New advisors to support businesses with Covid-19 economic recovery
Nakusp and Slocan Valley are receiving new support for economic recovery.
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) announced the successful funding recipients of the Rural Business and Community Recovery (RBCR) Program, and Community Futures Central Kootenay received funding to hire two Recovery Advisors, one based in Nakusp and another in the Slocan Valley.
“We were excited with the interest shown by communities and business support organizations throughout the Southern Interior to hire Recovery Advisors through this funding,” said Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC. “We are delighted to provide this assistance in our region with support from the Province of British Columbia as it delivers on its StrongerBC Plan.”
Community Futures is among 20 successful applicants whose projects will create a total of 30 part-time and full-time Recovery Advisor positions to assist businesses and rural communities in the Southern Interior with COVID-19 economic recovery.
Economic recovery is the economic adaption and change to new circumstances, including the upswing following an economic dip or recession.
“The advisors will support individual small businesses by connecting them with resources, while also looking at the business community as a whole and creating economic recovery initiatives for their area,” explained Community Futures Executive Director Andrea Wilkey. “It’s great to see ETSI-BC supporting this important work in our rural areas.”
Slocan Valley Economic Development Coordinator Ron LeBlanc and Nakusp Area Development Board President Margaret Driscoll were also pleased their communities are among those receiving the funding.
“We want the Slocan Valley to continue thriving, despite the economic impacts and shifts in behaviour in response to this pandemic” LeBlanc said. “I’m grateful for this funding to hire another able body to support businesses and help them adapt here in the Slocan Valley.”
Driscoll added, “We know we need to support Nakusp small businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic and this funding for a Recovery Advisor will help us do that.”
In total, 59 communities in all nine ETSI-BC regional districts are being served by these RBCR-funded projects, including 10 First Nations communities. ETSI-BC’s CEO Laurel Douglas and her team were inspired by the applications.
“In reviewing the applications, we saw innovation at the forefront as a key to economic recovery for communities,” said Douglas. “Our team is working closely with the recipients so their Recovery Advisors can engage and begin providing much-needed economic recovery support.”
