DECEMBER 2015
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NANAIMO The 16th Annual Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards are set for Jan. 21, 2016 at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo
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New Era Begins For Nanaimo’s St. Jean’s Cannery PAGE 4
PARKSVILLE New managers bring expanded knowledge, skills and options to local Culligan Water outlet
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INDEX News Update Nanaimo
2 10
Cowichan Valley
13
Comox Valley
25
Campbell River
28
Mt. Waddington
28
Who is Suing Whom 30 Movers and Shakers 31 Opinion
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Law
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Controlling interest in Nanaimo’s St. Jean’s Cannery was sold to a Port Alberni First Nation’s group BY DAVID HOLMES
“An alliance with NCN
N
Cannery LP increasingly
ANAIMO – It’s business as usual at the Harbour City’s St. Jean’s Cannery and Smokehouse following the announcement that the iconic 54 year old Nanaimo business had been sold to First Nation’s interests from Port Alberni. Gerard St. Jean, the current owner and son of company founder Armand St. Jean announced December 1 that he had sold controlling interests in the company to NCN Cannery LP, a corporate entity owned by a group of five Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations. “St. Jeans was started by Gerard’s father Armand, literally in his back yard and it’s grown into what it is today, 54 years later. Right now Gerard and his family trust own 100 per cent of the company’s shares. For personal reasons, business reasons he’s selling an interest to a group of
made sense for our company, employees and clients.” GERARD ST. JEAN PRESIDENT ST. JEAN’S CANNERY
Native groups from Port Alberni,” explained Steve Hughes, St. Jean’s General Manager. In the formal announcement of the sale St. Jean said he was excited about the business prospects this new partnership will provide. “The seafood industry continues to evolve. First Nations have increasing access to local wildcaught resources that will help with our supply chain, and they have an important story to tell in the market,” he said.
Larry Johnson (left) and Gerard St. Jean (in inset) formally concluded a business transaction that sees NCN Cannery LP acquire Nanaimo’s St. Jean’s Cannery “We have been talking for a long time and, as our business continues to grow and seek new areas to expand, an alliance with NCN Cannery LP increasingly made sense for our company, employees
and clients.” Larry Johnson, President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Development Corporation, the SEE ST. JEAN’S CANNERY | PAGE 27
VIU Students aim high and win MBA students at VIU beat out the big universities at planning and winning the first ever provincial MBA games
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ancouver Island University’s (V I U) Master of Business Administration students aim high after their underdog win against BC’s universities at the first ever provincial MBA games. Hosted by the VIU MBA Society, the games were a practice volley for the national competition held in Toronto, January 2016.
In October of this year, teams of students in MBA programs from the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and Thompson River University came together to compete in academic, athletic and spirit competitions. In total, 110 students and coaches attended the event that had VIU MBA students winning overall and several individual commpetitions. Brock Dykeman, director of MBA
programs, said that the games, modeled after the annual event that draws teams from universities across Canada, was created, organized and launched after the VIU team returned from the 2015 games in Toronto. “The games have never been held at a provincial level,” he said, adding that when the students returned they wanted to continue the energy, fun competition, community spirit and networking they
had experienced back east. He explained that each step of the logistics and planning of the event helped develop a learned concept, from hiring volunteers to creating resumes and interviewing prospective team members. “It’s a business model that has individuals trying out for different teams and getting experience doing what they might not normally SEE VIU STUDENTS | PAGE 17