| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
eNews Update
May 11, 2010
The Next Frontier... South Granville Style
This email is the first in a series that will introduce you to the South Granville Business Improvement Association's next big adventure. For some of you, this will be a no brainer and you will likely think we are moving far too slowly. For others... we will hopefully not scare you so badly that you go running for cover. The truth is, we have highly tech savvy merchants, and merchants that do not have a website or email! Navigating that reality can be a little daunting so I will ask for your patience as we find a pace and complexity that everyone can be comfortable with.
The rising star in the world of marketing is online. The web continues to explode and along with it so do the advertising opportunities. Any business who is not online with at least a website is severely missing out. Add Social Media to your online presence and you've instantly opened your business, your brand, and your services to the World. Yes, literally the World!
Read more
Newsletters
Notices
News
 Visit
Your South Granville Blog for the latest News,
Event Listings,
Gallery Exhibits, Community Announcements,
What's New, What's Hot,
and much more from the South
Granville Neighbourhood
UBC Line Rapid Transit Study Community Update, March 19, 2010
B'nai Brith Canada, BC Region, applauds Vancouver local business association
Flag walk program connects South Granville, Yaletown
Flag Walk links South Granville and Yaletown
South Granville wins 2009 Heritage BC Award
South Granville wins 2009 City of Vancouver Heritage Award
South
Granville restaurants & staff among the best
 April
14, 2008 (Vancouver) - Vancouver Magazine's 19th Annual
Restaurant Awards were announced today; definitive recognition
of the chefs, the rooms, and the ingredients that matter
in 2008.
Among the top winners are:
Restaurant
of the Year
Gold Winner: West
(2881 Granville Street, 604-738-8938)
Judges' Comments: "Nodding to trends but never being
dictated by them," said one. The smooth transition from
David Hawksworth to Warren Geraghty demonstrated what
a fine job Hawksworth had done training his kitchen
staff: "Guided by the steady vision of Jack Evrensel,
there’s little doubt that Vancouver’s favourite room
will make the transition between accomplished chefs
with ease."
Best
New Fine Dining
Silver Winner: Chow
(3121 Granville Street, 604-608-2469)
Judges' Comments: Chef JC Poirier impresses with dishes
like Sloping Hills organic pork with sunchoke purée,
house-made gnocchi, and chestnut jus.
Best
Service
Gold Winner: West
(2881 Granville Street, 604-738-8938)
Judges' Comments: "So smoothly executed, you don't even
know how they did it until you realize you're not walking
out of the restaurant, you're floating."
Best
Indian
Gold Winner: Vij's
(1480 W. 11th Avenue, 604-736-6664)
Judges' Comments: "Vikram Vij [Vij’s] is an alchemist
who has conjured the perfect formula for success." The
judges noted fluid service that hits all the right notes,
and "my god, the food: grilled pork tenderloin with
baby back ribs in a fennel-seed coconut curry with roasted
cashews; duck breast with spicy mango and sautéed yellow
and green zucchini—revelatory."
Best
Indian
Bronze Winner: Rangoli
(1488 W. 11th Avenue, 604-736-5711)
Judges' Comments: At Vij’s kid-sister room, Rangoli,
pared-down dishes like black chickpea and onion cakes
in spicy coconut curry make for a light lunch or a fabulous
prefab dinner.
Best
Casual Chain
Gold Winner: Cactus Club Cafe
(various locations; 575 West Broadway & Granville, 604-714-6000)
Judges' Comments: The arrival of Canada’s Iron Chef,
Rob Feenie can only elevate the award-winning menu at
Cactus Club Cafe (Gold), which the judges found to be
full of food that's "honest" and "fun".
Bartender of the Year: David Wolowidnyk
(West, 2881 Granville Street, 604-738-8938)
And congratulations to our BIA neighbour Bin
942 (1521 West Broadway & Granville, 604-734-9421)
for winning Gold in the category of Best Small Plates
(Tapas). ("The food looks great, tastes better, and
flies out of the kitchen as late as 2 a.m.") and to
our BIA neighbour Memphis Blues (1465 West
Broadway & Granville, 604-738-6806) for winning Bronze in the Best Steakhouse/Chops category.
|
A Victory for Vancouver Businesses
Mayor and NPA vote in tax shift. Good news for Vancouver businesses! By a very close 6-5 vote, city council
approved the annual one percentage point tax shift in each of the next five years to provide some relief for business.
The Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition applauds city council for recognizing the property tax share paid by businesses is unfair and unsustainable.
"Supporting a tax shift is always hard to do in an election year but council has done the right thing for the future of the city," said Ed Des Roches, co-chair of the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition. "The mayor and councillors who voted in favour of the shift understand the need to fix a long-standing inequity. They are clearly thinking about the value businesses bring to Vancouver – jobs, unique goods and services and a sense of community."
This tax shift will provide some relief for businesses in the next five years. The average homeowner, with a property assessed at $700,000, will see a minimal increase of $36 per year. "That’s the cost of a cup of coffee per month," added Des Roches.
However, the fight for fair taxes is far from over. The Fair Tax Coalition will continue advocating city council enact a permanent policy in the event of a change in government and its directives during the November election.
"We want council to freeze taxes this year. A tax shift over the course of five years is a long time to wait," added Bob Laurie, co-chair of The Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition.
"Many businesses will struggle to grow and compete. Businesses need fairness now, not years from now. Although this current council has done more than previous councils in trying to correct the inequity, these are only starting points. We will be working towards a long-term fair tax policy," continued Laurie.
|
Hear the voice of business
Since many business owners don’t
have time to attend council meetings, the Vancouver Fair Tax
Coalition (VFTC) thought they’d bring the voice of business
to council through a video. This video was presented to council
on March 13, and influenced their vote for a tax shift. See
the video on the Fair Tax Coalition website at:
www.fairtaxcoalition.com/video/video.htm
|
Vancouver businesses need to be heard
How property taxes impact your business. On your behalf, the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition (VFTC) – a volunteer group representing more than 43,000 local businesses through member organizations – has been working to ensure Vancouver businesses pay a fairer share of property taxes.
In the last two years, the VFTC has made an impact by saving Vancouver business owners and operators an estimated $24.5 million in property taxes through rebalancing the tax load. But city council needs to hear from you and others in the business community to keep up the momentum.
Businesses are paying an unfair share of the tax burden and pay property taxes at more than five times the rate of residents, the highest in the Lower Mainland and in Canada.
Mayor Sam Sullivan and the NPA caucus have recognized the seriousness of the problem and have begun to correct the inequity by voting for two previous tax shifts to residents. Council applied a one per cent shift in 2006 and voted to hold commercial taxes at 2006 levels in 2007. In both years, COPE and Vision Vancouver councillors voted against the shifts.
In 2006, the city formed an independent Property Tax Policy Review Commission to recommend a long-term fair tax policy for commercial taxpayers. The commission confirmed the tax share is unfair for business and has proposed an annual one per cent tax shift over the next five years until business pays 48 per cent and residents pay 52 per cent of the tax share. Following the five-year shift, the commission recommends the city fix the tax share for another five years.
This annual one per cent tax shift will mean relief for every business in Vancouver and millions of dollars in tax saving going forward.
But, this will not happen without your support and your voice.
Vision Vancouver has signalled they will vote against relief for businesses and the adoption of the tax commission's report. Mayor Sullivan and the NPA are in favour of the report and the shift but are counting on your support.
What you can do.
Tell your story. Send a letter or email to the mayor and city council about your businesses, your contributions
to the community and what high property taxes mean to you. Send your email to mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca.
Plan to attend any public meetings, to show support for the tax commission's recommendations.
|
|
|
|
Flag Walk
An international celebration of friendship! Street Decals, collector pins, window danglers, contests, plus a whole lot more! There's still time to get in on the festivities.
 Find out more
|
|
|
|
|
