It’s Small Business Month and we at the Slocan Valley Economic Development Partnership and Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission would like to honour all the storefront and home-based small businesses out there. Those of us who are self-employed and have to wear many hats, be really good at what we do, and hustle to make ends meet – and juggle this with home and family life – are sure kept busy. Thankfully
we live in a grounding and healthy environment with such a supportive and caring community.
It was this time last year that the Slocan Valley Economic Development Partnership project really got up and running. The year has been very busy and quite productive on many fronts.
Right now we are working on redeveloping the slocanvalley.com website. Contracts were awarded to Shauna Fidler of Design Farm and Brad Higham of Collabo Consulting,
both valley residents.
We see real value in supporting local small businesses whenever possible, and putting money where our mouths are. We congratulate Shauna and Brad on their good work.
In the new year we will see a new look and better functionality of the website, followed by an improved social media presence.

The Slocan Valley Chamber of Commerce and Arrow Slocan Tourism Association are also developing a new look so the valley will be looking pretty spiffy online in 2020.
The year ahead will involve support for small businesses in the Agriculture, Cannabis, Tourism, Technology, and Arts & Culture sectors, as well as continued capacity building with valley organizations.
SVEDC Chair Leah Main adds, “Our Valley economy relies on entrepreneurs, home-based
businesses, independent eateries, artists and craftspeople, as well as locally-owned franchise businesses.
We are a community of hard-working, flexible, creative people. This is our strength!”
Hats off to you Slocan Valley small businesses for making life here so much better for us all!

by Ron LeBlanc, Economic Development Coordinator, Slocan Valley