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COMOX VALLEY – The Comox Valley Chamber has had a great start to 2016 with many successful events promoting the local business community. Here is a snapshot of recent events:
Eyes on the Future Forecasting Lunch at the Crown Isle Resort on January 21 was a sell-out event. Visit the Chamber site for Susan Mowbray‘s excellent presentation.
The Annual Awards Gala in January was epic! Thank you to everyone for celebrating the Comox Valley community with such heart.
The Chamber Tradeshow on February 23 was a great success with 31 vendors and over 350 attendees. We brought the Tradeshow into the heart of Courtenay to the Native Son’s hall this year with a dynamic range of vendors, speed networking sessions, and two amazing draws.
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March kicks off our Membership Drive in the Comox Valley. Our Chair, Andrew Gower, has written a great article highlighting how the Comox Valley truly is the Voice of Business and why you need to be a member. Here is his article:
The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce takes being “The Voice of Business” very seriously. This was recently demonstrated when the Chamber Board made advocacy one of three primary areas of strategic focus.
During my time on the board, I have had some amazing opportunities to advocate on behalf of Comox Valley Businesses. In both 2012 and 2014, the Chamber presented to the BC Government Select Standing Committee on Finance. This committee is made up of MLA’s from both parties and provides detailed recommendations to Cabinet with respect to the provincial budget.
I was honored to make the presentation in 2014 and briefed the committee on our local concerns around BC Ferries, the PST, building our renewable resource economy, ensuring credit unions operate on a level playing field with banks, improving local government finances, and supporting the BC arts and culture sector. Many of these issues are shared by the BC Chamber, and help amplify the voice of local businesses from the Comox Valley at the Provincial and even National level.
The Board has hosted local Mayors, the Chair of the CVRD Board, the Chief of the K’omoks First Nation and our current MLA at our board meetings. We invite them to attend a meeting to ensure they understand the role the Chamber plays as the voice of business, to build relationship and connection and ensure our message is clear.
Former MP for the Valley, John Duncan, also visited the board and updated the Chamber on what was being done for local business on a national level. We are looking forward to hosting our two new MP’s, Gordon Johns and Rachel Blaney in March.
The Chamber is approached by the local municipalities for its position on issues which affect the business community on a regular basis. Having a dedicated advocacy focus allows us to provide input on subjects as various as the Regional Growth Strategy, whether or not Food Trucks should be allowed in the City of Courtenay (they should – with appropriate regulations), and how local government should be structured via the Governance Review Petition.
This May, I will be attending the BC Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting on behalf of the Comox Valley Chamber. We will be bringing a policy to this meeting to request that the BC Chamber ask the province for more incentives for businesses and homeowners to install grid-tie solar, wind and micro hydro power generation.
The specific incentive we will be seeking is an increase to the rate at which BC Hydro buys excess power produced by businesses and homeowners. If this rate is increased sufficiently, it could create economic growth while at the same time increasing the amount of renewable energy the province produces. This would be a win-win for BC as renewable energy system installers would have more work, and homeowners and businesses would be able to lower their energy costs.
The Chamber will continue to show leadership by advocating on behalf of local businesses as it has done for almost 100 years. If you need help having your voice heard as a local business, the only question you need to ask is, “are you a member yet?”
– Dianne Hawkins is president and CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at dhawkins@comoxvalleychamber.com or 250-334-3234.
