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09
Feb
The Merritt Chamber of Commerce has been reviewing conditions for home-based businesses as part of its Open for Business working group.
Home-based businesses can be part of the bedrock of a healthy, stable community, as self-employment disperses income reliance beyond single industries. Homebased businesses are also an integral part of commerce in our community, providing goods and services not only locally but also nationally. From time to time, these businesses grow to the extent that they require larger quarters in a commercial section of the city, but many remain permanently in a family home.
So far, a survey of other communities’ bylaws, a telephone survey of a sampling of Merritt’s home-based business owners, and discussion with Merritt’s Bylaw Officer and Tourism/Economic Development Officer have all informed the working group’s conclusion that an improvement to current bylaws would be removal of the limitation to just a single home-based business. This would address the emerging desire of couples to each have their own business run out of the home, and would make Merritt more attractive to possible in-migration, particularly for professionals in the tech industry.
The Chamber looks forward to discussion of this idea amongst its membership, and if the consensus is to move forward with the suggestion, will make a proposal to the City of Merritt to amend the relevant bylaw.
