News Influencing Decision Makers in BC
Surrey’s Gate 22 Winery has officially acquired Adega on 45th Estate Winery in Osoyoos. The winery will be managed by the women-led leadership team which include: Melissa Sayers as President; Christa-Lee McWatters, Vice President; Karen Yeung, Winemaker & Vineyard Manager; and Karen Valcxx, Tasting Room Supervisor.
Seaspan Shipyards has been awarded the construction contract to build one of the Canadian Coast Guard’s new heavy polar icebreakers. As the only Canadian shipyard with the expertise, facilities, and domestic supply-chain to build polar icebreakers here at home, this polar icebreaker will be built entirely in Canada at Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards, located in North Vancouver. The new polar icebreaker will be a Polar Class 2 ship, and, once delivered, will be one of the most advanced and capable icebreakers in the entire world. Official start of construction for this new heavy polar icebreaker is scheduled for April 2025.
The Construction Foundation of BC is pleased to announce the addition of three new board members: Ruairi Spillane, Founder and CEO of Outpost Recruitment; Randy Callaghan, a former employee of PCL Construction; and Byron Conroy, owner of Yeti Refrigeration.
The renovation project for Richmond Hospital has been awarded to Graham Design Builders LP and HDR Architecture Associates, Inc. Estimates put the overall cost of the four-part Richmond Hospital Redevelopment project at $1.96 billion; the Richmond Hospital Foundation put up $40 million, Vancouver Coastal Health $30 million, and the provincial government $1.89 billion.
Krista Stoesz
Krista Stoesz, an Economic Development Officer at Sc.wén̓wen Economic Development Corporation, has been promoted to Manager.
Landmark Shawn Oaks Development Ltd. and Shawn Oaks Holdings Ltd., the registered and beneficial owners of lands comprising a 138,987 square foot development site in the Shaughnessy/Oakridge neighbourhood in Vancouver, were placed into receivership on February 13 on application by Trez Capital, owed approximately $72 million. A 72-unit townhouse complex is currently located on the lands, but Landmark has proposed a development including two strata towers, a six-storey residential building with approximately 180 social housing units, and a 37-space childcare facility. However, to date, it does not appear that the companies have submitted the formal rezoning application to the City. The loan from Trez Capital matured on September 1, 2024 but was not repaid. In addition, the second mortgagee, Peterson Investment Group, is owed approximately $27 million. A&M is the receiver. Counsel is Owen Bird for Trez Capital, Osler for the companies, Dentons for the receiver, Kornfeld for Landmark Premiere Properties, and DLA Piper for Peterson Investment Group.
The City of Prince George has partnered with LEA Consulting Ltd to conduct a Parking Modernization Study to assess and improve parking in the Downtown and Hospital Parking Zones. The study aims to optimize municipal parking supply, enhance parking operations and enforcement, and align with the City’s long-term planning objectives, including the Civic Core District Plan. LEA is transportation planning and engineering firm specializing in parking management solutions.
Alicia Remenda
Alicia Remenda has been appointed as Director, Emergency Management at BC Energy Regulator.
Pocketed, an intelligent platform designed to make funding accessible, simple, and powerful for businesses, has been acquired by Deloitte Canada.
The City of Kelowna is now offering a Housing Dashboard. The dashboard allows users to explore, compare, and visualize housing data over time gaining insights into the current and future trends of the housing market and identifying challenges and opportunities.
Comfort Suites Kelowna won the Choice Hotels Canada’s APEX Renovation of the Year Award.
Kelowna companies (n)Design and icInfrastructure are leading a project that has received $416,001 from the Government of Canada’s Research and Knowledge Initiative. It aims to gather new data and design digital tools to solve challenges related to infill housing.
Greater Westside Board of Trade announced the winners at the Key Business Awards Gala. Business of the Year — Lakesider Brewing, Arts & Entertainment — Westbank Museum and Arts & Crafts Society, Community & Public Service — Hergott Law, Young Entrepreneur — Dr. Cara Curtis, NEXT Clinic, Environmentally Sustainable Business — Bylands Garden Centre, Home Based Business — The Cake Mama, Large Business — Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital, New Business — NEXT Clinic, Platinum Service Provider — Potentia Human Resources, Small Business — Okanagan Pasta Company, Technology and Innovation — Brent Ducharme Marketing Agency, Indigenous Business — Sncewips Heritage Museum & Gift Shop and Tourism and Hospitality — Lakesider Brewing.
Chris Gardner & Keerit Jutla
Keerit Jutla joins the Independent Contractors & Business Association (ICBA) as their new Provincial Director and is based in Victoria. He was previously the President of AME – Association for Mineral Exploration. Keerit will work with ICBA’s Mike Davis, Regional Vice President.
The City of Vernon has a new agreement with Bird Canada to offer shared e-scooters and e-bikes throughout the community. The one-year contract, with the option for annual extensions, aligns with the Province of British Columbia’s Electric Kick Scooter Pilot Project, which runs through April 2028.
Mike Schuss has been hired as Director, Partnership Development, British Columbia at 123Dentist.
Destination British Columbia has announced the appointment of Dayna Miller as the new General Manager for the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region.
Chantelle Walper has been appointed as Senior Program Advisor, MRDT & Co-op Marketing Programs at Destination British Columbia.
Cynthia Johansen
Cynthia Johansen, the CEO and Registrar of BC College of Nurses and Midwives, will be leaving the college to work for the provincial government of British Columbia as the Deputy Minister of Health.
Sarah Robertson has been promoted to the position of Planner II at the City of Surrey.
Graham Gilley has been appointed as the Strategic Enterprise Risk Manager at BC Housing.
Agricultural technology company, CubicFarm Systems Corp, announced the successful startup of first-phase operations at its Wakeeney, Kansas Feed Centre through its US subsidiary, HydroGreen Inc. Developed in exclusive partnership with Plainview Beef Corporation of Jenks, Oklahoma, the feed centre began providing feed in November 2024 and marks HydroGreen’s first fully operational Feed-as-a-Service facility.
West Coast Nissan in Pitt Meadows celebrates Nissan’s 60 years in Canada.
Derek Lemieux
Derek Lemieux has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Global Partnerships at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Rachael Segal has joined Enterprise Canada as VP, British Columbia Lead & General Counsel, contributing to the company’s growth in British Columbia.
Gerald Linden is retiring from his position as President of Southern Railway of British Columbia (SRY Rail Link) after 19 years with the company. He has held the role since November 2019. Kevin Poulin will succeed him as President of SRY Rail Link, SVI, and BWRS companies.
Chris Jakul has been appointed Vice President, Prairies, at Stormtec Water Management.
Dean Johnson is now the Senior Vice President of Development at Wesgroup Properties, while Derek Lee has taken on the role of Director of Leasing.
Annie David has been appointed as the Director of Cost Management at BTY Group.
Kate O’Neill is starting a new position as Director of Development at PCI Developments.
Brendan Reeves has been appointed as the Vice President of Development at Vanprop Investments.
Matt Goss
Matt Goss has been appointed as the Vice President of Procurement at Ledcor.
Grant Myles has been appointed as the Vice President of Construction at Grosvenor.
Benson Lin is starting a new position as Director, ESG & EHS at Peterson Real Estate.
Joe Brake has been appointed as a Senior Superintendent at Axiom Builders.
Mila Dejanov has joined Bosa Development as an Office Administrator.
Matt Drown, P.Eng., PMP, has been appointed by CIMA+ to provide services to electrical utility clients in British Columbia as a Project Director and Contract and Construction Management Practice Lead.
Clifton Engineering Group Inc. has announced the addition of Mohsen Nicksiar, PhD, PEng, PE (WA), to their team as a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer in Coquitlam.
The Government of Canada, alongside the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), announced that three Indigenous tourism businesses in British Columbia are set to receive a combined total of $2.7 million from the Indigenous Tourism Fund’s Signature Indigenous Tourism Experiences. Homalco Wildlife & Cultural Tours is set to receive $1 million, while the Ktunaxa Nation Council will get $745,000 for the St. Eugene Golf Resort Casino. Additionally, the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is awarded $1 million.
In a significant management reorganization, Northcrest has promoted Catherine Barnes to VP of Strategy and Operations, Kristy Shortall to EVP of Development, and Loren Shore to EVP of Investments & Asset Management.
The technology-driven commercial insurance agency Fuse Insurance, located in Calgary, has been acquired by Axis Insurance Managers Inc. (Axis Insurance).
Alabaster Homes has announced the promotions of Clare Linton to Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Operations, Danielle Chanpong to Director of Marketing, and Gareth Miller to Director of Preconstruction.
The Supreme Court of British Columbia has received filings from I4 Property Group, which indicate that the Siena condo project at 4451 Hastings Street in Burnaby and a townhouse project at 802-809 Eight Street in New West are both at risk of insolvency.
A new project in Port Moody has been unveiled by Vancouver-based real estate developer Anthem Properties Group Ltd. Just one block south of the Moody Centre Station on the Millennium Line SkyTrain, the development will be situated at 2914-2934 St. Johns Street, 85-87 Williams Street, and 2911-2925 Spring Street, together known as 2914 St. Johns Street.
Paris Baguette North America has officially opened its first location in the Lower Mainland, situated at 311 North Rd.
Colliers International is listing the 1.1 acre property in Long Harbour, off Salt Spring Island, for $695,000 with architect-drafted plans drawn up by Corcoran and permissions good until August of 2025.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) and Downtown Van are collaborating with Bentall Centre to establish the Bentall Centre Buy BC Initiative, which will provide local small companies in British Columbia with six months of rent-free retail space at The Shops at Bentall Centre.
Aird & Berlis LLP announced the opening of our new Vancouver office at 701 West Georgia St.
Andrew’s on Eighth, a coffee shop in North Vancouver, is set to close its doors in July.
The province’s attorney general announced that British Columbia’s part of a landmark tobacco settlement for health damages will be $3.7 billion, distributed over 18 years. After more than five years of discussions, JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. and their creditors settled for $32.5 billion. The largest Canadian settlement has been granted by Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
A four-year, $670 million pharmacare agreement was inked by the federal and British Columbian governments. This agreement will give 1.3 million people with a variety of contraceptives and will enable universal access to support for approximately 550,000 B.C. citizens with diabetes.
The District of West Vancouver has acquired the former Boathouse restaurant in Horseshoe Bay for $2.7 million from the Sewell family. This location will serve as the new home for the West Vancouver Art Museum.
The BCCA has officially introduced Builders Life TalentCentral, a new job board aimed at BC’s construction sector.
The government of British Columbia is increasing the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit to 25 per cent and making it permanent as part of Budget 2025, which will take effect in September. This will assist businesses recruit the talent they need to expand their workforces and compete, thereby providing a stronger sector.
Teck Resources Limited and Bunker Hill Mining Corp. inked a $40 million USD equity investment deal on March 6. The move was made to fortify the essential minerals supply chain in North America.
Rebecca Mackenzie, CEO and President of the Culinary Tourism Alliance, recently presented British Columbia’s first-ever Culinary & Agritourism Award to Maple Leaf Adventures at the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) Conference.
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