The Chamber and our economic development partners hear firsthand about rising costs of doing business, and labour challenges, local businesses share what they need to thrive.

Turning conversations into advocacy and action

Every business has a story—and together, those stories tell us how our local economy is really doing. That’s why the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Greater Nelson Economic Development, recently hit the streets for our annual Business Walk, held on October 17.

A Business Walk is a simple concept with powerful results: Chamber directors and staff, along with representatives from Community Futures Central Kootenay, Kootenay Career Development Society, the City of Nelson, and local elected officials, visit businesses across our community to listen, learn, and gather feedback. The goal is to take the pulse of our local economy—one conversation at a time—and then turn those conversations into meaningful advocacy and practical solutions.

A snapshot of local business sentiment

This year’s Business Walk showed that most businesses in Greater Nelson are holding steady, even in the face of rising costs and unpredictable economic conditions. Sixty percent of respondents described their year as “fairly good” or “steady,” while another 35 percent said business has been “good.” That’s encouraging news—it reflects the resilience, creativity, and determination that define our local entrepreneurs despite the challenges business are faced with every day, including, housing availability, government regs and street disorder and property crimes.

But those same conversations underscored the challenges many are facing. The cost of doing business—from wages and materials to taxes, insurance, and utilities—was identified by 65 percent of respondents as their biggest concern. While 70 percent of participants said they love doing business here because of our location.

Sector-specific pressures

Some sectors, however, are feeling more acute strain. Local craft breweries, bars, restaurants, and cannabis producers and retailers have been hit particularly hard by the ongoing BCGEU labour dispute involving provincial liquor and cannabis distribution centres. Supply chain interruptions have disrupted operations, limited product availability, caused small business closures, and placed further stress on already tight margins.

Want to learn more about our business walk? See our previous post with details and photos!