News Impacting Southern Vancouver Island Business
VICTORIA
Niki Sharma
Niki Sharma has been reappointed as the attorney general and has been appointed as the Deputy Premier of British Columbia.
Coastal Community Credit Union has been named one of British Columbia’s 2024 Best WorkplacesTM and has been recertified as a Great Place to Work® for the sixth consecutive year.
Cascadia Liquor is excited to announce that Melodie Bottura has joined the Caddy Bay store as the new General Manager, bringing fresh energy to the team and the community. Melodie, originally from France, joins the store with a wealth of expertise and a deep passion for wine, highlighted by her WSET 3 certification.
Edo Japan (Edo), a franchise that is expanding rapidly throughout Canada, is celebrating its 45th anniversary by opening its 200th location. Since its founding in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta, Edo has been a successful distributor of teppanyaki-style Japanese food to food courts and street-front malls across the country. Today, the company serves more than 11 million meals a year throughout the Prairies, British Columbia, and Ontario.
In partnership with Galactic Advisors, DataStream is offering free Level 1 Security Assessments and Penetration Testing for up to 5 Vancouver Island companies with 15 or more computers during the month of December. It includes: Level 1 Security Assessment: Identify vulnerabilities in your network and Penetration Testing: Simulate cyberattacks to test your defenses. Only 5 spots are available.
Felipe Moraes
Felipe Moraes, an IT professional, has joined the team at Lazar Consulting Inc.
In partnership with Galactic Advisors, DataStream is offering free Level 1 Security Assessments and Penetration Testing for up to 5 Vancouver Island companies with 15 or more computers during the month of December. It includes: Level 1 Security Assessment: Identify vulnerabilities in your network and Penetration Testing: Simulate cyberattacks to test your defences. Only 5 spots are available.
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce welcomes its newest members, the Pepler Group, Level Up Salon Suites, CTQ Consultants Ltd., and Gameplan Media.
DealBuilder, a cutting-edge business broker software platform, announce that it has merged with transaction Studio to form an all-in-one CRM and transaction management platform. Deal Studio‘s position as the top supplier of software tools for the brokerage sector is further cemented by the merger.
The final Business Leaders Event of 2024, hosted by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, will take place on November 26th. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from BC Ferries CEO, Nicolas Jimenez, regarding the company’s plans to enhance the ferry system along the coast.
Crystal Pool pop-up kiosk launches at Victoria’s Bay Centre ahead of the referendum, and staff will be available for discussions on Dec 7 and Jan 19.
Architectural plans for Telus’ two-thirds of an acre parcel along the 1900-block of Foul Bay Road at Bourchier Street in the Jubilee district, near Oak Bay Rec Centre in Oak Bay, have been filed to the City of Victoria by developer Ledcor Group and Telus Living via RLA.
StretchLab Victoria is now preparing for its opening and is now hiring for candidates from Victoria, with a degree in kinesiology, athletic therapy, physical education, or a baseline background / certification in a bodywork modality such as personal training, pilates/yoga instruction.
Array has received notable recognition for its exceptional creative achievements in web design, logo design, and environmental branding. The accolades include CommunityVotes Nanaimo 2024 for leading in graphic and web design, as well as the Summit Creative Awards for global recognition in creative innovation.
The Strata Energy Advisor program, a joint venture between the City of Victoria and District of Saanich and the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre, offers assistance to strata councils that are interested in implementing energy and climate changes to their buildings.
Last week, Accent Inns Inc. was named among the winners for Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures for 2024 which celebrates the importance of culture the impact it can have on growth and performance. This is the second time the BC local chain has been honoured by award organizers, Waterstone Human Capital, for best-in-class cultures that have helped Canadian organizations enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage.
BC Ferries marks its 32nd year partnering with United Way British Columbia to help vulnerable people and families from coastal communities, through monetary and/or food donations.
Greek n’ Go, located at 1580 Cook Street, Victoria, is celebrating 2 years anniversary.
Sushi Jiro, a sushi restaurant in Cook Street Village, will shut down on November 27th.
In preparation for yearly maintenance, the Crystal Pool and fitness centre will be closed early from November 23 until December 30.
The 16th annual Gingerbread Showcase opened to the public on November 22, and proudly presented by Habitat for Humanity Victoria in partnership with Peninsula Co-op and hosted by the Hotel Grand Pacific. This is Habitat Victoria’s premier annual fundraiser, offering family fun spiced with friendly competition. The Showcase will be open from 9 am to 9 pm daily until January 5, 2025.
Greater Victoria Canadian Tire stores will be collecting and matching donations up to $20,000 to help the Royal Jubilee Hospital buy a CryoCath CryoConsole, a piece of cardiac-care equipment that helps restore the heart health of people who experience arrhythmias. This initiative is in partnership with the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.
BC Food & Beverage is hosting the 2024 Rise Awards Night, to recognize the exceptional accomplishments in British Columbia’s food and beverage sector. The Anvil Centre in New Westminster will host this event on November 28, 2024.
The Canadian College of Performing Arts (CCPA) is set to showcase Antigone: 方, starting November 28. The production will feature CCPA’s Studio Ensemble and is directed by the acclaimed interdisciplinary creator Marjorie Chan.
Harbour Holiday Light Up, a magical evening hosted by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) will be held at the Inner Harbour lower causeway and Ship Point pier in Victoria on December 5, 2024, supported by Ocean 98.5.
The Victoria Residential Builders Association has announced the 2024/25 Board of Directors following their Annual General Meeting on November 13, 2024.
The new Board is represented by:
- President: Russ Barry, Interactive Construction
- Past-President: Mike Dalton, Città Group
- First Vice-President: Brian Trenchard, EnViroTec General Contracting Ltd
- Second Vice-President: Christopher Walker, Christopher Developments Inc
- Treasurer: Amandeep Gill, Patriot Homes
- Builders Council Chair: Brian Trenchard, EnViroTec General Contracting Ltd
- Suppliers and Trades Council Chair: Darrell Ell, Island ICF Foundation Supplies Inc
Directors:
- Ryan Breuker, Oak Bay Construction Ltd
- Darrell Ell, Island ICF Foundation Supplies Inc
- Maureen Elmer, K2 Stone
- Peter Forbes, PJF Construction Ltd
- Jamie Gill, Seba Construction
- Dani Metzmeier, Times Colonist
- Rob Mickelberry, Prodigy Development Services Ltd
- Kyle Velikovsky, White Wolf Homes
During VRBA’s Annual General Meeting, several awards were handed out including:
Jerry Hepburn Award Memorial Award for integrity & professionalism – Ken Breuker, Oak Bay Construction
Mike Kipot Award for contributions to the industry – Amandeep Gill, Patriot Homes
Sponsors Appreciation Award for supporting VRBA and the CARE Awards – FortisBC
Marilyn Ann Lee Award for service and support – Alison Pope, Travelers Canada
VRBA Service Award for the valuable contributions by outgoing Past President – Ellie Sercombe, Limona Group & TEKloch Homes
VRBA Service Awards for important CPD education at Builders Council – Jeremy Burgess and Lauren Muirhead, Reed Pope Law Corporation; and Murray Frank, Building It Right
The Brentwood Bay Resort is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Blue’s Bayou Cafe, a Brentwood Bay staple for 26 years, will close its doors on December 21.
Cafe Zanzibar, a casual dining spot in Brentwood Bay, will close its doors on December 31, marking the end of 24 years of service to the community.
Brentwood Bay Resort‘s Spa Christmas Gala is taking place Nov 29 featuring demos, amazing giveaways, and delicious food.
The Outpost Board Game Cafe, located at 109-2830 Peatt Rd., is now officially open.
The Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club‘s annual Christmas Open House is happening on November 28 and 29 at the HarbourCats office, 101-1814 Vancouver Street.
Residents of Langford are calling for the city to halt its $35 million plan to purchase the Westhills YW/YMCA Langford Aquatic Centre building and its parking lot, urging that the public should have a chance to voice their opinions in a referendum.
Brant Chlebowski
, based in Sooke, has joined Shift Coastal Technologies Ltd. as the new Coastal Projects Lead.
West Shore RCMP‘s Cops for Cancer gala successfully raised $65,000 for cancer research efforts.
Funds collected will aid pediatric cancer research and benefit Camp Good Times.
The WestShore Chamber and the City of Colwood are set to team up for a “Prosperity Roundtable” lunch on November 27, focusing on discussions surrounding Colwood’s draft Retail Strategy.
The Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce‘s Business Excellence Awards 2024 winners are: New Business of the Year – Christine B Acupuncture; Business of the Year – FarOut Wilderness; Trades and Skilled Labour – Sasquatch Heat Pumps; Manufacturing and Industry – Bad Dog Brewing Company; Business to Business – Sherry Robb Design; Professional Services – Mackenzie Edwards REALTOR®|Maxxam Realty Ltd; Non Profit and Volunteer – Ayre Manor; Hospitality – 4 Beaches B & B; Dining – Route 14 Sooke; Retail – Artisan’s Garden; Personal Care – West Coast Esthetics Studio; Artisanal – A Sea of Bloom; Health & Wellness – Christine B Acupuncture and Pet Services – Collar & Comb Grooming Inc.
Mark Verhulst, the founder of Sidney Microgreens, has grown the backyard business into a successful business that provides high-quality vegetable greens to Greater Victoria homes and companies.
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