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The Great BC Business Sale

To help promote business opportunities and investment in rural BC, The Great BC Business Sale has been granted funding by the Province of BC through the Rural Dividend Program. This initiative will unfold over the next 18 months, culminating in a trade show at the Vancouver Convention Centre on October 3, 2020 which will feature business opportunities throughout the Province. Prior to the event support will be provided to communities and business sellers to ready presentation of businesses for sale and start up possibilities in rural BC. Buyer training and post event support will also be provided, creating more accessibility to business ownership for a wide range of potential buyers.

The initiative seeks to bring together a broad and diverse group of stakeholders and participants, all focused on creating an unprecedented collection of business opportunities, accessible in one place to a large group of buyers. Communities, business sellers and their agents, Government investment representatives and a myriad of business service providers will all participate to ensure business opportunities are showcased at the event.

“We need to be creative in ways to engage with investors, excite them on the diversity of opportunities throughout our province and expose them to all of British Columbia. The easiest and best way to do this is to bring the communities and opportunities to them. Hosting the Great BC Business sale in the Lower Mainland will allow for easy access for communities to participate and introduce themselves to the
largest concentration of potential investors,” Dale Wheeldon, President and CEO, BC Economic Development Association.

The initiative will bring new residents to rural regions with a focus on:

  • Resident re-distribution (lower mainland outward)
  • New residents to BC (inter-provincial migration)
  • New Canadians (international entrepreneurs)
  • More youthful residents (reversing aging rural population trend)
  • Increased entrepreneurial energy and investment into rural communities

“Community Futures has a long history of designing and managing many successful projects, The Great BC Business Sale initiative is unique, comprehensive and practical.” Robert Annis, Past Chair, Community Futures British Columbia.

“The concept will provide a unique opportunity for the Province’s small and rural communities to have a window on the world to market a range of business opportunities in their region.” Line Robert, CEO Island Coastal Economic Trust.

“We welcome an opportunity to assist The Great BC Business Sale by promoting this exciting new initiative that will address the opportunities and challenges of business transition and expansion throughout rural British Columbia, Brad Scott, CEO Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.

The BC Rural Dividend Program assists rural communities to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies. Grants are awarded to support projects that contribute to community economic development, economic diversification, and capacity building.