Correspondence: Potential 2016 Funding for the WestShore Chamber of Commerce

Re: Potential 2016 Funding for the WestShore Chamber of Commerce

Thank you for considering funding from the Town of View Royal to the WestShore Chamber of Commerce for 2016. I'm writing to provide further detail as to what the WestShore Chamber does, and why we are requesting funding.

The WestShore Chamber is a non-profit organization which exists to advance growth, prosperity and sustainability of business and community life on the West Shore.

In 2016 we will:

• Offer a minimum of 20 networking events which support business and community in the West Shore. With reference to View Royal host locations, Coffee Talk took place at North of Hadrian’s in February and is planned for The Wine Maker in June. We are working with View Royal Casino to find a Mixer space for them in 2016
• Offer a minimum of 11 workshops which provide support and training to our members as part of their membership
• Promote View Royal and the Town of View Royal through articles in the Times Colonist, Goldstream News Gazette, Business Examiner and social media, as well as radio and television as opportunity presents
• Bring Chamber members (including Jackson Wagner of North of Hadrian’s) together with the Junior Achievement program to teach students at Spencer Middle School as part of the creation of a "Mall in the Hall" in May
• Promote View Royal and the West Shore through our Vision WestShore event taking place on 2 June
• Promote View Royal and the Town of View Royal through our Best of the West Shore Awards. The Wine Maker was voted Best U-Brew in 2015, and View Royal's message from Mayor Screech was promoted in the West Shore featurette for 2015, circulation 18,000
• Promote View Royal through inclusion of the Town’s logo in our weekly e-news, as well as View Royal content when requested
• Support and promote the activities of View Royal Casino
• Continue to play our part in regional and West Shore co-ordination, making connections for the benefit of all

In 2015 membership fees only covered 65% of the Chamber operating costs; we received approximately $124,000 net in membership income. Core operations of the Chamber cost about $192,000 per year ($16,000 per month) and so there was a gap of $68,000. We can and do run events, but they don’t cover the full difference. We keep our membership fees low to provide an affordable option for people wishing to grow and develop their businesses through networking with others. To make this possible, funding from our local municipalities support our core operations at the Chamber. In 2016 the City of Colwood is providing a Fee for Service of $12,000 while the City of Langford's Fee for Service arrangement with the Chamber is for $19,000.

Out of our 380 members, 11 are from View Royal. I appreciate that this is only 3% of our membership, but I hope the detail provided by this letter will indicate to you that the WestShore Chamber of Commerce’s impact extends well beyond our membership to the benefit of View Royal and the larger community of the West Shore.

I would be happy to answer any questions and thank you again for your consideration!

Yours sincerely,

Julie Lawlor Executive Director