Celebrate Chamber of Commerce Week

“There’s a lot still that needs to be bridged and I think it’s important that community understands, you know, it’s not a servers fault or a cook’s fault or a bartender’s fault. They’re staffed to about 50, 60 percent which is where it’s been for a long time. And we’re immediately going to a hundred percent capacity and they won’t have that complement back right off the bat.”

The Province says its has provided $525 million in grants to 30,000 BC small businesses. On the other hand, some would argue it has introduced some policies that some see as detrimental to small business, the latest of which is the introduction of five paid sick days and tying minimum wage increases to the rate of inflation. But Minister Kahlon doesn’t see those measures as harmful.

“Most businesses know that right now is a very difficult time to find workers and the only way to attract them is if you increase your wages. They know that having workers be able to stay at home and not come to work sick is actually good for business. There are some who may say this is negative, but I disagree.”

But Corrigall says that isn’t necessarily comparing apples with apples. Yes, the unemployment rate is low, but who is hiring?

“We’re competing against our own dollar right now. What the minister doesn’t mention and what’s not mentioned in the unemployment stats when they come out is that government bureaucracies have grown dramatically, particularly over the last two years. And with that, wages and benefits which makes it uncompetitive for small businesses.”

He says small, private business is competing with taxpayer-funded wages, which is pretty tough to do.

by Cheryl Jahn

Celebrate Chamber of Commerce Week

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