February 17, 2014 marks the beginning of Chamber of Commerce Week, an opportunity for Chambers of commerce all across British Columbia to showcase their hard work on behalf of business.
This year, chambers are celebrating the theme of "Leadership in Action" - a theme which highlights the leadership chambers bring to their business communities, working hard to enhance B.C. as a business-friendly jurisdiction with strong opportunities for all British Columbians.
And this leadership delivers results.
Just this month, B.C.'s Chamber Network, working in partnership with the B.C. government, was able to deliver a significant win for B.C.'s businesses: key, business-friendly changes to a recycling regulation that had caused concern in business communities across B.C.
Thanks to the hard work of chambers in B.C., working closely with a responsive government, more than 99 per cent of B.C.'s businesses will face no red tape or fees under this recycling regulation, which deals with packaging and printed paper.
And that's just one of many positive changes that the chamber network has led for B.C. businesses. Among many areas of impact, B.C.'s Chambers have been a key voice: encouraging balanced budgets at all levels of government; calling for solutions to B.C.'s skills gap; and encouraging municipalities to actively support local economic development Here on Lulu Island, the Richmond Chamber of Commerce is the true voice of business and provides countless networking and educational opportunities for its members.
Next week, the Richmond chamber will host Provincial Finance Minister, the Honourable Mike de Jong, for its 12th Annual Post Budget luncheon to discuss what the B.C. budget means for local businesses.
On March 3, the Richmond Chamber will host the 2014 Economic Outlook in partnership with TD Bank Group, involving a discussion on the recent drop in value of the Canadian dollar and the economic implications. For more information on both of these events please visit www.richmondchamber. ca
So as B.C. celebrates Chamber Week, don't miss the opportunity to get involved with the Richmond Chamber, join in on some Chamber Week events, and celebrate the leadership, energy and can-do attitude that chambers of commerce bring to our their communities.
"We encourage all businesses to get involved with their local Chamber. As the voice of business, our message and impact is enhanced by a strong membership. If you are a new or established business, Chamber Week is the perfect opportunity to get involved" said, Brian Williams, Chair of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.
