Alan Cosgrave
VICTORIA – Alan Cosgrave will succeed Mackenzie Kyle as MNP‘s Regional Managing Partner for Advisory Services in British Columbia.
Debi Upton has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer by the United Way of Southern Vancouver Island Board of Directors.
John Yarschenko has been named the new Executive Director of The Bridge Youth & Family Services by the Board of Directors. Following Celine Thompson‘s retirement in November, John will take over as the organization’s head.
WA Architects has promoted three outstanding individuals as Senior Associates and five as Associates. SENIOR ASSOCIATES: Doug Wong, Kate Gibney, Neil Jacobson. ASSOCIATES: Mijeong Song, Jorge Estrada, Candice Bollivar, Adrian Wong and Piyush Sangadia.
Famous Victoria food cart, Mr. Tube Steak, is for sale for $5,000.
Matt MacInnis
Matt MacInnis was named President of the Electrical Contractors Association of British Columbia (ECABC), effective September 19, 2022.
The Makehouse is marking ten years in business.
Kinetic Construction and EllisDon, ICBA members, have completed Building 1 of the UVic Student and Dining Housing project. The $229.2M project, built by Perkins&Will, meets Passive House and LEED Gold criteria.
The Fairmont Empress and Victoria Conference Centre in downtown Victoria will host the annual Visions Gala on November 19 to raise funds for the Victoria Hospital Foundation, which supports the community’s healthcare facilities.
The downtown Victoria community center of the Victoria Cool Aid Society is currently undergoing a major restoration led by the HeroWork Program Society.
The Blueprint, a major residential development of nearly 340 apartments in four buildings opposite the main entrance of Victoria General Hospital, is the largest single addition to View Royal’s rental housing stock.
Kimta E&N Cycling Connector construction began Monday to connect the current E&N Regional Trail with the downtown center via new multi-use pathways, protected bike lanes, crosswalks, accessibility modifications, planting, and lighting. The province’s 2021/2022 Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program and the Canada Community-Building Fund are funding the project.
Greater Victoria’s property market improves with sales-to-active-listings ratio at 28.14 per cent. Victoria Real Estate Board president Karen Dinnie-Smyth stated a balanced market is 20 per cent to 15 per cent.
Business organizations Kwassen Productions Inc, Wheelies Motorcycles & Cafe, EnviroWay Cleaning, Ko Family Investments, Sommer Fernandes, Realtor, and Courtney Kenley, Aesthetic Nurse, have joined the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.
Medicine Wheel Publishing, founded by Teddy Anderson of the Tlingit community, strives to provide a secure space for Indigenous authors to express their tales and for individuals with learning-related inquiries.
The Ferrell development, set to break ground soon, will bring much-needed new condos to Shelbourne Street in Saanich.
The renowned Harbour House restaurant and hotel in Sooke is on the market for $13.3 million after an extensive renovation.
Rogers Communications has announced that work has begun on seven towers to increase cell phone coverage along a 70-kilometer stretch of Highway 14 between Sooke and Port Renfrew.
Anna Wright
Anna Wright has been promoted to the position of Senior Vice President and Partner at Kirk and Co., joining Judy Kirk, Chris Chok, Mike McDonald and Samuel Oliphant in the partnership.
Monika E. Sosnowska has been promoted to LandlordBC’s Director of Marketing and Communications.
Laska Pare founded Victoria’s Flipside Plastics, a company creating an upcycled soap dish.
Parker Johnston Group of Companies, a family-owned Victoria, BC roofing firm, acquired Admiral Roofing‘s assets. This purchase ensures Admiral’s staff’s employment and dedication to roofing quality.
The University of Victoria and Vancouver Island Life Sciences established the BioInnovation Hub in Saanich Plaza, with users including PharmaBioSource and the Victoria Hand Project.
MisMacK Victoria, located at 1006 Broad Street in Victoria, is celebrating its first year in business.
Paparazzi Night Club has moved to another location at 642 Johnson Street, Victoria.
Uber, the world’s largest ridesharing service, has applied for a license to operate in Victoria with British Columbia’s Passenger Transportation Board. Victoria is one of the few major Canadian cities where Uber has not yet established a presence.
The grand opening for Brad Wigard Financial Solutions, a member of the WestShore Chamber of Commerce, was held on September 14 at 2835 Peatt Rd, Victoria.
The 50th anniversary of Edison College Canada will be commemorated by a $5,000 scholarship and a complimentary laptop/digital pad.
The Moon Under Water Brewery, Pub, Distillery, and Tasting Room celebrated a decade in Victoria with a weekend-long celebration. The entrance fee will be donated to the Victoria Humane Society.
On August 29, the BC government announced a $60 million back-to-school fund. At least $250,000 will be distributed to each of the 60 school districts.
Langford’s Medicine Wheel Bookstore, founded by Teddy Anderson, had their grand opening on September 12 at 3202B Happy Valley Road.
The new Moe’s Home Langford, owned by Curtis Vertefeuille and run by Andrew Harris, has opened at 1630 Store St., near the intersection of Peatt Road and Goldstream Avenue.
Lee’s Chicken, a takeout-only fast food chain, operates at 624 Admirals Rd. in Esquimalt.
The Municipality of the District of Saanich is now recruiting for a full-time Sustainability Project Delivery Manager position.
Saanich has commissioned three murals to be painted on canvases and one of them will be located in the Cedar Hill Recreation and Arts Centre in Cedar Hill Park. The murals will be painted by local artist Claire Crawford.
Gordon Miller will lead Choral Evolution as its artistic director, with Gabe Lagos serving as the ensemble’s accompanist.
Choux Choux Charcuterie, now known as Bull & Sons Delicatessen, has relocated to the 2300 block of Pyrite Drive, at Rhodonite Drive in Sooke.
The Victoria International Airport (YYJ) was named North America’s most effective airport serving populations of less than 5 million.
The federal government has committed $114.8 million over the next six years to the Ocean Networks Canada initiative at the University of Victoria to improve ocean monitoring and increase the accessibility of its open access big data. Canada Foundation for Innovation will allocate the funds through its Major Science Initiatives Fund.
This year’s 43rd annual Victoria Classic Boat Festival took place on Labor Day Weekend, at the Canoe Cove Marina and Boatyard.
Flashpoint, a leader in actionable intelligence, has acquired Echosec Systems, a provider of OSINT and PAI for national security, public safety, and enterprise customers.
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and The Gallery Associates are hosting an online House Tour, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Gallery Associates’ fundraising efforts in support of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Chris Atchison
Chris Atchison, the president of the British Columbia Construction Association, stated that the federal government has allocated $21 million to increase the number of apprentices in the province.
TELUS Health has released a new virtual veterinary care app, TELUS Health MyPet, in British Columbia, linking pet owners with provincially-licensed veterinarians.
The federal government reportedly contributed $25 million toward the construction of a new treatment plant for the Ahousaht First Nation through Indigenous Services Canada.
The BC government has pledged $118 million in stabilization funds to assist floundering medical firms. According to Health Minister Adrian Dix, the subsidy is around $27,000 per eligible physician.
The Peer Assisted Crisis Team (PACT) pilot project, which will respond to some calls related to mental health in Victoria and last for one year, is nearly ready to launch.
Paul Long‘s Victoria clothing label, Anian, has been transitioning to a circular model and using exclusively recycled materials to guarantee it would not affect the environment.
The Langford-based WAVES (Westcoast Animal Veterinary Emergency Specialty) Hospital has declared that beginning September 1, it will “halt” emergency care in order to focus its resources solely on specialized services, citing a lack of available personnel.
Saanich is proposing to install pop-up businesses along the Galloping Goose and Lochside pathways, which attract a regular flow of rollerbladers, dog walkers, and cyclists at Clover Point.
The North Saanich Fire Department is celebrating 50 years of service.
Deep Cove Market located at 10940 West Saanich Rd., North Saanich, has launched its newest product, Laid Back Snacks.
Fox and Monocle, located at 2300 Canoe Cove Road #3 in North Saanich, is one of the best new restaurants in Canada, according to Air Canada en-Route.
Starlink by SpaceX has launched a remote cellphone service, and Victorians are awaiting the arrival of Sooke-to-Port Renfrew mobile signals.
Pet Connection, located at 2443 Beacon Avenue in Sidney is now officially open.
The owner of Boondock’s Bar and Grill, Andrew Hansen, has announced that the business is closing permanently and is up for sale.
Jessica Jarabeck, a massage therapist from Vancouver Island, finished in fifth place at the World Championship of Massage held in Copenhagen.
The Pacific People’s Partnership (PPP) is hosting its 15th annual One Wave Gathering in the Songhees, Esquimalt, and WSNE First Nations’ traditional territory.
Shane Berg has been appointed as the 18th chief forester and assistant deputy minister for the Office of Chief Forester in British Columbia.
Michael Coey has been hired by Foul Bay Physiotheraphy Clinic, located at 1964 Fort Street, Suite 220, Victoria, and will begin seeing customers on September 19.
Uride, a Canadian ride-hailing startup, has secured its business license in Victoria, making it ready for its launch in September.
The Pink Bicycle, a burger joint located downtown Victoria’s Blanshard Street between Fort and Broughton streets, has closed.
Yumbrosia Fine Foods, owned by Saravanan Periyasamy and located at 2405 Eastdowne Rd in Victoria, has reopened.
Thirty-four exceptional educators are Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education finalists. See full list here.
Canada and British Columbia are investing over $1 million in ten new projects through the Canada-British Columbia Agri-Innovation Program, which is being managed by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia. These projects aim to mitigate the effects of climate change, address labor shortages, boost profitability, and promote the widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture practices. These include the Chilliwack-based Dicklands Farms FLP, Docantheon Horticulture in Victoria, the Okanagan-based Geotronics Consulting Inc., and the Vancouver-based Vintality Tech Inc.
The province is contributing more than $5 million to Indigenous organizations and local governments to support eight tourism, community revitalization, and infrastructure improvement projects in rural towns throughout the province.
Jawl Properties and Concert Properties have contracted Shift Energy Group Inc. (‘Shift’) to design and construct one of the largest solar arrays on Vancouver Island. The Capital Park building’s roof will be covered in solar panels. Capital Park’s GHG Emissions Intensity performance is ranked sixth in the province by Benchmark BC, and the building’s two workplaces have earned the Platinum LEED certification.
The Langford city council authorized Performance Plus Hockey to enter into a long-term contract, paving the way for Verity Construction to construct the initial phase of a new mezzanine at City Centre Park.
George and Suzette Linger‘s The Finishing Store, a haven for woodworkers and contractors in Victoria, is closing its Topaz Avenue location.
The Victoria Cider Co., a family-run cidery, is now open for business at 9635 West Saanich Rd.
Mount Douglas Park will soon be known as PKOLS (pronounced p’kawls), the original name given to it by the First Nations.
Fox and Monocle, a restaurant in North Saanich co-founded by chef Ross Bowles and pastry chef Tracie Zahavich, has been named one of Canada’s best new dining destinations by Air Canada enRoute for its focus on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and spare, modern design.
The Marigold Cafe, launched by executive chef Ryan Hayter and his wife Jennifer Hackett in Central Saanich, has been met with enthusiasm from the community.
The Sooke Family Resource Society thrift store officially opened on August 20 at 2065 Anna Marie Road, Sooke.
James Manke has opened The Wreckage on Peninsula Road in British Columbia as Canada’s first traditional kayak museum.
La Boutique and Wren Apparel, owned by Murrae Wilson and Elyse Barkley, have been successful since it has opened at 2392 Beacon Avenue in Sidney.
The Rum Runner, a bar and restaurant in Sidney, owned by Bill Singer is celebrating its 32nd anniversary this year.
