Thunder Bay Chamber leads trade mission to Osoyoos First Nation

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce is hoping a trip to the Osoyoos First Nation in British Columbia will yield some valuable business lessons.

A dozen delegates from the business community, and a number of First Nations organizations are visiting Osoyoos this week.

The Osoyoos First Nation is well known for its successful economic development.

Chamber president Charla Robinson said there's a lot to be learned from their business experience.

"They've got a real broad range of different businesses — tourism as well as some retail — and have really made a positive impact in their community."

The community, located in the Okanagan, has an economic development corporation that's started nine different businesses in the past two decades, said Robinson — everything from a winery, to a hotel and conference centre, to a golf course.

When the chief of Osoyoos visited Thunder Bay last June for a chamber event, "he talked about how everybody in Osoyoos First Nation who is able to work has a job," Robinson said.

"They actually bring First Nations people from across Canada to work there because they want to share the opportunity as well with other First Nation communities."

Robinson said she hopes the delegates return from the trip "with a bit of a spark of ideas that could work here."