Free marketing boost for Cowichan businesses selling local products
Cowichan restaurants, retailers and producers selling local products can get a free marketing boost in 2021 from the VIEA Island Good Program. Economic Development Cowichan has once again partnered with the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) to offer Cowichan businesses a free one-year Island Good licence. VIEA developed the Island Good brand program as a way for customers to easily identify local products on retailer shelves and restaurant menus. “The need and desire to support local...
Complete your Census 2021 questionnaire on May 11
Census Day is coming up on May 11. The census is a valuable tool that increases our understanding of Canadians across the country and allows governments to provide the right services and support to each community. We encourage everyone to participate by completing their census questionnaire at census.gc.ca. Census information is used in many different ways to shape government action and investment. Here are just a few ways that census data is used to benefit communities: Schools and social...
Cowichan organizations successful in securing funding for recovery positions through Island Coastal Economic Trust
Three new employment positions in Cowichan have been approved for funding through Island Coastal Economic Trust’s (ICET) Rural Business and Community Recovery Program. Funding has been awarded to Stz’uminus First Nation, Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, and Economic Development Cowichan for new temporary term positions focused on economic recovery. With this funding, Stz’uminus First Nation will look to hire a part-time Business Recovery Advisor. Their role will be to support the Coast Salish...
Budget 2021 Highlights
2021 federal and provincial budgets were released this week. Both budgets have a strong focus on getting us through the COVID-19 pandemic and building for the future. BC Finance Minister Selina Robinson tabled the 2021 provincial Budget in the legislature on Tuesday, April 20. The budget includes additional support for many of the programs and initiatives announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, both for immediate relief and for long-term recovery. The Province is...
Community Futures Publishes Inaugural Rural BC Economic Bulletin
Community Futures British Columbia has published the first in a series of Rural BC Economic Bulletins. The Bulletins will highlight the latest data and economic trends for the regions covered by the Community Futures network, including the smallest rural communities and regions as well as mid-sized cities and larger regions. Everywhere except the Vancouver and Victoria metropolitan areas is included. This first edition reviews a variety of year-end statistics for 2020, with the inevitable...
Get your local business on the regional government’s purchasing radar
The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is developing a directory of local businesses delivering community values to be used for more immediate and routine purchasing needs. Businesses will be able to get their name onto this directory by completing a simple form through a Request for Information (RFI) process that the CVRD has launched in partnership with the Coastal Communities Social Procurement Initiative (CCSPI). The directory will focus on lower dollar, routine CVRD purchasing needs...
Cowichan Food Hub to strengthen regional food security and innovation
Food processors and beverage producers in Cowichan can look forward to more opportunities to innovate and grow their businesses with the announcement of a Cowichan Food Hub coming to the region. Cowichan Green Community (CGC) and Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) have partnered to secure up to $750,000 in funding from the Province of British Columbia’s Stronger BC economic recovery plan for the development of a food and innovation hub. CGC’s Garden Education Centre site on Beverly...
Cowichan Food Innovation Program
Photo Credit: Tourism Cowichan UPDATE: Applications for the Cowichan Food Innovation Program are now closed. Please check back or subscribe to our newsletter for program updates. Creating a Flavourful Cowichan Are you looking to build your community through food entrepreneurship? Do you have an incredible business idea that...
Funding supports BC businesses to launch or grow online
The new Launch Online Grant program is designed to help eligible small- and medium-sized BC businesses adapt to changes in consumer behaviour and pivot to market their products online. People have increased their reliance on online shopping with over $305 billion in e-commerce sales in Canada in 2019. E-commerce sales are projected to have doubled through 2020 and are expected to increase further in 2021. Launch Online provides funding to BC-based business to create an online shop and/or...
Virtual Town Hall Explores Connectivity Funding Opportunity for Thetis Island
Update: A recording of this meeting can be found here: https://youtu.be/u3lGROLyzjU On Thursday February 4 at 6.30 pm, Economic Development Cowichan (EDC) will host a virtual town hall for Thetis Island community members to explore a last-mile (Internet) connectivity opportunity. In Canada, Broadband Internet is now classified as a basic telecommunications service, establishing universal speed targets of 50/10 Mbps download/upload to households and businesses. Yet, 40.8% of rural communities...
135 Third Street
Duncan, BC
Canada V9L 1R9
[email protected]
T 250.746.7880
TF 1.866.746.2508
Economic
Development
Cowichan
Economic
Development
Cowichan
135 Third Street
Duncan, BC
Canada V9L 1R9
[email protected]
T 250.746.7880
TF 1.866.746.2508