Business leaders in resort towns across British Columbia—including the Fernie Chamber of Commerce—have launched a formal chamber coalition to amplify their voice and tackle shared workforce hurdles. The newly formed Resort Chambers of Commerce Coalition (RCCC) marks a significant turning point in how resort-based economies are advocating for structural change.
A dozen chambers representing BC’s 14 provincially designated resort municipalities have come together under the RCCC umbrella. Founding members include the chambers from Columbia Valley, Fernie, Kimberley, Trail, Revelstoke, Harrison‑Agassiz, Kamloops, Kicking Horse Country, South Okanagan, Tofino, Ucluelet, Valemount and Whistler.
According to coalition leadership, these resort communities share a distinct economic profile compared to larger urban centres—dependencies on seasonal tourism, acute housing and infrastructure constraints, and intensive labour demands tied to visitor-driven peaks.
“By coming together, we can advocate with a stronger, more coordinated voice,” said Caroline Lachapelle, Chair of the RCCC. “Working together allows us to make progress on the issues that matter most to our members, from housing and transportation to workforce and economic development.”
In a notable debut effort, the coalition submitted a joint policy resolution to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC) in October, focusing on immigration and workforce shortfalls in resort communities.
Key asks in the policy included:
• Amending the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) eligibility to explicitly cover resort municipalities, acknowledging their unique labour market dynamics.
• Allowing more flexible population-based metrics (i.e., exception rules) for communities heavily dependent on tourism and facing acute staffing pressures.
• Ensuring that local stakeholders—including municipal governments and businesses in resort areas—are engaged in the implementation of immigration and workforce supports.
• The resolution was approved overwhelmingly by delegates at the CCC conference—with a 94 % majority.
For Fernie’s business community, the coalition’s success holds tangible promise. By aligning with other resort-node chambers, the Fernie chamber is now part of a provincial network actively shaping federal policy—rather than operating in isolation.
The merged advocacy strength could lead to:
• Improved access to immigration pathways tailored to seasonal, tourism-based economies.
• More leverage in arguing for housing, transit and infrastructure funds targeted at resort-municipality needs.
• A platform for Fernie-specific issues (e.g., housing for seasonal workers, visitor/resident balance) to be heard in national policy corridors.
The RCCC plans to work more closely with the CCC’s “future of work” advocacy arm and the federal Commissioner for Employers with the goal of bringing their adopted resolution to the desks of the appropriate ministers.
While initially comprised of BC resort-municipality chambers, the coalition is now inviting engagement from other resort-area chambers across Canada to strengthen the national voice of resort economies.
In an era where smaller resort towns face outsized pressures—from housing scarcity and workforce crunches to climate-driven tourism swings—this coordinated move by the business community signals a strategic shift. For Fernie, being part of the Resort Chambers of Commerce Coalition is more than a membership; it’s a stake in shaping policy that acknowledges the economic particularities of resort-based lifeways.
News with information and quotations sourced from:
e-Know: Local Chambers part of resort coalitio (East Kootenay News Online Weekly, October 2025)
Revelstoke Review: Resort Chambers of Commerce Coalition celebrates first advocacy win
Fernie Chamber of Commerce official statements
