Chilliwack entrepreneurs may soon need only a single business licence to ply their trade in the Fraser Valley.

At the behest of Chamber of Commerce executive director Patti MacAhonic, council asked staff Tuesday to work with other Fraser Valley governments to develop what is colloquially known as an intermunicipal business licence.

The idea is that mobile businesspeople who ply their trade in multiple cities—anyone from landscapers to photographers—would only need to obtain a single business licence to comply with bylaws.

Greater Vancouver and the Okanagan already have blanket business licences. MacAhonic played a promotional video by the BC Chamber of Commerce that claimed that the business licence resulted in increased revenue for every one of the Okanagan communities in the year following its implementation.

Some communities sold fewer licences, but the difference was made up by the $150 cost of the intermunicipal licence

She told council that it will reduce the workload shouldered by city staff and cut the red tape endured by businesses.

"It allows businesses—[for] example, contractors or caterers—to operate across participating municipalities," said MacAhonic. "It streamlines and simplifies the licensing process, reducing costs and making it easier to do business in the region and the province.

It should also increase compliance rates, according to the chamber.

MacAhonic said that chamber officials and politicians in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley, Pitt Meadows, Mission and Maple Ridge have all expressed their willingness to investigate a regionwide business licence.

Council gave the go ahead to staff to participate in the talks.

"We've talked about it for some time and [thanks for] presenting it to us and we look forward to seeing it in full operation," Gaetz told MacAhonic.

tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com