JULIE LAWLOR
WEST SHORE – I don’t know about you, but I was looking forward to a January where I would get completely organized for 2023. Maybe not everything completely mapped out, but a robust plan in place. However, I’m writing this article on February 1st, and I don’t understand where January has gone. Pretty much every day has been very full, and yet I haven’t accomplished what I expected, at what has previously been a relatively quiet time of year for us.
In talking to other people, I know that this situation is familiar to many. Businesses and non-profits are short-staffed, so time is precious. Those who aren’t can’t easily consider growth because of the labour shortage. Meanwhile, the Canada Emergency Business Account loan comes due this year. The cost of living and doing business has risen dramatically over the last six months. There are multiple things we are all trying to manage in addition to continued recovery from a global pandemic that is still with us.
The chamber of commerce network looks to our provincial and federal governments to address the rising costs of doing business in BC and across the country. To do so just makes good sense for the benefit of all Canadians, given the significant tax and employment contributions made by SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises). SMEs are still the largest employer in Canada. Businesses that are unable to grow, or worse – have to close – impacts little by little on all of us.
As a member of the BC Chamber, we are collectively in the process of putting together our 2023-24 policies which will ultimately map out many of the conversations we’ll be having with the Province of BC over the next year. As part of that process, we take a keen interest in the release of the BC budget. However, advocacy takes place all year round – and over more than one year. In 2021, BC Chamber members approved a policy to increase the Employer Health Tax threshold, and in 2023 this is still an issue. You can read about this – and more – at bcchamber.org
Julie Lawlor is Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce
