Your Weekly Tune Up
September 19th Declared a Provincial Day of Mourning
Alberta has declared Monday, Sept. 19 a provincial day of mourning in solemn recognition of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
An outdoor ceremony in honour of Her late Majesty will take place at the Alberta legislature at 10 a.m. on Sept. 19, the day of her funeral in London, that will begin with a moment of silence. Workplaces, schools, offices and retail stores are encouraged to also observe the moment of silence.
The date is not a statutory holiday in Alberta, but employers are encouraged to make accommodations for employees. Learn more
Federal Government’s first pieces of legislation will focus on affordability
The Prime Minister announced that the government’s first pieces of legislation introduced in the upcoming Parliamentary sitting will focus on:
- Doubling the Goods and Services Tax Credit (GSTC) for six months;
- Providing a Canada Dental Benefit to children under 12 who do not have access to dental insurance, starting this year;
- Providing a one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit to deliver $500 to 1.8 million Canadian renters who are struggling with the cost of housing.
Reducing Red Tape for Oil Service Rigs
The governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan, along with industry stakeholders, have secured a regulation exemption from Ottawa that will allow oil service rigs to move freely between the two provinces.
Under the new Motor Vehicle Transport Act exemption, service rig convoys will not be required to complete daily logs or have a certified electronic logging device. Service rigs will continue to have robust safety checks in place, such as the need to have valid permits, regular inspections and to comply with all occupational health and safety requirements. Learn More
Fuelling Our Business Community
The Leading Edge Award is sponsored by ATB Financial - Medicine Hat
We are very proud to feature the Leading Edge Award sponsor of the 2022 Business Awards - A New Era of Roaring Success: ATB Financial
ATB serves one community, Alberta. ATB Financial prides itself on putting people first. Which they have been doing for more than 80 years more specifically the Medicine Hat Branch has been a part of our Chamber for over 20 years. In that time, ATB has grown and changed from one small Treasury Branch to becoming the largest Alberta-based financial institution. This is why we think they are a perfect fit to sponsor the Leading Edge Award.
Interested in helping us celebrate a New Era of Success? Become a sponsor. Contact Us 403-527-5214
Profiling our Business Community
Lisa Kowalchuk, the Executive Director of the Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce had the opportunity to profile our community and the amazing businesses within during a recent interview with Bridge City News. We are so grateful that we were asked to profile our City and furthermore promote Southeast Alberta. Check out the interview here or read more information on the Bridge City News website.
The Power of Community
Sanare Grand Opening of New Location
We are so happy that we were able to celebrate the Grand Opening of Sanare's new location. This facility is amazing with a wide variety of spaces to suit different needs of the supports that they offer. There is tons of room for expansion and they are still putting the pieces together to make this space perfect. Congratulations on this new space and we wish you the best of luck moving forward with the amazing work that you do.
Sanare is a supportive place in southeastern Alberta for those who experience sexual, domestic and personal violence and trauma. Learn more here
Downtown Police Initiative Meeting
Last week we organized a presentation with the Medicine Hat Police and Downtown Stakeholders on the initiatives of creating a safe downtown. The downtown stakeholders were able to partake in a gathering of information and furthermore express ideas to further the safety of our downtown. We find any and all opportunities for people to collaborate and inform each other on information as a step forward. This session was just one of many steps to ensure the downtown is safe for everyone. Have a question about the meeting or want to get involved? Email Pam at membership@medicinehatchamber.com
Enriching Your Business
See all our Value Added Benefits!
Fill Up On Funding
WES Ecosystem Fund
This funding will provide an opportunity to further strengthen relationships between organizations within the entrepreneurship ecosystem; deliver supports that will contribute to business development and growth; and will prioritize support for activities in areas of strength for women entrepreneurs as well as for projects which provide services to women entrepreneurs in rural and remote areas or the North.
Under this new second call for the WES Ecosystem Fund, $40 million is allocated to support projects that will provide business support for women entrepreneurs and strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Canada. WES Ecosystem Fund – Second Call: The deadline is September 26, 2022.
Toward net-zero homes and communities
The Government of Canada is looking to fund innovative Projects to support creative energy efficiency initiatives for the Canadian residential sector.
Funding is open to:
- legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada (including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations)
- governmental organizations (excluding the Federal government)
- Indigenous communities or governments
- other organizations and community and environmental groups
Toward net-zero homes and communities program: Request for proposals extended to September 21, 2022.
Financial incentives and free training for first year apprentices
The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board, Canadian Construction Association, BuildForce, SkillPlan and Apprenticesearch.com are launching this program to support the hiring and training of Level 1 Apprentices in Canada.
It is meant for companies between 1 and 499 employees and will provide $5,000 per apprentice per year for a max of two Level 1 apprentices per employer; or $10,000 per apprentice per year for a max of two Level 1 apprentices if the apprentice identifies as being from an under-represented group.
Employers hiring and training in 39 Red Seal trades are included in the program. Find out more.
Advocacy in Action
Labour Force Survey Numbers: Our Chief Economist Weighs In
Canadian Chamber Chief Economist Stephen Tapp shares his thoughts on Labour Force Survey numbers released on Friday that show Canada’s red hot labour market starting to cool off after three straight months of falling employment. Some key takeaways:
• Canadian employment fell by 40,000 jobs (-0.2%) in August — worse than the modest gain the market expected (+5k to +15k). This is the third consecutive monthly drop, which brings the cumulative decline to 114k net jobs (-0.6%) since May.
• Total hours worked were unchanged (after falling 0.5% in July), though they remain up a healthy 3.7% year-over-year.
• The unemployment rate, which had been on a steady downward track to new record lows, increased significantly (to 5.4%, up 0.5 percentage points).
Charts, graphs and more takeaways are available in Stephen’s in-depth analysis. Read More
The Alberta Chambers of Commerce also wanted to understand the experiences and expectations of Alberta businesses regarding this hiring needs over the next year. In the summer of 2021, an online survey was completed by 487 businesses within Alberta. Many expect difficulty hiring over the next year. Read more and see the results.
Further, the Alberta Chambers conducted a public perception survey of the Alberta Labour Market. An online panel of 800 members with some potential to enter the workforce were surveyed with a majority of the public stating it is not easy to find the kind of work people are qualified for. Take a deeper dive into the perceptions.
From a federal standpoint, Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser acknowledged in a CBC News interview that changes are needed as TFWs were intended to “fill temporary gaps in the labour force [but now] fill permanent gaps in the labour force with temporary workers.”
Some Canadian economists propose a cap-and-trade system for temporary work permits which would allow the government to set the number of permits, which can be decreased over time as permanent residency pathways open up. The system would also allow the market to set the price for businesses to buy permits from each other.
The federal government plans to develop permanent residency pathways for undocumented workers. Source: Watch the Canada West Foundation for updates.
Next Level Events
2022 Business Awards – A New Era of Roaring Success
“A New Era of Roaring Success” was chosen as this year’s theme to signify the ‘Roaring 20’s’ of this century. Similarly, to the 1920’s, our 2020’s are the beginning of a united force in supporting and strengthening our local economic prosperity. As we navigate the ‘Roaring 20’s’ of this century we celebrate our businesses, past and present, that have weathered the challenges and have emerged with new ideas, innovative practices, and even stronger connections.
This year the Chamber will be hosting the Business Awards at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, Friday, October 14th, 2022. The event will start around 5:30 pm where individuals can network, enjoy 1920’s Jazz, Cocktails, and Appetizers. Guests will then proceed to the Main Theatre room at 6:30 pm where the Award Ceremony will premier. Tickets are officially on sale; tickets will be priced at $97 per person (Membership discounts will be given via discount code). Save October 14th in your calendars and join us as we celebrate a New Era of Roaring Success within our businesses and the community.
Other News
Starting September 21, eligible Alberta residents 18 years and older can book their immunization for the bivalent vaccine booster
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