May 12 | 2020

OKANAGAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS SPEAKER SERIES ONLINE PRESENTS FEDERAL MINISTER MONA FORTIER

Guest Speaker: FEDERAL MINISTER MONA FORTIER , Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance Join us Monday May 25th at 12:00 - 1:00pm in a conversation with the Honourable Minister Mona Fortier. Minister Fortier will be discussing the measures that have been brought forward by the government to support Canadians and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. In her role as Federal Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance, she is serving her community and all Canadians by ensuring that all government policies take into consideration the realities faced by middle class Canadians, as well as the solutions needed to address them. Her ministry has been working with all levels of government to better understand what citizens need in this time of need, and to come up with a plan to help those cities. No charge to participate but registration is required.

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NEWS UPDATES

BC Chamber Launches the Third Covid-19 ‘Pulse Check’ Survey

We're still tracking the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on your business to date, and asking for your feedback on existing government supports. However, this time we also want to know your response to the BC’s Restart Plan, announced by the Premier on May 6th — and the impacts you're anticipating to your business under the new guidelines.  The results will be shared directly with government and will inform how we advance our advocacy work—while recognizing the challenges and opportunities presented as the economy begins to re-open. Please ensure your voice is heard.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Federal Government Extends Wage Subsidy Program Beyond June

On May 8th, the Government of Canada announced that the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program will be extended past the original cut-off deadline of June 6th. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau notes he will announce more information on this extension in the upcoming week.

LEARN MORE & APPLY

Kelowna Chamber Joins the BC Chamber of Commerce in Applauding the Provincial Restart Plan

Premier Horgan has laid out how BC’s economy will safely reopen, a move welcomed by the Kelowna Chamber and BC’s business community. The announcement of a multiphase approach is positive for the economy but there is still much concern in the air as many businesses remain uncertain what the specific requirements will be for their sector and whether they can be sustainable under those restrictions. Download the full BC Restart Plan here.

READ OUR NEWS RELEASE

RESOURCES

A One Pager Checklist for Reopening Your Business

In preparing our own return to work plan, we reviewed information available online from health authorities and various industry organizations and then developed a helpful one page checklist to make sure we covered what we needed to in developing our migration plan back to the office. This one page check list was crafted to help our team prepare and understand what changes were being made and why. This checklist includes the five principles noted by the Premier as well as the general areas that businesses need to think about when building their return to work plan. We thought you might find this useful and thus provide it here for you to download:

DOWNLOAD THE CHECKLIST

You can also find more information and resources on our special COVID Business Resource Centre on our website by CLICKING HERE.

TOP FORTY UNDER 40 - THIS WEEK'S HONOUREES

NATHAN MACDERMOTT - Pihl Law A background in litigation and construction helps Nathan MacDermott to shape the construction industry locally, provincially, and nationally. After completing his law degree, Nathan articled with Pihl Law as a litigation associate. In addition to his legal work, he is a director on the board of two construction associations, and through this work Nathan has been able to provide insight and assistance to organizations on complex legal issues in the construction industry. Nathan is a local hockey volunteer, working as an assistant coach with the West Kelowna Minor Hockey Association. He also spends his time teaching legal courses to construction professionals. READ MORE ABOUT NATHAN

JILLIAN HALLER - Kelowna Concierge Jillian Haller fell in love with the hospitality industry while working in both Victoria and Calgary before returning home to Kelowna to work in event management with the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort. She found her true passion in entrepreneurship, co-founding Kelowna Concierge Ltd. in 2017, the Okanagan Valley's premier provider of local experiences, corporate event planning, and transportation services. Regularly demonstrating exceptional guest service to her staff and leading by example led Jillian and the team at Kelowna Concierge to receive the first ever 'Excellence in Tourism Award' presented by Tourism Kelowna at the 2019 Business Excellence Awards by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. READ MORE ABOUT JILLIAN

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tourism Industry Townhall This coming Thursday May 14, from 1:00-2:00pm , join local tourism leaders for an online tourism townhall presented by Tourism Kelowna. Panelists include representatives from the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, and Tourism Kelowna. This is an opportunity to hear insights from each organization around business recovery and to learn more about recently announced resources available to assist tourism-related businesses in understanding and enrolling in COVID-19 relief and support programs. Panelists include: Tourism Kelowna President & CEO, Lisanne Ballantyne Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association President & CEO, Glenn Mandziuk Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission Manager, Krista Mallory Registration is required in advance of the event.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Jan Mills - Health Coach Congratulations to Jan Mills, who this month reached a big Milestone as a Chamber Member. We asked Jan to share what she's enjoyed most over the past 20 years: What is something you wish you knew when you first began?     I wish I had known about the journey this career would take and support me on personally, professionally, emotionally and physically. There are times when the dream-stealers, competitors and even my own self-doubt questioned this path. If I had known at the start of my business the degree of impact I have had on so many lives, I would have been even more unstoppable.

When I moved back to my hometown in 1999, I decided very quickly to join the Kelowna Chamber for two reasons; first, to reacquaint myself with the local business community, and second, because I was interested in their extended health insurance plan. I had no idea it included such terrific international travel insurance or how far reaching the extended health coverage was. What is something people might not know about your company?   Jan Mills – Health Coach   My company has evolved from Mills-Nutrition Golf & Fitness , the business my husband Martin and I started years ago.   Something people might not know is that my personal story of overcoming disability and disease has been included in five inspirational books – that’s been an amazing honour. I’m proud of the dynamic nature of my business which includes: health coaching, mindfulness and pain management strategies as well as distributing pharmaceutical-grade health products from USANA Health Sciences-we’ve got some great products designed to support your immune system. What are you looking forward to in the future?  I always enjoy the opportunity to help Chamber members and the people they care about, optimize their health. Thanks to Covid-19, I’ve clarified what’s most valuable to me and subsequently reprioritized my life. I look forward to a world that has learned from the gifts this difficult time has given us and as a result of it, has become more resilient and compassionate.   Member milestone, how long have you been a member for? Twenty wonderfully proud years– I’ve appreciated over two decades of support and connection as a chamber member.   For more information, please call/text 250.878.7900 or visit www.janmills.net

Need to add someone else in your organization to our mailing list? Drop us a line! Email: communications@kelownachamber.org .

KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org

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