More than 15 local small business leaders met with members of the B.C. Small Business Roundtable and Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick yesterday to discuss their unique challenges and identify opportunities for growth.

The B.C. Small Business Roundtable is comprised of small business leaders from throughout B.C. and chaired by Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. The roundtable was established in 2005 to work with small business owners to identify their key issues and opportunities, develop recommendations to enhance small business growth and success, and eliminate unnecessary regulations and red tape. Since its inception, the roundtable has held 54 regional consultations to gain insight from small businesses.

These sessions also provide valuable insight to help set upcoming priorities for the roundtable and inform the Province’s small business agenda for 2016 and beyond.

At the meeting in Kelowna, Letnick and roundtable members heard from local business leaders that there is optimism about what the future holds for small business in the region and the importance of finding qualified staff, access to information about student training, developing entrepreneurial skills, securing capital, identifying municipal best practices, and positive feedback about the new engagement button launched this spring where British Columbians and businesses can submit their ideas to government about how to reduce red tape 24/7: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/helpcutredtape/  

See the meeting here: https://flic.kr/p/HB7ssR

Small business consultations in Kelowna in 2010 brought forward ideas about training for business owners and their employees and diversification of local economies such as agri-tourism.

Quotes:

Norm Letnick, Minister of Agriculture, Kelowna-Lake Country MLA –

“Small businesses in B.C. keep our communities vibrant and our economy growing. We want to hear from small business owners in Kelowna about issues and pressures and also their ideas for growth and innovation so we can continue to support our province’s entrepreneurs.”

Saul Katz, CEO of Solo GI Nutrition –

"At first I was skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprised with the opportunity to have direct access to ministry staff and the local MLA. Everyone was very receptive to learning about challenges and how the provincial government can help us. I really appreciated the Small Business Handout, and wish I’d had access to this type of information when I was starting my business."

(flickr.com)

Quick Facts:

• Small businesses account for 98% of all businesses in British Columbia and of those, close to 90% have less than 10 employees.
• B.C.’s small businesses employed over one million people in 2014.
• One-third of B.C.’s gross domestic product is generated by small business.

Learn More:

Small Business Handout:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/business-management/small-business/small_business_resources_-_web_version_updated_april_2016.pdf

The B.C. Small Business Roundtable: www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca

Small Business Roundtable Annual Report 2015: https://www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca/Advise-(1).aspx

Share your idea to #helpcutredtape: www.gov.bc.ca/helpcutredtape