BC businesses Face Major Hurdles Under Phase 2 of Restart Plan
While British Columbia has entered phase two of its Restart Plan, only one-in-four (26%) businesses impacted by COVID-19 feel able to restart and operate profitably with the gradual easing of restrictions. The biggest challenges to restarting identified by survey respondents are: attracting customers or revenue (75%), having enough operating cash for expenses (49%) or to […]
BC Chamber Announces 2019 – 2020 Board of Directors
The BC Chamber of Commerce is in the business of insight. Supporting and guiding this strategic direction is our Board of Directors. After an extensive voting process that began on April 3rd and closed on April 24th, 2020 we are pleased to share the election results for the Chamber’s 2020 Board of Directors. The caliber […]
Province plots path to recovery; business community ready to do its part for a safe reopening
Today Premier Horgan laid out how BC’s economy will safely reopen, a move welcomed by BC’s business community. While health and safety restrictions will mean a radically different operating environment, businesses from every sector are ready to do their part. “We know the path to recovery will be long and steep and for some sectors […]
Almost half of B.C. businesses that are temporarily closed not confident in ability to reopen
April 21, 2020, Vancouver, BC – The COVID-19 crisis is deepening for British Columbia businesses with four-in-ten (43%) of those surveyed stating they can only continue to operate for up to three months under current restrictions. For businesses temporarily closed, the future is similarly dire, with only half (53%) expecting to reopen once the restrictions […]
Pulse-check survey shows many B.C. businesses in need of life support
April 3, 2020, Vancouver, BC – The COVID-19 crisis is significantly hurting British Columbia businesses and their employees. In the past two weeks alone, approximately half of the 1,900 businesses surveyed have experienced revenue decreases of 75% or more, while two-thirds have seen revenues drop by 50% or more. This is according to a survey […]
BCMindReader.com COVID-19 business impacts survey generates almost 8000 responses
The BC Chamber of Commerce (and its 120-member chamber network) in partnership with Small Business BC, The BC Economic Development Association, and Community Futures BC, launched a survey on March 13 to understand specific impacts BC businesses are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic – and hear their proposed solutions. As of March 18, almost […]
Business, Indigenous and Community Leaders Call for a Return to Order
Vancouver, March 4, 2020 – A growing chorus of business, Indigenous and community leaders are calling for a commitment to certainty and future prosperity following weeks of economic disruption. Rail blockades and challenges with respect to numerous significant infrastructure projects representing billions of dollars of investment are symptoms of very serious problems requiring urgent action. Blockades […]
BC Chamber Statement on the Ongoing Rail & Infrastructure Blockades
Wider economic impacts now emerging (Updated on February 25, 2020 at 12:35 PM) The BC Chamber urges the Federal Government to take swift action to end supply-chain disruptions and restore normal services, as we head into a third weekend of potential blockades across BC and Canada. “If the country wakes up Monday morning with blockades […]
BC Chamber of Commerce Responds to Budget 2020
Overall, Budget 2020 lacks a clearly defined competitiveness strategy that would ultimately support affordability measures long-term VICTORIA, BC, February 20, 2020–The Provincial government unveiled a balanced budget today with affordability at its core—but the business community is left wondering about the absence of a clear ‘competitiveness strategy’ in the budget—and the impact this will have […]
The BC Chamber calls on government and law enforcement to end blockades, rail disruptions
“Peaceful protest is a sacred Canadian right, but blockades are illegal” says BC Chamber Chief Executive *UPDATE: As of Feb 13 rail service has resumed. VANCOUVER, February 13, 2020 – As CN is forced to shut down significant parts of its national rail network, Canada’s reputation as a supply chair partner that delivers is being called into […]