BVI - Success Story
The Nakusp Story
Citizens Take Charge of their Economic Destiny
Uncertainty and concern, that’s what residents of Nakusp, a remote town nestled in a lush green valley in the Columbia Mountains of British Columbia, were feeling about their economic future early in 2002. The town, once a prospering agricultural and forestry community, was experiencing indecision. It pondered its future in an economy that was fast changing, uncertain and possibly leaving the community behind. Significant changes in forestry, the withdrawal of key government services and a threatened reduction in transportation routes into the town left the community feeling concerned. Karen Hamling, a member of the Nakusp and Area Development Board (NADB), recognized this as a critical time for the community to take charge of its economic destiny.
The NADB and the Chamber of Commerce sponsored the Business Vitality Initiative (BVI) for the community. The BVI brought together 30 businesspeople, leaders, local service groups and residents to measure perceptions about the business friendliness and entrepreneurial capacity of the community in Nakusp. Two months later, in a meeting open to all residents, the community agreed to pursue four short-term projects to jumpstart it from the data collected by the BVI.
Two opportunity identification sessions were held for young people and citizens to help identify what economic opportunities - from a community or business standpoint - were available that had not been acted upon. 112 citizens attended the first 2 sessions that identified & ranked the feasibility of opportunities.
- A 'Buy Local' program to address leakage was launched.
- A community foundation was formed to build community capacity & a true legacy.
- A project was established to build bridges between and among businesses, government, other key organizations and citizens.
The community chose to focus energies on Halcyon Community Home, slated for closure, and the possibility of the aged residents having to move from the community. After more than a year of hard work the unlikely coalition has had success with their focused approach. All residents will stay in place.
Subsequent to engaging in the BVI, the community has not only taken action on the four identified outcomes, it is actively pursuing additional initiatives and has started Project Bootstrap, a process for complete community renewal. In addition to getting the community jumpstarted the BVI helped bring the community to a few key realizations. "We need to ensure small business is taken seriously in this community as a big economic driver. Because of the BVI, we now know where we stand and how we can create richer soil for current and budding entrepreneurs," says Hamling.
"We're feeling energized and empowered. It's critical that citizens take the lead," says Hamling. "We knew we needed to take charge," says Hamling, "we just didn't know how to do it. The BVI helped to focus us and jumpstart the community."