Douglas Weekly 2025

Douglas Weekly – May 26

May 26, 2025

The late Honourable John Horgan, former Premier of BC, addresses the media, on October 20, 2022. Photo: Flickr/BC Gov.

IN THE KNOW:

New post secondary campus pays tribute to a beloved premier

Royal Roads University has announced its new campus, located on Goldstream Avenue in Langford, will be named after the late Honourable John Horgan—former Premier of British Columbia, Canada’s Ambassador to Germany, and Royal Roads University Fellow.

The campus will be known as RRU Langford | John Horgan Campus in a tribute to a leader whose vision and advocacy helped bring post-secondary education to the fast growing West Shore.

“John was a tireless champion for expanding access to post-secondary education in this community,” said Dr. Philip Steenkamp, President and Vice-Chancellor of Royal Roads University. “He would be thrilled to see us welcoming students here this fall and supporting them through life changing education.”

Royal Roads has also created the John Horgan Entrance Award, which will provide financial support to new undergraduate students attending RRU programs at the Langford campus. The fundraising goal is $1 million for students. Steenkamp has made a personal donation to the fund of $25,000.

Members of Premier Horgan’s family were in attendance at the naming ceremony.

“This would have meant the world to John,” said family spokesperson Ellie Horgan. “His love for Langford, for education, and for young people all come together in this campus—a place that will spark new ideas, welcome diverse perspectives, and open new opportunities. He would be proud to see students, faculty, and staff become part of Langford’s vibrant community, and deeply honoured to have his name associated with such a meaningful place of learning.”

Web Summit brings the world to B.C.

One of the world’s largest and most influential technology conferences makes its North American debut in Vancouver this week. Web Summit will bring together over 15,000 global attendees, including 300 local companies and 250 startups, for a four-day showcase of innovation, networking, and deal-making.

Founded in 2009, the conference has built a global reputation for convening the brightest minds in technology, entrepreneurship, and investment. Its flagship event in Lisbon draws over 70,000 participants annually, including Fortune 500 executives, startup founders, policymakers, and media from more than 160 countries.

The conference is renowned not just for its scale, but for catalyzing innovation ecosystems in host cities—Lisbon’s tech sector, for example, saw a 26-fold increase in startup activity after Web Summit set up shop.

B.C.’s tech sector is the province’s fastest-growing industry, home to over 12,000 companies, 220,000 workers, and $55.5 billion in annual revenue. Yet, as global investment patterns shift and companies look beyond traditional tech hubs, visibility and access to capital remain critical hurdles.

Web Summit offers a rare alignment of global attention and local ambition, putting B.C. on the map as a world-class destination for innovation, talent, and investment.

One of the Victoria-based organizations taking part is COAST, the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies. In addition to hosting a booth at the Summit for ocean tech innovators, the organization will host Blue Tech Connect on May 27 at the Vancouver Lookout.

A networking platform for B.C. and Canadian early-stage ocean ventures, investors, and industry leaders, the daylong event features final pitch presentations from the pilot cohort of Blue Action Canada, an accelerator program focused on the blue economy.

Mayfair Mall owner buys up Hudson’s Bay leases

Ruby Liu, a B.C. based investor and owner of Mayfair Shopping Centre has a tentative agreement to take over 28 Hudson’s Bay store leases—including Mayfair’s.

The deal, which still requires court approval, comes as Hudson’s Bay undergoes liquidation after filing for creditor protection in March. Liu’s company, Central Walk, already owns Tsawwassen Mills, Mayfair, and Woodgrove Centre (which she recently listed for sale), all of which currently host Hudson’s Bay or Saks stores, positioning her as a significant player in B.C.’s retail landscape.

Liu’s vision for these properties is to launch a “new modern department store” aimed at bridging generational gaps and creating immersive shopping experiences that appeal to all age groups. She has pledged to prioritize hiring former Bay employees and partnering with suppliers and vendors who previously worked with Hudson’s Bay, signaling a commitment to continuity and community engagement.

But, Liu faces hurdles: a recent $30 million deal between Hudson’s Bay and Canadian Tire for the Bay’s brand assets means she cannot use the iconic name or branding unless she negotiates a separate licensing agreement. Additionally, landlords may have a say in approving new tenants and could enforce existing lease terms.

While Liu is a relatively new name in Canadian retail circles, she is well known in B.C. for her ambitious investments and high-profile lifestyle. Her acquisition bid is part of a competitive process, with at least twelve parties vying for 39 available leases. As the retail landscape in Victoria and across B.C. shifts, local shoppers and business owners will be watching closely to see how Liu’s “New Bay” concept unfolds—and whether it can fill the void left by Hudson’s Bay’s departure from the region’s malls.

WorkSafe BC faces call to pause “confusing and contradictory” gratuities directive

The British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) and Restaurants Canada are asking WorkSafe BC to pause enforcement of what they describe as a “confusing and punitive all verifiable gratuities as assessed payroll policy directive,” that they say conflicts with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) rules on direct versus controlled gratuities.

BCRFA and Restaurants Canada say the policy directive was quietly implemented by WorkSafe BC without any consultation or notice given to industry and has surprised restaurants who have been audited by WorkSafe BC.

In a media release, the organizations say these audits often result in surcharges and penalties, forcing restaurants to choose between complying with conflicting gratuity definitions of direct versus controlled gratuities between the Canada Revenue Agency and WorkSafe BC. For over a year both organizations have been meeting with WorkSafe BC urging for the policy to be paused and reassessed.

“There has been no notice to the industry, no training, and no orientation” said Ian Tostenson, President and CEO of BCRFA. “Restaurants are being audited and fined for an unfair confusing WorkSafe BC gratuity policy directive they were not even unaware of. This is unfair-and reckless”.

“Restaurants are between a rock and a hard place on gratuity policies” said Mark von Schellwitz, Vice President Western Canada for Restaurants Canada. “They need to either comply with federal CRA direct gratuity rules where credit card gratuities are to be paid out in cash at the end of every shift and not be included in employer payroll records or comply with WorkSafe BC’s gratuity policy that requires employers to record all verifiable gratuities as controlled gratuities and include them in assessed payroll. This puts restaurants into an impossible position of determining which contradictory gratuity policy to comply with.”

BCRFA and Restaurants Canada are jointly calling for an immediate halt to audits and enforcement action on WorkSafe BC’s gratuity policy and a commitment from WorkSafe BC to conduct a full consultation with industry stakeholders to come up with an alternative policy solution.