What do restaurants, retailers, contractors, and financial services have in common?

They are all businesses that will be visited by business leaders and civic leaders during Fernie’s first business walk on June 13.

Volunteer “walkers” will connect face-to-face with business operators in an informal casual way to determine the current state of business in Fernie and identify areas for improvement.

The walk is being led by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce. Business walks have proven highly effective in strengthening local economies by retaining businesses in a community and creating an environment where they can grow.

Volunteers include business leaders, elected officials, and program managers. These volunteers will be our walkers. The chamber is targeting to visit 100 Fernie businesses to have brief conversations on three key questions. ‘How is business’, ‘what do you like about doing business in your area’, and ‘how can business be improved’.

Companies with specific needs will be connected to resources that can provide one-on-one assistance.

The information gathered from this business walks will be used in a number of ways. The chamber will use the business walk to track the pulse of the business community, compare how we’ve changed since the BRE, and identify needed programs for our community.

With details, the chamber can tailor services to the expressed needs of the businesses we serve. Civic leaders can better connect with businesses in the community through face-to-face conversations initiated and identified and remove barriers to do business in their areas.

Businesses interested in learning more are invited to contact Patty Vadnais at the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, 250-423-6868.

The Fernie Chamber of Commerce represents over 266 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.

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