Business

Houses are seen in an aerial view, in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. A company that supports hundreds of credit unions across Canada predicts British Columbia’s housing market will remain healthy through 2021 as the province moves out of its COVID-19 slump. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

B.C. housing market to remain vibrant through the new year: report

The report also forecasts a firmer rental market through 2022 as economic conditions normalize

Houses are seen in an aerial view, in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. A company that supports hundreds of credit unions across Canada predicts British Columbia’s housing market will remain healthy through 2021 as the province moves out of its COVID-19 slump. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. eases rules for COVID-19 small business, tourism relief

30% loss of sales at time of application now qualifies

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)
CORE Landscape Products’ work at a California home. Photo by Jessica Bodas Photography

Island’s CORE featured Dec. 28 on Celebrity IOU with Justin Hartley

Comox eco-landscaping firm also on Property Brothers’ spinoff again with ‘American royalty’

CORE Landscape Products’ work at a California home. Photo by Jessica Bodas Photography
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British Bobby Restaurant proprietor, John St John, stands outside his business in Parksville. The restaurant is set to close on Feb. 13 2021, with John preparing a silent auction for the restaurant’s decor and movie memorabilia. (Mandy Moraes photo)

Vancouver Island’s iconic British Bobby Restaurant falls victim to COVID-19

Owner John St John says Parksville business will close on Feb. 13, 2021

British Bobby Restaurant proprietor, John St John, stands outside his business in Parksville. The restaurant is set to close on Feb. 13 2021, with John preparing a silent auction for the restaurant’s decor and movie memorabilia. (Mandy Moraes photo)
B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks to the legislature’s pre-Christmas session to approve more COVID-19 spending, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)

Rising income, real estate tax hold B.C. deficit at $13.6 billion

Cost of next COVID-19 payments up to $1.7 billion

B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson speaks to the legislature’s pre-Christmas session to approve more COVID-19 spending, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Alain Léger is the new chef for Vis-à-vis restaurant and the Penny Farthing pub in Oak Bay Village. Léger put his stamp on the restaurant with a new menu starting Dec. 10. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)

New chef, new menu at Oak Bay’s Penny Farthing and Vis-à-vis

‘This menu is an evolution not a revolution’

Alain Léger is the new chef for Vis-à-vis restaurant and the Penny Farthing pub in Oak Bay Village. Léger put his stamp on the restaurant with a new menu starting Dec. 10. (Travis Paterson/News Staff)
Holiday knick-knacks stand are displayed for Christmas shoppers Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at a Lowes store in Northglenn, Colo. Add last-minute holiday shopping to the list of time-honored traditions being upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Retailers are kicking off the holiday season earlier than ever this year in hopes of avoiding big in-store crowds and shipping bottlenecks in November and December. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Millennial Money: De-stress holiday debt with a payoff plan

Take stock of what you owe – and what you can pay

Holiday knick-knacks stand are displayed for Christmas shoppers Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at a Lowes store in Northglenn, Colo. Add last-minute holiday shopping to the list of time-honored traditions being upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Retailers are kicking off the holiday season earlier than ever this year in hopes of avoiding big in-store crowds and shipping bottlenecks in November and December. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Commons finance committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Budget officer says federal wage-subsidy program may cost more this year than planned

Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux’s office says the figure for this year could be closer to $85.5 billion

Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Commons finance committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Goldsmith Lainey Rae won News Business of the Year at the annual Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards on Tuesday night. (Contributed photo)

Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce honours top businesses

Castle Beer and Wine Store named Business of the Year

Goldsmith Lainey Rae won News Business of the Year at the annual Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards on Tuesday night. (Contributed photo)
A kitten plays with the drawstrings on a sweatshirt as folks take part in Yoga with Cats on Mats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven on Saturday. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)

‘Low-intensity’ indoor fitness OK under B.C.’s revised COVID-19 orders

Light weightlifting, pilates, hatha yoga, low-intensity barre classes

A kitten plays with the drawstrings on a sweatshirt as folks take part in Yoga with Cats on Mats at the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven on Saturday. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)
B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth defends government actions in the legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)

ICBC applies for 15% rate decrease as lawyers pushed out

Resolution tribunal to determine most injury awards

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth defends government actions in the legislature, Feb. 19, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Chef Ken Nakano has taken over as the new executive chef at the Inn at Laurel Point. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

Culinary powerhouse taking over at Inn at Laurel Point

Chef Ken Nakano draws inspiration from childhood, Asian cuisine and local producers

Chef Ken Nakano has taken over as the new executive chef at the Inn at Laurel Point. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
BinBreeze co-founder Taylor McCarten pitched his product on Dragons’ Den during the Dec. 3 episode and walked away with a deal from Arlene Dickinson. (Screenshot)

Victoria compost stink solution snags last-second Dragons’ Den deal

BinBreeze offers a solution to smelly compost

BinBreeze co-founder Taylor McCarten pitched his product on Dragons’ Den during the Dec. 3 episode and walked away with a deal from Arlene Dickinson. (Screenshot)
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea made news earlier this summer by naming its new octopus Henry in honour of provincial health office Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Photo by Bob Orchard/Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea)

Shaw Centre for Salish in Sidney ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the future

Councillors praise facility for adapability in the face of the pandemic

The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea made news earlier this summer by naming its new octopus Henry in honour of provincial health office Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Photo by Bob Orchard/Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea)
Natasha Cloutier, Maria Porter, and Bonnie Harper say more people are coming into the Cloth Castle during COVID-19 to learn how to say or make quilts. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)

The ups and downs of business on the West Shore this COVID Christmas

More people staying home helps some local shops

Natasha Cloutier, Maria Porter, and Bonnie Harper say more people are coming into the Cloth Castle during COVID-19 to learn how to say or make quilts. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)
Robin Round, owner of the Valley’s Botanical Bliss Products, said the province’s decision to bar vendors selling non-food products from outdoor markets as a safety precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic is crushing her business, and others as well. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Non-food vendors ‘destroyed’ by banishment from B.C. farmers’ markets

‘They are…discriminating against the smallest of B.C. businesses under the guise of protecting us’

Robin Round, owner of the Valley’s Botanical Bliss Products, said the province’s decision to bar vendors selling non-food products from outdoor markets as a safety precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic is crushing her business, and others as well. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Harbour Air Seaplanes has signed on to the Climate Pledge with 30 other companies committing to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. (News Bulletin file photo)

Harbour Air signs Amazon pledge for net-zero emissions by 2040

Seaplane business joins 30 other companies pledging to meet Paris targets 10 years ahead of schedule

Harbour Air Seaplanes has signed on to the Climate Pledge with 30 other companies committing to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. (News Bulletin file photo)
Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)

B.C. tourism calls for ‘bridge’ relief to recover from COVID-19

Task force asks province for $95 million emergency fund

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon speaks in the B.C. legislature, describing work underway to make a small business and tourism aid package less restrictive, Dec. 10, 2020. (Hansard TV)
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada Carolyn Wilkins are seen during a news conference in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. The Bank of Canada will deliver a rate announcement today with observers watching if news about vaccines gives a shot in the arm to the bank’s outlook on the economy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Bank of Canada keeps key interest rate target on hold at 0.25%

The announcement marks the interest last rate decision the central bank will make this year

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem and Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada Carolyn Wilkins are seen during a news conference in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. The Bank of Canada will deliver a rate announcement today with observers watching if news about vaccines gives a shot in the arm to the bank’s outlook on the economy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A mobile app, from a small central Vancouver Island medical software company, gathers a cell phone’s GPS data that can be used for contact tracing when people are exposed to COVID-19. (Photo submitted)

Vancouver Island medical software company creates COVID-19 contact tracing app

Creators of GPS-based app say it could save lives at a critical time in the pandemic

A mobile app, from a small central Vancouver Island medical software company, gathers a cell phone’s GPS data that can be used for contact tracing when people are exposed to COVID-19. (Photo submitted)