Sad to see the end of thoroughbred horse racing at Hastings Park. It's been around since 1889. I remember going as a kid and through the decades though not that much in recent years. It's prompted by provincial funding cut. #horseracing #BCpoli

Beloved 'Will & Grace' star spotted with fan in Vancouver

B.C. drivers continue to shun travel to the U.S. Data for four border crossings near Vancouver in November is out today. Travel by B.C.-plated vehicles is down 38% y/y in November. Tenth straight month of declines. #travel #tourism

YVR today sent me passenger data for October. Overall traffic is up. Domestic traffic is up. Other international traffic is also up. The only thing not up is passenger traffic on flights to and from the U.S. That's down for the 10th straight month. #travel #tourism

Found this at court. Eight former bellhops, valets are suing Executive Le Soleil Hotels & Suites for allegedly terminating them to quell a union drive. #hospitality #lawsuits

Canucks are worth US$2.2B, which is the average for an NHL team, according to CNBC. Interesting that the network today estimated the team's revenue, EBITDA and debt as a percentage of value. Canucks execs have been coy on details whenever I have asked. #Canucks

New B.C. government policy for mark-up support for B.C. wineries draws pushback. #BCwine

Why B.C. consumers are shifting to buy local and direct when it comes to purchasing protein. Options exist to get quarter cows and chicken and fish by cutting out intermediaries. #groceries #buylocal www.biv.com/news/economy...

Fast-growing Pokerrito expanding to Mexico, Toronto after opening 11 Metro Vancouver locations. I discussed franchising lessons with veterans. #franchising www.biv.com/news/economy...

Why Flair sees sufficient demand to launch daily Vancouver–Montreal flights in spring 2026 #aviation #tourism #travel

Looks like tough times at Vancouver's Hootsuite as it lays off 20% of its staff, which would be hundreds of workers. Good news could be that there are more workers with experience for other local #technology companies. www.biv.com/news/technol...

Good to see Whitecaps FC setting attendance records, seeing business success #WhitecapsFC #Whitecaps #MLS

Fun to hang out again with #Canucks legend Trevor Linden, though we didn't work out together as we did pre-pandemic. We just spoke about his business. Watch for coverage of that later this year in a magazine and in @BIVnews #Fitness

Looked into how much tourism has become accessible through the decades. B.C. businesses are making strides to be more inclusive for those in wheelchairs, on the autism spectrum or with other needs. #tourism #accessibility www.biv.com/small-busine...

Covered charges against a former Westhaven CFO last year. Crown has stayed all of the charges. The former CFO's lawyer had choice words about what he called "disturbing practices" in the BCSC's investigation. www.biv.com/news/economy...

Check out my look into calls to streamline B.C.'s inefficient alcohol distribution system. Importers have seen business dry up because the BCGEU strike has halted alcohol deliveries. Products must shuttle between warehouses before getting to consumers. #retail #hospitality #BCGEU

Executives at Vancouver-based clothing companies shared with me their real estate strategies for opening stores. Many brands - #Lululemon, #Aritzia, #Indochino, #Duer, #KitandAce - are opening new stores. Others are expanding wholesale partnerships. #retail #realestate

Lululemon sent me a response to founder Chip Wilson's blistering critique of the way it is operating, following his ad in the Wall Street Journal yesterday. #retail #lululemon

Check out my look into how Vancouver sports teams are vying for fan dollars in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. #FIFAWorldCup #WhitecapsFC #Canucks #BCLions #VancouverRise #PWHL

It may sound crazy that a restaurant cannot buy a bottle of wine at a licensed private store and then sell it to customers. That is the way it is in B.C. Many want it changed. Check out my story. #retail #hospitality #BCGEU

Looked into border data for September. B.C. drivers visited the U.S. 40% less than they did in September 2024. It's the eighth straight month of y/y monthly declines. #travel #tourism

Exciting to see such a huge night for Vancouver soccer — MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps incredibly playing the lower Canadian Premier League’s Vancouver FC in a competitive Voyageurs Cup final. Great win for the ‘Caps means inclusion in other tournaments. #WhitecapsFC #VancouverFC

Salmon n’ Bannock owner Inez Cook told me about her “expensive mistake” locating at Vancouver International Airport behind security. She’s “hanging on by a thread.” And launching bannock mix #retail sales. #restaurants #hospitality

Check out my look into the importance of where companies are based, and how to determine that location. The proposed #AngloTeck merger hinges on where it would be based, and identifying that site is not as simple as knowing where the CEO gets up most mornings. #incorporation

Here's my scoop that Cactus Club co-founder Richard Jaffray has bought a significant stake in the nearly 100-location Keg chain. He sold his stake in Cactus in 2022, and bought into Hawsksworth. The Keg is a much bigger entity. Jaffray will be chair of the board as well. #restaurants #TheKeg

Aritzia chairman Brian Hill wants Canada to eliminate its de minimis duty-exemption on small shipments, to match what the U.S. has done. He claims Aritzia is at a 20% duty disadvantage for some parcels sent to Canada. #retail #deminimis

Found this at court: a Kamloops kid is taking American gaming giant Roblox to court, arguing that the game is too addictive and as a result has negative health effects #gaming #lawsuits #Roblox

Met Roots CEO Meghan Roach at the new Vancouver flagship store to discuss operations, as well as the COO of its Taiwanese partner that operates 120 stores on that island. #retail #fashion #Roots

Checked in with some small-business owners about how they are grappling with unexpected disruptions #smallbiz #entrepreneur

Good to see SFU's Fir, the fastest supercomputer in Canada, and the 78th most powerful supercomputer in the world, go online following an $80M upgrade. #technology #supercomputing

Check out my look at how B.C. alcohol sellers are adapting to the ban on U.S. imports, and customers buying less booze #alcohol #retail #BCpoli

It's a challenging time for restaurants. They want provincial support as they urge the feds to loosen immigration policy so they can get needed workers. That may be tough to get. #BCpoli #Cdnpoli #hospitality

Discussed strategies with small-business owners for how to survive now that the U.S. has eliminated its de minimis duty exemptions. #smallbiz #deminimis

I looked into B.C.'s fastest-growing company between 2020 and 2024: Oxygen8. Their 11,104-per-cent revenue growth rate is staggering. Less surprising may be that they sell ventilation systems - products increasingly viewed as important since the pandemic. #BCecon

B.C.'s highest paid executive donates $2.2M in art to the Vancouver Art Gallery #culture #art #VAG www.biv.com/news/economy...

B.C. residents continue to reduce trips to the U.S. Data is out for the number of B.C.-plated passenger vehicles heading south at four Washington state border crossings in August. Traffic is down 39% year/year in that month. #travel #tourism #tariffs

Found this at the courthouse. Metro Vancouver woman sues airline for allegedly exposing her to cholera while on board. #lawsuits #aviation

Check out my look at the state of unionization in B.C. It's timely given the BCGEU and Professional Employees Association launching pickets today, and Hullo Ferries workers voting this afternoon for strike action. #BClab #Labour #unions

Vancouver-based Best Buy Canada (one of the largest B.C.-based retailers) has revenue growth that significantly outpaced that of its parent's U.S. operations, according to an earnings report today. #retail #electronics

Great to see Ryan and Cindy Beedie's Stanley Park concert, with bands such as Def Leppard, hit a record high donation level of $2.5M for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank #philanthropy #DefLeppard

Found this at the courthouse. Man claims he was in the Helijet chopper that was hit by lightning in October 2023. It landed safely but he says the event has given him PTSD. He’s suing for unspecified damages. #lawsuits #aviation

Multiple B.C-based executives took home more than $20M last year. Check out my look into how share-based awards and options are the lion’s share of compensation for many. #recruitment #HR #executivecompensation www.biv.com/news/economy...

Bonnis Properties' $140M sale of Granville and Robson site sparks redevelopment speculation #YvrRE #retail #vanpoli #hospitality

European business leaders who visited B.C. to go heli-skiing and wound up in a helicopter crash are suing Kelowna's Skyline Helicopters Ltd. for alleged pilot errors, which caused what they called catastrophic injuries. #lawsuits #aviation www.biv.com/news/economy...

Vancouver art market appears strong despite some evidence of a global slowdown #FineArt #paintings #retail

Fired Fraser Health CEO to get over $609,000 severance, equal to 18 months' pay. Employment lawyer says that length of continued pay is standard. It is also likely the maximum that she would be entitled to.

Chatted today with #WhitecapsFC CEO Axel Schuster, who revealed details of his team's Thomas Müller signing, such as what is an extremely low $600,000 salary for the rest of the season. Check out my look at the business case for the signing. #MLS

WestJet's plane collision while taxiing at Comox Airport has started to have consequences. A woman who claims to be a passenger is alleging "permanent physical disability," among other things, in her new lawsuit. #aviation #lawsuits www.biv.com/news/economy...

New data for July shows B.C. residents continue to make fewer visits to the U.S. Vehicle traffic is down as is air traffic #travel #tourism

Ominous sign for B.C. tourism as the province sees fewer international visitors through its entry points for the fourth straight month y/y. #tourism #hospitality #BCecon Some evidence points to this continuing.