News Influencing Decision Makers in BC
Alison Dantas
Alison Dantas, CEO of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, has been elected to represent Vancouver Island on the board of the Federation of Community and Social Services of BC.
Michael Pickup, who served as the Auditor General of British Columbia for four years, announced his retirement effective on November 15.
Kirsten Kisiloski has been promoted to Vice President, Operations, at Waypoint.
Glen Nontell, a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience in finance, has recently been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer at Western Forest Products. Glen became a part of Western in 2018, holding the position of Vice President, Corporate Development.
Luc Theriault has been appointed as the president of the Wood Products business branch by the Paper Excellence Group. The appointment will take effect on August 26, 2024. Theriault served in a variety of leadership roles at Resolute Forest Products from 2002 to 2020, culminating in his position as senior vice president of Wood Products, prior to the acquisition of the company by the Paper Excellence Group’s subsidiary, Domtar Corporation.
Don Kayne, the CEO of Canfor Corp., has announced his decision to step down from his position at the end of 2024. Susan Yurkovich, the current senior vice president of business development, will assume the top position after Kayne’s departure.
Dr. Jatinder (Taj) Baidwan
Dr. Jatinder (Taj) Baidwan has been appointed as the chief coroner with the B.C. Coroners Service by the Government of British Columbia.
The AZEK Company Inc. is excited to share news of their new distribution partnership with Doman Building Materials Group Ltd., a top Canadian distributor. This collaboration will help bring AZEK’s high-quality outdoor living products to even more customers in Canada. Customers across Canada will now have expanded access to AZEK’s TimberTech brand of decking products through this strategic partnership.
Hemlock Harling Distribution has recently undergone a rebranding, now known as Hemlock Connect Inc. This change reflects the company’s strong connection and integration with its parent organization, Hemlock Printers. By bringing together Hemlock Printers, Hemlock Display, and Hemlock Connect, customers can now access a wide range of services all in one place.
The province has selected the Cross Fraser Partnership, which consists of four businesses: Arcadis Canada Inc., Pomerleau BC Inc., Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd., and Bouygues Construction Canada Inc. for the next stage of the new Richmond-Delta tunnel crossing. The replacement tunnel is expected to be finished in 2030 and cost $4.15 billion.
The groundbreaking seaweed industry pilot project, spearheaded by North Island College and its Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation (CARTI), is set to revolutionize northern Vancouver Island by combining skills training with exciting economic development prospects. The Province has committed to providing $1.2 million in funding over a period of three years to support the project.
BC government allocates $20M to enhance support for cancer patients’ travel and accommodation expenses. This funding is in addition to the $10 million commitment made by the province last year.
Launched last year, the province’s StrongerBC future skills grant program is currently taking applications for grants that could pay for most of the tuition for short-term training programs at public post-secondary schools.
As the wine sector struggles with persistent climate-related issues and vine damage, the province has announced new regulations that would allow wines to be created with grapes and juice from outside the province for the 2024 vintage year. These provisions will go into effect on April 1, 2025, and expire on March 31, 2026.
Last week, Big Wheel Burger announced they received their Biosphere Certification – becoming the first restaurant in North America to achieve this certification! Biosphere is an internationally recognized program that empowers businesses to embrace sustainability, and Big Wheel received this recognition because of their effort to meet the 169 goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since opening in 2011, Big Wheel Burger has been committed to sustainability in their business management. They use 100% compostable packaging, divert 98% of all waste produced, and were the first carbon neutral fast food restaurant in Canada.
The British Columbia government has announced the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the removal of the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. This update signifies a positive development for more than 2,500 healthcare professionals who were previously unable to continue their employment due to their decision to decline the COVID-19 vaccine. They will now have the opportunity to resume their work.
SSR Roof supply Ltd, which operates in Burnaby and Surrey has been acquired by Beacon, a publicly traded wholesale distributer, specializing in roofing, waterproofing and related exterior products. SSR has served in residential and commercial industry for over 30 years and is owned by the Bath family.
Following the conclusion of the consultation on its scope and the adoption of the final terms of reference by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Competition Bureau has announced the official beginning of its market study on competition in domestic air passenger services.
The Competition Bureau will present “Canada’s Competition Summit 2024: Market Dynamics in the AI Era” on September 16, 2024. This all-day event, which will take place virtually from Ottawa, will bring together academics, corporations, non-governmental groups, regulators, and domestic and international competition authorities. The chair of the US Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, will deliver a virtual keynote address.
A $4.5 billion agreement has been inked by BHP and Lundin Mining Corp. to purchase all of the shares of exploration company Filo Corp. that they do not currently own. Australia-based BHP and Vancouver-based Lundin will pay $33 per share for the purchase, which represents a 12.2 per cent premium over Filo’s closing price on Thursday.
A groundbreaking compostable materials solution provider, NEXE Innovations Inc., has declared the closing of the deal on the sale of its original Surrey factory, with a purchase price of $5.7 million. The building was bought by NEXE for $1.37 million in June 2016, and invested over $1.4 million more for tenant upgrades, for a total of about $2.4 million. There were no debts against the Surrey Facility when it was sold. NEXE plans to invest the extra $5.7 million on operations, sales, and marketing, and the company already has a healthy cash position of over $10 million as of Q3 2024. Research and development as well as the creation of our initial compostable coffee pod variants were the primary functions of the Surrey factory.
An update on the DHC-515 Firefighter’s manufacture has been made available by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, which is currently manufacturing the aircraft in its Canadian facilities. As part of the European Union consortium of nations that have declared their intention to initially purchase 22 aircraft and become the program’s launch customers, De Havilland Canada, through partners at the Canadian Commercial Corporation, has signed contracts with Greece, Croatia, and Portugal for 11 aircraft.
The Health Career Access Program (HCAP) offers free education and compensated work experience to anyone seeking career prospects and skill training in the mental health and addictions treatment fields. By providing a fully funded certificate program and an educational stipend through the training, this expansion will aid in filling critical positions. A second group of 30 students is scheduled to start in September 2024, whereas the first group started in May 2024.
A new virtual service called the Long-term Care at Home program (LTC@Home) has been introduced to help seniors remain in their homes for a longer period. This program offers essential support similar to that of a long-term care facility but in the comfort of their own home.
With over 3000 British Columbians impacted by the 300+ wildfires, it’s never been more important for us to be united in supporting each other. You can help us deliver immediate relief and long-term recovery support to those who need it most by donating today. United Way BC – DONATE TODAY: https://bit.ly/46dV4OT
Calling all businesses and organizations working to make a difference in their communities: applications are now open for the 2024 Ecostar Awards! Hosted by the non-profit Synergy Foundation, these awards celebrate Vancouver Island’s local champions of initiatives, projects, and innovations that contribute to a vibrant future in which our communities and environment both prosper. There are 15 award categories to apply for, including Innovation and Ecopreneur of the Year. Check out the award categories and apply by September 2nd at www.ecostarawards.com
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) is now accepting applications for the Fall 2024 intake of the Regional Grant-in-Aid program. Submissions can be made by non-profit organizations until September 1, 2024. This program is meant to support cultural, recreational, and environmental programs and special events in TNRD communities that enhance quality of life for residents. Applicants can receive up to $5,000 per intake period. Up to $25,000 can be awarded during the Fall 2024 intake period. All applicants are reviewed for eligibility by the TNRD Regional Grants Committee, and funding awards are approved by the TNRD Board of Directors. Visit: tnrd.ca/grants.
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