Creation of the Resort Communities Chambers Coalition (RCCC)
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- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
We are excited to announce the Kimberley Chamber's participation in the newly created Resort Communities Chambers Coalition (RCCC).
As Chambers of Commerce that operate within resort municipalities in British Columbia, we have come together to form a new Resort Chambers of Commerce Coalition (RCCC), a collaborative alliance designed to amplify the collective voice of businesses in resort-based economies, and identify opportunities for partnerships to support business and economic growth.
The founding Chambers in the Resort Chamber Coalition are; Revelstoke, Columbia Valley, Fernie, Harrison-Agassiz, Kamloops & District, Kicking Horse Country, Kimberley & District, South Okanagan, Tofino, Trail and District, Ucluelet, Valemount, and Whistler, representing all 14 provincially designated resort communities in BC.
The coalition’s first joint action was submitting a proposed policy resolution to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce focused on immigration and workforce challenges in Canadian resort communities. The policy calls for the Government of Canada to enhance the effectiveness of the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and support the vitality of Canada’s Resort Communities by:
1. Amending RCIP eligibility criteria to explicitly include Resort Communities, recognizing their
unique economic structures and labour market needs;
2. Implementing flexible population metrics to allow for exceptions to population and proximity requirements for communities that demonstrate significant reliance on tourism and face labour challenges; and
3. Engage local stakeholders in Resort Communities including municipal government and industry, to ensure the effective implementation of these changes.
The policy was submitted at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce conference earlier this October, with support from the Resort Chamber Coalition, and other resort communities across Canada. (Including but not limited to: Bow Valley, Jasper, Alberta and Ontario Chambers of Commerce.) It was formally adopted with a large majority of 94% of the assembly in favour. The coalition's next steps are to work alongside the Canadian Chamber’s “future of work” advocacy department and the commissioner for employers to consistently bring this policy resolution forward to the appropriate federal ministers whose work focuses on tourism and immigration.
The Kimberley & District Chamber of Commerce's involvement in the RCCC will enhance our ability to collaborate and address the unique needs and challenges faced by resort communities. We are proud to be founding members of the coalition and look forward to working with our Chamber partners!