Business

In this March 29, 2018 file photo, the logo for social media giant Facebook, appears on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York’s Times Square. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Richard Drew

Finance Department sees issues with Facebook’s digital currency, documents show

Officials appeared less concerned about rivals like Bitcoin

In this March 29, 2018 file photo, the logo for social media giant Facebook, appears on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York’s Times Square. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Richard Drew
A woman holds two cellphones in this photo illustration, Monday March 29, 2021 in Chelsea, Que. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology is hearing from Rogers and Shaw Communications executives on a merger. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Shaw, Rogers chief executives testify that $26 billion deal will grow competition

Brad Shaw, Joe Natale argued the plan for Rogers to buy Shaw Communications, Freedom Mobile will help Canadians

A woman holds two cellphones in this photo illustration, Monday March 29, 2021 in Chelsea, Que. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology is hearing from Rogers and Shaw Communications executives on a merger. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A pilot program for electric vehicle repair was launched at B.C. Institute of Technology in late 2019. (B.C. government)

Electric vehicle repair training expands to Kelowna, Victoria, Prince George

160 new B.C. training spaces expected to be available this fall

A pilot program for electric vehicle repair was launched at B.C. Institute of Technology in late 2019. (B.C. government)
Kettle Valley Rail Trail winds through the Okanagan and Similkameen on railbed left from B.C.’s historical silver-mining boom. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

B.C. forest job program gets COVID-19 aid, expands to coast

Short-term work on trails, bridges, forest firebreaks

Kettle Valley Rail Trail winds through the Okanagan and Similkameen on railbed left from B.C.’s historical silver-mining boom. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
For the second year running, The News’ multi-media advertising consultant Jackie Brittain is up for provincial honours for the creative design of an ad for Golden Meadows Honey Farm in Pitt Meadows. (News illustration)

B.C. peers shortlist Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News for industry accolades

Magazine and creative ad earn local media outlet provincial attention – again

For the second year running, The News’ multi-media advertising consultant Jackie Brittain is up for provincial honours for the creative design of an ad for Golden Meadows Honey Farm in Pitt Meadows. (News illustration)
A ground worker approaches a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft after it arrived at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WestJet adding routes in Western Canada in anticipation of summer demand

The new flights are set to begin in June

A ground worker approaches a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft after it arrived at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. company, Inno Lifecare, is manufacturing the first made-in-Canada N95 surgical respirators approved for sale by Health Canada in its Tri-City facility. It made a million in its first week of production. (Provided)

B.C. company 1st in Canada authorized to sell surgical N95 masks made in-house

After 1 million masks made in first week of production, the company’s eyes are set on a contract with the B.C. government

B.C. company, Inno Lifecare, is manufacturing the first made-in-Canada N95 surgical respirators approved for sale by Health Canada in its Tri-City facility. It made a million in its first week of production. (Provided)
Rendering of Microsoft’s Vancouver office at Pacific Centre. (Microsoft)

Microsoft announces Vancouver expansion, adding 500 new jobs

‘AI expertise in Canada is just extraordinary,’ says chief executive Satya Nadella

Rendering of Microsoft’s Vancouver office at Pacific Centre. (Microsoft)
Every year the cruise ship industry creates hundreds of jobs in Victoria. Don Denton/VICTORIA NEWS

COVID-19: B.C. fears Alaska bid to have cruise ships skip Canadian stops

Victoria, Prince Rupert, Vancouver tourism risks losing out

Every year the cruise ship industry creates hundreds of jobs in Victoria. Don Denton/VICTORIA NEWS
An oilsands facility seen from a helicopter near Fort McMurray, Alta., on July 10, 2012. Partners building Western Canada’s first diluent recovery unit project to allow more oilsands shipping by rail from Alberta say the merger of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and U.S. rival Kansas City Southern gives their project a shot in the arm. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CP Rail/KCS rail merger to unite loading and unloading links for bitumen transport

Initial 50,000-barrel-per-day phase of the DRU and the Texas terminal are expected to be in service later this year

An oilsands facility seen from a helicopter near Fort McMurray, Alta., on July 10, 2012. Partners building Western Canada’s first diluent recovery unit project to allow more oilsands shipping by rail from Alberta say the merger of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and U.S. rival Kansas City Southern gives their project a shot in the arm. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The concessions stand at a Cineplex movie theatre in Toronto remains closed on July 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Cineplex CEO calls COVID-19 cinema closures in Alberta ‘devastating’ for employees

Ellis Jacob argues that cinemas are a safer form of gathering than other indoor venues

The concessions stand at a Cineplex movie theatre in Toronto remains closed on July 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
This renovation earned Maple Ridge’s West Coast Dream Homes a spot on the shortlist for a HAVAN homebuilder award. It’s the renovation of a project called West Coast Revival, and the value of contending projects had to range between $200,000 and $399,999. (Special to The News)

Local builders make awards shortlists

Number of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows developers among Georgie and HAVAN 2021 finalists

This renovation earned Maple Ridge’s West Coast Dream Homes a spot on the shortlist for a HAVAN homebuilder award. It’s the renovation of a project called West Coast Revival, and the value of contending projects had to range between $200,000 and $399,999. (Special to The News)
FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2021, file photo, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach club has been partially closed because of a COVID outbreak. (Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post via AP)

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club partially closes due to COVID outbreak

The former U.S. president moved to Mar-a-Lago after leaving Washington in January,

FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2021, file photo, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach club has been partially closed because of a COVID outbreak. (Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post via AP)
Surrey resident Jujhar Mann in an episode of The Food Network’s “Great Chocolate Showdown” TV series. (Photo: foodnetwork.ca)

B.C. baker living a childhood dream on TV show involving chocolatey challenges

‘My parents never said no, it just wasn’t the norm for a South Asian boy to bake,’ Jujhar Mann says

Surrey resident Jujhar Mann in an episode of The Food Network’s “Great Chocolate Showdown” TV series. (Photo: foodnetwork.ca)
Statistics Canada says retail sales fell for the second consecutive month in January as many non-essential retailers were forced to restrict in-person shopping due to the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Retail sales fall 1.1% in January to $52.5 billion: StatsCan

Sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores dropped 17.8%, furniture and home furnishings stores lost 15.1%

Statistics Canada says retail sales fell for the second consecutive month in January as many non-essential retailers were forced to restrict in-person shopping due to the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel closed for three months in late 2020, early 2021, to undergo renovations in leveraging slower hotel traffic because of COVID-19 restrictions. A new report from Statistics Canada find many businesses in the accommodation and food services sector are bracing for another tough year. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)

Survey finds Canada’s hospitality industry has low expectations for year ahead

Almost 87 per cent of businesses in accommodation and food services report lower revenues in 2020

Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel closed for three months in late 2020, early 2021, to undergo renovations in leveraging slower hotel traffic because of COVID-19 restrictions. A new report from Statistics Canada find many businesses in the accommodation and food services sector are bracing for another tough year. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)
Moby Amarsi is looking forward to welcoming the movie watching community in Pitt Meadows back to his cinema. (Ronan O’Doherty - The News)

Pitt Meadows movie theatre selling popcorn to help stay afloat

Hollywood 3 owner said he wouldn’t have been able to keep business open without gov subsidies

Moby Amarsi is looking forward to welcoming the movie watching community in Pitt Meadows back to his cinema. (Ronan O’Doherty - The News)
B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon announces more grant funds for small businesses to move to online sales, B.C. legislature, March 17, 2021. (B.C. government)

B.C. adds $30 million as online sales program sees ‘explosion’ of applications

$7,500 grants offered for expanded to service-based businesses

B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon announces more grant funds for small businesses to move to online sales, B.C. legislature, March 17, 2021. (B.C. government)
Lehigh cement plant in Delta is one of the industries affected by B.C.’s carbon tax, giving a price advantage to U.S. and Asian producers. LNG plants add another major emitter. (Black Press files)

Tripling carbon tax will cost B.C. jobs, add to debt, study estimates

B.C. to match federal tax in 2022, then rise from $50 to $170

Lehigh cement plant in Delta is one of the industries affected by B.C.’s carbon tax, giving a price advantage to U.S. and Asian producers. LNG plants add another major emitter. (Black Press files)
Work camp for Site C dam project near Fort St. John houses up to 2,000 workers, and features a movie theatre, licensed lounge, hairdresser, running track and basketball court. (B.C. Hydro)

B.C. farms, food processing, industrial camps get COVID-19 vaccine priority

AstraZeneca vaccine arrives in B.C. for outbreak control use

Work camp for Site C dam project near Fort St. John houses up to 2,000 workers, and features a movie theatre, licensed lounge, hairdresser, running track and basketball court. (B.C. Hydro)