TODAY: Join Us for A Conversation with Mayor Basran at Noon |
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Immediately following the Chamber's AGM, please join us for our monthly Okanagan School of Business Speaker Series as we welcome City of Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran. The Mayor will provide an update on the city's current priorities and focus as it works with businesses and citizens to navigate our way through the challenges stemming from the pandemic. We'll also of course have some time set aside for Q&A's with the Mayor.
The Chamber's 116th AGM begins at 11:30am with the Mayor's presentation starting shortly after noon.
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Last Chance: Build Your Resilience to Thrive |
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This is your last chance to learn new approaches to engage your customers, invest in your team, and your future by signing up for Building Resilience to Thrive Program, offered in partnership with the BC Chamber of Commerce.
Your investment is just $70 and if you are a member of the Kelowna Chamber you receive 50% off.
The introduction to the final cohort was on Monday, although late registration will be accepted until March 29, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
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Time to Accelerate your Growth |
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Thanks to a partnership between the Kelowna Chamber and World Trade Centre Vancouver, we are excited to invite you to join a special Okanagan Cohort of the Trade Accelerator Program. This program is specifically designed to connect you with world class advisors to maximize your export potential. It has a proven track record of helping participants get results.
This program is valued at $5,000 but the Kelowna Chamber is pleased to offer a $4,500 bursary opportunity for Chamber Members. Just enter “Kelowna Chamber” in the application field under "Who nominated you to apply to TAP?" This opportunity is open to all businesses in the Okanagan - so spread the word. Upcoming workshops begin April 6 - May 20 from 9:00 AM - Noon.
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March Business Smarts: Cybersecurity, Information Security, and Resilience |
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Please join us for this Business Smarts session this Wednesday March 24 from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM to learn concrete ways to make your company more secure and, as a bonus, reduce existing pain points.
The world is a dangerous place -- but we're not talking pandemic, we're talking cybersecurity and the growing risks like phishing that can damage or destroy your business. Did you know, though, that there are a few straightforward (and free or inexpensive) security measures that every professional and business can use to help keep them safe from most of the threats?
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CERTIFIED CHAMBER MEMBER SPONSORED AD |
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Grow by Connecting with Skilled Student Talent - Join Us To Learn How |
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Find out how your organization can benefit by bringing local students on board to support your business needs. The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is excited to partner with UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College in hosting the “Connect to Student Talent: Kelowna” webinar on Tuesday, March 30 at 11:30 AM.
This special workshop will help you learn how easy it is to add capacity to your team in an affordable way. The session is made possible through a partnership with Talent Forward. We look forward to seeing you on the 30th.
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Expand Your Business Borders with One on One Support from a Export Advisor |
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Available to businesses owned by Indigenous Peoples, youth, and women, Export Navigator offers free one-to-one access to an expert advisor who specializes in exporting. Export Navigator is a program that offers free expert guidance to BC businesses on exporting. No matter your size or current exporting status, Export Navigator will connect you with a helpful advisor to explain the export process. For more details contact the Chamber or meet your advisor visit the link below.
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Power Your Brand Through Exclusive Marketing Opportunities in 2021 |
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With close to 1,000 members, 50+ events annually, and access to one of BC’s fastest growing business communities, partnering with the Kelowna Chamber makes perfect sense. Kelowna Chamber members gain exclusive access to marketing opportunities that include senior-level audiences, benefit from enhanced visibility, get new business and welcome increased brand recognition.
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Are you a Chamber member who wants to get the most out of your investment? |
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Join us this Friday March 26 from 12:00 Noon - 1:00 PM for our monthly Membership Orientation.
The informal session is open to any and all members of the Chamber and offers a great chance to connect with other members and meet the Chamber team. Learn more about your Chamber benefits while connecting with other local businesses.
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BDO's Top 40 Over 40 program celebrates remarkable individuals in our community over the age of 40 as a means to showcase mentors, champions and role models who encourage and foster the future leaders of our community.
Check out our website to nominate your favorite mentor or business coach CLICK HERE.
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SCOTT CHAMBERS | Doak Shirreff Lawyers LLP
Scott Chambers moved to the Okanagan in 2017. He wasn't quite sure how or why he ended up here, but he attributes it to fate. Scott took a job at Doak Shirreff, where he was attracted to the firm's approach to law, which was very different than what he was used to. Scott has been at Doak Shirreff for 3 years now, in which time he has made Partner and established a defined Employment & HR Law practice. Since moving to Kelowna, Scott has been a volunteer member of the Board of Directors of MADD Canada Central Okanagan Chapter and was elected Treasurer of the Board in 2018.
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Applications Live for First 2021/2022 Intake, C19 Impacted Worker Training System |
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Part of the BC Employer Training Grant program, this stream supports employers and individuals in those sectors hardest hit by COVID-19, with individuals receiving training and employers receiving reimbursement of eligible training costs. Under the C19 Impacted Worker Training Stream, employers may receive 100 percent of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $10,000 per participant per fiscal year.
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Join the Childcare Council Roundtable to Explore Business Recovery & Childcare |
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Chamber Member Childhood Connections is looking for other Chamber members to join them in an important discussion around childcare and business needs as recovery measures take hold. Take a moment to consider how your business will address this issue in recovery mode, and how employees can best be served going forward as parents seek childcare.
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Last Chance to Apply for the RRRF for Women-Owned Businesses! |
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Are you a woman who had a healthy business prior to Covid-19? Have you considered applying for the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)? Don't delay! Deadline is March 31.
When you access funds through WEC, the program includes:
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A loan of up to $60k with 0% interest, and no fees and no payments required until December 31, 2022*
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A forgivable grant of up to $20k if you repay before December 31, 2022
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Free wrap-around support, including free advisory services, training and Peer Mentoring Circles for RRRF clients, so you can feel supported as you work through your recovery plan and have someone to reach out to for questions
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Mike Boudreau, founder of TechBrew Robotics, Named Winner of 2021 OKGN Angel Summit |
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After 10-weeks of pitches, meetings, due diligence, and training, Mike Boudreau, founder of TechBrew Robotics, took home the $145,000 investment fund. TechBrew Robotics is a turnkey robotics automation for difficult applications, including a system that picks, trims and packages mushrooms. After almost an hour of deliberation, the investor group voted TechBrew Robotics as the 2021 OKGN Angel Summit’s winner. Congratulations!
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COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCES |
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Online Grant Program Expands to Support More Businesses |
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In response to a high number of applications, the B.C. government is investing an additional $30 million in the Launch Online Grant program. The Launch Online Grant program provides up to $7,500 to businesses to help build or expand an e-commerce site to reach more customers and to sustain and grow their business.
These changes will help approximately 4,000 more businesses market their products and services online.
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Update to Public Health Order for Gatherings & Events |
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Recently, Dr. Henry announced that up to 10 people can gather outdoors, and the official public health order is now available. Restaurants and bars continue to have a limit of 6 people at a table, whether you are indoors or out. The orders specifies restrictions for events at private residences, vacation accommodations, sporting events, and more.
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New Data Portrays the Stark Reality for the Food Service Sector in 2020 |
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Alla Drigola, the Canadian Chamber's Director of Parliamentary Affairs and SME Policy, released a statement recently regarding a new report from Statistics Canada examining the impact of COVID-19 on food services and drinking places during the first quarter of 2021. The numbers highlight the unique challenges of the food services sector during the pandemic and the disproportionate impact upon sectors dependent upon in person transactions.
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COVID-19 Resources for Your Business |
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Need to add someone else in your organization to our mailing list? Drop us a line!
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KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org |
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