Five entrepreneurs looking to take their budding businesses to the next level have advanced to the final stage of the City's YK Win Your Space competition.
Borealis Bike Tours Unlimited by David Stephens, Jenny's Painting World by Jennifer Pohl, Kerri's Kreations: the Farmhouse by Kerri and Mike Nolting, Longarm of the North by Marilyn McGurran and Music Space YK by Mary Kelly were named as finalists during an announcement Wednesday from Mayor Mark Heyck at Centre Square Mall's Ja-Pain – the winner of last year's competition.
In a bid to boost small business growth and breathe new life into empty storefronts in the downtown, the winner of the contest – backed by the city, Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, Business Development of Bank of Canada, the NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation and the GNWT – will get the keys to a leased store space in the city.
The final five were selected by a panel of seven jurors – made up of Yellowknife-based entrepreneurs and business owners – from a group of 13 semi-finalists.
For finalist Kerri Notling, the prospect of showcasing her home decor line in a physical location is promising for the growth of her business.
"It would be huge," said Notling.
"Right now I run (the business) out of my basement so people actually come to my home and buy my products, and I do everything online. So, a storefront where you can come in andbrowse? Amazing," Nolting told Yellowknifer.
Notling's excitement was echoed by fellow fledgling business-owners Wednesday, including Longarm of the North's Marilyn McGurran.
"I can hardly breathe. I can't believe I got this far," said McGurran.
"It's a great opportunity and where else in the North would you get an opportunity
like this?" she added.
McGurran, who aims to expand her quilting business in a commercial setting, also relies on in-home sales.
The five remaining hopefuls will pitch their business – and ideas – live in front of the jury on Aug. 23.
A winner will then be crowned.
– Brendan Burke
Smoke getting in our eyes is from B.C.
Yellowknifers may have noticed hazy air quality yesterday, but much of it was expected to die down by this morning.Federal meteorologist Brian Proctor said winds from fires west of Fort Nelson, B.C. have been blowing mostly toward the South Slave region of NWT.
It is typical for B.C. forests to be burning at this time of the year with smoke sent aloft in other areas of Western Canada, he said.
"The values in Yellowknife proper are about five to 10 micrograms per cubic metre, so that is nothing really significant," Proctor said yesterday afternoon.
– Simon Whitehouse
MP grilled at his community BBQ
NWT MP Michael McLeod hosted a summer barbecue at Somba K'e Civic Plaza on Tuesday, but found himself politely confronted when some local organizations showed up.
Members of the NWT chapter of the Council of Canadians and 350.org hand-delivered a letter to the politician demanding that he consult with constituents on the federal government's recent purchase of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline.
In May, the federal government bought the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline to ensure a major energy project is built to carry crude oil from Northern Alberta to tidewater on the West coast.
The letter from the organizations states that building the pipeline will have a negative impact on the environment because the tar sands region will be expanded, climate change impacts will increase, up to 1,300 freshwater bodies will be exposed to toxins, and the Pacific coastline could be damaged.
Lois Little, co-chair of the Council of Canadians, gave the letter to the politician with local environmental activists.
"Your party said you were going to be a climate champion," Little said to the MP in front of onlookers.
"This is not being a climate champion."
Little said there has not been a lot of opportunity to discuss the issue with McLeod since the pipeline purchase and the barbecue was a chance to express her concerns.
McLeod told Little he appreciated the input and said there is "another side" to the pipeline purchase – meaning the government wants to ensure it is responsible by protecting the environment while developing the economy.
"For me, I stand on the party's position of balancing the environment and the economy," he said.
– Simon Whitehouse
Building bylaw review delayed
The city needs clarity from the GNWT on its regulatory powers before it gets to work on its review and overhaul of building bylaws, the administration said Monday.
During a municipal services committee meeting, director of planning and development Nalini Naidoo told councillors administration needs council direction on whether it should ask the GNWT's Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) to delegate greater regulatory powers to the city.
In the Yukon and Nunavut, there is territorial legislation that lays out municipal jurisdiction over building bylaws, said Naidoo in an interview with Yellowknifer.
That legislation is non-existent in the NWT, creating uncertainty about the breadth of services the municipality could offer to builders and developers beyond issuing building permits, said Naidoo.
In the meantime, applicants under the building bylaw are often in contact with multiple authorities to get their work done, she said.
In an interview with Yellowknifer, Coun. Niels Konge said he ran for council on the issue of building inspections, and that he'll run again to push for the building bylaw review and its recommendations to be implemented, he said.
– Avery Zingel
#ShopYK returns for fourth year
The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce is looking to break a long-held goal during this year's annual #ShopYK campaign.
As registration for local businesses opened, the chamber is hoping to surpass the $1 million mark, after the 2017 campaign saw more than $900,000 worth of sales.
"When we started the campaign we wanted to see $1 million dollars spent throughout the campaign. Each year, we count the passport and that gives us a good idea. Last year we got $900,000 so we were very close," said Deneen Everett, chamber executive director.
"We will be mailing a passport to every home in the city. The first stamp is free, and then for every 20 dollars spent you'll get a stamp."
The campaign will take place between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7 with the final draw taking place on Dec. 11.
– Dylan Short
NWT SPCA 2019 calendar accepting pet photos
The NWT SPCA is gearing up for its 2019 calendar. Submit your best pet photo for a chance to get in the 2019 edition – a yearly project to raise funds for abused or neglected animals of the North.
All pets are welcome. Calendars will be ready for sale in November.
Deadline for photo submissions is Aug. 31. For more information please visit nwtspca.com.
– James O'Connor
Construction site prepped for return of KFC
Yellowknifers still have a wait before they can order fried chicken and a taco.
While Clark Builders has set up a trailer to start prep work on the new Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell franchises on Old Airport Road, a representative from the franchisee said construction won't be starting soon.
"We can almost guarantee that we will not be mobilized this year," said Brian Long, of Soul Restaurants.
"It will more likely be a spring 2019 start opening on construction and an opening later that year."
Long says that the restaurant ownership group is hoping to open both their franchises in the late summer season of next year but he stressed that goal was tentative.
Soul Restaurants will be the owners and operators of KFC and Taco Bell.
The adjacent Starbucks that is being built at the same location will have its operations contracted out to a third party.
– Dylan Short