New numbers back up boom in local business

Staff issued 3,258 business licences from January through August, already more than the 2,834 for all of 2016

Business seems to be booming in Penticton. City council is slated to hear today that staff had issued 3,258 business licences through the end of August, a 15 per cent increase from 2,834 in all of 2016.

“Two extremely promising signs include the increase to home-based and non-resident business licences, suggesting an increase in entrepreneurs and those doing business in the community from out of town, attracting business from outside of our boundaries,” development services director Anthony Haddad wrote in his report to council.

Data in his report pegged the number of home-based businesses through August at 563, up from 467 last year. Those home-based businesses may include so-called virtual workers.

“Anecdotally, there is an increase in short-term relocation of families where one spouse is engaged in a construction contract such as the hospital expansion, and the other is working remotely,” wrote Haddad.

“These family units are viewing the temporary relocation as both a type of working holiday and a trial run for living in the area.”

Haddad’s report is intended mainly as an update on the reorganization of the city’s economic development branch, which is now part of his portfolio.

Council is also expected to hear a staff request to hire a new sports and events project manager on a permanent basis, rather than on contract as was most recently the case.

Chad Douglas was hired in March 2016 on a one-year term that was later extended into September and not renewed a second time.

Human resources manager Kerri Lockwood wrote in her report to council the position is budgeted at $90,000 this year and already included in the city’s current tally of 283 full-time equivalent employees.

“By making this position a permanent full-time position rather than a term position, it will ensure the city is able to attract the calibre of candidate needed to be successful in this role,” she noted.

The manager would help assess grants and work with event organizers on “communications and co-ordination of events to ensure residents are aware of events and any traffic flow interruptions.”

And staff in the building department is seeking council’s blessing to get a court order to compel the owner of 890 Three Mile Rd. to build a properly engineered and permitted retaining wall at the rear of the property.

The order would follow more than two years of wrangling between the owner and staff.

“To date the city has absorbed more than $5,000 in legal and consulting fees and numerous hours of staff time to seek compliance,” building and permitting manager Ken Kunka wrote in his report to council.

“Staff’s main concern was related to earthworks taking place along a silt bank requiring a retaining wall building permit designed by a professional engineer.”

Once into the land matters portion of the agenda, council is expected to send to public hearings in two weeks’ time plans to put up two duplexes on each of 461 Eckhardt Ave., 641 Winnipeg St. and 681 Winnipeg St., plus a four-unit townhouse at 1273 Government St.

Tonight’s public hearings concern plans to put up a four-unit townhouse at 295 Abbott St. and allow 168 Kirkpatrick Ave. to become a bed-and-breakfast.

The council meeting and committee of the whole begin at 1 p.m., followed by the public hearings and land matters at 6 p.m. All meetings are held in council chambers and open to the public.