By Erin Knutson

A new ambassador program will provide enhanced service and leadership skills to employees, residents, and business owners in the City of Fernie.

City council approved a partnering agreement with the Fernie Chamber of Commerce for the Fernie Ambassador 2.0 Program Partnering Agreement at last Monday’s (Feb.24) meeting.

Mayor Ange Qualizza spoke to council members on taking a proactive approach to the program. “We have identified that we need to be a more vocal partner in some of our relationships like this. So, as you move through this process, I really would encourage you to use our social media tools and the things we have available because I think council is pretty united on this and we don’t want to pay for this program twice,” she said.

Following on the heels of the first ambassador program, Ambassador 2.0 will enhance and expand on original ideas to improve customer service in the community.

“The program aims to promote local history, cross-cultural understanding, good host etiquette, and civic information, building on local Fernie knowledge,” said a city council report.

College of the Rockies will renew its partnership with the chamber to provide training on promotional ideas and marketing to local businesses.

Supporting business and economic diversity is one of the critical elements of the project, and it qualified under the 2019-2021 Resort Development Strategy (RDS) specializing in tourism programs, events, and service.

The RDS was greenlighted by council on May 13, 2019. With the approval of the new ambassador program, the City of Fernie will provide $25,000 in funding over three years to the project.

“We want the ambassador program to be the program that makes all of our staff and our community ambassadors, and I don’t want to see piecemeal versions of this around town. If we can support getting people through this program, I think we’re all on board with that. It’s money well spent,” said Qualizza.

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