Business

Debbie Simmonds outside the exp Realty office on Willow Street in Chemainus. (File photo by Don Bodger)

Chemainus realtor urges those needing to sell their houses to act fast

Market conditions changing rapidly with interest rate hikes

 

A worker organizes chairs and tables on the patio of a restaurant on College St., Toronto, Thursday, October 28, 2021. Restaurants across Canada are cutting back hours and tightening up menus as persistent labour shortages and spiking costs threaten to derail the industry’s comeback from crushing pandemic restrictions.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Eduardo Lima

‘We just don’t have enough workers:’ Restaurants rocked by labour shortage, inflation

Workers pushing back against long hours, unstable schedules and low pay

 

Long-time treasure hunter Werner Streicek shows off a bit of gold he discovered. He and his daughters are set to begin their first full season of mining in the Cariboo region starting this summer. (Adam Louis/Observer)

Harrison Hot Springs treasure hunter eyes gold in the Cariboo region

Werner Streicek will rely on decades of mining experience to create legacy for family

 

Peter Ducommun, owner of Canada’s oldest skateboarding store, recently opened a new location in Qualicum Beach. (Kevin Forsyth photo)

Owner of Canada’s oldest skateboard shop sets up shop in one of Canada’s oldest towns

‘PD’ aims to stage vintage skateboard and bike exhibitions in Qualicum Beach

Peter Ducommun, owner of Canada’s oldest skateboarding store, recently opened a new location in Qualicum Beach. (Kevin Forsyth photo)
Rocklin Broad, 11, hand-carves wooden wands out of sticks he finds in his backyard in Lake Country. He's now selling them for $10 apiece, and the response to his hobby turned business has been overwhelming. (Submitted photo)

The boy who carved: Lake Country kid’s handcrafted wands in high demand

Rocklin Broad’s hobby has turned into a booming business overnight with more than 50 order requests in a day

Rocklin Broad, 11, hand-carves wooden wands out of sticks he finds in his backyard in Lake Country. He's now selling them for $10 apiece, and the response to his hobby turned business has been overwhelming. (Submitted photo)
Peter and Lori Stofko Photography by Lia Crowe

Taking care of business

Denver to Victoria for Lori and Peter Stofko

  • May 6, 2022
Peter and Lori Stofko Photography by Lia Crowe
A bobby separates the outgoing and the incoming of the famous Magpies business in Chemainus, Jeff Knadle and Liz Fincham on the left and Cath and Steve Scanlan on the right. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Magpies business absorbed into the Blue Orchard

Scanlan expands her space within The Public Market in Chemainus with purchase

A bobby separates the outgoing and the incoming of the famous Magpies business in Chemainus, Jeff Knadle and Liz Fincham on the left and Cath and Steve Scanlan on the right. (Photo by Don Bodger)
For Mother’s Day, people are pretty open to a beautiful bouquet in a variety of blooms as long as it’s nice, bright and cheerful, says one Saanich Peninsula floral supplier. That’s a good thing with weather and supply chain shortages. (Courtesy Eurosa Gardens)

Vancouver Island floral experts get you ready for Mother’s Day

Flowers in abundance for Mother’s Day but now is the time to order

For Mother’s Day, people are pretty open to a beautiful bouquet in a variety of blooms as long as it’s nice, bright and cheerful, says one Saanich Peninsula floral supplier. That’s a good thing with weather and supply chain shortages. (Courtesy Eurosa Gardens)
Lance and Chase Beaudoin

Life. style.etc.

Lance and Chase Beaudoin

  • Apr 27, 2022
Lance and Chase Beaudoin
Donna Verlaan portrait by Lia Crowe photography

Secrets and Lives

with Donna Verlaan

  • Apr 25, 2022
Donna Verlaan portrait by Lia Crowe photography
The Hudson’s Bay Company heritage building in Winnipeg is photographed Thursday, April 21, 2022. One of the landmark stores formerly run by the Hudson’s Bay Co. is about to undergo a major transformation in the name of reconciliation with Indigenous people. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Hudson’s Bay Co. calls donation of Winnipeg building an act of reconciliation

Company set to transfer what was one of its flagship stores to a First Nations group

The Hudson’s Bay Company heritage building in Winnipeg is photographed Thursday, April 21, 2022. One of the landmark stores formerly run by the Hudson’s Bay Co. is about to undergo a major transformation in the name of reconciliation with Indigenous people. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition March 9, 2020, in Washington. Musk’s lawyer says a federal judge would trample on the Tesla CEO’s free speech rights if he ordered Musk to stop talking about 2018 tweets saying he had the funding to make Tesla a private company. In a court document filed Wednesday, April 20, 2022, Lawyer Alex Spiro says a motion from a group of Tesla shareholders seeking a gag order doesn’t establish that Musk’s comments will prejudice the pool of jurors who may hear the case. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Judge rejects gag order in suit over 2018 Elon Musk tweets

Lawyers have argued Musk is trying to influence potential jurors

Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition March 9, 2020, in Washington. Musk’s lawyer says a federal judge would trample on the Tesla CEO’s free speech rights if he ordered Musk to stop talking about 2018 tweets saying he had the funding to make Tesla a private company. In a court document filed Wednesday, April 20, 2022, Lawyer Alex Spiro says a motion from a group of Tesla shareholders seeking a gag order doesn’t establish that Musk’s comments will prejudice the pool of jurors who may hear the case. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Monorail tracks and concrete pilings lead into contemporary hotel under construction at Walt Disney World July 7, 1971 Orlando, Florida. The idea was presented to Florida lawmakers in a movie house outside Orlando, Florida 55 years ago: Let Disney form its own government and in exchange it would create a futuristic city of tomorrow. (AP Photo/SDS)

Florida Senate passes bill to end Disney self-government

Proposal could have huge tax implications for Disney which transformed Orlando into a destination

Monorail tracks and concrete pilings lead into contemporary hotel under construction at Walt Disney World July 7, 1971 Orlando, Florida. The idea was presented to Florida lawmakers in a movie house outside Orlando, Florida 55 years ago: Let Disney form its own government and in exchange it would create a futuristic city of tomorrow. (AP Photo/SDS)
Aly Jiwani - Lia Crowe photograph

Full throttle ahead

Aly Jiwani turns a love of cars into top sales and leadership roles

  • Apr 20, 2022
Aly Jiwani - Lia Crowe photograph
This Aug. 13, 2020, photo shows a logo for Netflix on a remote control in Portland, Ore. Netflix’s video streaming service suffered the first loss in worldwide subscribers in its history, leading to a massive sell-off of its shares. The company’s customer base fell by 200,000 subscribers during the January-March period, according to a quarterly report released Tuesday, April 19, 2022; its stock dropped by 23% in after-market trading. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, file)

Netflix shares drop 25% after service loses 200K subscribers

Projecting a loss of another 2 million subscribers during April-June period

This Aug. 13, 2020, photo shows a logo for Netflix on a remote control in Portland, Ore. Netflix’s video streaming service suffered the first loss in worldwide subscribers in its history, leading to a massive sell-off of its shares. The company’s customer base fell by 200,000 subscribers during the January-March period, according to a quarterly report released Tuesday, April 19, 2022; its stock dropped by 23% in after-market trading. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, file)
FILE - Vancouver businessman David Sidoo leaves following his federal court hearing March 15, 2019 in a nationwide college admissions cheating scheme in Boston. Sidoo is now accused in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme dating between 2013 and 2018. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via AP, File)

B.C. businessman David Sidoo accused in $145 million US ‘pump-and-dump’ scheme

U.S. SEC alleges former CFL player worked in multi-player ring to trick investors out of millions

FILE - Vancouver businessman David Sidoo leaves following his federal court hearing March 15, 2019 in a nationwide college admissions cheating scheme in Boston. Sidoo is now accused in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme dating between 2013 and 2018. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via AP, File)
The company logo graces one of the doors of a delivery van for Amazon Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Denver. Amazon said Wednesday, April 13, 2022 it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the retailer’s fulfillment services as the company faces rising costs. The company said in an announcement on its website that the added fees will take effect on April 28 and are subject to change. Federal data released Tuesday showed inflation hit 8.5% in March, its fastest pace in more than 40 years. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

Amazon adds 5% ‘fuel and inflation surcharge’ to seller fees

Seattle-based company notes added fees take effect April 28

The company logo graces one of the doors of a delivery van for Amazon Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Denver. Amazon said Wednesday, April 13, 2022 it will add a 5% “fuel and inflation surcharge” to fees it charges third-party sellers who use the retailer’s fulfillment services as the company faces rising costs. The company said in an announcement on its website that the added fees will take effect on April 28 and are subject to change. Federal data released Tuesday showed inflation hit 8.5% in March, its fastest pace in more than 40 years. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)
Darren Morcom - Lia Crowe photograph

At your service

Financial planner Darren Morcom and his passion for helping others

  • Apr 13, 2022
Darren Morcom - Lia Crowe photograph
A Harbour Ferry Taxi cruises through the inner Harbour as two Victoria Clipper vessels pass each other. Clipper service is set to return to Victoria April 15. (Black Press Media file photo)

Clipper ferries set to connect Victoria and Seattle again come mid-April

Tickets available now for ferry service after long pandemic-related hiatus

A Harbour Ferry Taxi cruises through the inner Harbour as two Victoria Clipper vessels pass each other. Clipper service is set to return to Victoria April 15. (Black Press Media file photo)
Buzz Coffee House, the scene of a “random” homicide last month, is set to re-open on Saturday, March 26. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Nanaimo coffee shop set to re-open, a month and a half after ‘shock’ of homicide

79-year-old employee killed in what RCMP called a “random” incident Feb. 13

Buzz Coffee House, the scene of a “random” homicide last month, is set to re-open on Saturday, March 26. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)