ON THE LOCAL & PROVINCIAL FRONTS |
|
Kelowna Chamber Offers Business Development Program for Resilience & Recovery |
|
Does your business need assistance mitigating the negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic? We're launched a new program in partnership with the BC Chamber aimed at giving you access to a world class professional business development program.
The Building Resilience Program will have weekly seminars for 6 weeks through the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, and will be offered in three cohorts until the end of March 2021. This program will provide you insights into how to adapt your business model, re-engage customers, and adjust workplace cultures to help position you for long-term success. Space is limited. 50% off for Chamber Members!
|
|
|
Chambers of Commerce Spread Resiliency Message Through the Valley |
|
|
|
Chambers throughout the valley have joined forces to encourage those in the region to support local, and have brought local businesses together to showcase their resilience during this difficult time, spreading the 'OKanagan We Got This!' message.
The concept behind the Chamber COVID response coalition was based on both the need for, and the realization that, we are in this together; and collaboration, innovation and cooperation will see us through to better days.
|
|
MP Tracy Gray Connecting with Local Entrepreneurs During Small Business Week! |
|
We spotted Kelowna-Lake Country Member of Parliament Tracy Gray out and about chatting with entrepreneurs and business operators this week. She was reaching out to listen to the challenges facing small businesses in the region and of course to take that info back to Ottawa, and hear your stories.
You can connect with your MP through her website.
|
|
|
Accelerate Okanagan Launches Local Rapid Response & Resiliency Program
|
|
|
|
Accelerate Okanagan (AO) is launching the Digital Economy: Rapid Response + Resiliency (DER3) program in the Okanagan. This program is designed to support small and medium-sized businesses which are looking to enter or expand into the digital economy. DER3 offers guided one-to-one business and technical consultations for businesses which are considering entering or expanding their online presence, or putting technology-based tools in place to better serve their needs. This program is currently open to all individuals or small businesses located in the Okanagan from Salmon Arm to Osoyoos.
|
|
Help Celebrate and Support Small Businesses in BC by Sharing Your Story |
|
We want to help celebrate YOU! Send us a photo or video no longer than 1 minute showing your team or business at work so we can include it in our video channels saluting small business in BC.
Watch our social channels for more ways to be featured this week! We can only share the content that you submit. Let's work together to make this the best Small Business Week / Month yet!
|
|
|
Recordings Now Available: Kelowna All-Candidates Forums |
|
|
|
Tuesday, the Kelowna Chamber, along with the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, the BC Fruit Growers Association, and a number of supporting sponsors gathered candidates from the Kelowna-West, Kelowna-Mission, Kelowna-Lake Country ridings for three back-to-back-to-back forums in downtown Kelowna.
The three forums are now available on our website, along with bios and information on all candidates.
The election takes place Saturday October 24, from 8am - 8pm. More information on the election can be found on our website.
|
|
Exciting Funding News for Small Businesses Announced, Grants Available Soon |
|
Tuesday, during Small Business Week, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, announced an investment of $12 million to support the Canada United campaign. Created and launched by RBC, Canada United is a national movement to support local businesses in communities across the country. The new application window will for the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund will open on Monday, October 26, 2020 HERE.
|
|
|
Applications are Now Open for the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) |
|
|
|
The CRB is one of three programs that replaced the now-closed CERB. The CRB gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The CRB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency, and applications are now open for this program.
|
|
COVID-19 Insights: Tourism HR Canada Releases September Labour Force Data |
|
Due to the seasonal nature of some industries, the Canadian economy tends to see a slight drop in employment in the fall, tourism being one of those industries.
However, tourism employment increased slightly in September 2020, a highly unusual trend. Looking at seasonally unadjusted employment data, there has not been a September since 2001 in which employment did not decrease compared to August. Until this year. Using unadjusted data, the overall economy added 275,000 jobs.
|
|
|
ICC Calls for Pre-Departure Testing System for Safe Resume to Travel |
|
|
|
In an open letter to G20 tourism ministers, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) called for governments to appropriately balance the need to protect health and reopen the global economy. The ICC is calling for the development of a G20-wide pre-departure testing system that would only allow non-infectious people to travel to preserve the travel and tourism sector and other directly affected industries.
|
|
RBC Experts Offer Financial Advice to Business Owners |
|
When COVID-19 hit, the federal government worked quickly to get relief measures in place to help Canadian businesses manage through this difficult time. Since March, many businesses have taken advantage of the programs available. But what happens when the relief ends? RBC experts offer advice to business owners in a recent Q&A blog post.
|
|
|
Need to add someone else in your organization to our mailing list? Email us.
|
|
KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
