The Delta Chamber of Commerce invites you to join us for this informative luncheon event on business opportunities and security on the West Coast.

Rear Admiral Nigel Greenwood, the new Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific, based in Esquimalt, speaks about the benefits of a national shipbuilding program and the many other programs which businesses in manufacturing and other sectors on the West Coast could be accessing. Having just taken over Command of Canada’s West Coast Fleet, he will present his perspective on the challenge of security for Canada’s international maritime trade routes and inland transportation infrastructure in British Columbia, including Delta.

Rear Admiral Nigel Greenwood, N.S., OMM, CD was appointed Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force (Pacific) in August 2010. RAdm Greenwood’s most recent sea-appointment was as Commander, Canadian Fleet Pacific (2007-2009). During his career he has served in a wide range of roles, including Executive Officer in HMC Ships ALGONQUIN (1993-1995), and PRESERVER (1997-1999), and Commanding Officer in HMCS OTTAWA (1999 – 2001). Rear Admiral Greenwood graduated from Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, BC, in 1979 with a BSc degree in Physics and Oceanography. In 2006 he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies and obtained an MA in International Relations from King’s College London. He is a qualified Master Mariner, Member of the Nautical Institute, and Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation.

Doors Open: 11:30am
Lunch: 12:00pm-1:30pm

Registration for this event will begin on August 27th – limited seating available.

For more information about the event, please contact Amelia Vine at events@deltachamber.ca

Many thanks to Delta Chamber Vice Chair Tudor Williams and Chair John Appleby, and to Earthwise Executive Director Patricia Fleming, for leading the “Feed the Bees” campaign, and to tailgate party organizer Leslie Abramson, a past president of the Delta Chamber, and the following sponsors for a good party: Beans from The Malenstyn Farm, Tomatoes from Casey Houweling, Corn from Peter Guichon, Beer(Red Racer) Murray Lott, Wine Jennifer Delf (The Delf Group), Corn Cooker from John Savage. Thanks as well to the Tail Gate Dixieland Jazz Band.

(l to r) Chamber Chair John Appleby, Delta Mayor Lois Jackson, Chamber Past President Leslie Abramson, Guy Gentner, MLA, Earthwise Executive Director Patricia Fleming, BC Provincial Apiculturist Paul van Westendorp

Delta Chamber Past Presidents John Savage and Leslie Abramson and (r) former Executive Director Roslyn Castleden

At the Delta Chamber of Commerce’s Centennial Tailgate Party on August 26, the Chamber is launching a promotional “Feed the Bees” campaign in collaboration with Earthwise Society.  Earthwise  Society is implementing a demonstration project using bee friendly plants at  the Earthwise Farm in Tsawwassen, and offers bee workshops  and other educational programs to engage residents, students, and businesses in Delta in support of a healthy, abundant local bee population.

The two organizations intend to become part of a solution to the threat to our bees and ensure a sustainable bee population thrives on the flora of Delta. On hand for the campaign launch will be Apiculturist for BC and Tsawwassen resident, Paul van Westendorp, several members of Delta Council and John Cummins, MP, as well as representatives of our local farming community.

The campaign will run through the fall and winter months and be in full swing in spring and summer of 2011. Its purpose is to raise understanding in Delta communities of health issues facing the global bee population and promote opportunities in Delta to mitigate the issue locally.

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CONTACTS:
Tudor Williams                                                            Patricia Fleming
Vice Chair, Delta Chamber of Commerce                Earthwise Society
tel. 778-578-9888                                                        tel. 604-946-9828
tudor@twisurveys.ca                                                  pfleming@earthwisesociety.bc.ca

News Release

August 16, 2010

General commercial and residential water lot users seek to organize; want effective representation with Port Authority

DELTA, BC – Residential water lot users, fishers, and business owners of small and medium sized companies that work on the Fraser River and Burrard Inlet need to get organized or risk losing their voice with Port Metro Vancouver, cautions Mike Owen, President of Mike’s Marine Services Ltd.

Owen is a member of the General Commercial User Group that collates input from residential and small and medium sized commercial port users, and communicates back to its members and to the Port Authority. They also submit names of nominees to the federal Minister of Transportation for consideration as appointees to the Port Authority’s Board of Directors.

“The general commercial users need to be well organized to engage the port authority, communicate their concerns, and provide nominees for consideration to the Board,” said Owen. “The large commercial users, like terminal and rail, clearly have a voice. The general commercial users are the most populous, yet lack effective organization, and that is hurting us.”

Owen is starting from scratch. He notes that following the merger of the former Vancouver Port Authority, the North Fraser Port Authority and Fraser River Port Authority into the creation of Port Metro Vancouver in 2008, the Port (PMV) ended up with myriad small and medium sized users spread along the port’s 600 kilometers of shoreline leaving Owen with no effective contact list or way to reach them.

Owen, along with others, represented general commercial group interests on the Fraser River for nine years, and now seeks to unify all of the users across the ports 600 kilometers of shoreline, including Burrard Inlet. “Now that there is a new merged port, if we want to be heard, have a say in port governance, or even be kept informed about what’s going on in the port that might affect our businesses or residences, it is incumbent upon us to get organized,” said Owen. “We can’t sit back and just hope someone will do it for us.”

“An annual meeting for the General Commercial User Group is in the works for this fall and we urge all those interested in attending to contact us so we can let them know when and where it will be held,” Owen stated.

All individual persons or small and medium sized companies working in the Port Metro Vancouver jurisdiction holding a water lot leaser or permit are urged to contact Owen by email at mikesmarine@dccnet.com or by fax at (604) 940-9747 to ensure their contact information is added to the group’s database.

For more information, contact:

Mike Owen
President, Mike’s Marine Services Ltd.
(604) 946-9747
mikesmarine@dccnet.com

To see the most recent support provided by the Delta Chamber of Commerce: >>click here>>

Ian is the Managing Director of Tait Consulting Ltd, which works with individuals, businesses, communities and governments to help advance their relationships with First Nations and Aboriginal Peoples; and develops and implements branding, fundraising, event and communications strategies.

Building on an extensive career with BC Hydro, including long-term assignments to Olympic-related organizations and multi-sport games, Ian was most recently general manager of Artiss Aminco ULC, an Official Licensee of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. Ian established a Canada-wide retail network of 1,400 locations and generated nearly 20% of all licensed merchandise revenue for VANOC in just three years.

Ian is a long time resident of North Delta, member of the Delta Chamber of Commerce and active with a number of community organizations and causes.

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BC Chamber in the Headlines
Policy Successes
•    South Fraser Perimeter Road Agreement Signed
•    Construction Starts at Cancer Centre For The North
What’s new @ bcchamber.org
•    HST and Judicial Review
•    Policy & Positions Manual
•    BC Chamber Job Opening
•    AGM 2011 Prince George Dates
•    Feature Benefit Provider – Commerce Energy
•    Social Networking with the Chamber Network
•    Q2 BC Reports
•    Letter of Concern to Minister Tony Clement
Chamber News
•    Smart Tax Alliance
•    Prince George Chamber Business Excellence Awards
•    Congratulations to Plutonic Power!
•    SOHO SME Business Expo Vancouver
•    BC Hospitality Industry Conference & Expo
•    Interested in an Apprentice?
•    UBC Student Internship Placements
Provincial News
•    Funds Give New Life To Brownfields In BC Communities
•    New Wood Network Links Buyers, Sellers And Investors
•    BC Sees Biggest Drop In Crime In Canada
•    Modernizing British Columbia’s Family Law
National News
•    Government of Canada Launches New Aboriginal Skills and Partnership Fund
•    Canada’s Economic Action Plan Supports New Research At Canada’s Colleges
•    British Columbia Projects to Receive Broadband Canada Funding

According to the report, Canadian Businesses Go Global For Growth, projections suggest the global economic balance of power will continue to transition toward developing countries, and their share of global trade will increase further. These trends present new challenges and opportunities.

As developing countries creep up on industrialized nations, including Canada, to gain an edge in the race for global market share, technological innovation, foreign investment and high value-added activities in global supply chains. Canadian businesses are at risk of being left behind as more aggressive nations power ahead.

Developing countries offer enormous opportunities for Canada’s businesses. Many are investing significantly in infrastructure, including transportation networks, power generation, urban development and environmental protection – areas in which Canadian businesses have tremendous expertise. And there is huge scope for further expansion as developing countries remain relatively untapped by many Canadian exporters.

Governments can play a role in creating the conditions for businesses to take advantage of global market and investment opportunities, but the onus is on businesses to craft a sustainable competitive advantage to capitalize on these opportunities. These businesses are in communities across this country.

Of particular interest to Delta Chamber members, Everson brings to the Canadian Chamber extensive experience in the transportation sector, having served as executive director of the National Transportation Act Review Commission and as a commissioner on the Transportation Safety Board Review Commission.

Previous policy experience with the federal government has included policy work with various ministers such as forestry and mines, privatization/regulatory affairs, international trade, transport and the solicitor general, in the latter two roles as chief of staff.

For the past four years, he has been a senior consultant with Strategy Corp, providing strategic advice and government relations services to support to a wide range of clients in communications, education and transportation files.

With seven candidates now running the debate should be lively.

No registration required. No fee.

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