Business Examiner Victoria - August 2017

AUGUST 2017

» AIRPORTS

– PAGE 7

VICTORIA The Campus Auto Group has been serving Victoria and area for the past 40 years

Largest Construction Delivery Fleet on the Island.

Victoria WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA

Magnolia Hotel & Spa Voted Canada’s Best City Hotel PAGE 10

VICTORIA

Travel + Leisure Magazine Survey Involved Hotels All Across Canada

BY DAVID HOLMES

Glass Doctor of Victoria is co-owned by the brother and sister team of Jeff Kotyk and Jen Yates.

PAGE 19

INDEX News Update

2

West Shore

4

Greater Victoria

5

Esquimalt Saanich Peninsula

6 16

Who is Suing Whom 23

That’s our niche, we know we’re a small building so to make that happen the first thing we need to do is to deliver exceptional service and an exceptional hotel experience for our guests.”

The Travel + Leisure Magazine recognition came via an annual reader survey. Literally hundreds of accolades submitted by former guests were received to arrive at the ranking, with the Magnolia Hotel finishing with an overall score of 93.69 out of 100.

For Lewis a boutique hotel is a very specialized form of visitor accommodation. “My definition of a boutique hotel is a small upscale hotel with a definitive sense of style. Typically hotels of this type have less than 100 rooms (the Magnolia has 64) so the staffing levels, the ratio of staff to patrons is quite high, which allows for the sort of personal service not possible in a larger hotel,” he explained.

V

ICTORIA – The Magnolia Hotel & Spa, a distinctively elegant boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Victoria is the very best – and it has the certification to prove it.

Readers of the prestigious Travel + Leisure Magazine, one of the world’s top travel and hospitability publications, has rated the Magnolia the number one city hotel in Canada, beating out such industry giants as the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City and the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver.

“We were really honoured to get the award and honoured to be ranked number one among that list of truly exceptional hotels,” explained Magnolia Hotel’s General Manager Bill Lewis.

“We strive to get on the award’s list every year - it’s an internal benchmark we want to attain.

Our goal is to be considered one of Canada’s top small hotels.

Bill Lewis is the General Manager of the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, a position he’s held for the past eight years

SEE MAGNOLIA HOTEL | PAGE 18

Movers and Shakers 24 Opinion

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Seaspan Ferries Corporation Opens New Duke Point Terminal Marine Transport Company Part Way Through $250 Million Expansion Program

BY DAVID HOLMES

OUR 30TH YEAR

N Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

ANAIMO – The grand opening of the expanded Seaspan Ferries Corporation (SFC) terminal at Duke Point near Nanaimo on June 12 is just the latest element in an ongoing $250 million enhancement program of the firm’s fleet and operating facilities.

“We purchased Van Isle Barge Services in 2011 which had been

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running a small operation from Surrey into Duke Point, and of course we ran from Tilbury (in Delta) to the Wellcox facility in downtown Nanaimo. After the acquisition we ended up operating two terminals on the Lower Mainland, Surrey and Tilbury and essentially two terminals in Nanaimo, at Wellcox and at Duke Point,” explained Steve Roth, President of Seaspan Ferries Corporation.

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“With Wellcox being located where it is in downtown Nanaimo, we were somewhat restricted for size. So as we already had some property at Duke Point we merely added to that - consolidated our operations and built a bigger terminal.”

The Duke Point facility is a multi-berth operation located on an 18 acre parcel of industrially zoned land. Costing $44 million the facility took more than

a year and half to complete. The new operation cannot handle rail traffic but can accommodate up to 360 trailers at any one time and includes an overflow lot for extra storage. The facility also includes state-of-the-art hydraulic, dynamic-suspended ramps, each 35m x 10m wide.

The Duke Point Terminal is just part of Seaspan’s ongoing SEE SEASPAN FERRIES | PAGE 22

NEWS UPDATE

2 VANCOUVER ISLAND Vancouver Island Recognized as Top Destination Readers of Travel + Leisure magazine have named Vancouver Island

AUGUST 2017

maintain the #1 spot as Best Island in Canada, followed closely by the Gulf Islands at #2. ‘Rugged beauty, friendly people, and still waters that run deep’ are some of the reasons Vancouver Island - North America’s largest Pacific island - continues to be selected as one of the world’s leading island destinations.

The Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards feature top hotels, cities,

“The Best Island in Canada,” in the magazine’s annual World’s Best Awards published in the August 2017 issue. Reader comments praised the destination as “Remote, yet worth the effort, the scenery is spectacular. Whether you just want to look, or explore the island on foot, kayak, or boat, you will be delighted.”

Vancouver Island continues to

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islands, cruise lines, airlines, airports, and more. “This is always an exciting time of year for us as we await the results of the annual survey,” said Dave Petryk, President and CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island. “We are doubly thrilled that the Gulf Islands are also recognized by readers of this prestigious travel magazine.”

“The Gulf Islands are thrilled to make the Top 3 Islands in Canada,” said Janet Clouston, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Salt Spring Tourism. “Our communities have much to offer including nature, wildlife, arts, farm-to-table bounty, first-nations heritage, and welcoming, eco-conscious people. This recognition is wonderful news!”

The Magnolia Hotel & Spa in Victoria was voted #1 City Hotel in Canada up from the #7 spot last year. The Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino was voted #4 Resort Hotel in Canada, and the City of Victoria garnered #3 Best City in Canada.

VICTORIA Residential Sales Remain Steady

ten year average for sales in the month of June is 798. If we remove 2016 sales, this June wou ld have been the record breaker.”

There were 1,915 active listings for sale on the VREB Multiple Listing Service (MLS) at the end of June 2017, an increase of one per cent compared to the month of May, but 16.3 per cent fewer than the 2,289 active listings for sale at the end of June 2016.

“The good news for buyers is that inventory is slowly starting to build,” says Balabanian. “But buyers can still anticipate multiple offer scenarios in certain high demand neighbourhoods where inventory is being bought at a more rapid pace. It’s never been a better time to be a seller, with MLS Home Price Index prices at a record high for the Victoria Core.”

The MLS Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in June 2016 was $721,000. The benchmark value for the same home in June 2017 has increased by 15.1 per cent to $829,600.

VICTORIA

“ T h i s y e a r m a y fe e l a b i t steady and less exciting when compared to last year’s record-breaking market. People are getting used to th is new tempo of brisk sales,” says Ara Balabanian, President of Victoria Real Estate Board ( VREB).

A total of 1,008 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this June, 14.1 per cent fewer than the 1,174 properties sold in June last year.

“However, when we look at the longer term numbers, we’re in a very active market. This June we counted over one thousand properties sold, while the

Victoria Foundation Recognized T h e V i c to r i a Fo u n d a t i o n re c ent ly re c eive d reaccreditation from Imagine Canada, arguably the most demanding assessment of charities in the nation.

T he Imagine Canada Standards Program lays out 73 standards that must be met in five areas, including board governance, financial accountability and transparency, fundraising, staff management, and volunteer involvement.

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AUGUST 2017

According to Imagine Canada, there are over 170,000 charitable and non-profit organizations in Canada, but a total of only 223 have achieved accreditation since the Standards Program began five years ago.

“Meeting the Imagine Canada Standards Program requirements is a rigorous, but rewarding process,” said Sandra Richardson, Victoria Foundation CEO. “This re-accreditation is a significant accomplishment that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to our donors and grantees to continue to be the best community foundation we can be.”

In 2012, the Victoria Foundation was one of the first charities in Canada to receive accreditation from Imagine Canada when their Standards Program was launched. Every five years, organizations are required to re-apply to become reaccredited. This month, 11 organizations were successfully reaccredited and 21 new organizations were accredited under the national program.

An Imagine Canada survey conducted in August 2016, revealed that 72 per cent of Canadians said they were more likely to trust and have confidence in charities that have been accredited by a third party. The survey also showed that “transparency and sound management” were the top considerations for donation support among 86 per cent of respondents.

BC BC’s Tech Sector Releases Progress Report BC’s leading technology organizations have released a commissioned report designed to provide input into the national discussion on creating partnerships and superclusters in Canada.

The report called “British Columbia’s Digital Technological Supercluster” was prepared by Deloitte, with the support of the BC Tech Association, the Research Universities’ Council of BC, Wavefront and the Chief Advisor of the Innovation Network, Dr. Santa Ono. The report which combines publicly available information and interviews with industry leaders, highlights the fundamental attributes of BC’s strengths and capabilities that position the province to become a global digital technology supercluster.

The report notes that the tech community generates $26 billion a year in

revenue, making BC the fastest-growing technology sector in Canada. With 150,000 people employed in technology, BC is also the fastest-growing tech workforce in Canada. Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, Cisco, Disney, GE, Sony and Electronic Arts are a few examples of global companies that are increasingly attracted to the province.

C o m p a n i e s l i k e B o ei ng, Fi nning and SAP have also set up global analytics centres in BC. While firms Sierra Wireless and Wavefront are driving global leadership for the Internet of Things (IoT) and D-Wave and 1QBit are the world game changers in quantum computing.

Meanwhile, BC universities are producing world-class research and talent: They attract over $800 million a year in research funding. Since 2001, they have been awarded over $1.2 billion in funding for research infrastructure and equipment. Further, our universities have evolved their program mix to meet the needs of the technology sector by supporting a 57 per cent increase in engineering and computer science program spaces between 2006 and 2015.

The fact that three out of five Canadian “unicorns” (tech companies worth more than $1 billion) call BC their home, 25 per cent of all US patents were derived from post-secondary research in BC and the visual effects for top-grossing films (Star Wars) and games (Nintendo) are being produced in BC is a testament to the province’s world-class, creative and digital media talent.

The report also notes that BC has a significant geographic advantage as the Canadian gateway to both Asia -- one of the fastest growing global economies -- and the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, with access to cross-border talent, research, capital and distribution.

cruise destination in 1978, with 20,000 visitors arriving on 30 ship calls.

The first millionth passenger arrived in 2003, and today, the city is Canada’s busiest cruise ship port of call, a popular stop on many Alaska and Pacific Northwest itineraries.

A recently released report, revealed that the cruise industry brings direct economic value of $130 million to the Victoria region annually, an increase of $30 million over 2012 (The Economic Contribution of the International Cruise Industry in Canada 2016; Business Research & Economic Advisors).

The direct value per ship is $600,000.

Cruise-related spending i n Canada rose 34 per cent between 2012 and 2016, with more than $2 billion in economic impact annually in BC alone.

The cruise season will wrap up on October 5.

VICTORIA Victoria’s Ogden Point Terminal Celebrates 7M Passengers Victoria’s seven millionth cruise ship passenger recent ly a r r ived on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, one of approximately 550,000 visitors to travel to the region via cruise this season.

The arrival marks an important milestone for tourism in Victoria, proving that the city and region are growing in popularity with national and international visitors. Victoria began as a

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VICTORIA Petroglyph Analytics Expands Local and International Presence In response to the increase in infrastructure investment and activity across Central and South America, PPA, an engineering project support and software provisioning firm has finalized partnerships with 3 leading Latin American firms, hired a new team member in Mexico and moved their head office to Victoria’s tech hub.

PPA is the authorized distributor across the Americas of Trimble Civil Engineering solutions, including TILOS, a world class linear infrastructure scheduling software. TILOS is used by global leaders in linear infrastructure construction

NEWS UPDATE/WEST SHORE

4

THE ROLE OF RESERVISTS: WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES

WEST SHORE JULIE LAWLOR

O

n July 13th and 14th, I had the pleasure of being a guest of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council (CFLC) at the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt to learn about the role of Primary Reserve units (reservists) both in the m i l ita ry a nd i n ou r communities. Taking place both at CFB Esquimalt and aboard the HMCS Yellowknife, this “Executrek” brought together a group of 30 business and com mu n ity leaders f rom western Canada including the Northwest Territories.

During our visit, we learned that reservists typically serve on a part-time basis while also holding civilian jobs. The role of the CFLC is therefore “to enhance the availability of

reservists for their military duties by obtaining the support and co-operation of organization leaders in Canada.”

By bringing us all together, the hope was that we would leave with a much better understanding and appreciation of the leadership, team work and many other transferable skills that reservists bring to the civilian workplace.

I know I can speak for the group when I say that we were impressed by what we learned and what we saw. Did you know that a reservist undergoes the same intensity of training and professional development as a regular member of the Canadian Armed Forces? Did you know that a reservist can captain a ship?

How about that army field medics carry over 100 lbs of gear when they’re on patrol?

Or that reservists cannot be sent into conflict situations without volunteering to be deployed? I didn’t know any of these things before participating in these two days.

If you’d like to know more about what we experienced on the Executrek, I invite you to view the four-minute video

you’ll find posted on July 17th on Jeff Manney’s Facebook page. Throughout the exercises, briefings and time on board the Yellowknife the interdependent relationship was very clearly indicated – the Canadian military needs the support of reservists, and the reservists need the support of the business community to make this possible. Given the West Shore’s close proximity to CFB Esquimalt I’m sure we have reservists employed in our community. If you employ a reservist in the West Shore I’d be very interested in hearing from you so that I can continue to grow my understanding and knowledge, and by extension support, for our very vibrant West Shore community. Want to know more about employing a reservist?

I’m happy to point you in the right direction, or you can go to www.cflc.forces.gc.ca for more information.

Julie Lawlor is the Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce.

You can reach her at jlawlor@ westshore.bc.ca

projects such as roads, rail, tunnels, power distribution and pipelines.

To help provision TILOS linear infrastructure scheduling software across the Americas, PPA is pleased to announce PMS Corp, Avance Real and MetaControl have been awarded reselling capabilities in select areas of Central and South America.

“It’s an exciting time to be in infrastructure project support in Latin America” Lorne Duncan, CEO said.

“I think we will look back on this year and realize it was the turning point to help companies in Latin America really standardize & implement effective solutions for their infrastructure projects. The solutions we offer were well received when we recently met with governmental and engineering companies in Argentina and Chile”.

Additionally, Duncan is pleased to welcome a new member to their expanding team. Daniel Cadena of Mexico will provide additional multilingual support to PPA’s diverse, global client base. Daniel will be responsible for selling and supporting our solutions to existing and new clients in Mexico and Central America.

BC Provincial Transit to Implement Real Time Technology BC Transit is moving forward with implementation of Real Time technology, also known as automatic vehicle

AUGUST 2017

location enabled technology, in Kamloops, Comox Valley, Squamish, Whistler, Kelowna, Victoria, and the Regional District of Nanaimo. Strategic Mapping Inc. has been selected as the partner to install and maintain the technology.

The new technology includes a webbased passenger application, which will enable commuters to use web browsers and smart mobile devices to see the location of their bus along its route and its predicted arrival time at an identified stop. Buses will also be equipped with automatic voice announcements and passenger information displays to inform customers of upcoming stops.

From an operational perspective, the Real Time information will allow BC Transit and its partners to better direct buses for schedule reliability, manage on-road incidents more effectively and more easily push alerts out to customers in the case of detours, accidents, or other events that may delay regular routing.

Strategic Mapping Inc., a Canadian company, has been selected as the partner to install and maintain the equipment following a procurement process. Strategic Mapping Inc. has been providing location tracking for transit and other industries across North America for over a decade.

The next steps in the process are to design the system that will be used for BC Transit communities and develop an implementation plan. The Real Time technology is expected to be installed in the seven communities by the end of 2018.

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GREATER VICTORIA

AUGUST 2017

5

A SOLUTION FOR THE EMPTY DESK SYNDROME

GREATER VICTORIA CATHERINE HOLT

E

mployers around Greater Victoria are increasingly facing the spectre of empty desks and work undone.

Employees with children are making hard decisions around working, modified schedules and what’s best for their child.

The result is a severe drain on product iv ity a nd econom ic growth that could be avoided.

Ch i ld ca re is a f u nd a menta l work force requ i rement.

T he lack of affordable, government-regulated child care spaces in Greater Victoria is having a direct impact on employers and workers. Members tell us that, in an already tight job market, they are having to adapt by allowing workers to reduce their hours and modify their start and end times and

days of work to compensate for the lack of child care.

With regard to affordability: For a work i ng fa m i ly, ch i ld care and housing are typically the two highest expenses. According to Victoria Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR), the average month ly cost of full-time child care for kids under 5, as of February 2017, was between $812 and $1128 per month. That adds up to more than $10,000 a year per child and at least $40,000 from birth to Kindergarten. The problem i s ex ac erbate d for a fa m i ly with more than one child and continues with the need for after-school care and care during school vacations.

With regard to availability: The 2016 Canada Census data reveals the gap between our reg iona l popu lation of ch i ldren and number of child care spaces. The most acute gap is for infants and toddlers where we have roughly one licenced child care space for every eight children. The gap is likely to expand. Between 2011 and 2016 our population of adults likely to have children (25 to 39 year olds) a nd ou r popu lat ion of children under 11 both grew 9 percent.

A shortage of early childhood

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educators is a major factor in this shortage. Licenced child care operators can only offer as many spaces as they can staff. According to CCRR, average wages, as of June 2016, are under $20.00 per hour which is not attractive in a city with the second lowest unemployment rate and one of the highest costs of living in the country. But, if child care workers’ wages increase, the care becomes even more expensive for the parents who are footing the bill.

To overcome this drag on our economy and to ensure children have a safe and stimulating start in life, child care needs the same level of government attention and investment as the other fundamental underpinnings of our economy such as education, transportation and health care.

Some i mpor ta nt steps t he Province can take are to: ■ reach an agreement with the federal government to get our share of the funding now available under the National Framework on Early Learning and Child Care.

■ expand publicly funded spaces for early childhood education training.

■ i nclude ch i ld ca re as part of the K to 12 education system which would

AUGUST CHAMBER EVENTS ■ Wednesday, August 2 Summer Social Series: Bannock & Brews on the Harbour 6 to 8:30 pm @ Orca Spirit II Vessel (146 Kingston St.) ■ Thursday, Aug 10 Prodigy Group Mingle 5 to 7 pm @ the Mint (1414 Douglas St.)

■

allow access to school land, which has already been paid for by the taxpayer, for affordable childcare facilities. develop a subsidy program similar to Quebec’s, which has i ncreased the percentage of parents in the workforce, their after-tax income, their contribution to tax revenue and the number of children in regulated child care. (See the following description of the Quebec program https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/atkinson/UserFiles/ File/News/Fortin-Godbout-St_Cerny_eng.pdf)

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Child care has lingered on the fringes of government programming and funding because, rather than an economic issue, it has been characterized as a women’s and children’s issue with archaic undertones about whether or not women should be in the workforce or at home. A fully functioning modern economy ensures safe, regulated child care is available so that a working life is possible for every parent.

Catherine Holt is the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. 250-383-7191, CEO@victoriachamber.ca, www.victoriachamber.ca

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Dr. Suzanne Flannigan, the department’s incoming dean, brings a fresh dy n a m ic energ y a lon g with extensive experience and a passion for flexible, relevant and experiential graduate programming.

Recently coming from an Associate Faculty role at Royal Roads University in Victoria, her plans include strategically leveraging more involvement with the city’s business community.

“Going forward, my goal is to engage in community building by increasing the sense of purpose and direction of the department,” she said.

Associate Dean, Bryan Webb er, a l s o re c e n t l y stepped into his new position. A 12-year veteran of FOM, he adds that regular

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reviews to determine how to best ser ve the community and stakeholders was the catalyst for several new focused certificates and diplomas.

“We’re just announcing a Graduate Certificate in Business sta r t i ng nex t year that will help individuals establish the business fundamentals they need to be successful; this will be available to people w i t h a n o n-b u s i n e s s u nd erg ra du ate d e g re e a nd, very i mporta ntly, those who have their Red Seal standing.”

Webber emphasized that the hallmarks of VIU include its relatively small class size, rich and diverse international experience, field schools, exchange p r o g r a m s a n d i n t e rnational research projects.

“VIU itself has built up the capacity to integrate a n d s up p or t d iversit y of background, experience, and thinking into our mission; our business programs in particu lar

Dav it I rem ad ze, who joi ned t he facu lty l a st year, feels that strategic directives and an involved and active student body are placing the university in a strong position for global education and in connecting the Island community with broader business and educational opportunities.

“There is a tangible impact both from bringing an international student b o dy to V I U a nd f rom connecting them with a local population,” he said.

E v e n m o r e i m p o r tant for the faculty is the knowledge transfer and con nections that loca l students make with the i n te r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t body that leads to an exchange of worldwide expertise and expansion of real world knowledge.

RIBFEST IS ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY

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ANAIMO - A new leadersh ip tea m in the Faculty of Management (FOM) Department at Vancouver Island University (VIU) is bringing exciting new perspectives and opportu n ities to Busi ness programming.

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hile we are nearly two-thirds of the way through summer, the fun doesn’t have to end as the Township of Esquimalt has multiple upcoming community and business-centered events to carry you through August straight into September.

T h e Tow n s h ip Community A rts Council is once again presenting the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival from August 3rd5th at SAXE Point Park in

Esquimalt. The event features performances of Macbeth at 7:30PM every night.

Many Greater Victoria resident’s favourite time of year is quickly approaching.

The Rib Festival is a fun weekend packed with activities for the whole family, including local entertainment, games for the kids, delicious drinks, and most importantly local musical artists and vendors.

The most important part of Ribfest, however, has to be what the event gives back to the community. Other than covering the cost to run the event, all proceeds go back into the community through the Esquimalt Fi ref ig hter Cha r itable Foundation. This charity, among others, has been the recipient of thousands of dollars from the Esquimalt Ribfest. Every cent of the proceeds is given to local charities and sponsored school activities.

Giving back to the community can be a hard job, especially if it means drinking locally brewed beer and eating delicious food, but somebody’s got to do it. The event will be held from Friday, September 8 to Sunday, September 10 and will be located in Bullen Park.

The Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce’s Annual General Meeting will be taking place September 21, 2017, from 7:30AM – 9:30AM in the Archie Browning Centre lounge. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased by contacting the Chamber. Even though ribs won’t be on the agenda expect refreshments, speakers, and board elections. New and continuing members welcome!

Kelly Darwin sits on the Board of Directors of the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce.

He can be reached at 250-474-4723.

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AUGUST 2017

AIRPORTS Sponsored By

Airports Successfully Linking BC To The Rest Of The World Aviation Hubs An Increasing Important Regional Economic Engine

BY DAVID HOLMES

A

viation has played a massive role in the development of British Columbia, as an invaluable tool for industry, as a popular recreational activity and as a conduit for travelers from around the world. Even today there are some regions of the province so remote they can only be reached by air. An area as vast as British Columbia, covering nearly 945,000 square kilometers, has needed aviation and the complex infrastructure required to support the industry for it to grow and prosper.

Airports, as with other transportation hubs such as harbours or rail terminals, are much like small communities in their own right - as well as being significant regional economic engines.

Airports are landlords, employers, purchasers of services and products, taxpayers and direct links to the world beyond.

“I think that we’re the third fastest growing airport in the country among NAS (National Airport System) airports. Last year our traffic was up eight and half per cent and year to date six

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The Victoria International Airport is the largest on Vancouver Island and the second busiest in British Columbia a half per cent. So we’re certainly on track to surpass where we were last year,” explained Geoff Dickson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Victoria Airport Authority (VAA).

The largest airport on Vancouver Island and the second busiest in British Columbia after the Vancouver International Airport, the Victoria International Airport began life as a wartime air station

and has evolved over the years to become a leader in the provincial aviation community. One of 39 provincially certified airports in BC, the Victoria International Airport is an excellent example of how airports in the province have evolved to meet increased traffic demand, embraced new technology and have recognized business opportunities to remain economically viable.

According to the national umbrella organization, the Canadian Airports Council (CAC), Canada’s airports served 133 million passengers in 2015 (the most recent year the group has statistics), contributed $34.9 billion to the Canadian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and paid more than $7 billion in federal taxes. In SEE AIRPORTS | PAGE 8

AIRPORTS

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AUGUST 2017

Geoff Dickson is the President and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority which oversees the Victoria Airport

AIRPORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

addition 141,000 direct jobs and another 405,000 support jobs are linked to the operation of the nation’s airports.

Another key player in the provincial airport community is the Kelowna International Airport, which was ranked the 11th busiest in Canada by Transport Canada in 2016, just behind the Victoria International Airport which finished in 10 th spot. During 2016 more than 1.7 million passengers traversed the terminal building

Aviation has played a major role in the development of British Columbia, a role that’s increasing in importance - a number the City of Kelowna (operators of the airport) anticipates will grow to 3.5 million by 2045.

“We’re really in quite a big growth bubble right now having grown by just under nine per cent last year, with traffic up 14

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Pacific Heliport Services opened its Nanaimo Heliport about two years ago and has seen a marked increase in traffic per cent so far this year. In fact March 2017 was the busiest single month in the airport’s history, with more than 173,000 passengers passing through our doors,” Sam Samaddar, the Airport Director recently said.

City of Kelowna statistics show that in 2016 the airport provided $789 million in total economic output to the province and was responsible for more than 4,500 jobs in the region. An ongoing $92 million development program (slated for completion in 2019) will further enhance the airports ability to handle increasing traffic flows and will help prepare it for expected future growth.

All across the province airports of all sizes serve as links in the complex chain that is modern air transportation. In addition to the three major international airports, a host of smaller regional air hubs provide an invaluable service as feeder connectors to the major terminals. Airports in Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Kitimat / Terrace, Prince George and Kamloops are among the leading regional centers – links to a global community and powerhouses of regional industry.

For example the Prince George Airport saw more than 460,000 passengers pass

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“Last year our traffic was up eight and half percent and year to date six a half percent.”

GEOFF DICKSON PRESIDENT & CEO, VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY

AIRPORTS

AUGUST 2017

Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, would have had to land at Nanaimo Airport or elsewhere and be transported that additional distance by ground transportation. At this time Pacific Heliport Services do not have any plans for other Heliport expansions or additions.�

At the Victoria International Airport passenger traffic nearly reached the two million mark last years, a source of pride for its operators. “We’re bumping 1.9 million last year which is very exciting. We currently have something like 2,300 people connected with the Airport in terms of employment and the airport is certainly a big economic engine

9 for the Capital Region,� Dickson explained. “We cover an area of 1,200 acres so there room to expand for future airport development. We certainly have a lot of room to grow and also have a lot of interesting land development opportunities for tenants as well.�

From a pr ivate a i rst r ip i n Northern British Columbia or on some remote Cariboo ranch, to a glittering International Airport connecting to points around the world, the BC airport sector is an increasingly important economic engine for regional growth and local employment, a role that will become increasingly important in the decades to come.

Then known as the Patricia Bay Air Station, the Victoria International Airport began life as a military installation

AIRPORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

through its terminal in 2016, topping its traffic estimates by 1.5 per cent. “Coming off of a big year like 2015 where Prince George hosted the Canada Winter Games and the economy slowed dow n, we were a nticipati ng 455,000 passengers. We beat expectations by 1.5 per cent and beat 2014 passenger numbers by 3.5 per cent,� explained President and CEO of the Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA), John

Gibson in a media release.

By its very nature airports are major property owners, as modern aviation requires expansive areas of land to conduct its business. One unique exception to this is in the world of helicopter aviation. Like with its fixed wing cousins, rotary wing aviation is also experiencing an increase in interest and traffic from the traveling public.

Pacific Heliport Services, the operator of heliports in Nanaimo, Vancouver and Victoria Harbour has also recorded significant

spikes in traffic, specifically at its Nanaimo heliport which is used by Helijet International Inc. “Since opening, two years ago, Pacific Heliport Services has noted that the passenger traffic through Nanaimo Harbour Heliport has doubled,� explained Jay Minter, Helijet’s Director of Marketing. “Since expanding the apron at Nanaimo Harbour Heliport in November 2016, the Heliport has received 100+ Air Medical flights that, due to the temporary closure of the helipad at

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ICTORIA – A monument to the fallen, a tribute to the pioneers who laid the foundation for what is today the Victoria International Airport, a symbol for the spirit of freedom that only flight can provide – the Hospital Hill Commemorative Sculpture is a tangible metaphor for the sacrifices made by Allied air crews during the Second World War. “What’s interesting about our airport is that it was started in 1939 as the Patricia Bay Air Station, a facility created as part of the Commonwealth Air Training Program,� explained James Bogusz, Vice-President Operations and Development, Victoria Airport Authority.

While the major commercial air hub on Vancouver Island, the Victoria International Airport continues to function as a military air base, specifically for the Royal Canadian Navy. As part of the effort to complete a $150 million military helicopter maintenance facility at the airport, the Canadian Armed Forces demolished an older brick headquarters building. The decision serendipitously provided the Victoria Airport Authority (VAA) and other lovers of local aviation history, with a unique opportunity to honour those who paid the ultimate price for Allied victory during World War II – in the form

“What we have here is not only an amazing piece of artwork but a monument that can really take your breath away.�

JAMES BOGUSZ VICE PRESIDENT, VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY

of a distinctive sculpture. “We were able to salvage about 1,000 bricks from the old headquarters building which were used in constructing the sculpture, which is entitled: Lost Airmen of the Empire. Designed by Victoria Sculptor Illarion Gallant, work on this $160,000 project began last Spring with it being finished in the Fall of 2016,� Bogusz said.

Made of a corten steel structure adorned with brick, the expansive artwork consists of 25 standing forms representing the feathers of a Coopers Hawk, which is an agile and fearless airborne predator – a creature symbolic of the bravery demonstrated by the wartime Commonwealth aviators.

Each feather is 12 feet tall, with the names, ages and rank of lost airmen waterjet engraved into the bricks. During the Second World War 179 perished while posted to or

working at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, or who were aboard aircraft from that base. “The overall monument consists of the feathers, a lushly landscaped and irrigated area and bench seating also made from the recycled brick, which creates a very touching setting for people to visit and think about those who came before,� he said. “What we have here is not only an amazing piece of artwork but a monument that can really take your breath away. It’s a beautiful representation that not only respected the history of this particular brick building but of the Commonwealth Air Station as a whole and in particular those who lost their lives in the effort,� explained Bogusz.

A large community undertaking, the poignant Hospital Hill Commemorative Sculpture is the end result of the tireless efforts over an extended period of time of a host of individuals, organizations, government entities and the VAA who formed the Hospital Hill Working Group to guide the project. “In many ways it’s a lasting legacy of our airport’s military history, and a tribute to the sacrifices made for freedom,� he said.

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

Visit the Lost Airmen of the Empire Memorial Sculpture at Hospital Hill

www.victoriaairport.com

10

AUGUST 2017

CAMPUS AUTO GROUP AN INDUSTRY LEADER FOR 40 YEARS Enterprise’s Business Philosophy Built On Respect & Personal Relationships

V

ICTORIA – It’s a business model that worked 40 years ago, and one that continues to be at the heart of everything the multi-generational family-owned Campus Auto Group does today – provide the best in products, technology and customer service and you will have a customer for life.

At Campus Auto Group they may sell vehicles, but they have grown, evolved and prospered by building relationships. “Dealer Principal Richard (Dick) Graham’s father Bill Graham started the ball rolling when he purchased Saunders & Hitchman Toyota in 1977. The opening of a second Victoria-based Toyota franchise motivated him to switch into a Datsun dealership in 1979. Today the Campus Auto Group focuses on two main auto product lines – Honda and Nissan, which is what Datsun evolved into over the years,� explained Brad Ostermann one of the two General Managers of the Campus Auto Group.

Providing sales and service for the full Honda and Nissan vehicle

The Campus Auto Group has been serving the Victoria area motoring public for the past 40 years line up, including its luxury divisions Acura and Infiniti, the Campus Auto Group today consists of four separate dealerships, with a combined staff count of more than 165. With new and used vehicle sales and service, including commercial vehicles and trucks, Campus Auto Group can serve any market or satisfy any automotive need. “The original car dealership

moved to its present location at 3361 Oak Street in 1984, adding the Infiniti franchise to the Nissan store in 1991. That was really the start of the company’s expansion. Today the Infiniti dealership is a separate outlet, located nearby at 3371 Oak Street,

having opened in 2011,� Ostermann explained.

In 1994 Dick Graham bought the company from his father Bill, serving as the dealership’s Dealer Principal ever since. During 2003 Graham expanded the business even further by acquiring an

operation then known as Honda City (located at 506 Finlayson Street). By 2007 the entire company had been rebranded the Campus Auto Group, with the final element, the Acura SEE CAMPUS AUTO GROUP | PAGE 11

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“We strive to develop that special relationship with the customer.”

BRAD OSTERMANN GENERAL MANAGER, CAMPUS AUTO GROUP

The Service Department at the Nissan dealership, as with all of the dealerships, has the staff and parts to handle any task

CAMPUS AUTO GROUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

dealership (3347 Oak Street) opening in 2011.

The name Campus Auto Group

came about thanks to a business philosophy that stressed individual dealerships, but operating with a shared focus on quality and customer service. “The idea was to respect the individuality

of each of the four brands but with a common vision. On a campus there are different fields of study, different pursuits but all operating under one umbrella in terms of administration and

goals. That’s the concept behind Dick’s vision for the Group,” he said.

Dick Graham’s emphasis on building relationships through the sale of vehicles has proven

to be a winning business model.

After serving the Greater Victoria vehicle sales market for more than four decades not only does the company have countless repeat customers, it’s now commonly selling vehicles to second generation buyers as well. “ W h i le we cer ta i n ly h ave multi-generational customers we also have lots of staff members who have been with us 30 plus years. Our Service Manager Mike Cormack at the Nissan dealership has been here literally from the beginning. The kind of experience and knowledge they bring to the business is invaluable – not only do they know the product inside and out, they also have long standing relationships with the customers. You can’t put a price on something like that,” he said.

T he Dick Gra ha m busi ness philosophy essentially states that the Campus Auto Group doesn’t have customers, it has honoured guests. “Taking that a step further, everyone both internally and externally (staff SEE CAMPUS AUTO GROUP | PAGE 12

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Campus Auto Group has become one of the main supporters of the annual CIBC Run for the Cure fundraiser

CAMPUS AUTO GROUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

and customers) are all afforded the same respect,” Ostermann said.

“We strive to develop that special relationship with the customer. The satisfying of the needs and wants of the customer, through sales and service excellence, is the manifestation of that relationship.”

The Campus Auto Group Nissan dealership moved to its present location at 3361 Oak Street in 1984

Nissan Canada congratulates our partners at Campus Nissan on their 40th Anniversary of serving the Victoria community.

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AUGUST 2017

The company’s Dealer Principal is Dick Graham, the son of Campus Auto Group’s founder Bill Graham

CAMPUS AUTO GROUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Serious about giving back to the community, Campus Auto Group supports many worthwhile causes, such as Power to Play

Being focused on developing long term relationships means consistently doing the right thing every time. Looking after problems if they arise, treating every client with respect and being willing and available to answer questions are key components of the Campus Auto Group success story. Looking after the needs of the client is an essential part of the process. As Ostermann stated “I never want to win an argument but lose a customer!”

The Auto Group’s decision to settle on the Honda and Nissan product lines was no accident, as it was felt right from the beginning that the two industry

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leading manufacturers shared a common dedication to quality and service shared by Graham and his team. By offering both the mainstream and luxury nameplates for these companies Campus Auto Group can essentially reach every component of the auto buying public.

“We can sell a Nissan Micra for less than $10,000 and an Acura NSX for $250,000 – so we can service a huge segment of the marketplace. We also offer lines of commercial vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrids and more. Over the past four decades we’ve seen massive changes in vehicles, how they’re built, their fuel efficiency and more.

SEE CAMPUS AUTO GROUP | PAGE 14

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Pink Shirt Day, a time to bring attention to the problems of bullying, is another of the causes Campus Auto Group supports

CAMPUS AUTO GROUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

That’s required our service departments to provide ongoing education and training for our technicians, to allow them to remain at the forefront of the industry,� he said.

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The company takes ongoing education, not just of its service technicians but among all of its employees very seriously. “Essentially all of our employees in both sales and service will go through some level of certification to represent the brands we carry in the best possible way. We ensure we have certified mechanics and certified sales professionals, not just on new product and new technology but also on such important considerations as customer handling,� Ostermann said.

Special attention is paid to educating the sales staff on the importance of treating the customer right, every time. “The way we train our sales staff is to reflect our business philosophy. It’s a very consultative process. We stress the importance of getting to know the customer, so that when we help them purchase a vehicle it’s in their best interest for the long term, to match their needs with the right vehicle choice. That process may take a

little more time but it ultimately leads to the person buying the right vehicle to match their lifestyle and budget,� he said.

The goal behind the ongoing training effort, an ongoing program that impacts all of Campus Auto Group’s staff, from the head office to the person washing the cars in the parking lot, is for everyone in the organization to be aware of what the company is and what it stands for. The end result of this effort ideally will be a better experience for both the customer and the Campus Auto Group employees.

As an enterprise solidly built on service and reputation Campus Auto Group has, not surprisingly, garnered numerous awards over the decades. Recently the company’s Honda dealership was voted ‘Best in the City’ for new car sales while the Acura dealership was pegged in the top three in the city for both new and used car sales. “Reputation and market share are easy to lose and very hard to get back. That’s why

recognition like this is especially pleasing for us,� Ostermann said.

Dick Graham himself was recently a finalist nominee for a national laureate award for Business Innovation, a testament to his drive for excellence that impacts all facets of his business.

In addition to being a significant real estate owner in Victoria and a major city tax payer, Campus Auto Group is also a dedicated community champion, having supported countless charitable and socially responsible endeavors over the years. Since its inception the Campus Auto Group has supported literally hundreds of community organizations, either through direct financial contributions or by rolling up their sleeves and providing hands on support. “What we like to do is to focus our community support efforts on children and families. We try to ensure that our efforts are as local as possible, to help the local community in as many ways as we can. We have supported the

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‘Run for the Cure’ for many years, for the past three we’ve been the largest single contributor to Victoria’s CIBC Run for the Cure event for example,� he explained.

A short cross section of the cha r itable orga n i zat ions or events that have been supported by the Campus Auto Group in recent years include the ‘Power to Play’ and ‘Power To Be’ programs that provide disadvantaged youth with opportunities to participate in outdoor activities, the 4H Clubs of Victoria, The One Up Society which aids women transitioning out of abusive relationships, as well as literally hundreds of different sports, artistic and community organizations. The entire purpose for the ongoing effort is to help build a safer, healthier and more positive local community. “If one of our employees has a cause or are part of an organization that they feel strongly about we want to help support them, to SEE CAMPUS AUTO GROUP | PAGE 15

All our very best as you commemorate 40 years!

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AUGUST 2017

The present Campus Auto Group Infiniti dealership is located at 3371 Oak Street, opening for business in 2011

CAMPUS AUTO GROUP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

be there with them. We try to find the best impact in the community for those people in that organization. We want the community to know that we support their activities and through the fostering of relationships we become more personally involved – which is a lot more than simply cutting a cheque,” he stated.

“As every aspect of our business is connected to people, to be part of the community that we serve, we want to ensure that the groups, individuals or organizations that we do support directly connect back to the local community. That’s why we will more likely support a local group over a large national one.”

A successful business with more than four decades of experience serving the Greater Victoria marketplace Campus Auto Group looks forward to a dynamic future, one that will be marked in part by the changing nature of today’s automotive industry.

“I think that what Dick wants with the company now and into the future is for us to be the sort

of company that Victoria wants to see in business. He wants the community to say ‘that’s the type of car dealership we want to have around’ – we want the community to want us to be successful because we do things right,” he explained.

A corporate philosophy that strives to build relationships, to be honest and ethical in all of its dealings, while bringing the latest products and the best service to the market, promises to continuing making the Campus Auto Group an industry leader. “If a mistake is made we will take care of it, that’s who we are, that’s our DNA and it stems directly from Mr. Graham and his philosophy,” Ostermann said.

The history of excellence the Campus Auto Group has created has not gone unnoticed by the companies the organization works with. Nissan Canada is very proud to have worked with the company for most of its existence. “Nissan Canada is very proud to congratulate our partners at Campus Nissan on their 40th anniversary,” stated Michael Soutter, vice president,

Sales Operations, Nissan Canada Inc. “As our first Nissan store on Vancouver Island, Campus Nissan embodies Nissan’s customer-first philosophy, frequently achieving top scores in customer sales satisfaction. They are also a leading partner in Nissan’s global movement towards mass market adoption of electric vehicles, as the #1 volume retailer of the Nissan LEAF zero emission EV in British Columbia. We wish Campus Nissan the very best in the future.”

For the future, while no immediate plans are in the works to see a fifth dealership open in Victoria or elsewhere the company doesn’t rule out the possibility of additional expansion at some point. Any expansion decisions however would have to be based on solid business reasons.

“We don’t want to be involved in any business scenario where we cannot duplicate our existing business philosophy, that’s just not how we do things,” he said.

The one thing that is certain as far is the Campus Auto Group is concerned is that the future of auto sales will be different than

it is today, but it will still be very exciting. “The auto industry is changing at a rate that is mind boggling, in all regards, not merely in terms of technology.

Our industry is changing at an exponential rate so it is very difficult to predict what the future holds but I can guarantee that there will be significant changes in the models we represent, the way that we deliver them to our

clients and even how the client of tomorrow will shop for a car,” he stated.

“We can only focus on maintaining relationships and in being the kind of company that people want to be here. That of course all comes down to treating people well and in having faith in the fact that wherever the industry is going we will be successful because people will always have a need to get from Point A to Point B in a reliable manner, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

Despite emerging technologies, an evolving marketplace and increasing community recognition, the core of Campus Auto Group’s future success will always be linked to its ability to build lasting relationships. “Regardless of how technology changes, how the model mix changes or what the manufacturers bring to the table in the future, at the end of the day it all comes down to the relationships we’ve developed with our customers,” Ostermann said.

“The buying public will always have needs that ideally they will look to us to serve. If going after that changing market is our intent then we are forced to change, and adapt, and be innovative and grow with the times and the marketplace. That’s what has allowed us to grow for the past 40 years and it’s what will continue to empower us in the years to come.” www.campusautogroup.com

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16

SAANICH PENINSULA

AUGUST 2017

BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS

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mployers report that new workers entering the workforce often do not have the skills required to fulfill the terms of their employment. In addition, much of the existing workforce requires retraining to update their skills so companies can continue to compete in the changing economy. Educational institutions and local employers would benefit from a closer working relationship.

We are pleased to participate in organizing is the EduTech trade show, scheduled for the fall, which will do exactly that – provide a direct link between Peninsula employers, educators

and students. Research proves that the higher educated a population is, the more attractive a community will be to potential new businesses. We have tremendous educational assets in our region and we would do well to highlight them in our promotion and marketing of the area.

It is also important we ex a m i ne t he ex tent to which current legislation at the federal and provincial levels impacts how easily business can be conducted in this area. We could look at improving access to capital funding, creating tax structures that are fair and competitive and building transportation systems that move people easily. At the local level, municipalities can support growth by means of flexible zoning bylaws and approval processes that are streamlined, less complicated and swift.

Regional development goals could be further supported if zoning and approvals processes across the municipalities on the Saanich Peninsula were more closely aligned. Government at all

levels, as well as organizations such as ours, play a central role in fostering an environment of entrepreneurialism that creates the solid footing for economic stability.

Businesses consider the assets of a region when making important investment decisions. When you consider your own movement throughout the area, it becomes clear that none of us live, work, shop, socialize, and play in one municipality.

If we, as community institutions, don’t recognize the benefit of working and acting as a region, there is a risk we are not considering the same issues that people or businesses do when making location decisions and we might therefore not present compelling evidence for them to choose this place.

Denny Warner is Executive Director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at 250656-3616 or execdir@ peninsulachamber.ca

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AUGUST 2017

Beattie Tartan: Tourism Marketing Agency Enters New Era

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Victoria Company Completes Merger With UK – Based Advertising Mega Firm

V

ICTORIA – The name may have changed but the vision, the integrity and the enthusiasm for getting the word out remains the same. As of July the Victoria-based communications company the Tartan Group, Canada’s leading travel public relations and marketing agency, has joined forced with the Beattie Group, a marketing giant headquartered in London, England.

the Chairman of UK-based PR mega firm the Beattie Group, who serendipitously was going to be in the Capital Region as the keynote speaker at the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business, where he was to address the program’s MBA students.

“I asked him for a morning session with myself and a few key members of my team, just to brainstorm about

878 Viewfield Road | Victoria, BC | 250.381.8725 The skills of the creative team at the Tartan Group was one of the factors that encouraged the merger with Beattie

Tartan Group owner Deirdre Campbell is now Managing Director – Canada for the rebranded Beattie Tartan

Kevin Roberts is the Chairman of Beattie Group and the instigator of the plan that led to the merger of the two firms

“We’ve now closed down Tartan and have started a new entity called Beattie Tartan,” explained Deirdre Campbell the Managing Director - Canada for Beattie Tartan.

“We will continue to keep our office in Victoria and we’ll soon be opening office space across Canada and one of my jobs now is to fill those offices with good people.”

Founded in 2001, the Tartan Group was created as a small, boutique public relations agency with a focus on tourism and the tourist industry. In 2006 Campbell became the firm’s sole owner, buying out her two co-founding partners. Over the next decade the company grew, winning numerous major contracts including with the federal Crown Corporation, Destination Canada.

But despite the North America wide success of her firm, Campbell wanted to take her enterprise to the next level, which she felt needed the skills of a truly international marketing expert. As a result she reached out to Kevin Roberts,

where we as a company could go in the future. He worked with us for the morning and then he said he had some ideas he would like to come back to me on, I didn’t know what those ideas were, I assumed additional coaching or mentoring,” she said.

“Then he came back and said he chairs a company out of the UK, the number one agency in the UK, a company wanting to expand into Canada. He told me he felt Tartan would be the team that would be the best for them to do it with and that’s what ultimately led to the merger.”

Now operating with a global focus and with access to the Beattie Group’s expansive resources and international connections, the rebranded and energized Beattie Tartan looks forward to expanding its reach worldwide.

“Our passion and focus tends to be on companies wanting to do good those with a social conscience, so I certainly can’t see that changing as we move forward,” she said. www.beattietartan.ca

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AUGUST 2017

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and is ideally located in proximity to some of the city’s prime visitor destinations, which has played a role in its ongoing success.

“It’s a terrific honour as the award came from a reader’s survey of our own customers.

These are people who have taken the time to write in and provide feedback, no one forced them to it was strictly voluntary so we must be doing something right,” Lewis said.

No stranger to cu stomer-generated recognition, the Magnolia Hotel has also earned its place amongst the Top Hotels in Canada and as a Top Luxury Hotel Traveler’s Choice awards from TripAdvisor for the past five consecutive years.

“It’s a l l A 64 room boutique hotel, the Magnolia Hotel & Spa credits its about delivsuccess on the skills of its management and staff ering excepof the larger hotels in town. All of that means tional service day in and day out with no the guests are going to have a lot more time off-days. One bad review could put the idea to spend with our staff then would occur at a in people’s heads that we’re not trying as hard as we used to and that’s not what we’re larger property,” he said.

Having worked at the Magnolia Hotel for about. Our goal is simple; we want to keep the past eight years he says the attainment the hotel operating at the top of its game of the recognition is a tribute to the skills and which is very important to the owners who dedication his staff of 55 provide year round. are local to Victoria and to the management Located at 623 Courtney Street the Magnolia team,” he said. www.magnoliahotel.com Hotel & Spa encompasses seven stately floors Lewis believes that commitment to service excellence is what sets a boutique hotel apart from its larger competitors. “Looking at the ‘Four Star’ hotels in town, you need a certain staffing level to just have your Four Star award. Being 64 rooms I have to run a similar staffing level for a quarter or even a fifth the number of customers found in some

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s i m a ges of fa milies and firefighters threatened by wildfire flash across our social media feeds and television screens, our first thoughts are for the safety and wellbeing of people directly affected.

With parts of the province in a state of emergency, it is important we receive quick access to accurate information.

Tourism industry workers are often the first point of contact for visitors to our province, and they need to be able to communicate with people

who may not understand the context of what they are seeing.

British Columbia is a huge landmass and there can be a great distance between events happening across the province. However, the scale of BC can be lost on international visitors allowing them to be easily confused by misleading information.

One way that quality information is being disseminated quickly is through regular updates from our provincial partners at Destination BC. The communications team there is distributing fact sheets with the latest updates from official sources to Visitor Services centres across the province. These bulletins help staff inform visitors about what’s going on as well as resources available to make safe choices about their stay in BC. While Greater Victoria is not immune to wildfires, as we saw with the recent blaze near Sooke, we are a region that has been left relatively unscathed.

We are also a gateway to the Island, the rest of the

province and to Canada itself so it is vitally important we give visitors good advice that will help keep them safe. One of the most important messages we can offer is that BC remains open for business.

These wildfires should not be seen as a potential advantage for any region. The fact is the tourism industry relies on inspiring potential travellers.

The perception that BC is not a great place to be hurts every destination in the province, regardless of how far away they are from any fire.

That’s why it is important for every business in our region to remind their customers that it is business as usual and we are happy to have them here. By doing so, we can keep our provincial tourism economy strong as well as potentially influencing visitors who are still planning a future trip.

For everyone affected by fire in the Interior, let’s hope recovery can begin soon.

Paul Nursey is the President and CEO of Tourism Victoria.

19

AUGUST 2017

GLASS DOCTOR OF VICTORIA: SPECIALISTS IN RESIDENTIAL GLASS REPLACEMENT Co-Owners Of The Local Franchise Come To The Business With Lots Of Experience

V

ICTOR I A – W h i le the Glass Doctor of Victoria may only have been operating for about a year and a half, it comes to the marketplace with a wealth of practical experience behind it. “You’d have to say that I come by the glass business fairly naturally, as my family owns Clearlite Glass here in Victoria,” explained franchise co-owner Jen Yates.

“We’re kind of a glass family, as that business has been operating for more than 20 years.

About two years ago the Glass Doctor approached my family’s business but they didn’t want to take it on as the company’s focus is mainly on commercial work, but it sounded pretty appealing to me so I looked into it.”

The original Glass Doctor outlet opened in Seattle, Washington in 1962, offering a full range of glass repair and replacement services to residential, commercial and automotive clients. In time more than 270 company owned shops sprang up across North America. In 1977 the Glass Doctor began franchising its operations with the Glass Doctor of Victoria opening its doors in December 2015. “ W h i le you h ave to ca l l it a franchise, I like to say that each operation is very much independently owned and operated. We’re backed by a franchise, w ith the na me recog n ition, training, marketing and logos, vendors for product and that sort of thing, but we’re allowed to tailor our business to match the needs of our clients,” she said.

“Our main focus is the replacement of residential glass, with very little automotive work.

The Glass Doctor of Victoria operates a service van allowing its technicians to visit customers all across Victoria

“I’ve always been creative, and had a desire to work for myself so this opportunity made a lot of sense for me.”

Glass Doctor of Victoria, which opened in 2015, is co-owned by the brother and sister team of Jeff Kotyk and Jen Yates.

There are some Glass Doctor franchises that only do automotive but we work primarily for residential customers. That said we do some commercial work and occasionally automotive. Auto work involves the insurance corporation and its procedures which can be a little more complicated, especially for a new company. Once we square away the insurance details we want to do more auto work.”

Hav i ng g row n up w ith the Clearlite Glass family, Yates has access to the experience of that established firm’s resources such as product or manpower.

“When Clearlite have a residential request they can pass the work onto me, and likewise if I hear of a commercial job I can let them know, it’s very much a two

way street,” Yates explained.

L oc ated at 107-859 O rono Avenue in Victoria, the Glass Doctor of Victoria is housed in a 1,500 square foot combination shop, office and showroom where some of its products can be displayed. “Even though we are a franchise, with the marketing and support of a major company, I always want people to know that we’re a local ‘mom and pop shop’ – a customer-focused, friendly place for all of your glass needs. We may have international connections but we’re a local business in every sense,” she said.

With a husband in the Navy, Yates is the Glass Doctor of Victoria’s co-owner (along with her brother Jeff Kotyk who focuses most of his attention on

JEN YATES CO-OWNER, GLASS DOCTOR OF VICTORIA

Clearlite) while she looks after a small team of full and part time employees. With its service vehicle the operation can bring its expertise directly to the client, and with the service bay at the Orono location vehicles can be worked on right at the shop.

“Our strength is residential work, which is everything from window panes and sliding doors to shower enclosures, deck railing glass, custom glass work such as replacements for glass shelving, glass table tops and even mirrors. We can do just about anything you can think of. If it’s made of glass we can fabricate it. Probably at this point about 80 per cent of our workload is for residential customers,” Yates explained.

A naturally creative person, and one who has grown up in the family glass business, the opening of Glass Doctor of Victoria has allowed Yates to remain in the Capital Region, make use of her ha nds-on ex perience while allowing her to expand into the world of business. “I’ve always been creative, and had a desire to work for myself so this opportunity made a lot of sense for me. I’ve invested a lot of myself in this; time, energy and money and want to see it grow and expand in the future,” she said.

While there are no plans in the works to see a second location open any time soon, acquiring a larger shop space is certainly on her ‘to do’ list for the future.

For today Yates’ focus is on expanding her client list, gaining additional business experience and helping to get the word out that the Glass Doctor of Victoria is open for business.

“Personal service is the key to our business, we’re very customer-oriented and I believe that will be central to our growth in the future,” she said. www.glassdoctor.com/ victoria-bc

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AUGUST 2017

COMBINED SKILLS SETS COURSE FOR GRAND PRIX SUCCESS Meeting the Right People, Creating a Complete Business Model and Staying Focused on the Prize Led to the Creation of Dream Race Track

P

A R KSV ILLE - Over the cou rse of thei r ca reers Doug McLean and Norman Spann have amassed a diverse set of skills and experience. McLean painted aircraft and worked in automotive collision repair; Spann in sales and management for a building supply company.

On first look, it doesn’t seem like they would have much in common.

But four years ago, the two men joined forces, combining their considerable expertise in the creation of Fast Time Grand Prix Outdoor Naskart Experience.

It started 11 years ago at the Saratoga Speedway in Black C re e k . S p a n n a n d h i s s o n , Aaron, who was racing a figure eight stock car were pitted next to McLean and his crew. When the Spann’s car developed some mechanical issues, McLean asked if he could help.

“People at the track are always willing to help out,” McLean explained. “If you’re having trouble, there is always someone who is more than happy to give you a hand.”

Doug helped Aaron get the car up and running again and later invited them up to his house to review the videos of the races with a group of friends. That started their friendship.

After that it didn’t take the two men long to put their heads together and start etching out plans for what would eventually become Fast Time Grand Prix.

“It ended up taking a lot longer than we thought it would,” said Spann. “There was a lot of political red tape and the Regional District of Nanaimo said no to the indoor concept.”

“We almost gave up,” added McLean. “We just wanted to get

Fast Time Grand Prix offers Nascart racing on a half kilometre outdoor facility with a 35-turn road course CREDIT:FAST TIME GRAND PRIX

started.”

They even looked into getting the indoor facility located in the City of Nanaimo.

“A property in Nanaimo was advertising enough space for what we wanted. But it needed seismic upgrades and sprinkler systems so we asked the realtor for the blueprints. When we asked permission to access them, the owner wasn’t interested in leasing to us. It got to a point of feeling like someone was constantly putting up roadblocks,” said McLean.

But although the roadblocks for putting together their dream indoor facility were plentiful, both men emphasized that there were some strong positives.

“By the time the RDN approved the outdoor facility, we had put

“We met with the right people at the RDN who understood what we were trying to accomplish.”

NORM SPANN OWNER, FAST TIME GRAND PRIX

together a very thorough and complete business model,” said McLean. “We were constantly redoing it and taking it back in to the RDN so the plan was flawless.

We had everything we needed.”

Of course, they also had to build a scale model of the facility, pointing out that it had

Congratulations Fast Time Grand Prix!

Last year, a group of about 15 Lamborghinis doing a fund raiser for kids and youth in Vancouver stopped by the track for a visit CREDIT:FAST TIME GRAND PRIX

to look professional. On a sheet of plywood they added buildings, match box cars and, for the rubber tire crash guards lining

the track, McLean cut individual pieces of an old fuel line to the size of tires.

“One day Doug called me over

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AUGUST 2017

Doug McLean and Norm Spann met in the pits at Saratoga Speedway and shared a dream of owning a go-cart track CREDIT:NORM SPANN

to show me what he had built. It was pretty impressive and very close to scale.”

McLean and Spann eventually changed their vision to satisfy the District’s requirements, altering it from a year-round facility to seasonal and from indoor to outdoor.

“We met with the right people at the RDN who understood what we were trying to accomplish and though it was frustrating and a long process, they did come through,” Spann said.

“We got approval from the Regional District on March 26.

Our goal was then to get the track up and running by May 31,” said McLean. “We did everything ourselves working 16 hour days.

We hired some guys to help out and we hit our target. It took us 76 days.”

“When we first started, we had to bring in a bulldozer and it took a week of levelling, pushing off two feet of topsoil and then laying down gravel so the track would have proper drainage.”

An existing portable building shell was turned into space for office, washrooms and customer area; two large shipping containers were brought in for storage and a canopy installed in-between them for working on the go carts.

“It has a carnival-like atmosphere,” said Spann.

For the track design, McLean and Spann took very different routes to come up with the perfect track, with just the right curves, in just the right places.

“I would get home from work and get coloured scrap paper, tape them together on the table like graph paper and draw out different designs,” said McLean. “It was painstaking work.

I showed it to Norm and he pulls out pages of printouts from a computer software program that, he explained, took a few clicks to draw it out.”

After the long wait for approval, putting together the actual facility moved quickly, and with a positive outlook the men were eager to get started on their plan.

“We a re ver y g lad that we n o w h a v e a h a l f k i l o m e t re

outdoor facility with a 35-turn road course,” McLean said. “It’s intense work and we put in long hours. But as a seasonal business we can work from mid-March to October 31 and then regroup, re-energize, rebuild and rethink.

The other positive is that with seasonal, people don’t get bored with the amusement. Instead, there’s a sense of anticipation for its reopening.”

The payoff for both men has been seeing so many smiling faces.

“We have regular customers that can’t wait to get back here.

They have a lot of fun,” Spann said.

Wanting that fun to go on had driven the men to ensure that safety and fun go hand in hand.

They chose a European design gokart for their rental units because of the safety skirting and engineering behind the kart’s design.

“The key with go-karts is not so much speed as handling. You don’t have to go the maximum 50 km/h. It’s all about control.

These are momentum style carts - maintain your momentum, and you maintain your speed.”

There are league races at the track that help fine tune drivers’ skills. Spann explained that this year the weather played havoc with the league, but now that the season is officially here, league play will happen in September.

“We have cash for winners,”

People come from across the Island to race around the track from ages 11 and a half to older CREDIT:FAST TIME GRAND PRIX

The go-carts are momentum style - maintain your momentum, and you maintain your speed.

CREDIT:FAST TIME GRAND PRIX

he said. “And other local businesses put in prizes for random giveaways.”

This year they have also incorporated a new amusement sport - Archery Tag. “We noticed that people were spending time between races and when we have groups coming they can wait up to half an hour. It got our wheels spinning about what else we could bring to the track.

I saw archery tag on the internet and brought it to Doug’s attention.

We tested it first with the staff; they liked it, so at the end of June we officially launched it.”

A 30 x 80-foot arena holds the battles. It has a canopied roof and open sides with netting. The arrows are non-lethal foam tip. Play is either with four on four or up to eight on eight and works on a point system. The team with the

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most points wins. It’s like a combination of Dodgeball and Paintball with no welts or stains.”

For both men, this is a dream job. They own a business built around providing fun for ages 11 and older, they have winters off and, most importantly, they get to tinker with carts.

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22

OFF THE COVER

AUGUST 2017

Taking part in the grand opening were (l to r) Steve Roth; Jerry Hong, City of Nanaimo; Frank Butzelaar, Chris Good, Snuneymuxw First Nation

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Recently the marine tra nspor tation serv ice commissioned a pair of technologically-advanced LNG (l iquefied natu ra l gas) fueled vessels, the Seaspan Swift and Seaspan Reliant, transport vessels that will link Duke Point to the Mainland. Each ship is 148.9 metres long and is capable of accommodating up to 59, 53’ trailers.

T he two sh ips are the f i rst new vessel s added to SFC’s f leet si nce 2002. T he energ y efficient ferries will reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically, while delivering the highest level of efficiency, performance and reliability. SFC currently operates a fleet of seven ferries out of four terminals. Seaspan currently operates two Vancouver Island terminals, at Swartz Bay near Victoria and now from Nanaimo’s Duke Point.

“Our focus is on movi ng trucks, not the ra i l c a rs t h at u se d to pa ss through Nanaimo when

The new Seaspan Reliant is one of a pair of LNG fuelled ferries that will be used to connect Duke Point to the Mainland the Canadian Pacific Railway operated the downtown facility. Today rail traffic is being moved by Seaspan’s Tug and Barge d iv ision, w ith the ca rs carried on a specially built rail barge rather than a rail ferry,” Roth said.

“Our customers are essent i a l ly t r uckers a nd trucking companies. It could be lumber on flatdecks, compa n ies such as Van Kam Freightways Ltd. or Comox Pacific Express who are LTL (Less Than Truckload) trucking companies. You’re going to get companies that are

Frank Butzelaar Seaspan’s CEO officiated at the grand opening of the company’s newly expanded Duke Point facility

dedicated haulers like GFS (Gordon Food Service). Essentially we are going to get anything that is coming on or off the Island that travels by truck,” he said.

The Supervisor of Customer Operations at the Duke Point Terminal Brian Campbell said in a published report the new facility will make Seaspan’s operations more efficient a nd w i l l help to keep heavy commercial traffic out of Nanaimo’s downtown core. “So we still go to two terminals on the mainland, but it makes it easier for us with customers to diagnose who needs to go where, who should go where on what boats. It’s easier to get the freight off the island that way.”

For Rot h t he open i ng of t he en h a nc e d D u ke Point facility is reaching another milestone in the company’s ongoing expansion program. “We’re part way through a $250 million investment in new equipment and terminal upgrades and consolidations, so the service will just continue to keep getting better.”

To learn more please visit the company’s website at: www.seaspan.com

WHO IS SUING WHOM

AUGUST 2017

WHO IS SUING WHOM 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 0813188 BC LTD 5400 Island Hwy North, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Cloutier Matthews LLP CLAIM $8,679 DEFENDANT 1003708 BC LTD 321 St Julian St, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Mazzei Electric LTD CLAIM $52,952 DEFENDANT ARAMARK CANADA LTD 1055 West Georgia St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Nichola J W Reid Law Corporation CLAIM $21,018 DEFENDANT BCIS BC Integrated Solutions Inc 1800-355 Burrard St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF

Richlock Rentals LTD CLAIM $ 10,825

SFJ Inc CLAIM $ 48,586

DEFENDANT Better Choice Exterior Maintenance 3096 Paisley Pl, Colwood, BC PLAINTIFF Patterson, Leslie CLAIM $ 25,166

DEFENDANT Mid Island Bobcat 5400 Island Hwy North, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Cloutier Matthews LLP CLAIM $ 8,679

DEFENDANT Brunnell Construction Ltd 7th Flr 1175 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF BC Concrete Curb & Gutter Inc CLAIM $ 115,306

DEFENDANT Miles Plumbing Services LTD 2519 Ludgate St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Cosby, Cheri Charlene CLAIM $ 21,082

DEFENDANT HMCS Alberni Museum & Memorial 5-625 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay, BC PLAINTIFF Planidin, Paul Wilfred CLAIM $ 6,366

DEFENDANT Mr Reg Butcher Cabinet Master 103-3500 Quadra St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Krawczynski, Janusz CLAIM $ 5,176

DEFENDANT Home Depot of Canada Inc 400-725 Granville St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Davis, Rosalie Emilie CLAIM $ 25,156

DEFENDANT Nanaimo Cold Storage Trucking Ltd 4-125 Bowlsby St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Island Reefer Service & Repair CLAIM $ 22,968

DEFENDANT Jas Tar Trucking Ltd 13550 64th Ave, Surrey, BC PLAINTIFF

DEFENDANT Nanaimo Realty Company Ltd 40 Cavan St, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Brooks Landing Centre Inc

CLAIM $ 25,236 DEFENDANT Pedre Contractors Ltd 101-26620 56th Ave, Langley, BC PLAINTIFF CLAIM $ 7,867 DEFENDANT Salt Spring Events 360-1070 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Richlock Rentals Ltd CLAIM $ 6,119 DEFENDANT Serengeti Wholesalers Ltd 8-8358 121a St, Surrey, BC PLAINTIFF Lah Sourcing Ltd CLAIM $ 60,000 DEFENDANT Sunny Hill Development Ltd 1400 Dogwood Ave, Comox, BC PLAINTIFF Stolting, Walter Rolf CLAIM $ 24,429 DEFENDANT T & T Construction Management 4690 Otter Point Pl, Sooke, BC PLAINTIFF Matrix Marble Corporation CLAIM

23 DEFENDANT University Heights Shopping Centre Ltd 400-725 Granville St, Vancouver, BC PLAINTIFF Davis, Rosalie Emilie CLAIM $ 25,156 DEFENDANT Valley Tech Contracting 5820 Gabourie Pl, DUNCAN, BC PLAINTIFF Dodds Lumber & Building Supplies Ltd CLAIM $ 6,493 DEFENDANT Van Isle Paint Inc 250 Prospect Lake Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc CLAIM $ 23,203 DEFENDANT Vic 1 Holding Ltd 6090 Wisteria Way, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Marks Restaurant Service Inc CLAIM $ 5,875

24

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

AUGUST 2017

1977 and now has locations across Vancouver Island.

Eye Etiquette Optical Boutique is celebrating their 10th year in business at 189-2401C Millstream Road.

Black Ball Ferry Line has implemented their expanded summer schedule on the MV Coho ferry. The car ferry, which stops in Victoria and Port Angeles, Washington expanded their service to four round-trip daily sailings which will continue until September 6. The vessel now leaves Victoria at 6:10 am, 10:30 am, 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm. The ferry returns from Port Angeles at 8:15 am, 12:45 pm, 5:20 pm and 9:30 pm.

Dave Cowen, CEO of Butchart Gardens The Butchart Gardens announced the appointment of Mr. Dave Cowen to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Cowen has held the role of General Manager at Butchart Gardens since 2007. He is currently Chair of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and Co-chair of the Tourism Committee for the Pacific Northwest Region. The Butchart Gardens is at 800 Benvenuto Avenue in Brentwood Bay.

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The Fairmont Empress recently celebrated their grand re-opening following a massive two-year $60-million renovation. The final phase of the project included a renovated health club and pool, updated reception area, refreshed Willow Stream Spa, improved retail area and a complete renovation of over 200 guest rooms.

Expedia Cruise Ship Centers has opened a new location in Westshore at 748 Goldstream Avenue.

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Amica at Saanich has been renamed Amica at the Gorge. The change in name reflects the retirement residence’s location in the historic neighbourhood at 994 Gorge Road West.

Valhalla Pure Outfitters is now open in downtown Victoria at 1824 Store Street.

Pemberton Holmes is celebrating their 130th year in business. The real estate firm was founded in 1887 under the name “Pemberton & Son – Engineers, Surveyors and Real Estate Agents” and remains family owned and operated six generations later.

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Codename Entertainment is preparing to release a Dungeons & Dragons video game.

The company has been working on “Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms”, an official Dungeons & Dragons game since last fall. The game is expected to be released sometime this year.

Thrifty Foods is celebrating their 40th anniversary. The company opened their first store in Victoria’s Fairfield neighbourhood in

Engel & Volkers has added four realtors to their brokerage. Megan Jackson and Alexandra Weynerowski join the Victoria office at 735 Humboldt Street while Aileen Eakins and Kyle Fuzi join the office at 2249 Oak Bay Avenue.

328 Taphouse + Grill is now open for business in the Westshore at 102-328 Wale Road. The restaurant features 40 beer taps highlighting craft brewers in the South Island and Pacific Northwest and specialty pizzas cooked in their stone-fired pizza oven.

GMC Projects has been approved by Esquimalt council to turn the 123-room Econo Lodge at 101 Island Highway into a 96-unit apartment complex. The complex, which GMC is calling Portage West, will have room for a restaurant and feature a waterfront pool and cottages.

The re-imagining of the existing buildings will be done in four or five phases, with the first phase bringing 14 units of market rental housing. The housing will be building studio, one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den and twobedroom units.

Cascadia Liquor Stores has named Jeremy Pott as their Regional Operations Manager. Pott previously owned and operated a restaurant in the Rocky Mountains and has over 25 years in the hospitality industry.

Pearson College UWC in Metchosin has appointed Heather Gross as Chief Academic Officer and Vice-President of Education and Programming. Gross graduated from Pearson in 1995 and returned to the school 12 years later to lead student counselling and admissions.

Suburbia Studios welcomes Jo-Ann Kevala to their agency as the Vice President of Digital Stategy and Innovation. The company is a marketing agency based in Victoria and Vancouver. Kevala has a background in tech marketing and spent the past ten years at Unit4, a global software company.

The Gallery Associates of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has named their new executive. The executive includes, President Donna Jones, First Vice-President Carol-Anne Harper, Second Vice-President Wendy Lovitt

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

AUGUST 2017

Warren, Secretary Louise Klassen, Treasurer Marcia Shillington, Membership Director Karen Ayers, Program Director Yvonne MacKenzie and Past-President Pieta VanDyke.

Dragon Books will be celebrating their 9th anniversary on September 16 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at #106 – 721 Station Avenue. The store is offering 20 per cent off all books and will be featuring tea, cupcakes and prizes. Dragon Books is owned and operated by sisters Sharon Jensen and Joanne Boomer.

Sunwing will be offering convenient Saturday departures from December 16, 2017 until April 7, 2018 to the popular Mexican destination of Puerto Vallarta, in addition to its regular Los Cabos service which will operate this winter on Sundays from December 17, 2017 through April 8, 2018. All Sunwing packages to Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos from Victoria include return flights operated by Viva Aerobus.

CrackerJack Marketing + Design has recently merged with JackFlash Photography + Video to create CrackerJackFlash: a onestop-shop that unites strategic and visually driven services under one roof. CrackerJackFlask is at Suite 1 1262 Burnside Road West.

OPTrust announced a strategic investment in James Evans & Associates (JEA) Ltd., a Victoria based provider of pension administration services in Canada and the U.S., and one of the pension plan’s long-standing service providers. JEA’s pension engine, which OPTrust believes is the best product offering in its category, is a key component of the pension plan’s administration system. JEA, a Victoria, British Columbia-based company, is one of Canada’s leading pension software firms. JEA’s solutions are used to administer over 1.5 million individual member pensions across public and union plans in Canada and the United States.

Redbrick, a Victoria-based software company, announced the release of their latest product, Assembly: a cloud-based application that allows brands and marketing agencies to manage all of their influencer marketing campaigns in one centralized location. Redbrick is a Victoriabased software company at 200 – 1630 Store Street.

Scott Phillips of Starfish Medical StarFish Medical CEO and Founder, Scott Phillips has been named as a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 Pacific Awards program.

Ernst and Young named 27 finalists across nine categories and Phillips was selected in the Technology category.

The Victoria Film Festival is now accepting Virtual Reality entries for the 2018 Festival. The Victoria Film Festival presents more than 100 features, shorts and documentaries every year, during their ten day celebration of film. Entries are open until August 25, 2017.

Latitude Technologies welcomes industry veteran Raymond Larkin to their sales team as their Vice President of Business Aviation Sales with additional responsibilities as the accountable Manager for developing Military and Government programs. Larkin has three decades of sales, marketing and technical experience in aerospace and satellite based communication systems and a high level of business experience managing Satcom sales to Business Aviation and Special Use Aircraft to the military and government segment. Latitude is headquartered in Victoria and is an accredited aerospace parts manufacturer and provider of flight data monitoring, flight following, and satellite data and voice communications equipment and services.

Bruce, Jordan Campeau, Shannon Jackson and Glenda Warren-Adams.

Re/Max Camosun is at #101 – 791 Goldstream Avenue.

David Black, Chairman of the Victoria 2022 Bid Committee, announced key appointments to the Bid Committee that will assist Victoria’s bid to stage the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The appointments include John Furlong who oversaw the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Paralympics as President and CEO of the 2010 Vancouver Bid and Organizing Committees; George Heller, a Canadian-business person and former President and CEO of the Victoria Commonwealth Games Committee; Roger Jackson, a Canadian academic and Olympic gold medalist rower; and Iona Campagnolo, a former federal Cabinet Minister and Canada’s first female Minister of Sport.

IKAN Kitchen Installations is opening a location in the heart of Cook Street Village at 314B Cook Street.

Coast Capital Savings welcomes Joanne Walsh to their team of financial planners at their Shelbourne Branch at 3750 Shelbourne Street.

The Market on Millstream has launched a new same day grocery delivery/pick-up service. Customers can simply call, email or text their

grocery order to the store at 125 – 2401 C Millstream Road.

Both the Victoria Golf Club and Royal Victoria Yacht Club recently became recipients of the 2017 Club of the Year Award. The award is presented to clubs affiliated with the Canadian Society of Club Managers that have shown significant innovation, leadership and social responsibility in club management.

25 owned seafood shop, an ice-cream counter, a garden store and more.

Lorne is the son of the late Alex Campbell Sr., co-founder of Thrifty Foods, which has been a part of the Sobeys Grocery Group since 2007.

The Old Farm Market is at 5164 Francis Street in Koksilah.

After 30 years in the same location, Boondocks Café is moving to the former location of Theos Restaurant on Fifth Street. Boondocks is planning on opening in the new location by the second week of September.

Alpha Home Health Care has been sold to Bayshore HealthCare as a result of the retirement of Alpha president and second-generation owner Don Swindell. The move will see the workforce of over 200 Alpha employees transfer to Bayshore’s Home Health division and retain their patients. Bayshore Home Health in Victoria at 1900 Richmond Road is managed locally by Stasia Hartley, area director for Vancouver Island.

Lorne Campbell, the owner of Budget Blinds in Victoria has purchased the Old Farm Market, just south of Duncan. The 29-year-old farm market includes locally grown produce, indoor groceries and a deli. The site also features an independently

Jim Corr of Vancouver Shipyards Jim Corr has been appointed VicePresident of Planning and Estimating at Vancouver Shipyards, owned

by Seaspan; the owner of Victoria Shipyards. Corr has a background in government-procurement projects that will come in handy as Vancouver Shipyards builds non-combat ships for the federal government. These SEE MOVERS AND SHAKERS | PAGE 27

Two University of Victoria students, Ryan Beaton and Ryan Tonkin have received Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation doctoral scholarships this year. Both Ryan’s are PhD students at UVIC and advocates for minorities and marginalized community in Canada and will receive three $40-thousand per year scholarships and corresponding three-year, $20-thousand per year research and travel allowances.

Heather and Richard Stewart have opened Oak Bay Botanicals for business at 2187 Oak Bay Avenue. The store offers a range of essential oils and diffusers, custom organic skin ointments, soaps and shampoos.

The Axe and Barrel Brewing Company earned a silver medal at the 2017 Canadian Brewing Awards for their King Kolsch beer. The Axe and Barrel is owned by Ron and Diana Cheeke and opened last year on the site of the Longhouse Pub following a renovation and the addition of a brewery.

The City of Colwood recently scored highly in a Money Sense list ranking Canada’s best places to live. The list took median household income, unemployment rates, weather and taxes into account and ranked Colwood 19th nationwide and fourth in the province.

Re/Max Camosun recently announced their top producers of the month. They are Jason Leslie, Lorne Tuplin, Deborah Coburn, Jennifer

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FIRST STEPS OF GREENDP GOVERNMENT SOUNDS LIKE RETURN OF WAR ON RESOURCE INDUSTRIES

MARK MACDONALD

F

irst impressions count, and for that reason, the initial steps of the GreeNDP government make clear they intend to carry out their threats towards BC’s resource-based industries.

Kinder Morgan has announced it is on target for starting construction of the twinning of its pipeline in September. It has to go, and must get started.

Yet the GreenDP government is signaling loud and long they will do anything and everything within its power to stop it. If they are ultimately successful, it would be a triumph for anarchy, as government decisions will prove to be undermine-able by vocal, minority special interest groups.

Not that it will do any good, as the federal Liberal government has given the project the green light. It’s an interesting juxtaposition, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau changing from the lane he drove

during the 2015 election to okay the much-needed project, that will speed up delivery of this valuable resource to port for export.

Politically, it looks like the Greens are banking on their opposition to Kinder Morgan being enough to appease supporters, while the NDP can bleat about fighting the project, knowing it can’t and won’t win, yet keeping the jobs because the pipeline will still be built.

Premier John Horgan has initiated his promised review of the Site C dam, and it’s anyone’s guess whether or not he has the courage to scrap the project and issue pink slips to 2,200 workers. Whether or not he does, the political decision is bad for business, and expensive.

Delaying the dam means builders will miss out on critical construction time in a season when the northern BC weather isn’t prohibitive. Having it in limbo puts the companies involved thus far have to be nervous, awaiting a “will he/ won’t he” decision that will impact their bottom lines. If the project is scrapped, these companies will demand restitution, through the courts if necessary.

If this is the end of Site C, then all the work done thus far is utterly wasted. As is the opportunity to add more affordable electricity to the provincial power grid. As demand increases, supply must also. If supply doesn’t increase,

then prices will go up. Either way it goes, taxpayers will foot the bill – for construction delays, settlements with companies, or higher electricity bills.

Now that the Greens are part of an actual government, everyone sees what they’ve been about all along. The Green’s veiled goal is to stop resource-based economy.

Period. They may use platitudes like “studies”, etc., but make no mistake, they believe resource extraction is evil, and believe it is their “moral duty” to stop such actions, regardless of how many people who make their livings that way it will hurt. They don’t care.

They’ve learned how to stop everything. Delay, delay, delay.

Whether it’s Kinder Morgan, Site C, or local development. Delaying projects causes cash flow problems for companies, and only the deep pocketed and stubbornly committed endure to completion. It’s financial death by a thousand cuts, or studies and regulations.

It’s puzzling to watch Green leader Andrew Weaver acquiesce to every NDP demand, settling only for electoral reform, particularly if it’s proportional representation, ensuring the party seats in perpetuity. That one plank is perhaps the most troubling of all, as they could be positioned to grind every major project to a screeching halt.

What the NDP did to win as many

seats as they did in May was concentrate on the lower mainland, using what they dubbed the “housing crisis” as their main message.

They didn’t pay attention to the regions of the province that are less populated and resource-dependent. Northern BC and the Interior aren’t as MLA-rich as the Greater Vancouver region, so they basically ignored them.

To all of BC’s peril, really, including the lower mainland. In the GreeNDP’s anti-resource push is the misunderstanding that the head offices of the mining and forestry companies are largely based in Vancouver. There are many, many jobs that pay far north of six figures in the province’s financial centre that are a direct result of the operations that take place in the “industrial parks”, aka the mines and sawmills around the province.

So, how exactly will the GreeNDP carry out their mandate for more affordable housing?

That’s where the electorate just doesn’t pay attention. The issue is supply and demand. There isn’t enough supply, so demand – and prices – goes up.

It’s not the provincial government that allows subdivisions – it’s cities and municipalities. Many of these governments stonewall development wherever possible, under the guise of controlling growth.

What they are unwittingly doing,

though, is limiting supply, which drives up prices.

And non-free enterprisers never seem to understand that.

The answer to ever increasing housing prices is not provincially legislated taxation or regulation, because it is municipal governments that decide whether buildings or developments can be built.

If voters are upset at housing prices, they should be vocalizing that against their local governments that prohibit growth. Yet the GreeNDP did an effective brainwashing of the electorate to lay the “blame” for rising house prices on Christy Clark and the BC Liberals.

It worked, but what now happens is that the NDP suggested solution – provincial involvement – is about to be put on full display.

We will find out soon enough that the NDP – which is at constant loggerheads with builders and developers – needs that sector to help them carry out their campaign promises and wishes.

They will get that assistance if builders and developers can identify true opportunities for success and profits. Which, if their answer is building affordable housing, will come directly from the taxpayers’ purse. And watch out for rent controls, another market manipulation for which socialists clamor.

The NDP is back in power, BC Get ready to pay.

TRUDEAU SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR SPENDING CHOICES

CHARLES LAMMAM & BEN EISEN FRASER INSTITUTE

O

n the campaign trail in 2015, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals promised to hold federal deficits to $10 billion or less during their first few years in office before returning to a balanced budget in 2019-20. Unfortunately, that’s not how things turned out.

The Liberal government’s deficit this year is expected to reach $28.5 billion. And the government won’t commit to a specific timeline to balance the books.

In a recent press conference, Prime Minister Trudeau blamed the deteriorating condition of federal finances on the previous government, claiming he inherited an $18-billion “baseline deficit” in his first year in government. This is a remarkable and unjustified exercise in blame shifting. In reality, the Liberal government’s spendthrift ways are a key reason for the larger-than-promised budget deficits.

I n t he 2015-16 f i sca l yea r, when the Liberals were elected, federal program spending totalled $270.9 billion - a 6.7 per cent increase over the previous year. This increase was a function of the Conservatives in the first half of the year and the newly-elected Liberals in the second half.

T he Conser vat ives, led by Stephen Ha rper, pla n ned to spend $263.2 billion in their 2015 budget. The Liberals assumed power in October 2015

and program spending ultimately increased by $7.7 billion to $270.9 billion. Since revenues ended up $5.2 billion higher than planned in the 2015 budget, the government recorded a small deficit of $987 million, equivalent to 0.3 per cent of total federal spending.

The next year, with the Liberal government fully in charge of finances, spending increased by 7.4 per cent. Except for the post-recession sp end i ng i n 2009-10, that’s the highest yearover-year increase by Ottawa since 2006-07. That dwarfed the average annual increase in federal spending over the preceding six years (1.5 per cent).

Fast-forward to the current fiscal year. The government plans another significant boost in federal program spending - 5.0 per cent. All told, the Liberals will have added $34.6 billion in new program spending over the past two years (not counting any extra spending from 2015-16), a

12.8 per cent jump.

While it’s true the economy has slowed since the Liberals assu med power, da mpen i ng revenue growth, these marked spend i ng i ncreases have no doubt contributed to the larger-than-promised deficits we see today.

Despite a weaker economy, the Liberals could have kept the deficit to $10 billion this year (2017-18) by exercising some spending restraint and limiting the total increase in program spending over the past two years to $19.1 billion (or 7.0 per cent).

This level of spending growth, incidentally, would have more than offset cost pressures from rising overall prices (inflation) and a growing population.

In short, if the Liberal government increased spending more modestly, it would have kept its promise of a $10-billion deficit this year and been on track to achieve a balanced budget on schedule.

To govern is to choose, as the old saying goes, and it was the Liberals who cut the rope on several short-lived fiscal anchors in order to facilitate a spendthrift approach to governance. They should accept responsibility for the consequences rather than shifting blame to a defeated government that has been out of office for more than a year and a half.

None of this is to praise the Conservatives’ management of federal finances. At various points, they too increased spending markedly, which contributed to large deficits.

The decision-makers of the day are responsible for their choices, and clearly Trudeau and his government bear responsibility for the larger-than-promised deficits facing the country today.

Charles Lammam and Ben Eisen are analysts at the Fraser Institute (www.fraserinstitute.org).

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

AUGUST 2017

27

Pacifica Day At The HarbourCats: Fundraising Event August 1

V MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

vessels will come to Victoria for testing prior to being turned over to the federal government.

The Q at the Empress has received a 2017 Award of Excellence from the magazine Wine Spectator. The awards recognize restaurants with wide lists featuring at least 90 selections that complement the cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine connoisseurs.

The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy is celebrating their 40th anniversary at 4071 Shelbourne Street.

Habit Coffee has received the 2017 award for Highest Sustainability in Victoria, an award presented annually by Synergy Corporate Sustainability Management. The award recognizes Habit and owner Shane Devereaux’s commitment to sustainable business practices since the company was founded in 2006.

Re/Max Camosun Peninsula recently announced their top agents of the month. The top producers are Kris Gower, Eric Smith, Jack Barker and Lori Sutherland. Kris Gower was also recognized as the top lister of the month. Re/Max Camosun Peninsula is at #14 – 2510 Bevan Avenue in Sidney.

Galleon Books and Antiques is celebrating their 15th anniversary at #106 – 2506 Beacon Avenue.

The Mortgage Centre has moved to a new location in Sidney at Unit 10 – 9843 Second Street.

The Triathlon Canada national performance centre, headquartered in the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre recently held their grand opening. The city is providing long-term leasing for office and training space which includes a 1,000-square-foot strength and conditioning gym.

Jamie Pearce has been appointed as the Victoria Police Department’s officer in charge for the Township of Esquimalt.

Heidi Mois is a new instructor at North Langford Recreation Centre with over 20 years of experience in the health and wealth industry. The recreation centre is at 1997 Country Club Way. The Westshore Rebels president Doug Kobayashi has decided to resign from his position citing health reasons. Rob Lervold will take over the role moving forward.

The Canadian Forces Esquimalt Base welcomes Captain Jason Boyd to the role of base commander. Boyd replaces outgoing commander, Commodore Steve Waddell.

Ravi Parmar is the new chairman of the Sooke School District. He replaces Bob Philips.

Dan Price has been appointed as the new head coach of the Victoria Royals. Price previously held the role of assistant coach and will take over from Dave Lowry who was hired by the LA Kings as an assistant coach.

ICTORIA – It’s going to be a home run for the youthful residents of Pacifica Housing August 1, when the Victoria HarbourCats baseball team hosts its first ever “Pacifica Day at the HarbourCats”. As part of the organization’s on-going Virtues Program, which entrenches positive values in children residing within the Pacifica community, youths and parents from Pacifica are invited to attend a HarbourCats home game as they take on their south of the border rivals, the Bellingham Bells.

The event, which is part of an on-going partnership between the HarbourCats and Pacifica Housing, is also open to donors, partners and other supporters within the community. As a means of offering support to Pacifica Housing, the Victoria HarbourCats will donate the results of its regular 50 / 50 draw to the group as a means of creating awareness about affordable housing in the community.

“We have free tickets for 100 of our families to come to this game,” explained Pacifica’s Executive Director (and former Victoria Mayor) Dean Fortin.

“We’re having the kids kick-off the event with a match at 5:00 PM at the Royal Athletic Park. It will

Pacifica Housing’s Harrison Ellis and Ruth A. Mojeed show off some of the tickets for the August 1 Victoria HarbourCats game

had previously been homeless, typically those suffering from mental health issues due to addiction. The group administers five complexes (one in Nanaimo, four in Victoria) where it provides care for those tenants. “We want to see everyone in the city come on out, see a great baseball game and help support Pacifica by buying a 50 / 50 ticket,” he said.

To learn more, please visit the organization’s website at: www. pacificahousing.ca.

be a fun, family-focused event for Pacifica residents and friends from across the community.”

Created more than 35 years ago to make housing affordable for low income earners, Pacifica Housing is one of Vancouver Island’s largest non-profit affordable housing providers. Acting as a landlord, Pacifica Housing administers approximately 1,500 rental units from Nanaimo to Victoria. The organization was created to provide low income housing for families, individuals with disabilities and for seniors.

Pacifica also provides supportive housing for 160 individuals who

Black Press has named Christine Scott the new Direct of Product Development for Vancouver Island South. Michelle Caban has been appointed to the position of Publisher of the Goldstream News Gazette.

June automotive top sellers are Luke Hawkins of Harris Auto; Terry Kennedy of Jim Pattison Toyota; Chris Rowbottom of Jim Pattison Lexus; Jamie Elmhirst of Pacific Mazda; Ted Sakousky of Wheaton; David Vollet of Audi Autohaus; Anthony Atigari of Volkswagen Victoria; Matt Kennard of Porsche Centre; Adam Mikasko of Three Point Motors; Evan Souliotis of BMW Victoria; Dustin Hofer of Volvo; Frank Burgaretta of Wille Dodge; Justin Stacey of Jenner; Blake Horman of Campus Honda; Ben Dunfield of Campus Infiniti; Danny Usher of Galaxy Motors; Katrina Kamper of Graham Kia; Frank Pecorelli of Campus Nissan; Mike Delmaire of Jim Pattison Subaru and Jason Ogilvie of Campus Acura.

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