A Kelowna real estate group hit by hackers is dealing with the fallout of some confidential information being siphoned and leaked onto the internet.

RE/MAX Kelowna has confirmed that in early February, its servers were breached by a malicious group, during a software update.

Although the real estate group found out about the breach and shut it down within “minutes,” RE/MAX Kelowna owner Jerry Redman did confirm some data was stolen.

However, he said less than one per cent of the data on the server was taken – none of which was from clients.

“There is no client data on that server … anybody who has information on that server has been informed of it, as they are all my employees, or work for us,” said Redman.

At the time, the group believed no data had been leaked, until they were notified in the days following.

On Feb. 4, the information was published online by a well-known ransomware group, viewable by anyone with the link. The group has been known in the past to steal data, and hold it for ransom, threatening to leak it online unless payment is received.

Redman said RE/MAX Kelowna was not held at ransom because the breach was stopped.

However, some documents managed to leak online. A link shows a folder containing 10,612 documents of varying importance; from quarterly statements, to buyer/seller records, as well as internal bank account information.

According to the website, thousands have viewed the link to date. As of Feb. 10, the link to the online folder remains live.

Redman’s team is now focused on investigating the matter with the support of a cyber-security company, and hope to know more within the coming weeks. He said security is of the utmost importance.

Emsisoft anti-malware threat researcher Brett Callow, who helped to expose the breach, said businesses can significantly reduce risks to their business by adhering to security best practices.

READ MORE: Emergency crews, police respond to serious collision near Tower Ranch in Kelowna

READ MORE: Cybersecurity poll finds 84% ​​rethink engaging with businesses hit by data breach

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com

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Century 21 has suspended a Kelowna real estate agent over comments he published on Facebook about Alberta.

Screenshots of Ben Houghton’s now-vanished Facebook page are still circulating. One shows a comment from Houghton stating, “Alberta such cry babies … don’t worry Alberta your greed will soon be back in full swing.”

Albertan Ryan Bayrack, responded to Houghton, saying, “I will make sure none of our province buy houses in the Okanagan from you.”

Also, Century 21 Assurance Ltd posted on its Facebook page, announcing Houghton’s suspension from the firm.

“Yesterday, Ben Houghton, a realtor with our firm made negative comments about Albertans. We wholeheartedly disagree with the remarks made about our fellow Canadians. We are strong supporters of our many friends, clients and family members from Alberta.

“Alberta has been an economic engine for our country. We sympathize with Albertans about the current economic climate and appreciate their perspective. Our brokerage has suspended Mr Houghton and he is no longer a registered realtor with our firm.”

ALSO READ: Election results prompt interest in Wexit

However, Century 21’s Facebook page appears to also be deleted or currently unavailable.

Bayrack again took to Facebook after the announcement to thank Century 21 for dealing with the situation.

“Century 21 has done the right thing a fired Ben Houghton on behalf of all Albertans,” he said.

“They handled the whole situation very professionally and with no hesitation. Please make sure that they get the credit they deserve through this rough situation.

“Thank you once again everyone and thank you Century 21 for showing support for your neighbors who are hurting really bad right now.”

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Monday was demolition day for a Kelowna real estate development company.

Three large excavators from T-Rex Excavating were hard at work on Victor Project’s Water Street property at the northeast corner of Lawrence avenue.

One excavator punched holes through the exterior walls of the old building, while another caved in the building’s roof.

The one machine’s metal bucket teeth and hydraulic horsepower made easy work of the cinder block walls.

While the other quickly ripped through the steel girders and wooden framing that formed the roof’s structure before leaving behind nothing but a pile of rubble in its wake.

The huge pile of demolition day debris noteworthy because what now looks like a war zone was actually one of Kelowna’s first movie theaters.

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“The building was originally Mervyn Motors back in the day, then converted to a movie theater in the mid-’70s,” said Rick Miller of Victor Projects Ltd.

The building located at 1551 Water St. was home to the Uptown Cinema Centre, Kelowna’s first two-screen movie theatre.

But the Uptown’s silver screens went dark in 2000, shortly after the larger and newer Grand 10 Cinemas opened its doors.

The building then served for a short time as the Oasis of Love Miracle Center but now has been demolished to make way for “temporary parking for downtown Kelowna, and then once the building is down, we will start working on a plan for redevelopment,” Miller said.

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As for what exactly that redevelopment plan might look like?

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“Hard to say at this point but there’s a lot of options open to us,” Miller said.

Lots of options because the property is currently zoned C-7, which is one of Kelowna’s most wide-ranging usage zonings.

However, one of the most likely options might be a residential apartment building, perhaps one like “Ella”, currently under construction two blocks away on Lawrence.

By 4 pm Monday, the entire building was razed to the group and will hopefully be cleaned up entirely by the end of the week.

Making way for about 40 public parking stalls in an Impark style parkade.

All part of the ever-changing face of downtown Kelowna.

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© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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The popular real estate reality television series “Seller’s Market” is returning to shoot its second season in Kelowna.

The first season of the show was shot in the city in 2016 and 2017 before airing on CHEK TV last fall and Yes TV last summer. Featured on the show were five local realtors competing to win a listing in each episode.

Producers are now looking for homeowners in Kelowna, West Kelowna, and Lake Country who are planning to sell their home in the next six months and want to appear on the show.

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Plans are in motion to change the parking configuration at one of Kelowna’s most popular beaches.

Boyce-Gyro Park, best known as Gyro Beach, will be losing the south-end parking lot on Lakeshore Road to expand green space.

“The parking lot, as it stands, is functioning quite well. It gets maxed out about 28 per cent of the time. But for the remaining part of the year it’s about half full, from our parking counts,” City of Kelowna Parks Planner Lindsay Clements.

The City of Kelowna will close Watt Road at the north end of the park to formally connect the gravel parking lot, which will be paved.

Part of the gravel lot is being sold to pay for improvements to the park.

The section of the lot for sale is listed at $4.9 million.

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Changes to the property are contingent on the sale, but could go ahead as early as the spring of 2018, said Clements.

The City held an information session at Boyce-Gyro Thursday afternoon, which saw about 80 people attend to look at plans.

© 2017 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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A heritage property in Kelowna that was formerly a well-known brothel may have new life — probably a more wholesome life — thanks to a deal between the City of Kelowna and a developer.

The two parties have struck a development deal to turn the City-owned Surtees property, currently a big red barn and a boarded-up house in Kelowna’s Mission neighborhood, into commercial space.

“When we acquired the property in 2002, it came with the historic buildings and it’s always been on our radar to preserve these … we just haven’t had the funds to do it in the past,” City of Kelowna real estate manager John Saufferer told Radio West host Josh Pagé.

In the early 1900s, the house on the property was a brothel: the Ritz Cafe. Between 1915 and 2002, it also served as an aristocrat’s dairy, an artists’ colony and a home.

Under the 75-year lease agreement, developer Worman Commercial will pay $200,000 a year and restore the barn and homestead. Some of the rest of the property will be used as trailhead by the City.

But Worman does get to inspect the property, so the deal isn’t final. Saufferer says it will require extensive work and it’s possible the deal won’t make sense for Worman from a business perspective.

“We’re very optimistic now though that we have a potential solution that will provide some life and animation for the site,” he said.

Saufferer says if the deal doesn’t work out, it will probably be up to taxpayers to keep the derelict building standing but there is no money budgeted for that and “Given the condition of the buildings, it’s anyone’s guess how long they’ll last .”

With files from CBC Radio One’s Radio West

This house on the Surtees property doesn’t look like much, but it has lived a colorful life. (Google Street View)

To hear the full story, click the audio labeled: Kelowna heritage buildings, including former brothel, could get reused

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Tolko closed its doors permanently this week.

(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

January 11, 2020 – 1:15 PM

Lights have gone out at Tolko’s Kelowna mill for the last time.

Operations shut down permanently Jan. 8, closing a significant chapter in this city’s history.

The sawmill where Tolko currently stands was started by local resident Sharron Simpson’ grandfather, Stanley Simpson, in 1931.

Simpson said in a recent interview it was a planing mill and box factory when it began and while it changed over time, for more than three decades it sustained her family and fueled the local economy. Her family sold it in 1965 to an American company called Crown Zellerbach. Subsequent sales were to Fletcher Challenge/Crown Forest in 1983 and Riverside Forest Products.

Tolko, who took over in 2003, is the only one of those lumber companies still in business and it also fueled the expansion of this city.

At its height it employed more than 500 people in Kelowna, working three shifts around the clock. When its closure was announced, only one shift of around 200 remained.

Whether that loss will be made up by any single employer again remains to be seen but Simpson, who authored the book about the local lumber industry called Boards, Boxes and Bins, said recently it marks a change. This city has grown and the big industries that once fed its residents — the sawmills, packing houses and canneries — are all gone.

With changing industries come changing demographics.

“The lifetime employer — where you start a job at 15 and keep it until retirement — is gone and now you probably need a reasonable education to get a job that’s other than at the car wash, or clerking. The unskilled economy is harder to get into because there aren’t many options if you don’t have some kind of educational background.”

While the mill’s loss will be felt around the region, what it did for the community over the last century won’t soon be forgotten.

“As a result of the sawmill, Kelowna has the Simpson Covenant and much of development on Knox mountain,” she said.

“So not only did the company provide jobs for many people and steady tax income from the city, there were many other businesses — the city has benefitted beyond jobs and the tax dollars.”

To contact a reporter for this story, email Kathy Michaels or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won’t censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.

News from © iNFOnews, 2020

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Centrally located in Dilworth mountain is this rancher with basement that has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, over 3,000 sq ft and includes a one bedroom suite. As you enter the home you will appreciate the large entryway which then flows into a massive living and dining room and then into the kitchen which overlooks the private and flat pool sized backyard. The main floor has an abundance of natural light with large windows and newer hardwood flooring. The oversized covered sundeck is perfect place for a BBQ and enjoying family dinners or a glass of wine in the summer. Located on the main floor is the primary with ensuite, a second bedroom, full bathroom and easy access to the oversized double bay garage. As you head to the lower level, there is a third bedroom and the laundry as well as access to the backyard. The one bedroom suite is absolutely massive including a full kitchen, new flooring throughout and a private entrance. The large flat backyard is fully irrigated, includes a tiered garden with raspberry bushes and a plum tree and the perfect place for kids and pets to run around and plenty of room for a pool. There is no shortage of parking out front with additional parking on the side for all your toys that goes right through to the backyard. This home is in an excellent location with shopping, golf, schools, hiking, the rail trail and so much more! The home has so much potential just waiting for your finishing touches!

Please search the following link to view additional photos, 3D Tour & info: https://www.vantagewestrealty.com/listing/cms/kelowna-real-estate-2207-omineca-place-tons-of-potential/

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Warning: Story contains strong language

Neighbors in a Kelowna community are reacting to an unconventional `for sale’ sign at a house that has gone on the market because the homeowners claim they are fed up with a neighbour.

Kane Blake, the homeowner, has posted a sign that reads: “Home for Sale by Owner, Because Neighbor is an A–hole.”

“I think it’s a great sign to be honest because it actually discloses to anyone who wants to buy this home that there’s a problem in this neighborhood with this one person,” Sharon Gaudry, Kane’s mother-in-law, said.

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Gaudry said the neighbor started harassing the couple when they moved in five years ago.

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“He’s been victimizing, bullying, harassing this family, my family,” she said.

Gaudry said she worries for the safety of her grandchildren.

“One of the grandchildren rides his bike to school. We’re not allowing him to ride his bike to school anymore because we are in fear,” she said.

Some residents in the area say the neighbor frequently and frivolously calls by law officers on the family.

“He’s just targeted them, he’s accused them of all kinds of things which just aren’t true,” neighbor Sandra Ainsley said.

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The neighbor in question declined an interview, but his friend Keith Kish said he’s shocked by the sign — both its profanity and its message.

“It was unbelievable. I couldn’t understand why the RCMP wasn’t here forcing him to take it down immediately,” Kish said.

“That is something that should never be put up in any neighborhood.”

“There’s five schools in the area here, and that’s something kids should not be subjected to. What does that teach the kids?”

Kish voiced concern about bylaw enforcement in the area. He said officers aren’t doing enough about alleged infractions involving home-based businesses, speeding and erratic driving.

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Bylaw officers could not be reached for comment.

Neighbors in the area had mixed feelings about the sign.

“It’s pretty funny actually, I thought it was funny,” Ainsley said.

“It’s not the kind of thing you like to see in a neighborhood. You like to see everybody get along,” neighbor Terry Schlaht said.

Kane said the reaction to his sign has been largely positive.

“I’ve had people take photos with the sign, I’ve had cars stop and take pictures with the sign, everybody loves it,” he said.

Despite the warning on the “for sale” sign, Kane said the family has still received offers on the house.

© 2018 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Lovely two bedroom plus townhome at Glenpark Estates in Glenmore. This home shows pride of ownership throughout, with many updates including kitchen and bathrooms. As you enter the front door and walk upstairs to a large bedroom, bathroom and open living area that includes a spacious kitchen and a dining area that leads you to a large deck. Downstairs you will find a spacious rec room, a large bedroom with ensuite and a great size den/office. This townhome comes with an attached garage with lots of storage space and an additional uncovered parking spot right beside it. The neighborhood is amazing. You are steps away from beautiful walking trails, parks and playgrounds. Also close by are grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants and schools. You are a 10 minute drive to downtown and a 10 minute drive to Orchard Park Mall. Up to two pets allowed and rentals allowed!

Please search the following link to view additional photos, 3D Tour & info: https://www.vantagewestrealty.com/listing/cms/kelowna-real-estate-11-225-glen-park-drive-two-bedroom-plus -den-townhome-at-glenpark/

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