Jen Dart, Executive Director, Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce.
TOFINO – As we prepare for the holidays, our last Chamber event of the year will be focused on the non-profit organizations that are an important of our local community.
Jen DartFor our small town we have an amazing number of organizations that fill necessary gaps in services, host local events, and generally add to the quality of life on the west coast. To salute those volunteer organizations, along with their staff and boards of directors, the Chamber decided to dedicate our December Members Lunch at the Wickaninnish Inn on December 12th to them.
Thanks to our event sponsors like the Wickaninnish Inn, who hosts our Christmas luncheon every year, our members are able to attend free of charge. We have the opportunity to come together and share in some holiday cheer ahead of the busy holiday season, and this year salute those who put in extra effort all year long.
We have 34 non-profit members, representing our second largest membership category. Many of these organizations are punching well above their weight in terms of services and efforts.
Our 2016 winner of the Non-Profit of the Year Award, Surfrider Pacific Rim, recently led the charge on cleaning up fish farm feed bags that washed up on our shores. They, along with our NDP MP Gord Johns are leading the charge for a national coastal debris clean-up strategy.
We have organizations bringing arts and culture events to our remote community, providing hospice services, caring for local stray animals, and much more. Our thanks to the Wickaninnish Inn for helping us in honouring these valuable members of the Chamber organization.
We are looking forward to Tourism Tofino’s 3rd annual Tofino Wedding Fair, set for January 27th at The Shore Tofino. The fair welcomes couples to the west coast to explore this area as a wedding venue. For more information, please visit www.tourismtofino.com.
The Chamber board’s recent advocacy work has been in a few areas. The board is concerned about upcoming commercial (and property tax) increases in Tofino and will seek clarification from council as to projections for those over the next few years.
The board submitted input the provincial Ministry of Environment to oppose the use of a chemical by a local fish farming company in the treatment of sea lice due to unknown effects on the marine environment.
The board has also sent a letter to Airbnb asking that organization to join other online travel agencies and the District of Tofino in requiring short-term rental owners to display their valid business license number in online listings to assist in enforcement of local short-term rental bylaws.
Finally, welcome to the following new members to the Chamber: Jen McLeod Photography, Pete Clarkson’s Washed Up Workshop, Sharky Balloons and Water’s Edge Shoreside Suites in Ucluelet.
Jen Dart can be reached at 250-725-3153 or through the chamber website.