Up-to-Date Weekly Construction News
for North Vancouver Island
Feb 22, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #7
Editor's Note
The news regarding the successful bidder for the Walmart project has been delayed by one week and the name of the successful contractor is expected to be made within the next few days. Work is scheduled to commence on February 27th.
Eighteen proposals were received by the City of Courtenay in response to the "Expression of Interest" that was released for the Comox Valley Homeless Shelter. Council will review the submissions, once a report has been compiled by staff.
The development permit application to allow for the construction of four separate buildings facing Veterans Memorial Parkway (Lerwick) at Mission Road in Courtenay is moving forward, The new buildings will accommodate businesses such as a gas bar, an RV washing facility, a restaurant, convenience store, as well as office and retail space. Staff are in the process of finalizing a plan for road access to the project.
Building Award Nominees Sought for Commercial Building on Vancouver Island
The Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) is seeking nominations to celebrate the best in commercial, mutli-family, and institutional building on Vancouver Island. March 16th is the closing date to have nominations submitted.
The organizers are looking for submissions in these categories:
- Mixed Use for Commercial and Residential
- Community Projects
- Retail
- Industrial
- Multi-Family Projects
- Hospitality
- Commercial Renovation or Restoration
The awards will be held on April 12 at the Beach Club Resort in Parksville. For more information, contact Sue Lessard at VIREB at 250-390-5781 or email at slessard@vireb.com.
Feb 21, 2012
Real Estate Board Seeks Vancouver Island Commercial Construction Award Nominees
The Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) is seeking nominations to celebrate the best in commercial, multi-family, and institutional building on Vancouver Island. March 16 is the closing date to have nominations submitted. A PDF version of the nomination form can be downloaded here.
The organizers are looking for submissions in the following categories: Mixed Use for Commerial and Residential; Community Projects; Retail; Industrial; Multi-Family Projects; Hospitality; and Commercial Renovation or Restoration. The awards will be held on April 12 at the Beach Club Resort in Parksville.
For more information, contact Sue Lessard at VIREB at 250-390-5781 or email at slessard@ vireb.com
Feb 15, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #6
Editor's Note
An announcement is expected to be made by the end of this week with regards to the successful bidder for the expansion to the Walmart store in Courtenay. We will have the details for you in next week's issue.
Garry Steele of Eau Claire Properties has purchased the remainder of the property located within Beckton Estates. They propose to build 5,000 sq. ft. of commercial space which will include three condominiums on the top floor. In addition, they plan to build 31 townhouses in seven separate structures. Design drawings are underway and the applicant hopes to begin site preparation within 60 days.
A tender has been released by Tom Dishlevoy Architecture this week for the upgrade to the Christ the King Church in Courtenay. Six contractors have been invited to bid on this project and we will have more details in next week's issue. The expansion is estimated to cost approximately $2.3 million.
BC Hydro Holds Open House on February 16 for Proposed John Hart Dam Replacement Project
BC Hydro will be hosting an open house this week and will be available to discuss all elements of the proposed project, with particular focus on:
- Project Alternatives including deferral, rehabilitation, replacement, and decommissioning;
- John Hart Interpretive Site Plan: A site plan for the 248-acre BC Hydro property is being developed and includes information on public access, parking, road closures to Brewster Lake Rd and access to Elk Falls, trails, river access, interpretive signage, and a community site office during construction; and
- Regulatory and Procurement Updates including:
- Initiating the procurement process through a Request for Qualifications;
- Filing a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Application with the BC Utilities Commission; and
- Submitting a Stage 2 BC Parks Boundary Adjustment Proposal, as a next step to the Stage 1 Proposal that was submitted to BC Parks in 2011, and accepted to proceed to Stage 2.
A key part of these regulatory approval processes will be the ongoing consultation with First Nations, and engagement of government agencies and stakeholders. Should the project be approved to move forward, BC Hydro’s goal is to complete the regulatory processes and award the contract by summer 2013, and then commence construction.
When: February 16, 2012 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Campbell River Maritime Heritage Centre, 621 N Island Highway, Campbell River, BC
Feb 08, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #5
Editor's Note
Development permit approvals have been granted this week to the following three Courtenay projects; Tessitura Flats, a theatre and multi-residential project; the expansion and renovation for the new Andrew Sheret building; and the multi-family project located at 2140 Lake Trail Road.
An information meeting was held in Cumberland this past week for possible future development on the former Jaro Nursery site. The public was invited to attend and to hear about preliminary plans to build approximately 30 new homes.
Construction is now underway on a new self storage project located at 1697 Ryan Road. A building permit was issued in the amount of $409,231 this week to Noort Investments.
See inside this issue for more details on all of these projects.
Vancouver Island Real Estate Statistics for January 2012
In the table below, we feature comparisons of the average selling prices of homes in our region comparing prices from January 2012 to January of 2011. In most cases, there has been a small increase over the same time period last year. This information is from the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) MLS sales data.
| Region | January 2012 | January 2011 |
| Campbell River | $298,584 | $293,836 |
| Comox Valley | $345,631 | $332,534 |
| Parksville/Qualicum | $386,328 | $330,000 |
| Nanaimo | $360,799 | $340,482 |
Unit sales have increased by 5% overall in the VIREB reporting area, which includes Campbell RIver, the Comox Valley, the Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, Parksville/Qualicum and Port Alberni and the west Coast. For more information, visit www.vireb.com.
Feb 01, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #4
Editor's Note
The City of Courtenay has released an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting Qualified Proponents for Construction Management Services for the Lewis Recreation Centre Addition/Renovation Project. This EOI closes on February 10th, see our tender section for more information. Powell River Regional District has given Agius Builders a letter of intent for the construction of a new Northside Volunteer Fire Department fire hall. The letter of intent allows the company to begin design work to finalize details prior to signing a contract. This process is expected to be completed by the end of January. The contract is estimated to be approximately $800,000 All of the sub trade quotes for the Zeballos School came in over budget. The submissions are being evaluated and the scope of the project may have to be redesigned. A new tender could be issued in the near future.
Campbell River Homelessness Coalition Seeks Expressions of Interest
The Campbell River Homelessness Coalition is putting out a call for project ideas that will increase adult housing opportunities in the community. The coalition is seeking Expressions of Interest by Feb. 29 for pilot projects that would prevent and reduce homelessness in Campbell River by supporting a Housing First approach. Housing First emphasizes client choice and is based on the simple idea that housing is central to recovery from homelessness. Adults experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of experiencing homelessness have been identified as a priority need by the Campbell River Homelessness Coalition.
Information meetings to review guidelines for Expressions of Interest will occur on the following dates:
- Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 — 3:00-4:30 pm. City Hall Committee Room, 301 St. Ann’s Rd
- Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012 — 7:00-8:00 pm. Community Centre, Room 2 (upstairs), 401 11th Ave
For more information go to: http://www.campbellriver.ca/pages/whatsnew.aspx#419
Jan 25, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #3
Editor's Note
A request for Pre-Qualifications has been issued by the Campbell River and North Island Transition Society to prospective general contractors to qualify to bid on the subsequent Invitation-To-Tender to build the four-storey building on Dogwood Street in Campbell River. The Society has received a grant for this project and the tender closes on February 6th. See our tender section for more information.
A development permit application is pending for the 25,000 sq. ft. addition to the Zellers/Target store located at the Driftwood Mall in Courtenay. This application is under review by the Courtenay planning department and the application will soon be sent out for referrals.
Rezoning and development permit applications have been submitted to the Comox Council for a new development located at the corner of Lerwick and McDonald Roads. The plan calls for the development of 2,768 square metres of commercial space and the future development of six single-family lots on Tracker Place. Four one-story commercial buildings are proposed for the property.
Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District Selects Chair and Vice Chair for 2012
The Comox-Strathcona Regional Hospital District (CSRHD) board of directors has chosen Claire Moglove as its chair and Bruce Jolliffe as its vice-chair.
In addition to the major project for the two new north island hospitals, the board will continue dealing with general issues around health care facilities in the region.
Claire Moglove is a councillor at the City of Campbell River and a director of the Strathcona Regional District. Bruce Jolliffe is the Comox Valley Regional District’s representative from Baynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area ‘A’).
For more information, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca
Jan 18, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #2
Editor's Note
An invitational tender has been sent to five construction companies for the proposed expansion and addition to the Courtenay Wal-Mart store. A building permit was issued in December in the amount of $8 million The tender closes on February 7th, see inside this issue for more details.
We have heard from the Sage Hills Group that they are planning to move forward with their project. There are in the process of securing new financing and once that has been completed, they will be submitting applications for planning, permitting and approvals in the Spring of 2012.
The 'Namgis First Nation closed-containment aquaculture project is about start construction near Port McNeill. This project has received an $800,000 grant from the Aquaculture Innovation and Market Access Program. The K'udas pilot project will utilize a recirculating aquaculture system, which brings disinfected groundwater into salmon growout tanks and recirculates it through a filtering system. The pilot project will be located on 'Namgis property just south of Port McNeill. We have details on both of these projects inside this issue.
We have heard about two proposed new commercial projects in the Comox Valley and we will update you in next week's issue.
Campbell River Chamber of Commerce Launches Major Projects Site.
The Campbell River and District Chamber of Commerce has developed a Major Projects website to function as a one-stop, community resource centre to maximize the economic opportunities that come with major construction projects in the area.
It is a 'web window of opportunity’ that showcases local businesses for major project proponents and contractors seeking local services.
This Portal is a significant innovation in support of the Chamber’s goal of bringing value and relevance to its members by facilitating business retention and growth. Partners in this project include Vancouver Island Construction Association, BC Hydro and the Vancouver Island Economic Association.
For more information about this site, go to campbellriver.majorprojects.ca or contact admin@campbellriverchamber.ca
Phone: 250-287-4636
Jan 11, 2012
Building Links 2012, Issue #1
Editor's Note
Welcome to 2012. The past year has been challenging for the real estate and construction industry and this year shows signs of promise, with more construction activity on the horizon. In this week's issue we have updates on numerous projects and we feature six new tenders from CFB Comox.
We have our year-to-date statistics report of this issue, which shows a summary of all of the construction data in the Comox Valley and Campbell River for all of 2012. New family home construction is likely to incresae, due to the supply of more single family lots coming onto the market. in the Comox Valley. Construction values for the Comox Valley and Campbell River total $175 million for 2012. See more details on Page 2 of this issue.
2011 Construction Summary
The construction values in 2011 were $175 million, down $35 million from 2010. Residential home construction was up slightly in both Courtenay and the Regional Districts. The single family construcion was down by 58% in Comox and by 31% in Campbell River. expect that new housing starts will increase by about ten percent in 2012, due to the new inventory of new lots in the Comox Valley.
There are some at least four condominium and mixed used residential projects that are slated to start construction in the region during 2012; one in Campbell River, two in Comox and one in Courtenay. These projects have received most of their approvals and are waiting for building permits before proceeding. In total, they will bring approximately 120 new multi-residential units onto the market.
