British Columbia Economic Development Association - BCEDA

09/24/2026

BCEDA is pleased to announce Nicole Read as our new President & CEO, effective November 1, 2026!

Following a comprehensive recruitment and selection process, the BCEDA Board of Directors is excited to welcome Nicole as the Association begins its next chapter.

Nicole brings extensive experience in economic and community development, organizational leadership, business support and economic recovery, along with a strong understanding of BCEDA and the communities and economic development professionals we serve across British Columbia.

As President & CEO, Nicole will lead BCEDA’s programs, member services, professional development, partnerships, government relations and economic resilience initiatives, including the continued development and expansion of DisasterSmartBC™. She will also lead the annual BC Economic Summit and work with the Board to continue strengthening BCEDA’s role as a resource, connector and provincial voice for economic development.

Please join us in welcoming Nicole to her new role and wishing her every success as she leads BCEDA into its next chapter!

🔗 Read the full announcement:http://www.bceda.ca/docs/BCEDA_-_New_President_and_CEO.pdf

09/24/2026

Economic development belongs in the election conversation.

BCEDA’s Economic Development Election Toolkit helps economic development professionals, local and Indigenous governments, and community partners engage candidates on the issues shaping their local economies.

Covering provincial, municipal and regional elections, this practical, non-partisan resource includes:

- Questions for candidates about business growth, housing, workforce, infrastructure and economic resilience
- Templates for community briefings and candidate outreach
- Tools to record commitments and follow through after the election

Use it to bring your community’s priorities forward and ask candidates how they will support economic development.

Download the Toolkit:https://www.bceda.ca/docs/BCEDA_Economic_Development_Election_Toolkit_2026.pdf

09/11/2026

And this is a great start to recovery. Nice to see everyone working together.

👋 Our doors are open. And our communities are ready to welcome you.

Partners across Penticton, Summerland, the RDOS and snpink’tn Indian Band have come together to support local businesses and our regional economy.

The skies are blue, the sun is shining and we're ready to welcome visitors back to our region.

Read the announcement here: https://bit.ly/4gEGrtw

Spread the word. Tell your friends. Shop local. Support local. ☀

District of Summerland
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
Penticton Indian Band - Public
Visit Summerland
Visit Penticton
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
Penticton Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Penticton
Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen
Visit Okanagan Falls
British Columbia Economic Development Association - BCEDA

08/18/2026

Help Shape the Future of One of BC’s Most Authentic Mountain Communities 🏔️

The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is hiring an Economic Development Officer to help advance Fernie’s economic development priorities through business support, research, investment attraction, partnerships, and community-focused projects.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Fernie’s local economy by supporting existing businesses, attracting new opportunities, and helping our community grow in a thoughtful and sustainable way.

Interested in making a difference in Fernie? Visit our Work in Fernie job posting to learn more and apply today: https://ow.ly/YkrW50ZA017

08/11/2026

BC BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY WILDFIRES – PLEASE REACH OUT

If your business has been affected by wildfire, evacuation orders or alerts, road closures, smoke, reduced customer traffic, supply disruptions, employee impacts or other disaster-related challenges, we need to hear from you.

BCEDA’s DisasterSmartBC™ Business Impact Tool gathers critical information to help communities and recovery partners understand:

• How businesses are being affected
• Closures or reduced operations
• Impacts on employees, customers and revenues
• Immediate and longer-term business needs
• Where additional recovery support may be required

Even if your business has not suffered physical damage, your experience matters. Understanding the full range of impacts is essential to effective economic recovery planning.

🔒 All information is confidential. Individual businesses will not be publicly identified.

If you would like additional support, you can also request that a DisasterSmartBC™ volunteer follow up with you to help identify assistance, resources or connections that may be available.

👉 Complete the Business Impact Survey:
https://www.executivepulse.ca/DisasterSmartBCBDI

Please share with other businesses in your community.

Every response helps communities better understand what businesses need to recover.

Customer Secure Login Page. Login to your ExecutivePulse.net Account.

08/10/2026

BC BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY WILDFIRES – PLEASE REACH OUT

If your business has been affected by wildfire, evacuation orders or alerts, road closures, smoke, reduced customer traffic, supply disruptions, employee impacts or other disaster-related challenges, we need to hear from you.

BCEDA’s DisasterSmartBC™ Business Impact Survey gathers critical information to help communities and recovery partners understand:

• How businesses are being affected
• Closures or reduced operations
• Impacts on employees, customers and revenues
• Immediate and longer-term business needs
• Where additional recovery support may be required

Even if your business has not suffered physical damage, your experience matters. Understanding the full range of impacts is essential to effective economic recovery planning.

🔒 All information is confidential. Individual businesses will not be publicly identified.

If you would like additional support, you can also request that a DisasterSmartBC™ volunteer follow up with you to help identify assistance, resources or connections that may be available.

👉 Complete the Business Impact Survey:
https://www.executivepulse.ca/DisasterSmartBCBDI

Please share with other businesses in your community.

Every response helps communities better understand what businesses need to recover.

08/10/2026

🔥 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – HELP B.C. BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY WILDFIRES

As wildfires continue to impact communities across British Columbia, BCEDA’s DisasterSmartBC™ program is building a roster of volunteers who may be available to support business outreach and economic recovery efforts.

Volunteers may help connect with affected businesses, identify immediate needs, share recovery resources and support outreach in impacted communities.

Registering does not commit you to a deployment. It simply allows us to contact you when assistance is needed and determine whether you are available to help.

If you have economic development, business support, community development or related experience, we would welcome your support.

👉 Join the DisasterSmartBC™ volunteer roster:
https://disastersmartbc.ca/volunteer-with-us/

Please share with others who may be willing to help.

07/27/2026

07/27/2026

Very valuable newsletter from our friends at Destination BC. Emergency Preparedness Resources for Tourism Operators

07/24/2026

As wildfires continue to affect communities across British Columbia, many businesses are facing uncertainty due to evacuations, closures, and other disruptions.

If your business has been impacted, DisasterSmartBC is here to help. We offer resources, guidance, and volunteer support to assist businesses as they navigate the challenges of an emergency.
Complete our short intake survey, and one of our volunteers will reach out to discuss your situation and do our best to connect you with available resources and recovery support.

Visit www.disastersmartbc.ca to learn more and access the intake survey.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the current wildfire season. Please stay safe, follow the directions of local emergency officials, and don't hesitate to reach out if we can help.

DisasterSmartBC is a central hub designed to help communities across British Columbia prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, with a strong focus on economic resilience. Whether you’re a local government official, an economic development professional, or a community leader, you’ll f...