November 7, 2006 - News

Premier showcase for B.C. artisans
On one end of the crafts spectrum are the stalls at farmers' markets that sell tinkly wind chimes, sand candles and crocheted toilet-roll covers. At the other end is Circle Craft, which has earned its reputation as one of the premier showcases for the work of B.C. artisans for the past three decades or so. As it gets ready to launch its 33rd annual Christmas Craft Market this week -- the 20th at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre -- the venerable artists' co-operative is comfortable in its shoes as a champion of high-quality handicrafts.

November 3 - 6, 2006

Farming out some cash: 13 development groups receive ACOA funding to aid rural businesses
Development groups, tourism backers and promoters of Nova Scotia culture were the big recipients of federal funding through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in the last 60 days. Although long-promised money to tire maker Michelin was the single largest amount of financing from the federal Crown corporation in the period, funding of between $400,000 and $1 million was provided to each of the 13 business development corporations in the province that provide loans, training and counselling to rural businesses.

Martin lauds native-youth project
Former prime minister Paul Martin plans to spend a lot of time in this Northwestern Ontario city during the next year to ensure a pilot project for aboriginal youth becomes a national success story. He spent most of yesterday at Thunder Bay's all-aboriginal high school, meeting the 20 students participating in an aboriginal entrepreneurship program being created and funded by Mr. Martin.

Packing plant land up for sale
The 22 acres that was to house a huge multi million dollar meat processing plant has been put on the market after the New Generation Processors Co-op behind the project, collapsed. Last Wednesday, co-op chairman, Ken Lewis, said that the Co-op board had made an executive decision that day to put the land, purchased earlier in the year, up for sale. “We’re winding the Co-op down,” said Lewis.

Credit Union Central of British Columbia: Credit Union Community Support in B.C. Tops $16 Million and 26,000 Hours
Supporting local communities with their hearts, hands and money, B.C. credit unions have raised the bar on their previous best efforts. According to a survey of their community philanthropy conducted by Ipsos Reid, credit unions gave nearly $16.7 million to B.C. communities in 2005, up from $11.8 million a year earlier.