Latest news with #Winnipeg-based
USA Today
4 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Smart Home Integration in Modern Renovations
Well Refined Renovations, a premier Winnipeg-based renovation company, continues to establish itself as the city's leading authority in bathroom renovations, transforming ordinary spaces into luxurious retreats that combine functionality with stunning design aesthetics. The company's specialized focus on bathroom renovations has resulted in countless satisfied clients who have experienced the transformative power of expertly crafted bathroom renovations that enhance their daily routines and add significant value to their homes. Under the leadership of Dave Pollock, Well Refined Renovations has developed a comprehensive approach to bathroom renovations that addresses every aspect of the renovation process, from initial design consultation through final installation and finishing touches. The company's reputation for excellence in bathroom renovations stems from their understanding that bathrooms serve as personal sanctuaries where homeowners begin and end their days, making the design and functionality of these spaces crucial to overall quality of life. The bathroom renovations process at Well Refined Renovations begins with an in-depth consultation where their design experts work closely with clients to understand their vision, lifestyle needs, and budget parameters. This collaborative approach ensures that each bathroom renovations project reflects the unique preferences and requirements of the homeowner while incorporating the latest trends in bathroom renovations design and technology. The company's design team stays current with emerging bathroom renovations trends, including spa-inspired features, smart technology integration, and sustainable materials that align with modern green building standards. Well Refined Renovations has mastered the art of maximizing space efficiency in bathroom renovations, particularly important in Winnipeg homes where bathroom square footage may be limited. Their innovative design solutions include custom storage solutions, strategic lighting placement, and clever layout modifications that make even compact bathroom renovations feel spacious and luxurious. The company's expertise extends to both small powder room bathroom renovations and expansive master bathroom renovations, demonstrating their versatility in handling bathroom renovations projects of any scale. The craftsmanship quality that defines Well Refined Renovations' bathroom renovations sets them apart in the competitive Winnipeg renovation market. Their skilled tradespeople bring years of specialized experience in bathroom renovations techniques, ensuring that every tile installation, plumbing modification, and fixture placement meets the highest industry standards. The company's attention to detail in bathroom renovations includes precise waterproofing, proper ventilation installation, and meticulous finishing work that creates bathroom renovations built to withstand years of daily use while maintaining their aesthetic appeal. Material selection plays a crucial role in Well Refined Renovations' bathroom renovation projects, with the company offering an extensive range of high-quality options to suit various design preferences and budget levels. From luxurious natural stone countertops and shower surrounds to contemporary porcelain tiles and custom vanities, their material partnerships ensure clients have access to the finest products available for their bathroom renovations. The company's relationships with trusted suppliers enable them to source unique materials that create truly distinctive bathroom spaces. Technology integration has become an increasingly important aspect of modern bathroom renovations, and Well Refined Renovations stays at the forefront of these innovations. Their bathroom renovation projects frequently incorporate smart mirrors with integrated lighting and defogging capabilities, programmable shower systems with precise temperature control, heated flooring systems for comfort during Winnipeg's cold winters, and energy-efficient LED lighting systems that enhance both functionality and ambiance. The project management approach employed by Well Refined Renovations ensures that bathroom renovation projects proceed smoothly from conception to completion. Dave Pollock's emphasis on clear communication means clients remain informed throughout every phase of their bathroom renovation, with regular updates on progress, timeline adherence, and any adjustments needed to maintain project quality. This transparent communication style has earned the company recognition, including the prestigious Best of Houzz award in 2020, highlighting their commitment to customer satisfaction in bathroom renovation projects. Environmental consciousness has become increasingly important to Winnipeg homeowners, and Well Refined Renovations addresses this concern through their eco-friendly bathroom renovation options. The company offers sustainable material choices, water-efficient fixtures, and energy-saving lighting solutions that allow clients to create beautiful bathrooms while minimizing their environmental impact. These green building practices align with modern sustainability standards while often providing long-term cost savings through reduced utility consumption. The bathroom renovation timeline at Well Refined Renovations is carefully planned to minimize disruption to clients' daily routines. The company understands that bathroom renovations can significantly impact household functionality, so they work diligently to complete projects efficiently without compromising quality. Their experienced project management ensures that bathroom renovations stay on schedule while maintaining the meticulous attention to detail that defines their work. Budget transparency remains a cornerstone of Well Refined Renovations' bathroom renovation process. The company provides detailed cost breakdowns that help clients understand exactly how their investment translates into specific improvements and upgrades. This honest approach to pricing has built trust with Winnipeg homeowners who appreciate knowing that their bathroom renovation investment is being maximized through quality materials, skilled craftsmanship, and efficient project execution. Well Refined Renovations' bathroom renovation portfolio demonstrates their ability to work with diverse architectural styles and client preferences. Whether creating contemporary minimalist bathrooms with clean lines and neutral palettes, traditional bathrooms featuring classic fixtures and warm materials, or transitional spaces that blend modern functionality with timeless design elements, the company adapts their expertise to realize each client's unique vision. The company's commitment to post-renovation support further distinguishes their bathroom renovation services. Well Refined Renovations provides comprehensive warranties on their bathroom renovation work and maintains ongoing relationships with clients to address any questions or concerns that may arise after project completion. This dedication to long-term client satisfaction reflects their understanding that bathroom renovations represent significant investments that should provide years of enjoyment and functionality.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Birchwood Inn name returns to city hotel after 3 decades away
Read the new name, same as the old name. A hotel in St. James is rebranding as the Birchwood Inn — more than 30 years after abandoning the moniker in favour of the Holiday Inn Winnipeg – Airport West. The rebrand includes a multimillion-dollar renovation that will take place this summer. 'Even as a Holiday Inn people (referred) to us as the Birchwood Inn,' said Bruce MacKay, general manager. 'So it made sense, when we were looking at what we wanted to be called, to go back and take on the name.' BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Hotel manager Bruce MacKay with signage declaring the former Holiday Inn Winnipeg - Airport West is returning to the brand it used from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Winnipeg-based Ladco Company Ltd. built the 14-storey building at 2520 Portage Ave. in 1976 and still owns it today. The hotel was called the Wandlyn Inn the first few months it was open and renamed the Birchwood Inn in 1977, MacKay said. The name changed again in 1993, when the hotel became a Holiday Inn franchisee. The hotel's license agreement with Holiday Inn ended this spring and Ladco wanted to move in a direction that would give it more freedom when deciding what to offer guests, MacKay said. The hotel signed an agreement with Best Western, making it part of the franchisor's BW Premier Collection. The new arrangement allows the hotel to use BW Premier Collection's reservation platform, MacKay said, while giving management the independence to 'adapt to what our customers are looking for and provide an elevated level of service and look and feel.' The hotel spent $11 million on renovations prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It's set to spend another $4 million to $5 million in the coming months to upgrade guestrooms, the front entrance and lobby areas. What won't change is the way the approximately 130 employees approach hospitality, MacKay said. 'We'll continue to offer the level of service we've been known to offer.' He added some staff members have worked at the hotel for nearly 45 years and more than two dozen have been with the hotel for more than 20 years. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 'There's a lot of history with that as well,' MacKay said. 'We're very fortunate in that respect.' The investment Ladco is making in the hotel is exciting, said Michael Juce, Manitoba Hotel Association president and CEO. 'It's always great to see people invest in Manitoba and put their capital to work here,' he said. Located near the Charleswood Bridge, the brown brick building was built for $7.5 million, according to the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation. Today, it includes 229 rooms, a restaurant and lounge and more than 9,000 square feet of banquet space. There are three remaining Holiday Inn franchises in Winnipeg: one on Pembina Highway, another at Polo Park and a third downtown near the University of Winnipeg. Each has different ownership, MacKay said. Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Artist uses ancient technique to tell historical stories
Last September, Winnipeg-based visual artist Tim Schouten travelled to Linklater Island in northern Manitoba. He was there to attend a Treaty 5 memorial gathering and the inauguration of Michael Birch as the Grand Chief of the Island Lake Tribal Council (Anisininew Okimawin). He was also there to document the site where an adhesion was made to Treaty 5 in 1909 as part of a long-term art project he's been working on for decades. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Artist Tim Shouten adds coloured pigments to hot wax in a process called encaustic painting. Schouten's latest exhibition, The Island Lake Paintings (Treaty 5) — on view at Soul Gallery until June 13 — is a series of large-scale encaustic works based on photographs Schouten took while on his trip. They are the latest entries in The Treaty Suites, Schouten's ongoing project to research and photograph the exact locations of the signings of each of the 11 numbered treaties between First Nations and the Canadian government between 1871 and 1921, and create suites of paintings related to each one. Schouten and his wife travelled to Eastern Europe in the 1990s, and he was overwhelmed by the sense of history and landscape there. He was also ready for a transition in his own work. 'I just happened to be reading a Polish edition of Flash Art Magazine with an article about a German painter Anselm Kiefer, who became a huge influence on my work going forward. His work focused on landscape and memory, which is sort of where this work comes out of,' says Schouten, 72. 'I came back to Canada and I had this idea to start thinking about the landscape as a historical document.' His own scenery had changed at that time as well: Schouten and his wife moved to Winnipeg from Toronto shortly after their trip. 'There were a couple of things I encountered. First of all, the Indigenous presence in the city was quite new to me. Just standing on street corners and people were talking in Cree and Ojibwa — that was something quite new to me,' he says. 'And travelling around the province, I became very conscious of the isolation of a lot of First Nations communities, and also the level of racism that was so obvious everywhere in this city.' The Treaty Suites began after a visit to Lower Fort Garry, where Treaty 1 was signed in 1871, and expanded from there. Schouten has spent the last 20 years travelling all over the province and painting what he's seen. Going to these places —actually being in these places — is the point. His works are not historical renderings; Schouten wanted to paint these sites as they exist today. 'I kind of shifted my thinking to focus on the landscape in my work, but I was conscious of the colonial aspects of landscape painting itself, just in depicting the wild landscapes of colonized territories,' he says. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS The Island Lake Paintings (Treaty 5) depict where Treaty 5 was signed on Linklater Island in northern Manitoba. Schouten's preferred medium of encaustic painting — an ancient technique in which coloured pigments are added to hot wax — allows for a different approach to landscape painting as well. 'The way I build these paintings, I build layer upon layer and then scrape back into them. I scrape off and remove and paint back in. And part of my thinking is, as I've often said before, is that just over the course of their creation, they sort of develop a history of their own,' he says. As a settler artist, Schouten is not trying to tell Indigenous people's stories with The Treaty Suites. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. 'I think when people encounter this work and learn that it's a non-Indigenous guy that's making this work, it's like, well, why is this guy talking about treaties?' he says. It's because we are all treaty people, Schouten says. 'My ancestors signed these treaties, too. We're all signatories to these treaties. They're embedded in the federal laws of this country, and so I have a responsibility to that treaty relationship to make sure that it's true and genuine and honours the intentions of everyone who's signed. There was an agreement to share the land in good faith, and that's obviously failed. And I just felt like it was something I wanted to address in my work, just as a matter of conscience. 'I certainly couldn't just paint beautiful landscapes.' Jen ZorattiColumnist Jen Zoratti is a columnist and feature writer working in the Arts & Life department, as well as the author of the weekly newsletter NEXT. A National Newspaper Award finalist for arts and entertainment writing, Jen is a graduate of the Creative Communications program at RRC Polytech and was a music writer before joining the Free Press in 2013. Read more about Jen. Every piece of reporting Jen produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Parcels packed with unpredictability
Reduced sales, more expensive shipping and fresh uncertainty have hit Manitoba businesses as a Canada Post strike looms. Greg Tonn paused Winnipeg-based Into the Music's online shop last week. 'I actually had stuff in my hand Thursday to go the post office,' he said. Then he recalled the Canadian Union of Postal Workers — which represents thousands of Canada Post employees — was threatening strike action over the weekend. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Into the Music president Greg Tonn with postal packaging materials currently going unused at the Winnipeg store. The union decided against launching a strike Friday, but the threat remains. Workers are following a nationwide ban against overtime. Negotiations between the Crown corporation and union are ongoing. Tonn cancelled the Thursday shipment. The parcel could get delayed, resulting in a complaint and refund; it's better to relist the item post-labour action and possibly resell to the customer, Tonn reasoned. 'For us, in particular, it doesn't create a lot of stress, but I can see for a lot of businesses it would be huge.' Online purchases — largely to Saskatchewan and Ontario — consume just one to two per cent of Into the Music's business. Still, it's a revenue source — and Tonn is questioning whether there will be fewer American tourists in Winnipeg this summer, which would hurt sales. 'I don't know what's going to happen. 'We can just put our best foot forward,' he said. Eye and Ear Control Records, a fellow record shop, has proactively switched its delivery provider to Purolator (which is majority owned by Canada Post) from Canada Post. 'We have built a workflow around Canada Post's service,' founder Brad Skibinsky wrote in an email. His store mainly operates via mail-order. It was forced to look outside the Crown corporation last winter when Canada Post workers held a 32-day strike during the holiday season. The recent pause on Canada Post shipments is in customers' best interests, Skibinsky relayed: 'We don't want to introduce packages into the system with the potential for a work stoppage looming, especially at a time of increased customs regulations in both the U.S. and E.U.' Eye and Ear will resume Canada Post deliveries once the service interruption threat has passed. Skibinsky said he supports the union's position. A majority of Canadian Federation of Independent Business members — around 75 per cent nationally — use Canada Post services. The holiday strike of 2024 cost about $76 million per business day in its first weeks, said Tyler Slobogian, a CFIB senior policy analyst. 'We expect those numbers to kind of be similar,' he said, considering a new strike. 'It makes it very hard to operate and plan for the months ahead.' Canada Post reported last week its year-over-year parcel shipping volumes had dropped 50 per cent. Rural and remote communities are especially hard-hit when Canada Post stops, Slobogian noted. Many jurisdictions aren't serviced by other couriers. Rodney Francisco anticipates struggling to reach rural customers if Canada Post strikes again. The Collab Shop switched to FedEx and UPS during the 2024 job action; however, the options are more expensive and don't reach as far, Francisco noted. 'Every penny counts right now with everything skyrocketing, but whatever happens, we just have to deal with it,' the clothing store owner said. The Collab Shop prides itself on fast shipping, Francisco added. He likes to get shoes and shirts to clients within a week. Often the seller looks bad, rather than the delivery service, when a parcel is delayed, said Loren Remillard, president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. 'We live in a world of convenience. With each round of (Canada Post) uncertainty, businesses are growing increasingly frustrated with the unpredictability,' he said. If firms find an alternative that's secure and affordable, they're less likely to return to Canada Post, Remillard stated. The labour movement is happening amid ongoing international trade wars. Momentum is building for the movement of goods within Canada, Remillard said, but a non-functioning Canada Post strains other couriers and raises prices. 'It flies in the face of everything that we're trying to build in this country.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Purolator has clocked an increase in demand aligning with threats of a Canada Post strike, spokeswoman Emily Innes-Leroux confirmed. 'Our teams have been developing plans to ensure we are prepared for any changes in customer demand,' she wrote in a statement. The Crown corporation saw more than $3.8 billion in operating losses between 2018 and September 2024. It returned to the bargaining table with the CUPW Sunday using a mediator. — With files from The Canadian Press Gabrielle PichéReporter Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle. Every piece of reporting Gabrielle produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Winnipeg Free Press
Car sharing is caring
American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan generated controversy when he started recording and performing with electric instruments in 1965, but it's unlikely Peg City Car Co-op will face any backlash as it goes electric. In recent years, the car sharing consumer co-operative has been shifting away from internal combustion engines toward electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Winnipeg-based Jubilee Fund announced last week it has partnered with Peg City to help finance that shift. The $500,000 financing initiative has enabled the co-op to add 13 new hybrid electric vehicles to its fleet, plus two new fully electric vehicles. The co-op now has 43 hybrids and five fully electric vehicles. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Peg City Car Co-op, 402-460 Main Street, for Aaron App's 'Made in Manitoba' article. Ryan Dueck, fleet assistant, with the mobile car washing unit at one of their vehicles in St. Boniface. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250520 - Tuesday, May 20, 2025. 'As an environmentally conscious organization and knowing many of our members also care about their footprint, we continue to work toward investing in full electrification of our fleet,' says Philip Mikulec, Peg City chief executive officer. 'We see hybrids as a nice middle ground as the city and the province continue to build its charging network, essentially. As that happens and as that becomes more reliable, we will continue to buy more of those and add them into our fleet as well.' It's the latest evolution at a co-op that traces its roots to 2007, when five volunteers started talking about a new approach to transportation in Winnipeg. Peg City launched in 2011, with three cars and 40 members. Today, it hosts a diverse fleet of 200 vehicles, with round-trip and free-floating options serving around 4,500 members. 'Car sharing means we share the load of vehicle ownership together,' the co-op states on its website. 'All that sharing saves our members money, reduces CO2 emissions, decreases traffic and parking congestion and makes Winnipeg a place we're proud to call home.' The co-op's motto is: 'A car just when you need one.' Staff emphasize the convenience members enjoy and how affordable membership is compared to owning a personal vehicle. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Peg City Car Co-op, 402-460 Main Street, for Aaron App's 'Made in Manitoba' article. Philip Mikulec (left), CEO at Peg City Car Co-op, and Scott Snider, fleet manager at one of the company's car depot locations in the Exchange District. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250520 - Tuesday, May 20, 2025. 'Membership allows people to change their behaviour and reduce their carbon emissions and it also helps them save money,' Mikulec says. 'All the way back 13 years ago, that was an important thing — and it's only become more important in the last five years with the cost of living increases we all are familiar with.' When Juan Diaz was looking for a vehicle three years ago, he found that joining Peg City was the best option. Originally from Quito, Ecuador, Diaz moved to Winnipeg to study at the University of Manitoba. He needed a car to get to and from a research project in Brandon two times a week. As a PhD student, Diaz has a fellowship but it's not enough income to purchase and maintain a car of his own. The downtown resident usually takes the bus and uses Peg City vehicles when he needs to buy groceries, take his dogs to the vet or wants to spend the day at the beach. '(It) is easier for me because I don't have to worry about maintenance of the car, payment for the gas, looking for tires, changing oil and I don't even need to buy parking at my building,' says Diaz, 35. 'It makes life easier because a lot of that economic pressure is off for me.' Sarah Michaelson feels the same way. She and her partner had their own car but joined the co-op around five years ago, when they wanted to access a second vehicle. It ended up being so convenient for the West End couple they got rid of the vehicle they were leasing. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Peg City Car Co-op, 402-460 Main Street, for Aaron App's 'Made in Manitoba' article. One of the employees holds a phone running the company's app that shows all the available cars nearby. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250520 - Tuesday, May 20, 2025. 'The idea that I share a car with my neighbour does make me feel better on a larger scale,' says Michaelson, 43. 'I really like participating in something that's not just about reducing emissions but about reducing the amount of space and infrastructure that we need for cars.' Mikulec points out Peg City hosts two fleets. Its Fix fleet includes 130 roundtrip vehicles — trucks, vans, SUVs and a mix of cars — that are available by reservation. Its Flo fleet, introduced two years ago, consists of 70 hatchbacks and hybrid electric sedans meant for one-way car sharing that can be accessed spontaneously. The co-op has two membership options that require a $500 refundable share, as well as a casual option for people who don't want to become members. Rates start at $0.35 a minute, with flexible daily rates as low as $24. Headquartered on the fourth floor of the former Royal Bank of Canada building at 460 Main St., Peg City employs nine people — a number Mikulec says will increase to 10 before the end of the year. The organization will gross more than $3 million during its current fiscal year; any profits will be reinvested back into the organization. 'We're rooted here in Winnipeg and our members are the owners of this service,' Mikulec says. 'So our investments stay here and our profits are put back into the infrastructure of our service — it doesn't go outside of the province or to line someone's pockets. We're constantly using that revenue to reinvest in more and better car sharing.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Peg City Car Co-op, 402-460 Main Street, for Aaron App's 'Made in Manitoba' article. Michelle Panting, marketing and communications specialist, in their office at Peg City Car Co-op, 402-460 Main Street. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250520 - Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Peg City's rising membership numbers has allowed the organization to double its fleet in the last two years. 'We are Winnipeggers, we understand Winnipeggers — many of us were born and raised here,' Mikulec says. 'Because we're very much rooted in our community, that's a really big part of our success and that's a really big part of what's allowed us to become who we are today.' Michaelson appreciates that local quality. 'This is a real Winnipeg group that cares for Winnipeg,' she says. 'If you need to phone after hours to get help, you're not calling a call centre — you're calling literally a local person who works at the car co-op who answers your call and helps you walk through an issue.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. As Mikulec looks to the future, he hopes to see Peg City's fleet of vehicles become more efficient and environmentally friendly. He also hopes to see the number of vehicles increase. 'It took us over a decade to go from three cars to 100 cars and it took us two years to go from 100 to 200,' he says. 'I would like to see us do another 100 cars in another two years or maybe add 100 in a year.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Peg City Car Co-op, 402-460 Main Street, for Aaron App's 'Made in Manitoba' article. Employees (from left) Robyn Slade, member services coordinator , Francesca Carella Arfinengo, member services manager, and Scott Snider, fleet manager at their work stations in the Peg City Car Co-op offices at 460 Main Street. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250520 - Tuesday, May 20, 2025. No matter what, Mikulec and his staff are focused on offering members a quality experience. 'There are a lot of ways we know we're making people's lives easier and better and more affordable,' he says, 'and that's something that really drives me and, I think, my team every day.' Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
