The City of Chilliwack is one of 15 finalists up for the 2013 Open for Business Awards, sponsored by the provincial government.
The awards recognize communities that “support small business through local-government measures aligned with the BC
Small Business Accord.”
The awards are issued by B.C.'s Small Business Roundtable, established in 2005 to be the voice for small business to government.
Through its diverse sector membership of small-business owners and association leaders, the roundtable helps government develop strategies to support the growth and success of small business throughout the province.
This year, the roundtable received submissions from 39 communities, with award evaluations based on how they enhance small-business competitiveness, recognize the contributions of small businesses to the community, and promote the principles of the BC Small Business Accord.
Besides Chilliwack, the roundtable named the following communities as finalists: Central Saanich, Coquitlam, Fort St James, Kelowna, Lake Country, Langley, Peachland, Pemberton, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Rossland, Squamish, Valemount and Vernon.
As an incentive to promote an "open-for-business" culture, the Province is providing awards of $10,000 to each winning community to help implement measures that benefit small business. Winners will be announced on Sept. 19 at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) annual conference in Vancouver.