Advocacy

The Bellingham Regional Chamber works on your behalf at the city, county, state and federal levels. Additionally, we are community partner on the local committees working on issues like affordable/accessible housing and homelessness, attracting new business, supporting existing businesses and economic development.

To learn more about policy agenda, click below or email guy@bellingham.com or call us anytime at (360) 734-1330.

Supporting a Healthy Business Community

Enacting policy that is favorable towards all legal businesses including:

  • Ensuring fair zoning laws
  • Improve the permit process and policy at city and county
  • Advocate for fair taxation of businesses and educate on the impacts to policy makers
  • Educate on the aspects of predictive scheduling to small, local employers
  • Educate the needs of business and collaborate on proposed employment rules

Housing

Work towards accessible housing for all county residents including:

  • Advocate for increased workforce housing near employment areas
  • Collaborate on affordability and availability options
  • Provide adequate support for homeless

Community Issues Impacting Business

Advocate for business on the issues that indirectly impact business including:

  • Business district disturbances – Find solutions to stop unwanted behavior in business district including drug abuse, obstructive protests and vagrancy
  • Water usage accountability – Advocate for necessary access to water for all stakeholders including commercial/industrial, residential, tribal and agriculture
  • Promote policy that encourages performance and incentive-based regulation while providing paths and tools to reduce GHG in current infrastructure
  • Educate policy-makers about growth potential and impacts and encourage collaborative action

Economic Development

Whatcom County needs more family-wage jobs. To accomplish this, the chamber will:

  • Advocate for the success of Port of Belllingham properties including the success of the Bellingham International Airport, waterfront redevelopment, Bellingham/Fairhaven/Blaine marine zones and Sumas
  • Work with our policymakers for adequate infrastructure improvements for both facilities and transportation of goods and travel
  • Increase skilled labor and work on career connected learning to bridge the gap between K12 education, college/vo-tech/apprentice/military, and employers
  • Be a leader in educating the public on the impacts of the border on our economy which includes immigration policy
  • Attract innovation-based employers and industries in specific sectors including clean energy/tech