There has been quite a bit of news over the last couple of weeks and so are just highlighting a few of the most recent ones from our organization to support businesses over the holiday season. Each release is linked below for full details and quotes, but our hope is that businesses will have an opportunity after Christmas to take a second look (or perhaps even a first look) at some of the resources, supports, tools and funding they can access.

December 23: Fuel up on Funding Over the Holidays: The Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce and Johnston Morrison Hunter Chartered Professional Accountants have teamed up to offer micro-learning sessions for businesses to fuel up and learn about some of the government funding opportunities available.

The sessions cover six different funding streams including the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Temporary Wage Subsidy, the Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant, the Canada Emergency Business Account Loan and the Canada Recovery Benefit.

This series also provides both organizations the opportunity to highlight the free financial health check offered through the Chamber's benefit programs and a Free First-Time Consultation to any business owner who would like to chat about these programs in more detail. Anyone can take a test drive of these micro-learning sessions through the Chamber of Commerce YouTube Channel, which will premier through their funding feature playlist on Monday, December 28th.

December 16: The Medicine Hat & District Is Proud To Join The Chamber Partnership Initiative To Support Business Growth & Student Career Development Across Canada: The Medicine Hat & District Chamber of Commerce is among the local chambers and boards of trade across Canada that have partnered with Magnet and the Talent Opportunity Program (TOP) to connect chamber members to the Magnet platform, a digital social enterprise where businesses can connect with new talent, access business growth opportunities and tools to navigate the impacts of a changing labour market and the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to applying for Student Work Placement Program funding. The portal can be accessed through the Chambers Business Supports page on their website with a direct link to their Chamber Employment Connector portal here

December 10: Chambers Respond to New Restrictions and Need for Support: Businesses are encouraged to use the Chamber's Covid 19 website page for resources, to make sure they are aware of funding and to update plans in order to sustain business operations and limit risk that could result from closures or further enhanced restrictions due to increased case counts, as well as the list of supports found in the December 10th release.

Wishing you each a Merry Christmas and a restful holiday season. We look forward to working with you in 2021.