While generating more business might be your end goal in being a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you absolutely need a healthy community in order to do so.

You may want to have your name associated with the Chamber and be referred to other members, but you also need the Chamber to be the voice of important business issues that affect your bottom line.

Certainly, there are plenty of Benefits of Belonging to the Chamber and we want local businesses to belong... but we also want to ensure that all businesses recognize that the Chamber is working daily to make sure that their needs are met. Without your support, the consequences are more dire than simply being left out of a community business directory.

Examples of activities we have undertaken in the past few months, on behalf of our members and the community, include :

•    Lunch with Premier Christy Clark;

•    Elections forum - getting your questions answered;

•    Industry speed dating - North Island Hospitals Project;

•    Attendance at BC Chamber event - lobbying the provincial government for "fair and informed" business practices and issues;

•    Community leaders event - bringing local accomplishments and areas of need to the forefront, creating solutions;

•    Advocacy Issues - lobbying for industry sectors, development, agriculture, island rail, affordable housing and business taxes;

•    Education/marketing - in front of the social media, promoting Chamber members and their events, businesses;

•    Introductions - opening doors for opportunities to build relationships within our business community through mixers, workshops and events.

Dianne Hawkins -- President & CEO