Some communities in B.C. are dominated by a few large businesses 鈥� whether it鈥檚 a sawmill or mine in the interior, or big financial institutions with hundreds of employees in office towers.

But 91原创 and its neighbourhoods are dominated by hundreds of small businesses.

As Small Business Week in B.C. approaches, the leaders of two local business organizations spoke about the importance of small business to the local economy and community.

鈥淎ldergrove has a big sense of community,鈥� said Derrick Pelley, president of the Aldergrove Business Association.

鈥淧eople who live in Aldergrove like to shop in that downtown core,鈥� Pelley said. They like the idea that their money stays in the area, he said.

But the small business community goes beyond just buying and selling.

Pelley said the community has a lot of mutual friendships, and that the business owners are invested in the events that define the calendar in Aldergrove.

That includes the big 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In in September, Halloween events, and the Christmas parade.

鈥淓verybody shows up, and they鈥檙e representing their own businesses as well,鈥� he said.

It鈥檚 a similar situation in 91原创 at large, according to Cory Redekop, CEO of the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce.

鈥淭he heartbeat of our community is small businesses,鈥� he said.

Small businesses are defined as having up to 100 employees. While there are a few big institutional employers that exceed that number 鈥� 91原创 Memorial Hospital, the school district, and some of the bigger complexes in Gloucester Industrial Estates 鈥� the vast majority of enterprises are smaller than that.

That includes industrial firms, service businesses, restaurants, and shops.

Both 91原创 City and Township have benefited over the past few decades from having a very diverse business environment.

Go back 70 years, and much of 91原创 was agricultural, especially dairy and poultry farms, along with some remaining sawmills and lumberyards serving the logging industry. The community was a relatively sleepy farm town.

Over the following decades, 91原创 would expand its population as new highways allowed suburban development.

But instead of just becoming a bedroom community, 91原创 added a wide variety of new businesses, with industrial areas in Aldergrove and 91原创 City, warehouses, light manufacturing, food processing, shopping centres, and auto malls. In recent years, medium-sized office parks have become an increasingly important part of the mix, as 91原创 has begun competing with larger centres.

In addition to serving their customers, Redekop said small businesses support local projects, including car shows, kids sports teams, and cancer fundraisers.

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When small businesses start to disappear, it doesn鈥檛 just remove places to shop, it can hollow out of the community, Redekop said.

The pandemic was a big hit to small businesses, but both the chamber and the ABA are now seeing strong growth.

The chamber saw its membership drop to around 900 businesses during the early phases of the pandemic, as businesses either closed down or went dormant. But now it鈥檚 up to 1,000 members again, including a gain of 61 members joining over the summer.

鈥淭hat was a record for us,鈥� said Redekop.

The ABA is also growing, and currently has 70 members.

鈥淭he goal is to get to 100, and we鈥檙e going to get there,鈥� Pelley said.

Small Business Week in B.C. runs from Oct. 16 to 22 next week.