– Dan Rogers is the General Manager at the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce and can be reached at manager@vernonchamber.ca.
VERNON – One of the most important roles any Chamber of Commerce plays in their community is that of advocate for members and the business community. There is no other grass roots business organization that is as active in as many communities in the province as Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade.
It was in that capacity that representatives of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce traveled the short distance down highway 97 to Kelowna last month to raise a number of issues with members of the Federal Liberal Caucus. Among the items the Chamber noted was the need to review the service standards and staffing levels for CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) in Vancouver.
The issue was raised by a Chamber member in the manufacturing sector that has been waiting weeks for his container of parts to be inspected in Vancouver. The small business owner noted the delay in inspections was creating angry customers, impacting his orders and was likely to result in a reduction in his operations.
The Greater Vernon Chamber called for a review of the situation and its impact on small business. Security is an issue we should all be concerned with and the Chamber appreciates that due diligence is required when moving product through the country’s points of entry but that security must be balanced with the efficient flow of goods that allow for our manufacturing sector to grow and be competitive.
This is particularly important for small businesses that do not have the resources that larger companies have to manage orders, inventory, and cash flow that all come into play when dealing with variables related to such delays.
Other issues raised by the Greater Vernon Chamber included:
- The need for a national housing strategy to address affordable and attainable housing.
- Support of the Canadian Airports Council in working to make Canada’s airports more competitive and air travel more affordable.
- The need for continued support of Local Immigration Partnership Councils in helping to create a welcoming community for immigrants and refugees.
- The need for federal government infrastructure funding for the region’s Master Water Plan and for the development of the Okanagan Rail – Trail initiative.
- The potential for growth along the Highway 97 corridor from Washington State through the Okanagan in order to grow business and cross border trade.
- The need for further due diligence in preventing Zebra and Quagga mussels from entering Canada and destroying BC’s fresh water lakes.
“It was a great opportunity to meet with federal government representatives and be able to convey some of the important issues that our members and the community have brought to our attention,” says Tracy Cobb-Reeves, Greater Vernon Chamber president.
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In other news from the North Okanagan, the City of Vernon continues what has turned out to be a robust year for development. The most recent quarterly economic update noted that from January to June the City of Vernon issued $88.8 million in building permits, that’s up from $44.3 million for the same period a year ago!
“This is shaping up to be one of the strongest years on record, especially in the residential sector where we have seen 386 new units started this year,” stated Kevin Poole, the City’s manager of Economic Development and Tourism in a prepared release. He added, “We are just halfway through the year and housing starts are already the third highest on record.”
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It may be a great time to relax and enjoy the hot summer sun in the Okanagan but there is no slowing down for the Greater Vernon Chamber which is gearing up for a couple of major events in the fall. The 2nd Annual Top 20 under 40 Awards Program will accept nominations until the end of August. The program recognizes and celebrates some of the brightest young leaders in the North Okanagan with all of them being recognized during a special celebration event to be held during small business week in October.
The other major event is the second annual Chamber Fall Golf Classic scheduled for October 6th. Participants and sponsors for the networking event are now being finalized with a few spots still open. Anyone interested in having a blast while building their network should contact the Chamber office.
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Finally the Greater Vernon Chamber welcomes its newest members; Kim Hutton Inc., Cattlemen’s Club Restaurant, The Room Collection, Vernon Yacht Club, Farm Bound Organics, and Flaman Fitness.