The Greenwood Board of Trade was incorporated in 1899, just two years after the City of Greenwood itself was incorporated. Boards of Trade pre-date Chambers of Commerce, although they carry out exactly the same functions and operate under the same 'Boards of Trade Act'.
There are only a handful of BOT's left in British Columbia, in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, and in Greenwood — officially the smallest city of Canada! All other towns and cities in the province are represented by Chambers of Commerce.
The Greenwood Board of Trade promotes economic and community development, networks with local and regional businesses, provides small business support and benefits, and sponsors various local events.
Members of the Greenwood Board of Trade are offered a discounted rate with the
About Greenwood
Greenwood is a city in south-central British Columbia. It was incorporated in 1897 and was formerly one of the principal cities of the Boundary Country smelting and mining district.
Once a thriving mining town in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it almost became a ghost town. In the 1940s it was an internment camp for over 1,000 Japanese people forced from their homes on the B.C. West Coast during WWII. After the war, many stayed and made Greenwood their home. It is our history that draws many people to our city. Our lifestyle possibilities, hospitality and fun celebrations are what entices them to stay.
Spend a day, a week, or longer. Be prepared for Greenwood to find a special place in your heart.
Business in Greenwood
Start a business, or relocate your business to Greenwood and the Boundary Country of British Columbia.
The area has a unique business history that rests solidly on four characteristics:
Transport Corridor: Greenwood is the centre point between Cranbrook in the East and Vancouver in the West. Highway 3, the Southern-most main transport link between British Columbia and Alberta, runs through the main street of Greenwood. During a busy Summer's day, 6,000+ vehicles can pass through the small city. Many of these travellers stop to rest or admire the character of the old buildings and the ambiance of British Columbia's Boundary Country. Today, the city offers an ideal opportunity for season retailers and hospitality businesses to entice visitors to linger a little longer.
Mining: Greenwood's history started with Copper Mining. The city has a lot of its heritage and remaining infrastructure from the heydays of the Smelter that operated in the early part of the 20th Century. The Boundary area is also well known for its Gold prospects and Gold mining in the Rock Creek area. The region is still rich in minerals. Prospecting and mining opportunities remain in the area and there is ongoing interest in mining prospects.
Forestry: The West Boundary Community Forest Inc. is jointly owned by the Village of Midway and the City of Greenwood. In addition to preserving local recreation trails, the community forest is used to educate elementary students in forest ecology and train local high school students in forestry. The West Boundary community forest agreement has an allowable annual cut of 23,000 cubic metres per year and an initial term of 25 years. The agreement area covers about 17,760 hectares around the City of Greenwood and Village of Midway in the Boundary region. This resource provides work and funding for many of the area's residents. There are also smaller operators in forestry and forestry-related industries operating from Greenwood and the Boundary area.
Agriculture: The Boundary area has well-established protein producers (Beef, Pork, Poultry) and a healthy group of fruit and vegetable producers. There is also a growing group of small food value-add manufacturers that provide products to residents directly, through markets, and online. The Kettle Valley Food Coop is an example of an organization that provides valuable support for small producers to take their produce to market.
Growth & Opportunities
Greenwood and the area are seeing renewed interest in people and businesses that want and plan to relocate to the area. As a result, we've identified the following commerce and trade growth opportunities.
Digital Nomads and Online Workers: Greenwood's Internet infrastructure and lifestyle opportunities make it an affordable and attractive location for online workers. We are inviting remote online workers to consider Greenwood as their base of operations. There are several IT and Marketing professionals already based in Greenwood and working for clients in Canada and abroad. The City is 2 hours from Kelowna International Airport and within driving distance to two of BC's largest business hubs - Okanagan and the Lower Mainland.
Construction: Greenwood's infrastructure is unique and unfortunately also ageing. It has affordable land and requires investment in new residential and commercial buildings. There is a growing demand for housing and from businesses that want to relocate to the City. It creates opportunities for property development, restoration and for a growing pool of trades that can help build Greenwood and the Boundary's future.
Tourism: The Boundary Country provides ample and unique opportunities for travel and tourism development. It is under-developed with opportunities in accommodation, camping, hospitality, retailing, experiences, and adventure. It has a uniquely suitable summer and winter climate with ample lakes, trails, historic attractions, and proximity to the U.S. border, Okanagan, and Kootenays. Due to Greenwood's central location, it is ideally suited to be the jumping-off point for tourism in South-Central British Columbia.
Small Manufacturing and Value Add Industries: The Boundary Country is rich in food production. It also has lumber and minerals. It is on a transport corridor and offers cheap land with good infrastructure and ample water. All this bodes well for value-add industries such as manufacturers and food producers. They can make in Greenwood/Boundary and supply Canada and the United States.
2024-2025 Officers & Directors
Barry Noll — President
Desiree King — Vice President
Denise Frocklage — Treasurer
Traci Russell — Secretary
Alan Laary — Member at large
Alan Fisher— Member at large
Email: greenwoodbot@gmail.com
General Meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7pm at City Hall
