Membership Newsletter - January 2019
January 8, 2019
Finalists Announced
Congratulations to all of our finalists for the 2019 Alberta Business Awards of Distinction - Click here to check them out

This year was INCREDIBLY difficult, with so many deserving organizations across our province, but in the end, these companies rose to the challenge.

Thank you to everyone who nominated/submitted, you help to make these awards what they are - we couldn't do it without you!

Our awards will be held at the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel on March 01, 2019 - for more event information, click here
Thursday, January 10th at 09:00 a.m

Alberta Innovates is holding a webinar to discuss Clean Technology Development - a program intended to facilitate and support the development of novel clean technologies from bench scale to field pilots through funding, recruitment, and support. Click here to learn more

To access the webinar, click or copy the following link into your browser address bar: https://meet.lync.com/albertainnovates.ca/conference/BBJKGOKS

To join by phone dial +1-844-615-8188 Conference ID: 11614116
Applications for the Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP) are now being accepted online.

STEP is a four- to 16-week wage subsidy program that provides funding to employers to hire high school or post-secondary students for summer jobs from May to August. Employers are offered a $7-per-hour subsidy for a maximum of 37.5 hours per week.

Last year, STEP helped almost 1,400 employers hire 3,050 students for summer positions. The program is available to small businesses, non-profit organizations, public libraries, school boards, publicly funded post-secondary institutions, municipalities, First Nations and Metis settlements.

The program will accept applications through the online portal alberta.ca/step from Jan. 3 to Feb. 8, 2019.
Application Deadline - January 25, 2019

Canada Summer Jobs is an initiative to help young people between the ages of 15 and 30 get the information and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to transition successfully into the labour market.

The program provides wage subsidies to employers from not-for-profit organizations, the public-sector, and private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees.

New expanded eligibility now includes all youth aged 15-30, and is no longer restricted to students. Applications are due by January 25, 2019. An 2019 application guide and additional information is available at the Canada Summer Jobs website.
The minimum age for employment in Alberta is increasing to 13 effective January 1, 2019.

This will help ensure youth are protected and align the province more closely with international standards.

Youth aged 12 and under may only be employed in artistic endeavours, such as acting in a television program or performing on stage, and only with a permit.

The new rules don’t apply to volunteers, contractors, youth employed on farms and ranches, or to casual work such as babysitting or snow shovelling.

Visit the Employment Standards website for full details or check out the popular Government of Alberta Webinars about Employment Standards.
The application deadline for the Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) has been extended to January 25, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. MST.

The Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program stream supports businesses at various stages of development, including high-growth firms, wanting to accelerate their growth, scale-up, and be more productive and competitive in both domestic and global markets. It offers interest-free, repayable funding to western Canadian companies. Preference may be given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with less than 500 full-time employees (FTEs).

Click here to apply or learn more about BSP
Business Link is Alberta's entrepreneurial hub. They are a non-profit organization that helps Alberta entrepreneurs start their own businesses.

Check out their infographic on New Years resolutions at Business Link, or see events happening in the new year.
Buying a commercial building is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make as an entrepreneur, and, if done right, potentially one of the most profitable too.

Unlike leasing a commercial space, owning it allows you to not only build equity, but also adapt it to support your business needs. You’ll also free yourself from worry about rent increases and lease terminations.

The BDC Team created an easy-to-follow infographic to help plan your next investment. To check it out, click here
I s Withholding Emotion Bad for Business?
Often in the workplace, we're urged to conceal our emotions—to "keep it professional" by limiting how much of ourselves we share with others. But our job as leaders is to encourage the opposite. Not only should you get emotional with those you lead, you have to be OK with your team bringing their emotions to the workplace as well. 

In a new Leadercast NOW video, author and consultant Lisa McLeod explains why emotion in the workplace is beneficial to an organization. Watch the video to learn more from Lisa about how you can embrace emotions without accepting drama in your organization.
Corporate Member Introduction:
As Canada's food and pharmacy leader, with a network of corporate and independently- operated stores in communities across the country, and employing close to 200,000 Canadians, Loblaw's needs little introduction.

Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well – supports the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion visits each year to the company’s stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies; no-fee banking; affordable fashion and family apparel; and, three of Canada's top consumer brands in President's Choice®, Life Brand®, and no name®.

The Alberta Chambers of Commerce is delighted to welcome Loblaw / Shoppers Drug Mart as our newest corporate member.
Alberta Business Awards of Distinction Featured Winner:
The 2018 Diversity Leadership Award of Distinction Winner:
SSC Family Restaurants (McDonald's Restaurants)
This award recognizes a cultural and art organization that embraces diversity in their workforce, encourages respect and inclusion, eliminates discrimination and barriers, and is helping to create welcoming and inclusive workplaces and communities.

Acknowledging the diversity of the communities from which it draws its clientele, SSC seeks to ensure its workforce reflects that diversity in terms of ethnicity, culture, age, and ability.  The company is committed to creating a diverse workforce which is focused on training individuals to deliver a great guest experience while driving results. 

They are also a finalist in this year's 2019 Alberta Awards of Distinction in the Women Entrepreneur Category!

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Alberta Chambers of Commerce
Tracy Acorn, Manager of Chamber Services & Admin
780.425.4180 Ext.3