What a whirlwind of a month! I am absolutely thrilled to share that our community has been buzzing with energy and inspiration. Moving quickly into December, we are kicking off with a 'Business Leaders' Breakfast' sponsored by Robbins & Company at the Best Western Barclay Plus on Friday December 8th. Ellen Frood will be our guest speaker to share updates and insights from Sage Haven Society.

A huge shout-out to the BC Chamber of Commerce for administering the 'Securing Small Business Rebate' program—it's a relief to know we have support for the challenges of property crime and vandalism.

As the festive cheer sets in, let’s mark our calendars for the Chamber Holiday Party at Dog Mountain Brewing. It’s more than a party—it’s a celebration of US, our resilience, our achievements, and the unbreakable spirit of our community.

I’m beyond grateful for each and every one of you. Our passion for the Alberni Valley and our partnerships—it’s what makes our Chamber the networking and business community that it is. We are looking forward to releasing our event calendar for the first quarter of 2024 soon. Have events you'd like to see? Let us know 😄

With gratitude,

Jolleen Dick

CEO, Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce

Devries Fine Woodworking Inc: Expertly crafted custom cabinetry that perfectly matches your style and needs. De Vries Fine Woodworking is a premier custom cabinetry and millwork company based in Port Alberni, BC. We are dedicated to creating beautiful, functional, and high-quality cabinetry solutions for our clients. We specialize in creating custom kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, closets and storage solutions, custom millwork, and commercial cabinetry.

A V Little Digger & Hauler: We are your premier destination for top-notch excavation services in the Alberni Valley, which includes Port Alberni and the surrounding areas. we are fully insured. We specialize in a wide range of services, including excavation for new landscapes, foundation digs, and perimeter drains.

The Scoop on Port Alberni is operated by Alberni Valley Media CCC, a social enterprise created for the sole purpose of providing valuable local news and information to the residents of the Alberni Valley.

Passion Plumbing and Heating Ltd. are a must when the details matter. Licensed, Insured, and Bonded; We are happy to serve you with any of your Plumbing, Gas-Fitting, and Backflow Prevention Needs.

BeautfortBooks: We help small businesses by acting as their integrated accounting team. Providing bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, compliance filing, financial reporting services and more, we handle the numbers and recordkeeping, allowing you to focus on your business and its goals.

Mallory Stuckel of MSA+D is a Vancouver Island-based architectural practice that works on multi-family developments, mixed-use commercial projects and custom single-family homes.

The studio draws from the belief that exceptional design means that projects blend seamlessly with their surroundings and contribute positively to the communities they serve.

The Securing Small Business Rebate

The Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation has launched its $10.5 million Securing Small Business Rebate Program, which will provide small businesses with funds for eligible commercial property crime and vandalism repairs or to implement eligible preventative measures. Administered by the BC Chamber of Commerce, the program offers two rebates: Reparative (up to $2,000 for each of 2023 and 2024) and Preventative (up to $1,000 for either 2023 or 2024).

The application portal opens on November 22, 2023, and closes on January 31, 2025. For more information and to apply, visit the program webpage. Contact the BC Chamber of Commerce at ssbr@bcchamber.org with questions.

Mix & Mingle with us at our Chamber Holiday Party at Dog Mountain Brewing We know so many small businesses are solo-preneurs, this one is for you! (And everyone else too!).

Let's connect our community and spread holiday cheer. Tickets here

Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce is developing a strategic recovery plan, which will address economic priorities following extended highway closures due to wildfires in the summer of 2023, with project investment from Island Coastal Economic Trust’s Investment Readiness Program.

The project is a collaborative effort led by the Alberni Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce and the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce. It is in response to the economic impact of Highway 4 forced shutdown, a vital transportation route between Cathedral Grove/MacMillan Provincial Park and Koen Road, which impacted the flow of goods, services, and travelers for weeks.

Advocacy in Action - CEBA Loan Extension

MP Gord Johns and Jolleen Dick went on a business walk ahead of small business week in October.

The people and businesses that were visited: Rebecca Palmer at Gayle's Fashion; Ryan Toso at Mobius Books and Cassidy Toso at The Nook Baked Goods; Nicolas Vance at Cloud City; Chris Washington at Flandangles Kitchen & Gift/ Gibson'ssec Fine Linens; Dylan & Allie Ashwood at Wildflower Bakeshop & Café; and Anita Sutherland at Walk the Coast. We also bumped into Mayor Sharie Minions who is also a small business owner at the Brie & Barrel.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to sharing all your insights with us! We appreciate it 😊

Interested in a visit during a business walk? Please let Jolleen know for the next one!