Delta Chamber 2007/08 season begins: Up, Up and Away!

September 11, 2007

Up, Up and Away
Delta Chamber of Commerce: new season, new member services

DELTA, B.C. (September 11, 2007) The Delta Chamber of Commerce is ready for take off. The business association for all of Delta is launching its new season of networking events and business advocacy at the Boundary Bay Airport on Wednesday, September 19 when it will hold a luncheon on the future development plans of the airport, co-sponsored by Alpha Aviation. Other topics Chamber members have identified as priorities are planned for the new 2007/08 season.

“We have conducted surveys and listened to our members and now we are planning events through to next summer to meet our members’ priorities,” says Maria DeVries, President of the Delta Chamber of Commerce. “Members have identified topics such as the South Fraser Perimeter Road, Delta Port Expansion, Public Transit, Boundary Bay Airport and several other topics. We are not only considering luncheons as networking opportunities, we are developing new ways to provide events. We also intend to have some fun, as we did with our recent summer barbeque event at Westham Island Winery.”

The Delta Chamber of Commerce plans to provide, and to continue providing economic development for all of Delta in three ways: Develop, Connect and Advocate.

Develop

New on the scene, to help Chamber members “Develop”, is the Chamber Cafe concept. It is a more informal way for members and other business people to get together on specific topics or to collaborate within a certain sector. The first of those is scheduled for September 27 and is focused on those involved in the business of “wellness” – catering to the many businesses in that sector throughout Delta.

“The Chamber Café is one new element in what we are calling our new ‘Connect’ series,” says DeVries. “These kinds of events can help members and others connect, not only through our trade shows – this year’s is on October 4 at the Coast Tsawwassen Inn -- annual golf tournament and Hats Off recognition gala –this year on November 2nd at the Town and Country Inn -- but also in new ways, such as business tours and discussions at members’ facilities or work sites. Swing Into Leadership started this year as a chance to learn on a professional development topic and play golf at the same time.”

The Delta Chamber’s new “Inform” series is focused on business issues and advocacy on topics related to port expansion and transportation infrastructure, Translink services, Tsawwassen First Nation treaty business opportunities, and more. These are the luncheons and perhaps the occasional breakfast.

DeVries says, “The third kind of series is called ‘Grow’. Examples are the five business topics presented by faculty from the business school at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. They were first offered this Spring and achieved a 92 percent satisfaction rating overall. We are pleased with those results for our members. We plan to offer a similar series this Fall. We were the first chamber to do this and now it will be offered to many other chambers in other communities.”

More will continue to be offered in this member development area: that is, the Chamber’s range of business services such as company name searches, certificates of origin for shipping, and benefits from vendors such as discounts on bank merchant services and other goods and services. A big benefit for many smaller companies is the group insurance plan for their employees. The Chamber also provides the Tourism BC Visitor Centre services for Delta, helping tourists find their way and accommodation, but also encouraging visitors to spend some time in Delta.

Connect

“One of the key messages from Chamber members through surveys is the need to attract more new members,” says DeVries. “The more members we have, the better the networking and range of opportunities to learn and do business. In this way the Chamber plays another role and that is to ‘Connect’. The Chamber has started to focus on building its membership by sector and by geographic region. For example we are focusing on different industries in the North Delta area, including the Tilbury and Annacis Island industrial parks, and the North Delta commercial areas along Scott Road.”

Advocate

The third role of the Delta Chamber is to “Advocate”. Through surveys members made it quite clear that they endorsed the Chamber’s role in becoming an advocate for business. Members put advocacy – the voice of business -- on par with networking.

DeVries says, “We want to promote growth, prosperity and the sustainability of the Delta community. Our role at the Chamber is to act on behalf of business in Delta to influence economic, social and government challenges and issues.”

Here are some examples of advocacy -- speaking and acting -- not only for Chamber members, but for all Delta businesses:
• the Chamber was part of the team from Delta that successfully secured $630,000.00 from the provincial government for the Boundary Bay Airport;
• the Chamber’s transportation committee partnered with the Corporation of Delta in drafting new bylaws for container storage in Delta;
• after the Chamber Board surveyed members in the North Delta area by phone to seek their opinion, the Chamber submitted a letter to Delta Corporation in support of the Delsom Estates property development in North Delta because of the project’s potential economic and social benefits to the community;
• on behalf of the international mailing industry the Chamber assisted members and businesses in Delta to lobby the federal government on legislative changes to stop Canada Post taking punitive measures in its efforts to monopolize this industry; letters have been exchanged with the federal Minister of Transport, Hon. Lawrence Cannon, M.P. and now the issue is being addressed in the Prime Minister’s Office;
• almost three years ago the Chamber encouraged The Vancouver Port Authority to create a community liaison group to respond to concerns, discuss alternatives and present options for the planning of Deltaport; a community liaison committee has now recently formed so the Authority and the community can work together to deal with challenges regarding port expansion, and increase the positives for Delta’s quality of life;
• also on port expansion, the Chamber has been collaborating with the BC Trucking Association, TSI – Deltaport, Fraser Port Authority, the container storage industry, municipal councilors and many others; that is the complexity and level of involvement for the Chamber on behalf of business and the community;
• Delta Chamber of Commerce and the Prince George Chamber of Commerce achieved support of the BC Chamber of Commerce at its Annual General Meeting in late May, calling on the provincial and federal governments to invest infrastructure dollars in our Pacific Coast ports not only to meet the demand of rapidly growing trade with China and Southeast Asia, but, more importantly, to support the local communities, such as Delta, in regard to their needs, in regard to transportation infrastructure and overall impact;
• Delta Chamber has now submitted a similar resolution with Prince George and the Halifax Chamber of Commerce to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce for its September Annual General Meeting, that the federal government invest in transportation infrastructure for all its ports;
• the Chamber’s transportation committee worked with the provincial government’s Gateway representatives and various groups to challenge and discuss the alignment of the South Fraser Perimeter Road; the committee has met with the leading engineers for the project and the provincial government’s Environmental Assessment Office, and the Chamber hosted BC Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon at a luncheon this year and the federal Parliamentary Secretary for the federal Transport Minister, Brian Jean, MP, all with the focus on not only what is good for business, but what is needed in the community of Delta;
• other positions taken, issues pursued and relationships being developed, include a business relationship with the Tsawwassen First Nation, funding of the debris trap along the Fraser River, dredging of the river all around us, and irrigation and land use in conjunction with the Delta Farmer’s Institute.

So Develop, Connect and Advocate. These are the ways the Delta Chamber of Commerce plans to provide and continue providing economic development for all of Delta.