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Your Weekly Tune Up

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Accepted proof of vaccination records effective Nov. 15

Patrons entering businesses and venues taking part in the REP will be required to show one of the following:

  • Alberta vaccine record with a QR code
  • Canadian Armed Forces vaccine record
  • First Nations immunization record
  • Vaccine records issued by other provinces and territories
  • ArriveCan app for international travellers and valid international travel identity document
  • Negative privately paid COVID-19 test from within the previous 72 hours
  • Valid proof of medical exemption

The enhanced Alberta vaccine record is available through alberta.ca/CovidRecords. Albertans can also get a printed vaccine record with QR code at no cost by visiting a registry agent office or by calling 811. Records can be printed or displayed on a phone.

Investing in irrigation, farmers and jobs

Alberta’s government is partnering with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and 10 irrigation districts to invest a total of nearly $933 million in irrigation infrastructure to expand production, create jobs and spur the province’s economic recovery.

The largest of its kind in Alberta’s history, this enhanced investment has the potential to create 7,300 permanent jobs and 1,400 construction jobs and contribute up to $477 million to the province’s GDP every year. Read More

Irrigation
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EI Program survey

The Government of Canada's national survey on building a modern Employment Insurance Program will remain open until November 19.

The government of Canada is planning to modernize the Employment Insurance (EI) program. They are doing this because work for Canadians has changed. Gaps in the program were highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. EI needs to catch up.

Take a few minutes to complete the EI survey and make your voice heard. canada.ca/ei-consultations.

Quick Check Up

Get the COVID verifier App

Next Level Events

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2021 Selling to Government: How to become a successful bidder with the City of Medicine Hat - Virtual Event

Join us to explore how to sell your products or services to the City of Medicine Hat and gain better insight into the procurement process and what has changed.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 (9:00 AM - 10:30 AM) (MST)

Register Here!

Ready to become a successful bidder? Learn more at: medicinehat.bidsandtenders.ca/Module/Tenders/en

You are Invited for Midnight Madness at the Chamber!

We have partnered with Methanex to bring you a fun filled night! Visit the petting zoo and get FREE hot chocolate! Entry to the petting zoo by donation. All funds will go to the Medicine Hat Santa Claus Fund! 

November 19th, 2021 (4:30 PM - 8:30 PM)

Out front of the Chamber Office - 413 6 Ave. SE

Can't wait to see you there!

Midnight Madness Event

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2021 Presidents' Reception, Membership Appreciation and AGM - Virtual

Our Annual General Meeting takes a look back through the past year and learn how the Chamber of Commerce has played a pivotal role in our business community through our advocacy efforts, business engagement and member benefits programs.

Virtual Presidents' Reception, Membership Appreciation and Annual General Meeting
Thursday, November 25th
5:30pm - 8:30pm.

REGISTER HERE

Fuelling Our Business Community

INSPIRE 2021

Celebrating Women’s Entrepreneurship in Southern Alberta

In anticipation of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day on November 19, 2021,

Women Entrepreneurs-in-STEM invites you to join them for the “Inspire 2021: Celebrating Women’s Entrepreneurship in southern Alberta” conference on the mornings of November 17 and 18th. Join them as they welcome women entrepreneurs from around the region for authentic talk about the challenges and rewards of business ownership in southern Alberta. Find out more.

Women in STEM

The Power of Community

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Random Acts of Kindness Week November 14th - 20th

The Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta (CFSEA) is honored to partner with FCSS and the City of Medicine Hat to facilitate Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week in the community. As division within the community increases, compassion fatigue continues, and the COVID-19 pandemic prolongs the affects, we are proposing the following: To encourage Random Acts of Kindness within the community and to help make kindness the norm. Our goal with this week-long, city-wide initiative is to enhance the social well-being of others and engage residents to become active members of the community.

CFSEA will be facilitating, promoting and providing resources in partnership with various charities, schools, and businesses. We would love to see every business in the city spread some extra kindness this week and help make kindness the norm in Medicine Hat.

If you have an idea of how your business can be a part of this event or want to be involved but don’t know how please connect with Sydney Ratzlaff at sydney@cfsea.ca or call 403.527.9038. 

Enriching Your Business

Group Insurance & Employee Benefits Enjoyed by 30,000 Canadian Businesses

The Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan has been protecting Canadian firms for over 40 years. More than 30,000 small to midsize businesses choose the Chambers Plan to protect their employees with comprehensive group benefits, including Health and Dental insurance, making it Canada’s #1 employee benefits plan for small business.

Your Employees can receive 3 hours of counselling for:

  • Marital and family problems
  • Work-related problems
  • Dependency problems
  • Personal problems

The Chambers Plan is the simple, stable, smart choice for business; combining accessibility, flexibility and the stability of pooled benefits. Firms choose the Chambers Plan year after year because it offers unsurpassed value and customer service.

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Does Your Business Ship Goods during the Peak Shipping Season Now upon Us?

If so, you’ll find this resource developed by our Chambers Shipping Program partner, Freightcom, a useful document to have at hand.

The folks at Freightcom have prepared the 2021 Carrier Holiday Schedule and Carrier Deadlines, and you can access them all in one place! Not signed up yet for our Chambers Shipping Program? Find out more here.

See all our Value Added Benefits!

Fill Up On Funding

Alberta Jobs Now program second application intake period now open

The Alberta Jobs Now program provides funding for private sector businesses and non-profits to cover salary or training costs to hire and train unemployed Albertans. Employers can apply for 25% of an employee’s salary for a 52-week period up to $25,000 per employee. (Employers hiring persons with disabilities will receive 1.5X the amount received for other new employees).
Changes to the Alberta Jobs Now program have been designed to help employers meet their labour needs and provide more Albertans with the skills they need to land successful careers. Employers can now apply, with new changes to the Alberta Jobs Now program listed below:

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  • Opening the program to Alberta businesses and non-profits that have been incorporated or registered for less than a year.
  • Reducing the minimum number of hours employees must work under the program from 30 to 15 hours per week.
  • While the focus is on hiring unemployed and underemployed Albertans, employers may fill available positions with employed Albertans if there is a business need.
  • Reducing the number of positions that employers can apply for per intake period from 20 to 10.
  • Reducing the amount of time employers have to fill positions from 120 to 90 days after receiving application approval.
  • Employers who have hired eligible employees since May 19, but have not submitted an application, can apply during this intake period.
  • If an employer was previously declined because their employee(s) was ineligible but now qualifies under the new criteria, the employer can reapply.

Click HERE  to apply, click HERE to read what employers are saying about the program

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Make A Change Canada Funding

Make a Change Canada is seeking interest from organizations that have a specific interest in providing a work placement opportunity to a person who self-identifies as living with a disability. There are many benefits to the program including a full wage subsidy for the employer to start, for full-time, part-time, and contract positions up to June 30, 2022, along with the opportunity to mentor an individual, all while building a stronger team that benefits from the positives of a diverse talent pool. Other benefits include access to an untapped talent pool, home office set up and retrofits for employees, training and support for employers including possible retrofits, and ongoing follow-up from Make A Change Canada’s team of remote professionals. In these changing times we need to think differently and here is a way for business to add diversity and inclusion into their teams.

Desjardins is giving away $3M in GoodSpark Grants to small businesses.

If you are a small businesses that is locally owned and operated; doing business in Alberta; have at least 1 employee and no more than 50 employees; have been registered for at least 1 year (since November 1, 2020, at the latest) and have a project that involves at least 1 of the following issues: sustainable development, employment, innovation, you can apply for up to $20,000. Find out more and apply for your GoodSpark Grant by November 29, 2021.

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More Funding

Alberta’s government is investing $2 million to help launch and grow up to 100 social enterprises

The UCeed Social Impact Fund provides early-stage loan and equity funding to support the development of social enterprises focused on making positive changes in our communities and that use a business approach to address a social need. Read more. Social enterprises including, non-profits, for-profit, charities, and cooperatives with demonstrable community benefit commercializing evidence-based solutions to issues can apply for an award between $30,000 up to $300,000. Click to apply.

CAREERS Youth Internship Incentive Program

Employers: apply for $1000, $1800, or $3600 to cover part-time or full-time youth internships in trades & technologies, contact Kristi Liboiron at 403-793-5390 or KLiboiron@nextgen.org

Extra support for child care operators in Alberta

Approximately $15 million in unspent (due to lower than expected enrolment and expenditures) bilateral funding from the federal government for COVID-19 relief will further support child care operators. Distribution of additional COVID-19 relief funding will commence in December. Programs will have flexibility to use this funding to cover additional COVID-related expenses, to hire additional staff or for other operational areas of need. Find out more.

Advocacy in Action

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Rural Economic Development Virtual Roundtable 

On November 9, 2021, the Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce, along with other economic development stakeholders gathered for a Rural Economic Development Virtual Roundtable Event with Minister or Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development to discuss the following themes:

  • What are the economic strengths or biggest opportunities for economic development in your community?
  • What are the challenges for supporting these economic strengths or opportunities for economic development in your community?
  • What actions would you like to see taken in the near term and long term?
  • What should be the goals of rural economic development in Alberta?
  • What factors would make you confident that Alberta has a sound rural economic development environment?

We were able to highlight key recommendations from our policies on Creating a Strong and Diverse Local Economy and Creating a Municipal Economic Development Strategy, while also sharing recent reports including our Economic Impact, Outcomes and Opportunities report, the Regional Vitality Action Plan and the BREWD research report

Other Resources

Are You a Government of Canada Supplier? Note that Mandatory Vaccination Is in Place for All Active Federal Contractors

Labour Force Survey Highlights

Alberta Labour Market Notes

Canada-Alberta Job Grant

Work-Sharing Program: providing Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers.

Other Events

Useful Links

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