Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 08/99) - The NWT Chamber of Commerce will develop a position on home-based businesses, it was decided at the organization's annual general meeting held in Hay River.

The position will then be conveyed to the NWT Association of Municipalities.

But some chamber directors took issue with the move.

They felt it was not the chambers place to pass anything on home-based businesses.

"We are sending a message that we are not supporting (home-based businesses)," NorthwesTel's Mike Parry, one of five directors that voted against the motion, said.

The board plans to develop a position based on:

• Acceptance that home occupations can play a useful role in the economy and meet consumer needs.

• The suggestion that home occupations should be regulated at the community level, and part of the regulated process should be an annual review of each licensed home occupation.

The chamber's position also suggests municipalities look at half a dozen items, at least, when considering bylaws for home occupations.

David Connelly, a past president of the chamber, said it is not the chamber's place to be imposing rules on business. There are enough levels of government for that, he said.

Directors discussed the matter because, at an earlier chamber meeting, Fort Smith's Sean Mcgeean brought up the subject of home-based business.

Chamber treasurer Alan Vaughan gathered information from three communities and prepared a paper for the chamber.

There may be concern in the business community that home-based businesses represent unfair competition to businesses occupying zoned commercial business space, Vaughan found. He also found that municipalities may not be getting all potential tax revenues or they may be contrary to the "residential character" of a neighbourhood.