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CEO ADDRESS TO THE 131st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

While I have some remarks published in the report you’ve all received, I wanted to depart from that and use my minute or two here to comment on some of the details of the year 2020. Starting March 13 last year, our world went into a spin nobody could have forecasted. At the Chamber, we were busy planning our 50 plus events for the year – from networking activities, monthly luncheons, ceo breakfasts, and the biggies like Business Expo, Business Awards, and of course the Commercial Street Night Market. Instead, we had two breakfasts and one luncheon done by that time. Fortunately, we were given a brief reprieve in the summer and received the PHO’s blessing to hold our golf tournament – much to the delight, no – glee — of our 80 golfers. Staff mentioned it was like watching kids AT the first snowfall of the year!

 

We shifted gears upon discovering that what people wanted most was information and knowledge which saw us enter into “uber communications” mode. We produced 13 weekly webinars from March to June interviewing the people who mattered the most – government & community leaders, and the folks who would help businesses the most in securing support funding to help them survive what we didn’t know enough about to know what was coming next. We increased our NewsLine enews from a single issue with five stories a week to a daily issue with twenty-five stories a week and our readership went up 5,000%. We pulled off a virtual Business Awards show with the help of Steve Patterson of CBC’s “The Debaters”. Our workload in government advocacy went sky high as we collaborated with the BC Chamber and provincial ministries to ensure business had the best chance to survive and thrive. And we ended the year on a positive note financially.

 

Thanks to Chamber staff who really moved fluidly amidst all the changes we needed to make, to our contractors who did the same, to volunteers who persevered, to our colleagues and partners in business and government. Especially to civic leaders in governance and the bureaucracy as we worked together on the Health and Housing Task Force, Economic Development Task Force, the reformation of Tourism Nanaimo and development of a new BIA.

 

Among the changes we went through, perhaps the most significant was the board’s decision to look towards the future and our needs for space which resulted in the sale of our building in early 2021 with the intent to purchase property in the city center with proceeds from the sale and make an equity investment in downtown revitalization. While the sale has been completed, the Chamber will not be moving until we’ve found the best space possible that will allow the Chamber to continue serving its members while also paying respect to the membership and past board members and leaders who created the legacy we enjoy now.

 

Kim Smythe, President & CEO

ceo@nanaimochamber.bc.ca

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Restaurants Require Relief

Chamber Executives from around BC met on Tuesday in our bi-weekly Chamber Coffee Chat. Of course, the main topic of conversation was the announcement by the Premier around new restrictions and closures – restaurants and pubs being the most controversial and challenging for all communities. We determined that we needed to speak on behalf of the industry and the tens of thousands of workers impacted so suddenly and drastically by the province’s announcements providing about eight hours of notice of the 100% restriction on indoor dining.

 

The frustration of business owners and operators could be felt in one of our member’s voices as he described that Monday morning he had placed an order for $11,000 for wine necessary to satisfy those dining out for Easter. The week previous he had place substantial orders for deliveries of fresh foods for later this week to hold him over the long weekend. I’m sure this story was repeated thousands of times by restauranteurs over the past couple of days. Unfortunately for most in BC, patios are not an alternative at this time of year. In Nanaimo, the Fire Department refused to permit propane powered heaters on any patio with a covering which would have been the only alternative during the winter months.

 

The repeated and sudden nature of closures and restrictions that provide no notice for the industry to adjust staffing, provision procurement, and credit/cash flow arrangements. The industry is operating in very stressful times since allowed to re-open to reduced capacities late last spring. In our community, a number have closed their doors permanently. I’m sure Chambers across BC would say the same things about their communities.

 

We concluded through this discussion that three things should be considered going forward, and we hope you’ll share this with government to advocate for more consideration for the industry:

  • Businesses impacted (restaurants and pubs) need to be provided with guidance on how to seek support and funding to ensure they don’t lose their businesses. There must be recognition of the sudden impact on an industry already struggling under difficult conditions. Perhaps a special fund separate and distinct from the existing BC Recovery Plan funding.
  • There needs to be more transparency and clarity around the potential for changing conditions on businesses, industries and sectors that are in fragile or threatened territory already. Lack of communication around the decision-making process is resulting in mistrust in the process. We need more clarity, we need to know why, and we need to know how we can properly address the areas of concern for our region. (IE – is it in fact restaurants in all of BC where we are seeing the spike?)
  • Many Chambers would encourage reconsideration of a strategic, territorial approach when considering industry-wide closures. On Vancouver Island, our case count is fortunately very low and the chances of anybody ‘region-hopping’ for the sake of a dinner out would be extremely unlikely. Similar situations exist in the North and the Kootenays among other regions.

 

With the number of people living paycheque to paycheque or tipjar to tipjar, this situation is close to overwhelming for local economies. We can only hope that three weeks really does end up being three weeks!

 

For inquiries, reach out to:

Kim Smythe, President & CEO

ceo@nanaimochamber.bc.ca

 

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