A new project from the City of Penticton’s economic development team aims to raise the profile of local business within Penticton and beyond in multiple sectors that are driving the economy.
“Our recent interviews with 100 local businesses highlighted the strength and diversity of our business community,” said Anthony Haddad, Penticton’s director of development services. “The business community stressed to us the importance of showcasing the economic activity, innovation and development underway in Penticton. We couldn’t agree more and are investing in raising the profile of our homegrown success.”
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The economic development division is seeking story ideas and soliciting submissions from local entrepreneurs and business owners. The articles will be posted to a city blog that will be launched in the coming months as well as pitched to local, provincial and national media.
According to city statistics, business licences increased by about 18 per cent between 2016 and 2017. Kim Kirkham, executive director of the Penticton & District Wine Country Chamber of Commerce said the city is no longer a season town.
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“Penticton’s past reputation for being primarily a tourist-based business community is now a thing of the past,” said Kirkham. “We have evolved into what we call a diverse group of ‘four season’ successful businesses. Penticton offers a beautiful backdrop to a business-friendly climate.”
The initiative is welcomed by business stakeholders who are collaborating with the city on this project, including Travel Penticton and the Penticton Indian Band.
“In our context, wealth is a lot more than money. It is about economics, but it is also about healthy people, healthy land and healthy culture. We need all of those things. That’s the underpinning value of everything we do,” said Jonathan Baynes, the recently appointed chief executive officer of the Penticton Indian Band Development Corporation. “Understanding and seeing the value in everyone is critical to a sustainable partnership and economic development.”
The launch of the city project coincides with B.C. Economic Development Week, May 7 to 12. The provincial initiative, organized by the B.C. Economic Development Association, aims to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities and increase quality of life. Some success stories from Penticton’s economic development department includes the marketing campaign PentictonWorks.ca, built to attract remote workers. It recently won the Community Excellence Award for Economic Development at the Southern Interior Local Government Association annual meeting.
The City of Penticton invites local entrepreneurs and businesses to submit their stories of homegrown success, growth or innovation for considerate to economicdevelopment@penticton.ca.