LEVEL U P CENTRAL OKANAGAN BUSINESS REPORT Nov 2020

pandemic recovery

Keep dollars Upper Bench Will coronavirus flowing in the Riesling is best kill ’s live Okanagan. of the best. music scene? Happy?

The Happiness Index is being introduced in the Thompson Okanagan. LEVEL U P 12 CENTRAL OKANAGAN BUSINESS REPORT

Finalists Articles 20 Who will win Kelowna Business Now a monthly magazine Excellence Awards? Lightning fast Also on KelownaNow.com 02 Kelowna is home to five of the fastest growing Women of the year companies in the country. 22 They’re savvy, adaptable and ethical. 04 Wine of the year Cseking In Upper Bench Riesling is best of the best. 23 Who’s leading the charge for affordable housing? 06 Eating out Restaurants need a vaccine to go back to 24 Okanagan Falls 20) and entrepreneurs saw fit to And finally, we wouldn’t be in the normal. It’s comeback time! Welcome open new businesses (page 36). Okanagan if we weren’t sipping some exceptional vintage. Right 08 Shop local Drink up Letter Hard times also bring us together now that’s the 2019 Riesling from Keep the dollars flowing in the Okanagan. 26 Naramata Bench wineries have solid 2020. to move forward. Read about Upper Bench Winery & Creamery 10 Up in smoke Canadian Market Watch It’s only natural this issue of Level how DunnEnzies Pizza is offering on the Naramata Bench, which was Orcharding family gets into cannabis in a 28 Eric Fier talks silver. Up will be known as the ‘recovery’ jobs to all employees of Olympia crowned wine of the year at the big way. edition. After all, last month was Greek Taverna, who saw their jobs recent BC Lieutenant Governor’s 11 Helping out the pandemic issue. As with any go up in smoke in a fire at the Wine Awards. Clipped wings 31 DunnEnzies hiring workers impacted by COVID-related layoffs at KF Aerospace. Olympia Greek Taverna fire. crisis, fear, reaction, reflection and taverna in October (page 30), and 14 rebuilding follows. The Okanagan how the Shop Local movement Cheers. Rising Noted is well into its recovery thanks to Massive concrete pour for the Landmark 7 32 has renewed traction (page 8). Will coronavirus kill Kelowna’s live a Valley full of resilient, innovative Our South Okanagan-based Lastly, as you read this magazine, office tower. music scene? 16 and resourceful people, businesses contributor, Gord Goble, chronicles planning and writing is well Grounded 34 Drink up some more and leaders. But recovery can be how the small town of Okanagan underway for the December issue Slow recovery for Kelowna International Rebel Vodka headed to China Airport. slow and full of sputtering stops Falls is trying to revitalize from of Level Up. The cover story will and Romania. and starts. The articles in this tough times that pre-date COVID spotlight Kelowna Santas, the 18 magazine illustrate that. (page 24). NowMedia Group and Kelowna Room at the inn Opening Doors Hotels facing up to a decade of recovery. 36 Hello new businesses. Toyota initiative that makes sure For instance, three of the hardest Despite all the upheaval and every child in need has a present hit sectors, hotels (page 19), uncertainty, we in the Okanagan under the tree on Christmas restaurants (page 6) and aviation tend to be happy people with a morning. (page 16), are in the midst of high standard of living and sense Cover photo sales and advertising painfully sluggish recuperations. of community. That’s expected LEVEL UP Ingrid jarrett [email protected] Conversely, there are reasons to to be reflected in the survey the - BC Hotel Association (250) 862 8010 celebrate that, despite COVID, five Thompson Okanagan Tourism ISSUE NO. 4 managing editor Contributors Rob Cupello Kelowna companies made the list Association and Thompson Rivers Steve MacNaull Steve MacNaull Laina Burton of fastest-growing companies in University are jointly partner is Parker Sheil John-Luke Kieper Canada (page 2), the finalists for conducting to determine the Steve MacNaull PUBLISHER Taylor siemens Dylan McCullough the Kelowna Business Excellence region’s first Happiness Index Editor and journalist with 16 flights publishing house Jorden puzzella Gord Goble - a division of NowMedia Group Jim Csek Iain Burns Awards are turning a profit (page (page 12). NowMedia Group Nikki Csek Kent Molgat LEVEL UP // 1 Kelowna home to five of Canada’s fastest growing companies

THE TOP GROWING LIST INCLUDES VITALIS EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGY, HIGHSTREET VENTURES, BANANATAG, JUPITER AVIONICS AND CORE HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES.

Written by: Steve MacNaull

However, it has achieved most of its They make cannabis extraction attention and revenue for supplying James Seabrook, left, Joel Sherlock and Pete Patterson co-founded Vitalis Extraction Technology, the Kelowna-based manufacturer equipment, build rental apartments, of extraction equipment for the cannabis, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and essential oils sectors. the burgeoning legal cannabis sector. develop employee-communication software, manufacture aviation audio “We’re proud to reach this milestone equipment and operate a corporate as we approach our 5th birthday,” Carrington View and Carrington with 76% growth in the $2 million to wellness platform. says Vitalis co-founder and chairman Place in West Kelowna, Skaha Shore $5 million annual revenue range. Joel Sherlock. in Penticton and Creekview Heights They are the five Kelowna businesses in Vernon. By the way, ranked No. 1 is Toronto- on the 2020 Canada’s Top Growing “We’re excited to maintain this based Rx Drug Mart, which acquires, Companies list. momentum of growth moving Bananatag, which has annual opens and operates independent newspaper’s Report on Business Scott Butler is president of Highstreet forward with our sights set on new revenue between $5 million and $10 pharmacies, for its 13,940% growth section has the list of 400 compiled Ventures, the developer, builder and products and new markets.” million, was No. 132 with three-year over three years in the $100 million to operator of several rental apartment every year to identify the fastest- revenue growth of 350%. Bananatag $250 million annual revenue range. complexes in the Okanagan. growing companies in the nation Vitalis had 2019 revenue between $25 develops employee-communications based on three-year revenue growth. million and $50 million (the list gives software. “The stories of Canada’s Top Growing a range, not an exact number) and Companies are worth telling at any Vitalis Extraction Technology was the has 97 employees. Jupiter Avionics ranked No. 212 with time, but are especially relevant in top-ranked Kelowna company taking 190% growth and has annual revenue the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” No. 3 on the list with an astounding Highstreet Ventures took No. 34 on between $2 million and $5 million says Globe and Mail publisher Phillip 8,090% revenue growth over the last the list with a 1,543% growth in the It’s 23 employees design and make Crawley. three years. $25 million to $50 million annual airborne audio communications revenue range. equipment. “Their growth helps to make Canada Vitalis makes carbon dioxide a better place.” extraction systems for the cannabis, Highstreet develops, builds and Core Health Technologies, which pharmaceuticals, food and beverage operates rental apartment complexes operates a platform for corporate and essential oils industries. such as Mission Flats in Kelowna, wellness programs, ranked No. 371 LEVEL UP // 3 Upper Bench Riesling THE WINES AWARDED is wine of the year PLATINUM MEDALS ARE:

BC LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S WINE AWARDS - Lake Breeze Vineyards Riesling 2017 RECOGNIZES ONE WINE EVERY YEAR AS THE BEST. - Tantalus Vineyards Old Vines Riesling 2017 - O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars Riesling 2019 Written by: Steve MacNaull - Arrowleaf Cellars Pinot Noir 2018 - SpearHead Winery Pinot Noir Saddle Block 2018 With a chuckle, Gavin Miller reveals he You can tell Miller is in love with the wine - SpearHead Winery Pinot Noir Cuvée 2018 considers every wine he makes worthy of a of the year as he describes it as beautifully - Mission Hill Family Estate Perpetua 2018 wine-of-the-year award. clean, crisp and off-dry with bright acidity - Therapy Vineyards Chardonnay 2018 and aromas and flavours of lemon tart, lime, “Of course, I think all my wines are special,” gooseberry and guava. - Terravista Vineyards Albariño 2019 says the co-owner and winemaker at Upper - Deep Roots Winery Parentage Red 2018 Bench Winery & Creamery on the Naramata “It’s also a versatile wine that you can sip on - Nk’Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Syrah 2017 Bench. its own or enjoy with seafood, chicken or - Laughing Stock Vineyards Syrah 2017 charcuterie,” he says. “But there can only be one winner, so I’m - Moraine Estate Winery Syrah 2018 happy it’s our 2019 Riesling ($22).” As its name suggests, Upper Bench Winery - Three Sisters Winery Syrah 2018 & Creamery is where Gavin makes the - Deep Roots Winery Syrah 2018 Miller is referring to Upper Bench’s 2019 wine and his wife, Shana, makes artisan Riesling being crowned wine of the cheeses. year at the recent 2020 BC Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards. The 2019 Riesling is the recommended pairing with Upper Bench’s double- It’s quite a feat, considering more than cream brie and Grey Baby and King Cole 700 wines from over 100 wineries were soft and semi-soft blue cheeses. tasted by an esteemed panel of 14 judges from across the country. The Lieutenant Governor’s awards also saw 15 platinum medals awarded and There are a lot of wine contests out numerous gold, silver and bronze medals. there, but the BC Lieutenant Governor’s You can see the full list at Wine Awards is considered the most TheWineFestivals.com. prestigious in the province for its depth, savvy for spotlighting the best bottles As well, the awards recognized the late and affiliation with the Fall Okanagan Rafe Mair, former provincial minister of Wine Festival. consumer and corporate affairs with the Harry McWatters Founders Award. “Basically, I make the Riesling as a wine we like to drink ourselves at the winery and The award is named after the late, BC wine legend that others will also obviously enjoy,” says McWatters and it acknowledged this year that Mair’s Miller. leadership helped with the creation of the industry- changing estate winery license in 1979. “The grapes for the Riesling are all grown The 2019 Riesling ($22) from Upper Bench Winery & Creamery on the Naramata Bench won wine of the year at the 2020 BC on our own vineyards.” Upper Bench Winery & Creamery co-owner and winemaker Gavin Miller crafted the wine-of-the-year 2019 Riesling. Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards. LEVEL UP // 5 Vaccine needed for restaurant recovery IN THE MEANTIME, EATERIES FACE A LONG AND UNPROFITABLE WINTER.

Written by: Steve MacNaull food and beverage and bring in and Mid-Town Station Kitchen & guest chefs, but it’s still going to be Drink in the Landmark District with It’s difficult to land a reservation a tough one,” says Butters. his wife, Rhonda. at one of chef Rod Butters’ four downtown Kelowna restaurants. Despite COVID restrictions, “People were happy to sit on patios Kelowna’s restaurant scene all summer long, but we’re finding But that doesn’t mean he’s making flourished in the summer with extra some people don’t want to sit inside money. capacity on patios and tourists for the fall and winter.” continuing to visit with staycations “We’re basically operating at half all the rage. Lindsay’s two restaurants will focus capacity to maintain physical on both vibrant in-housing dining 1 distancing under the province’s But, fall and winter, as Butters and take-out for the fall and winter COVID protocols,” says Butters. stressed, is a whole other ballgame. and continue to take advantage of wage and rent subsidies in order to “So, it means it might be hard to get New pandemic rules forcing “limp along.” 1. Rhonda and David Lindsay own The Train Station Pub in downtown Kelowna and Mid-Town Station Kitchen & Drink in the Landmark a reservation or get in at a certain restaurants having to cut off liquor District. 2. Stephen MacDonald and Crystal Dougan own and operate Little Hobo Soup & Sandwich in downtown Kelowna. 3. Chef Rod Butters owns four Kelowna restaurants under the RauDZ Creative Concepts umbrella, RauDZ Regional Table, Sunny’s Modern Diner, Micro time. And, when we sit down at service at 10 pm and not have live Everyday is “touch-and-go” at Bar+Bites and The Okanagan Table. the end of the month, the numbers music are also blows to the bottom Little Hobo in downtown Kelowna, don’t lie. We’re not making a profit.” line. according to Crystal Dougan, who owns and operates the soup and For the first time in his two decades So much of a blow, in fact, that sandwich shop with her husband, of business in Kelowna, Butters is Fernando’s downtown has closed Stephen MacDonald. scared. for the fall and winter in hope of better days ahead. “I wonder if we’ll make it,” she says. “I mean, we survived the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Fire and the For now, the pub plans to reopen “But I have faith and hope that we 2008-09 financial crisis, but this is in spring when it hopes outdoor will because people still need to different and devastating,” he says. seating and the return of live music eat .” will make the business more viable. Butters is thankful for phenomenal The problem is, many of Little local support of RauDZ Regional Smack Dab at Manteo Resort has Hobo’s regular customers haven’t Table, Micro Bar+Bites, Sunny’s also decided to close for the winter returned to their downtown offices Modern Diner and The Okanagan and is referring all potential diners because they’re working from Table. to the restaurant at its neighbouring home as the pandemic drags on. sister property, the Hotel Eldorado. “We’re doing take-out and selling However, with fewer tourists and frozen foods,” says Dougan. reduced capacity at the restaurants, “What we need, desperately, is a he’s worried about the fall and vaccine so we can open completely “But that doesn’t make up for the winter. and give people the confidence to fact that we can only have half the fully come out to restaurants,” says seats inside the restaurant. We “We’ll continue to offer great David Lindsay, who owns The Train can’t even think recovery. We’re just

LEVEL UP // 2 3 service, further commit to quality Station Pub in downtown Kelowna hanging on.” NOWMEDIAGROUP VIDEO DEMONSTRATES HOW SHOP LOCAL IS COMMUNITY- BUILDING, GOOD ECONOMICS.

Support Local Keep dollars flowing in the Okanagan 2

You are a hero when you Shop Local. The video follows $100 as its “For a long time, we didn’t push it with a net worth of US$204 billion initially spent on a meal at Hector’s because it was an abstract concept and the CEO of the Amazon You are essentially a social Casa Mexican restaurant and and we wanted people to have empire of online shopping, video economist, a scientific spender, morphs and multiplies through the freedom to shop where they streaming, cloud computing, and Written by: Steve MacNaull a supporter of small and more spending at the Kelowna wanted to shop, not just because it Internet and web services. independent businesses who has Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market, is local.” an immediate and long-lasting the independently-owned Home Bezos doesn’t sponsor your kid’s impact on the community where Hardware, Amici’s Hair Salon, However, Lea is now a convert. sports team or pay municipal taxes YOU ARE A you live. Frakas clothing boutique, ExNihilo in the Okanagan. HERO WHEN Winery, d6 Print Studio, Prospera “There’s so much intrinsic value in “Science shows the power of Place to watch the Kelowna shopping local,” he says. The Kelowna Chamber of YOU SHOP LOCAL. buying local,” says Okanagan Rockets and BNA Brewing Co. & “Shopping local is basically Commerce and Downtown College School of Business Eatery. community building. Buying Kelowna Association have professor Blair Baldwin. from a local business keeps that renewed Shop Local programs in The Shop Local movement has money in the community by way response to COVID. “We still have “Several studies show that when been around forever, but has taken of employee wages and spending, a long way to go in convincing someone spends $100 at a small, on renewed importance as the municipal taxes paid and support people to spend as much locally as independent business in their pandemic drags on. for dry grads and prizes for sports they can,” says chamber executive own town, $73 stays in the local teams.” director Dan Rogers. economy to circulate over and over We have to support small and again.” independent businesses where we Lea is still all for freedom. “People “We have to get the message live or risk losing them in COVID’s aren’t going to Shop Local and pay out constantly that the spin off of 3 That same $100 spent at a aftermath. 20% more,” he says. shopping local is keeping jobs and multinational chain sees only $43 money and services in the city. And 1. Jon Lea, co-owner of One Boardshop and remain in the local economy. As Baldwin cites another study that “Small and independent businesses even if you prefer to shop online, Premium Label Outlet, is a huge Shop Local well, the circulation of cash is four- shows if British Columbians shift still have to have competitive shop online with a local company.” advocate. and-a-half times more with local just 10% of their spending to local, prices and make it convenient for 2. NowMedia Group’s ‘Keeping Dollars Flowing spending than with buying at a it will create 14,000 jobs in the consumers with the right opening Downtown is primarily a collection in the Okanagan’ video starts with a couple multinational. province and put an extra $4.3 hours, excellent customer service of independent shops, restaurants paying their bill at Hector’s Casa Mexican billion into the economy. and online shopping options.” and services. “We’ve always had restaurant with a $100 bill.

NowMedia Group’s ‘Keeping the ‘Your Downtown’ and ‘support 3. Science backs up the benefits of Shop Dollars Flowing in the Jon Lea, co-owner of One Lea says shoppers have a choice local’ positions,” says association Local, according to Okanagan College School Okanagan’ video illustrates this Boardshop, Premium Label Outlet to make. “Do you want to pay executive director Mark Burley. of Business Professor Blair Baldwin. brilliantly in just one minute and Four Sight Supply, all in into your own community or do 1 and 44 seconds: youtube.com/ Kelowna, admits shopping local is you want to make Jeff Bezos a watch?v=uA4RnvY6hVQ . tricky. trillionaire?” he asks.

Bezos is the world’s richest person 9 THE KELOWNA-BASED AVIATION COMPANY Up Kelowna orcharding WILL SHED 14% OF ITS 1,100 EMPLOYEES. in family gets into COVID-related layoffs smoke cannabis in a big way coming for KF Aerospace

Written by: Dylan McCullough Written by: Kent Molgat by barbed wire fencing and scores of it as cannabis, but it is, in essence, a security cameras. plant growing outside.” KF Aerospace has announced it will The company, formerly known Row upon row of the plants The 60 acres of cannabis plants is reduce its staffing level by 14% as the as Kelowna Flightcraft, hasn’t growing at SpeakEasy are topped not just a mind-blowing image, it also pandemic’s devastating impact on announced where the restructuring SpeakEasy Cannabis founder Marc with massive buds with just just a represents potential upheaval in the the airline industry continues. will take place. However, 14% of Geen oversees what could be the scattering of leaves. You don’t need to cannabis business, because Geen the company’s staff is about 154 largest legal cannabis growing be an expert to see what looks like a argues it means high quality with In mid-October, Kelowna’s largest employees. operation in Canada. And it might generous crop. much lower costs than greenhouses employer confirmed the news, surprise you to know that much of it, can manage. reporting restructuring will take “This reduction has balanced the 60 acres, is outside. Geen credits the climate and the right place via voluntary long-term leaves, need for lower operating costs with plant selection. “These beasts,” he “Once this business model catches resignations, retirements and a small the desire to remain viable and It is believed to be the largest outdoor said with a grin, “they’re producing.” on,” he predicts, “There’s no room number of layoffs. well-positioned with staff for the grow in the country. in the market for greenhouse future rebound in aviation,” added the Mark Geen comes from a family with production and that’s 80 percent of “When our airline customers were release. “I don’t think anyone’s done 60 acres deep roots in the orchard industry. the production right now.” grounded in mid-March we were in one spot before. And I don’t think They had dabbled in ginseng, but immediately impacted, losing nearly “It is imperative the government put anyone has come off the acreages cannabis? At first, he worried about Over the next few weeks, Geen and 50% of our scheduled work as in place an aviation sector strategy with as much per acre as we’re how they would react to the idea. SpeakEasy expect to harvest about these airlines grounded their planes which recognizes that all facets of projecting here.” 70,000 kilograms of cannabis. and cancelled maintenance,” KF the industry are being negatively “Its something I took to my parents,” Aerospace president Tracy Medve impacted and that we need to work Along with that, SpeakEasy is he said, “and I thought maybe it said in a press release. harder than ever to restore the expanding it’s indoor production would be a hard sell.” public’s confidence in returning to the to 100,000 square feet. And he told “After weathering the storm for air.” KelownaNow he’s confident he will He joked that they had somehow over six months, KF was forced to sell every bit of it. lived through the 1960s without restructure the business due to the In September, KF Aerospace revealed having a single puff of marijuana. LEVEL U P CENTRAL OKANAGAN BUSINESS REPORT poor long-term outlook in aviation, plans for a “state of the art” 60,000 “We are going to grow within our fish with no solutions in the near-term for square foot aviation museum and bowl,” he said, adding that some large But to his surprise, it was a thumbs a monthly magazine passenger airline travel.” conference centre. producers have made the mistake of up. “They were all over it,” said Geen. growing for the sake of growing. Keep up with the local news As Canada’s largest commercial During the unveiling, executive “It is just another form of agriculture and subscribe today. aviation maintenance, repair, and director Paula Quinn commented on “We don’t want a massive amount when you get right down to it,” Published by overhaul provider, KF Aerospace has the extremely challenging year for the of production that’s going to happen he explained. “No other form of 1,100 employees between its plants in aviation industry, while still promising and no-one to sell it to.” agriculture that I know of has as Kelowna and Hamilton, ON. to open the centre in the spring of much stigma or culture attached to 2022. The whole operation is surrounded

LEVEL UP // 11 The survey will be repeated annually to establish trends and The Happiness Index is see if communities are making improvements in areas of concern being introduced to the pointed out by survey takers.

Thompson Okanagan “Over time, the Happiness Index will help measure how well this is being THE WELL-BEING OF THOMPSON OKANAGAN done by engaging with residents RESIDENTS IS BEING MEASURED THROUGH A directly,” says Thompson Okanagan PLANET HAPPINESS SURVEY. Tourism Association CEO Glenn Mandziuk.

Written by: Steve MacNaull Okanagan are happy, or not, because “I tend to think the Thompson “These findings will assist us in cheerful locals is one of the United Okanagan will too because Canada assessing how the region is meeting Are you happy? Nations’ requirements of having a is safe and a great place to live. We the UN sustainable development sustainable tourism industry. have a good standard of living and goals, as well as inform our ongoing It’s one of those esoteric, and almost access to health care and recreation. efforts toward tourism recovery and impossible, questions to answer. Soon, anyone can take the survey by However, there may be individuals resiliency.” going to totabc.org/happiness-index. who are unhappy with their job, But the Thompson Okanagan health, finances, psychological A printed survey might also be Tourism Association is taking a stab In the survey, you’ll be asked 68 wellbeing, personal relationships or distributed through municipalities at it by having Thompson Rivers questions in 11 categories by way of be lonely.” and community centres. University ply the Planet Happiness 1-10 rankings or multiple choice of survey locally to determine the strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, Planet Happiness is based in It’s not known yet how long the region’s Happiness Index. agree or strongly agree. Australia and has provided surveys survey will be open or when survey and support for regions all over the results will be released. An index score of 70 or more out of You’ll be asked questions about world to develop Happiness Indexes. 100 indicates happiness. how satisfied you are with your life, Personally, Hull says he’s happy. health, job, money situation, personal “You’d think that developed countries For the index, happiness, or sadness, relationships, access to recreation like Canada and Australia would have He’s in remission after a battle with is determined after people answer and if you have lots of energy and the highest index scores,” states Hull. prostate cancer. a series of 68 questions rather than spare time. simply asking: Are you happy? “But, you’d be surprised that the “I must confess though, some days I’m very grateful and other days I’m At the end of the survey, you’ll be highest indexes are actually in Latin 1 “Happy does not mean perfect, given a personalized Happiness America and Asia. In Cambodia, exhausted,” he says. or 100,” says professor John Hull Index summary including your overall for instance, they don’t have much of Thompson Rivers University in score out of 100 and scores in 11 materially, but they tend to be happy. “And I imagine that’s the kind of Kamloops, who is helping with the categories. In the developed world, people are mixed responses we’ll get in the survey. more likely to be unsatisfied with life survey.” From the thousands who do the for psychological reasons or because “It’s not even about being happy all survey in the region, the Thompson they feel isolated.” the time. But, overall, to be happy, you Okanagan Happiness Index will be usually have psychological wellbeing, determined. Thus said, the Thompson Okanagan a good standard of living and positive 1. Professor John Hull of Thompson Rivers survey takes on extra meaning University in Kamloops is leading the Planet personal relationships.” “Most other regions that have a because it’s really also asking people Happiness survey locally. Happiness Index tend to have a score how they are dealing with the The tourism association wants to 2. The happiness survey is being done 2 in the happy range,” says Hull. pandemic and now they’re coping. by Thompson Rivers University for the know if residents of the Thompson Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.

LEVEL UP // 13 THE SEVEN-STOREY PARKADE WILL BE PART OF A 23-STOREY OFFICE TOWER, THE TALLEST OF ITS KIND BETWEEN AND CALGARY. Landmark 7 continues to grow with another massive concrete pour

Written by: Dylan McCullough

What will be Kelowna’s tallest including restaurants, conference Landmark 7 is expected to fill up office tower has reached another rooms and a fitness facility. with existing Landmark tenants milestone. wanting to expand into the The Tree of Hope Plaza will tallest building and companies On Oct. 22, crews successfully connect to the storefronts at from elsewhere in the city and completed the final pour for the the base of Landmark 7 and the Vancouver looking to move and future parkade of the Landmark 7 existing restaurants and patios of lease prime space. building. the Market District. “Landmark 7 is a state-of-the-art, The seven-story parkade will be “While there is likely to be some one-of-kind building,” said Stober completely integrated into the pull-back in overall office demand Group commercial leasing and 23-storey Class A office tower as more people work from marketing agent Dallas Gray. that will be the tallest building of home (during COVID), leading Rogers Communications its kind between Vancouver and technology companies are trying recently opened new offices in Calgary. to figure out not so much what the Landmark District creating they should do with their offices, over 350 jobs, while long- The ground floor of the but how their offices can help time Landmark 5 tenant QHR 1 parkade will connect Highway them find and keep talent,” said Technologies has grown to over 97 to Dickson Avenue and Dave McAnerney, the chief 400 employees. have an extra-high ceiling to operating officer of Stober Group, accommodate bigger delivery the company developing and To learn more, watch the video trucks. operating the Landmark District. online at KelownaNow.com.

There will also be electric car “We believe Kelowna is the kind charging stations. of community that can attract 1. This rendering shows what the Landmark District will look like in May 2022 when the leading companies.” 23-storey Landmark 7, the tallest building on Upon completion in 2022, the left, is complete.

Landmark 7 will provide In fact, the existing six Landmark 2. The completion of the seven-storey 225,000 square feet of office office towers (six, seven, 11 and parkade for the 23-storey Landmark 7 office tower required the largest concrete pour in and commercial space along 18 storeys) have less than 1% Kelowna history. with a broad range of amenities, vacancy right now. 2 LEVEL UP // 15 But, there’s still a pandemic and a “Aviation has never had to deal than 150,000 who typically use the two-week quarantine, so travellers with a crisis like this,” says airport in a normal month. are hesitant, to say the least. Samaddar. Pre-COVID, 66 flights a day The Canadian aviation industry is “Past impacts such as the global were landing and taking off at still waiting on Ottawa for aid. financial meltdown in 2008 and the local airport, serving nine even 9/11 were not as severe and domestic points (Vancouver, “Closing international borders shorter in duration.” Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Prince was the right thing for the federal George, Cranbrook, Winnipeg, government to do, but it’s a policy In fact, the pandemic has Whitehorse and Toronto) and that creates a direct and significant prompted such aviation contraction seven international destinations crisis for the aviation industry,” that passenger counts at Kelowna (Seattle, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Cabo points out Samaddar. “The sector airport immediately plummeted San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun has to get some grant money from 95% in April and May and recovery and Varadero). the government.” is projected to be so slow that it will take five years for the airport to Kelowna airport now has a much- 1 During the 2008 financial crisis, fully recover. reduced frequency of flights to Ottawa helped bail out the hard-hit and from the domestic cities and automotive industry and currently This kind of battering is particularly all international flights have been the U.S. government is providing up damaging to Kelowna because the scrapped while international to $23 billion in bailouts to airports airport was on such a roll. borders remain closed. 1. COVID is more damaging and long south of the border. lasting than any other crisis that’s hit It will take five For the first time in 2018 and 2019, Kelowna International Airport was aviation, says Kelowna International Airport director Sam Samaddar. “While our industry remains the airport served more than a true regional hub serving the years for kelowna impacted, Canada remains one of 2 million passengers annually, entire Southern Interior. 2. The 2020 passenger count at only a few countries that has not making it the 10th busiest Kelowna International Airport is International airport received specific aviation relief airport in Canada, and airlines There was even talk of regularly projected to be 700,000, a dramatic measures or support,” says WestJet were increasing frequency and scheduled non-stop flights plunge from the pre-COVID annual count of over 2 million. media and public relations advisor destinations. between Kelowna and a European to recover from covid Morgan Bell. gateway and big-time airport For this year, Kelowna airport will expansion. RECOVERY HINGES ON VACCINE, SAFETY WestJet traditionally operated more be lucky to break the 700,000 MEASURES, CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AND flights than any other airline in and passenger barrier. All such optimistic talk has halted GOVERNMENT HELP. out of Kelowna airport. as the airport now focuses on a During the hardest hit month, slow and painful recovery and Written by: Steve MacNaull It is still flying between Kelowna April, only 5,706 passengers came waits for that all-important vaccine and Calgary, Edmonton and and went from Kelowna Airport, and disappearance of the two- Vancouver, but has suspended a miniscule fraction of the more week quarantine. There definitely has to be a “Everyone is focused on the but admits it will have to be flights to Victoria, Phoenix, Cabo, vaccine. vaccine, which is supposed to be eliminated in order for the aviation Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Winnipeg out in the second quarter of 2021 at industry to really start to recover. and Las Vegas (via its discount 2 The 14-day quarantine needs to be the earliest,” says Kelowna airport airline, Swoop) because of reduced scrapped. director Sam Samaddar. The additional piece of recovery is demand and border closures. consumer confidence. One-minute testing would be great. “The passenger aviation industry Decimating, devastating, really needs the vaccine and/ People can currently fly from destroying, annihilating, punishing And consumer confidence has to or quick tests for departing and Kelowna to international and unprecedented. be restored. arriving passengers in conjunction destinations with a connection with the 14-day quarantine in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or All are words used to describe the These are the cornerstones requirement for all passengers Montreal, which means a vacation crushing blow COVID has delivered required for Kelowna International arriving from an international to a sunspot in the southern to the aviation industry. Airport, and all airports and the destination being lifted.” U.S., Mexico or the Caribbean is entire tourism industry, to embark possible. on recovery. Samaddar agrees with the federal government’s policy on quarantine, LEVEL UP // 17 Written by: Steve MacNaull While the BC Hotel Association is based in Vancouver, Jarrett lives in Kelowna (previously, she was manager of The Royal in Kelowna The seven-storey Coast Capri Hotel and Watermark Beach Resort in has closed several of its floors for Osoyoos). the fall and winter. As such she sees how the As the COVID pandemic lingers on, Okanagan is hurting, but there’s simply not enough demand Vancouver and Victoria are even to operate the hotel at full capacity. worse. “The Coast Capri is faring better “International tourists are such a than most,” says hotel manager 2 big part of Vancouver and Victoria’s Dale Sivucha, who is also the business,” says Jarrett. president of the Kelowna Hotel Motel Association. Most, or all, of that business is now “Combine their disappearance gone, leaving hotels to face a bleak with corporate, convention and “I imagine a bunch of Kelowna future. government business being cut hotels will close completely for the off and Vancouver and Victoria winter. I wish I had better news, but The Kelowna Hotel Motel are lucky to have 20% to 25% there are not a lot of positive signs Association represents 33 occupancy.” in the hotel industry right now.” properties with a total of 3,800 rooms. Jarrett stresses that a struggling After COVID shutdowns in the hotel sector means tourist spring, Okanagan hotels had a The optimist in Sivucha hopes the attractions, tour operators, strong summer as the staycation tourism and hotel industry will be restaurants, transportation and trend blossomed and vacationers back to normal in 10 months. retail also struggle. from BC and Alberta stuck close to home amid international travel That depends on a COVID vaccine Jarrett and Sivucha wish they could restrictions. and international travel opening up. cure COVID right now. In fact, the Okanagan was one of The pessimist in Sivucha thinks it But since they can’t, their only four pockets in the province to will be closer to 18 months. industry is proposing a long and have a good summer of tourism. complicated recovery plan. Even the year-and-a-half timeline The others were Tofino, Parksville/ is optimistic, according to BC Hotel It includes government subsidies Qualicum Beach and the Kootenay Association president Ingrid Jarrett. for hotels, attracting tourists from Rockies. BC and across Canada for winter “As an industry, we’re right up to sports and culinary adventures, “The Okanagan is a very attractive the neck in crisis,” she says. positioning the Okanagan, Western Canada destination that Vancouver and Vancouver Island was deemed safe, so lots of people “Some experts are saying it will as an alternative to snowbirds who came here from elsewhere in BC take three to five years for the BC can’t travel south and allowing and Alberta in July and August,” hotel industry to recover, others hotels facing up to a foreign staff in to work in the says Sivucha. say it will be five to 10 years.” hospitality sector. decade of recovery “COVID didn’t diminish the The provincial association attraction of Okanagan Lake and represents 600 hotels with 80,000 great summer weather.” rooms and 60,000 employees. 30% OF HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES 1. Dale Sivucha is the manager of the Coast ALSO AT RISK OF CLOSING. However, it’s now fall, when However, currently some of those Capri Hotel in Kelowna and president of the conference delegates, sports hotels and rooms are closed Kelowna Hotel Motel Association. teams, wine tourists and and workers laid off because of 2. Thirty percent of hospitality businesses in international tour groups generally reduced demand. the province are at risk of closing, says BC 1 help fill up hotels. Hotel Association president Ingrid Jarrett. LEVEL UP // 19 Secure-Rite wins big at Kelowna Business Excellence Awards

THE KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HANDED OUT TROPHIES IN 14 CATEGORIES.

Written by: Steve MacNaull

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage 2 was recognized not just for its 1 business prowess, but its social consciousness, at the 33rd annual Mission Hill Winery, Eldorado This year the award went to 1. Secure-Rite president and owner Lucas Griffin is proud of his 2. Founded in Kelowna 16 years ago, Secure-Rite now has multiple Kelowna Business Excellence company’s wins in the mid-sized business of the year and social locations in BC and Alberta selling and renting shipping containers for Awards. Resort and Sparkling Hill Resort. Highstreet Ventures, the builder leadership categories. mobile storage, mobile offices and even mobile homes.. Founded 16 years ago in Kelowna and operator of apartment Secure-Rite picked up the trophy by Griffin, Secure-Rite now has complexes such as Mission Flats for mid-size business of the year as multiple locations in BC and in Kelowna, Carrington View and well as the social leadership award. Alberta selling and renting Carrington Place in West Kelowna, Douglas is executive director of Business leader of the year Marketing campaign of the year “We are so honoured,” said Secure- shipping containers for mobile Skaha Shore in Penticton and the Southern Interior Development - Laurel Douglas of the Southern - Okanagan Bucketlist (Mission Hill Rite owner and president Lucas storage, mobile offices and mobile Creekview Heights in Vernon. Initiative Trust, and formerly the Interior Development Initiative Trust Winery, Eldorado Resort, Big White Griffin. homes. CEO of the Women’s Enterprise Ski Resort, Predator Ridge Golf Brandon Panopoulos was heralded Centre. Young entrepreneur of the year Resort and Sparkling Hill Resort) “We would like to thank the The social leadership win as young entrepreneur of the year. - Brandon Panopoulos of TKI Kelowna Chamber of Commerce was acknowledgement of the He’s had a rapid ascent, joining TKI In all, the Kelowna Business Construction Social leadership for their diligence, their efforts Secure-Rite team giving back Construction 10 years ago and then Excellence Awards saw trophies - Secure-Rite Mobile Storage throughout the process and for time, money and product for the buying the company in 2017. handed out in 14 categories. Rising star coordinating an exciting (and safe) United Way Southern Interior BC, - Shambhu’s Spice House Ethics in business gala.” Kelowna’s Animal Food Bank, Fill TKI built the Cheeba Cheeba Large business of the year Cuisine of India - Inspire Property Management the Container pet food drive and cannabis stores in Kelowna and (51-plus employees) Because of COVID, the awards Alberta Cancer Foundation. West Kelowna, Blenz Coffee at the - Highstreet Ventures Excellence in tourism Inclusive workplace ceremony was virtual with finalists Okanagan Innovation Centre, the - Big White Ski Resort - Hampton Pools & Landscape tuning in to see who would win. As it’s grown, Secure-Rite has Child Advocacy Centre in Kelowna Mid-sized business of the year Secure-Rite was the only finalist to been an excellence awards winner and the Urgent & Primary Care (16 to 50 employees) Technology innovator of the year Arts and entertainment emerge with multiple awards. through the years, picking up the Centre in Vernon. - Secure-Rite Mobile Storage - Hybrid Elevator achievement Big White Ski Resort won for Rising Star accolade in 2007 and - Kelowna Pride Society excellence in tourism and is the small business of the year Laurel Douglas was announced as Small business of the year Not-for-profit excellence part of the Okanagan Bucketlist trophy in 2013. business leader of the year a week (one to 15 employees) - The Bridge Youth & Family that picked up the marketing before as a way of generating hype - Portia-Ella clean cosmetics Services campaign of the year award along The large business of the year about the awards. with Predator Ridge Golf Resort, category is always closely watched. LEVEL UP // 21 woman of the year is savvy, adaptable, CSEKING IN ethical Leading the charge in affordable housing KELOWNA WOMEN IN BUSINESS’ INAUGURAL RISE UP AWARDS HANDED OUT WOMAN OF THE YEAR AND CHANGE MAKER TROPHIES. Written by: Jorden Puzzella

When many children are playing Orchard Park Mall and Winnipeg. “We also encourage volunteerism games like house or dreaming of A distribution centre resides in with all our employees. So, while their future, Cassidy deVeer was Winnipeg to serve online orders this award recognizes me by name, learning how to build a home. and supply other stores and it belongs to the whole DunnEnzies boutiques with ethical, cruelty-free, team, including my business and At a young age, she was spending toxin-free, vegan makeup, skin care life partner, Deb Dunnigan.” time on job sites and hanging out and body and bath products. in hardware stores with her father, The Rise Up banquet scheduled who previously owned the Windsor The pandemic-prompted retail for the Coast Capri Hotel had to be Plywood in Kelowna. 1 shutdown forced Portia-Ella to cancelled because of COVID, but innovate its e-commerce even the trophy presentations to Michaud more. and MacKenzie was livestreamed on Now, Cassidy is the first female Written by: Steve MacNaull Zoom and Facebook. President of the Canadian Home Five percent of all online sales Builders Association and owner/ Julie Michaud feels doubly, no in April and May were donated operator of 3rd Generation Homes. triply, blessed. to Kelowna charity Mamas for Mamas, which helps families facing Recently, this amazing woman The founder and president of hardship. joined the CEO and co-founder Portia-Ella clean beauty just won With the stores reopened, Portia- of NowMedia Group, Nikki Csek, Woman of the Year at the Rise Up to humbly share the story of how Awards presented by Kelowna Ella has found a new-reality she earned these titles while Women in Business. balance between bricks-and- mortar and online. providing insight into how housing ‘Cseking In’ is an The trophy comes just a month affordability is a huge issue and it’s after she gave birth to a third The Rise Awards Change Maker not getting better; it’s only getting INTERVIEW SERIES daughter, Anastaisa. trophy went to Karyn MacKenzie, worse. the co-founder of DunnEnzies on KelownaNow And, the accolade is in recognition Pizza, which now has four Spectacular achievements and locations in Kelowna. that tells the story of how of her guiding Portia-Ella through 2 inspiration come naturally to the the COVID crisis with panache. local leaders got to where While the award recognizes her hard-working deVeer and therefore, we hope you enjoy this episode of they are today. “I am very grateful,” says Michaud. business success, it foremost 1. Julie Michaud, the founder and president of honours her work to make positive Portia-Ella clean beauty won Woman of the Cseking In. changes in the community. Year at the recent Rise Up Awards presented “Life has never been certain, but if by Kelowna Women in Business. If you would like to tell your you shift, you can make it through story in the next ’Cseking In’ almost any challenge.” “We deliberately choose to support 2. Karyn MacKenzie, right, of DunnEnzies video, please reach out to small, local non-profits that might Pizza, pictured here with business and life partner Deb Dunnigan, won the Change When COVID hit, Michaud had not otherwise get a lot of attention,” [email protected] says MacKenzie. Maker trophy at the Kelowna Women In Portia-Ella stores in Kelowna’s Business Rise Up Awards. LEVEL UP // 23 Karl Mancheron is BECOMING ITS OWN MUNICIPALITY AND Written by: Gord Goble recovery plan they believe will add co-owner of KJ Coffee REVITALIZING THE DOWNTOWN ARE KEY. Bar. a necessary spark.

Standing in front of the infamously Okanagan falls is ready defunct IGA, Taylor, who moved with his wife to the community six for a come back years ago, was blunt.

What the heck is going on with Two summers ago, the lone And that’s not all. Look around “The IGA here sums up what’s Okanagan Falls? grocery store, an IGA, shut its the thoroughfare and you’ll find happening,” he began, “and that’s doors for good. Nothing has unkempt frontages, boarded a deterioration in the assets and The answer is not easy in this appeared so far to take its place. windows, and a concerning amenities valuable to the people community of contradictions. number of “For Sale” and “Closed” who live here. We’ve lost our only The only hotel, closed for what signs. grocery store, and the barbershop the facts on what incorporation “But for sure it’s not appealing to A mere 15-minute drive from seems like forever, still hasn’t burned down this spring... There Penticton, Okanagan Falls, named reopened. Granted, several of the latter would cost us and what we would go to a town where you’ve got was a crack house behind his gain, so we need a more informed nothing. To be honest, that [the after a since-dredged Okanagan have the pandemic to blame. But place and the multi-family housing River waterfall, is bordered by After numerous fires over several outwardly anyway, there doesn’t discussion about that.” absence of amenities like grocery unit right beside it burned down as stores] was one of the reasons we some of the prettiest geology in years in an adjacent building, the seem to be much hurry to open up well." the region, including the dramatic local barbershop is history. One of again. Later, Taylor took us to the beach, moved (our home) to Kaleden, to Peach Cliff on its eastern flank. where he pointed to a big chunk of be closer to Penticton.” “The main street is decrepit, sand that’s now a preserve for an All of this, of course, is bad news and the amenities that would It’s adorned with sophisticated, for residents — many of whom at-risk plant called the short-rayed Mancheron, who says KJ has encourage people to move here alkali aster. It was not particularly provided thousands of $5 hot award-winning wineries such as are getting on in years and find are either declining or closing.” Wild Goose, Noble Ridge, and it difficult to make the trip to pretty. lunches in the past few years for nearby Okanagan Falls Elementary Liquidity — the latter of which Penticton or Oliver for simple stuff The three-year OFCA plan, formed sold earlier this year to wine like produce or a haircut. “Only half of our beach is left. We School, believes in the power of with input from local residents have people ask us, ‘Why don’t local involvement. baron Anthony Von Mandl’s Iconic and ideas adapted from similar Wineries for a cool $12.5 million. Arguably just as worrisome is the you look after your beach?,’ but schemes in the past, ranges we have no government to argue “Ninety-five percent of our lousy impression the main drag from downtown beautification To the south is Vaseux Lake, a leaves on passers-by and tourists it. If this was Penticton, [Mayor] customers, I know their name. to branding and marketing the John Vassilaki would be picking up I know what they do and what nature lover’s paradise. To the motoring through town. community as a young family north is the southern edge of the phone and looking for middle coffee they drink. I take the time to destination to more complex ground somewhere else.” know each one. We need people Skaha Lake and a long, mostly However, for residents, love for OK recovery suggestions. sandy beach just a couple blocks Falls runs deep. Real deep. with that sort of passion and from downtown. Trekking back to the IGA, Taylor commitment that believe this town It’s been forwarded to the current alluded to a couple of nearby land can have a future.” When we flagged down folks local governing body, the Regional The area is a hub for sport cyclists, on the street, the very same parcels he hopes will ultimately District of Okanagan Similkameen factor into a recovery. One, he said, But, he continued, incorporation is who go crazy for rural stretches people who bombarded us with (RDOS), and Taylor said there’s like McLean Creek Road to the east comments like, “It’s terrible,” “is in “the heart of the downtown,” key. already an agreement in place to and has recently been purchased. and the ultra-challenging Green “Everything is shutting down and move forward on its goals. Lake Road to the west. And the ice everything costs so much to lease,” The other, “a 10-acre parcel at the “We need a city council. I’m south end of town,” could also be trying to open a patio and I can’t cream shop known as Tickleberry’s Okanagan Falls Community Association’s Matt and “I can’t even buy produce But there’s one part of the plan that on the south side of town is one anymore,” also conveyed “We love developed. even deal with a city or town. I Taylor stands in front of the long-gone IGA. seems to outweigh everything else: have to deal with the ministry of the South Okanagan’s busiest Okanagan Falls,” “It’s a great town,” incorporation. Indeed, the topic two local gas stations, also a victim A similarly pro-incorporation voice of transportation because it’s a summer draws. and “I wouldn’t live anywhere else.” would come up again and again in of fire, has been shuttered since can be found up the street from the highway. I have nobody to deal our travels. But into this seemingly idyllic 2016. And the only real estate office We began our journey by chatting ex-IGA at the popular KJ Coffee Bar. with." scenario comes a hard dose of is now closed. with Matt Taylor. Taylor is the Here, co-owner Karl Mancheron According to Taylor, “The RDOS doesn’t hold back. “We just need something to paradoxical reality. Simply put, the spokesperson for the Okanagan does a great job in a lot of ways, There aren’t many eateries left happen here. We have the Okanagan Falls business and retail Falls Community Association but they’re responsible for a huge open, and, apart from the Legion, “We have a big belief that OK Falls potential.” corridor -- the L-shaped section of (OFCA), a group of concerned area. They don’t champion our there’s currently no place to grab a is going to grow up at some point, Hwy 97 that runs right through the residents with a seven-pronged needs to the extent a mayor and middle of town —looks like it’s dying. beer. economic development and and we want to be part of that,” he council would. We don’t yet have said. LEVEL UP // 25 “We thought this year was going to be Surprisingly solid troublesome because it was so late,” he said. Written by: Gord Goble 2020 for naramata “But so far all the fruit has come in great.” “Last year was super cloudy all season. A lot 2020? For most of us, it can’t end soon enough. bench wineries of the fruit came in unripe. So it’s nice and heartening to see it kinda working out really But up on the Naramata Bench, where rows of a time. So people got longer, more in-depth well this year.” grape vines are the defining physical trait and experiences. We’ve gotten lots of feedback from the fall harvest is now in full swing, the year of guests saying they had a great time.” But in 2020, the end of harvest doesn’t mean COVID and wildfire smoke and a bunch more the end of business of the Bench. Expanding nasty stuff has had a very definite upside. The feedback was so positive that Baird said further on a trend of recent years, several it may well be the way of the future. “Though wineries will remain open all the way to Photo Credit: NowMedia That is according not only to the two walk-ins will still be permitted, in some form the Christmas. Others will stay open through the winemakers PentictonNow chatted with this new system will likely stay. It’s a game changer.” entire winter. week -- one at Moraine Winery, the other at Lang Vineyards -- but also to Tina Baird, the Over at Moraine, head winemaker Dwight Sick And there’s good reason. marketing director of the Naramata Bench had similar thoughts. Wineries Association. “We know a lot of snowbirds are staying in “It’s been a challenge with COVID,” he said. “But Canada this winter (due to pandemic border Indeed, Baird, whose organization now has 29 we got through the challenges with protocols closures),” said Baird. “And a lot of them are Bench wineries under its promotional umbrella, that were safe for all. And the overall sales have coming to stay in the South Okanagan. We’ve says that 2020 may have changed forever how been relatively strong considering.” had many calls on that already.” the local wine industry interacts with patrons. “I think it’s a matter of the guests getting a Baird cautions that some wineries will be Changed for the better. better experience by coming, rather than in available by appointment only, and others masses, in smaller groups and getting more will close because they’ve already sold out. Otherwise, she said, the upcoming busier “Through a pandemic year,” said Baird Saturday attention and having a better connection with Photo Credit: NowMedia morning, “and all the unprecedented new things the staff.” winter may be a sign of things to come. that the wineries have had to deal with, it’s actually been an extremely good year on the Equally good news is that after a late start to Bench.” spring, 2020 will apparently deliver a strong harvest. With some pride, Baird talks about the “pivoting” the wineries undertook when moving through “I think we were delayed starting in the spring, the various stages of pandemic restrictions and we’ve been playing catch-up ever since,” back in the spring and early summer. said Sick, who also referenced the infusion of American wildfire smoke in early September. “Throughout,” she said, “our wineries worked “So we’re still sitting about ten days to two intensely and ingeniously in setting up all weeks behind right now.” the health protocols for safe wine-tasting experiences. It wasn’t easy.” “If we hadn’t had that smoke, we’d be looking at one of the most epic vintages I’ve ever had. But But a funny thing happened along the way. the quality of the fruit is amazing. The berries According to Baird, the new methodology drew are smaller and the clusters are smaller, but the rave reviews and the customers kept coming. concentration is great.”

“To visit a winery this year, most people had to Sick hopes the long-range forecast, which book ahead of time to ensure they could have calls for little to no frost before the end of the a tasting. So we already had people who were month, holds true. “We’ll need that to fully fully committed.” physiologically ripen those grapes.”

“And once they came for the wine tasting, they Echoing Sick was Lang Vineyards’ winemaker were in small groups — a maximum of six at Dorian Wolaniuk. Photo Credit NowMedia LEVEL UP // Building a Billion Dollar Company He added that one his mentors on a Napkin once told him: “Eric, always tell the truth, then you never have to remember what you said.” Written by: Iain Burns His “very ethical” and “very moral” attitude – with both locals and What does it take to make it big in coworkers – is at the heart of his mining? success, Fier explained.

How about two degrees, six “Respect each other,” he said. “Help languages, a willingness to travel “the each other. Everybody falls down, to dozens of countries and a very everybody makes mistakes. Learn cool head under extreme, life- from those mistakes and move threatening pressure? Indiana forward. And try to have fun along the way.” Whatever the minimum requirements are, SilverCrest Jones of But Fier is far more than just a nice Metals CEO and director Eric Fier guy: he’s also an expert in just could probably be said to have the about everything that matters in maximum requirements. mining” mining. billion dollar He’s worked on mines in Guyana, company Part of that is down to his two Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Africa, degrees – one in geology, one in the US and many other places, had mining engineering. “about 10 near-death experiences” and is a complete master of his Mining is in his “blood,” he said. trade. “You gotta have fortitude,” he said. Part of how it works is related to the “You gotta have courage.” company’s relationship with locals. “It’s carried me this far and given As he explained himself during me a lot of success,” he said. his appearance on the Canadian He added: “People who have “I respect everybody, from the Market Watch podcast: “If you were worked for me worldwide have streetsweeper to the president of “There’s a lot of companies that to reflect on my life, it’s more an just collapsed psychologically. You the country,” Fier said. have tech management that Indiana Jones adventure.” have to have a positive attitude. are just geologists. Some are You have to have a passion.” Frankness, too, is at the centre of just mining engineers and don’t It’s not the kind of language that his dealings. understand the geology. I’m a immediately comes to mind when Fier has also won praise for his crossover.” discussing modern mining. “phased approach” business In Mexico, he said, he has found model, which was used to build himself uttering a catchphrase — He added: “Sometimes they call But Fier said it’s crucial to have Vancouver-headquartered “with success…” — to remind locals me the whisperer. I know what at least some of the attributes of SilverCrest’s successful Santa not to get ahead of themselves in a Hollywood’s favourite archaeologist Elena mine in Mexico. project’s early days. if you want to succeed in the business. “Be honest,” he said. LEVEL UP // 29 1. DunnEnzies has four everyone should be doing. If I But no matter how much planning One took place in Russia in 1991, locations, downtown see problems I can bring people goes into a project, things always the year of the Soviet Union’s Kelowna, pictured, Landmark District, together. have the potential to get very final collapse, when he went to Mission and near Kelowna dangerous. a wedding – and was promptly International Airport. “Not too many people can get “mobbed” because “they’d not seen 2. An accidental fire Oct. 6 anything over on me on the Of his many close encounters a North American before.” destroyed Olympia Greek technical side.” with mortality, the one he chose Taverna on Highway 33 in to relate to Jim Csek and George “I had to tear my clothes just to get Rutland. For the last decade, meanwhile, Sanders in the Canadian Market away from the mob,” he said. 1 2 he has been adding even more Watch podcast happened in Africa. feathers to his cap by learning “They just wanted a piece of me.” accounting, law and finance so “I was on the border of Tanzania nobody in those departments can and Rwanda in the ‘90s when civil For Fier, though, these experiences DunnEnzies Pizza get anything over on him, either. are all just part of being in the offers jobs to trade he loves. This is all despite being told by doctors that he “drew the short But what about the future? workers affected straw in life” when he was forced to get a liver transplant. “I’m an older guy,” he said. “I’m 59.” by Olympia Greek Taverna fire How does he do it? “But I have a young team. Two of Written by: John-Luke Kieper my kids work for the company, and A visionary brand of thoroughness they tend to remind me: ‘Dad, that’s seems to help. old school. Can we try something DunnEnzies Pizza is doing what it can for the DunnEnzies has four locations in downtown new school? Dad, here’s some Olympia Greek Tavern community after the Kelowna, Landmark District, Mission, and near “I’m a look-back kinda guy,” he tools you need to use to help build restaurant was destroyed by an accidental fire Kelowna International Airport. explained. the team.’ Oct. 6. war broke out,” he explained. Olympia staff will be given the option to work at When most people are merely It’s useful, Fier said, and helps DunnEnzies, which has four restaurants in the location of their choosing. contemplating a new project, he “accelerate things.” “The exploration camp I was Kelowna, is offering employment to all Olympia has “already built it and mined it” in staff until the restaurant is back up and running, Olympia has been around since 1973 and many his head. working at ended up being a “But old school stuff still works,” he processing camp for Rwandans according to Brittany Guger, manager of employees have been with the restaurant for added. DunnEnzies’ Landmark District location. more than a decade. “There’s a historic napkin that I flowing in. It was pretty scary. wrote on in some restaurant,” he Olympia may not be rebuilt and re-open for at Those looking to inquire about the offer should said. “But you learn a lot of experiences,” he added. least a year so offering the community help felt call the Landmark DunnEnzies at (236) 420- like the right thing to do, says Guger. 3062. When he began drawing on it, he “You learn about people and explained to those around him: “I am part of this pizza appreciation page and “We are not giving up,” said co-owner Mike “This is the way I envision the situations and you gotta be quick on your feet.” there was a post about our fallen brothers at Koutsantonis the day after the blaze as he mine. Here’s the open pit, here’s Olympia,” said Guger. pledged to rebuild. the underground, here’s the waste dump.” But he’s also had a series of bizarre encounters he can now laugh “A person had commented thanking everyone. Two weeks after the fire, the Kelowna RCMP about. I responded by saying my store, and the other and Kelowna Fire Department determined the “To this day over 90% of that was locations are looking for staff, and we can offer blaze was accidental and started in a second- accurate,” Eric laughed. them temporary employment till whenever their floor mechanical room, which firefighters store is ready.” couldn’t get to for safety reasons as the building was engulfed in flames.

LEVEL UP // 31 Written by: Dylan McCullough for most of the summer, but the “Personally, I would love to see volume rule that came down right initiatives like live music at Stuart before the Labour Day weekend Park over the winter if the skating will coronavirus kill "I played a show in Kelowna last put an end to that.” rink opens. That’s a great gig for year." They said, "Pick it up Joel. musicians and just a wonderful kelowna’s live music scene? We’re dyin’ in here..." Limiting the music’s volume to a scene to see.” conversational level means the Picture one hand clapping, now venue can’t offer proper sound, The city is looking for the public’s ONE OF KELOWNA’S MORE INFAMOUS MUSIC MOMENTS picture half that sound. There’s a which makes it hard to bring in a input on the new cultural plan as CAME COURTESY OF JUNO AWARD-WINNING SINGER- reason that I hate that town. band with an electric guitar and well and plenty of info is available SONGWRITER JOEL PLASKET BACK IN 2008. drum kit. on City of Kelowna’s website. Plaskett later admitted the jab was done in jest, but many residents “It’s hard to invite professional will tell you that the 2000s were a artists to perform when you can’t sleepy time for local music fans. offer enough sound that will deliver However, in recent years, to the back of house and people Kelowna’s music scene has started are much less inclined to throw to hit a real high note. some money in the hat when they can’t even hear the music,” added Live music has been readily Tait . available at pubs, breweries and even pizza joints. In October, live music hot spot Fernandos Pub announced it will Local artists released spectacular be closing for the winter season, albums and new music festivals presenting yet another blow to the were drawing large crowds. dwindling list of live music venues.

Up until the pandemic hit pause on “Our biggest competition is Netflix. live shows, Dan Tait was about as That $10 subscription keeps people busy as a music professional can at home and the longer this goes be in Kelowna. on, the less likely it is people will ever go back out,” explained Tait. But like many industries, the COVID-19 pandemic brought all “Fernandos was a great example that to a screeching halt. of a business that helped train Kelowna to expect a $10 cover to Tait performed with local band see live music, which is huge for Kentucky Eileen and managed the a town of our size, but now we’re live music program at DunnEnzies, losing that.” two gigs that have been greatly affected by COVID-19. So what’s next? Well, the City of Kelowna’s new cultural plan is due “Obviously the situation has been out in 2021 and it’s arriving at a really destructive for the local critical moment for the local arts. scene,” says Tait. “There’s a bunch of groups working “At DunnEnzies, we kept small together to design a plan and weekly shows running by donation budget that will hopefully help the scene bounce back,” said Tait.

33 hand sanitizer wave and prepare “Made in Canada is a big deal show in Seattle, that fruit can be for exporting to Asia and Europe. in Asia and Europe because distilled into value-added spirits. Canadian products are associated “Sanitizer is a by-product of with purity and quality and our The flagship Rebel Vodka, made of distilling, so we started by giving regulations are so strict in food and 100% BC apples, is the result. it to people in the community beverage that safety and quality to start and are now selling it to are built in,” said Wilson. It’s a favourite at the distillery and businesses,” said Wilson. tasting room at 4400 Wallace “We’ve adjusted our export Hill Rd. in East Kelowna and also The China and Romania labelling to make sure the available at private liquor stores, opportunities came from a food Canadian flag is on the back of the restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels. and beverage show in Germany bottle.” in October 2019 that the Wilsons By the way, the Forbidden Spirits attended as part of a Canadian Wilson isn’t disclosing how much name comes from the apple being government trade mission. the China and Romania deals are the prohibited fruit for Adam and This photo was taken while Forbidden Spirits Distilling worth, but he refers to them as Eve in the Garden of Eden. owners Blair and Kelly Wilson were in China securing a “During the first hour of the show, “significant.” deal to sell Rebel Vodka in Kunming department stores. I went off to get coffees and Kelly The Rebel Vodka, Serpent sanitizer, was approached by a Romanian Wilson’s road distilling is a winding Forbidden Vodka, Eve’s Original and a deal was made right there one. Gin and Adam’s Apple Brandy and then,” explained Wilson. branding also all tie into it. He was a Vancouver-based serial vodka makes the “Our Rebel Vodka is going to be entrepreneur and chartered A as-yet-unnamed whisky is in test marketed in 700 Carrefour accountant who failed at software production. world go round locations in Romania and if it in the 1980s, owned a chain of does well, it could end up on successful pizza parlours in Poland shelves in Carrefour’s 10,000 stores called Pan Smak, had a hopping KELOWNA-BASED FORBIDDEN throughout the European Union.” sports bar on Vancouver’s Robson SPIRITS’ REBEL VODKA EXPORTED TO Street called Mahoney’s and a CHINA AND ROMANIA. Carrefour, as you’ve sensed by steakhouse called Wilson’s near now, is a massive chain of grocery BC Place Stadium that went bust stores, department stores and during a NHL strike. hypermarkets, the term given to Written by: Steve MacNaull “A lot of it has to do with luck,” the giant combined grocery and In the midst of it, Wilson served said Blair Wilson, who owns and department store locations. as a Liberal MP and Canada’s first operates Forbidden Spirits with his Green MP in the mid-2000s for the wife, Kelly. What do vodka, hand sanitizer, The China pact also stems from the riding of -Sunshine show in Germany. Coast-Sea to Sky Country. China and Romania have in “But we did commit to be agile.” common? In fact, the Wilsons travelled to The purchase of an apple orchard While, maybe not right away. The answer, of course, is Kelowna’s China in December 2019 to lay in Kelowna was a third attempt at Forbidden Spirits Distilling Co. the groundwork for Rebel Vodka retirement. When the pandemic first hit hard in to be carried in nine Kunming March, Forbidden Spirits laid off all department stores and more in the But, Wilson’s business mind The maker of Rebel Vodka did its staff, except for its distiller. a wicked pivot during COVID future if the vodka catches on. continued to churn and after realizing there’s no money in to make Serpent Hand/Surface But within a week, everyone was Forbidden Spirits’ COVID pivot is Serpent The vodka is expected to be a hit. apples, he learned, at a whisky Hand/Surface Sanitizer. Sanitizer and then inked deals to hired back, and more have been sell vodka in China and Romania. Rebel Vodka is Forbidden Spirits’ signature brought on board since, to ride the product and export darling. LEVEL UP // 35 with covid recovery well underway, these Opening doors four entrepreneurs had the confidence to start new businesses. Written by: Steve MacNaull

Limey, The British Shop Smith creek cycle grizzly bear bistro design box by sticks+stones

Riffing off the word ‘limey,’ here from Britain miss. It’s the best, and worst, we’ll really get started in After 30 years of working local community and Is your design style Bond-Fisher and business this lime-green-painted I’ve stocked what I like, time to open a new bike business in the spring of in hotels and restaurants we’re waiting for the beach house, bohemian, partner Jeni Priest store is packed full of but I also received 350 shop in the Okanagan. 2021.” in Dubai and Europe, full community and the Hollywood glam, created the Inside+Out the favourite eats of Brits suggestions from my Sundersh Iyer found his airport to come back.” industrial, mid-century Designs boxes division (limeys). Facebook post about it.” The best, because bikes McClelland, an avid way to Kelowna to open modern, Scandinavian, as a way to target do-it- of all types are a hot cyclist, and his wife Grizzly Bear Bistro at For now, Grizzly Bear modern farmhouse, wabi- yourselfers, those hiring Limey, The British Shop So far, bestsellers have commodity as people dreamed of opening their Airport Village. Bistro has had to cut it’s sabi or mountain modern? a contractor on a budget opened in October in been Monster Munch of all ages turned to the own bike shop for years. seating back to 40 inside and developers looking the Landmark District pickled onion-flavoured simple pleasure of cycling In keeping with his new and 20 on the patio Find out by taking to give home, townhouse to sell British meat crisps, sticky toffee during COVID. They decided to pull Canadian home, the because of the pandemic, the quick quiz at and condominium buyers pies, sausages, candy, pudding, shepherd’s pie the trigger during the menu of the new eatery but will roar back to 60 InsideAndOutDesigns. choices. chocolate, puddings, mix, Heinz baked beans, The worst, because it’s pandemic as cycling includes what he calls and 30, respectively, com and then order the crisps (potato chips), Flake and Lion chocolate impossible for new stores soared in popularity and North American cuisine when allowed to do so. corresponding design box Each design box gives cookies, jams and bars and PG Tips tea to get bikes to sell. McClelland became less (poutine, chicken wings, for $749. coordinating options for marmalades and bags. excited about his previous steaks, ribs, burgers and paint colours, carpet, condiments to expats and “To start with, we’re job. mac and cheese) and “The design box is an easy bathroom tile and limey wannabes. A load of Christmas treats focusing on bike repairs international favourites and affordable way to get cabinets, countertops, are on their way, too. and maintenance, parts (fish and chips, Caesar all the style information kitchen tile and cabinets, “It’s all about nostalgia, and accessories,” says salad, goulash, pasta and that might regularly be backsplash, flooring, isn’t it?” asks owner Jules Galloway, an interior Brian McClelland, who butter chicken). contained in the drawing lighting, plumbing, Galloway, who originally designer by trade, owns opened Smith Creek set and blueprints for fixtures and finishings and hails from Hampshire three other businesses Cycle in West Kelowna “Business is not what build that we generally cabinet hardware. and still has the accent to in the Landmark District, with his wife, Lauren we expected because of charge $7,000 for as prove it. The Hub Office Furniture, Spence, in October. COVID,” says Iyer. interior designers,” says As well, the design boards Evolve Design Build and Carla Bond-Fisher of also provides information “These are the foods that Space Measuring. “We’ll start receiving bike “But we have been well Sticks+Stones Design on manufacturers, where people who have moved stock in December, so received so far by the Group. to buy and cost.

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