Cumberland is a special place with a distinctive history, character, community spirit and entrepreneurial energy which have helped shape a business community that is distinctly Cumberland.

The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Village of Cumberland, is launching a Business Retention & Expansion Initiative to listen to Cumberland businesses and better understand what it is like to operate a business here. We want to know what is working well, what could be improved, and where there are opportunities for the future.

This initiative is an opportunity to hear directly from local business owners and operators about:

• What makes Cumberland a good place to do business
• The challenges businesses are experiencing
• Opportunities for growth, investment and diversification
• Staffing and workforce challenges
• Housing and its impact on businesses and employees
• Transportation, infrastructure, internet and other services
• Municipal processes, regulations and permitting
• What could help Cumberland’s business community become stronger and more resilient

Over the coming months, we will connect with Cumberland businesses through a community-wide survey, conversations with business owners and focused discussions with local businesses and community partners.

We will look for common themes, emerging opportunities and priorities that can be turned into practical actions.

The results will help shape an action plan for Cumberland’s business community, identifying ways the Village, the Chamber and other partners can work together to support local businesses.