The Town of Smithers completed the 2023 Smithers Business Walk Program on Monday, June 26, 2023. The Final Report of key findings will be made available in September 2023.
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During the walk, Town of Smithers Council, staff, and business support organizations will be visiting local businesses to speak with owners about challenges and opportunities for growth. The Smithers Business Walk Program is an annual event to share business support resources and strengthen communications between the Town of Smithers and the local business community. Businesses across various industries will be visited during the Business Walk to ensure the program reflects the diversity of business in Smithers.
Originally started in Sacramento, California, the Business Walk Program has been adopted by municipalities throughout the Province of BC. The program was initially started in BC in 2012 by the Central Okanagan Regional District (CORD) and is now a part of many communities’ economic development outreach programs across BC, such as Kamloops, Fort St. James, and Mission.
The 2023 Smithers Business Walk Program is supported and co-hosted by Coast Mountain College. Project Management students and faculty have been working with Town staff to incorporate the Business Walk into their course content and final projects.
The Smithers Business Walk is scheduled to provide short in-person visits between Business Walk volunteers and business owners. Follow-up information and further engagement with business owners may be provided after the Business Walk if requested. Information gathered during the Business Walk will help inform Town of Smithers bylaw and policy reviews, grant opportunities, and new business support initiatives.
Business owners interested in learning more are encouraged to contact the Town of Smithers Economic Development Officer. All information collected during the Business Walk will be kept confidential, with the final report including only aggregate data. Results from the 2023 Smithers Business Walk will be available by the end of August 2023.
Our local businesses are a vital part of our local economy, and we want to answer your questions, offer business resource information, and hear how we can better support your business to thrive in Smithers!