As we look to the year ahead, it is important to bear in mind that while unemployment rates are currently high and businesses have had to tighten their belts, issues facing small businesses outlined in previous reports are still relevant and pressing matters. Access to labour, human resource training and development, accessibility of small business tools and services in all regions of the province, tax competitiveness, regulatory reform and climate action need to be addressed so small business is aligned for economic recovery.
The Roundtable recommends the government focus its small business strategy for the upcoming year on the following eight areas.
|
1. Training and Labour Development
- Continue to support leadership development for entrepreneurs, particularly in the areas of employment recruitment, retention and succession planning.
- Continue to support Junior Achievement programs in our school systems.
- Work with educators to raise their awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship and trades training programs.
- Assess small business needs when designing training programs under the Labour Market Agreements.
|
|
2. Continue to reduce regulatory burdens on small business
- Commit to permanent regulatory accountability and consider strengthening regulatory reduction reporting through legislation.
- Ensure the small business lens is consistently applied to all government policy and legislation changes.
- Continue to be diligent in reducing tax complexity.
|
|
3. Investigate ways small business can increase their access to capital
- Assist small business in exploring new ways to increase access to capital.
|
|
4. Leverage technology/ innovation
- Continue to seek ways to reduce complexity and duplication among all levels of government through initiatives such as BizPaL, One Stop, and the Mobile Business Licence.
- Enhance small business online access to government programs and services through a centralized business focused portal.
|
|
5. Instill consumer and business confidence
- Continue to expand the reach of services to all regions of the province, through video conferencing centres and partnerships with local communities.
- Provide support to further develop economic strategies for First Nations and Aboriginal entrepreneurs.
|
|
6. Expand opportunities for small business to get involved in government initiatives
- Continue to promote government’s open access to procurement opportunities for small business.
- Ensure that procurement policies and programs are small business friendly.
|
|
7. Increase access to foreign markets
- Build on the success of British Columbia’s international trade outreach to expand trade.
|
|
8. Continue to support small business in climate action efforts
- Enhance government’s online access to climate action information to provide a single, small business friendly source for climate action strategies and opportunities.
|
Recommendations to the Small Business Community >