Posted on: May 24, 2016
2016 Site Visitation Program Underway
The 2016 site visitation program to Westbank First Nation businesses is now underway. This is the third year Westbank First Nation, in partnership with the Regional District of Central Okanagan has conducted one-on-one visits with businesses located on WFN land following an agreement between the RDCO and WFN established in 2014.
Through the program a representative of the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission (COEDC), a function of the Regional District, will conduct one-on-one interviews with approximately 60 WFN businesses this year. These visits provide a face-to-face opportunity to establish relationships with business operators, identify their challenges and facilitate solutions. Tracey Fredrickson, Business Enhancement Officer with the COEDC will be calling on WFN businesses in the coming weeks. While many of the retail business visits are done at random, if you would like to ensure your business is visited, contact Mandi Carroll at the WFN Economic Development office, (250) 769-2436.
Business Walks
WFN also participates in the COEDC’s Business Walk program – another important tool used to gather information from the Central Okanagan business community and facilitate business growth. Since the COEDC introduced Business Walks to Canada in 2012, more than 75 communities in BC and Alberta have conducted Business Walks of their own and the program is identified as a best practice in economic development by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training.
The information gathered during a Business Walk captures the pulse of businesses throughout the region on a specific day and often identifies the needs for more in-depth site visits with businesses that need assistance.
Westbank First Nation participates along with the District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna and the District of Peachland in both the annual Central Okanagan Business Walk each fall, and sector-specific Business Walks throughout the year. The next sector-specific Business Walk will be to approximately 50 professional services business throughout the region In July, 2016. The information gathered is reported by the COEDC within a few weeks of each walk and helps to identify opportunities for COEDC Business Enhancement programming.
Reports from all Business Walks to date can be viewed on the COEDC website.