District councillors have approved funding of $16,000 to the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce.

By receiving the funding, the chamber of commerce will survive the COVID-19 crisis, while continue to serve SookeB次元官网网址檚 business community, said Karen Mason, the chamberB次元官网网址檚 president.

B次元官网网址淥ur chamber is an essential service in Sooke, both for our value to the community and for our connection to the bigger chamber fabric that spreads across this province, country and world,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淥ur response to COVID-19 has been unparalleled.B次元官网网址�

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The motion for the funding was introducyed by Mayor Maja Tait at MondayB次元官网网址檚 council meeting, who told council the chamber is trying to B次元官网网址渢hrive and surviveB次元官网网址� during the pandemic while offering services to businesses.

Councillors were in favour of giving money to the chamber, but questioned the lack of details of where the money was going.

B次元官网网址淭hey have not given us anything to work with,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Al Beddows, pointing out heB次元官网网址檇 like to see a business plan.

Earlier this year, the chamber made a pitch to district council to get back more than $28,000 it gave up in August 2016 after the chamber said it was ill equipped to be the lead driver of economic development in Sooke.

The chamber chose to withdraw from the community service agreement with the district which had been in place for 3陆 years. Funds for the agreement came from business registration fees.

TaitB次元官网网址檚 motion calls for a new service agreement, which chief administrative officer Norm McInnis said was needed because the chamber is considered a business, and is covered under federal and provincial legislation.

The service agreement would layout criteria and how the money is spent, and would be in place before any money is released to the chamber.

B次元官网网址淪eeing the chamber fold up and close its doors is not an option,B次元官网网址� Coun. Dana Lajeunesse said.

editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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