Hadih. Hello and happy summer.

Like many of you, this is the time of year where we have to make hay while the sun shines, as the old saying goes, so we’re busy on multiple fronts serving you:

• In light of the recent fraud conviction of a former staff member at the Prince George Elizabeth Fry Society, the Chamber is revising its internal financial reporting policy and procedures to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability. As members, you trust us each year by investing in your Chamber through your membership dues and support of Chamber events. We want you to feel confident your investment is being spent responsibly and delivering measureable results. We also want future members of our board of directors (could that be you?) to know they can serve without putting themselves at undue personal financial risk.

• The Chamber is concerned with an industry alert issued by the BC Construction Association regarding the removal of “Contract A.” This change upends more than 40 years of clarity in the public sector procurement process established by a 1981 Supreme Court case. The City of Prince George and the College of New Caledonia are two local examples among a growing list of public sector bodies around the province now explicitly avoiding Contract A. The Chamber stands with the Northern Regional Construction Association in opposition to this change and urges the city, CNC, and other regional public sector agencies to restore their commitment to the fairness for all stakeholders exemplified by Contract A.

• True North 2024 is now behind us but we’re already working on the 2025 edition (save the date, it’s May 6, a month earlier than this year). We’ve also now turned our focus to the Business Excellence Awards, which will be a dinner event held on Saturday, November 2, at the House of Ancestors (tickets on sale in September). Nominations are open now (LINK HERE) through the end of August for 13 different categories. We’re looking for judges to pick the finalists and winners in September after nominations close, so if you’d like to help out, please drop me a line.

• We’re keeping a close eye on the City of Prince George’s standing committee on public safety. At the June meeting, the committee received a powerful presentation from the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society about the ongoing effects of crime at its Second Avenue location. Those effects are not only in garbage, fires, theft, vandalism, and expensive repair bills, but also in staff and new immigrant clients fearful of visiting the area to provide and receive the essential services IMSS offers to help new Canadians living in Prince George become successful in the community. The next meeting is set for July 16 at noon at City Hall and is open to the public.

• In a June call with north-central BC Chambers of Commerce, Brenda Bailey, the provincial JEDI minister (no joke – it’s the Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation ministry), offered an open-ended invitation to connect directly with her regarding the challenges facing Prince George and area businesses and what government can do to help. I’d be happy to invite the minister to Prince George to personally visit your business and hear from you. If you’d like to me to work on that, please let me know.

• She’s not the only one who wants to connect. I’d also like to visit your business this summer, to see the important work you do and to hear how the Chamber could better support you. Let’s make it happen! With the provincial election just around the corner this October (stay tuned for opportunities we’re working on to meet the local candidates directly), the more personal stories I have to share with the candidates and the party leaders, the better I can represent you and advocate for your interests to all levels of government.

All my best to each of you.

Neil

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