Two-thirds (66%) of businesses in Castlegar & District reported that their current state of business is “Good” or “Increasing” during the 2018 Business Walk program conducted by The Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development. This represents the highest level of optimism seen in the three years that the Business Walk program has been conducted, an increase of 11% from 2017.
Among the leading reasons for the positive outlook are the clientele that support local businesses, the location of their business, and that Castlegar & District is an affordable place to conduct business. Conversely, businesses also report that finding qualified employees and space to grow are among their biggest challenges. Castlegar & District Economic Development and the Chamber of Commerce will be working with local and regional officials to address key themes for action, identified by local businesses.