News Influencing Decision Makers in BC
Elizabeth Dutton
Elizabeth Dutton has been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer at Innovate BC.
Wendy Cocchia, CM, OBC, LLD (Hon), was appointed the 31st Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
Mitchell Alexander has started a new position as Manager, Investment Management at Quadrel Property Group.
Mia Huntington has been named Chief Sales and Marketing Officer (CSMO) of Canadian e-commerce powerhouse Moneris Solutions Corporation (“Moneris”).
Harninder Dhillon, a lawyer at Farris LLP, has been appointed to the Canadian Tax Foundation I Fondation canadienne de fiscalité Vancouver Young Practitioners Steering Committee.
Ishaan Mohan has been appointed as the next Provincial Candidate Representative for British Columbia by the Board of Directors at the Appraisal Institute of Canada – British Columbia.
Lien Chang, Member Development Coordinator, celebrates one year with the British Columbia Hotel Association.
Hong Kong Airlines resumed direct flights to Vancouver, Canada, on 18 January.
The IMPACT SUMMIT: Sustainability Travel & Tourism Conference is pleased to present Wade Davis and Celes Davar as the 2025 IMPACT Awards winners.
The Clean Energy Association of BC (CEBC) has announced that Stephen Rayner (n̓aasquʔisʔatḥ), previously the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, will take on the role of Interim Chair after Colleen Giroux-Schmidt‘s resignation from the position.
Ruby Youngman
Ruby Youngman from Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty has been named the 2024 Royal LePage® Rookie of the Year™ in British Columbia and across the nation.
To further important studies on how climate change affects freshwater fisheries and water security in the Nechako Watershed, Rio Tinto and the University of Northern British Columbia have extended their collaboration. Rio Tinto’s $1.75 million research investment will sustain two Research Chairs at UNBC for the next five years, contributing to global water management and climate resilience initiatives while producing regional knowledge essential to the watershed’s long-term sustainability. Dr. Stephen Déry, a professor of environmental science, has been appointed Rio Tinto Research Chair in Water Security and Climate Change.
MarineLabs, a tenant at the Ocean Innovation Hub and a member of COAST, has successfully secured a $4.5M Forecast AI project, bolstered by a $1.8M investment from Canada’s Ocean Supercluster!
Sunborn International Holding plans to build a 250-room floating hotel in Vancouver’s harbour, linking it to the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Verve Recruitment Group recently celebrate its 5th anniversary.
The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada welcomes its newest Pharmacy Partner, uniPHARM Wholesale Drugs Ltd.
Simon Fraser University has teamed up with Mitacs, 13 universities, and health research institutes nationwide, along with 57 collaborating organizations, to enhance Canada’s research to innovation continuum. This initiative is backed by 5 years of funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The Invention to Innovation (i2I) network in BC is set to grow, welcoming new delivery partners and co-applicants from the University of Victoria, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), University of the Fraser Valley, Providence Healthcare, and Fraser Healthcare.
Paul Hawes
Paul Hawes has been appointed as the new President and CEO of the BC Hotel Association.
The British Columbia Hotel Association announced Ron Tite as the opening keynote speaker for this year’s BCHA Summit, happening on April 22-23, at the Westin Bayshore, Vancouver.
Spirit Ridge, Unbound Collection by Hyatt, has achieved an impressive #5 ranking in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for the Top Ten Resorts in Canada.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade has launched The 3 per cent Challenge – Agenda for Economic Growth. This campaign calls on all MLAs to adopt the challenge, committing to a target of 3 per cent annual real GDP growth, and implement policies that will boost British Columbia’s economic growth and increase our collective standard of living.
Clean Energy Association of British Columbia will host Generate 2025, taking place May 12-13, 2025, at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver.
The B2B Expo, which is open to all industries, will be held on February 14th & 15th, 2025 – Prince George Civic & Conference Centre.
The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) is pleased to honour nine chartered professional accountants with a fellowship designation (FCPA) for their outstanding contributions to the CPA profession, their career achievements, and their community contributions. The honourees will be celebrated at CPABC’s Member Recognition Dinner on April 2, 2025. They are:
Elected to Fellowship – Tahir Ayub, FCPA, FCA, Executive vice president & CFO, OpenRoad Auto Group (Richmond); Archie Campbell, FCPA, FCA, CEO, Windsor Plywood (Langley); Derek Cockburn, FCPA, FCGA, Director procurement & contract management, Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development & Innovation (Victoria); Shelley Gilberg, FCPA, FCMA, Clients & markets leader, managed accounts, PwC Canada (Victoria); Shane King, FCPA, FCA, Partner, MNP LLP (Surrey); Bruce Sprague, FCPA, FCA, CPA (Illinois), Senior partner & Western Canada leader, markets & industry, BDO Canada LLP (Vancouver); Mikaela Taylor, FCPA, FCA, Partner, BDO Canada LLP (Vancouver); Paul Townsend, FCPA, FCA, Managing partner, TRA Risk Advisory (Coquitlam) and Kay Wong-Alafriz, FCPA, FCA, CFO, Kabam Games Inc. (Vancouver).
Lifetime Achievement Award – Beverley (Bev) Briscoe, FCPA, FCA, Corporate director, PwC Canada (Vancouver); William (Bill) Davidson, FCPA, FCA, Founding partner, Davidson & Company LLP (Vancouver) and Daneal (Dan) Little, FCPA, FCA, Retired managing partner, Doane Grant Thornton LLP (Duncan).
Lululemon‘s CFO Meghan Frank reports positive shopper response to the company’s holiday offerings, leading to an increase in fourth-quarter guidance. The athletic clothing retailer, operating in U.S. dollars, has updated its expectations for fourth-quarter net revenue, projecting a range of US$3.56 billion to US$3.58 billion.
Canucks Sports & Entertainment (CSE) announced a new multi-year partnership with DP World, a global leader in logistics and supply chain solutions. This collaboration establishes DP World as the official logistics partner of the Vancouver Canucks, Abbotsford Canucks and Vancouver Warriors, its first with an NHL organization.
Flexible Solutions International, Inc., announces that, on January 7, 2025, it contracted with a US based company to manufacture food grade products for the U.S. based company on a non-exclusive basis. The contract has a term of five years and will automatically renew for up to five additional successive five year terms unless FSI or the U.S. based company provides written notice of a non-renewal at least 180 days prior to the end of the then-current term.
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) announced their shared vision for increased educational opportunities in wildfire studies has reached another milestone. Six programs in wildfire science and communication — five certificates and a diploma — have been approved by both the university’s Senate and Board of Governors and completed a 30-day public feedback process.
Big White Ski Resort announced record-breaking results for the 2024/2025 Holiday Season, driven by excellent early-season snow conditions and customer confidence. The resort saw an extraordinary 50.4% year-to-date increase in skier visits, with the traditional holiday season attendance from December 21 to January 5 rising by an impressive 31% over last year. A favourable exchange rate contributed to a surge in United States visits, where guest numbers soared 52%. 62.4% of visitors came from central Okanagan, while visits from Australia and New Zealand rose by 5.2%.
Prince George City Council passed the 2025 tax levy that equals an increase of approximately $169.22 per average representative home (valued at $453,777) or 6.21 per cent. The proposed 2025 Financial Plan provided for general operating expenditures of approximately $179 million (with the tax levy increase of 6.21 per cent). Notable amendments can be seen here.
The Victoria Foundation announced that it will distribute $681,656 to 21 different applicants to support social, cultural, and legal infrastructure for Indigenous communities in the capital region. Six local Nations and 15 other applicants received funding through the Indigenous Priorities Fund — a pilot program in its second year, developed by the Indigenous Granting Advisory supported by the Foundation.
According to Insolvency Insider, Microb Resources Inc. o/a Salt Spring Coffee, a British Columbia-based coffee roaster and manufacturer that distributes fair trade organic coffee throughout Canada and the US, filed an NOI on January 2, listing approximately $5.4 million in liabilities, including approximately $1.1 million to BDC. The company’s solvency and liquidity issues began in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic as it struggled to adapt to increasing interest and inflation rates which made it difficult for production to keep pace with rising costs. In November 2021, Salt Spring Coffee entered into an agreement with Club Coffee LP to outsource its roasting and packaging work. This arrangement proved unprofitable, leading to constraints in Salt Spring Coffee’s liquidity due to the higher cost of purchasing roasted beans as compared to roasting raw coffee beans inhouse. It also increased production time. Salt Spring Coffee terminated the Club Coffee agreement prior to its maturity date in October 2023 which resulted in Club Coffee commencing a claim against Salt Spring Coffee. The company began exploring options to replace TD, its existing lender, and eventually finalized a new loan facility with RBC in June 2024. In October 2024, Salt Spring Coffee was in need of incremental liquidity and unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate an increase to the borrowing limit available on the RBC loan. The company’s continued liquidity concerns resulted in unfulfilled sales orders with customers, and in November 2024, the company engaged KPMG to act as its financial advisor to explore various strategic alternatives. As part of that process, Maynbridge Capital provided a further loan to the company and Caffe & Roaster Holdings, an affiliated party to Maynbridge, agreed to buy certain of the company’s assets. The sale to the purchaser was approved by the court on January 16. KPMG is the proposal trustee. Counsel is Osler for the company, McCarthy Tétrault for the proposal trustee, BLG for Maynbridge Capital (the DIP lender), Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson for Club Coffee, Norton Rose Fulbright for BC Turf, Blakes for Intercontinental Coffee Trading and Lindsay Kenney for BDC.
Bremner Foods Ltd., a Delta, British Columbia-based juice and frozen fruit manufacturer whose products were sold in retail stores, filed an assignment in bankruptcy on January 3 listing approximately $8.9 million in liabilities, including nearly $4 million to Terry Bremner and approximately $1.4 million to RBC. The company struggled due to rising costs and an inability to raise its prices accordingly, as well as the high cost of rent. BDO is the bankruptcy trustee.
Macaloney’s Island Distillery took home Canadian Whisky of the Year honours for its Peat Project Moscatel Barrique single malt, at the 2025 Canadian Whisky Awards, held January 16, in Victoria. The 100% malted barley whisky received the top overall score from a panel of 14 judges, who tasted and scored around 200 competing whiskies in blind tastings. The Canadian Whisky Awards is fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry. Only whiskies that were distilled and matured in Canada are eligible to compete.
Western Financial Group (Western) announced a new, redesigned branch opening in the city of Dawson Creek on January 31, 2025.
Thorsteinssons LLP (Canada’s largest tax law firm) launched a comprehensive challenge in Federal Court to the Canada Revenue Agency’s proposed enforcement of the capital gains tax hike. The application seeks to prevent the CRA from inappropriately administering the federal Income Tax Act as if the capital gain inclusion rate increase (from one-half to two-thirds) is law. The application was filed on behalf of Pelco Holdings Inc., a B.C. company affiliated with an employee-owned, Western Canadian engineering firm.
RecycLiCo Battery Materials Inc., announced that it has engaged Penney Capital and Carmot Strategic Group, Inc. to assist in the company’s efforts to identify, and qualify for, government funding opportunities that could be used to further RecycLiCo’s critical mineral recovery activities in the U.S. and Canada, including research to enhance and find new applications for its current intellectual property and know-how and the continued exploitation of its upcycling technology.
The Nechako Valley Sporting Association has taken a significant step in supporting local recreation and community wellness by completing a dedicated workshop project for the Nechako Nordics cross-country ski club in Vanderhoof, B.C. This initiative was supported through a $9,979 grant from Northern Development’sRecreation Infrastructure program. The project involved acquiring and customizing a 40-foot c-can to establish a workshop tailored to the club’s needs. The facility now provides a secure space for snowmobile storage during the summer months, a dedicated area for equipment repair, and efficient storage for tools and parts.
Two connectivity projects, built and operated by service-provider CityWest, are complete, providing broadband internet services for approximately 440 households in Nuxalk Nation and Bella Coola, and approximately 420 households in Hagensborg.
The Fort McMurray International Airport (YMM) has expanded flight frequency to Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto for 2025, enhancing connectivity for residents and visitors alike. With increased services from both WestJet and Air Canada, travellers can look forward to more schedule choices and convenient connections, reinforcing YMM’s commitment to delivering high quality air service. Combined, WestJet and Air Canada will offer an impressive 61 flights per week by May 2025, up from 51 weekly flights currently.
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