B.C. is expediting temporary approvals for extra patio spaces for bars, restaurants and wineries to help businesses bring in more revenue as they reopen.
New health and safety rules have cut the allowed number of seats in half and include social-distancing requirements.
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“This pandemic has hit our hospitality sector hard,” Attorney General David Eby said Friday.
“Our government has been working with industry on ways to support the more than 180,000 British Columbians who work in pubs, restaurants and other parts of the sector.”
Speeding up the process will help businesses and give people more options to eat out safely, while following the directions of provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, Eby said.
Restaurants, pubs, wineries and breweries began opening again this week after in-house service was prohibited in mid-March in a bid to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.
B.C.’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation branch now permits outlets with food-primary, liquor-primary and manufacturer licences to apply through a simplified online process to temporarily expand their service areas until Oct. 31.
The change will allow businesses to increase the size of their seating areas, but it won’t affect the number of seats they are permitted. Municipal approval is required. Ian Tostenson, president and CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association said the change is “excellent news.”
“This pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for all of us, and it has been invaluable for government and industry to work together as they have, as we take these important steps toward recovery,” he said.
While some Greater Victoria establishments are eager to add outdoor space as the weather warms up, not all expect to benefit.
Natasha Richardson, general manager at the Brentwood Bay Resort on Verdier Avenue, said she has plenty of room to comply with provincial distancing standards, but is being hurt by the rule that demands a 50% cut in seating.
The pub has a licence for 120 seats, now reduced by half to 60, and plenty of space.
If it were permitted to meet the distancing guidelines only, then it could fit a total of 73 seats, Richardson said.
Every business is unique, she said. “That’s the piece that we are finding the most challenging.”
At the Loghouse Pub on Millstream Road in Langford, manager Darren Cross said the fast-track approval for outdoor space “will benefit a lot of places, for sure.”
No decision has been made at the Loghouse — which has a licence for 217 pre-pandemic — about whether to apply. It has a large patio, but it might seek to use a portion of the lawn, he said.
Allowing more seats outdoors will especially help small businesses, Cross said. For those, “it is hard to do enough business to pay the bills,” he said.
John Adair, one of the owners of Sooke Brewing Co. on Otter Point Road, was pleased to see the expedited approval process for patios.
“It would definitely be something that would help us out because we’ve lost a major amount of capacity within the tasting room,” Adair said.
“The business model here is really built around that.”
The company had 80 seats before closing in March, but is now at 30 — 15 indoors and 15 outdoors, Adair said. Extra room could be used in a parking lot and in front of the business to meet demand, he said.
It also has a patio. “To be able to increase that outside capacity would really help get us back to where we were before March,” Adair said.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
