Atlantic NewsMakers: Business briefs that matter

[HALIFAX, NS] New weekly Halifax–Glasgow flight takes off: Flyglobespan, Scotland’s low-cost airline launched its first-ever flight from Halifax to Glasgow, Scotland yesterday. Following this inaugural flight, the weekly service will operate every Saturday through September 26 with one-way fares on select dates starting as low as C$72 plus taxes. Upon arrival at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, the flyglobespan aircraft was greeted by a ceremonial water cannon salute from the airport’s fire department to mark this new partnership between the two organizations.

Passengers travelling to Glasgow with flyglobespan will do so on-board a wide-bodied B767-300 aircraft. In addition to Halifax, flyglobespan also offers seasonal flights from Vancouver, Calgary and Hamilton to six destinations in the UK and Ireland. - Staff, Daily Business Buzz 

[DIGBY, NS] Island restaurateur to be featured on Food Channel: Lavena Crocker has been discovered. The owner of Long Island’s only restaurant will be watched by the Food Channel’s millions of viewers next year as she prepares lobster chowder with chef Lynn Crawford. Crawford and her Red Apple Entertainment T.V. crew visited Lavena’s Catch Café last week to tape a Nova Scotia segment of a yet-to-be-named 2010 T.V. series.

Lavena Crocker at work in her café’s kitchen with T.V. chef Lynn Crawford. Jeanne Whitehead photo.

The series she is currently working on has the working title, ‘Fearless Chef,’ according to field producer Meagan Mcateer. “For chefs, it’s all about preparing the best dishes you can possibly prepare,” says Crawford. “I wanted to do a show on lobster—and that meant coming to Nova Scotia. Everyone knows the best lobster in the world comes from the Bay of Fundy.” - Jeanne Whitehead, Digby Courier

[YARMOUTH, NS] History Channel’s ‘Modern Marvels’ to feature the Cat Ferry: “Modern Marvels,” a show on the History Channel, will feature The CAT in an upcoming episode. The ship, which is operated by Bay Ferries Limited of Prince Edward Island, can transport up to 250 cars and 750 passengers at speeds approaching 40 knots.

The CAT Ferry. File photo.

The ship makes the crossing in less than half the time required for driving or transport aboard conventional ships. The filming will take place on June 1, during the crossing between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth. Bay Ferries President and Chief Executive Officer Mark MacDonald will cross with the film crew and provide commentary on the ship. Upon arrival in Yarmouth, The CAT will offload passengers, and then return briefly to sea for several filming sequences near the Cape Forchu lighthouse.  The ship will then return to Yarmouth in time to load cars and passengers for the return trip to Bar Harbor. The filming is part of a Modern Marvels episode featuring unusual ships. - Staff, Daily Business Buzz

[HALIFAX, NS] Nova Scotia Wines Receive 28 Awards: Nova Scotia wineries received a record 28 awards at the annual All Canadian Wine Championships in Windsor, Ontario. The following Nova Scotia vineyards won awards at the 2009 All Canadian Wine Championships: L’Acadie Vineyards, Blomidon Estate Winery, Domaine de Grand Pre, Gaspereau Vineyards and Jost Vineyards. “I am particularly delighted in winning the double gold for our 2007 Valley Roads Marechal Foch and our Baco Noir,” says Winery Association president and Jost Vineyards owner Hans Christian Jost. “Being the best in the country for our Foch and Baco Noir is a considerable feat considering the number of those wines grown in Canada.” Held annually, the 2009 All Canadian Wine Championships had a record-breaking 1071 wines submitted from 173 wineries across Canada. For more information about the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, visit www.winesofnovascotia.ca - Staff, Daily Business Buzz

[SYDNEY, NS] Seaside High-Speed connects 11 communities in southwest Inverness County: Approximately 225 homes and businesses in southwest Inverness County are now able to download information from the Internet up to 25 times faster than speeds available on dial-up connections. Seaside High-Speed, a partner in the Broadband Solutions for Rural Development project in Victoria County, announced yesterday that high-speed Internet is now available in the communities of Askilton, Cleveland, Crandall Road, Kingsville, MacIntyre Lake, MacIntyre Mountain, Mackdale, Morrison Siding, Princeville, Queensville, Riverside and West Bay Road. - Staff, Daily Business Buzz

[HALIFAX, NS] Halifax to Celebrate DHBC’s 15th Anniversary Clean Sweep: Twenty-one teams with over 100 volunteers are ready for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission’s 15th Anniversary Clean Sweep on Wednesday, June 3, at 10:45 am in Grand Parade. The event, which coincides with National Environment Week (May 31 to June 6), will bring local businesses outside to clean the streets. It will also serve as a kick-off for the DHBC’s Enviro team, a group of students hired to maintain the cleanliness of Downtown throughout the spring and summer months. The following organizations have registered teams: Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., BOMA Nova Scotia, Cambridge Suites Hotel, Delta Hotels, Fortis Properties, Greater Halifax Partnership, Halifax Regional Municipality, Marriott Residence Inn, MBS Radio, Metro News, Nova Scotia Environment, Nova Scotia Power, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Southwest Properties Ltd., The Terry Fox Foundation, Trade Centre Limited and WWF-Canada. - Staff, Daily Business Buzz

[HALIFAX, NS] Etruscan, pair of shareholders complete debt financing deal: The Chronicle Herald is reporting that Etruscan Resources Inc. has completed a US$5-million debt financing with two shareholders. For more information, please visit http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1124530.html

[HALIFAX, NS] Acadian Mining to vote on private placement: Acadian Mining Corporation will be holding the annual and special meeting of shareholders at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel on Tuesday, June 9, where a vote will be taken on relation to the $10 million Golden River Private Placement. At the meeting, shareholders will be asked to vote to approve the proposed private placement transaction with Golden River Resources Corporation. Management believes the Golden River private placement will provide Acadian Mining with a base from which it can re-build. The Golden River Private Placement is expected to provide Acadian Mining with the opportunity to settle with its creditors and retain the Scotia Mine, the gold assets and its 29% interest in Royal Roads Corp. - Staff, Daily Business Buzz

[CHARLOTTETOWN, PE] City cuts down trees to improve visibility for new business: The City of Charlottetown has cut down a couple of trees on the corner of Kent Street and University Avenue to help a new business increase its visibility. Mayor Clifford Lee said Thursday the property owner asked the city to remove the trees.

David Mabey looks over a tree at the old Tweel’s Gift shop corner that has been cut down. Two trees have been removed at the corner to make a new, as yet unidentified, business more visible. Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee said the trees were going to make it hard for the business to erect signage. Guardian photo.

“The trees have outgrown the area,” Lee said. “We have an opportunity to attract a tenant for the building, a new business in downtown Charlottetown.” Lee said he didn’t know who the new tenant is but said that information is likely to be made public soon. Lee said it also creates an opportunity for the city to have a look at other large trees in the city and what types of trees it will plant in the future. - Staff, The Guardian

[CHARLOTTETOWN, PE] First P.E.I. Savour Wine and Food Show sells out: It seemed only fitting that with a sell-out crowd expected organizers called this year’s Savour Food and Wine Show the most successful thus far. The event, a celebration of food and drink featuring local breweries and wineries, kicked off Thursday at the Confederation Centre of the Arts with 425 tickets sold.

Kurtis Ellis, left, of Simple Pleasures Catering, serves up a steamy bowl of chowder to Sheila Kerry during the news conference for the Savour Food and Wine Show Thursday. Guardian photo.

Thursday marked the first time the event has come to P.E.I., already having existed in other Maritime provinces for roughly five years. But according to Gordon Stewart, executive director of the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, that only meant organizers had time to get all the kinks out. “I think P.E.I. is probably going to be the most successful first-time event we’ve ever had,” he said. “Other times we had to sort of mine our way through, but this is probably the easiest show we’ve mounted so far.” The response was similar among other organizers. - Nathan Rochford, The Guardian

[CHARLOTTETOWN, PE] Leon’s turns back clock for 100th anniversary: Charlottetown residents stopping in at Leon’s Furniture on St. Peter’s Road Thursday might have thought they’d stepped back in time. For much of the morning, a horse and buggy was parked outside the front of the store preparing to head off to a delivery while men and women dressed in clothing from the early 1900s went on with their business as if everything were completely normal.

Darren Taylor, left, Tanner MacDougall, Terry Leon and Bill Callbeck, standing, check out a sofa, along with other furniture, which is being donated to the Charlottetown Boys and Girls Club as part of Leon’s 100th anniversary celebration. The furniture was delivered in a horse-drawn wagon Thursday. Guardian photo.

The reason? This year marks Leon’s 100-year anniversary and on Thursday, president and CEO Terry Leon was in Charlottetown to help celebrate. “I think it’s terrific,” said Leon, grandson of Leon’s founder Ablan Leon. “Remembering your past is your foundation for the future.” Now, with 100 years down, Leon said he and the company are looking to the future as an opportunity to grow even more. The company is planning new locations in Toronto, Thunder Bay and Regina. - Nathan Rochford, The Guardian