Business

(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)

B.C. ski resorts prepare for holiday cancellations due to highway closures

Big White ski resort said over 70 holiday bookings have already been cancelled

Students learned about conservation techniques as well as tree trimming. (Supplied by Cindy Moyer)

Local arborist hoping to fill gap by training next generation of tree trimmers

Saunders says there’s not enough people trained on the island who can do the work

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains takes questions about his decision to keep secret-ballot votes for union certification, as demanded by the B.C. Green Party, Nov. 20, 2019. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

Pandemic-battered B.C. small businesses say they can’t afford sick pay

Labour minister says 5 days reflects average usage of paid leave

Shoppers wait in line at an electronics store in Calgary, Alta., Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, amid a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Black Friday arrives with little fanfare as stores launch sales ahead of retail event

Supply chain concerns have changed the nature of holiday shopping

Shoppers wait in line at an electronics store in Calgary, Alta., Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, amid a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
BC Ferries reported record high vehicle traffic in its second quarter ending Sept. 30, 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)

BC Ferries reports record-breaking summer vehicle traffic in quarterly results

Vehicle traffic up 3 per cent from pre-COVID times in quarter ending Sept. 30

BC Ferries reported record high vehicle traffic in its second quarter ending Sept. 30, 2021. (Black Press Media file photo)
Crews started seeding the seaweed farm Sidney-based Cascadia Seaweed is planting in partnership with Tsawout First Nation off James Island on Tuesday morning. (Photo courtesy of Cascadia Seaweed)

PHOTOS: Crews begin planting seaweed farm off James Island

Partnership between Tsawout First Nation and Sidney-based Cascadia Seaweed

Crews started seeding the seaweed farm Sidney-based Cascadia Seaweed is planting in partnership with Tsawout First Nation off James Island on Tuesday morning. (Photo courtesy of Cascadia Seaweed)
Art pieces, tasteful Christmas decorations and stylings can be found this month at Coast Collective’s Gifts and Wishes holiday showcase of art and fine craft. (Courtesy of Coast Collective)

Holiday shopping transforms Pendray House in Colwood

Coast Collective’s annual Gifts and Wishes show runs Nov. 27 and 28

Art pieces, tasteful Christmas decorations and stylings can be found this month at Coast Collective’s Gifts and Wishes holiday showcase of art and fine craft. (Courtesy of Coast Collective)
People pass a large Christmas tree as they go shopping on Christmas Eve at a mall in Ottawa, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020. A Retail Council of Canada survey says Canadians are planning to spend more this holiday season as they prepare to return to stores a year after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many to shop online. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Canadians to spend big on holidays, return to shopping malls, multiple surveys find

Accenture: Canadians will spend an average of $635 in 2021, an increase of more than 23 per cent

People pass a large Christmas tree as they go shopping on Christmas Eve at a mall in Ottawa, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020. A Retail Council of Canada survey says Canadians are planning to spend more this holiday season as they prepare to return to stores a year after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many to shop online. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce will pick up the shipping for more than 100 member businesses up until Black Friday. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria chamber picking up the cost of shipping for members until Dec. 25

Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce will fund as much as $50,000 to entice local shopping

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce will pick up the shipping for more than 100 member businesses up until Black Friday. (Black Press Media file photo)
Logging trucks head down Highway 1 through Hope to join a convoy of drivers from across B.C. who were heading into Vancouver on Sept. 25, 2019. to protest provincial forestry policy. (Jessica Peters/Hope Standard)

U.S. doubles softwood lumber ‘dumping’ duties on B.C. producers

Minister says issues in trade dispute will be appealed again

Logging trucks head down Highway 1 through Hope to join a convoy of drivers from across B.C. who were heading into Vancouver on Sept. 25, 2019. to protest provincial forestry policy. (Jessica Peters/Hope Standard)
Pumpjacks are shown pumping crude oil near Halkirk, Alta., on June 20, 2007. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal

Alta. oilpatch recruiting in Maritimes again as drilling set to rise in 2022

6,457 oil and gas wells expected to be drilled in 2022, a more than 25 per cent increase from 2021

Pumpjacks are shown pumping crude oil near Halkirk, Alta., on June 20, 2007. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal
B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains. (Hansard TV)

B.C. requires 5 days a year of paid sick days starting in 2022

New program replaces temporary 3-day government payments

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains. (Hansard TV)
B.C. Forests Minister Katrine Conroy is leading an overhaul of the B.C.’s Crown forest management. (Hansard TV)

B.C.’s sweeping forest changes pushed through over MLA objections

Business leaders protest potential mill, value added job losses

B.C. Forests Minister Katrine Conroy is leading an overhaul of the B.C.’s Crown forest management. (Hansard TV)
Mastermind Toys CEO Sarah Jordan poses in this November 2021 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Mastermind Toys

Depth of Black Friday discounts depends on resiliency of retailers’ supply chains

Analyst says retailers may back off on on discounts because they don’t have the inventory

Mastermind Toys CEO Sarah Jordan poses in this November 2021 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Mastermind Toys
Edward Rogers, Chairman of Rogers Communications, is shown before the start of the CRTC hearing looking into the merge of the two communication companies in Gatineau, Quebec, on Monday November 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

Telus says Rogers takeover of Shaw would harm competition, urges CRTC to reject

‘This will greatly reduce competition and consumer choice, and impoverish the diversity of voices’

Edward Rogers, Chairman of Rogers Communications, is shown before the start of the CRTC hearing looking into the merge of the two communication companies in Gatineau, Quebec, on Monday November 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand
Nurse Iciar Bercian prepares a shot at a vaccine clinic in Calgary on June 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Alberta apartment building owner hopes to set precedent with vaccine requirement

Strategic says it’s first major landlord in Canada to implement a vaccine requirement for new tenants

Nurse Iciar Bercian prepares a shot at a vaccine clinic in Calgary on June 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Holiday shoppers check on discounts at Lush, a cosmetics store at Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. THCANADIAN PRESS/AP-Tatiana Flowers

Lush Cosmetics to deactivate Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat accounts

Co-founder: ‘overwhelming evidence we are being put at risk when using social media’

Holiday shoppers check on discounts at Lush, a cosmetics store at Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver, Colo. on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017. THCANADIAN PRESS/AP-Tatiana Flowers
Deltaport coal shipping facilities at Tsawwassen, where U.S. thermal coal is shipped to Asia as well as metallurgical coal from B.C. mines in the Kootenay and Northeast regions. (Port Metro Vancouver)

B.C. deficit shrinks as economy, taxation recovery continues

Real estate, coal and copper up, flood costs still unknown

Deltaport coal shipping facilities at Tsawwassen, where U.S. thermal coal is shipped to Asia as well as metallurgical coal from B.C. mines in the Kootenay and Northeast regions. (Port Metro Vancouver)
Amelia Warren, Epicure CEO, stands outside the company’s warehouse and offices in North Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)

North Saanich’s Epicure CEO named to top 40 under 40 list

Amelia Warren recognized with leadership award honouring achievement by those under the age of 40

Amelia Warren, Epicure CEO, stands outside the company’s warehouse and offices in North Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)
Ian Conn, left, Duncan Blackman, Langford Mayor Stew Young, Dale Gann and Adrian Jones raise a glass at the opening of the Millstream Beverage Company on Nov. 12. (Supplied by Leanna Moss/Ironwood Studio)

Langford gets new watering hole, brewery

Millstream Beverage Company is next to the Loghouse Pub in their old brewery space

Ian Conn, left, Duncan Blackman, Langford Mayor Stew Young, Dale Gann and Adrian Jones raise a glass at the opening of the Millstream Beverage Company on Nov. 12. (Supplied by Leanna Moss/Ironwood Studio)