Hais Returns As Chair of Port Nanaimo
MARK MACDONALD
NANAIMO – Better Business Bureau Vancouver Island announced its 2024 Torch Award winners in November. Winners included The Bride’s Closet of Nanaimo in Customer Service & Sales, Service XCEL of Nanaimo in Heating & Air Conditioning, High Definition Roofing Ltd. of Duncan in Roofing Contractors, and Mikus Transport of Parksville in Moving & Hauling. All of the other winners are from Victoria.
The ninth annual Ecostar Awards Gala was held in Victoria November 14, and there were two winners from Nanaimo.
The Rugged Coast Research Society won the Clean Oceans category for their work that resulted in 77,000 kilograms of marine debris from Nootka Sound in 2023 – and over 160,000 kilograms since 2017.
The Climate Action winner was 4VI Social Enterprise Group, for its work in developing a road map to decarbonize Vancouver Island’s tourism industry.
In Ladymith, the Spirit of Ladysmith Business Awards were held recently, with Ladysmith Pharmasave being named Business of the Year for over 11 employees, and In The Beantime for 1-10. The People’s Choice Award went to Bayview Brewing Company whose Sarah Abdulkafi also received the Outstanding Customer Service award, with LCU Insurance Agencies Ltd. recognized as the Financial Services Award winner. Old Town Bakery was the Employer of the Year, and Temperance Hotel the Entrepreneur of the Year, and Cedar Dog Grooming the Best Home-Based Business. Donald “Duck” Paterson was Volunteer of the Year.
Donna Hais
The Port of Nanaimo is pleased to announce that Donna Hais has been elected as Chair of the Port’s Board of Directors and Captain Fred Denning has been chosen as Vice Chair. Donna and Fred have served on the Board previously, and Donna as Chair. She is also General Manager of R.W. (Bob) Wall Ltd. construction company, and a former President of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce.
Long-time Nanaimo realtor Brian McCullough has announced his retirement after a 45 year career in the real estate industry.
A strategic partnership has been formed between the Nanaimo NightOwls and Victoria HarbourCats of baseball’s West Coast League and the Vancouver Island Soccer League to help grow grassroots sports and improve facilities on Vancouver Island.
Uber has arrived in the Cowichan Valley, and the passenger service organization can only operate where they have drivers. So. . .if Nanaimo can get some willing drivers, Nanaimo can get its own Uber service.
Little George’s Express has re-opened at 398C Bruce Avenue. They held a grand opening where they gave away a free pizza slice to every customer.
Congratulations to Alvin Tan, who has been recognized as an ICON Agent for eXp Realty for achieving exceptional production goals and positively impacting the company’s culture.
The B.C. Securities Commission imposed sanctions against now defunct cryptocurrency company EzBtc which ran from 2016-2022, and ordered them to pay $18.4 million to the Commission. Owner of the company was David Smillie and 1081627 B.C. Ltd. The findings of a panel on liability were made August 7, and the ruling was issued November 27.
West Vista Terrace, a 32-acre commercial/residential project adjacent to North Cowichan Municipal Hall and metres away from the new Cowichan District Hospital, has been given the green light to proceed following a November 20 council meeting thanks to a 4-2 favourable vote from councillors. The project includes 700 residential units, a 95 room hotel and commercial and retail units It was turned down in a 3-3 vote last March, but Coun. Chris Istace changed his vote on November 20, allowing it to proceed.
With the verdict, an amendment to the Official Community Plan will be forthcoming. The OCP was implemented after the project’s owners conformed their development to the previous award-winning Local Area Plan (LAP) constructed by North Cowichan staff, only to have council introduce a new version of the OCP that specifically prohibited development in the West Vista project, previously known as Bell-McKinnon Northwest.
Former Nanaimo CAO Ted Swabey is now the Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality of North Cowichan.
Mark MacDonald is President of Communication Ink Media & Public Relations Ltd. mark@communicationink.ca