Chamber of Commerce & Other Supports
A thriving business community comes from cooperation, collaboration, and communication – bringing together people and ideas, and advocating for common interests.
The Kimberley and District Chamber of Commerce strives to serve as leaders in the promotion, development, growth and prosperity of business in our community. Learn more and become a member at http://www.kimberleychamber.com/
Business Support and Advice
Basin Business Advisors
BBA support small- and medium-sized businesses in the Basin by providing free, one-to-one, confidential business counselling and assessment services, and by arranging and cost-sharing specialized consulting services.
https://bbaprogram.ca/
Community Futures East Kootenay
CFEK’s helps create sustainable communities by promoting local, community-based economic development through a suite of services, including commercial lending and skills training.
http://www.cfek.ca/
Innovate BC
This program encourages a disciplined approach to growing a technology company. The Venture Acceleration Program will help you define a business model for sustained growth and profitability. https://www.innovatebc.ca/
BC Provincial Nominee Program – Immigrant entrepreneurs welcome!
The program selects entrepreneurs ready to invest in our economy and create jobs, as well as helps employers attract and retain skilled foreign workers who have the skills and experience to contribute to B.C.’s economy.
https://www.welcomebc.ca
Trade and Invest British Columbia
British Columbia has a vibrant Trade and Investment environment. Learn about recent industry success stories throughout the province and across our many industry sectors.
www.britishcolumbia.ca
Financing and Access to Capital
Community Futures East Kootenay
Futurpreneur
Futurpreneur Canada has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 3,000 volunteer mentors. https://www.futurpreneur.ca/en/
Business Development Bank of Canada
Provides a range of services and resources to foster the growth of small business, including financing and business consulting.
http://www.bdc.ca/EN/business-centres/british_columbia/cranbrook/Pages/d...
The Funding Portal
The Funding Portal is an online gateway to access to government funding and business financing.https://ca.fundingportal.com/
Canada Small Business Financing Program
Under the program, the Government of Canada makes it easier for small businesses to get loans from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csbfp-pfpec.nsf/eng/h_la02855.html
Export Development Canada
Export Development Canada is Canada’s export credit agency, offering financial and risk management solutions to help Canadian businesses expand into the U.S. and other international markets.
http://www.edc.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx
Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI BC)
Funding source that seeks to grow and diversify the economy of the Southern Interior of British Columbia through investments in 10 key sectors. http://www.sidit-bc.ca/
Social Entrepreneurship
Kimberley is a pioneer in social entrepreneurship – using business to benefit social objectives. Non-profits, cooperatives, and other social entrepreneurship vehicles are a fast growing area of business opportunities and offer structural flexibility in the ownership and financing of community priorities. The following resources may be useful if you want to run a business differently.
Enterprising Non-Profits – Social Enterprise Canada
National organization providing planning, finance, and learning tools to assist social entrepreneurs. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/053.nsf/eng/h_00006.html
The Vantage Point
Provides resources, tools, and professional development opportunities for developing and engaging the volunteer sector. https://thevantagepoint.ca/
Upper Columbia Co-op Council
Cooperative Corporations are extremely versatile business vehicles. While they have slightly broader objectives than traditional corporations, they employ locals and can be used by members to provide collective benefits or services.
http://uccc.coop/
Volunteer Kootenays
Volunteer Kootenays links organizations in the region to potential volunteers. https://kootenays.cmha.bc.ca/programs-services/volunteer-kootenays/
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