SUMMERLAND – Small Business Week in Canada will be celebrated from October 19th to the 25th. This is the national celebration of entrepreneurs and the contributions of their small businesses to our country’s economy.
Across British Columbia, 98 per cent of businesses are small businesses, employing more than a million people. And here in Summerland, small businesses are the heart and soul of our community and the engine of our local economy.
This year we are celebrating with a couple of events. On October 20 our Business after Business event (small business week edition) will be celebrated at Summerland Credit Union and will include a trade show of Credit Union member businesses.
Later that week, Summerland will conduct its first ever Business Walk event. Business Walks were first initiated in Canada in 2012 by the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission. Since that time business walks have been conducted in many BC and Alberta communities and the majority of Okanagan communities.
The goal of a business walk is to provide an informal opportunity to connect with businesses face-to-face and take the pulse of the business community. On October 22nd, Chamber Board members will team up with Summerland’s Mayor Waterman and Councillors to visit a number of local businesses to ask some brief questions. We anticipate being able to reach over 100 local businesses in a half day.
Following the visits, the Chamber will create a report indicating common themes raised by the business community. Working together with Mayor and Council will provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and promote local businesses and provide our business members with an opportunity to share their views and build new relationships. This is a great way to celebrate Small Business Week.
– Christine Petkau is Executive Director at the Summerland Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at cpetkau@summerlandchamber.com.