News Impacting Central and North Vancouver Island
NORTH ISLAND
The ʼNamǥis First Nation collaborates with the Government of BC for the Gwa’ni Project, holding an open house on March 13 at the Chilton Arena, Port McNeill.
The North Island-Powell River NDP MP Rachel Blaney has been selected as one of the women in defence honourees for the year 2024 by the Esprit de Corps.
A $2,000 check donation was presented to Josh Morgan, the Operations Manager of Loaves and Fishes North Island, by Rob Driemel, President of the Port Hardy Legion Branch #237.
CAMPBELL RIVER
April Larose recently started her position as an Outreach Counsellor at Island Health – Vancouver Island Health Authority.
A budget of approximately $90 million has been approved by the board of School District 72 for the 2023-24 academic year.
A six-bed medical detox facility has been secured by Island Health at 731 Nicholls Road, close to the North Island Hospital-Campbell River campus.
The board of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) authorized the organization’s four-year strategic plan, which will direct its operations in the upcoming years. The plan, which is based on the three major strategic themes of good governance, climate resilience, and community well-being, shows a dedication to providing effective and ethical community service.
COMOX VALLEY
Tianna Fischer
Tianna Fischer has recently taken on a new role as MEPP Coordinator/Mobility & Accessibility consultant at Motion in Courtenay.
Arbutus RV.ca marks its 36th year in business
Nicole Havrda, 17-year-old race car prodigy, hailing from the Comox Valley, will be appearing at the Vancouver International Auto Show from March 20-24, 2024, at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Nicole is a rising star in the world of motorsports and has swiftly ascended the racing ladder, transitioning from karting to becoming a force in Formula 3 and Formula Pro USA.
Hammerco Lawyers LLP, an established boutique litigation firm, is seeking to acquire law practices in the Okanagan and on Vancouver Island. Reach out to COO Anne Marie Johnston for more details.
Construction is currently underway at 1679 McPhee Avenue, where the five-story Naut͛sa mawt will house forty studio and one-bedroom apartments. The development is situate close to a community centre, public transportation, the Wachiay Friendship Centre Society (WFCS), and commercial services. Project completion is anticipated by the end of this year.
PORT ALBERNI
Vittoria Solda
Real estate agent Vittoria Solda has earned the Red Diamond Award from Royal LePage for 2023 for excellence in real estate.
Second Chance Books, owned by Karen Hento, opened its doors last month on 4th Avenue, offering gently used books in Port Alberni’s Uptown business district.
Furever Endeavor rescue Network (FERN) has opened, operating as a adoption center for dogs that need re-homing. The non-profit society is located on a 5 acre property in the foothills of the Beaufort range. FERN opens its doors to homeless and abandoned animals, working with remote communities who might be struggling with overpopulation and collaborating with other local rescue organizations to build an effective and compassionate network. BC dogs are its focus, with a preparedness to assist nearby provinces as needed. As it develops, they anticipate welcoming other species such as farm animals or small critters in need of sanctuary.
Curated Consignment has opened on Adelaide Street.
Mossy Maple Hair Studio celebrated its fifth anniversary in Port Alberni.
Steampunk Cafe and Coffee House celebrated 4 years of ownership by Carolanne and John Zanette.
A group of health and wellness practitioners helped raise more than $2,000 for Port Alberni’s Kama Money during Kama’s Wellness Day in January. Money is healing from a diagnosis of Stage IV colon cancer. Alexander Zaika of Owl’s Nest Massage and realtor Jack Roland, offered space at the Argyle Room and practitioners provided by-donation holistic services.
McLellan and Co. have elevated their home-based home and lifestyle boutique store with a storefront on lower Johnston Road. They are sharing space with Namor Cabinets and Millwork. Owner Meagan McLellan started with a home-based business at Mersey Acres.
The Port Alberni Port Authority will be hosting the Ports Canada 2024 conference Sept. 17–19. More than 250 port CEOs and industry leaders will come to Port Alberni for two days of networking and learning.
Uchucklesaht Tribe will be improving the quality of living for community members in the Ethlateese village by developing innovative hydroelectric and solar-power initiatives. Funding for both projects provided through the Province of BC’s First Nations Clean Energy Business Fund.
Uchucklesaht Tribe celebrated 10 years of joining the board of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure informed Port Alberni City Council that the existing intersection at Beaver Creek Road and River Road is expected to be replaced with a roundabout within the coming years. As River Road is part of Highway 4, summer traffic often leads to a backlog of cars at the intersection. The Province has been working with City staff as well as Tseshaht First Nation and Hupačasath First Nation on a design for the roundabout.
With an award of $1.5 million, Port Alberni will join 25 communities throughout the province who have or are developing a Foundry Centre, a hub service to increase access to healthcare, mental health care, sexual health and substance use services for youth aged 12 to 24.
On March 8th Tseshaht First Nation held a grand re-opening of the newly renovated cultural centre on Watty’s Road. Originally built in 1974, the centre was the first office location of Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper (Canada’s oldest First Nation’s Newspaper), the 2nd location of the Tseshaht Band office, and has hosted numerous community events. 75% of the project funds came from a grant from Barclay Systems through BC Hydro. The new heat pump, heating system, electrical work, asbestos drywall removal, the drywall and the ventilation was completed through the Clean BC Indigenous Community Energy Coach Program and Heat Pump Incentive. 25% of the project funds came from Tseshaht First Nation. The updates fit within Tseshaht First Nation’s draft Community Energy Plan. The House of Regalia will be moved into the Cultural Centre.
On April 14th Alberni Secondary School District is hosting the Greater Victoria Police Chorus as a fundraiser for the Community Arts Council.
An Accessibility Committee has been established by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District and the City of Port Alberni to address barriers encountered by individuals with disabilities. The members of the Accessibility Committee include Amber Severinson, Helen Dick, Deanna Spencer, Nicole Uzelman, Rainie O’Connor, Jamie Tattrie, ACRD Director Siga, City Councillor Solda, and are supported by City and ACRD staff.
The Canadian Tire Garden Center will soon open at the Discovery Harbour Shopping Center, at 1444 Island Hwy., Campbell River.
TOFINO – UCLUELET
PREP Pacific Rim Event Planning and Lunar Cove Inn Tofino recently joined the Tofino Chamber of Commerce as members.
Ucluelet Co-op Pharmacy has launched their Indigenous Pharmacy Allyship!
The Ucluelet Aquarium is now open for the season.
RWC Sysstems completed the Ucluelet Secondary School Project seismic upgrade and expansion in 18 months. For this project, RWC was responsible for the interior and exterior steel studs, acoustic wall panels, acoustic ceilings and extensive wood ceilings.
GeoStabilization Canada was contracted to stabilize three failed slopes along a transmission line near Ucluelet. Their team conducted a thorough slope stability analysis, providing a design package for long-term stabilization and preventing future geohazard failures. The rockfall technicians installed T40/20N soil anchors and high-strength mesh as facing material using limited access equipment. The successful completion of the project remained within budget and schedule constraints.
Harbour Air announced the return of the Tofino route for the 2024 season! Friday, March 15 will mark the seventh year of service offering daily direct flights between downtown Vancouver and Tofino. Departures available from their Richmond (YVR South) terminal resuming May 1!
PARKSVILLE – QUALICUM BEACH
A $10,000 donation is made by the 100 Men of Oceanside group to the Oceanside Hospice Society. The group will convene their next gathering on June 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Parksville Community Centre, located at 233 Mills St. in Parksville, adjacent to Starbucks.
The Parksville Qualicum Beach Region will be visited by an Artisan Self-Guided Tour from May 12th to September 8th, 2024.
Fairwinds Golf Club, an 18-hole course in Parksville and the surrounding area, will host the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce‘s annual golf tournament on May 9, 2024.
The development permit for a lodge, brew pub, and clubhouse at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort, situated at 1025 Qualicum Rd., has been unanimously approved by the Town of Qualicum Beach council.
The Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce welcomes its newest Chamber members, Touchworks and Shift in Action.
NANAIMO
Ashley Parkinson
Ashley Parkinson has been promoted to Accounting Manager at Church Pickard Chartered Professional Accountants.
Inja Ma, CEO of SEAMOR Marine, has been nominated for the RBC Women of Influence Awards.
Zack Henderson has joined the Ashdown Capital team.
Little George’s Pizza and Pasta has recognized Kris Mitchel Mehendiratta and Abin Chandrasekharan as employees of the month. Every Monday and Tuesday, the store is offering a buy 1 get 50 per cent off deal on the new Roni Calzoni.
Jennifer Whiteside, B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions for British Columbia, states that the province is allocating $117 million to improve the quality of care at existing treatment and rehabilitation facilities.
The Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation hosts the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce March Luncheon on March 14, 2024 at The Grand Hotel Nanaimo.
Vancouver General Hospital and the BC Children’s Hospital are now offering chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, which was previously only available through clinical trials.
Funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund, and other sources of funding, psychology professor Marla Morden of VIU is utilizing eye-tracking technology to investigate the phenomenon referred to as “mommy brain.”
SeAMK – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences is organising an E-Gaming Symposium on April 16 in collaboration with Vancouver Island University.
BlueShore Financial and Coastal Community Credit Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore a merger to form a combined credit union serving British Columbia’s West Coast and Vancouver Island communities.
The largest ghost gear recovery operation ever conducted in Canada, LOREVA 2022, was a joint effort between SEAMOR Marine and CERMIM (Centre de recherche sur les milieux insulaires et maritimes). The LOREVA operation team recovered fifty crab traps and eight kilometres of rope from the Gulf of St. Lawrence after 104 dives at depths reaching 93 meters (300 feet). With their SEAMOR ROV, the operators set a new record for the fastest time to recover a crab trap—just 6 minutes.
SEAMOR Marine Ltd. is pleased to announce that ValorBPS has joined as a reseller.
Cognito Health Inc., Canada’s all-in-one virtual mental health care platform, raised $2 million in seed funding from StandUp Ventures, Garage Capital, Graphite Ventures, Spring Impact Capital, and Simplex Ventures. This funding will launch Cognito’s Ontario mental health services and expand partnerships with insurers, businesses, and government partners.
The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) notifies vendors that it intends to award a contract directly to Gibson and Sons Consulting for the provision of wastewater system repair and rehabilitation services. The location of the South Wellington Community Centre conversion is 1536 Morden Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia.
LADYSMITH – CHEMAINUS
The Town of Ladysmith is planning to transform its 1943 machine shop on Oyster Bay Drive into a waterfront arts and heritage centre. Renovations are scheduled to begin soon.
The Town of Ladysmith has appointed Hudson Proctor Contracting to perform ground preparation work in advance of the two-week installation of new wayfinding signage for tourism purposes.
The renovations to the Machine Shop are once again progressing as the Town of Ladysmith, with the assistance of provincial and federal funding, attempts to restore public access to the “centre” of the Arts & Heritage Hub.
The Ladysmith Wave Makers—Masters Swimming course, organized by Ladysmith Parks, Recreation & Culture, will take place from April 4 to May 23.
COWICHAN – DUNCAN
North Cowichan council is urging the Ministry of Transportation to explore street-level options instead of a planned pedestrian overpass across the Trans-Canada Highway in a bustling area of the municipality, especially with the upcoming opening of Quw’utsun Secondary School in December.
Cindy Daniels has been elected as the new chief of Cowichan Tribes after a vote on March 7, taking over from outgoing chief Lydia Hwitsum.
Sara Sellers has opened The Chocolate Shop at 24 Kenneth St. in Duncan, taking over the former location of Rembrandt’s Chocolates.
Lunch & Learn with Divjot Singh, CRA Liaison Officer, will be held at the Cowichan Regional Visitor Centre on March 20, and is sure to be an informative event for chamber members.
In April through June, Music Together Mid Island will offer “Music Together” classes for families with children ages birth to six in Cowichan Valley at two indoor locations: the HUB, 2375 Koksilah Rd., in Cowichan Station, and Align Yoga, 89 South Shore Rd., in Lake Cowichan.
Children and youth under the age of seventeen will receive complimentary admission to Malahat SkyWalk with the purchase of an adult ticket from March 9 to April 1.
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