The YVR School Tour is in its final month for 2013. Thousands of grade five students from across the Lower Mainland have visited the airport to learn about the operations, art, and architecture of Canada's second busiest airport. They've even learned the very best technique for folding the perfect paper airplane.

Tour Guides Jake and Anna of Elettra Communications have been leading the classes through their airport adventure day. Read about some of the rave reviews our tour guides have been getting on the YVR blog.

Malls across Canada will extend hours and offer promotions on November 29, 2013

Toronto, ON (November 4, 2013) – After kicking off the holiday season with a bang in 2012, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited is pleased to announce extended hours and that retail promotions will be expanded nationally on Black Friday, November 29, 2013.

A total of 21 properties from across the country will open early for shoppers: Toronto Eaton Centre at 6:00 a.m., 15 properties at 7:00 a.m., and five properties at 8:00 a.m. To kick-off the day, each property will give away $10 Cadillac Fairview SHOP! CARD® to the first 100 shoppers to arrive at Guest Services.

“Canadians want to experience Black Friday, whether it’s for the first time or as an alternative to shopping in the U.S.,” said Wendy Greenwood, Director of Marketing, Ontario Portfolio. “Shoppers’ expectations are constantly being raised and Cadillac Fairview properties provide the unique retail experience that Canadian shoppers are looking for. We are proud to have developed a platform to keep shoppers, and their holiday shopping dollars, in Canada.”

Traditionally Black Friday is held in the United States on the day following American Thanksgiving, and is largely regarded as the start of the holiday shopping season. In 2012, Cadillac Fairview was the first to offer Canadians a widespread Black Friday option, including extended hours, sales and promotions comparable to those traditionally found in the U.S. As a result of the 2012 Black Friday campaign, participating retailers at nine Cadillac Fairview properties in Ontario and Manitoba saw a significant increase of sales and traffic.

"Cadillac Fairview is once again raising the bar in the Canadian retail landscape,” said Agnès Ciccarelli, Director of Marketing, Eastern Canada Portfolio. “Our national Black Friday campaign will provide Canadian consumers with a first-class shopping experience, offering a large selection of sales and promotions from top-tier brands. Black Friday is the perfect day for our guests to kick-start their holiday shopping and maximize their budgets, while shopping for family, friends, and co-workers."

For a complete list of participating shopping centres and more information, please visit shops.ca.

BC · Pacific Centre, Vancouver o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Richmond Centre, Richmond o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Alberta · Chinook Centre, Calgary o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Market Mall, Calgary o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Manitoba · Polo Park, Winnipeg o Open 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Ontario · Fairview, Toronto o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Fairview Park, Kitchener o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Lime Ridge, Hamilton o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Markville, Markham o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Masonville Place, London o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Promenade, Thornhill o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Rideau Centre, Ottawa o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Sherway Gardens, Toronto o Open 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. · Shops at Don Mills, Toronto o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Toronto Eaton Centre, Toronto o Open 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. · TD Centre o Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Quebec · Carrefour Laval, Laval o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Fairview Pointe Claire, Montréal o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Promenades St-Bruno, Montréal o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Galeries d’Anjou, Montréal o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

New Brunswick · Champlain Place, Moncton o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

About The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited

The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited is one of North America's largest developers, investors, owners and managers of commercial real estate. With a portfolio valued at more than $21 billion, Cadillac Fairview and its affiliates own and manage nearly 44 million square feet of leasable space at 76 properties across North America, including some of Canada's landmark developments, such as Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto Eaton Centre, Pacific Centre and Chinook Centre.

Cadillac Fairview is wholly-owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which invests to secure the retirement income of 303,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario.

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® a registered trademark of The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited.

The renovation of the former Sears/Eaton's building in downtown Vancouver is a massive undertaking, and one that will significantly change the face of downtown. But what is happening to the 6.8 million tonnes of material that are being removed from the site? And what are the unique challenges when renovating a building of that size? Cadillac Fairview's Tom Knoepful answers those questions in this Globe & Mail Q&A.

What do you get when you bring together six of Canada's finest chefs, all of whom have competed for Canada at the Bocuse d'Or (the worlds most prestigious culinary competition)?

A pretty darn spectacular evening of food, that's what.

On Wednesday, the Canadian Culinary Federation's Culinary Team Canada "Bocuse d'Or Laureate" hosted a tasting event at JOEY Jasper Avenue in Edmonton. It was only of only two opportunities the team has to practice together before heading to the Dubai World Hospitality Championships in November. But with world class pros like these, that's guaranteed to be more than enough.

Guests at JOEY Jasper sampled dishes by Chefs Michael Noble, Andrew Springett,  Arthur Chen, Scott Jaeger, Morgan Wilson, and Chris Mills.

Watch CTV's coverage of the event here, and check out the Liane Faulder's Edmonton Journal story about the evening here.

Go Team Canada!

Canadian Culinary Federation selects Canadian Bocuse d’Or Laureate team 

Toronto, ON; September 18, 2013 - The Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC) officially announced today its team of chefs for the Dubai World Hospitality Championships 2013 . CCFCC Culinary Team “Bocuse D’or Laureate” is comprised of former Canadian Bocuse d’Or competitors who will compete against twelve teams from around the world in Dubai, UAE from November 17-19, 2013.

Managed by Dr. Jane Ruddick, - a Bocuse d’Or team “management laureate”- the members of CCFCC Culinary Team “Bocuse D’or Laureate” Dubai 2013 are:

Michael Noble (Team Captain), NOtaBLE ~ The Restaurant – Bocuse d’Or 1995 & 1997 Chris Mills, JOEY Restaurant Group – Bocuse d’Or 2001 Andrew Springett, SAIT Polytechnic Institute – Bocuse d’Or 2003 Scott Jaeger, The Pear Tree – Bocuse d’Or 2007 Ryan Stone, Centerplate – Bocuse d’Or 2011 Arthur Chen, Edmonton Shaw Conference Centre – World Culinary Olympics Pastry Chef 2000 – present Bernard Casavant Culinary Consultant – Bocuse d’Or 1991 Morgan Wilson (Support Member), Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria – Bocuse d’Or Candidate 2005 

The Canadian judge at the Dubai competition is Simon Smotkowitz from the Shaw Centre, Edmonton

“The Canadian Culinary Federation is honoured to receive an invitation to Dubai 2013,” says Donald Gyurkovits, National President, Canadian Culinary Federation. “We have assembled a team of chefs with exceptional experience competing on the world stage against the very best. They are among the finest our country has, and we know they will do us proud.”

Canada is taking part in the Championships at the invitation of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the Government of Dubai, and the Emirates Culinary Guild. The event is in its inaugural year, but is expected to become the Middle East’s premier culinary competition. The event is sanctioned and judged by the World Association of Chefs Societies .

“It is always an honour to represent Canada in international competition. I am excited to cook against the best chefs in the world in a city as famous as Dubai,” says Michael Noble, Team Captain and Chef at NOtaBLE ~ The Restaurant in Calgary. “All that being said, my biggest thrill is to be part of this Canadian "dream team" of chefs for whom I have great respect, friendship and admiration." During the competition all international teams will be required to present a themed buffet and hot meal for a group of 54, including judges and special guests. Over the next two months the Canadian team’s planning and preparation will include an official team practice in Calgary (Oct 2) and a tasting in Edmonton at JOEY Jasper Ave (October 9).

The Bocuse d'Or is the world’s most prestigious culinary competition and takes place biennially in Lyon, France. CCFCC’s Bocuse d’Or Canada program engages Canadian chefs in this international competition and promotes the art of cuisine and the profession of chef. CCFCC has participated in every Bocuse d’Or competition since it began in 1987, sending Canada’s best talent to Lyon.

About CCFCC The goal of the Canadian Culinary Federation is to unite chefs and cooks from across Canada in a common dedication to professional excellence. Since its inception in 1963, the federation has enjoyed a deep and long-standing tradition as Canada’s true representation of the professional Canadian culinarian. http://www.ccfcc.ca/

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Follow the team online: Facebook @Culinary Team Canada Dubai 2013 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Culinary-Team-Canada-Dubai-2013/232405846915376

Twitter @CCFCCDubai https://twitter.com/ccfccdubai

Global, CityTV, and CTV all came out yesterday to see the white panel removed from the former Eaton's  / Sears building at Pacific Centre. Watch Global's coverage here.

Cassandra and Simone had a ball at last night's Western Living Designers of the Year Awards. The annual bash was held at London Aviation Centre near YVR's South Terminal. Who would have thought an airplane hangar could look so beautiful? Kudos to our good friend and Transcontinental Media marketing & events specialist, Christina Sobrepena for pulling it all together. And congrats to Anicka Quin (editor) and Lori Chalmers (publisher) on a another fantastic Awards night.

Spotted at the event was our much loved client power couple, Kate Donegani of the Vancouver Airport Authority and Keith Donegani of Burritt Bros. Carpets and Floors. Stop by IDSWest from September 19 - 22 to say hello to Keith and to have a look at the very latest in gorgeous, hand knotted rugs from Nepal.

And check out this month's issue of Western Living to find out who is best in the West.

Here are some great pics that capture the action today at Pacific Centre. This was a really fun project for Elettra to work on.

Did you hear the sound of Vancouverites cheering in downtown this morning? It's probably because the last of the much-maligned white panels that covered the exterior of the Sears building at Pacific Centre was finally removed and taken away. The final panel (one of 473 that formerly covered the building) weighed in at 10,600 pounds and was removed in a joint operation between Cadillac Fairview, Ledcor, and Pacific Blasting & Demolition.

A full 91% of the materials (a total of 6.8 million kg) recovered from the demolition of the former Sears building are going to be repurposed or recycled. The white panels have found a new home at Langley Airport where they are being used in the construction of a roadway.

The redevelopment of Pacific Centre includes a flagship Nordstrom, 10-15 new retailers at Pacific Centre mall level, and 4 floors of large plate office space at 725 Granville. Expected opening is 2015.

This Monday, Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) and Vancouver Conference Chair Pino Posteraro will kick off the organization's biennial conference in Vancouver.  Chefs from across the continent will attend sessions with topics such as the Future of Fine Dining, Is Local Sustainable?, and the Importance of Successful Wine Pairing. The grand finale of the conference is a 7 course gala dinner on Wednesday September 17th at the Sheraton Wall Centre. The evening will feature dinner courses by local culinary luminaries including Tojo, Melissa Craig, John Bishop, Ron Shaw, Angus An, Marcel Kauer, Matt Batey, and Thomas Haas.

A limited number of tickets are still available purchase before Friday through DiRoNA's website.

Tour Guide training kicked off today for the YVR School Tour Program. Elettra Communications welcomes tour guide Anna Burk to the team, and welcomes back Jake Sobrepena who was an all-star YVR tour guide last year. Jake also spent the summer as YVR's Community Ambassador visiting community festivals throughout the Lower Mainland. Anna and Jake are both students in SFU's Communications Co-op program. Elettra is very proud to be working with the Vancouver Airport Authority on this program for the 4th consecutive year. Over the next 3 months, Anna and Jake will give airport tours to thousands of grade 5 students from across the Lower Mainland. There's nothing quite like the excitement of 10 year olds watching jets take off from the runway, so we're sure Jake and Anna are going to have a great time!

Jake and Anna are pictured here in front of a favourite stop on the School Tour - the Celebrating Flight totem in YVR's Graham Clarke Atrium. The totem was created by Haida carver Don Yeomans as tribute to humans – the only creature who has learned to fly without having its own wings. Check it out next time you visit YVR.

Anticipation for the redevelopment of Pacific Centre and the arrival of Nordstrom is growing. Read Thandi Fletcher's story in Sunday's edition of The Province. Elettra Communications is proud to be part of a project that is such an important part of life in Vancouver's downtown core.

Read the full story here.

A hearty congratulations to Cassandra Parsons, who has been recently promoted to Account Manager at Elettra. Cassandra officially joined Elettra in August 2012 as Account Executive (with previous stints as an intern in 2010). The promotion recognizes Cassandra's hard work and stellar achievement in media relations and event production over the past year.