Whistler Chamber November Advocacy in Action Member Input Session
November 29th, 2021
The Whistler Chamber recently hosted another virtual Advocacy in Action roundtable discussion to a good turnout from the Whistler business community.
Before opening the discussion to the attendees, Chamber CEO and moderator Melissa Pace emphasized the Chamber’s focus on addressing labour shortage issues that have been prevalent in recent months. She highlighted the Chamber’s recent partnership with Tourism Whistler to create a recruitment video, and spoke on the added attention it has drawn to the Chamber job board and listings housed within. She also drew attention to efforts to have the government extend subsidy programs to include businesses affected by reduced tourism.
Once the roundtable discussion began, some attendees expressed interest in what measures businesses were taking to deal with guests who resisted the use of masks. Despite it being a rare occurrence, the implications with regard to providing a safe location for both workers and guests are cause for concern.
The topic soon swung to labour issues, with one attendee noting that they’re very short on staff with no leads on new workers. Going hand in hand with labour issues are housing issues, with some businesses mentioning they’ve had negotiations with potential workers only to fall through due to lack of housing in Whistler. Melissa once again assured that housing is an issue that the Chamber is addressing.
Before closing, a number of upcoming events were detailed:
- Whistler Chamber: Webinar + Virtual AGM: Building Back a Strong Sustainable Biz Economy – Dec 1
- Whistler Institute: Climate Emergency – an Action Guide for Citizens – Dec 9
Advocacy in Action Member input sessions will take a break and return in February. These sessions are vital to the Whistler Chamber, as they inform our advocacy as we build back a strong, sustainable business economy. Please consider registering for our next session on February 17th – we would love to hear from you.
What is an Advocacy in Action Session?
As your Chamber, one of our key roles is to advocate on behalf of the Whistler business community. Our power packed Advocacy in Action Sessions are designed for you, our Members, to let us know where to take action. We want to stay up-to-date with developing concerns of our business community during COVID-19, and be better prepared to advocate for you during these unprecedented times. This is an opportunity to speak frankly and let the Chamber know how we can make your business better.
