Thank you for supporting the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce! This WEEKLY email highlights information and updates from our Chamber, the Alberta and Canadian Chambers of Commerce, and our municipal, provincial, and federal government partners.
Be sure to watch for our weekly Member Marketplace newsletter on Thursdays featuring sales, promotions, accomplishments, events, and general awareness of our membership. Email tom@gpchamber.com for info.
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The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce welcomes our members to an Alberta Budget Discussion on Wednesday, March 3 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Our special guest speaker will be the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Travis Toews, MLA for Grande Prairie-Smoky.
The virtual event will feature a presentation by Minister Toews followed by questions from participants on the call.
There is no cost to attend but registration is required. REGISTER HERE
For more information, contact our office by phone at 780-532-5340 or email cindy@gpchamber.com.
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We've teamed up with the City of Grande Prairie to deliver a series of free instructional workshops to support current business needs.
The goal of each session is to cover a specific topic in detail which will allow businesses to leave with a skillset or ability to action the content covered.
If YOU have a topic you would like to see covered, or if you and your business have a skillset you'd be willing to share, please contact the Chamber or City Economic Development.
The next session in the series is:
Food Photography 101 with Chris Beauchamp on Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 AM. With restaurants hurting due to the realities of the pandemic, great food photography has never been more important. This session will use some real-world examples to breakdown food photography best practices, including lighting, angles, staging and styling. This session is ideal for restaurants working with a photographer or handling their own photography. Basic photography knowledge would be helpful but is not necessary. Chris Beauchamp is a professional photographer serving the Grande Prairie area with a focus on commercial photography, headshots and product photography.
UPCOMING SESSIONS:
Top Ten HR Policies You Need - Jennifer Caseley, Caseley Consulting
Thursday, March 11 - 10:00 AM
The Pandemic is Ruining Everything - Kim Blanchette, Senior Vice-President & General Manger, Western Canada; Gabriela Gonzalez, Director; Tatianna Ducklow, Consultant, Argyle
Thursday, March 18 - 10 AM
To view our previous session on Facebook Newsfeed Optimization with nine10 Inc., CLICK HERE.
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CHAMBER COFFEE BREAK
The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce will be hosting Chamber Coffee Breaks beginning March 12.
These virtual events will run from 10:00-11:00 AM every second Friday and will offer an opportunity for our members to network online.
The agenda will include ice-breaker discussions, question of the day, and current news topics of interest.
For more information, contact our office by phone at 780-532-5340 or email cindy@gpchamber.com. |
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CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Membership renewal notifications have been emailed. If your business has not received an invoice for 2021, please contact our office by phone at 780-532-5340 or email janice@gpchamber.com.
Members are also encouraged to contact Leah Fujarczuk, Member Relations and Engagement, with any other questions including updating your account, enhancing your webpage, posting information, registering for events, accessing our digital sign and more. Email leah@gpchamber.com.
Members will receive their 2021 Chamber certificates upon renewal payment.
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Contact our office for more information on the Partnership Plan:
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These recordings will be available to REGISTERED ATTENDEES for the month of March.
Log in using your email and password you used for Growing the North 2021 to access the videos.
Participants have been emailed with this information as well.
Thank you from the GTN Organizing Committee.
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The Women of Influence Awards were created to celebrate International Women’s Day locally in Grande Prairie. The awards recognize local women who have made a strong impact by promoting equality, providing opportunities for women in the community and breaking barriers in their field.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is an event recognized world-wide to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and to advocate for the continued advancements of equal rights. The IWD 2021 theme is #ChooseToChallenge. It is a call-to-action to challenge and call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping and seek out and celebrate women’s achievements.
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Join the County of Grande Prairie Business Support Network for a Private Online Live Course With Disney Institute – New Date!
The County of Grande Prairie Business Support Network is pleased to announce that Disney Institute will be offering an exclusive 5-hour Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence live online course on April 7th, 2021 at 10 a.m. for our members.
Presented live online by Disney Institute leaders, Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence offers the opportunity to build knowledge and discover proven Disney business insights from our chain of excellence. The presentation will include Disney best practices in leadership excellence, employee engagement and quality service that can be adapted and applied to your own profession, team or organization to achieve greater results.
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Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kristin Klein invites you to a virtual COVID-19 Community Conversation for the North Zone. Following an update on the status of COVID-19 in Alberta and the north region, and AHS’ response - including AHS’ vaccination program - Dr. Klein will answer your questions.
The virtual event has been scheduled for March 9, 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
Please submit your questions when you register, or email them to us at Community.Engagement@ahs.ca. This will help us to design the presentation that reflects your key concerns.
We look forward to meeting with you,
AHS Community Engagement
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Targeted COVID-19 restrictions easing under Step 2
Alberta will move cautiously to Step 2 of the four-step framework to ease restrictions while maintaining strong measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 provincewide.
Effective immediately, updated health measures are in place for indoor fitness and libraries as pressure eases on the health system and hospitalizations remain well below 450.
Health officials continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19. As a cautionary measure, changes to current restrictions for retail, children’s sports, and hotels, banquets, community halls and conference centres have been delayed until Step 3.
Indoor masking and distancing requirements will remain in place throughout this stepped approach, and some degree of restrictions will still apply to all activities within each step.
Additional details on the current restrictions is outlined on alberta.ca.
A decision on Step 3 will be made after at least three weeks of evaluation to assess the spread of COVID-19. Metrics based on cases and growth, including variant cases, are being monitored and will also be used to guide any decisions around the need to pause further steps or potentially increase restrictions.
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Alberta Perspectives benchmark survey:
Labour market and skills
Once a year, our Alberta Chambers of Commerce network undertakes a comprehensive, province-wide survey about Alberta’s labour market and the skills we need to continue to grow. This annual survey helps us compare trends year over year—a comparison that is more important than ever as the labour market continues to evolve in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your insights on skills, training, and Alberta’s labour market will directly inform our advocacy to government.
The survey will close on March 26.
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ACC initial budget briefing
ACC statement on Alberta Budget 2021
"This budget itself rests on reopening. It relies on some significant improvements—including a rebound of Alberta's economy, increased employment, and a stabilized energy market—that will quite simply not be possible with a closed down economy. If we are going to meet these targets, we don't have time to waste in getting Albertans back to work." — ACC President and CEO Ken Kobly
Alberta Government news release
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Simplifying Federal COVID-19 Relief for your Business: CEWS, CERS and the CEBA Loan
Presented by Vexxit and the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, we are hosting a free webinar to provide simplified information on the big three federal relief funds, how to apply and what the tax implications are if you receive the funding.
Date: March 24 2021, 12-1pm MST
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SMB Webinar Series - Alberta Chambers of Commerce
Looking for information to steer a small business through the pandemic and beyond? CPA Canada has developed a webinar series to provide small businesses with the necessary information and resources to recover from the effects of COVID-19.
These free 60-minute webinars will feature special guests as they talk about specific measures and support available.
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Canada-Alberta Job Grant changes
Government has made temporary changes to the Canada-Alberta Job Grant to allow family business applicants to apply. This change responds to a recommendation brought forward last year by the ACC network.
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Relief for working parents
Alberta parents who use child care will receive $561 per child with the new Working Parents Benefit, a one-time payment to help parents with the cost of child care.
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CLOSE CONTACT REMINDER FOR BUSINESSES
For operators to keep in mind when developing their COVID operational guidelines and making sure staffing levels are appropriate if there happens to be a positive COVID case with your staff:
- lived with or was within two metres of a person who has COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more of cumulative contact, i.e. multiple interactions for a total of 15 minutes or more, even if a mask was worn during that contact, or
- has had direct contact with bodily fluids of a person who has COVID-19 (e.g., was coughed or sneezed on), or
- provided direct care for a person who has COVID-19, or
- has physical contact with a person who has COVID-19, such as handshake, hugging, kissing, or sexual activity, or
- shares items with a person who has COVID-19 such as drinks, personal hygiene items, cigarettes, vapes, lipstick, eating utensils, etc.
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Government of Canada introduces legislation to increase number of weeks for EI regular benefits
The Government of Canada introduced Bill C-24, to increase the maximum number of weeks available to workers through EI regular benefits and give them the certainty they need should their job be affected by COVID-19.
In addition, self-employed workers who have opted in to the EI program to access special benefits would be able to use a 2020 earnings threshold of $5,000, compared to the previous threshold of $7,555.
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Department of Finance Releases Draft Legislation to Increase Accessibility of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy
The Department of Finance released draft legislative proposals that would implement technical amendments to ensure these programs better support the businesses and workers who are facing challenges as a result of the pandemic.
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Regional Relief & Recovery Fund Increased to $60,000!
Women Entrepreneurs requiring COVID-19 support can now access up to $60,000 through AWE’s Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF). If this loan is repaid by December 31, 2022, a portion of the loan may be forgivable, up to $20,000.
Businesses that have already been approved for and received RRRF funding from Alberta Women Entrepreneurs are now eligible to access a top-up to your RRRF loan, up to $20,000.
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Resources to Help Your Small Business Navigate COVID-19
We recognize SMEs have been especially hard hit by the global pandemic. We have dedicated a page on CBRN.ca to make it easier for you to find financial support, plan your operations and support the health and well-being of your employees.
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Government Support Programs and Tax Planning Strategies, with Grant Thornton
March 9 | 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET | Virtual
Join us for this event as Grant Thornton LLP (Canada) provides an update on CEWS, CERS and home office deductions.
Tara Benham, National Tax Leader, and Dennis Tmej, Partner, Tax Services with Grant Thornton, will discuss recent changes and updates to tax rules affecting businesses that may present both challenges and opportunities with respect to tax planning, compliance and strategy, including estate freeze strategies, estate planning alternatives and loss consolidation strategies.
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Women in Entrepreneurship: Support, Innovation and Creativity through Recovery, Reformation and Revitalization
March 10 | 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET | Virtual
Innovation Canada knows the past year has been anything but business as usual. That’s why it’s hosting this upcoming webinar where you can join Canadian business ecosystem experts to hear their unique insight into what change has looked like and how innovation and creativity have inspired people to revisit the way they operate to foster resilience.
Join a panel of experts as they share tips and tricks for your business to navigate the government support landscape.
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Building a Workplace Mental Health Strategy
Sun Life has developed a toolkit to help employers like you. It is a practical guide to help you develop the fundamentals of a mental health strategy — something that your organization can grow and develop over time and that can deliver significant and lasting results.
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Email info@gpchamber.com|Phone 780-532-5340 | Fax 780-532-2926
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