Economic Development Cowichan staff will be conducting a Business Walk in the Shawnigan area on Thursday, March 3, 2022. This will be the first of a series of Business Walks planned in communities in the Cowichan region. Staff members will be walking door-to-door from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., speaking with the owners and managers of local businesses, in both Shawnigan Village and the southern industrial area, about what it’s like to do business in the community.
The purpose of the Business Walk is to build relationships and to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities that each individual business is facing. The Business Walk is part of a broader effort to support recovery at the community level in Cowichan, and in the Shawnigan area may help identify further opportunities to act on the recommendations stemming from the Think Shawnigan design process, concluded early 2020.
The interviews will be informal and conversational in nature, intending to take only a few minutes. With the feedback and responses from the interviews, EDC will be looking to assess and support the individual and collective needs of the business community in Shawnigan Village. For home-based businesses, and any others wanting to participate online, the survey and additional information can be found on the Business Walk Web-page; The online survey will be available until the end of March.
Business owners, managers, and staff are invited to join a follow-up event on Monday, March 28, held at the Compass Mexican Bistro from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., where the results of the Business Walk will be shared. This event will allow businesses to meet, greet and meaningfully talk about shared challenges and opportunities of doing business in the Shawnigan area. Representatives from other business support organizations, such as Work BC and Community Futures will also be invited. Complimentary refreshments will be provided, served in line with Covid-19 protocols. Proof of vaccination may be required, depending on Provincial public health orders.
Business Walks have proven to be a useful tool for business retention and expansion strategies. This is the first in a series of business walks to take place over the coming months in several communities in Cowichan. The responses gathered can be useful in a number of ways, from improving programs and services, to establishing and building individual relationships.