Local Business

(From left to right) MP Brad Vis, PowerWood managing director Jake Power, MLA Kelli Paddon and District of Kent Mayor Sylvia Pranger prepare to cut the ribbon to celebrate PowerWood’s grand opening in Agassiz on Wednesday, July 7. See more photos online at www.agassizharrisonobserver.com. (Adam Louis/Observer)

PHOTOS: PowerWood’s grand opening celebrated in Agassiz

The company was established in Coquitlam in 1995

West Coast Robotics project manager Jesse Wheeler opens the door to a Lely Astronaut milking machine. These machines were designed with the comfort of the cow in mind, allowing them to come and go and be milked as they choose. (Adam Louis/Observer)

Driven by dairy and data, West Coast Robotics brings innovation to farming

WCR was founded in 2008 in Harrison Mills

Holger Schwichtenberg and his son Philip talk in the barn of the 150-acre Schwichtenberg farm. This farm is one of many throughout B.C. that support more than 12,500 jobs across the province in the dairy industry. (Contributed Photo/B.C. Dairy Association)

Agassiz dairy farm a model of care for environment, animals, and family

Farm is part of a dairy sector centred in the Fraser Valley, supporting 12,500 jobs province-wide

Honey / Kevin Mills Photo

Engineering couple buzz from corporate jobs to honey farming in Mission

Husband-and-wife team at Viewcrest Farms leasing land from District of Mission for more beehives

Honey / Kevin Mills Photo
Sasquatch smiles while illustrating social distancing on a sign on Esplanade Avenue during a quiet, cloudy morning. Businesses along Harrison’s beachfront street are among many in Agassiz-Harrison awaiting word about provincial COVID-19 restrictions. Restrictions will be reassessed on May 25, and any decisions made that day could change the course of the summer for local tourism and business. (Adam Louis/Observer)

‘Waiting with bated breath’: Local businesses grapple with lack of predictabilty amid COVID restrictions

Mixed emotions as Lower Mainlanders rediscover Agassiz-Harrison, businesses operate online

Sasquatch smiles while illustrating social distancing on a sign on Esplanade Avenue during a quiet, cloudy morning. Businesses along Harrison’s beachfront street are among many in Agassiz-Harrison awaiting word about provincial COVID-19 restrictions. Restrictions will be reassessed on May 25, and any decisions made that day could change the course of the summer for local tourism and business. (Adam Louis/Observer)
A lumber planer has been installed at the former Metric Modular site as PowerWood works on moving from Surrey to Agassiz. Established in 1995, the red cedar product manufacturer will have plenty of room to grow in Agassiz, said co-owner Jake Power. (Adam Louis/Observer)

Surrey cedar processor PowerWood moving to Agassiz

The company ships red cedar projects all over the world

A lumber planer has been installed at the former Metric Modular site as PowerWood works on moving from Surrey to Agassiz. Established in 1995, the red cedar product manufacturer will have plenty of room to grow in Agassiz, said co-owner Jake Power. (Adam Louis/Observer)
Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon takes a selfie outside of Lakeside Beach Club in Cultus Lake. During "circuit-breaker" restrictions, Paddon hosted gift card giveaways to support businesses in the riding and encouraged businesses to apply for government grants to help them through the pandemic. (Facebook/Kelli Paddon MLA)

Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon salutes province for quick aid for small businesses

Paddon encouraged businesses in hospitality, fitness, food to apply before June 4 deadline

Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon takes a selfie outside of Lakeside Beach Club in Cultus Lake. During "circuit-breaker" restrictions, Paddon hosted gift card giveaways to support businesses in the riding and encouraged businesses to apply for government grants to help them through the pandemic. (Facebook/Kelli Paddon MLA)
Hundreds of Harrison Hot Springs Resort employees face a potential lockout on Friday (April 30) afternoon amid a labour dispute involving UNITED HERE Local 40. (Grace Kennedy/The Observer)

Friday lockout looms for Harrison resort workers

Hospitality union, employer group remain at odds

Hundreds of Harrison Hot Springs Resort employees face a potential lockout on Friday (April 30) afternoon amid a labour dispute involving UNITED HERE Local 40. (Grace Kennedy/The Observer)
The first cruise ship of the 2019 season – the Celebrity Eclipse – docks in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)

Tourism spending in Canada dropped by almost 50 per cent in 2020

Tourism-related jobs dropped by almost 29 per cent

The first cruise ship of the 2019 season – the Celebrity Eclipse – docks in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)
Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel closed for three months in late 2020, early 2021, to undergo renovations in leveraging slower hotel traffic because of COVID-19 restrictions. A new report from Statistics Canada find many businesses in the accommodation and food services sector are bracing for another tough year. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)

Survey finds Canada’s hospitality industry has low expectations for year ahead

Almost 87 per cent of businesses in accommodation and food services report lower revenues in 2020

Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel closed for three months in late 2020, early 2021, to undergo renovations in leveraging slower hotel traffic because of COVID-19 restrictions. A new report from Statistics Canada find many businesses in the accommodation and food services sector are bracing for another tough year. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)
Members of the Nations Creations staff inside the company’s building on Pioneer Avenue. (Nations Creations/Contributed)

Seabird Island-owned Nations Creations coming to Agassiz

Seabird Island purchased the company last year and aims to continue its social enterprise past

Members of the Nations Creations staff inside the company’s building on Pioneer Avenue. (Nations Creations/Contributed)
Jonathon Gee is the man behind Wild Forager Catering, which has had to make many changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Contributed)

Agassiz caterer making it work in pandemic-altered kitchen

Wild Forager is looking forward in a future filled with twists

Jonathon Gee is the man behind Wild Forager Catering, which has had to make many changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Contributed)
Katie Smith and Richard Coombs are teh couple behind Agassiz Delivered, a new delivery company that has taken off during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Agassiz Delivered/Facebook)

Local couple keeps Agassiz delivered

What started out as takeout delivery has turned into a pandemic business boom

Katie Smith and Richard Coombs are teh couple behind Agassiz Delivered, a new delivery company that has taken off during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Agassiz Delivered/Facebook)
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  • Dec 1, 2020
Introducing Morning News Alerts for Agassiz-Harrison.
Fraser Valley Regional District office on Cheam Avenue in Chilliwack reopening with restrictions in place as of Oct. 16, 2020. (Paul Henderson/Chilliwack Progress file)

FVRD to reopen corporate office on a limited basis

Fraser Valley Regional District visitors will be screened and asked to maintain physical distancing

Fraser Valley Regional District office on Cheam Avenue in Chilliwack reopening with restrictions in place as of Oct. 16, 2020. (Paul Henderson/Chilliwack Progress file)
File Photo

MAP: Who has taken the Mask Pledge?

Number of pledgers has grown since last week

File Photo
Sam Rytter paints a parking bollard in front of a strip of businesses off Mill Street on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. He’s been volunteering with elbow grease for the past several Sundays to spruce up downtown Chilliwack. (Jessica Peters/ The Progress)

Volunteer cleaning crew using elbow grease to improve downtown Chilliwack

Sunday morning cleaning sessions tackle drug mess, excrement, chipping paint around business area

Sam Rytter paints a parking bollard in front of a strip of businesses off Mill Street on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. He’s been volunteering with elbow grease for the past several Sundays to spruce up downtown Chilliwack. (Jessica Peters/ The Progress)
Tourism Harrison executive director Robert Reyerse stands with a replica of a Sts’ailes Band Sasquatch mask in the Sasquatch Museum at the Visitor Information Centre. Nina Grossman/The Observer

Harrison-Agassiz Chamber head stepping down

Robert Reyerse has been the Chamber’s exec. director for 12 years

Tourism Harrison executive director Robert Reyerse stands with a replica of a Sts’ailes Band Sasquatch mask in the Sasquatch Museum at the Visitor Information Centre. Nina Grossman/The Observer
Stephen Jagger, co-founder of the real estate startup addy, stands outside the Starbucks at Yale and Airport in Chilliwack in July. The company is bringing the building online as an investment option for small investors in August, 2020, (Submitted photo)

Real estate startup opens market to small investors in Chilliwack

New company uses crowdfunding to make real estate investing more accessible to all

Stephen Jagger, co-founder of the real estate startup addy, stands outside the Starbucks at Yale and Airport in Chilliwack in July. The company is bringing the building online as an investment option for small investors in August, 2020, (Submitted photo)
A couple at their ceremony at The Falls Golf Course in Bridal Falls. The golf course has seen about half its 2020 summer weddings cancelled or postponed, indicative of the effect the COVID-19 pandemic is having across the wedding industry. Leanne Sims Photography

‘We just have to keep going’: Smaller weddings with bigger hearts ahead as weddings adapt to COVID-19

A struggling hospitality industry wary but hopeful of future amid industry-shaking changes

A couple at their ceremony at The Falls Golf Course in Bridal Falls. The golf course has seen about half its 2020 summer weddings cancelled or postponed, indicative of the effect the COVID-19 pandemic is having across the wedding industry. Leanne Sims Photography