Current Economic Development Newsletter

Issue 1 | Volume 6 | April, 2015
BC Provincial Nominee Program Paused
What’s On Digest
st
Effective April 1 , the Government of British Columbia is
implementing a 90-day pause on its Provincial Nominee Program
(PNP). The government will not be accepting any new applications
for most categories of the program while they develop an
improved application process and update the program criteria.
The program will begin accepting new applications starting in July
2015.
The PNP will continue to accept applications under the Express
Entry stream as well as the Health Care Professional and
Northeast Pilot Project categories. Applicants that are currently in
the application system as of March 31, 2015 will continue to be
processed.
The PNP is an economic immigration program designed to attract
and retain foreign workers and entrepreneurs to meet BC’s labour
market and economic development needs. The program offers an
accelerated pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers,
qualified entrepreneurs and their family members who intend to
settle in BC.
Since its inception in 2001, more than 26,000 immigrants have
come through the PNP. Recent changes to the federal
government’s immigration programs have increased the number
of applications to the BC PNP causing delays in the application
process.
For more information, contact Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills
Training and Responsible for Labour at 250-387-2799.
Cowichan Pasta Company Opens Production Facility
Cowichan Pasta Company has opened a new processing facility
inside Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese deli at 5-1400 Cowichan
Bay Rd in Cowichan Bay. They are the first pasta company in
Canada that is making stone ground pasta from ancient grains
such as Spelt, Emmer and Red Fife. For more information, go to
www.cowichanpasta.com.
What’s On Digest Cowichan is a new
monthly
publication
for
events,
entertainment, movies or sports in the
Cowichan Region. You can list your
event free of charge by going to
www.whatsondigest.com or call 250585-3452.
Buy BC Registry
The Province of BC, Ministry of Jobs,
Tourism and Skills Training has
developed an on-line tool to assist
businesses in connecting with the
opportunities created by the Liquefied
Natural Gas industry and other major
projects on Vancouver Island and BC.
Businesses can register free of charge
by going to www.LNGBuyBC.ca
Ladysmith Heritage Building
Undergoes Facelift
Major scaffolding now encases the front
of a well-known heritage building on
Ladysmith’s historic 1st Avenue as the
home of one of Ladysmith’s newest
restaurants, Stelur Eatery, undergoes a
brick façade facelift.
The
work
is
designed to restore the face of the
building to a closer proximity of the
original structure and involves significant
scaffolding and bracing to ensure the
work
progresses
smoothly
and
efficiently.
135 Third Street, Duncan, British Columbia V9L 1R9
discovercowichan.com
Page 2 | April 2015
BC Government Transportation Study
Duncan BIA President’s Awards
The Government of BC has released a 10-year transportation plan
for British Columbia. The plan was developed by government with
input gathered during an engagement process in the fall of 2014.
Outlining 12 key areas, the Province has committed almost $2.5
billion over the next three years and will continue to invest
similarly over the 10-year period. The key areas include:
The Duncan Business Improvement
Area Society recently handed out the
prestigious President’s Awards at their
Annual General Meeting. The awards
celebrate the business people who have
made an important contribution to
Downtown
Duncan
through
their
leadership, commitment and passion.
Rehabilitating highways, bridges and side roads
 Improving highway safety
 Improving highway capacity and reliability
 Delivering a Provincial Trucking Strategy
 Investing in transit
 Investing in cycling
 Investing in airports
 Enabling efficient ports and rail
 Sustaining and renewing ferries
 Building partnerships with First Nations
 Improving accessibility
 Protecting the environment
Important for Vancouver Island are the following initiatives:
 Deliver upgrades to reduce congestion and improve
commuter mobility along Highway 1 between Langford and
Victoria
 Work in partnership with local communities to deliver
projects to improve access to and from provincial highways
and traffic flow through communities
 Plan and deliver key highway safety improvements in
locations such as Highway 4 west of Port Alberni and the
Malahat corridor of Highway 1
 Continue to pursue strategies to achieve the vision of an
affordable, sustainable and efficient coastal ferry service
For more information, go to www.gov.bc.ca
The following awards were recognized:
New Business of the Year- Harmony
Yoga and Wellness Centre
Business of the Year- Coffee on the
Moon
Spirit of Excellence Award- Cowichan
Green Community
Shirley McGuinness Award- Terry
Raven
Congratulations to all the nominees and
recipients of awards.
Duncan Cowichan Chamber of
Commerce Black Tie Awards
On April 11th, the Duncan Cowichan
Chamber of Commerce Black Tie
Awards will be held at Brentwood
College in Mill Bay. Economic
Development Cowichan is sponsoring
the Green Business Award. For tickets
or
more
information,
go
to
www.duncancc.bc.ca
If you have any questions about the
information presented in this newsletter, or
would like information about economic
development, please contact Kathy Lachman,
Acting Manager Economic Development at
250-746-7880 or email [email protected]
135 Third Street, Duncan, British Columbia V9L 1R9
discovercowichan.com