A drink at the barber’s

B.C.’s newest liquor regulations come into force today, allowing businesses like barbershops, salons, book stores and art galleries to apply for a liquor licence. The government says the changes will update the laws and reduce red tape. The new act will allow: all types of businesses to apply for a liquor licence, giving them opportunities […]

Big byte in B.C. economy

B.C.’s tech sector is breaking records. According to the provincial Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services, the tech sector in British Columbia is has hit the milestone of employing more than 100,000 people. The B.C. tech sector also had the highest company revenues and employee wages ever recorded. “In today’s economy, virtually every business relies […]

Tax breaks for loggers

The provincial government will soon be giving timber harvesting contractors a financial boost with new tax credits for job training. Premier Christy Clark made the announcement at the Truck Logger Association’s annual convention, laying out a plan to work with the TLA to create tax breaks for on-the-ground training aimed at B.C. timber harvesting contractors. […]

Letnick defends wine policy

Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick is defending B.C.’s grocery store wine policy in the wake of a U.S. trade challenge. The American government, as predicted by wine industry groups in the province, is challenging the sale of B.C.-only wines in grocery stores as a breach of Canada’s commitments to the World Trade Organization. They claim it’s […]

Moby Dick offensive?

A condo council on Vancouver’s waterfront is named in a civil lawsuit over allegations it refused to lease space to a fish and chip restaurant called Moby Dick partly because of an offensive word in its name. Mengfa International Resources alleges in its notice of claim that the condo council overseeing the commercial property it […]

Call to quash corporate donations ignored

The NDP in British Columbia won’t get support from the Liberals to ban corporate and union donations to the province’s political parties. NDP Leader John Horgan asked Premier Christy Clark today to support a bill he plans to introduce in the legislature next month. Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson delivered the Liberals’ reply, saying the […]

Americans whine over wine

Update: 1:50 p.m. B.C. says it will defend against a trade law challenge by the U.S. government over the sale of B.C. wine in grocery stores. “We support the growth of the industry, and we will defend it against this challenge,” said Shirley Bond, the provincial minister of jobs, tourism and skills training. “The B.C. government is confident that […]

Pipeline may tear us apart

A revenue-sharing agreement that helped convince British Columbia to support the $6.8-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion threatens to tear the fabric of country, says a resource policy expert. The agreement with Kinder Morgan gives the province as much as $1 billion over 20 years. The financial benefit for the province was the last of […]

Applications within hours

B.C.’s housing minister says a program to help first-time homebuyers received applications within hours of launching. Rich Coleman says nearly 30 applications have been submitted for a provincial loan program to help first-time buyers since it went live this morning, and the province was ready to approve eight of those applications by Tuesday. The B.C. […]

Trying to quash mine suit

The federal government is moving to stay an advocacy group’s private prosecution against the B.C. government and a mining company over the collapse of the Mount Polley tailings dam. Crown lawyer Alexander Clarkson says there is no prospect of conviction against either the Mount Polley Mining Corp. or the province in the legal action launched […]