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On the Street: Mike Holmes gives approval to local builder

Victoria-based Horizon Pacific Contracting is Vancouver Island’s first official Holmes Approved Homes Partner Builder, a stamp of approval from well-known TV personality and builder Mike Holmes.

Victoria-based Horizon Pacific Contracting is Vancouver Island’s first official Holmes Approved Homes Partner Builder, a stamp of approval from well-known TV personality and builder Mike Holmes.

“This gives [home buyers] third-party verification from an internationally recognized expert that our homes meet the highest quality standard out there, adding value now and at resale time.” said Tim Agar, Horizon managing partner.

“I partnered with Horizon because they believe the same things I do,” said Holmes. “They go beyond industry standards, and their projects, reputation and awards prove it.”

Holmes, launched the certification program in 2011, which implements his mandate in new-home construction.

Horizon was founded

25 years ago as a two-person partnership. Today, it runs six full-time crews. For a list of its awards, see horizoncontracting.ca.

Yogurt from water buffalos

McClintock’s Farm in the Comox Valley is producing yogurt from its herd of water buffalo. The farm’s naturally thick yogurt contains just two ingredients —water buffalo milk and active bacterial culture. The milk is higher in fat content than cow’s milk, but lower in cholesterol. It’s also higher in calcium and many who can’t tolerate cow’s milk can enjoy water buffalo milk, says Sandra McClintock, who cares for 43 head of water buffalo on the family farm of her parents, Val and Gerry McClintock.

During spring and summer, the water buffalo roam on grass pasture. In winter, they’re fed a mixture of grass silage and non-GMO corn silage.

McClintock’s Farm Water Buffalo Yogurt is available at grocery stores across the Island. Visit mcclintocksfarm.ca.

Harbour Air offsets gases

Harbour Air said it has offset more than 73,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases between 2007 and 2014. The seaplane operator became North America’s first carbon-neutral airline in 2007 and has been working with Offsetters Climate Solutions. Harbour Air offsets all its greenhouse gas emissions from its flight and corporate operations. The offsets have helped protect the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii through the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. The airline has also invested in an offsetters program in Uganda to replace traditional cook stoves with more efficient stoves. In the past two years, Harbour Air has subsidized 7,000 stoves.

On the move

Parksville’s Margo Hoffman has succeeded Jason Finlayson as president of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Association. Finlayson remains on the board as past president with Janice Stromar serving as president-elect. Returning are Cholene Begin, Kaye Broens, Don McClintock, Sandy Rantz and Neil Woodrow. New this year are Marty Douglas of Comox and Mark Clark of Nanaimo. Douglas is a board veteran, having spent several years as a director and serving as president in 1981.