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(News Release) VICTORIA – Installation is complete for the 38 kW solar grid-tied photovoltaic system designed for the newly constructed Dr. David Suzuki Public School. The new solar system was engineered and installed by Canadian-based solar integrator, Carmanah Technologies (TSX: CMH) for the Greater Essex County District School Board of Windsor, Ontario, who received funding for the solar project through the Government of Ontario. Capable of delivering up to 10 per cent of the facility’s total energy needs, the new solar PV system is expected to serve as both a sustainable, revenue-generating power source as well as a functional learning tool for up to 500 students returning to classes in the fall. The new 58,000 square foot Public School, named after internationally renowned environmentalist, Dr. David Suzuki, is a standing demonstration of environmental design for the architectural and engineering community. The addition of the grid-tied solar PV system is supporting the School’s application for LEED (Leadership in Environmental Engineering and Design) Platinum-level certification, the nation’s highest level of certification for green building design. If the application is approved, the Dr. David Suzuki Public School would be the first school in Canada to receive the environmental honor.
 
Ted Lattimore, Carmanah CEO, comments that the interest in solar PV systems for Ontario school facilities is on the rise. “Solar technology presents a sustainable revenue-generating tool for Ontario school boards as well as a learning occasion for students, staff and community. Our systems include sophisticated monitoring software which allows both the Board and the public to view the systems’ performance and output on an interactive website. The opportunity for education in sustainable energy generation is therefore immediate and accessible.”
 
By including sustainable technology early in the building design process, the Greater Essex County District School Board hopes to incorporate the new technologies in both student academia and culture; the School is providing information kiosks throughout the building and a website that will inform students and guests about the energy and environmental technologies being employed.  “We believe it is important to teach children about alternative energy sources as well as energy conservation,” stated Giuliana Hinchliffe, Coordinator of Engineering, Facility Services Department, Greater Essex County District School Board.
 
The Greater Essex County School Board expects to activate the new Carmanah solar PV system as soon as the Ontario Power Authority Feed-In-Tariff process is complete. The OPA FIT program will reimburse the School Board for every kWh the solar system produces.
 
About Carmanah Technologies Corporation
As Canada’s largest and most successful name in commercial photovoltaic projects, Carmanah has designed and installed more grid-tied solar power systems than any other integrator or contractor in Canada. Working directly with more than a dozen Ontario LDCs, including Hydro One, Whitby Hydro, Enersource, Powerstream, Toronto Hydro, Ottawa Hydro, and Enwin (Windsor), Carmanah has been entrusted with providing grid-tied solar PV systems for the City of Toronto Police Services and the Toronto Parking Authority facility under funding by the Ontario Government Feed In Tariff (FIT) Program. Carmanah is a publicly traded company, with common shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CMH”. For more information, visit www.carmanah.com.
 
About Greater Essex County District School Board
The Greater Essex County District School Board, in partnership with the community, provides learning opportunities which support, challenge, and inspire all students to achieve their full potential and enable them to participate meaningfully in their communities. With support from the Government of Ontario, the Greater Essex County District School Board of Windsor, Ontario, has upgraded many existing school facilities and opened four new elementary schools, as well as currently being in the design/construction phase of two additional elementary schools and one secondary school.

(News Release) VICTORIA – Third year UVic linguistics student Brittney O’Neill is this year’s winner of the Irving K. Barber Premier’s One World Scholarship worth $20,000. She’ll spend the next two terms at the East China Normal University in Shanghai taking Mandarin language classes and exploring the Chinese metropolis.

O’Neill studied French in high school in Fort St. John but switched to Mandarin when she came to UVic because “it’s a growing language and would be very useful to know.” She’s drawn to “obscure” languages such as old Irish and likes “dabbling” in Icelandic. O’Neill is also a huge fan of ballroom dancing, an interest sparked after attending a barn dance in Fort St. John. She divided her summer between academic and dance classes.

News Release (VICTORIA) – Only months after opening a downtown warehouse space on Store Street in Victoria, Monarch Furnishings (www.monarchfurnishings.com) has opened a wholesale division to distribute their exclusive solid timber designs throughout Western Canada. Trendy contemporary furniture stores in Vancouver and the well known Flying Fish in Nanaimo are already stocking the unique designs and the number of designs is expected to expand in the coming months.

“Since opening Monarch Furnishings five years ago it has been in the back of our mind to move into the wholesale business and opening our warehouse space was another step towards achieving that,” says Tony Martin, owner, Monarch Furnishings. “The trend right now is very much about solid wood furniture that is sourced in an ecologically sustainable way. More and more people are seeking unique pieces that they can also feel good about buying.”

The furniture comes from Central Java, Indonesia, and is made of hand crafted designs chosen by Monarch Furnishings owners. Furnishings available include a mix for every room in the house including dining and coffee tables, bookshelves, side tables and consoles, bed settings and other accessories. The furniture is modern and contemporary. Products are selected for uniqueness of design, quality and functionality.  

Monarch maintains exclusivity agreements with suppliers and the designs are not found anywhere else in North America. Furnishings utilize a mix of exotic hardwoods made from suppliers whose farmers utilize sustainable wood growth and harvesting practices. In particular, Monarch carries several lines of mango wood furniture.

Mango wood has been used to make furniture for over 4000 years. The trees grow quickly, reaching heights of up to 100 feet and girths up to 5 feet in diameter within 20 years. At that age fruit production is significantly reduced or stops completely and mango farmers cut down the tree and plant new trees to maintain continuous fruit production. Mango is increasingly replacing rare or endangered woods such as teak.

About Monarch Furnishings
Monarch Furnishings, located in downtown Victoria’s Design District, endeavours to source unique hand crafted product lines that combine modern style with exotic hardwoods. Exclusivity with its suppliers provides Monarch with products that cannot be found anywhere else in North America. Visit the Warehouse Gallery at 1807 Store Street. For more information on Monarch please visit www.monarchfurnishings.com or telephone 250.388.4226.

(News Release) VICTORIA – British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. (BC Ferries) announced its first quarter results today. Net earnings were $0.9 million for the first three months ended June 30, 2010
compared to net losses of $3.6 million in the first quarter of the previous year.

In the first quarter, revenues increased by 6.7 per cent to $190.2 million, with total expenses increasing 4.1 per cent to $189.3 million, compared to the first quarter last fiscal year.
The increase in expenses is largely attributed to fuel, interest and amortization expenses, as well as wage rate increases in accordance with the Collective Agreement,.

Capital expenditures in the three months ended June 30, 2010 totalled $26.0 million as follows:

• $10.3 million in terminal marine structures;
• $7.3 million in information technology;
• $5.3 million in building upgrades and equipment;
• $3.1 million in vessel upgrades and modifications.

“We remain concerned about the soft state of tourism currently in B.C. and as a result we are closely monitoring our expenditures,” said David L. Hahn, BC Ferries’ President and CEO. “The summer months are typically the time of year when BC Ferries generates its annual profits and strong numbers in July and August are important to our bottom line.”

In the first quarter of fiscal 2011, BC Ferries experienced a decline of 1.6 per cent in vehicle traffic and 1.2 per cent in passenger traffic compared to the same quarter last year, while
drop-trailer and other commercial traffic increased.

Significant events during the first quarter include the May 11, 2010 opening of BC Ferries new Vacations Centre located across the street from the expanded Convention Centre in downtown Vancouver. In addition, on May 18, 2010, the 28-year old Quinsam returned to service on the Gabriola route following an extensive $19 million upgrade to prepare the ship for another 17 years of service.
Currently BC Ferries offers fuel rebates of two per cent of tariffs on average on the majority of its routes. The mid-week CoastSaver promotional fares were offered on the three major routes from May 25, 2010 through July 29, 2010.

On June 3, 2010, Bill 20 – Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No.3), 2010 (Bill 20) received Royal Assent. Bill 20 amends several statutes, including the Coastal Ferry Act. It includes changes to the governance and regulatory framework within which BC Ferries operates. The costs to BC Ferries to implement the regulatory, governance and administrative changes resulting from Bill 20 are uncertain at this time.

As part of the federal government’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund program, BC Ferries will qualify for partial reimbursement of eligible costs for eleven terminal upgrades including eight sewage pump-ashore and waste water treatment projects. The net funding expected to be received is $7.5 million.

BC Ferries continued its multi-year project to upgrade security at nine terminals which includes fencing, lighting, access control and closed circuit television, as well as upgrades to foot passenger ticketing areas and baggage screening. BC Ferries received $9.1 million (includin $3.2 million this quarter) of federal funding through the Transport Canada Marine Security Contribution Program to help offset the cost of this project.

Full financial statements, including notes and Management’s Discussion & Analysis, are filed on SEDAR and will be available at www.sedar.com.

(News Release) VICTORIA – Carmanah Technologies Corporation is providing 26 EverGEN 1710 solar LED lighting units to illuminate the Selkirk Trestle Bridge in Victoria, BC. The units will run the length of the 300 meter long railway trestle bridge and will provide illumination for pedestrians and cyclists who use this significant commuter corridor.  

The EverGEN 1710 units (http://bit.ly/bPmeFp) will incorporate Advanced Occupancy Sensing, leading edge occupancy sensing technology that is not offered by any other light on the market. Advanced Occupancy Sensing allows all the lights on the trestle to be activated when just one light senses motion. This functionality significantly increases safety and security by allowing a pedestrian or cyclist to illuminate the entire bridge by moving under just the first light on the trestle.

In addition, the EverGEN 1710 units will require no electrical connections, allowing them to install easily on the bridge and to operate free of ongoing electricity bills as stipulated in the project requirements. In addition to cost saving benefits, the units also offer environmentally friendly illumination by reducing sky glow as per Dark Sky Guidelines, and meeting Department of Fisheries and Ocean Habitat Regulations for light spill.

The installation of the EverGEN systems was initiated by a local community cooperative whose aim is to help move important community projects through to completion while supporting local businesses. The cooperative also aims to provide the basis for wider acceptance of sustainable technologies.

“The most important consideration is the benefit to the community this project will provide,” said a Cooperative representative. “This project will hopefully become a model for what community initiatives can do when they are allowed to.”

“We are pleased that Carmanah technology was chosen to be a part of this community-initiated project,” said Ted Lattimore, Carmanah CEO. “It really speaks to the viability of solar LED lighting, not just in terms of cost-savings and contribution to eco-friendly infrastructure, but also to the appeal of the technology to communities and community organizations seeking to exhibit leadership and provide a model for other communities to follow.” 

(News Release) VICTORIA – After many months of careful planning and preparation the Vancouver Island Heritage Foodservice Co-operative has made a practical addition to the foodservice infrastructure on Vancouver Island. Under the name Island Ideal Meats, the Co-op is operating a federally-inspected Class “A” abattoir which allows for resale of the meat. This meat processing facility is located at Valley View Farm just 10km south of Nanaimo down the Trans Canada Highway. The 20-head capacity per week facility is an ideal central location to service Co-op members and Island livestock producers with slaughter and custom cut-and-wrap services. It is open to all island producers but members of the Co-op will benefit from patronage dividends. Contact Vancouver Island Heritage Foodservice Co-op for more on that benefit.

Many farms on Vancouver Island had slowed or stopped their livestock production because of the lack of abattoirs in the area. “Locally-available food is in scarce supply on Vancouver Island,” said Project Manager Sandra Mark. “We want to increase local food production to benefit farmers and consumers alike. Island Ideal Meats will also allow us to develop a line of value-added products. The next phase, a produce processing plant, will enable the creation of a variety of products utilizing meat and vegetable produce but for now, we’re thrilled to have the Island Ideal Meats operation up and running and producing high-quality local meat - stay tuned and watch us grow,” added Ms. Mark.

The facility is located at Valley View Farm, 2322 Gomerich Rd. in Nanaimo. All enquiries regarding fees and booking should be directed to Grant Henry, 250.668.8718 or by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .