Resource Sector Key to Canada's Economic Recovery
Okanagan College School of Business Speaker Series: Wed. Oct. 20 @ Coast Capri
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B.C. is poised to be a major player in the international LNG business by exporting natural gas to markets in China, India, and elsewhere. This means in both the present and long-term there are opportunities for Canadian natural gas to make a better world.
Join us as we welcome Tim McMillan, President and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, for an insightful discussion of the resource industry’s role in Canada’s economic recovery.
This in-person luncheon will have limited seating - register now to secure your spot. (Proof of full vaccination will be required)
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Get More Done with Less
Business Smarts Webinar: Tues. October 26 | 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Virtual
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It’s a popular saying but does your team really know how to accomplish it? Join us for our October edition of Business Smarts as Aqurus Solutions provides insights to help you learn how your business can streamline and automate business processes to drive growth and success.
Kelowna Chamber member Aqurus will share a number of case studies where small and mid-sized businesses have adapted their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to improve efficiency.
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Small Business Week Almost Here: Time for a Walkabout
Share Your Voice During Chamber Business Walks on Tues. October 19
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October 17-23 is Small Business Week and among other things, the Kelowna Chamber is joining the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission (COEDC) and its other community partners to undertake the Annual Business Walks.
A few teams from the Chamber will be out and engaging the business community on October 19. These teams will be identifiable as Business Walk Volunteers and they’ll be following all public health orders while asking businesses about employee retention and recruitment, general business challenges, and future expectations. The Business Walks will help get a sense of how our local businesses are doing and shape government initiatives aimed at helping.
(Watch next week for a full listing of the Kelowna Chamber’s Small Business Week Activities)
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Quarterly Membership Meeting (Virtual) Thurs. Oct 28 @ Noon
Guest Speaker: Ingrid Jarrett, President, BC Hotel Association
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Join us for our next Quarterly Membership Meeting on Oct. 28 as the Board Committee Chairs provide an update of their committee's activities to-date. This initiative is meant to provide another opportunity for members to engage directly with your elected Directors.
Participants will also have a chance to hear from BC Hotel Association President & CEO, Government Relations, Ingrid Jarrett who will take questions from those attending.
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Do You Know a Business that's Rock'n Resilience?
Show them some love by nominating them for a 2021 Business Excellence Award
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Through all the challenges over the past year we've seen some terrific displays of determination, innovation, and resiliency. Our 34th Annual Business Excellence Awards will celebrate those accomplishments but we need your help.
Show how much you appreciate the efforts of your favourite local business by nominating them for one of our sixteen different awards from Agricultural Excellence to Marketing Campaign of the Year. Show local some love by nominating them for their commitment to excellence!
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Chamber Membership 101 - Friday Oct. 29
Kelowna Chamber members only- | 12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM | Virtual
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As a member of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce there are many opportunities for you and your business to accelerate its success. However, learning to navigate and take advantage of those opportunities can sometimes be confusing.
Join us for a (virtual) introductory seminar to meet the Chamber team and understand how you can get the most out of your membership.
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CERTIFIED CHAMBER MEMBER AD |
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NEWS & EVENTS IN OUR NETWORK |
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What do you think about the city’s Transportation network? |
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As part of the City of Kelowna’s final phase of public and stakeholder engagement in preparing their 2040 Transportation Master Plan, they have opened a survey to the public and the Chamber encourages you to take the time to complete this extremely important survey. This is critically important so your voice is heard.
Participate in City questionnaire open for public comments until October 20. The input the City receives will guide final refinements to the plan. The final 2040 Transportation Master Plan will be presented to City Council for endorsement later this year.
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Paid Sick Leave Under Consideration by Province: Provide Your Input |
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The Provincial Government is developing paid sick leave for employees in BC, so they can stay home when sick or injured, without losing wages, for a set number of days each year. The province is planning to implement the new model on January 1, 2022. The Province has completed the first phase of their engagement and has prepared an options paper that looks at a few models. All have a big price tag attached for small business.
Phase 2: Options Paper has now been posted for public review until October 25.
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Chamber Pulls out the Super Sized Scissors for Acres Grand Opening |
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Chamber staff along with Chamber Board Member Pamela Pearson were pleased to be on hand to mark the grand opening of Acres Enterprises new office in downtown Kelowna. Acres is proud to not only be a contractor in the city, but also a part of the community, says Owner and President, Jason Paige. Acres’ Kelowna office is located at 546 Leon Ave. |
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Member Blog: Clarifying (Slightly) The Mandatory Vaccination Picture |
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For those that are watching the legal proceedings related to vaccination policies in the workplace, there was another interesting post on the blog of Chamber member and Employment Lawyer Robert Smithson recently.
As we march farther along the COVID-19 pandemic path, things are (ever so) slowly coming into focus for employers in terms of how to deal with employees. The topic of the moment, of course, is whether employers can impose mandatory vaccination policies….
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October Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month | Are You Tapping into Canada’s Entire Labour Pool? |
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There's a significant labour shortage in Canada, and when you understand the diversity of disability, your inclusive hiring can be more successful. Ninety per cent of companies indicate they put a priority on diversity. But only 4% include disability in their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) mandate.
Part of the problem? A lack of understanding about the diversity of disability Did you know the top five disabilities are invisible?
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CERTIFIED CHAMBER MEMBER AD |
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Cyber Security Awareness Workshop with Cybersecurity Expert Garland Sharratt
Thursday, October 14 & 28, 2021 | 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM | Okanagan Regional Library
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Online security breaches are more common, and dangerous, than you think. Cybersecurity consultant, and proud Chamber member, Garland Sharratt will be delivering two seminars on how to keep you and your business cyber safe. The first session will cover the simplest and most effective measures to keep yourself cyber safe: password management and multi-factor authentication. The second session will cover more advanced measures including information backup, phone security and more. Whether you’re an individual, an organization or small business, you won’t want to miss this.
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WECafé | Funding Masterclass: Finding the Right Model for Your Business
Thursday, October 28, 2021 | 10:00AM | Virtual
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With all the funding options out there, it can be difficult to sift through what’s available and find the best fit for your business. If you want to discover what you didn’t know about Canadian funding opportunities, then this session is for you! Join industry expert, Jacqueline Gustafson, Director, Tax Incentives Practice at KPMG LLP as she takes you through the Canadian funding landscape from application to end, so you can spend less time searching for opportunities and more time growing your business. |
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CERTIFIED CHAMBER MEMBER AD |
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Public Health Orders in Place: A Reminder to our Business Community |
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As a reminder to our members and business community, the following province-wide public orders are currently in place:
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Business 1-800 Line for Help with Vaccine Card Verification System |
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Some events, services and businesses are required to check a person's proof of vaccination for access to their venue or space. The requirements are made by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO). If your business is required to check for PoV but you are facing some challenges, the province has set up a specific help line and additional communication tools to assist you. The call-in number is 1-833-838-2323, and you can find more information at the link provided.
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UPCOMING EVENTS AT A GLANCE |
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UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS AT GLANCE
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Need to add someone in your organization to our mailing list?
Drop us a line!
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KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org |
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