Former Vancouver Sun business reporter.
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Articles by Gordon Hamilton
STB SECURE TRUST BANK Plc (STB) News
PRESS RELEASE Secure Trust Bank PLC 22 October 2026 For immediate release SECURE TRUST BANK PLC Q3 2026 trading update On track to deliver FY 2026 profit expectations Secure Trust Bank PLC ("STB" or the "Group"), a leading specialist lender, announces its trading update for the third quarter ended 30 September 2026.
Letter: School construction tax needs real oversight
House Bill 334 would allow every Virginia city and county to impose an extra 1% sales tax to pay for school capital projects. The goal is worthy, but the experience of the eight localities already using this tax shows major gaps in transparency and accountability. kAmu~xp C6DA@?D6D D9@H E96D6 =@42=:E:6D 3682? yF=J a_aa H:E9 S`aa >:==:@?] ~G6C E96 ?6IE E9C66 J62CD[ E96J 4@==64E65 S`_` >:==:@? :? E@E2=[ DA6?E Sf` >:==:@?[ 2?5 6?565 yF?6 a_ad H:E9 S`da >:==:@? @?
Letter: RPS needs a better approach for bullying
Bullying in Richmond Public Schools affects student academic success and well-being. While safety initiatives often focus on physical security, we must also acknowledge the emotional and academic consequences of persistent bullying. Students who are targeted are more likely to experience a decline in performance, disengage in class and feel a disconnect from their community. This is as much of an educational issue as it is a disciplinary one.
Letter: Aspirational vs practical 5th street diet
I read with dismay Tim Steller’s article about the proposed “street diet” for 5th Street. Reducing 5th Street to one lane in each direction in favor of sidewalks and bike lanes is misplaced aspirational thinking. It will drive more traffic onto the already congested Speedway and Broadway arteries while turning 5th Street into a driving nightmare. Tucson is simply too geographically spread-out.
World has changed since last flareup in Canada-U.S. lumber war
As with previous disputes over softwood lumber, U.S. lobbyists claim Canada is unfairly subsidizing producers | MK Jones When the U.S. Lumber Coalition petitioned its government November 25 to impose duties on Canadian imports, it kicked off a new round in what has become the longest and most bitter trade war between the two nations. The argument isn’t new. The American lumber lobby has accused Canadian provinces of subsidizing their forest sectors, an argument it has been making since 1982.
Letter: Republican Arguments Turn Ridiculous
Letter: Republican Arguments Turn Ridiculous Two days after the election, once it became clear that Biden would win, the House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, went on Fox News to announce that Republicans would not stand by while the election was robbed. As proof of election fraud, he pointed out that Democrat-leaning cities waited until results from rural counties were in, presumably so Democrats could adjust the vote counts accordingly. Really?
Job losses mount as mill closures hit B.C. Interior
Multiple closures of B.C. sawmills could in turn cause shutdowns of other facilities such as pulp mills in the province | davidrh/Shutterstock Communities throughout the British Columbia Interior are facing an economic crisis as the combined effects of beetle epidemics, forest fires and external market forces take their toll on what was once North America’s most robust forest industry.
B.C. Interior lumber supply falling, mills threatened
A decade after billions of mountain pine beetles chewed their way through British Columbia's lodgepole pine forest, the Interior timber supply has begun a dramatic drop. “These cut reductions are starting to happen, and they are going to be real,” Albert Nussbaum, director of forest analysis and inventory for the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, told a Jan. 19 forestry conference in Vancouver, Washington.
Interior lumber supply falling, mills threatened
A decade after billions of mountain pine beetles chewed their way through British Columbia's lodgepole pine forest, the Interior timber supply has begun a dramatic drop."These cut reductions are starting to happen, and they are going to be real," Albert Nussbaum, director of forest analysis and inventory for the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, told a Jan.
BIV on Roundhouse November 25: Why does Black Friday get violent? UBC research has the answer
On the latest show, hosts Tyler Orton and Hayley Woodin discuss new research from a University of B.C. professor that examines why pushing and shoving ensues during many Black Friday sales. Later, Focus Professional Services’ Carol Simpson discusses how tech companies are using her organization to hire specialized consultants on the autism spectrum. Then, Ebates.ca’s Sari Friedman discusses trends and strategies for Canadians shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When the health reform cure is worse than the disease
Major decisions about how Canada’s health-care system operates could be decided by our courts - not democratically elected parliamentarians. A Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge is underway in the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Small business benefits from personalized banking
Economy Small business benefits from personalized banking Creme de la Crumb partner Lydia Lai discusses how Coast Capital Savings' small business services have helped her and her company. | Nov. 25, 2016, midnight
Shoes.com struggles to keep up growth pace
Vancouver-based Shoes.com has run into a speed bump after years of fast growth and lofty growth projections. Not only has the online shoe seller laid off hundreds of staff in the past year but it has also fielded multiple lawsuits, mostly from suppliers.
B.C. politicians asleep at the wheel on ride-sharing issue
Why is it taking so long for the city and province to figure out how to bring transportation network companies like Uber onto our streets? Of course there has to be a level playing field with taxis, but Uber and its ilk, including the motorcycle rickshaws of Lahore, are now pleasing customers in more than 400 cities around the world.
City’s tactics on housing, pot are all symbol, no substance
Two critical tests about occupancy now challenge the administration of the city’s municipal government: what it is doing about empty homes and what it is not doing about busy marijuana dispensaries. In both cases, the Vision Vancouver tactics tell much about how the city manipulates the community, puts style ahead of substance when it comes to significant issues, and tiptoes so as to sufficiently anesthetize opponents and not antagonize its political base.
Oil consumption outlook fuels further pipeline debate
Despite a current short-term glut, the long-term global demand for natural gas will increase 50% over the next 25 years, at the expense of coal, as demand for energy grows by 30% in developing economies, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). For B.C., which sits on an ocean of gas it wants to export, that’s some of the good news contained in IEA’s recently released 2016 World Energy Outlook. There’s even better news for the renewable energy sector and electric vehicle makers.
New app to make for less Lonely Planet
Claire Newell is emphatic that her new travel app is not a matchmaking tool. However, it is intended to help like-minded people in similar age brackets solve the solo traveller quandary. The Travel Best Bets president and media personality’s new Go Solo app targets those with no travel buddy who are seeking a guided-group destination experience, but don’t want to be dinged for the single supplement fees. “It’s not a go-dating thing. It’s people like me who are in their 40s,” Newell said.
The ‘work-optional’ life and the purpose for building wealth
Many of us hope to reach the point where work is an optional activity. It’s a way of life where you no longer need to work to sustain your lifestyle. Instead, you have built a source of sustainable cash flow from your portfolio of stocks and bonds, real estate or other investments. To achieve this “work-optional” life, start with understanding which stage of life you’re in, then focus on appropriate priorities when building wealth over the medium and long term.
Power shift for carbon-pricing goals, hydro exports
On the same night that Americans elected a president who believes climate change is a hoax, and who has vowed to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and “unleash” a kraken of American coal and gas, Washington state voted down a revenue-neutral carbon tax in a referendum. However, it wasn’t just right-wing climate change deniers who opposed the tax; the progressive left, including one of the most powerful environmental lobbies in the U.S. – the Sierra Club – campaigned against it.
BIV on Global BC November 21, 2016: Travel statistics; Google retail shop in Vancouver
Hospitality & Tourism BIV on Global BC November 21, 2016: Travel statistics; Google retail shop in Vancouver Hayley Woodin discusses the latest Canadian travel statistics. Plus: Google retail shop opens in Vancouver | Nov. 21, 2016, 11 a.m.
Lawsuit of the week: Independent telecom firm claims Telus sabotaged wireless market entry plans
An independent telecommunications carrier is suing Telus Communications Co. for allegedly sabotaging an acquisition deal to keep the firm from entering the Canadian wireless market. 8640025 Canada Inc., formerly known as Communications Teliphone Navigata-Westel Inc., filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court on November 3.
BIV on Roundhouse November 21: B.C.'s fastest-growing tech startups
On the latest show, Absolunet’s Charles Desjardins discusses the top 10 e-commerce trends that will impact retail in 2017. Then, Deloitte’s Kari Lockhart breaks down the local startups featured in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 awards. And later, OpenMedia’s David Christopher discusses concerns U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will make good on his promise to dismantle net neutrality protections granted by the FCC. Click here to listen to the latest show.
Teck buying Toronto’s AQM for $25m
Shares of Teck Resources Ltd. (TSX:TCK.B) were up almost 3% as of press time after the company announced November 21 it has inked a $25 million all-cash deal to purchase AQM Copper Inc. (TSX-V:AQM), a Toronto-based junior miner with a 30% indirect interest in the Zafranal copper-gold project in Peru. Teck already owns a 50% indirect interest in the project, and the move will bring its share to 80%.
Vision Vancouver seeks help with sale of naming rights
Vancouver city hall wants to hire a consultant to help sell naming rights for public buildings and ceremonies. A Nov. 10-issued request for proposals sets a Dec. 6 deadline for an asset inventory valuator and sponsorship expert.
Dear Canada: The U.S. election wasn’t about you
Canada should get on with building its own oil pipeline, worry more about president-elect Donald Trump’s disdain for currency manipulators and less about softwood lumber – and watch more hockey. That was some of the advice given by ambassadors to and from the U.S. at a sold-out talk Friday, November 18 – entitled President Trump: What it Means for Canada – hosted by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
BC Liberals cast LNG and Site C in a green light in new ad campaign
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The BC Liberal government launched four animated ads promoting its much-criticized Climate Leadership Plan two days after the party’s annual convention earlier this month. Advanced Education Ministry spokesman Rodney Porter refused to release the budget for the campaign, telling BIV instead to wait until the annual July release of public accounts. Contractors include TV, print and out-of-home media buyer Vizeum, online media buyer Kimbo and producer St. Bernadine Mission.
By Nelson Bennett Verified, Albert Van Santvoort, Glen Korstrom Verified, Gordon Hamilton, Emma Crawford Hampel
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Business in Vancouver (BIV)
Verified
BIV on Global BC November 17, 2016: Vancouver's vacant home tax; Canadian cannabis
BIV reporter Hayley Woodin discusses Vancouver's vacant home tax and how one Canadian cannabis company is taking the stock market by storm
Real estate industry stands to gain from Paris Climate Agreement
Last December in Paris at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21), 195 countries reached an unprecedented agreement to combat climate change. The Paris Agreement came into effect November 4, 2016, with an objective to hold the global average temperature increase to well below 2 C above pre-industrial levels. Today, the World Economic Forum considers climate change “the greatest global risk among business leaders”; nowhere is this truer than in the real estate sector.
BIV on Roundhouse November 18: Will imported wine soon hit B.C. grocery store shelves?
On the latest show, Mark Wardell returns to BIV with insights into how to become a better manager. Then, the CEO and president of the B.C. Wine Institute discusses U.S. challenges to the province’s B.C.-wine-only policy on grocery store shelves, as well as B.C.’s push into the Hong Kong wine market. Later, Dermod Travis, executive director of IntegrityBC, examines “dark money” and how it finds its way into the pockets of B.C.’s political parties. Click here to listen to the show.
Not accommodating homecare may hurt employers in long-run
As the Canadian population ages and more people live with chronic disease or injury, employers are going to have develop strategies to accommodate workers providing homecare to someone in need, says a family-focused research institute. According to the Vanier Institute of the Family, 28% of Canadians have provided homecare to someone in need over a one-year period and 46% have provided it at some point in their lives. It’s estimated that people providing homecare make up 35% of the workforce.
Province to spend $4M more on ads with election on horizon
The B.C. government has budgeted more than $4 million to buy more ads promoting social services and tax breaks before the 2017 election. That is on top of the nearly $5 million it already spent between last November and the end of March. It also doesn’t count the four new ads that paint the planned LNG industry and Site C dam as green initiatives.
Clean-energy course will pay off for Canada in long run
There is no doubt the surprise election of Donald Trump as president of the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter will deal a blow to international efforts to cut emissions. His past statements and tweets suggest he denies the scientific consensus behind anthropogenic climate change. His administration is expected to scrap most efforts of the current administration to reduce carbon emissions and push the international community to do the same.
BIV on Global BC November 16, 2016: Imported wine in liquor stores
Retail & Manufacturing B.C. government conditionally approves Loblaw wine licences By Glen Korstrom Nov. 3, 2016, 5:24 p.m. Zoning requirements and a final inspection are necessary before Loblaw grocery stores will be able to sell wine on shelves Read Article
Ascend the Sea-to-Sky for these three standout restaurants
Whistler’s annual food-and-drink festival, Cornucopia, is drawing to a close (it ends Nov. 20), but the resort town is just about to kick into high-octane mode. Despite an unseasonably warm November, winter is indeed coming, which means fuelling yourself après-ski (now more commonly known as Happy Hour) or later in the day is serious business. Even if you’re not into strapping on skinny pieces of wood and sliding down a mountain, food is always a good incentive to get out into nature.
NewLeaf charting a return to Victoria next year
NewLeaf flights will be returning to Victoria skies in 2017, a company representative said November 16. The Winnipeg-based low-cost air-travel provider began operating flights out of several B.C. cities, including Victoria and Vancouver, in late July 2016. The company said in September that it was suspending flights to and from Victoria in November and December and did not post resumption dates.
Infographic: The evolution of instant messaging
Technology Infographic: The evolution of instant messaging Remember ICQ? How did we move from Internet Relay Chats in the 1980s to Snapchat and WeChat today? | Nov. 14, 2016, midnight
BIV on Roundhouse November 17: The oil sector's 'surprisingly small' role in the B.C. economy
On the latest show, CRED BC’s Liz McDowell discusses a new report examining the “surprisingly small” role the oil and gas industry plays in the B.C. economy ahead of the Trudeau government’s decision on the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Then, Nora Spinks of the Vanier Institute of the Family discusses how businesses are dealing with employees’ lost productivity as they balance workplace duties with caregiving for aging family members.
CAPREIT slashes rents on its Alberta portfolio
What started as a local landlord reaction to high vacancy rates has now become a corporate strategy: reducing rents in Alberta multi-family properties to hold and attract tenants as the vacancy rate soars to the highest level in 25 years.
City of Vancouver formally approves empty homes tax, outlines exemptions
Vancouver City Council officially approved a 1% tax on empty homes in the city November 16 and outlined the situations in which homeowners would be exempt from paying the tax. The formal approval was expected, as Mayor Gregor Robertson had announced November 9 he was supporting the recommendation from city staff to implement the tax, which is intended to push landlords to rent out properties in an effort to deal with a severe rental housing shortage across the city.
Investment trusts’ compasses point south
B.C. real estate investment firms feature prominently on Business in Vancouver’s top-100 list of the most profitable companies in the province – but it’s out-of-province investments that are helping keep those firms near the top of the list.
Editorial: Pipeline backs PM into a corner
The Stanley Park protest last week was Justin Trudeau’s most substantial encounter with dissent as prime minister. He can expect much more to come on the issue in question – his quandary of whether to permit Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline proposal – because we in this region have seen this movie repeatedly in B.C on the environment-energy pain point.
Future in flux for Thunderbirds’ nest
Will it be renovation or relocation for University of British Columbia’s Thunderbird Stadium? The future of the 50-year-old home of the university’s U Sports (formerly Canadian Interuniversity Sport) football team and the United Soccer League’s Whitecaps FC2 is being studied by UBC staff, with a report expected to be submitted to the board of governors in February. A 2009 study recommended it be updated and a 2012 study recommended a seismic upgrade.
Who's getting sued: November 16, 2016
These corporate claims were filed with the BC Supreme Court registry in Vancouver. Information is derived from notices of civil claim. Civil claims have yet to be tested or proven in court. UEM Sunrise (Canada) Development Ltd. and UEM Sunrise (Canada) Alderbridge Ltd. Plaintiff Magnum Projects Ltd.
Lawsuit of the week: Corporate rental firm sues strata corporation and property management firm over deactivated keys and intercoms
HighStreet Accommodations Ltd., a short-term rental property provider catering to corporate clients, is suing the strata corporation of Yaletown’s Waterworks building and Rancho Management Services (B.C.) Ltd., for allegedly deactivating fob keys to deny HighStreet clients access to building amenities. The hospitality management company filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court on October 28 against Rancho and the Owners of Strata Plan LMS 2995.
Lululemon founder is ‘long-term-driven’ for company
Lululemon Athletica (Nasdaq:LULU) founder Chip Wilson has opinions on many topics, but he shied away from answering a question about what three moves he would make were he ever asked to return as CEO.
U.S. levels complaint against B.C. wine sales
The United States government has officially lodged its concerns with Canada over British Columbia’s policy of restricting wine sales on grocery store shelves to B.C. wines exclusively. A United States Trade Representative (USTR) official confirmed that the B.C.-only policy for grocery shelf wine sales is now on its radar screen after the California wine industry submitted a brief to the USTR claiming the Canadian scheme is a foreign trade barrier.
B.C. cider producers thirsty for regulatory changes
B.C. producers are lobying the provincial government to change regulations and tax their product at the same rate as beer to encourage a craft cider sector in the province. They also want the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) to stiffen regulations on what can be labelled as cider and stop grouping the drink in with what the BCLDB calls “refreshment” beverages, such as Smirnoff Ice and Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
U.S. lumber coalition readies costly trade complaint
The American lumber industry is hoping third-quarter financial results will provide additional data strengthening its case that Canadian lumber exports are harming it. The U.S. Lumber Coalition, the lobby group representing the American softwood industry, is expected to file a trade complaint with the U.S. Department of Commerce if negotiations break down between the Canadian and American governments to settle the lumber dispute.
Six months after wildfires, Canada’s oilsands now hit by DiCaprio’s new film
Nearly six months after massive wildfires close to Canada’s oilsands forced one of the largest evacuations in the country’s history, affecting production, Leonardo DiCaprio’s new climate-change documentary threatens to bring negative attention to the industry. Fisher Stevens, director of Before The Flood, which has been in the works since 2014, recently told Canadian Press he was "really horrified" by how the landscape looked in north-eastern Alberta.
Temporary Canada-U.S. softwood agreement ends
It is still business as usual for lumber producers, despite last week’s removal of the legal safety net from the Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Agreement. The trade pact ran past its actual due date more than a year ago, but there was a one-year provisional carry-on of the deal and once that passed there was an additional standstill period during which no legal action could be taken by either side.
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