March 30, 2013

Hot cropGrowers establish wasabi farm near Nanoose

WestJet WestJet lands at lands at airportairport

Supporting business, building amenities

part of plan to attract tourists

Tourism Tourism strategy strategy

highlights highlights Harbour CityHarbour City

COVER STORY++

Air carrier adds YCD to its international network

An annual update on economic progress

2013VisionVision

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Cutting edge – Pi Granite invests ininfrastructure to supply localcontractors

Chamber revamps awards

Hot crop – wasabi farmestablished onIsland

Building boom – constructioncontinues

Contents 22013

VisionVisionNANAIMONANAIMO

COVER STORY

10Page

Nanaimo Economic Devel-opment Corporation chartsthe course to bring tourists tothe Harbour City.

Through a combinationof promotion and support for local businesses, Tourism Nanaimo aims to make thecity a destination for visitors.

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Direct non-stop flight service flbetween Nanaimo to Calgary is now prepared for takeoff.

WestJet has announced a new service operated by its Encore fleetflof 78-passenger aircraft that will seedaily fl ights leaving Nanaimo andflCalgary effective June 24.

“We are so tickled, we’re justdelighted with the outcome,” saidNanaimo Airport CEO Mike Hooper.“The full team on both sides –Nanaimo Airport Commission teamand WestJet team – have worked for anumber of months on [this] project.”

The service was announced in February at YCD, where dozens of WestJet employees and management arrived via a Q400 aircraft for a spe-cial ceremony and were welcomed by a large group which included airportstaff and local politicians.

Nanaimo was one of two B.C. desti-nations chosen out of more than 30by WestJet for the launch of its new regional service. Starting June 24, regional service will also extend toFort St. John, from Vancouver andCalgary.

Encore’s Nanaimo/Calgary ser-vice will run once a day from each location, leaving Calgary at 11 a.m.,arriving in Nanaimo at 11:43 a.m.,

and then departing Nanaimo at 12:30 p.m. Introductory one-way rates, in-cluding taxes, fees and charges, start at $128 from Nanaimo to Calgary,and $141 from Calgary to Nanaimo.

WestJet plans to begin regionalservice with its two Canadian-built Bombardier Q400 NextGen turbo-prop aircraft, then add five more by fithe end of year. A total of 20 Q400shave been confi rmed with the option fiof an additional 25 over the next six years.

“The announcement of the fi rst cit-fiies to be served by WestJet Encore is a historic moment for this new airline,” said Ferio Pugliese, vice-presidentof WestJet, in a news release. “Welook forward to introducing ouraward-winning guest experience toCanadians in smaller communities while connecting to our network of 85 destinations.”

For Hooper, the announcement isthe culmination of nearly a decade of hard work bringing in the infra-structure to land air carriers like AirCanada and WestJet.

“It’s the reason we did the extrawork to put in the longer runway andthe high intensity lighting systems,the lead-in system, the instrument landing system and the enlarged

terminal,” he said.Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan called

the announcement a ‘coming of age’ for the Harbour City.

“Non-stop fl ights from Calgary toflNanaimo is something we’ve wanted and worked on for years,” he said.“Finally we have an airport thatcan and will accept longer distancefl ights.”fl

In addition to providing better access to central Vancouver Island, the service will be invaluable to theincreasing number of local residents currently working in Alberta, Ruttansaid.

“From an economic standpoint, it’s going to prove to be very valu-able indeed. It’s a link that is going to pay off huge dividends, much like the WestJet service to Comox really

opened up the Comox Valley.”Providing a direct link from

Nanaimo to Calgary will not only bode well for the local business com-munity, but provide opportunities for tourism and real estate as well,said Sasha Angus, CEO, Nanaimo Economic Development Corpora-tion.

“The ability for folks in Calgary to look at Nanaimo as a place wherethey can come for the weekend orhave a second home or recreational property becomes incredibly attrac-tive,” he said. “We’re looking forward to June 24.”

The NEDC is close to launchingits strategic plan on tourism at the end of the month. One of the thingsit identifi es, Angus said, is a way to fiincrease accessibility between Albertaand Nanaimo.

“Direct flights that way are real cur-flrency, where tourism is concerned,” he said. “We think it’s going to be a wonderful opportunity for our tour-ism operators.”

Ruttan added that with anothermajor air carrier on board at its airport, Nanaimo could see somespin-off benefits in the foreseeablefifuture.

“It may now be back on Air Canada to see what they want to do in the way of improved service or improved equipment, to compete,” he said.“We’re optimistic that this will bea catalyst that will start some otheractivities at the airport and get betterutilization for Nanaimo and area.”

WestJet lands at YCD

Air carrier introduces regional airline to connect smaller airports with its cross-country network

Photos by Lance Sullivan

Mayor John Ruttan, left, is presented with a model airplane during WestJet’s announcement at Nanaimo Airport.


Anew granite cutting machine will give a Nanaimo busi-ness the edge in theindustry.

James MacIntyre, a certifi ed accountant who bought PifiGranite and sister company Studio Kitchens and Design in 2011, recently purchased a state-of-the-art machinefrom Minnesota-based Park Indus-tries he said will increase businesswhile reducing labour costs and the time it takes to produce countertops.

The Titan Fab Centre, whichMacIntyre said cost about theprice of a house in Nanaimo and is the only one west of Saskatoon in Canada, can both cut the stone and do the edging work.

“It is the only machine made thathas two heads,” he said. “Most shops

either don’t have a machine or have a machine that can do one thing or theother. This is so brand new, it’s prob-ably unit No. 12.”

MacIntyre expects the machine will help him pick up business because he can have countertops ready in amuch shorter time frame – a week or so as opposed to the industry standard of 4-8 weeks.

He said developers sometimes decide not to use granite in new houses because of the extra time ittakes. A countertop is the last thing to go in a kitchen or bathroom, asexact measurements are not possible until walls and cabinets are complete, but waiting a month or so means thecompany is incurring more inter-est charges than if another product is used that can be installed muchquicker.

With the Titan, measurementsare plugged into the computer witha laser imaging template system and then the computer guides themachine while the human operatorstands behind a safety rope.

“We’re just doing more jobs faster,” said MacIntyre, adding that becausebusiness has already gone up, he is

hiring more installers at Pi.He hopes the machine will help

with sustainability of the business in light of the looming skills short-age – with fewer skilled employees needed for the cutting side of the business, he can hire more generallabourers.

Training to operate the Titan takes two weeks.

Another advantage of the new

technology is that it was made in the U.S. – most cutting machines come from Italy and when things break, the language barrier presents a majorchallenge when trying to communi-cate the problem that needs fi xing, fisaid MacIntyre.

Pi Granite is located off Northfi eld fiRoad. For more information, please visit www.pigranite.ca, or call 250-758-7731.

Cuttingedge

g

State-of-the-art marble cutter providesproducts faster to local contractors

We’re just doing morejobs faster.“

James MacIntyre, owner of Pi Granite, shows off the Titan Fab Centre, a state-

of-the-art machine he recently bought that can cut and edge stone, allowing the

business to produce counters much faster than if the work were done by hand or

with the help of a machine that does either one job or the other.


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The convenience of one meal per day is included at Highgate andaccess to the bistro, as well asweekly housekeeping and a 24-hour emergency response system, givingthe residents the security they require day and night.

If a person requires a bit moresupport, our assisted/independentliving building is the hub of our community, providing our residents with two meals per day in our elegant dining room.

Also included are refreshments in the morning and afternoon, servedin the bistro, weekly housekeeping(including a flat linen service) and alarge selection of activities.

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Constructiontrends swing likea pendulum in Nanaimo.

Building willbow toward resi-

dential properties for a few years,then see-saw toward commercialprojects for a period.

Commercial construction is onthe upswing since 2010 with mostnew projects fi lling niches in townfirather than push new develop-ment out to the city’s boundaries and beyond.

“What we’re seeing gener-ally in the last couple of years in Nanaimo is a fairly strong com-mercial market with single family residential being relatively flat,” flsaid Dale Lindsay, city manager of building inspections.

Lindsay, who has observed theNanaimo construction market for18 years, said the situation is notunusual.

“Historically Nanaimo has thesependulum swings where residen-tial’s really hot and commercial’s

cool, then commercial heats upand residential slows down,” Lind-say said.

The value of commercial prop-erty building permits taken out in2012 topped $46 million, nearly double the figure for 2010 – onefiof the highest years for annualcommercial building permits onrecord.

Permits for single- and multiple-family units still make up the bulk of construction applications, butthere have been few big subdivi-sion projects in recent years.

“It’s not like in the early ’90swhere you’d have subdivisionswith 200 lots,” Lindsay said. “Our subdivisions now are closer to six to 15 lots, but we’re still seeing alot of growth in south Nanaimo. Certainly we’ve seen a focus on the south end. We’re also seeing alot of in-fill projects.”fi

Looking around town, one can’t help but notice plenty of signsadvertising commercial space for rent or lease. With so much space already available why build more?

Building boomConstruction continues

despite uncertain economym


◆ From /7Chris Erb, owner of SupErb Con-

struction, chairman of the VancouverIsland Construction Association and the former president of CanadianHome Builders Association of B.C.and CHBA Central Vancouver Island, said a big driver of commercialconstruction is low mortgage interestrates, but developers aren’t just build-ing and hoping for buyers.

“Most is site specific and most of it fibeing built is for somebody,” Erb said.“There’s no stuff, in my opinion, be-ing built on spec. It’s all owner-built.”

Existing lease space on the other hand remains unattractive because of high commercial property taxes.

“If you look at a bare piece of property and what you’re payingfor property taxes per month, it’s obscene,” Erb said.

Erb said his company recently looked at the investment potential of a 930 square metre lease property, butdecided property taxes, $3,000 per month, were too high.

“In a lot of these cases when you’re dealing with that, that’s a huge com-ponent,” he said.

Erb said changes to the building code for 2013 will add higher costs to new construction and skewed 2012building permit fi gures.fi

“Everyone tried to get a buildingpermit in for December, so they wereactually grandfathered in for the old building code because the new building code is going to add a wholechunk of change,” Erb said.

The need to stock the market for young, first-time buyers will also fidrive developers to continue build-ing multiple family dwellings for theforeseeable future.

“In order to get the younger popu-lation, you’ve got to get your cost perdoor down and the way you get your cost per door down is multi’s,” Erb said.

One way to make money is tobuild as close as possible to the mostcustomers. Canadian Tire is oneretailer migrating toward high den-sity populations. The company will open its largest store on the Island in Nanaimo North Town Centre in 2013. Several car dealerships on Bo-wen Road are renovating extensively,but staying put.

“There are a lot of large formatretailers that have seen the north endis fairly well serviced - and there’sstarting to be more services in the south end - but in central Nanaimothere was some opportunities there,” Lindsay said.

Greenrock Industrial Business Park,where a new Country Grocer and TD Bank branch opened in 2012, formed a new commercial node on BowenRoad. The site serves an estimated 30,000 people living within a five fikilometre radius.

Port Place Shopping Centre down-town continues its transformation. The mall’s second phase of construc-tion is underway and the concrete is being poured for a two-storey homefor commercial retail outlets.

Pacifi c Station, built by Westmark fiConstruction, started offering its first fiunits in December. The complex of strata offi ces for professionals and firetailers is expected to eventually form a community business node on Norwell Drive.

“What we’ve discovered during thepast year is the majority of investorsare looking past the current economicsituation in the country and saying, ‘Look, central Vancouver Island has agreat future ahead of it and it’s a good time for us to be buying and posi-tioning ourselves in the market,’” saidBob Moss, managing broker for DTZ Nanaimo.

He said a number of significant lo-fical land and revenue property sales in 2012 demonstrated investors are con-fident in the central Island’s future.fi

He cites the project’s centrallocation, proximity to the NanaimoParkway, high population density from the area it’s designed to serve and high visibility from the Island Highway among benefits that will fidraw buyers.

“As we move into spring we’ll see more activity, for sure,” Moss said.

As we move into spring we’ll see more activity,for sure.“

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A provincial grant has made Vancouver Island University the only institution on the Island wherestudents can get a fourth-classpower engineering certificate.

There is a high demand for power engineers across Canada, butlong wait lists at institutions that currently offer the program, saidinstructor Gilbert Requena, in a press release.

“If you look at industry job sites,there are always openings for power engineers, so graduates of our program will be able to find interesting, well-paid work fairly easily,” he said.

“Graduates can work at pulp mills,gas and oil refineries, hospitalsand schools – basically any organization where there is high-pressure equipment that needs to be managed or monitored.”

The program, made possible by a $144,000 grant from the Ministry of

Advanced Education, Innovation andTechnology, started March 25.

The first three months are spent inthe classroom, with work experience from June to August, then a returnto the classroom for more theory work and graduation set for the firstweek in November.

The university has received acommitment from local industry to provide practicum trainingplacements for most of the first class and the program will include an introduction to gas processingcertificate to give students an edge once they complete the program andstart looking for work.

For more information, pleasecontact Carolyn Eveleigh, areasecretary in the faculty of appliedprograms, trades and applied technology, at [email protected] or 250-740-6149 or visit www.viu.ca/calendar/TradesAppliedTech/powerengineering.asp.

Chamber of Commerce members across the province welcomed the unveiling of theSmall Business Accord as a hugestep forward for small busi-nesses across the province.

“Members across the provincehave continually told us that their dealings with government are a serious drain on theirability to do business,” said JohnWinter, president and CEO of the B.C. Chamber of Com-merce.

“The accord recognizes thatand, more importantly, requiresgovernment across all ministries to use a small business lens.”

The accord, unveiled by Naomi Yamamoto, minister of state for small business, at a B.C. Chamber Breakfast in March, contains a number of principles around critical issues for smallbusiness, including access to labour, streamlined regulationsand opportunities for small

business through governmentprocurement.

“While small business will welcome the reduction in thepaperwork and administra-tion that will result from theaccord, our members will be particularly pleased by the focus on growth and job creationthe accord will present to small business,” Winter said.

“Our members have been con-sistent – access to labour and ac-cessing new business opportu-nities are where small business sees a real role for governmentto assist in their growth andtheir ability to create new jobs.

“The accord goes a long way towards addressing these issues and will greatly enhance smallbusinesses role as the economic drivers of the province.”

For more information, pleasevisit the B.C. Chamber of Com-merce’s website at www.bcchamber.org.

Business accord welcomed VIU offers power engineering certificate


Green jobs, innovation and greening the economy have become popular phrases in recent years. The Regional District of Nanaimo is quietly turningthose words into actions with every ride on a bus, flush of a low-flow toilet, or bin of food waste collected in the region. The result is an emerging industry for alternative fuels, resourcerecovery and renewable energy in themid-Island, creating opportunities for entrepreneurship, investment and economic development into the future.

The RDN was selected for the initialrollout of B.C. Transit’s CompressedNatural Gas bus fleet. Twenty-fiveof the oldest diesel buses in theRegional Transit fleet will be replacedwith new CNG buses by May 2014.While cleaner and quieter than thosethey replace, these new buses willalso provide the seed for growth ina local service and trades industry focused on alternative fuels for transportation. Not only is natural gas a potentially plentiful resource in our province, it is also a resource thatthe regional district and its private sector partners have become skilled

at recovering from our communities’ wastes.

In collaboration with the SuncurrentGroup, the Nanaimo Bioenergy Centreat the Regional Landfill on Cedar Roadis actively capturing methane gasproduced at the landfill and generating electricity for sale into the grid. Opportunities to use landfill gas as analternative vehicle fuel are also under consideration, further developing this emerging sector in the region.

Similarly, biogas is currently being recovered at the Greater NanaimoPollution Control Centre for thegeneration of heat and power. Previously flared, this fuel is nowpowering a co-generation plant,assisting with the waste treatment process and contributing enough electricity for about 200 homes.

The RDN is actively supportinginitiatives through its new economicdevelopment service, which provides financial support to the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation,whose mission is to develop a prosperous community through economic opportunity.

Alternative fuel industry emerges in NanaimoADVERTISING FEATURE

The Nanaimo Eco-nomic DevelopmentCorporation’s new tourism strategic plan aims to grow the in-dustry by supporting

the efforts of local groups, bolsteringcommunity pride and collaborating with adjacent communities.

The corporation’s Tourism Leader-ship Committee introduced the new plan earlier this month, the result of months of research and collaboration

with industry stakeholders and thecommunity.

“It’s the foundation for the nexttwo or three years,” said Sasha Angus,economic development CEO.

The plan, developed with helpfrom Chemistry Consulting Group, lays out six strategic priorities and five underlying goals to achieve the figroup’s vision of making the area thedestination of choice for visitors to enjoy a uniquely West Coast experi-ence year-round.

Tourism strategy aims to promote the regionby supporting the efforts of local groups

Visitors welcome

Tesla Watson, left, and Layton Pears, visiting from the Lower Mainland, learn a

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The strategies are: actively en-couraging/supporting festivals andevents; developing new or augment-ed tourism attractions; improvingcommunication and collaboration with local tourism operators; col-laborating with adjacent communi-ties; focusing tourism marketing on the Island, Lower Mainland and other identified key markets; andfienhancing resident awareness of and support for tourism through avariety of pride-of-place and com-munications initiatives.

The plan looks at marketing an ex-panded geography – from Lantzville to south Cedar rather than simply the city itself – and calls for formingpartnerships with other communi-ties, said Jenn Houtby-Ferguson,media, marketing and communica-tions specialist for the NEDC-runTourism Nanaimo.

“In the past, it’s really been this us-and-them attitude,” she said.

Houtby-Ferguson said a jointmarketing campaign with Sooke and Tofi no will launch shortly, aimedfi

at tourists from Washington andOregon states.

Her presentation during the plan launch at the Coast Bastion Inn also emphasized the need for product development.

“We’ve been seen as the drive-through destination and we’re goingto work hard to counter that,” said Houtby-Ferguson.

Angus said the organization has setaside about $125,000 to look at how it can support community partners to develop new or augment existingtourism attractions.

For example, Tourism Nanaimo could provide money for a feasibility

or marketing study, he said.“It really depends on what the

needs of the project are,” said Angus.As for the community pride strat-

egy, he said the idea is to encouragelocals to do things here at home rather than travel elsewhere, as wellas help market the area to friendsand family and become ambassadorsfor the city.

Tourism Nanaimo will work withstakeholders to develop a pride of place campaign, including establish-ing a “tourist in your own town” program.

Dan Brady, Tourism LeadershipCommittee chairman, said the most

important thing is that the strategy recognizes the destination needs to be developed.

Right now, people come because they have to for business reasons or sporting events and hotel occupancy rates in the city have not increased in the past 15 years – the rate has actually decreased for the past eight,he said.

“We need to give them a reason to want to come here,” said Brady.

Mayor John Ruttan was impressed with the enthusiasm in the roomat the strategic plan launch andlikes the idea of getting citizens to become tourism ambassadors.

“We haven’t been proactive enough in demonstrating or explaining or telling people all the things we havehere,” he said. “The least expensiveform of advertising … is word of mouth.”

For more information on Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Nanaimo, please visit www.investnanaimo.comor call 250-591-1551.

We’ve been seen as the drive-throughdestination and we’re going to work hard to counter that.“


The Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation is proud to support your healthy community.The Foundation strives to ensure that all members of our community have access to exceptional healthcare services

that focus on treatment and prevention. Your business can make an impact on the health of this community by

donating today! Donate Securely online at: www.nanaimohospitalfoundation.com

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If you have a spare $160,000 kickingaround you might consider invest-ing in a cash crop taking root on Vancouver Island that’s the hottestthing since, well, California rolls.

Vancouver Island Wasabi is coax-ing its first crop out of three greenhouses set fiup on four hectares in Nanoose.

It’s the fi rst wasabi farm on the Islandfiand if built out to its maximum capacity – plans call for up to 63 greenhouses on thesite – will be the largest wasabi greenhousegrowing site in the world.

The plants are being grown under license from Pacifi c Coast Wasabi, a research ficompany with wasabi growing operations inAbbotsford.

Unlike the fl avoured horse radish mix-fltures added as an inexpensive condimentto sushi dishes, real wasabi is a plant which grows naturally in stream beds of mountain river valleys in Japan.

The plant, grown for its root, which is used as a condiment that tastes like hot mustard, is a member of Brassicaceae fam-ily that includes cabbage, horseradish and mustard.

The plant is also considered a remedy toalleviate symptoms of various illnesses.

The traditional method for farmingwasabi involves diverting portions of freshwater streams to artifi cial water coursesfideeply shaded by tree canopies – wasabi doesn’t like a lot of light – where the plants are raised.

The method is highly water intensive andany fertilizers used pollute the water.

Governments are legislating against watercourse diversion for agriculture and furtherpressure on Japanese wasabi production came in 2011 when radiation contaminatedfarmland when one of the Fukushimanuclear reactors overheated after the facility was struck by tsunami waves that disabled its cooling system.

Hot cropWasabi fi nds roots on Island

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Attempts to grow wasabi underartifi cial conditions failed untilfiresearch conducted over the last 20years developed greenhouse farmingmethods that use little water and al-low farmers to maintain an optimumgrowing environment.

“No one’s been able to grow it ina controlled, closed environment before because everyone has been using the concept that you need run-ning water,” said Michael Naprawa, company spokesman.

Wasabi does need a fresh water supply to sustain the plants and prevent disease, but it turns out the plants aren’t fussy about wether it’s supplied by a stream or overheadsprinklers.

“We use .06 of one per cent of thewater in the traditional models of hydroponics,” Naprawa said. “What we put on the plants, 99 per cent isconsumed by the plants. We controlexactly what the plants need at any given time. Temperate increases, dry-ness – we can do it.”

A separate set of overhead fog-gers maintain humidity levels in thegreenhouses.

Wasabi likes high humidity levelsin the 100 per cent range, which occur naturally where it is grown in Japan.

The plants wouldn’t survive outdoors in the Island’s lower sum-mertime humidity levels. The farm’s proximity to the ocean helps even out the temperature range year round.

The greenhouse watering and heating equipment is computer controlled.

“The plants like to be between10 and 14 degrees (Celcius) year around,” said Blake Anderson, grower. “If they can have that yearround they’re happy.”

Wasabi also grows best under natu-ral light, which means grow lights are unnecessary and neighbours won’t have to worry about light pol-lution. Anderson is installing shadecloth over the greenhouses for thesummer months.

“The plants are so efficient with fiphotosynthesis they don’t needmuch sunlight,” Anderson said.

The farm is growing Daruma andMazuma wasabi, the two most com-

monly cultivated varieties, in three622-square metre greenhouses and about 4,900 plants are being raisedin each greenhouse.

The plants fl ower in tiny blue flblossoms in February. The leavesand flowers are edible, taste hot and flsweet and would make part of aninteresting salad.

Deer don’t like them.“Humans are the only ones that

like it,” Anderson said. “No other animal does.”

Wasabi retails for about $240/kg. Each greenhouse could produce upto 1,000 kg.

“In the traditional method, it takes18 to 24 months to grow it out,” Naprawa said. “We’re growing it out in 12 to 15 months, so we’ve cut ourtime by 50 to 70 per cent. That’s why it becomes commercially viable. Toinvest in infrastructure you need some advantages.”

A Vancouver Island site was alsochosen, Naprawa said, because of itsclean air, lack of industrial pollution,the climate and the fact the Islandis well known, which all make theproduct easier to brand and pro-mote. Greenhouses will be added atthe site as investors commit.

“$160,000 gives you the green-house, the license and the fi rst cropfipaid for to harvest,” Naprawa said.

“That includes fertilizer, utilities, nutrients and the labour and every-thing to plant and harvest,” Ander-son said.

Production costs drop after the first harvest. For more information,fiplease visit the company’s website at www.wasabia.com.

No one’s been able togrow it in a controlled, closed environmentbefore becauseeveryone has beenusing the conceptthat you need running water.

“


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Office: 100 East Jensen Ave.

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Phone: (250) 951–6018

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.roncantelonmla.bc.ca

Toll Free: 1 (866) 488–7041

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PARADISECELEBRATING 21 Years in Business!

The Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce is makingsome major changes to its business awards program.

The name will change from the Sterling Awards to the Busi-ness Achievement Awards.

These changes also include a date change from May to Octo-ber, new partnerships with Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, Innovation Island and the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association along with a new set of criteria, judging, and awards.

The Business Achievement Awards will take place during Small Business Week on Oct. 25 at the Vancouver Island Con-ference Centre.

This event will bring together leaders from government, in-dustry, media, and many other members of the community to celebrate outstanding individuals, organizations and businessesthat contribute significantly to overall business excellence and fithe quality of life in our community.

Each year, the chamber invites nominations for the various awards, undertakes an adjudication process and selects award recipients.

The judging is done independently of the chamber and cul-minates in an exciting evening with all the glitz and glamour of the Oscars.

The award categories will include:◆ Business of the Year (under 10 employees);◆ Business of the Year (over 10 employees);◆ Customer Service Excellence;◆ Tourism Impact; ◆ Youth Entrepreneur of the Year;◆ Environmental Impact;◆ Innovation;◆ Excellence in Business (10 years or more);◆ Spirit of Nanaimo – Community Impact; ◆ Exporter of the Year;◆ Workplace Excellence; ◆ Emerging Business (5 years or less).Nomination packages will be available in May.For more information, please visit www.nanaimochamber.

bc.ca or call 250-756-1191.

Coastal ferry users are braced for reduced sailings on some under-used routes, and many are open to cable ferries, barges, passenger-only vessels or evenbridges where practical to contain risingcosts.

Transportation Minister Mary Polak released the government’s consultation report earlier this year on ways to save $26 million on operations by 2016.

That was the target set by B.C. Ferry Commissioner Gord Macatee after he wasappointed last year.

About 4,000 people took part in theconsultation, with more than half sayingthey agree with the need to reduce costs.When the government announced the ser-vice review last year, it added an extra $20million to the subsidy for the service over four years, bringing the total taxpayer subsidy to about $180 million per year.

Polak said specific service cuts won’t be fimade public until June 30 at the earli-est, and the government may extend thatdeadline after reviewing the consultationresults with B.C. Ferries.

She denied that the timing was chosento push the unpopular move past the May 14 election.

“If the idea was to stay away from dis-cussion of potential cuts during an elec-tion period, I daresay we would not have embarked on the consultation,” Polak said. “We were very up-front in putting out the utilization numbers so people cansee where the challenges were and wherethere will likely be cuts.”

Last year B.C. Ferries cut sailings on the

Duke Point-Nanaimo run, which was los-ing an average of $50 per vehicle carried.B.C. Ferries CEO Mike Corrigan said thecorporation expected to cut at least 100 sailings on its major Vancouver Islandroutes, mostly low-ridership runs late inthe evenings.

NDP transportation critic MaurineKaragianis wouldn’t commit to increas-ing the taxpayer subsidy or any specificfiaction, such as returning B.C. Ferries toCrown corporation status.

“If we treat it like transportation infra-structure, the same as bridges, rail, roads, that’s a slightly different approach to theferry system,” Karagianis said. “At the end of the day, we need to see some cost sav-ings.”

As expected, raising property taxes or fuel taxes in coastal communities to help pay for ferry service was an unpopularchoice, endorsed by only 20 per cent of participants.

Most called for ferries to be funded by all B.C. taxpayers or by the users them-selves.

A call for “innovative ideas” also pro-duced few surprises. The top suggestion in consultation meetings and written feedback was to reduce fares to increaseridership, an experiment that B.C. Ferrieshas tried several times on major routeswith no success.

B.C. Ferries has found that ferry use isdeclining on B.C.’s free inland ferries andother jurisdictions such as Washingtonstate, as people choose to travel less be-cause of the cost of fuel and other factors.

Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce revamps business awards

Ferry report identifies optionsto reduce operating costs


Don’t look for wild departures fromthe real estate market’s trend of trad-ing big volume swings for slow, but steady sales.

February’s home sales figures fifor Nanaimo took a dive – at leastpercentage-wise – with a 33 per centdrop compared to the same month in 2012, representing the biggest decline in year to year monthly comparisonsof major communities north of the Malahat.

In real numbers 64 homes sold inNanaimo in February compared to 96in February 2012.

Home sales were up from January’s 54 unit sales and prices rose one per cent overall compared to February 2012 to $350,000 on average.

The Multiple Listing Servicerecorded 3,410 sales across B.C. inJanuary – a 16 per cent decline from January 2012.

That refl ects a continual overallfldownward trend in residential real es-tate sales since the recession slammed

the home sales market in 2008 – that showed some leveling off beginning in August. In a recent report, the B.C. Real Estate Association described home sales in the province as sub-dued, but stable.

Landcor Data Corporation, based in New Westminster, reports sales are slowing across Canada and even former hot markets, such as Vancou-ver and Toronto, cooled down in 2012 under what appears to be the linger-ing fallout from 2008 – a real estate market that, fi ve years down the road,ficontinues to adjust itself to find the finew norm.

Any realtor who’s been in the busi-ness for the long haul will tell yougetting cranky over a snapshot of month to month sales figures is like fisweating over a one day dive in the stock market.

Kathy Koch, a realtor with Realty Executives and a Nanaimo area direc-tor on the Vancouver Island RealEstate Board, is encouraged by the

real estate market performance overthe past several months.

“My take is we have started to levelout and I’m hopeful we’ll see a level-ing and maybe a slight increase as2013 progresses,” Koch said.

Koch said inventory levels are simi-lar to what they were 2012 and mort-gage rates continue at near record low borrowing rates.

“Money is so cheap,” she said. “It just doesn’t get any better than thatand it appears it’s going to be that way for a while.”

If the lower cost of putting roofsover their heads is good news for po-tential fi rst-time buyers, the news forfisellers who purchased homes during the pricing bubble of 2007 might notbe so bad either if they choose to test the waters of a lower cost market.

“I can tell you, if you bought a house in the fall of 2007, odds areit’s worth the same if it’s in the samecondition,” said Brian Godfrey of Re/Max Nanaimo.

Unlike the bubble days when buyerslined up for purchases and even got into bidding wars over property, to-day’s market favours sellers to practicepatience. Homes sell, just not quickly.

Godfrey said he noted the ampli-tude of big saw tooth seasonal swingson month to month sales charts that started in 2009 continue to diminishso far in 2013.

“It’s just sort of narrowing downinto an unexciting, but steady mar-ket,” Godfrey said. “That’s the bestway to describe it.”

If the market is trading big volumeswings for steady sales, where are those sales to be had?

Koch and Godfrey agree the bulk of sales are for homes in the $200,000 to $350,000 range.

“If you’d asked me a few years agoif you wanted to buy a house below $300,000 I would have said gee there’s not much out there I’d feel comfort-able selling,” Godfrey said. “That’s not the case anymore.”

You’ve likely driven along Departure Bay Road between Rock City School and Newton Street and noticed thenew sidewalk.

This is one of 12 road improve-ments ICBC invested in last year to help make Nanaimo and area roadssafer for everyone.

ICBC launched the safer roads program in 1989, and since then, hasinvested more than $110 million inroad improvement projects and safety studies across B.C.

In 2012, ICBC invested approxi-mately $930,000 on Vancouver Islandand $8 million in projects and safety audits across the province.

“Public safety is our top priority,” said Mary Polak, minister of trans-portation and infrastructure. “ICBC’ssafer roads program works in partner-ship with our ministry and with com-munities to ensure safety is a priority in transportation infrastructure incommunities across the province.This valuable program demonstrates our continued commitment to help keep everyone safe on our roads.”

All proposed road improvement projects are assessed based on theirability to make roads safer.

The most recent evaluation of the program concluded that overall, forevery dollar invested, ICBC and itscustomers see a return of fi ve timesfithe investment.

The evaluation found that two yearsfollowing a project’s implementation, there is, on average, a 20-per cent re-duction in severe crashes and a 12-percent reduction in property damage crashes. More importantly, the ben-efits of road improvements continuefiwell beyond two years.

ICBC also participates in engineer-ing studies and assists communities inthe planning of roadways and manag-ing traffic.fi

“Road improvements deliver realvalue to everyone on our roads, fromdrivers to pedestrians,” said JohnDickinson, ICBC’s director of road safety. “We’ll continue to invest inroad safety initiatives that help us re-duce claims costs to keep rates as low as possible for our customers.”

As road improvements are imple-mented, it also requires drivers toadopt new driving behaviours, suchas adjusting to traffi c pattern changesfiand understanding the rules of theroad.

The majority of crashes are prevent-able and have more to do with drivererror than road engineering. Driv-ers need to do their part by makingsmart driving decisions and avoiding

crashes. Over the last 23 years, ICBC’s safer roads program has evolved sig-nificantly – community investments fiand successful partnerships have ledto award winning projects and thecontributions have helped advance the knowledge of the road safety en-gineering industry in B.C. and acrossCanada.

For more information, please visitwww.icbc.com.

Metral Drive and Doumont Road:Installation of crosswalk – $4,000.

Area-wide at four intersections:Installation of pedestrian countdowntimers – $6,000.

Area-wide: Traffic signs upgrade –$12,500.

Dover Road at McGirr Road:Pedestrian safety improvements, including curb extension and four-way stop – $6,000.

Wallace Street and Bastion Street: Pedestrian safety improvements, including sidewalk

upgrade and curb ramp – $5,000.Howard Avenue and Fifth Street:

Installation of crosswalk – $6,000.Norwell Drive and Island

Highway: Installation of paved sidewalk – $10,000.

Departure Bay Road and Rock City School: Installation of sidewalkfor safer route to school – $10,000.

Highway 19A and NorthwestBay Logging Road: Intersection improvements, including left-hand turn signal – $8,900.

– source: ICBC

ICBC invests in upgrades

Real estate slow – but steady – in mid-Island


Nanaimo is a place of infinite possibilities. We, as a community, are perfectly positioned to become aneconomic and cultural leader in thePacific Northwest, and we are taking considerable steps to achieve that status.

The Nanaimo EconomicDevelopment Corporation (NEDC)has a vision for Nanaimo that is not limited to a list of attractions or assets, but is a vision of a business community that empowers itself through meaningful and lasting relationships.

This is the type of environmentthat other communities will envy and emulate, and that we can be proud tocall ‘home.’

The mission of the NanaimoEconomic Development Corporation is to build a prosperous community through economic opportunity.

Through various programs and initiatives, the NEDC focuses on business development through supporting the growth of local entrepreneurs and businesses,attracting new business, investment and visitors to the region, and working

with regional partners in the growth of key economic sectors.

With our Business Investmentand Attraction initiatives, the NEDC promotes Nanaimo as the clear choice for business location.

We provide companies with information on the development of abusiness plan to invest in Nanaimo,as well as provide relocation and siteselection services.

Business retention and expansionis a key element of the economic development process.

By listening to our businessleaders’ individual challenges and opportunities, we provide customized solutions for businesses on a widerange of issues from expansion torelocation, as well as provide real estate and development solutions so that our local businesses can thrive.

To ensure that Nanaimo remains regionally, nationally andinternationally competitive, the NEDCworks diligently on trade development for local businesses.

Our programs support businesses with export development information and referrals.

We provide in-region contacts, andassist clients in accessing markets through incoming and outgoing trademissions.

Based on demographic trends, wecan predict a major transition in our community as retirements will reachan unprecedented level.

As such, it is our responsibility as an economic development office toprepare for such a shift by affectingworkforce development.

The NEDC supports Nanaimobusinesses with best practices in

workforce retention and attraction, provides labour market information,and assists businesses with makingconnections to meet workforce needs.

One of the key benefits to having an active economic development officein Nanaimo is the access to research and information.

The NEDC represents a hugely valuable resource to local businesses, as we provide regional economic and industry information, access to business directories for sourcing products and services, and industry sector profiles for the retail,construction, infrastructure and tourism sectors, amongst others.

Finally, we are proud to boastthat Nanaimo continues to grow asa tourism destination, due to the tireless efforts of our tourism servicesdivision and local tourism basedbusinesses. Tourism Nanaimo worksto effectively position Nanaimo as a favourable destination for visitors.

Nanaimo is a place of infinitepossibilities. We can see the economic prosperity of our community on the horizon, and it gets closer witheach handshake.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The B.C. government is movingahead with a new pension option forthe two thirds of B.C. workers who don’t have access to a group pension plan through their employer.

Finance Minister Mike de Jongintroduced legislation in March to create Pooled Registered PensionPlans (PRPP), making B.C. the first fiprovince to sign on to a new federal program.

The system would allow businessesor self-employed people to set up defi ned contribution pension plansfiadministered by financial institutions.fi

De Jong announced the programalong with Ted Menzies, federal min-ister of state for fi nance, who hopes fito have harmonized systems acrossthe country so people can continue to build retirement income if they move.

Menzies said the PRPP systemoffers greater simplicity for small

businesses that don’t have employee pension plans.

The new approach is designed toclose a gap in tax-deductible Regis-tered Retirement Savings Plan roomthat Canadian workers are choosing not to use despite the tax advantages.

Once an employer signs up, employees would be automatically enrolled.

They have 60 days to opt out, afterwhich time pension contributions would be deducted. Employers don’t need any financial expertise, and em-fiployees would have to “overcome the inertia of being involved in the plan” to get out of it, Menzies said.

De Jong said B.C. decided to makeemployer contributions optional,after consulting with business orga-nizations.

Mike Klassen, B.C. director of the Canadian Federation of Independent

Business, said small business accounts for almost half of the private sector employment in B.C., the largest share of any province.

“Working forever is not an option,” Klassen said.

Menzies said expanding the Canada Pension Plan would require two thirds support from all provinces,and that support was not offered at a recent meeting of provincial financefiministers.

But there was unanimous supportfor the PRPP option.

Wilf Scheuer, president of Cour-tenay-based Pro Star MechanicalTechnologies Ltd., said he plans to usethe new pension option and match employee contributions in order to retain skilled workers.

Pro Star retrofi ts buildings withfigeothermal heat pumps, tankless hot water systems and other specializedequipment.

Scheuer said he recently lost an engineer, hired away by a large LosAngeles-based company, a sign that his and other small firms are in afiglobal competition for top talent.

Registered pension plan offers simplicity for small business

We can see the economic prosperity of our community on the horizon, and itgets closer with each handshake.“

City poised to become economic and cultural leader

MIKE KLASSEN


As the tagline says – Discover Downtown Nanaimo: It’s All Here – downtown Nanaimo continues to gain momentum year by year as is evidenced by the increasing number of new and existing businesses, and the completion of projects that are helping to enhance the downtown experience.

Downtown Nanaimo is a collection of culturally diverse areas, whichhouse everything from fine dining to completely organic raw/vegan restaurants and everything in between.

Arts and entertainment venuesshowcase local and world class entertainers, from the Port Theatre to numerous open stage nights atdowntown cafes and nightclubs.

Visitors can enjoy a tasty lunchpatio-side, while watching the hustleand bustle of seaplanes unloadingnew and returning visitors at our scenic waterfront.

Stroll Commercial Street and visitrestored heritage buildings housing original works of art, or search for vintage and eclectic items on theChina Steps or shop chic clothingboutiques in the Old City Quarter.

Downtown Nanaimo continues to improve with the expansion andupdating of existing stores such as those in Port Place Mall.

Watch for exciting new retail outlets and restaurants coming this summer.

No need to head out of town for a day of pampering and relaxation – downtown offers high-end day spas and services for every taste and budget – many include free parking.

The unique downtown experience is a direct result of the vision andpassion of property and businessowners that have volunteeredthousands of hours and have been able to complete numerous projects

this year through their DowntownNanaimo Business Improvement Association office, despite an uncertain economy. They have installed new bike racks, added tree lights and decorations to downtownstreets, with still more to come. They have completed a Terminal Avenue/Nicol Street Corridor Brownfield Study, which will increase development

opportunities in that area; educated people on the abundance of free andlow cost parking downtown; and havecreated some of Nanaimo’s favouriteevents, like the two-day Bathtub DaysStreet Fair on Commercial Street andthe Harvest Festival and MulitculturalFestival in the Old City Quarter.

The BIA membership includes morethan 1,000 downtown property and business owners.

The DNBIA continuously engages with, and supports, each of its

members, old and new, in additionto strengthening ties with other community partners, all of whomhave expanding visions not only for downtown, but all of Nanaimo.Working together we continue to buildmomentum and as a result, enjoy more and more amenities. Discover Downtown Nanaimo today – it really isall here.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Downtown Nanaimo: It’s all here to discover

Downtown Nanaimo continues to improvewith the expansion and updating of existing stores.

“

the Honour Roll72 years

BONDED LOCKSMITHSFAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

SINCE 1941

Residential & Commercial

250-754-567175 Nicol Street, Nanaimo

www.gallazinlock.ca

115 years

Providing insurance for:Business • Home • Tenants •

Condominiums • Travel • Construction • Boats & PWC • Autos • Campers •

Trailers & Mobile Homes

www.lenhartinsurance.ca

T: 250-758-2484101-3150 Island Highway, Nanaimo

51 years

60 Terminal Ave250-754-6344

www.turleysfl orists.com

Turley’s is the local Florist that Nanaimo and the world has trusted and depended

on for over 50 years.

29 years

Merit Home Furniture

Vancouver Island’s choice forhigh-quality furniture and appliances.

3230 Norwell Drive, Nanaimo, BC(250) 756-1153

www.merithomefurniture.ca


13 years

DOWNTOWN NANAIMO

BIAA10 Victoria Cres.

Nanaimo

250 754 8141www.dnbia.com

15 years

Corner of Fifth Street & Bruce Avenue250-754-1421

HARBOUR CITY

BINGO

12 years

6089 Uplands DriveNanaimo

250.760.2325nanaimoseniorsvillage.com

12 years

The Spirit of Vancouver Island

p fp f

Tel: 250.729.82255775 Turner Road

www.longwoodbrewpub.com

21 years

“Vancouver Island’s Premier Cheese Shop & Specialty Foods Store”

426 Fitzwilliam St. Nanaimo250-754-0100

www.mcleansfoods.com

28 years

“Creative edibles & drinkables atreasonable prices in a

not-so-boring atmosphere!”

250-753-8311199 Frazer Street, Nanaimo

www.mrsriches.ca

20 years

www.o ldc i t yqua r te r. com

Where new & old mingle together in the heart of the cityShop, Dine and Relax.

the Honour RollHonour Roll

Proud to Serve Nanaimo

Leonard Krog M.L.A.

4-77 Victoria Cres.Nanaimo, B.C.

V9R 5B9

Hours: Mon. - Fri.10 am to 12 pm -1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Telephone: [email protected]

Business longevity and sustainability are based on factors that range from management and leadership skills through to fl exibility in servicing our rapidly changing marketplace. Today global sevices are not unique even in the smallest fi rms and creativity is essential in all companies, even the largest of corporations. Attracting and maintaining customers was once the greatest priority, now it partners with the need to attract and retain skilled and loyal employees.

Join us in celebrating Nanaimo businesses who have stood the test of time. It takes determination and hard work to succeed in business.


For more information visit www.dnbia.ca

food for thought... food for life...

is your destination for healthy & delicious raw, plant based foods, prepared daily with love, from fresh, organic

and local ingredients, whenever possible.

Our creations are made with your health in mind, and weare passionate about serving you the very best!

Raw Food Juice Bar

POWER HOUSEPOWER HOUSE

ALL CREATIONS ARE VEGAN, AND GLUTEN FREE WITH NO ADDITIVES

OR PRESERVATIVES

6560 Metral Drive250-933-3733

HOURS: 10 am - 6 pm dailywww.powerhouseliving.ca

200 Commercial Street250-591-7873

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 10AM-6PMMONDAY-WEDNESDAY 10AM-6PMTHURSDAY-SATURDAY 10AM-9PMTHURSDAY-SATURDAY 10AM-9PMSUNDAY NOON-5PM

The Affordable Adventure Store

Now at 525 Terminal Ave250-754-3003

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222222222222225555555500000000000----5555599999911111----3333333333333CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK

FUN, FUNKY & AFFORDABLEFUN, FUNKY & AFFORDABLECLOTHES FOR WORK & PLAYCLOTHES FOR WORK & PLAY

FLOWERS FROM TURLEYS FLORIST

LAST LONGER, NATURALLY!See our great selection of the

freshest fl owers & plants.

1.800.699.634460 Terminal Avenue

250.754.6344


investnanaimo.com

Thinking of starting a new business, or expanding an existing business into new markets or facilities? We can help!

Nanaimo Economic Development assists with business

intelligence, retention, expansion and investment attraction

information to help make your business a success.

March 30, 2013

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Transcript of March 30, 2013