Campbell River is one of three finalists for a provincial Open for Business Award, presented by Small Business BC to celebrate communities that create a business friendly culture.
In the category for communities with populations greater than 25,000, Campbell River is one of three finalists chosen from 15 nominees. The other two finalists are Penticton and Prince George.
Campbell River was nominated for the community’s Modern Entrepreneur Series, an initiative started in 2017 to support local small businesses and entrepreneurs through mentorship, workshops, and networking events.
“Our local businesses really appreciate the opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs,” notes city manager Deborah Sargent. “Meeting leading edge speakers and learning from their experiences sparks inspiration and gives local entrepreneurs the tools to help their businesses grow and flourish. Our economic development approach is all about bringing businesses together to share knowledge within the collaborative and supportive environment fostered by the Modern Entrepreneur Series.”
The Modern Entrepreneur Series continues in 2018 with more workshops, Freelance Fridays, and roundtables to support the community’s businesses. All of these activities and more are shared on the community’s economic development Facebook page.
The initiative also complements the CRadvantage, Campbell River’s municipal broadband network, which is the first of its kind on Vancouver Island. Enabling local businesses to access affordable, enterprise-level internet, the CRadvantage draws in the City’s modern entrepreneurs.
“The Modern Entrepreneur Series is just the latest reason Campbell River is getting noticed,” says economic development office Rose Klukas. “This follows the announcement that Campbell River will be honoured with an international Smart City award this spring for the opportunities provided by the CRadvantage network. Coupled with the increased visibility recently gained through positive national and regional news coverage, Campbell River’s progressive initiatives are getting recognized.”
The City of Campbell River was recently featured in the National Post and BC Business Magazine’s Best Cities for Work in BC.
The Small Business BC award winner will be announced at the Open for Business Awards in Vancouver on Feb. 23.