There was a festive spirit in the air at Cansure’s new Salmon Arm office building Friday, and it wasn’t just for the coming of the Christmas holiday.
At 11 a.m. on Dec. 10, Cansure employees gathered outside the new three-storey structure at 1120 10th Avenue SW (across from the Mall at Piccadilly) to celebrate the grand opening of their new Salmon Arm office.
The top two floors of the facility now serve as Cansure’s Salmon Arm offices, with approximately 40 people currently employed and room to grow.
Addressing the employees and invited guests, Rick Roberts provided a bit of history about how the growth of a little downtown insurance agency called Salmon Arm Insurance led to the creation of Beacon Underwriting and both eventually became part of Hub International of which he became a vice-president. In 2014, Beacon (part of Hub) acquired the business of Vancouver-based Can-Sure Underwriting Ltd. (Can-Sure), and the Cansure brand was created.
Roberts said he retired in 2015 and Cansure was left to its current president, Cameron Copeland and vice-president, David Marsh.
Next to speak, Copeland called Salmon Arm one of Canada’s fastest growing communities and Cansure a fast growing company.
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“We intend to be here for a long time and be a part of that growth together,” said Copeland. “This office will give us seats for another 35 people and we hope to start filling those in January with four new positions and will announce a date for a job fair so members of the community can come and meet our community and see if a career in insurance is right for them.”
Copeland then invited Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison to speak. Harrison first gave a nod to the local talent that helped bring the building to fruition, including architect Marc Lamerton and Reg Walters.
“This is good for our people, this is good for our community, and especially, with the way industry, manufacturing, processing and insurance work now, we are able to operate headquarters, things like this Cansure building, here in our town and employees can enjoy everything we can offer here in a rural setting,” said Harrison.
The bottom floor of the building is available for lease, with part of it already leased out to Dream Big Therapy.
lachlan@saobserver.net
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