2021 opened up NOT with a clean slate, but with a continuing murky slate. The pandemic is a reality impacting everybody, including all local businesses, for nearly a year now. It’s changed all of our daily lives and certainly turned the Chamber’s world upside down.

 

The Chamber was an organization that brought people together 40-50 times a year knitting the business community’s social network. Last March we quickly turned our attention to the importance of delivering vital information to help guide businesses to government aid and support and virtual programs providing insight, education, and inspiration. We’ve been doing so much more behind the scenes, we decided on this report to shine a light on this work for you.

 

In January, the Chamber agreed to participate in the rebuilding Tourism Nanaimo. Local stakeholders – Nanaimo Chamber, Nanaimo Hospitality Association, Snuneymuxw, Petroglyph Developments, VICC, and Nanaimo Port Authority – are among those being tasked to create a new community-based model. The Chamber looks forward to developing an organization that will help our local community rebound from the cataclysmic impact Covid has had on travel, tourism and hospitality.

 

We also helped lead other Island Chambers in a letter writing campaign to support a local business with touch points in many Island communities — Wilson’s Transportation’s Tofino Bus. The recent suspension of this business has implications beyond tourism — Tofino Bus was the only safe transportation option for many First Nations communities in the mid-Island region – 21 communities to be precise. This prompted the Nanaimo Chamber to engage with the Regional District to encourage an examination of how we can create safe, inexpensive inter-regional travel in the future.

 

Nanaimo led Chamber leaders across BC in support of Mayor Krog and the UBCM ‘big city mayors’ consortium in the province to acknowledge the need for a dramatic shift in thinking to deal with the three crises we’re staring down – affordable housing, addiction, and homelessness. We also requested the Province look into its century-old municipal charter to open the ability for municipalities to look beyond property taxes and utilities as their main sources of revenue while senior governments continue to download onto local taxpayers.

 

In January, the Chamber’s role on “Mayor & Council’s Task Forces on Health & Housing” and a task force on “Economic Development” ended with major reports to Council. The reports and attendant action plans have been approved by Council. This concludes over twelve months of cooperative work by community leaders who gave a tremendous amount of themselves during difficult times and conditions. The Chamber is proud of the outcome, especially the Nanaimo Prosperity Agency – a new external economic development agency reporting to the City and governed by community stakeholders.

 

The Chamber approached City Council February 17 seeking a staff report on the impact of freezing commercial tax rate increases this year due to Covid’s impact on small business locally. The motion passed. At the very least, we’ve drawn attention to the pandemic’s impact on local business, we will benefit from the report from the City finance department, and we will have started the discussion on the future of Nanaimo’s tax structure and its impact on business. We’ll keep reporting back on our further progress to relieve the tax burden on the community.

 

The Chamber has planned Virtual Events this year replacing our ‘live’ events with new experiences. And it’s not just “Chamber on Zoom”. Try joining us remotely…  we’re making this video-conferencing transition interesting and fun while constantly improving our technology and building solid content!!

 

And please reach out to agree or disagree with me at any time.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Kim Smythe, President & CEO

P: (250) 756-1191 X. 1

ceo@nanaimochamber.bc.ca

Partnership to tackle Nanaimo homelessness begins implementation action

Nanaimo, B.C – The City of Nanaimo’s Council led Health and Housing Task Force, which was established by Nanaimo City Council this year, in partnership with the Nanaimo Homeless Coalition, and United Way Central & Northern Vancouver Island have joined forces with Turner Strategies and HelpSeeker to support system change initiatives to address current community challenges relating to homelessness.

READ THE FULL NEWS RELEASE HERE …  News release_Coordinated Access_NHC CoN

 

Report to Council October 28. 2019

Findings & Recommendation:

Impact on business and residents of homelessness and social disorder

Click here to download the full report.

The Nanaimo Child Development Centre has been promoting optimum child development by serving children and youth with developmental needs and their families since 1967. The Nanaimo Child Development Centre is the oldest Child Development Centre across British Columbia.  Their services are free of charge.  Through generous individual and business community supporters they can provide support services, education, and needs navigation to the families as well. 

The Nanaimo Child Development Centre is a CARF accredited organization.  Winning awards like this help them maintain the level of professionalism required to meet these standards.  On a more personal level, the Nanaimo CDC has many therapists working with children and their families throughout the Ladysmith, Nanaimo, and Lantzville communities who they’ve been able to share the success with.  To the Nanaimo CDC this “is an honour.” 

The Centre is very excited to be a main partner in the Inclusive Playground renovation that will be taking place in 2020 at the Maffeo Sutton Playground Park location. They have also started hosting inclusive play days for the community.  They believe these are great for the community because all children and youth should be able to enjoy activities and nature. “When everyone is included, everyone wins.”– Jesse Jackson 

Check out their website at www.nanaimocdc.com, like them on Facebook at Nanaimo Child Development Centre, or follow them on Twitter at @nanaimoCDC 

Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island is a not for profit organization with a mission to provide affordable homeownership opportunities to families across the Mid-Vancouver Island Region.  Safe, decent, and affordable housing can have a transformative impact on families and on the communities in which they live.  Research shows that kids do better in school, parents’ employment prospects improve, and families are happier and better equipped to face life’s challenges after moving into a Habitat home.

Habitat for Humanity raise funds via their two ReStores, which sell new and used building supplies, home décor, furniture, and lighting, as well as through donations. With the support of their volunteers and community supporters they can build homes for families experiencing housing poverty who would not qualify for a regular mortgage.

Winning this award was “wonderful as it showed us that our local community in Nanaimo is supportive of our mission and understands what we are working to achieve.”

The impact of the winning the award has been to encourage everyone at Habitat for Humanity to think about how they can go even further to meet their Corporate Social Responsibility goals.  For example, they are looking at working with local contractors to divert even more waste from landfill, they are planning to hold community clean up events, and they have big ambitions to be able to provide more affordable homes for local families than ever before.

Habitat for Humanity has a busy few years ahead of them with home builds planned for the Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo and will hopefully be expanding into other parts of the Mid-Island region. They would like to welcome more volunteers into our ReStores and onto our Build Sites and keep connecting with communities at local events.

Check out their website at www.habitatmvi.org, like them on Facebook at Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island, or follow them on Instagram at @habitatmvi!

Click here to download PDF!

Harbour Air was founded in British Columbia in 1982. With two small de Havilland Beaver seaplanes and a plan to service the forest industry, Harbour Air began by offering private charters to log buyers visiting the coast. With growing success and an increasing demand on both commuting and touring service, the company quickly expanded over the years adding daily, frequently scheduled flights between Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast and Whistler.

Today, after over 35 years in business and more than 40 aircraft, the Harbour Air Group consisting of Harbour Air Seaplanes, Whistler Air and Saltspring Air has become one of the largest all-seaplane airlines in the world.

Amongst other accolades, Harbour Air is recognized as a platinum member of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, a recipient of the Cumberbatch Award for Safety by the Air Navigators Guild, a Canadian Signature Experience, a Business of the Year in Victoria and a National Recipient of the Visa Canada Experience of the Year Award. In 2007 we became North America’s first fully Carbon Neutral Airline.

This year (2019) the founder of Harbour Air, Greg McDougall, was inducted in the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame!

Winning this award is special for John because he knows what a fantastic job his team does daily and this proves it. Awards that are voted for by the travelling passengers and public always mean the most as it’s a true gauge of how we are perceived within the community we serve. The award serves as a great motivator and morale boost for the staff. Customer Service is not always the easiest business to be in but we strive to be the best we can.

The biggest thing currently on the horizon is of course the Electric Aircraft Fleet announcement we made back in March. We are currently partnering with MagniX from Australia in the creation of the first electric seaplane, with the rest of the fleet to follow.

We are also looking at some new routes to connect Vancouver Island and the lower mainland, so stay tuned for those announcements.

Check out their website at www.harbourair.com, like them on Facebook at Harbour Air Seaplanes, or follow them on Instagram at @harbourair (use the hashtag #flyHA and they might feature your photo!)

Click here to download the PDF!

Nanaimo • September 20, 2019

SELLING NANAIMO TO THE WORLD

The Vancouver Island Export Forum is an added attraction to the 2019 Business Expo on October 3 in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The Nanaimo Chamber recognizes that manufacturing and export traffic to destinations regionally, and around the world, are rapidly growing. New business supports are available to those in the export chain for both suppliers and vendors. The Forum will highlight some of these.

The Island’s Foreign Trade Zone designation, the Port Authority’s Short Sea Shipping advantages, the opening of Export Navigator offices here, and recent rapid growth of advanced manufacturing on the Island are all great reasons to launch the Forum now.

“Whether your business is actively involved in export trade, or you count manufacturers and exporters among your clients and colleagues, this is an opportunity to gain information and advantages early in the game. Advanced-manufacturing is a rapidly growing sector of the mid-Island economy feeding the export trade activity of the Island” according to Kim Smythe of the Nanaimo Chamber.

George Hanson of VIEA, Export Navigator Fabrizio Alberico, John Juricic with the Island Manufacturing Council, and Jason Mitchell of the Nanaimo Port Authority will form a panel moderated by Nathan Seaward of the YPN. The discussion starts at 1:00 pm in the Lantzville Room at VICC and is co-presented by the Nanaimo Chamber and Young Professionals of Nanaimo.

Topics include the simplicity of profitability through mid-Island export markets, the diversity of products and services that are considered as ‘exports’, offshore destinations include… (anywhere off of Vancouver Island!), and who your friends are – a look at trade partners around the world!

At 2 pm, the Forum features the Belgian Trade Commission who will encourage exports to Europe by taking advantage of the new Canada Europe Trade Agreement using their country as the portal. Expanding trading partners is always health and CETA makes Europe even more attractive.

Help kick off Small Business Month in BC. Find out what’s happening with business in Nanaimo today at nearly 100 trade show booths. Trade Show and Forum attendance and registration is free! Register Now!

Charlie’s Closet is a consignment store that does their part for the environment by keeping a massive amount of clothing out of the landfill.  They also help support the economy and provide quality pieces of clothing to the people of Nanaimo for an affordable price.  They’ve built a community of women at their shop and offer comradery, support, and a children’s play corner for any mothers shopping.

“I think everyone at the event saw how much this meant to me, and to my children,” said Nadine, Charlie’s Closet owner.  The support Charlie’s Closet has received from the community has built the business and their lives. “It’s been an honour just to be nominated the last few years, I never ever imagined they would call our name.”

This win kicked off an amazing year for Charlie’s Closet!  Shortly after the Nanaimo Business Awards win, they took Best Consignment in the Best of the City awards.  Their business has doubled within this past year due to hard work finally paying off and the added exposure from this wonderful acknowledgment.

You can find Charlie’s Closet in Nanaimo’s Old City Quarter!  Or online on Facebook at Charlie’s Closet Nanaimo or on Instagram at @charliesclosetnanaimo!

Click here to download PDF! 

Nanaimo • September 16, 2019

EXPORT FORUM AN ADDED ATTRACTION TO BUSINESS EXPO

Business Expo, the Chamber’s salute to Small Business Month in BC, is launching the Vancouver Island Export Forum as an added attraction at the Expo on October 3 in the VICC. Export traffic from Nanaimo to destinations regionally and around the world are growing. New tools are available to support those exporting from the mid-Island and the Forum will reveal some of these.

The Island’s Foreign Trade Zone designation, the Port Authority’s Short Sea Shipping advantages, the opening of Export Navigator offices here, and recent rapid growth of advanced manufacturing on the Island were all good reasons to launch the Forum now.

“Whether your business is actively involved in export trade, or you count manufacturers and exporters among your clients and colleagues, this is an opportunity to gain an advantage early in the game. Advanced-manufacturing and exporting is a rapidly growing sector of the local economy” according to Kim Smythe of the Nanaimo Chamber.

A panel including George Hanson of VIEA, Fabrizio Alberico of Export Navigator, John Juricic with the Island Manufacturing Council, and others will be in attendance. The event starts at 1:00 pm in the Departure Bay Room at VICC and is co-presented by the Nanaimo Chamber and Young Professionals of Nanaimo.

At 2 pm, the Forum highlights a team from the Belgian Trade Commission, encouraging export to Europe by taking advantage of the new Canada Europe Trade Agreement. With trade conditions becoming more complicated with current trade partners, CETA becomes even more attractive.

Help kick off Small Business Month in BC and find out what’s happening with business in Nanaimo today – attendance is free! Register now for the forum!

Click here to download PDF.

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING

What three core values make up HA Photography’s foundation? Professionalism, customer care, and community service. Dirk is sought after for his industry knowledge and expertise, visionary approach to impact branding, and forging synergies with small business partners. He is a welcoming and a trusted professional who takes the time to understand each client’s unique needs and desire to standout amongst others. As a fixture in the community, Dirk is committed to community and frequently offers a range of in-kind services to a variety of local charitable organizations. He believes that his “respected reputation and top-notch customer care have set me apart from my colleagues and made me the go-to photographer in Nanaimo.”

For Dirk, winning the award for “Best Creative Services” “topped of a completely stellar day.” “OMG, I was totally thrilled and could not have been happier!” Dirk had a very successful shoot earlier that day in Sooke with FortisBC capturing images of a hand drum making workshop on the Scia’new traditional territory. Winning the award has given HA Photography further recognition and profile.  This is important to Dirk as he wants to “continually raise the stature of what it means to be a professional photographer.”

There are some exciting changes coming up at HA Photography. Currently in the works is a new website featuring stock images of Nanaimo and the local area. This new website will have many new images and more information for Dirk’s clients. HA Photography is also looking for an upgraded look for the logo.  In short, there are a great deal of new things coming down the line.

Check out HA Photography’s website heydemannphoto.com, like them on Facebook at HA Photography, or follow them on Instagram at @dirk.heydemann!

Click here to download PDF.