The Business Vitality Index (BVI) helps communities to assess their capacity to work with and support entrepreneurs, and to foster small business growth. The tool measures the perceptions of community leaders, business people and citizens about the current business environment in their community and compares the results to an average of other B.C. communities to determine possible short and long term actions the community can undertake to improve its business friendliness. This report summarizes the assessment phase of the BVI. The phase 1 session included an assessment of the community’s apparent small business resources and potential through a survey and a focus group session.  The phase 2 session will be open to the entire community with the purpose of setting priorities for improvement, and jump starting the community to action.  The date of the phase 2 session is scheduled for Saturday April 2, 2004 at the Crawford Bay Hall from noon to 2pm.