BCEDA Resources for Flood Impacted Individuals & Businesses - Google Docs

The BC Economic Development Association (BCEDA), has made a resource guide available on Google Docs, which contains information for individuals and businesses that have been impacted by the flooding in BC.

This guide contains information on travel, weather, pets & livestock, community information and ESS locations, sandbag locations, Red Cross, health, disaster financial assistance, Employment Insurance and much more.

IF you have a resource that you think should be added you can email info@bceda.ca

Local Economic Recovery & Restart Toolkit

The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA) is pleased to announce the launch of their newest manual as part of the Economic Disaster Recovery and Resiliency Program. The Local Economic Recovery and Restart Toolkit provides a collection of resources developed to assist local councils, organizations and individuals involved in community economic recovery following an emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires and floods.

As noticed during COVID-19, disasters can fundamentally change the social and economic makeup of impacted communities. The better a community can recognize these impacts, the better they are positioned to take actions that will spur a more rapid economic recovery. This manual is designed to help local and indigenous governments be better prepared for when the next disaster strikes and help complement current efforts to overcome the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Topics Include:

• Local Economic Recovery Committees

• Managing Economic Recovery Centres

• Economic Recovery Action Plans

• Economic Recovery Communication

• Mental Health

Templates Include:

• Local Economic Recovery Committee - First Meeting Agenda

• Economic Recovery Manager - Duties and Responsibilities

• Media Release - Opening of an Economic Recovery Centre

• Economic Recovery Centre Intake Form

• Economic Recovery Centre Daily Briefing

• Economic Recovery Communication Strategy

Road Closures and Changing Conditions

Drivers are asked to avoid any unnecessary travel in B.C. after severe weather incidents in recent days led to multiple highway closures throughout the province, including the Trans-Canada (Hwy 1) from the Lower Mainland to the Interior; the Crowsnest Highway (Hwy 3) in the Similkameen; and the Coquihalla (Hwy 5) south of Merritt.

For the latest updates on road closures and conditions, visit DriveBC.ca.

Road and rail closures will have a significant impact on the supply chain and distribution as reported by CBC News.

Shipments and deliveries will be delayed for the near future. Business operators should prepare accordingly.

Go Electric BC - CleanBC

Through the CleanBC plan, the Province is making clean transportation more affordable and accessible for British Columbians.

Not using gasoline means lower costs, which is good for families and businesses. Electric vehicle owners save big on fuel costs – about $1,800 every year for the average B.C. driver.

A provincial rebate of up to $3,000 is available to help with the up-front cost of an electric vehicle, which can be combined with other federal rebates for as much as $8,000 in savings. Electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, so they typically require less maintenance. That means saving time and money on regular vehicle upkeep and maintenance.

Electric vehicle drivers in B.C. can get a sticker that allows them to use our HOV lanes, even if there’s only one person in the car.

Apply for an HOV lane/electric vehicle permit and decal.

Making sure more of the vehicles we use are powered by clean B.C. electricity and hydrogen is one of the most important steps we can take to reduce carbon pollution. Ninety eight percent of the power BC Hydro generates comes from clean, renewable resources.

With an ever-growing network of charging stations, it’s easier than ever to charge an electric vehicle, whether your trip takes you around the corner or across the province. Rebates are available to help people with the costs of adding charging infrastructure in their homes and workplaces.

Learn more about charging station rebates

Range varies by vehicle, but most new electric vehicles have a range over 350 km. It’s also worth considering that most people live less than 25 km from work, so most modern EVs can meet the average commuter’s needs by plugging in just once or twice a week.

Immigrant Talent Integration Guide - Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon

CPHR BC & Yukon is working to support an increase in the knowledge, strategic capability and impact of the association’s members and increase the perceived importance and contribution of HR to the organization and economy. Part of this work includes the Immigrant Talent Integration guide:

• Tool One – Screening Tool

• Tool Two – Communication for Interviews

• Tool Three – Awareness of Body Language in Interviews

• Tool Four – Testing Performance and Skills on Key Job Criteria – Interview Stage

• Tool Five – Approaches for Integrating Skilled Immigrants

Sponsorship Program Helps Build New Home for Caetani Artwork

After opening to the public with a successful season of sold-out tours, the Caetani Centre is launching its latest campaign — to build a new home for Sveva Caetani’s heralded Recapitulation series. Individuals or groups can now sponsor an original painting from Caetani’s Recapitulation Series, featuring over 50 unique large-scale watercolours. Funds raised will be used to build a larger facility to publicly display the entire series at the Caetani Centre in Vernon, BC.

The Recapitulation Series continues to gain both national and international attention. The series documents Caetani’s life story and outlook and was put under the care of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) in Edmonton in the 1980s when Caetani was still alive. The series remained at the AFA for more than 35 years and was exhibited intermittently during this time.

The sponsorship program’s aim is to raise $65,000+ for seed money to attain matching capital grants for the gallery expansion. The sponsorship package includes a five-year patronage, tax receipt, and formal recognition via a permanent plaque on the gallery building, acknowledgement on artwork label, on the Caetani website and through social media channels.

The Caetani Centre is continuing its guided and self-guided tours now through December. For more information on the sponsorship program, tours, and to view the works, visit www.caetani.org or call the Caetani office for a personal viewing at 250-275-1525.

BC Destination Marketing Organization Association AGM

The BC Destination Marketing Organization Association has announced that their Annual General Meeting will take place Virtually (via Zoom) on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 from 11:00AM - 12:00PM

The meeting is called for the purposes:

• To receive the financial statements of the Association for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2020

• To approve the minutes of the September 29th, 2020 Annual General Meeting

• To elect up to seven (7) Directors

The BCDMOA Nominating Committee has put forth the following slate of Directors for the 2022-2023 term.

• Dustin Bodnaryk, Tourism Dawson Creek

• Allison Colthorp, Tourism Chilliwack

• Monica Dickinson, Tourism Kamloops

• Barrett Fisher, Tourism Whistler

• Craig Nichols, Tourism Abbotsford

• Chris Peters, Tourism Burnaby

• Denise Stys-Norman, Tourism Ucluelet

The following Directors are mid-way through their term and will continue on the Board for the 2022-2023 term.

• Gladys Atrill, Tourism Smithers

• Blain Sepos, Parksville, Qualicum Beach Tourism

• Nancy Small, Tourism Richmond

In accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the BC Destination Marketing Organization Association, additional nominations are now also open.

Nominations may be made by the Voting Members, provided that such nominations are in writing, each is signed by the Designated Representatives of two (2) Voting Members in good standing and are delivered or sent by registered mail, electronic mail or facsimile to the Secretary/Treasurer at the address of the Association together with the written consent(s) of the nominee(s) not later than the fifteenth (15) day prior to the AGM.

As per the bylaws, all nominations for Director positions, must be received on or before November 29th, 2021. Please contact the Association’s Secretariat, Deborah Kulchiski for a copy of the Nomination Form.

New Program Aims To "Spark" New Indigenous Tourism Ideas Across British Columbia | Apply by January 17, 2022

Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC), Destination BC and the Tourism Innovation Lab have partnered to launch the Indigenous Tourism BC “Spark” Program. The initiative will spark new Indigenous tourism ideas and experiences which authentically represent, celebrate, and promote Indigenous cultures, heritage, language, cuisine, and communities in British Columbia

The program works by matching selected applicants with a tourism mentor, providing a $5,000 seed grant as well as additional partner support to help develop new tourism experiences. Applications are encouraged from Indigenous entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-profit organizations in British Columbia, from November 9 to January 17, 2022. Following a review process, five finalists will be invited to a virtual Pitch Session on January 25, 2022 where three winners will be selected.

The organizers are especially interested in new Indigenous tourism ideas that support and/or offer shoulder season activities in rural areas, opportunities for guided interpretive programs, learning and creating authentic crafts with artists, culinary experiences, and ideas that support truth and reconciliation, sustainability and/or address climate change.

Funders and supporters of the Indigenous Tourism BC “Spark” Program include Destination BC, Indigenous Tourism BC, and TD Bank Group.

Supports for Indigenous Tourism Businesses Continue | BC Gov News

Indigenous tourism businesses will receive another financial boost to aid in pandemic recovery and foster growth through the continued partnership of the Province and Indigenous Tourism BC.

The Province initially provided $5 million to Indigenous Tourism B.C. (ITBC) to create the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund. It is now is providing an additional $3 million for a second intake.

Launched in February 2021, the fund provides grants to Indigenous tourism businesses, including lodges and resorts, restaurants, outdoor adventure experiences, galleries and gift shops owned by Indigenous people. Recipients can use the funds to keep the lights on and pay rent or employee wages. The intake opening date for the second round of the recovery grant will be announced by ITBC in the coming weeks.

Quick Facts:

• There are more than 480 Indigenous tourism businesses, within the 203 First Nations in British Columbia.

• Prior to the pandemic, Indigenous tourism was the fastest-growing sector of the tourism industry. It generated $705 million in direct gross domestic output and created 7,400 direct full-time jobs.

• 140 Indigenous tourism businesses received grants through the first round of the BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund, which is a partnership with Indigenous Tourism BC.

• These grants have assisted in maintaining nearly 1,200 jobs in communities throughout B.C. in the past year.

• The BC Indigenous Tourism Recovery Fund is part of the Province’s actions to support the recovery of the tourism industry.

Tourism Kamloops CEO, Beverley DeSantis Announces Retirement

Tourism Kamloops CEO and TOTA Director Beverley DeSantis, has given notice of her pending retirement effective January 1st, 2022. DeSantis has offered to continue part time at the Board’s discretion for a period to be determined to assist through the transition period should her support be required.

The Tourism Kamloops Board thanks Beverley for the incredible job she has done since assuming the role of CEO in 2016.

Beverley's tenure as Tourism Kamloops CEO has been busy and transformative. Thanks largely to her work, the city has become a well recognized and desired destination regionally and internationally. Under her leadership, a five-year strategic plan was created and executed in less than three years, the organization went through a significant rebrand, launched a new website, increased its social media and travel trade presence, implemented innovative technologies, built a passionate team of professionals, and garnered significant community support.

Beverley's notice has triggered section 27.2 of Tourism Kamloops’ Board Policy for CEO Succession, which governs the organization’s robust CEO succession selection process. Tourism Kamloops’ Board will begin the process of finding a new CEO effective immediately and expects a new leader to be in place in early 2022.

A confidential email address has been set up by the Board of Directors to manage the CEO recruitment process. All inquiries should be directed to: board@tourismkamloops.com

UPDATED: BC Hotel Association and Tourism Industry Association of BC AGM's

The community of Merritt is currently under evacuation due to extreme weather conditions which is impacting the region and other parts of our province. BC Hotel Association (BCHA), TIABC, Tourism Kamloops, and the Kamloops Hotel Association are currently working alongside Emergency Management BC to secure accommodation for those evacuating and unable to stay with friends and family.

In an effort to ensure that maximum accommodation is made available to those in need, a decision has been made to no longer move forward with the in-person TIABC & BCHA Annual General Meeting/s. Instead, the event will take place online only - Wednesday, November 17, 2021

The BC Hotel Association (BCHA) and Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) are the voices of the provincial hospitality & tourism sectors at the federal, provincial, and community level, advocating for the best interests of BC’s accommodation and tourism communities.

The session will include:

• Updates on advocacy efforts both provincially and federally

• Information on emerging issues and strategies to mitigate risk

• Tools, resources, and benefits available to our members

• Recovery strategies for the tourism and hospitality sector

• Special guest speakers and dignitaries

• A townhall Q&A session

AGENDA

The run of show will remain as initially planned apart from the networking and reception event which will no longer take place:

• 1pm – 2pm | TIABC AGM

• 2pm – 2:45pm | Keynote Speaker, Emile Gourieux of STR on global trends and recovery

• 3pm - 3:15pm | Remarks by Hon. Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport

• 3:15pm – 4pm | BCHA AGM & Live Industry Update presentation

• 4pm – 5pm | Industry Town Hall and Q&A presented by Rising Tide Consulting

Developing Winter and Shoulder Season Tourism - Elevating Canadian Experiences

TIAC launched its Elevating Canadian Experience (ECE) program to provide tourism stakeholders with free learning resources in culinary tourism and tools for the winter/shoulder seasons.

The ECE program provides content ranging from strategy development to practical tools and tips - all designed to help grow and adapt your tourism business as an operator and build tourism capacity in your region as a destination partner.

The latest module "Embracing Canada’s Winter and Shoulder Season" has been developed to assist tourism operators and destination partners in broadening the shoulders of your tourism season and provides valuable insights, worksheets, tips and strategies.

November is Fall Prevention Month

Fall Prevention Month encourages organizations to coordinate their efforts for a larger impact. Canadian organizations participate by planning initiatives and sharing evidence-based information on fall prevention. Together we can raise the profile of fall prevention and encourage everyone to see their role in preventing falls and fall-related injuries across the lifespan.

Does your workplace have preventative measures in place to avoid slips and falls? Not sure where to start? go2HR has a resource in place for preventing slips, trips and falls in the workplace. Learn more about how you can avoid slips and falls in the workplace.

There are many ways to get involved in Fall Prevention Month and showcase the great work of your organization. Find out more here.

Okanagan College Hospitality Professional Program for Unemployed Workers - Applications Now Open

The Province is providing more than $450,000 to the Okanagan College Kelowna campus to deliver two intakes of its hospitality professional program for people on EI.

Participants will receive 17 weeks of occupational and employability skills training, 10 weeks of on-the-job work experience with local employers and three weeks of follow-up support to assist in their job search. Courses will include computer software, marketing and sales, soft skills, COVID-19 health and safety training, human resources and management, project management and accounting. Participants will also receive certification courses in FoodSafe, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System and Serving it Right, as well as basic accounting or hospitality service training.

The hospitality professional program project is recruiting eligible applicants living in and around Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton and Revelstoke.

Full-time online and classroom learning for the first intake will start on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, and project activities will run until June 17, 2022.

Applications Open for Arts Infrastructure Program

Arts and culture groups throughout B.C. can look forward to new and enhanced spaces with $4 million to support the Arts Infrastructure Program.

This is the second year this funding has been made available in response to the needs of arts and culture groups. In 2020-21, the program had an initial budget of $2 million. However, an additional $2 million of one-time funding was made available, resulting in funding for 97 organizations and $4 million in support.

The Arts Infrastructure Program dedicates money that allows arts and cultural organizations to improve infrastructure, enhance safety features, increase accessibility, buy equipment and continue to offer virtual programming to contribute to B.C.’s economic recovery.

The application deadline January 14, 2022.

Quick Facts:

• Through the next intake of the Arts Infrastructure Program, arts and cultural organizations can receive these grants:

  • an increased limit from $75,000 to $250,000 to improve arts and culture spaces;

  • $40,000 to buy special equipment to support art programming; and

  • $25,000 to support capital planning and consultation.

• The BC Arts Council administers the Arts Infrastructure Program and a peer committee reviews the funding applications.

• Budget 2021 committed $6 million over three years to expand the Arts Infrastructure Program.

• As part of StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan, the Province provided $35 million to support arts and culture organization's recovery through the BC Arts Council.

Excerpts from News Conference with Dr. Henry & Health Minister Dix on Ski Resorts, Holiday Travel & Music Events (Nov. 9, 2021)

Originally published in a TIABC Newsletter on November 12, 2021

November 9, 2021:

Dr. Henry: So, here's what I'm asking you to think about as we head towards the coming holiday season. Keep your indoor groups small. We know that indoors is more risky than outdoors. And, it's really important that if you do have an indoor group that people are vaccinated. That helps mitigate the risk of transmission.

You can spend time with your loved ones, and indeed you must spend time. We need to have that time together. But have a smaller gathering this year, perhaps with one or two of your family members, or other families, rather than the full big family reunion. And make sure everyone is vaccinated.

If you're wanting to spend time with your broader family and friends, then plan an outdoor activity instead of gathering inside where it's riskier. Go sledding or snowshoeing or hiking. We have many, many wonderful things that we can do outdoors safely, even in the winter months.

And if you're travelling to another community, whether for a day trip, for exercise, a holiday getaway, we need you to be a respectful traveller. We know how to do this. We have been through this now together for the last 20 months. We need to continue to be aware of the impact we are having on communities we're going to and the risks that we're bringing with us, and of course, the risks we bring home.

We must recognize that there are some communities right now that are dealing with very serious outbreaks of this virus still, particularly in the North, but also on Vancouver Island, in the Interior and in some areas of the Lower Mainland. And they may not be ready to accept visitors right now, so check before you go. That also includes following all of the public health orders. Just because things look different in a different community doesn't mean you can let your guard down.

Here in BC, respectful travel means being fully vaccinated, using your vaccine card if you're going in to access services or going to events in any community; wearing a mask in all indoor public venues, including local stores, ski hills. All of those areas where we know that extra layer protection is so important at this time of year as we're moving into respiratory season.

Reporter: I know you've been asked about this before, but different ski hills are now putting in different policies around vaccine cards. Some are requiring vaccine to ride the gondolas or chairlifts. Others are not. Is there any change in guidance around whether the vaccine card may be used at ski hills considering people are in close contact in these gondolas?

Dr. Henry: just around ski hills, I know we have been working with the local public health, so my colleagues in each of the areas where we have ski hills have been reviewing the safety plans with each individual ski hill and there's a couple of things that all of them must adhere to, regardless of where their headquarters are.

One of them is we have an indoor mask mandate and gondolas are like a public transit, for example, an area where mask wearing is required, absolutely, and that is the same across the board. As well, we know that most ski hills have a vaccine mandate for their workers, which is something that protects all of the workers on the hill. That's important as well. And the BC vaccine card is required in all of those settings where you have either a licensed premise, where you're serving food, restaurants, sit down restaurants, etc. So we know that there's very strong protection plans and my colleagues have been working with each of the ski hills to make sure that they are robust.

We also know -- we've seen this from last year when we didn't have immunization -- that skiing is not necessarily a higher risk activity. We're not seeing transmission outdoors, we're not seeing transmission in gondolas, even in the absence of vaccination. So it is very important to have those safety plans. It is a requirement to wear masks on gondolas, on ski lifts, in lineups when you're close to people, and are more and more important this year, of course, but we also encourage everybody who's going there to be vaccinated.

We know that traveling into the country you need to be vaccinated. We know that travel within the country now you need to be vaccinated. So those are all things that will protect us and I think that's a really important consideration as we go into this ski season, too.

Minister Dix: I'll just add to that, that Mayor Jack Crompton of Whistler called me today and we spent some time talking about this issue. He's advocating forcefully for his community, and I think it's also important for the employer, in that case, to respond to the wishes of the community, as well, and we're hopeful they'll do so. I know other ski hills across BC have done that.

Reporter: Small music venues in BC are wondering when the ban will be lifted on standing and dancing in their establishments. Fans in BC can stand, dance and sing at larger events. What is the difference between that and the smaller venue? BC will soon be the only place in Canada with these types of restrictions in place.

Dr. Henry: I actually don't agree that we're the only place in Canada, but we do know that those indoor events where you have people crowding together and dancing and singing, so the general admission, it is the same across the board for all venues. Those large venues, they must have seated areas in front of the stage. They cannot have the general admission mosh pit in front of a concert, and the application of that is the same across the board.

We are doing this incrementally. We know that indoor settings are riskier than outdoor settings. We know that the vaccine card is one of the ways that we can reduce and mitigate that risk, but it's not the same everywhere. We have to be mindful that some of these settings are riskier.

We are doing things in an incremental way. We're looking at things like the vaccination rates in the community, like the amount of virus that's circulating in the community, the ability of people to wear masks. Those are all things that I'm working with my colleagues across the province. We spent quite a bit of time this week, and we'll be looking at how do we harmonize these and make these stronger, but this is not the time to make major changes that increase risk dramatically.

It affects all of those venues across the board, where we are requiring people to have access to a seat, because when people are seated, the risk is that much lower than when you're mingling with people.

Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub

The District of Summerland has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for a party to provide a location and/or building for the planned Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub (OFIH) in Summerland.  The OFIH is a regional collaborative project that focuses on expanding the local agri-food economy by providing facilities, equipment, and services that improve the economics of local food producers and processors.

If your organization, or any organization in your network is potentially interested in responding to this RFEOI, we encourage you to go to the District of Summerland website to learn more about this exciting initiative. The Deadline for submissions is November 25, 2021 at 2:00 pm.

Ready to E-Market Program

The British Columbia Tourism Resiliency Network’s Ready to E-Market program is available for B.C. tourism businesses who require digital assistance.

Ready to E-Market (previously called “Digital Support Services”) focuses on small tourism operators who need hands-on help with foundational digital skills, managing your own online presence, and digital advertising. A Digital Expert will work with you one-on-one. There is no cost to participate. You must be registered in the Tourism Resiliency Program.

There are packages available in three categories: Presence, Purchase, and Promote (see infographic below)

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To sign-up for a package, please contact your Program Advisor

Not yet registered? It’s quick, easy and free! Please visit TourismResiliency.ca/TOTA

Skift IDEA Awards 2021 Finalist

The British Columbia Tourism Resiliency Network has been named a finalist in the Skift IDEA Awards 2021 in the Pandemic Response category. Tourism Vancouver Island is the recipient of the award on behalf of our British Columbia Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS) partners. 

Each year, Skift IDEA Awards celebrate brands and businesses designing new and better ways to travel in 14 categories. All finalists in the Pandemic Response category, include:

• Accor –  ALL Heartist Fund 

• Aparium Hotel Group – Innovative Dining Suites

• Bahrain Airport Company – Pandemic Response 

• Business Iceland – Looks Like You Need to Let it Out 

• Global Rescue – Coronavirus Intelligence Center

• Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board – Start Your Comeback in Los Angeles

• OYO – VaccinAid

• Tourism Vancouver Island (on behalf of BCRTS) – Tourism Resiliency Network

• WELL Health – Safety Rating 

Winners will be announced later this month and celebrated December 9th.

Regulation Urged for Short-Term Accommodations Industry

The Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) has made 13 requests of the province to consider in order to establish a regulatory framework for the short-term accommodations industry, similar to those in place for ride-hailing and other regulated industries.

While local governments in BC have tools to regulate short-term rentals for vacationers and others, most lack the capacity to enforce them.

The ever-expanding online accommodation bookings industry has reduced long-term rental housing capacity at a time when housing availability and costs are already under pressure. At the same time, a property’s earning potential from short-term rental use leads to higher prices in the market than local incomes can support.

On top of this, local governments are unable to obtain complete and accurate data needed to understand exactly what is happening with short-term rentals in their own community.

At the province’s request, a Joint UBCM-Province Advisory Group conducted an analysis and asked local governments to make recommendations for the province’s further consideration.