The Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce and Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce have created a new joint policy committee.
The committee was created to craft innovative policies that respond to current regional business needs. The committee meets monthly and includes three members from each chamber’s board of directors, along with Anne Dodson, CEO of the Qualicum Beach chamber and Kim Burden, executive director for the Parksville chamber.
“This collaborative approach is intended to constructively influence public policy and governments in an effort to support a healthy economy. The success of any regional economic development plan is to work together and that’s why this initiative is so important,” said Burden, in a press release. “We want to be sure the interests of our business community are always top of mind and we encourage our members to communicate with us.”
The newly formed committee will work to develop policy by identifying regional business needs and submitting them to the B.C. Chamber policy session for support from the 130-member chambers.
“Working together as a region to build policy that will ensure our economic success is just more efficient when many of our challenges are the same,” said Dodson. “The local chambers are well positioned to respond to the current needs of our local business communities.”
The committee has so far identified affordable housing, thriving orcas, thriving communities, Agricultural Land Commission - changes to land use regulations and reducing merchant service processing fees.
The chambers want to engage with their members to discuss issues impacting the business community and both Anne and Kim can be reached at the chamber offices.
— NEWS Staff