Latest news with #Victoria-based
The Age
a day ago
- General
- The Age
‘Tragic, unnecessary': Missed chance before plane crash
A phone call minutes before a deadly firefighting crash was a missed opportunity to save the lives of those on board during the preventable tragedy, an investigation has found. Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine Gulfstream 695A aircraft near Mount Isa, in the Queensland outback. 'This was a tragic and entirely preventable and unnecessary accident that took three precious lives,' he said. 'The dangers of aircraft owners and pilots engaging in practices that deliberately circumvent critical safety defences cannot be underestimated.' The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in the state's north-west on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot indicating a lack of oxygen in the body, a condition known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane. It was operated by AGAIR, a Victoria-based firm that specialises in aerial firefighting.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Tragic, unnecessary': Missed chance before plane crash
A phone call minutes before a deadly firefighting crash was a missed opportunity to save the lives of those on board during the preventable tragedy, an investigation has found. Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell released a report on Thursday into the crash of the twin-engine Gulfstream 695A aircraft near Mount Isa, in the Queensland outback. 'This was a tragic and entirely preventable and unnecessary accident that took three precious lives,' he said. 'The dangers of aircraft owners and pilots engaging in practices that deliberately circumvent critical safety defences cannot be underestimated.' The aircraft was conducting aerial fire surveillance operations for bushfires in the state's north-west on November 4, 2024. There were radio communication issues with the pilot indicating a lack of oxygen in the body, a condition known as hypoxia, before the plane crashed near Cloncurry. A pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old American William Jennings, were on board the plane. It was operated by AGAIR, a Victoria-based firm that specialises in aerial firefighting.
Global News
2 days ago
- Health
- Global News
As B.C.'s over-50 population grows, advocates want the shingles vaccine covered
Seniors' advocates are calling on the province to pay for the shingles vaccine. Currently, the shingles vaccine is not covered under B.C. MSP but it is funded in some other provinces for certain age groups. The vaccine is recommended for adults aged 50 and older and according to studies is more than 90 per cent effective. Almost 40 per cent of B.C.'s population is over 50 and physicians warn that shingles, which is a debilitating condition itself, can lead to other, more serious health concerns. Victoria-based physician, Dr. Wayne Ghesquiere, said any barriers to vaccination should be removed. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Removing any obstacle to getting the vaccine, sometimes cost is an obstacle, the number-one obstacle is actually a health-care provider recommending the vaccine and educating the public what are the risks of shingles and the benefits of it,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'That's the number-one obstacle. Patients just aren't aware of the risks that they have.' 1:53 N.S. to cover cost of shingles vaccine for residents 65 and older starting end of May Two doses of the vaccine are usually required and in B.C., the cost is approximately $150 per dose. B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said they are always open to discussions about what should be funded by the government. 'I think that's an excellent question in terms of the impact shingles as a disease can have on people and their health,' she said. Seniors' advocates would like to see the vaccine covered under MSP. 'The only thing standing in the way of British Columbia providing it is having the political will to do so,' Laura Tamblyn Watts, founder and CEO of CanAge said. Story continues below advertisement 'And making sure that we are standing up for science.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maggie Beer to divest dairy arm
Australian Maggie Beer Holdings has agreed to sell its dairy subsidiary, Paris Creek Farms, to local group Katoomba Global Foods for A$500,000 ($325,710). In a stock exchange filing, Maggie Beer Holdings said the sale is in line with its 'objective to dispose of non-core assets and simplify the operating structure'. The group added that the deal supports its 'broader strategy to streamline its portfolio, reduce complexity, and enable targeted investment in high-growth, high-value areas of the business'. Paris Creek Farms' product portfolio includes milk, butter, cheese and flavoured yogurt. In February, the company revealed several parties had expressed interest in acquiring Paris Creek Farms. It had decided to divest this business as its earnings were 'significantly impacted by the loss' at Paris Creek Farms in FY24. The divestment is expected to result in annualised cashflow savings of approximately A$2.2m for Maggie Beer Holdings. Mark Lindh, chair of Maggie Beer Holdings, said the sale is 'an important step in our strategy of simplification and accelerated profitability'. The sale is expected to be completed by next week. Katoomba Global Foods is a Victoria-based company which specialises in manufacturing and distribution It supplies a variety of global brands, such as Al Wadi, Maggi, and Pangkarra. Maggie Beer Holdings also owns two other business units: Maggie Beer Products and Hampers & Gifts Australia (HGA). Hamish McLeay, general manager of the company's Maggie Beer Products and Paris Creek Farms units, said the deal will allow the group to 'sharpen our strategic focus on our core premium brands, particularly Maggie Beer Products'. In February, the company eliminated the roles of joint interim group COO and CFO as part of an ongoing 'strategic review' to boost profits. The Adelaide-based company looked to 'reduce the cost of doing business' and 'improve margins', as part of the review. In the first half of its fiscal year 2025, ending 31 December 2024, the group reported total sales of A$54.4m, a 5.8% increase from the same period in 2024. Announcing the results at the end of February, the company said that wile Maggie Beer Products and HGA had reported sales growth, Paris Creek Farms saw a 5% decline in net sales due to reduced intercompany sales, a key export going into administration, and the loss of a customer. The group's EBITDA fell 16.8% in the first-half to A$3m, while gross margins remained flat at 50.9%. "Maggie Beer to divest dairy arm " was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Vancouver Sun
06-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
At a time when large residential construction has stalled, this developer is pushing forward with a big Burnaby project
At a time when an uncertain economy has delayed or cancelled residential projects, one developer is pushing forward on a major project in Burnaby's Brentwood neighbourhood. Grosvenor has begun excavation on the first phase of construction on about three city blocks across from the Brentwood shopping mall and the Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain station. The Brentwood Block project will include a 41-storey condo tower, a community centre, and two rental towers, including a 60-storey one that will be Western Canada's tallest all-rental building. 'There are lots of reports on slower sales in the first quarter of this year and I think it's clear that that's attributed to the uncertainty that entered the picture at the beginning of this year. Timing is always relevant in anything related to real estate,' said Marc Josephson, senior vice-president of development at Grosvenor. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. But there are reasons Grosvenor is feeling hopeful enough to proceed: When it launched sales for the condo tower last fall, it sold 100 units in 30 days; the project involves a mix of uses and isn't only focused on residential condos; and the company has access to capital. Grosvenor is proceeding while other projects have stalled because they didn't sell a certain percentage of presale contracts and, therefore, were unable to qualify for construction financing. The London-based company was founded in 1677 when it started buying some of the most expensive real estate in that city's Mayfair and Belgravia areas, which it still owns. It now manages investments for the 7th Duke of Westminster, one of the world's wealthiest people under the age of 40 based on land, property and other assets. The company has been operating in North America for more than 70 years, beginning with its purchase of Annacis Island in Delta in 1952. In October 2024, Grosvenor announced it had joined with a Canadian pension fund and Victoria-based investment firm Westerkirk Capital to raise $1.5 billion in capital to fund the Brentwood Block project, explaining that capital market partnerships like this are necessary for successful development. At the moment, many potential buyers of presale condos are waiting rather than buying. The number of unsold condo units that are complete or nearing completion and unsold is rising and prominent real estate marketing companies are cutting staff. As of April, there were 2,503 condo units that were complete and unsold, and another 2,337 units in projects nearing completion that were unsold for a total of 4,840 units in Metro Vancouver, according to research by Rennie Intelligence. Boffo Developments Ltd. told The Globe and Mail it launched the first of what is meant to be a four-tower development last July, but only sold 44 of the 318 units by December before sales dropped off completely so it's decided to return deposits with interest and wait for better conditions. Allure Ventures is offering to buy back or rent out units at today's prices in a Surrey tower where it is aiming to begin construction. Some 200 people lined up when Square Nine Developments recently offered a one-day, steep discount of 25 per cent off original prices for units that have been completed at its Belvedere Surrey condo tower. Josephson said it's hard to read too much into what these cases say about the broader market. 'I think it's important to recognize that each development and each sub-market has nuances. Is the development big or small? Is it condo, rental, commercial, public, mixed? What's the price point? What are the characteristics of the developer and how well does this specific product match consumers' expectation for that location?' He said Grosvenor launched sales of presale units in the 41-storey Brentwood Block residential strata tower in the fall of 2024 and to date, has sold about 135 units — or 30 per cent — of the building's 451 units. This year, economic uncertainty has slowed sales, but the impact is 'likely more short-term in nature,' he said. 'There's been a lot of negative attention in the market right now related to condo sales and that's understandable, but again, it's about the first part of this year,' said Josephson. 'If you're launching a stand-alone condo building right at this moment, that's a difficult proposition and there's clearly systemic issues on the cost and policy side that need to be addressed. The demand is still there. It's just waiting on the sidelines for evidence of stability.' He adds that even though there are increasing signs of unsold inventory of presale units, Grosvenor believes the region will continue to have a structural supply shortage long-term. 'The benchmark price is only about four to six per cent below the peak in 2022. It's not as if it's a supply problem that is resulting in desperate selling that's dropping pricing. We're not seeing that.' He adds that 2021 was a record-setting year for sales, so to have some more inventory than the market is used to isn't necessarily a surprise. jlee-young@
