Cobble Hill’s Pacific Homes & Pacific Truss is honouring 12 of its long-standing employees with service awards.
A statement from the company said the employees’ commitment and hard work have been instrumental in the success and growth of the business.
Darell Turcotte, Jim Symmons and Lloyd Rigler were honoured for 35 years of service to the company, which has been top-notch suppliers of custom prefabricated homes, trusses and building components for 65 years.
In addition, Chad Ruttan had worked for the company for 30 years, Paul Latter for 20 years, and Steve Fenwick for 15 years, while Darren Isaacson, Leif Peterson, Jan Schulze and Murray Clarke worked for the company for 10 years, and Kristen Kowalski and Hagen Los for five years.
Pacific Homes & Pacific Truss celebrated its employees’ achievements with a heartfelt barbecue event.
“We are incredibly proud of our employees who have dedicated their careers to Pacific Homes & Pacific Truss,” said Drayson Akhurst, the company’s general manager. “Their loyalty and hard work are the foundation of our success. Celebrating these milestones is our way of expressing our deepest gratitude for their commitment to our company.”
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Small Block Brewery, which has been in operation on Chaster Road, just south of Duncan, since 2018, closed its doors for good on June 16.
The brewery’s Facebook page simply said Small Block Brewery is “saying goodbye with heartfelt thanks to everybody who has supported us over our six years in business.
“We look forward to seeing you soon from your side of the bar somewhere, sometime….,” the statement said.
In 2022, the owners of Small Block Brewery signed a joint statement, along with a number of other Cowichan Valley restaurants, at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic calling on the province to end the pandemic restrictions that had badly impacted their businesses for years.
Aaron Scally, one of the owners of Small Block Brewery at the time, said the business had suffered for almost two years under the restrictions placed on the industry.
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Duncan’s Keith Granbois, CFO & VP Business Development at Nanaimo Airport and a dedicated board member of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce, has won the ACI North America Financial Professional of the Year Award in the Small Airport category.
A statement from Nanaimo Airport said this honour is a perfect reflection of Granbois’s remarkable dedication to excellence.
“Keith's journey to the awards ceremony in Aventura, Florida, was nothing short of heroic,” the statement said. “Amid record rains and severe flooding, Keith braved knee-high waters and navigated impassable roads to make it to the ceremony on foot, quite literally exemplifying the resilience and determination he gives to everything he does."
Granbois has significantly impacted Nanaimo Airport over the past six years.
He steered the airport through the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced innovative business systems, diversified revenue streams, and launched Canada's first airport pollinator garden. Granbois also played a key role in bringing Pacific Coastal Airlines to Nanaimo Airport and revitalizing the airport's marketing and community engagement.
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The organization representing 70 business districts and more than 55,000 businesses, including the Downtown Duncan Business Improvement Area, is surveying its members to identify key issues of concern that they intend to challenge political parties and candidates on, prior to the October provincial election.
The Business Improvement Areas of BC said restoring the health and vitality of B.C.’s business districts and neighbourhoods is essential and key to a thriving economy.
However, increasing layers of taxation, fees, regulations, and the impact of street disorder and vandalism are choking small and medium size businesses.
“The election on Oct. 19 is critically important and those seeking elected office and their respective parties must understand the issues that are of prime importance to small and medium size businesses throughout the province,” said Jeff Bray, president of BIABC.
“As candidates of different political stripes seek our support, we will in turn be challenging them to make commitments that support business districts and neighbourhoods, and British Columbia’s economic well-being.”
BIABC will be circulating questionnaires to each of the major political parties and their candidates, and establishing all-candidate opportunities to educate and identify those who share the same commitment to give the issues and potential solutions greater profile.
“Current circumstances require that our political parties be prepared to make bold policy choices in order to tackle the complex issues facing downtowns and main streets,” said Bray
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Peninsula Co-op is supporting Easter Seals BC & Yukon with a $100,000 contribution towards the Camp Shawnigan rebuild.
This $25 million transformation aims to create North America’s first year-round, purpose-built retreat for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, their families, and caregivers.
Peninsula Co-op has been a dedicated supporter of Camp Shawnigan since 2008, contributing more than $165,000 to ensure Vancouver Island families can benefit from this life-changing experience.
This visionary project will enable Easter Seals to deliver programs year-round, serve more people, and become a hub for leading-edge research and education.
Peninsula Co-op, a Vancouver Island cooperative with more than 120,000 member-owners, returns nearly $8 million annually to its members and contributes $500,000 to local initiatives each year.
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BC Association of Farmers’ Markets is inviting locals and tourists alike to tour, taste, and play at farmers’ market destinations across the province this summer, including Duncan, with the brand-new Tasting Passport mobile app.
The BC Farmers’ Market Tasting Passport lets people share their foodie experiences and local adventures and get rewarded for exploring communities across B.C.
The Tasting Passport App is the perfect companion for your next market visit, offering self-guided itineraries featuring go-to neighbourhood spots, including places like the best local farm-to-table restaurants, popular local values-based businesses, and free and accessible cultural attractions and activities.
Content for each taste-and-tour itinerary has been thoughtfully curated with support from local partners and Destination BC’s Co-operative Marketing Partnership Program.
"Enjoying local food and drink enriches the experience that travellers have when visiting B.C.,” said Alison McKay, vice-president of destination management at Destination BC.
"Having awe-inspiring local food and drink content to power up this innovative passport app from the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets is a great way to expand the opportunities for residents and visitors to explore and engage with the diverse food offerings in BC.”