News & Highlights
Meet your 2018 Business Excellence Award Winners
Congratulations to all the 2018 Nominees. 31st Annual Business Excellence Award Winners Ogopogo Tours – Award Winning Sustainable Sightseeing & Wine Tours Sustainable Resource Industry Excellence sponsored by Greyback Construction Ltd. Penticton Lakeside Resort and Conference Centre Workplace Culture Excellence sponsored by SOICS Liz Murphy with Hoodoo Adventure Company Most Valuable Employee sponsored by Downtown Penticton South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC) Newsmaker of the Year sponsored by Penticton Toyota Valley First Health & Wellness in the Workplace sponsored by BDO Canada LLP Cannery Brewing Farm to Glass sponsored by Parkers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Penticton Farmers Market Tourism Excellence sponsored by Visit Penticton YES Project – Penticton Youth Non-Profit…
Economic task group formed
Photo Credit: Colin Darce The City of Penticton has created an economic development task force with a dozen organizations in the area, focused on building strategic partnerships. Members include the Downtown Penticton Association, the Penticton Indian Band, Okanagan College, the Penticton Chamber of Commerce and South Okanagan Similkameen Immigrant Services, among others. The city said the partnership is “aimed at formalizing how information is shared, priorities are set and common interests are identified when working towards the collective objective of developing Penticton’s economy.” The partnership is in line with goals set earlier this year in Penticton’s five-year economic development strategic plan, the…
Advocacy Success: Removing the Interprovincial Barriers to the Sale of Wine Across Canada
Through policy resolutions to the BC and Canadian Chambers of Commerce as well as direct lobbying of Members of Parliament locally and across Canada, The Penticton Chamber was successful in building a groundswell of support for our specific recommendations related to changes in federal laws which have restricted the interprovincial sale of wine. In 2012, the Federal government passed legislation on this issue removing said barriers, though work is not yet done as we continue to lobby individual provinces to open up their liquor distribution boards to allow BC wine to be sold in their jurisdictions.
Advocacy Success: Highway 97 Expansion
As a key participant on the Okanagan Transportation Panel, The Chamber successfully lobbied the Provincial government to complete major capital works projects along highway 97 with the specific aim of increasing the flow of goods and travelers from the US border at Osoyoos through to the Shuswap. The movement of goods along this route significantly improves the economy, bringing millions of dollars to Penticton.
Advocacy Success: Municipal Economic Incentive Zones
The Chamber was successful in lobbying the municipal government to create a bylaw which would offer incentives for new development and redevelopment in targeted areas of the city including the elimination of Building Permit Fees and property taxes for up to 5 years as well as reduced Development Cost Charges for qualified projects. This has led to the development of highly successful ‘Economic Incentive Zones’ stimulating economic growth throughout Penticton.
Entrepreneurs share the art of the elevator pitch
Penticton entrepreneur Jason Cox faced the CBC Dragon’s Den successfully by honing his People’s Crafthouse business plan into 90 seconds and now he wants to share the art of the elevator pitch. As part of Small Business Week, JCI Penticton is hosting an elevator pitch workshop. An elevator pitch is a 30 second to two minute speech designed to garner interest in your business, project, idea or yourself. The workshop is an opportunity for business minded individuals to learn the structure of an effective pitch, practice it in from to the coaches and get feedback to help them perfect it….
Recognizing the best in business
More than 100 nominees for annual Penticton Business Excellence This year, there were more than 100 businesses nominated for the 17 categories at the annual Business Excellence Awards. “Every one of those nominees really deserves to be celebrated,” said Neil Wyper, president of the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, speaking at the gala awards banquet Saturday evening. It’s a sentiment echoed by Blair Noel, vice-president of the Okanagan Hockey Group, which was awarded Business of the Year. “There are a lot of great businesses that were nominated in every category,” said Noel. “It just shows what a real…
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