Calling all food truck vendors—it’s time to start your engines and fire up your grills! The City of Campbell River is now accepting applications to operate food trucks at selected public locations downtown or along the waterfront.

We spoke with Keith Ippel, Spring’s co-founder and chief executive officer, about some of the team’s strategies for creating healthy entrepreneurial ecosystems.

It’s Small Business Week (Oct. 17-23), a national celebration that shines the spotlight on Canadian entrepreneurs and all they contribute to our economies and communities.

It’s Small Business Week (Oct. 17-23), a national celebration that shines the spotlight on Canadian entrepreneurs and all they contribute to our economies and communities.

It’s Small Business Week (Oct. 17-23), a national celebration that shines the spotlight on Canadian entrepreneurs and all they contribute to our economies and communities.

It’s Small Business Week (Oct. 17-23), a national celebration that shines the spotlight on Canadian entrepreneurs and all they contribute to our economies and communities.

The City of Campbell River’s economic development department and the Campbell River Area Angel Group (CRAAG) have announced finalists and prize recipients of the second annual NexStream Tech Competition at an online finale.

More than 150 people from around British Columbia registered to watch the finale of the 2021 Campbell River Impact Investor Challenge on June 16. Five finalists, from all over British Columbia, pitched their businesses, vying for the grand prize of a minimum $50,000 investment in their businesses.

Teams vying for a share of up to $300,000 in total funding and services tackle challenges inspired by Campbell River, B.C.

Choosing the right location and property for your business is an exciting and important decision, but it can also seem overwhelming.

The City of Campbell River has launched CR Grant Assist, a new Economic Development program to support the local business community. Participants will have the opportunity to consult with as grant writer, who will provide each participant with up to five hours of grant-writing services, at no cost.

Local products can get a free marketing boost thanks to the Island Good program. City of Campbell River Economic Development and Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) have partnered for a second year to offer local businesses access to Island Good licensing for 2021, for free.

People are always asking me for advice on business and what I do to stay motivated and keep positive, even during times of crisis and difficulty.

My biggest piece of advice, surround yourself with people that are different than you and that know different things than you. As a business owner that might be hard for you to know where to start. For me, there was an easy answer…connect with the team at the Campbell River Economic Development.

“We are excited to welcome Poseidon Ocean Systems, Moeller Matthews, CR Lawyers, Shelter Point Distillery and Pacific Sands Beach Resort to the NexStream Tech Competition. We’re grateful for their support, and the continuing support of Spring and Foresight,” said Rose Klukas, the City’s economic development officer. “Each year, NexStream’s teams apply themselves—and technology—to the task of solving industry challenges that affect communities like Campbell River. The funds and expertise provided by CRAAG and our supportive network of sponsors are helping to drive NexStream and its innovators forward.”

Campbell River’s tech competition, NexStream 2.0, launches Oct. 1 – with innovators pitching their ideas for up to $300,000 in prizes.

The second annual international competition is now accepting applications in four categories inspired by our coastal region. Challenges are: health and emergency preparedness, food security and sustainable resources. In addition, there is a wildcard category.

Our marketing agency, Boleyn Media has had incredible support from the City’s Economic Development team right from the very early days of launching our business back in early 2019. One event, in particular, comes to mind where we were first introduced to our web developer, Liam. Looking back on it now, that introduction inadvertently helped shape our agency before we even knew what we needed.

Currently, 37.7% of all small businesses in BC are owned by women - that’s just over 145,485 women-owned businesses who fit the profile above and are struggling to keep the doors open and the businesses running through the pandemic. Early forecasts predict 50% of businesses won’t survive COVID-19 impact. More than ever small businesses, many owned by women, need support.