(lululemon) courtesy of lululemon; (translink) flickr July 2015 BCBusinEss 99
TransLink (south Coast British
Columbia Transportation Authority)
Revenue change: 0.7%
net income: $27 million
net income change: -26.9%
Whether or not TransLink is a well-run
transit authority (B.C.ers are under the
impression that it is not), the fact is that
the Lower Mainland's favourite whip-
ping boy has an unenviable task: not just
overseeing SkyTrains and buses but also
major roads and bridges. This at a time
when the region is expected to grow by
one million people (or nearly the popula-
tion of Calgary) over the next 25 years.
The system needs to grow, but growth
takes money. TransLink doesn't have it.
Finding efficiencies—like the Compass
Card, a new payment system that was
supposed to be up and running over two
years ago—won't be enough. The solu-
tion? A proposed 0.5 per cent regional
sales tax to fund transit expansion.
Best Buy Canada Ltd.
Revenue change: -11.1%
net income: nP
net income change: nA
When Best Buy Canada announced it was
shutting down half its Future Shop stores
and rebranding the rest as Best Buys, a
move that meant the loss of 1,500 jobs,
many Canadians could have probably
guessed the company had seen brighter
days. On the ground, retailers like
Walmart and Costco were proving for-
midable foes. Online, new competitors
were growing in popularity every year.
For Best Buy Canada, the road ahead
was squeezed into a single lane, and a
Canadian retail icon born in 1982 was
told to hit the brakes. Minnesota-based
Best Buy Co. Inc. does not break out num-
bers for its Canadian subsidiary and did
not participate in this year's survey, but
based on interviews and the closure of its
Future Shop stores this year (which cost
TWO dIrECTIONS
Lululemon is regain-
ing its position in
the retail race as
TransLink continues
down a highway
to hell
