Campbell River is one of the top three finalists for a provincial Open for Business award. Presented by Small Business BC, the Open for Business Awards celebrate communities that have created a business friendly culture.
Out of the 15 nominees in the large communities category (with populations greater than 25,000), Campbell River is in the running along with Penticton and Prince George.
Campbell River’s nomination showcases the Modern Entrepreneur Series, an initiative started in 2017 to support local small businesses and entrepreneurs through mentorship, workshops and networking events.
“Our local businesses really appreciate the opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs,” notes city manager Deborah Sargent. “Meeting leading edge speakers and learning from their experiences sparks inspiration and gives them the tools to help their businesses grow and flourish in Campbell River. Our economic development approach is all about bringing businesses together to share knowledge within the collaborative and supportive environment fostered by the Modern Entrepreneur Series.”
Supporting businesses that have invested in Campbell River, the Modern Entrepreneur Series continues in 2018 with more workshops, Freelance Fridays and roundtables. All of these activities and more are shared on the economic development Facebook page. The initiative also complements the CRadvantage, Campbell River’s municipal broadband network, which is the first of its kind on Vancouver Island. Enabling local businesses to access affordable, enterprise-level internet, the CRadvantage supports the City’s modern entrepreneurs.
“The Modern Entrepreneur Series is just the latest reason Campbell River is getting noticed,” says economic development officer Rose Klukas. “This follows the announcement that Campbell River will be honoured with an international Smart City award this spring for the opportunities provided by the CRadvantage network. Coupled with the increased visibility recently gained through positive national and regional news coverage, the City’s progressive initiatives are getting recognized.”
The City of Campbell River was recently featured in the National Post and BCBusiness Magazine’s Best Cities for Work in BC.
The Small Business BC award winner will be announced at the Open for Business Awards in Vancouver on Feb. 23.
