News Impacting Southern Vancouver Island Business
VICTORIA
Stephen O’Connor
Stephen O’Connor has been appointed as the new Chief Technology Officer at BCNET, starting August 4th.
The construction of Podium, a 384-unit complex at 1555 McKenzie Avenue in Victoria, has been started by Nicola Wealth Real Estate.
Victoria’s newest office tower, the 10-storey Telus Ocean, spans 160,000 square feet and is set to open in 2026 on Douglas Street at Humboldt Street.
Beacon Community Services is honoured to have been nominated by the BC Council for Families for the 2025 Carol Matusicky Disenfranchised Service to Families Award. This recognition is in acknowledgement of the organization’s solid and continuous collaboration with the Individual Learning Centre (ILC) and School District 63 (SD63). This partnership benefits families and students by offering wraparound support and inclusive programming.
Bishop’s Family Cycles is set to relocate from the 700-block of Pandora Avenue to a new space on Blanshard Street.
Highway 17’s Keating Flyover project has achieved a significant milestone and has opened to motorist on Monday, July 28 at midnight.
The site of the English Inn, located on Lampson Street south of Esquimalt Road, has been transformed into the Rosemead Hotel, featuring a restored English Inn along with 14 new rooms in an additional wing. Last weekend marked the soft launch of the homes at the English Inn estate, referred to as the Oakwoods project. The initial structure, part of a trio standing six storeys high, includes 58 units, contributing to a total of 179 residences.
The B.C. Supreme Court granted the receiver’s request to sell Bear Mountain, which was enlisted by Brandon Selina, senior vice-president at Colliers Victoria. The development, which spans hundreds of acres on Skirt Mountain in east Langford and the Highlands, has been in receivership since this past fall.
The De Dutch Pannekoek House located at 4011 Quadra Street, just off McKenzie Avenue, has closed.
Zwilling’s downtown Victoria store on Blanshard at Yates has been closed.
The property near the Tillicum and Craigflower intersection is prepared for the proposed 32-unit, four-story apartment complex with a ground floor shop, according to Xeniya Vins of Xquimalt Developments, an architect and builder located in Esquimalt.
The Victoria Cool Aid Society and Telus have joined up to develop a mobile health clinic for hepatitis C testing in Victoria. This initiative aims to increase access to life-saving care for individuals who face hurdles to traditional health services.
The production of Cold Comfort Ice Cream will be relocated to a newly secured space in Rock Bay, as the company’s owner, Autumn Maxwell, is preparing to vacate its original North Park location on Oct. 31.
Todd Preston
Todd Preston, the Officer in Charge of the West Shore RCMP, is set to retire on August 14th after dedicating 28 years to his service.
Lori Wanamaker has been named the next chancellor and board of governors chair of Royal Roads University.
Westland Insurance has been named an Excellence Awardee for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion at the 2025 Canadian HR Awards
Acera Insurance is pleased to announce the most recent Luminaries winners: Cindy Young, Jenifer Brooks, Lisa Emuekpere, and Febin Shaji.
The Construction Foundation of BC is transforming a former biker clubhouse in Langford, located at 2775 Spencer Road, close to Spencer Middle School, into a center called The Forge, which will offer assistance and referrals to construction industry workers dealing with mental health and addiction concerns.
Saanichton’s newly upgraded Centennial Park will officially open to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 2. This facility is designed to be a year-round, all-weather recreational hub for the entire Saanich Peninsula.
The Hughesman Morris Liversedge CPA’s Annual deBOCCEry Tournament will be held on August 8, 2025, at the McTavish Academy of Art, located at 1720 McTavish Road in North Saanich.
The acquisition of Sooke Harbour House was completed by Luke Evanow, the head of Fred’s Hospitality Group, for an unknown amount.
Give Pizza Chance, Mayne Island’s top wood-fired pizza restaurant, is expanding to Sooke.
Regehr Contracting Ltd. is building the Little River Pedestrian Crossing with The District of Sooke to promote trail connectivity and community access.
Event tickets for Sooke CrabFest at the Sooke Region Museum are now available for purchase. The event is scheduled to take place on September 27.
The District of Sooke is restoring local ecosystems, improving water quality, and enhancing green spaces at John Phillips Memorial Park, Broomhill Playground, and Helgeson Park, in collaboration with the T’Sou-ke Nation and with a $7,210 BC Hydro Regreening Grant.
New dwelling units were added to the Town of Sidney between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, and the town has reported that it has met its first-year provincial housing target.
The Sidney Employment Expo, hosted by Work BC, is scheduled for September 16, 2025, at the Mary Winspear Centre.
The annual Open House at the BC Aviation Museum is set for August 23 and 24.
Mankind Barbers, located on Bevan Avenue in Sidney, is celebrating its 4 year anniversary.
The Sidney Sidewalk Sale is back on Saturday, August 16, showcasing more than 50 local businesses.
Cascadia Seaweed, North America’s largest commercial kelp cultivator and a proud Sidney-based business, has joined the COSME project (Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems) in Kwale County, Kenya, to support women and youth in seaweed farming. The project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Plan International Canada, with contributions from the Jane Goodall Institute.
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