Member Feature: Repurpose with Cindy
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Repurpose with Cindy is a creative workshop business in Prince George built on connection rather than artistic skill.
Why it exists: Cindy moved to Prince George alone and found it hard to meet people or feel comfortable attending classes by herself. She created the welcoming space she wished she'd had, where no one needs to be artistic or know anyone.
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What's offered:
- Community workshops for individuals, friends, and groups, with step-by-step guidance and a focus on sustainability (reusable silkscreen transfers, washable chalk paste, reversible and refreshable projects).
- Creative Connection Staff Appreciation Workshops, which are non-competitive, hands-on sessions that help coworkers who rarely interact build trust, communication, and a sense of belonging. They can be adapted for different departments, group sizes, and schedules.
- Upcoming: upcycled wooden trays, charcuterie boards, and seasonal DIY projects. Private gatherings and custom workplace sessions are available on request.
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The heart of it: The finished project matters less than the connection. As Cindy puts it, come for the creativity, stay for the connection.
Visit Repurposewithcindy for upcoming workshops and booking.
| | 41st Annual Business Excellence Awards - Recap | |
On Saturday, October 3rd, 2026, the Prince George Chamber of Commerce welcomed our business community to the Civic Centre for the 41st Annual Business Excellence Awards.
This year’s Gallery of Greatness celebrated the incredible businesses, organizations and individuals who help make Prince George such a vibrant place to live, work and do business.
Throughout the evening, we celebrated five outstanding finalists in each award category, announced this year’s award recipients and proudly honoured two remarkable individuals with Lifetime Achievement Awards:
| Chad Staley: Memorial Foundation | |
As a proud Legacy Sponsor of the Chad Staley Memorial Foundation, the AscenTech Group is proud to support an organization creating meaningful opportunities for athletes throughout Northern British Columbia.
This November 7th, CSM will host its First Annual Fundraising Gala at the Prince George Civic Centre, bringing together businesses, athletes, community leaders and supporters for an evening dedicated to strengthening the future of sport in our region.
Guests will enjoy dinner, guest speakers, live band (Last Call), and silent and live auctions, with funds raised helping support athlete grants, development programs, mental performance initiatives, injury prevention and recovery resources, and other programs designed to help Northern BC athletes reach their potential.
CSM is also currently looking for sponsors to help make the inaugural Gala a success. Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and organizations looking to support athletes and sport across Northern BC while being part of an important community event.
AscenTech is proud to stand behind this initiative, and we encourage other businesses and community members to attend, sponsor, or get involved.
Learn More About the Foundation: www.chadstaleymemorial.ca
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The Prince George Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 115 years, and we want you to celebrate with us!
Join us on Wednesday, October 21 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Chamber office as we mark 115 years of connecting, supporting and championing Prince George’s business community.
Come by for cake, great company and a very special unveiling as we celebrate this incredible milestone together.
📅 Wednesday, October 21, 2026
⏰ 2:00 to 4:00 PM
📍 Prince George Chamber of Commerce, 1564 7th Ave
🎟️ Free to attend
We would love to celebrate 115 years with the members, partners and community who have been part of our story!
| Build, Buy, Belong: Where Local Business Grows | |
Join Us and WeBC for “Build, Buy, Belong: Where Local Business Grows” on November 17
We’re excited to partner with WeBC to bring together local entrepreneurs and future business owners in Prince George for “Build, Buy, Belong: Where Local Business Grows” at The Exploration Place, Prince George, on November 17.
Developed in collaboration with partners from across the region, this event recognizes that just as there are many paths into entrepreneurship, there are many doorways into support. Learn about resources available through organizations like Black Business Association of BC, Queer Business BC, Latincouver, OCCA Communities Association, Société de développement économique de la C.-B., and other regional partners.
At “Build, Buy, Belong,” you’ll also hear honest stories from local entrepreneurs about building and buying businesses, navigating challenges, embracing opportunities, and finding support along the way.
Early bird pricing of just $25 until October 18! A light meal is included, but space is limited. Learn more and register: go.we-bc.ca/PGEvent
| The Chamber Presents: A Spotlight on Tuscany | Beem - Business After Hours | |
Protect What You’ve Built
Join us for an evening of networking, connection, and practical business insights at our next Business After Hours, hosted by Beem Credit Union.
Connect with fellow Chamber members and local business professionals while enjoying complimentary appetizers and refreshments. You’ll also hear from Roberta Stewart, Business and Estate Lawyer with Fulton & Company LLP, and Andrew Adams, CPA and Business Advisor with MNP LLP, as they share insights on succession planning, wealth protection, legal structure, and tax strategy.
Whether you’re planning for the future or simply looking to make new connections, this is a great opportunity to connect with Prince George’s business community.
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Thursday, October 29, 2026
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Beem Credit Union, 3036 Recreation Place
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Complimentary to attend | Registration required
Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot!
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TrueNorth Business Development Forum 2027
From Transition to Transformation.
| | Invitation: 2026 Workplace Law Trends | |
2026 Workplace Law Trends - Employer Essentials: Complaints, Compliance & Investigations
A presentation hosted by Managing Partner Ayla Salyn and Partner Jessica Vliegenthart
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Sandman Signature, Prince George
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
What We'll Cover:
Employment Law Primer
A clear, no-jargon overview of the employment law fundamentals every business owner should know, from hiring to termination. Whether you're well-versed or just getting oriented, this sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Workplace Complaints
Complaints don't always land in the same place, and where they land changes how you have to respond. We'll break down:
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What's changed under the Employment Standards Act and what it means for employers
- How human rights, ESA, WorkSafeBC, and the courts overlap, and why the wrong first step can expose you to unnecessary risk
- Practical, defensible approaches to resolving disputes before they escalate
Workplace Investigations
When a complaint or concern arises internally, how you investigate matters just as much as what you find. We'll cover:
- When an investigation is legally required, and when it's simply good practice
- Common missteps that can undermine an otherwise sound investigation
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How to protect your business while treating employees fairly
Whether you're a business owner, manager, or HR professional, this session will give you practical, up-to-date insight into the workplace law landscape heading into 2027.
Space is limited; we encourage you to RSVP early to secure your spot.
| College of New Caledonia - Business After Hours RECAP | |
What a great evening at CNC!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Business After Hours: Learning Tailored to Your Workforce at the College of New Caledonia.
The evening brought our business community together to connect, share ideas and learn more about how customized training and workforce development can help local employers meet their evolving needs.
Our Executive Director, Neil Godbout, moderated a great panel discussion exploring the opportunities available through CNC and how stronger partnerships between local businesses and post secondary institutions can support workforce development in our region.
A big thank you to the College of New Caledonia for partnering with us and hosting us for the evening, to our panelists for sharing their knowledge and perspectives, and to everyone who came out and joined the conversation.
We love seeing our business community come together for evenings like this, and we look forward to seeing you at the next Business After Hours!
| BC Hydro - Programs and incentives | | Chamber and Downtown Prince George on a tour of downtown streets and alleys | | Thank you, city council candidates, for joining the Chamber and Downtown Prince George on a tour of downtown streets and alleys, as well as the light industrial area east of Queensway, on Sept. 23 with Kent MacNeill, the city’s bylaw services manager. The purpose of the tour was to inform candidates about some of the most pressing issues businesses and workers face in the area, as well to allow candidates to ask questions in an informal setting. Good luck in your campaigns and we look forward to working with the new council after the Oct. 17 election. | |
- Flex Therapeutics
- MBM Management Inc.
- Bubble Balloons PG
- Survex Surveying and Mapping Services Ltd.
- Aunty Power Inc.
- Kraken Auto Spa & PPF
| | Note from the Executive Director | | |
Hello and Hadih.
With now two elections on the October calendar (municipal election for city council, school board trustees and regional district directors on Oct. 17 and the provincial election on Oct. 24 to pick the Members of Legislative Assembly), it begs the question of which levels of government do what.
The City of Prince George has a handy graphic below that lays it out in bullet points.
Business owners and operators have major skin in the game when it comes to both elections.
City councils oversee municipal property taxes, utilities, building permits, zoning, business licenses and planning and development, as well as the budget for the Prince George RCMP and Prince George Fire Rescue.
The provincial government, meanwhile, oversees provincial income and property and sales taxes, all levels of education, health care, social services, resource development, justice, and highways, as well as 29 Crown Corporations, from BC Housing and BC Hydro to Worksafe BC and ICBC.
While it can be frustrating to hear a candidate (or an elected official) say they can’t help you because the issue you’ve raised is outside of their mandate, at least they’re being honest with you. On the flip side, a candidate claiming that, if elected, they will take action on a file outside of their jurisdiction has just let you know they don’t have a grasp on the job they’re applying for.
Seeing political candidates are job applicants is a helpful and healthy way for business people to make their voting decisions. The politics can be put aside in favour of seeing the candidates as people. Do they have the knowledge and the skill to do the job?
Part of assessing that knowledge and skill in the candidates is gauging whether, if elected, they understand the limits of their powers.
The mayor has the same number of votes – one – as the rest of city council. The mayor oversees the same number of employees – one – as the rest of city council. City staff report to the city manager and the city manager reports to mayor and council. Mayor and council set direction; city staff, led by the city manager, do the job.
For example, mayor and council set the budget for snow removal but they don’t tell staff how and when to remove snow. Mayor and council can ask about the particulars of snow removal, but they don’t control the particulars.
Same goes for every other department.
Put another way, mayor and council are supposed to lead with a “noses in, fingers out” approach when it comes to city business.
Be wary of the candidates that don’t know the difference.
Please fulfill your democratic duty and cast your ballots on Oct. 17 and 24. Your choice matters.
All the best to you and your business,
Neil
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We’re thrilled to launch the second edition of our Chamber magazine — Community Connection! Dive into stories, highlights, and everything Chamber-related by checking it out today.
The logo’s right here to the right — and you can read the full issue at the link below!
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We have one quick question for you! If you could take 10 seconds to answer a multiple-choice question, we would greatly appreciate it.
Your feedback helps us better serve our business community. Find the question below and let us know your thoughts!
New Question: Will you be voting in the upcoming provincial election on Oct. 24?
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Last Month’s Poll Results Are In!
We asked: "Will you be voting in the October 11th municipal election?"
Here’s what you told us:
100% said Yes
| | The Exchange Platform is NOW LIVE! | | |
Are you looking to showcase your business and connect with Prince George’s business community? The Chamber has openings for Business Showcase Collaborations events throughout 2026! These events are an excellent opportunity to increase visibility, engage with local leaders, and make valuable connections.
Available dates to select from are:
November 17th, 2026
November 19th, 2026
November 24th, 2026
December 8th, 2026
December 17th, 2026
If you’re interested in partnering with us on one of these dates, please reach out to Colleen Sparrow at membership@pgchamber.bc.ca for more information!
| | Chambers Plan Advisor Team Grows in North Central BC | | | |
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Chambers Plan is growing its local advisor team in North Central BC!
We’re pleased to welcome Joshua Meise as the newest addition to the Chambers Plan advisor team, working alongside Linda Rempel to continue supporting businesses and their employees throughout the region.
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Joshua brings more than a decade of experience in group benefits sales and administration as the founder of Western Shield Insurance Solutions. He will provide hands on support with employee enrolments, plan changes and day to day benefits administration, giving local businesses another knowledgeable resource to turn to.
As Canada’s largest not for profit employee group benefits program, Chambers Plan supports more than 32,000 businesses across the country with comprehensive benefit options, nationwide pooling, Teladoc and business assistance services.
Linda and Joshua are your local Chambers Plan advisors in North Central BC and are here to help businesses get the most from their employee benefits.
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Prince George Chamber of Commerce
1564 7th Ave, Prince George, BC
(250) 562 - 2454
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