Fernie Business Walk 2025: Listening to Our Local Businesses

From July to September 2025, the Fernie Chamber of Commerce hit the streets to chat with local businesses during our community-wide Business Walk! Staff and volunteers visited businesses across town, from downtown to the ski hill, home-based operations to Ghostrider, to hear firsthand about the challenges and opportunities they face.

Thanks to Community Futures East Kootenay grant funding, we were able to visit 274 businesses and hear from over ONE THIRD of Fernie’s business community!             

Highlights from the Walk:

• 211 businesses responded to the survey. 102 of them in person!

• Getting to connect with business owners and operators in their environment and learn more about the businesses in town.

• Key themes emerged around labour, cost of doing business, seasonality, and housing

• Our in-person “BBB” presentation brought stakeholders and the business community together to explore and discuss the findings.

• One of the key findings from the walk was that the challenges and barriers that businesses face are all deeply interconnected and related. The diagram below explores the barriers businesses face when wanting to expand their business. You can refer to this diagram on page 8 of the report and hear a greater explanation of the visual in the recorded presentation. It shows how one issue can be related to and even influence another.

The Business Walk was more than just a survey; it was about connecting, listening, and building trust. The insights gathered are already helping the Chamber, local partners, and businesses work together to strengthen Fernie’s economy.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part. Your voices matter, and we’re so grateful you shared them with us.

Read the full Business Walk report [here].

View the Recording [here].

Reach out to Kate@ferniechamber.com with any questions or if you’d like to find out more information.