Business Examiner Vancouver Island - April 2017

APRIL 2017

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CAMPBELL RIVER Steve Marshall Ford celebrates 50 years and a new dealership building in Campbell River

Vancouver Island WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA

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NANAIMO VIREB set for Commercial Building Awards April 20

Comox Valley Lures Vancouver Buyers at BC Shellfish & Seafood Festival Promo Standing Room Only VIP Media Event And Tour Turns Up Heat For June Celebration in The Comox Valley

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INDEX News Update

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Parksville/ Qualicum Beach

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Nanaimo

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Cowichan Valley

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West Coast

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Comox Valley

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Campbell River

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Who is Suing Whom 35 Movers and Shakers 38 Opinion

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OMOX VALLEY – On the road again.

Invest Comox Valley was at it again March 15, bringing their traveling road show to The Fish House in Vancouver’s Granville Island to officially launch the 2017 B.C. Shellfish & Seafood Festival.

Last years’ event, featuring fine seafood delicacies cooked and served by some of BC’s best chefs, over-sold, and this year, the restaurant was bursting at the seams to accommodate the buyers and seafood aficionados who will likely visit the weeklong Festival when it arrives in the Comox Valley in June.

SEE INVEST COMOX VALLEY | PAGE 36

Edd Moyes, owner of the Blackfin Pub in Comox, chats with Chef Nathan Fong of Fong on Food at The Fish House in Vancouver

Award Winning Westholme Tea Farm Grows Adventure Organic Farm Has About 800 Tea Plants in Production

BY DAVID HOLMES

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ESTHOLME – For Victor Vesely and Margit Nellemann, the coowners of award winning Westholme Tea Farm, tea isn’t merely a popular beverage - it can and should be an adventure. “When we started with the idea way back when, the Farmer’s Markets were not as popular as they are now, we started out growing organic food, all manner of

market garden vegetables,” Vesely explained.

“We refer to it as an ‘Artfarm’ with everything grown on site being produced organically, by hand and without any machinery.

The art portion being Margit’s clay works, the tea pots and other handmade products she produces in the old barn we had converted into a clay studio.”

L o c ate d at 8350 R ic h a rd s Trail in Westholme (just north of Duncan) the Westholme Tea

Farm opened in 2003 and covers a mere 11 acres. The property includes a working farm, a unique tea house, clay studio and tea shop where the operation’s 30 original recipe hand-crafted teas and herbal infusions are available for purchase.

Business and life partners, Vesely and Nellemann moved to the region from Vancouver with the original goal of converting the one time cattle farm into a working Artfarm. The

operation’s selection of teas was added to the farm’s product mix about seven years ago. “In about 2010 we started planting tea as no one else in the area was doing that on a commercial scale,” he said.

The Westholme Tea Farm has approximately 800 tea plants in production, tended and harvested w ith the sa me ha nds of care that goes into all of the SEE WESTHOLME TEA FARM | PAGE 19

2 NANAIMO City of Nanaimo Awards Hotel Project Nanaimo News Bulletin A proposed downtown Nanaimo hotel has won a 10-year tax exemption.

A six-storey hotel at 15 Front Street, estimated to cost $14 million to construct, will be given a $202,600 annual tax break, city council decided at an open meeting Monday.

It’s the second project to be accepted into the city’s tax exemption program, following SSS Manhao, which proposed a hotel attached to the Port of Nanaimo Centre, but later fell through.

T he ta x exempt ion byl aw, adopted in 2012, was created to encourage new hotel and motel investment, promote a higher standard of overnight accommodations, enrich the visitors’ ex p er ienc e a nd rei n forc e a commitment to the long-term development of the tourism, according to the City of Nanaimo.

It applies to major renovations, additions, demolitions, rebuilds and new construction with a value of more than $2 million.

As part of the terms, the hotel owner has to obtain a building permit from the city either on, or before Dec. 31, 2018 and the hotel must be opened and available for use with 90 rooms and

NEWS UPDATE ground-floor commercial no later than July 30, 2020.

The hotel project has already received a development permit. It is expected to have features such as a private courtyard for guests, a sky bar on the sixth floor and ground-level retail space for a restaurant or coffee shop.

VANCOUVER ISLAND Low Inventory Limits Home Buyers T he Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) reports that in March 2017, 484 singlefamily homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) System compared to 518 last March, a decrease of seven per cent. Month over month, sales rose by 40 per cent from February 2017, which saw 346 sales.

Inventory of single-family homes declined by 36 per cent from March 2016, with 1,023 active listings available last month compared to 1,598 one year ago.

Low inventory continues to frustrate consumers and realtors in the VIREB area.

An additional 145 single-family properties came onto the market in March, but the increase was not significant enough to have a noticeable impact on inventory. Sales would no doubt be much higher if there were more

properties available, says Janice Stromar, 2017 VIREB President.

“Single-family homes between $500,000 and $600,000 rarely last longer than a day or two and generate multiple offers, with many selling above list price,” she says.

In March 2017, the benchmark price of a single-family home in the VIREB area was $410,400, up 17 per cent from one year ago.

Prices increased in every zone, ranging from 12 per cent in Port Alberni to 23 per cent in Nanaimo.

T he benchmark price of an apartment in March rose 26 per cent board-wide from the previous year, but the highest increases were seen in the Comox Valley and Campbell River, at 31 per cent. The townhouse market also strengthened in March, posting a 19 per cent increase board-wide.

The March 2017 benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area was $323,100, an increase of 15 per cent over March 2016. In the Comox Valley, the benchmark price hit $408,300, up 15 per cent from 2016. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $353,000, an increase of 14 per cent compared to March 2016.

Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose 23 per cent to $452,900 while the Parksville-Qualicum area saw its benchmark price increase by 18 per cent to $463,500. The price of a benchmark home in Port Alberni hit $217,800, up 12 per cent from one year ago.

APRIL 2017

COURTENAY NIC Gets Funding for Film and TV Program The BC government has recently announced funding for a new pilot project at North Island College (NIC) that will train North Island residents and First Nations to work in the film and TV industry, and meet the growing labour need for locally trained crews in the region.

British Columbia is one of the top centres for screen-production excellence in North America, with a long history of producing award-winning feature films, television series, documentaries and commercials. The pilot project will provide innovative, short-term training to tradespeople and Aboriginal residents on Vancouver Island in order to pursue local jobs in the film and TV industry.

The project will pilot two separate courses, each with classes offered in Port Alberni and Campbell River. The new specialized trades program will help train carpentry and electrical journeypersons and apprentices to work in the film industry in areas such as set construction. The First Nations production assistant program will train First Nations students to work on productions taking place within the region.

The courses are expected to start in late September 2017, with course

completion in early spring 2018 so students can be ready to work on productions planning to come to the Island next spring.

The industry and training partners involved in this project also will evaluate the programs, once complete, for possible expansion into other areas of BC.

NANAIMO Foothills Project Launches First Phase Lone Tree Properties Ltd., a subsidiary of Storm Mountain Development Corporation, announced the launch of the first phase of The Foothills in Lantzville.

This is the first phase of a four phase, 1838 acre, master-planned community. The community is currently zoned for 730 homes, a mixed-use village area, and a 900-acre park. The first and third phases will be solely residential, the second, a range of residential and full mixed-use village and the final phase will include acreages and ranchettes.

The first launch of phase one includes 77 residential home sites.

These homes are located on the north area of the site, closest to the existing neighbourhoods in Lantzville.

In 2015, a new team of industry experts was assembled to move the SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3

NEWS UPDATE

APRIL 2017

NEWS UPDATE project to construction. The project had been delayed when the previous developer had financial difficulties as a result of the 2008 recession. Between 2011-2013, Lone Tree Properties Ltd., put the project back together and began working with the District of Lantzville on a new process and agreements for development. A framework for a new Phased Development Agreement with the District of Lantzville was negotiated in 2014 ensuring The Foothills will set ambitious social and sustainability goals that will influence all aspects of community design.

commissioned for use in September.

Prior to that, the old underground fuel system will be removed and the site rehabilitated to make way for the new jet fueling facility.

Council had previously allocated $1.187-million to invest in the city’s own fueling facility which includes the storage system and the two fuel trucks. The project will be 75 per cent funded by a grant from the BC Air Access Program.

The new airport fueling facility will also offer a permanent medevac operational area which will provide direct access to emergency fuel for ambulances, aircraft and dedicated fuel trucks to help support 24/7 operations.

CAMPBELL RIVER

VANCOUVER ISLAND

City Moves Forward on Airport Investment

VIU Steps Up International Recruitment

Campbell River Mirror The City of Campbell River will spend nearly $400,000 on a new jet fuelling facility at the Campbell River Airport.

At a recent meeting, council awarded construction of the project to an Ontario-headquartered company, National Energy Equipment, for $389,648.

That comes in under what the city budgeted ($422,500) for the brand-new above ground fuel storage system that will replace the existing, underground fueling system run by the Imperial Oil that is nearing the end of its life span and was unlikely to be replaced.

Mayor Andy Adams praised city staff, as well as those who sit on the Airport Authority board, for bringing the project to fruition. “It’s been a long time coming.” Adams said. “I want to recognize the Airport Authority members, both past and present that have been very diligent in moving this forward.”

In January, the city issued a tender for the fuel storage system as well as two delivery trucks – one new and one used fuel truck.

Clinton Crook, the city’s senior buyer, said the city received three bids by the time the tender closed on February 23.

Crook said National Energy Equipment submitted the lowest priced tender and was “found to be compliant, and have met all of the tender requirements.”

He said that based on the company’s current project schedule, the above ground tank system is expected to be installed at the airport in August and

Vancouver Island University’s president and administrators from their Faculty of International Education have been making trips to India and Vietnam to enhance the universities international presence.

“International education is vital to VIU’s success. We look forward to strengthening our presence in Asia with innovative partnerships and an engaging outreach strategy,” said Ralph Nilson, president and vice-chancellor of VIU. “We’re also excited to visit with some of our key partner institutions.”

On March 17, Nilson visited partner institution Chitkara University at its Chandigarh campus in northwest India. While there, Nilson signed a new articulation agreement for VIU’s hospitality management program which allows students to take the first two years of a hospitality program at CU, and then transfer to VIU to complete an undergraduate degree.

VIU has worked with Chitkara University for about five years. The schools already have two other articulation agreements in place, for computing science and the bachelor of business administration degree, respectively.

VIU has had an office in New Delhi, India’s capital, for about seven years.

Nilson also met with Canadian High Commission officials in Delhi and Chandigarh to discuss recruitment

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

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SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 4

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APRIL 2017

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development of new businesses is important to economic growth, it is just as important to ensure retention and sustainability of existing SMEs,� said ICET Chair Phil Kent. “This project will help Venture Connect improve its service offerings to those businesses to help them sell their business, keeping jobs and economic activity in their community.�

The $42,000 project will create a new confidential matching-system tool that connects business owners seeking to sell their business with potential buyers without compromising their competitive advantages. Another component will facilitate mergers and acquisitions, enabling potential buyers to bundle business opportunities, creating greater investment efficiency and sustainability. “We’ll also be creating a ‘For Sale by Owner’ handbook to help SMEs better market their business to the right buyers,� said Venture Connect Manager Lori Camire. “One of the challenges in smaller, rural communities is that specific expertise such as commercial realtors, business valuators, or succession planning may not be available and existing self-help publications do not target small rural businesses. This project will help to address those issues and build capacity locally.�

Venture Connect was created in 2011 with financial support from ICET. Created as a subsidiary of six Vancouver Island notfor-profit economic development agencies, Venture Connect has a mandate to mitigate issues related to succession planning and business retention. This project is the first major upgrade and expansion of online tools since its launch.

Over the past year, the volume of inventory, the number of site visits, and the number of connections made between business owners and buyers has grown significantly. In 20152016 Venture Connect had 460 business listings, 36,484 site visits, and 499 connections.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

and partnership opportunities. He was joined by Bruce Condie, VIU’s director of international marketing, recruitment and business development, and Sumit Agarwal, VIU’s recruitment officer for India.

The following day, Nilson and Graham Pike, VIU’s dean of international education, were in Vietnam to host a reception for the official opening of VIU’s East Asia office in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the following days, Nilson travelled to Tra Vinh University, located in southern Vietnam. While there, he met with professors and students who are part of a collaborative engineering design project that includes VIU students in the fundamentals of engineering certificate program.

Throughout mid-March, Pike was joined by two colleagues from the Faculty of Management on a trip to China. They visited eight partner institutions in Beijing, Shanghai and Shandong province, including Shandong Technical and Business University in Yantai. VIU is celebrating a successful 10-year partnership with the school.

COURTENAY

Frank Allen

FINANCIAL GROUP INC.

Venture Connect Program to Support Small Business

frank@frankallenÀnancial.com

A new project proposed by Venture Connect, and supported with an investment of $21,000 from the Island Coastal Economic Trust, is seeking to overcome the challenges many small and medium-sized businesses face. “W h i le attracti ng a nd supporti ng

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APRIL 2017

First Phase Of Expansion At Nanaimo Airport Given Approval

C

ASSIDY – The first stage of a 20 year development plan has taken off at the Nanaimo Airport. Finalized last November, the Nanaimo Airport (YCD) has embarked on a detailed expansion effort that will occur at the facility between 2017 and 2037. “The 20 Year Master Plan involves about a $54 million overall build, being constructed in phases as the needs and the funding becomes available,” explained Mike Hooper, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nanaimo airport.

“The first phase that we’re doing will effectively triple the size of our security line for passengers going onto the aircraft, while doubling the size of the current boarding lounge.”

The inaugural component of the airport expansion effort involves $7.46 million in construction, with the Federal and Provincial Governments contributing two-thirds of the cost with the Nanaimo Airport Commission (NAC) providing the final segment – approximately $2.48 million. Incorporated in 1990, the NAC is a not for profit authority created to manage and operate the facility. The Commission secures parts of its funding through passenger fees and other business ventures such as serving as the landlord for businesses based at

The first phase of a 20 year development plan for the airport will involve enhancement of the current terminal building the airport.

“By creating a 20 Year Master Plan beforehand, as we build out the terminal building each successive phase will be a complete component of the final build – it will always look like a finished terminal building as we build out, not like a work in progress,” he said.

“The real benefit of the design we have is that as we do each build we keep the past components – thanks to the modular design of the structure itself.

This allows us to maximize the gains of each part of the build without having to redo the older portions.”

The funding slated for future terminal building development is only one part of the overall

expansion plan envisioned for the airport. “As we go forward we’ve got $54 million overall for the terminal building and then we have different support buildings budgeted at $16 million, including with the flight service station or tower as well as the maintenance buildings,” Hooper outlined.

“We also have to expand our parking lot, which will cost about $4 million as well as building roads and other infrastructure, another $10 million and then the apron expansion, where we physically park the aircraft, which will cost about $20 million so over the next 20 to 30 years we have about $104 million worth of capital expenditure planned.

It’s a case of preparing now for

The Central Vancouver Island region’s main air transport hub, the Nanaimo Airport covers an area of 224 hectares future traffic increases.”

Located on a 224 hectare parcel south of Nanaimo, the Nanaimo Airport is the primary aviation nexus for the central Vancouver Island region and is the Island’s third largest airport (after Victoria and Comox). Traffic flows at the facility have increase steadily in recent years with the airport expected to serve as many as 450,000 passengers annually

by 2020.

Based on the existing forecasts the Nanaimo Airport will continue to be a major economic engine for the Central Island in the future and is estimated to contribute 2,000 jobs and $358 million in economic activity annually to the region by 2021.

To learn more please visit the airport’s website at: www.nanaimoairport.com

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APRIL 2017

Qualicum Beach Inn focusing on Memorable Experiences Popular Property’s General Manager Helping Create First Class Culture With Team Members

Q

UA L ICU M BE ACH – “It’s a perfect blend of roma nce, cha rm a nd convenience.”

T h a t’s h o w At i l la Ci msit, G enera l M a nager of t he Qualicum Beach Inn, describes the 32-room property and restaurant a stone’s throw across the Island Highway from the fa mou s sa nd s of Q u a l ic u m Beach.

“The Qualicum Beach Inn is a reflection of the values and character that make Qualicum Beach such a wonderful place to work and live,” he adds.

Cimsit is tasked with overall operat ions at t he Q u a l icu m Beach Inn, and for building a service culture for his team to raise the bar for all hospitality related businesses on the east coast of Vancouver Island.

“In our service culture, we focus on bu i ld i ng t r u st one guest at a time,” he adds. “This t r u s t w i l l l e a d u s to b ra n d loyalty. We are also committed to supporting local business: growers, fishers, farmers, artists, craftsmen and trades.

“Our professional team is required to possess a great working knowledge, be eloquently spoken, display professionalism at all times, and have an

u ndersta nd i ng of persona lized luxury service,” Cimsit says. “We are always looking for i nd iv idua ls who ca n l ive up to our mission through our service culture every day.”

T he Q ua l icu m Beach I n n’s m ission is stra ig htfor wa rd: “To be a gracious host, offeri ng the u lti mate ex perience for our exceptional g uests.”

Ci m sit go es a step f u r t her, noting that he envisions the Qualicum Beach Inn becoming the most coveted hotel brand on the island.

T he Q u a l ic u m B e a ch I n n , formerly the Old Dutch Inn, was purchased in 2011 by John Briulo, Noel Hayward and Ken Schley, who recently sold the remaining interest in the compa ny they fou nded, Quality Foods. The property was not part of the final purchase by the Jim Pattison Group, which bou g ht h a l f of t he 14-store cha i n severa l yea rs ago a nd owns Overwaitea and Save-On Foods, amongst other grocery retail chains.

Cimsit arrived at the Qualicum Beach Inn Inn last September following a lengthy stay with the renowned Starwood Hotels a nd Resorts’ most prestigious brand, T he

Atilla Cimsit is General Manager of the Qualicum Beach Inn St. Regis properties in Europe, which included opening their hotel in Istanbul, Turkey. Prior

to that, he managed Tigh-NaMara Spa & Resort in Parksv i l l e a n d Pa ci f i c Sh ore s i n

Nanoose.

“I knew Ken and John from my previous experience in the area. They were clients, then I did some consulting work for them,” Cimsit notes.

“I think the Oceanside community has huge potential. We would like to see world famous local brands coming out of this area.”

Ci msit recog n i zes t he u nsu rpassed natu ra l beauty of Vancouver Island, and that the Isla nd needs more h ig h end proper t ies to accom mod ate tourists. They are coming, but build more, Cimsit believes, and more people will come and stay.

Cimsit notes that local people appreciate the changes they’ve noticed at the Qualicum Beach Inn. “Many people move here because they realize that we have nature in abundance, without stress and big-city challenges.

T hey a re choosi ng a qua l ity of l i fe here that is much advanced, where they can raise a fa m i ly a nd enjoy l i fe.,” he says. “T hey l i ke what we’ve done here, and recognize that we wa nt to be a n i mpor ta nt part of the community.” www.qualicumbeachinn.com

CAPTURING EMOTION: FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A FOCUS ON BUSINESS “The thinking about it, the visualizing of the final

ITS-Food Has Specialized In Food-Themed Photography For A Decade

product long before you click the shutter is the

N

How and where the image is ultimately to be used will determine how Tim McGrath takes the photo

ANAIMO – For professional photographer Tim McGrath there is a vast difference between an image, and a snapshot. The owner of ITS-Food.ca, McGrath has spent more than a decade in the specialized and finely focused food photography field – working for clients ranging from restaurants to grocery store chains.

“A snapshot is where you quickly place something in the viewfinder, take your photo – letting the camera and its software do all the work – and then move onto the next thing. An image on the other hand takes time. There is a lot of preplanning, setting up the shot, and of course thinking about how the photo will ultimately be used,” he said.

“The thinking about it, the visualizing of the final product long before you click the shutter is the main difference. A snapshot records a moment in time, an image captures an emotion and in terms of advertising and

main difference.”

ITS-Food’s work has been used in countless menus, advertisements and cookbooks – just to name a few promotion that makes all of the difference.”

McGrath’s work has been used in everything from cookbooks and newspaper advertising to menus, posters and extensively on line as a part of countless promotional campaigns. “Your goal with a marketing image is always to illicit a response, ideally a positive response in the minds of the viewer,” he said.

“Obviously for a restaurant you’re wanting to make people hungry.

Through the photography you want them to desire the food you’re presenting. But you may also want to tell them something about your restaurant; is it casual, is it fine dining, is it fun? That’s where an effective image comes into play. It has to tell the whole story.”

TIM MCGRATH OWNER, ITS-FOOD.CA

McGrath explains that it can take time to capture an effective image. Each assignment and each subject is different, but the care needed to capture the individual images is always the same.

Often using additional lighting and tripods to ensure a consistent level of quality, he’ll spend whatever time he needs to capture the right photos to satisfy the varying needs of the client.

“A cookbook shot will typically be straight down so the reader can see the finished meal. A steak for a restaurant on the other hand will need an entirely different perspective. Taking the necessary time will result in exactly the right image for the assignment,” he said.

To learn more please visit the company’s website at: www. its-food.ca

7

APRIL 2017

Individual Pension Plans – a tax strategy that could boost retirement savings

A

n individual penretirement according to a sion plan (IPP) is formula based on the para specia l ty pe of ticipant’s age, salary and registered plan designed years of service. Because it pr i m a r i ly to meet t he is a registered pension plan, needs of highly paid owner employer contributions are managers, professionals tax-deductible and investand senior executives, to ment earnings grow on a provide maximum retiretax-deferred basis until ment benefits, and creditthey are used to pay penor protection. Compared Stephen J. Struthers, sion income from the IPP. to a traditional registered DBA, CFP, CLU One of the main beneretirement savings plan Senior Financial fits of an IPP is the ability (RRSP), an IPP may offer Consultant to purchase past service higher tax deductible concredits back to 1991, just tributions and accelerated tax-deferred as if you had been a plan member during growth of retirement assets. those years.

You should consider an IPP if you are: Is an IPP for you?

■ At least 40 years of age and conAn IPP can be a tax-effective retirement sistently earning a T4 salary of at income-building strategy for you and least $100,000 a year. your business – but it is a more complex ■ The owner of an incorporated com- undertaking than a simple RRSP. We pany or a salaried, high earning can help you assess whether or not an executive looking for maximum IPP makes sense for you personally or tax relief and retirement pension for your company – including a no-cost ■ An employer who wants to en- consultation for establishing, funding hance retirement benefits for a key and operating an IPP program in your employee company.

■ An owner/manager wishing to create additional retirement income outside the company Stephen J. Struthers, DBA, CFP, CLU is a ■ Looking for creditor protection Senior Financial Consultant with Struthers ■ Not a member of another registered Wealth Management at Investors Group pension plan.

Financial Services Inc. He can be reached at Why an IPP is unique stephen.struthers@Investorsgroup.com.

An IPP is a defined benefit (DB) pen- Struthers Wealth Management, provides sion plan where the amount of the pen- comprehensive financial planning advice to sion is “defined” or “guaranteed” at businesses and individuals.

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APRIL 2017

Quality Foods Founders Step Down Original Owners Transfer Interest To Jim Pattison Group Parksville Qualicum News or the first time since growing from an 8,000-square foot grocery store in Qualicum Beach i nto a 13-store cha i n

F

spanning most of Vancouver Island, Quality Foods will no longer be owned by its original founders.

Quality Foods management announced founders Ken Schley and

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John Briuolo are transferring their controlling interest in the company to the Jim Pattison Group.

The announcement came after QF management held a meeting with staff recently at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre to notify them of the transfer of ownership. They also contacted suppliers and mailed letters to customers letting them know there would be no changes in the daily operation of the grocery store.

“Day-to-day operations will be led by Quality Foods co-founder Noel Hayward in the tradition of putting our QF customers, our QF people and our QF communities first,” Schley said in a written release. “It’s a people-based business, and John and I leave the company in the capable hands of some of the most talented people in the industry.”

The Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Group is a diversified holding company with ownership in businesses operating internationally across a spectrum of industries – including Save-On-Foods, which has stores competing with Quality Foods in multiple communities on the Island.

The Jim Pattison Group first purchased a non-controlling interest in Quality Foods eight years ago.

“Each one of Jim Pattison’s companies is a separate business, given the autonomy to maintain

their own culture,” said Hayward, who assumes the role of company president for Quality Foods. “We’ll be accountable for what we do, of course. But we intend to carry on with our culture, our supplier relationships, our community involvement and hope to maintain our customer loyalty.

“What we’ve seen in the last eight years with the Pattison Group being strategic partner, they’ve never once been involved in day-to-day operations.”

Over those eight years, though, Quality Foods has undergone a substantial investment in both expansion and improvement of properties, Hayward said.

QF made its first foray into the Victoria grocery market with the opening of two stores on the West Shore, first in Langford then in View Royal’s Eagle Creek Village, and has completed or commenced major renovations at its stores in Comox, Qualicum Beach and at the Turner Road location in Nanaimo, Hayward added.

Next up is a large reno in Port Alberni, followed by the construction of two new stores. A new Nanaimo store, on Harewood Road near Vancouver Island University, is scheduled to open in September 2018. After that, QF will construct a flagship store in Parksville, at

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the corner of Despard Avenue and Alberni Highway, to replace its existing store on Highway 19A. “For me, this is kind of like a celebration of what they’ve been able to accomplish over 35 years, going from one store with 14 people to now, over 1,000 people in our company,” Hayward said of Schley and Briuolo.

“We didn’t realize it at the time, but Ken is a visionary leader, and has been for the last 35 years.”

Among its innovations in the industry, Hayward said, Quality Foods was the first grocer in Canada to introduce a points card, was the first to offer online grocery shopping, and introduced a phone app that lets customers enter an item directly to the check-out till.

Hayward said the company is proud of a cultural heritage that includes part-time employees sharing in its benefits package and a fully funded pension plan.

“Ken and I will always be grateful for the relationships we have made in the community and proud of the accomplishments of our people,” said Briuolo. “We appreciate everyone who has worked alongside us, inside and outside the company, to build something special. It’s a unique company and a unique story, and this isn’t the end of it by any means.”

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9

APRIL 2017

VIREB Set For Commercial Building Awards April 20 Gala Event Celebrates The Best In Commercial And Industrial Construction North Of The Malahat

N

A NA I MO – T he b est c o m m e rc i a l a n d i ndustrial buildings completed last year north of the Malahat will be celebrated at t he 10 t h A n nu a l Va ncouver Island Real Estate Board Commercial Building Awards, Thursday, April 20 at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo.

O ver 50 projects were el igible this year for the awards, a nd there a re 28 fi na l ists i n 12 categories in these awards: C o m m u n i t y, I n s t i t u t i o nal, Multi-Family Apartment, M u l t i-Fa m i l y To w n h o m e , N o n-M a rk e t H o u s i n g , R etail, Retail Automotive, Retail Renovation, Industrial, Industrial Renovation, Hospitality and Green.

Coasta l Com mu n ity Credit Union is a Gold Sponsor of the event, and Black Press is a Pl at i nu m Med i a Spon sor.

Cate gor y s p on sors i nc lu d e R E / M A X Com mercia l, Colliers International, Canadian Western Bank, MNP LLP, NAI Commercial, Yellow Sheet Review, Herold Engineering and Invest Comox Valley. Business Exa m i ner Va ncouver Isla nd coordinates the event.

T h e 2 016 J u d g e s ’ C h o i c e

Award Winner for Best Overall Entry was the Blue Grouse Winery building in Duncan.

Finalists are, by community: Campbell River: Everg reen Senior’s Housing Phase 3; Mariner’s Landing.

Comox Valley: Greaves Crescent Custom Restoration Shop, City of Courtenay Fire Traini n g Faci l it y, M ayors t hor ne Lane, The Ambleside Phase I, and Courtenay Fellowship Baptist Church.

Du nca n /Cow icha n Va lley: Galaxy Motors, Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit.

Nanaimo: Cassidy Country K itchen (Cassidy), BC SPCA N a n a i m o & D i s t r i c t C o mmunity Animal Centre, BCAA Auto Ser v ice Cent re, D ickinson Crossing Restoration, Dover R idge, J R E Ha rdwa re Inc. Building, K.D. Beausoleil & Company office, Pacific Station Townhomes Phase One, St. Paul’s Centre for Ministry and Community Service, Timberwood T ra i l, T u lsa Views, Regional District of Nanaimo Landfill Offices, Quality Foods Northridge.

Parksville: Chinook Scaffold Warehouse, Guy Garages.

Coombs: Billy Gruff’s at the

Old Country Market.

Lasqueti Island: Judith Fisher Centre.

Port Alberni: The Thunderbird, Port Alberni Friendship Centre.

This event sells out early, so tickets must be purchased by Tuesday, April 18.

T ickets for the awa rds a re $125 and are available at www. businessexaminer.ca/events.

Fo r f u r t h e r i n fo r m a t i o n , contact Ma rk MacDona ld at Business Examiner at 1-866758-2684 Ex t. 120 or ema i l: mark@businessexaminer.ca.

NANAIMO

10

APRIL 2017

VMAC APPOINTS PAIR TO KEY MANAGEMENT POSITIONS

NANAIMO MARK MACDONALD

V

MAC has announced two new appointments, notes President Jim Hogan. Stuart Coker is now the Director of

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A tip of the hat to the team at Array Web & Creative, as they have earned a gold Muse Creative award for the work they did on Tourism Nanaimo’s “Meet You Here” campaign, notes Carrie Brisson.

The annual international competition sees over 1,500 submissions from 35 countries worldwide.

Array is at 410-256 Wallace Street.

The Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society has been named the recipient of the B.C. Career Development Association’s Organization of the Year Award.

The honour was bestowed at a March 27 celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the organization in Vancouver, with Manager of the CVIMS Employment Programs, Angelika Valchar, in attendance.

Tourism Vancouver Island President David Petryk is pleased to note that they have released three new Find Your Element videos in association with Victoria-based Hothouse Marketing.

Great news for Harris Kia and Harris Mazda dealerships, for earning 2017 Canadian Auto Dealer of the Year awards based on customer satisfaction.

Seaspan will be moving all of its downtown ferry service operations to Duke Point by the end of the month.

Michael Parker Construction Ltd. is a new business located at 2147

Caledonia Avenue in Nanaimo.

Cobbs Bread on Metral Drive will soon have new neighbours, as Meat Crafte Island Butchery has leased space in the shopping centre. A new yoga and fitness studio is also expected to be a tenant there soon.

Moe Lessan, formerly with DTZ Barnicke/NAI Commercial, is now the managing broker for Aedis Commercial Real Estate.

Guy Garages in Parksville continues to be a hot item, as owners Ron Chiovetti and Tom Harris note several units in Phase 2 of the vehicle/recreational vehicle/ boat storage project have sold, and they’re already selling Phase 3.

Moto Share is taking over Nanaimo Car Share, and Kalvan Stokes is the fleet contact. They currently have four new cars available.

Lyle Sharkey is rebranding his Jigger’s Lounge in the Smitty’s Restaurant in Southgate Mall in Chase River. It will be known as Sharkey’s Sports Lounge.

Milestone Contracting is moving into the former home of Alair Homes on Island Diesel Way. A new place for kids to trampoline in has opened at 4381 Boban Drive, called Airhouse Nanaimo.

Saywell Contracting is building a 36-unit, two-storey multi-family development behind Kal Tire on Norwell Drive for Magnolia Apartments Ltd. of North Vancouver.

Chores Be Gone is Brad

Prokopchuk’s new handy man services business at 495 Stirling Avenue.

Golden Otter Gallery, a new art gallery for independent artists and the visual arts, has opened at 4-34 Nicol Street.

Grete’s Carved Glass is moving from Yellow Point Road to B-2137 Bowen Road.

New stores in Woodgrove Centre: West Coast Leather and Stoxx Urban Couture.

Shima Karate is moving from Departure Bay Road to a new location at 3032 Barons Road, which is the former Country Club branch of the Vancouver Island Public Library.

Duncan-based accounting firm McKinnon, Germann, Granger has opened an office at 7-140 Wallace Street.

KIS Payments has opened an office at 1-5148 Metral Drive. Richard Owens is the contact.

Joanne Freelund is now the General Manager at Real Insurance Solutions Inc. New businesses on Wallace Street: Cellpro, which repairs cell phone and electronic devices, at 120-256 Wallace Street, and Cuttriss Contract Metallurgy, at 210-477 Wallace Street.

Mark MacDonald writes about business in Nanaimo. Tell him about your business by emailing him at mark@businessexaminer.ca

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11

APRIL 2017

FOLLOW THE MONEY TO PRIORITIZE TECHNOLOGY DECISIONS

W

ith the rapid pace of technological change, businesses and organizations of all sizes find themselves struggling to stay ahead of the curve. With so many options available for everything from cloud accounting to talent management and e-commerce, how do you know which technology investments are worth making, and which aren’t?

Elizabeth Vannan leads the B.C. Technology Consulting practice for MNP LLP. She says a good rule is to invest in technology for areas of the business that directly impact your bottom line. This will vary based on your business.

“Follow the money,” she advises. “If you are a sales-driven organization, invest in sales management software; if you operate a manufacturing business, look for systems that will help manage your inventory.”

Vannan has more than 20 years of experience advising clients how to make better use of technology to achieve their business goals. Based in Victoria, she leads a team of four IT consultants who work with clients across the province including organizations of all sizes – from startups and family-run businesses right through to large public sector organizations.

Interestingly, Vannan says the size of the organization makes little difference when it comes to technology.

“At the root, the problems small and large organizations face are exactly the same. It’s just a matter of scale,” she explains. “We tend to think of large as the potential impact on the business. For example, if you are in retail and your point-of-sale system goes down, it doesn’t matter if you are large or small, your business will be significantly impacted. You’re out of business.”

T hat said, keeping up with technology is especially challenging for smaller organizations that do not have a dedicated IT specialist. They might have someone from accounting or marketing who are in charge of

Elizabeth Vannan leads the BC Technology Consulting practice for MNP LLP

“If you are in retail and your point-of-sale system goes down, it doesn’t matter if you are large or small, your business will be significantly impacted.”

MNP’s Technology Consulting team works with organizations across the Island to help them develop technology solutions that support their business goals keeping the IT systems running, but it’s just part of their job.

“Many smaller businesses try to save money on technology by using free software, buying non-commercial hardware and getting IT support services from friends who happen to know a little bit about technology,” Vannan observes. “This can create a lot of risk and almost always costs you more in the long run as you deal with technology issues and failures.”

Often busi ness ow ners a re not even aware of the risk until something goes wrong. That was the case for a well-known business on Vancouver Island that lost their ability to process credit cards because they had been hacked.

“When our cybersecurity team looked at their situation, it was clear the problem resulted from a series of bad decisions ranging from their infrastructure to the

software they were running to how they were managing passwords,” Vannan recalls. “In the end, they needed to replace all of their technology and it caused a major disruption to the business.”

While such instances are common, Vannan says more and more organizations are starting to see the value in seeking professional assistance before there’s a major problem.

“Often the business owner or financial manager is concerned because the business is spending a lot of money on IT and things don’t seem to be working very well, or they can’t get the information they need,” Vannan elaborates. “They just have an overwhelming sense that there has to be a better way and maybe technology can help.”

This type of conversation might lead to an IT review and a strategic technology plan detailing

the ha rdwa re, sof twa re a nd infrastructure required to support the business going forward.

Other times the client needs a new piece of software or they need to upgrade thei r ha rdware because it’s at the end of its useful life, and they realize they don’t know how to make the decision.

For example, Vannan recalls working with a small familyrun business who needed a new a point-of-sale system. They had looked at a few products but were feeling overwhelmed by the options and wanted assistance selecting the right software. Her team helped them clarify what they needed, identified software that provided the necessary functionality, facilitated conversations with vendors and conducted 10-year financial analysis of the cost to run each system, which ultimately changed the client’s decision.

ELIZABETH VANNAN

The software in this case cost less than $20,000, which most small businesses would consider a large-scale investment. However, Vannan notes she’s working with another Island client to select an enterprise level system that’s going to cost more than $5 million.

“It’s all relative,” she reminds.

“We’ve figured out how to scale our services because the problems and the process aren’t any different, the dollar value is just bigger.”

Vannan says it all comes down to helping organizations make more con f ident tech nolog y decisions.

“We always tell our clients, ‘Don’t approve anything that you don’t understand,’” Vannan concludes. “If your technology vendor or advisor won’t explain something to you in language you can understand, get a second opinion from someone who will.”

< PROJECT RESCUE >

MNP Technology Solutions < CYBER SECURITY > < IT POLICIES & DOCUMENTATION >

< CLOUD SOLUTIONS >

< SOFTWARE SELECTION >

< STRATEGY & PLANNING >

< DATA MANAGEMENT >

< COACHING & DECISION SUPPORT >

Just because your business doesn’t have an IT department doesn’t mean you can’t make effective use of technology. Whether you are starting a new business or looking to improve how your organization uses technology, MNP’s Technology team can help you plan your current and future IT needs, select the right software and services, and make the most of your IT investments.

Contact Elizabeth Vannan, B.C. Leader, Technology Consulting at 778.265.8893 or elizabeth.vannan@mnp.ca

12

APRIL 2017

COWICHAN VALLEY Diversity Key To Cowichan Valley’s Economic Success Region’s Business Sector Covers the Gamut – From Industry To Agriculture

BY DAVID HOLMES

D

UNCAN – From resources to tourism and from high tech to an expanding service sector the economy of the Cowichan Valley is resilient, adaptive and diverse as the people who call the “Warmland” region of Vancouver Island home.

“Agriculture and forestry were the sectors that defined the region during the past century and these sectors are evolving” explains Amy Melmock, the Economic Development Manager for the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD).”What’s becoming more dominant is the number of people using forestry as a toehold for doing more value-added activity. We have businesses in the region such as Bavarian Custom Wood Furniture and Live Edge Design and others who are operating in innovative ways to make value-added products that are in demand internationally.

That adaptability is a hallmark of business in the Cowichan Valley.”

Covering a wide swath of south / central Vancouver Island, the SEE COWICHAN VALLEY | PAGE 13

The City of Duncan is the largest community in the Cowichan Valley and its major service centre

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COWICHAN VALLEY

APRIL 2017

13

ACCENTS ARE ASSETS Newcomer Canadians offer valuable skills and work experience.

Agriculture, both large and small scale, has helped to put the Cowichan Valley on the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maps, and tables

COWICHAN VALLEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Cowichan Valley extends from Yellow Point in the north to Mill Bay at the foot of the Malahat in the south.

With a combined population of nearly 34,000 the City of Duncan and the surrounding Municipality of North Cowichan are the largest service area in the region.

Long-time Duncan Mayor Phil Kent, who serves as the Board Chair of the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) credits diversity with a large portion of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing economic success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on council for 17 years now and in that time there have been a lot of economic changes. Duncan as a core city is quite small in terms of jurisdiction but has a large direct impact on the overall area,â&#x20AC;? he explained.

Kent points out that the local business community in Duncan/North Cowichan is varied and very healthy because it functions as the principle service centre for the entire region. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The commercial assessment in the city is 25 per

cent or more and that is quite different from most municipalities as typically a commercial assessment wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be that high. The city proper has many small, family-owned businesses which make up much of the downtown core, with the larger â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;big boxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stores located just outside of city boundaries. All parts of the region contribute to Duncanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success including the growing agriculture industry. For example we host the Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market right in the City of Duncan each Saturday which runs virtually year round and is always a huge draw.â&#x20AC;?

First Nations communities throughout the Cowichan region are also taking an active role in shaping the economic future of the area. The Coast Salish Economic Development Corporation has a host of new commercial developments emerging along the Island Highway north of Ladysm it h , wh i le Cow icha n Tribes is active in forestry and waste management.

T he small Lake Cowichan First Nation is also planning new economic development activity that will add to the recreational and tourism potential of the Lake Cowichan region.

The unique and rustic charm of Cowichan Bay is just one of a number of communities located in the Cowichan Valley

T he Cow icha n Va l ley Regional District, with an overall population of just over 80,000 people and covering nearly 3,500 square kilometers is one of the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 29 individual regional districts. The Cowichan Valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business community is both diverse and extremely active. One of the leading supporters of the local business sector is the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce, which currently has more than 500 members. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In fact there are four different Chambers of Commerce within the Cowichan Valley Reg iona l District,â&#x20AC;? ex pla i ned Sonja Nagel, the Executive Di rector of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber. â&#x20AC;&#x153;T he D u nca n Cow ichan Chamber is the largest but there is also the Chemainus Chamber, the Lake Cowichan Chamber and the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, collectively these three chambers probably have a combined membersh ip of a rou nd 350 in total. So the region certainly has a very active business community.â&#x20AC;?

For Nagel the Cowichan Valley business sector is so active because of the business friendly nature of the communities within it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Valley certainly has different communities with different bylaws and regulations regarding business but they are coming together to have a consensus regarding attracting business to the region â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our Chamber is also partnering with these communities to make it easier to do business in the Cowichan.â&#x20AC;?

Jon Lefebure, who is both the Mayor of the Municipality of North Cowichan SEE COWICHAN VALLEY | PAGE 14

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APRIL 2017

COWICHAN VALLEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

and the Chair of the CVRD, is another champion for and advocate of the region’s business community. For him the region has been very successful at attracting new business to the area due to a number of factors, such as climate, recreational opportunities, low real estate prices and existing infrastructure.

“For those businesses, and there seems to be more every year, who can locate anywhere why would you struggle to somehow buy a house in Vancouver if you could do the same thing and have a great house in the Cowichan Valley for a fraction of the cost?” he said.

“Our job as local government is to set the table, to provide the resources that people expect or want if they are considering a move to the area. It’s something I think we’ve been pretty successful at doing.”

Cathy Robertson, the General Manager of Community Futures Cowichan says her not for profit organization’s key role is to function as a resource for local small business, a challenge it has embraced since the launching of the first Community Futures office in 1986. Providing risk capital for small and expanding business is the main focus of Community Future’s efforts.

“We make loan decisions in a non-traditional way, we’re different than a bank for the purpose of giving small business that start

The Chemainus Theatre is one of the most outstanding entertainment venues in the Cowichan Valley, or anywhere that they need,” she said.

For Robertson by a l low i ng small businesses to become established, and by providing the assistance needed for existing businesses to expand, the community as a whole benefits. “We need sma l l busi nesses to be successful because collectively they are the economic engine that drives not only the Cowichan Valley, but the country as a whole,” she said.

The success of the Cowichan Valley is very much a group effort. Working together for the overall good of the region, the D u n c a n C o w i c h a n C h a mber, MNP, Community Futures

Cowichan and Economic Development Cowichan partnered last fall by organizing a series of Business Round Table discussions created to collect input from the business community on a variety of issues and concerns.

Released in April the results of the round table discussions will help local leaders and organizations better prepare for the changing world of tomorrow by understanding the concerns and challenges the local business community faces today.

The survey was conducted by a third-party market research firm, PRA Inc. under the guidance of M NP, the Duncan Cowichan

“Our job as local government is to set the table, to provide the resources that people expect or want if they are considering a move to the area.”

JON LEFEBURE MAYOR, MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH COWICHAN

Ch a mber of Com merce a nd Community Future Cowichan.

In all 704 businesses were contacted, 356 were reached and 202 business leaders completed the survey to provide a true cross section response from the business community.

To learn more please visit the City of Duncan’s website at www. duncan.ca, Municipality of North Cowichan’s website at www. northcowichan.ca, Cowichan Valley Regional District’s website at www.cvrd.bc.ca, Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce website at: www.duncancc.bc.ca, and Community Futures Cowichan website at: www.cfcowichan.ca

COWICHAN VALLEY LEVERAGES FUNDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

T COWICHAN VALLEY SONJA NAGEL

h e D u n c a n C ow i c h a n Cha mber boa rd a nd staff recently convened to develop the Chamber’s new Strategic Plan. Our last Strat plan was heavily focused on building and getting the Cowichan Regional Visitor Centre up and running. We certainly feel a sense of accomplishment in achieving and exceeding the goals to operate a successful reg iona l v isitor centre, servicing over 25,000 visitors in

S. McInnes & Associates Ltd.

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2016.

The focus of our 2017 – 2019 S t ra te g i c Pl a n i s a l l a b o u t better engagement w ith ou r growing membership. We are always looking for ways to add value to membership through networking and professional development opportunities, advocacy, marketing opportu n ities a nd a w ide su ite of benefits including preferred rates on health insurance and merchant services.

A not her key fo c u s for t he Ch a mber i s developi ng a nd enhancing partnerships in the community, including government, not-for-profit and business organizations. One such partnership program is with Community Futures Cowichan, Economic Development Cowichan and MNP LLP. Last year, we collaborated on a Business Leader’s Survey, announcing the results at Cowichan’s first Economic Outlook Breakfast. A key theme heard at the event, which attracted more tha n 100 busi ness a nd community leaders from across Cowichan Valley, was the need for increased communication and cooperation amongst communities, local government and

business service organizations in the region, coupled with a renewed focus on econom ic development.

In follow up to “What’s Next”, the partners agreed to gather more input from Cowichan’s busi nesses i n a series of si x Sector-Specific Roundtables.

T he pa r tners recently met with over 60 business leaders from across the Cowichan Region in tourism, agriculture, retail, manufacturing, technology, construction and real estate sectors. T he Rou ndtables were an excellent forum to hear from business owners a nd operators about opportunities and barriers to doing business in the Cowichan. A major finding was that many of the same issues, opportunities and challenges were identified across various sectors.

Roundtable participants in each of the six industry sectors identified their top three priorities. From these sector results, the partners compiled a s u m m a r y of t h e c om m on threads: Increase and improve collaboration and communication with and between local governments; Develop commu n ity i n f ra st r uct u re t h at

supports economic development; Ident i f y a nd add ress labou r cha l lenges a nd solutions, and Create a unifying vision for the region.

T he priorities, common themes and action items will be elaborated at the Cowichan Business Leaders Breakfast, April 11, 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. at the Cowichan Golf Club. We anticipate another sold out event.

■■■ We l c o m e n e w C h a m b e r Memb ers: McAda m Desig n, IslandSkye Bed and Breakfast, IntegraBooks Bookkeeping Services, HUB International Insurance, Renee Russell Pemberton Holmes, Pinnacle Wealth Broker and Canada Financial and Brisance Coaching.

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

15

APRIL 2017

RE-TOOLED HIGHWAY RENTALS SET FOR BUSY SPRING, SUMMER Business is all about Quality People, Quality

New owner Vic Scudder has long-time Cowichan Valley business tuned up for success

Product, and Quality Service. When you have these three aligned,

C

OWICHAN VALLEY – Vic Scudder has introduced the ‘WOW’ factor at Highway Rentals.

Since purchasing the long-time family-run Highway Rentals last September 1, Scudder has been re-organizing and re-tooling the equipment rental and sales location at #100-2935 Sprott Road, next to the Trans Canada Highway across from the North Cowichan Municipal Hall.

“People a re com i ng i n a nd saying ‘wow’, and can’t believe what’s happening here now.

We’ve really created a ‘wow’ factor in the business now,” says Scudder, noting Highway Rentals had been in business for 23 years prior to the purchase.

“We eradicated the business, but we kept all the staff. We took everything out, reorganized and re-evaluated everything, and added a new showroom for our

success happens

power products,” he says.

Besides renting heavy equipment, excavators and skid steers, Highway Rentals offers a wide variety of power tools and engines, Highway Rentals sells and services Honda, Stihl, Toro and Briggs & Stratton power products. Their small engine repair department continues to expand, servicing lawn mowers and roto-tillers, amongst other machinery. They have used parts for most makes and models, including over 250 assorted wheels.

Highway Rentals has added new product lines, including Honda small engines and marine outboards up to 15 horsepower. Their largest product line is Stihl, renowned for their professional

Vic Scudder, centre in the back row, owner of Highway Rentals, and his team members grade of power saws and yard care equipment, and Scudder calls them “the best manufacturer I’ve ever dealt with in all my years in business. We added 40 feet of new shelving, and Stihl flew one of their people out from Ontario just to set it up.”

Highway Rentals customers include homeowners, contractors and landscapers – anyone needing gas or battery-operated small engines and equipment. Highway Rentals delivers equipment onsite, although many rental customers pick it up what they need

at the store.

T hey also sell dry top soil, mulch, sand and five types of gravel in their Gravel Mart behind the building.

They also segregated sections of the building to move the repair and maintenance section further away from the retail department, for customer comfort.

“It’s a great location, across from the North Cowichan Municipal Hall,” Scudder notes, adding the store’s traditional customer base focuses on the Cowichan Valley, and spreads as far south

as Victoria and as far north as Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

A consultant in the automotive industry for almost two decades, Scudder purchased Ken Evans Ford in Duncan, transforming it into Flagship Ford at a new location across from Home Depot in North Cowichan. Scudder was dealer principal at the dealership for 11 years before selling it in 2014.

Retirement wasn’t a good fit for the energetic Scudder.

“I tried to retire, but it just didn’t work for me,” he says. “So I re-treaded and got my hands on this business. We have a great team here, and we know who’s who and where in the Cowichan Valley, and we’re ready to serve them.”

Team members include Parts a nd Ser v ice M a nager Gerry Clark, mechanics Jim Murray, Dana Martin and Ron Whittaker, sales staff Todd Travers and Kim Hernandez, and controller Karen Ross.

“Business is all about Quality People, Quality Product, and Quality Service,” Scudder notes.

“W hen you have these three aligned, success happens.” www.highwayrentals.ca

THE ALL NEW HIGHWAY RENTALS! www.highwayrentals.ca

• Sales & Service of All Gas & Battery Operated Small Engines & Equipment from these Respected Names • Heavy Duty Equipment Rentals • Gravel Mart • Delivery & Pick Up Services

250.746.7404

100-2935 Sprott Road, Duncan (Across from North Cowichan Municipal Hall)

16

APRIL 2017

BW PLUS CHEMAINUS INN - THE HOTEL IN THE LITTLE TOWN THAT DID Small Town Hotel Wins Big Time Award Three Times in Four Years, Putting it at #2 in Canada

C

HEMAINUS — Winning Best Western’s M K Guertin Award once is an honour in itself. It’s given to about 30 of its 4,000 members each year. For the hotel owner and/ or general manager, it can be a pinnacle of achievement.

Since 2012, the Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn has received that honour three times, in part due to it landing the number two spot in Canada amongst Best Westerns for customer satisfaction, number one in BC and number six in a region that includes Alaska, the Yukon, Montana, Idaho, Washington and

Oregon.

“We’re really proud that in our little town of Chemainus our hotel has earned an international and national reputation for excellence,” said General Manager, Peter Watts.

R e c o g n i z i n g t h e to p B e s t Western hotels in North America, the award is based on best performance across such areas as quality assurance, customer service, guest satisfaction and commitment to the brand.

“With the award, we received $2000 in US funds,” Watts said.

“Usually we would have spent it on our annual Christmas party, but this time we decided to get everyone shell jackets with the owners footing the bill for the party. It was a team effort and we wanted everyone acknowledged and rewarded for their hard work.”

SEE CHEMAINUS INN | PAGE 17

The MK Guertin Award accepted by Terry Porter, chairman, Peter Watts, general manager, Dave Hillmer and David Kong, CEO CREDIT: BEST WESTERN PLUS CHEMAINUS INN

The only hotel in town, Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn has a total of 75 rooms CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS CHEMAINUS INN

www.the49th.com

Serving the Community Since 1977

Congratulations to Best Western Plus in Chemainus, on y your continued success!

Duncan 250.748.2412

Ladysmith 250.245.3221 Chemainus 250.246.3551

Proud Suppliers to BWP

Cedar 250.722.7010

17

APRIL 2017

CHEMAINUS INN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

It isn’t the only award the hotel has won, however. In 2017 it won the Champion Customer Care award by staying in the top nine and 10 ratings for overall service, maintaining its Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence and participating in ongoing training programs, the Chairman’s Award each year since it branded as a Best Western Plus, and the Champion RevPar in 2016.

The only hotel in the ‘Little Town that Did”, the Chemainus Inn was initially conceived by the Chemainus Theatre in 2005 to offer its patrons the option of staying overnight, especially for those driving in from outside the community.

“The Inn was built in a style that matched the theatre and surrounding buildings,” Watts explained. “All but 20 of the 75 rooms are suites with a living area and small kitchenette e q u ip p e d w it h m ic rowave, fridge and cooktop.”

As the town is a destination spot for visitors admiring its 40 world-renowned wall murals, quaint downtown shopping, theatre shows and waterfront v iews, the hotel sees 10 per cent of its patrons from theatre traffic, 30 per cent from the business world, and 55 per cent from tourism.

“We also have long term stays here, with some guests escaping the Prairie winters and staying for up to three months. And the Duncan SunFest, at the new concert venue called Laketown and the new Island Sport Complex have been real draws for guests wanting to stay in a quiet, smaller community that’s close to event centre.

With the Cow icha n Va l ley rapidly growing its reputation as an event, food and wine mecca, Tourism Cowichan has changed to a stakeholder model. As a director, Watts said that the new direction will see the industry boom and positively impact the hotel and its community.

“We’re working hard to get

Since 2012, the Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn has received the Best Western’s M K Guertin Award three times CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS CHEMAINUS INN

Breakfast service now includes fresh baked muffins from the Chemainus Inn’s own kitchen

SEE CHEMAINUS INN | PAGE 18

CREDIT:BEST WESTERN PLUS CHEMAINUS INN

CONGRATULATIONS Best Western Chemainus Inn

Saltair Pub - circa 1926

The Knights - longtime owners - operated a tulip farm on the property.

Providing Choice and Convenience to Island Businesses for Over 20 Years No Cost ...

Easily Installed

Pub: 11am-11pm Restaurant: 11am-9pm Patio: Seasonal

___ 250.754.9653 ___ Yourvendinggroup.ca

chemainustheatre.ca

10519 Knight Rd, Saltair BC

250.246.4942

18

APRIL 2017

CHEMAINUS INN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

the news out there about this area and all it has to offer,” he said, adding that part of that is continuing to build the hotel’s reputation. Watts said that it’s 20-seat conference room offers its corporate partners the opportunity for smaller meetings, while accessing the theatre’s 50 – 60 seat facility (as available) accommodates larger groups and even weddings and banquets.

“We earned the awards because of our strong commitment to excellence,” Watts said. “Being warm and welcoming is part of each of our job descriptions whether it’s a large or small g roup or i nd iv idua l. Guests can sometimes feel a sense of apprehension and tension from visiting a strange place. That can disappear with a genuine smile and welcome.”

He added that upgrades to its breakfast service also improved guest satisfaction.

“Suzi Gisborn oversees the pantry, making sure our guests get a good start on their day.

Recently, we installed facilities in our kitchen so we could make our own muffins and we kicked up the serving area with a modern new redesign.”

He added that the well-maintained salt water pool and hot tub and large fitness center are also draws for guests and community members.

Peter Watts said that he sees guests coming for extended visits to enjoy the mild weather and abundant activities in the Cowichan Valley CREDIT: BEST WESTERN PLUS CHEMAINUS INN

“Until recently we were the only pool in town, so we began offering gym and pool memberships to neighbours and community members.”

Although Watts is proud of the 12 plaques he has mounted on the wall of his office and hotel lobby, he said that he also proudly shares them with all staff members and especially the long term team players like Deb McMillian in laundry, Elena Bangle, operations manager, Arlene Shiell, front desk agent and Ian Mickleborough, director of maintenance.

“We have an amazing team here who are engaged in ongoing improvement. Without their willingness and commitment our hotel wouldn’t be one of the best in North America.”

Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn is at 9573 Chemainus Road in Chemainus. www.bestwestern.com

Congratulations to the staff & management!

––– CALL US ANYTIME –––

The majority of the rooms (55) are full suites with separate living area and a kitchenette CREDIT: BEST WESTERN PLUS CHEMAINUS INN

Congratulations on your recent awards!

250-746-9600

We’re not comfortable until you are!

“SPECIALISTS SERVICING VANCOUVER ISLAND”

www.westisle.ca

www.haarsma.ca

TASTING ROOM OPEN 11AM TO 5PM DAILY

With great support from Sysco Foods, BW Plus Chemainus Inn provides the best breakfast in BC as ranked by their guests!

Premium Estate Wines Tasting Room & Wine Shop Ocean View Patio Picnic Area

Congratulations from the Sysco team!

250.709.9986 6552 North Road, Duncan, BC V9L 6K9

www.averillcreek.ca

www.sysco.ca

19

APRIL 2017

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re honouring the tea culture tradition, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re innovating and making it our own.â&#x20AC;?

VICTOR VESELY CO-OWNER, WESTHOLME TEA FARM

The Westholme Tea Farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tea room is an excellent place to sample the operationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique blends of tea

Westholme Tea Farm co-owners Margit Nellemann and Victor Vesely first opened their operation in 2003

WESTHOLME TEA FARM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

operationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products. Counting its two owners, the operation has a current staff of eight, with the tea production concentrated on a plot covering less than one acre.

As proof of its quality and innovative approach to agriculture, the Westholme Tea Farm was the winner of the 2017 Business Examiner Award of Excellence in

the Manufacturer Category. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tea is technically the third most labour intensive agricultural product in the world after saffron and vanilla beans, so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not really seeing a lot of it being produced locally,â&#x20AC;?

Vesely said.

Marketing an assortment of teas, both high end imported products and blends grown on the property, Westholme Tea Farm sells teas to specialty restaurants

Farm co-owner Victor Vesely says his operation puts a Canadian spin on the traditional tea culture tradition

and to discerning tea consumers all over the world. For the future the agri business would like to eventually see its tea production expand to 2,000 plants or more, just to keep up with the demand for the farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique and distinctive blends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We produce what we think is among the finest tea available.

As a tea artist or tea maker I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care about whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good or bad, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about being different. Due to the region weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in, the valley, the soil, the light, the conditions, the goose poop, all these factors combine to produce a tea so unique weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had people come from New York to simply taste the tea because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re that serious about tea,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re honouring the tea culture tradition, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re innovating and making it our own, making it a very Canadian experience.â&#x20AC;?

To le a r n more ple a se v i sit the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at: www.teafarm.ca

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20

APRIL 2017

DenMar Electric Has Been Serving Vancouver Island Since 1994 Electrical Contractor Making It Much Easier For Its Comox Valley Clients

C

OURTENAY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; While already serving residential and commercial clients across Vancouver Island, from Victoria to Port Hardy, electrical contractor DenMar Electric Ltd. has now made it much easier for its Comox Valley customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already worked with a large number of clients in the Comox Valley area, as of May weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be providing a local telephone number they can call that will be routed back to our main office here in Nanaimo,â&#x20AC;? explained Chris Turnbull, company co-owner and DenMarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Operations Manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To better serve our clients in the Courtenay and Campbell River areas, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll start by setting up the telephone number and move towards opening a satellite office in the future. Our goal will be to employ local electricians who can respond to the needs of our residential and commercial customers in and around the Comox Valley.â&#x20AC;?

With the company motto of: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be there Today!â&#x20AC;? DenMarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus has always been providing exceptional customer service.

Being a full service residential and commercial electrical contractor means that DenMar isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too big to handle even the

DenMar Electric is based at 1810 Fremont Road in Nanaimo, a base it has successfully used to service clients across the Island

DenMar Electric is actively involved in a major upgrade project at Courtenayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GP Vanier Secondary School

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do everything from

much of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workload. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite the volume of project work we do, this company was founded on providing exceptional service and that is the way we continue to operate today,â&#x20AC;?

Turnbull said.

DenMar is no stranger to the Comox Valley, for example, the company is presently involved in an extensive renovation project at the GP Vanier Secondary School. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started there in September and we could be there for the next two years. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also done the service work for the casino in Courtenay and Campbell River for years. We have

putting the plug in the wall to fire alarms, data cabling, telephone systems, pools and hot tubs.â&#x20AC;?

CHRIS TURNBULL CO-OWNER, DENMAR ELECTRIC LTD.

smallest of the residential repairs or upgrades. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do everything from residential and commercial electrical

repairs, data and telephone cabling, pools and hot tubs, in-floor heating, new builds and renovations,â&#x20AC;? he said.

DenMar Electric was founded in 1994 by Dennis and Maureen McLeod who ran the business until 2006 when they were ready to retire. Turnbull and fellow co-owner Rick Bayko were both working at DenMar Electric at the time, and after some lengthy discussions decided to purchase the company. Under the direction of Turnbull and Bayko, the company began to turn its energies toward large project work and today, project work represents

just started working on a care facility in the city and over the years weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done new construction on everything up there from Christ the King Catholic Church, restaurants such as Subway and Tim Hortons as well as grocery stores,â&#x20AC;? Turnbull said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By setting up this phone line and eventually an office, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have more of a permanent presence in the region. It will help us to serve our local clients better.

After all, providing the best service is what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all about.â&#x20AC;?

To learn more, please visit the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at: www.denmarelectric.com

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FEATURED PROPERTIES

85% SOLD

ONLY 2 UNITS LEFT! For Sale or For Lease 1825 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo Quality Strata Office/Retail Building

2350 Delinea Place, Nanaimo | For Sale or For Lease

i High traffic, central location i 1388, 1769 or 3157 sq ft

Approx. .6 acre High Tech Industrial zoned strata lot with approx.

11,890 SF quality modern office/warehouse building with 2 overhead bay doors and ample parking. Easy access to main arterial routes.

(combined)

INDUSTRIAL 2363 Cienar Drive, Nanaimo

1900 Griffiths Road, Nanaimo

COMMERCIAL 2525 McCullough Rd, Nanaimo

Retail, Commercial & Warehouse

Unit 4: approx. 2,521 SF

For Sale | $429,000 Units 8, 9 & 10: approx. 4,430 SF

Great investment opportunity in popular central Nanaimo area.

National tenant in place.

Zoned I-2 Light Industrial.

For Sale | $1,950,000

INVESTMENT

Phase 3, Green Rock Industrial Park available in the fall. 9.6 acre development site with possible subdivision potential. Prime location.

Zoned I-1 Light Industrial.

For Sale l $2,945,000

Island Hwy S, Union Bay

For Sale | $595,000 Unit 4 has 3 offices, reception area, washroom & mezzanine.

Units 8-10 are comprised of a large open warehouse with 17 ft ceilings and two overhead doors.

Zoned I-3 High Tech Industrial.

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL MIX 20,000 sq ft building on .65 acre in Coombs. Ideal for owner-occupier &/or lease a portion of the premises.

For Sale | $1,495,000

3645 Tralee Road, Qualicum

310/320 Hunt Rd, Courtenay

Commercial Strata Unit

Ample Parking, Easy Access

COR-2 - CENTRAL NANAIMO First-class, well-finished 1,238 SF unit ready for your business.

For Sale | $369,000

APPROX. 101 ACRES - WATERFRONT/ FORESHORE LEASE

Highway access; multi-zoned Rural & Industrial Marine; partially developed.

Approx. 6 acres near Hilliers; includes home and 2 industrial buildings; zoned MU-1 Mixed Use.

For Sale | $2,995,000

For Sale | $998,000

Approx. 1.0 acre parcel on a corner lot in an established residential neighbourhood and busy shopping area close to amenities. Zoned LUC Land Use Contract.

For Sale | $849,000

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 600 Hellesen Drive, Tofino

1. 2414 Island Hwy E, Nanoose 2. 2430 Island Hwy E & 2433 Summerset, Nanoose

11

Rare Opportunity - In popular tourist destination community, this 10 acre property has approx. 400 feet of oceanfront; zoned Tourist Commercial.

For Sale | $4,250,000

2601 Mission Rd, Courtenay

2714/2694 Island Hwy South

2

1. Approx. 2.57 acres - $1,200,000 2. Approx. 3.17 acres - $1,300,000 Highway exposure with good access.

Possible rezoning to allow gas bar & convenience store. Currently zoned Commercial 5.

Highly visible 2.8 acre development site adjacent to the newly constructed Comox Valley Hospital.

CAMPBELL RIVER: Great development property with ocean views close to amenities, zoned RM-3.

2714 - Approx. 1.66 acres $779,000 2694 - Approx. 2.74 acres $899,000

For Sale | $1,960,000

For Sale - together or separately.

22

APRIL 2017

SYNERGY CREATES SUCCESS FOR FAMILY OWNED CASTLE DECKS

A synergistic working relationship has created continuous increases in revenue and projects for family owned and operated, Castle Decks & Aluminum Products CREDIT:CASTLE DECKS & ALUMINUM PRODUCTS

Next Generation Learning Every Aspect of Owning and Operating a Business

P

O R T A L B E R N I - Fo r thirty years, Ray Hentges has owned and operated a family business with his brothers Len a nd Steve, a nd h is cousi n Dennis Paquette.

Recently h is son, Corey has joined the business. Building decks, sunrooms, patio covers, ra i l i ngs a nd pre-ma nufacturing their own aluminum

products are their speciality a n d a c c o rd i n g to H e n t ge s , their customers say they are good at it. “ We’ve b e e n wo rk i n g toget her si nce 1986. Castle Decks is like a well tooled mach i ne,” he sa id . “Ever yone knows what they’re doing and br i ngs sp eci a l i z ed sk i l l s to each project.”

It’s a s y nerg i s t ic work i n g relationship that has created continuous increases in revenue and projects year after year.

“Dennis is the math guy a nd has a rea l ta lent for details; Len is an installer and

doesn’t m i nd gett i ng d i r ty; and Steve is the back bone and keeps the job site moving and organized. We’re a one truck crew and last year we saw $1 million in projects, becoming the largest buyer of Triple A aluminum products in Western Canada.”

T hei r g re at work i n g rel ationsh ip a nd success comes not only from their talent at b u i l d i n g b u t a l s o f ro m t h e closeness of the family. They live side by side. Ray now lives across from the family home, with the showroom located on SEE CASTLE DECKS | PAGE 23

Sunrooms increase living area by creating bright sanctuaries that are safe from the elements CREDIT:CASTLE DECKS & ALUMINUM PRODUCTS

Canada’s preferred distributor of premium vinyl decking products Serving Vancouver Island for 30 Years

We Place Customers First by Delivering Top Quality Products & Services that are Cost Effective www.castledecks.com ] 250.720.5174 ] ray@castledecks.com

www.deksmart.com

23

APRIL 2017

CASTLE DECKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

Ray and Steve’s invention, the dynamic air diffuser, is now made in Canada and sold throughout the United States

his property. Len is also next to the family home that houses the manufacturing shop.

“We learned our work ethic f rom ou r pa rents,” Hentges ex pl a i ned. “Dad ca me f rom Saskatchewan, mom from Port Alberni. They raised six kids a n d wo rk e d h a rd w i t h D a d d r i v i n g a t r u c k fo r a l o c a l company and both tending a l a rge ga rden. We’ve a lways been a close-knit family.”

T he company however was transformed when Ray decided that bu i ld i ng decks from a s tepl a dd er wa s le ss r i sk y than installing siding from a three-story ladder. The move

CREDIT:CASTLE DECKS & ALUMINUM PRODUCTS

Castle Decks helps its customers pick the right material for longevity and for maximizing Island views

obviously paid off. The company has done projects up and down the Island from Ladysmith to Bowser.

Hentges prides himself and h i s compa ny on keepi ng up w it h new pro du c t s a nd i nsta l lation tech n iques. He explained that new technolog ies d ra m at ica l ly i mprove his company’s ability to produce a high-quality product.

For example, vinyl decking is th icker w ith U V protection, a l l a lu m i nu m p ro d u c t s a re powder coated and last longer, and the windows and doors offer more variety as well as higher quality. “ T hermoproof Windows and Doors manufacture beautiful windows right

here on Va ncouver Isla nd i n Chemainus and they’re built for the Island environment.”

Although services and products have seen consistent g row th, one of the a reas, Hentges and his brothers have seen the biggest increase is in the installation of sunrooms.

“We’ve seen the number of 4 Seasons Su n room i n s t a ll at ion s double ever y ye a r,” he pointed out. “A lot of the business comes from the ‘baby boomer’ generation wanting to i ncrease thei r ex terior space but still stay protected from the elements. Sunrooms or patio covers, especially in smaller homes, expand useable covered space yet stay wa r m i n w i nter a nd cool i n summer.”

T h e g r o w t h i n t h e b u s iness was per fect t i m i ng for bringing Ray’s son, Corey into the busi ness. Now that he’s f i n i s he d t rade s scho ol he’s learning every aspect of owning and operating a business from his dad and uncles.

“We’l l teach Corey ever ything he needs to continue to be successful. We’re not going a ny where so on b e c au se we like what we do, but it’s nice to know that the company will carry on after we retire.”

Although Corey looks to be the exit strategy, Hentges emphasized that his son isn’t the on ly pa r t of t he succession pl a n n i n g, h i s i nvent ion i s.

That’s right, invention!

Not on ly does R ay ma nage Castle Decks, but he’s also an inventor with business partner, Jeff Townsend. T hey’ve created a si mple, powerless machine that saves commercial buildings on energy costs. “ It’s c a l le d a dy n a m ic a i r diffuser and by utilizing the forced air from the operating HVAC systems it spreads heat evenly throughout a building w it hout power. It’s bu i lt i n Canad and sold across North America.”

Not bad for a couple of brothers from Port A lbern i; not bad at all.

C a s t l e D e c k s i s a t w w w. castledecks.com

CREDIT:CASTLE DECKS & ALUMINUM PRODUCTS

Congratulations Castle Decks on 30 years in business!

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WINDOWS & DOORS

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24

APRIL 2017

SPRING HAS SPRUNG IN PORT ALBERNI BUSY SPRING IN STORE FOR UCLUELET CHAMBER

PORT ALBERNI PAT DEAKIN

T

win City Brewing , one of the Top 10 Most A nticipated Breweries in BC in 2017 opened and is getting rave reviews.

A â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;reconciliation walkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from Harbour Quay to City Hall attracted a few hundred people.

The West Coast Trail was named as One of Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10 Best Hikes.

There was a teaser of an announcement about the potential for the Lady Rose Marine Group to introduce car ferry service between Port Alberni, Ucluelet & Bamfield.

A reputable developer has made an offer on the former high-schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 22-acre site.

The City has announced a

land swap that is aimed at getting rid of one derelict building while creating the opportunity for the expansion of another business. The City has received matching funding for a long stretch of an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;all abilities shared multi-use pathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and $7 million in grants for an $11 million liquid waste management project.

The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce got the Paper Chase (a 10K event) up and running as part of the Island Race Series after a 15-year absence.

Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot & the City have announced a second year of the $150,000 Façade I mprovement P rog ra m that last year resulted in more than $600,000 of improvements.

Commercial properties are being sold that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even on the marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

A couple of parties have bought multiple residences.

House prices are movi ng stead i ly up a nd we still have Vancouver Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most A ffordable Properties.

New â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lifestyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; businesses are coming to town.

An apartment building was bought by an out of town purchaser.

Boomerangs cut a deal with the Kiwanis and the City to operate out of a food-safe bus in the parking spaces out in front of their business while it expands and adds a sidewalk patio.

A few developers have called on a Monday after making weekend scouting trips to the community.

A non-profit group has secured a grant to introduce energy conservation measures in low-income housing.

Port Alberni moved from 38th to 35th on the list of Best Places to Work in BC in 2017.

After years of hearing talk about the potential of Port Alberni and the inevitability that the rest of the Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth would come here, it seems that Spring has Sprung in Port Alberni, things are heating up and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more to come.

Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250-720-2527 or Patrick_deakin@portalberni. ca

UCLUELET ERIN MACDONALD

S

pring is a time of fresh beginnings, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fitting that after two months of renovations, the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce office is back open for business with an updated space to serve our membership. And with a busy spring and summer season upon us, we are wasting no time getting back i nto t he sw i ng of things!

With the provincial election looming just around the corner, the Chamber is committed to providing our membership and t he broa d er c om mu nity-at-large an opportunity to engage with each of t he loca l prov i ncia l candidates,

to learn more about their platforms and positions on the unique issues that impact our citizens on the west coast.

All members of the community are invited to attend our All Candidatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Meeting on April 26, 2017 at the Ucluelet Community Centre from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. As the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s non-partisan voice of business, the Ucluelet Chamber will not be endorsing any candidates at the event.

In add ition to ou r A l l Candidatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Meeting, we will also be sharing general information leading up to the election to help inform our local voters how they can register and update their voting information, along with where to cast their ballot on May 9th.

W h i le t he hu st le a nd bustle of election season is keeping us on our toes, we are also closing in on the finish line when it comes to planning our 18th annual Edge to Edge Marathon, taking place on June 11.

Due to construction in the Pacific Rim National Park, we had to make the

tough decision to scale back on the scope of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event, and will only be offering the half-marathon and 10 km routes for our racers this year. We a re look i ng for wa rd to revisiting our old format next year, and offering the full-marathon experience.

T he Edge to Edge is a strong econom ic d river for our region, and although this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event has undergone a few changes, the rugged beauty of our coast is always a draw, and we look forward to welcoming hundreds of runners from across the country for a unique racing experience they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t soon to forget!

For more information on registration or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.edgetoedgemarathon.com Erin MacDonald is the General Manager for the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at 250.726.4641 or chamberoffice@ uclueletinfo.com.

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25

APRIL 2017

Social Media A Win For Trends Design Team

P

ORT ALBERNI - The past two yea rs have treated Trends Design Team very well. Not only is it a finalist for the 2017 Chamber of Commerce Bu si ness E xcel lence S o c i a l Media award, but it was also a finalist for Business of the Year at the 2017 Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards, won a coveted nomination spot in the 2017 Lux International Magazine’s Beauty and Wellness Awards, won the Alberni News Readers’ Choice Award for best salon and best hairstylist (Cara Hearn) in Port Alberni and first place for styling in Canada’s Salon magazine. “ T h o s e a re j u s t t h e m o re recent ones,” sa id Rosanne Doiron, owner of Trends. “I’ve been in the industry for 35 years.

It’s such an honour to be recognized for your hard work, but the best win is the clients that have been coming to me since I came back to Port Alberni thirty years ago.”

Originally from the Valley, Doiron moved to Vancouver to learn her craft and then work at Raymond Salon.

“It was an incredible experience,” she explained. “I learned so much. But I’m an Island girl and after five years I returned home.”

For t he nex t t h i r t y ye a rs,

Rosanne Doiron and her team of beauty experts have a passion for making a difference in people’s lives CREDIT:TRENDS DESIGN TEAM

Donating turkeys at Christmas to the Salvation Army is one way that Trends gives back to its community CREDIT:TRENDS DESIGN TEAM

Doi ron worked either i n her home while her kids were going to school, or working at a variety of salons. But in 2010, she decided it was time to go out on her own.

“I rented 600 sq ft and got so busy people were lining up outside,” she recalled. “I realized I needed more space.”

W hen her la nd lords at See Group found out she was looking for a larger facility, they offered to build a bigger shop in the same location.

regularly, add videos, “ We h ave t he most a m a zing landlords. They added an additional 600 sq ft onto the building, constructing a false wall between the salon and the addition. In August of 2016, they took down the wall. We now have five stylists, a full-time receptionist, nail technician and massage and facial esthetician.”

For Doi ron, the success of her business comes from hard work, consistency and creating a non-intimidating atmosphere for her clients.

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ROSANNE DOIRON OWNER, TRENDS DESIGN TEAM

“We have a formu la where every client is greeted with eye contact as soon as they come in the door,” she emphasized, adding that the friendly hello may not only come from the human receptionist.

“Joey is the salon golden lab.

She’s been a part of the shop since she was eight weeks old.

Now she’s four and is even recognized when we walk through town.”

The salon’s most recent success, however, and the reason for its second Chamber nomination, is because of the salon’s social media sites.

“We found that Port Alberni is not a Twitter city, it’s more active on Facebook and Instagram.

I tried monitoring it myself, but couldn’t keep up. I hired someone to post regularly, add videos, specific information and before and after shots. We’ve seen a 30 per cent increase in business because of it.”

Although Doiron is passionate about her profession and business, part of the reason for creating her own salon was as an exit strategy. She’s thinking well in advance so that eventually, someday, she may hang up her blow dryer and scissors.

Trends Design Team is at 4663 Margaret Street in Port Alberni 778-421-4247

COMOX VALLEY

26

APRIL 2017

BC CHAMBER CEO TO SPEAK AT AGM

COMOX VALLEY DIANNE HAWKINS

M

arch was a great month at the C o m ox Va l l e y C h a m b e r o f Com merce as we welcomed

many new members and a brand new website. We appreciate each and every one of our members. They see the benefit of joining The Chamber and working together to create a thriving business community in the Comox Valley. The Chamber staff worked together to bring the website into the modern age. We are proud of the new site and know Chamber and community members will find it easy to get information, register for events, a nd lea rn more of what the Chamber does.

■■■ On March 29 the Chamber hosted an Open House Board Meet & Greet. We are pleased to welcome the following people to our Board of Directors for two year

Installing Peace of Mind Since 1980

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terms: Daniel Kooman of Unveil Studios; Laurie Shambrook of Septen Financial and Keith Pistell of Canadian Tire.

T hank you to our new Board Members for your strong show of Chamber support.

■■■ Annual General Meeting Members and guests are welcome to attend the Chamber AGM Luncheon on Wednesday April 26 from 11:30 to 1:30 pm at Crown Isle Resort. Following the official AGM portion, we will hear from keynote speaker Val Litwin. The Chamber is pleased to have Val, President & CEO of BC Chamber, speak to his dynamic business experience as a business owner and his past experience as CEO of the Whistler Chamber. Val is taking the BC Chamber to new heights.

■■■ Membership Matters: What’s in it for my business?

The Chamber of Commerce helps to amplify the business community because all businesses - large or small – contribute to the economic growth and vitality here in the Comox Valley.

By becoming a Chamber member you can engage in local and regional advocacy, have a say in decisions that affect your business, network with members who range from solopreneurs to large corporations and organizations, save money w ith Cha mber benefits, a nd be a part of a stellar group of business owners and members who lead by great example.

Dianne Hawkins is president and CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at dhawkins@ comoxvalleychamber.com or 250-3343234. www.comoxvalleychamber.com

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BUILDING LINKS CLARICE COTY

The Ridge subdivision in Courtenay

W

lots that may be a little less expensive and some that are more expensive, based on location and size of lots.

One trend we are seeing during the past year is the popularity of lots zoned to include secondary suites, also known as in-law suites or legal suites. Lots that are zoned to accommodate this type of home, is typically selling for about $20,000 to $30,000 more than the lot zoned to allow for the construction of a single-family home.

Different municipalities track seconda ry su ites in a variety of ways. For example, if a lot is zoned to allow for a secondary suite, then it is usually not reported in the building permit statistics, only the value of the home is reported. However, if someone is adding a secondary suite, once the home is built, or the owner is required to report it to the municipality, then that information is released.

Ou r resea rch shows a n approximate 40 per cent increase in the creation of secondary suites in the

e have seen unprecedented frenetic activity in the new home market during the past year, due mostly to the low inventory of new lots in both the Comox Valley, the Comox Valley Regional District and Campbell River.

New subdivisions are being designed and plans are being submitted to the various municipalities for approval. Builders, eager to build new homes for cl ients a re contact i n g developers directly to get their names on reserved lists for when the properties are registered.

Lot prices in the Comox Va l ley a nd t he Ca mpbell River area have risen substantially due to the shortage of lots. Prices in Campbell River range from approximately $90,000 to $200,000; the higher prices account for lots that feature ocean views or are larger in size. Prices in the Comox Valley range from approximately $140,000 to $225,000. These prices are the average price range of lots and there are some

Comox Valley and in the Campbell River region in 2017 compared 2016.

Both communities continue to show an increase in the average sales price.

For March, 2017 the average price was up 18 per cent to $465,892. Campbell River was very similar with a 19 per cent increase to $399,456.

The vacancy rate in the Vancouver Island rental market is at a record low level and this is certainly the case for Campbell River and the Comox Valley. This fact is pushing rents up and is forcing more buyers into the market. In some cases, it is cheaper to own than it is to rent. There are still some older, less expensive condominiums to be found, around the $130,000 to $150,000 range if someone is looking to invest in the market.

Clarice Coty is the editor of Building Links. Contact: clarice@buildinglinks.ca or find Building Links on Facebook at www.facebook. com/BuildingLinks

CAMPBELL RIVER

APRIL 2017

27

AND THE RESULTS ARE INâ&#x20AC;Ś

CAMPBELL RIVER COLLEEN EVANS

T

he Campbell River Chamber is committed to providing insights to our members that inform, engage and enable growth, productivity for a thriving local business climate. One of the ways we do t h i s i s t h rou g h sharing relevant, timely, local data that is gathered through s u r veys, l i ke t he e conom ic forecast where survey results from 200 local business leaders were released at our sold out Economic Outlook Breakfast.

Despite some u ncer ta i nt y about the economy, more than half of local business leaders

in Campbell River expect their businesses to perform better financially in 2017 and about four in 10 businesses plan to h i re add it ion a l employe e s.

L o ok i n g a h e a d , h a l f of respondents sa id they pla n to grow and expand their business in the next five years, while one-third expect no significant change in their operations. A nu mber of busi ness leaders plan to exit their businesses in the next five years, either by selling to a third party (9 per cent), transitioning the business to a family member (3 per cent), selling to employees (0.5 per cent) or simply closing the business (2 per cent). Looking ahead, half of respondents said they plan to grow and expand their business in the next five years, while one-third expect no significant change in their operations.

Asked how the federal, provincial and local governments a re doi ng at creati ng a good business climate, local government rated most positively.

However, survey respondents sa id t here is st i l l room to

i mprove, cit i ng t he need to cut bureaucracy (18 per cent), lower taxes (15 per cent) and attract new businesses and jobs to Campbell River (12 per cent) as the top recommendations for local government.

As follow up to the business leaders survey, the Chamber will be hosting industry sector roundtables on May 11th and October 17th. These roundtables will build on the survey results and create new opportunities to take local business growth to the next level. The full survey results are available on the Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.campbellriverchamber.ca In recognition of one of our key industry sectors, forestry, check out Campbell Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sector video here https://youtu.be/3VP8cGcOrKA Thank you to our local busin e s s l e a d e rs p a n e l ; D en n is Cambrey of York Machine Shop; Lisa W hitmore of Signature Oil & Vinegar; George Lambert of T-Mar Industries Ltd. and Aaron Spetifore of Sealand Aviation who collectively shared why doing business in

Klahoose Nation Flies With Drone Tourism Campbell River Mirror AMPBELL RIVER â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel good today. I feel really good.â&#x20AC;?

That was the sentiment from Chief James Delorme of the Klahoose First Nation during the launch of a new drone park franchise.

Drone Territory is an innovative initiative of the Klahoose who are hoping their traditional territories will become favoured spots for drone tourism. Their lands, such as secluded Toba I n let, offer scenic drone flying spots full of wildlife, most notably grizzly bears, and breathtaking waterfalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drone Territory is a perfect fit for First Nations as it does not rely on resource development or compromise our rights, titles and traditions,â&#x20AC;? Delorme said.

At the same time, it opens up opportunities for indigenous youth to enter a rapidly growing technology sector, Delorme said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting into this techology in a brave new way,â&#x20AC;? Delorme said during the recent launch event at the Wei Wai Kum Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thunderbird Hall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a dream of mine to get involved this way. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many ways that we can use this technology, not only in economic development but for bettering our communities, so this is why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re

C

doing this.â&#x20AC;?

Delorme acknowledged that the concept is a new one to many First Nation communities but said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a risk he believes will pay dividends in the long run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;T he d rone l au nch i s something new,â&#x20AC;? Delorme said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;something new that we knew was going to be risky but we understand how important this new tech nolog y is w ith ou r community and with all aboriginal communities.â&#x20AC;?

Drone Territory comes at a crucial time, as new rules have recently been introduced by Transport Canada that limit where recreational drones can be flown. The regulations prohibit pilots from f lying unmanned aerial vehicles higher than 90 metres, within 75 metres of buildings, animals or people, at night, or within nine kilometres of an airstrip.

As such, the Klahoose say safe areas for recreational drone use are in demand.

As a sport, drone racing has seen tremendous growth over the past year, gaining coverage on ESPN, TSN and Sky Sports, and drawing crowds to events in Las Vegas, Dubai and Hawaii.

The Canadian Federation of Drone Racing, which sets national rules and track safety standards for drone racing, has partnered with

Drone Territory to help the Klahoose get their new enterprise up and flying.

And at the launch event, members from Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national drone racing team were on h a nd to g u ide youth on flying a drone.

T hey not on ly got the opportunity to fly a drone around the Thunderbird Hall but also took turns wearing first person viewing goggles which allowed the young pilots to virtually put themselves in the cockpit of the mini drones that were flying through hoops and thrilling the crowd.

Robert Mearns, communications manager for t he K la hoose, sa id t he demonstrations were an effort to entice youth to get involved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to experience it for yourself, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l l u ndersta nd why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so excited about it,â&#x20AC;?

Mearns said.

For the K la hoose, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been roughly a year of work put into launching Drone Territory. Burns said it all started while going up to Toba Inlet to film promotional material.

He said drones can be used in forestry, housing, resource management and other sectors.

To l e a r n m o re a b o u t D ro n e Te r r i to r y, v i sit, d roneterritory.com

Campbell River is the right decision for their business and provided incredible updates on how thei r busi nesses a re growing internationally and competitively.

This month continue to see s t ro n g b u s i n e s s g ro w t h i n Campbell R iver with Doddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s f u r n it u re celebrat i n g t hei r grand opening and at the other end of the business cycle, we wish happy retirement to long sta nd i ng members, Ron a nd Lillian of RH Printing, celebrating their retirement and welcoming new owners. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

Upcoming events include a pre-election A l l Ca nd idates Breakfast Forum on April 27th at the Community Centre and a survey inviting Campbell River businesses and organizations to share whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on their minds for the upcoming provincial election.

Colleen Evans is CEO of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at colleen.evans@ campbellriverchamber.ca

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28

APRIL 2017

STEVE MARSHALL FORD CELEBRATES 50 YEARS IN CAMPBELL RIVER “The secret to our Award Winning Dealership Marks Milestone in New State-of-The-Art Building

success is the people.

It comes down to the people you hire, and

BY MARK MACDONALD BUSINESS EXAMINER VANCOUVER ISLAND

C

A M PBELL R I V ER – “I hire good people and get out of the way.”

That’s how Dealer Principal Steve Marshall su m s up h i s success at Steve Marshall Ford, which is celebrating a brand new d e a lersh ip b u i ld i n g at 2300 North Island Highway, just across the Campbell River bridge, in this, Marshall’s 50 th year in business.

“The only thing I do well is h i re good people,” he adds.

“One of my attributes is that I can find good people, and we have a lot of our employees who have worked for us for many, many years.”

It’s been an amazing journey for Ma rsha l l, a nd the spect a c u l a r new 33,000 sq u a re foot bu i ld i ng is a crow n i ng ach ievement i n a celebrated career that includes two more major awards this year: Being named the winner of the B.C. New Car Dealers’ Association “Community Driver Award” for Vancouver Island, as well as the recipient of another Ford Diamond Award for excellence.

Marshall walks through the new building and greets employees by name, asking how their families are, and about their latest projects. The personal touch is a Marshall family hallmark, and Steve proudly notes that several of his competitors in the automotive industry were at one time Steve Marshall Ford employees.

“With the exception of the GM dealership, all of the dealer principals in Campbell River have worked for me at one time.

T hat gives me a tremendous amount of satisfaction,” says SEE STEVE MARSHALL | PAGE 29

letting them do the job they’re hired to do.”

STEVE MARSHALL

Marshall. “To know we’ve had a part in helping so many good people achieve their own personal goals is very gratifying and I am happy for them.”

Besides the new building for the Campbell River dealership, which is run by General Manager and Partner Karl Ebdrup, Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln, operated by Steve’s daughter, Dea ler P r i ncipa l A nn Marie Clark, is celebrati ng its 20 t h yea r u nder t he fa m i ly ba nner. The Steve Marshall Auto Group also owns Family Ford in Parksville the Campbell River Mazda, Nissan and Honda dealerships – with a total of over 300 employees combined in the six dealerships.

Steve has offices in both the Campbell River and Nanaimo stores, and enjoys his work very much.

“I retired at 65, but I decided I didn’t like that, so I went back to work,” says Marshall, who notes he’s ‘slowed down’ to about 40 hours per week.

“It’s nice now, as I don’t have to do everything now.”

It’s taken a lot of hard work along the way, to say the least.

Marshall was literally raised in the business, as his father owned a Mercury dealership i n Verdu n, Ma n itoba. Steve worked in the parts, service and sales departments, before h is father sold the busi ness

Congratulations to Steve and his team on 50 years in business.

Wishing you continued success. www.tricorauto.com 604-789-5567

Dealer Principal Steve Marshall started Steve Marshall Ford five decades ago. Steve stands in front of the Nanaimo store, which is now in its 20th year

Steve Marshall Ford has 11 hoists to keep their team of mechanics busy and ensure customers get their vehicles in and out in a timely fashion

Proud to be working with the Steve Marshall Auto Group

250-286-0631 www.moellermatthews.ca

29

APRIL 2017

Steve Marshall Ford’s new dealership building in Campbell River is now open for business

STEVE MARSHALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

and moved to the Comox Valley, where he pu rchased the Cottonwood Auto Court next

to L ew is Pa rk i n dow ntow n Courtenay.

Steve and his wife Mary were newly weds when he sta r ted working for Malcolm Hamilton Ford in Courtenay before he

A Steve Marshall Ford employee checks the tire pressure above the new drive-through oil change station at the dealership

decided to take the plunge and become an owner himself – at just 22 years of age. He bought the Mercury operation. “ I w a s t h e yo u n ge s t Fo rd dealer in Canada, and now I’m the oldest,” Marshall laughs.

“It’s a lot more fun being the oldest.”

M a rsh a l l ra n t he Mercu r y store, and after Malcolm Hamilton Ford went bankrupt, he applied for, and received the Ford franchise. The Ford Mercu ry operation was the first “dual” dealership in Western Canada.

“B ec au se I g rew up i n t he business, I sort of understood it and had a good feeling for it,” he notes. “In those days, there were no hoops to jump through. You just asked people if they liked something, they said okay, and away you went.”

Marshall has always been a Ford fan.

“Ford c a me t h rou g h some lean years and has some tremendous products,” he says.

“Our F-150, F-350, F-450 and F-550 trucks have a steel frame, but t he rest of t he meta l i n

them is aluminum. They’re so far ahead of their competitors, and none of these trucks are going to rust.

SEE STEVE MARSHALL | PAGE 30

Congratulations to Steve Marshall Ford on your 50th anniversary.

It has been a pleasure doing business with Steve and his team.

250-287-9644 dave.atkinson@wacor.ca

Ketza Pacific was proud to work with the Steve Marshall Ford team to construct their new dealership.

Congratulations on your new State of the Art building.

Wayne Schofield Ketza Pacific Construction Ltd. Ketza Pacific Construction Ltd. On Time, On Budget

250.850.2002

|

ketzapacific.com

|

info@ketzapacific.com

30

APRIL 2017

Ann Marie Clark, Dealer Principal of Steve Marshall Ford in Nanaimo

STEVE MARSHALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

“If someone isn’t driving a Ford truck, then they just haven’t been in to try one out.”

Marshall enjoys adventure, and still enjoys tuning up his collection of vintage cars, includ ing a v intage 1947 Mercury hot rod, and older trucks.

He used to race on the quarter-mile drag strip in Cobble Hill.

W h i l e M a rs h a l l w a s b u s y steering his own dealership, a friend, Jim Witton, a Ford dealer from Saskatchewan, dared Ma rsha ll to try steer w restling. At age 40, he decided to take him up on his challenge,

The parts and service desk at Steve Marshall Ford has been designed to be very customer friendly and competed competitively in the sport until age 52, winning many events.

It was thrilling, and a great stress reliever, despite it resulting in him breaking over 20 ribs, and enduring other bumps and bruises to his shoulders SEE STEVE MARSHALL | PAGE 31

Congratulations on the new building! .ca

www.

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ACTION CAR AND TRUCK ACCESSORIES 201 - 19315 96 Avenue Surrey, BC T: 604-513-1143 www.actioncarandtruck.com

Besides steering his Ford dealerships, Steve Marshall spent over a decade as a champion steer wrestler, as shown here

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APRIL 2017

STEVE MARSHALL

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was the youngest Ford

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

and knees. â&#x20AC;&#x153; Yo u â&#x20AC;&#x2122; r e g o i n g 3 0 m i l e s an hour and jumping on a 600-pound steer and wrestling it to the ground in less than five seconds,â&#x20AC;? Marshall recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a lot of fun, and I worked h a rd at it, a nd even m ade a little prize money.â&#x20AC;?

In 1997, Marshall purchased Nanaimoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-time dealership, Meyers Holland Ford, and five years ago they bought Joe Cunningham Ford i n Pa rksville, renaming it Family Ford.

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re currently in the midst of a remodeling of the dealership building there on the old Island Highway. â&#x20AC;&#x153; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pre t t y wel l i nvolve d every day,â&#x20AC;? he notes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always come in through the back door and talk to the mechanics, to see how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Salesmen sell the first vehicles, but the second, third and fourth vehicles are sold by the people in the shop through the service they provide,â&#x20AC;? he adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We look after our customers, and we give back to the community in a number of ways, which we like to do and people really appreciate.â&#x20AC;?

A n n M a r ie g rew up i n t he b u s i n e s s a s wel l , h a nd l i n g the â&#x20AC;&#x153;burn barrelâ&#x20AC;?, as she was tasked with burning expired compa ny pap er work. A top student, she attended the University of Victoria with the

Karl Ebdrup is General Manager and Partner of Steve Marshall Ford in Campbell River

dealer in Canada, and now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the oldest. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot more fun being the oldest.â&#x20AC;?

STEVE MARSHALL

intention of becoming a doctor, but came home one day to a n nou nce she wa nted to get involved in the family business.

After attending National Auto Dealersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association school, A n n M a r ie sta r ted r u n n i ng Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln in Nanaimo, which has enjoyed great success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first thing in our business is you have to love people,â&#x20AC;? h e n o t e s . â&#x20AC;&#x153;A n n M a r i e h a s a great affection for people, which is perfect.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;T he secret to ou r success is the people,â&#x20AC;? Steve adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It comes down to the people you hire, and letting them do the job theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hired to do.â&#x20AC;?

Congratulations Steve Marshall on 50 Great Years

604-574-6600

The spacious showroom has room for vehicles, sales desks, and, at right, a refreshment area for customers and guests

www.metalbuildinggroup.ca

DATA TECH INC. Congratulations on your 50th and your beautiful new location!

We are proud to be one of your suppliers.

Welcome to the 50 year club!

Phone:

250.286.6313

www.crmf.bc.ca

*OGPSNBUJPO 5FDIOPMPHZ 4FSWJDFT GPS /PSUI 7BODPVWFS *TMBOE 1SPVE UP 1SPWJEF *5 4FSWJDFT UP 4UFWF .BSTIBMM 'PSE

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4VQQPSU!QCYEBUBUFDI DB

32

APRIL 2017

THOUGHTFUL PLANNING HELPS CREATE NEW LANDMARK STEVE MARSHALL FORD BUILDING

Steve Marshall Ford’s original location on 16th Avenue is still home for the body shop and clean-up area for the business

C

AMPBELL RIVER – It was over seven years ago that Dealer Principal Steve Marshall and General Manager and Partner Karl Ebdrup sat down to discuss a new home Steve Marshall Ford in Campbell River.

Ideas were tossed around over coffee and meetings, new concepts were mulled over, and once Marshall purchased acreage on the Island Highway north of the Campbell River bridge, plans were put into motion to create a functional showpiece for the dealership.

“Karl and I had a lot of discussions about what we wanted,” says Marshall.

“We wanted to have a one-stop place to provide the best service we could to our customers in one building,” adds Ebdrup, who notes that the old location featured several buildings spread out over the property. “Ford also wanted us to get a newer facility.

“We went back and forth on some things, to make sure we got everything in just the way we liked, to serve our customers better.”

International Insurance Brokers

Congratulations on your 50th anniversary!

It is a pleasure to partner with Steve and his team.

1241 Ironwood Street Campbell River, BC V9W 5T4

250-287-8819

T he spa rk l i ng new 33,000 square foot building, which sits next to Campbell River Nissan, is bright, spacious and thoughtfully designed to bring out the best of the dealership, showcase over 400 new vehicles, and add new services to benefit existing and new customers.

Kaetza Pacific of Campbell River was the general contractor for the project. A large number of truckloads delivered the prefabricated walls and beams to the site, where Kaetza’s team assembled the exterior of the structure in a matter of weeks. Marshall was impressed at how precise it all came together, noting that the last of the trucks to arrive included the first components to be put in place. The installation took place in reverse order of how they arrived on site.

“It took three days to move everything here from the old location,” notes Ebdrup, noting the move took place in late March, adding that the body shop and vehicle clean-up area remain at the 1384 16th Avenue location.

One of the new additions is a quick oil change station and car wash. The station includes an automatic vehicle mat washing station and computerized infloor wheel alignment calibrator. Marshall says their staff has

The 16th Avenue building was the centre of activity for the dealership for decades confirmed that the wheel alignment measurements are completely accurate.

“As the vehicle drives in, it has it’s wheel alignment done before they move over to the oil change area,” says Ebdrup. “So they get a car wash, along with their mats shampooed and an oil change for $40. It’s tremendous value.”

The automated, state-of-theart car wash can complete the vehicle’s beginning-to-end visit to the dealership in less than 10 minutes.

The new building has 11 hoists for repairs in a bright, spacious

drive-through section at the back.

At t he f ront, t he br ig ht, glass-enclosed showroom has plenty of room for new vehicles, sales offices, the reception area, and a special refreshment section where customers can watch television and visit while waiting for their vehicles.

Marshall says when customers enter the new dealership they are “amazed. They’re absolutely astounded. People who haven’t been at the dealership for 20 years have been stopping by to see us, and they’re saying ‘this is really beautiful’.”

Securing Vancouver Island Since 2003

JOHNSON LOCKSMITHS CONGRATULATES STEVE MARSHALL FORD FOR 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS. WE WERE GLAD TO BE A PART OF THE TEAM ON YOUR PROJECT. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING A LOCAL BUSINESS!

BMO congratulates the Steve Marshall Group on the opening of the new Ford dealership in Campbell River

33

APRIL 2017

STEVE MARSHALL FORD HONOURED WITH PRESTIGIOUS DIAMOND PRESIDENT’S AWARD

C

AMPBELL RIVER – In the Ford family, diamonds are truly a dealership’s best friends.

Especially if you’re Steve Marshall Ford, which was recently awarded the 2016 Diamond President’s Award for overall sa les, serv ice a nd customer satisfaction excellence. It’s the 11th time the dealership has been thusly honoured.

It is the highest dealership honour from Ford of Canada, and is presented each year to dealerships demonstrating outstanding achievement in sales and customer satisfaction.

It’s a very significant recognition for a dealership in the Ford of Canada family, which has 23,500 employees including dealers, and produces 320,000 vehicles and 425,000 engines annually.

Not only that, but the New Car Dealership Association of B.C.’s just named Steve Marshall Ford the winner of their B.C. Community Driver Award, given annually to the Vancouver Island dealer that has demonstrated community involvement, excellence and achievement. The award is for all NCDABC members and brands.

That is in addition to Ford’s Customer Satisfaction Awards, which the dealership has won 26 consecutive years.

“The Diamond Award is the pi n nacle awa rd from Ford,” notes Dealer Principal Steve Marshall. “It’s an award that recognizes our contributions to the communities we serve.

It’s great recognition for what the dealership and our team has accomplished here.”

“Steve believes in giving back to the community, and it’s one of our core values,” says General Manager and Partner Karl Ebdrup. “This award is in recognition of the many ways our dealership gives to a whole host of charities.”

The Community Drive Award

Ford is renowned for its line of trucks, and Steve Marshall Ford has a wide selection for customers to choose from Steve Marshall credits the success of Steve Marshall Ford to the quality people who have been employed by the dealerships over the years is one of six presented throughout the province each year, as winners are presented for Vancouver Island, Northern BC, the Okanagan/Interior, Kootenays, Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver.

The Awards are awarded annually to recognize the outstanding community involvement and achievement of new car dealers throughout the province.

T he NCDA websites notes that Community Driver Award re cipients exempl i f y b u siness strength and community

excellence, with a significant focus on making a tangible contribution to the growth and livability of their community or region.

Awards are presented to dealer principals who were judged on a simple nomination form detailing their community involvement and the benefit to the local community.

The award is for the dealership as a whole, recognizing contributions of the entire team, and is presented to the Dealer Principals.

4UFWF .BSTIBMM '03% %PFT JU 3JHIU From an Architectural perspective, Steve Marshall did everything right when it came to their new facility in Campbell River. By far, the most important decision they made was hiring a project manager that understands the construction industry. While the FORD team definitely understands automobile sales and servicing, they are not developers of property and buildings. With the hiring of Ray Cox as their PM, the seeds of success were sown.

The project manager was involved from the early stages of the project’s conception, in this case working with FORD of Canada and their affiliated design companies, making sure that the needs of Steve Marshall FORD were met while satisfying all of the required branding elements. It is so important that an Owner knows what he wants from early on in the project. The PM was integral is the selection,

hiring and coordination of the full design team. It is in this role that the PM’s experience in the construction industry delivers the maximum benefit to the owner.

It would be quite unreasonable to expect that a very successful car dealer would know very much about a building’s mechanical systems, lighting controls, etc., so the PM’s role in getting hundreds of Owner required decisions made in a timely manner was extremely beneficial to the project. Finally, during the 10 month long construction period, the PM undertakes their most important role. Free from emotional bias, the PM can navigate the myriad of Owner responsibilities in a fair and rationale way, dealing with the inevitable project changes coming from all directions.

If you are going to tackle a big new or renovation project, take a lesson from Steve Marshall and hire a Project Manager – you will not regret it.

Encouraging Healthy Postures

GRAPHC I OFFICE INTERIORS

height adjustable desks offer easy to use, intuitive controls to quickly change between sitting and standing positions.

1751 Sean Heights Saanichton BC V8M 0B3 P. 250.544.3500

#104-335 Wesley St Nanaimo BC V9R 2T5 P. 250.741.8996

E. info@graphicoffice.com www.graphicoffice.com

Authorised Dealer

Š2016 Steelcase Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks used herein are the property of Steelcase Inc. or of their respective owners.

35

APRIL 2017

WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date.

DEFENDANT 0725380 BC LTD 1-105 Rainbow Rd, Salt Spring Island, BC PLAINTIFF 189248 CANADA LTD CLAIM $25,156 DEFENDANT 0851044 BC LTD 3rd Flr 915 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Business Development Bank of Canada CLAIM $15,552 DEFENDANT 0994762 BC LTD 906 Island Hwy, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Jena Developments Ltd CLAIM $19,370 DEFENDANT ARO INC 4240 Glanford Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF ARC Properties LTD

CLAIM $ 23,416 DEFENDANT Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Canada Inc 160 Four Valley Dr, Vaughan, BC PLAINTIFF A Tech Doors Inc CLAIM $ 9,706 DEFENDANT Belfor Canada Inc 1200-200 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Whynott, Douglas Scott CLAIM $ 25,176 DEFENDANT Castle Floor & Fixtures Ltd 1163 Franklins Gull Rd, Parksville, BC PLAINTIFF Holz, Ron CLAIM $ 5,741 DEFENDANT Crane Canada Co. 1300-777 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company CLAIM $ 25,216 DEFENDANT Crashpad Collision Services Ltd

200-1808 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Camshron Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 18,722 DEFENDANT Fix Auto Parksville 1A-531 Stanford Ave East, Parksville, BC PLAINTIFF Camshron Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 18,722

DEFENDANT Island Wood Waste Recycling 1041 Maughan Rd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Bauder, Edward Marshall CLAIM $ 70,000 DEFENDANT Mike Seargeant Enterprises Ltd 225 Vancouver Ave, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF First West Credit Union CLAIM $ 3.474,771

DEFENDANT Forbidden Brew Corp 3516 Island Hwy South, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Courtenay Lodge Ltd CLAIM $ 29,208

DEFENDANT Pamoja Properties Inc 205-3256 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Owners, Strata Plan VIS 6313 CLAIM $ 20,007

DEFENDANT IPI Tech INC 2460 North Island Hwy, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Barr, Alan J CLAIM $ 368,178

DEFENDANT PETM Canada Corporation 1700-666 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Flynn Canada Ltd CLAIM $ 25,216

DEFENDANT Island Centre Of Hockey Excellence Ltd 2657 Wilfert Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Business Development Bank Of Canada CLAIM $ 52,268

DEFENDANT SCM Insurance Services GP Inc 1700-666 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Owners Strata Plan VIS 5441 CLAIM $ 22,437 DEFENDANT

SCM International Programs Group LP 1700-666 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Owners Strata Plan VIS 5441 CLAIM $ 22,437 DEFENDANT Turner Lane Development Corporation PO Box 28052 Westshore RPO, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Jordans Rugs Limited CLAIM $ 27,251 DEFENDANT Universal Cover Corp 5091 Lochside Dr, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF What A Steel Erector Company Ltd CLAIM $ 17,829 DEFENDANT Wheelers Marine Services & Repair 3117 Van Horne Rd, Qualicum Beach, BC PLAINTIFF Buitendyk, Hank CLAIM $ 25,236

36

APRIL 2017

AC TAXI CLOCKS 50 YEARS OF TAXI SERVICE

INVEST COMOX VALLEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Invest Comox Valley staff led a contingent of Comox Valley partners and lower mainland media to the Fanny Bay Oyster Bar downtown, then the Vancouver Fish Company to enjoy an amazing range of seafood tasting stations presented by some of the top chefs and seafood producers in the province, as well as award winning wine and spirit tasting.

Locals Restaurant owner Ronald St. Pierre and Blackfin Pub chef Nigel McMeans were joined by chef Nathan Fong of Fong on Food, Angus An of Maenam, Alex Chen of the Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, Taryn Wa of Savoury Chef Foods, Chris Whittaker of

Forage, and John McManus of Vancouver Fish Company.

Other contributors included award-winning Salish Sea Foods with an array of smoked salmon, Wayward Distillation Co., which offered tastings of their Unruly Gin, and wine from 40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery.

Team members mingled with g uests, helpi ng move t hem through the crowd to taste the fare at stations set up throughout the restaurant and deck, and invite them to attend the increasingly popular June 9-18 Festival, which is now the largest of its kind in Western Canada.

It features over 45 events and tours and some of the top chefs and sustainable seafood producers in the province. www.bcshellfishfestival.com

AC Taxi regularly takes part in community charities and events, including riding the Big Bike during Heart and Stroke month CREDIT:AC TAXI

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have some drivers AC Taxi Now Has a Fleet of Low Emission, Fuel Efficient Toyota Priusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; With 10 Percent being wheelchair accessible vans

N

ANAIMO - Since 1966, AC Taxi has been safely driving passengers to and from work, home, ferries and the airport. It was formed by an amalgamation of Allied and City Taxi and today, it is Nanaimoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest taxi service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have 44 cars, owned by people operat i ng t hei r ow n business,â&#x20AC;? said Garry Smith, president, AC Taxi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;AC provides dispatch and basic administration services for the 44 cars as well as Howe Sound and Gabriola.â&#x20AC;?

Smith sees it as a lifestyle choice for himself and the drivers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I bought my first car with a partner and we operated it together. I kept buy i ng ha l f shares and eventually ended up

who left for a while and then came back because they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like what they were doing.â&#x20AC;?

GARRY SMITH PRESIDENT, AC TAXI

managing my own cars,â&#x20AC;? he recalled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For most of the drivers, once theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put in a couple of years driving, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in it for life. They get to work their own hours, with no one looking over their shoulders.â&#x20AC;?

Being in the industry himself for more than 40 years, Smith has seen dramatic changes, especially in who utilizes taxi service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;About 25 per cent of our passengers are seniors and those with disabilities,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rest come from the business and tourism sectors. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not seeing as many young people at night after the pubs shut down because more are using designated drivers.â&#x20AC;?

0,' ,6/$1' &2 23 FE>I8KLC8K@FEJĂ&#x2122; Ă&#x2122;+ / Ă&#x2122; FEĂ&#x2122;PFLIĂ&#x2122; K? EE@M<IJ8IP­Ă&#x2122; ² FIĂ&#x2122; CCĂ&#x2122;0FLIĂ&#x2122;'<KIFC<LDĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2122; FEM<E@<E:<Ă&#x2122;*KFI<Ă&#x2122;%<<;JÂł 0,' ,6/$1' &2 23 7 ) %RZHQ 5RDG 1DQDLPR %& 9 7 /

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He added that changes in liquor legislation have also had an impact, changing the flow in the taxi world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The big money was in working nights; now that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so much the case.â&#x20AC;?

The type of car used in the service has also changed, motivated by costs and greater environmental awareness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We used to buy the heavy duty ex-police cars. Then we switched to propane and the Volaris with its small V-6 engine. Now our entire fleet is made up of Toyota Prius with 10 per cent of the fleet being wheelchair accessible vans.â&#x20AC;?

Linda Hill, office manager, started with the company 25 years ago, with time off for raising children. She returned three years ago. She said that dispatch has evolved with the introduction of phone apps. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have made ordering a taxi easier for those using iPhones or Smartphones, although we find the younger generation uses them the most.â&#x20AC;?

Both Hill and Smith say that being a part of AC Taxi is very much like being in a family. Many of the drivers have been in the industry for more than 20 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have some drivers who left for a while and then came back because they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like what they were doing. They appreciate the autonomy that owning and/or driving a taxi provides,â&#x20AC;? Smith said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of our drivers have been picking up the same people for many years. They get to know where they live and where they need to go. Seniors especially rely on that connection.â&#x20AC;?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a model of business that is obviously working because, after 50 years, AC Taxi is still driving Nanaimo.

AC Taxi is at 835 Old Victoria Road in Nanaimo www.actaxi.ca

Blackfin Pub chef Nigel McMeans sets up his cooking station at the Vancouver event promoting the BC Shellfish & Seafood Festival

Possible Sale for Coulson Manufacturing Coulson Said There are â&#x20AC;&#x153;Subject toâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;?

Still on The Sale Before It Can Alberni Valley News ORT ALBERNI - Coulson Manufacturing may soon see new owners, but the facilities are still in a pre-purchase phase, says owner Wayne Coulson.

Coulson said there are â&#x20AC;&#x153;subject toâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? still on the sale before it can close and that he can discuss

P

particulars after the deal is complete in about mid April.

Coulson Manufacturing was founded in 1989 to manufacture wood products and operates a primary lumber manufacturing facility and two re-manufacturing facilities in Port Alberni, focusing on old growth Western Red Cedar Lumber products.

37

APRIL 2017

Innovation Opportunities Tour Saw More Than 500 Attend Innovation Council Tour Make Seven Stops During Month Long Road Trip

N

ANAIMO – Organized by the BC Innovation Council, the Regional Innovation Opportunities provincial tour made its final stop in Nanaimo March 6, ending a province wide information cavalcade that began February 2 in Prince George. The seven community road trip was developed with the intention of bringing together industry leaders and local business persons to help find solutions to the business challenges they routinely face.

Held at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, the Nanaimo stop over saw about 60 interested individuals attend, where they had opportunity to network and to hear presentations from about a dozen speakers. In all, since the road trip began in early February, more than 500 people have turned out to participate.

“During the tour we would have as many as 150 in attendance, so this is certainly one of the smaller turn outs,” explained Carl Anderson, BCIC’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

“But people have come from all across the Island to attend, despite the strange weather we’ve been having lately, so it speaks to the interest people have in the concept of sharing information and

“It speaks to the interest people have in the concept of sharing information and learning about potential business opportunities.”

CARL ANDERSON PRESIDENT / CEO, BC INNOVATION COUNCIL

learning about potential business opportunities.”

In addition to serving as a conduit between business and technology the BC Innovation Council also funds 14 different business accelerators created to help jump start new and expanding businesses, including seven located outside of the Lower Mainland. BCIC also assists business by providing access to funding, expertise, information about new markets and other key business fundamentals.

The goal of offering local businesses expertise and insights was the central motivator for organizing the Regional Innovation Opportunities provincial tour. “Our focus is finding ways of moving technology out into

The Regional Innovation Opportunities provincial tour made its final stop over in Nanaimo March 6 the workplace, anywhere in the province. The big part about it that I think is really cool is that we’re supporting communities and businesses throughout British Columbia,” Anderson explained.

About a dozen presenters delivered updates on their individual programs and businesses during the Nanaimo stop over, while asking for support or concepts to aid

them in some aspect of their operations. Speakers represented a mix government agencies and private companies, from the Ministry of Agriculture to IBM and Firebozz, a maker of fire-fighting equipment designed to battle forest fires.

“Despite the size of the crowd when the speakers are making their presentations I see the audience busily taking notes,

so I know they’re listening and trying to figure ways they can become involved. In many ways that’s the whole point of the trip.

Hard contracts may not be signed today, but contact will be made and ideas generated and that’s a huge part of it,” he said.

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38 NORTH ISLAND The Port McNeill Chamber of Commerce announced their new board of directors at their annual general meeting March 28. The executive includes Gaby Wickstrom of Oceanview Diversified Solutions as president, Damaris Sadler of Hannah Rock Fisheries as vicepresident, Annie Leblanc of The Rock Pub as treasurer and Chris Stewart of At Water’s Edge Ventures as secretary. The board of directors includes Terrence Eissfeldt of West Coast Helicopters, Lynn Iskra of White Cap Ventures, Michele Frasier of Western Forest Products, Michelle Alfred of Coastal Community Credit Union, Shelley Frost of Strategic Natural Resource Consultants, Craig Blackie of Grieg Seafood, Steven Cahill of Hook’n Them Up Charters and Spencer Andrew of Lemare Logging.

The restaurant at the Quarterdeck Inn and Marine Resort in Port Hardy at 6555 Hardy Bay Road has introduced a new menu.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS their 3rd annual Expo June 20 in Campbell River. VISTA is a nonprofit society helping to represent Vancouver Island-based technology students, academic leaders, investors, researchers, innovators and economic development teams focused on accelerating sustainable technology initiatives.

Brant Peniuk has been named top salesperson for February at Bill Howich Chrysler. Bill Howich Chrysler is at 1632 Coulter Road.

Badinotti Net Services Canada has unveiled a new boat specifically designed to clean nets at fish farms.

The new $2.5-million catamaran was built by Armstrong Marine Inc and took about six months to build.

OJ Realty and Property Management Inc welcomes new manager Jeff Shapka to their team.

Jeff has 19 years of experience as a realtor at 962 Shoppers Row.

Finneron Hyundai has named Jan Vandenbiggelaar salesperson of the month for February. Finneron Hyundai is at 250 Old Island Highway in Courtenay.

Dodd’s Furniture and Mattress opened their newest location in Campbell River at 825 12 Avenue.

This will be the furniture retailer’s third store on Vancouver Island.

Thea VanHerwaarden of Comox is competing in Season 4 of MasterChef Canada. Thus far Thea has made it into the group of 12 finalists, selected from a preliminary group of 24.

Century 21 Arbutus Realty welcomes Iris Adams, John Scott, Rachel Stratton and Ruth Wiebe to their team of real estate professionals at 1100 Shoppers Row.

CAMPBELL RIVER

Penner Automotive and Marine welcomes Brandon Irvine to the shop as an addition to their team of mechanics at 1191 Island Highway.

RE/MAX Check Realty announces that Renee Stone and Mark Anderton have joined their real estate team at 950 Island Highway.

The Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVCC) and the Coast Forest Products Association (CFPA) have signed a landmark memorandum of understanding to improve communication and strengthen the relationship between forestry companies and forestry dependent communities.

The Vancouver Island Sustainability Technology Association (VISTA) will be holding

Foods eight years ago. Additionally, for the 10th consecutive year, Quality Foods has been included as a Best Managed Platinum member on Canada’s Best Managed Companies program. Best Managed is one of Canada’s revered business awards programs that has been recognizing world-class Canadian businesses since 1993. a new evening flight from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) and Campbell River Airport (YBL). The flights operate six days a week from Sunday to Friday. The nonstop flights leave Vancouver at 9 pm, arrive in Comox at 9:35 pm and touch down in Campbell River at 10 pm.

Tiffany and Michael Allen have opened The Nest at the corner of Market and Hastings in Port Hardy. The store accepts items on consignment and features antiques, clothes, knickknacks and the work of local First Nation’s artists.

Shawn Fetter, CFP has joined Alitis Insurance Services as an Insurance Adviser. Aaron Robertson, CFP has joined Alitis Investment Counsel as a Financial Planner. Alitis is at 909 Island Highway #101.

APRIL 2017

COMOX VALLEY Union Street Grill and Grotto re-opened on March 20 with a redesign and foundation laid for the addition of a second floor and perhaps eventually a rooftop patio.

Union Street is at 477 Fifth Street in Courtenay and offers a diverse lunch and dinner menu seven days a week.

Harbour Air Seaplanes has added direct daily flights from Comox to downtown Vancouver. Harbour Air now offers two daily seaplane flights from Monday to Friday between the two waterfronts. The Comox end of the service operates out of the Comox Marina waterfront rather than the Comox Valley Airport.

Pacific Coastal Airlines has added

retired lawyer who has worked with Port Alberni-based firm Badovinac and Scoffied.

Air Canada announced they will increase flights between Comox and Vancouver from two flights per day to four flights in preparation for the summer. The added flights will accommodate early morning departures from YQQ and late evening returns. The flights will operate daily except Saturday, by Air Canada Express using a 50-seat Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft.

Jani Martinius has opened Panther Workwear, a workwear clothing line designed for construction sites, adventures in the forest and other strenuous activities. Panther Workwear is on Quarry Park Road in Comox.

Renovations are underway at Comox Mall and on track to be completed by August. Currently, the roof is being removed where a 10,000 square-foot Dollarama will open along with surface parking, and more visible renovations will take shape within the next few months. Motion Specialties, a chain specializing in providing wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, stair-lifts and other mobility devices is set to open in April. Woofy’s Pet Foods is planning an expansion to add a pet grooming salon.

Calais Spas, Pools and Billiards recently celebrated their grand opening at 10-2998 Kilpatrick Avenue in Courtenay.

PARKSVILLEQUALICUM

Raymond James announced that Niki Stanford has joined their Qualicum Beach branch as a financial advisor. Raymond James Qualicum Beach is at Suite 103 – 193 Second Avenue West.

WeeMedical has opened for business at #2 – 114 Hirst Avenue in Parksville. The store sells medical marijuana and other health products.

The Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism Association recently held their annual general meeting and announced changes to their board of directors. Five new directors have been elected by acclamation for 2017/18. They are Helen Corcoran of Quality Resort Bayside, Pat Jiggins of Paradise Motel/Adventure Park and Arrowsmith Golf, Brett Standerwick of Fairwinds Golf, Leif Bogwald of Vancouver Island Expeditions and Robynne Shaw of Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort.

Outgoing directors include Rob Hill of Oceanside Village Resort and Noel Hayward of Qualicum Beach Inn/Quality Foods. The board has elected Arthur Wong as chair, Paul Drummond as vice-chair and Pat Jiggins as treasurer.

Gondas Studio for Hair has opened

Chan Nowosad Boates CPAs have opened a new branch in Courtenay at #201 – 1532 Cliffe Avenue.

James Flawith, a professional treecutter, has started Lil’ Worker Safety Gear out of his home in Comox. The new business focuses on safetyoriented clothing for kids and will be featured on the Dragon’s Den this month.

Chef Lesley Stav has been inducted into the Prestigious Honours Society of the Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC). Stav is the fifth woman in Canada to receive this recognition. Stav is the president of the North Vancouver Island Chefs Association.

North Island College welcomes Eric Mosley to its board of governors. Mosley is a recently

Quality Foods management has announced founders Ken Schley and John Briuolo are transferring controlling interest in the company to the Jim Pattison Group. The Jim Pattison Group first purchased a non-controlling interest in Quality

in a new location at 437 Maquinna Place in Qualicum.

The Parksville Qualicum Beach News has appointed J. R. Rardon SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 40

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY ...get shredding!

Rosalind Scott, BBBVI President & CEO

Contrary to popular belief, the overwhelming majority of identity theft occurs when a thief has direct contact with the victim’s personal information. Although online hackers and phishing scams dominate media headlines, a report by Javelin Strategy and Research notes that more than 89 percent of all identity fraud happens through stolen bank statements; lost or stolen wallets, checkbooks or credit cards; or other off-line means. To protect yourself, your business and your customers from identity theft, BBB offers the following tips when it comes to shredding confidential documents.

a special thanks to our

Community Partners

1. Canceled cheques with no long-term significance for tax or other purposes can be destroyed after one year. However, canceled cheques that support tax returns, such as charitable contributions or tax payments, should be held for at least seven years. BBB advises that you indefinitely keep any canceled cheques and related receipts or documents for a home purchase or sale, renovations or other improvements to a owned property, as you may need these later for warranty related reasons.

2. Credit card and bank account statements with no tax or other long-term significance can be discarded after a year; remaining statements should be kept for up to seven years.

3. Credit card contracts and loan agreements should be kept for as long as the account is active, in case you have a dispute with the lender over the terms of the contract.

4. Always save credit, debit and ATM receipts until the transaction appears on your statement and you have verified that the information is accurate.

5. Investors should retain documentation of a purchase or sale of stocks, bonds and other investments or as long as you own the investment and then seven years beyond that time. Monthly retirement and monthly investment account statements can be shredded annually after being reconciled with the year-end statement.

6. Monthly bills should be shredded the year after being received unless you need them for tax purposes. This way, if it is a power bill, for example, you can compare this month's bill to last year's bill for any major changes before shredding it.

7. The following is a list of “other items” that typically contain confidential information and should be stored carefully or shredded regularly: • Documents that include Social Insurance Numbers (SIN), birthdates, PIN numbers or passwords; • Banking documents and other financial information; • Leases, contracts or letters that include signatures; • Pre-approved credit card applications; • Medical or dental bills; • Travel itineraries; • Used airline tickets.

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

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For more information about protecting yourself or business from scams and frauds be sure to visit: bbb.org/vancouver-island.

Visit bbb.org/vancouver-island for additional details.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

40 MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38

as the new editor of the publication. Rardon will take over from John Harding, who will be leading the North Island Gazette.

The Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce Business Awards were recently held at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort. This year’s winners and categories are Close to You in Business with More than 15 Employees; Kerry’s Car and Truck Centre in Small Business with Fewer than 10 Employees; Vancouver Island Workability Society in New Business of the Year; Bayview Custom Motorcycles in Employer of the Year; Bread and Honey Food Company in Outstanding Customer Service and The Rock Trophy was presented to Dave Graham of 88.5 The Beach Radio. This year’s awards drew 180 people, which was the largest to date for the organization.

Free Spirit Spheres has received the 2017 Remarkable Experience Award from the Tourism Industry Association of BC at their annual awards ceremony. Free Spirit Spheres builds spherical treehouses that serve as a forest hotel. The company has been featured in international design and architecture magazines from around the world. They are at 420 Horne Lake in Qualicum Beach.

PORT ALBERNI Kleekhoot Gold is a new initiative of the Hupacasath First Nation’s to create local maple syrup from their traditional territory.

The project will tap around 600 trees, making it the first commercially viable maple syrup producer in BC. Kleekhoot Gold can be purchased in bottles of 50 ml or 200 mL. Preorders can be made online and picked up at the Hupacasath House of Gathering at 5500

Cindy Eagles Business/Corporate Account Manager Direct: 250-701-1600 Email: cindy@cowichansound.com Store: 250-748-4847

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Ahahswinis Drive.

Jowsey’s Furniture welcomes Sheri Stanley to their sales team at 4957 Johnston Road.

Stanley recently worked with Lucky Printers and is a well-known Alberni resident.

Financial planner Brittany Larsen is celebrating the first anniversary of her business Ability Wealth Management. Brittany has over 14 years of experience in the financial industry and is a member of Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada.

Orestes Greek Kouzina recently celebrated their first anniversary at 4505 Gertrude Street.

The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM-SAR) Station 39 celebrates their 25th anniversary.

For the 23rd year in a row, the City of Port Alberni’s Finance Department has been recognized with the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

The award was received for the city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. The award was based on the city’s demonstrated commitment to the highest level of transparency and disclosure.

The Port Alberni Association for Community Living is celebrating their 60th anniversary.

They are at 3008 2nd Avenue.

Twin City Brewing has officially opened at 4503 Margaret Street. The new craft brewery features a variety of beers and food items.

TOFINO-UCLUELET Ucluelet Co-op welcomes Candice Kosolofski to their team at 1580 Peninsula Road.

The Ucluelet Aquarium has launched a new season with new displays to showcase local sea life to tourists and locals at 180 Main Street.

www.CowichanSound.com

The provincial government has handed over an 18.3-hectare portion of land to the Ucluelet district in a land transfer deal completed on March 6. The roughly $3-million picturesque portion of land is located around Amphitrite point. The land will be zoned by Ucluelet as institutional, which means usage would be only for schools or community gathering spaces on the site.

CELLULAR, SMART PHONES, TABLETS, TELUS PUREFIBRE & OPTIK TV, INTERNET & SATELLITE TV

Ucluelet’s Chief Administrative Officer, Andrew Yeates, has announced his resignation

APRIL 2017

after roughly nine years of service. Yeates resigned his post after taking a position in another community which he began on April 1.

Ucluelet Council is in the process of recruiting and determining interim measures for the position.

Chef Dylan Tilston and Chef Mare Bruce recently completed a training program for nine First Nation’s students from the West Coast. The four-week intensive line cooking training program took place in the Schooner Restaurant kitchen from February 20 to March 17 and was funded entirely by the Nuu-chah-nulth Employment and Training Program (NETP). This is the second year NETP has offered the line cook program, which is designed to ensure locals get positions in the booming restaurant industry of Tofino and Ucluelet.

NANAIMO Congratulations to Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd., for winning an Award of Merit for the Municipal and Civil Infrastructure on the South Fork Water Treatment Plant for Safe Drinking Water and Sustainable Design. The announcement was made at the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – British Columbia 2017 Awards for Engineering Excellence April 8 at the Westin Bayshore hotel in Vancouver The Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) announces that Rob Grey was recently named VIREB’s 2016 Realtor of the Year. Grey received the award on February 27 at the organization’s annual general meeting held at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo.

Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty announces the addition of Tikka Forrest and Chad Castellano to their Royal LePage Service Group at 4200 Island Highway.

Jacqui Kaese who owns and operates Spotlight Academy, received the City of Nanaimo’s Excellence in Culture Award April 6. The award is presented to an organization or individual who has achieved regional or national recognition in the field of arts and culture.

The City of Nanaimo has awarded the contract for managing the Vancouver Island Conference Centre to Spectra by Comcast Spectator. Under the contract, Spectra will oversee operation and marketing of the conference centre and provide destination marketing services in collaboration with stakeholders and tourism partners.

SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 41

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Original

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

APRIL 2017

MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40

Joe’s is celebrating their 5th anniversary in Nanaimo at 3280 North Island Highway.

Thirsty Spirit Roast House is now open in Beban Plaza at 2A – 2220 Bowen Road.

The Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society (CVIMS) received the Career Development Organization of the Year Award from the BC Career Development Association on March 27 in Vancouver. CVIMS is at 101 – 319 Selby Street.

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in August. As part of the celebration the RDN is planning to invest $20,000 to add an easier user interface to the website, streamline information and optimize it for mobile use. The renovated website is anticipated to go live on August 24.

NexGen Hearing is opening their second location in Nanaimo in Port Place Mall at 107 – 650 Terminal Avenue South.

Business Works for Youth training program is looking for local residents aged 15-29 to participate in their free training program to help them start their own firm. The program offers online coaching, training and mentorship.

The District of Lantzville has named Ronald Campbell as their chief administrative officer.

Campbell is a University of Alberta graduate who has over 30 years of experience working in local government and is a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal recipient.

Brad Calder is the salesperson of the month for February at Steve Marshall Ford at 3851 Shenton Road.

Snuneymuxw First Nations have announced the purchase of the M.V. Grey Selkie water taxi from the Victoria Harbour Ferry Company.

The new ferry will service between Newcastle Island and the Nanaimo Harbour-front. Additionally, fares to Newcastle Island will drop from $9, the rate charged in 2016, to $5.

Chartwell Retirement Residences will be moving residents of the Malaspina Gardens building into a new complex care facility on Twelfth Street behind Country Grocer in Chase River. The new residence is a 136-bed facility that will be completed this spring. The Malaspina Gardens building will be demolished and then sold.

Volkswagen at 4921 Wellington Road.

Three Nanaimo restaurants have been nominated for the British Columbia Restaurant Hall of Fame (BCRFA). Nanaimo-based Nori Japanese Restaurant, Nana Sushi and Gabriel’s Gourmet Café have all been named finalists for this year’s awards. The winners will be announced on Monday, May 8 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

LADYSMITHCHEMAINUS Tim Horton’s has opened a new location in the new Coast Salish Development Corporation project at Oyster Bay, just north of Ladysmith.

The franchise, owned by Dave Milne, is a 1,000 square-foot drive-thru and walk-up counter at the new Esso gas station there.

Black Door Décor is celebrating their 10th anniversary at #2 – 740 First Avenue in Ladysmith.

Gaetan Gelinas is the salesperson of the month for February at Nanaimo Toyota at 2555 Bowen Road.

Ladysmith and District Historical Society volunteer, Shirley Blackstaff, has received the coveted Award of Distinguished Service from Heritage BC at the 36th Annual Heritage BC Awards Gala in Vancouver.

Congratulations to David Price on being named salesperson of the month for February at Harbourview

Martin Sanderson has joined the Robson O’Connor Law Offices team.

Sanderson was called the Bar in BC

in February, 2017 and received his J.D. from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University in 2014.

COWICHAN VALLEY Debbie Anaka has moved her thrift store I Need That to 446 Jubilee Street in Duncan. Shelley Lockwood has also opened her store The Purple Door on Jubilee Street.

The new store sells locally made household items like coffee-cup sleeves, aprons, make-up bags and a baby-line that includes colourful blankets and bedding.

Bob Elliott from Cowichan-based Ace Innovation Solutions has designed an immediate oil-spill response machine that he claims removes 60 gallons of diesel from an aquatic spill site per hour. The machine is called the SDX skimmer works by skimming the surface of the water and picks up diesel, motor oil, gasoline, crude oil and any other type of oil. Elliott has already sold one of his units to the French Creek Harbour Authority.

Blue Grouse Winery has started a campaign to help those impacted by the floods in Peru. Until the end of the month, all fees collected from the winery’s wine-testing room will be donated to cause. Additionally, donations will be matched by the Brunner family which owns the winery.

41 The Business Leaders Breakfast will be held at the Cowichan Golf Club at 7:30 am on April 11. The breakfast is the culmination of a recent round table consultation series held in partnership with Community Futures Cowichan, the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Cowichan and MNP LLP. The breakfast will see partners discuss the top priorities of local businesses in the retail, tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and processing, real estate, construction and technology sectors.

Randy’s Mobile Repair is a new service open in the Cowichan Valley that specializes in lawnmower repair. Owner Randy Huebner has converted a bus into a workshop and can fix people’s lawnmowers and other small machines right in their driveways.

The Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce’s annual Black Tie Awards, will now be held every two years, with the next one scheduled for April, 2018. The chamber decided to change the format to every two years due to the large amount of work required to organize the event.

Scarlett’s Second Hand Boutique has recently completed some minor renovations at the store located at 40 South Shore Road in Lake Cowichan. The renovated store removed the clothing section and now offers a new take-out coffee and espresso service.

OPINION

42

APRIL 2017 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Vancouver Island Office 25 Cavan Street,Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 1.778.441.3373 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

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

WHY AN NDP GOVERNMENT IS BAD FOR BUSINESS

MARK MACDONALD

B

ritish Columbia has the strongest economy in Canada, leading all provinces for the past two years.

There is one thing that could derail that, as early as this spring: An NDP government.

B.C. suffered greatly during the NDP’s Lost Decade from 19912001 that created a made-in-B.C. recession during their last reign of error. Those who were in business then remember it clearly, and shudder at the possible consequences of déjà vu happening all over again May 9.

While some may not hold personal memories of the fiscal pain inflicted the last time the NDP was in power here, they can cast their eyes eastward to Alberta, where the NDP’s (Rachel) Notley Crew is driving that once robust province into deep, deep

generational debt. They’re only halfway through their term, and working Albertans are in panic mode, which will surely help galvanize the non-NDP vote into one option for their next provincial election.

Why is it like this whenever the NDP gains power?

It’s because of the fiscal ideology that the NDP rank-and-file clings to. Philosophically, typical NDPers are wealth re-distributing socialists, who view business owners as greedy cash-grabbers whose profits only come from the backs of workers, and give it away where they choose. Any ascent to power is their chance for payback.

They fail to realize that in order to spur investment, there must be an environment that allows people to benefit from their injection of capital: Profits. They view profits as excess and largesse, when really, profits are the result of success, the fuel that drives business, and thus the economy.

Profitable businesses pay more taxes, and hire more workers, who also pay taxes – and those taxes pay for the social programs we all believe in. But in order to help those less fortunate, there must be something to give. NDP-style Robin Hood Economics, where they take from the so-called rich to give to the poor, punishes

entrepreneurs and investors and causes them to retreat. Thus there’s a whole lot less to help those in need in the end.

The NDP says they support small business, but can they really say they don’t like business?

(An oft-told 1990’s joke: “How do you open a small business in B.C. under the NDP? Open a large business. And wait.”)

The NDP proves through their actions that business is their enemy, through punitive taxation, increased regulation and ultra-labour friendly legislation.

B.C.’s healthy economy currently tops the country, and without a doubt, credit for this has to include the BC Liberal government under Premier Christy Clark.

Clark’s stunning slap-down of the Adrian Dix-led NDP four years ago was borderline miraculous.

The disheveled Dix managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when he unilaterally announced mid-campaign that his government wouldn’t approve the twinning of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, instantly putting him at odds with middle class trades workers who earned their living from resources.

Business braced for what the polls indicated was an inevitable NDP government by preparing for the expected slowdown

by canceling projects, moving assets, and ceasing to hire new workers. The election was preceded by an economic swoon, and it took months to regain the momentum that was lost, due to even the threat of another NDP government.

The BC Liberals had given the province solid government for 12 years, but the party was clearly in need of a freshen-up. Along came the hard hat wearing Clark, whose relentless campaigning was unmatched. She looked fresh and sharp, relentlessly pounding a positive, jobs-first message that resonated with voters.

Which brings me to this: There’s nothing scarier than a Socialist in a suit.

They look sharp and project well. They say things that people want to hear, albeit leaving out the most important of details, like: How do we pay for their shopping sprees?

The scariest point of all is that they look electable. They don’t appear at all like the radical revenue redistributors they are. They look like nice people. Harmless, even. Mike Harcourt is a case in point. As the former mayor of Vancouver, Harcourt’s resume undoubtedly helped him defeat Rita Johnston and the remnants of Bill Vander Zalm’s Social Credit in

1991, ushering in what turned out to be 10 dark years.

While other provinces prospered, B.C. suffered, and that was magnified by Harcourt successor Glen Clark and another NDP term, after a typical NDP “beware-theIdes-of-March” action to oust their leader.

Business was bad in B.C. under the NDP. Very bad, and the provincial deficit skyrocketed. Workers left the province in droves, looking for well paying jobs.

Current NDP leader, the dapper John Horgan, floats plenty of mixed messages, but apparently doesn’t have the full-throated backing of his MLA colleagues.

Nevertheless, the NDP machine is a very real threat, and can never be taken lightly. They have a solid base of around 30 per cent that never wavers in their support, including organized labour. It’s bewildering how non-government labour continues to pay much of the freight for the NDP; despite the fact the party’s policies choke off the very jobs their members hold.

There is one thing that can cause B.C.’s economy to come to a screeching halt: An NDP government. On May 9, voters will decide the next four years of B.C.’s fiscal future, depending on where they decide to mark their X.

FEDS PAINT MISLEADING PICTURE OF CANADA’S MIDDLE CLASS Based on a host of indicators, Canada’s middle class is actually doing much better relative to past decades

THE FRASER INSTITUTE CHARLES LAMMAM & JASON CLEMENS

B

illed as a pre-budget briefing, federal minister and well-regarded economist Jean-Yves Duclos recently gave a high profile presentation on the purported worrisome state of Canada’s middle class. One can only surmise the government is trying to create angst among Ca nad ia ns to justi f y pol icy

choices taken in the upcoming federal budget.

The reality is very different from the misleading picture painted by Duclos. Far from stagnating or falling behind, Canada’s middle class is actually doing much better relative to past decades based on a host of indicators.

Duclos nonetheless cla i ms median income - the income level where half the population has higher and the other half has lower income - has been stagnating, despite the fact that his own chart shows median income rising since the mid-1990s.

In general, however, claims that Canada’s middle class is stagnating - or worse, falling behind - are based on incomplete analyses.

First, they tend to examine

income before taxes and government transfers (the GST credit, child benefit payments, etc.), failing to account for important changes in taxes and government transfers over time. What ultimately matters is how much a family has available to spend (and to save) after it has paid all taxes and received all transfers.

Second, too often analyses fail to account for the fact that the average family is smaller today than in the past. This matters because it means a family’s income now spreads across fewer people. Any measure of economic well-being should account for the resources available to each family member.

Finally, there’s a well-documented problem with the standard measure of inflation, which overestimates the increase in overall prices. Using the standard measure to adjust for inflation will understate the real value of current income relative to past income and give the appearance that median income is increasing less than it actually is.

After accounting for all these

considerations, a recent Fraser Institute study found that median income in Canada has in fact increased by 52 per cent since the mid-1970s. This pronounced growth can hardly be described as stagnation.

Duclos makes another puzzling claim - that costs for essentials are increasing. This overlooks the reality that spending on household necessities (food, clothing and housing) has fallen as a share of the average family’s income over the past half century. Specifically, the average Canadian family now spends 38 per cent of its income on necessities, down from 56 per cent in 1961. While more of the average family’s budget is consumed by a larger tax bill, the declining share spent on necessities is a sign of economic improvement.

Or look at it another way. The average Canadian worker now works a lot fewer hours to purchase common household items, many of which have dramatically improved in quality. For example, in 1976, a Canadian earning the average hourly wage had to work

109 hours to buy a microwave.

Today, a much better microwave (given improvements in technology) costs only 10 work-hours.

Similarly, a colour television used to cost the equivalent of 113 hours of work compared to just 12 workhours now for a much sleeker TV with the same screen size. And the list goes on.

But there’s perhaps no better indication of economic progress than the significant economic mobility enjoyed by the vast majority of low-income Canadians who over time rise up the income ladder, enjoying marked gains in economic well-being.

Despite the doom and gloom rhetoric, and misleading claims

by Minister Duclos, Canada’s middle class is doing better today. Yet this progress may be threatened by government policies aimed at curing a disease that doesn’t exist.

Charles Lammam is director of fiscal studies and Hugh MacIntyre is a policy analyst at the Fraser Institute (http://www.fraserinstitute.org)

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43

APRIL 2017

AGM WELCOMES NEW BOARD

TOFINO JEN DART

T

h e Tof i no-L ong Beach Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Tofino held their joint Annual General Meeting on March 29th at the Best Western Tin Wis Resort. Nearly 100 members and guests were in attendance to hear the annual reports, approve financials, and elect new boards of directors for 2017.

On the Chamber side, we had to say goodbye and a huge thank-you to outgoing board members Michelle Hall of Surfrider Pacific Rim and Cameron Young of Sea Monster Noodle Bar. We welcome Laura McDonald of Pharmasave Tofino and Petra Dish of Petrichor Hair Workshop to the board for 2017.

Tourism Tofino, under its new independent Destination Management Organization structure, has expanded its board to up to 12 members. New board members include: Chelsea Bauer from the Tofino Consumers Co-op, Michele Dimitrov from Tofino Resort and Marina, Jason Mitchell from Tofino Air and Marcus Puharich from Jamie’s Rainforest Inn. We were especially excited to celebrate our AGM at the Tin Wis this year as it is the 25th anniversary of the resort on MacKenzie Beach. Congratulations to John Robertson and his team on this milestone, and a big thank-you for a great evening and wonderful dinner.

At the Chamber we are focusing

on the goals of lobbying, member engagement and organizational development for the next two years.

Our Try Local Tofino program, a buy local program supported by the District of Tofino, will be at the forefront in the coming months, as will the 2017 launch of the Tofino Ambassador Program this month.

We are also looking forward to our second annual Business Excellence Awards, scheduled for April 27th at the Shore.

We have many new members to welcome: West Coast Weddings and Events, Octopus Event Promotions, Adam Chilton Productions, Hello Nature Adventure Tours, Cindy Howard Mortgage Broker, Laurie B Design, Lovesea Photography, Bradshaw Sportfishing, Palma Photography and Videography, L’AFFUT (L’Association de Francophones et Francophiles de Ucluelet et Tofino), Tofino Cleaning Company, Wyatt Visuals and AV Financial. Thank-you for joining the Chamber and we look forward to serving your businesses and organizations!

To u r i s m To f i n o r e c e n t l y launched its Tofino Footprints video series, highlighting some of Tofino’s unique businesses and makers. The first video features our members Dan Harrison and Ariane Batic from the Raincoast Education Society andt he second video, Crafting Legacy, details a surprising synergy between Tofino Cedar Furniture owners Daniel and Barbara Lamarche and Wolf in the Fog mixologist Hailey Pasemko.

The final video, called Harvesting Passion, features Tofino Brewing Co.’s Neil Campbell and Tina Windsor from Picnic Charcuterie.

Jen Dart is Executive Director of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce.She can be reached at 250.725.3153. www.tofinochamber.org

Possible Vehicle Ferry Alberni Valley News ORT ALBERNI - A proposed vehicle ferry that would travel from Port Alberni to Ucluelet and Bamfield is a good idea, says a spokesperson with the west coastbased Huu-ay-aht First Nations.

Mike Surrell, owner of Lady Rose Marine Services, said he is speaking with the government for the potential vehicle service after purchasing the MV Tenaka car ferry from BC Ferries last year. He had originally intended to refurbish the ferry to add to his passenger and freight service, but asked the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District board last week for a letter of support for the car ferry service.

“With the possibility of a car ferry coming down to Huu-ay-aht territory or to Bamfield would be a great benefit to Huu-ay-aht because we have a focus on transportation,” said Trevor Cootes, Huu-ay-aht executive council member with the economic development portfolio.

“It’s an eight-kilometre logging road

P

that comes to us so that’s a challenge in itself. To be able to offer other means of transportation to our territory is something that we’re actively seeking.”

The Huu-ay-aht purchased a number of properties in Bamfield in 2016, including a small airstrip.

“That’s just an indicator that we’re looking to provide different ways of people coming into our area, so with Mike’s [ferry initiative] it just kind of adds to that opportunity,” Cootes said.

Cootes said the Huu-ay-aht have provided a letter of support to Surrell at Lady Rose Marine Services in regards to the proposed development of vehicle ferry transportation.

“We’re looking to develop diverse sustainable profitable businesses within our traditions but we’re also actively seeking and promoting economic initiatives in the territory,” Cootes said. “It’s always nice to see other businesses wanting to participate locally.”

2017 – CONSTANT CHANGE AND THE WORKPLACE

HR CHRISTINE WILLOW

C

ha nge is happen i ng every where, it is continuous, constant, and affects our workplaces. From implementing new processes, to moving offices, to changes i n tea m st r uctu re - how we deal with the change and how we support our teams through those changes is critical. These days, it seems that everything needs to be done faster, better, cheaper and in many cases our workplaces are impacted by external events beyond our control. Our clients have higher expectations, demanding more and more of us. Add the speed of change in technology and employees can become overwhelmed and stressed.

Most people tend to have a natural resistance to change, and prefer to hang on to what

they know. Even though the rea son for ch a nge m ay be positive, employees may feel threatened by the process. In the workplace, a common reason for the resistance to change is the perception that it will increase demand on employees. It is therefore up to you to ensure that your employees understand that the expectation is not that they must work harder or longer, but differently, to ensure greater efficiency.

Neither is the expectation that t hey do more w it h less, but again, that they learn to do it differently.

Another key to success when i ntroduci ng a workplace change is effective communic a t i o n . W i t h o u t e a rl y a n d regular communications, employees can become confused and anxious. Develop a communications plan and ensure that it includes not only the what, but also the why and the how. Providing the context for change will increase both trust and confidence in the process.

A nd , b e hone s t a b out wh at you don’t know. Furthermore, communication is a two-way process and should also include i nput from you r employees, allowing them to be an active part of the change. By being included they will find it easier

to adapt to the new ways.

Change in the workplace takes planning in order to achieve the outcome that you want. Keep the following steps in mind: ■ Communicate – why the change is needed, what will be the process and how will it affect individuals as well as the overall organization; ■ Provide opportunity for i n p u t a n d fe e d b a c k – ensu re t hat employees are engaged all the way through the process and seek their ideas when possible; ■ Identify and recruit those that are more comforta b l e w i t h c h a n ge a n d have them suppor t the others; ■ Communicate the results to ensure minimum resi sta nce to a ny f ut u re change; When it comes to changes in the workplace, plan, communicate a nd then com mu n icate aga i n. Keep i n m i nd that no matter the reason or the effectiveness of the process, change comes with emotions.

Christine is with Chemistry Consulting and can be reached at c.willow@chemistryconsulting.ca

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