcher on a project with local business consultant Elvia Picco; the pair wrote about the YWCA Metro Vancouver Social Enterprise Hotel. That case study can be found online.
report out on the health of the sector throughout the province. The report outlines how small businesses continue to make up a sizeable part of BC’s gross domestic product (GDP). At 35per cent of GDP, BC was well ahead of the Canadian national average of 32 per cent, and ahead of BC’s level of 34per cent in 2014. Additional BC small business sector highlights from the 2016 profile include: Small businesses continue to employ over one million British Columbians, which is 55per cent of all private sector jobs in BC and 45per cent of all employment in BC; both figures are an increase compared to the 2015 profile. The accommodation and food services industry was the largest provider of new small business jobs with over 11,000 jobs created from 2010 until 2015. Small businesses exports from BC total approximately $12.9 billion— over 36per cent of BC’s total exports with 53per cent of exports destined for the U.S.A. Small businesses per capita in BC continue to rank first in Canada with 83 small businesses per 1,000 people, far above the national average of 70.3. There were 9,905 high tech businesses with employees in British Columbia in 2015, of those 96per cent were small businesses. New to the 2016 report is a comparison of average earnings by province showing the difference in wages between small and large companies. The report shows BC’s small business workers have the smallest wage gaps in the country, compared to large business workers. Also unique to the 2016 edition is a new section showing what makes BC an enticing place to start a small business such as quality of life and competitive tax rates, both of which rank BC favourably compared to other provinces. While five regions throughout the province recorded growth in the number of small businesses between 2014 and 2015, this new section will also help the Province identify regions where small business growth is not as strong and may require targeted
BC New Report Indicates Importance of Small Business to Province There’s nothing small about the continued growth of BC’s small business sector as outlined in the Small Business Profile 2016: A profile of small business in British Columbia. The 2016 Small Business Profile includes updated key economic indicators such as job growth (including self-employment) and exports, trends by industry, regional breakdowns and crossjurisdictional comparisons to
supports.
BC Province Makes $100M Investment in BC Tech The BC government has recently launched a new $100-million BC Tech Fund, followed by the announcement of a fund manager and an initial investment in a BC company. After a comprehensive proposal and assessment process involving 12 proponents, Kensington Capital Partners has been selected as the successful firm to manage the BC Tech Fund. As an active participant in the BC venture capital market, Kensington is attuned to potential investments in BC companies – and as a result of its detailed due diligence, has confirmed the first investment from the BC Tech Fund with Mojio, the leading open platform for connected cars, headquartered in Vancouver. Mojio provides all the elements needed for enterprise customers to quickly launch secure, branded connected car apps and services all powered by Mojio. This funding fuels Mojio at a critical time as the company is launching nationwide with a wireless carrier partner in the United States and across Europe with its strategic investor, Deutsche Telekom. Investments will be targeted in the technology sector, including digital media, information communications technology (ICT), life sciences/health care and clean technology. Over the lifetime of the agreement, BC Tech Fund investments in BC companies will help those businesses create high-paying jobs for British Columbians and substantially increase the province’s technology footprint. All BC Tech Fund investments are made by Kensington. Kensington will also work with stakeholders from all regions of the province on activities that will help grow BC’s venture capital system. Specifically, Kensington will: Help create new venture capital SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 9
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TOTA
NOVEMBER 2016
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‘REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES’ SUPPORTS LOCAL TOURISM SECTOR
THOMPSON OKANAGAN TOURISM GLENN MANDZIUK
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estination BC together w ith the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is, for a second year, present i n g t he R em a rk able E x per iences P rog ra m. T h i s program which presents three modules over four full day sessions is designed to assist tourism sta keholders i n fi nd i ng small and large ways to elevate their visitors experience at all touch points. The first two-day module is focused on experience design. Here pa r t ic ipa nt s b e g i n to discover the elements of what makes an experience remarkable and they uncover that even small and inexpensive changes can have profound, meaningful and memorable impacts. They begin to understand the
Participants begin to discover the elements of what makes an experience remarkable, and discover that even small changes can have a memorable impact on their visitors basis for the progression of economic impact and realize the relationship value for both the guest and the business as you move from having a commodity to being a supplier of specific goods and then expanding that to offering activities and enhanced experiences. Through these first two days each participant is also able to
begin to either re-evaluate or design their own tourism experience and obtain valuable feedback from industry colleagues around the room. Following module one and each subsequent workshop 2 hours of one on one personal coaching is provided to assist stakeholders in moving from ideas into implementation.
The second and third modules are each fu ll day workshops focused on the stakeholder’s digital presence and social media activities. Within the digital workshop participants are provided a range of tools to evaluate and improve their web presence and have a chance to “roll up their sleeves” working hands on to start making immediate
changes. F i n a l l y, t h e s o c i a l m e d i a module looks at what people are saying about their business, where to find all of the online comments and conversations and how to effectively respond. It also looks at ways to encourage guests to actively share experiences through their own so c i a l m e d i a ne t work s a nd thus achieving one of the key goals of the program, to create tourism experiences that positively impact guests such that they are moved at an emotional level and are motivated to share online. Last year’s pilot in the TOTA region was fully subscribed at 10 stakeholders and worked closely with businesses that support the Kettle Valley Rail Trail while this year we are pleased to have another fully subscribed program now at 25 with a view to en ha nce the reg ions Wi nter tourism product offering. For more information or to participate in future Remarkable Experience workshops contact Ellen Walker – Matthews at experiences@totabc.com. Glenn Mandziuk is President and Chief Executive Officer of Thompson Okanagan Tourism Region. He can be reached at ceo@totabc.com.
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VERNON/SALMON ARM
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VERNON CELEBRATES ITS ‘TOP 20 UNDER 40’ AND ‘RISING STARS’
VERNON DAN ROGERS
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he Chamber in partnership with KPMG announced the Rising Star Award recipients as it celebrated the 2016 KPMG Top Twenty under 40 Award winners. The community celebration event was held as part of Small Business Month in Vernon. David Hamm who owns and operates Coldstream Mechanical was one of three recognized with the Rising Star Award. He began in the trades in 2007 and in 2015 he founded Coldstream Mechanical. He has been busy and steadily growing the company ever since. The Rising Star Award was a new initiative this year and recognized those 30 or under who are already making a significant positive impact
on the economy in the North Okanagan. The other two Rising Stars that were recognized at a special community celebration event were 30-year-old Danny Robert who is a chartered accountant with KPMG and Kristina Sidorczuk who owns and operates Cracked Pepper Catering and opened one of Vernon’s newest restaurants, EATology in 2015. Not a bad start for someone who will turn 24 later this year. “The Rising Stars program was a new initiative this year that was developed as a means to recognize some of our youngest entrepreneurs,” says Dauna Kennedy Grant, chamber president. “These are our next generation of leaders and they deserve acknowledgment. By doing so it is our hope that we can encourage other entrepreneurs to dream big and realize that anything can be accomplished with vision, passion and determination.” The evening also saw the 2016 Top Twenty under 40 award recipients honoured by civic officials including Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund and representatives from the Chamber, KPMG, and other program partners.
The recipients included Josh Dueck who is a Canadian alpine skier & was Flag Bearer for Canada at the Closing Ceremonies of the Sochi Paralympics. The award winners also included a number of business owners, lawyers, a social media manager for a local orchard, a veterinarian, an optometrist and an educator who is running his own outdoor school for youth. You can learn more about the 2016 recipients by checking out their bios at www.20under40vernon.ca ••• In other news, the Greater Vernon Chamber is pleased to welcome a number of new members including ShopVernon.com, Buzz Brite Janitorial Services, Sun West Resources (Apartment & Motel), Kal Safety, RGM Fitness Supplements, and Down Under Pipe Inspection. Welcome to the Chamber network! Dan Rogers is the General Manager at the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce and can be reached at manager@ vernonchamber.ca.
NOVEMBER 2016
SALMON ARM BUSINESS FORUM COMING NOVEMBER 15TH
SALMON ARM CORRYN GRAYSTON
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almon Arm is excited to welcome the Wildwood Flower Emporium opening November 1st. The event is a floral and gift boutique in the little white house at the bottom of Okanagan Avenue. With fresh flowers and artisanal giftware made locally, Ellen Gonella and her team strive to create beautiful things that are a little bit woodsy and a little bit magical. Be it a fresh arrangement in local pottery, jewelry and classic roses for an anniversary, birthday flowers for mom, custom wedding flowers and gifts for the wedding party, hand-crafted baby gifts, a personalized tribute for a loved one, or (their favourite) “just because” flowers – they’ll make it a reflection of your thoughtfulness and love. Local deliveries available.
Visit Ellen directly at 11 – 2 Street SE or call (250) 8040535. Stay tuned for their website which is under creative construction. ••• Salmon Arm Economic Development is ver y pleased to host their annual Business Forum on Tuesday, November 15 th at the Prestige Harbourfront from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. With a variety of presentations on business topics including global economic projections, business trends and best practices, the day promises to be informative and applicable to today’s business market. Tickets are $25 per person. Register at www.saeds.ca. ••• Valerie McNally proudly opened Heritage House Jewellers this summer and is thrilled to say her business is growing every day. A 3rd generation bench jeweler is on site Tue-Sat 10AM4PM and is ready to serve you with everything from watch battery installations to customized hand-made gold and diamond pieces. G old a nd si lver estate jewelry - 50% off. Visit them at 2090 - 10th Ave. S.W. or call 250-832-6933. ••• The Chamber is pleased to have City of Salmon
Arm engineering staff as our guest speakers at our November 24 th Chamber Membership Luncheon. Join us for an informative presentation and update on municipal projects - in progress as well as projects slated for 2017 and beyond. RSVP before Nov. 21, 2016 to ad m i n@sach a mber. bc.ca ••• McBride Bookkeeping is Salmon Arm’s newest bookkeeping business offering high-level business services, from systems set-up to custom training on office & bookkeeping procedures. Owners Richard and Jen McBride have a sta f f of t ra i ned bookkeepers to complete monthly, quarterly or annual bookkeeping. Specializing in difficult cases McBride Bookkeeping caters to your business needs including company registration services, financial and business planning, personal & group insurance as well as medical/dental plans. Corryn Grayston is the General Manager at the Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at (250) 832-6247 or admin@sachamber.bc.ca
SETTING EXPECTATIONS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
75%
of employers rate workers with intellectual disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder as GOOD TO VERY GOOD on performance Inclusive Hiring Works www.readywillingable.ca
CUSTOMER SERVICE LUCY GLENNON
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n many cases, frontline or customer service teams are the only contact point from your clients to your company. It is very important for your staff to develop and maintain a good relationship with your customers. So, how do we promote togetherness, and set our team up to deliver an excellent customer service experience? One key element to maintain a good frontline to customer relationship is to set expectations, no matter if the results are in
their favour or not. When setting expectations for a client, there are 3 key elements: Time: How long they are expected to wait to have their issue resolved? Action Items: W hat is the process that will take place while the customer is waiting? Outcome: What will happen after the action steps are taken, and what should the customer expect to walk away with. Below is a hypothetical example of what does that sound like: Frontline Representative: You mentioned that you would like to place an order for product XYZ is that correct? Customer: Yes. Frontline Representative: (TIME) “Ok. Thank you very much for your interest in X YZ product. So that you are aware, I will be putti ng you on hold here for no more than 10 minutes.”
(Action Items) “I’m going to process your order in our computer to make sure we have everything you need, once I do that I will confirm with you that we have your order in our system and ready to process.” (Outcome) “If we have everything you are looking for in stock, you should expect product XYZ to be delivered to you by tomorrow. If we do not, I will order the product and it will be delivered to you by no later than Wednesday of next week. Does that work for you?” It is important to promote togetherness in the customer experience. Typically, customers will ride with you no matter what the outcome if you keep them involved with every step of the process. Lucy Glennon specializes in customer service training and recruitment and hiring. She can be reached at 866-6452047 or lucyg@hireguru.com. www.hireguru.ca.
KELOWNA
NOVEMBER 2016
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CELEBRATING THE BEST IN BUSINESS IN KELOWNA FOR 2016
KELOWNA TOM DYAS
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ctober was a time to celebrate the winning businesses in Kelowna at the 29th annual Business Excellence Awards. Hosted by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, thirty finalists vied for ten “best of” awards. Video interviews with finalists, filmed at the finalist’s place of business, entertained and informed the crowd of 400 guests at the Delta Grand. The buzz in the room was, “Wow, I had no idea we had that kind of business right here in Kelowna.” Tony Stewart, CEO of Quails’ Gate Winery entertained the crowd as he accepted his Business Leader Award from MNP LLP. A bullish supporter of all things Okanagan, Tony spoke about his vision for a culinary centre of excellence, including a school for chefs, winemakers, hotel training
The Business Excellence Award sponsors are a critical component of the event PHOTO CREDIT: KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
and all things ‘Napa North’. Thunderous applause gave his vision credence, and supported his long-time concept for establishing Kelowna as a true wine, food, arts and outdoors experience, w it h homeg row n a nd trained experts delivering toprated product. Urban Systems presented the Rising Star Award to BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery, one of the city’s hottest new destinations for cool food and locally brewed craft beer. Prospera Credit Union took the stage to award Highstreet Ventures, Inc., the Small Business Award; Highstreet is working on a large rental project on KLO Road. Diversi f ied Rehabi litation
FOR SALE SALE FOR
Group, specialists in employee and Family Wellness Programs (and new partners with the Kidney Foundation’s Organ donor prog ra m) received the M idSized business Award from BDO Canada. Interior Savings had the honour of giving Two Hat the Social Entrepreneur Award for its pioneering work in automating online safety, and reducing harassment and abuse. The Young Entrepreneur Award went to Rachel Clarida, Principal of Hatch Interior Design, awarded by the Kelowna International Airport. The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board handed out the Sustainability Award to Evergreen
1794 Kelly Douglas Rd – loading 1794 Kelly Douglas Road
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720 Kingston Avenue – redevelopment
701 tagish - VACANT site adjacent to major highways, 4.25 mt. inDustRial acres,Paul railway spur, Suitable PaRK for light 12,000 sf plus 7,000 sf mezzanine. industrial uses - $ 2,350,000. 1.3 acres - asking $1.6 million.
HighwayOFFERS! development lots – Fast food, BRING Motel, Truck adjacent to lots Highway Repair, Development Gateway Travel Centre onrepair, East Trans Fast food, motel, truck Canada Highway, .78 acre to 5Centre acres – adjacent to Gateway Travel canEast be purchased separately or as a.78 on Trans Canada Highway, package price ranges from acre to 5–acres - can be purchased separately as a package - price $ 250,000 -or $ 1,200,000 ranges from $250,000 - $1,200,000.
Tom Dyas is the President of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. To find out more information about the organization please visit www. kelownachamber.org.
FOR FOR LEASE LEASE
1740 Kelly Douglas Rd – light industrial 1740 Kelly Douglas Road Light industrial development sitedevelopment on East Transsite Canada on East Trans Highway, Higway, 5 acresCanada $ 2,475,00 or will5 acres, will buildinto to 1 build to$2,475,000 suit Can be or subdivided suit. Can be subdivided into 1 acre acre lots – suitable for warehouse, lots suitable for warehouse, service service contractors, etc. contractors, etc.
Building Maintenance. The Distinction in Hospitality a nd Tou rism Awa rd was presented to Gray Monk Estate Winery & Vineyards, by Tourism Kelowna. Csek Creative, a long-time Kelowna marketing firm, which incorporates the online Kelowna Now, took home the Marketer Award, sponsored by Pushor Mitchell LLP. Csek’s three tables of staff and friends were vocal in their support. The University of British Colu mbia – Ok a n aga n h a d t h e pleasure of handing the Technology/Innovation Award to the two-year-old WTFast, builders of technology around internet gaming.
The final award of the night went to long-time Kelowna company Sun-Rype Products, the Large Business Award, sponsored by Grant Thornton LLP. As always, the Delta Grand Okanagan provided a wonderful, service-oriented, sophisticated backdrop to the evening, and everyone appreciated the on-time performance, and being able to go home at 9:00 p.m. – although the hotel’s new bar area remained busy for several hours as finalists and winners alike celebrated with supporters. The Chamber truly appreciated celebrating Small Business Month with the stellar Awards event, four more events during Small Business Week October 17-21, and hosting two notable luncheons in October. This year’s Award ceremony was a noteworthy reflection of the passion of the business community for all things business- and entrepreneur-related in Kelowna. High quality finalists and stellar winners, made possible by our dedicated membership base and rigorous adjudicating process. See you in November!
docks, cooler, freezer, adjacent Loading docks, cooler, freezer,to East adjacent to East Trans Offices, Canadashared Trans Canada Highway, Highway, offices, shared lunchroom, lunchroom, - 6,000 – 12,000 sf 6,000 - 12,000 sf. rate $ 9 - $ 10 net. available now Lease Available now! Lease rate–$9 - $10 sf net AT MT. 415 Dene NEW BUILDING bays with overheadat doors – neW BuilDinG 2,400 sf – 4,800 sf mt. Paul inDustRial PaRK Leasewith rate overhead $ 12.00 sf doors net Bays 2,400 sf - 4,800 sf Lease rate $12–sf net NEW LISTING OFFICES, WARE-
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NOVEMBER 2016
Universal Packaging A Finalist for “Manufacturer of the Year” in the BC Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards One of North America’s largest bottle decorators given the nod for its innovative and people-centered culture
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ELOWNA— Steve Pelkey is on a work trip in California, waiting until the end of the week. That’s when he’ll learn whether or not his company, Universal Packaging, has won “B.C. Manufacturer of the Year” at the B.C. Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards. “T he three companies who were nominated have all shown g row th i n h i ri ng a nd at the
topline and bottom line,” says Pelkey, explaining why the Vernon-based Universal Packaging, one of North America’s largest bottle decorators, received the distinction. “We also received the nomination because we demonstrate that we have the best practices in the industry and a very positive culture.” W h at d o e s t h at “ p o s it ive
culture” look like? Pelkey explains that it’s all about putting employees—who are called “teammates” at Universal Packaging—first, and helping them to grow. “For example, we developed the Universal Packaging Operator Program for teammates who want to progress in their careers as much as possible,” says Pelkey. “We invest heavily in training
Bullying in construction It’s not part of the job
The Universal Packaging team poses with CEO Steve Pekley in the front row, third from the left our teammates, showing them that they should never feel stuck in their career path. There’s always the potential to grow.” It also doesn’t hurt that Universal Packaging is noted for its innovation. Pelkey describes the way he and his teammates travel frequently to industry-wide tradeshows to learn about new technologies and processes. “Most of our business is in wine, spirits, and beer, and that industry thrives on innovative design. So when a client needs us
to be able to apply a translucent spray onto a bottle, create a window design on top of it, and then screen print on top of that, we’ll figure out how to do it!” Reflecting on his company’s g row th, Pel key muses that, “75per cent of our sales are exported to the U.S. I feel that people in the Thompson Okanagan region should feel pride, because whether they know it or not, they are surrounded by many successful companies like ours.” www.thinkuniversal.com
CHAMBER ENGAGES BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITH NEW SURVEY
SUMMERLAND CHRISTINE PETKAU
Bullying and harassment can take many forms. Know what to look for. • Verbal aggression or insults • Harmful hazing or initiation practices • Vandalizing personal belongings • Spreading malicious rumours Help prevent workplace bullying and harassment. Find resources and view our video series at worksafebc.com/preventbullying.
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n late October representatives from 5 Okanagan Chambers gathered together for a BC Chamber of Commerce (BCCC) Area Meeting held in the Okanagan region. Usually occurring twice per year, the area meetings are a great opportunity for Chamber representatives to gather in their region, discuss policy, programs and ideas and to hear from members of the Provincial organization. This meeting was no exception. New BCCC President, Val Litwin, shared information regarding their Board’s planning efforts for the coming years and what they are doing to strengthen the Chamber network in BC. As part of a continued commitment to data-driven decision-making, the BCCC is uniting with Chambers from across the province to better
understand our local businesses, as well as get a snapshot of the greater business community in BC. A brief 10-minute survey has been created which will provide realtime data on the level of confidence local businesses have in the current and future state of BC’s economy. Each Chamber is connecting with their members to participate in the province-wide Collective Perspective survey. The results of this survey will provide crucial information that will help guide the development of programs and initiatives to better serve member needs. It will also provide perspective on the challenges and opportunities BC businesses are anticipating over the next five years. The survey closes on November 4 and results will be shared within the Chamber network. The morning also included a presentation regarding apprenticeship from the Industry Training Authority, Chamber information regarding strategic planning and branding, and discussions on relationship building with new groups and sectors that will bring economic and social value as well as environmental awareness to our communities. Christine Petkau is Executive Director at the Summerland Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at cpetkau@summerlandchamber.com.
WEST KELOWNA
NOVEMBER 2016
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CHAMBER HOSTS FIRST-EVER SMALL BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
WEST KELOWNA KAREN BEAUBIER
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ttending the Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM in Regina, Sept 1620, the Greater Westside Board of Trade (GWBOT) was pleased to present its first federal policy, Supporting Canada’s Air Travel Industry Through Lower Fees, a nd have it approved w ith a 99.4per cent in favour vote was a real coup. The focus of this policy was to recommend to the federal government to reduce various fees and taxes relating to the air travel industry, impacting airlines, airports and most importantly, travelling Canadians. The next step in the process is to raise this key issue directly with Transport Canada, specifically Minister Garneau. •••
(From left to right) Norm LeCavalier, GWBOT Chair, Silverfox Business Strategies, Michelle Barnes, 3BP Solutions, Sam Samaddar, Airport Director, YLW, and Kim Klewchuk, 3BP Solutions PHOTO CREDIT: GREATER WESTSIDE BOARD OF TRADE
In celebration of Small Business Week, Oct. 17-22, we hosted a lu ncheon w ith Key note Speaker Nick Arkle, Co-CEO Gorman Group who provided a very comprehensive overview of Gorman Bros. Lumber and its impact on the Westside. As the largest employer (375 employees), the economic impact this has for West Kelowna alone is staggering - $75 million remains in the local economy. ••• The first-ever Westside Small
Business Roundtable was held Oct. 21 w ith Westside businesses owners Craig Garries (PostNet), Das Kandola (City Furniture), Norm Parent (GRM – Global Roadway Maintenance) and Dr. Susan Holroyd (Holroyd Family Chiropractic) sitting on the panel. K rista Mallory f rom t he Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission moderated. Some great tips (create a marketing plan in addition to a business plan), anecdotes and
personal stories were shared. The Hatch Winery hosted an outsta nd i ng Busi ness A f ter Hours in early October – please visit as it has terrific character and charm. ••• September was our month to honour excellence within the Greater Westside business community with two events - the Key Business Awards Finalist Reception (Sept 15) and the Key Business Awards Gala (Sept 29). With eleven categories, more
than 30 businesses, individuals and organizations were recognized. The event was hosted at 19 Okanagan Grill + Bar at Two Eagles Golf Course. In honour of West Kelowna re s id ent, fa r m er a nd b u s iness person, Geoffrey Paynter, who re c ent ly p a s s e d away, the Greater Westside Board of Trade was pleased to launch a new award called the Geoffrey Paynter Citizen of The Year. Other event winners include: the Community & Public Service Award: Westside Health Network Society, Tourism & Hospitality: Distinctly Kelowna Tours, Small Business: Manchester Signs, Performing Arts: Cra ig T homson, Abor i g inal Business: Sncewips Heritage Museum, Young Entrepreneur: Scott Moran, Professional Forager, Sustainable Green Business: L’Oven Farm Fresh Food, Large Business: Global Roadway Maintenance, New Business: Stickle & Strawn Optometry, Pl at i n u m Se r v i c e P ro v i d e r: Fifth Avenue Auto, Business of the Year: Global Roadway Maintenance. Karen Beaubier is the Executive Director at the Greater Westside Board of Trade. She Can be reached at 250.768.3378 or admin@ gwboardoftrade.com.
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KAMLOOPS
8
NOVEMBER 2016
TD AND KAMLOOPS CHAMBER AWARD TOP BUSINESSES FOR 2016 “To stand on stage tonight, and witness the award winners’ excitement, made this night very special.” RYAN SCORGIE PRESIDENT OF THE KAMLOOPS CHAMBER
KAMLOOPS DEB MCLELLAND
A
t a sold-out crowd of 436 at the Coast Kamloops Conference Centre on Saturday, October 22, the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce and TD presented 18 awards to the winners of the 2016 Business Excellence Awards. This year marks the 30th consecutive year that the Chamber has held this event for the Kamloops business community. A record number of 509 nom i n at ion s were received from the Kamloops community, with 368 unique businesses being nominated. Winners for 16 of the awards were chosen by an independent selection committee. Business of the Year was chosen by the Chamber Board of Directors
a lon g w it h Com mu n ity Futures, the award sponsor. The President’s Award is given solely at the discretion of the President and is awarded to someone who has made a difference in the community. “To stand on stage tonight, a nd w itness the awa rd w i nners’ excitement, made th is night very special,” said Ryan Scorgie, President of the Kamloops Chamber. “The chamber is so proud to present the Business Excellence Awards to our community.” Winners of this year’s awards: City of Kamloops Community Service Award – Kelson Group Property Management, Rocky Mountaineer Environmental Stewardship Award – The Afternoon Auxiliary to Royal Inland Hospital, BDC Manufacturer Award – Domtar Inc. - Kamloops Pulp Mill, Venture Kamloops Resource Industry Award – Domtar Inc. - Kamloops Pulp Mill, Aberdeen Mall Retailer Award 1-10 Staff – Gord’s App l i a n c e + M at t re s s C e nt re , Westland Insurance Group Ltd Retailer Award 11+ Staff – Lyons Landscaping, Berwick on the Park Service P rovider Award 1-10 S t a f f – Su m m it G ou rmet Meats, Kamloops Lincoln
Se r v i ce P rov id e r Award 11+ Staff – Hotel 540, BCLC Technology Innovator Award – iTel Networks Inc., TRU Faculty of Adve nt ure, Culinary Arts & Tourism and Tourism Sun Peaks Tourism Award – Rainbow’s Roost, CN Project of the Year – Kamloops Wineries Association, Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre Employer of the Year – iTel Networks Inc., U nit e d Way Not-Fo r-P rof it of the Year – St. John Ambulance, TRU School of Business and Economics Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Danielle Fauteux, All By Design, KGHM International - Aja x P roject Small Business of the Year – Kamloops Naturopathic Clinic, Excel Personnel Business Person of the Year – Steve Davidson, Kamloops Ford Lincoln, Community Futures Business of the Year – Kelson Group Property Management, Kamloops Chamber of Commerce P resident’s Award – Jo Berry. T D a nd t he ch a mb er congratulate all the winners and thank all of our sponsors for making this event possible for our community. ••• 3rd Annual Corporate Christmas Luncheon
Tickets are now on sale for our annual Corporate Christmas Luncheon! Join us to celebrate the Christmas season for some fabulous live entertainment, a delicious lunch, huge prizes, presents and a visit from Santa (and who doesn’t want that?!) Friday December 9 t h 2016 | 11:30AM – 1:30PM | Hotel 540, 540 Victoria Street | Members | $50 + GST | Future Members | $70 + GST RSVP by December 2nd 2016 to events@kamloopschamber. ca or register online at kamloopschamber.ca! ••• Did You Know? T hat ka m loopscha mber.ca has a community events calendar? As a member, you can add your event through the members only portal. Not a member? Not a problem! Send the details of your event to mail@ kamloopschamber.ca and we w i l l post you r event f ree of charge! Let us help you share the word about your fantastic event. Deb McClelland is the executive director of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached email at deb@kamloopschamber.ca
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OFF THE COVER
NOVEMBER 2016
9
Ashley and Todd Ramsay, co-founders of Yeti Farm Creative
Inside Yeti Farm Creative’s state of the art geothermal studio
YETI FARM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
fall. The government-sponsored distinction is reserved for employers who drive BC’s economy and create jobs. Part of their dramatic growth can certainly be attributed to creative strategy. As Ramsay explains, Yeti Farm is pursuing as “digital first pipeline, meaning we aren’t as reliant on the old broadcast model where we create a series and pitch it to a network. “We still have success with that
old model. But increasingly, we’re creating channels on Youtube and building audiences online before trying to attract distributors.” The two-pronged approach that leans heavily on digital is producing great results. Recent wins include a large video on demand provider picking up a children’s series, and Sweet Tweets, a series that launched online before securing distribution through 9 Story Media Group. These are the type of developments that create jobs—and plenty of them. But ultimately, it’s about quality
rather than quantity. And with the recent expansion of their senior team, Yeti Farm now has quality to spare. New acquisitions include strategic and creative heavyweights Blair Peters (former Studio B Productions partner), and Lance Priebe (founder of the Disney-acquired Club Penguin and Hyper Hippo Games). Darren Battersby, formerly of Rainmaker Entertainment and Bardel Entertainment, is joining the finance department. Reflecting on these high profile hires, Ramsay acknowledges the appeal of Yeti Farms’s home base of
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NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
funds in BC through ecosystembuilding activities. Help attract investment into BC tech companies and BC-based venture capital funds. Help BC companies connect with strategic partners to help them grow their business. Help develop solutions for regional issues related to accessing venture capital. Kensington will also manage the existing venture capital investments of the BC Renaissance Capital Fund, which has already helped create more than 1,000 jobs and attracted more than $350 million in investment into BC companies.
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Sotheby’s Realty Expands in Kelowna Sotheby’s International Realty Canada has an nou nced the expansion of its office operations in Kelowna, British Columbia. Justin O’Connor is the owner of the downtown Kelowna office. The firm’s expansion within the Okanagan takes place at a time when regional residential real estate sales have experienced steady gains, reflecting the company’s continued confidence in the conventional and luxury market segments and its commitment to continually
sunny, laid-back Kelowna. “We do have a local feeder school [for talent], which is awesome, but there is also a wave of high end talent coming from Vancouver, where factors of affordability and lifestyle come into play.” Growth, talent, high profile distinctions; it’s all in a day’s work for the people of Yeti Farm. Ramsay anticipates more positive developments to come. “Quality is at the top of our food chain and our main driver of success. We focus on talent and telling great stories. And that’s what we want to be known for: telling the best stories in BC.” yetifarmcreative.com
expanding service offerings. The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) reported a 31per cent year-over-year increase in sales volume in September 2016, as active listings dropped 23per cent across the entire region compared to the same period compared to the previous year. Hea lthy loca l dema nd a nd confidence is fuelling market activity: June 2016 results from an OMREB survey showed that 56per cent of residential real estate purchasers are from within the Okanagan, 18per cent from the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island, and 12per cent from Alberta. Located at 108-1289 Ellis Street in Kelowna, the new office location will service Kelowna, West Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and the Okanagan Valley. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada now has 11 offices in the province of British Columbia including three in the city of Vancouver, as well as offices in West Vancouver, North Vancouver, White Rock/ South Surrey, Salt Spring Island, Sun Peaks, Whistler and Victoria.
OKANAGAN REGION Housing Market Cools Down During Fall SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 29
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NOVEMBER 2016
HOTELIER WITH A LONG HISTORY IN KAMLOOPS DESIGNS HOTEL WITH DETAILS IN MIND Hotel wins in-house awards for cleanliness and maintenance as well as Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence and a Communities in Bloom award
K
A M L O OP S – H e a r i n g the story behind the Best Western Plus Kamloops: its family owned operation, its general manager’s rise from bellman in Vancouver to management in Kamloops, and the positive comments from suppliers, gives a different perspective on the hotel industry. It’s an establishment owned by the second generation Hotelier, John and Stephanie Hampel fa m i ly. It’s the second Best Western owned by the family and the first one owned by son John Hampel. A lot of thought and care went into the building of it, just not based on the knowledge Hampel and general manager Tim Rodgers have learned over the years, but because they wanted it to be a place where their family would want to stay. “The Best Western Plus brand was chosen over others because it has a strong name and a loyal following, but also because it allows us more flexibility and the ability to exceed standards required for the brand. Instead of putting a 32-inch TV in each room, we put in 42-inch HDTV TV’s. We also added individual room wifi, and both electric and Tesla charging stations.” Rodgers, who began his career in the industry 42 years ago as bellman at a Vancouver Hotel, worked his way up to assistant manager and then general manager, has a lot of interesting stories to share and has seen many changes in the industry. “I’ve met every living prime minister, Michael Jackson, Bryan Adams and other well-known people who appreciated their privacy.” He’s also seen differences in the level of guest care, services
Tim Rodgers said that the Best Western Plus is the only hotel in Kamloops to have all its public areas heated and cooled with geothermal year round CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS KAMLOOPS
provided and the construction of a hotel. The owners of the Best Western Kamloops chose to focus their full attention on guest comfort, choosing to include a breakfast room instead of restaurant, larger guest rooms and one meeting room. It also epitomizes the extreme attention to detail the hotel’s owner put into its design and build. “It took 19 months of planning and design,” he said. “But once all the measurements were completed and the prefab concrete slab forms poured, it took only three weeks to get it built to the roofing stage.” Rodgers explained that the owners wanted a building that was going to be a part of the Kamloops landscape for a long time; they wanted it built to last, but also ready for emerging trends in technology and environmental efficiencies. “For the exterior walls we used three inches of concrete, inside and out, for the best energy efficient control of temperature, and 32,000 feet of plumbing
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BLACKWELL DAIRY FARM blackwelldairy.com 250-573-4747
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The salt water pool was designed so young children and families could have their own space to enjoy the water
Guests can take a time out in the hotels fitness gym
CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS KAMLOOPS
CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS KAMLOOPS
The breakfast room provides seating for up to 55 guests CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS KAMLOOPS
Tim Rodgers has seen many changes in the 42 years he’s been in the hotel industry CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS KAMLOOPS
round.” The solid construction wasn’t used just for energy efficiency; however, it also suited the desired floor plans, both of which mean no sound transfer. “We learned a lot of do’s and don’ts from working in other hotels and from what consumers are demanding. Bathrooms are located in between chaseways for easy access to plumbing and no beds are placed against bathroom walls.” He added that it was the little things that the hotel guests may not notice that add a higher level of comfort like heated flooring in the bathrooms and gas ondemand hot water heaters. “The old way of heating water was to store hot water. It wasn’t very efficient. With the on-demand system all 81 showers can be on and there would still be enough hot water!” Ta k i ng a close lo ok at t he demographic also motivated some of the design highlights. “We get a mix of guests from the corporate and leisure market, including seniors visiting family or looking to do some sightseeing, tournament participants using the Terminal Capital Centre for its pool and gym, and families wanting to relax.” He said because of the range in ages of its visitors, the pool was designed so that young children would have a safer area blocked off from older children and a
separate poolside area perfect for families. “Both the pool and the hot tub use salt water that generates its own natural chlorine,” Rodgers said. “It’s a system that is continuously chlorinating the pool safely and with less chemicals.” Rodgers is proud of the team he has working at the hotel with both in-house and client based awards as proof of the good job they are doing. “In the six years we’ve been open our team has consistently won cleanliness and maintenance awards through our annual inspections. We’ve also earned a Certificate of Excellence and Platinum Green Award from Trip Advisor, a 4 Key Green Hotel award and Communities in Bloom award for landscaping, to name a few.” Mike Moonie of Cleanway Supplies has been working with the team at the Best Western Plus Kamloops for the past three years, supplying janitorial and cleaning supplies, coffee and packaged foods. “I’ve known the owner for almost 25 years. Our kids played soccer toget her. It’s a good feeling working with people you know and respect and who demonstrate their commitment to supporting their local community and suppliers.” The Best Western Plus Kamloops is at 660 Columbia St. in Kamloops www.bestwestern.com
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NOVEMBER 2016
BROTHER & SISTER TEAM TURNED A DREAM INTO A SUCCESS Brock Centre Liquor Store: Outlet Has Served Region Since 2003
K
AMLOOPS – It’s definitely not a case of sibling rivalry. The success of the Brock Centre Liquor Store is a good example of what can happen when you have sibling cooperation. “It’s definitely a family business as my brother and I own it,” explained business co-owner Joan Sivyer. “We’re a full service liquor store. We have cold beer, cold wine, we have liquor, we have an assortment of craft beers, basically if it has anything to do with alcohol we carry it.” Located at #1 - 1800 Tranquille Road in Kamloops at the Brock Shopping Centre, the Brock Centre Liquor Store first opened for business in 2003 as an add on to a pub. Recently renovated, the store features just over 2,500 square feet of retail space with a large walk in cooler providing clients (as she says) with some of the coldest beers, ciders, and coolers in town. In addition the operation has about 2,500 square feet of warehouse space. The public house itself closed in 2014 allowing the company to dramatically expand its warehousing capacity. “While I didn’t come from a hospitality industry background my brother Gary Bigham does, having been in the business since he was 19 years old working for other people as a bartender, as a manager and his father in-law owned a couple of hotels here in Kamloops so the hospitality industry is no stranger to him,” she explained. Trained as a bookkeeper, and having worked with small businesses for many years Sivyer has combined her business experience with Gary’s understanding of the liquor trade to create a proven and winning business model. “It all started when my three brothers (Gary, Kevin and Jim Bigham) bought a hotel in Kamloops. I went to work for them as their bookkeeper,” she explained.
Joan Sivyer and her brother Gary Bigham are the co-owners of the Brock Centre Liquor Store
“If we don’t have what you are looking for we will try our best to get it for you.” JOAN SIVYER CO-OWNER, BROCK CENTRE LIQUOR STORE
Much of the success of the Brock Centre Liquor Store is credited to its smiling and helpful staff
Very much an educational experience, working with her siblings in their hospitality venture provided Sivyer with some real world training that she couldn’t have achieved any other way. “It was a unique way to learn the hospitality industry from a bookkeeper’s point of view,” she said. “Eventually they got out of that and two of my brothers (Gary and Jim) and a friend bought into a pub here at the Brock Centre. It was at the time when the government was awarding LRS (Liquor Retail Store) licenses so they decided to apply for one to create a cold beer and wine store as part of the pub and they got one. It all really began when they installed a small liquor store as part of the pub.” While no longer the case, when the provincial government began issuing the LRS licenses the entity would have to be strictly a cold beer and wine store that was physically attached to a functioning
The Brock Centre Liquor Store recently completed an expansion that added 1,000 square feet
Chartered Professional Accountants Chartered Professional Accountants Wade Sellars, CPA, CGA Proud to work with Gary,Wade Joan and their team! Wishing Sellars , CPA, CGAyou continued success! 702 - 235 1st Avenue Tel: 250.377.1770 Kamloops, BCAvenue V2C 3J4 Fax: 250.377.1776 702 - 235 1st Tel: 250.377.1770 Kamloops, BC V2C 3J4 Fax: 250.377.1776 wadesellars@telus.net wadesellars@telus.net
13
NOVEMBER 2016
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Having undergone a recent renovation the store now features 2,500 square feet of retail space
Innovative ideas, such as the ‘U-Pick’ beer selection option, have helped made the store a success public house. Fortunately for the business the Brock Centre Liquor Store began operations at a time when its product range did not have to be so restricted. “They actually didn’t put our application in until the time when liquor was actually allowed to be sold in them, we were lucky enough to have opened in that time frame. So they first opened the store in 2003 and I of course began working with them as their bookkeeper,” she recalled. In the fall of 2004 the youngest sibling was looking to get out of the business, and Sivyer (whose husband had just passed away) was seeking something to keep her focused and occupied, so for her taking over the operation of the store seemed like a good fit. “I needed something to keep me from going down that deep rabbit hole so I bought out my younger brother and became partners with my brother Gary and Sam Kroemer, an arrangement that continued for about eight years,” she said. Kroemer stepped away from the operation in 2009 leaving Sivyer and Bigham the sole owners. “It’s been just Gary and I running it ever since. We just celebrated our 14th anniversary so it’s been quite a while now since we started. Now it’s just the two of us, but it’s still fun so I can’t see that changing any time soon,” she said. Today with a staff of a dozen or more and carry a wide assortment
of products, from liquor store mainstays to an assortment of locally produced craft beers, the Brock Centre Liquor Store looks forward to serving its expanding client base for years to come. “Our friendly knowledgeable staff is always ready to assist you. If we don’t have what you are looking for we will try our best to get it for you,” she said. The store offers some exclusive services not found in similar local outlets, such as its unique ‘Pick a Beer’ program. “You can make up your own package sizes and save. We have Local Kamloops brewed craft beers and a variety of other craft beers from around BC. You can also check out our
‘Pick 6’ samplers for a variety of tastes,” Sivyer said. “Our wine selection has grown to over 200 products in the past few years. We carry a variety of BC, BC VQA, imported and local Kamloops wines. You can also ask us about our case lot pricing, so there are plenty of programs in place for our customers.” Open Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM until 11:00 PM, the Brock Centre Liquor Store is stocked, staffed and has the knowledge to answer any alcohol related question, while its unique programs has seen its list of regular clients expand dramatically. “We closed the pub two years ago and took over the space, that’s why we’re lucky enough to have such a large warehouse. The renovations we completed this spring added about 1,000 square feet to our retail side,” she said. For the future the owners plan to continue doing what has made them so successful, offering great products, at good prices in a friendly and welcoming environment. “Finding a job in our society can be difficult sometimes so in many ways I’ve had to create my own by buying a business. Gary started it, I bought into it and we’ve made it something that’s very worthwhile, that’s a pretty good feeling.” To learn more, visit the company’s website at: www.brockcentreliquorstore.com
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KAMLOOPS
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NOVEMBER 2016
CHAMBER PROVIDES UNIQUE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR BUSINESS port of arrival. Understanding this, we worked with our members and took a proposal to the federal government that suggested that they change the regulations so that the containers would have a full year before needing to leave the country again from any port. This recommendation was approved and put into policy, saving our businesses time and money. These are just three examples of the many changes we have brought and are working to bring to government. Recently, we brought forward 18 recommendations to the BC Chamber of Commerce and 7 to the Canadian Chamber of
Commerce, all of which were approved and are currently being lobbied for by the appropriate chamber level. To see the recommendations, visit http://www. kamloopschamber.ca/recommendations-to-government. html . As you can see, we are constantly at work for you and are passionate as a chamber, about bringing business friendly change to all levels of government. If you have a business related concern that you want heard, we are your voice. Let us be your connection to government. Contact us today: mail@kamloopschamber.ca or 250.372.7722.
The Kamloops Chamber provides many opportunities for our members to network, gain knowledge, save money, and to advertise their business
K
A MLOOPS – Within “chamber world” there is a saying, “Once you’ve seen one chamber, you’ve seen one chamber”. The adage comes from the reality that chambers across the world are all unique in some way or another. Similarly to many chambers, we offer opportunities for our members to network, gain business building knowledge, save money on their bottom line, and to advertise their business to our local community. So, what sets us apart? We are one of the few chambers in British Columbia, as well as in Canada, which has an incredibly robust policy process, connecting our local businesses and bringing business-friendly change to all levels of government. How, you may ask? The process is more detailed than room in this article will allow, so to understand what we do, visit: kamloopschamber.ca/our-process. Sufficed to say, our Chamber is well respected throughout the country for our policy process and YOUR BUSINESS CONNECTION TO:
Recently, we brought forward 18 recommendations to the BC Chamber of Commerce and 7 to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, all of which were approved and are currently being lobbied for by the appropriate chamber level
our recommendations are taken very seriously. Our processes really do help create change. You may find yourself saying, “so what?” or, “what kind of changes?” Well, do you have a Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)? You
can thank the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce for that. One of our members brought the idea forward, we took it through our process, and now, thousands of Canadians take advantage of this program. Don’t have a TFSA? What about a passport? Are you thankful you only have to renew it every ten years now, rather than every three? That’s another change that originated with our chamber. Another important one that you may not be familiar with is cabotage, or, the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same country by a transport operator from another country. In the past, cabotage regulations were such that shipping containers only had 30 days to deliver goods and return to the originated country, which was not only limiting but immensely costly. Businesses wanted to be able to use empty containers to ship around the country, however 30 days was not enough time to do so, especially because the container had to leave from the Discover how we can connect you to more business in Kamloops & beyond! kamloopschamber.ca
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NOVEMBER 2016
CONSTRUCTION Provincial Construction Industry Sees Bright Future Provincial Major Projects Inventory Pegged At More Than $320 Billion
The home building sector is also experiencing energized growth in all regions of the province
F
iguratively and quite literally the construction industry has built British Columbia. From the smallest one and two person carpentry business to the largest commercial construction company, the impact of this expanding and increasingly vital industry can be felt all across the province - an impact that is expected to continue to grow in the years ahead. BuildForce Canada (an entity originally established in 2001 as the Construction Sector Council), was created solely to provide the construction industry with the information and resources it needs to manage its workforce. The group has suggested that a significant expansion of the BC construction industry workforce will have to occur over the next few years to meet an expected demand for skilled labor. Contingent on the initiation of the province’s long planned Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects, as many as 17,000 new workers will be needed to meet the skilled labor demand in the next few years alone. In its published report: Const r u ct io n a n d Ma i nt e n a n c e Looking Forward (2016‒ 2025) BuildForce forecast that nonresidential construction is expected to generate more than 1 2,000 new jobs, wh i le t he gradual retirement of the Baby Boomer generation will free up SEE CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 16
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another 40,000 positions. Advocating on behalf of the construction industry in the province for nearly 50 years is the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA), a professional organization representing the province’s industrial, commercial, and institutional construction companies. “The BC Construction Association is an employer’s association. Currently more than 1,600 construction employers are members of the BCCA and our Regional Associations across British Columbia,” explained association President Manley McLachlan. “Through our provincial services like BidCentral and the Skilled Trades Employment Program, we support thousands of additional companies. We’re very proud of our membership and of the services we provide to the sector at large.” The BCCA’s integrated membersh ip comes th rough fou r regional construction associations: the Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA), the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), the Northern Regional Construction Association (NRCA) and the Southern Interior Construction Association (SICA). T he BCCA a lso works closely with the industry’s SEE CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 17
Building of pipelines to carry Liquefied Natural Gas will become major construction projects in BC
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national body, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA). “Advocacy on behalf of industry is a large part of the work we do. We are supported by the membership and operate with a volunteer Board of Directors. We have collaborated with other industry associations on many projects, including the creation of the Council of Construction Associations (COCA), which we also support financially. The sole focus of COCA is Worksafe BC and advocacy around safety issues,” he explained. According to McLachlan one of the top issues facing the industry today is a general aging of the workforce and an increased need to encourage young people to consider the construction industry as a career option. “We did a recent survey with our membership and the top three issues they expressed were the availability of skilled workers, profitability, and competition at every level.” The challenge of attracting the next generation into the construction trades is just as great a concern for the residential construction industry – a sector of the economy that is busy all across the province. Sherri Paiement is the Executive Officer of the Canadian Home Builders Association Central
In the coming years as many as 40,000 jobs may open up as the Baby Boom generation retire
SEE CONSTRUCTION | PAGE 19
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TRUSS COMPANY EXPANDS INTO TWO NEW KELOWNA LOCATIONS “Prefab frames, built in our factory and shipped direct to the project, save time and money.”
AcuTruss Industries is one of only two roof truss manufacturing companies in Canada that also fabricate I-joists, and is the Okanagan’s exclusive distributor of Nudura insulated concrete forms (ICF)
V
BARRY SCHICK OWNER, ACU TRUSS INDUSTRIES, KELOWNA
ERNON – AcuTruss Industries recently opened two new offices in Kelowna. The move gives the design team better space to turn a “blueprint of a home” into working drawings of the structural components and room to grow. “The Byland road location in West Kelowna has great access, good parking and high visibility from the highway,” said Barry Schick, owner and general manager. “It also provides room for expanding our staff.” Its other new location on Kent Road is just next door to the current location but has doubled the space. “We can now expand our services in Kelowna and provide a dedicated office area for our engineer. Both offices also offer room for displays of products and a better area for our design team to meet with clients and review plans, discuss alternative ideas, new products and pricing solutions.” It’s present locations, the North Kelowna and Vernon manufacturing plant, also have design and sales staff but with the new locations AcuTruss now offers better accessibility for its clients throughout the Okanagan. AcuTruss supplies the construction industry with profession a l ly en g i neered a nd manufactured roof truss and floor support systems. It is one of only two roof truss manufacturing companies in Canada that also fabricates I-joists, and is the Okanagan’s exclusive distributor of Nudura insulated concrete forms (ICF). Founded in 1971, AcuTruss has successfully navigated the ups and downs of the industry to become a leader and economic driver in its communities. Barry Schick, owner and general manager explained that sticking to what it does best is part of the reason.
“We are first and foremost a roof truss manufacturing company. We have moved into the desig n a nd supply of a l l the associated products such as structural beams and columns, I-joist floor systems, Nudura ICF, wall panels, and steel roofing to compliment the roof truss business. We design and supply all the structural components from top to bottom.” “T he AcuJoist replaces the standard 2 x 10 joist in floori ng,” Sch ick ex pla i ned. “A s reg u la r f loor joists age they shrink and warp causing those annoying squeaks. You don’t get that with the I-joist and it can easily be drilled for plumbing and electrical installations.” He added that his company’s en g i neer sp eci a l i z es i n t he unique structural design needs of products that are outside the National building code like tall or sheer walls, houses needing strong support due to substantial retaining walls, and even glass walls. Adding to its services, two ye a rs a go, A c uT r u ss b ega n manufacturing prefab wall panels, shipping direct to construction sites throughout BC and into the United States. “Prefab panels, built in our fa c tor y a nd sh ip p e d d i re c t to the project, save time and money,” Sch ick sa id add i ng that providing this product expands the company’s offering for constructing the bones of a building. He emphasized that not only are the trusses, joists and prefab walls built in the Okanagan, employing local workers, but they also use BC wood from the Southern Interior. “Supporting local industry is important to us because the people we employ live in our communities, helping support the local economy and keeping skilled workers in BC.”
Darrel Murray, Ron Kushneryk, Debbie Kushneryk and Denis Colin are happy with their new Westside location CREDIT:ACUTRUSS INDUSTRIES
Rick Fraser, Keith Ohlhauser, Rob Voros, Brian Zomar and Ken Fuhrman sit in the new board room at the Kelowna office CREDIT:ACUTRUSS INDUSTRIES
In 2009, its forward thinking saw it respond not only to the ‘local economy’ mindset, but also to emerging technology and the demand for more energy efficient homes and buildings. The Nudura Wall System combines a thermal mass of solid concrete core with expanded polystyrene, similar to material used in coolers. Before the concrete is poured, the forms are snapped together to create a superior insulated wall and are then filled with concrete to create a solid structure. “We carry a large inventory of
the forms so our turnaround time is fast. Our goal is to improve efficiencies for builders.” He added that not only is AcuTruss able to get the product to a job site quickly because of its in stock inventory, but the product itself can be put together much faster than traditional wood forms with lower costs. For Schick, who, with partners Rob Voros and Ron Kushneryk in 2013, purchased the business from founder Dave Marcoux, it’s been a smooth transition. Their combined years of experience working within the company
was a perfect succession plan for Marcoux and made the change of ownership seamless. Kushneryk is Vice President of Sales and Design in West Kelowna, he and Voros, VP Sales and Marketing, Kelowna, joined the company in 1996. Schick joined Marcoux in 1975. All three are well-known and respected in their communities and the construction industry as well as being active in local construction associations. AcuTruss Industries is at 1854 Byland Road in West Kelowna and 1913 Kent Road in Kelowna www.acutruss.com
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NOVEMBER 2016
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The amount of work on tap over the next ten years will require a continual flow of new workers into the industry
“There is a very positive future for construction here in British Columbia.” MANLEY MCLACHLAN PRESIDENT, BC CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
people are more interested in the trades now than ever. On a societal level I think we view the trades differently today, recognizing that these are not menial but skilled and well paying jobs. For the country to grow and prosper we need to encourage new arrivals to the industry, they’re the ones who are
going to build tomorrow,” she said. For McLachlan the future for the construction industry is very bright, especially considering how much work is forecast to occur in the coming years. “There is a very positive future for construction here in British Columbia, the major projects inventory list is now sitting at nearly $320 billion,” he said. “Those are projects we’re going to see over the next 10 years. That to me is the weatherva ne that says clearly that there is a very strong future for the industry in BC.” To v iew t he a ssoci ations websites please visit: www.bccassn.com and www.chbaco.com
WINN RENTALS HAS HELPED TO BUILD THE OKANAGAN VALLEY Rental Company Serves Both Commercial & Residential Customers
“Our main focus is Kelowna and its trading area – this is where we live.” BRAD GRETZINGER
K
ELOWNA – Winn Rentals is a multigenerational family business serving the commercial building sector and homeowners with quality equipment and great service since 1976. Locally owned and operated, Winn Rentals is situated on a three acre site located at 910 McCurdy Road. With a staff of about 45, the company rents a vast range of equipment, from items designed for residential yard care, to equipment used in constructing some of the region’s largest structures. “The construction industry is certainly our mainstay but we definitely work with homeowners as well,” explained Brad Gretzinger, one of Winn Rentals principle owners. Founded 41 years ago by Jim Gretzinger and his son Bert Gretzinger (Brad’s elder brother) the company was created to provide the Kelowna region with the tools and systems it needed to build the community’s future. While Jim Gretzinger has passed on Bert and Brad (who joined the firm right out of high school) continue to operate the business along with partners Kelly Robertson and Don Buckner. “We have a wide range of equipment to serve the homeowner’s market as well as
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Okanagan (CHBA-CO), an organization representing more than 220 companies which employ approxim ately 5,000 workers throughout the region. For her the need to showcase the benefits of a construction industry career is essential for the continued health of her industry. “The home building industry here in the Okanaga n is rea l ly busy at this time with no sign of it slowing down any time soon,” she said. “We’re so busy in fact there are delays in permits, the contractors are delaying jobs because they’re just too busy so the whole construction industry is getting pushed because of the demand. There isn’t really a manpower shortage at present but the contractors are so busy they are straining to be able to meet the orders, everyone is working to capacity.” To ease this pressure her organization works with local educational institutions in the form of bursaries and other incentives to encourage students to embark on careers in the trades. “We’re finding young
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Winn Rentals Ltd • ride on rollers 910 McCurdy Rd, Kelowna, B.C. • bobcat loaders 250-491-1991 | 1-800-228-5702 • mini excavators www.winnrentals.com • lift equipment Locally• Owned & Operated Since 1975 landscape equipment • air compressors • compaction equipment the construction industry. If I were to try • electric jackhammers • garden equipment and describe our market area I’d have to say it encompasses the Okanagan Valley and on • generators • plumbing equipment occasion we even supply equipment into • pressure washers • pumps • space heaters the Kootenays and Northern BC,” he said. • stump grinders • survey equipment “Our main focus is Kelowna and its trad• welding equipment • wood chippers ing area – this is where we live. Adapting our product inventory to match the needs of our clients is key. The hectic pace of the region’s current building activity has kept the company extremely busy. One thing that’s never changed however, even as technologies and products have, is the firm’s unmatched level of personal service, and its team of knowledgeable staff,” he said. “For the future we intend to keep on doing what we’ve been doing – only better.” To learn more, visit the company’s website at: www.winnrentals.com
250-491-1991 910 McCurdy Road, Kelowna, BC Toll Free: 1-800-228-5702
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1975
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT RENTALS - SALES - SERVICE
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NOVEMBER 2016
STRONG PARTNERSHIP SETS STAGE FOR SUCCESSION Diversification and planning are keys to business success
“Hard as it is to start a business, it’s even harder to sell one.” GREG CARLIN
K
ELOWNA – Twenty years ago, two friends decided to create a business together. They’d been working at the same company for several years, knew the ropes and respected each other’s work ethic. So when the owners of that company started winding the business down, it was a natural next step for the two to build their own company. Today, Greg Carlin and Rocky Becker of Grayhawk Industries are still friends, they still play golf on their off hours and at 61 yea rs of age they’ve both thoughtfully planned their exit strategy and laid out a succession plan. “Hard as it is to start a business, it’s even harder to sell one,” Carlin said, adding that they started looking at succession several years ago. Fortunately, they didn’t have far to go to find two eager young men willing, able and well acquainted with the business and its clientele to start the process. Their two sons, 43-year-old Craig Becker and 33-year-old Brent Carlin, have nine and 10 years of experience invested in the company already, and that doesn’t include the years they spent growing up in the industry with their fathers. “I guess the kids saw the commitment Rocky and I had to the business and to making it successful,” said Carlin. “They’ve adopted t he sa me att it ude. We’re very confident in their abilities.” For Carlin, it’s a good feeling knowing his business is coming full circle. He and Becker took a big gamble creating the company when the kids were young. “It took a real leap of faith,” he said. “We’re glad that we took the opportunity, it’s been a good twenty years, even though the
OWNER, GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
Jamie Sutherland (second from left) joined the team to help set the stage for rolling back Greg and Rocky’s workload CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
statistics show that this kind of partnership doesn’t always work.” He said that part of the reason it did was because Carlin and Becker bring different skills to the working table, skills that complement the other rather than overlap. Grayhawk Industries specializes in providing contracting services for hazardous materials abatement and high performance specialty insulation and
Brent Carlin and Craig Becker have been working at Grayhawk for 10 and nine years respectively
Office administrator Eris Anerussis
CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
fireproofing systems to the BC Interior. It services residential, commerci a l a nd i ndu s t r i a l cl ients whether they are private owners, school districts, health authorities, regional or municipal districts, mines, lumber mills or government ministries. Grayhawk’s HazMat division
specializes in asbestos abatement, mould remediation, infection control, lead abatement, mercury spill cleanup, PCB decontamination and rodent dropping cleanup. It’s trained and skilled employees use industry leading technologies for vacuuming and soda blasting. “ We ’ v e b o u g h t a l o t o f
equipment over the years but the biggest is our trailer mounted VecLoader vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter system. This trailer-mounted, high volume vacuum filters hazardous particulates through the exhaust SEE GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES | PAGE 21
Happy
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GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
The Vecloader is equipped with a Hepa filter system to remove hazardous particulates from the air CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
Grayhawk is a certified contractor for a variety of spray applied insulation and spray fire proofing solutions
Greg Carlin and Rock Becker founded Grayhawk Industries twenty years ago
CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
system discharging clean air during vacuuming operations.” He said that there have been significant changes over the years in his industry, not just with technologies and products, but also in the mandates WorkSafeBC has created to keep its workers safe. “They’re a lot more stringent nowadays,” he sa id, mostly driven by WorkSafe’s realization that there needs to be more controls on what workers are exposed to. “We work closely with their Occupational Hygiene Officers to ensure our operations a nd work procedu res a re compliant.” General awareness has improved too. People and companies are more educated in the consequences of exposure and usually make an effort to regularly update the knowledge of their crews. “Training is an ongoing process,” he sa id. “ Not ju st i n abatement but on general onsite prevention.” For example, it used to be that if there was a need to do work in a crawlspace, you’d just go in and get the work done. Now WorkSafe’s Confined Spaced protocols require specific worker training, written hazard assessments and work procedures, and air monitoring to ensure the work area is safe. But it isn’t just where they are working that’s changed. It’s also on what the hazardous materials are as well. Twenty years ago asbestos containing tanks, pipes and boilers were targeted first for abatement. These days Grayhawk is removing many other asbestos containing products. Drywall installed up to the 1980’s had finishing mud with asbestos content. Also, various vinyl flooring products and vermiculite block and attic insulation are being handled as asbestos containing. “ I t ’s t h e a t t i t u d e t h a t ’s ch a nged . People k now how dangerous asbestos is and how SEE GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES | PAGE 22
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easily the fibers can become airborne. If any asbestos is found, we are called in.” “We’re also seeing more infection control issues, especially in hospitals and around new construction where dust and airborne fibres can also carry the threat of contamination from viruses and bacteria.” In addition, the company is a certified contractor for a variety of spray applied insulation and spray fire proofing solutions that include spray foam insulation, thermal and acoustic insulation, mineral fibre, cementitious and intumescent fireproofing and select firestopping applications. “Polyurethane foam has a high insulation value. Architects like it because it acts as an air seal and vapour barrier, plus it is versatile and fits any design, especially in tricky corners or roof and deck assemblies. We’ve definitely found a niche with the spray fireproofing, typically in new construction using open steel beams or multi floor buildings.” Carlin said that having the two divisions, hazardous materials
Greg and Rocky are happy they are able to implement a succession plan that involves their sons CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
The VecLoader on site discharging clean air during the vacuuming operation CREDIT:GRAYHAWK INDUSTRIES
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handling and insulation systems, has been a key to the company’s success. “Diversifying got us through the down turn of 2008,” he said. “New construction projects dropped so there was less need for the spray insulation. However, it prompted people to do more renovations, and that was good for the HazMat division.” Cross training his employees in both HazMat and spray insulation has also been a good strategy. It keeps his employees working year round. A lthough seeing their sons take over the business wasn’t part of the designed succession plan, neither of them is complaining. “It was a natural evolution,” said Carlin and one he’s very pleased about. “Brent got his Civil Engineer Technologist Certificate through the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. When he was finished the program, he stayed in Alberta and worked there for a few years. When he realized that Kelowna would be a good place to live again, he asked us if there were opportunities for work, we said yes, and he moved home.” He said Craig joined the company a year later after he too started looking for a change from his career as an installation manager of cable installation with Shaw Cable. Today, both men work as estimators and project managers along with their dads and the latest addition to the team, Jamie Sutherland. All three bid on projects and manage the ones they win, running them from start to finish.
“We brought Sutherland in to allow us to start setting the stage for rolling back our roles in the company, so I could start taking more time off for winters in Arizona.” Emphasizing that he and Becker will act as mentors and guides for their sons, they just feel the timing is right to slow down a bit. “We’ll still be dabbling for a few more years,” he said. “We just won’t be working those 50 plus hour weeks.” Some of Grayhawk’s clients have known Greg and Rocky a long time, but Carlin stressed that Craig, Brent and Jamie have also gotten to know them and have even created their own client base. The irony, though, isn’t just that both sons will be taking over for their fathers. It’s also in how Carlin got the name for the company from a golfing magazine while f lying home from Arizona. An article showcased a golf course in the States that was named Grayhawk with a logo of a bird of prey. When he told Becker, they both agreed that it sounded good and they designed their own hawk for the logo. “I just wasn’t sure about the spelling. Apparently, it’s the American way of spelling grey. We decided it didn’t really matter, we liked it.” That easy agreement set the stage for the business and the work i ng relationsh ip of the partners. The legacy now carries on in the next generation. Grayhawk Industries i s a t S u i t e 1 0 1 -3 5 7 3 E d wards Road in Kelowna www.grayhawkindustries.com
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CONSTRUCTION RUNS IN THE FAMILY Gated community at Haven Villas offers lock and leave options near the seventh hole of Shannon Lake Golf Course
K
ELOWNA — Trent Kitsch credits his sister and business partner and one of Canada’s premier women entrepreneurs, Kelsey Ramsden, for discovering a large piece of property ready for development at 2331 Tallus Ridge Drive, adjacent to Shannon Lake Golf Course. Located near the seventh hole, the property will be developed into a 12-unit gated community called Haven Villas. “The units will have rooftop patios with gas fireplaces and scenic views from nearly every room,” said Kitsch, owner of Kitsch Construction. Trevor Beatty’s team at Jenish House Design were the architectural designers for the project and have created spacious layouts with living space on the first floor that includes an open kitchen w ith island and great room, powder room, covered deck and double garage. Upper levels include three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a f lex area, large closet spaces and an entrance to the feature rooftop patio. “We took Kitsch’s ideas and wish list and formed them into a functional, aesthetically pleasing building. There is no wasted space as well as limited hallways,” Beatty said. Renderings of the homes depict an appealing contemporary look with clean lines, a lower slope pitched roof and unique touches that focus on low maintenance living. The setting is stunning, surrounded by the impeccably maintained golf course, tree studded hills and in the distance, a glimpse of the lake. “Haven Villas offers a lock and leave option for frequent travellers and second-home owners or for those who would rather play a round of golf than bother with
After selling SAXX, Trent Kitsch and his wife Ria decided to return to Kelowna and start a construction company CREDIT:KITSCH CONSTRUCTION
Kitsch Construction won two Gold Tommies for its Granite Chateau Estate CREDIT:KITSCH CONSTRUCTION
Rear view rendering of Haven Villas CREDIT:FORTUNE MARKETING
yard work and other time-intensive chores,” said Don Warkentin, owner of Fortune Marketing, the company responsible for all marketing and sales of the project. Kitsch said that the added security of being in a gated community will let people feel more at ease if they travel or live elsewhere for part of the year. He added that the timing for the development was right, with a number of the units already presold. Site preparation began
in September with services and infrastructure being put in place. Foundation work is scheduled to commence at the beginning of November followed by framing in mid-November. The first homes are slated for occupancy in the summer of 2017. Both interior and exterior finishes for the project were selected by Kelowna-based Sticks and Stones Design Group Inc. “We wanted to create a modern palette that wouldn’t date too
quickly so we used warm white on the walls that pair well with the grey/brown shades of the wood flooring and shaker style cabinets. The design will showcase any furniture the homeowner brings into the space,” said lead designer, Kara Gibson. Other standout features include a spacious rooftop patio with outdoor gas fireplace, a barn door slider entrance to the master walk in closet, heat recovery ventilation, and a 93 per cent efficient central air heating and cooling system. The contemporary exterior incorporates a combination of stucco, wood siding, natural stone elements and timber details. Kitsch said that the project has been a collaborative one, with the designers, suppliers and marketing team sitting down and planning what works best for the current market. “Good teamwork makes for good projects,” he said. “Leaving the design and marketing to the specialists allows me to focus on my area of expertise:
“The secret to the success of any project, whether it is designing a unique product or building someone’s future home, is to surround yourself with the right people.” TRENT KITSCH OWNER, KITSCH CONSTRUCTION
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construction management and developing future projects and business opportunities for Kitsch Construction.” Fortune Marketing has created an online presence for Haven Villas so potential homebuyers whether they are local or from out of town can get a good idea of what the project offers and then keep current with the progress of construction and their new home. It’s a full service company that takes care of all marketing needs for projects like Haven Villas, allowing contractors like Kitsch to focus on what they do best. Managing the construction end of projects is what Kitsch is passionate about and does well. In 2007, he designed and developed a popular line of men’s underwear called SAXX, faced down the entrepreneurs on the Dragon’s Den, pitched his idea and then ended up winning their support. Once the company was firmly established he sold it and with wife, Ria, moved back to his home town of Kelowna and started a construction company. “I was raised in a construction family,” he said. “My dad was in civil construction, building bridges and roads, as well as housing developments, I respect the trade and always knew I would come back to it.” His enjoyment comes from building things that will outlast
We took Kitsch’s ideas and wish list and formed them into a functional, aesthetically pleasing building. There is no wasted space as well as limited hallways.” TREVOR BEATTY OWNER, JENISH HOME DESIGNS
Trent Kitsch credits his sister Kelsey Ramsden for discovering the property at 2331 Tallus Ridge Drive
Lead designer Kara Gibson discussing the colour palette of Haven Villas with Fortune Marketing
CREDIT:KITSCH CONSTRUCTION
CREDIT:FORTUNE MARKETING
him, especially showstoppers like the Granite Chateau Estate, which won two gold Tommie awards in 2016: Excellence in Single Family Detached Home - $3M-$5M, and Excellence in Kitchen Design (new home) $150K and over. Currently, Kitsch owns both commercial, industrial and residential real estate with a focus on building a long lasting, sustainable product. He said the core value of his developments is quality; he chose both Jenish and Sticks and Stones for the Haven Villas’ project for
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their well respected reputation and work that paired well with his vision of the community. “The secret to the success of any project, whether it is designing a unique product or building someone’s future home, is to surround yourself with the right people who know what they are doing and to let them do their jobs.” Kitsch Construction is at #2001021 Ellis Street in Kelowna www.kitschcorp.com www.havenvillas.ca
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25
NOVEMBER 2016
TOUR COMPANY EXPANDS INTO SHUTTLE SERVICE Building relationships with wineries, hotels and restaurants has been key to the rapid growth of tour company
K
AMLOOPS – When Gordon and Maatje Stamp-Vincent arrived in their new home in Kamloops in 2013 they found a housewarming gift in the form of a bottle of Harper’s Trail Wine. “We didn’t realize Kamloops was only just opening its first local winery to the public. So relying on John Schreiner’s Okanagan Wine Guide, we made a point of visiting the different wineries in Kamloops and the Shuswap, meeting the owners and initiating relationships,” Maatje Stamp-Vincent explained. When the couple discovered that there were no transportation companies in Kamloops that were offering local wine tours they realized the potential. “Entrepreneurship comes naturally to me,” said Stamp-Vincent. “If I see an opportunity and the business model makes sense, I’ll go for it.” In this case, everything fell into place and TasteFull Excursions took root. When its first Mercedes Sprinter arrived in March 2014, in time for the upcoming wine tour season, with a bright wrap job that promoted the business, it created a buzz in the community, including great coverage from local media. “The van was a real showstopper; it got people talking and asking questions. Many of the local people didn’t even know there were wineries in the area. We embraced the concept of promoting Kamloops as “Gateway to Wine Country” and haven’t looked back since.” Since 2013, the region has seen several wineries opening their doors to the public with tasting rooms, including Harper’s Trail Winery, Monte Creek Ranch Winery and Privato Vineyard and Winery. It wasn’t long however, before the couple realized that the demand potential and capacity for growth was outstripping one vehicle. So
For Gordon and Maatje Stamp-Vincent saw an opportunity and went for it
TasteFull Excursions has developed relationships with wineries including Recline Ridge Winery
CREDIT:OWEN IMAGING
CREDIT:TASTEFULL EXCURSIONS
“If I see an opportunity and the business model makes sense, I’ll go for it.” MAATJE STAMP-VINCENT OWNER
they purchased another Sprinter in order to provide greater seat capacity for wine tours and as a winter connector service to ski resorts Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in Blue River. In its third year, TasteFull Excursions took delivery of its third vehicle in April. The van has already provided wine tours, golf, wedding and conference shuttle services. The Ford Transit 15 passenger vehicle is getting a new wrap by the end of October with a design created by the Stamp-Vincents and produced by Visual Sign and Graphics. The wrap showcases area attractions and the collaboration with some of its hotel/restaurant partnerships. For Stamp-Vincent, marketing and promotion comes easy. She has an extensive background in marketing communications for business, tourism, and economic development. “We started just doing wine
tours,” she explained. “In three years, the business has expanded dramatically. In response to requests from our hotel partners it now includes shuttle service and has enabled Gordon to take early retirement from the bank to work with me full time.” “When people come to do a wine tour from out of town, they often will stay at one the city’s hotels, supporting restaurants and shops. If people come to town for other reasons and discover that guided wine tours are available – that creates a wine win-win, with the wineries getting direct sales and new customers.” She emphasized that TasteFull provides its guests with a safe way to sample wines and a great experience that includes regional knowledge, information on wine, fun stories and a relaxed and memorable tour. For Stamp-Vincent who takes the responsibility of safely transporting people very seriously, getting the proper training and licensing has been a priority as has keeping the vehicles clean. “First we received our commercial driver’s license, and then we had to go through the BC Passenger Transportation Authority and meet the legal requirements for operating a tour bus. It’s quite a process, but
Guided Wine Tours are popular and provide a safe stagette experience CREDIT:TASTEFULL EXCURSIONS
we believe it’s important for the public to know that we have gotten the right certification.” “We are on the road all the time, transporting people, including families. We want our guests to be aware of the safety of our driving and our vehicles. We get inspections twice a year for renewal of our license and are experienced professional drivers which is important when managing winter road conditions to Blue River or Sun Peaks.” TasteFull Excursions were also nominated as finalists for the 2016 Kamloops Chamber of Commerce Tourism and Hospitality Business Excellence Award. TasteFull Excursions is at www. tastefullexcursions.ca
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OFF THE COVER
26
NOVEMBER 2016
BUILDING AWARDS
Eastgate Building of Vernon. General Contractor: Heartwood Homes Ltd., Architect/Designer: Dwell Design Studio.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
MacDonald, Publisher of Business Examiner Thompson Okanagan, which coordinated the event. “The quality of the buildings was outstanding, and as Dave Kirk, one of our judges, so aptly put during his presentation, these events are more than celebrating the biggest, they’re also about highlighting the smaller buildings, many of which are put up from private capital and investment. “The winners this year were spread across all regions, from smaller and larger communities, and there are truly some exceptional buildings in this group.” Re/MAX Commercial was a Gold sponsor of the event, with RBC Royal Bank, Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, MNP LLP, Wood WORKS! BC, Green Sheet Review and Business Examiner Thompson Okanagan. In order to be eligible, new institutional, commercial, industrial building, multi/single family, recreational or renovation projects must have been completed between July 31, 2015 and July 31, 2016. Each submission was judged by a team of independent judges. Tamara “TJ” Joel of Kelowna’s 101-5 EZ Rock served as Emcee for the evening. Okanagan College Trades Building was the Excellence Award winner in the Commercial Instututional category as well. General Contractor for the project was
Recreational/Resort Lakestone Pool Amenity Building of Lake Country. General Contractor: Forma Construction Ltd., Architect/Designer: Rostitch Hemphill Architects. Renovation Sonja’s Garden – CMHA Kootenays of Cranbrook. General Contractor: Culos Development (1996) Inc., Architect/Designer: Owen & Hunter Architects.
From left: George William of Splatsin First Nation, Bill Billups of Woodworks!BC, centre, presents the Wood Construction Excellence Award to George William of Splatsin First Nation, left, and Mick Chapman of ENCAN Construction Ltd., right PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc., and Architect/Designe was Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. The Trades building was built and renovated to be a model for sustainability in trades training. It incorporates the latest in green-building techniques, technologies, and materials, with the goal of meeting LEED Platinum standards. Shops and infrastructure dating from 1963 were renovated and updated, and is built to LEED Platinum Standards. The project is targeted for net-zero energy consumption, and is the only building
in North America to have a Radon detection system. Other Excellence Awards and their categories were: Civil Mara Lake Water Treatment Plant of Sicamous. General Contractor: Maple Reinders Inc., Architect/Designer: Garry Tomporowski Architect Ltd. Hospitality Grizzli Winery of West Kelowna. Developer: Blossom Winery/Grizzli Winery, Architect/Designer: Sanford Design Group.
Industrial Skogies Express Car Wash of Vernon. General Contractor: ENCAN Construction Ltd., Architect/Designer: Ted J. Thomas & Associates. Multi Family Green Square Townhomes of Kelowna. Developer: Troika Management Corp., General Contractor: CorWest Builders, Architect/Designer: NORR Architects Planners Inc. Office
Retail Callahan Lake Country Commercial of Lake Country. General Contractors: TKI Construction Ltd. and Sawchuck Developments. Architect/Designer: MQN Architecture & Interior Design. Seniors’ Housing Pleasantvale Homes of Kelowna. General Contractor: VanMar Constructors Inc., Architect/Designer: NORR Architects Planners. Green Royal Inland Hospital Clinic Services Building of Kamloops. General Contractor: Bird DesignBuild Construction Inc., Architect/ Designer: Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. SEE BUILDING AWARDS | PAGE 28
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SICA AWARDS
NOVEMBER 2016
Ken McLaughlin of RE/MAX Commercial, left, presents the Excellence Award for Office to Green Square Townhomes of Kelowna, represented by Noah Massa, Rod Dubland of Heartwood Homes and Darrin Collie of Dwell Design Studio
Jessica Graham, Business Advisor, Real Estate and Construction Services for MNP LLP, presents the Excellence Award for Industrial to David Skoglund of Skogies Express Car Wash in Vernon
Wood Construction Splatsin Community Centre by the Splatsin First Nation of Enderby. General Contractor: ENCAN Construction Ltd., Architect/Designer: Ted J. Thomas & Associates. Runner-up Awards of Merit went to:
Retail Southborough Convenience Centre of Penticton. General Contractor: Cornies Consulting, Architect/ Designer: Shelter Designs.
Hospitality Monte Creek Ranch Winery of Monte Creek. General Contractor: A&T Project Developments Inc.,
Architect/Designer: Ted Murray Architect Inc. Play Estate Winery of Penticton. General Contractor: Greyback Construction Ltd., Architect/Designer: Robert Mackenzie Architect Inc.
Architect Inc. Office Vernon Optometry of Vernon. General Contractor: Sawchuck Developments Co. Ltd., Architect/ Designer: MQN Architecture & Interior Design.
Multi Family Orchard Park Terrace of Salmon Arm. General Contractor: Sandy Ridge Construction Ltd., Architect/Designer: Sandy Ridge Construction and Bernd Hermanski
Community Institutional Summerland Branch Library of Summerland. General Contractor: Tango, Architect/Designer: Urban Arts Architecture.
Renovation Baker Street Professional Centre of Cranbrook. General Contractor & Architect/Designer: New Dawn Developments Ltd. The Splatsin Community Centre in Enderby is a spectacular building, The community centre
includes a basement, main floor with basketball court, change rooms, bleachers, full commercial kitchen, green room, stage, an upper level with offices, meeting rooms and a quarter-mile indoor running track. It is a round building with a live roof, designed around a Shuswap Pit House. Taking home the Green Award was Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, which was built to target LEED Gold certification. It has wood features highlighted on building exterior
Different by Design Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees! MNP proudly recognizes the nominees and award winners of this year’s Commercial Building Awards. Your contributions to communities across the Southern Interior demonstrate your commitment to excellence in commercial development. As advisors to the construction and real estate sector, our team looks forward to delivering tax and business strategies that keep you at the forefront of your industry. Contact Trina Warren, CPA, CA, Regional Leader, Real Estate & Construction at 250.979.1749 or trina.warren@mnp.ca
SICA AWARDS
NOVEMBER 2016
Bill Everitt of SICA, left, presents the Civil Excellence Award to Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz and Operations Manager Joe McCullough in order to soften the institutional characteristics and harmonize with regional influences, sustainable design, and a green roof. The Eastgate Building of Vernon won top honours in the Office category, and is a boutique health professional commercial building tastefully combining modern and heritage elements to enhance the 27th Street commercial corridor while staying true to the character of surrounding heritage East Hill residential neighborhood. Multi Family winner Green Square Townhomes in Kelowna
is a multi-family townhouse development that connects our community, providing housing for families next to schools and parks, transitioning the neighbourhood, and making it more livable. Skogies Express Car Wash in Vernon, the Industrial category Excellence Winner, is a pre-engineered steel structure with various lightweight wall and roof cladding materials with a translucent arched roof, all fabricated by Modern Wash, in Kentucky. A new category this year was Civil, and taking the Award of
NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
Residential sales in the Okanagan slowed in September, with 884 sales posted to the MLS as compared to 1020 the previous month, down 13.3 per cent from August but still a 25.4per cent increase over September of last year reports the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB). Across the region spanning Peachland to Revelstoke, the average MLS residential price in September was $477,844.09, a 2.76per cent increase over August, likely due to the make-up of product sold, and a 13.44 per cent increase over the same month last year. New residential listings dropped 9per cent from August, while days on market stayed relatively constant at 84. Each market has particular characteristics which create challenges and opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Whether you are looking to buy or to sell, Bastiaanssen advises talking to a local realtors to better understand the best buying or selling strategies to suit the conditions this market presents. Taking a look at recent buyers of Okanagan properties, the largest buying groups are two parent families with children, at 28.9 per cent, those from within the Okanagan at 54 per cent, and first time buyers who, at 18.4 per cent, edged out those moving to a similar-type property, at 18.2 per cent, according to August results of an OMREB Buyer Survey. Adding that there was anticipation that the 15per cent increase in Property Transfer Tax for foreign buyers of Vancouverarea properties could result in a spike of foreign buyers purchasing Okanagan property.
Excellence was the Mara Lake Water Treatment Plant of Sicamous. The District of Sicamous had been struggling with water quality issues and advisories arising from a major spring flooding event in 2012. A facility to house a new ultra membrane filtration system was constructed to bring the drinking water back into compliance with BC Drinking water standards. The Souvenir Awards booklet is available for viewing online, at: https://issuu.com/ markmacdonald36/ docs/2016_sica_pagesa
PENTICTON 21st Annual Okanagan Fest of Ale Donates $40,000 Back to Community As a result of the very successful 2016 Okanagan Fest of Ale Craft Beer and Cider Festival, the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Society is donating $40,000 back to the community. Grants were distributed to 13 well-deserving, local charitable organizations and representatives from each were invited to provide insight into their organizations initiatives. The Okanagan Fest of Ale, one of the best-known and well-respected events in the province, is a two-day Consumer Beer and Cider Tasting held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre in early April each year. The event is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and staffed primarily by community minded volunteers - a set-up that makes “giving back” so generously possible. Recipients include: Agur Lake Camp Society, Community Foundation of the South Okanagan - Okanagan Fest of Ale Legacy Fund, Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, Okanagan College Foundation Bursary, Okanagan School of the Arts, Shatford Centre, Okanagan Similkameen Neurological Society, Pathways Addictions Resource Centre, School District #67, South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society, South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation, South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society, The Penticton Centre for Exceptional Learning, The Summerland Cat Sanctuary (Critteraid).
29
Gary Bowker, left, of Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, presents the Multi Family Excellence Award to Greensquare Townhomes, represented by Rich Threlfall of Troika Developments and Jon Morrison of CorWest Builders
Robin Smith, Commercial Account Manager for RBC Royal Bank, left, presents an Award of Merit to Summerland Branch Library, represented by Chair of Okanagan Regional Library Catherine Lord, Head Librarian of Summerland Library Sue Kline, Chief Financial Officer of ORL Don Nettleton, and Mayor Peter Waterman of Summerland
30
KELOWNA/PENTICTON
NOVEMBER 2016
Tony Stewart Named Business Leader Of The Year Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Honours The Region’s Best
K
ELOWNA – The Proprietor and Chief Executive O f f i c e r (C E O) o f K elowna’s Quail’s Gate winery, Tony Stewart, has been named Business Leader of the Year by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. He received his accolade at a special ceremony held October 13 at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort. The award (which is sponsored by MNP LLP) was presented by the orga n ization’s Reg iona l Managing Partner Trina Warren at the gala event. “Honestly this award isn’t about me, we have a great team at Quail’s Gate that has allowed our business to do well and the success of the winery and the restaurant and the wines has brought a lot of attention to the region. As such I think I was the one recognized but there’s a whole team behind me that made it happen,” he said. A leader in the Okanagan wine industry for more than 25 years, he is presently the Chairman of the Canadian Vintners Association (CVA), a Director of the Beverage Alcohol Containers Management Council of BC and had previously served as the Chair of the BC Wine Institute, among other professional achievements. Having grown up in the fruit industry in the Okanagan Valley he has been the CEO of the family-owned and operated Quail’s Gate winery since 2005. “Quail’s Gate was actually opened in 1989 by my brother Ben and his wife, beginning life as an offshoot of the family farm. Over time the family started to
Trina Warren, the Regional Managing Partner with MNP LLP, presented Tony Stewart with his award
get involved in learning what was needed to build a winery. Ben and I became partners in 1992, essentially learning on the job how to build and operate a winery,” he recalled. Having been involved in the industry for more than a quarter century he learned the intricacies of being a vintner quite literally from the ground up. Today Quail’s Gate and its companion Old Vines Restaurant are popular destinations and leaders in the regional industry. Quail’s Gate wines have won multiple awards over the years, including the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence for its exceptional Stewart Family Reserve (SFR) Chardonnay. “What’s key to our business model is having a consistency in quality year over year. Our customers are always going to know what to expect,” Stewart said. The Business Leader of the Year award begins with a nomination from another Chamber member (Stewart still doesn’t know who nominated him) followed by a review process carried out by a panel of unbiased judges
who match the nomination to its established award criteria. The panel then makes its final decisions in the individual categories such as Small Business Award, Rising Star Award, Young Entrepreneur Award and eight others, including the top award: Business Leader of the Year. “The night I received the award I mentioned that the city needs to have a world class culinary institute. It needs that because the wine industry is already there so the culinary program needs to be developed further. From that it will build a community that people will want to move to which will help businesses from all sectors,” he stated. “If you have a community that has great food, great wine, cares about sustainability and is trying to follow best practices year round people will think highly of that com mu n ity a nd w i l l want to go work there. That’s one way to make the city and the region continue to grow and to prosper.” To learn more, visit the company’s website at: www.quailsgate.com
“I was the one recognized but there’s a whole team behind me that made it happen.” TONY STEWART CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, QUAIL’S GATE WINERY
Quail’s Gate, which produces a range of award winning wines, was founded by Ben Stewart in 1989
CHAMBER CELEBRATES CITY’S TOP BUSINESSES
PENTICTON BRANDY MASLOWSKI
P
ENTICTON – The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce and Gateway Casinos & Entertainment announced the winners at the 29th Annual Business Excellence Awards on October 15th to a crowd of over 400 business owners, leaders and community champions. “The Chamber is proud of our business community and therefore, we believe, it’s important to celebrate the achievements of local business with a grand
occasion,” says Michael Magnusson, Chamber President. “We live in a city that’s ranked among the top places in Canada to be an entrepreneur and when you look at the list of over 150 nominees it really shows. Being named as a nominee is a major achievement.” 2016 B u s i n e s s E x c e l l e n c e Awards Winners: Community Support Excellence - Winner: Total Restoration Services Sponsored by White Kennedy Chartered Accountants Hospitality/Tourism Excellence - Winner: Hoodoo Adventures Sponsored by Tourism Penticton Professional Service Excellence - Winner: ABK Restoration Services Ltd. Sponsored by BMO Financial Group Indu st r ial & Ma nufa ct u r i n g E x c e l l e n c e - W i nner: Berry & Smith Trucking Sponsored by Greyback
We live in a city that’s ranked among the top places in Canada to be an entrepreneur and when you look at the list of over 150 nominees it really shows
Construction Ltd. R e t a i l E x c e l l e n c e - W i nn e r : Tony’s Me at s & D el i Sponsored by The Penticton Herald New Business Award - Winner: Wine Crush Market Sponsored by Valley First Credit Union
Home Based Business Excellence - Winner: DM Productions Sponsored by SunFM/EZ Rock 800 Fa m i l y F r i e n d l y E x c e llence - Wi n ner: Jumping Beans Play Cafe Sponsored by Downtown Penticton Association Sustainability Excellence Winner: Wine Crush Market S p o n s o re d b y Pent icton Toyota Wo rk p l a c e C u l t u re E xc e l l e n c e - W i n n e r : W i l ds to n e G r o u p o f C o m p a n i e s Sponsored by South Okanagan I m m ig ra nt a nd Com mu n ity Services Ag r icult ural & Ag r i-B usiness Excellence - Wi n ner: The Peoples Craft House Sponsored by Parker’s Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Excellence in Marketing Innovation - Winner: Tourism Penticton Sponsored by All She Wrote
Aboriginal Community & B u s in e ss E xc ell e n c e - W i nner: Iron Indian Steelworks Sponsored by BDO Canada LLP Business of the Year - T h is category had a tie. Wi n ners: Boyd Autobody & Glass a nd Lake City Casinos Penticton Sponsored by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Business Leader of the Year - W i n ner: Diana Stirling Sponsored by TD Canada Trust - Small Business Banking Other major sponsors included; Su n FM / EZ Rock (med ia sponsor), Cherry Lane Shopping Centre (cha mpag ne reception), a nd T he Penticton Western News (wine sponsor). Brandy Maslowski is the Executive Director of the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached email at director@ penticton.org.
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GREEN 15 SHEET
NOVEMBER 2016
GREEN SHEET BUILDING BRIEFS
PROJECT TYPE Multi-Family New
KELOWNA LOCATION
235 Queensway Ave, 1470 & 1475 Water St, Mill St - Mill Street Hotel PROJECT TYPE Commercial New
PROJECT New mixed use development - 2 residential towers - 12 to 20 storeys - middle of the Central Green Development - size and scope of project contingent on market conditions
SIMONE SUNDERLAND PROJECT STATUS PROJECT Development permit application New hotel on the former site of the submission anticipated November/16 Willow Inn Hotel - 24 storeys set on a - construction start anticipated late PROJECT 5 storey podium - 215 rooms - conferspring or early summer/17 New water treatment facility ence - thespace, dis- 1,685 sm - 4 retail units, 378methsm - restaurant, 473 sm - coffee trict is currently testing several ARCHITECT LOCATION LOCATION shop, 207 sm - spa, fitness room, pool Meiklejohn Architects Inc (Kelowna) ods including membrane technology LOCATION 1743 Trans Canada Hwy E 2100 55 Ave & 5321 21 St - Modular - 242 parking stalls in the 5 storey - 233 Bernard Ave, Kelowna V1Y 6N2 PROJECT STATUS 175 KokaneeAuto WayWash - Ramada Hotel Home Park - Barnards Village Signature podium - white composite panelling 250-762-3004 Design underway - Tender call PROJECT TYPE onfor exterior - engineered wood - balPROJECT TYPE PROJECT TYPE Contractor anticipated DEVELOPER General conies with coloured glass privacy commercial Commercialnew New Subdivisions Al Stober Construction - 515 1632 July/14 - construction completion screens Dickson Ave, Kelowna V1Y 7T2 250PROJECT anticipated late 2015 PROJECT PROJECT LOCATION 763-2305 PROJECT STATUS New Hotelcar in the Campbell NewRamada commercial wash facil- New manufactured home subdiviCONSULTANT Piling anticipated to commence early 2241 Springfield Rd - Mission ity - 2industrial storeys -park 4 manual car sion - 77 units - 1 storey - 2 bedrooms Creek - 4 storeys 2017 - owner working to finalize Dayton Knightto-be 255 1715 Crossing Westside wash sm bays - 2rooms automatic car - doubleOpus garages with pergola 3,780 - 80 - restaurant - pool design plans Dickson Ave, V1Y 9G6 250-868-4925 wash bays 128 sm of office constructed as an addition on site with waterslide - elevators - concrete PROJECT TYPE space on the- roof 2nd articulation floor ARCHITECT OWNER construction with PROJECT commercial new STATUS Kasian Architecture Interior Design porte cochere - asphalt shingles - 98 Site servicing District of Sicamous underway - paving- 1214 PROJECT STATUS PROJECT and Planning Ltd - 1685 1500 W surface parkingstart stallsanticipated Construction anticipated to complete - V0E 2V0 Riverside Ave,spring/17 Sicamous Georgia, Vancouver V6G 2Z6 604- urban lifestyle New commercial late 2016STATUS show home anticipated November/16 250-836-2477 PROJECT 683-4145 centre 6 buildings - 2 to 7 storeys - foundations and garages to be built PROJECT MANAGER ARCHITECT start anticipated late Construction - retail commercial at ground level on site by developer OWNER BlueGreen Architecture Inc 2014 MHPM - 550 555 W 12th Ave,Westcorp Properties with -office units above - underground 200 College (Kamloops) - 2 436 Lorne St, DEVELOPER Vancouver V5Z 3X7 604-714-0988 Plaza 8215 112th St, Edmonton T6G parkade 80 above ground short ARCHITECT Kamloops V2C 1W3 250-374Barnards Joint Venture 417905 BC 2C8 780-431-3300 term parking stalls 1112 Ltd - 2100 55 Ave, Vernon V1T 8G4 DF Architecture Inc - 1205 4871 Shell PROJECT STATUS 236-426-4663 Rd, Richmond V6X 3Z6 604-284-5194 GENERAL CONTRACTOR Development permit application Fior Construction and GENERAL CONTRACTOR DEVELOPER submitted Electrical - RR 6 LCD Main, Chaparral Industries Inc - 3075 LOCATION Prism Ventures Barmond Sexsmith Saskatoon S7KInc 3J9- 3571 360-270Rd, Kelowna V1X 7T1 250LOCATION ARCHITECT Ave, Richmond V7E 1A4 604-338-4656 To Be Determined - Ice Facility 1846 765-2985 653 Harvey AveEkistics - Central Green Town Planning - 1925 Main OWNER PROJECT TYPE Residential Towers St, Vancouver V5T 3C1 604-739-7526 SIMONE SUNDERLAND
KAMLOOPS KAMLOOPS
VERNON
CENTRAL OKANAGAN REGIONAL DISTRICT
S W E
N
31 PENTICTON LOCATION
134 Cossar Ave – Duplexes PROJECT TYPE Multi-Family New PROJECT New front to back duplexes - 2 structures - 2 storeys - approx 1,126 sf - 4 units PROJECT STATUS Construction start anticipated late/16 DESIGNER People Plus Space Planning and Design - 203 166 Main St, Penticton V2A 5A4 250-486-1481 DEVELOPER Schoenne Homes - 101 144 Front St, Penticton V2A 1L1 250-490-6770
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Prism Hotels and Resorts - 800 14800 Landmark Blvd, Dallas Texas 75254 214-987-9300
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KELOWNA
PROJECT OF TAKING THE BEST PRACTICES New ice facility for the Greater FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND Vernon area to replace the aging Civic Arena - 4,000 seats - may be MAKING THEM USEABLEanAND USEFUL SALMON ARM addition to Kal Tire Place or the
DEVELOPER
R366 Enterprises Ltd - 4870B Chute, Kelowna V1W 4M3 250-764-8963
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Find Out How.
Lambert and Paul Construction Ltd 300 2000 Spall Rd, Kelowna V1Y 9P6 takingPriest note of,Valley and then turning Out How) Arena or that construction(Find of 250-860-2331 LOCATION information into something useable a new ice facility and useful for companies attending Introductory Workshop Workshop 451 Shuswap St - SD 83 North OkanaPROJECT STATUS Introductory For 48 years Sandler Training Building its workshops at the 250 centres it has gan Shuswap Administration Feasibility study and cost analysis in 25 countries. has been taking notes on how PROJECT TYPE Sandler continues to growshortly because- the study anticipated the best get to be the best, they Date: institutional new April 17th, 2015 whether it’s good economic times orCommittee Greater Vernon Advisory share that information with small bad, the material it presents works, Date: November 23, 2016 (Presentation) will decide in June whether or not to PROJECT Time: 10:00-12:00 and medium sized businesses consistently. hold a referendum in November/14 New administration building on the In an upcoming workshop, The Time: 10:00-12:00 (Presentation) 12:00-1:00 (Lunch and Networking) to fund a new ice facility - location, old JL Jackson school siteeconomy - 2,640 smSales - Driven ELOWNA – As the Organization, busi12:00-1:00 (Lunch & Networking Opportunity) preliminary design and estimated Investment: 2 storeys - 75 parking stalls your ness owners and managers will learn $49.00 continues to recover, cost to be determined
The SalesDriven Driven Organization OKANAGAN The Sales Organization SIMILKAMEEN REGIONAL DISTRICT
K
business picks up and you start PROJECT STATUS
the strategies and tactics required to OWNER make the shift to being growth driven of your goals and vision. and theCity impact it has when the skills of Vernon - 1900 48th Ave, ARCHITECT Not all growth is equal. It can be to stayVernon ahead ofV1T the competition are 5E6 250-545-1361 in directions you-and business MQN Architects 100your 3313 32 Ave, put into play. aren’t prepared for or so rapid you Reinventing the wheel is hard work. Vernon V1T 2E1 250-542-1199 haven’t had the chance to put the Why try? The methods and techOWNER right people in the right positions. niques Sandler teaches have been put School District 83 - North Okanaganto the test and work at helping owners Basing your business on an improving market doesn’t set the St stage Shuswap - 220 Shuswap NE,for and managers create a process of dewhen the market turns fickle, but velopment that fits the vision they Salmon Arm V1E 4N2 250-832-2157 proper, managed growth does. Sus- have for their company. PROJECT MANAGER tainability is the key here and the two Past performance doesn’t have Stantec - 400 1620 Dickson Ave, LOCATION most important components of it are to dictate the future. Find out how, Kelowna V1Y 9Y2 the right growth and250-860-3225 the right people. November 23Orlin from 10-1. is ato the 2425 Rd -Included Addition Helping you understand what both light lunch, networking Village at Smithopportunity Creek look like is what Sandler Training has and the book Sandler Rules:FortyPROJECT TYPE spent 48 years working on, study- Nine Timeless Selling Principles and ing the best practices of the most How toseniors Apply Them. housing successful businesses and business PROJECT LOCATION people in the world and making that at Smith Creek 524 Dabell Staccessible - Mara Lake Water information to small and SandlerAddition Training to forthe the Village BC Interior seniors housing medium sized businesses. is at 109B-3677 Highwayfacility97N in 1,810 sm - 4 Treatment Facility storeys - 23 units - 8 additional u/g Whatever the Fortune 500 com- Kelowna PROJECT TYPE parking stalls - fibre cement board panies are doing right, Sandler is www.glennon.sandler.com seeing growth, it’s easy to lose sight Site work underway
DISTRICT OF WEST KELOWNA
SICAMOUS industrial new
exterior - 4th floor stepped back as gables
7YL IPK
PROJECT STATUS
Investment: Location: $49.00Sandler Training Centre, Kelowna, BC LOCATION Location: Training Details Vintage Boulevard,Sandler Okanagan Falls - Center, Kelowna, BC www.glennon.sandler.com* Vintage Views and t o R eg iswww.glennon.sandler.com* t e r : 866.645.2047 Registration: PROJECT TYPE subdivisions
PROJECT
The Workshop the “Sandler Rules: Rules: Forty-Nine the “Sandler New subdivision - 30The SFDWorkshop lotsincludesincludes
Timeless Selling Principles...and to Apply Them” Forty-Nine Timeless SellingHow Principles…and PROJECT STATUS book, lunch asApply well as a session workbook to as all the How to Them” book, lunch as well Construction start anticipated June/14 participants. a session workbook to all the participants. OWNER Vintage View Developments c/o Robert Milanovic 250-492-5939 ■
Jeff Boschert 109B-3677 Highway 97N, Kelowna, BC V1X 5C3
®
Suite 109B-3677 Highway 97 N Kelowna, BC V1X 5C3 email: lglennon@sandler.com • phone 250.765.2047 email: jglennon@sandler
1-800-667-1939
*Unfortunately seating is limited, you must pre-register and pre qualify to attend.
*Unfortunately seating is limited, you must pre-register and pre qualify to attend.
250-545-5344
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
NOVEMBER 2016
the previous year. The Year-To Date Travelers have increased by 1 per cent from last year to 241,135, while Monthly Travelers have decreased by 1.9 per cent. Impact from the Northern Alberta market situation has been somewhat mitigated by New Leaf airline services offering stopovers in Kamloops. The airport’s renovation project, which is 75 per cent funded by the BC Government under the BC Air Access program, is set to commence in April 2017 for completion by the end of May.
KELOWNA Sotheby’s International Realty Canada has expanded their brand presence and office operations in Kelowna. It’s new office, now owned and run by Top Sales Associate Justin O’Connor, is located at 108-1289 Ellis Street. This location will serve Kelowna, West Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and the Okanagan Valley.
Above: Justin O’Connor, owner of Sotheby’s International Realty’s new Kelowna location The Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT) has launched a new Business Advisory Service (BAS) to serve small and medium-sized businesses in the Southern Interior region. SIDIT is a trust fund worth over $50 million that has supported Southern Interior ventures for the past decade. This new BAS program aims to empower local businesses in business competence, contacts, and confidence required to increase growth. Businesses wanting to enter the BAS program must successfully complete application criteria, and spaces are subject to availability. The Okanagan College Foundation’s Bright Horizons, Building for Skills fundraising campaign received a considerable boost, as Nutech Safety pledged $30,000 towards their Trades Complex. The funding will go towards equipping the first aid room in the building. Nutech Safety, presided by Bob Dieno, serves the Kelowna and Kamloops area by supplying fire protection, safety, and first aid gear. SunRype received the Business of the Year award at the recently held Kelowna Business Excellence Awards. Dave McAnerney is the CEO of SunRype, and the company celebrates their 70th anniversary in business this year. The Kelowna Business Excellence Awards, presented by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy Lawyers, and Business Development Bank of Canada, recognized local companies in ten other categories. Winners included: Quails’ Gate Winery president, Tony Stewart – Business Leader of the Year; Csek Creative – Marketing Award; Diversified Rehabilitation Group – Mid-sized Business of the Year; WTFast
Left to Right: Teresa Kisilevich, Associate Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship, Okanagan College; Dennis Gabelhouse, Chair, Bright Horizons Building for Skills Campaign; Bob Dieno, President, Nutech Safety Ltd.; Cyndi Dalton, Kelowna Branch Manager, Nutech Safety Ltd.; and Steve Moores, Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship, Okanagan College (internet games private network) – Technology/Innovation Award; Highstreet Ventures – Small Business of the Year; Two Hat Security / Community Sift (internet anti-bullying software) – Social Entrepreneurship; BNA Brewing & Eatery – Rising Star; Gray Monk Winery – Distinction in Hospitality and Tourism; Rachel Clarida of Hatch Interior Design – Young Entrepreneur of the Year; and Evergreen Building Maintenance – Sustainability Award. University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan and Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form a research partnership. The partnership will enable both organizations to collaborate in constructing technology and innovation for the mining tire industry. The MOU covers a three-year term. The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has experienced a number of staff changes, as their communications and events coordinator, Sarah Lust, has moved on to other opportunities. Allison Conroy, the events and communications manager, will be presently taking concerns or questions in Ms. Lust’s place. The Chamber’s CEO, Caroline Grover, is also back in the office now. Central Okanagan Foundation celebrates their 40th year in the business community this year. Summerhill Pyramid Winery
was recognized with Bronze and Platinum medals at the BC Wine Awards. While at the ceremony, Stephen Cipes was also recognized with the 2016 Founder of the Year award. Summerhill Winery celebrates their 30th anniversary this year. The BC Wine Awards recognized a number of other local wineries with medals: 50th Parallel Estate Winery, Volcanic Hills Estate Winery, Arrowleaf Cellars, The View Winery, Calona Vineyards Winery / Sandhill, St Hubertus Estate Winery, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Quails’ Gate Winery, Gray Monk Cellars Ltd., Mount Boucherie Estate Winery, The Hatch, and Mission Hill Family Estate Winery.
LAKE COUNTRY Nominations have opened for the Lake Country Chamber of Commerce 14th Annual Business Excellence Awards. Those who wish to nominate businesses or individuals for available categories must do so online through the Chamber’s website.
SALMON ARM The Salmon Arm Economic Development Society (SAEDS) is hosting their 2016 Business Forum on November 15th, at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort. The entrance fee is $25, and participants can sign up for the
forum on the SAEDS website. The BC Government, in partnership with Telus and ICBC, will be installing free public wi-fi at five highway rest points in the province, with plans to install another twenty in the works. The new service aims to encourage drivers to pull over as opposed to using their phones while driving. Stops include: Britton Creek on Highway 5, 67 km south of Merritt; Mt. Terry Fox on Highway 16, 6km east of Tete Jaune; Galena Bay on Highway 23, 49km north of Nakusp; Glacier View on Highway 16, 7km north of Smithers; and Taylor River on Highway 4, 37km west of Port Alberni. The Brick recently celebrated the grand opening of their new location in Centenoka Park Mall, Salmon Arm. A 2016 Outstanding Retailer Award was presented to Home Building Centre – Salmon Arm for Best Building Supply/Home Centre under 15,000 square feet. The award was presented at the 21st Annual Hardlines Conference in Niagara Falls. John Kehler, Dealer-Owner of the location, and David Kroeker, Store Manager, were honoured to receive the award.
KAMLOOPS The Kamloops Airport has released their traveler numbers for September 2016, in comparison with their numbers in
The 2016 Business Excellence Awards, presented by TD and the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, marked the 30th year this award ceremony has run in the community. Award recipients featured: Kelson Group Property Management - City of Kamloops Community Service Award; The Afternoon Auxiliary to Royal Inland Hospital - Rocky Mountaineer Environmental Stewardship Award; Domtar Inc., Kamloops Pulp Mill - BDC Manufacturer Award; Domtar Inc., Kamloops Pulp Mill - Venture Kamloops Resource Industry Award; Gord’s Appliance + Mattress Centre Aberdeen Mall Retailer Award 1-10 Staff; Lyons Landscaping - Westland Insurance Group Ltd Retailer Award 11+ Staff; Summit Gourmet Meats - Berwick on the Park Service Provider Award 1-10 Staff; Hotel 540 - Kamloops Lincoln Service Provider Award 11+ Staff; iTel Networks Inc. - BCLC Technology Innovator Award; Rainbow’s Roost TRU Faculty of Adventure, Culinary Arts & Tourism and Tourism Sun Peaks Tourism Award; Kamloops Wineries Association - CN Project of the Year; iTel Networks Inc. - Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre Employer of the Year; St. John Ambulance - United Way Not-For-Profit of the Year; Danielle Fauteux, All By Design - TRU School of Business and Economics Young Entrepreneur of the Year; Kamloops Naturopathic Clinic - KGHM International Ajax Project Small Business of the Year; Steve Davidson, Kamloops Ford Lincoln - Excel Personnel Business Person of the Year; Kelson Group Property Management - Community Futures Business of the Year; and Jo Berry - Kamloops Chamber of Commerce President’s Award.
PENTICTON The Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Society donated $40,000 to local community organizations, resulting from a successful 2016 Okanagan Fest of Ale Craft Beer and Cider Festival. Grants have been distributed thirteen community organizations, including: The Summerland Cat Sanctuary (Critteraid), The Penticton Centre for Exceptional Learning, South Okanagan Victim
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NOVEMBER 2016
several Summerland business members and corporate members. Congratulations are in order for Total Restoration Services - South Okanagan winners of the Community Support Excellence award, and ABK Restoration Services winners of the Professional Service Excellence award. Other nominated members included: Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, Parkers Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Petkau Information Technology Consulting, RE/MAX Penticton Realty.
Above: group photo of the 2016 Fest of Ale grant recipients Assistance Society, South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation, South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society, School District #67, Pathways Addictions Resource Centre, Okanagan Similkameen Neurological Society, Okanagan School of the Arts, Shatford Centre, Okanagan College Foundation Bursary, Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs, Community Foundation of the South Okanagan – Okanagan Fest of Ale Legacy Fund, and Agur Lake Camp Society. Wine Talks: An International Perspective on Winemaking, is an event hosted by Liquidity Wines and Okanagan College. The event is scheduled to take place on November 9th, featuring keynote speakers, winemaking experts Rob McMillan and Karen MacNeil, and will take place at Okanagan College’s Penticton Campus. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased through the Okanagan College website.
SUMMERLAND Summerland welcomes a number of new businesses to the area, including: Black Wolf Consulting Inc., publishing neighbourhood magazines; RMS Consulting, providing tool sales as MacTools; John Walker Master Builder will be offering General Contractor services from their base in West Kelowna; Reno-Rite, providing renovations or property maintenance services; Drayson Properties Inc., managing property rentals in Summerland; and new concession and catering operators at the Summerland Arena, D’s Concession & Catering. This month, Highland Maple, home of Maple Roch, launched their new Saint Q premium brand maple syrup at the farmers’ market section of the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival’s Cropped event. Saint Q is a new ultra-premium maple syrup brand made from Nordic White Maple trees. The Saint Q brand was created and designed in Summerland with bottles handlabeled and packaged by members of the Summerland Resource Centre who are on long-term disability. Saint Q will be available on the new Highland Maple website, as well as at their new downtown location at 13207 Victoria Road North. Cordillera Consulting brought Qi Liu on board as a taxonomist, a biologist who specializes in the classification of organisms into groups based on their shared characteristics. Straight from the
University of Alberta, Qi Liu brings years of experience in freshwater monitoring and chironomidae identification. Mike West, a key member of the hospitality team at Okanagan Crush Pad for the past three years, left the wine shop. He will still be working for the winery, but will become part of the sales team in Vancouver. In their first year of business, Ogopogo Valley Tours has been developing new services and supporting community events. The company is developing sustainable tourism practices, including the Okanagan Valley’s first hybrid tour vehicle. Their sustainable views are reflected in the events they support, as the company volunteered their services to shuttle guests door-to-door to the inaugural Summerland Feast of Farms in September for donations to the expansion of the Summerland Community Garden. South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services (Penticton & District Multicultural Society) is holding beginner’s language classes in Summerland for all immigrants and refugees. These free sessions run Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 11:30 am, and are being held at the 360 Learning Academy in Summerland. To register, individuals can call their Penticton office at (250) 492-6299. The Society offers services to assist immigrants’ integration into Canadian society. The Summerland Blossom program is looking for ten girls in grades 4 or 5 to be Blossom Buds. The girls will be paired with a 2016/2017 candidate as youth ambassadors for Summerland in a new mentoring program. Anita Perry of Perry Music Studio, an award winning composer and a music teacher for almost 30 years, last month received the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Association’s (CFMTA) Certificate in Recognition for Professional Achievement. Perry had to fulfill a number of requirements in order to receive the award from the organization, which represents Canadian music educators, including holding office at branch and provincial level, writing music articles, and presenting seminars. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees for this year’s Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards, including
Don Brown of Brown Benefits was recognized as a leading representative of the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan® at the program’s national conference in Victoria. Don, who has been in the financial services industry for over 16 years, specializes in Group Benefits and Financial Services. The Chambers Plan is the largest employee benefits program of its kind in the country, providing tangible benefits to members of participating Chambers and Boards. Patrick Murphy of RE/MAX Orchard Country recently completed a sustainable housing course online at UBC’s Sauder School of Business in the real estate division. Patrick says, “By taking the lead on Green Building initiatives, communities increase the capacity and resilience of their local economy.” Country Corner Supplies has long been the go-to source for the needs of your animals in Summerland. Responding to customers’ requests for healthier food for their pets, the store has brought in two brands of frozen raw dog/cat foods, Stella and Chewy’s and Mountain Dog Food. Have your pet visit and ask for a FREE sample.
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John Arendt, editor of the Summerland Review, celebrated 22 years with the newspaper in September. John is a long time Summerland resident who, as well as working at the paper as editor, news reporter, and photographer, also writes fiction.
VERNON Teaessential is a brand new shop, owned by Alysia Lor-Knill and Tyron Knill, located on 30th Avenue in the same space as Nick’s Kandy Kitchen. The shop offers 130 teas for customers to choose from, and even makes custom blends. Mike Nolan, a local engineer, was presented with a D.C. Lambert Professional Service Award at the 2016 Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC President’s Awards evening. Nolan receives this award for his exceptional contributions to the field. The Southern Interior Construction Association’s 8th Annual Commercial Building Awards honoured a number of local establishments this year, including: Skogies Express Car Wash – Vernon, for the Industrial category; Vernon Optometry and Eastgate Building of Vernon, for the Office category. Armstrong Flower and Gift Shoppe has changed hands to new owner, Alana Brookes. Flower arrangement designers: Michelle McKim, Susan Hayes, Maureen Jackson, and Kelli Muskett remain part of the team. The shop also sells local handmade jewelry, soaps and greeting cards.
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OPINION
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NOVEMBER 2016 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Thompson Okanagan Office #210-347 Leon Avenue, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8C7 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 1.778.441.3373 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca
PUBLISHER | Lise MacDonald, lise@businessexaminer.ca EDITOR | John MacDonald, john@businessexaminer.ca SALES | Joanne Iormetti – joanne@businessexaminer.ca, Thom Klos – thom@businessexaminer.ca, Josh Higgins – josh@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Julia MacDonald, John MacDonald, Beth Hendry-Yim, David Holmes, Linda Wenger, Kristin van Vloten WEBSITE | John MacDonald
IT’S NOT RIGHT VERSUS LEFT ECONOMICS; IT’S RIGHT VERSUS WRONG
MARK MACDONALD
I
t would be difficult to trace exactly back to the poi nt where someone decided to transform the terms “right and wrong” into “right and left”. W henever it was, and by whomever, it was a fundamental shift that paved the way to many of the major discussions and controversies we deal with today. We know that there are differences of opinion, and there are plenty of areas where decisions made aren’t necessarily right or wrong. It’s what people want. But that didn’t stop the pronouncement from becoming a launching pad for moral relativism – a topic that isn’t best suited for the pages of a business publication. It became a major political tool, positioning “the right” and “the left” on equal-butopposite footing, one that politicians and parties manipulate to t hei r adva ntage. A s we
observe North American democracy evolve – or devolve – intelligent discussion of issues is reduced to the point where victory goes to the side that shouts the loudest and longest, about almost any topic. Truth? That’s been cast to the wayside, in favour of tactics summarized by the line: “if a lie is repeated often enough, it becomes the truth.” introduced by Joseph G oebbels, the i n fa mous Nazi M i n ister of Propaganda during World War II. Thus we are inundated with profou nd ly i nc or re c t, w i ld declarations that have no basis in fact, but resonate– simply because they’re repeated over and over. T hey make lasting impressions that people cling to as if they are in fact, correct. It’s fascinating to watch, in politics, at least. When it comes to economics, however, the placing of “right” and “left” on what appears to b e equ a l fo ot i ng hold s d i re consequences for any economy. Without debating the merits/ demerits of Milton Friedman a nd John May nard Key nes, there are some un-debatable truths that affect how we conduct business. I have long appreciated the work of the Fraser Institute, a nd Bu si ness E x a m i ner h a s p u bl i s h e d op-e d s f rom t h e h i g h ly re s p e cte d e conom ic
t h i n k ta n k for m a ny, m a ny years. The Institute provides well thought out viewpoints on a number of topics, and are worthy of consideration. They do their homework. T hose who don’t subscribe to their conclusions and recom mend at ion s t r y to pa i nt the Fraser Institute as “conservative”, or “right wing” as if they’re a political entity – when in reality, they are right, as in “correct”. It is not a political organization. If certain politicians subscribe to their t ra i n of t hou g ht a nd sou nd similar, that’s their decision. But it doesn’t pol iticize the work of the Institute. On the other hand, the Canadian Cent re for Polic y A l t e r n a t i v e s crop p e d up a couple of decades ago, trying to position itsel f as a n economic entity from the left. It is commonly known as an NDP think-tank. It’s policies and statements reek of pol itica l expediency and ideology, and appears to exist solely for the pu r pose of cou nteri ng positions developed by the Fraser Institute. Charles Dickens summed up econom ics rat her succi nctly when he stated: “A n nu a l i n c o m e 2 0 p o u n d s, a n n u a l ex p end it u re 19 [pou nd s] 19 [shillings] and 6 [pence], result happiness. Annual income 20 pounds, annual expenditure
20 pounds ought and 6, result misery.” That’s something any businessperson understands quite well. I n rega rds to ta xation, the “left” believes that more taxation benefits the government, a l low i ng the govern ment to redistribute wealth as they see fit. Right wing economic thinkers k now t h at less ta x at ion provides incentives for entrepreneurs and investors to take steps forward and take risks in order to get ahead, in hopes of rewards – or profits. They try to provide an environment where individuals and corporations are encouraged to start companies and as a result, jobs are created. Left wing economics is incorrect th i n k i ng. It doesn’t work. It’s not “ lef t”, a s i n, equal to “right”. It is wrong. They aren’t difficult to identify. They over-tax, over-regulate and redistribute wealth. Just watch what’s happening in Alberta, where the economy is crumbling. The NDP can’t seem to help itself whenever it obtains power. It’s as if they are collectively stuck i n Ma rx ist i d e olo g y. O r p e rh a p s t h e i r union roots and backers compel them to punish and “pay back” business, which represents, in their minds, former
bosses and owners that didn’t pay them what they thought they were worth. They refuse to acknowledge that the people who start businesses are the very ones that create the jobs that the economy needs to survive and thrive. Left wing economic theorists fails to realize this fact: T hat if government taxation becomes too onerous, investments are cut back and/or curtailed completely. I t’s n o t t h a t b u s i n e s s e s don’t i nvest or re-i nvest i n N DP ju risd ictions for pol itical reasons – just to show the NDP their economic ideas are w rong. It’s that there aren’t opp or t u n it ie s to p ut h a rdearned capital at risk in hopes of reasonable reward. That’s what happens in “Robin Hood Economics” – where gover n ments ta ke f rom t he so-called rich and redistribute that wealth. We had that in BC in the 1990’s. Yes, ta xes are necessary in our economy, to run government, ma i nta i n a nd bu i ld infrastructure and public services, and look after those who cannot look after themselves. But when the people in charge of setting tax levels and regul at ion s h ave pu n it ive ideolog ic a l m i nd sets, ever yone pays. That’s not “left”. That’s just wrong.
BC PROVINCIAL SCHOOL TAX: PROVINCE FAILING SMALL BUSINESSES
CFIB AARON AERTS
B
usi nesses i n 20 la rgest municipalities pay over t h ree t i mes more t h a n residents. T h e Ca n a d i a n Fe d e ra t io n of Independent Business (C F I B ) r e l e a s e d a n e w r e port on the property tax system i n B C, fo c u si n g on t he
provincially-controlled school tax. The report, “BC’s Provincial School Tax: Province Failing Small Business”, provides a decade-long review of school tax rates in 161 municipalities across BC, with a particular focus on the 20 largest cities. The school property tax levy is charged by the province on all properties. The tax rate is the same across the province for a l l busi nesses. For residents, the rate is variable based on the tota l nu mber of residences and assessed property values. The report illustrates a disproportionate amount of the tax bill is placed on BC business, particularly in municipalities with high real estate values. The report analyzes the disparity between what resident i a l a n d b u s i n e s s p rop e r t y owners pay in school property t a x ( ba se d on t he sa me a ssessed value of property) for
161 municipalities. The ratio between the commercial and residential school tax rates is known as the “school tax gap” and is an indicator of tax fairness (not ta x levels). For instance, a tax gap of 3.0 means a commercial property owner pays th ree ti mes the school taxes of a residential property owner. The findings show entrepreneurs in the 20 largest cities (population over 50,000) across BC pay over three times more than residents (3.19 times; see table below for details). Province wide, the average is 2.47. Some of t he worst ta x gaps are in the most populous cities, like Vancouver (4.40). For illustration what this means in dollar terms, a resident of Vancouver paid $2,020 in school property taxes in 2015, while a business paid $8,891 (based on Vancouver’s 2015 average property value).
“CFIB has long tracked the inequity in municipal property taxes. However, this report shows the problem is just as bad in the provincial school tax system,” notes Aaron Aerts, BC Econom ist. “T his report provides clear evidence businesses are on the hook for an unreasonable amount of the school ta x bi l l. T he prov i ncial government needs to take a close look at how it sets tax rates, as the cu rrent system pl aces a n u n fa i r bu rden on many small businesses.” T he a n a lysi s a l so look s at historical trends of the school tax gap for BC municipalities, a nd f i nd s it h a s f lu c t u ate d considerably over the past 10 years. The largest 20 municipalities’ tax gap has fallen in recent years, down from a peak of 3.73 in 2007. However, it’s only slightly below where it was in 2005 (3.39). The school tax gap for all BC municipalities
was 2.47 in 2015, down from a high of 2.90 in 2007 and 2.60 in 2005. “It is promising to see some progress towards a fairer school property tax system for small businesses. T hat being said, significant work remains, as some businesses continue to pay over three or four times more t h a n residents on t he same property value,” added Aerts. In a recent CFIB survey, 61 per cent of busi ness ow ners ranked property taxes as the mo s t h a r m f u l t a x for t hei r operations. As this is such a negative form of taxation, British Colu mbia needs to emul ate prov i nc e s l i ke A lb er t a and Saskatchewan, where the school tax gap is much more equitable (roughly 1.5 and 1.65 respectively). Aaron Aerts is a BC CFIB economist.
SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA. 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 Thompson Okanagan, 2016. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240
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NOVEMBER 2016
ONE OF BC’S BUSIEST LIQUOR STORES IS EXPANDING WITH UNIQUE AND EXCLUSIVE TOUCHES
Wine Wednesdays have wine and beer aficionados share the perfect pairings for a variety of beverages CREDIT:MONASHEES
A humidor room and rare vintage wine cellar will be the highlight of the Monashees experience
V
ERNON – Monashees Wine Spirits and Beer and the 30th Street Liquor Store is getting a makeover and additional space to grow. One of BC’s top ten busiest liquor stores is going upscale with a large walk in vintage ‘cellar’ and designer humidor room. “We’ll be carrying more high end and rare vintage wines and a few brands of unique quality scotch,” said Tania Robinson, general manager of the 30th Street store. “The wine room has been specially designed by G enuwine Cellars a nd MQN Architecture and Interior Design. It will be temperature and humidity controlled and will store rare and vintage products from small lot local wines and hard to find imports. Last year in September, Monashee’s Bar and Grill shut down due to increasing competition and costs of food and labour. Now the focus is on the adjacent liquor store, 30th Street. The
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plans include moving the store into the Monashees building, taking down half of the liquor store and creating a larger parking lot. “The $2 million expansion was on schedule to open for Christmas of this year, but has been delayed now till early spring,” Robinson said adding that the delay came from changes the owner wanted to make to the exterior of the building. “We needed to get approval from the city for the structural changes, as we are basically rebuilding it.” Robinson, who moved to the city in 2003 from Ontario, started as bartender of Monashees. She worked her way up to floor supervisor, bar manager and now to general manager and she’s enthusiastic about the changes that are coming especially the expansion of space. “The new place will carry more variety of local wine, beer and spirits as well as locally produced gifts and food.” She explained that the majority of wine sold in the store, about 60 per cent, is from local wineries. Responding to the demand, it will be focusing more on the local theme and those rare imports not easily found. “We’re creating a large gift section with locally made sauces and
jams, craft brews and beverages from places like the Okanagan Spirits in Vernon and Mrs Betters Bitters. The combination, added to the local wine and spirits we carry, will make this store like nothing else in the Okanagan.” The humidor room is a unique addition. Made of a special material to retain moisture, it will be constantly monitored for the correct humidity levels and store specialty cigars. Part of the success of the store has been in its promotions and community activities. Its popular Wine Wednesdays are hosted on the local radio station where wine aficionados promote and showcase specific vintages with tastings offered in the afternoon at the store. The experts also offer suggestions for food pairings. Robinson and her staff have worked hard to earn their top ranking, but this past summer it took a bit of a hit when the city closed down all the roads leading to the store due to road construction and improvements. “Business dropped a little,” she said. “It might have dropped us down the rankings a little but we will be back up there in no time to top liquor store in BC.” Monashees relies on tourism and the dollars it brings to the community, especially as many of those visitors are looking for local products. She added that many of those tourists are Americans, Europeans and Australians as well as those from throughout BC. Although Monashees is not a government liquor store, Robinson said that it does have government store prices and it carries a broader selection of products then people would find in the government run stores. With the additional space, Robinson is expecting the new store and its unique additions to attract attention in the wine, beer and spirit community, especially for those with a refined taste looking for a unique experience. Monashees Wine Spirits and Beer is at 30th Street in Vernon www.monashees.ca
Kal Tire Signs Agreement With UBC Okanagan Engineering Students To Work With Company’s Mining Tire Group
A Memorandum of Understanding was recently signed linking Kal Tire and UBC Okanagan
K
ELOWNA – We’ve all been there, kneeling on the side of the road trying to change a flat tire. Now imagine the tire is 12.5 feet tall, weighs four and a half tons and it’s held to the wheel with more than 50 nuts, and oh yes, it’s attached to a giant mining vehicle at the bottom of an open pit mine miles from the closest service centre. Finding an easier and safer way to carry out that complex task is at the heart of a research partnership recently announced between Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group and the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Kelowna campus. “Our primary business is onsite service, the closer we are to what we call the coal face the more value we can bring to the customers,” explained Dan Allan the senior vice-president, Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group. Kal Tire and UBC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly work on projects to assist with field operations involved in the servicing of mine truck tires as well as finding innovative methods for recycling the tires once replaced. The MOU covers a three year period and will be operated out of UBC Okanagan’s (UBC-O) School of Engineering. No dollar value for the pact has been released, but the agreement does include funding support from Kal Tire for the research undertaken by the local engineering students. In a media release Deborah Buszard the deputy vice-chancellor and principal of UBC’s Okanagan campus said the partnership could have economic benefits for the entire region. “As a campus committed to innovation, we look forward to bringing our research expertise to bear in this exciting new partnership. We see this partnership as another key step in our goal of helping to advance economic development opportunities in our region.” Allan explained that funding research that ideally will develop new ways for the company to do its job better is essentially an investment in Kal Tire’s future.
“As we’re in tire service it’s very important for us to find new ways to do things. We have more than 1,800 team members worldwide performing tire service and they have ideas of what works and what doesn’t work,” he said. “We started talking with UBC-O about using their engineering expertise, combined with the ideas coming from our team members from around the world to look for things that can be commercialized, or help reduce injury or to help make us more productive on the mine sites. We can use UBC-O to research new ways, new methods, new metallurgy, new technologies that hopefully we can then redeploy back into the field.” For Allan the agreement benefits Kal Tire by allowing it access to UBC-O’s resources. “We’re trying to leverage the strength they have. I think they have a great faculty, they have some really smart students and certainly world class facilities so what we look at it as almost a contracted arm of our research and development.” It’s hoped the arrangement will lead to the development of new ways to hold tires, whether through improved hydraulics or even by some robotic means, identifying new methods for disposing of recycled tire crumb after the old tire has been broken up, developing new ways to inspect the wheel and other breakthroughs. “What UBC gets out of this are some real world projects that they can put students on. For UBC-O this is a pretty big deal as many of these sorts of projects are typically run of the Vancouver campus,” he said. Kal Tire was founded in 1953 while the company’s Mining Tire Group has been servicing mine sites for more than 40 years. Today the company services more than 150 mine sites located across five continents. Headquartered in Vernon, Kal Tire itself has outlets located from British Columbia to Quebec and employs more than 5,600 workers. To l e a r n m ore, v i s it t h e compa ny’s website at: www.kaltiremining.com
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