Victoria/Fraser Valley – It’s time to celebrate Small Business Week (October 20-26) and to recognize the tremendous contributions small businesses make to their local communities and B.C.’s economy.
Small businesses are the heart of B.C.’s communities and the backbone of the province’s economy. Over half a million small businesses, employing almost 1.1 million people, are operating in the province.
We at FVN Fraser Valley News and our media partners at chillTV started off as small businesses, and part of our respective mandates, is that we encourage and promote other small entrepreneurs.
The 2019 Small Business Profile, released this week, confirms that small businesses contribute significantly to the economy by creating and maintaining good jobs in communities throughout the province. The annual profile publishes key statistics on the health and contributions of B.C.’s small business sector and shares the stories of some of the successful entrepreneurs behind the numbers.
Small Business Week is a great time to acknowledge your community’s success stories. Over the course of the year, the achievements of small businesses and their communities are highlighted through two awards.
The Small Business BC Awards recognize the outstanding achievements of B.C.’s small business entrepreneurs in categories such as Best Employer, Best Immigrant Entrepreneur and the Premier’s People’s Choice Award. Award winners receive one-year, all-access passes to Small Business BC services and a cash prize of $1,500.
In 2016, one year after the launch of FVN Fraser Valley News, FVN was nominated for four Small Business Awards.
The Open for Business Awards recognize communities that have adopted best practices to create a business-friendly environment. This is an excellent way to acknowledge the vital role of community support in the success of small businesses. Nominations for both awards close Nov. 30, 2019.
Small Business Week and these awards are opportunities to celebrate the small businesses and communities that help promote economic prosperity for all British Columbians.
FYI:
- Small Business BC is the premier resource centre for comprehensive business information, products and services in the province.
- In 2018, 15,600 new businesses were established in British Columbia.
- For the past five years, B.C. has held the top spot among provinces in small business job growth at 7.7%.
- B.C. leads all other provinces in gross domestic product (GDP) generated by small business, at 34% of overall provincial GDP.
- 85% of international exporters in B.C. are small businesses, responsible for $15.8 billion in exports, or 32% of total provincial exports.
Learn more about Small Business BC and how it supports small businesses: https://smallbusinessbc.ca/
Read the 2019 Small Business Profile:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/business-management/small-business/sb_profile.pdf
Learn more about the Small Business BC Awards: https://sbbcawards.ca/
