News

Metrotower III relaunched

Wok Box CEO Scott Bender plans to expand to Arizona, Oregon and Minnesota during the next year while adding eight to 10 stores in Canada

I met a prospective client for lunch a couple of weeks ago. “Barry” (not his real name) is a high-net-worth (HNW) former real estate developer who sold his operating business several years ago. We met to discuss his goals and to see if there was a suitable “fit” between us.

Vancouver’s residential real estate commands high prices. In contrast, low house prices in most U.S. sunbelt markets are bargains today for many snowbird Canadians. It’s all a question of market-based demand and supply.

The journalist in me cannot help but admire the doggedness of North Vancouver freelancer Vivian Krause in getting to the bottom of U.S. foundation funding of B.C. environmental groups.

In the aftermath of 2008-09, many investors have opted for discretionary portfolio management services. According to the Investor Economics spring 2011 report, adviser-managed programs grew 9.2% for the quarter and 30.5% year-over-year with assets increasing to $52.4 billion from $40.1 billion as of March 2011.

Oilsands production mixed with green enterprise would be more palatable to world markets than the thick black brew triggering North American environmental air raid sirens now. Call it fossil fuel light.

Real estate: no topic so dominates Vancouverites? conversations. But people love to hate realtors, who are often seen as undeserving of their income, opaque and resented necessities to the transaction.

Stabilizing trend

At the same time as four former Vancouver mayors and our current mayor have added their voices to the chorus at Stop the Violence BC calling for regulation of the marijuana trade to reduce gang violence, the Harper government is going in the opposite direction.