What do you get for your Chamber membership? Maybe more than you think you do...

Many people ask, ‘What do I get for my Chamber membership?’  The Chamber does so much throughout the year for the community, business, and advocacy.  The Lloydminster Chamber is here to serve, promote and protect.

The Chamber serves member businesses through several value added programs; these would include discount programs, free job postings on lloydjobs.com, a complimentary page on the Chamber website, and access to many resources.  The networking opportunities alone are invaluable.  Networking opportunities include our monthly Chamber Connect events, business awards, golf events, and curling bonspiel.  Through participation in events, members make valuable connections that can further their business. The Chamber of Commerce Group Insurance plan is one of the best insurance plans for small business in Canada. 

The Chamber promotes by being the information hub for the community, promoting events, businesses, and the community as a whole.  The Chamber promotes private enterprise through a fair, competitive & open market.  We promote the community locally as well as through various regional tourism information sources.  Every day the Chamber office receives inquiries from near and far of where one can find a particular product or service; it is our policy to refer to a member first every time.

The Chamber protects Lloydminster businesses through the advocacy work on behalf of members.  By regular community & provincial scans, Chambers advocate for business members, protecting them from legislation that could be bad for their business.  The Lloydminster Chamber has authored and taken forward many policy resolutions that have seen changes made in legislation or actions at all levels of government.  The Chamber successfully lobbied the Saskatchewan government to release Saskatchewan businesses from their obligation to charge and remit Provincial Sales Tax. The City has also responded to the Chamber’s policy resolution that requested a ‘made in Lloydminster solution’ for some kind of public transportation.  The Chamber has great power in the voices of the 600 members it represents! 

Your support of the Chamber’s work on behalf of the business community, whether that is through participation in events, being a strong advocate, promoting the community as the best place to live, work, and do business or a great place to visit, is very important. 

Many people and businesses do not understand how important a vibrant and progressive Chamber of Commerce is to the community.  The Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization, dependent on membership dues to deliver valuable services, business advocacy and member events to our clients.  Your membership fee is like a utility bill that only needs to be paid once per year.  It helps the Chamber do the work of advocacy, connecting, and public relations for our business community.  We profit every member we serve. 

Your Chamber, the largest business organization in the region.

Tips from the Chamber: 6 ways to get more from your Chamber membership

With membership renewal season on the horizon, we have many members ask about the value of membership for their business. The truth is, not every business or organization joins the Chamber for the same set of reasons, but we've outlined a few of the most universal perks of Chamber membership for you below. 

The Chamber’s basic purpose is to advocate on behalf of business members to government bodies about issues that impact business in Lloydminster, and provide value and promotion for Chamber members to build a stronger business community, but often, a person might be unsure of exactly what else there is for his or her business in Chamber membership. Here are a few easy ways to make the most of your Chamber membership:

·     Use LloydJobs. We don’t need to tell you that Lloydminster has one of the hottest job markets in Canada with one of the lowest unemployment rates. It can cost a couple hundred dollars to post a job ad in a newspaper. Why not take advantage of a job search site that allows you to post for free? Lloydjobs.com is connected to several larger job websites, such SaskJobs, which means that when you post on Lloydjobs.com, your ad is searchable on these sites as well.

Network! Can’t make it to the golf tourney in April? Well, there’s also the Nine & Dine golf event and many other networking events throughout the year. Send your staff to Chamber Connect with some business cards and brochures; they’ll enjoy the networking, prizes, and great food at this monthly event. Come out to a few and even sponsor an event once you’ve experienced the value for yourself.

Take advantage of the discount programs. It would only take a few minutes to call our office to learn more about these programs, and even less time to look at the Value Added Programs list on our website. Beyond the Chambers Group Insurance Plan, there are programs like fleet fuel discounts, special credit card merchant rates, and an on-hold phone package rate! There might be something on that list that could be saving your business money.

Use your Chamber webpage. Despite the fact that you likely already have an online presence, be it a company website, blog, or Facebook page, your Chamber webpage makes your information easier to find and increases your online credibility. Add links to direct visitors to your own website, make sure your current logo is there, and upload product pictures.

Use the Membership Roster for good! Our membership list is available for all Chamber members to use in their business. Use the online directory or give us a call to get the membership list in a table form.

Talk to us. The Chamber is the Voice for Lloydminster Business, advocating on behalf of business members year after year. Make sure the issues you’re facing are being discussed. Some members are able to attend our Policy Development Roundtable in January to tell us about the things they’d like to see change, but others just call the office, or talk to a board member. Most business members have something they would like to change – transform that into a step towards constructive change by telling a Chamber representative about it. 

Six Tips for Retaining Great Employees in Lloydminster

Lloydminster has a unique business climate.  We benefit from a very strong economy.  That is not to say that doing business in Lloydminster does not present its challenges.  One common challenge we hear from our members is the difficulty in attracting and retaining employees.  High staff turnover can be costly to businesses.  How do business owners and managers improve employee retention?  Success in any organization comes out of the culture of that organization. Sometimes the success and the positive bottom line of an organization is about how well we train, support and nurture those people in our businesses that do the hard work every day.

An appreciative culture has strong effects on staff morale.  This culture cannot happen if it doesn’t start at the top. Becoming an “employer of choice” takes work. It takes making changes in attitudes and it means throwing out that old authoritative management style.  Allow your employees to feel that what they do makes a difference, listen to them, value their input and ideas, encourage an atmosphere where they feel safe and appreciated, and best of all, have fun! Engaged employees who recognize that their efforts make a positive contribution to the organization, and employees who feel connected to their job and the organization are far less likely to leave. 

A supervisor is a person who achieves results through the efforts of other people. A supervisor is charged with creating and maintaining an environment in which all employees feel valued, supported and motivated. Ultimately, managers are responsible for what their staff does or does not do. Making sure that staff is informed about the policies of the organization and trained to their job is the manager’s responsibility.

Values in your organization are lived by the leaders. Values are important because they dictate how you treat others and how you treat your members or customers, including how you act, what you do and say. In organizations they are also called codes of conduct.  Values are integral to working in a positive environment, one that is free from bullying, discrimination, harassment, and disrespect.

Communication is an integral part of an organization. Not just the formal type of communication that includes memos and postings, but the informal kind where staff feel free to share their ideas and concerns. Regular staff meetings work well for that type of communication amongst the group. Having an open door policy where staff feel free to pop in and express their ideas and/or talk about their area of work not only keeps managers connected with staff, but keeps them in the loop as well.

A recent report stated that employees consistently rate learning opportunities and skills development high on their wish list. Organizations that support training, career development, and performance plans report improved productivity and employee morale, fewer errors, accidents and turnovers. Ensure that professional development is relevant and appropriate for each individual. 

Successful leaders understand that there is no single solution that will ensure employee retention. Listening to your employees, watching what other successful businesses are doing and examining your own leadership styles, the culture of your organization and your ability and willingness to make changes when needed is what will make the difference.  

Tips from the Chamber: Five Key Benefits of Networking

We all know that making new connections is vital to growing your business and increasing exposure. This is why your Chamber of Commerce continues to provide events where networking happens naturally and comfortably in a variety of settings.

Business Networking is a really valuable way to expand your knowledge, learn from the success of others, attain new clients and tell others about your business. Building a successful business takes a lot of time and drive, so it’s good to have a network of friends and associates to draw energy from and keep you going.

Below are some of the key benefits of networking:

Generation of referrals/Increased business. This is perhaps the most obvious benefit and the reason most business owners decide to participate in networking activities. The great news is that the referrals that you get through networking are normally high quality. You can then follow up on these referrals/leads and turn them into clients.

Raising your profile. Being visible and getting noticed is a big benefit of networking. Make sure you regularly attend business and social events that will help to get your face known. You can then help to build your reputation as a knowledgeable, reliable and supportive person by offering useful information or tips to people who need it. You are also more likely to get more leads and referrals as you will be the one that pops into their head when they need what you offer.

Connections. “It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know”. If you want a really successful business, then you need relevant connections that you can call on. Networking provides you with a great source of connections, and really opens the door to talk to highly influential people that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to easily connect with.

Opportunities. Expanding your contacts can open doors to new opportunities for business, career advancement, personal growth, or simply new knowledge. Active networking helps to keep you top of mind when opportunities arise and increases your likelihood of receiving introductions to potentially relevant people or referrals.

Advice. Having like-minded business owners to talk to also gives you the opportunity to get advice from them on all sorts of things related to your business or even your personal life and obtaining that important work-life balance.

Upcoming Networking Events:
• Vic Juba Theatre Chamber Connect. Attend a special Chamber Connect hosted by Vic Juba Community Theatre that will take a special Dragons Den format. September 11, 5:00 pm at the Vic Juba Theatre.
• Young Professionals Under 40 event makes building connections and networks easier for the under-forty members with a casual, no-pressure setting. September 26, 5:00 pm at Ernie's Coffee House.
• Speed Networking. Accelerate your networking at this type of event—think speed dating without the awkwardness. Speed networking is an exciting, high impact, structured event that produces exceptional results for participants. Next Event: October 9, 6:30-9:00 pm at the Sticks.

Young Professionals meet in Lloydminster ....

May 23, young professionals gathered at The Sticks to network, meet new people and enjoy some appetizers. This second Young Professionals Under 40 gathering, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, was a social and professional event open to all young professionals who work in Lloydminster and area. The event connects young professionals to one another and to the Chamber of Commerce and other business resources.  The success of these events determine that more will be held in the future. 

The Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament is tomorrow at the Lloydminster Golf & Curling Center. This tournament is very popular every year, but this year especially so. We ended up with an overfull tournament and folks on the waiting list. Maybe has something to do with the extra long winter we had. Everyone is anxious to get outdoors and enjoy our world class golf course right here in Lloydminster.  If you were unable to join us for this tournament, be sure to think about coming out to the Nine & Dine which we hold in August at our beautiful rural golf course, Rolling Green. 

I'm off to Drumheller this week for the Alberta Chambers of Commerce Annual Meeting and Policy Session where I will present three policy resolutions on behalf of our Chamber. Highway 17 Upgrades, Physician Development and Ports To Plains Transportation Corridor.  In addition, I will be part of a panel presentation talking about our success in attracting young people to our board and the value and gifts  that our Chamber has received by having so many young people involved. We will also be having a discussion about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the recent changes to the program. Alberta Chamber has mobilized the Prairie Caucus to respond to this program that could have devastating effects on western businesses and the entire Canadian economy. 

MP Leon Benoit was in town last Friday to discuss the Hire - A - Vet program with Chamber members.  The Government will act more as a clearing house for this program, rather than put resources behind it to encourage businesses to participate. Mr. Benoit was also asked to answer questions regarding the Temporary Foreign Worker program and went away from the meeting with a very good idea about how it will effect Lloydminster businesses and how strongly apposed Lloydminster businesses are to the withdrawal of the Accelerated LMO as well as the clause to devise a plan to transition to Canadian workers. I asked the question if the government knows if we actually have enough skilled workers to fill the labour shortage. It is my understanding that as baby boomers retire, those who were never born behind us will not be here to pick up the slack. Mr. Benoit stated that there was strong public opinion that the TFWP was being abused and so the changes were a reaction to that. When asked where this public opinion was coming from, a definitive answer was not given.  What's best for Canada ...............  or what's best for the government?  The Lloydminster Chamber has alerted both MP, Gerry Ritz and Mr. Benoit that we are interested in hosting a Consultation meeting here in Lloydminster that we understand the government will undertake over the summer to discuss the TFWP and what needs to be done to make it work better. 

Till next week ...........

Pat

Lloydminster will soon have an addition to its skyline ....

Congratulations to Platinum Corporate member Synergy Credit Union who broke ground this week at the location of their future building on Highway 17. 

The Chamber has been working with the Alberta Chambers of Commerce who have spearheaded a Prairie Caucus response to the changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers program which will affect many or our members. Consultations will be happening over the summer and Lloydminster Chamber has requested a spot as host of one of the consultation sessions. 

Towards the goal of assisting members with the labour shortage in the region, the Chamber will host a noon luncheon with MP Leon Benoit  who will be in the City on May 24th to discuss the Federal Hire a Vet program. This could be one way to fill some of the vacancies. I spoke with Mr. Benoit by phone last night and he said he will be willing to answer questions about the Temporary Foreign Worker program at that time as well.  If you are interested in this event, call the office. 

The Chamber board is pleased to inform members that the two policy resolutions presented at the Saskatchewan Chamber AGM & policy session in the Battlefords last week were approved to go forward to government. The two resolutions titled,  Upgrades to Highway 17 and Physician Development are important to our area and to both the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. I will also present these resolutions at the Alberta Chamber Policy Debate in Drumheller later this month along with a third resolution entitled Ports to Plains Transportation Corridor. If you are interested in reviewing the complete policy document, call the Chamber office. 

Till next time ....

Pat

Breakfast with Honorable Cal Dallas ..

Chamber President Michael Holden with the Honorable Cal
Dallas, minister of International and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Chamber Executive Director with Honorable
Cal Dallas and Honorable Richard
Starke at the breakfast this morning. 

Those who attended the breakfast with Minister Dallas this morning learned a bit more about ways that businesses and companies can get  assistance with expanding into international markets.

Day of mourning recognized ...

Deputy Mayor, Rob Saunders leads the ceremony for the Day of Mourning  remembering those who have lost their life in workplace accidents.

Deputy Mayor Rob Saunders assists with the lowering of the flags at City Hall  to half mast as the attending crowd participated in a moment of silence.




 

Young voices join the conversation about their future.....

Yesterday Chamber staff members Karin Winter and Serena Sjodin worked with Leadership students at LCHS, inviting them to be part of the conversation about their provinces’ futures.

The students received information about the Shaping the Future report and had a chance to give their thoughts about its recommendations for the future.

The purpose of the initiative is to get students thinking about the path to the best possible future for their city and provinces, and to help them understand the power of their voice to bring about change.

Add your voice to the conversation at: www.guidethefuture.net

Under 40 Young Professional event held ..

The first ever Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Under 40 event took place last night downtown at The Root Community Emporium. About 40 community members from a variety of businesses gathered to meet some new people, share ideas, and network in a casual environment.

Mike Holden, the Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, greeted those in attendance and drew names for door prizes. Amanda from The Root also addressed those attending and gave an update.

Feedback on the event has been positive and there are plans to host another event of this nature in the spring. For more information about the Young Professional Under 40 event, contact the Chamber office at 780-875-9013

Another event that the Chamber is working hard to get off the ground is the Scotch Doubles curling spiel. Curling is becoming more popular across Canada. You don't need to have curled before or even have any of the required equipment to get involved. Scott Manners, Saskatchewan's representative at the Brier last year will be on hand with some of his curling colleagues to give some instruction prior the the 'spiel starting and/ or to participate in some fun skills activities. 

Till next time .....Pat

The Chamber of Commerce has the best staff in the world. They are usually always upbeat, positive, industrious, creative, hardworking and fun to work with. I was however concerned that on blue Monday last week they might suffer from the lack of sunlight that has been prevalent this year so I asked New Cap Broadcasting to help me keep their spirits high and as usual, New Cap came through,  with coffee, doughnuts and flowers delivered to our office. Thanks Greg and Brad and the rest of the crew at New Cap for all you do for our community.

Another year has almost come to an end and for the Lloydminster Chamber it has been a busy and productive year.

Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce

Political Action Committee Year in Review

2012 saw an extraordinary number of achievements for the Political Action Committee. PAC meets monthly with 8 – 10 members around the table each meeting. The Chamber ED and one board member are also involved with the Alberta Chamber political action committee that meets six times per year, primarily by conference call.

We began the year in January with a visit to the Deputy Minister’s in Edmonton. This was a similar meeting to the one that was held the previous September with the Deputy Ministers in Saskatchewan. It was an extremely cold day, however 12 Community leaders   met for lunch and discussion with the DM’s on a number of topics concerning our community. Mayor Jeff Mulligan indicated at the Chamber AGM that these meetings opened some doors for our municipal leaders as they strive to provide necessary linkages between the two provinces.

Our Chamber was involved in the widespread consultations held by the Saskatchewan Chamber in the areas of employment and labour legislation that helped shape the provinces new act. A policy resolution that began in Lloydminster on Photo Speed Enforcement has moved a bit closer to completion with word that photo speed enforcement will soon be implemented within construction zones in the province. While this is good news, more work needs to be done to see this selected issue to a complete resolution.  The premier’s Saskatchewan Plan for Growth followed many of the recommendations of the Saskatchewan Chamber’s Growth Strategy bringing good news for the business community, and discussion was restarted on the process which had been used to eliminate the Saskatchewan Film Employment Tax Credit.

On the Health Care front the Chamber has been actively involved over the year. Beginning in February we were active in the Community Engagement committee who was tasked with reviewing and validating the statistical data that was being gathered about our Health Region. This culminated in a community open house held over two days in November.  In addition the Lloydminster Chamber presented a policy resolution concerning the practices and obligations of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in both provinces with the result being that in October the CPSA & the CPSS along with the Rural Physician Action Plan CEO  met in Lloydminster for a number of meetings with community leaders and advisory committees as well as Physicians and the public. The Lloydminster Chamber continues to lead a Health Care Policy committee in Alberta looking at the policy resolutions that will be presented in May to the Alberta Chamber policy debate.  Several of the Chamber board members have been on hand to welcome and be introduced to new doctors and prospective new doctors to the community. 

A board member and one of the staff have taken a lead in continuing the discussion started by the Premiers Council on the Economy last year. Lakeland College business students developed a website entitled “Shape the Future” and meetings with school principals has been held to determine the best way to begin the discussion with high school and middle school students. In addition, meetings will be set up with Onion Lake First Nation principals to further the discussions in that community.

Two Candidates Forums were held this year. One for the Alberta provincial election in April and the other for the Civic election in October. These were very well attended and feedback was very positive about the organization and moderation of these events.

We were in attendance at the Lloydminster Public School Division strategic planning session in May.  This is an excellent opportunity to stay informed about and have input into the educational issues and needs as well as celebrate the real successes of our school division.

In May staff attended the Saskatchewan Conference on Business and the Alberta Chambers conference that includes the policy debate and the adoption of the provincial resolutions. Lloydminster presented resolutions at both conferences.

Also in May PAC hosted the Saskatchewan Post Budget Tour breakfast and in November they hosted the Leaders group and the MLA’s at a meeting. As well in November, PAC hosted the State of the Province address breakfast with the Honorable Tim McMillan. MLA Richard Starke was also in attendance.  In July, staff and board members attended the Treaty Six flag raising at City Hall. In August, several board members attended the Lloydminster Charter presentation and in December staff & board members attended the signing of the Lloydminster Charter by both provinces.

In September Chamber president and staff attended the Canadian Chamber Conference in Hamilton and participated in the policy session at the national level. Several important policies were adopted that could affect our local region.

In November, the Chamber along with Alberta Works hosted a Social Policy focus group to enable members to have input into the social policy framework for the next three years in Alberta

This focus group was well attended.

In December, the Policy Development round table was held with several areas of policy concern brought forward. Resolutions will be drafted for debate at the policy session in January or early February.

PAC has been busy and is working hard for our business members.

Michael Holden, Chamber Vice President is the Chair of the Political Action committee 

I take this opportunity to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year.

Till next time........

Pat

Chamber president, Leana Ross was a lucky prize winner. Leana and I attended the grand opening of the ATCO Electric Operations Center. What a wonderful building with so many environmentally friendly ideas. The tour was very educational and the state of the art equipment and design was exciting to see. ATCO has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for many years and we are so pleased that they have chosen to locate their Operations Center in our City. It was very evident that the staff and management alike are so pleased to have a building where they can all work together in one place. Congratulations ATCO Electric.

The Chamber was pleased to host the October After Hours Connect at the Cheesiry west of Lloydminster. This is a unique country business that makes cheese from sheep's milk. Dozens of different kinds and flavors. It was a rare opportunity to have a Connect at a business location, out in the country on the day of our first snow fall for the year. Thanks to the Cheesiry for welcoming us and I encourage you to have a visit yourself.




The All Candidates Forum for the upcoming Civic Election,  held at the Civic Center Auditorium last Thursday night saw over 300 Lloydminster and area residents out to hear what the 16 candidates had to say. The Forum staff did a great job of keeping everyone on track and ensuring that all candidates had their voice heard. There were a number of topics discussed and candidates stuck around after the forum to talk with voters.

I am very pleased to say congratulations to Gladys Jack the recipient of the Chamber president's Lifetime Achievement Award. Gladys received her award at the Chamber's Business Awards Gala last week at the Vic Juba Theater   Gladys has been a resident of Lloydminster since 1949 and her and her husband Bob owned and operated Bob Jack's Sheet metal for many years. Gladys has contributed to the Lloydminster community in so many ways. Her love of music and her talent at bringing the very best out in people, especially young people, has allowed her to lead many musical groups including the Joy Singers and the  Grace United Bell Choir. Gladys has also been very involved in music festival and in the life and work of her church. and community.

Upcoming for the Chamber -
* Public Meeting with the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta & Saskatchewan - Oct. 31 -  
   Stockade Center at 7:30 pm
* Coffee Break & Immigration meeting with Ireland and the Alberta & Sask. Immigrant Nominee Program -
   Nov. 2
* Breakfast with the Honorable Tim McMillan, MLA for Lloydminster on Nov. 23rd. *
* Christmas Expo Trade Show - Nov. 18, 19, 20 - Alberta Building - Lloyd Ex.
For info on any of these events call the Chamber office.

Till next time .....
Pat

Lloydminster Chamber now accredited

Steve McClellan, Chair of the Canadian Accreditation Council,
Pat Tenney, Executive Director and Leana Ross, President
Lloydminster Chamber and Pat Horgan, Chair of the
Canadian Chamber of Commerce

I spent most of the last week in Hamilton at the Canadian Chamber Executives Conference followed by the Canadian Chamber Conference. This was five days of networking, learning and policy setting. Our president, Leana Ross and I were pleased to be head table guests at the Power of the Network luncheon where we were  presented with our accreditation with distinction certificate from the  Canadian Chamber Accreditation council. While it was a rigorous exercise to become accredited, we now have a useful orientation and succession planning tool and our members can be assured that we are operating in a way that meets a national standard.
I was thrilled to hear Frank O'Dea, founder of Second Cup, speak on the topic of Hope, Vision & Action. It would be great to be able to bring Mr.O'Dea to Lloydminster to share his incredible rags to riches story with our community. Perhaps that is a project.

Over the past few weeks we have been collecting questions from our members that will be used at our All Candidates Forum on Oct. 18th. This forum is an opportunity for the community to hear from the sixteen candidates vying for a seat on City council.

A policy resolution presented at the Alberta Chamber of Commerce policy session in May concerning the licensing of Physicians in Lloydminster has resulted in the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta and Saskatchewan visiting our community on Oct. 31st. The Colleges are interested in learning more about our very interesting city and the challenges that we face in providing health care to our bi-provincial community. A public meeting will be held at 7:30 that evening. Watch our newsletter and the local media for more information as we approach the date.

I hope everyone will take the time to attend our October Business Connect at the Cheesery (west of Lloydminster) on Oct. 10th, and our Business Week Awards Gala on Oct. 17th. Tickets for the Gala are available at the Vic Juba Theatre box office.

The Job Fair held in conjunction with Alberta Works is filling up for Oct. 11th. We have advertised this event right across Canada so a good turn out of potential job seekers is anticipated. Wainwright is also holding a job fair on Oct. 4th and we have been doing advertising together.  Our region is how the rest of the world looks at us so it is important to work together towards our next economy, our next community and our future Chambers.

Till next time ......
Pat

Summer is almost over ......

The Chamber Nine and Dine  Connect held at Rolling Green Golf Club was well attended and lots of fun. The most "fives" award was presented by Chamber marketing coordinator, Serena,  to our Chamber president, Leana Ross and her team mates Melinda Haggert from the Health Foundation and Victoria McLean from  Synergy Credit Union. We couldn't have asked for better weather, sunny & warm with a slight breeze to keep the mosquitoes away. A beef on a bun supper was enjoyed after the nine hole Texas scramble event.

Chamber Finance Executive, Elaine Lawrence was in fine form and just missed winning the longest drive.

The Chuckwagons are in town and the Chamber staff got into the spirit and dressed western for the week. Check out the painted windows at the office welcoming the drivers and fans to town. Streetscapes also painted up a window downtown on the Border Paint store. It's great to see our members getting involved in this huge revenue booster for our City businesses. Good luck to all of the drivers for a successful and safe meet.

Our Chamber is teaming up with Alberta Works to provide a job fair opportunity for our members. Oct 11 is the date for the job fair in Lloydminster. We are advertising outside our region in the hopes of attracting job seekers from other provinces. Wainwright is holding their job fair on Oct. 4 so perhaps with the two fairs happening close together, we may have luck attracting from afar. Be sure to call the office and sign up your booth, Only 50 spaces available. Check the Chamber website at www.lloydminsterchamber.com for more info.  

That's it for this time ....
Pat

Treaty Six Flag Raising

Chamber Board Member, Rob Saunders joins the dignitaries at the Treaty
6 Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall today.

Chief Wallace Fox & Mayor Jeff Mulligan
lead the procession of dignitaries at the
Treaty 6 Ceremony.

Busy, rainy days of summer.....

Harvesting a Major Win 

The decades-long monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board comes to an end Aug. 1 with the enactment of the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act. This legislation fulfils an Alberta Chamber of Commerce (ACC) policy, which arose out of Red Deer in 2001. The winds of change have been blowing in Alberta's agri-business in preparation for the 2012 harvest. The new act means western farmers will, for the first time, gain the opportunity to sell their own grain crops, as befitting business people who market internationally. It also plows the way for greater value-added and investment opportunities in an open-market system. Brad Severin, ACC Policy Chair    
As a Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce member, our members are also members of the Alberta Chamber. Your local Chamber sits on the ACC policy committee and has input into the policy development and adoption of the Alberta policy resolutions. The above policy resolution which was taken to the policy debate of the Canadian Chamber by the Alberta Chamber, and adopted there, and subsequently taken to the Canadian government,and  is just one more way that your Chamber membership works for you. 

Over 40 Executive Directors of Alberta Chambers of Commerce met in Brooks last week for their annual professional development summit. This is a great opportunity to learn from one another as well as from the professional speakers. It was just one year ago that the Alberta Chamber Executives were in Lloydminster learning from our local professionals and getting to know our City better. I enjoy this time of networking and fun & supportive camaraderie with my colleagues from across Alberta & Saskatchewan. 

Northern Gateway -- CALL TO ACTION  On Monday, our members will receive a Call to Action advocacy package designed to assist chamber members interested in writing Letters of Comment to the Joint Review Panel, which is seeking public input on the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project. The deadline for the Letters of Comment is Aug. 31.  I encourage members to provide comment on this project as it is viewed as critical to Alberta's sustained economic success because it will diversify our markets for crude oil. This advocacy thrust is based on the ACC recently adopted policy, Northern Gateway Pipelines Project.  Our float entry in the parade was very well done thanks to our awesome staff and board members. I missed the parade once again due to the ACE conference, however I heard that the parade was colorful and interesting, the two breakfasts held by Leckie & Associates and City of Lloydminster/NewCap were delicious and the Lloyd Ex did their usual bang up job of hosting record crowds at the fair. When I am away from our City and visiting with folks from other municipalities, I fully appreciate what we have here ... a forward thinking city council and administration, hardworking and progressive organizations, honest and integral business leaders and friendly and helpful people. Who would want to live or run a business anywhere else? I have been busy this week, along with Karin, our resident photographer, visiting with and taking pictures for our Business Awards presentation. It has been interesting and fun meeting with nominees and getting a tour of their business or organization. I hope that everyone will come out and celebrate with us in October during business week when we showcase our nominated businesses and announce the recipients of the Business awards.    New West Partnership blows in more benefits for business  Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan have launched a new streamlined system of business registration. As of July 1, businesses only have to register in one of the provinces to operate in each province. The system was created under the New West Partnership, which is a venture among the three provinces to eliminate barriers to trade. ACC's longstanding policy, Elimination on Interprovincial Trade Barriers, seeks this kind of collaboration.   Till next time ....... Pat

Congratulations to the Lloydminster Handivan Society and RE/MAX of Lloydminster on their partnership to provide wheel chair accessible transportation services to our community. Transportation services have become increasingly important as our city grows and prospers. It is great to see one of our Chamber members applying an interesting marketing opportunity  in partnership with a long standing community organization like the Handivan Society to provide for this essential service. 

What a great time we had at the Lloyd Ex last Thursday when they hosted the June noon hour Connect. Corinne and Mike updated everyone on the upcoming Lloydminster Exhibition and great food and "fair" games were enjoyed by those in attendance. Our fearless leader, President Leana Ross, takes a lesson in wild cow milking. 






The Community Leaders Group met with the  Honorable Tim McMillan and newly elected MLA Richard Starke last week. A good discussions was held about several areas of interest to our community. 

Be sure to watch for the Chamber of Commerce and the Streetscapes Co float entry in the parade next week.

I will have to miss the parade again this year as our Alberta Chamber Executive Director's professional development summit is held those days in Brooks.

Till next time......
Pat

Busy time at the Chamber ....

The Chamber had their "spin to win" booth in the very busy and successful Downtown Streetfest on June 9th. If you answered a question about the Chamber correctly you won a prize.  The local talent that was showcased at the festival main stage was fantastic. Our region has some wonderful bands, singers &  dancers. The fashion show was enjoyed by all and the food booths, children's games and farmer's market was a real hit. The SPCA booth with some of their animals who are looking for there forever homes was very popular with the children.
Congratulations to the Streetfest committee for another great downtown event.

Congratulations to the organizers of the Downtown Street dance, celebrating the beginning of summer, that was held on Friday night. I've heard from a few people who attended that it was a great event. All of these events held in the downtown will only help to make people aware of the very interesting downtown in Lloydminster.

Our Chamber Connect held at the Travel Alberta Centre last Wednesday was well attended with some really great door prizes provided by many of the attractions around Alberta. Jordyn, Justin, Jill and Travis , our Travel Alberta VIC staff were on hand to welcome visitors and answer questions about Alberta.

I joined President, Leana Ross and Board member Rob Saunders at the 100th Anniversary of ATCO Gas providing services to Alberta, held at the Sales Pavilion on the Exhibition Grounds last night.  Local manager, Ron Paskevich and his staff did a great job of providing barbecue hot dogs and burgers along with Blue Flame kitchen lemonade. The ATCO Gas entertainers did an interesting and entertaining job of providing the history of ATCO Gas through music, dance and song.  Congratulations to ATCO Gas on this milestone.

We still have one opening for a summer student to work for six weeks during July & August helping with clean-up in the downtown. If you know someone who might be interested, please ask them to give me a call. They must have completed grade 11 to be eligible.



Till next time .....

Pat

Rob Saunders congratulates incoming
ACC board chair, Tab Pollock. 

The past two weeks have been busy with the annual Provincial Chamber Conferences. The Alberta AGM & Policy Session was held in Sherwood Park and attended by myself and board member and city liaison, Rob Saunders. Our policy resolution on Physician Licensing in Alberta sparked lively debate and a commitment from several other Chambers in the province to work with the Lloydminster Chamber to write a comprehensive policy resolution covering the licensing of medical professionals who are utilized to their full scope of practice. This work will begin over the summer and will be presented at next years policy session.

The Saskatchewan Chamber Conference on Business was held in Saskatoon. Two policy resolutions were presented. Photo Speed Enforcement as well as the resolution on Licensing Doctors in Saskatchewan. A local businessman, Daryl Howell was also elected to the Saskatchewan Chamber Board of Directors.

This morning I was on hand to help register golfers for the 20th annual Chamber of Commerce golf tournament. Over 144 golfers took to the course for a beautiful sunny day of fun and fellowship The day kicked off with champagne orange juice provided by Chatters Hair Salon and breakfast compliments of Cliff Rose for Clothes and JDG Construction. . Marya Pettigrew from the Lloydminster Business Accelerator was on hand with a "beat the pro" contest and the Drug Strategy committee promoted their marshmallow drive contest. Tim Dyck and Staff from Chambers Group Insurance Plan, the title sponsor of the tournament, were busy cooking up smokies and burgers at the fairway barbecue. It looked to me like everyone was having a great time.

Congratulations to the City of Lloydminster for putting together a successful bid for the Scotia Bank Hockey Day in Canada. This will be an exciting event for our City in 2013.

Till next time ........
Pat