Business Okanagan

File Under “They Just Don’t Get It”: CRTC struggling to rein in rising phone, TV prices

Managing Editor — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:17:27 +0000

Today CBC.ca carried a story about the poor ol’ CRTC trying to rein in rising prices for cell phone and cable TV services. They can’t seem to grasp the fact that the very monopolies they have created are to blame for the out-of-control pricing of cell service and cable TV in Canada. The only ‘price control’ that works is an open and competitive free market that allows consumers to choose their suppliers.

The CRTC is out-of-touch and irrelevant: scrap it and open up the cell phone and cable TV markets to competition.

Opinion: Once again we’re held hostage by the CRTC

Managing Editor — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:46:32 +0000

Canadians pay the highest rates in North America for cable and satellite television signals and for cell phone service. All thanks to the fact that competition is stifled (smothered?) by the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Rogers has just announced that they will be putting the screws to their hapless customers once again. This time they are cutting the size of Local Calling Areas – the geographic zone in which you can make calls without paying a Long Distance Charge – effective March 15. (Read more>>)

We need more competition in the mobile devices market and the key to that is to eliminate all the unnecessary red tape hurdles potential competitors have to clear with the CRTC before they can enter the market.

Okanagan Modular Home Builders Win Contract

Managing Editor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:40:22 +0000

Britco Industries, with plants in Penticton and Aggasiz, was selected as one of four manufacturers in a new 322-unit seniors housing initiative by the fedral and provincial goverments. The other successful bidders were Northern Trailer (Kamloops), Freeport Industries (Parksville), and Chaparral Industries (Kelowna).

Britco will be building 124 units worth about $6 million at their Aggasiz and Penticton facilities, while Northern Trailer will produce 108 units worth $5.4 million at their Kamloops factory. Freeport will put together 46 units worth $2.2 million at their Parksville factory, while Chaparral will build 44 units worth $1.9 million at their Kelowna plant

The federal and provincial governments are each putting in $7.75 million for the construction of the 322 modular housing units being produced for the Seniors Rental Housing (SRH) initiative. The goal of the program is to provide affordable housing to seniors and disabled individuals in rural and remote communities. The units are slated to be built almost 100 per cent from B.C. wood from pine beetle affected forests.

Penticton Business Exellence Awards Given Out Saturday

Managing Editor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:15:31 +0000

Business Leader of the Year: Beth Campbell, Best Western Inn, Penticton
Business of the Year: Valley First Credit Union
Community Booster Award: Colin Powell, Marketplace IGA
Hospitality and Tourism Award: Penticton lakeside Resort
Best Home Based Business: Szabo Photography Co.
Industrial Business Award: Pattison Sign Group
Retail Service Business Award: Guerard‘s Fine Furniture
Best New Business Award: Bellevue Cafe
Young Entrepreneur Award: Rene Carloni, The Mortgage Centre
Young Citizen of the Year Award: Neetu Garcha

More: Penticton Herald story Penticton Western story

Summerland Golf Resort Development Bites the Dust

Managing Editor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:52:43 +0000

The gig is up for the Summerland Hills Golf Resort. The development partners, Brandenburg Properties and Locations West, informed Summerland that they intended to let the option to purchase a parcel of municipal property expire. The parcel was about a quarter of the total 420-hectare property being developed for the golf resort. This move comes after a previous announcement from the developers last November that they intended to scale down the original development proposal.

This development has been in the works for almost a decade and initially promised to bring a substantial economic boost to the small Okanagan community. More

Okanagan Fruit Growers Looking For Gov’t Help

Managing Editor — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:25:08 +0000

Once again, Okanagan fruit growers are in trouble and are looking to government to bail them out. At the recent BC Fruit Growers Association convention in Kelowna, federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz was told that the Okanagan industry was in crisis, caused by low prices for apples and cherries over the past two years. Ritz also heard calls for an emergency one-time payment to local fruit growers and reinstatement of a replant subsidy to assist growers with replacing existing varieties with new more lucrative ones. More

Okanagan Olympic Opportunity to promote local businesses

Managing Editor — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:04:43 +0000

Visitors to the the BC Showcase at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver on February 18 (3:30 to 5:30 pm) will be able to learn about Okanagan businesses. An invitation has gone out to businesses throughout the Okanagan communities to participate in this Olympic opportunity with the goal of developing connections between the businesses and targeted International media, corporate Olympic visitors and federal/provincial trade and investment partners. Interested businesses should respond before February 1. More information and contacts can be obtained from the Imagine Penticton website.

Penticton site of a new shopping centre, theatre complex

Managing Editor — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:00:11 +0000

For a number of years rumours have circulated that a large shopping centre was in the works for the Penticton Indian Band lands just across the River Channel. About four years ago Landmark Cinemas, owners of Penticton’s Pen-Mar Cinema, announced that they were seeking a new site for a theatre complex. Neither seemed to come to fruition, until it was announced today that Landmark will be building its new complex in the soon-to-be-constructed Channel Crossing Shopping Centre located on 40 acres of Penticton Indian Band lands near the intersection of Green Avenue and the Channel Parkway. Read the full story on the Penticton Western News blog.

Penticton contractor Peter Bros. named Contractor of the Year

Managing Editor — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:53:35 +0000

For its work on the recent Highway 24 re-paving project, Penticton-based Peter Bros. Construction has been awarded the Contractor of the Year Award by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infastructure.

“Peter Bros. worked hard to deliver a high-quality finished product, laying down 32,000 tonnes of asphalt between 70 Mile House and Little Fort,” said Penticton MLA Bill Barisoff. “Throughout this project, the great attitude and quality approach to their work was an example to all in the industry. I commend Peter Bros. and staff for delivering good value to the taxpayer.”

According to the news release from the Ministry, Peter Bros. Construction delivered the project on time and on budget and they were willing to include additional work at the Ministry of Transportation’s request.

This is the fifth “Contractor of the Year” award received by the company in the last seven years.

Penticton Chamber Hosts 22nd Excellence Awards Jan. 30

Managing Editor — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:06:08 +0000

Each year for the past 21 years the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce has recognized outstanding businesses and individuals who made significant contributions to the local economy and community. This year the award categories include Community Booster, Hospitality/Tourism, Home-based Business, Industrial Business, Retail/Service Business, New Business, Young Citizen of the Year, Young Entrepreneur, Business of the Year and Business Leader of the Year.

The awards ceremony, dinner and silent auction event is sponsored by Fortis BC and will be held January 30 at the Penticton Lakeside Resort.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from the Chamber’s website, penticton.org