Local Business

A Nexii roof panel is lifted during construction of a Starbucks in Abbotsford. Alexzi Building Solutions will be building a manufacturing plant in Langford or North Cowichan to produce the sustainable construction panels. (Photo courtesy of Alexzi Building Solutions)

Langford eyed for facility to make green building alternative to concrete

Langford, North Cowichan possible sites for plant to create sustainable construction panels

NEW CUTLINE Payphone use is declining dramatically. (Black Press Files) One of the last remaining street payphones in Kelowna. (Photo: Mackenzie Britton/Capital News)

Last call approaches for payphones?

Mobile phones diminishing need

Knappett Projects field staff. (Photo courtesy of B.C. Construction Association)

Victoria worker honoured for commitment to COVID safety

Safety manager Cori Coutts has helped to keep Knappett Projects jobsites COVID-free

B.C.’s construction industry continues to be the No. 1 employer in B.C.’s goods sector, with more than 219,500 people relying directly on construction for a paycheque. (Black Press Media file photo)

Survey shows B.C. construction industry building career opportunities

Estimated 11,331 construction jobs in B.C. will go unfilled by 2030 due to labour shortages

B.C.’s construction industry continues to be the No. 1 employer in B.C.’s goods sector, with more than 219,500 people relying directly on construction for a paycheque. (Black Press Media file photo)
Town of Sidney municipal hall (Black Press Media file photo)

Cannabis shop drops bid for Sidney storefront, will focus on Victoria sites

President of Jima Retail Corp. had previously considered legal action

Town of Sidney municipal hall (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke resident Lesa Cro started up a new pet waste removal business. Cro goes to yards in the region, removes all of the waste and then composts it, so that it doesn’t go into landfills. (Dawn Gibson/News Staff)

New pet poop-scooping business picks up in Sooke

Poop No More service taking the ‘dirty work’ out of lawn cleaning

  • Apr 18, 2021
Sooke resident Lesa Cro started up a new pet waste removal business. Cro goes to yards in the region, removes all of the waste and then composts it, so that it doesn’t go into landfills. (Dawn Gibson/News Staff)
A micro brewery is being eyed for Jordan River. However, the site where the brewery is proposed still needs to go through the rezoning process. (Black Press Media file)

Micro brewery proposed for Jordan River

Jordan River Brewing Company envisions to build wholesale, sit-in brewery along Highway 14

  • Apr 17, 2021
A micro brewery is being eyed for Jordan River. However, the site where the brewery is proposed still needs to go through the rezoning process. (Black Press Media file)
Local carpenter Tyler Bohn embarked on a quest to create the East Sooke Treehouse, after seeing people build similar structures on a Discovery Channel show. (East Sooke Treehouse Facebook photo)

East Sooke carpenter builds the ultimate tree fort

East Sooke Treehouse takes flight as an Airbnb

  • Apr 17, 2021
Local carpenter Tyler Bohn embarked on a quest to create the East Sooke Treehouse, after seeing people build similar structures on a Discovery Channel show. (East Sooke Treehouse Facebook photo)
Hamels Fabrics & Quilting is set to open on April 6 in Sooke. The shop is located at 2044 Otter Point Road. (Mark Martins/Pixabay)

Fabric and quilting store opens doors in Sooke

Shop is filled with all kinds of ‘bright, bold and cheery’ designs

Hamels Fabrics & Quilting is set to open on April 6 in Sooke. The shop is located at 2044 Otter Point Road. (Mark Martins/Pixabay)
The Downtown Business Association announced a $60,000 grant program April 6 for businesses hit by vandalism in 2021. (Courtesy of Victoria Police Department)

$60,000 grant program announced for vandalized Victoria businesses

Businesses hit during 2021 are eligible for grants up to $1,000

The Downtown Business Association announced a $60,000 grant program April 6 for businesses hit by vandalism in 2021. (Courtesy of Victoria Police Department)
Find a sunny spot for a rosé. (Zoë Ducklow/News Staff)

Website helps patrons find patios for dining on Vancouver Island

Indoor dining closure and the onset of spring created a need for a patio locator

  • Apr 5, 2021
Find a sunny spot for a rosé. (Zoë Ducklow/News Staff)
Julie Angus, CEO of Open Ocean Robotics, is the winner of the 2021 B.C. Cleantech Industry Icon award. (Photo: Open Ocean Robotics)

Saanich-based robotics company charting new course for ocean exploration with autonomous boats

Open Ocean Robotics sees endless opportunities in their solar-power, remote-operated vessels

Julie Angus, CEO of Open Ocean Robotics, is the winner of the 2021 B.C. Cleantech Industry Icon award. (Photo: Open Ocean Robotics)
Early reviews indicate Heathen Smokehouse, Colin Stann’s Langford-based business, is off to a great start. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)

Gourmet products smoking good for Langford man’s PTSD

Post traumatic stress disorder follows career in corrections

Early reviews indicate Heathen Smokehouse, Colin Stann’s Langford-based business, is off to a great start. (Rick Stiebel/News Staff)
New figures from Statistics Canada show online retail continues to boom, while traditional retailers recorded significant declines in January 2021. (File photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Online retail sales up more than 100% in January 2021 year-over-year

Sales at non-essential retailers such as clothing stores dropped significantly in January

New figures from Statistics Canada show online retail continues to boom, while traditional retailers recorded significant declines in January 2021. (File photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)
The Cyr family has run Bee Canadian, a small business that has sold and rented mason bees from their Oyster River farm for seven years. (Photo courtesy Bee Canadian)

Island company rents out 135,000 mason bees despite impacts of COVID-19 restrictions

Bee Canadian delivers pollinators to renters in pandemic-friendly fashion

The Cyr family has run Bee Canadian, a small business that has sold and rented mason bees from their Oyster River farm for seven years. (Photo courtesy Bee Canadian)
Eric Taccogna (left), Justin Kopetzki, Adam Conlin co-own Victoria-based Justo’s Craft Dips – a finalist in two Small Business BC Awards. (Courtesy Justo’s Craft Dips)

Victoria craft dip company a finalist in two Small Business BC Award categories

Young entrepreneurs behind Justo’s Craft Dips focus on sustainability, positivity

  • Mar 27, 2021
Eric Taccogna (left), Justin Kopetzki, Adam Conlin co-own Victoria-based Justo’s Craft Dips – a finalist in two Small Business BC Awards. (Courtesy Justo’s Craft Dips)
Langford Mayor Stew Young says earning a BC Economic Development Association award is good news for the city. (Screenshot/City of Langford)

Langford earns another nod for economic development

I am Langford campaign wins award for economic recovery and resiliency

Langford Mayor Stew Young says earning a BC Economic Development Association award is good news for the city. (Screenshot/City of Langford)
Supporting local was made easier last year by a Victoria-based online site that allowed shoppers to purchase gift cards online. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria initiative sells nearly $1 million in local business gift cards

Support Local BC lets people purchase local gift cards in one online space

Supporting local was made easier last year by a Victoria-based online site that allowed shoppers to purchase gift cards online. (Black Press Media file photo)
The attractiveness of Colwood as a place to set up or expand a business will be among the points discussed at an online roundtable panel discussion March 30. (Facebook/City of Colwood)

Colwood hosting prosperity roundtable online March 30

Entrepreneurs, developers encouraged to offer input, learn how city can help their business thrive

The attractiveness of Colwood as a place to set up or expand a business will be among the points discussed at an online roundtable panel discussion March 30. (Facebook/City of Colwood)
Oak Bay officers are investigating a reported fraud after a woman noticed a charge on her credit card for just over $4,000 on March 11. (Black Press Media file photo)

Credit card fraud worth over $4,000, stolen stepping stones and more reported in Oak Bay last week

Oak Bay police also warning about vaccine phone scams

Oak Bay officers are investigating a reported fraud after a woman noticed a charge on her credit card for just over $4,000 on March 11. (Black Press Media file photo)