Franchises

Two well-known Vancouver-born franchise restaurants are targeting airports for expansion. Skyway Ventures, in partnership with the Kelowna International Airport, is converting the existing Skyway lounge in the terminal to a White Spot restaurant.

Jenny Rolfe has big expansion plans as she joins Maple Ridge, B.C.-based LGI Industrial & Construction Supplies as vice-president of franchise development.

Shindico Realty Inc., exclusive tenant representative for Boston Pizza in Manitoba, has announced the opening of a new Boston Pizza in late 2013 in Winnipeg in a Safeway-anchored mall in the North Kildonan area of Winnipeg.

A franchisee has filed suit in BC Supreme Court against North Vancouver-based Salad Loop Group Investment Inc., the franchisor of Salad Loop salad shops. Vancouver-based SCH Enterprise Ltd.

Expanding on an already extensive relationship, ATM giant U.S. Business Group, Cardtonics, has been named the exclusive provider to all 7-Eleven Inc. stores in Canada and will soon serve the convenience store chain in the United States.

Effective this October 1, Manitoba will have a new franchise law that codifies statutory enshrinement of franchisee rights. The province follows Alberta, New Brunswick, Ontario and Prince Edward Island, which have similar legislation.

A new low-cost tobacco retail concept has proven a cash-flowing franchise in Airdrie and Olds, Alberta, and is set to expand across Western Canada, according to Ed Alfke, chairman of Cheap Smokes & Tobacco.

Carstar Automotive Canada Inc. was named one of Canada's 50 best-managed companies for 2011 by Deloitte.

Vancouver-based Nurse Next Door Home Care Services will be opening two locations in the U.S., one in Medford, Oregon, and one in Fort Collins, Colorado, this year.

Discount realtor PropertyGuys.com is pushing hard into the Calgary residential real estate scene, says president and CEO Ken LeBlanc.