Jeremy Heighton is the new President of the BIABC
KAMLOOPS – Business Improvement Areas of British Columbia (BIABC), the organization that represents 70 business districts and more than 55,000 businesses across our province, today announced a long time Kamloops business advocate has been named its new President.
BIABC is pleased to announce Jeremy Heighton is taking the helm as President, succeeding Jeff Bray who has resigned after serving in the position for the past year.
Heighton has held an executive position with BIABC for the last three years, most recently as Vice-President – and is also a long time Executive Director of the Kamloops North Shore BIA, having occupied that role since 2018.
“I am honored to step into the role of President at such a pivotal moment for business in our province,” said Heighton. “As champions for small and medium-sized businesses—the largest employer group in BC, our organization plays a crucial role in driving the changes needed to support their success.”
“I am also pleased to be working alongside a Board that is talented, committed, and has built a solid reputation because of its thoughtful, solution-focused approach – and we will continue advocating with passion to ensure a thriving future for our communities and economy,” continued Heighton.
During the recent provincial election campaign, BIABC underlined the need for urgent action on several fronts related to public safety, crime and vandalism, and the cost of doing business – and those will continue to be areas of focus.
In response to a BIABC questionnaire, the NDP made a commitment to open new secure treatment facilities, fast-track the development of Foundry Centres for Youth and their families to access critical mental health, addiction, and physical and sexual health services; expand specialized treatment beds across the province with both mental health and substance use disorders; keep repeat violent and gang offenders off the streets by pushing Ottawa for stronger bail and sentencing conditions, and appoint a single Minister with bottom line accountability for small businesses.
Heighton notes, BIABC will be urging the NDP, in the strongest possible terms, to live up to its campaign promises. The Association has already suggested their hope is for the new NDP administration to treat its election commitments as a bare minimum because BC business owners and operators deserve better.
BIABC is also pleased to announce that Patricia Barnes will serve as Vice-President on an interim basis. Patricia is a long serving member of the board and Executive Director of Hastings North Business Improvement Association.
About BIABC:
The Business Improvement Areas of BC (BIABC) is the provincial champion of strong, vibrant, and successful downtowns, main streets, and commercial districts throughout our province. Members represent more than 70 business districts that employ hundreds of thousands of retail, service, and office employees within defined business districts.
