The Georgia Straight - Food Fight - July 9, 2020

FREE | JULY 9 – 16 / 2020

Volume 54 | Number 2737

FOOD

QUEER ARTS

G fI H T

Fest fights socialmedia censors

CANNABIS SLEEP AIDS Weed wards off insomnia

ESports Supplements

Grocery giants are waging war on many fronts for customer loyalty

•

Climate and Allergies

•

Whistler Wine Trail

HEALTH

Climate change will heat up Vancouver’s allergy season

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CONTENTS 6

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

COVER

Grocery giants are pursuing an omnichannel approach to reach customers, but a union is challenging the way Sobeys is going about doing this.

by Craig Takeuchi

e all know the drill: don’t touch your face; cover your mouth if you sneeze or cough; spend time outdoors rather than inside. But these COVID-19 health measures aren’t always simple for those suffering from itchy eyes, runny noses, or breathing challenges due to allergies or asthma.

Nonetheless, some pandemic health practices can serve to help allergy sufferers, and their widespread familiarity arrives at a time when climate change is magnifying allergy season each year.

SFU health sciences lecturer Cecilia Sierra-Heredia has been researching climate change and health, namely respiratory issues and pollen in Canada. She told the Georgia Straight by phone that higher pollen-grain counts and extended pollen seasons are being observed throughout the world, including pollen seasons starting earlier and ending later by a few weeks in Canada.

“During the fall, you might think, ‘This should be over by now,’ but it’s not because there’s still pollen in the air,” she said.

In a study published in the open-access publication International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in July 2018, Sierra-Heredia and her coauthors predicted an increase in the prevalence and incidence of allergies and asthma and accompanying health-care expenses.

Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories (ARL), confirmed by phone from Ottawa that Canada has been seeing longer pollen seasons. ARL operates 30 monitoring stations that gather pollen and spore samples from across the country.

Fortunately, Coates said, there’s only been a slight increase in total pollen accumulation in Vancouver over the past 22 years compared to Toronto and Montreal, which have experienced “dramatic” pollen-count increases.

He pointed out that Vancouver’s pollen season is “very long to begin with”.

Pollen from cedar (which has 40 varieties in B.C.) begins in late January and early February and lasts until late August, whereas pollen in the rest of Canada tends to begin in March.

However, he said, there have been some significant increases in specific types of pollen in Vancouver—from maple, alder, poplar, and oak—but decreases in others, such as birch and elm, as well as grasses.

In addition, some plant species are expanding into new geographic areas as annual temperatures increase. For instance, a 2018 study from the University of Massachusetts

July 9-16 / 2020

By Charlie Smith

4

Cover illustration by Leif Yu

ESPORTS

Are supplements for ESports all that they’re hyped to be? It depends on whether they enhance wellness and boost cognitive functioning.

By Mark Judge

5

CANNABIS

Evergreen Cannabis co-owner Mike Babins is not a doctor, but he’s learned a lot from customers about how weed helps people sleep.

By Charlie Smith

e Start Here

SFU’s Cecilia Sierra-Heredia says climate action can improve health. Photo: @carlosoen.

at Amherst predicts that the highly allergenic ragweed will migrate northward. Although it’s not common in B.C. yet, Coates said that it has been spreading west past Manitoba into Saskatchewan and Alberta.

What’s more, emissions are increasing pollen potency and counts. Several studies, including one published in the peerreviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives in April 2016, found that plants like ragweed double pollen production and intensity due to higher levels of carbon dioxide.

That all said, there are coping strategies, some of which are the same as some for the pandemic. SFU’s Sierra-Heredia advises wearing masks not just for the coronavirus but also to block inhalation of pollen. She also recommends, upon returning home, showering or bathing to remove pollen from clothing and hair and to change clothing. Because “air pollution works in a kind of synergy with pollen” and can intensify symptoms, she also recommends avoiding areas with high levels of air pollution, such as near highways. Aerobiology Research Laboratories also offers pollen counts and forecasts on the Weather Network website, as well as on an app for allergy sufferers (www.pollenexperts.ca/ ).

Yet Sierra-Heredia also adds that as climate change is “affecting many areas of human health”, the example of allergies adds yet another reason to take climate action.

“The more we support initiatives that mitigate climate change, the more we’re working towards a healthier future for all of us,” she said. g

JULY 9 – 16 / 2020

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ARTS CLASSIFIEDS FOOD HEALTH LIQUOR MOVIES PSYCHEDELICS REAL ESTATE SAVAGE LOVE SEX WINE

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PUBLISHER Brian Kalish FOUNDING PUBLISHER Dan McLeod EDITOR Charlie Smith SECTION EDITORS Janet Smith (Arts/Entertainment/Style) Brian Lynch (Books) Mike Usinger (eSports/Liquor/Music) SENIOR EDITOR Martin Dunphy ASSOCIATE EDITORS Gail Johnson (Health/Food/Wine) John Lucas (Cannabis) STAFF WRITERS Carlito Pablo (Real Estate) Craig Takeuchi SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT Jeff Li DIGITAL COORDINATOR Jon Cranny GRAPHIC DESIGNER Miguel Hernandez PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Mike Correia SALES DIRECTOR Tara Lalanne ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Glenn Cohen, Robyn Marsh, Manon Paradis, David Pearlman

e Online TOP 5

Here’s what people are reading this week on Straight.com.

1 2 3 4 5

Several visitors to Hotel Belmont nightclub and bar test positive for COVID-19.

Six vitamins that can improve vital functions and the immune system.

Vancouver-based EV manufacturer’s shares get a jolt from investors.

Listed for $12.5 million, home sells for $10 million after 52 days on market.

Dana Larsen: Calgary cops forced to perform orgasms in public. @GeorgiaStraight

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3

ESPORTS

These supplements can help you up your game Vitamin D3, fish oil, and ginseng work to maintain your energy and let you focus on what matters

Y

by Mark Judge

ou’re seconds away from taking down the enemy Nexus. On the edge of your seat, eyes flickering across the screen, you try not to think about sore neck muscles or heavy eyelids. You can almost see yourself at the Worlds in China. The turret comes out of nowhere. The screen goes grey.

So close. If only you hadn’t lost focus.

Would supplements have made the difference? Could a few pills or a fruity drink made from powder really have helped you to keep your concentration for those final few minutes?

The short answer is… maybe.

The use of health supplements and nootropics to improve player performance is rising in the ESports world. With more and more players taking vitamins, minerals, and other natural compounds touted to improve individual gameplay performance, you might be wondering if you should be too.

Nobody wants to miss out on a competitive edge—especially one that’s scientifically proven, safe, and even shown to improve your general health as well as your gameplay.

Sounds like a no-brainer, right?

But are supplements for ESports all they’re hyped up to be? And are they worth your hard-earned money?

HOW DO THEY WORK?

The basis for supplementation in ESports can really be boiled down to one sentence: by improving your general wellness and cognitive function, you will improve your gameplay. It’s as simple as that. When you’re at full health, you feel alert, concentrated, and energetic—exactly how you want to be feeling at game-time.

SO WHICH SUPPLEMENTS DO I NEED TO TAKE?

If you eat half a greenhouse’s worth of fruit and vegetables every week, sleep 10 hours a night, and dance around in the sunshine every day, none. For the rest of us, below is a list of supplements that would likely be of some benefit (There are a lot of ESport supplements on the market, but these are my chosen winners): Vitamin D3: Vitamin D deficiency is ex-

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Yes, caffeine can wake you up, but too much can make you shaky, and sugary energy drinks are usually a bad choice. Photo by monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Getty Images Plus

tremely common. While the body actually makes its own vitamin D, it needs exposure to sunlight in order to do so. Barriers to year-round sunlight include but are not limited to: living in Canada and being a gamer. Taking a vitamin D3 supplement can do wonders for bone health and helps to maintain a healthy immune system. A sick gamer is a bad gamer. vitamin D is your friend.

Fish oil: Unless you’re eating oily fish two or three times a week, you’re probably not getting enough omega-3 naturally to reap its many benefits. In addition to possibly reducing cholesterol and contributing to heart health, some research has suggested that fish-oil supplementation can improve short-term memory in those who are deficient. Ever look at the map, then forget where you’re going a minute later?

I’ve forgotten my point. . .better go take some fish oil.

Ginseng: Several clinical trials have shown improved cognitive function as well as a reduction in perceived fatigue with supplementation of Panax ginseng. Ever find yourself tired and unfocused as the game goes on? Ginseng could help.

Caffeine: You already know this one.

We’ve all been there. You have a bad night’s sleep before a competition…You wake up groggy and slow…Only coffee can save you now. Caffeine is effective when it comes to counteracting sleepiness, and can therefore help your game. Just be careful with dosage—shaky hands and anxiety don’t make a good player. Fifty to 100 milligrams is generally optimal. Because of their spiking effect on blood sugar and the crash that comes with it, sugary energy drinks are to be avoided.

WHAT ABOUT STACKS/MULTIVITAMINS?

There is an endless range of multivitamins and gamer-targeted supplement bundles available on the market. Most of these stacks are made up of several cognitive enhancers (with varying degrees of scientific support behind each), all bundled together into an easy to drink or swallow product.

While convenient, in a lot of cases the truth is: you’re probably already getting half of the contained ingredients from your diet.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Supplements can improve player performance in ESports. The science has spoken.

But before you go rushing out to buy every supplement on the market, ask yourself a few specific questions. The answers will guide you to more effective, more economical supplement purchases. Do you eat oily fish regularly? Do you bask in the glory of an endless summer?

No and no? You could probably do with picking up some fish oil and vitamin D. Do you find yourself losing focus during competition, despite doing your best to exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced diet?

Yes? Perhaps some ginseng and an extra shot of espresso will be the fuel you need to bring your game to the next level. You won’t know anything for sure until you try it for yourself. And unlike competition day, you’ve got very little to lose. g

MORE ESPORTS ONLINE AT ECENTRALSPORTS.COM

CANNABIS

Indica blends might offer an insomnia solution

by Charlie Smith

Evergreen Cannabis co-owner Mike Babins may have gone a little mainstream by becoming a provincially licensed seller, but he hasn’t lost his love of heavy metal. Photo by Noah Giroux

I

n this strange summer of 2020, the days are long and stress levels are high.

For many of us, anxiety has increased not only because of COVID-19 but also due to the dreadful economy.

That can make it difficult to get to sleep or can cause people to wake up at odd hours feeling fear about their finances or

their health.

Can a few tokes, cannabis oils, or edibles offer relief? The Straight contacted Mike Babins, co-owner of Kitsilano’s Evergreen Cannabis, in search of answers.

In 2018, Babins and his wife, Maria Petrucci, became the first in Canada to obtain a licence to operate a legal retail

cannabis outlet.

“We’re not a medical store,” Babins emphasized over the phone. “We’re a retail store and we don’t do medical advice.”

He quickly added that everybody is different, which means that one cultivar of cannabis—even from the same licensed producer—won’t affect each person the same way. With that said, he offered his perspective, which is rooted in the experiences of his customers.

“If you are waking up throughout the night, what we suggest is to take a small dose of either an oil or an edible of an indica base,” Babins said.

That’s because the effects will be felt about an hour after being consumed— ideally, when the user is already asleep.

“We say indic-couch,” Babins quipped. “It’s going to make you lazy and relax your body.

“So it will hold you under so you can get a good six hours,” he continued. “Then you’ll wake up and it will be worn off, especially if you take a very small amount.”

For those having trouble even getting to sleep, Babins also thinks an indica blend can offer benefits, provided the person isn’t stewing with anxiety over what happened during the day. However, the Evergreen Cannabis co-owner pointed out that indicas

are more likely to trigger stress. He suggested that’s why there are so many Cheech and Chong jokes about paranoia.

He said that a sativa blend, on the other hand, can help the mind focus on specific things rather than worrying about a vast array of concerns.

“A sativa is a bit of a stimulant, like a cup of coffee,” Babins explained. “So we say to have it around dinner time or cocktail hour so you can deal with your stress throughout the evening. Then by the time you go to bed, you’re all relaxed. Maybe have a puff of indica to counter the sativa effects, and go to sleep.”

As for those feeling stress during the working day, he suggested that pure cannabidiol (CBD) may help calm some people without them feeling psychoactive effects.

“There’s no one solution,” Babins cautioned. “I mean, as mentioned before, everyone gets affected differently.” g

MORE CANNABIS ONLINE AT CANNCENTRAL.COM

Criminalization of psychedelics is an “outrage”

F

by Carlito Pablo

or more than four decades, Michael Pond has been helping people deal with mental-health and substance-use issues.

He started out as a registered psychiatric nurse, went on to get a master’s degree in clinical social work and other specialty training, and embarked on a career as a psychotherapist during the mid-1990s.

Between that and his current West Vancouver practice focusing on addictions, Pond fought his own battle against alcoholism. It was an experience that today gives him a unique perspective in connecting with the personal struggles of his clients. Pond chronicled his story in his memoir, Wasted: An Alcoholic Therapist’s Fight for Recovery in a Flawed Treatment System. His partner, Maureen Palmer, recounted Pond’s search for healing in the documentary Wasted.

In a phone interview from Alberta, where he and Palmer were travelling, Pond marvelled at the potential presented by psychedelics. He noted that there are several studies indicating that psychedelics are beneficial in treating addictions and mental-health conditions. He also cited the widely acclaimed 2018 book by American author Michael Pollan, titled How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence.

Pond described what is currently happening in the world of psychedelics as nothing short of a “renaissance”.

“Personally and professionally, I’ve never seen anything in all my 45 years of doing this work as effective as the use of psychedelics,” Pond told the Straight.

West Van psychotherapist Michael Pond cites American author Michael Pollan’s acclaimed 2018 book How to Change Your Mind.

He recalled that in the past few decades, new psychotherapy approaches have been employed for addictions.

These include cognitive-behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, and community reinforcement and family training. Pharmaceuticals like gabapentin and naltrexone have also been repurposed to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. “But the reality is, substance use remains a stubborn, intractable problem,” Pond said. “We desperately need an expanded tool kit, and that’s where psychedelics hold a lot of promise,” he observed.

According to Pond, studies by institutions like Johns Hopkins University and New York University are “extremely encouraging”.

“These substances open up the mind, make the person much more receptive to new ideas,” he said. At the biological level, psychedelics “restructure the brain”.

“They are cheap, and you can achieve in one psychedelic-assisted therapy session what might take a year or more of traditional therapy.”

Pond noted that many people who suffer from substance addiction experience other mental-health issues, like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. The psychotherapist also said that a 2016 Johns Hopkins study on cancer-related anxiety showed that 83 percent of participants reported feelings of well-being after a single dose of psychedelics.

Psychedelics are illegal in Canada, a situation Pond considers an “outrage”.

“You can legally go out and binge drink and kill yourself or others, yet it’s illegal to pick a mushroom and eat it,” he said.

Pond said Canada “spends billions on the downstream effects of substance use: law enforcement, crime, justice, social welfare, health, and education”.

“It’s pure idiocy to not explore something that has the potential to save us billions,” Pond said.

Although Pond supports the decriminalization of psychedelics, he advises caution, as a number of people are using these substances recreationally and without supervision.

“What we’re learning is that there really needs to be some structure and foundation put in place in terms of policies and procedures,” Pond said.

According to Pond, psychedelics should be “done with professionals that have training and experience”. g JULY 9 – 16 / 2020

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

5

FOOD

Food giants chase market share with many brands One union says it has no problem with more business—it just wants its members treated equally

T

by Charlie Smith

he first quarter of 2020 was very good for Canada’s largest grocery and pharmacy conglomerate, Loblaw Companies Limited.

Revenue in the first three months of the year reached $11.8 billion, up 10.7 percent from the same period one year earlier.

Earnings before income taxes, depreciation, and amortization were up 12.4 percent, to $1.17 billion.

One factor has been its “omnichannel approach” to reaching customers. It sells groceries through a long list of retailers, including T & T, Real Canadian Superstore, Loblaws City Market, Wholesale Club, and Shoppers Drug Mart. It also has more than 600 franchise stores under banners such as No Frills, Provigo, Valumart, and others. It’s one reason why the family that oversees this empire, the Westons, is worth US$8 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

Other food giants are also trying to reach customers in a multitude of ways.

The Jim Pattison Group’s grocery banners include Save-On-Foods, Urban Fare,

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Meinhardt Fine Foods, Nesters Market, PriceSmart Foods, and Choices Markets.

Loblaw and Pattison also have their own in-store brands offered in these outlets.

Flooding the community with different grocery outlets in many locations is a way for Canadian companies to remain competitive against such American goliaths as Walmart, Costco, and Amazon, which now owns Whole Foods Market. Georgia Main Food Group, controlled by Vancouver’s Louie family, operates IGA, Fresh St. Market, and London Drugs.

But when the Nova Scotia–based supermarket giant Sobeys Inc. embarked on an omnichannel approach in B.C., it ran into opposition from a former Safeway cashier who is now president of UFCW 1518. Last year, Kim Novak became the first woman to head the 101-year-old union local, which represents more than 20,000 workers in a wide range of industries. Since taking office, she’s been battling Sobeys after it shut down several Safeway stores and rebranded them as FreshCo franchises with different collective agreements.

“We recognize that diversifying a business and being able to increase business and market share is a good thing,” Novak told the Straight by phone. “It’s also a good thing for our members because it allows those businesses to be able to bring in more customers. Where we have a major issue is when doing so, you’re undercutting wages and benefits by reducing what people would be paid by decreasing the ability of them to access full-time jobs.”

Because the FreshCo stores are considered independent by Sobeys, Novak said that UFCW 1518 has to negotiate separate contracts with each store. According to Novak, an arbitrated first contract gave starting FreshCo workers a rate only slightly higher than the minimum wage.

“At Safeway, you have access to hours in classifications that allows you to be able to work your way up a wage scale, whereas at FreshCo that’s not the case,” she said.

UFCW 1518 has filed applications to the B.C. Labour Relations Board seeking to have Sobeys and seven FreshCo franchisees declared a “common employer” with a single bargaining unit. The union has argued that Sobeys spent millions of dollars converting former Safeway outlets into FreshCo stores in B.C., and that Sobeys hired and trained the workers at FreshCo stores.

“UFCW 1518 expects that there is very strong financial and contractual control by Sobeys over the franchisees and the employees at the store,” the union wrote in its application.

JULY 9 – 16 / 2020

After Sobeys opened lower-wage FreshCo stores on former Safeway sites, UFCW 1518 president Kim Novak filed an application before B.C.’s Labour Relations Board. Photo by Eva Prkachin

Novak said the union hopes to obtain documents through the disclosure process to support its position that Sobeys is the true employer. If the UFCW succeeds with its argument, it could have ramifications on other grocery chains, including Loblaw, which maintains that its No Frills discount stores are franchises. Sobeys did not respond to the Straight’s request for an interview by deadline.

The omnichannel approach is becoming more popular.

– Prof. Sylvain Charlebois

Sylvain Charlebois, a Dalhousie University professor and food-distribution researcher, is one of Canada’s leading authorities on food policies. In a phone interview with the Straight, he said that COVID-19 has upset the applecart, so to speak, because it is accelerating grocery

chains’ adoption of e-commerce to retain market share. Online selling also makes it possible for everyone across the supply chain, including farmers, to reach buyers.

“Pepsico is doing it,” Charlebois noted.

“Saputo is doing it. Gordon…Sysco, you name it—they’ve all decided to sell directly to consumers.”

The professor also pointed out that real estate is undergoing a major transition due to the pandemic. Working at home has become a legitimate option for large numbers of people. He suggested that this could cause more people to leave cities and live in suburbs.

“That will have a huge impact on where grocery stores are actually going to be located,” he said. “You want to reconfigure your e-commerce strategy based on where people are.”

So even though the grocery chains may now seem flush with cash, there’s no guarantee that they’ll all thrive in the future.

“There are so many things in flux right now,” Charlebois said. “It’s very difficult to understand what’s happening.

“But I would say, right now, the omnichannel approach is becoming more popular,” he continued. “Getting to the consumer in many different ways is going to be a value strategy moving forward.” g

FOOD

Locally grown fruits inspire fresh culinary ideas

S

by Gail Johnson

ummertime in B.C. typically means an abundance of glorious fresh fruit, from juicy peaches and dark-red cherries to the fuzziest of apricots and pretty, bright strawberries. Rather than stock up on imported produce, seek out B.C. goodness at grocery stores, farms, and fruit stands.

Strawberry season is all over the calendar this year, thanks to the weather; their readiness depends on where they’re being grown. Wherever and whenever you do find them, B.C. strawberries are thimbles of fresh-tasting perfection—true simple pleasures. Eat them mindfully: notice their gorgeous hue and fragrance before popping them in your mouth, one at a time, closing your eyes to concentrate solely on the sweet juice. They need nothing to be enjoyed.

On the other hand, there are all sorts of deliciously creative ways to incorporate B.C. fruit into your baking and cooking.

Here’s some inspiration from a handful of culinary talents.

Amy Ho, founder of the Constellation Inspiration blog, shares a recipe for Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Rose Frangipane Tart in her recently released cookbook, Blooms and Baking: Add Aromatic, Floral Flavors

Amy Ho’s recently published cookbook, Blooms and Baking, shares the recipe for Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Rose Frangipane Tart (right), her favourite summer dessert. Photos by Amy Ho.

to Cakes, Cookies, Candies and More. “This is the dessert I make the most in the summertime,� she writes. “No other dessert even comes close to this one.� It features a buttery crust, almond frangipane filling, a layer of sweet and tangy strawberryrhubarb-rose compote, and roasted rhubarb. For the tart pictured in her book, she picked the berries herself at Krause Berry

Farms and Estate Winery in Langley.

Ripe Vancouver Island fruit plays a starring role in Michelle Schulze’s Panna Cotta With Balsamic Strawberries, a recipe from the recently released BC Wine Lover’s Cookbook: Recipes & Stories From Wineries Across British Columbia by Jennifer Schell.

Schulze is a member of the family behind Venturi-Schulze Vineyards in Cobble Hill,

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where they make not only several varieties of wine but also their own balsamic vinegar. In this dish, a pound of strawberries along with two teaspoons of berry sugar and two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar marinate in the fridge for 90 minutes, then are brought to room temperature before being spooned atop the creamy dessert, garnished with fresh mint sprigs.

At Vancouver restaurant Say Mercy!, executive chef Sean Reeve took some of the tastes and textures from his favourite summertime desserts and turned them into his Snow Cone Salad. He chips a granita made of Odd Society Spirits’ Mongrel moonshine over strawberries, beets, and rhubarb, finishing everything off with a honey vinaigrette. It’s summer in a colourful bowl.

Other ideas? Add strawberries to a butter lettuce with feta, red onion, avocado, and lime vinaigrette; use them with any other berries or fruit you have on hand for an old-fashioned crumble; and make an easy galette. Fresh berries can also be added to muffins, scones, banana bread, pound cake, or cinnamon buns, or you can purĂŠe them to fold into batter for next-level chocolate-chip cookies or madeleines. g

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Fort Berens Estate Winery is only a spectacular day trip away from Whistler, a town offering wine lovers everything from sprawling cellars to sophisticated menus. Photo by Brad Kasselman.

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or many Whistler-area visitors, the best way to wind up a day outdoors is to enjoy a glass (or two) of wine.

Before we get to places to sip terrific wine in and around Whistler Village, we recommend a day trip two hours north along spectacular Duffey Lake Road to Lillooet, the home of Fort Berens Estate Winery.

Situated at the southern end of the Cariboo Chilcotin region, Lillooet has a long, hot, dry summers, like the Okanagan, while cooler nights mean overall summer temperatures are lower. Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris all grow here.

A team of eight owns Fort Berens, Lillooet’s first winery, which launched in 2009 and has gone on to win scores of awards, including gold for its 2018 Chardonnay at last year’s San Francisco International Wine Competition. The winery prides itself on making on clean, fresh, terroirdriven wines that combine Old World elegance with New World fruit-forwardness.

New releases include the Rosé 2019, a 100-percent estate-grown Pinot Noir Rosé with notes of strawberry and crab apple, and Pinot Noir 2018, a sophisticated vintage aged in French oak barrels with hints of berries and pepper.

If not at the winery itself, you can find Fort Berens wines at various liquor stores, grocery stores, and restaurants throughout B.C. While dining out in Whistler, order them at Araxi, Bar Oso, Il Caminetto, Sushi Village Japanese Restaurant, and Legs Diamond, to name just a few spots that carry them.

To discover other wines you never knew you loved, head to Bearfoot Bistro, which has B.C.’s biggest restaurant wine cellar, with more than 10,000 bottles. Among the 1,500 different labels the acclaimed

restaurant offers are Dom Pérignon (eight vintages), Penfolds Grange, Château de Beaucastel, E. Guigal’s La, La, La (14 vintages), and Screaming Eagle. B.C., Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany, Piedmont, Napa Valley, and Spain are regions of the lengthy list’s focus. Happy hour runs Wednesday to Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. with glasses of red, white, or rosé for $9, and, with summer here, the Champagne Lounge is set up out on the swanky patio.

SIDECUT Modern Steak & Bar at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler is taking to its pretty courtyard patio all summer, while the interior undergoes major renovations for a December 2020 launch. While listening to live music surrounded by greenery, pore over its extensive and sophisticated wine list. It breaks down every type of wine into Old World and New World options, from Allegrini Corte Giara IGT delle Venezie 2017 Pinot Gris to Bonterra Bartolucci Vineyard Muscat (Lake Country) 2009. Then there are “other interesting” bottles, like Spain’s Bodegas Portia Ebeia Ribera Del Duero 2016 and Pentâge Winery’s Roussane/Marsanne/Viognier 2012 from Penticton.

Basalt Wine & Salumeria is another Whistler destination where you can indulge in tantalizing wines. B.C. labels have a leading role on the thoughtfully curated wine list, with selections ranging from Okanagan Falls’ Synchromesh Four Shadows Riesling 2017 and Liquidity Viognier 2018 to the Okanagan Valley’s Volcanic Hills Gamay Noir 2018 and Oliver’s Culmina Hypothesis 2013. Old World, New World, sparkling, rosé, dessert, and fortified wines are all on offer in this popular resto that specializes in cheese and charcuterie boards with exquisite ingredients like caramelized onion labneh and elk Goldberg salami. g

LIQUOR

Tools of the trade boost home-bartending skills

T

by Mike Usinger

which consists of two cups that are sealed with a good whack once the larger one is placed over the smaller. Go all-steel if you’re prone to breaking everything you touch.

here’s an old saying that goes something like this: “A poor workman blames his tools.”

When it comes to home bartending, you’ve got a choice to make.

Do you avoid investing in an ice crusher, decent cocktail shaker, muddler, and strainer because it gives you an excuse for every subpar cocktail served? Or do you load up on the tools of the trade, and then admit that you blew it by using by ReaLime in your Gin Basil Smash?

Here are a few essential tools worth investing in.

HANDHELD JUICER

Going fresh is essential when you’re mixing at home. There’s nothing wrong with squeezing the crap out of fruit with your hands. But a handheld citrus press does the job far more effectively than your fingers ever will.

MUDDLER

COCKTAIL SHAKER

First off, let’s admit something: from a Mason jar to a Tupperware container, you can pretty much use anything as a shaker. But just as you don’t wear acid-wash jeans to a wedding, you need to think about the importance of style when home bartending. And on that front, start with the cocktail shaker.

There are two basic choices. The first is the Cobbler shaker, consisting of two pieces: a bottom, and a top with a built-in strainer and removable cap. Whether you’re going the hammered-steel or embossed-glass route, look for a shaker whose top half slides over

Sure, you can get by without shakers, strainers, and muddlers, but why would you want to?

the bottom, rather than into it. (Maybe it’s just us, but removing the top of the former is a breeze, while the latter usually ends up in frustration, tears, and enough cursing to shock a Cockney sailor.)

Professionals swear by the Boston shaker,

You can’t make a proper Mojito or Mint Julep without mint, and before you start shaking or stirring, you’ve got some muddling to do.

That’s when you use an implement of some sort to bruise the leaves and stems of the herb, releasing the juice. Note that we said “bruise”, not “mash the crap out of things until it looks like creamed spinach.” You can use the back of a spoon or the butt end of a rolling pin to muddle, but that brings us back to a poor workman blaming his tools.

COCKTAIL STRAINER

Some drinks—think a classic Martini, Wordsmith, or Manhattan—are served straight up, which means you’ve got to keep the ice in

the shaker. Enter the cocktail strainer.

STRAINER

There are times when you’re going to use basil or a slice of chipotle in your Smash or Margarita to give it an extra kick. A cocktail strainer isn’t going to catch everything, so pick up a small strainer too—unless you enjoy talking to people who keep laughing at your jokes with a piece of basil or chili pepper stuck in their chompers, especially if they have teeth like Gary Busey crossed with an American Mammoth Jackstock donkey.

ICE CRUSHER

As with all items here, you don’t technically need an ice-crusher to get the most out of your home-cocktail program. If you’ve got a meat tenderizer and a reuseable shopping bag, have at ’er. But an ice crusher is insanely useful to those who understand that ice is not only one of the most essential ingredients in any cocktail this side of liquor, but also surprisingly versatile. Which is to say, when you’re making a Mint Julep, you want your ice crushed instead of cubed so you’re not drinking what might as well be straight bourbon with a couple of mint sprigs. Don’t forget to check your teeth between sips. g

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JULY 9 – 16 / 2020

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

9

ARTS

Bold new Queer Arts Fest questions the mainstream

by Janet Smith

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From left: Virago Nation is set to hit the airwaves at the Queer Arts Festival (photo by Kate Whyte Photography); dance icon Noam Gagnon plans his swan song with This Crazy Show (photo by Noam Gagnon).

rom the outset of pandemic lockdown, the Queer Arts Festival’s SD Holman decided that cancelling the event was not an option, and neither was laying off staff.

“I’m used to fighting. The whole queer community’s used to fighting,” the event’s artistic director tells the Straight. “If I had given up, it [the festival’s launch] wouldn’t have happened 12 years ago. And we’re nimble because of all that.”

The result is a 12th-annual multidisciplinary celebration that includes everything from streamed art tours and online performances to real-world art installations and a free zine.

The team flew into action to come up with a fest that could adhere to social-distancing measures in its own unique ways.

Jumping online was not straightforward for a festival in which some of the performers (including the nonbinary drag troupe the Darlings) have recently come up

against censorship on streaming channels like Facebook.

“We’re always flagged right away, because queer is right in our name,” Holman says.

Instead, the fest has taken the huge leap of building its own streaming platform from its website (as well as broadcasting via traditional channels like Facebook).

Programming like The Darlings, Uncensored and Too Spirited, by the Indigenous burlesquers of Virago Nation, will hit the airwaves.

So will Vancouver’s Vision Impure dance legend Noam Gagnon, with a retooled version at his gender-playing This Crazy Show (July 25 and 26)—a solo that the Holy Body Tattoo member has said will be his “swan song”.

Originally intended to be performed live, the audacious, identity-shifting work now converts to video, complete with its wild, flailing platinum wig and

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high heels. Holman says the show plays well into QAF’s “Wicked” theme this year, a topic that pushes back against the mainstreaming of LGBTQ existence and homonormativity as both erasure and commodification.

“Queers have reached this place where it’s okay if it’s palatable,” Holman explains. “ ‘Wicked’ is all about that: when we get this acceptance, who is accepting us? And what is it contingent upon?”

Holman, a photographer, felt strongly the fest should have some tactile elements as well. Enter art installations everywhere from bus shelters to community arts screens, as well as an artful zine program guide that will go out to festivalgoers.

On opening night (next Thursday [July 16] from 5 to 7 p.m.), visual-arts curator Jonny Sopotiuk will head up an artists’ discussion and virtual tour of an art exhibit that will live on QAF’s digital hub for the run of the festival. He’ll be joined by participating local artists Tom Hsu and Tajliya Jamal and New York City forces Avram Finkelstein and Elektra KB. Colombian-born Brooklynite Elektra KB brings their interactive “stateless, genderless passports” to the fest, converting its usual gallery installation “checkpoint” to a digital rendition.

Sopotiuk tells the Straight that people can go online and remove associations with any nation states and the art, i.e. the physical ‘passports’, will be mailed to them. “This is a physical object that requires people to truly engage with our own complicity within these systems, and bringing this checkpoint online is really starting to tease out where is public space and how are systems of oppression taking place there now, especially online.”

Sopotiuk is equally excited about Finkelstein’s piece in the exhibit, a drawing he was working on when Sopotiuk went on a scouting trip to New York and met with him.

“He had had a stroke and was learning how to draw again,” he recalls of the renowned artist and AIDS activist who was a founding member of the Silence=Death and Gran Fury collectives, and who has work in the permanent collections of MoMA and the Whitney. “It’s a huge wallsized piece, and Avram was in tears when he made it because he was in so much pain. Avram has been defined by his work with collectives, and to see him return to his personal art practice is so important on an individual and community level. I love that piece—it’s one of my favourite pieces ever.”

Finkelstein is also convening one of his “Flash Collectives” here—political interventions in public places he’s overseen around the world. For this COVID-ready rendition, he’s been bringing together his first-ever digital collective of nine local artists, meeting online; Sopotiuk hints the final work will take the form of an animation that aims to “recode the word queer”.

For the opening art party, Sopotiuk looks forward to talking more about their works and connecting QAF artists and audiences despite the enforced isolation of the pandemic. “I’m excited to be able to have a conversation with the four artists and talk about the world we’re living in,” he says, “We’ll look at work, talk about work, and really share those intimate pieces about their practice.” g The Queer Arts Festival runs from next Thursday (July 16) to July 26.

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

11

MOVIES

Streams wind through iconic decade of LGBT cinema

E

by Norman Wilner

PRINCESS CYD

very weekend is Pride weekend on streaming platforms. Here are 10 amazing titles from the past decade’s queer-cinema boom. From indie genre experiments to a surprise Academy Award best-picture winner, it’s been a pretty amazing run. These features hold up to multiple viewings.

(Stephen Cone, 2017) Cone’s scrappy indie drama about an ostensibly straight teen (Marika Mashburn) whose world is rocked when she strikes undeniable sparks with a self-possessed barista (Malic White) was ignored in the rush to praise the lush visuals and low-stakes romance of Call Me by Your Name, but this might actually be the superior film about an attraction that literally changes someone’s life. Available on iTunes and Google Play.

STRANGER BY THE LAKE

(Alain Giraudie, 2013) Desire can be dangerous, a truism French writer-director Giraudie uses to exquisite effect in this sun-dappled thriller. Single Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) spends a summer at a secluded beach where men come to hook up. He strikes up a friendship with middle-aged Henri (Patrick d’Assumçao), but Franck is drawn to Michel (Christophe Paou), who’s younger, hotter, and almost certainly a murderer. A seductive examination of voyeurism and attraction that never quite goes where you think it will—and knows that sex is never really safe. Streaming, intriguingly enough, on Shudder.

LOVE IS STRANGE

(Ira Sachs, 2014) Ira Sachs’s piercing drama casts John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as long-partnered Ben and George, who marry as soon as they legally can… and see their happy life together fall apart almost immediately. A thoughtful reworking of Leo McCarey’s devastating 1937 melodrama Make Way for Tomorrow, it also offers a snapshot of queer culture wrestling with questions of generational change and mortality. A downer, sure… but a beautiful one. Available on iTunes and Google Play, and streaming on Amazon and Tubi.

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY

The self-questioning of a young man (played by Ashton Sanders) sets off an exploration of Black masculinity in Moonlight, just one of many strong films on queer themes in recent years.

CAROL

(Todd Haynes, 2015) In ’50s Manhattan, a young shop clerk (Rooney Mara) and a well-off suburban housewife (Cate Blanchett) embark on an affair that risks both of their futures. It’s a subtle, subversive love story, surrounding two magnificent performances with exquisite, claustrophobic period detail that makes the romance feel even more precious and rare. Available on iTunes, and streaming on Amazon and Sundance Now. MOONLIGHT

(Barry Jenkins, 2016) Adapted from a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Jenkins’s rapturous Oscar-winner about a young man figuring himself out is a complex interrogation of Black masculinity and queerness that doesn’t condescend to a single one of its characters, and features exceptional work from pretty much every per-

son in front of and behind the camera. And it only gets richer with repeat viewings, which is why I named it the single best film of the past decade. Available on iTunes and Google Play, and streaming on Hollywood Suite Go. BEACH RATS

(Eliza Hittman, 2017) Before this year’s brilliant Never Rarely Sometimes Always, writer-director Hittman made a splash at Sundance with this charged study of a closeted Brooklyn teenager (Harris Dickinson) who knows what he wants but won’t let himself have it. Comparisons to Moonlight aren’t off the mark—both films are about characters learning to overcome their own limited conceptions of masculinity—but Hittman and Jenkins are working in different registers, and Beach Rats carves out its own space quite nicely. Available on iTunes and Google Play.

(Francis Lee, 2017) Lee’s directorial debut is a searing, intimate mood piece about self-loathing, closeted Johnny (Josh O’Connor) who falls for Romanian migrant worker Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu) as they work his family’s farm together.

It’s what Brokeback Mountain would have been if Ang Lee had let his movie be as rough and angry as its characters, with two young men growing close to one another against the unforgiving Yorkshire landscapes. Barely released theatrically, it’s formed a considerable cult following in a few short years. Find out why. Streaming on Netflix and available on iTunes and Google Play.

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

(Céline Sciamma, 2019) Sciamma’s lush romance about the bond that forms between an 18th-century painter (Noémie Merlant) and her haughty subject (Adèle Haenel) is a beautifully observed, tenderly told drama. If you missed it during its brief theatrical run in February, it’s waiting for you to discover it on the streaming platform of your choice. Available on iTunes and Google Play. g

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REAL ESTATE

CMHC loans help develop affordable rental units

by Carlito Pablo

An artist’s rendering of a Vancouver below-market, mixed-use rental development facilitated by a federal loan program administered by the CMHC. Illustration by Rositch Hemphill Architects

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onstruction is underway at a former Vancouver parking lot on the west side of Main Street between East 6th and 7th avenues.

Once complete, the site will have a multistorey mixed-use building and a new public park. There will be a social-service centre and a restaurant on the ground floor, and 145 rental homes above.

According to Catalyst Community Developments Society, the nonprofit real-estate developer behind the project, all of the homes will be offered below market rates.

This is one of the developments backed by a federal program administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Called the Rental Construction Financing initiative (RCFi), the program provides low-cost loans for the construction of affordable rental housing in the country.

Launched in April 2017 and running until 2027, the RCFi aims to offer up to $13.75 billion to enable the building of 42,500 rental

units. In its 2019 annual report released on May 20, 2020, CMHC indicated that it approved loans during that year to support the development of more than 15,900 rental units. The federal housing agency also reported that as of December 31, 2019, it had pledged almost $4.5 billion under the RCFi. For Catalyst’s 188 East 6th Avenue development, CMHC committed $48.5 million.

David Hutniak is the CEO of LandlordBC, an organization that represents owners and managers of rental housing. According to Hutniak, the RCFi has spurred rental construction.

“It’s definitely been helpful. There’s no question about it,” Hutniak told the Straight by phone.

He explained that the cost of financing is a key factor in determining projects’ viability.

They must have at least five rental units and meet certain affordability requirements. For example, total residential rental income must be at least 10 percent below the project’s gross

achievable housing rental income. Also, at least 20 percent of the units must have rents at or below 30 percent of the median total income for all families in the project’s area.

“Without this financing, the reduced rent targets would not be achievable, but it also needs to be appreciated that rental homes built through this program only make sense for a rental developer who is looking at retaining the asset for the very long term,” Hutniak noted.

According to Hutniak, there is “very little margin for profit with projects built under the guise of this program”.

“We are pleased that rental developers are nevertheless taking advantage of the program to build this critically important housing,” he added.

Hutniak noted that one concern is that final financing approval from CMHC only comes when construction is about to begin.

“As part of the municipal approval process, often a developer must commit to some

below-market rents without knowing if they will receive the financing that is required to afford these below-market rents,” he said.

That elevates developer risk, Hutniak said, adding that more such rentals could be built if developers could lock in this financing earlier. He also suggested that CMHC needs to relax its affordability requirement in some major urban centres.

“A nurse who works in Vancouver makes roughly the same as a nurse who works in Surrey, yet the nurse who lives in Surrey pays much lower rent than Vancouver, relative to income,” Hutniak explained.

In exchange for paying higher rent, tenants in big urban centres can give up cars and walk or take transit to work.

“There is greater demand for rentals in the urban core, where land and building costs are very expensive, yet this requirement pushes more rental construction into the suburbs, and therefore more time in cars and commuting to work,” Hutniak said. g

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

13

SEX

Sex workers’ group demands decriminalization

L

by Charlie Smith

ast week in the Georgia Straight, Vancouver Centre Liberal MP Hedy Fry said that she expects her government to review the country’s major sex-work law to ensure that it is compliant with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Her comments came a year after Vancouver’s most famous sex worker, the now deceased Jamie Lee Hamilton, condemned the Liberals in an interview with the Straight for not amending the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act in their first term in power.

Many believe that this law puts sex workers in danger by criminalizing the purchase and advertising of sexual services.

However, the national coordinator for the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform (CASWLR), Jenn Clamen, told the Straight by phone that despite Fry’s words of support, there’s no evidence to suggest the Liberal government will change the law.

“I’ll start by saying Hedy Fry is a great champion for sex workers’ rights and has been for many years,” Clamen acknowledged. “She is based in an area of the country that has seen very high levels of violence toward sex workers. And she has historically been very supportive of promoting the health and safety of people in our community.”

But Clamen added that Fry is “actually the only person within the Liberal govern-

Sex worker Jamie Lee Hamilton (left, with April Vallee at the West End Sex Workers Memorial in 2019) didn’t live long enough to see the Trudeau government fix what she felt was a very bad law.

ment” who has done this. Clamen claimed that others in the Liberal party—including the prime minister’s wife, Sophie—are far more concerned with the “industry of antitrafficking”.

“Within the Liberal party, one of our challenges is people talk about human rights so often…but they limit their understanding of sex work to something that doesn’t actually represent most people in

the industry,” Clamen said.

She insisted that the Liberals must introduce a bill on decriminalizing sex work to protect the workers’ human rights.

“It’s actually that simple.”

When the former Conservative government introduced the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, there was a requirement for a review after five years. Clamen said that in the sixth year

since the law was proclaimed, the Liberal government hasn’t even begun this process.

She emphasized that this review must be conducted by Justice Minister and Attorney General David Lametti’s office.

“We want a review that’s actually an evidence-based review and measures the impacts of the law on the people that the laws impact,” Clamen said. “To do that, they need to lay out a very clear plan of what that looks like.”

CASWLR has said evidence demonstrates that prohibiting the purchase of sexual services decreases the ability of sex workers to screen clients. In addition, this prohibition on the purchase of sex makes it more difficult for sex workers to establish safe indoor spaces. That makes it easier for predators to target them.

The group has also maintained that the law’s ban on a third party materially benefiting from sex work criminalizes sex workers’ personal relationships, increasing their social isolation. According to the CASWLR, outlawing the advertising of sexual services heightens the risk that clients will misunderstand what services sex workers are willing to provide and at what price. “Sex workers face the likelihood of increased violence through the denial of a forum to share vital information that could improve their security,” the group states on its website. g

Lesbian cuckolding and monogamy can coexist

by Dan Savage

b I’M A LESBIAN in a long-term relationship. After much conversation with my partner, we’ve decided to explore cuckolding role-play together. I’m not comfortable bringing another person into the relationship—especially right now—but I am willing to explore this as a fantasy. The thing is, I’m having a hard time figuring out how to do it.

There’s not a lot of info out there on how to engage in cuck role-play, especially between two women. Could you point me in the right direction here so we can have some fun while remaining monogamous?

- Couldn’t Undergo Cuckolding Kink’s Glories In Real Life

“You can definitely introduce cuckolding themes and even a cuck identity into your relationship while remaining monogamous,” said Thomas, a married gay man and former cuck blogger whose husband has cucked him many times IRL. “In fact, many cuckold relationships are monogamous and cucking remains in the fantasy realm.”

Thomas even sees his relationship as monogamous— at least on his side. “The definition of monogamy varies greatly for each couple,” said Thomas, “and I do consider myself monogamous because I’m the cuck and so I don’t technically have sex with other guys. My husband does. I just get to watch sometimes.”

Let me quickly define terms for readers: a cuckold relationship is a one-sided open relationship where one partner is free to have sex with other people while the other

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JULY 9 – 16 / 2020

Sex-advice columnist Dan Savage says that lesbian couples can maintain monogamy while exploring cuckold fantasies.

partner remains faithful. What distinguishes a cuckold relationship from your standard open relationship where one person doesn’t care to sleep around is the element of humiliation.

Thomas created a popular Tumblr blog (now gone) about gay-male cuckold relationships back when there was very little information about gay cuckolds online, CUCKGIRL, much less gay cuckold porn or other resources. In

fact, there was once so little info online or anywhere else about gay cuckolds that many people—myself included— weren’t convinced that gay cuckolding was actually a thing.

Cuckolding wasn’t a thing in Thomas’s marriage at the start. “Total monogamy had always been the plan,” said Thomas. “But I got interested after seeing some straight cuckold porn. I immediately identified with the cuck but I was too embarrassed to bring it up with my husband because it went against our vision of our marriage but also because I only ever saw cuckolding represented in straight porn.”

Thomas thinks it’s possible for you and your partner to enjoy lesbian-cuckolding fantasies while keeping your relationship monogamous on both sides. “My husband and I started playing around with cuckold fantasies several years into our marriage, and it remained a hot role-play fantasy for a long time,” said Thomas.

A more monogamous way to explore cuckolding without opening the relationship is simply to ask your partner to tell you about her past sexual encounters. Listening to your partner talk about hot experiences while you masturbate or while you two fuck is a great way to explore cuckolding without actually opening up your relationship.

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o/a European Breads Bakery is hiring Bakers.

Shifts, Weekends, Perm, Full-Time (40 h/w) Wage: 15.00 $/h Job requirements: Good English, Previous experience as a baker is an asset. On-the-job training will be provided by employer.Education: High school Main duties: Measure and combine flour and other ingredients according to recipes; Prepare dough for breads and other baked goods; Prepare and operate equipment for baking;Set and monitor temperatures and bake items;Ensure product freshness and food safety; Keep work area clean and tidy.

Company’s business address and job location: 4320 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4G3 Please apply by e-mail: european.breads.amra@gmail.com Construction company ADEON TRADING CORP. is looking for Carpenters.Greater Vancouver,BC. Perm, F/T. Wage - $ 27.00 /h Requirements: high school, experience 3-4 years, good English .Main duties: Read and interpret blueprints, determine specifications, prepare layouts;Measure, cut, assemble and join lumber and wood materials;Build different construction structures, systems and forms using wooden materials; Fit and install different trim items;Operate and maintain measuring, hand and power carpentry tools;Supervise helpers and apprentices; Follow established safety rules.

Company’s business address: 3007 Nechako Crescent, Port Coquitlam, BC V3B7T6 Please apply by e-mail: adeontrading@gmail.com

POLAR EXTERIOR INC.

is looking for Construction Project Manager, Greater Vancouver, BC. Perm, F/T. Wage - $ 38.00/h Requirements: experience 3-4 years, good English, college diploma in civil engineering or construction technology.

Main duties: Manage construction projects; Perform budget estimates;Oversee construction contracts;Hire and supervise subcontractors; Direct and control daily operations;Monitor project schedule;Negotiate project revisions; Direct the purchase of materials, manage project's budget;Implement quality control procedures;Oversee compliance with legal requirements.

Company’s business address: 1265 Benneck Way, Port Coquitlam BC, V3C 5Y8 Please apply by e-mail: polarexteriorinc@gmail.com

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Parkinson Society BC

offers over 50 volunteer-led support groups throughout BC. These provide people with Parkinson's, their carepartners & families an opportunity to meet in a friendly, supportive setting with others who are experiencing similar difficulties. Some groups may offer exercise support.

For information on locating a support group near you, please contact PSBC at 604 662 3240 or toll free 1 800 668 3330.

Zodiac Glazing Ltd

is hiring Glaziers.Greater Vancouver, BC. Perm, F/T, Salary: 25.00 $/h Requirements: experience 3-4 years, good English, high school education Main duties: Read and interpret blueprints and specifications; Prepare layouts of frame and window wall position; Measure, mark and cut glass; Fabricate, fit and install frames for glass installation;Position and secure glass; Assemble and install panels on exteriors of building;Install panels to form exterior walls of buildings;Repair and service windows, doors and other window components; Replace damaged glass or faulty sealant; Assemble, erect and dismantle scaffolds, swing-stages and hoisting equipment.

Company’s business address: 156-2721 Atlin Place, Coquitlam, BC, V3C 5B1 Please apply by e-mail: zodiacglazing@gmail.com

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