Business Examiner Peace Cariboo Skeena - March 2015

» ARCHITECTS

MARCH 2015

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FORT ST. JAMES Ouellette Bros. celebrates 40 years

Wherever Business Takes You

in business and has expanded to serve three western provinces

Peace Cariboo Skeena

Now in Prince George

Accounting office opening a calculated move

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MNP LLP, one of Canada’s largest accounting firms, has opened a Prince George office

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Opinion 18

R I NCE GEORGE – MNP LLP calculated that Prince George and northern BC were poi sed for sig n i f ica nt growth.

That explains their decision to open their own office at the start of the year in the RBC building at #400, 550 Victoria Street, bringing their total number of offices in the province to 17.

“We’ve been looking to add a Prince George location for some time,” says Jason Tuffs, MNP’s Executive Vice President for the BC Region, who noted MNP has merged in the accounting practice of Neil Fowlie as well as brought in key local accounting professionals Andrew Adams, Rod Quiring and Frankie Albano.

“Our number one priority was to make sure we had the right people to serve the community.

Joining forces with Neil along with Andrew, Rod and Frankie, was the first step in ensuring we had the professionals who understand the business needs of the community,” he adds. “The team will also work closely with

Prince Rupert

SEE ACCOUNTING OFFICE | PAGE 11

PRINCE GEORGE Lodgewood Enterprises Is known for coming through on the long haul

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INDEX News Update

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Prince George

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Smithers 4 Sales 5 Fort St. John

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Inventing 9 19

Houston 19 Movers and Shakers 22 Contact us: 1-866-758-2684

OUR 7TH YEAR

Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

The MNP Prince George partners, from left to right: Andrew Adams, CFP, CPA, CA and Rod Quiring, CPA, CA

Rolling Mix keeps on rolling in Prince George After 50 years, company continues to build on its success

BY GOODY NIOSI

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RINCE GEORGE - Rolling Mix Concrete BC Ltd. in Prince George celebrates 50 years in 2015. And it will be a year of celebration! It starts this spring with a tailgate party, continues into the summer with a golf tournament and ends the

year with a giant wrap up gala.

Asked what ingredients make up the recipe for the company’s longevity, president John Paolucci named only two: quality and service.

Rolling Mix was founded in Pri nce George by Paolucci’s father, Joe, who was working for Rolling Mix in Calgary back in the

1960s when he saw an opportunity in BC. “That was right at the time when all the mills were starting to be built,” Paolucci said. “So they thought they would come to Prince George for seven or eight years and then pull out.” However, once the business was up and running, it just didn’t make

sense to shut it down – and 50 years later, it’s still going strong.

Paolucci followed in his father’s footsteps right out of high school, intrigued partly by working with heavy equipment and mostly, by working with his dad. Joe passed away in 1999 and was known to SEE ROLLING MIX | PAGE 7

580 Richard Road | Prince George, BC 250.596.1640 | www.tyrodindustries.com

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NEWS UPDATE

FORT ST. JOHN

MARCH 2015

Quality in Peace Region

Terminal Expanding

The landfill gas management system at the North Peace Regional Landfill near Fort St. John is officially in operation. Construction for the project began in 2013 and the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) officially commissioned it for operation in December 2014.

The BC Landfill Gas Management Regulation established province-wide criteria for landfill gas capture from municipal landfills as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The regulations in place require that landfills with 100,000 tones of more of waste in place or with an annual waste acceptance rate exceeding 10,000 tones per year must be assessed to determine their landfill gas generation potential.

The assessment conducted for the Landfill determined that the system installed was required by the year 2021.

Options for using the gas management system include power generation or transporting the gas to a natural gas utility by pipeline. The PRRD can also retain carbon credits to offset its corporate greenhouse gas emissions as additional carbon credits can be sold to members of municipalities or on the open market.

Revenue from selling these credits will offset the on-going expenses associated with operating the landfill gas system and reduce the level of taxation required to support it.

Geoscience BC recently announced its new Peace Project. The Peace Project represents a collaborative effort that will generate new information about groundwater in northeast BC’s Peace Region.

Partners included in the initiative are the BC Oil and Gas Commission, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers through the Science and Community Environmental Knowledge fund, ConocoPhillips Canada, Progress Energy Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the North Development Initiative Trust (NDIT).

The initiative is part of a response to the Province’s announcement of the new Water Sustainability Act to regulate groundwater usage. The Peace Project will produce sound technical knowledge of the region’s shallow aquifers to facilitate effective groundwater protection. To achieve this, Phase 1 of the initiative includes a new airborne geophysical survey that will be completed this year. The survey will cover 8,000 square kilometers within Northern BC, stretching northwest from Hudson’s Hope and Fort St. John, to past Pink Mountain.

The survey is set to collect data to a depth of 300 meters below the earth’s surface, which can then be used to produce maps of shallow aquifer distribution, quantity and quality.

The Northeast Water Strategy is currently under development by the Provincial government in partnership with Treaty 8 First Nations, local governments, regulatory bodies and the resource sector.

Prince Rupert’s port announced an expansion that will increase the facility’s capacity by nearly 60 per cent.

Maher Terminals said its expanding their Fairview Container terminal at the Prince Rupert Port to handle 1.3 million containers per year, up from it’s current capacity of 850,000 units.

Construction on the expansion will begin immediately and is expected to be finished by the middle of 2017. The expansion will involve a capital investment of more than $200 million. The expansion will add a second deep-water ship berth, four cranes, a bigger container yard and more railroad track.

Maher Terminals has subcontracted the expansion to Fraser River Pile and Dredge and BEL Contracting. Container traffic through the facility has increased at a faster pace than any other port in North America, with 2014 volume 15 per cent higher than 2013.

The Fairview terminal, which opened in 2007, is a main export point for forest products, particularly from northern BC, destined for Hong Kong, Shanghai and the South Korean city of Busan. Prince Rupert’s port is the second largest on Canada’s West Coast next to Vancouver, and the closest North American port to Asia.

NORTHERN BC

PRINCE GEORGE

New Project to Moniter Water

Prince Rupert Container

Landfill Gas Management System Now Operational

PRINCE GEORGE Downtown Revitalization Plan Includes Plans for Cultural Centre Renos After 25 years, the North Peace Cultural Centre is likely in need of a makeover. As part of a downtown revitalization plan presented to City council, Modus Planning, Design and Engagement addressed the need for possible changes to the Cultural Centre.

The presentation indicated that Council should consider more substantial renovations or redevelopment of the NPCC in light of new uses and programming envisioned for the Centre.

The plan called for changes to the building including a terraced entrance at the southeast and installation of windows at the northeast corner. Other changes suggested were more internal, such as better bookkeeping or installing an artist studio on the second floor.

Fundraising ideas for taking up the revitalization included mainly corporate sponsorships and allowing alcohol sales.

Feedback for the presentation was positive with many supporting the suggestions made by Modus about specific changes and the need for the centre to be revamped.

PEACE CARIBOO Fair Share Agreement Likely Getting Extension The Northeast BC (NEBC) Resource Municipalities Coalition recently received a letter indicating the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes is considering the Premier’s promise to extend the Fair Share agreement, which is expected to expire in 2020.

The Fair Share agreement provides an annual provincial grant in lieu of access to the oil and gas tax base. The NEBC Coalition has been hard at work since its inception, preparing for negotiations on the agreement.

The Coalition has economists working on economic projections for Site C,

LNG, mining, forestry and agriculture so they can account for the future impact on infrastructure and services that this economic growth will have on Northern BC municipalities.

The current agreement ensures increases in relation to the annual growth of the property tax base. In 2014, northeast BC received approximately $43 million from the Agreement– Fort St John received funds in the range of $21 million.

NORTHEAST BC Northeast BC Holds Record Low Unemployment Oil and LNG prices may be on the low side, but these fluctuations haven’t seemed to have a big impact on employment in Northeast BC. For the fourth straight month, the unemployment rate in Northeast BC is so low that it can’t actually be released.

BC Stats has deemed the unemployment rate for the Northeast region as not available since October 2014, because Stats Canada won’t release data due to a confidentiality threshold set at 1,500 unemployed people to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data. The fear with releasing the data is that it could be cross-referenced with other indicators and lead to the disclosure of certain employers or individuals.

There are about 1,100 people without jobs in the region. Approximately 40,500 are currently employed of the region’s 41,600-labor force, according to Labor Force Statistics (LFS) data.

The latest official rate BC Stats released for the region was in September 2014 when the unemployment rate was listed at 4 per cent. The reports compiled by BC Stats are based on data compiled by Stats Canada.

While the data shows that the region is growing, it also means that there are more jobs than there are people willing to work.

PRINCE GEORGE Canada Winter Games Hits Prince George As the 2015 Canada Winter Games nears a close, economic impact in Prince George as a result of the games is promising. Prior to the games, Prince George had expected $90 million in economic impact would come to fruition.

At the early start of the games the region was deemed a little quieter with a lot of visitors reportedly being uncertain about the Prince George landscape. As the games carried on, business was said to pick up.

The website for the games stated that accommodations in Prince George are reserved during the days of the event and in addition that a shuttle system could be in place for people staying in Vanderhoof and Quesnel. The shuttle system hasn’t been needed however as accommodations have been available locally.

Visitors for the event have numbered some 15,000 with an additional 4,000 serving as volunteers over the course of the games.

PRINCE GEORGE WorkSafe Tidies Up System Overhaul One of the final touches in WorkSafeBC’s new dual-team model for investigation major industrial incidents, should be in place

by April, according to an update given of

NEWS UPDATE

MARCH 2015

progress made towards revamping the systems.

The update indicates that two special constables should be appointed, according to the report from the special advisor brought in to overhaul WorkSafe’s inspection and investigation systems following the two fatal sawmill explosions in 2012.

Under the dual-team approach, WorkSafe’s fatal and serious injury department has been divided into two units and their files, systems and work are to be kept completely separate.

If one team carrying out an investigation for cause, believes there was criminal wrongdoing, a gatekeeper will take the team off the file and bring it to the other team who’s focus is geared towards prosecution.

The special constables are needed to execute the warrants and exchange information with police.

Until the constables are appointed, if warrants need to be executed, that work is handled by the police.

A competition for the positions closed recently and the Attorney General must approve and authorize the two selected.

BURNS LAKE Lakeside Multiplex revitalizes Burns Lake In 2012, Northern Development approved $60,000 in grant funding toward a significant expansion of the Lakes District arena and curling rink structures. The project was part of the recovery efforts to stimulate economic activity in the Burns Lake area following the Babine Forest Products explosion in January 2012.

The project connected and upgraded the Village’s existing arena and curling rink facilities in an effort to promote and improve community health, economy, recreation and spirit. The expansion included a squash court, climbing wall, children’s indoor play area, gym, equipment rental space, multi-use area and business space. The expansion added approximately 10,000 square feet of space top the existing curling rink and arena structures.

The project created 22 full-time and part-time positions during a two-year construction phase, which helped offset short-term displacement of workers impacted by the loss of Babine Forest Products. Northern Development’s $60,000 contribution to the project was granted out of the Trust’s Community Halls and Recreation Facilities program. Additional funding to complete the project was provided by the Province of British Columbia, the Village of Burns Lake, the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, the NechakoKitamaat Development Fund Society and Tire Stewardship BC. Mayor Luke Strimbold says, “The Lakeside Multiplex is a wonderful addition to Burns Lake. Not only does it help support active and healthy living in our community, but it provides a gathering place

that can be used by residents all year long. It will also have a great economic benefit to Burns Lake as we are able to promote more recreational and leisure amenities which will help attract new residents and visitors to our area”.

BC First Nations support for LNG development continues to grow Three First Nations have joined the growing support for liquefied natural gas (LNG) development in BC through natural gas pipeline benefits agreements signed with the Province.

Gitxaala First Nation, Kitselas First Nation, and Yekooche First Nation have signed agreements to share benefits from LNG development. The proposed pipeline projects covered under the agreements vary among the First Nations and include TransCanada’s Coastal GasLink (CGL) and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT), and Spectra’s Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission (WCGT) pipeline projects.

Pipeline benefits agreements with First Nations are part of the BC government’s comprehensive plan to partner with First Nations on LNG opportunities, which also includes developing skills training and environmental stewardship projects.

The three First Nations will receive initial, one-time payments upon the effective date of the agreements, and constructionrelated payments - 50% when construction of a pipeline project begins, and the other half once the pipeline project is in operation.

The terms of the agreements and initial, one-time benefit payments will be triggered once the First Nations signal to the Province they want the agreements to come into effect. Some First Nations have chosen to make their agreements effective upon signing with the Province while others have chosen to wait until they have also signed impact benefit agreements with the companies.

In addition to payments made on construction-related milestones, the three First Nations will receive a share of $10 million a year in ongoing benefits per pipeline project that affects their traditional territory.

Those ongoing benefits will be available to First Nations along the natural gas pipeline project routes. The B.C. government anticipates signing similar agreements with other First Nations in the near future.

The pipeline benefits agreements with Gitxaala and Kitselas First Nations are the first two agreements announced for the proposed WCGT project.

Provincial benefit-sharing on these pipeline projects offers First Nations resources to partner in economic development, complements industry impact benefit agreements that provide jobs and business opportunities, and is a powerful way for government and First Nations to work together to help grow the LNG industry.

MNP’s Prince George team from left to right: Andrew Adams, CPA, CA, Blair Traxler, CPA, CA, Neil Fowlie, CPA, CA, Frankie Albano, CPA, CA, and Rod Quiring, CPA, CA

Your Opportunities Are Expanding.

So is Our Firm.

MNP Marks Entry Into Prince George Market MNP is excited to announce the opening of our new office in Prince George, a key centre of industry in northern B.C. Our local team of experienced professionals are proud to hail from Prince George and bring a keen understanding of the region’s unique business environment. The MNP team delivers enhanced private enterprise services to clients in diverse sectors, including forestry, healthcare, First Nations and more.

MNP is one of the largest national accounting and business consulting firms in Canada. For more than 65 years we have proudly served and responded to the needs of our clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Through partner-led engagements, we provide a cost-effective approach to doing business and personalized strategies to help organizations succeed.

Please join us in welcoming our new team to our new MNP office.

Contact Andrew Adams, CPA, CA, CFP, at 250.596.4900 or andrew.adams@mnp.ca or visit our NEW local offices at: #400, 550 Victoria Street, Prince George, B.C.

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PRINCE GEORGE/SMITHERS

MARCH 2015

PRINCE GEORGE DIVERSIFYING INTO WINE

PRINCE GEORGE

“It really has this ‘wow’ effect,” says Bell enthusiastically.

He foresees it as a fixture for both residents and tourists alike, especially on summer afternoons and evenings.

NEIL O’FARRELL

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rom its historical founding as a forestry-based city, Prince George has developed into a service and supply centre serving a variety of sectors, such as healthcare, education, mining, and oil and gas.

T he University of Northern British Columbia (including the downtown Wood Innovation and Design Centre, the tallest all-wood building in North America) and a state-of-the-art Cancer Centre have become built testaments to this diversification, yet another building rising on the banks of the Nechako River is pushing those boundaries ever further.

Admittedly, Prince George is not the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of a winery. Local entrepreneur Doug Bell, Owner/ Operator at Northern Lights Estate Winery which is slated to open in early summer 2015, is now accustomed to people’s reactions when they first hear about the project.

“Their first reaction is: ‘How do

you grow grapes in Prince George?’ and of course the answer is that you don’t grow grapes in Prince George, but there are a lot of other wines that are really nice to the palate,” Bell explains. “And fruit wines are what we have chosen.”

Located just 7 minutes’ drive from downtown Prince George on the banks of the Nechako River, the winery that Bell is constructing is clearly a pioneer in a variety of aspects. For starters, once the facility is operational, it will hold the title of northernmost winery in British Columbia. Its closest neighbour is in Cache Creek, 443 kilometres to the south.

In addition, it takes advantage of two of the most famous, and perhaps under-exploited, natural settings in Prince George: the cut banks and the Nechako River. The winery is nestled between these two features and provides stunning vistas of both. The winery’s amphitheatre, which Bell notes “will provide space for events such as weddings, concerts, plays and other events,” is actually built into the side of the cut banks and can seat about 250 people.

On the other side, the winery’s main building, which will feature a tasting room, retail store and open

patio by summer 2015 (as well as a potential full-service restaurant by 2016), is a spectacular, glass-clad structure with magnificent views of the river and downtown Prince George.

“It really has this ‘wow’ effect,” says Bell enthusiastically.

He foresees it as a fixture for both residents and tourists alike, especially on summer afternoons and evenings.

Moreover, the choice of fruit wines allows for the majority of the winery’s produce to be grown on-site, in orchards which cover much of the 4.2 acre property. Fruit grown on the estate will include blueberry, strawberry, Haskap, gooseberry, apple, cherry, raspberry, black currant, and rhubarb.

Bell notes how the time is right for a fruit winery in Prince George, as the industry has been rapidly gaining ground in the BC market.

Bell says fruit wines today are different from where they were a decade ago.

“In the past they were very sweet, but they are now very balanced and are wines that you can drink as a table wine on a daily basis,” he says. “The sweet fruit wines are still available but they are not the primary focus like they were in the past.”

For a city that did not have any prior experience in wine-making, Bell has assembled a formidable team of experts from across the country. As he explains, “Our team right now is world class. If you were trying to start a winery in any region of the world, I think you would be very proud of the team that we’ve assembled in Prince George.” The group features Wendy Stevens, former assistant manager at Quails’ Gate Winery, one of the most popular wineries in BC; Christine Leroux, winemaker for Elephant Island Orchard Wines, the largest fruit winery in BC; and Noémie Touchette, who studied agrology at Laval University and specializes in growing cold hardy organic fruits in northern climates.

This is just one of hopefully many upcoming projects in Prince George which showcase our heritage and our culture from a natural surroundings perspective”, Bell explains. “This winery will showcase what Prince George already is; it’s just another way of bringing it to the people.”

Neil O’Farrell is with Initiatives Prince George and can be reached at O’Farrell@initiatives.pg.com

NORTHWEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE GETS SKILLS FUND INJECTION

SMITHERS HEATHER GALLAGHER

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rans Canada’s Pathway to Pipeline Readiness Program is focused on helping to build Northern BC’s skilled labour force a major announcement from industry representatives took place March 10 at Northwest Community College in Smithers.

Trans Canada’s Coastal GasLink Project and the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project have donated $100,000 to Northwest Community College’s Skills Fund. Students can now access bursaries in the skilled trades, as well as safety certification through the college’s Workforce Training Continuing Studies Department.

TransCanada is also supporting trades training in rural and remote northern communities through the purchase of new

Students can now access bursaries in the skilled trades, as well as safety certification through the college’s Workforce Training Continuing Studies Department.

mobile training facilities and is supporting the creation of a new NWCC Class 5 Driver Training Program. Trans Canada also announced it would be opening an office in Smithers mid-April.

We’ve been enjoying our snow all winter but Smithers received a perk recently. Due to lack of snow on Taber Mountain where a national championship event was to be hosted, Smithers was selected as the location for the Canadian Ski Cross Championships March 17 with the Ladies’ and Men’s Ski Cross (FIS); March 18 - Ladies’ and Men’s Ski Cross (JUN) and March 19 - Ladies’ and Men’s Ski Cross (NC).

This was a unique and amazing opportunity and the first time an event of this magnitude was hosted on Hudson Bay Mountain. Spectators enjoyed watching because the race took place on the prairie t-bar and spectators were able to ski along on the run next to the course and watch the race from different spots. The awards and autograph session took place downtown at Bovill Square. While in town the world class athletes, including Brady Leman (multiple world cup SX Gold medals) and Chris Delbosco (X Games and SX Champion) were able to take part in another Smithers-first.

The historic Stanley Cup was in Smithers to celebrate the 40th Anniversary since local boys,

Jim and Joe Watson won back-toback Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975. They, along with the Keeper of the Cup, Phil Pritchard, brought it home to Smithers to share with everyone at the New Second Arena, which opened in 2014.

Over 120 guests were honoured at the 2015 New Business Reception It was a privilege for the Chamber, along with its event sponsors, to welcome over 120 people at the annual New Business Reception on Feb. 13, to welcome new businesses and Chamber members. Mayors, Taylor Bachrach of Smithers and Darcy Repen of Telkwa and Chamber President Colin Bateman, along with event sponsors provided welcoming addresses. This was the seventh annual reception and each year the Smithers Secondary School’s Jazz Combo plays and fills the room with cool, funky sounds. From the candy buffet to the taco bar, appetizer buffet to the fun photo centre new business owners mixed and mingled. Sponsors for the evening are Bulkley Valley Credit Union, Hawkair, CityWest, BVEDA, and Business Development Bank. In keeping with Smithers unique alpine style, the Alpenhorn Bistro and the Aspen Riverhouse supplied “Mountain Martinis”.

Chamber Launches new lure publication: “Smithers Shines” Over the past year and a half

the Smithers Chamber has been involved in a provincial initiative working with the Rural BC Network in the program “Project Comeback”. Along with that, it has produced a new publication, Smithers Shines. To view, visit smitherschamber.com/chamber/ publications CityWest is expanding services CityWest will be soon opening their Smithers office. Don Holkestad, Ch ief E xecut ive Officer of CityWest Cable and Telephone Corp., outlined the cutting-edge technology, Fibro, an advanced fibre-optic system that CityWest will use to deliver the service and how it’s the way of the future for higher speed internet, as well as improved TV and phone services.

Don has worked in the telecommunications industry for over 35 years, as a telephone installer and operations manager, before stepping into the role of CEO at CityWest in December, 2012.

His experiences have given him deep knowledge about the regional telecommunications environment, and he has been a key figure in many of the major projects CityWest has undertaken over the past 10 years.

Heather Gallagher is Manager of the Smithers District Chamber of Commerce. She can be contacted at hgallagher@tourismsmithers.com

SALES/FORT ST. JOHN

MARCH 2015

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IS A SALESPERSON’S FAILURE A SALES MANAGEMENT FAILURE? When hiring, even the most sophisticated hiring process in the world, gauging the possible success of a salesperson is an inexact science

SALES JOHN GLENNON

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an we as sales managers take credit for our salespeople’s success? How about their failures? Gather a group of sales managers and the conversation inevitably turns to their people; their A performers, B performers, and C performers. Which group do you think

demands most of their conversation? Typically the answer is the lowest performers. ‘C’ performers use more resources, occupy more worry time in the mind of a sales manager, and may even be considered a personal failure by the manager.

When hiring, even the most sophisticated hiring process in the world, gauging the possible

success of a salesperson is an inexact science. Lowering the risk factors by using good assessment tools and interview skills is critical. Success in the past is indicative of success in the future, but there are always a few unknowns that can affect that.

Things like problems in their personal life can affect their effectiveness, and that’s something we can’t foresee. We do the best job we can, involving all the technology and expertise available and we try to get an 80% match at best.

The rest has to be cultivated and grown.

The job of the sales manager is to help their people be successful.

Coaching, mentoring, training and supervising are all part of the management role, and onboarding is a time demanding process. The job is made easier, and the outcomes made better, by the willingness, openness and

EXCITING YEAR AHEAD FOR FORT ST. JOHN

FORT ST. JOHN LILIA HANSEN

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e have an exciting year ahead of us, and we look forward to our members’ input in helping make Fort St. John and area a better place to live and to do business.

I’m often asked what our Chamber does for business in addition to offering employee benefit plans and exclusive discount programs. It’s important to our Chamber that we promote and bring opportunities closer to our businesses so that they may learn how they can participate in benefiting from the large projects that are proposed for our area.

Recent networking sessions with BC Hydro gave businesses the opportunity to meet short listed proponents in person. Meetings held with industy and the BC Chamber of Commerce helped to identify local Competative Initiatives BC issues.

The LNG-Buy BC Contractor–Supplier Bootcamp had such an overwhelming response and positive feedback that it was held in the NP Cultural Centre’s theatre.

Our members were also given the opportunity to learn about succession planning and how to do businesses with the BC government. The LNG-Buy BC Contractor–Supplier Bootcamp had such an overwhelming response and positive feedback that it was held in the NP Cultural Centre’s theatre.

To name just a few of our great speakers at our luncheons, we’ve enjoyed hearing from Gordon Wilson with the LNG-Buy BC Program, Northern Gateway Link, TransCanada Pipelines, Ken Chapman – CAPP, NEBC Municipalities Coalition, Air Canada and LP Peace Valley OSB. We were successful in bringing forward three resolutions to the BC Chamber of Commerce in 2014.

Two resolutions were successfully voted into policy and later

were brought forward at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Annual General Meeting. Our initial resolutions included: Physician Compensation, Addressing the Temporary Foreign Worker Moratorium; and Driver Training.

We are actively working towards new resolutions that matter to our members.

For those not familiar with our Synergy group, it is a group of professionals under the age of 40 who live and work in the area. Synergy is a great group of people that can help provide relationships outside of the confines of the workplace.

Some of our recent events include Business After 5, socials at Whole Wheat & Honey, Lake Point Golf & Country Club to work on swings with a golf pro, and Burgers-BrewBoard Game Night in conjuntion with the FSJ Public Library.

Our goal is to support Chamber members and provide them with information to help their business grow. We are “in business for business” and are only as strong as our membership. We invite you to call our office to find out how we can help your business!

Lilia Hansen is Executive Director of the Fort St. John & District Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at info@fsjchamber.com

eagerness of the salesperson to ‘get it’, how hard they are willing to work, and how able they are to adapt and change. The responsibility lies on both shoulders – the manager to provide the resources, and build the skills of the salesperson and the salesperson to implement.

Cont i nued suppor t ca n be provided by the sales manager through setting expectations, long-term learning and through accountability. This is achieved through pre-call planning and debriefing calls, teachable moments, goal setting and creating a culture that develops business people in sales. However sometimes, ‘you can lead a horse to water …’. If the sales manager is providing the support, the work, and responsibility, then it must be the salesperson. If they sidestep responsibility, don’t show initiative, refuse to comply to

the accountability and key performance indicators, there is little the manager can do but institute corrective measures for the company.

So, is a salesperson’s failure, a failure of sales management?

It comes back to the IF. Success in sales is a team effort. There are responsibilities for both the salesperson and the sales manager. IF there are too many failures the breadcrumbs may lead back to the sales manager.

Copyright 2014 Sandler Training and Insight Sales Consulting Inc. All rights reserved.

John Glennon is the owner of Insight Sales Consulting Inc, the authorized Sandler Training Licensee for the Interior of British Columbia. He can be reached at jglennon@sandler. com, toll free at 1-866-645-2047 or visit www.glennon.sandler.com

BC

New trades equipment helps B.C. trades students get skilled

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ourteen public post-secondary institutions throughout British Columbia have received $4.4 million to purchase new trades training equipment that will support students entering in-demand sectors that are critical to the diverse, strong and growing economy.

Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson announced the funding from the provincial government as he visited public post-secondary institutions in January and February.

The funding is part of BC’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint commitment of $185 million over three years for trades training infrastructure and equipment. It builds on a $6.8-million investment that created 1,424 new critical trades training seats at 14 public postsecondary institutions. In October 2014, government also announced an additional 64 critical trades seats for welding, saw filler and heavy duty mechanic programs in the Cariboo region.

Government based the funding for this new equipment on consultations with educational institutions and the Industry Training Authority, as well as the most-recent labour-market data.

Approximately 12% of the one million projected job openings to 2022 are for in-demand trade occupations in BC Skilled Trades are critical to a range of sectors that support economic growth in the province.

A map showing provincial investments in trades training equipment, additional critical seats and new facilities is available online at: http://ow.ly/Kd3Dq Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour says, “There are one million job openings anticipated in the province by 2022, two-thirds of them driven by retirements and many of them are in-demand careers in the skilled trades and technical occupations. When you look at the higher lifetime earnings that come with these careers in our diverse, strong, and growing economy, it’s clear that these careers that can support families and build communities.”

By 2022, B.C. expects to have one million job openings. More than 78% of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 44% of jobs will be in skilled trades and technical occupations.

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MARCH 2015

HG BLISS PROJECTS BUILDING ON A STELLAR REPUTATION SPOTLIGHT

Company is new but Gordon Bliss brings years of experience

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RINCE GEORGE - HG Bliss Projects Inc. is only one year old, but this Prince George home building and renovation company has solid awardwinning experience behind it.

HG Bliss is noted for quality renovations, project management for both commercial and residential projects and for new home builds. Company president Gordon Bliss is a licensed residential builder who founded the company in January 2014.

He is also President of Investgo Ventures Ltd.. which is wrapping up operations. Investgo won first place at the 2012 Northern BC Commercial Awards for Best Residential Home from 1100 to 1499 sq. ft. for its Homes on Sixth project.

In 2011, Investgo won a Silver Award through the Canadian Home Builders Association of Northern BC (CHBA) for Best Single Detached Home 1500 1999 sq. ft. for the same project.

The company went on to build award wining projects including Crescent Townhomes. The City of Prince George has a photo of them in their promotional material for downtown living.

These townhomes are special for a number of reasons: • Downtown location is convenient to everything • Finishings such as HardiPlank exteriors • quality interiors • attached double garages • secured fenced property Bliss said that the people who bought them are overwhelmingly positive about their homes.

“HG Bl iss P rojects is ver y proud to have been involved in the construction of these awarding winning homes,” Bliss said, adding that, although Investgo is closing, he still wants to build and continue to create successful

Gordon Bliss plans to be one of the top renovation companies in the province

“When I drive down the street, I can say, ‘I built that and I am extremely proud.

I get tremendous satisfaction from that.’”

GORDON BLISS PRESIDENT, HG BLISS PROJECTS INC.

projects for many years to come.

With HG Bliss, he has switched his focus from building spec homes to undertaking renovations and custom home builds.

“My first year was a pretty good year,” he said, noting that he took on two commercial projects: Northern Lights Winery, for the Bell family and a major renovation for O’Brien Training, who purchased a building in downtown Prince George that needed extensive renovation work to capitalize on their vision.

Currently, Bliss and his wife Holly are doing what he calls an “extensive renovation” on their own home, taking it right down

to the studs and rebuilding to improve the energy efficiency of their home.

“I’m all about energ y efficiency,” he said. “I’m also putting it on my Facebook page to show people what can be done.”

“Building is such an interesting business,” Bliss said. “You’re learning something new every day, if not hourly. And when I drive down the street, I can say, ‘I built that and I am extremely proud. I get tremendous satisfaction from that.’”

At this point, with his new company, Bliss said that the sky is the limit.

“I’ve got an excellent crew; a

red-seal journeyman carpenter, another journeyman carpenter preparing to challenge the red-seal exam, plus our labor foreman who is prepared to take educational courses”.

“HG Bliss Projects Inc. is a member of the Canadian Home Builders Association of Northern BC. Right now, I’m taking educational courses and have encouraged my crew to take some as well. We have completed Building Science for New Homes and are presently enrolled in Project Management & Site Supervision. T hese are accredited courses and I believe key to our success. There’s a lot to learn in

Bryden Kohnke

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OFF THE COVER

MARCH 2015

7

HG Bliss Projects is a renovation specialist this business and you need to be educated to stay current.

S u s t a i n a bl e b u i l d i n g a n d energ y ef f iciencies a re a lso extremely important to Bliss.

Living in a northern climate, he said it’s essential to build for health and wellness as well as for aesthetics. “ W h e n w e to re a p a r t o u r home, there was wax paper in some parts of the walls for insulation. There are lots of older homes everywhere in the country and from an environmental point of view, they’re expensive to maintain. They are cold and uncomfortable. When you go for energy efficiency, we try to make it a healthy, warm environment to live in.”

He pointed out that new technology like the Heat Recovery Ventilator units (HRV), move air in and out of the home 24 hours a day – and that makes for healthier living. In that regard Bliss has become a dealer for Hi Velocity heating units which he is quite excited about. “ We have installed one in our home and already know it is going to not only be energy efficient but comfortable throughout the year”.

“I think a lot of people have the idea that building a house is a simple thing,” he said. “You pour concrete, throw up walls and put a roof on it and you’re in. But there’s a lot of science to a home or to a commercial building. I think it’s important to learn about that – it’s all about learning.”

“I like to explain to the owner

why we’re doing what we’re doing,” he said. “We’re not just throwing some plywood together and saying here you go. When you build with us, you’re going to get a well built, warm & comfortable home.”

Bliss goal is to grow HG Bliss Projects Inc. into a recognizable name in the community, noted for quality and professionalism. He also would like to build a multi-family project some day..

“I want to do things that are a little bit different,” he said. “I have a young, energetic crew working for me prepared to provide a professional job on any project. If you are thinking about renovating or building a new home” contact HG Bliss Projects Inc. for some costs comparisons. www.blissprojects.ca

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Rolling Mix Concrete is renowned for quality and servcie

ROLLING MIX CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

many in the community as “Rolling Joe.” “He was very personable,” Paolucci said. “He would help you in any way possible or find a solution to a problem that you had.

Customers loved him – they still talk about him to this day. Let’s put it this way – it was tough to fill his shoes.”

Rolling Mix provides a wide variety of services, supplying concrete as well as aggregates and landscaping material including decorative landscape gravel to contractors and the public. The company manufactures concrete picnic tables and benches and blocks for retaining walls. Still, 90 per cent of the company’s work is ready-mix, with the bulk of the work in the residential market. Along with pouring foundations, Rolling Mix also pours driveways, sidewalks, paths and patios.

Rolling Mix is the largest concrete company in town and arguably the most recognizable.

“Because we’ve been here 50 years, we’re well-known,” Paolucci said. “We’re well-known for the quality of our concrete and our service. If somebody phones and we have a scheduled busy day, and they need a house foundation poured, we will tell them that we will pour it today but we don’t know what time. The running joke is, ‘We’re on time, our time.’ We’ve been out at 9, 10 or 11 at night getting these jobs done.

If we told them we will pour it today, we will get it poured.” He added that everyone talks about customer service, but too many people don’t really deliver. Rolling Mix comes through every time with real old-fashioned, customer-centered service.

“We’re known for our quality and our service and we stand behind our product,” Paolucci said.

“People know that and I think that’s 90 per cent of the reason we’re so successful.”

Rolling Mix boasts 12 mixers, four gravel trucks and four pump trucks. At peak periods, in the summer, the company has about

Rolling Mix Concrete poured the foundation for the Prince George courthouse

“We’re known for our quality and our service and we stand behind our product.

People know that and I think that’s 90 per cent of the reason we’re so successful.”

JOHN PAOLUCCI PRESIDENT, ROLLING MIX CONCRETE LTD..

40 employees. With that kind of depth to draw on, it’s little wonder Rolling Mix has handled some of the biggest jobs in the

area including the foundations for the university, the courthouse and the cancer clinic. The company is also well known for giving back to the community.

Shortly after Paolucci’s brother-in-law, Dan Gialleonardo, a partner in the company, passed away in 2012, he was approached by the drag-racing committee to help them build the largest all concrete racetrack in North America. Rolling Mix donated $100,000 worth of concrete to build the Rolling Mix track with the Danny G starting line.

“We do a lot of community donating and contributing,” Paolucci said. “We like to be involved in the community.” He added that as the company continues to grow along with the city of Prince George, community involvement will also continue. As for the long-term future of the company, Paolucci said that he hopes to see it pass on to the third generation of his family through his son, Johnny, who is now 10 years old.

He added that he works with a superb team that has made immeasurable contributions to the company’s success.

“If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” he said.

Rolling Mix Concrete Ltd. is on Foothills Blvd. in Prince George. www.rollingmix.ca

8

MARCH 2015

ARCHITECTS ARCHITECTS WORK WITH WOOD AND NEW BUILDING CODES Buildings of the future will be more sustainable and have a smaller carbon footprint

BY GOODY NIOSI

W

h at’s new i n a rch itecture? How about 3 D pr i nt i n g a n entire house? And no, that’s not a space-age dream; some people have already done that. However, at the moment that’s far from a mainstream concern, said Raymond de Beeld of Raymond de Beeld Architecture in Nanaimo.

However, that isn’t to say that it’s not coming, and perhaps sooner than we think.

At the moment, architects in Nanaimo and around the world have other challenges they’re dealing with: one of the biggest of those is economics and doing more with less. De Beeld said that around the world there is a push for more sustainable design and building practices, but in some cases, that ideal runs into conflict with keeping costs down.

In Nanaimo, there is a trend toward higher density in certain areas. De Beeld cited corridors like Bowen Road where new buildings are two rather than one-storey and may ultimately reach six storeys.

In larger cities mixed use buildings are gaining popularity, while in Nanaimo that is still a tough market. Most people still prefer to live in a residential only building.

“But some younger people are not so concerned with that,” de Beeld said. “So we’re starting to see a little bit more of a mix of that downtown. And that doesn’t mean you can’t have a multi storey residential building next door to retail, office or something like that.

The big word everywhere for architects is “affordability.”

“Everybody is very cost conscious here,” de Beeld said. “People don’t have a huge amount of confidence anywhere in the world so they don’t want to put a whole pile of money into something. They’re more tentative in everything they do.” And that, he said, makes an architect’s work more challenging.

Size of buildings, particularly residential units goes hand-inhand with affordability. Houses are becoming smaller. Condominiums especially are tightening up on space. Certainly, architects are being asked to do more with less.

And then there’s the future – 3D printing may still be on the

Paragon is a three storey commercial building designed to LEED Gold standards that uses wood in its construction

“The BC Wood Council has been very active in promoting to the architects and engineers ways to use wood we may not have thought about.”

CHARLES KIERULF PRINCIPAL, DE HOOG AND KIERULF ARCHITECTS

fringe, but people are looking seriously at ways to incorporate the technology into architecture.

“It’s on the edge,” de Beeld said.

“But some people are playing around with it and some people have built an entire house with 3D printing. It’s like pouring liquid concrete and the printer keeps making all the little pieces.”

Charles Kierulf, a principal with de Hoog and Kierulf Architects (DHK) in Victoria and Nanaimo, said that the new building codes that came into effect Dec. 19, 2014 will make a big difference to the profession.

“It’s pretty significant because it’s the latest round of updates

Charles Kierulf says that new building codes will make a big difference to the profession

Nick Bevanda says that wood is an excellent building material even for high-rises

bringing the code up to a new standard for energy savings,” he said, noting that this final round particularly affects housing and small buildings. He pointed out that a small office building his firm designed five years ago that will be certified LEED gold, would, by today’s code, simply be considered standard.

Certainly there will be additional costs involved, he said, but there will also be savings in terms of energy costs.

Kierulf said that perhaps the

most exciting change he is seeing is an increased use of wood in construction, particularly in larger buildings. In Prince George the Wood Innovation Centre a sevenstorey wood building has recently completed construction.

“T he government has been promoting Wood First for about five years now,” he said. “And the BC Wood Council has been very active in promoting to the architects and engineers ways to use wood we may not have thought about.” The government

ARCHITECTS

MARCH 2015

CEI Architecture received an international honourable mention for its design of a tall wood structure

has mandated the use of wood in the public sector but the private sector is also jumping on board.

“Wood looks great and people love wood,” Kierulf said. “it’s a warm material and a friendly material. It’s local – it has all these great things about it. For us, it’s a great material to work with. It’s good to see the benefits of this program bearing fruit.”

Nick Bevanda, partner in charge of design at CEI Architecture with offices in Penticton, Victoria and Vancouver, agreed that wood is the next big thing – and for a number of reasons.

“The wood industry is a huge part of our gross domestic product in BC,” he said. “From an architectural point of view, wood is one of the few materials that actually sequesters carbon dioxide, so from a global warming point of view and a sustainable point of view, this is something that really interests us.” It sequesters about 1.2 – 1.5 tons of carbon per cubic metre of wood depending on the species. Bevanda said that his firm is very much behind using wood in it designs. It’s easy to work with and looks good too. As for the fear of flammability, he noted that the big timbers used in large structures may char on the exterior but are very slow to burn. While steel melts, wood may actually be a safer material. That, combined with sprinkler systems, should alleviate any fears.

“When you look broadly at all of our projects, you’ll see there’s

9 a strong appreciation for wood,” Bevanda said. “I think it represents us as a region. In the Okanagan we have one of the best glue lamination production factories in North America. And we are a firm that does want to be included in the debate about tall wood buildings.”

CEI Architecture designed a concept building for an international competition, where it won an honourable mention for it’s 40-storey wood building. The unique structural system uses four primary concrete columns that support the wood. In essence no structural wood element holds more than two storeys.

“We believe the technology is there to really advance wood construction,” Bevanda said. “The only issues that hold us back are the public perception and the codes. I think the technology is there and the engineering is there.”

He added that he believes the future in architecture is definitely on the side of wood – and on the side of more sustainable building in both the public and private sectors – and that includes more prefabricated elements in building rather than building on site.

“That will help with global warming as well,” he said. “I think it will also speed up the construction process. Buildings contribute a huge amount to that carbon footprint and the construction industry really needs to take responsibility for at least putting forth a plan to mitigate some of that.”

GETTING IT RIGHT, RIGHT AWAY An assignment of rights from the inventors would have been so simple when they were partners.

INVENTING ANNE FLANAGAN

O

ver a year ago I wrote about getting it right, right away...in other words, making sure that all the legal documents are in place to ensure that you own what you think you own and you can obtain patent protection for what you own.

I’m writing about the same topic today, because I have again seen a lot of avoidable mistakes. What I am going to tell you is not legal advice – just observations from someone who has seen the same mistakes occurring time and time again.

I recently saw a partnership go sideways.

Not a week later, I was in a meeting with another partnership. When the partners

were questioned about the compa ny structu re, I P ownership, buy-sell agreements and the like, they responded that they trusted each other absolutely and completely – like brothers.

They were in it together for the long term and were not concerned. I cringed.

Maybe it all will work out well, but times change.

The partners may well stay friends, but one might have to move away or may not have the necessary cash flow to continue being part of the company. After all, getting a company up on its feet and running usually takes an infusion of cash and/or living on beans for a while.

In the case of the failed partnership, there were contractual agreements between the partner’s consulting companies that included an IP clause. However, there were no assignments of

rights from the inventors to either their consulting companies or the partnership. This is not an insurmountable problem, but nor is it clean. An assignment of rights from the inventors would have been so simple when they were partners.

The two do not want to work together, but there are no clauses to guide them in splitting up the company, or for one partner buying out the other.

I am also working with a partnership that has struggled along for a few years.

I am sure they have both eaten a lot of beans and put in many very long hours. They are confident in each other’s commitment and contribution. But, they are also confident that they have good legal agreements to cover off each and every eventuality. It cost them money when they had very little, but the money spent on a good corporate commercial lawyer was well worth it.

Not legal advice, but something to think about.

Anne Flanagan is the principal at Alliance Patents. She can be reached at anne.flanagan@ alliancepatents.com

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10

MARCH 2015

OUELLETTE BROS. CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL FAMILY BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Fort St. James construction, supply and plumbing company expands to serve three western provinces

F

ORT ST. JAMES – What sta r ted as a sma l l construction company four decades ago in Fort St. James has blossomed into a building supply, contracting and plumbing company now serving three provinces.

Ouellette Bros. was started by Yves Ouellette with his brothers, Dennis and Richard, and lifelong friend Russell Penner.

“My father Yves started the b u s i n e s s i n 197 5 a s a c o nstruction compa ny that had a significant influence on the community. He built a large percentage of the residential housing and a portion of the com mercia l development i n Fort St. James,” says Jonathan Ouellette, Owning Partner and Manager.

“Working w ith h is brother Dennis, my father expanded into supply sales for his customers, turning his location into a paint and cabinetry store. Soon he needed more space and moved to his personal property to provide for the growing need.”

Expansion resulted in the establishment of a building supply, construction and plumbing enterprise division to provide a full range of industry services for northern communities.

“In 1999, Ouellette Bros. Building Supplies Retail Store was opened, becoming the largest building supplier in town,” says Ouellette.

“Ouellette Bros. Construction is a leader in northern BC contracting and has many success stories. The Alberta and Saskatchewan elements of the portfolio include significant commercial projects, including several hotel buildings.

“The 2008 establishment of Ouellette Bros. Enterprise, our th i rd d iv ision, sig na led ou r decisive step i nto adva nced

CONGRATULATIONS OUELLETTE BROS on your 40th ANNIVERSARY

“The way we treat customers stands out. When someone walks through the door, we greet them by name. We are focused on making it a personalized service experience and people want to do business with us.”

JONATHAN OUELLETTE OWNING PARTNER AND MANAGER, OUELLETTE BROS. BUILDING SUPPLIES LTD.

Owning partner and supply store manager Jonathan Ouellette is carrying on what his father Yves Ouellette started plumbing services and industry leading geothermal heating technology.”

Jonathan Ouellette worked part

Congratulations!

Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. congratulates Castle member Ouellette Bros. on their 40-year Anniversary!

www.castle.ca

time for his father after high school while studying to become a chef, later returning to become a part owner and manager of the supply division.

“In 2000, I started working with my father in the supply store. I stopped in 2004 to pursue opportunities as a chef,” Oulette explains. “In 2011, my father needed extra help to run the store, so I returned. Soon I wa s pa r t ow ner a nd store manager.”

He sees the subsequent celebration of 40 years in business as a sign he made the right call.

“On a personal basis, I find it to be an honor to celebrate 40 years. Business is a challenge. It goes up, down, flat. . .you never know from day to day. The commitment my father showed encourages us all,” says Ouellette.

“Family is the constant. My father remains the owner, his

brother Richard is our detail specialist, and Dennis now has his own company.”

The success of the construction and plumbing divisions in three provinces owes a lot to two good family friends.

“My father’s best and lifelong friend Tom Hiebbert was our onsite manager and superintendent for the construction and enterprise divisions, and Russell Penner was our forem a n for t he t wo d iv i s ion s.

Their help was instrumental in growing the company and getting out of province jobs.

We would call them family,” Ouellette recalls.

“I grew up with Tom in our house and he has had a huge impact on my life. He taught me the importance of knowledge so you can serve customers well, and of knowing exactly what you are doing before you start.”

OFF THE COVER

MARCH 2015

ACCOUNTING OFFICE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Every customer who walks in the door of Ouellette Bros. Building Supplies is welcomed warmly

Am Lidder, MNP’s Regional Tax Leader, who is originally from Prince George. Am knows the marketplace and will be a valuable extension of the team in providing tax support.”

MNP LLP is one of Canada’s largest national accounting and business consulting firms. In addition to tax and accounting expertise, MNP delivers a diverse range of advisory services, including consulting, enterprise risk, corporate finance, valuation and litigation support, succession planning, estate planning, insolvency and restructuring, investigative and forensic accounting, cross-border taxation and more.

Although MNP is one of the largest national accounting and business consulting firms in Canada, it’s always been local in its focus.

“W hat appealed to us most about MNP is that even though they are considered a large firm with more than 80 offices and 3,300 team members across Canada, they have a small-firm culture,” says Adams, who will join MNP as a Partner. “They offer a lot of opportunity for our clients through their specialty services and experience. Rod, who will join as a Partner, Frankie, who will join as a senior manager, and

11 I are very excited to serve our clients under MNP.” MNP serves numerous client groups and understands the specialized markets within the Prince George marketplace.

“MNP has extensive experience serving diverse clients in diverse sectors including Forestry, Manufacturing, Physicians, First Nations, and more,” says Fowlie. “Joining the firm not only provides us with enhanced services but a large national presence and access to hundreds of MNP experts and specialists, as well as access to a global network of accounting firms and affiliations through Praxity—an international alliance of independent accounting firms. Our clients will benefit with more resources and expertise. I couldn’t be more pleased about joining forces.”

Adams says he’s proud to be part of a firm with an organizational culture and values founded on an unwavering commitment to people.

“MNP focuses on creating a great place to work and do business, where a healthy balance between home and work life are at the core of how business is run,” he explains. “Rod, Frankie and I are looking forward to growing with MNP in our efforts to help our clients and staff achieve even greater success.”

www.mnp.ca

BC

Angling licence revenue to benefit anglers 100%

1 Ouellette Bros. Construction started in 1975 and has earned a solid reputation for its quality work Staying in business over 40 years requires hard work and the ability to deliver exceptional service.

Congratulations on your Milestone!

www.makita.ca

“The way we treat customers stands out. When someone wa l ks th roug h the door, we greet them by name. Not too many stores do that,” Ouellette points out. “We pretty much know everyone in town. If we don’t know them, we ask for their name. We are focused on making it a personalized service experience and people want to do business with us.”

The company distinguishes itself by stocking everything customers will need to build a house. “ We sel l m at t re sse s, f u rniture and stoves. Our Blaze King Stoves are branded as the ‘world’s most efficient stove’, while Supervent chimneys are another sought after product we have chosen to carry,” says Ouellette.

“Our focus in product selection and service is providing

quality to meet a range of needs and budgets. Our slogan is if we do not have it we will get it, and we are part of a buying group called Castle, which gives us access to cost savings we can pass on to customers.”

Going forward, Ouellette has a vision centered upon being there for customers a nd expanding into new territory.

“In 2011 I started a gardening section, inspired by my passion for plants. It is a lot of work but it is very satisfying and it has been successful every year,” Ouellette concludes.

“We always remain ready to take advantage of new items on the market. We lay everything out and always plan ahead to serve customers to the best of our abilities.”

Ouellette Bros. is at 2880 Lot 33, Hwy 27 in Fort St. James Visit www.ouellettebros.com

00% of revenue generated from fishing licences will directly benefit anglers effective April 1, 2015, under an agreement announced today between the Province and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. Under the agreement the total amount to be transferred to the society for 2015-16 will be approx i mately $10 m i l l ion, a n increase of about $3 million annually over what the society currently receives.

Previously the society’s activities were focused primarily on stocking of smaller lakes. The additional funding will allow the society to work with provincial biologists to improve angling opportunities in small lakes, large lakes and rivers. This includes angler access improvements, stock assessment to help inform management decisions, and resources to enhance capacity for compliance monitoring and enforcement on both stocked and wild waterbodies.

Surcharges on licences for the Habitat Conservation T rust Fund will not be affected by the new arrangement. The fund will continue to receive 100% of the licence surcharge dedicated to habitat conservation under the new arrangement.

In 2003, the Province signed a

30-year contract with the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC to be a non-profit delivery partner with a mandate to conserve and enhance freshwater fishing opportunities in B.C. The agreement is now amended to reflect the additional revenue that will be directed to the society. The society is now recognized as one of the most progressive and accomplished fisheries management organizations in North America generating economic benefits and providing world-class angling opportunities.

Don Peterson, president, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, says, “this announcement is good news for the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC and our partners, but it is great news for the province’s freshwater recreational fisheries! This will allow us to invest in recreational fishing opportunities and truly make fishing in B.C. even better.”

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC stocks about 800 waterbodies with over eight million trout, char and kokanee produced from the five provincial fish hatcheries operated by the society for that purpose.

T here a re approx i m ately 330,000 anglers throughout the province and 24 species of fish available.

12

MARCH 2015

RIDGEVIEW CONSTRUCTION BUILDS SOLID REPUTATION IN BUILDING SPOTLIGHT

Smithers based company known for above standard residential, commercial projects

S

M I T H E R S – R idgeview Construction leaves no stone u ntu rned when it comes to commercial and residential construction.

Richard Barendregt’s compa ny work s w it h c l ient s i n t he B u l k ley Va l ley a nd b eyond from the initial planning stages of construction through to finishing details, includi n g fo u n d a t i o n s , f ra m i n g , roof i ng, sid i ng, i nsu lat i ng, pa i nt i ng, i nter ior m i l lwork and finishing.

“Our goal is to establish a relationship with our customers, by exceed ing their ex pectations and gaining their trust through exceptional performa nce f rom ever y member of our construction team,” says Barendregt.

Barendregt started the comp a n y s e v e n y e a r s a go, a n d R i c h a rd m a n a ge d t h e c o nstruction team and projects.

Barendreg t has been in the i ndu st r y for over 20 ye a rs, starting just after high school.

“It’s my own company, and I’ve been in business for seven yea rs. At ti mes, sta rti ng up was a little hectic but the company is strong,” Richard says.

He add s t h at to d ay, R id geview is a versatile construction company with a solid team that possesses a wide ranged skill set.

Today, Ridgeview’s business is booming.

“R ig ht now we’re doi ng a 10,000 square foot expansion in Terrace, and we did a very similar one in Prince George.

We did a couple of houses over the summer, and a little bit of renovation and alteration and pipe work in the fall.”

Barendregt says R idgeview Construction works on projects f rom P ri nce G eorge to Prince Rupert.

One of Ridgeview Constructions recently completed housing projects

“It’s booming in Terrace and Kitimat, and out this way. Last spring we were in Kitimat, building a full set of four duplexes as a result of the economic boom.”

RICHARD BARENDREGT RIDGEVIEW CONSTRUCTION

“It’s booming in Terrace and Kitimat, and out this way. Last s pr i n g we were i n K it i m at, building a full set of four duplexes as a result of the economic boom.”

L a st su m mer’s resident i a l housing complex projects were very successful, as the look of Ridgeview’s residential housi ng resonates w ith its coz y, cou nt r y-style a mbience. I n some of its recent townhouse and custom builds, each unit fe a t u r e s u n i q u e i n t e r i o r s , i ncor p orat ion a m i x t u re of m o d e r n f i x t u re s a n d wo o d paneling.

The exterior touches on their homes are similar to those in the interior, combining hardiplank siding with brilliantly finished wooden edging.

Running any company brings with it a number of challenges, as any business owner knows f rom f i rst h a nd ex p er ience.

Barendregt is no exception.

“You always have your regula r cha l lenges, a nd keepi ng th i ngs on schedu le ca n be a challenge, because schedules always change. You’re working w ith a variety of people and sub-trades that are all working on the same project, and it has

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13

MARCH 2015

the best that the industry has to offer, so I continue to educate myself on the latest ideas, procedures and products,” he says.

“We pride ourselves on strivi ng for p er fect ion a nd h ig h per for m a nce, a nd a lways working to give customers the best value for their dollar.”

Ba rend reg t says the key to the company’s success is its “hard work, honest work ethic, a nd above a l l, tu rn i ng out a superior product.

“Our commitment is to customer sat isfact ion. We w i l l work toge t h er w it h c l ient s f rom the i n itia l pla n n i ng stages of their dream home or commercial build all the way through to the finishing details,” Barendregt says. “Our goal is to establish a relationship with our customers by exceeding their expectations and ga i n i ng t hei r t r ust t h roug h exceptional performance from every member of our construction team.”

R idgev iew Constr uction i s at 1067 L owl a nd Road i n Smithers. www.ridgeviewconstruction.ca

Another one of Ridgeview’s uniquely designed housing projects to be coordinated,” he says.

B a re n d re g t e x p l a i n s t h a t the exterior of a home is the first thing people see, and it’s a n a s p e c t of hom eb u i ld i n g that requ i res a g reat dea l of thought and planning.

“It goes beyond just making a great first impression,” he observes. “Your home’s exterior plays a cr ucia l role i n reg ulating temperature, as well as protecting the interior from the elements.”

Ridgeview is experienced in doing all kinds of styles, and specia l i ze i n the ‘mou nta i n look,’ featuring wood window trim and timber accents. “ We a l w a y s t r y to c r e a t e ex ter ior work s t h at a re eye

catching, and can make sure yo u r h o m e h a s b o t h a n a ttractive and efficient exterior constructed,” he says.

Barendregt is a Red Seal carpenter, and as such is trained to hold himself to a high stand a rd. He cont i nues to t ra i n his crew to that same level of quality.

“A s R e g i s t e r e d B u i l d e r s , we’re a l so able to of fer t he new home warranty on all of ou r new homes th roug h ou r warranty provider, Travelers Guarantee Company of Canada,” he says, adding the company is also a Better Business Bureau accredited member.

“We’re always on the lookout for ways to give our customers

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14

MARCH 2015

LINDBERG CONSTRUCTION INC. A WESTERN CANADA LEADER IN CONCRETE WORK SPOTLIGHT

Dawson Creek company taking a full service approach to meet the challenge of growing infrastructure needs

D

AWSON CREEK – Hard work and capacity building are the two main ingredients fueling the success of Lindberg Construction Inc. Originally started in Alberta, the 24-year-old company based in Dawson Creek has become a popular choice for major concrete work throughout British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

“My brother Trent Lindberg started this company in 1991in Three Hills Alberta. At that stage it was residential forming that we did, focusing on cribbing and flatwork,” says owner Gerald Lindberg. “We soon expanded into the commercial industrial formwork market for large projects all over the Canadian West.

The company moved to Dawson Creek in 1995 and continued building foundations, walls, pads and pilings for clients large and small.”

Purchasing the business from his brother in 2010, Gerald and his wife Charity are now proud owners of the company.

“From 1995 to 2010 I was doing a lot of the supervision work, running crews and looking into business development. My wife and I took the opportunity to purchase the business and keep building on what my brother started,” says Lindberg.

“Our focus now includes building gas plants, frac sand infrastructure, mining infrastructure and power sub stations.”

Effective strategic planning exemplifies the Lindberg approach to business and staying competitive.

“With the location of our offices and facilities we have become the first choice when it comes to timely mobilization and cost effectiveness for any

Gerald Lindberg is pleased with the diversity of projects his company can pursue as a full service concrete contractor

“The industry and what clients want is changing. That is why we started into the full service side of operations.

One of our main substation clients, ATCO now wants someone to take charge of the entire project rather than just handling concrete installations.”

GERALD LINDBERG OWNER, LINDBERG CONSTRUCTION INC.

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15

MARCH 2015

Lindberg Construction moved to Dawson Creek in 1995, and now operates out of these well equipped headquarters project in Western Canada,” Lindberg explains. “In a competitive ma rket, bei ng f u l ly committed to being the number one service provider brings the best chance of success. We get a lot of promotion from our suppliers. We built a shop for ourselves with material from Olympia Steel a nd now they are giving out our name to all of their clients. Lafarge Concrete and Inland Concrete are recommending our services to the clients they supply.”

The ability to effectively handle challenging conditions has paved the way to expanding the company’s market share throughout the region it serves.

“We have thorough experience

in working in the climatic conditions of the North and with other contractors and suppliers in the area,” Lindberg explains.

“Our main office and location is in Dawson Creek, but we go to where the work is and bring our portable equipment. 75 percent of our work is in Alberta, 25 percent in BC/Yukon. We bring trucks, excavators, bobcats, graders and set up shop on-site.”

L i n d b e r g C o n s t r u c t i o n’s full service approach has also contributed to the company’s expansion.

“The industry and what clients want is changing. That is why we started into the full service side of operations. Four years ago, one of our main clients ATCO,

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for whom we did substations for the last 12 years, wanted someone to take charge of the entire project rather than just handling concrete installations,” Lindberg states.

“As a full service contractor, we are capable of doing lump sum construction, design-build, project management, construction management, and L.E.M., as desired by our clients.”

Tackling exceptionally diverse projects requires paying attention to logistics. This is where Lindberg excels.

“The diversity in projects is something I love about the work I do, and a positive challenge,” he notes with satisfaction.

“We look at the facts first, and

plan ahead with a long term view to everything. Being ready to pursue a new opportunity is key.

For example, frac sand markets are expanding, so we are now building bolt together steel tanks for the transload facilities.”

The commitment of the team takes many forms and goes a long way to ensure efficiency.

“While I cannot be present on every construction site all the time, I stay closely involved.

Charity is in charge of office administration, and I have a very effective guy in sales who does his magic,” says Lindberg.

“On the construction and operations side I have great guys, and we keep effective schedules.

The focus is on organization

and effective management. We pursue new work while placing a priority on keeping our existing clients happy.”

Going forward, the plan is to remain innovative and seek new clients while sticking to proven methods.

“We are hopeful that we will see the effective completion of large infrastructure projects in due time,” Lindberg concludes.

“With potential new development opportunities including the Montney Gas fields on the horizon, we are prepared to play a key role in these projects.”

Lindberg Construction Inc. is at 8300 21 Street in Dawson Creek www.lconstructioninc.ca

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MARCH 2015

TYROD INDUSTRIES: HELPING NORTHERN BC’S GROWTH SPOTLIGHT

Prince George firm offers reliable construction services throughout the province

P

RINCE GEORGE - Tyrod Industries Ltd. provides h i g h q u a l it y m e c h a nica l construction serv ices throughout British Columbia.

In particular the company is known for providing pressure piping to the energy industry.

While it has a stellar reputation for its field work, it also has a shop i n P ri nce G eorge where it prefabr ic ate s pip e and hydro tests pipe to ensure safety. Tyrod Industries also erects structural steel.

Cu rrently it employs a n average of 12 – 20 f u l l-ti me e m p l o y e e s t h ro u g h o u t t h e yea r, a l l w ith the appropriate cer t i f icat ion a nd t ra i ning. Tyrod Industries boasts a n ‘A’ M e c h a n i c a l l i c e n s e through the BC Safety Authority a s wel l a s t he fol low i n g certifications: • Ca n ad i a n Weld i ng Bu reau (C W B) Cer t i f ic at ion • BCSA Q ua l ity P rog ra m • I S Net world Mem b ersh ip • Comply Works Membership • C W B C e r t i f ie d Weld P ro c e du re s • A S M E R e g i s te re d We l d P ro c e d u re s • P rov i nci a l ‘B’ P ress u re Weld ers Cer t i f ic at ion • CW B Structural Steel Welders Certification Ty rod I ndustries is ow ned a nd operated by compa ny president Tyson Kranrod and business manager Jamie Kranrod. Tyson sta rted as a rig welder in Northern BC in 2004. O ver t i me, he ga i ned i nva luable ex perience i n a l l facets of pip el i ne work b efore i ncorporati ng as Ty rod C o n t r a c t i n g L t d . i n 2 0 0 6.

A fter obtaining its mechanical licensing, the name was c h a n ge d to T y ro d I n d u st r i e s L td . to b e t te r re f l e c t

“I formed a solid crew of guys I had worked with in the past and we’ve been doing well and seeing steady growth ever since.”

TYSON KRANROD PRESIDENT, TYROD INDUSTRIES LTD.

Tyrod Industries is known for providing pressure piping to the energy industry

Tyson Kranrod says that his company is committed to providing its clients with quality cost effective products and services

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“I saw a demand and I knew I could fulfill that need,” Tyson sa id. “I formed a sol id crew of guys I had worked with in the past and we’ve been doi n g w e l l a n d s e e i n g s te a d y growth ever since.” He added that Tyrod Industries offers c o m p e t i t i ve p r i c i n g a n d i s com m it ted to prov id i ng its clients w ith quality cost effective products and services.

T he compa ny is a lso k now n for accom mod at i ng a ny requirements necessary to bring a project to a successful completion with a highly personable and professional staff.

Tyson worked as an owner/ operator of his own rig until 201 2 when he was g iven t he opportunity to provide a crew for pipe welding and fitting on a project. At that point, Tyson set out to obtain a Mechanical l ic en se – a nd t he c ompa ny grew exponentially.

“I think our success and growth has been built on our reputation and the quality and reliable service we provide,” T y son sa id . “ We don’t ju s t go out there and try to gather up every job we can. We have a cer ta i n nu mb er of cl ients a nd they’re ou r nu mber one priority. What it comes down to is that if we get a phone call

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MARCH 2015

Tyrod Industries is known for its structural steel as well as piping

Tyrod Industries strives for safety and quality at 2 a.m. – we’re there in that emergency. And we fulfill our jobs properly to the high standards that we’re known for.”

Tyrod Industries’ client list i s i m p re s s ive a n d i n c lu d e s Husky Energy, Canfor, Pembina, FSE Energy a nd IDL Projects Inc. Ja m ie noted that another important piece of the compa ny’s success is i t s s a fe t y re c o rd , w h i c h i s impeccable. “ We’re v e r y p ro u d o f i t ,” Tyson said. “It’s number one.

Safety and quality is what we are always striving for.” Jamie added that safety is essential when working with pressure piping. She also said that the industry has some of the highest standards in the world.

“It’s quality first,” she said.

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“Q u a nt it y i s n’t pa r t of t he equation.”

T y rod I ndust r ies works i n all facets of the energy sector i nclud i ng, more recently, i n the biomass a rea, wh ich i nvolves converting wood waste to energy.

“We’re lucky to be in a provi nce t h at h a s m a ny n at u ra l resou rce i ndustries that a re f l o u r i s h i n g ,” J a m i e s a i d .

“Here in Prince George, we’re ensuring that we’re working for a broad spectrum of clients with different priorities.”

No matter who the client, the company gets consistent feedback pertaining to the excellence and quality of its work.

“That’s why we’re so busy,” Tyson said. “We consistently hea r about the sa fety a nd the quality of our work.” He added that the company plans to keep mov ing forward and growing steadily.

“Tyrod has a skilled, diverse crew that works well together, a nd that a l lows Ty rod to take on projects and complete t hem s uccessf u l ly, on t i me and within budget,” he said, adding that the company continues to build on its greatest st reng t h, wh ich is pressu re piping. Jamie noted that the tea m at T y rod I ndust r ies is a big pa r t of t he compa ny’s success. “ We’d l i k e to k e e p b u i ldi ng on t h at,” she sa id, noting that the shop services d iv i sion, wh ich i s t he most re c e n t o f fe r i n g fo r T y ro d , is becom i ng more a nd more i mporta nt. Unti l one yea r ago, t he compa ny worked

almost exclusively in the field w ith field fabrication and installation.

“Part of our growth plan is to bri ng more work i nto the shop for prefabrication,” Jamie said. “And then from that with our field division doing the installation. We want to rema i n i n the energ y sector with our focus on British Columbia. We want to continue to work with the grow th of our prov i nce.” Grow t h h as a lso included vehicles and equipment. Jamie noted that in the last few years, they have consistent ly re-i nvested i n t he business to meet the clients’ needs. I n fact, she sa id that one of the reasons clients are so satisfied wit Tyrod Industries is that it stays on top of new technology and it invests in equipment. “ We c o n t i n u e t o e x p a n d on current partnerships and f utu re pa r t nersh ips a nd we conti nue to i nvest i n ou r c o m m u n i t y,” J a m i e s a i d .

“We want to continue to find sk i l led t rades people i n ou r community first.”

“I think part of Tyson’s succ e s s i s t h e e x p er ienc e t h at he got from being out on the jobs and understanding them because of that. He has built the business up from there. It a l lows h i m to see the whole pictu re both f rom the poi nt of view of the field and from behind a desk. He has really grown into this position from that experience.”

Tyrod Industries Ltd. is at 580 Richard Road in Prince George. www.tysonindustries.com

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OPINION

18

MARCH 2015 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Prince George Office 2871 Wildwood Cres Prince George, BC V2K3J4 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 1.250.758.2684 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald, lise@businessexaminer.ca JUNIOR EDITOR | Ezra MacDonald, ezra@businessecaminer.ca SALES | Shawn Bishop, shawn@businessvi.ca; Josh Higgins josh@businessvi.ca WRITERS | Goody Niosi, Christopher Stephens

OIL-TRAIN DERAILMENTS EXPOSE FOLLY OF ANTI-PIPELINE MOVEMENT Opposition to pipelines flies in the face of safety data

KENNETH P. GREEN

F

our recent oil-train derailments - two in the United States and two in Canada accompanied by yet another drive-by rhetorical smear of the Keystone XL pipeline by U.S. President Barack Obama - have re-invigorated the debate over how Canadians and Americans transport oil.

The most recent spills and explosions in Illinois, West Virginia and Ontario all involved long oil trains of about 100 cars. So far as we know, they all met the most recent railcar designs and regulatory requirements in the U.S. and Canada.

The barrage of derailments continues to illuminate the folly

of the anti-pipeline movement.

Because of an artificially created shortage of pipeline capacity in the U.S. and Canada, more petroleum products are moving by rail. This issue was deeply analyzed in a 2013 study I co-authored on Intermodal Safety in the Transport of Oil. Using the most comprehensive available U.S. data, we observed that while the vast majority of oil transported by any mode arrives safely at its destination, there are still discernable differences in relative safety. On virtually all metrics of safety, whether environmental or occupational, it was clear that

movement of oil and gas is safest via pipeline and less safe via rail.

Specifically, on an apples-toapples basis, transport one billion tons of oil over a mile by pipeline and there is a very low likelihood of leakage - less than one incident per billion ton-miles. The risk of a leak by rail is twice as high, at two likely incidents. And trucks are 10 times higher still, with 20 incidents likely in moving a billion tons of oil over a mile. On volumes spilled, it’s true that pipeline ruptures release larger quantities of oil than individual truck or train spills, but recovery rates for oil spilled from pipelines can reach 50 per cent, and they are far less likely to pose a threat to large population centres. When it comes to worker safety, pipelines also look safer.

Safety data from the U.S. suggests that one would have only 0.007 injuries per billion tonmiles, while rail injury rates are 30 times as high.

That pipelines are safer than trucks or trains should come as no surprise. A pipeline is fixed infrastructure with little exposure to the elements, fewer opportunities for operator or mechanical failure, and with

greater capacity for real-time monitoring and pre-planning for remediation based on the specific and well-understood characteristics of the pipeline route. Pipeline routes are also often built away from densely populated areas. Trains and trucks, running above ground, are on fluid routes subject to constant change. That offers far more opportunities for breakdown, operator error, and injuries to workers as well as the general public. And, rail and roadways, by intent, pass through major population centres putting more people at risk when an accident happens.

Environmentalists and antifossil-fuel allies have successfully stalled the development of safer pipeline capacity for years now. As a result, more oil is transported by railways, increasing health and environmental impacts rather than reducing them.

A nti-pipel i ners wou ld u ndoubtedly say that the solution to these problems is just to “stop using oil,” but that idea is essentially the mother of all denia developed economies are essentially fossil-fuel economies from top to bottom, with a helping of

hydro and nuclear power on the side - 87 per cent of all the energy used around the world is generated from fossil fuels, and 80 per cent of all transportation is powered by oil and its derivatives. Renewables such as wind and solar power are akin to the skin of an apple - pretty, but not terribly filling in and of itself.

Opposition to pipelines flies in the face of safety data, which shows that pipelines are safer modes of transport than railways. This is not the pipeline engineering equivalent of rocket science. And despite the current downturn in world oil prices, energy agencies and companies expect future demand to rebound, and create the incentives to develop oil in both the U.S. and Canada.

Environmentalists who engage in anti-pipeline crusades risk causing more harm than good.

Their pipeline-stalling actions are diverting oil to rail; oil that would otherwise be transported more safely by pipeline.

Kenneth P. Green is Senior Director, Natural Resource Studies at the Fraser Institute.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING A POSITIVE FIRST IMPRESSION I noted that business people are busy, and when we get an audience with them it’s their responsibility and their right to make MARK MACDONALD

F

irst impressions last a long, long time.

In fact, they can be indelible and irreversible, from both a positive and negative standpoint.

Fair or not, that’s often the way it is, particularly in business, so every effort possible should be made to put our best foot forward the first time we meet someone.

The following example is one I have often used with younger people wanting to get into business, or enhance their success.

Years ago, I had a salesman working for me who was, shall we say, trying to make a bit of a fashion statement with his “contemporary” apparel. Rather than

quick observations and assessments create an official company dress code on the spot, I decided to take another route.

I explained to them the importance of making a first impression, and how quickly people will judge us on what they see at the beginning of a relationship, and not change their opinion, no matter what.

One of the points I raised was the often-shared idea that most job interviews are over within the first 45 seconds. In that short amount of time, the interviewer

has assessed the interviewee based on their initial handshake, greeting, clothing, deportment and body language. The general assumption is, that if the interviewer isn’t immediately impressed, then the average person wouldn’t be either. Conversely, if the initial impression is positive, others will feel the same.

I noted that business people are busy, and when we get an audience with them it’s their responsibility and their right to make quick observations and assessments. Things like how we look, what we wear, and how we shake hands - all things that typically take place in less than a minute could open doors, or close them instantly.

The young man gently protested, arguing that this wasn’t fair, that it was surface, and that most people aren’t like that. I replied that it might be the case, that people are willing to wait and look below the surface, but that the first glance, to many, is reality. I suggested that they could try to change that all by themselves, or they could work with the way it is, and move it to

their advantage.

Nex t, I suggested they put themselves in the shoes of a prospective client, most likely a successful business person who has been through the school of hard knocks to some degree. If they’ve been at it for a while, the owner or manager has, in a sense, “seen it all”. They’ve heard the pitches, know many of the angles. . .they’re seasoned. Their senses have been honed to make quick judgments when necessary, and that being the case, the sale could effectively be over before the pitch is even made.

I left it at that. Within days, the wardrobe change was made, and became permanent.

Really, it wasn’t anything different than what we taught our children. I drilled them all about the importance of a good, solid handshake. Not a bone crusher that makes the recipient squint in pain in need of an X-ray, but a solid, firm shake and a square-in-the-eye look at the person you’re greeting.

I explained that it’s a statement of confidence in who you are, and warmness. Looking at a person eye to eye presents honesty. All

of these are very important first impressions.

All of our kids have done this, and received numerous compliments - as have we - about their handshakes. After all, is there anything worse than the infamous “dead fish” handshake, where someone reaches out their hand, sort of, and limply places it in yours, with no feeling whatsoever?

It’s not just the handshake and facial expressions that count.

We’ve all heard about being “dressed for success”, and it’s still true.

Years ago I had lunch with a good friend and mentor, on a Friday. He had his usual suit, crisp shirt and tie.

“It’s Casual Friday. Why are you dressed up?,” I asked. “I don’t do Casual Friday,” he replied, adding: “I always want it to look like I’m ready to do business.”

I’ve never forgotten his response, and have tried to emulate his business decorum, and of course, his success, since. Making a first impression like that has long-lasting, positive results, no matter what business we’re in.

SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA. DISTRIBUTION: FOURTH WEEK OF EACH MONTH VIA CANADA POST AD MAIL. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Produced and published in British Columbia. All contents copyright Business Examiner Fraser Valley, 2014. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

HOUSTON/PRINCE RUPERT

MARCH 2015

19

Major expansion of Prince Rupert port announced

Maher Terminals will expand seven year old facility’s capacity by 500,000 TEUs.

P

RINCE RUPERT – It has been built, and they have come. It’s time to build aga i n to accom modate even more.

M a her Ter m i n a l s Hold i ng Corp., which operates the Port of P ri nce Ruper t’s Fairview Conta i ner Ter m i n a l , a nnounced March 10 it will its proceed with expansion of the seven-year-old facility to accommodate growing container volumes and further enhancing the Canadian gateway’s growing role in North American trans-Pacific trade.

“Intermodal customers have been capitalizing on the advantages of Prince Rupert as part of their transpacific trade solution since Fairview’s first phase opened in 2007,” said Don Krusel, President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority. “We’re very pleased to see Maher Terminals cont i nu e d el iver i n g on t he v ision of fast, reliable container

service — while creating new opportu n ities for the workers, communities, and nations who benefit from th is trade gateway.”

The expansion will increase its container capacity by 500,000 T EUs (Twenty foot Equivalent Units).

Since its conversion from a breakbulk handling operation, Fairview Container Terminal has been operated by Maher Terminals. The terminal anchors an efficient trade lane served by CN’s North American Class 1 railroad providing extensive reach into both central Canada and the US Midwest.

In seven years of operation, traffic through the Fairview Container Terminal has grown at the fastest pace of any container terminal in North America as shippers have discovered the advantages of speed and reliability that have come to define the Prince Rupert gateway. In 2014, container growth

In seven years of operation, traffic through the Fairview Container Terminal has grown at the fastest pace of any container terminal in North America as shippers have discovered the advantages of speed and reliability that have come to define the Prince Rupert gateway continued, with container volume up 15% over 2013 volumes.

Ma her Term i na ls awa rded the construction contract to

FRPD-BEL Gateway Joint Venture as the prime contractor.

T h e p ro j e c t w i l l p ro v i d e a second deep-water berth, four additional gantry cranes, and land reclamation to further expand the container yard.

On-dock ra i l trackage w i l l a lso be ex pa nded t h roug h densi fication of the cu rrent t rack con f ig u rat ion, wh ich will be supported by a rubbertired gantry crane operation.

T he terminal expansion will increase the capacity to over 1.3 m T EUs a n nu a l ly, a nd i s scheduled for completion in mid-2017.

Gary Cross, P resident a nd Chief Executive Officer of Maher Terminals, said, “The twoberth, eight-crane operation that the ex pa nded Fa i r v iew Container Terminal will provide, together with the intense focus on delivering industrybest dwell times, assures ocean carriers and beneficial cargo owners alike that the Prince

Rupert gateway will continue to flourish as a premium service provider by remaining comfortably ahead of demand.”

Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of CN, said: “Maher Terminals’ terminal expansion to accommodate g row th is very good news for ou r customers a nd the Prince Rupert gateway. It goes to show how supply chain collaboration and innovation can produce a highly successful transportation product that has real market appeal.”

“The announcement affirms t h e v a l u e o f t h e f o r w a r dlooking investment in Prince Rupert’s original Fairview Terminal conversion project,” said Krusel. “The strategic vision, partnership and alignment of t he or i g i n a l pa r t ners—M aher, CN, the Governments of Canada and British Columbia, and the Port of Prince Rupert— seized an opportunity that is still paying dividends today.”

BUSINESSES FLOURISHING IN HOUSTON ECONOMY A Rocha in Northern BC provides nature exploration field trips, environmental literacy workshops and small group studies

Dennis decided to start his business. Dennis loves his work and takes pride in every project that he does.

Maureen Czirfusz is Manager of the Houston Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at manager@houstonchamber.ca

i

Vancouver Island | Victoria | Thompson-Okanagan | Peace Cariboo Skeena

MAUREEN CZIRFUSZ

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including the Buck, Byman, Barren, Mcquarrie and Richfield creeks, the Upper Bulkley River, which are part of the larger Skeena watershed. It is home to coho, chinook, steelhead and sockeye salmon, as well as river otters, black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, mule deer, moose, coyotes, red foxes, toads, salamanders, ospreys, eagles, migratory birds and more.

A Rocha Canada runs the Upper Bulkley River Streamkeepers Project. They work with local environmental organizations, churches, schools, governments and concerned citizens to ensure that this watershed is healthy and flourishing. A Rocha in Northern BC provides nature exploration field trips, environmental literacy workshops and small group studies and opportunities to become involved in Citizen Science projects in the Houston area.

A Rocha Canada can be found at www. arocha.ca/northern-bc Kingfisher Carpentry Owner Dennis Verbeek is a certified Red Seal Carpenter and has over 20 year of experience. After attending university and living in Alberta, Dennis moved his wife and family back to his hometown: Houston. He worked as a carpenter for Houston Forest Products until they closed their doors in May, 2014.

Wanting to stay in Houston and the beautiful Pleasant Valley where he could fish and hunt when he was not working,

f eo Jun d in on un e c s o. d gro th ak ke s s an bre ma r y leager tto g n t e ets n s th espidec lpin d u ma l he rex m is n in era o p t co s is t io en ge als men Ha r u c e g is na s t is th in She elop d ma r pe is ne o. dev on nd Ha part aim ll’s the c s,oa. s,d evelo n aIO Nan . Wa ke s s oann gs d r ia e tir in R.W ma r y leora ota t th ge in y, g s t oarpna uild ent a R es a of nin of u id b c alp d m l s e is itte er hpe atal ica ll.pr e shom m ra is n innstr oth d in d c m e , o a e t s o is t io 0e e m lve Wls nn c Ha r u c e 1g are m .Wis. a pitmioe four nag the invo ’ a lso lyd s. it i s t is th in bSyhRe aedlod on m he ie n r v d a is ne o. in de its n is ugp vit in Ha part aim ll’s nd s , aSsh, e eovroeloacti bneg d ’s reia . n th a Nan . Wa a th e tio d giss ren t ta in R.W ora anin ild Rao t th rp rild ch that es a of ny, of co lfobuu her r is te pa er ata a all dhee mit oth ed in str dic all. o, ns m 10 me . W iown ur co e m volv are R.W dd it n fo o th in . it’ als ghly ities ni by a s o in sit is u v gin d he oro cti be an . S is th n’s a the nd dre at r a chil at fou her er th all nd 5 15 wo 20 ille sv 12 130 ark 0 IO

HOUSTON ouston and District Chamber of Commerce recently introduced a number of new members. We are pleased to offer a little more information on each of the companies joining our business community.

Majestic Restaurant In the spring of 2014, Raj Gerwal came to Houston to look at the community before making the decision to move. He relocated here from Regina, Saskatchewan with his wife in 2015 and opened his East Indian restaurant on February 20, 2015. They provide a combination of East Indian and Western cuisine on the menu and plan to expand the variety of East Indian dishes that they have to offer.

Raj and his staff have been extremely happy with the support from Houston and the surrounding area and recommend that you should make a reservation on Friday or Saturday to avoid any disappointment.

A Rocha Canada – Northern BC Representative A Rocha is an international Christian Conservation organization which engages in scientific research, environmental education, community – based conservation projects and sustainable agriculture. The Northern BC Representative, Cindy Verbeek, is located in Houston.

They are a voice for the Upper Bulkley River watershed, fed by tributaries

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MARCH 2015

TRUCKING FIRM SAYS “YES” TO EVERY CHALLENGE SPOTLIGHT

Lodgewood Enterprises Is known for coming through on the long haul (and the short one)

P

RINCE GEORGE - Lodgewood Enterprises Ltd. has been thriving as a family owned business in Prince George since 1978. When company president, Ryan Ankney founded it, he started off in the logging industry as an independent contractor.

Today, with its fleet of top-notch trucks, it is a long haul trucking company serving all of Canada and the United States. It carries cargo for the mining industry, mills, drilling companies, construction companies, fabricating companies and many other large and small businesses.

“We do heavy hauling,” said logistics manager, Arlene Gagne, “And we do a lot of specialized moves.” Some of those moves are oversize, over height, over width, or overweight, and often include materials that due to their size or weight, can only be moved, by law, between midnight and 5 a.m. according to D.O.T. regulations.

The company is internationally recognized for transport and has the talent and resources to provide economic and effective transport with premium

“You just need to phone me and tell me what you’ve got and where it needs to go – we’ve got the knowledge to put it together. We just do it for you. We take the hard work and the guessing away from the customer.”

ARLENE GAGNE LOGISTICS MANAGER, LODGEWOOD ENTERPRISES LTD

Arlene Gagne never says no to a request

Lodgewood Enterprises earliest fleet of bunchers

Lodgewood Enterprises can handle any transportation situation

Momentum is everything.

With specialized financing between $100,000 to $50 million, we can help you get the tools to keep your business moving.

Derek Dougherty, AVP & Manager 300 Victoria Street, Prince George Ph: 250.612.0123 | cwbank.com

equipment including: • Flatbed tractors • Winch tractors • Floats • Low beds up to eleven axles • Super B trailers • Machinery trailers • Expandable step and flatbed trailers D r ivers a re c er t i f ie d , e xperienced and knowledgeable.

L odgewood E nter pr i ses offers drivers who deliver freight safely and on time. Drivers are H2S and WHMIS certified, and capable of hauling even hazardous goods both locally in Canada

or throughout the United States to the Mexican border. They are knowledgeable in cross border rules, regulations, and permitting requirements.

• L ong wood Enter prises hauls: • Hazardous materials • Workforce housing • Wellsite shacks • Construction materials of all types • Bridges • Steel structures & pipes • Heavy equipment • Machinery of all types Back in 1978, Ankney started

Custom Fabrication & Machine Shop

We greatly appreciate the excellent service that Lodgewood Enterprises Ltd has provided over the years The strength behind the steel..

Northern Steel Ltd. is proud of the strong relationship we have with Lodgewood Enterprises Ltd. Congratulations to their team for 35 years of hard work and the opening of their new facilities in November 2014!

We look forward to working together in the future!

(250) 561-1161 | www.stella-jones.com Prince George, BC

Our Services & Expertise * Platework & Structural Fabrication * Complete CNC & Conventional Machine Shop * Pressure Vessels & Piping * Storage Tank Design & Fabrication * OEM Refurbishing & Rebuilding * Engineering & Design, 3D Modeling & Detailing * Sandblasting & Painting Facilities

www.northernsteelltd.com Phone: 250-561-1121 Fax: 250-561-0112 9588 Milwaukee Way, Prince George, B.C. V2K 5T5

with in the logging industry with one machine, and from there the company grew over the years until 2003 when Ankney decided to phase out the logging side and focus exclusively on long and short haul trucking.

“I got to the point where I wanted to do something different,” he said. “The logging industry gave me lots of experience in managing a business, working with employees, machinery operation and maintenance, logistics, problem solving, and doing whatever it takes to keep the doors open in a thriving business. In a way, logging covers most phases of the transportation industry as well, and this was a related field.” When he bought a trucking company, it only had two trucks, but today, the fleet numbers 13 tractors, and over 25 specialty trailers.

“The customer base just kept growing,” Ankney said. “And we kept needing more and more equipment. We grew steadily to fit the customer base and the demand.” Why the strong growth?

Ankney said the answer is simple.

“We offer an excellent service, if needed we’re available 24/7, and we are never afraid of a challenge” Beyond that, Gagne said the service the company offers is unequalled.

21

MARCH 2015

Lodgewood’s fleet includes 13 tractors and over 25 specialty trailers

Size is no object when it comes to what Lodgewood can haul “There’s no red tape here. You don’t need to know how to do the job. You just need to phone me, tell me what you’ve got and where it needs to go, and we’ve got the knowledge, the people, and the expertise to put it together. We

just do it for you. “We take the hard work and the guessing away from the customer.” She stressed that working with Lodgewood Enterprises is truly as stress-free as it gets for the customers.

“We’re f lexible. Maybe you

want us to pick something up at 7 a.m. and drop it off at 5 p.m. But if something happens and you can’t have it dropped off until midnight, then that’s when we do it. We don’t just work between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.”

She added that the guiding philosophy in the company is to say yes and worry about how to do it afterwards. In fact, in the history of the trucking phase of the company, no one has said, “No – it can’t be done.”

“We don’t hem and haw and make 15 phone calls guessing if we can do it,” Gagne said. “We just tell them we can and we make it happen.”

How do the customers feel about the service? Gagne said she gets feedback every day.

“Thank you so much and thank you for all having my back when I need something at the last minute. You and your company a re tru ly a pleasu re to work with.” -Maggi “This is just a note to thank Lodgewood for a job well done.

From the planning stage to arranging the load times, this job went without a hitch, on time and within budget.” –David Gagne admitted that sometimes it takes creativity to make a job happen – but there is no lack of that anywhere in the company.

One way or another, the show always goes on. Challenges aren’t things that need to be overcome once in a while – they’re a daily occurrence. And it’s the entire team that pulls it off time and again, Gagne said.

Congratulations Lodgewood Enterprises on all of your success.

PO Box 173 Prince George, BC V2L 4S1 Phone: (250) 998-4421 Website: www.dunkleylumber.com

You are on a roll! Congratulations on all of your success, and best wishes for the future.

1-800-595-4411 - Prince George www.premiumtruck.ca

“We look for drivers with capabilities above and beyond just being able to ‘drive a truck.’ There are specific criteria that we look for in them, and we prefer drivers that fear no borders, have a huge knowledge base of the trucking industry, and are able think on their feet. It’s all about them having the ability to do it on their own if they need to. Sometimes the trucks go to very remote places and sometimes the trucks are even loaded and unloaded by helicopters. The guys need to be able to think on their own. We have a very special team, we think of them as partners in our business, as well as employees, and know they are a huge part of what it takes to make Lodgewood stand out from the crowd.”

Lodgewood Enterprises has the highest rating possible with the Better Business Bureau. Safety is paramount, Gagne said – as is meeting every possible situation.

“I love a challenge,” she said.

“I just say yes and Ryan says okay.” The exemplary service Lodgewood Enterprises provides has forged many excellent relationships over the years with its customers.

“They trust us to get the job done,” Ankney said. “They can depend on us to be where we say we’re going to be at any given time.” The customers never have any doubts, Gagne added.

“They tell us that they phone us first because they know we’re just going to do it. I hear that all day long. It feels good to know that they have the confidence in us to get the job done.” Staying on top of certifications, both for the drivers and the trucks, keeps the company ready for any job at a moment’s notice.

After 37 years in business, Ankney said he has one overriding ambition for the future: “keep on trucking.”

Lodgewood Enterprises Ltd. is at 9452 Milwaukee Way in Prince George. www.lodgewoodinternational. com

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

22 Terrace

received a $171,428 grant from the provincial government to purchase more trades training equipment.

Willy Schneider, one of the longest serving members of the Terrace Public Library board, passed away after suffering a heart attack.

The Northern Health Authority will be moving administrators and support staff into a new building formerly occupied by Valard, located on the corner of Lazelle Avenue.

Delux Paints celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 4910 Greig Avenue.

Bandstra Transportation Systems Ltd. has temporarily relocated its business while its current location undergoes renovations. The freight services have been moved to 2816 South Kalum Street, while the household moving division will remain at its current 3111 Blakeburn Street location.

The Skeena Golf and Country Club has been denied funds from the city’s community forest profit pool this year.

Work is underway on a major exterior overhaul of the Mountainview apartment complex on the corner of Greig Avenue and Clinton Street. The building it owned by the provincial government’s BC Housing agency, and the renovations are estimated to cost $1,017,995 by completion in April.

MARCH 2015

Ground has broken on a 93-room Holiday Inn off of Highway 16.

When completed, the building will be a full-service hotel of four storeys, which aims to capitalize on the promise of regional liquefied natural gas industry.

Park Avenue Dental Clinic has welcomed the addition of Dr. Timothy Hodgson to its team, located at #201-4619 Park Avenue.

The district has plans to convert the currently closed Thornhill Jr. Secondary School into a trades training centre, as part of the district trades master plan.

The property could be in use as soon as September, opening cosmetology and welding courses for the upcoming school year.

Kim Tran’s proposed 93-room Sunshine Inn, located on Lazelle Avenue, has received the green light from council to begin construction on the project once snow melts.

Swift Worldwide Resources, an employee firm with 27 offices

around the world, has recently opened an office on the second floor of the former Terrace and District Credit Union on Lazelle Avenue.

The 4552 Lakelse Avenue building has been placed on the city’s community heritage registry, currently housing Urban Colour on the first floor and residence on the second floor.

City council has approved a plan by the area’s two Rotary bluns to spend up to $250,000 to construct a children’s splash park in George Little Park.

The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation has formed a memorandum of understanding with Oregon-based transportation company Omega Morgan, which will lead to an expansion of services on Tahltan territory in northwestern BC. City council has approved a liquor permit for the Falcon Work Camp at the Skeena Industrial Development.

Northwest Community College

The Kitimat-Stikine regional district committee has announced its appointments for the 2015 term. Personnel and finance committee members include Harry Nyce, Phil Germuth, Alice Maitland, James Cordeiro and Galina Durant. Planning committee members include Gail Lowry, Ted Ramsey, Linda Pierre, Dave Brocklebank, Rina Etzerza and Jessica McCallum-Miller.

Prince George Hart Family Veterinary Clinic, located at 3708 Austin Road W., has opened for business under the ownership of Dr. Sammi Fuller.

The College of New Caledonia will be rolling out a new online learning program in the next three years, as a result of a $250,000 donation from Northern Gateway.

The program is being implemented as a means to give greater access to college courses for people located in rural communities.

Aligned Capital Partners Inc. has welcomed the addition of Sandy Ramsay to its team, located at 492 Victoria Street.

The provincial government will contribute $290,880 towards constructing nearly a kilometer

worth of bike lanes along both sides of North Nechako Road.

The work is scheduled to begin in the summer, with initial costs estimated at around $500,000.

A.W.G. Northern Distribution Ltd. recognized Keith Peters for his 15 years of service with the company.

WolfTek Industries Inc. is celebrating its 30th anniversary, located at 4044 Continental Way. The Mortgage Group Canada Inc. has moved to a new location at 353 Victoria Street.

Public works director Bill Gaal has announced his retirement from his senior management position. Dave Dyer, the city’s chief engineer, will be filling Gaal’s position on an interim basis.

Prince George played host to the Canada Winter Games this year.

The city of Prince George is celebrating 100 years since its incorporation.

Pine Centre has welcomed the addition of Kariann Harlow to its company as its newest Specialty Leasing Manager.

95-year-old McInnis Lighting was the recipient of the Prince George Heritage Commission’s Heritage Places Award. The award is presented annually to significant places in the history, growth and identity of Prince George.

Contact us now to talk about your project: PHONE: 250-563-9213 LLTD. TD. TD

ADDRESS:

105 Foothills Blvd Prince George, BC V2N 2J8

www.rollingmix.ca

SERVICES: t Hravel t sandy loam t foundations t patios t hot tub pads t concrete product enhancers t sand for playgrounds & sandboxes

Photos courtesy of Jay Lazzarin, Landscape Architect

outdoor décor picnic tables | designer retaining wall blocks | decorative blue shale for landscaping

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

MARCH 2015

McBride village employees have voted in favour of unionizing under the representation of CLAC.

Quesnel ABC Communications will soon be opening in a larger location.

Regency Chrysler has welcomed the addition of Dave Forster and Jim Clarke to its team, located at 259 McLean Street.

Julie’s Edible Bouquets was a recipient of the Premier’s People’s Choice award, given by the Minister of State for Small Business, Naomi Yamamoto.

Bo Peep Children’s Boutique has opened its new location at 347 Reid Street.

Johnston Meier Insurance Group is now located in a new storefront at 199 St. Laurent Avenue.

Rob Borsato and Cathie Allen of Mackin Creek Farm took home the Market Vendor of the Year Award from the 2015 BC Farmers’ Markets Awards.

The city of Quesnel has once again been successful in its grand application for $20,000 for commercial façade improvements.

The Business Façade improvement program provides the opportunity to make commercial areas more inviting and visually appealing to visitors and residents, increase property assessment values, and promote private sector investment.

Circle “S” Western Wear celebrated its 25th anniversary in February, located at 323 Reid Street.

Fort St. John A new Northern Health walk-in clinic has opened its doors in the Fort St. John Medical Clinic.

Real estate agent Trevor Bolin has received three awards at the annual ReMax 4R Convention in Las Vegas, NV. The awards included Top Individual ReMax Agent in BC, Top Small Office Agency in BC alongside co-workers Doug and Rick Peterson, as well as the recognition as one of the Top 100 Realtors in the World.

Dawson Creek Northern Lights College will be swearing in a new president and CEO April 1 - Dr. Brian Kulmatycki.

Chetwynd The Chetwynd Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of its 53rd annual Civic Night event. Award winners included: Pam Engelland for Citizen of the Year, Clair Harford of the Red Lion Restaurant & Inn for the Customer Service Representative Award and the Business of the Year Award, and Jennifer McFeeters for the Heroes Live Here Award.

The proposed Blue Fuel Energey renewables and natural gas-togasoline plant, if it goes forward, aims to become the worlds cleanest gas processing plant.

Prince Rupert Phase two of the Fairview Terminal development is officially moving forward. The expansion of the terminal will accommodate an additional 500,000 TEUs to a total of 1.3 million TEUs. Construction is expected to last 24 to 36 months, with completion set for mid-2017.

Construction is set to begin on Cow Bay Marina in April. The $3.8 million-project will provide moorage for 51 vessels ranging from 40 to 80 feet.

The City of Prince Rupert is calling

for buds for the demolition and salvaging of infrastructure at the former pulp mill on Watson Island.

After six years in the position, Sheila Gordon-Payne has decided to step down as Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii’s health services administrator. Gordon-Payne has taken a position as the lead for professional practice for nursing in the Northern Health region.

The Prince Rupert Renshikan Karate Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Winners have been announced for the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards Gala.

Recipients of awards include: Maher Terminals for Small Business of the Year; Rupert Wodd’N Steel for Small Business of the Year: Industry, Manufacturing and Transportation; Cowpuccino for Small Business of the Year: Hospitality, Tourism and Service; The Argosy for the Green Business Award; Good Times Games and Electronics for the Community Involvement Award and the ChildFriendly Business Award; Pacfic NorthWest LNG for Newsmaker of the Year; Eddie’s Newsstand and Novelties for the Small Business of the Year: Retail Award; Northern Savings Credit Union for the Chamber Member of the Year Award; Trishan Food Market for Rookie Business of the Year; Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue – Station 64 Prince Rupert for the Volunteer Organization of the Year Award; Light Up Electric for the Aboriginal Business of the Year Award; Fresh Onion Café and Catering for the Excellence in Customer Service Award.

The location of MacCarthy GM is currently undergoing major renovations at its new dealership building.

TransCanada’s Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project is ready to begin construction, but still awaiting

necessary regulatory approvals.

Northern Savings Financial Services Ltd. has announced that its Investment Advisor, John Georgescu, is now a licensed full service broker.

City council is beginning discussions of converting the former Bethel-First Baptist Church into a housing complex.

The BC government is giving WorkSafeBC new powers to shut down workplaces, impose penalties on the spot, collect evidence and compel payment of fines against employers who don’t comply with safety rules.

23 Eagle Spirit Energy has announced that it has received declatations of support from Chief Dan George of the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation, Chief Archie Patrick of the Stellat’en First Nation, and two Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs: Larry Marsden and Art Matthews.

NewTimes Energy has filed with the National Energy Board for a 25-year export licence for a floating terminal near Prince Rupert that would export up to 12 million tonnes of LNG per year.

Prince Rupert Mayor Lee Brian has resigned from his position with the Prince Rupert School District, in order to turn his full attention to his role at city hall.

commercial.remax-western.ca

Thompson-Okanagan

JoshHiggins Higgins Josh

SeniorMarketing MarketingAdvisor Advisor Senior

CHETWYND/DAWSON CREEK

Chetwynd and Dawson Creek Partner in Support of Blue Fuel Energy Corporation

T

he District of Chetwynd and City of Dawson Creek have partnered to reach an agreement to support the proposed $2.5 billion Blue Fuel Energy low- carbon refinery. The project, which when complete would generate up to 150 full-time jobs, could provide a potential new source of revenue to benefit residents in both communities.

The District of Chetwynd is asking the proponents of Blue Fuel Energy Corp. to support a boundary expansion that would see the project included in Chetwynd municipal boundaries. Taxation revenue would be shared with the City of Dawson Creek in the same formula and tax sharing arrangement as currently exists with the adjacent

Chetwynd Mechanical Pulp project.

The project would be located on a 1,055-acre site within Chetwynd’s proposed extended municipal boundaries, and would use natural gas, wind and hydroelectric power to produce reduced carbon gasoline. The project proponent, Sidney, BC-based Blue Fuel Energy Corp., hopes to progress the permitting and other aspects of the project to be able to make a final investment decision before the end of the year.

“Blue Fuel Energy will be an excellent corporate citizen and this project will be a huge asset to Chetwynd and Dawson Creek. We welcome the opportunity to work together to facilitate sustainable development,” says Mayor Merlin

Nichols, District of Chetwynd.

The project would generate between 1,000 and 1,500 jobs during construction and up to 150 permanent jobs once operational and represents a potential $2.5 billion capital investment.

“Working with the District of Chetwynd and Blue Fuel Energy to create a fair property tax structure is another example of how well area municipalities work together, and demonstrates our shared desire to promote economic growth in the area,” said Mayor Dale Bumstead, City of Dawson Creek.

Blue Fuel Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with West Moberly First Nations regarding commercial benefits arising from the project

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