ADVOCACY

Economic development is about building a strong, resilient local economy where businesses can thrive and the community can grow sustainably. Through collaboration, advocacy, and strategic initiatives, we work to support existing businesses, attract new investment, strengthen the workforce, and improve the overall quality of life in our region. By fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurship, and addressing key challenges such as housing, labour shortages, and infrastructure, we help create the conditions for long-term economic success for Fernie

The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is committed to strengthening our local workforce through immigration. We’re working with regional and provincial partners to address labour shortages, advocate for policy changes that make it easier for newcomers to live and work in Fernie, and connect employers with resources to support international recruitment. By advancing these initiatives, we aim to build a more diverse, resilient, and sustainable local economy.

The Business Walk is a community-wide initiative led by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce to connect directly with local business owners and gather real-time insights about the local economy. Through one-on-one conversations, we learn about current challenges, successes, and opportunities facing Fernie’s business community. The findings are then used to inform our advocacy efforts at the local, regional, provincial, and federal levels—ensuring the voices of Fernie businesses are heard in decisions that shape our economic future.

We are committed to supporting housing solutions that meet the needs of our community. From raising awareness about local housing challenges to working with partners, developers, and policymakers, we advocate for accessible, safe, and affordable housing for all. Our goal is to help make Fernie a community where everyone has a place to call home.

The ‘WorkInFernie’ workforce attraction website is an online job and housing board created and administered by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Tourism Fernie. This initiative was developed by the Fernie Chamber of Commerce with seed funding provided by the Government of British Columbia in 2019.

WorkInFernie.com can be used to find a job or housing, or to post an available job or housing. The website is monitored for new listings daily, and all posts are vetted for authenticity.