Driving Business Forward Awards last change to register, Applications open for Sickness Benefit, Caregiving Benefit and Recovery Benefit, plus more!

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Fuelling Our Business Community

Thank you Medicine Hat Nissan for letting us help you out at your grand opening a few weekends ago. We always enjoy being on hand to help our members celebrate these big business milestones. Seeing this kind of business activity in our community is such a great morale booster. We wish you many years of success at your new location!

We had the opportunity to participate in the Development Advisory Panel meeting for an update on e-permitting and online payments, the review of offsite levies and municipal assist, in addition to changes coming for the Land Use Bylaw. If you have any questions or would like more information on any of these items, please connect with us.

We will be reaching out to businesses for a research project to help us assess the needs of our business community due to the effects of COVID-19. We will be using the information we collect to direct our strategic priorities and make sure that our members and businesses are supported. If you'd like to be part of this research project contact Morgan to arrange for a phone interview.

Next Level Events

2020 Business Awards: Driving Business Forward

This is it...the week that we've been waiting for and planning towards. Our Driving Business Forward virtual business awards is this Friday!

Make sure that you set up your profile so that you can join us for the festivities. Kristen, our Events Coordinator, has created a short video to show you what our stage will look like below.

So make sure you order from your favourite restaurant and crank up the tunes during our pre-awards show and then watch to see who gets that checkered flag!

Find out more and register now!

Business Awards Pheedloop Instructional Video

My TechGenie Workshop

Do you want to know how to make your presentations and social media videos pop? Attend the My TechGenie Workshop and get PowerPoint really working for you.

Find out more and register now!

Quick Check Up

The Power of Community

Community Builder Spotlight:

Big Marble Farms

Big Marble Farms is a new member of our Chamber family and we are thrilled that they have signed on as Community Builders! Growth is something that we are both passionate about and we know that our partnership will support our community in finding healthy and sustainable ways to promote our region and our business community. We look forward to growing together! Read all about our visit at their amazing facility.

Your Weekly Tune Up

Applications Open for CRSB and CRCB

You can now apply for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) through the Canada Revenue Agency. Both programs are part of the package replacing the CERB with applications for the Canada Recovery Benefit available starting October 12. CRA’s new CRSB, CRCB and CRB web pages provide extensive information about these benefits including eligibility requirements, how to apply and eligibility period dates.

Thinking about starting your own business or need to brush up on your business planning? Join StartUp

Every Thursday for five weeks you can participate in a 5-part series on starting your own business. These build on each other, so sign up for them all, starting with the first one on October 20th! These might also be valuable for existing businesses as topics range from startup Steps and the business model canvas, to market research and financing to making sure you price your product right. Interested? Register here.

New CRA Reporting Requirements

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), Temporary Wage Subsidy (TWS) and the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) have Canada Revenue Agency reporting requirements. Find out more about the forms needed and how to properly report on these different benefits. Register in advance for this information session.

Want to know what else happened that you need to know?

Read the full update

Advocacy in Action

The last thing Canadians need to see is a raise in taxes right now. However, Canadians and struggling restaurant and hospitality businesses ARE scheduled to be hit with an increase in taxes on beer, wine and spirits next April 1 and every year after that.

Read 5 minutes for business.

Fill up on Funding

The Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) is a $350M investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable populations as they manage the impacts of COVID-19.

Applications open now.

If you were thinking about applying for the Medicine Hat Business Innovation Grant get your application in soon as the City will be pausing the program until January 2021 to ensure they are providing the most value to the businesses and community.

Find out more.

Enriching Your Business

There is a chill in the air reminding us that the holiday season is just around the corner. Make sure you're set by having a #LocalFirstYXH decal in your store window!

You can also rev up your marketing by taking part in our Christmas Coupon campaign.

Find out more about these opportunities by emailing Chantel.

Deals

Shop Local

In the past six-months, we have shut down our economy, self-isolated, quarantined and pretended to be teachers. We have worked from home, given up travel, and learned to use Zoom, Teams and Google Hangouts, skipped birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and funerals. We have re-launched, reintegrated into society, sent our children back to school and realized this pandemic is not a short-term inconvenience, but a long-term challenge.