The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce is pushing for sweeping changes across the province.
During the B.C. Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting, which begins Thursday in Victoria, GVCC officials will present three policies for consideration.
“This is the largest number of policy resolutions from our chamber being tabled at the B.C. chamber in quite some time which is reflective of the efforts to be more active in advocating on behalf of our members and the Greater Vernon business community,” said Dauna Kennedy Grant, GVCC president.
The three policies include:
1. Pursuing an increase in funding for the arts and cultural sector as an economic driver.
2. Urging the provincial government to level the playing field for private liquor stores to enable them to be able to deal directly with liquor producers and to be able to distribute liquor on a wholesale basis to other liquor establishments in equal competition to government liquor stores.
3. The third policy seeks to have the province work with local governments to explore ways to optimize the timing when developers pay required development cost charges. Currently those charges are due before any sales take place and it is thought that if the developer doesn’t have to carry the financial burden for as long a period, that it could save money (financing charges) and potentially have a positive impact on the cost of housing.
Each policy must receive two-thirds of votes to pass. If the policy is supported, it will become official B.C. chamber policy and it will advocate the policy to the appropriate level of government.
“Our chamber is committed to supporting and growing the people who power our community and help us create a more business-friendly B.C. We think these policies will help achieve that and we are optimistic they will be supported by our peer chambers,” said Kennedy Grant.