Taking Stock: North Cost Business Scene March 2019

March saw a number of business notes claim some space on the blog covering a range to topics and interests and for the most part seeing some forward momentum for the sector this month.

It was also a time for celebration from the Prince Rupert and District's Business Excellence Awards, with the Awards Gala of earlier last month providing a salute to the strength of the commercial sector in the region.

March also provided for some progress in the roll out of a retail cannabis industry with Clarity Cannabis moving their application through the bureaucratic process.

CityWest made some news with an office reopening, while the City outlines some plans for those looking to spruce up their outside presentation.

Those themes and many others, can be be found as part of our review of the Commercial and economic scene in the region for the last month below:

March

The start of the month brought the annual celebration of the Prince Rupert and Port Edward business community with the Business Excellence Awards Show hosted by the Lester Centre.

The provinces liquor stores have once again thrown their support towards Dry Grad initiatives across BC, helping to raise money for the community Dry Grad program.

A new round of funding for the City of Prince Rupert's business facade program was announced in early March, with up to 5,000 dollars available per building for any proposed improvements.

The passing of Jim West was noted in March, with the community sharing their memories of the long time businessman and sing painter.

Prince Rupert based CityWest took note of all the excitement brewing in Kitimat and announced the re-opening of their Kitimat storefront to serve the region. The communication company also launched a new advertising campaign, featuring some local actors to highlight some of the service options that they offer.

Local business came together to lend a hand with a fundraising event for the Prince Rupert Ground Search and Rescue group in the region in March.

Stuck on Designs made the mark with Northern Savings in March, named as the financial institutions Business of the Month.

Getting a glimpse at the current state of the labour market will make for a project this year with Redesign Rupert, Community Futures of the Pacific Northwest, Hecate Strait Business Development Society, the Port of Prince Rupert and City of Prince Rupert all working on a Labour market study this spring and summer.

Warehousing space in the region is about to expand as the Metlakatla Economic Development Corporation outlined its plans for a major development on land at Ridley Island.

Transition Prince Rupert outlined its plans for City Council towards the launch of a Green Busienss program in the community.

The end of March also found the City of Prince Rupert forwarding to the province a second application for a retail cannabis location, with Clarity Cannabis seeking final approval for their plans for a storefront on Third Avenue West. The application process also included a call for comments from earlier in the month.

You can keep up to date on the ebb and flow of the Prince Rupert commercial scene through our Taking Stock Archive for 2019. 

More notes on the commercial sector across the Northwest in 2019 can also be found from our from our archive page here. 

We imagine we probably have missed a few here or there, so if you know of a business having opened, or seen the Going out of business sign appear somewhere in the area, drop us a line at our email account of northcoastreviewpr@yahoo.ca

Or send us a short message through our twitter feed of @CharlesHays

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Taking Stock: North Coast Business Scene -- February 2019

Business notes claimed a fair amount of space through the month of February with familiar and new names opening retail locations on the Third Avenue West corridor.

It was also the month of voting for the Prince Rupert and District's Business Excellence Awards, with the Awards Gala of early March celebrating the success for the commercial sector in 2018.

February also brought the return of the All Native Basketball Tournament, which in addition to some high tempo basketball provided for a significant boost to the local economy over the week of competition.

Notes from the Prince Rupert offices of CityWest and Northern Savings also contributed to the new flow for the thirty one days of January.

Those themes and many others, can be be found as part of our review of the Commercial and economic scene in the region for the last month below:

February

It was grand reopening time in February for Prince Rupert's Shutter Shack, as new owners Lonnie and Bruce Wishart opened the doors to their Third Avenue Storefront in the 200 block.

February brought the All Native Basketball Tournament to town and for the week of February 10-17 the city was a very busy place, with hotels full, restaurants and stores destinations for many of the visitors to Prince Rupert.

The storefronts along Third Avenue West continue to ebb and flow with closures and openings, and in February a new venture was launched, as Hekate Esthetics opened its doors in the 300 block.

The path towards the opening of the city's first cannabis retail outlet move a few more inches in February as the High Culture application for a Park Avenue outlet cleared a few more hurdles of bureaucracy. There was also a new entry in the retail cannabis proposals for Prince Rupert, a short lived one as it turned out as Hive Cannabis submitted and then withdrew a plan for a retail location on Third Avenue West.

Northern Savings, the Prince Rupert based financial services organization hosted elections for its Board of Directors.

Mid month found City Council hearing a request from Councillor Barry Cunningham to provide for a home town advantage for local firms when it comes to the city's Request for Bids process.

CityWest outlined the Fibre to Home expansion plans for 2019, with a target of fifty percent coverage by years end for Prince Rupert. February was also a month where the communication company launched a search to fill some employment opportunities in the Northwest.

Air Travellers to and from the city will be seeing a new aircraft on the tarmac later this year, as Air Canada makes plans to shift to Q400 service for the Prince Rupert to Vancouver route.

Business owners found the City's call for utility taxes in the mail this month, the three services providing for a slight increase from the year before.

February provided the lead up to one of the main events of the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce as the voting began for the Chamber's Business Excellence Awards for 2019, with the big night arriving on March 2nd.

A review into the Alaska Marine Highway System will consume much of the spring and early summer months, as the Alaska government considers the fate of the service, with the final recommendations something which could have a significant impact on the tourism sector on the North Coast.

There was a significant Chamber of Commerce presence to be found on the Mayor's Select Committee on Council remuneration which delivered its findings in February, with many of the members of the panel having a connection to the Chamber.

The prospect of the Neptune Inn returning to commercial activity came a step closer in February, as council voted to remove it's zoning for a Seniors housing development, reverting to the hotel/restaurant zoning of before.

You can keep up to date on the ebb and flow of the Prince Rupert commercial scene through our Taking Stock Archive for 2019. 

More notes on the commercial sector across the Northwest in 2019 can also be found from our from our archive page here. 

We imagine we probably have missed a few here or there, so if you know of a business having opened, or seen the Going out of business sign appear somewhere in the area, drop us a line at our email account of northcoastreviewpr@yahoo.ca

Or send us a short message through our twitter feed of @CharlesHays

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.