Discover Montessori School, built by Tectonica Management, was the Judges’ Choice winner of the 2024 event.

NANAIMO – 49 Projects and 12 Company Finalists have been announced for the 18th Annual Commercial Building Awards: Central/North Vancouver Island, which will take place on April 17, 2025, at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo.

This prestigious event recognizes the best in commercial and industrial buildings completed between the Malahat and North Vancouver Island, during the 2024 calendar year. Projects are judged based on a strict set of criteria including design, functionality, and community contribution.

This year’s awards feature a wide array of projects, from civic buildings to mixed-use developments and professional offices, showcasing the strength and innovation of the region’s commercial construction sector.

Coastal Community Credit Union is the Title Sponsor of this year’s event, joined by Re/Max Commercial and MNP as Gold Sponsors. Category Sponsors include: Knappett Projects, Modern PURAIR, IWCD, K&S Railings, Lark Group, WA Architects, EllisDon, and Kinetic Construction. Yellow Sheet Construction Data, Naturally Pacific Resort, Avalon Mechanical are the Media & Engagement Sponsors.

2025 also marks the addition of several new categories marking an expansion from its roots as an exclusively project based awards ceremony. Feedback from prior attendees drove the addition of three new categories due to the critical role these firms play in building out commercial projects across the Island. Electrical Contractor, Engineer, and Civil Contractor of the Year are the new categories.

A panel of independent judges — including Dave Scott of D Scott & Associates, Simon Wainright, Partner at Cunningham & Rivard Appraisals, and John Cooper of John Cooper & Associates — will evaluate entries across multiple categories. Winners will be announced live at the event.

“Each year, we see an increase in the quality and creativity of submissions from across the Island,” says John MacDonald, Owner of the Business Examiner, the event’s producer, and Commercial Broker with Re/Max Commercial. “The 2025 finalists reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Vancouver Island’s development community. We’re looking forward to celebrating these impressive projects together on April 17.”

2025 Finalist Projects

• The Rail Yard Market – 1235 Shopper’s Row, Campbell River
  Owner: City of Campbell River | GC: NEXUS | Electrical: Osprey Electric
• Big Wheel Burger – 625 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay
  Owner: Big Wheel Burger | GC: AFC Construction | Architect: Blackthumb Design | Electrical: Drewry Electric
• Wellington Altus – Comox Valley Renovation – 1771 Comox Avenue, Suite 204, Comox
  Owner: Ivan Lee | GC: Construction Management by Blackthumb Design | Architect: Blackthumb Design | Electrical: CV Electrical
• Anderson Wind Law – 347 4th Street, Courtenay
  Owner: Shannon Wind | GC: AFC Construction | Architect: Blackthumb Design
• Queens Garden Apartments – 488 Garden Street, Duncan
  Owner: 1263691 BC Ltd | GC: Local Motion Development Corp. | Architect: Design – Praxis Architects / Course of Construciton – Zeidler Architecture | Electrical: Thorn Industries Inc. – Security & Electrical
• England Oaks Phase 2 – 348 14th Street, Courtenay
  Owner: Simba Investments Ltd. | GC: Simba Investments Ltd. | Architect: Zee Architecture | Electrical: Cascadia Electric
• North Cowichan Civic Building – 6430 Ford Road Duncan
  Owner: Municipality of North Cowichan | GC: Unitech Construction Management | Architect: KMBR Architects Planners Inc. | Electrical: Houle Electric Ltd.
• Merewood Apartments – 377 & 385 Moilliet Street, Parksville
  Owner: District Developments Corp. | GC: Windley Contracting Ltd | Architect: dHK Architects | Electrical: RB Engineering
• Link – 4831 Cedar Ridge Place, Nanaimo
  Owner: Primex Investments Ltd. | GC: Westmark Construction Ltd | Architect: Raymond de Beeld Architect Inc. | Electrical: Osprey Electric Ltd.
• VIU Shq’apthut Expansion – Building 170, 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo
  Owner: Vancouver Island University | GC: Makon Projects Ltd. | Architect: Formline Architecture and Urbanism | Electrical: Denmar Electric Ltd.
• Port Alberni Child Care Center – 3061 8th Ave, Port Alberni
  Owner: City of Port Alberni | GC: MKM Projects Ltd. | Architect: Waymark Architecture | Electrical: Collins Electric
• Melody – 4961 Songbird Place, Nanaimo
  Owner: Primex Investments Ltd. | GC: Westmark Construction Ltd | Architect: Daryoush Firouzli Architecture Inc | Electrical: Den Mar Electric Ltd
• Piercy Place – 1077 Piercy Ave, Courtenay
  Owner: Piercy Place Holdings Ltd. | GC: Hoffart Construction | Architect: Hearth Architectural Inc. | Electrical: Drewy  Electrical
• Port Alberni Industrial Block – 4691 Dundalk Ave S, Port Alberni
  Owner: DG&3 Holdings Ltd. | GC: Skytec Contracting Canada Ltd. | Architect: Thuja Architecture + Design | Electrical: MB Electric
• Rollin Art Centre Renovation and Daycare Addition – 3061 8th Avenue, Port Alberni
  Owner: City of Port Alberni | GC: MKM Projects Ltd. | Architect: Waymark Architecture | Electrical: Collins Electric
• Naturally Pacific Resort – 700 Petersen Rd, Campbell River
  Owner: Naturally Hotels & Resorts | GC: Seymour Pacific Developments | Architect: Abele Architecture | Electrical: Osprey Electric LTD
• Washington Apartments Building Envelope Renovations – 1027 Ryan Road., Courtney
  Owner: BC Housing Management Commission | GC: Knappett Projects Inc. | Architect: Ryder Architecture | Electrical: Den Mar Electric Ltd. / West Bay Mechanical Ltd.
• Brentwood College Academic Building – 2735 Mt Baker Rd., Mill Bay
  Owner: Brentwood College School | GC: Knappett Projects Inc. | Architect: HCMA Architecture + Design | Electrical: Thomis Electric Ltd. / Erb Technical Contracting Ltd
• Ypres and Festubert Affordable Housing – 454 Ypres Street Duncan
  Owner: Parhar Group , 1117943 BC Ltd. | GC: Knappett Projects Inc. | Architect: Joe Newell Architect Inc. | Electrical: Aspect Electrical Services / M2 Green Mechanical Ltd.
• Palace Place – 397 5th Street, Courtenay
  Owner: Endure Projects Inc. | GC: Knappett Projects Inc. | Architect: MacDonald Hagarty Architects Ltd. | Electrical: Canem Systems Ltd.  / Coastal Pacific Mechanical Ltd.
• Portsmouth Office – Unit 202 6545 Portsmouth Road, Nanaimo BC
  Owner: Tarby Holdings Ltd. | GC: Makon Projects Ltd. | Architect: Ivory Design | Electrical: Osprey Electric Ltd.
• qRD Commercial Transfer Station and Resource Recovery Centre – 4924 Marine Avenue, Powell River, B.C.
  Owner: qathet Regional District | GC: MKM Projects Ltd. | Architect: Iredale Architecture | Electrical: Osprey Electric
• Sunrise Ridge Resort – 1175 Resort Drive, Parksville BC
  Owner: Sunrise Resort Parksville Ltd. | GC: Makon Projects Ltd. | Architect: Praxis Architects Inc. | Electrical: Osprey Electric Ltd.
• Mission Ridge Townhomes – 2345-B Delinea Place
  Owner: Canada | GC: Momentum Design Build | Architect: MacDonald Hagarty Architects Ltd. | Electrical: ABL Electric Ltd.
• Headwaters Tofino – 366/363 Pterson Road, Tofino
  Owner: Catalyst Community Developments Society | GC: Saywell Contracting Ltd. | Architect: station one architects
• Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North Townhouse Project – 1375 Piercy Ave. Courtenay
  Owner: Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North | GC: Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North | Architect: Tom Dishlevoy Architecture Limited | Electrical: Progressive Systems
• Sealand Market Redevelopment – 1840 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo
  Owner: Petroglyph Development Group | GC: F&M Installations Ltd. | Architect: dHKarchitects | Electrical: FMI
• Providence Living at The Views – 211 Rodello St, Comox
  Owner: Canada | GC: Lark Projects Ltd | Architect: dHK Architects | Electrical: Colwin
• 995 England Ave Townhomes – 995 England Ave, Courtenay
  Owner: Canadian Community Housing Ltd | GC: Canadian Community Housing Ltd | Architect: ATA Architectural Design Ltd | Electrical: Drewry Electricl
• Quw’utsun Secondary School – 2003 University Way, Duncan
  Owner: Cowichan Valley School District | GC: Urban One Builders | Architect: hcma architecture + design | Electrical: Houle Electric
• Woodwards’s Village Townhomes – 2846 4th Avenue, Port Alberni
  Owner: Le Fevre & Company | GC: AFC Construction | Architect: Aspire Custom Designs | Electrical: Braker Electric Ltd.
• 154 Weld St Mixed Use – 154 Weld St, Parksville BC
  Owner: Dr. John Keyes | GC: R.W. (Bob) Wall Ltd. | Architect: OCA Architects | Electrical: Den Mar Electric
• Rutherford Place – 6020, 6030, 6040 Linley Valley Drive, Nanaimo
  Owner: Rutherford House Limited Partnership | GC: Rutherford House Limited Partnership | Architect: WA Architects Ltd. | Electrical: Ram Electric Ltd.
• Evergreen Heights Townhouse – 1090 Evergreen Rd, Campbell River, BC
  Owner: Evergreen Townhomes Ltd. | GC: D. Akers Property Solutions Ltd. | Architect: Joyce Reid Troost Architecture | Electrical: Beaumont
• Rutherford Place – 6030 LINLEY VALLEY DRIVE, NANAIMO, BC
  Owner: Molnar Group | GC: Molnar Group | Architect: WA Archtiects Ltd. | Electrical: RB Engineering Ltd.
• Tofino Council Chamber Office Project – 121 Third St, Tofino
  Owner: Canada | GC: AFC Construction Inc. | Architect: Mallory Stuckel Architecture and Design | Electrical: MEC Projects Ltd.
• Riverside Apartments – 1600B Riverside Lane, Courtenay
  Owner: Pacific Swell Developments INC | GC: Island West Coast Developments | Architect: MacDonald & Hagarty Architects | Electrical: Osprey Electric Ltd
• Galaxy Motors Nanaimo – 2358 Kenworth Road, Nanaimo
  Owner: Galaxy Motors Nanaimo | GC: IWCD – Island West Coast Developments Ltd. | Architect: BJK Architecture Inc. | Electrical: AES Engineering Ltd.
• Nanaimo Wheaton Hyundai – 2355 Kenworth Rd, Nanaimo
  Owner: Wheaton Properties | GC: IWCD – Island West Coast Developments Ltd. | Architect: Alan Lowe Architect Inc. | Electrical: e2 Engineering Inc.
• Oomiiqsu Mothers’ Centre – 4305 Kendall Avenue, Port Alberni
  Owner: BC Housing | GC: IWCD – Island West Coast Developments Ltd. | Architect: dHK Architects Inc. | Electrical: AES Engineering Ltd.
• Timberline at North Park – 3507 Anderson Avenue, Port Alberni
  Owner: VRS – Vancouver Resource Society | GC: IWCD – Island West Coast Developments Ltd. | Architect: NSDA Architects | Electrical: Nemetz & Associates
• Comox Valley Volkswagen – 401 Ryan Road, Courtenay
  Owner: Sunwest Auto | GC: Ketza Pacific Contracting | Architect: Tom Dishlevoy Architecture | Electrical: AIKI Electric
• Westwave – 187 Bagshaw Street, Parksville
  Owner: Three Dog Ventures | GC: Three Dog Ventures LTD | Architect: dHKarchitects | Electrical: Capital Electric Systems 2013
• Naut’sa mawt Affordable Housing – 1679 McPhee Ave, Courtenay
  GC: Kinetic Construction
• CFHA Apartments – 19 Wing Comox, Comox
  GC: Kinetic Construction
• Bartle & Gibson Showrooms – 4625 Madrona Pl, Courtenay
  GC: Kinetic Construction
• Starbucks / Quinsam Crossing – 101-125 Brant Drive, Campbell River
  GC: Kinetic Construction
• Riverside Lane Apartments – 1801 Riverside Lane, Courtenay
  • Owner: Rick Fisher | GC: Lacasse Construction | Architect: Carsten Jensen Architect | Electrical Contractor: Progressive Systems
• The Beach Houses at Saratoga – 9022 Clarkson Ave, Black Creek
  • Owner: Beach House General Partner | GC: Saywell Contracting

2025 Finalists – Company Awards

• Engineer of the Year
  • Aplin Martin
  • Rocky Point Engineering
  • WWK Engineering LP
  • CV Engineering
• Electrical Contractor of the Year
  • Osprey Electric
  • DenMar Electric
  • Arrowview Electric
  • KJ Contracting + Controls
  • Massey Electric
• Civil Contractor of the Year
  • Milestone Equipment Contracting
  • Edgett Excavating
  • Upland Contracting

For information on sponsorship, group rates, or other event questions, please email: info@businessexaminer.ca. Tickets are available at this link.