Your Weekly Tune Up

Strengthening Alberta’s relationship with Alaska

Alberta has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Alaska, reaffirming a commitment to work together for mutual economic benefit. Read More

Quick Facts

Alberta’s exports to Alaska totalled US$175.7 million in 2020.
Top exports included energy, machinery, and wood and wood products.
Exports from Alberta to Alaska supported over 2,150 Alberta jobs and imports from Alaska to Alberta supported more than 1,650 Alaska jobs.

Addressing EMS capacity with 10-point plan

Immediate action and a future-oriented advisory committee will enhance emergency medical services (EMS) provided to Albertans.

The new 10-point plan to address EMS capacity has both immediate and short-term actions and is designed to ensure the most critical patients are prioritized for receiving immediate care, while maximizing existing system capacity. Details on the 10-point plan are available here.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce rebrands amid corporate transformation and expansion

The Canadian Chamber’s new brand reflects an exciting period of transformation and expansion to meet the changing needs of its members. Its transformation will take the organization from being the voice of Canadian business as a federal lobby organization to also becoming the undisputed champion and catalyst for the future of business success, with new divisions and offerings to serve businesses of all sizes and sectors across the Canadian Chamber Network. Read More

Quick Check Up

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Fuelling Our Business Community

We would like to welcome our new staff to the Chamber team!

Bailey is covering interim as our Marketing & Special Events Manager. She graduated from the Visual Communication program at the Medicine Hat college with a bachelor’s degree in Art & Design. Bailey has worked as a freelance/contract designer for the past few years. Bailey's organizational experience of running her business will allow her to tackle any task that her roll throws at her.

Pamela is our new Member Relations Manager. Pamela’s passion for helping companies develop positive culture, integrity and fair work environments drives her in continuing education and training. She has a history in business with multi-industry management experience, education in Occupational Health and Safety, leadership and communication. Pamela's vast experience will allow her to connect and relate with any business that inquires.

Please join us in welcoming them to the team!

Read full bio - https://www.medicinehatchamber.com/our-team/

The Power of Community

Project Hope shares kindness, love throughout community

Project Hope is a continuation of the Connecting Community initiative, which appears throughout the community and online.

Connecting Community is a community initiative designed to enhance our sense of community and pride of place. Meet other Hatters through short videos, conversations and events, as well as through personal actions. Connecting Community is about participating together, learning about and from one another, and discovering our connections. Find out more.

Nominate someone in our community for the 2022 ALTO AWARDS
The Alberta Tourism (Alto) Awards recognize individuals and organizations committed to enriching Alberta’s tourism industry and who, by their actions, inspire others and demonstrate what can be achieved by working together. Award recipients will be recognized at the 20th Annual Alto Awards dinner on Monday, April 25, 2022, at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel following the Alberta Tourism Industry Congress.

Enriching Your Business

Are you thinking of applying for a Spring Grant through the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta?

Have you registered for the Grant Writing Workshop?

We have made some adjustments to our Grant Guidelines and invite you to learn about our priorities, the grant application process and to review the new guidelines at our Grant Writing Workshop.

Grant Applications will open after this workshop with the deadline of March 15^th2022.

Please RSVP to this workshop by end of day Feb 1^st. Email

Contact JoAnne Letkeman, Exclusive Chamber Group Advisor, 403-504-2166 ext 1.

See all our Value Added Benefits!

Fill Up On Funding

Government introduces new legislation to implement the recently announced measures including:

The Canada Recovery Hiring Program is extended to May 7, 2022. A revenue loss of only 10% is required. Subsidizing eligible businesses up to 50% of their new staffing costs – hiring new employees, re-hiring people you had to lay off, or increasing hours for existing staff. HERE

Alberta's Venture Capital Gets a Boost

Alberta Enterprise Corporation (AEC) is investing approximately $12.5 million (USD $10 million) in Builders VC Fund II to support the growth of Alberta technology businesses focused on modernizing industries, including energy, real estate and construction, agriculture, health care and manufacturing. AEC is also investing $13.7 million in Yaletown Partners’ Innovation Growth Fund II to help Alberta industry-focused software, data and device technology companies scale up their business and attract future investment. An additional $5 million is being invested in Amplitude Venture Capital’s precision medicine venture fund to support the growth of life science, biopharma and digital health companies in Alberta. Find out more about AEC and the Venture Capital Funds.

Fill up on funding with these other resources:

Restrictions Exemption Program Implementation Grant
Alberta Innovates Funding and Programs, supports for every stage of your innovation journey.
Inventures 2022 Startup Pitch Event – Apply Now! It’s FREE to apply! Deadline is February 25.
Canada-Alberta Job Grant (CAJG),https://www.alberta.ca/canada-alberta-job-grant.aspx, an employer-driven program that helps employees invest in training for current and future employees. Receive up to two-thirds of your total approved training cost covered up to $10,000 per employee.
CanExport SME Program to open application Jan 10, 2022 8am EST for projects as of April 1, 2022
ShopHere powered by Google
Digital Service Squad Program
Indigenous Tourism Alberta Micro-Grant Fund – deadline midnight, Feb 5, 2022
The Innovation and Employment Grant - How to apply and Additional program detailsfor more information
CAP program – Canadian Agricultural Partnership, https://cap.alberta.ca/CAP/Programs
Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, provides support to organizations not eligible for the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and deeply affected since the start of the pandemic.
Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, provides $300 a week to support eligible workers effected by government imposed lockdowns
Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program, provides support through the wage and rent subsidy programs, to hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, restaurants, etc.
Indigenous Community Business Fund, Indigenous Services, announced $117 million to renew the Indigenous Community Business Fund (ICBF). The ICBF provides non-repayable financial contributions to Indigenous microbusinesses and community- or collectively owned businesses across the country that do not qualify for other existing business supports.
Jobs and Growth Fund in Western Canada – Applications accepted on a continual intake process. All projects must be finished by March 31, 2024. provides funding to businesses and organizations to help create jobs, and position Canada’s economy for an inclusive recovery and long-term growth.

Advocacy in Action

Have your Say: Made in Alberta Voluntary Label

On January 24, our Chamber, along with other stakeholders, had the opportunity to particiate in a virtual roundtable with Minister Nate Horner, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development to discuss the Made in Alberta Voluntary Label.

Included were discussions options for development of a voluntary label program, label use, adminitration critieria and next steps. It was an opportunity to hear perspectives of local businesses and organizations on the program. We took the opportunity to provide feedback and to also follow up with Minister Horner from our letter in December 2021. Our hope is that we will be able to have a meeting with the Minister in our region to discuss our agricultural opportunities and challenges.

If you would like to share your thoughts on the Made in Alberta Label, please complete the digital survey that is available on https://www.alberta.ca/made-in-alberta-engagement.aspx. The survey is open until February 19, 2022.

Connections with Government

It has been a busy couple of weeks at the Chamber. We had an opportunity to connect with our MP Glen Motz, MLA Michaela Frey and MLA Drew Barnes, Mayor Clark, Mayor Kilpatrick and Reeve Hamilton.

We also participated in a roundtable on January 17th with the Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board, the Honourable Travis Toews and then with Minister of Labour and Immigration, the Honourable Tyler Shandro, on January 18th. We also met with Minister of Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation, the Honourable Doug Schweitzer on January 25th in addition to the virtual roundtable on January 24th with the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development, the Honourable Nate Horner.

We also had a presentation on Alberta's economy and global supply chain disruptions, which we know has been a challenge for many of our businesses. Each of these opportunities allowed us to hear about and have conversations around our economy, economic recovery and our key priorities. Each opportunity we have to connect with our elected representatives and Government staff provides us an avenue to highlight insights into what is happening at a grassroots level in our region, what we are hearing from our business community and an avenue to discuss solutions and opportunities as we move forward. We are dedicated to representing our business community and will continue to work on your behalf to not only voice your concerns, but also work towards finding solutions and opportunities to help our region through to recovery.

More opportunities to give feedback on the draft K-6 curriculum

Virtual sessions will be held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 28 across all five regions: north, Edmonton and surrounding area, central, Calgary and surrounding area, and south to enable communities to share local insights and unique perspectives on the draft K-6 curriculum. Sessions will include focused, small group conversations facilitated by independent engagement specialists Albertans can sign up for notifications about upcoming engagements and register for sessions at alberta.ca/curriculum-have-your-say.aspx. Read the press release.

Next Level Events

2022 State of the City

The annual State of the City event is where you can learn about the City's progress over the past year and get informed about what's in store for the community in 2022. Join us as we reflect on the accomplishments of our community during a tumultuous 2021, and be the first to hear what the City of Medicine Hat has in store for the coming year including exciting new projects, opportunities for development, and vision for the future.

This event will be held at the Medicine Hat Lodge February 22nd, 2022. Doors will open at 11:15am followed by lunch and the event from 12:00-1:30pm. Tickets for this event are $56 + gst which include your meal and registration. If you are a Chamber Member please remember to log in during registration to take advantage of your discount!

Connect to Innovation in Southeast Alberta

Our dependency on digital communication and information access has increased exponentially over the last 18-months. And many of our new-formed habits and expectations are here to stay—especially our expectations around online and on-demand options for meeting together, learning and acquiring information.

The Connector project is one of the ways that APEX Alberta, together with their project partners and collaborators is seeking to answer this need. It's an opportunity to tell our stories and connect entrepreneurs, students, and industry to our region's programs, advisors, and networks.

Whenever we've asked the question, "how do we better support entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship?" We hear similar feedback and comments. Provide services, training, and mentorship. Provide programming tailored toward specific industry groups and stages of business. Provide networking opportunities.

And these are not unique sentiments when we look at the broader research on supporting entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Connector is one project that contributes toward achieving a more connected entrepreneurship ecosystem. The Connector is an open, virtual tool intended to connect our region's innovators, entrepreneurs, and students with our economic development and innovation assets. This virtual space showcases the innovation in our region and the industry, advisors and supports that make it possible to bring business ideas to life.

Join us for the launch of The Community Innovation Connector on Tuesday, February 1^st from 12 – 1 PM, where we will take you through the virtual space and introduce you to this new virtual tool.

For more information and register, visit https://theconnector.eventbrite.ca

The Community Innovation Connector is brought to you in partnership by the following organizations.

Our APEX Alberta Core Partners, Alberta Innovates, Community Futures Entre-Corp Business Development, and Medicine Hat College.

And our Project Partners, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) – Suffield Research Centre, City of Medicine Hat, and Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce.