Federal government announces $740m in transit funding
A new SeaBus, shorter wait-times between SkyTrains and station upgrades were some of the promises attached to a multimillion-dollar funding announcement that will make the first phase of the regional mayors’ 10-year transit plan a reality. “With this federal...
VRCA’s Annual Golf Tournament – 2016
How does networking in the sunshine over a game of golf sound? We are so happy to be a part of VRCA's Golf Tournament for yet another year! This year's event was held at the prestigious Northview and Country Club, one of the most exciting and challenging places...
B.C. tourism industry is cruising ahead
Growth in ocean cruise ship passengers means more visitors to Vancouver, Victoria ports. A total of 23.2 million passengers around the world took ocean cruises in 2015, a four per cent increase over 2014. Those numbers were shared by Cruise Lines International...
What’s next for businesses of Fort McMurray?
As Fort McMurray families return to their homes and survey the damage caused by wildfires, the only thing that is certain for the city may be some additional uncertainty. I was relieved to see that the mass evacuation — one of the biggest in Canada’s history — went as...
B.C.’s economy is No. 1, GDP numbers confirm
It has been a lengthy wait, but the release of provincial gross domestic product (GDP) estimates confirmed our expectation that B.C. indeed led the country in economic growth in 2015. Provincial GDP expanded 3% last year, compared to 0.9% nationally, and aligned with...
Canadian forestry finding its footing despite market challenges
The good news is that market conditions and profits are improving for Canadian lumber and pulp and paper producers. The recent numbers are promising. First-quarter financials show that B.C.’s major forestry companies have been posting increased earnings, thanks to...
A look inside B.C.’s booming April job numbers
In April, British Columbia's unemployment rate dropped to a stunningly low 5.8% — the first time the province’s unemployment rate has been the lowest in the country since Statistics Canada began collecting comparable data in 1976. The highest job growth by far...
B.C.’s minimum wage will rise to $10.85 this year, and $11.25 by 2017
The B.C. government will increase the province's minimum wage in two stages, bringing the wage from the current $10.45 an hour to $11.25 an hour by 2017. On Sept. 15, 2016, minimum wage will rise to $10.85. That's a higher rise that what the province had previously...
New Brunswick court decision could help expand market for B.C. wines
A decision by a provincial court judge in New Brunswick is expected to open up new markets in the rest of Canada for B.C.’s wine industry. On April 29, New Brunswick judge Ronald LeBlanc threw out the law preventing residents from that province from importing beer and...
Another tough year ahead for oilpatch, but recovery is on its way
If Canada’s oil and gas sector can survive another tough year, good times will return in 2017 and revenue and profit could soar by 2020, according to the Conference Board of Canada. Profits are expected to increase from less than $1 billion in 2017 to more than $5...
Don’t expect Vancouver real estate to cool anytime soon: Central 1
The real estate market in Vancouver is going through the roof, and this is expected to continue through 2018, according to a Central 1 forecast released April 19. So far this year, Central 1 said, sales in Metro Vancouver alone have outperformed the credit union’s...
Sewell’s Marina tacks closer to Horseshoe Bay waterfront megaproject approval
The Sewell family believes they are close to receiving approval from the District of West Vancouver for a proposed mega-residential and commercial waterfront development on the Horseshoe Bay waterfront. Preliminary plans show 171 residential units to be spread...