In response to the announcement by the Honourable Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, of the $10.5 million Securing Small Business Rebate Program, Fiona Famulak, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement:

“On behalf of the 100 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and 36,000 businesses that we represent, we appreciate the government’s actions to support businesses and provide relief from the costs of vandalism.  Through no fault of their own, businesses of all types have seen an increase in costs to repair damage caused by vandalism, much of it due to the myriad complex issues faced by communities across the province. 

“The BC Chamber of Commerce has called on the provincial government to tackle the challenges of the rising costs that businesses face. Many communities have pointed to increased crime and public safety concerns, often connected to illicit drug use, as one of the drivers of increased costs. At our annual policy session in June, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce submitted a draft policy requesting the provincial government take action to address this issue. The policy was adopted with 94% member support and is now part of the provincial association’s advocacy priorities. We believe the Securing Small Business Rebate Program is a good step forward.  

“As the largest and most broadly-based business organization in the province, we look forward to receiving information on the program’s criteria and eligibility requirements. We will ensure the details are shared across our provincial network as quickly as possible and work collaboratively with all parties involved to ensure the $10.5 million allocation is seamlessly delivered to those who have been impacted.”

Background

A copy of the approved policy referenced above is available at: https://bcchamber.org/policy-search/addressing-costs-businesses-face-due-crime-and-consequences-illicit-drug.