Editor’s note: In our last edition of Business Notes we mistakenly said that Good Used Cars is going out of business. They are not. For a feature on the longtime Cowichan Valley business check out page 22.
WorkBC will be hosting two free community job fairs in the region in May.
The first will be held in Duncan on May 6 at the Cowichan Community Centre from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Some of the employers who have confirmed their attendance at the event on this date include BC Ferries, Island Health, Western Forest Products, School District 79, Costa Canna, McDonald’s, The Hamlets at Duncan, 360 Super Techs, Pacific Energy, Pacific Homes, BC Infrastructure Benefits which will be recruiting workers for the construction of the new Cowichan District Hospital, Hub International Ltd., Island Savings, Clements Centre, Tsow-tun Le Lum Society and many more are expected to be announced.
The second job fair, which will be hosted in partnership with the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, is to be held at Ladysmith Secondary School on May 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Some of the employers who have confirmed their attendance at the event on this date include BC Ferries, Island Health, WildPlay Nanaimo, Western Forest Products, School District 68, FMI Installations, McDonald’s, BCIB recruiting for the new Cowichan hospital build, Seaward Kayaks, Kinetic Construction, Footprints Security, Xtend Rentals, Slegg Building Supply and more are expected to be announced.
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A new and innovative store will soon be relocating from Alberta and opening in downtown Duncan.
Wolf Willow Collective specializes in providing sustainable Canadian-sourced health and wellness products for its customers.
Spokeswoman Ashley Lott said on a Facebook page that the store will have a variety of products for homes and people; including, decor, clothing, jewelry, cleaning materials, and kids and baby, health, wellness, skincare and beauty products.
“We will be relocating our popular store from Alberta to a much larger space in Duncan, so we’ll be able to offer even more amazing products,” she said.
“We can’t wait to be part of the incredible downtown core. We are set to open in June on Station Street and can’t wait to see you all there.”
Fore more information, check out://wolfwillowapothecary.com/
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Treefrog Tropicals, which has been operating from 277 Government St. in Duncan for the past four years, has moved to a larger location at 101-373 Coronation Ave.
The store specializes in tropical plants that have health benefits, like the ability to remove toxins from the air, as well as furniture and household accessories.
Manager Irene Blazich said the store was growing increasingly busier and there was limited space at the site on Government Street, so owner Bernie Moschenross decided it was time to look for a larger store.
She said Treefrog Tropicals, which had been operation for 18 years in Vancouver before moving to the Cowichan Valley, is holding its grand opening this weekend over three days; April 29-30 and May 1.
“We’ll be having in-store plant and pot specials during the grand opening,” Blazich said.
The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
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After many decades in its current location on Canada Avenue in Duncan, Madrone Environmental Services Ltd. will be moving to another site in the fall of 2022.
But owner David Kim said his business is not moving far.
He said the landlord of the building on Canada Avenue where Madrone is currently located is selling the building, requiring the business to move to another location.
“Another spot has been found in Duncan, but we’re still in the process of closing that deal, so I can’t say where that is yet,” Kim said.
“Some renovations will be required at the new site before we move and I expect it will be a big project to move everything there, but I don’t foresee any interruptions to Madrone and its office hours during the moving process.”
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The Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce’s first May Mix & Mingle event will be held May 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Clements Centre’s newest location, Stanko-Casswell Place in Cobble Hill.
This fully accessible rentable space is ready to welcome chamber members for an evening of networking, wine by Enrico Winery, and tasty treats from Clements’ own Mindful Mouthful.
This event is free for all members and guests.
Please register by emailing chamber@duncancc.bc.ca.
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Paper Excellence, which owns the Crofton mill, has announced a $50,000 donation to United Way; $20,000 of which is being awarded to the Youth Futures Education Fund.
The YFEF provides low-barrier access to funds to support living expenses to youth who have aged out of the foster care system and are attending a post-secondary institution on a tuition waiver.
The Fund is guided by an advisory committee, held at the Vancouver Foundation, and is administered by United Way British Columbia.
“In Paper Excellence’s mission statement, it states that we will improve the well-being of the communities in which we operate,” said Graham Kissack, Paper Excellence’s vice president of environment, health and safety and corporate communications.
“We believe that supporting young people during such an important moment in their lives — transitioning out of the foster care system and into post-secondary education — will make a lasting impact both for those young people and our community as a whole.”
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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