Resilience
We help communities and industry strengthen their foundations and prepare for the future with values-aligned, locally driven solutions. Our work supports long-term sustainability rooted in local strengths, knowledge, and priorities.
Community Futures BC – Business Continuity Planning
O’Leary and Associates was tasked with developing a workbook to help businesses create customized business continuity plans. This work was expanded to workshops through 2019 – 2020, then online provincial webinars from 2021 through to 2026. This work has helped hundreds of businesses, of every size and industry, in the province to increase their resilience to hazard events.
Out of this work the Online Business Continuity Planning tool was created. This online tool was supported by Community Futures BC and the BC Chamber of Commerce. It was rolled out provincially, then highlighted nationally at the Community Futures National conference.
Free Online Business Continuity Planning Tool
Recognizing the growing economic impacts of wildfires, floods, extreme weather events, and other emergencies on businesses and communities, O’Leary & Associates developed an innovative, free online Business Continuity Planning Tool for Community Futures BC. Designed to help businesses become more resilient and better prepared for unexpected disruptions, this practical, user-friendly resource guides business owners through identifying potential hazards, assessing critical business assets and operations, and developing strategies to reduce risks and minimize economic losses. Building on more than four years of testing and refinement in group settings, the tool transforms what can often be a complex and overwhelming planning process into an accessible resource for businesses of all sizes. By making proactive disaster preparedness available at no cost, this initiative demonstrates how innovative technology and practical economic development solutions can help protect local businesses, strengthen community resilience, and reduce the long-term economic consequences of future disasters.