The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is spearheading a Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) survey. A BR+E is designed to take the pulse of the business community.

Representatives from the chamber will be interviewing local businesses in the upcoming months gathering the survey data.

The Chamber of Commerce recognizes that existing businesses are valuable economic and employment assets contributing to the vitality of our community. The survey, that takes about one and a half hours to compete, will collect first-hand information from our businesses on their current position.

“Our chamber’s mission is to strengthen commerce in Fernie,” stated board president Sheila Byers. “And completing a Business Retention and Expansion survey is one tool we can use to understand our economic climate and the needs of our local businesses.”

The survey information can be used to address urgent problems, connect businesses with relevant support programs and services, and identify gaps where business programs and resources could be improved or created to support economic development strategies within the community.

The BR+E will be completed by accessing resources from the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute.

“With the valuable information collected through community-driven BR+E projects, decision makers and economic development practitioners will be well positioned to provide support to our local businesses and take action to improve the overall business climate in our region,” stated Dr. Terri MacDonald, Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development for Selkirk College and the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute.

In the next few weeks, Fernie businesses will receive more details on how they can participate. Businesses are urged to take this opportunity to share their views and to contribute to the pool of information about the local business community. Individual information and comments will be confidential, but the aggregated information will be of great value in understanding our current economy, planning for the future, and general promotion of business in Fernie.

This project is made possible through support from Columbia Basin Trust and the City of Fernie.

The Fernie Chamber of Commerce represents over 260 business in Fernie and the Elk Valley. Its mission is to strengthen commerce in the Fernie area and is guided by principles of membership, integrity, best- practices, business excellence, and non-partisanship. The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is ‘The Voice of Business in Fernie.’

Fernie Chamber of Commerce

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