New Award Highlights Small Business-Friendly Communities

March 29, 2011

Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation

New award highlights small business-friendly communities

VICTORIA – Local governments that go out of their way to champion the growth of small businesses will be celebrated with a new, annual provincewide award.

B.C.’s Small Business Roundtable, established in 2005, with a mandate to advise on issues, strategies and potential actions to support B.C. small businesses, will select an award winner within each economic region of the province.
Applications for the award will be evaluated based on the following achievements:

· Reducing regulatory barriers.

· Enhancing small business competitiveness.

· Recognizing small business’ contribution to their community.

· Supporting climate action initiatives, which benefit small business.

The small business sector is a key economic driver in B.C., employing more than a million people and providing nearly 57 per cent of all private-sector jobs in British Columbia. British Columbia was recently recognized by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business as Canada’s leader in regulatory reform, and now the focus is shifting to recognizing the efforts municipal governments make to reduce regulatory barriers and help small businesses thrive.


The submission deadline is Wednesday, June 15, 2011. Up to three finalists per region will be selected by August 2011. The awards will be announced in October during Small Business Month.

For the full News release:
http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2011JTI0041-000296.htm