Business opportunities throughout Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and Tobacco Plains, collectively known as “The Elk Valley”, are numerous, abundant and diverse.
Members of the Elk Valley Economic Initiative (formerly known as the Elk Valley Regional Economic Development Committee) are representatives of community organizations who share a common interest in regional collaboration around economic development.
Their goals are to:
The Business Retention and Expansion project was a community-driven effort undertaken by the District of Sparwood focused on identifying the needs of our existing businesses. The project was undertaken with support from the Sparwood Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute.
The objectives of the project were to:
This report describes findings from a Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) survey conducted at 65 businesses in the District of Sparwood between 2013 and 2014. It was an action-oriented and community-based approach to business and economic development. It promotes job growth by helping communities to learn about concerns of, as well as opportunities for, local businesses and to set priorities for projects to address those needs.
The results of this survey can be used to inform short- and long-term planning. In addition, a number of businesses would benefit from follow-up support. Research findings suggest that the following action areas have the greatest potential to improve the business climate:
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