By Cheryl Jahn

Province a “no-show” at Chamber AGM

Jun 9, 2022 | 3:20 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The BC Chamber of Commerce AGM has been underway in Prince George this week, discussing the pressing issues faced by small businesses as the economy pulls out of the pandemic. While there is plenty of representation from small businesses across the province, there was a glaring absence by the Province itself.

“We extended invitations to the premier, to the Minister of Finance, to the Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation to attend and some of them attended virtually last year,” explains Fiona Famulak, President & CEO, BC Chamber of Commerce. “Of course we’re disappointed. It’s always great to bring people together, especially as public health orders have lifted, and restrictions have lifted. We’ve got 170 people in the room here today that have travelled a long way to congregate and convene in Prince George. Absolutely it would have been great to see.”

“I don’t know if it’s disappointing for me necessarily. More like shocking,” says Todd Corrigal, CEO of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, the host of this event. “This is my sixth Chamber AGM and the first that government has not been in the room. As we come out of two years of COVID and we reconcile with employment challenges and rapidly rising inflation, it’s very frustrating that at least A minister is not in the room.”

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The Province recently released its post-pandemic Economic Recovery plan and small businesses, which put more than a million people every day in BC is a big part of that.

“These are the people who are really responsible for partnering with goverment or assisting communities in economic recovery,” notes Keith Baldrey, Chief Political Correspondent and Legislative Bureau Chief for Global BC. “I mean these are the entrepreneurs, the small business people who have an interest in this. And they have expertise in this as well which makes it even more surprising the government’s not here, in-person, with representation. Particularly a cabinet minister.”

Famulak says, now that health restrictions have been lifted and large gatherings are allowed, in-person get-togethers with policy-makers is far preferable.

“There’s nothing that beats in-person connections. They can look people in the eye, you can read their body language,” says Famulak. With virtual, you can’t do that.”

The local Chamber of Commerce hosted the True North economic development conference last week, with representation from industry… some of the largest tax-generating industries in the province. Corrigall says, invites went out but only a federal minister showed.