BC credit card sales up 93% during Olympics

Stats for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are mind-boggling, what with medal counts, visitor counts, etc. as people from every corner of the globe played and cheered for 17 days. But we have one more for you – and we think this one tops all the rest – by a long shot!

The figures from Visa are in and here’s what they show. [Read more]

Super Natural British Columbia

The BC Liberal government, in an attempt to focus the attention of the world on our beautiful province, has enlisted the aid of some big names in the entertainment world to produce a 30-second video which will be begin airing on Canadian TV beginning Monday, and in the US on NBC in February, thereby putting British Columbia into one of the world’s most lucrative television markets. [Read more]

Kimberley digs dirt for convention center

CBT helps Kimberley get shovels in ground for new conference centre.

by Columbia Basin Trust.

Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is pleased to provide $300,000 to the City of Kimberley’s conference centre project. [Read more]

HST will hurt tourism

New Harmonized Sales Tax will hit tourism industry hardest.

The tourism industry is being dealt a double blow by the implementation of the BC Liberal Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and some local tourism operators are concerned they will not be able to survive, says Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald.

HST, which will combine the federal goods and services tax (GST) and the provincial sales tax (PST), will be applied to goods and services that were previously PST exempt. Current PST exemptions within the tourism industry will disappear with harmonization significantly raising the cost to consumers.

“Local adventure tourism operators are telling me that this added cost will seriously affect their businesses,” said Macdonald. “And in the case of businesses with fixed-priced contracts in place for after July 1, 2010, the extra cost of the tax cannot be passed on to the consumer.” [Read more]

BC Gov changes tourism promotion

B.C. strengthens and aligns tourism promotion.

Tourism BC will be brought into the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, reducing administrative costs and better co-ordinating all of the Province’s marketing initiatives, Minister Kevin Krueger announced today.

“While Tourism BC has served British Columbia well, in these difficult economic times it is critical that we maximize every tourism dollar for marketing B.C. to the world,” said Krueger. “Consolidating tourism operations in the ministry will allow for co-ordinated marketing campaigns, while ensuring resources are focused on getting the best results for British Columbia’s tourism sector.”

Bringing Tourism BC into the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts next year will reduce administrative costs and allow these funds to be re-invested into marketing initiatives. The integration of Tourism BC, effective April 1, 2010, will result in a new program under the leadership of the ministry with a renewed focus on marketing the regions of British Columbia. [Read more]

Fur trade post grand opening

August 8, Fort Steele –

On Saturday, August 8, celebrate the grand opening of the Fur Trade Post at Fort Steele Heritage Town. View a travelling trunk exhibit of over 300 trade items of the 1780- 1830 Fur Trade Era and learn about this important part of Canadian History. Enjoy free live shows at 11am and 2pm featuring David Thompson Stories and Studies, a lively and loud performance by Fort Steele Interpreter Al Cluck. Cluck will regale his audience with the stories of David Thompson told from the perspective of one of Thompson’s employees, Jacco Raphael Finlay, a fur trapper and trader.

Al Cluck is a professional teacher and has taught in schools and outdoor classrooms throughout Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and now in Canada. His one person – live performance: “Jacco, The Story of David Thompson” has travelled throughout Montana and Western Canada entertaining schools, groups and service organizations. Cluck will be interpreting at the Fur Trade Post throughout the summer.

Press release
July 30, 2009
Friends of Fort Steele Society

CVCC and Visitor Centre summer hours

The CVCC and Visitor Centre summer hours of operation are effective immediately and will continue through to the Labour Day Weekend in September:

Monday through Saturday
8:30 am – 5:30 pm

Sunday and Statutory Holidays
9:00 am – 5:30 pm

The CVCC is once again sponsoring a Downtown Tourist Information Service which is located in front of Invermere One Hour Photo Foto Source on 7th Avenue. This service will be available from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm, Tuesday through Friday and 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Saturday – during inclement weather, this service will be provided from the Visitor Centre. During inclement weather, this service will be provided at the Visitor Centre at 651 Hwy 93/95.  A special thank you to Wayne Rossington for letting us utilize his property, and to Wendy Jansen for providing the space to store our furnishings and materials during off-hours.

Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Centre
651 Hwy 93/95, Box 1019
Invermere, BC V0A 1K0
Tel: 250-342-2844
Fax: 250-342-3261
www.cvchamber.ca

Invermere, Windermere and ‘Flats getting government cash

Sidewalks, water, trails and trees, oh my!

Three local communities will be receiving almost $2 million in provincial and federal funding to make a number of significant upgrades in the municipal and regional infrastructure. East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett,  Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, and Columbia River Revelstoke MP Jim Abbott traveled to the Columbia Valley over the weekend in order to make a number of significant funding announcements for the area. [Read more]

Golden and Kimberley given infrastructure infusions

The Municipalities of Kimberley and Golden were on the receiving end of a whirlwind funding tour by federal and provincial politicians this weekend.

Kootenay Columbia MP Jim Abbott, along with Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett, went on a spending spree throughout the entire Columbia Valley on April 4.

Among the highlights for Goldenites, according to a joint press release by the federal and provincial governments, will be a $400,000 community centre upgrade and a $610,857 restructuring of existing provincial programs for basic services.

In Kimberley the political presence doled out a total of $1.6 million in pre-election presents including library longevity money, cash for paths, local trails and trees. Kimberley’s cut also contained funding for basic community services.

“We are funding improvements now, in response to community needs, as a responsible way to boost our province’s considerable potential in a wide range of sectors,” noted Bennett, who serves in the provincial ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts. [Read more]

BC Government gives cash to Fort Steele

Fort Steele Heritage Town recently received a $2.65 million revenue boosting shot in the arm from the BC government.

Calling the facility a “vital expression of our communities’ identity and pride,” East Kootenay MLA and Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Bill Bennett announced the funding on April 2. [Read more]