The city has set up a new service to help small business owners navigate what can be a daunting process of getting a business licence or the permits necessary to complete a renovation.
Called the commercial renovation centre, and based out of the city’s offices at 10th and Cambie, the service is designed as a “one-stop shop” to speed up the time it takes for a business owner to get permits and licences.
“At the city, we have realized over time that we need to speed up the process, we need to make sure small business has a one-stop shop to get service, to be supported and to get, in particular, permits and licences as quickly as possible,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson, who was at the centre Thursday to officially launch the new service which began as an experiment last fall. “When you’re in a renovation phase to get a new space open for retail for commercial use, we want to be sure we’re helping small business through that process.”
Kaye Krishna, the city’s general manager of development services, said the city heard from the business community that small businesses, which comprise about 90 per cent of Vancouver’s businesses, needed more support and guidance to obtain permits and licences.
That triggered the city to create a dedicated team of experienced staff to begin working last fall with 60 businesses. Of those, 35 requested permits and the city has, so far, issued 21.
“We’ll really be there from the beginning to the end until they are able to open their doors,” said Krishna, noting the centre is mainly targeting businesses with fewer than five employees.
Alona Puehse, executive director of corporate development of Open Door group, was at the centre Thursday to pick up her building permit. Puehse worked with the centre’s team to help her get closer to opening the nonprofit’s new location at 138 East Hastings.
Puehse said Open Door, which connects job seekers with employers, had operated for several years in a leased space. Last November, the non-profit bought two storefronts in a new mixed-use development near Main and Hastings called Sequel 138.
“There was this huge sense of achievement, positive feelings, excitement for the future, but then the reality of what actually had to happen to get those spaces up and running within our tight timeline of four months actually hit,” she said. “While the city website can offer some information, the multiple steps involved in permitting and licensing isn’t easy to navigate, especially if like us, you don’t even really know what you’re looking for.”
Puehse said within two days of contacting the centre, she had face-to-face meetings with staff. Those meetings were followed up with phone calls and emails, eventually leading to Open Door applying for a development permit, which was granted two weeks later.
“Based on our experience, this new centre is set up to provide vital support in what would otherwise be a really daunting and complex process,” she added.
Though the mayor said Vancouver’s economy was booming – and in large part because of small businesses – he acknowledged assessments and rents were high for entrepreneurs who want to continue operating in the city.
“The rent issue is very difficult for the city to directly affect,” said Robertson, noting the city is aware of the need to create and protect more commercial and industrial space in the city. “Ultimately, it’s up to landlords and the market to set the rents.”
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