Business & Economy

Licensing fees reduced for struggling Nanaimo bars during COVID-19 pandemic

NANAIMO - Liquor primary establishments in Nanaimo will no longer pay extra fees for a police program not running during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nanaimo councillors voted unanimously on Monday, Feb. 1 ...

Feb 04, 2021

Trudeau vows to keep up the fight to sway U.S. on merits of Keystone XL pipeline

WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will continue to fight to convince president-elect Joe Biden's administration of the merits of the Keystone XL pipeline expansion. Trudeau says K...

Jan 19, 2021

Kenney, Moe condemn Biden's plan to scrap Keystone XL on Day 1 of presidency

OTTAWA - The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan are condemning Joe Biden's plan to scrap the Keystone XL pipeline expansion on his first day as U.S. president. Biden's plan is outlined in transition...

Jan 18, 2021

Documents show Biden plans Day 1 order nixing Keystone XL

WASHINGTON - One of Joe Biden's first actions once he becomes U.S. president Wednesday will be to slam the door yet again on Canada's politically fraught Keystone XL pipeline expansion, transition doc...

Jan 17, 2021

Feds change sick-leave benefit, applicants required to say if they travelled

OTTAWA - Anyone applying for three federal benefits will now need to say whether they are in quarantine because they travelled outside the country. The Canada Revenue Agency announced the new requirem...

Jan 11, 2021

WestJet puts 1,000 workers on leave, citing government's 'Incoherent' policy

The CEO of WestJet Airlines Ltd. is laying the blame squarely on "incoherent" policy from Ottawa as his carrier cuts staff and flights in response to new COVID-19 testing requirements for passengers r...

Jan 08, 2021

Multi-family projects pace active downtown Nanaimo construction sector

NANAIMO - It doesn't take long to find a construction crew busy working away in Nanaimo, especially downtown.Numerous active projects are infilling under-utilized properties with four-to-five storey r...

Jan 07, 2021

Supply and demand sends Nanaimo area property valuations up

NANAIMO - BC Assessment Authority property valuations increased in the Nanaimo area and across the province despite the global pandemic ravaging the economy.2021 assessments used to gauge annual prope...

Jan 04, 2021

Trailblazing Nanaimo fast food manager retires after nearly 50 years

NANAIMO - Nancy Lamont welled up in tears looking back on a fulfilling career she was told would never materialize.The 64-year-old general manager of the Nicol St. McDonald's made her last Big Mac on ...

Jan 04, 2021

Gordon St. hotel hits development goals, 10-year tax exemption extended

NANAIMO - Councillors have granted an extension to the significant Gordon St. project despite it missing key deadlines. They voted unanimously on Monday, Dec. 21 to push the 10-year tax exemption for ...

Dec 22, 2020