Business

Now a welder, Alicia Johnstone has been pursuing a career in trades since the age of 20. However, only four per cent of welders across Canada were female, according to 2022 statistics. Photo courtesy Alicia Johnstone/Instagram

Vancouver Island woman has battled sexism, adversity in building welding career

Despite numbers increasing, tradeswomen numbers still relatively low.

A forest of seaweed floats in the ocean. Synergraze Sustainable Agriculture and T’Sou-ke Nation have partnered to develop a process for turning seaweed into an additive for cattle feed. Still, it hasn’t come without controversy in East Sooke. (Shutterstock)

Island chief defends seaweed cow-fart reduction project as ‘environmentally friendly’

T’Sou-ke Synergraze plan to make methane-reducing cattle feed additive faces environmental criticism

François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry speaks at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference regarding the future of critical metals and investing in Canada in Toronto, Monday, March 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Liberals introduce legislation to create a corporate ownership registry

Goal is easier identification of owners of corporations tied to financial malfeasance

Travis Butler, president of Butler Concrete and Aggregate, says reducing the environmental impact during the production of their products is a priority. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)

Green concrete? Island company casting smaller environmental shadow with new tech

Butler Concrete cementing a greener way to build for western Canada

Travis Butler, president of Butler Concrete and Aggregate, says reducing the environmental impact during the production of their products is a priority. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)
Teresa Ludvigson of the Alberni Valley Hospice accepts the proceeds of the Gnome from Home from Westcoast Home Hardware owners Jan and Karen Lavertu. (FACEBOOK PHOTO)

BIZ BEAT: New hair salon opens in South Port

See what else is new in the Port Alberni business community…

Teresa Ludvigson of the Alberni Valley Hospice accepts the proceeds of the Gnome from Home from Westcoast Home Hardware owners Jan and Karen Lavertu. (FACEBOOK PHOTO)
Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez prepares to appear before the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications on Bill C-11 in the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. The bill, also known as the Online Streaming Act, is one of several problematic Canadian initiatives tech leaders in the U.S. want President Joe Biden to raise with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Take hard line on Canada’s digital tax, online laws, tech associations urge Biden

Online Streaming Act, Online News Act troubling for American industry coalition

Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez prepares to appear before the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications on Bill C-11 in the Senate of Canada Building in Ottawa on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. The bill, also known as the Online Streaming Act, is one of several problematic Canadian initiatives tech leaders in the U.S. want President Joe Biden to raise with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Women from the We Wai Kai First Nation danced during a blessing ceremony for the new Starbucks store to be built at the Quinsam Reserve. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

Canada’s first Indigenous-owned licensed Starbucks to open on Vancouver Island

‘We just knew we needed to take a shot’ — We Wai Kai Chief Ronnie Chickite

Women from the We Wai Kai First Nation danced during a blessing ceremony for the new Starbucks store to be built at the Quinsam Reserve. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror
Harjit Sajjan speaks with a reporter during an interview in Ottawa on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Feds spend $26M on growth and innovation of Vancouver-based companies

Funds to assist development of power drills and virtual reality, among other advancements

Harjit Sajjan speaks with a reporter during an interview in Ottawa on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
A Nordstrom department store is shown at Sherway Gardens in Toronto on Thursday, March 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Nordstrom Canada to begin liquidation Tuesday after receiving court’s permission

Court: Nordstrom facing difficult time, but process unfolding in a very cooperative manner

A Nordstrom department store is shown at Sherway Gardens in Toronto on Thursday, March 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Scott Thompson, founder of Mad Laboratory Distilling, works to keep grains moving from a hopper as they are fed to a mash tank while steam rises from a still being cleaned at the distillery, in Vancouver, on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Mad Lab switched to produce hand sanitizer during the pandemic but is now back to full-time production of alcoholic beverages.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

How did these companies survive the pitfalls of the pandemic pivot?

Many who turned to produce hand sanitizer, PPE in 2020 have struggled to transition back

Scott Thompson, founder of Mad Laboratory Distilling, works to keep grains moving from a hopper as they are fed to a mash tank while steam rises from a still being cleaned at the distillery, in Vancouver, on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Mad Lab switched to produce hand sanitizer during the pandemic but is now back to full-time production of alcoholic beverages.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive is shown at the main CP Rail train yard in Toronto on Monday, March 21, 2022. Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. says it will officially combine with Kansas City Southern Railway Co. on April 14 under a new name, Canadian Pacific Kansas City.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

CP Rail, Kansas City Southern Rail to combine next month after U.S. approval

$31B U.S. deal creates the only railway stretching from Canada through to the U.S. and Mexico

A Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive is shown at the main CP Rail train yard in Toronto on Monday, March 21, 2022. Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. says it will officially combine with Kansas City Southern Railway Co. on April 14 under a new name, Canadian Pacific Kansas City.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
file photo

Businesses expect slower sales in short term as cost, labour issues persist: survey

Canadian Chamber of Commerce research shows one-third of companies expect to raise prices

file photo
Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File

T-Mobile acquires Mint, partially owned by Ryan Reynolds

Mint Mobile, partly owned by actor Ryan Reynolds, is being acquired by…

Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File
A fire, set in diapers in the Nanaimo Walmart, closed the store for five days in February and caused tens of thousands of merchandise items, including food, to be tossed in the garbage, according to a statement from Walmart Canada. (News Bulletin file photo)

Walmart reports ‘tens of thousands of items’ destroyed after Nanaimo diaper fire

Food spoiled, baby essentials ruined in ‘dangerous and shameful’ arson incident last month

A fire, set in diapers in the Nanaimo Walmart, closed the store for five days in February and caused tens of thousands of merchandise items, including food, to be tossed in the garbage, according to a statement from Walmart Canada. (News Bulletin file photo)
Used medical masks overflow a waste bin at the University of Calgary Medical Clinics in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Rise and fall of Canada’s domestic PPE market blamed on government policy

‘We’ve got an industry that is just running on fumes’

Used medical masks overflow a waste bin at the University of Calgary Medical Clinics in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Aerial view of Kelowna. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

A new way to travel: Vancouver-based company opens marketplace for private flights

Airble partners with air operators for flexible air travel options

  • Mar 16, 2023
Aerial view of Kelowna. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)
Black Press Media File

Honda recalling 500,000 vehicles to fix seat belt problem

Honda is recalling a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because…

Black Press Media File
FILE - Ryan Reynolds arrives at the 36th annual American Cinematheque Awards, Nov. 17, 2022, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile announced Wednesday, March 15, 2023, that it is buying prepaid wireless brand Mint Mobile, in which actor Ryan Reynolds is a part owner, as part of a cash-and-stock deal worth up to $1.35 billion. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

T-Mobile acquires Mint, partially owned by Ryan Reynolds, in $1.35 billion deal

Reynolds to retain his role with Mint as part of the U.S. wireless deal

FILE - Ryan Reynolds arrives at the 36th annual American Cinematheque Awards, Nov. 17, 2022, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile announced Wednesday, March 15, 2023, that it is buying prepaid wireless brand Mint Mobile, in which actor Ryan Reynolds is a part owner, as part of a cash-and-stock deal worth up to $1.35 billion. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
The Canadian Real Estate Association is about to release the February numbers. A sold sign is shown in front of west-end Toronto homes Sunday, April 9, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

Canadian home sales drop 40 per cent in February compared with year ago

February sales were comparable to what was recorded during the same month in 2018 and 2019

The Canadian Real Estate Association is about to release the February numbers. A sold sign is shown in front of west-end Toronto homes Sunday, April 9, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
In this Aug. 27, 2019 photo, the Best Buy logo is shown on a store in Richfield, Minn. Best Buy announced plans to lay off about 700 employees in Canada in January. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

These companies have laid off Canadian workers in 2023

A wave of layoffs in 2022, which left thousands of Canadian workers…

In this Aug. 27, 2019 photo, the Best Buy logo is shown on a store in Richfield, Minn. Best Buy announced plans to lay off about 700 employees in Canada in January. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)