2021 2021
KAMLOOPS KAMLOOPS PROGRESS PROGRESS EMERGING EMERGING STRONGER STRONGER
Venture Kamloops executive director Jim Anderson outside the downtown heritage building that houses the organization. Says Anderson: “There is no doubt the local economy will look different as a result of the effects of COVID-19, but throughout this time,Kamloops businesses have given us every reason to believe they can survive — even thrive.” Dave Eagles/KTW
The ongoing story of perseverance Jim Anderson
Venture Kamloops executive director
To say the past year has been remarkable falls well short of adequately describing the pandemic months and how they have affected our community. The year 2020 was unlike any other and it goes without saying that the global pandemic shaped the world, our country, our province and our city in ways we could never have predicted. This uncertainty was thrust upon the Kamloops business community in mid-March of 2020. The first, and perhaps most overwhelming, aspect of the effects of the pandemic on business was the onslaught of information that was disseminated by all levels of government, business organizations and service providers. This was particularly impactful during the early days of the pandemic. In response, Venture Kamloops staff undertook the daunting task of understanding, interpreting and relaying the ever-changing information as quickly and as accurately as possible to as many Kamloops businesses as possible. In addition, we distilled and posted this data to our electronic channels. Staff reached out directly to more than 400 businesses to ensure those owners were aware of the 16 | Kamloops This Week PROGRESS 2021
programs and initiatives available to them. This outreach drove record numbers of new clients for the organization. During 2020, Venture Kamloops spoke with one of every nine businesses in the city. But the story of the pandemic months is not these numbers. The story is the perseverance of Kamloops entrepreneurs. Throughout the toughest of times, they were the driving force behind a local economy that refused to yield to previously unimagined pressures brought on by the pandemic. The city saw record numbers of new business licenses issued. In 2020, the total number of active licenses grew by more than 200. Hundreds of businesses adapted their models or pivoted to something entirely new. Of course, it wasn’t possible for every business to fend off the disastrous effects of the pandemic. Businesses made the painful decision to close temporarily, or even permanently, throughout the year and it took a toll on the owners and staff. We at Venture Kamloops felt the weight of these business and personal losses. It made us even more determined to do whatever we can to help businesses through the continuing health crisis.
As we breathlessly look back at 2020, it is important to remember the pandemic does not adhere to a calendar and the struggles of local business continue. It is tempting to refer to both last year and the pandemic in the past tense, but in most cases, Kamloops businesses are labouring under health guidelines that are more restrictive today than they were a year ago. It’s the success of local businesses in the face of such adversity that is cause for celebration and a reason for our continued efforts to ensure every business in Kamloops has the best possible chance at success though the pandemic and into the future. There is no doubt the local economy will look different as a result of the effects of COVID-19, but throughout this time, Kamloops businesses have given us every reason to believe they can survive — even thrive. Our programs are all free to Kamloops businesses and access to any data and information we have is available to anyone who would like it. We at Venture Kamloops are determined to spare no effort to make every Kamloops business successful and we hope for an end to the pandemic, but we rely on Kamloops business to emerge stronger.