From South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce

As the new president of the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce (SOCC) I want to respond to the numerous requests by members of the media, and area residents, regarding the Chamber’s position on the proposed school closing in Osoyoos.

The Chamber’s mission statement says The SOCC will promote an environment where business in our communities can thrive. All residents would surely agree, that one of the most important roles the provincial government has is to appropriately fund education, and on that, the SOCC readily agrees. However, it is not within the SOCC mandate to attempt to influence how the school trustees allocate their budget.

Any issue that negatively impacts business in the South Okanagan (SO) is of absolute concern to the chamber, and when brought to our attention, we have a process whereby these issues are researched, and policy recommendations made to the appropriate level of government. The chamber has an aggressive new agenda to actively advocate on behalf of area business, and we intend to become a strong voice.

Although we remain neutral on the issue of the potential school closure, I have no reluctance to suggest that for businesses to thrive, they need thriving communities.

Corrie Adolph

President South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce

778-439-2276

corrie@corrieadolph.com