BC ELECTIONS - QUESTIONS FOR CANDIDATES

BC ELECTIONS
ALL CANDIDATES' QUESTIONS FOR BOUNDARY SIMILKAMEEN 2024

After putting a call out to Membership and the local business community for questions for the candidates - we received many great questions.  These were the ones that were put forward to the Candidates.  We received responses from 3 of the 4 candidates which you can find in follow up blog posts.  We did not hear back from Independent Candidate, Sean Taylor by the requested submission time.  

LETTER TO ALL CANDIDATES 

Thank you to all of you for putting your name forward to represent our rural communities as MLA.
We are the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce and our region covers Kaleden, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos and surrounding rural areas.
Here are just a few of the challenges and questions that we have gathered from previous business walks and following our call out to the business community for questions.

1. The cost of doing business in rural BC is increasing and it is becoming more difficult and expensive for starting and running a business.
Areas that continue to be brought to our attention are:
a. Commercial Insurance is increasing in cost and it is difficult to get proper coverage which is resulting in people deciding to close their business, not start at all, or operate without insurance.
b. ICBC challenges with no fault insurance and potential future increases that are being talked about which will affect many people and businesses.
c. Minimum Wage increases result in all wages needing adjustments.
d. Variety of Taxes including gas taxes, property taxes, personal taxes.
e. Distribution (shipping and receiving) in the Province and Canada is expensive and cumbersome.

2. Wineries are a vital part of the economy here in the South Okanagan. After several challenging years there are still many struggling to recuperate.
What are your plans for supporting this very important industry short, mid, and long term?
Here are just a few of the messages we have received about their concerns and challenges:
a. Our understanding is that the BC Government, based on lobbying efforts from the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) has adopted a policy stance, of “no safe amount of alcohol.” Will the candidates please clarify their stance on the adoption of this policy?
b. Liquor Distribution Branch has allowed out of province fruit but put a cap on overall sales (including BC fruit) of an Olympic average of the previous 5 years (that also includes COVID years that were also challenging for the industry) – newer wineries are handicapped by this as well as any winery that was just starting to recover from the challenging COVID years. What is your knowledge and position on this as most wineries are wondering – how do we recover and how do we grow our business?
c. The replant program has challenges with varietals that are allowed and smaller losses under the threshold have to be born by the wineries/vineyards. What is your knowledge and position on this and how do you feel the government can better communicate with and understand and support this industry?

3. How will you / your party support the Agriculture Industry in our region and to ensure we continue to have growers, producers, and makers?
Concerns brought to our attention are:
a. Labour shortage – how are you going to support farms, (hospitality and restaurants as well) with finding and hiring the people they need to run their business? Specifically, please share your position on the recent restrictions the Federal Government has implemented on the hiring of temporary foreign workers.
b. The closure of the BC Tree Fruits Plant is having a significant affect in our communities. We need short term support and long term vision to ensure Farmers and producers have several places around the local and greater region to pack, store, freeze, can, dehydrate their product to ensure local entrepreneurial and business success as well as food security and sustainability for our region and our Province. If you are elected what are your plans for ensuring our region continues to grow and produce food here locally?

We know some of these questions are long term, need greater conversation, and do not have short, easy answers. So in wrapping up our questions, please share how you propose to work with our Chamber of Commerce, local Municipalities, Tourism and other organizations and leaders in our region to regularly engage, listen and truly work collaboratively for the betterment of our rural region.

Small towns that win are the ones that have leadership that can put away egos, party platforms when necessary, and personal agendas and truly work together towards common goals and positive outcomes for the greater good.

Our Chamber believes that we must all step up and move towards VISION and not DIVISION for our rural communities and ultimately the Province of BC to thrive.
We wish you all the best in your campaign and engaging with the constituents – we know it is an extremely large and diverse riding and we again thank you for putting your name forward to represent our region as our elected MLA.