Feedback from business owners in the North Peace was requested by the local chamber of commerce, who is in conversation the provincial working group on tariffs to help enhance supports for proprietors.
Amid uncertainty in the agricultural industry after China’s announcement of additional tariffs on canola, the Fort St John and District Chamber of Commerce is asking business owners in the north Peace to reach out with comments and stories they can use to report back to the province.
In their call for feedback, the chamber discussed the potential impacts businesses will feel as China’s 75.8 per cent additional tariffs are imposed atop of the existing duties. The Peace is home to 250 field crop producers, who are “responsible for over 80 per cent of the acreage and production for export in the province,” a 2024 evaluation by B.C. found.
Thus far, there have not been any reports of lay offs in the community, but Tiffany Hetenyi, the executive director of the Fort St John and District Chamber of Commerce, said it is important for businesses to stay ready.
“While our region’s businesses are demonstrating resilience and adaptability, we must prepare for the potential long-term impacts,” she said. “We are working to ensure our businesses have the tools, resources, and advocacy needed.”
The chamber is specifically seeking feedback to take back to their meetings with the B.C. Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth’s tariff impact working group to ensure local businesses, and their employees, can access necessary supports to combat the threat.
“We’re looking for any kind of feedback because, at this point, I’m not hearing how it’s impacting them. It’s hard to (take) action on what we need to do without actually knowing how people are feeling about it, or what they’re seeing,” explained Hetenyi.
Comments taken to the working group will include information discussed between the chamber and the city of Fort St John’s economic development manager. Hetenyi said the groups met twice and will continue discussions as they devise a plan to support businesses moving forward.
Regarding the other major tariff threat, from the United States, Hetenyi said the chamber has not received any complaints from businesses in the region – but the counter-protest Buy Canadian bug bit Fort St John. The chamber said they are working on trying to further localize the movement.
“We have ‘North Peace shop local,’ but we’re trying to figure out how to grow it bigger,” she said, the chamber is also interested in redeveloping the initiative’s website.
To support shopping from community-owned businesses, Hetenyi said the organization is looking to expand its North Peace Shop Local Tradeshow in October to include night markets, which will highlight local vendors – these markets will be in addition to booths at the show, which registration will open for on August 15.
Businesses interested in providing feedback or seeking support can reach out to the chamber’s Fort St John office by phone or email.
