NANAIMO – More than 20 local small business recently leaders met with members of the B.C. Small Business Roundtable and Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Coralee Oakes to discuss their unique challenges and identify opportunities for growth.
The B.C. Small Business Roundtable is comprised of small business leaders from throughout B.C. and chaired by Oakes. It was established in 2005 to work with small business owners to identify their key issues and opportunities, develop recommendations to enhance small business growth and success, and eliminate unnecessary regulations and red tape. Since its inception, the roundtable has held 53 regional consultations to gain insight from small businesses.
At the meeting the minister and Roundtable members heard from local business leaders that there is optimism about what the future holds for small business in the region and about the importance of finding qualified staff, access to information about student training, developing entrepreneurial skills, securing capital, identifying municipal best practices.
Positive feedback about the new engagement button launched this spring where British Columbians and businesses can submit their ideas to government about how to reduce red tape 24/7process to submit red tape cutting suggestions to government.
“This was a really important meeting for the small business community,” says AJ Hustins, president and owner of Nanaimo Precast Ltd. “I’m a 30-year veteran business owner and I was impressed with the value of the discussion. Representatives from the provincial government, Community Futures and other organizations are working together to provide small business owners with important information about financing and access to capital to help small businesses compete and succeed.”
