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Busy February Continues - Lots of Important Dates for Members
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We plan to see many members as our February events continue. Yesterday, we hosted over 250 guests at our "Business of Cannabis" Luncheon, sponsored in part by MNP LLP, part of the Okanagan College Luncheon Series. Photo below captures Colin Basran, Mayor, City of Kelowna; David Cram, Speaker, Okanagan College School of Business; Peter Guo, Speaker, MNP LLP; David Brown, Speaker, Kent Employment Law; Trina Warren, MNP LLP; Tom Dyas, President, Kelowna Chamber.
Tomorrow, Friday February 16th, we provide a breakfast update from the Bank of Canada covering recent economic developments, and an outlook ahead. Kelowna Yacht Club, 7:30 a.m. Friday, February 16.
Voting opens Monday February 19th
for Chamber members in our annual Directors election. Voting members will receive an special email via 'Election Buddy' which includes a one-time-only usage key which you can use to vote for up to seven directors. There are eleven candidates, including incumbent directors. Read all the candidates' bios and answers to three key Chamber-related questions
online starting Monday
. Voting is open between February 19th and March 1st. New directors will be announced at the Chamber
AGM
March 13th - Luncheon with keynote speaker Renee Wasylyk, at the Ramada Hotel.
Speaking of voting, this week also saw the Kelowna-West by-election roll out on Wednesday. Valentine's and votes: a busy day for everyone. Congratulations to the winner, Ben Stewart, and thanks to all the candidates for standing.
On Tuesday of next week, we present our February "Business Smarts" - see more information and registration further in this newsletter.
Next week during Chamber Week, we host a post-provincial budget breakfast: the morning after the provincial budget is tabled. Join us on Wednesday morning, February 21st at 7:30 a.m. for insights from two of KPMG MSLP's local senior tax analysts, and from Dan Rogers, who will give you the BC Chamber perspective from Tuesday's lock-up. Hot breakfast at the Prestige Beach House on Abbot & Harvey. More information here.
Thursday of next week sees our Commerce Connex after hours networking event. This month we're at Kelowna Hyundai's open and airy showroom on Highway 97. Come out for networking, appies and beverages, and meet some new contacts, while renewing some old ones. Pre-registration now available.
Breaking news: the Federal Budget has now been announced for Tuesday February 27th. That means that you are invited to a 'morning after' breakfast, Wednesday February 28th from 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at the Coast Capri Hotel. MNP LLP's local tax analysts will highlight the major changes and updates, and Dan Rogers, Executive Director of the Kelowna Chamber, will bring you the news from the Canadian Chamber tax analysts from the lock-up the day before. You'll get a hot breakfast and hot news. The event will be open for registration by Friday (tomorrow) on the Chamber event website. Coast Capri Horizon Room South.
There is bound to be at least one event in that jam-packed line-up that you'll want to attend. Visit our events page at www.kelownachamber.org/events, or give us a call if you have any questions. We're happy to help.
And, don't forget our
Presidents Dinner on Thursday April 12th
. A special e-news update will go out with more information about how to get involved shortly. This is a stellar opportunity for you to promote your product and/or services while helping your Chamber celebrate our many volunteers!
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Policy Alert - Kelowna Chamber
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Advocacy is at the heart of all things Chamber. At the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, we have an extremely active and engaged Policy Advocacy Committee, made up of board members, executive members, and Chamber members representing numerous community businesses and local interests. We work closely with our Okanagan chamber colleagues from up and down the valley, as well with other BC and Canadian chambers in identifying policy needs, updating previously tabled policies, and engaging our members in lively policy discussions which resonate through all three levels of government as we present the viewpoints and needs of Chamber members.
March 9th is a waypoint date for us: we will be submitting six policies this year to the BC Chamber Policy Review Committee. After that date, we get feedback from the policy experts at the BC Chamber, prior to honing our policies to a point where we can present them with the best authority and research at the BC Chamber AGM in Kamloops at the end of May this year.
Here's your chance to get involved, if you aren't already. Go to our Chamber web portal and let us know what's on your mind - what's keeping you up at night from a business perspective. We'll respond, and let you know where your concern fits on the 2018 policy grid.
Our six 2018 draft policies include concerns around:
- Invasive mussels in our fresh waters
- Agricultural land use
- Harmonization of worker hours
- Property Transfer Tax reform
- Digital media industry as a growth engine for the economy
- Inter-provincial trade barriers - more than just beer, wine and oil
Plus, we are joining in supporting policies from Chamber colleagues, including:
- Business Continuity and Emergency Preparedness (come to our April 25th luncheon on this subject)
- Stable formula funding for tourism destination marketing
- Stability in minimum wage levels
-
Electoral Reform in BC
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Events for February and March
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AGM March 13th, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Ramada Hotel
Renee Wasylyk, CEO, Troika Group
All voting members encouraged to attend
Plus, listen to the recently honoured Renee Wasylyk "Top 100 Most Powerful Women Awards" as she talks about leadership, the development business in the Okanagan, and
what it takes to run a world-class business in 2018.
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Post-Provincial Budget Briefing Breakfast
Nicole Watson & Judith Kaplan, KPMG
Dan Rogers, Kelowna Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday February 21st, 7:30 am - 9:30 am
Prestige Beach House. Includes hot Buffet Breakfast: $25 members; $30 non-members.
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Business Smarts: Advanced Performance Dynamics for Business - with Christine Patton of Power Within
Tuesday February 20th, 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Kelowna Chamber Boardroom
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Commerce Connex
T
hursday February 22nd, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Kelowna Hyundai
3260 Highway 97 North, Kelowna
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On or about July 1st, 2018
544 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna
Former Tourism Info Centre
No, the Chamber isn't moving - we need a new tenant to join us at our location after Tourism Kelowna moves out.
Approximately 117 square metres plus: 94 SQM common space
Ample parking; downtown core; Ellis & Harvey
Preferred use: tourism or not-for-profit related.
Contact
Dan Rogers,
Executive Director, to express interest.
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Send us your story! It's Chamber Week next week
We have the Mayor of the City of Kelowna's Proclamation to prove it - and the BC Chamber wants to feature photos and stories from Chamber members across the province. Your photo could be posted on social media by the BC Chamber - and we can tweet out your story or people info; and any appropriate hashtags or handles you would like included. Send all to Caroline at the Chamber and we'll send it on for you!
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2018 GolfBC Championship now accepting Volunteer & Caddie applications!
The GolfBC Championship, a Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada event, is now accepting applications for Volunteers and Caddies to become involved in their third year of professional golf in the Okanagan Valley. Volunteers and Caddies are being invited to actively participate in the presentation of the GolfBC Championship coming to Gallagher's Canyon Golf & Country Club June 11th-17th, 2018. The event is looking for 300 volunteers. No experience is necessary. Open to men and women who want to experience working at a professional golf tournament. There are a number of opportunities available in many areas of the tournament. Those wishing to volunteer should go to golfbchampionship.com and apply while opportunities last.
If you've got an idea for someone in your business circles
who you think might be a good fit for our referral group, please come and talk to us about it, or send an email. Or if you'd like to join, we'd love to hear from you.
We have two groups, Tuesday morning and Thursday morning, both at 7:30 a.m. You're welcome to give us a test drive to see what you think. Only one member per industry, so do please check with us first, to see which group you or someone you know would best fit into.
There is an annual fee, plus your breakfast every week. Each week, one member gives a presentation about her or his business, and we publish the speaker schedule several weeks in advance.
We meet at MTL (montREAL food) across from Landmark at 1851 Kirschner Rd, #101, Kelowna, BC V1Y 4N7.
The MNP Kelowna team proudly congratulates Rose Lariviere, Jeffrey Durrant, Jennifer Wells, Jared Cook, Ashley Odermatt and Curtis Krause on successfully completing the 2017 Common Final Exam. Extra special congratulations to Jennifer Wells making the Chartered Professional Accountant's National Honour Roll.
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