Kendall Robertson // PG Chamber of Commerce In B.C.’s Northern Capital, it should come as no surprise that the local ski club is booming this season. In fact, the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club has about 1000 new members this year compared to the same time last year. This increase can be attributed to a few things: the COVID-19 pandemic, the club’s focus on creating new experiences for its guests, and the club’s commitment to giving back to the community.  The COVID-19 pandemic has brought forward some unique challenges for the world-class Caledonia Nordic Ski Club this season as it was forced

Author: Christina Doll Prince George is well-known among local and regional music lovers for having a strong, connected, and vibrant music scene. Pre-2020, you could head to The Legion, Omineca Arts Centre, Nancy’s O’s or another venue multiple times a week for a toe tapping, rowdy dancing good time. While live shows have been put on pause for the time-being due to the pandemic, the people who work behind the scenes to bring visibility to musicians are still actively assisting them with meeting their full potential. If you’ve lived in Prince George for any length of time, you’ll know that

Author: Christina Doll When Kim Hayhurst started pursuing her dream of developing a space where people could flex their creative muscles while enjoying whiskey barrel aged, wood fired coffee, specialty teas, and a selection of gluten-free, vegan treats, she never imagined she would be opening her business during a pandemic.  Kim signed the lease for the future site of The Makerie one week before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. She and her husband forged ahead with renovating the space they had chosen in preparation for opening their new business because signing the lease had locked them into their plans. But

Author: Christina Doll The signage for Jolley Market Foods reads ‘a convenience store with so much more’, and it lived up to its slogan when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020. In addition to being the place where people can get their weekly groceries, grab a quick lunch or snack, borrow a book, or have a chat with a familiar staff member, since the pandemic started, it has been a safe haven for those who are uncomfortable shopping at larger grocery stores. According to Owner/Operator Marie Halverson, “COVID was great for business for the Jolley Market because when

Author: Christina Doll When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Vanway Kitchens owners Terry Thiara and Jas Raju experienced the same mixture of emotions any business owner faced with the uncertainty of a pandemic would. They felt fear, uncertainty, and confusion as to how the pandemic would affect their ability to meet not only the needs of their employees and clients, but also of their families. Thiara and Raju acted quickly to protect the health and safety of their staff and customers to the best of their ability. They found excellent local consultants to help them establish new working safety procedures

Author: Kendall Robertson MEDIChair Northern BC owner, Chris Gobbi, says new renovations at the store are helping to create optimal physical distancing conditions. But that’s just one of the many measures staff are taking to ensure that they are preventing the spread of COVID-19. In March, MEDIChair added free contactless delivery and curb side pickup options to ensure that clients were receiving the important items they need while staying safe. Not only that, but Gobbi says staff have also been offering virtual services by conducting assessments with therapists and clients on Zoom. MEDIChair also reduced its hours when the COVID-19

Author: Christina Doll  When the Provincial Health Officer put restrictions in place to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in mid-March, some businesses closed their doors temporarily. Now that these restrictions are being relaxed, businesses like The BX Pub are starting to reopen with enhanced safety protocols in place.  BX Pub owners and management have taken extensive measures to ensure their customers feel safe as they get accustomed to the “new normal.” Patrons are now directed to enter through the front doors and exit through the side doors that lead to the patio. All customers are required to sanitize their hands before they

Author: Christina Doll While planning a response to a pandemic is difficult for any business owner, one local entrepreneur has viewed the operational challenges presented by COVID-19 as an opportunity for innovation. Northern Lights Estate Winery Owner Doug Bell made some hard decisions after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March to ensure the well-being of his employees, including closing dine-in service at the Bistro and setting up many of his administrative and sales teams to work remotely. “As the weeks progressed, however, our teams turned their attention to the future. Whenever there is a problem, there is an

Author: Kendall Robertson How long will I be shut down? What will happen to my staff? Will my business survive? These are all questions the owners of Betulla Burning and Nancy O’s restaurants asked themselves early into BC’s COVID-19 outbreak. Co-owner, Eoin Foley made the decision to close the doors with the hopes that they could wait out the storm. “That was one of the toughest business decisions we’ve ever had to make,” says Foley. Both restaurants were closed for more than a month. Nancy O’s and Betulla Burning have since reopened for take-out and delivery, utilizing their own staff