A number of you may know the name Jill McKnight through my work with the Ladner Business Association, the Ladner Village Market, and South Coast Casuals in Ladner.
In 2021, I was thrilled to venture into the broader business community of Delta when I joined the Delta Chamber of Commerce as Executive Director.
Since stepping into this new role, I have led our team in promoting the growth and prosperity of businesses located in the federal electoral district of Delta through advocacy.
The Delta Chamber sustains its mission and role with the support of more than 430 member businesses and individuals representing Annacis Island, Tilbury Island, Boundary Bay Airport, Deltaport, North Delta, Ladner, Tsawwassen, and Tsawwassen First Nation. As a non-profit, we are supported through the aid and leadership of our board of directors, sustaining funds via memberships, sponsors, and grants, as well as the direct feedback of our members.
2021 was a successful year for the Delta Chamber.
Two of our policy resolutions, advocating for the reduction of red tape for income tax filing and for increased transportation planning in business parks and industrial areas, were adopted by both the BC Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce into their three-year policy platforms.
During our ongoing conversations with all levels of government, the Delta Chamber advocated for additional and more diverse housing options for current and potential workers in Delta. We also informed decision making on major transportation, infrastructure, and utility projects which support business and residential needs in Delta. And we engaged as an active participant in Delta’s Community Resilience and Economic Recovery Strategy Team (CRERST).
The Delta Chamber continued to advocate for the replacement of the George Massey Tunnel, supply chain supports, expanded container capacity, workforce development and support resources, revisions to the highest and best use property assessments, and the much-needed transit upgrades to our industrial areas and within the greater Delta community.
Additionally, we provided our members COVID-19 support and recovery tools, as well as educational resources for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, marketing, communications, customer service, and information on the role of LNG in the marine sector.
We have actively engaged with business owners and leaders to provide the resources they need in a timely manner. Throughout the year, we facilitated democracy in our community by hosting a federal candidates business forum, set up opportunities to engage with government through budget consultation sessions, hosted information sessions about BC’s Restart Plan, and held a fireside chat with Minister Ravi Kahlon and a town hall with the then Leader of the Official Opposition Erin O’Toole.
Summer and fall of 2021 saw the return of a few in-person events including our 32nd Annual Golf Tournament, two After 5s, and our 70th Annual Hats Off to Excellence Awards gala where we celebrated our community’s tremendous business excellency.
Additionally, we brought together women in business to discuss the unique challenges and needs they face in their business environments. These initial steps toward live events were very well received, and through our adaptations we discovered some great tools we will continue to integrate into our events.
2022 is already an active year for the Delta Chamber. We have been leading a project to enhance the We Love Delta Support Local campaign, we have begun work on our policy submissions, and we have advocated for business in several meetings with members of government — locally, provincially, and federally.
We are confident that we can expand our supports and services to meet your business needs; we are pushing ourselves further, and you are going to want to be here with us. So, let’s grow together.
