Business Examiner Vancouver Island - January 2016

JANUARY 2016

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INDEX New Update 2 Parksville 7 Qualicum Beach PAGE 147 Port Alberni 8 Inventing 9 INDEX Nanaimo 102 News update Cowichan Valley 13 Cowichan Valley 9 Comox Valley 18 Nanaimo 11 Parksville 18 Finance 23 West Coast 19 Campbell River 24 Comox valleyWhom 20 Who is Suing 34 Campbell River 22 Movers and Shakers 35 Port McNeil 24 Opinion 38 Movers & Shakers 32 Law 39 Opinion 36 Contact us: 1-866-758-2684

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Commercial Real Estate Company Rebrands DTZ Nanaimo has joined the NAI Global group of commercial real estate companies

BY DAVID HOLMES

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ANAIMO – The New Year has brought a new look to DTZ Nanaimo, who announced that they have joined forces with NAI Global, the single largest and most powerful global network of owner-operated commercial real estate brokerages in the world. The firm has officially rebranded and now goes by the name NAI Commercial Central Vancouver Island, effective January 1.

A lthough the name has changed, the team of professionals, core range of services, and key business philosophy, which focuses on providing exceptional customer service, remains the same. “Being able to SEE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE | PAGE 31

The faces are familiar but the name has changed at NAI Commercial Central Vancouver Island, formerly known as DTZ Nanaimo

Finalists Announced for Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards 81 firms from Sooke & Sidney to Port Hardy & Quatsino to be represented at January 21 Gala in Nanaimo

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ANAIMO – A total of 81 companies from across Vancouver Island have been named finalists for the 16th Annual Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards, with the winners to be unveiled Jan. 21, 2016 at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo.

“Phenomen a l. Absolutely amazing companies of every size and description, with some amazing stories to tell from a very successful year,” notes

Mark MacDonald of the Business Examiner, which coordinates the event. “The Business E xcel lence Awa rds honou rs the best of the best in Vancouver Island business, and it is clear that 2015 has been a very good year in business for many companies.”

RBC Royal Bank, Hayes Stewa r t L i t t l e & C o . C h a r te r e d P r ofe s s i o n a l A c c o u nt a nt s , Coa sta l Com m u n it y Cre d it Union and Air Canada are the

Gold Sponsors for the event.

Category sponsors are Helijet, Thompson Cooper LLP, CIBC, Invest Comox Valley and Grieg Seafood.

“Each of our judges are pouring over the information now to determine the winners in each category,” says MacDona ld.

“They have some very difficult decisions to make, as it is clear that 2015 was a good year for Vancouver Island businesses.”

The finalist are, by city:

Campbell River ■ Associated Tire & Auto ■ Eagle Eye Adventures ■ Industry Hair and Body Care ■ She Works She Plays Active Ware Inc. ■ York Portable Mach i ne Tools

SEE FINALISTS ANNOUNCED | PAGE 29

NEWS UPDATE

2 BC International tourists find BC simply irresistible

BC Language training investment of $2.6 million

AGS

Latest visitor numbers show BC isn’t just popular with international visitors in the summer, fall is increasingly becoming a key time for them to enjoy Supernatural British Columbia.

The latest Statistics Canada overnight custom entries show a strong fall tourism season in BC. International visitors are up by 7.6 per cent this year so far (January to October 2015), compared to 2014 – representing an additional 308,052 visitors coming to British Columbia.

Also, overall visitors in October are up 6.8 per cent over October last year.

T hese 2015 statistics bu i ld on the success of 2014 when the province had the highest growth overall in total overn ight v isitors as wel l as the highest growth rate in international visitation of any province in Canada.

Increases in October 2015 over October 2014 were seen i n a number of key markets: Japan up 27.9 per cent South Korea up 22 per cent Germany up 22 per cent Mexico 15.3 per cent India up 10.3 per cent United States up 7.7 per cent European market up 7.4 per

cent The solid growth in the tourism sector can be linked to a number of factors, including a revitalized brand for the province’s international marketing campaign and more direct flights to British Columbia. As well, British Columbian’s staycations continue to be a source of tourism strength. Staycations are a good way to keep vacation dollars circulating in the economy with British Columbians supporting local businesses and jobs in the tourism sector when they visit regional events and venues.

As a key sector in the BC Jobs Plan, tourism is a key economic driver in the province. BC’s tourism sector is strong and growing amidst fierce global competition for tourists. There a re more t h a n 19,200 tou rism-related businesses in BC, and over 17,000 (almost 93 per cent) are small businesses. In 2013, the tourism industry generated $13.9 billion in revenue with a direct contribution to BC’s gross domestic product of $7.3 billion. Tourism accounted for 4 per cent of the Province’s total GDP.

Approx i mately 1,200 newcomers to BC will get language tra i n i ng for the job ma rket, thanks to a $2.6 million investment for high-demand jobs.

T he Province is partnering with community organizations, professional associations and post-secondary institutions to provide training for recent immigrants to help them overcome language barriers faced when seeking employment. Better language skills will improve their employability and mean more opportunities for career advancement in their chosen sector.

The training will prepare participants for employment in an industry, sector or occupation that is currently experiencing, or is expected to experience, a labour or skills shortage over the next 12 months.

Examples of this type of training include: English for Health Professionals Professional Communication for Internationally Educated Nurses Retail Sales Associate Language Training Program Language Training for Fire Protection Technicians This language training is occupation and workplace specific and geared toward newcomers w it h profession a l-level skills to help them transition to high-demand jobs.

Funding for the Project Based

JANUARY 2016

Language Training is provided by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training through a partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (formerly Citizenship and Immigration Canada).

VANCOUVER ISLAND Island Businesses Among Finalists For Award Small Business BC sponsors an annual award for outstanding businesses in the province, and the list of finalists for the next award includes 13 from Vancouver Island. In announcing the list of finalists a total of 535 small businesses were nominated from across BC for 10 awards. A total of 100 businesses made the cut as finalists, with 13 coming from Vancouver Island.

T he annual Small Business BC Awards Ceremony will take place at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver on February 25 when the 10 winners will be announced.

The list of Vancouver Island finalists include: Pye Design in Nanaimo - Premier’s People’s Choice Award Hey Beautiful Salon i n Nana i mo - Best Apprentice Training The Foxy Box in Victoria - Best

Apprentice Training Coco Cafe in Nanaimo - Best Community Impact Cow icha n Women Aga i nst Violence Society in Duncan Best Community Impact Abeego Designs in Victoria Best Company Merge i n Tof i no - B est Concept Roar Representation in Nanaimo - Best Concept JOM A Env i ron menta l Ltd. i n Victoria - Best Emerg i ng Entrepreneur Arriba Mexican Food Company in Victoria - Best International Trade DEEBEE’s Special Tea Foods in Victoria - Best International Trade Modern Marketing Advantage in Qualicum Beach - Best Online Marketer Hey Beautiful Salon i n Nanaimo - Best Workplace Small Business BC is British Columbia’s premiere resource centre for knowledge-based business products and services.

The organization’s mandate includes providing entrepreneurs with products and services that will assist their successful entry into small business ventures.

It was also created to provide small businesses at every stage of development with products, services, and support that can assist it in development and growth, improving productivity SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3

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JANUARY 2016

NEWS UPDATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

and increasing profitability.

DUNCAN CVRD Adopts 2016 - 2020 Five Year Financial Plan T he B oa rd of D i re ctors of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CV R D) adopted the Regional District’s 2016-2020 Five Year Financial Plan at a special meeting held December 9.

“This is the earliest date the CVRD has ever adopted a five year financial plan” says Chair Jon Lefebure. “It took a profound shift in the budget preparation cycle; determination by the Board of Directors in time and energy; and extreme hard work by the Finance Division and staff throughout the organization to accomplish this feat”.

Ea rly adoption of the 2016 bud get a l lows t he C V R D to start its capital projects sooner in the New Year which should translate into more favorable pr ici ng. Sig n i f ica nt capita l items include $1.7 million for the Trans-Canada Trail; $2.4 million for a new Fire Hall in Electoral Area H – North Oyster/Diamond; $2.7 million for a new Arbutus Ridge sewer treatment and disposal system in Electoral Area C – Cobble Hill; $2 million for Cowichan Lake’s Meade Creek Recycling Centre; and $1.3 million for upgrades to the Cowichan Lake, Kerry Park and Island Savings Centre recreation facilities.

There are planned expenditures of $83.7 million which is an increase of $4.1 million (5.2 percent) over the 2015 budget year. This increase is a result of capital increasing by $7.4 million, while operating expenditures are decreasing by $3.3 million. T he overall tax requ isition is i ncreasi ng by $1,582,423 million (4.88 percent). The municipal share of this increase is $266,478 and the increase for the electoral areas is $1,157,290.

However, since each member municipality and electoral area participates in different services, the impact to each jurisdiction is different. The Municipality of North Cowichan will see the largest municipal increase at $232,489 (3.22 percent) while the Town of Lake Cowichan will see the smallest increase at $2,587 (0.27 percent).

All nine electoral areas will see an increase in their share of the CVRD requisition ranging from a high of $371,174 (7.52 percent) in Electoral Area B – Shawnigan Lake to a low of $71,307 (3.73 percent) for Electoral Area D Cowichan Bay. The three services that contain the largest increases are Pa rks at $510,636; Electora l Area Services at $526,141; and Recreation at $292,561. There has also been a new Arts and Culture service added to the 2016 Budget which has an expense budget of $130,000.

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NANAIMO A 0 per cent increase in the property tax rate for 2016 During its December 16 Special Council Meeting, Nanaimo City Council adopted the City’s 2016-2020 Financial Plan. The plan’s adoption allows Council to set spending limits for programs and services for the next five years. Staff will now work to develop work plans for 2016 and preparing for 2016 capital projects.

“Approving the Financial Plan now is both responsive and responsible; it is important for the City to have an approved budget before the end of the year. Last night’s approval provides time a nd cer ta i nty to i mplement Council’s priorities. Additional conversations will continue to take place around our public safety operations as 2016 progresses with the aim of arriving at evidence-based decisions on facilities and staffing,” explained the City’s Director of SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 4

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Finance, Victor Mema.

T he Plan’s Highlights Include: ■The total 2016 Budget is $157.7 million - $122.5 million to fund operations and service programs and $35.2 million to fund capital projects. ■A 0 per cent increase in the property tax rate for 2016. ■$ 9 4 5 , 0 0 0 i n f u n di ng for genera l a sset management. ■User fee increases of 5 per cent for sewer, 7.5 per cent for water and 1 per cent for garbage. ■Sav i ngs of $816,000 in 2016 through executive downsizing; eliminating the general manager group and freezing other vacant exempt positions. This will save the City about $4.2 million over the next 5 years. ■P r o v i d e $ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 i n f u nd i ng for fou r memb ers p er en g i ne i n t h e F i re S e r v i c e s Department. ■P rov ide $230,000 i n f u nd i ng for a citizen su r vey a nd st rateg ic planning exercises in 2016. ■Key Points:

â– 2016-2020 Fi n a nci a l Plan will be amended in April / May of 2016 to i ncor porate property ta x a nd f u nd i ng requisitions from the R e g ion a l D i s t r ic t of Na na i mo; Va ncouver Isla nd L ibra r y; a nd others. â– Cou nci l w i l l consider and adopt the 2016 Property Tax Bylaw in April/May 2016. â– Fol l o w i n g 2 016, t h e projected property tax increases are 3 per cent i n 2017, 2 per cent i n 2018, 1 per cent in 2019 and 1 per cent in 2020.

T h is represents a n average annual property tax rate increase of 1.4 per cent between 2016 and 2020. â– During 2016, attention will be given to streaml i n i n g p u bl i c s a fe t y service delivery by requiring a further review of the need for additional RCMP sworn members and support staff as well as the construction of a new fire station in the Hammond Bay area.

WinterJAM Festival Gears Up for Biggest Year Popu la r outdoor rin k returning

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With epic snow condit ions on Mou nt Washi ng ton, a u n ique a nd d iversi fied l i ne up of bands and comedy acts, a nd t he retu rn of t he p opu l a r outdoor sk ating rink, the 3 rd annual winterJAM Festival will be blowing away the winter blahs this January 15- 31.

Toget her w it h t he D ow n tow n C o u r te n ay Business Improvement A s s o ci at i o n ( D C B I A ), Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Courtenay accommodation properties, music and comedy producers, and Comox Valley Economic Development and Tourism (CV E DS), winterJAM is a collaboration to drive increased visitation to the region du ri ng the w i nter season, as well as to provide a great family-friendly a t m o s p h e re i n d o w ntown Courtenay during the chilly days of January.

The winterJAM Centre is open Monday to Friday 2:30 pm to 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday noon to 8 pm, tickets are $5, include some skate rentals and are available online. To buy tickets and check on the r i n k a nd p er for m a nc e schedules visit winterjam.ca.

PORT ALBERNI

JANUARY 2016

Port Authority Attracts Scheduled Seaplane Service Between Port Alberni And Metro Vancouver Alberni Valley News he Port Alberni Port Authority (PA PA) announced that it has attracted and agreed to a long term license with Pacific Seaplanes Inc. to offer scheduled service between Port Alberni and Metro Vancouver commencing early, 2016. Attracting a scheduled seaplane service has always been part of the vision of development opportunities that could be achieved for the floating breakwater; now known as Centennial Pier.

In fact, three of the finger floats on the lee side of Centennial Pier were specifically designed to accommodate seaplanes after receiving input from operators that was included in their design.

Over the past three years the facility has been frequently used by various seaplane charters and independent operators to positive reviews.

By leveraging this feedback, operators’ knowledge of the infrastructure and persistence by PAPA within the industry to market the

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economic opportunity of a large, unserved customer base, Pacific Seaplanes decided to capitalize on the potential to meet the demand for convenient and direct air transportation to the lower mainland. “This agreement is an integral step towards Pacific Seaplanes’ goal of providing expanded seaplane services to the west coast of Vancouver Island,� says company CEO, Randy Hanna. “We are excited that Port Alberni will become part of our base network for the launch of new services to Vancouver and create new connections to west coast destinations from downtown Port Alberni, including a suite of outstanding air tours to spectacular destinations.� “We recognize Port Alberni has been underserved for years and welcome the opportunity to bring services to the community.�

Pacific Seaplanes will announce service start dates in an upcoming release and available by visiting: www.

pacificseaplanes.ca or calling the Reservations and Information line at 250-616-5858.

PAPA President & CEO, Zoran Knezevic explains that: “attracting Pacific Seaplanes to Port Alberni is part of our mandate to generate economic opportunity for our community by leveraging our assets. Whether for business, medical appointments or for personal travel there is a large number of people in our area currently traveling by other means to the Vancouver area that take a lot of time and money.

Pacific Seaplanes will allow all of us a much more convenient method to travel to metro Vancouver. Ultimately, we expect this service to be widely embraced by the local community and help attract more business and residents to Port Alberni.�

Please join us in welcoming Randy and Brenda Hanna of Pacific Seaplanes, and their team to Port Alberni by taking advantage of this service that has long been demanded by the community.

Stacey Holloway who brought you: “Dealing With People Who Drive You Nuts� www.Hollowayzaiser.com

Returns to Nanaimo with:

Facing Fire: Dealing with Conflict and Anger in our Daily Lives.

January 26/16 at the Port Theatre, Nanaimo, 7 p.m.

A two hour active, participatory presentation, charged with energy, humour and creativity. You will come away with new skills you can use at home that night and the next day at work! “Stacey

Holloway has unique skills to engage and inform

and provide you with practical new ideas. A must see!�

Dr. Patrick Ross educator and retired Vice President at Vancouver Island University.

Tickets $35 available the Port Theatre.

Purchase online at: porttheatre.com. or 250 754 8550

For more information on the program and speaker follow the link: http://www.porttheatre.com/events/jan-2016/leadership-vancouver-island-presents-stacey-holloway/ Contact Russ Burke @ russellmburke@shaw.ca for special rates for bulk tickets: 10 for $350 or 30 for $1,000, includes Port Theatre fees.

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JANUARY 2016

CROSS & COMPANY: BUILT ON CUSTOMER SERVICE “It’s an exciting time Nanaimo-based accounting company serves both business and personal clients

for the profession of accountancy.”

JARED CROSS OWNER

BY DAVID HOLMES

N

ANAIMO – The world of business, finance and tax management is everchanging, and for Nanaimo’s Cross & Company Accounting its ongoing success is linked to staying ahead of the curve in both technology and in the level of customer service provided.

“In terms of tax issues there are a lot of complexities out there, even for personal income tax. We strive to provide a good quality, reasonably priced service for both our business and personal clients,” explained company owner Jared Cross.

“An average person can come to us and still benefit, thanks to our experience and understanding of the tax system. We also have the experience to take care of some quite complex issues for our commercial and corporate clients so we get to work with customers of all sizes. We always pride ourselves on providing the best level of service we can.”

Beginning his accounting career more than 20 years ago in Port Alberni, Cross has merged his technical training with his personal people-focused business philosophy to establish one of Nanaimo’s most progressive and successful accountancy firms. Cross & Company provides a range of services including business and personal accounting, audit management, reorganizations, establishing and maintaining Trusts and even providing professional bookkeeping services.

For Cross recent changes in the make-up of his industry have helped to de-mystify and simplify the accounting profession in the minds of the public. “This is a time in the accounting world when CPAs (Certified Professional Accountants) are coming into their own right. There used to be CGAs (Certified General Accountants), CMAs (Certified Management Accountants) and CAs (Chartered Accountants) but we’ve all joined forces and we’re

all CPAs now,” he said.

“It has been confusing somet i mes for t he cl ients, not understanding what the various designations mean. There is now one clear message going to the public, we’re now one strong brand and one strong force moving forward. Like in the commercial, the P standing for professional, which is something that we pride ourselves on. It’s an exciting time for the profession of accountancy.”

L a u n c h i n g h i s i n d e p e n dently-owned accounting practice in 2005, Cross has seen his business grow steadily each year, especially since moving to its new offices at 3090 Barons Road about two years ago. “We’ve experienced a lot of expansion since we moved over to this building.

We’ve grown about 15 to 20 percent per year and we’re sustaining that growth even as we get bigger. Two years ago we had 12 staff members and now we’re up to about 18 staff. It’s grown almost threefold in the past five years which is very exciting.”

For the staff the willingness to take the time to explain the advantages of using an accountant for both personal and business customers is another element in its formula for success. “The numbers of clients who’ve see the solutions offered by our firm, once they’ve tried to do it on their own and realize they need an accountant, is growing all the time,” Cross said.

“T he whole tax issue is increasingly complex. We’ll hear them say “I thought I could do the accounting on my own but I can’t” – but once they make that statement, once that release is off their shoulders and they accept they need professional help, you can see that weight disappear.”

For Cross the oppor tu n ity accountancy provides to make a difference in people’s lives was one of the lures that led to him joining the profession. “To be honest growing up I wasn’t a Number Nerd or anything, but

Cross & Company moved to its offices at 3090 Barons Road about two years ago

The bright, modern and open office space is comfortable for both employees and clients alike

Jared Cross’ accounting career began more than two decades ago

hours, they do things together and it can be a lot of fun.”

Cross has also ensured to foster his community involvement through Directorships (VI Symphony), volunteerism (Aspengrove School), memberships (BBB, Chamber) and his involvement with Vancouver Island University (VIU), as he is also a designated training office and utilizes VIU and their students in his firm.

In the years ahead Cross expects to continue doing what has worked for nearly a decade. “For the future we want to continue to focus on our clients, a major expansion or a second office aren’t part of the business plan at this point. We want to continue to grow as we have and to take great care of our clients. We have four seniors in the office

who are looking to take their next step, possibly into partnership, so we’re looking to grow from within. Possibly from a single partner firm into a multi partner firm. Right now I feel I have the team to do that, great seniors and exciting juniors.”

To learn more visit the firm’s website at: www.crossandco.ca/

I enjoy being an accountant because of dealing with people. It’s all about the energy it’s all about working with the people. You have to have a personality that enjoys working on a one-to-one basis. My personality has a lot of energy and I’m not afraid to give solid advice, even if it isn’t what they want to hear. I’m not afraid to say what needs to be said. I believe the clients appreciate that honesty,” he said.

“To do this job you have to be sensitive and you have to know people to be sensitive. I find that I relate to a lot of clients when they come through the door. I’m very lucky to have a young staff, young, exciting and energetic and they all share my energy – as a bonus we all get along well. With a staff like ours it’s like we’re all a family. They hang out after

PARKSVILLE/QUALICUM

JANUARY 2016

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES NEED GOOD HOUSING OPTIONS

PARKSVILLE KIM BURDEN

O

ne of t he a re a s of focus for the Chamber over the last few years has been the lack of workforce housing in the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Region. To put things in perspective, the province wide rental accommodation accou nts for 43 per cent of a l l housi ng w ith 57 per cent of housing being owner occupied. In the Parksville-Qualicum Beach Region 19 per cent of housing is rental, in the City of Parksville the number is 22 per cent and in the Town of Qualicum Beach only 11 per cent of all housing is rental.

Add to that the 43 per cent

of individuals who earn less than $40,000.00 per year compared to the province as a whole where 36 per cent of individuals earn less than $40,000.00 per year and you can see why we believe workforce housing is an issue.

Of the la ndow ners a nd developers I have spoken to about this, many are willing to build rental units, b ut a re u nw i l l i n g to go through a rezoning process which is necessary, as there is very limited land zoned multi-family.

A l l th ree loca l governments in the region have attempted to tackle the rental issue by creating by-laws to encourage the construction of basement suites and carriage houses, but there has been very little uptake by home-owners on either of these initiatives. We would encourage homeowners to take advantage of the opportunity to create additional income and potentially security through the creation of legal suites and carriage houses to improve the rental pool.

Over the long term, local govern ment needs to do more than ease the creation

of legal suites through the passage of bylaws. There are always ways to improve the efficiency of the re-zoning process and the development permit process in order to encourage investment in all development including the development of rental accommodation.

The big question; why does a business organization care?

Healthy communities depend on a variety of housing options, single family, patio homes, suites apartments are all required to serve the needs of people living in a healthy community. We still hold that we need to “lower the average age and raise the average wage” in order to preserve the health and vitality of the region and if we want young people to come and work in our businesses and to serve the needs of our growing community, we have to provide all of the accommodation options and that means increasing the rental pool.

Kim Burden is the Executive Director of the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce.

He can reached at kim@ parksvillechamber.com

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QUALICUM BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS WALK REPORT RELEASED

QUALICUM BEACH EVELYN CLARK

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he Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce Business Walk Follow-up Committee has reviewed the finding of the October Business Walk and is releasing the report to the business community.

In October the Chamber hosted a Reg iona l Busi ness wa l k stretching from French Creek to Bowser involving nine economic development agencies and 21 volunteers who interviewed business owners and managers in a two hour period.

Busi ness Wa l ks a i m to ta ke the pulse of the business community by connecting face to face with businesses and involves a partnership between local, municipal, regional and provincial service providers.

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Business Walks are recognized as economic development best practices by the Province of BC. Gathering community and business information is a key ingredient in fostering econom ic g row th a nd ex pa nsion potential.

Once the walk was complete a survey repower was generated.

T he Q u a l icu m B e ach B u si ness Walk would not have been a success without the efforts and generosity of many service providers in the area.

Many thanks to: ■ Minister Michelle Stilwell and staff ■ Tow n of Q u a l icu m Beach Council and staff ■ Pa rksv i l le Q ua l icu m Beach Tourism Association ■ Qualicum Beach Downtown Business Association Board ■ Lighthouse Country Business Association ■ Community Futures Central Island ■ BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training ■ Island Coastal Economic Trust Evelyn Clark is President and CEO of the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce.

She can be reached at chamber@ qualicum.c.ca or 250-752-0960.

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PORT ALBERNI

8

JANUARY 2016

Changing Alberni’s image key: Coulson Alberni Valley News etween fires, waterbombers, political drama and an airport expansion, it’s been a busy year for Wayne Coulson.

Sitting in his office at Chances RimRock, Coulson admits that he didn’t think that the airport expansion would garner so much attention—or controversy, “We didn’t think there would be so much focus on us,” Coulson said.

“We’ve been there 20-plus years; 1994 is when we had the grand opening of the hangar.

So we’ve been out there doing our own thing for 20-some odd years.”

B

But when the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District went to Alberni Valley residents to decide whether or not they could borrow the $6 million, not all of them were happy that they were being asked to pay for an expansion that some saw as Coulson-inspired.

“There was some debate in the community,” said Coulson.

“We kind of got pulled along— and there was some animosity, which was interesting.”

It’s the animosity, rather than just the interest, that perplexed Coulson.

“Why would there be animosity?”

These days, that animosity is

more than just perplexing Coulson—it’s making it difficult to expand his company’s business operations in the Alberni Valley.

In order to expand at the airport, Coulson has been expanding his work force and trying to bring new employees all around the world.

“We very much have become an international company. We have companies operating in the United States now, we have companies operating in Australia, we’re working in Southeast Asia on some new projects... so we’re having to bring in some new people.”

But even though Coulson has hired a recruitment firm to help with that, convincing potential new hires to move to Port Alberni has not been easy.

“I have three examples in the past two weeks of people who have turned down moving to Port Alberni. These are very talented people that we need to grow our business internationally that we can’t acquire because of things l i ke Google, someth i ng that simple.”

Port Alberni’s Google ranking has taken a hit in recent years after MoneySense Magazine ranked it as ‘the worst place to live’ in Canada.

“Our new problem is that if you Google ‘Port Alberni,’ look what comes up—worst place to live in Canada,” said Coulson. “We’ve lost three people so far out of eastern Canada that we’ve been trying to bring in because of this environment that has been created by outsiders. We now have to find a way to turn that around.”

It’s an effort that’s become an urgent priority for Coulson and he’s working with the mayor and council to make the ‘worst place to live’ moniker a thing of the past.

“We need to come up with a strategy that changes this image and allows people to put a target

on our community from the outside and negatively impacts the whole region.”

To Coulson, the image of Port Alberni needs to be worked on the same way that he has looked after his company’s corporate image.

“If we allow that image to stay, then shame on us. It’s like a company—if you don’t change that image, you’re not going to have any work. In a community, if you’re going to allow that [negative image] to stand, then you’re never going to grow.”

And that image revitalization needs to happen before companies like the Coulson Group have to turn away more employees.

“We’re very proud to be here, we love the community, grew up here... but I have to move this business forward, I have no choice.”

Coulson would rather do it in his hometown but if business stalls, he says he will have to look elsewhere.

“If I had to move a bunch of our business because I couldn’t move here... we’ve got some work ahead of us on the image side.”

If that image doesn’t improve, then infrastructure investments like the runway extension at the airport won’t continue to spur economic activity like they did th is fa l l, when Cou lson a nnounced a contract for the Airbus C295s and a foray into the long-range medevac business in November.

“We’re announcing today that we’ve been the chosen installer and manufacturer of the new C295 tanking system,” Coulson had said at a Nov. 10 press conference.

The tanking system was designed in the Alberni Valley by Brit Coulson and his team and could be installed in planes all around the world.

But it could also mean a huge

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payout for the Alberni Valley when a search and rescue contract bid for the Canadian government is bid on.

“It’s a $3 billion contract that the Canadian government is going to do with an aviation company— and Airbus is one of the options.”

Airbus is one of three companies fighting for the contract, Coulson said.

If Airbus wins that contract, it will have to spend that $3 billion somewhere in Canada.

The SAR contract would be an offset contract—meaning that whatever company wins that contract must spend the equivalent amount of money in Canada.

“That means Airbus [could have] to spend $2.5-3 billion in Canada.”

While there’s no guarantee of where Airbus would spend that money if it were to win the contract, Coulson said that his company’s two-year relationship with Airbus, as well as the soon-to-be extended runway at the Alberni Valley Regional Airport (AVRA), makes it likely that the Alberni Valley would see at least some of the dividends.

“We have a great opportunity on the West Coast here because the aircraft are being operated so close, that we could be a central hub for Airbus.”

Increasing the opportunity for an Airbus base of operations in Port Alberni is the proximity of the 19 Wing Comox Air Force base in the Comox Valley. Currently, the C-115 Buffalo transport and rescue planes fly out of 19 Wing Comox, Coulson said that in the world of aviation contracts, there’s nothing bigger to aim for.

“I don’t know of a bigger deal out there, ever, where there’s a linkage between the largest manufacturer in the world of airplanes and [their potential base] being so close to home.”

The first C295 to be retrofitted will come to Port Alberni in the New Year.

“We’re going to have one in town at this time next year and we’re going to be tanking it. To me, that’s a pretty big deal.” But if the payout for Port Alberni from that deal is to be maximized, it will take more than just the Coulson Group behind it.

“We focus on it and we should really have the community focused on it, we should have the Island focused on it because everybody will win.”

And there’s no reason, said Coulson, why the chief winner couldn’t be Port Alberni.

“We as business just create the tools for companies like Airbus to work here. They come to Canada and they don’t really know anyone. They don’t have a manufacturing facility here—but they could in Port Alberni. There’s no reason why they couldn’t. They have to do it somewhere.”

INVENTING

JANUARY 2016

9

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PATENT AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY PROFESSIONAL

INVENTING ANNE FLANAGAN

A

s in any profession, there are good days and there are some not so good days. The not so good days are when I hear about an inventor that has been misled and has parted with substantial funds, only to find out that their invention, which they were assured was patentable and marketable, is neither. They are usually dealing with a slick company that offers patenting and marketing services.

A web search will provide a listing of legitimate services and some that are questionable. The legitimate sites may be dry and factual (and usually are). Take the

time to read at least some of what they offer. At the very least, gain an understanding of the patenting process.

Now to the good days. I usually deal with a number of clients a day on topics such as designing a research project for a medical device company, planning the roll out of new patent applications for a musical instrument company, drafting a new patent application for a device for detecting and treating cancer, prosecuting an application for a sensor system for a massive crusher in the mining industry, and drafting an industrial design application for registering a design for use in the beverage industry. The topics can change as quickly as it takes an email to come in.

In my previous profession as a professor of plant biotechnology, my research lab and I would play leap frog with other labs to be at the cutting edge. There were often years of hard work leading to an important discovery, a short period of glory and then back to more years of hard work.

Now, I get to be working with companies and inventors in their period of glory. Everything is cutting edge! I work with truly inspiring people, as they are hardworking, dedicated, and at the very least intelligent, if not brilliant.

As I work with a client, I get to know the various players in the company, I learn about the culture of the company and I often learn how it came to be. Some companies come from a vision to help others, some from identifying a need, others from more desperate circumstances such as a job loss, and some from a life changing event. Regardless of the cause, there will always be someone with the drive and determination to succeed. How could I not enjoy working around such great clients?

Anne Flanagan is the principal at Alliance Patents. She works with a cadre of highly skilled professionals and can help you build the team you need to succeed. She can be reached at anne.flanagan@ alliancepatents.com

Global Connections | Local Experience | Trusted Results Coffee Shop

Busy Restaurant

Hotel & Pub

Floral Shop

Busy coffee shop in Departure Bay Ferry Terminal.

Nanaimo l $78,000

Profitable seasonal Mexican Restaurant on the waterfront.

Established 2002.

Nanaimo l $395,000

7 room hotel and neighbourhood pub.

Successful flower shop, established clientele.

Land, building & business.

Nanaimo | $850,000

Flooring Retail / Distributor

Port Alberni l $439,000

Well Established Pub

Retail Sales

Superb neighbourhood pub in leased premises.

Unique household goods retailer.

Nanaimo l $398,000

Parksville | $850,000

Manufacturing Company

Cabinet Shop

Moving & Storage

Well-established, profitable business on 1.3 acres.

Thriving woodworking operation inclusive of land and buildings. Specializing in cabinetry and countertops.

Port McNeill | $395,000

31 unit storage facility and moving company on 1.96 acres.

Popular discount flooring retailer, founded 2003.

Nanaimo l $295,000

Duncan | $5,500,000 l L&B

Parksville l $2,495,000 l L&B

NANAIMO

10

JANUARY 2016

BUILDING A BETTER COMMUNITY IN 2016…

In addition to the partnership started

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our Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce plays the role of the voice of business in the Nanaimo region and acts as an advocate to all three levels of government. We lobby for opportunities for success in our changing and challenging economy. We seek your support to keep doing it.

Here’s what been going on…

In 2015, we grew the number of special events profiling Chamber members and highlighting business sectors. Our FEASTIVAL event last September is a good example of this – in this case food and beverage or, as we called it ‘culinary culture’. Our new partnership with the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association and our development of Nanaimo’s first ‘Dine About’ event in February and March 2016 is another example.

In addition to the partnership started with the BCRFA, we also created a unique marketing and strategic partnership with the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association. They are Canada’s largest trade and industry association. We will represent CME

regionally, organizing networking and professional development events for manufacturers and exporters.

As I write this, we are finalizing plans to partner with ‘Smart Living’ who create mobile apps for communities around the province and are finalizing one for Nanaimo. Our Smart Living Nanaimo app will be a free download, and will feature events, activities, restaurant specials, retail offers, a directory of Nanaimo Chamber members, the member-to-member discount program and other special offers.

Smart Living Nanaimo will include opportunities for advertising and sponsorship and draws attention to a focus of ours going into 2016, a return to one of any Chamber’s basic values – promoting local thinking, local foods, local buying. Watch for our campaign to roll out mid-year.

We’ll continue to offer our Spark Sessions in the New Year. These pro-d sessions connect Chamber members who are experts in their field with members looking to enhance their skill sets and source new contacts for business. It’s a great interchange of ideas and

connections. Lightning Talks isn’t going away either, we’re moving its focus to our amazing community of international MBA students where it receives rave reviews.

On the social scene, Business Before and After Business carries on with diverse hosts lining up for the year. Monthly Luncheons will continue to attract 125 plus business friends each time with an increasingly interesting roster of Keynote Speakers – TBA soon for the coming year.

The fact we do walk-the-walk in our ‘Better Community through Better Business’ brand statement will be clearly seen in the actions of our Education Committee; our support of indigenous initiatives like Aboriginal Business Match in February, Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, and relationship building with SFN; our participation in the Anti-Poverty Coalition; and our involvement in multiculturalism issues like immigrant investor programs and the soon-to-be-seen arrival of Syrian refugees. We see opportunities and, where significant challenges arise, we have the strength of our members to overcome them.

That strength is seen in our numbers. By being part of the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, your collaborative investment helps positively reinforce Nanaimo’s image as an evolving, progressive, productive and prosperous business community. Welcome to 2016 and beyond!

Kim Smythe is CEO of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce.

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

Housing Market Ends 2015 on a High Note

H

Specializing in; · Income splitting structures (Family Trusts) · Corporate reorganizations (section 86 & section 51)

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250 754 2111 kevin@beausoleilcga.com beausoleilcga.com

ousing sales in the VIREB area decreased in December, reflecting seasonal market conditions, but annual sales volume rose 13 per cent over 2014.

A total of 4,886 single-family homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service in 2015, an increase of 13 per cent over the 4,335 sales recorded the previous year. Both the benchmark and average prices increased last year, up 6.91 per cent and four per cent respectively. Inventory levels were at their lowest since 2005, down 17 per cent from the previous December. Limited inventory continues to place upward pressure on prices, which has created market conditions that favour sellers.

BCREA Chief Economist Cameron Muir predicts that housing sales in 2016 will remain robust throughout most of the province although we may not see the same level of acceleration that presented in 2015.

“The housing market is in a very healthy position heading into 2016, fueled by consumer

demand and low interest rates,” said Muir. “Lack of inventory throughout much of the province will see home buyers competing for properties, particularly in the single-family-detached market.”

Although the Canadian economy improved in 2015, uncertain economic conditions will likely keep interest rates low, with any increase coming late in the year, if at all, said Muir.

VIREB President Margo Hoffman confirms that the VIREB housing market is now in seller’s territory, primarily caused by inventory levels that steadily declined month over month in 2015.

“We’ve been expecting house prices to rise because there are now more buyers than sellers in most of our zones,” said Hoffman. “However, the VIREB market is still very price-sensitive, with overpriced homes taking much longer to sell.

Pricing your home properly for your neighbourhood is key, which is where the services of a realtor come in.”

In December 2015, 277 single-family homes sold in the

VIREB coverage area, up eight per cent from the 257 sales recorded the previous December and a 21 per cent drop from November 2015.

The benchmark price for a single-family home was $338,500, up 6.91 per cent from one year ago. Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area. The average MLS price of a single-family home in December was $362,128, up two per cent from December 2014.

The December 2015 benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area was $265,200, down slightly from last year. In the Comox Valley, the benchmark price was $332,900, up 4.24 per cent from 2014. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $302,300, an increase of 7.87 per cent over the same month in 2014. Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose 5.36 per cent to $356,300 while the Parksville-Qualicum area saw its benchmark price rise by 6.53 per cent to $380,900. The price for a benchmark home in Port Alberni was $197,700, an increase of 12.47 per cent since December 2014.

PORT ALBERNI

JANUARY 2016

11

UPLAND PORTION OF CLUTESI HAVEN MARINA AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT Recognizing that opportunity, the City of Port Alberni and the Port Alberni Port Authority have partnered to offer

PORT ALBERNI

a $500,000 matching development incentive on 1.3 acres upland of the

PAT DEAKIN

A

pproximately 1 million people per year drive by Clutesi Haven Marina in Port Alberni…twice. These folks are primarily going to (and coming from) Tofino, Ucluelet, the Pacific Rim Park and Sproat Lake. Recognizing that opportunity, the City of Port Alberni and the Port Alberni Port Authority have partnered to offer a $500,000 matching development incentive on 1.3 acres upland of the marina slips.

The objectives in doing this are to: Maximize the public benefit from this waterfront land. b) Obtain the highest possible economic benefit for the community in terms of job creation and capital investment. c) Realize a development that will have more people stop in

THE CITY OF

marina slips

Port Alberni

the community. d) Have a development that will complement the continued op erat ion of Clutesi H aven Marina. e) Directly and indirectly lead to growth of the local economy f) Provide an opportunity for private sector growth The criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals include the: ■ Extent to which the development prop osa l i s env i sione d to cre ate a ‘ m a rq u e e at t ra c t io n’/ destination point in its ow n right to capita l ize on significant local and tourism traffic ■ Comprehensiveness of the development proposal ■ Level of capital investment ■ Evidence of completion of similar projects such as is being proposed ■ Other economic benefits to the community ■ Und ers t a nd i n g of a nd commitment to developer’s responsibilities for o n-s i te s e r v i c e s a n d construction ■ T i me l i ne for development and operation ■ Experience and qualifications of key members of the Proponent’s team

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■

■

■

■

Ev idence of fi na ncia l capacity of the Proponent to fund the development D e m o n s t r a t e d f i n a ncial commitment to the development Ack nowledgement of i mporta nce of ongoi ng functioning of marina R eleva nt re s id ent a nd visitor key indicators for the site include: One-third of local population is aged between 2054 years old 22 per cent of population over 15 yea rs old ea rns more than $50,000 per year Average fa m i ly i ncome $83,898 66 per cent of v isitors su rveyed ind icate they are seeking food-related activities as important to their trip Room revenue in Ucluelet has quadrupled while it has doubled in Tofino in the years 2000-2010, thus show i ng streng th and growth in the tourism sector Average Tof i no v isitor party spending per day $637.56; $125.42 of that amount spent on meals 71 per cent of visitors to Tofino travel in pairs

■

89 per cent of all visitors are Canadians with 61 per cent of total visitors from British Columbia ■ 55 per cent of visitors to Tofino are aged between 20-49 years ■ Feedback from all visitors to the market catchment area is that they are looking for increased options for dinning, accommodations and attractions A Request for Proposals (RFP 031-15) is on the City’s website at w w w.portalberni.ca. T he R FP closes Friday Febr ua r y 26th, 2016. Interested parties may also call or text Pat Deakin at 250.720.9117.

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

$

500,000

MATCHING DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE • 1.3 acres upland of busy marina • 1.6 to 2 million people pass by site each year • RFP at www.portalberni.ca, RFP deadline February 26, 2016

View of site from front (north)

View of site from rear (west)

View of site side (east)

Call or text Patrick at 250.720.9117 for more information

REPORT SCAMS & STOP FRAUD

...with Scam Tracker BBB’s across North America have a launched a new online web tool known as Scam Tracker, allowing consumers a simplified process to report scams and frauds, while warning others of malicious activities impacting their region.

The free interactive online tool – found at: bbb.org/scamtracker, offers a heat map showing where scams are being reported. Users can search applying a variety of filters to see what scams are happening in their Rosalind Scott, BBBVI President & CEO area, track a particular type of scam, or even see how much money has been lost. Users can also report scams that they hear about, whether or not they have personally fallen victim.

Scam Tracker is now available in all 112 BBB’s operating in Canada and the United States. The online tool began beta testing in 2014 among nine different BBBs. A grant from Target Corporation enabled the international Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) to expand the service to all BBBs in Canada and the U.S. BBB Mexico is expected to join in the future.

a special thanks to our

Community Partners

to

BBB helps consumers connect with businesses they trust, and warns them about dishonest practices. BBB has always been able to track specific information about businesses as part of the complaint process, and that procedure continues to evolve and grow, with nearly five million BBB Business Reviews. But scammers are different — they hone their techniques as they leave a trail of victims. As a crowd sourced tool with a human touch, BBB Scam Tracker exposes a scammers fraudulent activity in real time.

At BBB we process nearly a million complaints a year against legitimate businesses, but perpetrators of scams are not interested in resolving matters...even if they could be located. The data collection process for BBB Scam Tracker was designed to generate information that can be useful to law enforcement. For example, scam reports are being sent to the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA) in the United States for analysis and collaboration with law enforcement, to help stop the most flagrant scammers through prosecution and other legal means.

BBBs also routinely share information on scams with federal and provincial agencies, and local law enforcement, and will make the data available to agencies in other countries to help shut down scammers based overseas. Scam Tracker reports will also prompt BBB tips and alerts, or serve as the basis for investigations, news releases, warnings, and trends analysis.

If you haven’t had the chance yet to check it out, go to bbb.org/scamtracker. As we have only recently just launched this online tool in our region, we are still working on building up our scam archives and database. We encourage you to report any scams you have recently been targeted by and to provide as many details as possible so we can help others protect themselve from becoming victims of fraud!

For more information about the programs or services offered by BBB serving Vancouver Island please visit: bbb.org/vancouver-island.

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

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

Nominate them for a BBB Torch Award.

Visit bbb.org/ vancouver-island for details. *Note: We also accept business-to-business nominations.

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

Become an Accredited Business

BigSteelBox Brad Webster Auto Repair Capital City Tank Service Dave's Doors & More Inc. Dr. Anastasia Loumbardias Inc. Dr. M.R. Ferg Emerson Exteriors Fix Auto Parksville Frank Laird Automotive Gordon's Gutters & Home Maintenance Great Canadian Oil Change Ian Tait Mechanical Services Integrity Builders Ltd. James Movers Inc. Jiffy Lube - Duncan

Jiffy Lube - Port Alberni L & E Excavating Mid-Island Sundecks Mike Geric Construction Ltd. Nanaimo Acupuncture Pain Clinic North of Hadrian's Kilts Pierwest Home Advisors Poplar Dental Centre SG Power South Island Property Management South Island Refrigeration The Renaissance Retirement Residence Victorian Painters Ltd. Villamar Construction Ltd. Wall Brothers Construction

COWICHAN VALLEY

JANUARY 2016

13

2016 BLACK TIE AWARDS NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN The Awards will be held April 9, 2016 at Brentwood College School

COWICHAN VALLEY SONJA NAGEL

I

t’s the 20th anniversary of t he Ch a mb er’s Bl ack T ie Awa rds – celebrati ng excellence in business and volunteerism in the Cowichan Valley.

The Awards will be held April 9, 2016 at Brentwood College School. We are excited to announce that the 2016 Awards will be co-hosted by Daphne Goode of Shaw Go! Island and Cow icha n’s i nternationa l ly renowned tenor, Ken Lavigne.

Ever yone is encou raged to nominate – we welcome nomi nations from the publ ic for individuals and organizations t h r o u g h o u t t h e C ow i c h a n Valley Regional District. We usually receive 140 nominations across eight categories:

Customer Service, Volunteer of the Year, Young Entrepreneur, Green Business, A rt in Business, and three Business Achievement categories that a re orga n i z e d b y t he nu mber of staff. Nominations are open until January 31, 2016 and nominators should visit www. blacktieawards.com to nominate online or to download a nomination form.

We are proud that the Awards have the continued support of these returning sponsors: Island Savings, Cardino Shoes, Coa sta l Com m u n it y Cre d it Un ion , E conom ic D evelopment Cow icha n, M N P, Outlooks Menswear and Peninsula Co-op.

■■■ We are pleased to announce the Chamber’s partnership with MNP and Community Futures Cowichan to conduct a survey of Cowichan Region business leaders. Cowichan’s Business Leaders Survey is modeled after similar surveys conducted

by MNP in BC and Canada; it is a shor t “pu lse” su r vey to capture an economic snapshot of the local business climate and economic outlook for the Cowichan Region. The survey asks businesses for their take on hiring intentions, growth expectations, key challenges and

From left to right: Kam Sandhu; Nanaimo Colin McPhee; Nanaimo Jen Braem; Courtenay Alli Cheng; Nanaimo Adrien Stewart; Nanaimo Nathan Doering; Duncan

opinions on key local issues.

T his ty pe of localized data is not currently available and will help the partners shape programs and services to meet local business needs. Results of the MNP Business Leaders Survey will be released at an econom ic outlook brea k fast event hosted by the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce on March 3, 2016.

■■■ This month, we start marketing the Chamber’s first China tour, departing from Vancouver, October 4, 2016. We’ve partnered with Citslinc, the largest China tour providers in North America and Duncan Hill Travel to offer this all-inclusive, eleven-day tour of China.

We join other Chambers across BC and Canada who have participated in this popular tour program. T he trip is open to Chamber members (all-inclusive price of $2299 per person) and the general public at $2399 per person. The tour is available to anyone on Vancouver Island and BC. Contact the Chamber for more information.

■■■ The Duncan Cowichan Chamber welcomes new members: Nest Collective, Folki Herbs Inc, Safe at Home Support Services, Dan Powsey and Kurt Pyrch

Hospitality Management Consultant. Consider joining Cowichan’s most active business networking organization.

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

Success Adds Up Success is the result of perseverance, hard work and the ability to capitalize on opportunities. MNP proudly congratulates Kam Sandhu, Colin McPhee, Jen Braem, Alli Cheng, Adrien Stewart and Nathan Doering on successfully completing the 2015 Common Final Exam (CFE). As a leading national accounting and business consulting firm, here are six more ways we can help your business succeed.

Contact James Byrne, MBA, CPA, CA, Vancouver Island Regional Managing Partner at 250.734.4320 or james.byrne@mnp.ca

14

JANUARY 2016

ARCHITECTURE Architecture: The Meeting Of Art With Engineering British Columbia is home to more than 1,900 architects, working out of firms located literally all across the province

BY DAVID HOLMES

B

RITISH COLUMBIA – Architecture is a profession that combines the best parts of art with science and engineering to produce a structure that ideally will serve its users for years or even centuries in some cases. The towering cathedrals of Europe or the temples of Japan stand as eternal testaments to the skills and vision of those who designed and constructed them.

British Columbia is home to some of the nations’ most innovative and visionary architectural firms, from single person entities serving an individual community, to metropolitan practices with dozens of architects working on projects located across the globe.

“It’s not art like a sculpture it’s something people will be able to use for years or even generations.

This is one of the only art forms that are pre-commissioned, most of the others, like a painting, have to be made first and then you have to find someone who will like it. In this case you have already been given a commission to start a project like this and then you create it,” explained Tina Mathur, an architect working out of the Iredale Group Architects in Victoria.

Architects in BC work under the auspices of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC), an independent body that was created in 1920 to regulate and administer the profession in much the same way the College of Physicians and Surgeons oversees the medical profession. The AIBC is charged with ensuring excellence in the profession by establishing educational and examination standards, through the granting of accreditation and certification to practitioners and by offering internship programs among other responsibilities.

A province as rich in geography, as expansive in space and as diverse in the tastes and desires of its citizens as British Columbia is equally served by the variety and scope of its architectural practices. To offer some insights into the range of firms operating across the province here are a few brief profiles of some of BC’s leading architectural firms.

Located in Prince George, the firm

D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism were the designers of The Atrium a $50 million office and commercial complex

“It’s not art like a sculpture it’s something people will be able to use for years or even generations.”

TINA MATHUR ARCHITECT, IREDALE GROUP ARCHITECTS

of Chernoff Thompson Architects North is believed to be the largest full service firm in Northern BC. Founded in 1998, the practice has a staff of about eight and includes four AIBC certified architects and/ or architectural technologists on its team. The practice has worked on a full range of commercial and multiple residential projects, as well as developments as diverse as hotels, houses of worship, recreational facilities and retail outlets. Among its highest profile projects were the $7 million Mount Milligan Mine administrative building and the $30 million Northern Sports Centre in Prince George. To learn more visit the firm’s website at: bct@telus.net.

In Nanaimo on Vancouver Island Raymond de Beeld Architect Inc. is one of the Harbour City’s premier architectural firms. Founded by Raymond John De Beeld in 1996, the firm has a staff of four, including one AIBC architect and one intern architect. This award

Built for the Good Samaritan Society, Kelowna’s Mountainview Village retirement community was designed by Philip MacDonald Architect Inc. winning practice specializes in both commercial and residential designs as well as retail outlets, renovation work and recreational developments. Among its top major projects was the design for the $8 million Uchucklesaht Cultural Centre in Port Alberni and the $7.5 million Squamish Community Gaming centre. To learn more visit the firm’s website at: www.rdbarchitect.ca.

In the fast growing city of Kelowna the firm of Philip MacDonald Architect Inc. has been serving the Okanagan and beyond since 1994. This practice has worked on both public and private projects, primarily to clients in the BC Interior. Specialties of the firm include public housing developments, hospitality facilities and planning services for public agencies. A winner of multiple awards, including the prestigious Gold Tommie in 2011, a sampling of the practice’s projects includes a $25

million Seniors Retirement Housing project in Kamloops and a $9 million Residential Care Facility in Kelowna. The company’s website can be accessed at: www.pma-architect.ca Located in downtown Victoria de Hoog & Kierulf Architects is a full service practice experienced with both public and private sector projects. The practice was launched in 2001. With a staff of 17 and with two AIBC registered architects in-house the firm specializes in a wide range of areas from heritage restoration projects to institutional work, to hotels and health care facilities. Just a few of its better known projects include the The Pier, a $25 million hotel complex in Sidney and the design for the $12 million Mondrian Residences in Victoria. To learn more visit the firm’s website at: www.dhk.ca As is the case with all the architects working in these firms, their

ARCHITECTURE

JANUARY 2016

Nanaimo’s Raymond de Beeld Architect Inc. has been involved in designing commercial buildings like this TD Bank branch since 1996 accreditation, registration and licensing is administered through the Architectural Institute of BC (AIBC), an entity created by law nearly a century ago.

“The mandate of the AIBC is to regulate the profession of architecture in the public’s interest. We were established by Statutory Act. We are not a lobby group or a member interest group where we’re there to advance member’s business interests. We establish the criteria, the credentials and the competency levels for those wanting to enter the profession,” explained Joan Hendriks, the Institute’s Registrar and Director of Registration and Licensing.

“Before you can become a registered architect there is an internship program, which involves several years of practical experience and

examinations to ensure that you are competent to practice architecture.

This is to make sure the public’s interest is not harmed by incompetent practitioners,” she explained.

The AIBC reports that there are more than 1,900 registered architects in the province, working in firms of varying sizes and serving multiple market niches. BC architectural firms are based in communities around the province, including these examples.

In Prince Rupert the firm of Alora Griffin Architect specializes in sustainable and green designs, residential projects (both single and multi family), retail and commercial structures, just to name a few. Founded in 2001 this practice is a sole proprietorship that is committed to the development of affordable sustainable architecture

The Ridge, Nanaimo

Designed by D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism the Garbally Centre is a 62,000 square foot office building while endeavoring to incorporate energy-efficient and environmentally friendly materials into every design conceived. A few of the practice’s better known projects include the $2.5 million Kondolas Furniture Store project in Terrace and a $1.2 million addition to the Prince Rupert RCMP detachment. To learn more contact the firm at: architect@ citywest.ca Back in the provincial capital the firm of D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism was incorporated in 2010 but began work more than a decade earlier. The firm focuses its efforts on the Greater Victoria, southern Vancouver Island area. The company has a staff of 11 including four AIBC registered architects and intern architects. The practice specializes in office design, recreational projects, transportation

facilities and retail centres among many others. The recipient of a long list of awards and honors some of its lengthy catalog of completed projects include the $50 million The Atrium, an office and commercial complex as well as the $12 million Garbally Road office building. To learn more visit the company website at: www.fdarc.ca The Kamloops based firm of Owen & Hunter Architects has operated since 2005 and has provided a wide range of design services to the Okanagan region ever since. This full service company has worked on residential, commercial, institutional and retail projects among others. The firm has a staff of 10, including two AIBC registered architects. Among its best known projects were the $15 million Landmark Centre (Phase 2) residential /

Snuneymuxw Community Building, Nanaimo

15 commercial project in Kamloops and the $6 million McGill Centre project. To learn more the owner can be contacted by e-mail at: trevor@owenandhunter.com Returning to Vancouver Island, the Comox-based firm of Chislett Architecture and Planning Inc. is a one person office that has operated since 1991. Providing a full range of services, the practice has worked on projects ranging from single family residences, to office, places of worship and commercial centres. A representative sampling of its work includes the $30 million Riverside Square project in Comox and the $4.5 million Eagles Ridge condominium project in Campbell River.

To learn more visit the company’s website at: www.chislettark.com Architecture is one of the most diverse and multi faceted of professions, combining imagination with art, science, business and marketing - just to name a few. For Hendricks and the AIBC it’s the professions unique mixture of creative challenges that help to make it such a rewarding career choice. “It is a very interesting, challenging time to be an architect. There are opportunities out there if you’re interested in grabbing the bull by the horns.

It really isn’t for the faint of heart but it can be very interesting as the pace of change is only speeding up.”

These brief profiles represent only a handful of the architectural practices operating in the province. To learn more if considering a career in architecture, or to locate a firm in your area, visit the AIBC website at: www.aibc.ca/

The Mondrian, Johnson at Cook

From Concept to Completion...

Quality of design and service excellence on every project.

Residential, Commercial and Institutional.

de Hoog & Kierulf architects Victoria

977 Fort Street V8V3K3 +1 (250) 658-3367

Nanaimo

102-5190 Dublin Way V9T2K8 +1 (250) 585-5810 www.dhk.ca mail@dhk.ca

947 Fort Fort Street, Street, Victoria Victoria 947

16

JANUARY 2016

TECHNOLOGY PLUS CONVENIENCE EQUALS SUCCESS “I was very intrigued Complete Vending Services celebrates 20 years of growth while continuing to expand

with automation… You put coins in them, a motor turns on and out would come food.”

LINDA WEGNER

N

ANAIMO - It’s a tossup as to whether food or automation was more important to Bruce Pletsch in making his decision to launch Complete Vending Services.

W hatever the answer to that question, his interest in the evolving opportunities offered by technology was a major factor in the March 1996 opening of what has become a Vancouver Island-based business success story.

“I was very intrig ued w ith automation; it [a vending machine] was a mini store with convenience for people who were working. You put coins in them, a motor turns on and out would come food,” Bruce told Business Examiner Vancouver Island.

While it’s not uncommon for people to be i ntrig ued w ith possibilities, or even to explore them, not everyone pursues their interests to the point of making them a profitable career. That’s exactly what Bruce did.

“We started as a small family oriented business and it evolved into one of the smaller vending companies. We then purchased more machines, placed them in [other] small businesses such as industrial sites, public places and hospitality locations. Now they are the backbone of our

BRUCE PLETSCH COMPLETE VENDING SERVICES, OWNER

Bruce Pletsch introducing coffee service partner business,” he explained.

The company has continued to grow and now has more than t h ree hu nd red m ach i nes i n operation on Vancouver Island, employing four full time and five part time workers. Quick to acknowledge his appreciation for each of his employees, Br uce cited t hei r loya lty as “impressive”.

“Most of them have worked in the industry for nineteen of the twenty years we’ve been operating. My two sons started working with me as youngsters and they’ve worked with the company with flexibility in their various roles. I honour them [all my employees] for their loyalty.”

A venture, spurred he said by hospitality and bar contacts, saw the company expand into Vancouver and Calgary in the early 2000s. A combination of the 2008-2009 market crash and changing legislation re liquor and tobacco laws resulted in their selling those contracts and restricting their business dealings to Vancouver Island.

Nick Pletsch on a vending promotion

T he cha l lenge of cha ng i ng legislation hasn’t been restricted to the Lower Mainland or to Alberta, though.

“British Columbia was the first province to administer a new program [detailing] set guidelines for providing food and beverages in school and public office buildings. We were able to thrive from that by providing healthy food choices and embracing the changes,” he added.

There are other, less obvious, obstacles to overcome in the business. One major challenge is the conti nuous cha nge of currency and coins by the Royal Canadian Mint.

“Within the coin-acceptors there are fourteen measurements for coins or bills and the slightest change means [either currency] will be rejected. There is not help from the government and there are large capital expenses when you’re running many convenience stores. Since we’ve been in business there have been five upgrades affecting either coi ns or bi l ls - each cha nge costs approximately $15,000 to $20,000.”

T hen t here is t he need for on-going menu choices and the delicate balance of product offerings and with that, the matter of balancing demand and revenue. Like it or not, revenue is the dictator.

Bruce explained that dealing with contracts, whether in the public or corporate setting, may involve space leases. If, for example, if a particular customer base doesn’t embrace healthier food choices, then revenue will drop.

“That’s a problem and that’s where we and other decision makers face challenges.”

Installing a vending machine on industrial site

Re-cloth job on a commercial pool table On the other hand, Bruce is excited at the prospect of further advances in technology, including the introduction of a Smart Phone system.

“Essentially it offers the ability to use debit and/or credit cards through Smart Phones. Diversity in payment. Investment in technology. The thing that first attracted me is also our future.”

The intrigue and the trials of offering a convenient way to access everyday products has turned into a most successful career for Bruce, a source of local employment for others and a valued service for his customers. By tapping into the practicality of vending machines while continuing to keep on top of changing technology he has the

satisfaction of earning monetary rewards in a job he finds fulfilling.

“It gives me great pleasure to serve customers. I really enjoy the food industry because it gives another channel for people other than restaurants; it’s important because is offers convenience remotely while providing a wide variety of products. I’m even more involved with technologies because of the new ways available for making payments.

Technology plus convenience is the key component of the vending industry.”

What’s next, you ask? “Watch for the launch of Westcoast Coffee, it’s coming soon!”

Complete Vending Services http://yourvendinggroup.ca/

Providing Choice, Convenience & Fun for over 20 years www.yourvendinggroup.ca

250.754.9683

17

JANUARY 2016

Family business ‘Next Steps’ takes a proactive approach Family business and succession advisor speaks on the importance of planning

V

ICTORIA – Renowned family business and succession advisor David C. Bentall, Founder of Next Step Advisors, recently spoke at an event put on by the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE) Vancouver Island, to talk about some of the long-term planning challenges facing today’s family companies.

“I’ve seen the best and worst of situations,” says Bentall. “The family enterprise dynamic is so unique and complex, it’s unlike any other form of business. I grew up in that environment and am very aware of the peaks and valleys that each employee and family member experiences.

“I feel that the successes I’ve been able to contribute to as an advisor have been a direct result of the challenges I’ve gone through in my own business journey. My personal experience was very painful as the company ended up going through a major breakup, and it’s motivated me to help others avoid some of the mistakes that were made.”

Bentall was born into a third generation construction and development company, well known for the Downtown Vancouver Bentall Centre, Rogers Arena (formerly GM Place), and the Telus Corporate offices, among many others.

He is also an instructor for Institute of Family Enterprise Advisors, Business Families Foundation, the founding Chair of UBC’s Centre for Family Business Studies, and was involved with the domestic bid for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

One of the most important issues Bentall identified was that many companies aren’t proactively preparing the next generation to lead. There are a wide-range of causes, from the current generation allowing an environment to develop that’s not conducive to accountability for their children or relatives, a lack of maturity or capacity from the younger generation, or even a lack of motivation from existing leadership to prepare to step aside.

“The wisest families have a few things in common that help them get through this issue, “ he says. “First, they require that the family member work outside of the family business, anywhere from 2-5 years. Some even require them to obtain a specific number of promotions within other organizations. This tactic creates a

David C. Bentall, Founder of Next Step Advisors, engaging a crowd on family business and succession planning

them away from day-to-day operations, and move the next generation in.”

Bentall also spoke on issue prevention, and the importance of taking a forward thinking approach to the future of the family business.

“Studies have shown that there are a few strategies that prevent internal conflicts and ensure that everyone is on the same page,” he says. “Regular family meetings are vital, there needs to be a place where each person can feel comfortable to express their frustrations and feedback

without fear of retribution.

“In addition, there needs to be a formalized strategic planning process that ensures that everyone is on the same page, and knows where the company is headed. One of the most destructive habits in family businesses is the failure to communicate and seek out objective feedback. If you can make sure that it’s not an issue, and give your family and non-family employees opportunities to have their say, you’re going to save a lot of heartache and stress.” www.nxtstp.net

PHOTO CREDIT: TRINITY WESTERN UNIVERSITY

filter ensuring that they take the position seriously and have the ability to contribute in a meaningful way.

“Second, when the family member does start working, it’s important that they report to non-family managers and be regularly evaluated. By not doing so you can actually rob someone of valuable feedback that leads to growth and improved performance. That concept can also be extended throughout the company with ‘360 performance reviews’, which creates a safe place for all staff to give honest, objective feedback.”

Another challenge can be the older generation’s unwillingness, or perceived inability to move out the way and allow the next one to take over.

“When someone starts a company it’s their baby,” says Bentall. “It’s really important to have empathy for that, and understand the hard work and dedication that it took to get the business to where it is now. This is something that requires the older generation to be very proactive, and one of the first things they can do is develop strong leadership teams that have input on the direction and strategy of the company.

“Adding an external board of directors comprised of a majority of independent directors is another effective tactic. Outside objective input is critical in an organization’s development. Following that the current owners need to determine how much capital they want to draw from the business so that they’re not dependent on a salary within the company. Once those things have been determined, you can start developing a plan to transition

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COMOX VALLEY

18

JANUARY 2016

STAR WARS THEMED EVENT HONOURS GALACTIC STARS IN COMMUNITY The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce invites all businesses to join them for the Chamber Trade show on Tuesday,

COMOX VALLEY

February 23

DIANNE HAWKINS

T

he Chamber is offering three stellar networking events for January and February.

Join the Chamber for Eyes on the Future Forecasting Luncheon at Crown Isle from noon to 1:30 PM on Tuesday, January 21, 2016. Keynote speaker Susan Mowbray, M N P’s sen ior economist, will speak to how the State of the Island Economic Report’s findings will affect the Comox Valley and region.

Since its release by the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) in October 2015, the State of the Island Economic Report has quickly become a go-to source of information and insights for anyone seeking to understand the trends, challenges and opportunities impacting our unique Island economy. As the lead consultant for the project Mowbray will present the highlights of the State of the Isla nd Economic Report through a Comox Va lley lens to help us better understand what is happening in our regional economy, as well as the forces and trends that are influencing our local community.

On January 30 the Chamber’s A n nua l Com mu n ity Awa rds w i l l honou r the Comox Va lley’s most galactic stars. With 79 bu si nesses a nd i nd iv iduals nominated only 14 will be

awarded at the Gala. With Star Wars as this year’s theme and inspiration: May the force be with you!

T he Com mu n ity Awa rds is n o t p o s s i bl e w it h o u t c o mmunity support. T he Chamber of Commerce thanks our award sponsors and our media sponsors.

Local businesses to be showcased at Febr u a r y Cha mber Trade Show. The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce invites all businesses to join them for the Chamber T rade show on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 in Downtown Courtenay at the Native Sons Hall. Businesses can showcase their organization and network with the Comox Valley community and other businesses including over 30 other vendors.

The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce wishes you a prosperous 2016.

Dianne Hawkins is president and CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at dhawkins@ comoxvalleychamber.com or 250-334-3234.

EVENT CONNECTS BUYERS WITH FOOD PRODUCERS Meet Your Maker attracts buyers, sellers and food producers

C

OMOX VALLEY - Food entrepreneurs on Vancouver Island get an opportunity to meet their match at the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market Association’s (CVFMA), Meet Your Maker event.

Held on January 25 in Courtenay, the all-day event brings farmers, chefs, producers, distributors, grocers and restaurateurs together in an educational and networking format. Designed with the growth of local food

“Attendees will be able to target multiple businesses to help reach marketing and purchasing goals.”

VICKEY BROWN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMOX VALLEY FARMERS’ MARKET ASSOCIATION

businesses in mind, it will host a roundtable discussion, a question and answer panel, sample and display tables, a business mixer for connecting buyers and producers, a local-food lunch, door prizes and special wine and spirit tasting to finish the event.

“Attendees will be able to target multiple businesses to help reach marketing and purchasing goals,” said Vicky Brown, executive director, CVFMA. Building collaborative

Meet Your Maker; January 25th Comox BC (See story for details)

Brought to you by: Comox Valley Farmers Market Register online at Eventbrite.ca • 250.218.0321

relationships between stakeholders in the local food economy is the main goal of Meet Your Maker, said Brown, adding that connecting the farmer with a regular buyer increases profitability for both and availability for the consumer of locally produced food.

“The event is an opportunity for buyers to let food producers know what products they want for the coming season and what’s in demand,” said Brown. “If a buyer needs kale, for example, the farmer can plant accordingly, having it available when it’s needed.”

Meet Your Maker is attracting a diverse group of attendees and participants including commercial scale buyers, large distributors and even some less well-known producers.

“We have several wineries and distilleries in this region. They may not produce enough for the government liquor stores, but they do for the private outlets.

We’re having a tasting at the end of the event to showcase these producers.”

Meet Your Maker is proudly brought to you by the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market Association with the support of the BC Government’s Buy Local program and delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC with funding from the BC Ministry of Agriculture.

“Support from the Buy Local program is allowing food producers to reach a different and broader market for increased opportunities and sales,” said Brown.

Registration for the CVFMA Meet Your Maker Event is at cvfm.ca Dates: 1992: Comox Valley Farmers’ Market Association was created 1997: Midweek market established at corner of Duncan and Fourth 1998: First Christmas market held at Native Son’s Hall 2008: Season extended for year-round market on Saturday morning 2015: CVFM attracts almost 100 vendors each week

COMOX VALLEY

JANUARY 2016

19

BC ASSESSMENT SENDS OUT VANCOUVER ISLAND PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS FOR 2016 BC Assessment has launched a newlyenhanced website at bcassessment.ca that includes more details

BUILDING LINKS

about 2016 assessments, property information and trends such as lists of

CLARICE COTY

D

u ri ng the fi rst pa rt of J a n u a r y, m o r e t h a n 360,000 prop er t i e s throughout the Vancouver Island Region can expect to receive their 2016 property assessment notices which reflect market value as of July 1, 2015. “The majority of residential home assessments within the region are shifting between -5 per cent to +10 per cent compared to last year’s assessments,” says Regional Assessor Reuben Danakody. “Notably, a robust real estate market over the past year resulted in assessment increases for many properties in the Vancouver Island Region.”

Overall, the Vancouver Island Region’s total assessments increased from $163.96 billion in 2015 to $170.15 billion this year. A total of almost $2.24 billion of the

2016’s top most valuable residential properties across the province

region’s updated assessments is from new construction, subdivisions and rezoning of properties.

The Vancouver Island Region includes all communities located within Greater Victoria, South

Island, Central Island, North Island, West Coast, Northern and Southern Gulf Islands and Powell River.

BC Assessment has launched a newly-enhanced website at bcassessment.ca that includes more details about 2016 assessments, property information and trends such as lists of 2016’s top most valuable residential properties across the province.

G o to b c a ssessment.c a a nd click on the e-valueBC link. For more information on the 2016 Assessment Roll and regional and province-wide real estate market trends including lists of the province’s top valued residential properties, please visit www.bcassessment.ca and click on the “Property Information & Trends” link.

Property owners can access useful information on the website including answers to many assessment related questions.

Those who feel that their property assessment does not reflect market value as of July 1, 2015 or see incorrect information on their notice, should contact BC Assessment as indicated on their notice as soon as possible in January. If a property owner is still concerned about their assessment after speaking to one of their appraisers, they may submit a Notice of Complaint (Appeal) by February 1, for an independent

review by a Property Assessment Review Panel.

Facts on BC Property Assessments and the 2016 Assessment Roll ■ Total number of properties on the 2016 roll is 1,996,112, an approximate 1.06 per cent increase from 2015.

■ Total value of real estate on the 2016 roll is $1,336,100,851,128 ($1.34 trillion), an increase of 11.1 per cent from 2015.

■ Total amount of ‘non-market change’, including new construction a nd development: approximately $20.36 billion, an increase of 8.9 per cent from the 2015 roll of $18.69 billion.

■ In BC, approx. 87.7 per cent of all properties are classified with some residential (Class 1) component. This equates to over $1.018 trillion ($1,018,221,517,973) of the value on the total provincial roll.

Article Excerpted from BC Assessment Media Release, Jan. 4, 2016 Contact: Bill Dawson, Deputy Assessor, BC Assessment Email: bill.dawson@bcassessment.ca Clarice Coty can be reached at clarice@buildinglinks.ca, and through www.buildinglinks.ca

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22

JANUARY 2016

Local Jeweler getting Golden Globe Wish Cowichan Valley Citizen hemainus jewelry designer Sheri Dusseault had the chance of a lifetime as her Dandelion Wish necklace was included in the gift packages given to 100 celebrities in GBK’s 2016 Golden Globes Celebrity Gift Lounge.

Her Jasmine Thyme Designs, in association with The Artisan Group, was chosen to share the magic in the run-up to the famous awards night.

The Gift Lounge took place Jan. 8-9 at an exclusive location in Hollywood.

Dusseault is a life-long artist and

C

designer, best known for incorporating the flowers and other botanicals that she grows, dries and dyes herself into handcrafted resin and pressed flower jewelry and gifts.

Dusseault is thrilled.

“It’s all very exciting. I got invited to be part of The Artisan Group.

They do a gifting to the Golden Globe nominees and before you know it, I’m doing it.”

Dusseault first became aware of this chance some six to eight months ago.

“It’s been a process. First of all, I got invited to be part of The Artisan Group but you then have to go through a jurying process. Then I got accepted. The timing was absolutely crazy because I had to get those 100 necklaces done and to the organizer by Dec. 10. Meanwhile, my Etsy shop was just going crazy [with pre-Christmas orders].”

Her friends and family are shaking their heads in amazement over what’s been happening, she said.

“Everyone’s been going: ‘What?’ and I’ve been saying: ‘It’s probably no big deal.’ But, what you really hope for, as an artist, is one of the celebs tweeting about it.”

This particular necklace is not unique; you can buy one yourself, at a cost of $31.

“It’s my best seller actually; people can order it through my Etsy shop. I don’t have an actual shop on the Island that sells it right now but they can order it online,” she said.

Dusseault describes her inspiration for the necklace this way: “Remember as a child, blowing on a dandelion puff and wishing your very hardest? Maybe some grouchy grown up told you, you

Sheri Dusseault is a Chemainus jewelry designer who is living the dream: her Dandelion Wish necklace was gifted to Golden Globe.

CREDIT: SUBMITTED

were just spreading weeds but you knew your wishes were being carried by the wind to that magical place where dreams come true. This necklace captures that childhood innocence.”

She chose to gift the Dandelion Wish Necklace at the Golden Globes because, as she says, “Even the rich and famous have wishes.”

The necklace was presented in wrapped tissue paper enclosed in a pretty organza bag decorated with a flower. Included was a card that says, “May the wind carry your wish and may your wish come true.” Jasmine Thyme Designs jewelry is available online at www.

JasmineThyme.etsy.com Dusseault has been working with resin in her jewelry creations for about two years. She had a brick and mortar store for more than 20 years, where she designed all the clothing and most of the jewelry.

Provincial Act Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A

new provincial government act came into effect January 1 that sets controls in place regarding greenhouse gas emissions. The new Greenhouse Gas Industrial Reporting and Control Act (GGIRCA) has been developed to ensure LNG facilities in the province will have an emissions cap making them the cleanest in the world.

“Enacting the Greenhouse Gas Industrial Reporting and Control Act brings about clarity and consolidates many important pieces of our GHG legislation. The act upholds commitments we made to industry and enables First Nations and others to develop offsets under the new system, while supporting our new #BCTECH Strategy,” explained Provincial Environment Minister Mary Polak.

The new act combines several pieces of existing greenhouse gas legislation into a single legislative framework. The act includes the ability to set a greenhouse gas emissions intensity benchmark for regulated industries, including LNG facilities.

This benchmark can be met using flexible options that act as incentives to invest in emission reduction projects for natural gas and other sectors around the province.

Options can include purchasing offsets or paying a set price per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions that would be dedicated to a technology fund.

Three regulations necessary to implement the act also are now in effect: ■ greenhouse gas emission reporting regulation; ■ greenhouse gas emission administrative penalties and appeals regulation; and ■ greenhouse gas emission control regulation.

“The greenhouse gas emissions cap we have placed on our LNG facilities will make B.C.’s LNG the cleanest in the world. This is yet another example of our international leadership on climate action,” Polak said.

These three regulations were developed with the inclusion of input from industry stakeholders and the general public.

23

JANUARY 2016

EVERYDAY FINANCE – WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE CPP?

A

s Chartered Professional Accountants and Chartered Business Valuators, we’re often engaged to help evaluate and negotiate a reasonable purchase price for an investment given the expected future cash flow and associated risks. To do this, we estimate future cash flows and then apply a discount rate that approximates a reasonable return with consideration to alternative places they can invest their money and the associated risks.

Let’s use a simple example: assume we have $100 to invest and your friend asks for it as a loan so he can buy a car. He promises to pay back the entire debt in one year. Rather than jumping to ‘no’, let’s formulate a reasonable discount rate using a build-up method.

Generally, we start with a riskfree rate. In our case we’ll use the current rate for a 20-year Canadian Bond. We also have to consider alternative uses of the money, such as investing in equity markets. In today’s market a 5 per cent premium might be considered reasonable. We also apply a risk premium to account for your friend’s current financial situation. In this example, the built up discount rate is 15.34 per cent as described in the table below.

While this calculation can become significantly more complex, the importance is on what return

Build up of Discount Rate

20-Year Canada Bond Rate

2.34%

Equity Market Premium

5.00%

Risk Premium

8.00%

Discount Rate

15.34%

Net Present Value of CPP Annuity

Starting Age of CPP Withdrawal

60 years old

Life Expectancy

Mike Berris, CPA, CA and Partner Smythe LLP you will accept given the risks and rewards you require. Ultimately the marketplace will decide the appropriate discount rate.

For the one-year loan, what payback amount should we ask from our friend? If we think the 15.34 per cent discount rate is appropriate then we should ask for $115.34 ($100 * 1.1534).

Let’s do the same exercise on a common problem older people wrestle with – what is the best age to start receiving CPP? We will assume we qualify for the top rate and we don’t need the money to live. To begin, you need facts on how CPP works.

65 years old

70 years old

65 years old

38,894

0

0

70 years old

73,545

59,653

0

71 years old

80,008

70,779

17,733

72 years old

86,323

81,651

35,061

73 years old

92,494

92,275

51,994

74 years old

98,524

102,656

68,540

75 years old

104,417

112,799

84,708

76 years old

110,174

122,712

100,506

77 years old

115,801

132,397

115,944

78 years old

121,298

141,862

131,030

79 years old

126,671

151,111

145,771

80 years old

131,920

160,148

160,175

85 years old

156,424

202,332

227,410

90 years old

178,254

239,914

287,311

In 2015 the top benefit at 65 years old is $12,780 per year, which is reduced by 0.58 per cent per month down to age 60. If we wait to take benefits at a later age, the

rate increases by 0.70 per cent per month up to age 70. If we take CPP at 60 years old, the annual benefit is reduced to $8,333 but we get to collect five years earlier. If we wait

until 70 years old, annual benefits increase to $18,148 but we have to wait five years to get it.

We still have to apply a discount rate because we’re waiting for our money. I think it is reasonable to use the 20-year Canadian Bond rate, or 2.337 per cent. Using the same methodology above, we get the following results: So the results are clear – sort of. If you live past 80 years old, you should wait until 70 to start collecting CPP. If you die before 80 but after 73 you should start benefits when you’re 65 years old; otherwise, start at 60.

Of course, things are never that simple: ■ You really don’t know how long you’re going to live; ■ You have to consider the Old Age Security claw back if your income is too high; and ■ Maybe $8,333 per year can be invested and better used at age 60 than $18,148 at age 70.

In conclusion, financial analysis is an important tool, but it does not replace experience and good judgement.

Smythe LLP is a team of dedicated professionals who provide reliable accounting, tax and advisory services to businesses and individuals. They can be reached at 604 687 1231.

Last Minute RRSP Tune-up – There’s Still Time To SAVE

K

now what February 29, 2016 is? Yep – it’s Leap Day and the deadline for making your 2015 RRSP contribution. Don’t panic, you still have time to take advantage of my RRSP tune-up tips that will save money on your taxes this year.

On your 2015 tax return, you may make a maximum R RSP contribution equal to 18 percent of your 2014 earned income or $2 4,930, wh ichever i s less, minus any pension adjustments for 2015, plus any and all unused contribution room carried forward from previous years.

Now, let’s get to those tax-deferring, income-building tips: ■ Ma ke you r ma x i mu m allowable contribution each taxation year – it’s the best strategy for immediate tax savings and maximum long-term potential RRSP growth.

■ Fill up unused contribution room – you’ll enjoy even more ta x sav i ngs t h i s yea r a nd i ncrea se potential R RSP grow th over time.

■ Consider an R RSP loan – this can be a smart strategy for maxing out you r 2015 contribution

■

■

a nd fi l l i ng up past u nused contribution room.

T he money you borrow generates an immediate t a x b re a k a n d a d d s to your tax-deferred RRSP growth potential. BUT – you must get a loan at a low interest rate and pay it back as quickly as possible even by using your extra tax savings to help pay it off. You can get a special RRSP loan with a payback schedule tailored to your needs at most financial institutions.

Do the spl its – i f you r spouse’s income will be lower than yours over the next few years or in retirement, a spousal RRSP can generate a retirement income that is subject to less tax. You can contribute to bot h you r R R SP and your spouse’s. Your total contribution can’t exceed you r persona l yearly contribution room but your spouse’s limit is unaffected by your contribution and he/she can still make a contribution up to his/her yearly limit.

Start now to save for 2016 – now is the perfect time to start making regular

R RSP contributions for 2016. You won’t have to sweat coming up with a large last-minute lump su m contribution nex t February and you’ll get the value of dollar-cost averaging, in investment s t ra te g y t h a t l e t s yo u take advantage of market fluctuations.

T here a re ot her R R SPbuilding, ta x-savings strategies you should look at. Your professional advisor can help with that – and with all your wealth-building strategies.

This column, written and published by Investors Group Financial Services Inc. (in Quebec – a Financial Services Firm), presents general information only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell any investments. Contact a financial advisor for specific adv ice about your circumstances. For more information on this topic please contact your Investors Group Consultant.

Stephen J. St r ut hers DBA , DFP, CFP is a Financial Consultant with Struthers Wealth Management Team of Investors Goup Financial Services Inc. in Nanaimo.

He can be reached at 250.729.0904 Ext. 6352

Stephen J. Struthers DBA, DFP, CFP is a Financial Consultant with Struthers Wealth Management Team

24 COMMUNITY IN

JANUARY 2016

CAMPBELL RIVER Campbell River creates new economic development structure Major capital projects benefit local business and generate new growth

Campbell River is the third largest city on Vancouver Island CREDIT:TANYA WOOD

The powerhouse cavern at the John Hart project is about as long as an NFL football field and 40 m deep CREDIT:STEPHEN WATSON

Berwick by the Sea celebrates a year of creating a wonderful environment where residents enjoy exceptional service from friendly staff. Affordable rental packages include delicious meals, weekly housekeeping and an abundance of recreation options.

BETH HENDRY-YIM

A

new structure for economic development in Campbell River has the city actively recruiting an economic development officer and building on ongoing economic advancements and growth.

The third largest city on Vancouver Island, Campbell River serves an urban population of 32,000 and acts as a hub community

for almost 60,000.

Midway along the island’s eastern shore, the city’s abundant natural beauty, renowned salmon fishing, sea to ski eco adventures, rich vein of natural resources and ongoing capital projects attract visitors and new residents alike.

Hailed as one of North A merica’s top qualityof-l i fe desti nations by f Di magazine, a United SEE COMMUNITY IN FOCUS | PAGE 26

Colleen Evans said the Chamber’s Major Projects portal connects local businesses to opportunities

www.crairport.ca

Why Business is great at the Campbell River Airport Campbell River is one of the rare communities that can provide all big-city services and amenities without the high cost of living. With more helicopter and floatplane operators in Campbell River than anywhere else on the coast, the Campbell River Airport is the northern hub for aviation companies. These operators support the region’s abundant resource-based and tourism industries. The Campbell River Airport has much to offer with substantial growth potential.

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26

CAMPBELL RIVER

JANUARY 2016

The new water intake being built at the existing John Hart dam CREDIT:STEPHEN WATSON

COMMUNITY IN FOCUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

K i ngdom-based i nvestment magazine, Campbell River is a bustling and growing community and according to Mayor Andy

Adams the forward economic momentum will continue.

“When we take stock of what’s happening in economic development, it’s clear that there’s a lot going on in Campbell River, and the list of work moving us forward

is impressive,” said Adams.

He added that after a review of the city’s economic development function, Council and the economic development board determined that bringing the economic development role into

City operations could offer a more efficient and coordinated effort for community development.

Recently highlighted in the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance’s State of the Island report, the city’s economic potential is due

in part to a slate of large projects and new businesses.

“We’re building on the boom brought by the new hospital, BC Hydro construction, the Seymour SEE COMMUNITY IN FOCUS | PAGE 27

CAMPBELL RIVER

JANUARY 2016

COMMUNITY IN FOCUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Past –chair, Chamber of Commerce, Gary Thulin, on the left, Colleen Evans and Stephen Watson four years ago at the launch of the Major Projects portal CREDIT:STEPHEN WATSON

COMMUNITY IN FOCUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Pacific office building, Berwick by the Sea and the Comfort Inn,” he said, adding that the new Healthyway near the Community Center and Discovery Laser on Pier St. are welcome additions downtown with a new Hospice House and Ford dealership, expansion to the New Horizons Care Home and new locations for Dairy Queen and Discovery Chiropractic coming in the future.

“Council is also eager for updates about plans for Tyee Plaza and from other developers interested in purchasing and building in Campbell River, bringing revitalization that benefits the entire community.”

To b et ter ser ve t he cit y’s growth, Adams said that the economic development function will move into city operations where the council and senior staff will continue to consider the structure, strategy and resources needed as the city grows.

Expansion is impacting the city on many levels, from job creation to better healthcare services. The new hospital located on traditional Laichwiltach Territory, has employed 299 persons, with 67% local hires that include plumbing/ mechanical, electrical, roofing, ironworkers and wall and ceiling apprenticeships and is slated to bring 1,900 direct and 1,400 indirect jobs during construction.

“It’s clear that there’s a lot going on in Campbell River, and the list of work moving us forward is impressive.”

ANDY ADAMS MAYOR OF CAMPBELL RIVER

The $274.5 million, 348,000 sq. ft. project includes 95-acute care beds, in patient and intensive care units, pediatrics, labour, delivery and recovery, chemo, medical daycare, emergency, University of British Columbia academic training centre and enhanced, lab, pharmacy, offices, meeting rooms and more.

Planned completion will be in spring of 2017 but the project has already received accolades by being named Silver Award Winner, Best Social Infrastructure Project North America at the North American PC (public-private partnerships) awards held on October 8, 2015 in New York city.

“The award reaffirms that the North Island Hospitals Project continues to set new directions and standards in providing stateof-the-art health care to Island residents,” said Island Health Board chair Don Hubbard.

B C Hyd ro’s Joh n H a r t SEE COMMUNITY IN FOCUS | PAGE 28

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27

CAMPBELL RIVER

28

JANUARY 2016

Major projects are attracting businesses and workers CREDIT:CITY OF CAMPBELL RIVER

COMMUNITY IN FOCUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Generating Station Replacement is also helping support and grow the community. The five-year project with an estimated cost of $1.093 billion will bring 2,000 person years of employment during its construction and use local businesses and workers like Island-Redi Mix for products and services.

The dam generates 237 megawatts or just over 10 per cent of Vancouver Island’s peak winter electricity demand and when the upgrades are complete in 2018, will have boasting rights for a unique and innovative seismic upgrade that increases the intake tower’s seismic withstand

five-fold, said BC Hydro spokesperson Stephen Watson.

Capitalizing on these large projects and to showcase local suppliers, the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce launched the Major Projects Portal, a website that according to Colleen Evans, Chamber president and CEO, connects members and businesses to contract opportunities associated with the John Hart and North Island Hospital Projects.

“The portal was conceived and created by the Chamber to meet the needs of our members and business community,” she said.

“It has exceeded expectations, showcasing and elevating local businesses to such a degree that BC Hydro is now using it

Mayor Andy Adams shares ribbon cutting for the new Healthyway Natural Foods store CREDIT:CITY OF CAMPBELL RIVER

as a model for some of its other projects.”

Evans calls the site Campbell River’s biggest and best secret, adding that though it was initially built to cater to the large capital projects in the city, other contractors are now using it to find and partner with other local and regional businesses.

Watson added that the Chamber’s portal site has turned into a long-term initiative allowing people to register for various business events, one of which had 600 people in attendance, for posting monthly John Hart construction reports, or for looking at

the individual job hiring process or subcontractor/suppler/services process.

“We have more large-capital projects proposed in Campbell River over the next 20 plus years, so there’s a good chance this portal site will evolve and be used for some time. It’s a bit of a legacy.”

Getting the right message to the right people is a focus of the city.

In December it received a MarCom award for its eye-catching water restrictions information boards installed in the summer of 2015. The award puts the city in the approximately 23 per cent of 6,500 entries to be recognized

for outstanding achievement by marketing and communication professionals. This is the city’s third MarCom, which draws entries from around the world.

Real estate reflects ongoing changes in Campbell River and has seen a 15 per cent increase in house prices over the same time last year, with the median price range increasing from $292,926 to $335,718. Sales have increased by 3 per cent, with the median price sitting at $315,000. Townhouses and apartments have seen slightly lower increases in price over the same time last year, but a decrease in price one month ago.

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OFF THE COVER

JANUARY 2016

29

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Comox Valley ■ Cumberland Brewery ■ Hollie Wood Oysters ■ Two Eagles B&B ■ Level 10 Eurospa ■ Nelson Roofing Cowichan Valley ■ Arbutus Ridge ■ Canadian Bavarian Millwork & Lumber ■ Genoa Bay Café ■ Coast Environmental ■ Craig Street - Just Jakes ■ DFH Realty ■ Emandare Vineyard ■ Live Edge Design ■ Mitchell’s Soup Co. ■ Nicon Developments Langford ■ Sharon Rai Hair & Makeup Artistry Nanaimo ■ de Hoog and Kierulf Architects ■ Elite Image - Catrina Elliott ■ Exchangenergy ■ Frontrunners ■ Gas ‘n Go ■ Inuktun Services ■ KC’s Boutique ■ Mid Island Coop ■ Nanaimo Port Authority ■ Olive This and More ■ Pheasant Hill Homes ■ R.W. (Bob) Wall Ltd. ■ Sharecost Rentals & Sales ■ Harbour Air Parksville ■ Terminal Auto Body (Parksville) Ltd. ■ Tigh Na Mara Port Alberni ■ Clydesdale Automotive ■ Coleman Meadows Water Buffalo ■ Dave Koszegi Team ■ DBA Silencing ■ The Catnap Inn ■ The Funk Trunk Port Hardy ■ Sporty Bar & Grill Port McNeill ■ Aussie Diesel Services Ltd. Qualicum Beach ■ Modern Marketing Advantage ■ Pedego Bikes

■ ■

Millstone Medical Centre

Ramada Hotel

Vancouver Island Conference Centre

Pacifica Waterfront Condos & Townhomes

Quatsino Kagoagh Lodge

Saanich ■ Wilson’s Transportation Ltd Saanichton ■ Specific Mechanical Systems Ltd. Sidney ■ BMT Group Services Ltd. ■ Revolution 3D Printers Sooke ■ Sooke Centre Auto Repair ■ West Coast Family Medical

Proudly serving Vancouver Island for 25 years

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Tofino ■ Taco Fino Ucluelet ■ Howlers Fa m i ly R estau ra nt & Amusements Victoria ■ Bath Fitter ■ Care & Company Ltd. ■ Chateau Victoria ■ City Wide Dryer Vent Cleaning ■ Cosmedica Laser Centre ■ Enchanted Fables Princess Parties ■ English Inn ■ First Light Technologies ■ Graphic FX Signworks ■ Hemp & Company ■ Hot House Marketing-Dan Dagg ■ Inn at Laurel Point ■ Kgeez Cycle ■ Orca Spirit Adventures ■ Oughtred Coffee & Tea ■ Pacific Rim College ■ Parkside Hotel & Spa ■ Peninsula Co-op ■ Picture This 3D Inc. ■ Pro Stick Repair Victoria ■ Starfish Medical ■ The Truffles Group ■ Thetis Massage Therapy ■ Total Prepare Inc. ■ Victoria Eye Surgery M acDon a ld ex pects a sel l-out for the always popular event, and tickets must be booked by Fr id ay, Ja nu a r y 15. Tickets are $125, and are available through www. businessexaminer.ca/ events/2016-vancouver-island-business-excellence-awards.

For more information on the event, contact MacDonald at 1-866-758-2684 ext. 120.

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FEATURE PROPERTY

Units For Sale or For Lease 1825 Bowen Road Quality Strata Office/Retail Building

i High traffic, central location i 1,049 sq ft to 8,000 sq ft

INDUSTRIAL Greenrock Industrial Park

FOR LEASE 4 - 2525 McCullough Rd

4700 Hammond Bay Rd

2517-D Bowen Rd

75% SOLD! Opportunity to position your business in this new industrial development in central Nanaimo. 1 acre lots available.

For Sale | Prices Starting at $499,000

Well-finished 2,521 sq ft strata unit with 3 offices, reception, washroom and mezzanine.

Zoned I-3 High Tech Industrial.

For Sale | $429,000

5,585 sq ft lease space available next to Piper’s Pub in North Nanaimo. This modern lease space won’t last long!

Rare opportunity to position your

For Lease | $19.50 per sq ft

For Lease | $11.75 per sq ft

business in the Co-op Centre.

Approx. 18,500 sq ft commercial space.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Retail, Commercial & Warehouse

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5352D Island Hwy North

8755 Granville St, Port Hardy

Commercial / Residential COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL MIX 20,000 sq ft building on 0.65 acre in Coombs. Ideal for owner-occupier &/or lease a portion of the premises.

For Sale | $1,495,000

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY Well-maintained strip mall with residential units on upper floor, fully leased, in prime corner location.

For Sale | $2,600,000

Multi-tenanted property including residence. Property consists of three different zones.

Three level 18,000 sq ft commercial building. Situated in downtown Port Hardy on 1.55 acres.

For Sale | $1,395,000

Court Ordered Sale | $429,000

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 1900 Griffiths Road

9.6 acre development site with possible subdivision potential. Prime central location. Zoned I-1 Light Industrial.

For Sale l $2,945,000

4901 & 4951 Jordan Ave, Nanaimo

Build-to-suit opportunity located in Nanaimo’s most successful business park. Approximately 1.63 acres.

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Excellent 2.55 acre investment opportunity for multi-family including a well-established Pub. For Sale | $1,698,000

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Information contained herein has been obtained from the owners or sources deemed reliable by NAI Commercial Central Vancouver Island Ltd. While we have no reason to doubt its accuracy, we regret we cannot guarantee such information. All measurements and other information herein should be independently verified by the reader or prospective user and is subject to the user’s own inspection of the premises and due diligence work and to the user’s satisfaction with the results of such review.

OFF THE COVER

JANUARY 2016

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

“This move allows us

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

to cast a wide net and market our client’s properties to a broad international network is one of the biggest benefits for our clients who are looking to sell properties or are seeking tenants,” explained Bob Moss, President and Managing Broker of the newly renamed firm.

“This move allows us to cast a wide net and promote our client’s properties to a larger group of prospects than ever before. Of course, the most important piece of that wide net is Western Canada, where we find the majority of investors and tenants,” he said.

DTZ Nanaimo (formerly known as DTZ Barnicke) was founded

by Moss in 1993. Over the past 23 years, the office has grown to include a staff of 13 real estate professionals, offering integrated commercial brokerage, property management and consulting services. NAI Commercial currently operates 10 offices throughout Canada, and has a total staff of 260 people, with over 60 employees based in British Columbia.

“We have always been proud of our independence, and believe that it is part of what has defined us in the marketplace. We are very fortunate to have developed such a talented team of experienced real estate professionals, and are excited at the opportunity to leverage our expanded network with NAI Commercial. This is an opportunity for us to build

promote our client’s properties to a larger group of prospects than ever before.”

BOB MOSS PRESIDENT NAI COMMERCIAL

upon those new relationships and continue moving forward in a positive direction.”

While commercial real estate sales may be the company’s most visible function, the bulk of its business actually derives from its thriving property management division.

“Property management encompasses a number of different responsibilities,” said Company Comptroller and Partner, Dan Kucherka. “We take care of the investor’s needs by assisting with the acquisition of the property, as well as managing their investment for the long term,” he said.

“Often we are in a situation where we will sell the client a property and then we manage the investment for them once they have completed the purchase. Managing a property can include everything from cleaning, daily maintenance tasks, rent collection and payment of all expenses. Many of the investors we manage for live out of town, so it is important for them to have someone trusted onsite who can look after all the operational details.”

The talented group, based at 201 – 155 Skinner Street in downtown Nanaimo has remained unchanged. The skilled sales and leasing team includes brokers Gerry Van Vaals, Randall Taylor, Moe Lessan and Sue McKitrick (Comox Valley), supported by Judy Villeneuve. The property management division is comprised of Diane Larson, Lisa Martin and Michelle Marshall with property service support provided by Avelino Cardoso, Phil Cotter and Cal Neufeld. The administration team includes Lorraine Bruce, Laura Foran and Corinne Laycock.

“We’re the same team doing the same thing for our clients,” said Kucherka. “We provide a full range of commercial real estate services throughout Central Vancouver Island, which was part of the reason we included that area description in our new name - NAI Commercial Central Vancouver Island! Although our physical location is based in Nanaimo, we recognize that there is growing commercial real estate activity throughout the Island that we hope to tap into.”

According to Moss, clients can expect it to be “business as usual” under the new banner.

“Our team will continue to do the same work for our clients, adhering to the same level of service excellence that we have always strived to provide. Our clients will be interacting with the same REALTORS® and Property Managers they always have,

31 and can continue to expect the same level of professionalism they are used to.”

Rob DesBrisay, Managing Partner for NAI Commercial British Columbia, said that the move would only enhance the network’s presence in the province.

“NAI Commercial has been looking for opportunities to expand its footprint in B.C. Bob and his team are a great fit for our collaborative culture, and bring an impressive track record in commercial real estate, coupled with a comprehensive knowledge and passion for the Vancouver Island community,” he said.

“Having them join NAI Commercial adds an exciting dimension of experience and market connectivity to our business.”

For more information on NAI Commercial Central Vancouver Island, please visit its website: www.naivanisle.ca

32

JANUARY 2016

MENTORSHIP GIVES DIRECTION FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH ‘We’ve made it through Asking clients the right questions gives window company a competitive edge

P

ARKSVILLE - Eric Johnson, co-owner of Complete Windows in Parksville, calls his stepdad and partner, Wayne Bowles, an encyclopedia of windows. Bowles and wife Holly have been in the business for almost 25 years and Johnson said that the wealth of window information Bowles has is extensive.

“In 1992, when they started the business, windows were becoming more energy efficient,” said Johnson. “And competition in window manufacturing increased.”

Johnson said that Bowles set his business apart by growing its expertise in understanding building codes and in using the “House as a System” technology.

“Wayne stressed that windows were one of the most important parts of a house in regards to energy efficiency.”

Johnson, though he grew up around the window and building industry, started his career in a radically different direction.

“When I was 17 I went to Calgary to play sports and continue my education in counseling.”

After working in counseling adolescents he changed direction to become customer service manager at DSL for Western Canada and Western United States.

When the Bowles decided to start succession planning, they asked Johnson if he would be interested in eventually taking over the business. At first, he said that he hesitated, but after careful thought and a visit back home to Parksville, he decided to say yes to the opportunity.

“It was a real learning curve for me,” said Johnson who’s been part of the company now for over four years, adding that being surrounded by good people and, a strong team and being open and

downturns because of our perseverance and willingness to ask questions.”

ERIC JOHNSON OWNER, COMPLETE WINDOWS

willing to tak advice from staff and Bowles made the transition easier.

It helps that Johnson has also been mentored by retired senior vice-president of Petro Canada’s Suncor, Fred Sharf.

“I’ve known Fred for years from living in Calgary. He moved to the island and one of the first jobs I got was doing the windows for his home,” he said. “Afterwards we went for coffee and I asked him if he would mentor me in the areas of business I needed help in. He agreed and now we meet once a week.”

O ne of t he bits of w i sdom gleaned over coffee was to continue to set the company apart with its expertise and quality of materials and installation, and in providing what its clients wanted. Part of that, Johnson said, meant working outside the box, taking the tough design-heavy projects and having highly qualified trades people. It also meant having a long-range business plan that included growth.

The mentorships and hard work are paying off. In several issues of Homes & Living magazine, houses decked out with Complete products have been featured and

Eric Johnson said his stepdad is an encyclopedia of windows

Holly Bowles added her talent in interior design to the Complete family

Wayne and Holly Bowles started the company in their home in 1992

CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

Complete installs a variety of window types from aluminum to all wood CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

Wayne and Holly’s home was showcased complete with stunning pictures of large floor to ceiling windows and dramatic peaked sunroofs.

“Complete wanted growth, but it also wanted to focus on being the best in each category, from your standard vinyl, all aluminum contemporary, aluminum wood-clad to specialty design.”

To accommodate that growth, Complete moved itsshowroom to a larger facility, going from 900 sq ft to 6,000 sq ft with a 3,500 sq ft showroom.

“The showroom allows our clients to touch and feel the windows helps them choose the right style, colour and material. The larger space also accommodates our growing fleet and storage

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needs.”

Joh n s on s a id t h at t ho u g h growth has been steady, it has seen its ups and downs.

“We’ve made it through downturns because of our persevera nce a nd w i l l i ng ness to ask questions,” he said. “Some of our competition didn’t. We went to our builder clients, designers and architects and asked what

Nigel Burridge CA

Wishing You and Your Team Continued Success!

250-594-2228

33

JANUARY 2016

Bowles said that windows are the most important aspect of a homes energy efficiency CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

Complete Windows specializes in design-heavy projects CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

Quality for Complete Windows means new construction installs CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

they wanted more of in windows and how Complete could help.”

More education in design, materials and installation was the answer it got back, so it created ‘Lunch and Learns’. These are meetings, hosted by Complete, that provide a variety of presentations by window manufacturers on industry specific topics.

“We send out invitations or give the companies a phone call and invite them to learn about what’s new in the industry. In

one seminar, held in Victoria, 51 architects attended, earning continuing education credits, as well as learning about fiberglass and aluminum windows!”

Education was also a key for Complete’s home owner clients so it created demonstration walls in the company showroom.

Johnson explained that, in the store, clients can learn what options are available, the styles that complement the home best and which window functions and technologies provide the

most convenience, efficiency and savings.

Putting the focus on education has been one of the most important aspects to growing the business, said Johnnson. He added that not only has it provided clients with current up-to-date information on window technology, it has also highlighted Complete’s ongoing reputation and expertise in using the right products for the West Coast climate.

“Our installers are all Red Seal certified journeyman carpenters because we believe in a new construction install.”

When working on a renovation or installing new windows in an older home Complete will cut right down to the studs, remove all the old aluminum, put in the new window, use peel and stick and the proper flashing, add low expansion foam on the inside of the window and, if needed, in the liners and casings.

“We make the window paintgrade-ready and in doing that we’ve also protected it against what the West Coast gets a lot of and that’s water.”

He added t h at Complete’s method of installing windows

Complete Windows has Red Seal journeyman carpenters installing its windows CREDIT:KIMBERLEY COONEY

for the climate prevents the creation of dams where moisture can build up or be trapped.

“A house is constantly lived in,” Johnson said. “The right window and installation helps create an envelope around the home, keeping moisture out and providing the right insulation against wind and sun.”

Today, Complete Windows continues to grow with a strong staff of customer service reps, tradespeople, management, and mentors willing to share their knowledge and experience.

Complete Windows is at 452 Island Highway East in Parksville www.completewindows.ca

Congratulations to Eric and the team at Complete Windows!

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Congratulations to Eric and the team at Complete Windows!

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WHO IS SUING WHOM

34 WHO IS SUING WHOM

Houston, Bella Eva CLAIM $ 25,249

The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date.

DEFENDANT 397781 BC Ltd 3rd Flr 1665 Ellis St, Kelowna, BC PLAINTIFF Bank of Montreal CLAIM $ 526,047

DEFENDANT 0707874 BC Ltd 710 Memorial Lane, Qualicum Beach, BC PLAINTIFF Lambert, Valerie Charlene CLAIM $ 7,275

DEFENDANT Alpine Building Maintenance Inc 500-5811 Cooney Rd, Richmond, BC PLAINTIFF Big Island Building Services Ltd CLAIM $ 161,473

DEFENDANT 0959361 BC Ltd 301-910 Fitzgerald Ave, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Treviso Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 1,939,397

DEFENDANT Cascade Fire Protection (2012) Ltd 3908 West Coast Rd, Sooke, BC PLAINTIFF Smith, Andrew Michael CLAIM $ 25,216

DEFENDANT 0960933 BC Ltd 301-910 Fitzgerald Ave, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Treviso Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 1,939,397

DEFENDANT Compass Management 1331 Pemberton Ave, North Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Van Rooy, Charles CLAIM $ 25,176

DEFENDANT 2 Burley Men Moving Ltd 567 Leaside Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF

DEFENDANT Davey Tree Expert Co of Canada 20th Flr 250 Howe St, Vancouver, BC

PLAINTIFF Plant, Stephanie CLAIM $ 24,466

JANUARY 2016

CLAIM $ 6,444

DEFENDANT Easy Living Holdings Ltd 201 Selby St, Nanaimo, BC Rhino Labour Temp Services Ltd CLAIM $ 17,298

DEFENDANT Nootka Tug Ltd 111 Wallace St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Parsey, Shelley Norman CLAIM $ 20,727

DEFENDANT Evans Bay Contracting Ltd 4 Lambert Rd, Surge Narrows, BC PLAINTIFF CR 92 Holdings Ltd CLAIM $ 69,276

DEFENDANT Oasis Landscaping 221 Twillingate Rd, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Chau, Justin Kyle Cheung CLAIM $ 25,173

DEFENDANT FTS Forest Transport Services Ltd 16 201-156 Morison Ave, Parksville, BC PLAINTIFF Smith Transportation Ltd CLAIM $ 11,620

DEFENDANT Romanoff Home & Garden 240 King George Terrace, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Burman, Peter CLAIM $ 58,643

DEFENDANT Islay Investments Ltd 100-4636 Elk Lake Dr, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Cadboro Bay Developments Ltd CLAIM $ 5,768

DEFENDANT Saratoga Oceanfront Ltd 3000-700 9th Ave SW, Calgary, AB PLAINTIFF 0907144 BC Ltd CLAIM $ 151,813

DEFENDANT Mountain West Properties Inc 645 Tyee Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Fabulous Home Staging Inc

DEFENDANT Saratoga Oceanfront Ltd 3000-700 9th Ave SW, Calgary, AB PLAINTIFF Liberty Investments Limited

CLAIM $ 762,384 DEFENDANT Sitka Surfboard Corporation 202-1007 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Company Capital Inc CLAIM $ 26,239 DEFENDANT Specialized Plumbing & Gas Works Ltd 785 Windsong Pl, Mill Bay, BC PLAINTIFF Stephens, David CLAIM $ 8,304 DEFENDANT Vanisle Windows Ltd 300-848 Courtney St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Soler, Rocio CLAIM $ 25,156 DEFENDANT Westview Marina 111 Wallace St, Nanaimo, BC

Custom and commercial tile work

PLAINTIFF Parsey, Shelley Norman CLAIM $ 20,727

Concrete polishing and preparation

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JANUARY 2016

MOVERS AND SHAKERS at Brian McLean Chevrolet-Buick-GMC. Senior Financial Consultant Don Behan is pleased to announce that Sallie Crawford has joined his team of professionals as Executive Administrative Assistant at Investors Group Financial Services Inc. at 22-1599 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay.

been named a new director for Island Health, formerly Vancouver Island Health Authority.

The Advocacy Services Centre is moving to 101-300 St. Ann’s Road.

With the elimination of arms-length economic development organization Rivercorp last year, the city of Campbell River is looking to hire a new economic development officer in 2016, as economic development will be brought under the umbrella of city hall.

Healthyway Natural Foods is open in their new location in Campbell River at 1121 Cedar Street.

The Ridge Roadhouse, a Gold River pub, has undergone major renovations.

Jerry Dodd, left, owner of Able Auctions, meets with Gerry Van Vaals of NAI Commercial at Able’s new Nanaimo location at 1721 Fleet Place.

NORTH ISLAND K’awat’si Economic Development General Partner Corporation is undertaking a pilot aquaculture project focusing on oysters and scallops offshore in the Gwa’sala‘Nakwaxda’xw traditional territory.

The Regional District of Mt. Waddington will be hosting a North Island economic forum in March, notes economic development officer Pat English.

The abundance of snow gracing Vancouver Island meant Mt. Cain Alpine Park had its best opening in years. All 21 of the ski hill’s runs were open for the first day of the season Dec. 12, Neil Borecky, president of the Mount Cain Alpine Park Society told the North Island Gazette.

Construction is underway on the exterior of the former Port Hardy Inn, which will be transformed into the Kwa’lilas Hotel.

The pub and restaurant will remain open during construction, and guests can stay at a limited number of rooms available as the renos continue, or at sister property Pier Side Landing, a 55 room hotel that is also receiving a facelift.

CAMPBELL RIVER Laura Gosnell, Matthew Fox and Darrin Finnerty are wanting to set up Beach Fire Brewing on 11th Avenue near Cypress Avenue. The brewery is working its way through the city’s approval process.

Natalia Brown has joined the team of physiotherapists at Rehabilitation in Motion at 2315 South Island Highway.

Cathy Voth, CPA, CMA, has joined the team at Chan Nowosad Boates Chartered Accountants.

Retired lawyer Claire Moglove has

Susan McInnes of S. McInnes & Associates Ltd. is the new owner of Reynen Business Services Ltd., after purchasing the company from Dan and Faye Reynen. Faye will stay on at the new CPA firm, which will have offices in Campbell River and Duncan.

Susan McInnes was most recently with Johnston Johnston & Associates Ltd. in Nanaimo.

COMOX VALLEY

Courtenay council has approved Kelowna’s Highstreet Ventures development permit for a mixed-use commercial/residential building at 1978 Cliffe Avenue.

40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery owners Layne Robert Craig and Brenda Hetman-Craig were the recipients of $22,250 in funding from the provincial government’s Buy Local program to market throughout the Comox Valley. The winery is at 2400 Anderton Road in Comox.

The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Trade Show Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the Native Sons Hall in downtown Courtenay. For information, contact the Chamber at 250-334-3234.

Comox Valley Naturalists are expecting close to 250 people to attend the B.C. Nature Annual General Meeting that will convene in the Comox Valley May 12-15.

“Meet Your Maker” is a Jan. 25 event in Courtenay to help local food businesses expand their networks at a one-stop shop to market and grow their business to chefs, restauranteurs, grocers, distributors, harvesters and food producers. For more info visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/ cvfm-meet-your-maker-connecting-localfood-businesses-on-vancouver-islandtickets-19808148706.

35

PARKSVILLE/ QUALICUM Actress Heather Locklear was at the Beach Club Resort in Parksville recently, along with a 65 person film crew, for the filming of the movie The Game of Love. The film used 122 extras from across Vancouver Island, and it also filmed at Oceanside Place, Tigh-Na-Mara and the Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Club.

Aretas Aerial of Dashwood has been producing unmanned aerial vehicles – drones – to help fight forest fires. Dan and Jessica Pothier own the company, and Greg Duerkson is the company’s business development officer.

A developer of retirement homes has purchased the Clarion property behind the Qualicum Beach town hall. Plans for the Clarion property called for 53 condominiums in a five-storey building, but the project didn’t come to fruition.

PORT ALBERNI Colin Evans of Complete Contracting is proposing to build a multi-unit light industrial mall near Alberni Mall at 4905 Cherry Creek Road and is working his way through the city’s approval process.

McIntosh Norton Williams Chartered Professional Accountants has moved from their Gertrude office to a new location in the Tebo Business Centre at 4757 Tebo Avenue.

SEE MOVERS & SHAKERS | PAGE 36

Kirk Lohnes has joined the team of professionals at Septen Financial Ltd. at 750 Comox Road in Courtenay.

Driftwood Dental at 2401 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay welcomes Dentist Dr. Felicity Hardwick to their team.

Darrell and Lindsay Eason have moved from the Okanagan to open their touristrelated consulting company GreenStep Solutions Inc. to the Comox Valley.

Dr. Ken McCracken and Dr. Tassos Irinakis welcome Dr. Noa Albanese to Courtenay Dental Health and Implant Centre at 101389 12 th Street.

A tip of the hat to Kean Auto Services owner Phil Peterson for collecting supplies and donations for Stepping Stones Women’s Recovery House during the Christmas season.

Mt. Washington Alpine Resort has been enjoying a great start to the ski season due to an abundance of snow, which has allowed them to open the Outback portion of the ski hill for the first time in several years.

The Comox Valley Development and Construction Association has been formed to help foster a better relationship between the city and developers. Murray Presley is the Chair.

Comox council has approved a five-storey option to be built at the existing Berwick Comox Valley congregate care facility.

Congratulations to Malinda Mazzocchi for being named Top Salesperson of the month

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

36 MOVERS & SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

Owner Laurie McMeekin is pleased to note that her Shift Change store at the corner of Roger Street and 10 th Avenue is now an authorized distributor of Chef Works.

Save-On Foods manager Zack Jones is pleased with the changes recently completed at their 10 th Avenue store, which include a locally-sourced full service meat counter featuring Hertels Meats of Port Alberni.

Economic Development Manager Pat Deakin notes the city of Port Alberni is looking to re-brand

and create a new image for Port Alberni.

Anne Pley notes she has a publishing business in Port Alberni called Marigold Productions and has just printed the second issue of “What’s Up Port Alberni”, a full colour, glossy, 32 page publication available throughout the Alberni Valley.

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WEST COAST The Black Rock Resort welcomes new General Manager, Brian Johnson. Adele Larkin was the resorts previous General Manager and is moving to Sechelt. Johnson had previously been in Victoria with the Sandman Hotels.

Merge Artisan Collective, launched by leatherworker Victoria Ashley and jeweler, Laurie Boudreault, has been nominated for Small Business BC’s Best Concept Award.

NANAIMO Volker Grady, General Manager for the GAIN Vancouver Island Premier Dealer Group, is pleased to announce two new Sales Managers at local dealerships: Matthew Wakefield at Mercedes-Benz Nanaimo, and Peter Armstrong at BMW Nanaimo and Mini Nanaimo.

Gerry Van Vaals of DTZ Barnicke, now under the NAI Commercial banner, completed a recent deal that means Able Auctions has arrived in Nanaimo. Jeremy Dodd, owner of Able Auctions, purchased the premises at 1721 Fleet Place to operate Able Auctions in Nanaimo. Gerry also noted that the Caledonia Clinic on Campbell Street downtown and Brickyard Clinic on Hammond Bay Road were both sold to separate private investors. The clinics and all other tenants remain in place.

A second COBS Bread store has opened in Nanaimo, at 6461 Metral Drive, owned by Alison and Michael Humphries. COBS’ first outlet in Nanaimo is in Terminal Park.

There is a new Italian restaurant in downtown Nanaimo: Figo Italian at 477 Wallace Street.

Bev Lewis has joined the administration team at Business Examiner Vancouver Island.

Business Examiner has been named Runner-Up to Wilson’s Transportation in the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFÉ) Vancouver Island “Family Business of the Year” competition.

The Gala celebration is Feb. 11 in Victoria.

There are four new salespeople at Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty; Dan Morris, Morgan Fisher, Devin Jahelka and Hillary Reeves.

John Eividson has left Universal Mortgage and is back in the car industry, now with Harris Kia. The Coast Bastion Hotel’s Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge, which had been closed due to water damage since September, re-opened following renovations on Dec. 28, notes Marcia Little. The property also has a new manager: Henry Traa.

Quality Foods in Northridge Centre has completed its extensive renovations, which includes a vastly expanded deli area. Kevin Knowles is manager of the store.

Carson McPherson, formerly with CGM Marketing and previously at Impact Visual Communications, is now Director of Business Operations at Cedars at Cobble Hill Treatment Centre.

Filter Studios has moved to space at SquareOne at 38 Victoria Crescent. The owners are Tash Baycroft and Jesse Bone.

Michelle Walsh is co-owner of Mali Esthetics, which has opened at 2900 Norwell Drive.

SEE MOVERS & SHAKERS | PAGE 37

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

Mike Thompson of Impact Visual Communications is now with 460 Communications in Nanaimo.

Alice Munro is opening a used home décor shop called Romantic Ruins at 250 Prideaux Street.

Sun Life Financial is moving to a new office at Nanaimo North Town Centre on Feb. 1 from 5800 Turner Road, notes financial resources office manager Susan Mann.

Renaissance Man has joined forces with Instant Shoe Repair. They held their grand opening recently at 1 Irwin Street.

Fabris, McIver, Hornquist & Radcliffe, an association of law corporations at 40 Cavan Street, has added two new lawyers to their team: Bradley Durvin and Christine Hepting.

Luscious Me Clothing, Lingerie and Shoe Company owner Cindy Cameron has changed the name of the Commercial Street store to Luscious Me Clothing.

Nanaimo Bar, a new Lounge, will be opening beside Pirate Chips on Front Street.

Birrer Sangret Chartered Accountants has opened its doors at 4-100 Wallace Street downtown.

Paul Aboud and Hailey Mannynvali have opened Hearthstone Artisan Bakery at 50 Tenth Street.

Piper’s Pub on Hammond Bay Road has closed its doors.

Mane Mortgage has opened at 301 Franklyn Street downtown.

Linda and Jeff Dixon have opened Penny Lane Thrift Store at 1601 Bowen Road. Linda had previously operated Dixie’s Thrift Store in Harewood.

Diamond Eyes Optical at #6-2220 Bowen Road in Beban Plaza, marked its first anniversary in business recently.

Thaung Za Latt is a new Thai restaurant at the Port of Call Motel, replacing the Pier 97 eatery.

A new fabric store, called My Favourite Fabric Store, is opening at 630 Nicol Street in mid-January.

It’s open now: Café Today is a new coffee shop in Longwood Station, beside Blue Ginger restaurant.

Nanaimo Physiotherapy Clinic has moved to 1881 Dufferin Crescent from 1713 Bowen Road.

Congratulations to Greg Zolob of Staples, upon receiving a Longstanding Service Award from the Canadian Office Products Association.

Bardot Beauty Parlor is a new beauty salon at 12 Victoria Crescent.

Check Auto Sales offers repair, detailing and vehicle sales at 110 Nicol Street.

Kudos to Nesvog Meats for the most amazing chorizo stuffed, bacon wrapped turkey.

Delicious!

WestJet Encore’s direct flights to Edmonton from Nanaimo Airport have begun.

Eden Gardens project on Northfield road is scheduled to open in spring of 2017. The 130-bed care facility will cost approximately $35-million. R.W. Wall Ltd. is the project manager and have held tourist of the facility during its various construction phases.

On February 20, Nanaimo and Parksville will join thousands of others in 100-plus cities across Canada in “The Coldest Night of the Year”, a 2, 5 and 10 km winter walk-a-thon in support of the hungry, homeless and hurting.

In both Nanaimo and Parksville, the walk will be for the Island Crisis Care Society. www. cnoy.org

Judy Mitchell has moved up, from running the Nanaimo office for Financial Horizons Group to becoming Business Development Manager for Vancouver Island, including their Victoria office.

LADYSMITH/ CHEMAINUS

A tip of the hat to A.J. Hustins and his team at Nanaimo Precast, installed a new concrete ramp at the home of three year old Noah Thompson, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, as part of the company’s Christmas giving.

Cassidy Country Kitchen will open its doors in February. The restaurant is located next to the Cassidy Hotel near Nanaimo River just north of the Nanaimo Airport, on the site where a former restaurant burned down last year.

Skin Care West is now open at Wellington Medical in Country Club Centre, and features Dr. Gabriele Weichert and Dr. Yana Simice.

Chroma Paint & Design Inc., a Benjamin Moore dealer, is a new business open at 132B Roberts Street in Ladysmith.

Jacqui Kaese has more good news, as her Spotlight Academy has opened a new location for their children’s classes at 15 Lois

Little Otters Consignment Den has opened at 425 Blair Place in Ladysmith.

West Coast Floral is now a home based business at 2108 Michigan Way, as they have moved from their Wesley Street location.

Anbry Skin Solutions at 105-6010 Brickyard Road welcomes Dawn Martynyk, a Certified Laser Technician, to its team. Dawn was the manager of Luxe Aesthetic Medicine in Courtenay.

Cora Wilson and Elaine McCormack, high profile strata lawyers, have recently formed the Wilson McCormack Law Group, with offices in Nanaimo and New Westminster. They have over 50 years of combined legal experience.

After 40 years in business, Vince Herkle has closed Ladysmith Sound Centre. Vince’s store was formerly under The Source and Radio Shack banners.

Ladysmith & District Credit Union congratulates Vice-President Elaine Layman upon successfully completing the Director Education Program.

Ladysmith’s Chief Executive Officer Ruth Malli has announced she will retire in June.

The Island Agriculture Show will be held Feb. 12-13 at the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds in Duncan.

37

OPINION

38

JANUARY 2016 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, lise@businessexaminer.ca SALES | Shawn Bishop – shawn@businessexaminer.ca, Josh Higgins – josh@businessexaminer.ca, Joanne Iormetti – joanne@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Goody Niosi, Julia MacDonald, John MacDonald, Beth Hendry-Yim, David Holmes, Linda Wenger WEBSITE | John MacDonald – john@businessexaminer.ca

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR FIRST NATIONS

MARK MACDONALD

O

pportunity is knocking for First Nations in British Columbia.

Perhaps more now than ever before, First Nations have a very real chance to catapult forward economically in the coming years.

There are already well-catalogued successful examples of economically successful First Nations.

On Vancouver Island, there’s the Campbell River Band’s redevelopment of downtown property, which effectively transformed Campbell River as a city, as well as Komoks First Nation’s very successful Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd. and Salish Sea Foods.

On the Lower Mainland, Tsawwassen First Nation is gearing up for the opening of two massive retail shopping alongside Highway

17 near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. Combined, the new Tsawwassen Mills and Tsawwassen Commons will become the second-largest shopping complex in B.C., next to Metropolis Metrotown in Burnaby.

Leading the way for years now, by continuing to raise the bar, are the Osoyoos and Westbank First Nations in the Okanagan. Osoyoos Chief Clarence Louie has been a key motivator for other First Nations with his speeches and example, as their NK’MIP resort/ vineyard/golf course has taken the South Okanagan by storm.

Westbank First Nation has several successful shopping centre operations that have fuelled much of the growth in West Kelowna, as Chief Robert Louie has led the way with several innovative ideas, including the much-anticipated Lake Okanagan Wellness Centre.

It is the latter that holds perhaps unlimited potential in terms of revenue generation and economic growth, which could become a model for other First Nations.

Remember these three words: private health care.

In Canada? Impossible, due to the constrictions imposed by the Canada Health Act. Any mention of two-tiered health care causes many Canadians to at least

threaten to light their hair on fire, amid calls against “queue jumping” and favouritism. Anything that might allow sick people to obtain care in this country other than standing in line for the next available physician or surgeon other than the status quo is met with the strongest of verbal opposition.

But health care facilities on First Nation territory? This could be an absolute game-changer for not only First Nations, but all Canadians.

Let’s face it: We already have two-tiered health care in this country. One tier is for all Canadians who have “access” to health services as their number comes up. (Surely we don’t believe we have “free” health care by now. . . it has been documented that our current system costs every Canadian an average of $5,000 per year.)

The other tier is for those who can afford to pay for health care in other countries. Countless Canadians hop the border for medical services in the United States, Mexico and beyond. They have the wherewithal to get well now, and they take that advantage to do just that.

Faced with getting in line to wait for knee/hip replacement surgery

and suffering in pain for six, nine, 12 months – or as long as they can physically endure – wealthier Canadians are choosing to spend retirement funds on operations that get them healthy immediately, so they can enjoy life, pain free.

What if those services were available in Canada? With our dollar continuing to slide against U.S. currency, if Canadians could have those same services at home on First Nations territory, they’d also save over 30 per cent just on the exchange rate alone.

If a First Nation was to identify private health care clinics as significant economic opportunities critical to the success of not just the First Nation but surrounding communities, which government official or lobby group would challenge that?

Benefits would abound. For First Nations, these could be job-creating economic engines with enormous possibilities. For others, a chance to get healthier, quicker, spending Canadian, rather than U.S. funds. Not to mention eliminating ever-growing lineups for surgical procedures.

Going through the list of First Nations projects listed above, it is obvious that real estate development is another lucrative market

opportunity that has already been identified.

So, why is development on First Nations land so attractive to builders and developers? Because First Nations, particularly those which have already settled their land claims, have a fresh slate.

They haven’t had years of civic and regional district bureaucrats instilling administrative red tape and impediments to growth. They are starting from ground zero.

Here’s a possible example: Investors wanting to build a development within city limits could face waits of one-to-two years to work their way through a quagmire of regulations, stipulations and duplicated inspections.

Meanwhile, neighbouring First Nations land offers almost immediate start times due to the lack of bureaucracy, plus taxation levels should be more affordable, due to the fact their First Nation doesn’t require mounds of hidden fees to pay for layers of expensive bureaucrats.

Those are just two major benefits to First Nations with settled land claims.

It’s a reason why much of the expected economic growth in this province will come from projects on First Nations land.

The time has come.

ECONOMIC FREEDOM AND CANADA’S PUBLIC POLICY SCHIZOPHRENIA The Trudeau and Notley governments appear dedicated to repeating the mistakes of the BC government in the 1990s and Ontario today FRED MCMAHON THE FRASER INSTITUTE

I

n international rankings of economic freedom, Canada has soared past the United States, so it should be no surprise that among sub-national jurisdictions in North America (which encompasses 10 Canadian provinces, 50 U.S. states and 32 Mexican states) three Canadian provinces - Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan - ranked at the top using 2013 data, the most recent available.

But Canada is becoming a bit of a policy schizophrenia country.

Three other Canadian provinces were close to the bottom of the Canadian and U.S. rankings: Nova

Scotia tied with 10 other jurisdictions for 42nd, Quebec and Prince Edward Island tied for 57th, ahead of only Delaware among the Canadian provinces and U.S. states.

The 32 Mexican states were behind all Canadian provinces and U.S. states. The remaining four provinces, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario were in the middle of the Canada-U.S. pack.

And reversals are coming. Since 2013, Alberta elected a new government and Canada chose a new federal government. And both governments have shown a propensity

for policies that reduce economic freedom, putting government in the way of free individual choices by upping taxation (so you have less of your own money to spend as you choose) and increasing government intrusion into the economy, thus reducing space for free exchange.

The relative ranking of the provinces helps illustrate the power of economic freedom. The average per capita provincial domestic product of the top provinces is $70,294; of the four middle provinces, $52,124; and of the three at the bottom, $41,655.

Economic freedom is simply the ability of individuals and families to make their own economic decisions, unhindered by overly large government or restrictive regulations. Over a century of evidence shows that the drive and ingenuity of individuals beats heroic government in creating prosperity. More than 130 policy and fact-based academic articles have used the North American index in research and found that a number of positive outcomes, including increased growth and entrepreneurship, are powered by economic freedom.

Over the past 20 years, Canada has run a fascinating experiment

in the ability of economic freedom to drive growth and the lack of economic freedom to inhibit growth.

During much the 1990s, BC fell back in economic freedom as the size of government and regulation increased. Long one of Canada’s richest provinces, BC fell to have not-status. During the 1990s, BC had by far the slowest growth of any province in Canada at just 7.3 per cent per capita over the decade in inflation-adjusted terms.

At the same time, Ontario increased its economic freedom and had a growth rate of 20.7 per cent, almost three times of that of BC in the 1990s.

Then, everything turned upside down. Ontario’s economic freedom went into reverse in the first decade of this century and, just like BC before it, the province fell to have-not status. This is remarkable denouement for Ontario, the province that had been Canada’s economic engine.

In the decade following 2003, Ontario, like BC before it in the 1990s, had by far the slowest growth rate in Canada, remarkably just 3.3 per cent. Meanwhile, BC was moving in the opposite direction, increasing economic freedom. With increased

economic freedom, BC quickly moved out of have-not status and had a growth rate almost five times that of Ontario, at 15 per cent.

It is amazing how we can be resistant to learning even the most obvious lessons - BC falling into have-not status when economic freedom was reduced and then soaring when it was increased; Ontario experiencing strong growth when economic freedom was relatively high and then falling into have-not status when economic freedom declined.

The recent elections in Alberta and federally in Canada have elected governments that appear dedicated to repeating the mistakes of BC in the 1990s - and Ontario today - by increasing government’s interference in the economy, although growth and prosperity are strongly related to individual economic freedom, not big government.

Fred McMahon is a Fraser Institute resident fellow and holder of the Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom. See the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of North America report

SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA. DISTRIBUTION: SECOND WEEK OF EACH MONTH VIA CANADA POST AD MAIL. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Produced and published in British Columbia. All contents copyright Business Examiner Vancouver Island, 2016. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

LAW

JANUARY 2016

39

SOCIAL MEDIA AND COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT LAW

Pause before you hit send

I am aware of the paramount rule, that you don’t post anything

I

love social media. I will not pretend that I am as heavily involved as many of you, but I can say that I enjoy the exchanges. Every day there is some Facebook posting by a friend that shows up on my smart phone.

This keeps me informed as to what my friends are up to, so I don’t lose touch. I also like interesting articles and videos that my friends post on Facebook or bring to my attention through a “tweet”. In turn, I like to reciprocate. When I encounter something interesting, I make my friends aware of it on social media or sometimes I attach it to a text or email.

I am aware of the paramount rule, that you don’t post anything through social media that might place you in a bad light with your employer, members of your church, and persons you care about. One of my outlets is in preparing articles (occasionally videos) that are posted on the Thompson Cooper website.

However, I avoid the possibility of copyright infringement; as I have been consulted numerous

through social media that might place you in a bad light with your employer, members of your church, and persons you care about Michael Cooper and Doug Thompson of ThompsonCooper LLP times by persons facing “cease and desist” letters with respect to content on their websites.

Copyright includes the copyright owner’s exclusive right to make copies of, or publish, a work or any substantial part thereof, and, subject to some exceptions (discussed below), it is infringement of copyright to do these things without the permission of the copyright owner. For that reason, all articles posted on our firm website are written by either myself or my partner, Michael Cooper. All posted photos are taken by myself or I obtain permission and confirm that permission by email.

Once the articles are completed, I disseminate them via social media. The platforms I use for business are generally LinkedIn, Google plus, and Twitter. To date I have been reserving Facebook for friends, but I am told that I should establish a business presence on Facebook.

This brings me to the point of the article. The other day a friend emailed a wonderful video with a Xmas theme. I loved it and did not hesitate to forward it to selected friends, although I did not post it on social media. I was subsequently looking for an end of the year message to post on the Thompson Cooper website.

I immediately thought of that wonderful video with the Xmas theme, but then I stopped in my tracks and pulled out my copy of the Copyright Act. Section 29 of the Copyright Act sets out exceptions to infringement.

As I review the “fair dealing” exception found in Section 29, it is for the purpose of “research, private study, education, parody or satire”; clearly not applicable.

As I review the “reproduction for private purposes” exception found in Section 29.22, can I say it is for “private purposes” if it is for my business? I think not! I note that even the section on “private purposes” does not apply if the

copy that has come into my possession is “an infringing copy”.

In many cases, I have no idea whether the copy sent to me by friends is or is not an infringing copy. To make matters worse, it ceases to be for “private purposes” i f I sha re it w ith my friends. What is the take away for the reader? The advice I give to you is the advice I give to myself. I will continue to circulate interesting articles and videos to my friends and my business contacts.

If I have concerns about possible liability, I will ensures that two conditions are met. The first condition is that I must receive the article or video directly from the source, so I know it is not an infringing copy. The second condition is that I receive the article or video in circumstances under which it is reasonable to assume that I am authorized to pass it along. By way of example, if I send an article that I have written out on social media via LinkedIn, Google plus or in a tweet; it is reasonable to infer that I have given you permission to retweet the article to your contacts. However, when a friend emails you a video from an unknown source, you are taking a risk in forwarding it on.

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