The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce will be providing support to its small business community after the recent wildfire evacuation left many businesses without revenue for several weeks.
While the Chamber hosts an annual business awards gala to recognize its members, this year it was decided to turn the event held on Friday into a Business Relief Fundraiser Gala to help the small business community get back on its collective feet, said Adrian Bell, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.
“In the wake of the evacuation, the board felt that we needed to change direction this year because we know that businesses are hurting, they are concerned, and they need assistance and not just financial assistance,” Bell said.
“We have the opportunity to raise awareness and to really try to energize the community and activate them as consumers who will then give back to the small business community.”
“That is sort of what our objective is. It’s important to our members and it’s important to our board and we are very excited to be able to help,” Bell added.
The 200-person sold out event included a buffet dinner, a silent auction, reverse Bingo game with prizes and live entertainment.
Renewing connections
The gala was also a way for business owners and community members to reconnect, said Melissa Syer, executive director of the Chamber.
“We want to encourage people to network and chat and reconnect with neighbours and friends,” Syer said.
Downtown small businesses with high rent saw no revenue for those weeks of evacuation and as a result, Syer said recovery and recouping their losses has been difficult.
“Something that is hurting recovery is anecdotally from business owners - they are not seeing the return of the customers to pre-pandemic levels. There is a worry out there that people did a lot of shopping when they were down south or they are just not in the mindset of maybe getting back out there,” she said.
Distribution of the business relief funds raised during last Friday’s gala event is being planned by way of a Shop Local campaign as well as a Dine Out campaign in December, and possibly other such events in the new year, Syer said.
While the total amount raised from the event has not yet been determined, Syer said early estimates are close to $10,000.
Bell said despite the current hardships, business owners in Yellowknife are very resilient.
“Yellowknifers in general are resilient and are a hardy crowd and doing business here is different, it is challenging,” he said.
“We don’t have some of the same market opportunities that you would have in provinces or bigger centres, so you have to be very creative and very tenacious and we are lucky to have a lot of members of the community that are exactly that and doing good things.”
“They give Yellowknife its character — the small business community really helps define us — and creates a community that provides a quality of life for all residents whether or not they are in the business community. A thriving business sector just really helps the continuity of the community in general.”
