Advocacy

Advocacy is one of the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce’s core business-growth roles.

The chamber gives local businesses a collective voice when issues, opportunities, policies, events, or decisions affect the business community. A single business concern can be easy to miss; a chamber-supported concern can be carried forward with more context, credibility, and community perspective.

Who the chamber advocates to

The chamber works with local and regional partners throughout the year, including:

• The City of Armstrong
• The Township of Spallumcheen
• Provincial government representatives and ministries
• The Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede
• Regional economic-development and business-support partners
• Community organizations, event partners, and tourism partners
• Provincial and national chamber networks when broader business issues need a larger voice

What advocacy can include

Chamber advocacy is practical and local. It may involve sharing business concerns, asking questions, requesting clarity, supporting improvements, or helping decision-makers understand how an issue affects local employers, storefronts, farms, service providers, tourism operators, and community organizations.

Topics may include:

• Business licensing, permits, zoning, parking, signage, and local regulations
• Downtown access, foot traffic, beautification, visitor movement, and event impacts
• Tourism, wayfinding, visitor services, and major local events
• Infrastructure, road access, public spaces, and community planning
• Workforce, housing, transportation, and other barriers affecting local employers
• Funding, grant opportunities, and support programs for businesses
• Provincial policy issues that affect small businesses, non-profits, agriculture, tourism, and local services

How the chamber listens

The chamber gathers business concerns through everyday member conversations, chamber events, Business Walks, surveys, board discussions, committee work, and direct contact with the chamber office.

When a pattern or priority emerges, the chamber can bring that information to the right table, connect businesses with the right contact, or help frame the concern in a way that decision-makers can act on.

Advocacy tools

Why it supports business growth

Advocacy helps create a stronger local business environment.

• Businesses have a clearer path to raise concerns
• Local decision-makers hear from the business community in an organized way
• Shared issues can be identified across sectors and locations
• The chamber can connect businesses with municipal, provincial, or partner resources
• Better communication helps reduce friction between businesses, government, events, and community partners

Bring forward a business concern

Businesses with a concern, opportunity, or policy question that affects Armstrong and Spallumcheen’s business community can contact the chamber office.

Phone (250) 546-8155 or email manager@aschamber.com.