When we decided to have children, it was seen to make more sense for me to stay home and my husband to shoulder the burden of earning enough to support us. We did this by making choices and sacrifices and felt (mostly) that is has paid off. However, the economy is not as robust as it was and the cost of living has risen beyond our earnings and we – like many – are feeling the pinch. For a lot of mom’s and everyone else, entrepreneurship is the next step rather than looking searching for available employment.
Feeding the Entrepreneurial Spirit
We are an entrepreneurial lot here in BC. British Columbia ranks first in Canada for the number of small businesses per capita, with 84.2 per 1,000 people. The BC Jobs Plan is a broad plan to not only promote job growth, but the economic sustainability of those who manage or want to manage their small business and allow for the reality of growth and expansion. Every strategy in the plan supports three overarching goals enabling job creation, strengthening our infrastructure for getting goods to market and opening and expanding markets for our goods and services, particularly in Asia, because more overseas trade and investments leads to more jobs.
Helping You Start Your Business
Small Business BC is the place to start when planning to start your own company. The website is full of information to help you see if your dream can come a reality and what resources you will need. From business plans to advice about taxes, regulations and rebates. There are PDF’s on everything you need to know.
BC has increased the province’s Small Business Tax Credit to $33 million. The Small Business Venture Capital Program offers tax credits for direct investments in eligible new corporations. Encouraging investment in our small business is crucial to expansion.
Giving You The Skills
Another crucial aspect of job creation is making sure we have the skills. The Skills Training Plan ensures that British Columbians have the skills needed to fill these jobs, and that our training system is flexible enough to meet the changing needs of BC’s evolving labour market.
Supporting Families
Tax credits for business are only part of boosting our economy. Ensuring families can keep up with the growth is crucial too. New tax credits are helping BC’s children live healthy and creative lives by encouraging participation in arts and sports. BC families can now claim up to $500 – per child, per year – in eligible expenses for sports and arts programs outside the school system. For families like myself, getting a little help with the costs of extracurricular activities is a life saver. It hurts to say no all the time to your children.
What Can You Do
The Government of British Columbia wants your input on what it takes to make British Columbia strong. There are many ways to contact them and participate in the discussion to shape the plans for our future and the upcoming budget. Check out this link to see what you can do to be a part of improving British Columbia.
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