June 30 | 2020
NEWS & UPDATES
A Win for BC Business: Temporary Layoff Provision Extended to August 30, 2020
Over the past few weeks the BC business community, including the Kelowna Chamber, urged Premier Horgan and Labour Minister Harry Bains to reconsider their stance on BC's temporary layoff provisions, requesting an extension. The Honourable Minister noted that the call had been heard, "Loud and clear".

The Province of British Columbia has now extended the provisions to a maximum of 24 weeks expiring on August 30, 2020.
Downtown Kelowna's Extended Patios are Now Open on Bernard Avenue
The City of Kelowna's Sidewalk Café Program begins this week in Downtown Kelowna.  From St. Paul Street to Abbott Street, Bernard Avenue will be closed to create a pedestrian walkway, and cross streets will still be open for traffic. 

This initiative has been developed to assist businesses in operating effectively while ensuring physical distancing requirements are adhered to. Participating businesses include retail, service providers, and the hospitality industry. The pilot project will run from June 29 to September 7, 2020. Interested in participating? LEARN MORE & APPLY.
Blog: The Top 3 Things to Know When Re-opening Your Business, from an HR Expert
In the post COVID-19 world where we go back to work, some of us might be fighting with the thoughts about, how do we get back on track? How are we going to position ourselves?
These are likely some of the questions going through your head as a leader or business owner, faced with new work ethics along the way of re-establishing operations.
You are not alone. In this guest blog written by Alexandra Mushahwar, Founder / Owner of The Other Coaching, we dive into organizational structure, as well as employee and customer experience and their importance as it pertains to re-opening your business.
Update: Operation 300 Donates Big Time to the Central Okanagan Food Bank
The Kot Auto Group campaign for Operation 300 has wrapped and has proudly donated $19,000 to the Central Okanagan Food Bank.

During the month of May, all Kot Auto Group’s Okanagan dealers (Kelowna Hyundai, Buy Direct Truck Centre, Penticton Nissan and Kelowna Kia) donated $100 per vehicle sold to the Central Okanagan Food Bank. Well done!
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TOP FORTY PROGRAM - THIS WEEK'S HONORARY MENTIONS
Chamber's Top 40 Program Honours Special Health Care Providers
The Kelowna Chamber has added four honorary mentions to its Top Forty Program presented by BDO. Top 40 judge Dr Eric Li, Associate Professor in the UBC Okanagan Faculty of Management, suggested the Chamber recognize the contributions made by health care workers in the past few months with this gesture. READ THE FULL RELEASE HERE , and dedication poem by Dr. Li's former student, and UBCO Alumnus, Patience Spinoza Okuku HERE.
AMY (AMANDA) DIXON | Registered Nurse

Amy (Amanda) Dixon has been a pillar of the Kelowna General Hospital family since 2006. Part of the first graduating class from UBC Okanagan’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Amy moved quickly into a role with KGH shortly following graduation. She is now a Registered Nurse and is the Patient Care Coordinator of the geriatric medical unit at KGH.

When the COVID pandemic escalated in Kelowna, Amy was requested by the hospital’s administration to step out of her current role and assist with various COVID site operations. She helped to develop, implement, and supervise KGH’s COVID entrance screening stations, central supply of personal protective equipment, and re-deployment of hospital staff during this critical time.
DR. ANTHONY KWAN | Emergency Physician

For the past sixteen years, Dr. Anthony Kwan has been an Emergency Physician at Kelowna General Hospital. It was a month of training that he completed at KGH during his time in residency where he fell in love with the Emergency Department and was offered a position at the hospital.

As an emergency physician, Dr. Kwan uses his training to assist patients in need of acute, and sometimes life-saving care. It is the pace, variety and immediacy of the job that drives his passion for emergency medicine. He paints a bright picture for the future of the department, with a focus on education and quality improvement and is excited to see what direction our young leaders take the department in the future.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
The Kelowna Actors Studio Begins to Plan for the Future
The Kelowna Actors Studio offers a comprehensive home for theatre and local arts, offering educational, volunteer, and performance opportunities for people of all ages, and in all aspects of theatre production.

We spoke with Rebecca, the Actors Studio's first ever employee, still going strong in that role today, to learn more about their business and how they are planning for the next stage at the studio. She shares how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their business, what they are most looking forward to in the future, and her experience with the studio over the past seventeen years.
DON'T MISS IT!
NEXT WEEK: Kelowna Chamber 2020 Virtual Annual General Meeting (members only)
Did you receive your invitation? Our 2020 virtual AGM will take place Thursday July 9th at 12:00 Noon, online. Registration is now open to current members of the chamber.

If you did not receive your invitation, please reach out to us at communications@kelownachamber.org to get your link to register.
Best of Kelowna 2020 - Thank You for your Nominations for Best Business Event!
We are incredibly honoured and humbled to be nominated for Best of Kelowna in the category of Best Business Event for our Commerce ConneX, Business After Hours events.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming you back to these events when it is safe for us to host them again. If you have enjoyed these events in the past, please feel free to vote for us HERE. Thank you Kelowna!
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