IN THE KNOW:
New commercial space celebrates Indigenous arts and culture
A 10-acre site that was once home to Tofino Botanical Gardens will now house a new commercial space to empower nuučaanuł entrepreneurs.
Clayoquot Campus, as the site is now known after being purchased in 2021 by the Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) Innovation Program, has become a place of learning and collaboration for Indigenous-led conservation through cultural revitalization, education, and regenerative economic development. The project is led by IISAAK OLAM Foundation, which holds the management and operations lease for the property and its programs and activities.
The new commercial space at the Naa’Waya’Sum Gardens will enhance Indigenous business development in tourism, provide visitors with a cultural tourism experience, and improve infrastructure for Indigenous entrepreneurs through a project investment with Island Coastal Economic Trust.
The Naa’Waya’Sum Art Gallery and Carving Facility will provide a place to display nuučaanuł art and carvings, alongside weavings, paintings, prints, jewelry, and other local Indigenous artwork. It will collaborate with a variety of organizations, including local Indigenous artists and cultural organizations such as the Carving on the Edge Festival Society.
The project began earlier in 2024, with a targeted completion by July 2025.
Canadian Tire launches holiday fundraiser
Victoria area Canadian Tire stores are asking shoppers to help them raise $100,000 by December 24th in support of critical cardiac equipment at Royal Jubilee Hospital—the Island’s referral centre for cardiac care.
Shoppers can make a donation of any denomination at the checkout at local Canadian Tire stores including Hillside, View Royal, Royal Oak, North Saanich, and Langford.
This is the 21st consecutive year of this unique campaign. Funds raised will go towards a Cryocath CryoConsole for Royal Jubilee Hospital, which helps restore heart health for individuals experiencing arrhythmias. By using cold temperature therapy to target problem cells, this minimally invasive procedure helps restore a regular heartbeat and improve quality of life. This also ensures patients can receive the care they need in their community, rather than traveling to another centre for life-changing treatments.
Fix-A-Heart began in 2003 with former Langford Canadian Tire store owner Peter Spillette. Peter was a champion of cardiac care on Vancouver Island and when he passed away in 2008, Canadian Tire owners and staff honoured his vision with a $1 million commitment to leading-edge cardiac equipment at RJH. All five owners are contributing to this annual tradition that runs to December 24.
This year all donations towards the campaign up will be matched up to $20,000.
Delegation heads to California to promote B.C.’s film, TV industry
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is leading a delegation from British Columbia to Los Angeles to highlight the advantages of partnering with the film and TV industry on Canada’s West Coast and to explore the benefits of staging productions in B.C.
The mission, led by Screen BC, will include Chandra Herbert, Nina Krieger, Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film, and Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance.
B.C. offers two motion-picture tax credits: the Production Services Tax Credit and Film Incentive BC. Its motion-picture tax credits are labour-based, calculated based on production spending used to pay people in British Columbia.
In 2023-24, the film industry in B.C. received approximately $909 million in tax credits from the Province.
British Columbia is one of North America’s largest motion-picture hubs. According to studies commissioned by the sector, the industry is supporting more than 47,500 jobs and contributed $3.3 billion to B.C.’s total GDP in 2022.
With approximately 80% of production activity in B.C. being foreign service work, the Province says strong international relationships are vital to sustaining and growing the film and TV industry.
In 2022, the Motion Picture Association-Canada members, including Disney, Paramount, Sony, NBC Universal, Warner Bros (HBO) and Netflix, spent $1.7 billion on local production-related goods and services throughout B.C., supporting more than 20,000 businesses, such as catering, construction supplies, accommodations, local rentals and transportation.
Cascadia Seaweed marks another milestone
Fresh off its recognition as one of Canada’s most investible cleantech ventures by Foresight Canada, Cascadia Seaweed has announced the successful first close of its Series A Funding Round, raising CAD$4 million.
Funding comes via WWF Impact (the impact investing arm of World Wildlife Fund US), Vere Ventures, Potato Impact Partners, VertueLab Climate Impact Fund, Realize Impact, the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, Norfolk Green Ventures and others.
The largest cultivator and processor of seaweed-derived agricultural products in North America, Cascadia Seaweed was also a 2020 Douglas magazine 10 to Watch winner.
The investment empowers the company to build its commercial-scale seaweed biorefinery on the West Coast, increase biomass production, and expand sales and marketing of its liquid kelp extracts, biostimulants and livestock products.
Michael Williamson, CEO of Cascadia Seaweed said “we’ve built a vertically integrated business that delivers real environmental and economic benefits, and this funding will enable us to scale up and provide surety of supply of innovative inputs to our customers while contributing to more resilient food production in North America.”
The company says it will secure the remaining funds to reach its $7 million Series A target.
Two local restaurants named to OpenTable list
Ugly Duckling and The Butchart Gardens Dining Room are among 13 B.C. eateries named in OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in Canada for 2024.
Awarded Best New Restaurant by the YAM Best Restaurant Awards in 2023, Ugly Duckling, situated in Victoria’s Chinatown district, was also long-listed that year as one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants for 2023 by Air Canada’s En Route Magazine.
In Brentwood Bay The Butchart Gardens Dining Room is beloved by tourists and locals alike for its traditional fine dining experience.
To make the list, restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, percentage of capacity and direct searches.
FROM THE PAGES OF DOUGLAS:
For products and services alike, e-commerce is an easy game to get into, but it’s becoming an increasingly tough game to win. Alex Van Tol outlines the playing field and the winning strategies you need to consider.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
JANUARY
January 26 – 29: IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Summit
MARCH
March 4 – 6: Rising Economy conference
MAY
May 4 – 9: International Seaweed Symposium
