It is excellent to see the Prince Rupert Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards back.
Of course, they are good for the businesses that are nominated and that win. They can build credibility, enhance competitive advantage, boost employee morale, attract new talent and the free publicity certainly doesn’t hurt.
Business awards are not just about the nominated and winning businesses.
They are about our community.
What is a community exactly? It is all of us. The people, the businesses, the government, and all the other organizations that make the city what it is. And that is reflected in the diversity of the 12 award categories.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the business awards for a few years and disrupted businesses. Not all of them survived, which is a shame.
It reminded us of just how important local businesses are.
As businesses scrambled to stay alive in the early stages of the pandemic, we responded.
Shop local campaigns were started and we supported them because these are not just companies, they are our neighbours, our friends, our families.
They came up with innovative ways of delivering their goods and services with online options, curbside pickup and new products.
They did everything in their power to remain competitive during a period when health orders made it ever so tempting to order from large online retailers.
The Chamber of Commerce stepped up, promoting the need to support each other. The Northern Development Initiative Trust helped out, providing a platform and incentives to keep money where it is most needed, within our local economy.
Things are looking better now and the return of the business awards is a good indication of that.
They don’t just sell goods and services, they sponsor cultural events and sports teams and contribute to the community in all kinds of other ways.
And the money they make stays in the community as they and their employees support the other businesses and organizations in the city.
The business awards are a good reminder to celebrate our local businesses and to shop locally.
If there is something you need or want, chances are you can find it right here, for the good of the entire community.
editor@interior-news.com
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