The Reader’s Choice edition of The Squamish Chief is one of our staff favourites of the year.
It is the print paper of the year where we celebrate the best of Squamish, as voted on by you, our loyal readers.
This year, we had over 2,000 voters and 117 categories.
That is impressive!
Well done to every business, organization and individual who made the cut.
Pat yourselves on the back—hopefully, you enjoyed our awards ceremony for you on Wednesday night recapped in this photo gallery—and display your Squamish Chief Reader’s Choice award proudly.
It is no secret that things haven’t been easy this past year for many.
With inflation, a labour shortage and supply chain issues, this time due to strikes and lockouts at the ports and Canada Post, on top of the rising cost to rent any space in this town, it is stunning that so many small businesses survived to see the end of 2024.
According to a recent Business Improvement Areas of BC (BIABC) survey, 97% of respondents reported the cost of doing business has increased in the past five years.
The survey further found that while gross revenues had increased for 37% of respondents and stayed the same for 31%, profit margins decreased for 60% of those businesses who took the survey.
Former president and board member of the association, Teri Smith, told our sister publication BIV that increases to the minimum wage, the implementation of the employer health tax, and the introduction of five paid sick days have all brought profits down.
Not to mention regulatory complexity, cybersecurity threats, and other hard-to-predict and manage issues.
In the BIABC survey, 86% of businesses in this province also said they had seen increased drug/mental health-related activity, which impacted their business.
Not surprisingly, there’s been an uptick in business bankruptcies in B.C.—179 in 2023, the highest number since 2014, when there were 200.
All this to say, congrats to all Squamish businesses and organizations who have come out the other side of the last few years. And to those who thrived to the point you were voted the best of the best, kudos!
You earned this recognition.
For those who didn’t win this year, don’t despair. You lived to fight another day—and if you ask us, that is winning in itself.
