BC Chamber in the Headlines
November 17, 2011
Business community supports energy exports despite concerns – Vancouver Sun
The majority of British Columbia’s business community supports building pipelines and other infrastructure for energy exports, according to a poll conducted for the BC Chamber of Commerce.
November 1, 2011
Minimum wage hikes to $9.50, but not for everyone – Vancouver Observer
"It’s the impact on other wages, and how it drives them up, that's a big concern," said Winter.
October 19, 2011
BC shipyard awarded $8B shipbuilding contract - CBC
"To put this into context, the total benefit of this contract to the B.C. economy will outweigh the 2010 Winter Olympics by a factor of 10."
October 19, 2011
Massive windfall as B.C.'s Seaspan wins $8-billion ship-building contract – The Province
“We anticipate that the positive ripple effects of this contract will benefit businesses across multiple sectors and create jobs on a very large scale,” said John Winter, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce.”
Policy Successes
BC Successfully wins $8 Billion Shipbuilding contract
Seaspan Shipyards was successful in receiving a contract to build non-combat ships under the Federal Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS). The contract is a 20-year, $8 billion federal program that will create thousands of jobs and greatly impact the BC economy.
Read the News Release - Read the BC Chamber Shipbuilding Policy
Metal Theft
The BC Government has announced that they will be legislating Bill 13 to deter and prosecute metal thieves and protect BC’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Read the News Release – Read the BC Chamber Metal Theft Policy
Upcoming Events
Site C Business Information Session
December 1, 2011 (Vancouver)
Addressing the overview and status of the Site C project, this BC Hydro session will include:
- Status of the project
- Overview of construction components
- Procurement planning update and the Site C Business Directory
Registration is free. There are 4 additional dates and locations in Northern BC
What’s New @ bcchamber.org
Open Letter: A Choice for British Columbia
As Canadians, we are acutely aware that living beside the most powerful and prosperous country in the world can be a double-edged sword.
That relationship has given us privileged access to a huge and lucrative market and created the most valuable trading relationship among nations. Yet the glow of the U.S. marketplace can be so bright it sometimes blinds us to opportunities to diversify and secure Canada's future prosperity. Continue reading . . .
Hotel Discount update
Twenty-two regional chambers have already adopted the exclusive BC Chamber of Commerce Hotel Discount Program to pass along to their members. If you’re one of those chambers, be sure to actively promote the service to members for use during their winter vacations or business travel.
Many chamber members have been taking advantage of this offering to save 10-50% on their hotel bookings all over the world. If your chamber has not yet added this valuable benefit, please contact Kevin Armitage at Local Hospitality to learn how easy it is to launch (kevin@localhospitality.com, 778-279-7900).
Chamber News
Market-based data for your business
Do you want more market information for:
- Understanding consumer spending patterns and socio-economic trends
- Evaluating the competition in your industry
- Obtaining financial statistics for a business plan
- Assessing your company's financial position against the industry norm
StatsCan has free online learning sessions on Thursday, Nov. 24. 10 am and Friday, Nov. 25, 1 pm to highlight the wealth of business data that your company can use for market research and business planning. The sessions will last 60 minutes, including Q&A.
Small Business BC Successfully You Awards
Please help spread the word about this great opportunity to the small businesses in your region. Nominations and voting end November 30th, 2011. Information on the 6 award categories and eligibility can be found at http://www.successfulyou.ca/nominate.
Provincial News
Mining agreements signed with China and India
While on a 12-day jobs and trade mission to China and India, Premier Clark has signed a co-operation arrangement for bilateral trade and investment in mining and minerals with China, and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on co-operation for mineral exploration and mining with India.
China New Release
India News Release
Federal News
Federal Investment to Enhance Clean Energy Market Opportunities for Western Canadian Businesses
Western Canada’s small- and medium-sized clean energy firms are well positioned to take advantage of domestic and international market opportunities at the upcoming Global Clean Energy Congress thanks to an investment from the Government of Canada. This investment further demonstrates the Government’s commitment to creating jobs and strong economic growth.
The program is providing 150 companies from across the West with access to resources such as workshops, training and business advisory services