Local Business

Tourism Tofino is hoping to boost its visitor centre’s educational offerings as well as retail revenue. (Westerly file photo)

Tofino DMO hopes to help tourists get along with locals

Tourism Tofino focused on increasing offseason traffic and cultural education

Pepper’s Foods management and staff celebrate their bronze Independent Grocer of the Year small surface award, placing it in the top three independent grocery stores in Canada in its category. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Independently owned Saanich grocery store makes top 3 in all of Canada

Pepper’s Foods named third best independently owned grocery retailer in small surface category, again

Bad Dog Brewing Company co-owners Rosie and John Lyle earned the Business of the Year award for 2022 from the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce and placed second in the People's Choice category. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)

In Sooke, local brewery earns the nod as ‘top dog’

Bad Dog Brewing Company takes home chamber’s best business award

Brendon Wilkie and Emily McKay inside their kitchen trailer. (Debra Lynn photo)

Move over McDonald’s there’s a new fast food Big M in Port Alice

McWilkies Fast Food is served out of two trailers at the Rumble Beach Marina

  • Nov 21, 2022
Brendon Wilkie and Emily McKay inside their kitchen trailer. (Debra Lynn photo)
Gladiator Drywall owners and partners Blue Vasseur and Andy Turnbull are the recipients of a BBB Torch Award for finishing services. (Rick Stiebel-Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke business puts finishing touch on award

A Sooke company has nailed a prestigious award for customer service excellence…

Gladiator Drywall owners and partners Blue Vasseur and Andy Turnbull are the recipients of a BBB Torch Award for finishing services. (Rick Stiebel-Sooke News Mirror)
Shayla Hann of Hannmade Designs said the Station Avenue stall has been a great opportunity for her business. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Langford’s Station Avenue vendors upbeat about the future

New cultural district vendors looking forward to Christmas season

Shayla Hann of Hannmade Designs said the Station Avenue stall has been a great opportunity for her business. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Corey Gillon has been named the new CEO of Peninsula Co-op, and is set to officially start on Nov. 14. (Corey Gillon/Linkedin)

Corey Gillon named new CEO of Peninsula Co-op

Gillon spent 18 years with Walmart, among other previous positions

Corey Gillon has been named the new CEO of Peninsula Co-op, and is set to officially start on Nov. 14. (Corey Gillon/Linkedin)
The charred remains of the PQB News/Vancouver Island Free Daily offices. (Michael Briones photo)

Fire investigators probe cause of huge Parksville blaze that destroyed several businesses

Iconic British Bobby restaurant among establishments damaged

The charred remains of the PQB News/Vancouver Island Free Daily offices. (Michael Briones photo)
West Coast Animal Veterinary Emergency Specialty Hospital (WAVES) has announced it has partially reopened its ER after being forced to close it in September due to staffing issues. (Black Press Media file photo)

Langford vet clinic reopens ER for urgent care

WAVES closed its ER in September to preserve the mental health of staff

West Coast Animal Veterinary Emergency Specialty Hospital (WAVES) has announced it has partially reopened its ER after being forced to close it in September due to staffing issues. (Black Press Media file photo)
Locally sourced menu items – such as this Sunwing Farms tomato salad with Haltwhistle Cheese Company chevre, black olive puree, Saanichton Farms puffed wheat berries and garden herbs, is among the reasons the North Saanich eatery made the top 10 in Canada list for En Route. (Fox and Monocle/Facebook)

Doubling down on passions pays off for North Saanich chefs

Fox and Monocle Cafe named ninth best new restaurant in Canada

Locally sourced menu items – such as this Sunwing Farms tomato salad with Haltwhistle Cheese Company chevre, black olive puree, Saanichton Farms puffed wheat berries and garden herbs, is among the reasons the North Saanich eatery made the top 10 in Canada list for En Route. (Fox and Monocle/Facebook)
Representatives from Tseshaht Market and Alberni District Co-op stand beside one of the newly-installed gas pumps during a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Oct. 29. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Tseshaht Market partners with Co-op for fuel

Tseshaht Market celebrated the grand opening of its Western Nations fuel pumps

Representatives from Tseshaht Market and Alberni District Co-op stand beside one of the newly-installed gas pumps during a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Oct. 29. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey smile at the bar of their Pluvio Restaurant, which was recently named Canada’s best fine dining restaurantby TripAdvisor. (Andrew Bailey photo)

Ucluelet restaurant named Canada’s best fine dining experience

Pluvio tops TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best Awards

Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey smile at the bar of their Pluvio Restaurant, which was recently named Canada’s best fine dining restaurantby TripAdvisor. (Andrew Bailey photo)
Adam’s Tarp and Tool co-owner Byron Blow poses in front of the new store in Langford. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)

Adam’s Tarp and Tool opening new store in Langford

Owners plan to expand to all major cities on the Island

Adam’s Tarp and Tool co-owner Byron Blow poses in front of the new store in Langford. (Brendan Mayer/News Staff)
Nolan Beise, founder of Circl, shows off a headset used to measure brain activity. Beise was among those presenting at a health-care technology showcase Oct. 26 at Vancouver Island Economic Alliance’s summit in Nanaimo. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

Entrepreneurs at Island summit showcase high-tech solutions for health-care issues

Brain activity tracking, Indigenous mental health, seniors’ care discussed at summit in Nanaimo

Nolan Beise, founder of Circl, shows off a headset used to measure brain activity. Beise was among those presenting at a health-care technology showcase Oct. 26 at Vancouver Island Economic Alliance’s summit in Nanaimo. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)
Tony and Naomi Ko outside the Metchosin Country Store in Metchosin. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Best of the West Shore convenience stores

Four stories from community pillars

Tony and Naomi Ko outside the Metchosin Country Store in Metchosin. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Victoria’s Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. took home a gold medal from the Canada Beer Cup. (Phillips Brewing and Malting Co./Facebook)

Three Greater Victoria breweries win medals at national craft brewery competition

B.C. breweries pick up top honours with 29 winning a total of 46 awards

Victoria’s Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. took home a gold medal from the Canada Beer Cup. (Phillips Brewing and Malting Co./Facebook)
Darla Tate recently sold the Petro-Canada gas station in Qualicum Beach to Mid Island Co-op, after owning it for 33 years. (Kevin Forsyth photo)

Iconic full-service gas station in Qualicum Beach sold to new owners

Petro-Canada business acquired by Mid Island Co-op

Darla Tate recently sold the Petro-Canada gas station in Qualicum Beach to Mid Island Co-op, after owning it for 33 years. (Kevin Forsyth photo)
Keltic Seafoods in Port Hardy. (Keltic Facebook photo)

Employee owned Keltic Seafoods has been bought out by the Pacific Seafood Group

The full leadership team will continue with Mickey Flanagan still serving in the role of CEO

Keltic Seafoods in Port Hardy. (Keltic Facebook photo)
The 2022 Ignite award for Cleantech/Aquaculture/Advanced Materials, was presented by Innovate BC to Campbell River company Brown’s Bay Packaging for their efforts to create an alternative to traditional plastic wrapping. (Photo courtesy of Innovate BC)

Campbell River fish packaging company wins prestigious award for cleantech project

Browns Bay awarded $300,000 for solution to traditional packaging at 2022 Ignite Awards

The 2022 Ignite award for Cleantech/Aquaculture/Advanced Materials, was presented by Innovate BC to Campbell River company Brown’s Bay Packaging for their efforts to create an alternative to traditional plastic wrapping. (Photo courtesy of Innovate BC)
Mohamed Zeid, store operator/manager at the Sooke Pharmasave, said a number of factors have created issues with staffing. (Rick Stiebe l- Sooke News Mirror)

Lack of staff hamstrings business in Sooke

Chamber of commerce says numerous businesses affected

Mohamed Zeid, store operator/manager at the Sooke Pharmasave, said a number of factors have created issues with staffing. (Rick Stiebe l- Sooke News Mirror)