Your Weekly Tune Up
It's Small Business Week!
Need a reason to celebrate? To go out and grab a coffee? To do some shopping around town? This week, October 15th-21st, is small business week and we encourage you to support small and local. Show your love to the business owners of Medicine Hat by posting about your favourite locations, spending a little money OR by giving yourself a pat on the back if you are an owner/ small business yourself!
We appreciate you and you deserve to be celebrated this week! Feel free to use the hashtags #iheartsmallbiz  #smallbusinessweek #SBW2023 when posting about your favourite small businesses.
Expanding affordable child care for Alberta families
Private child-care operators play a crucial role in providing high-quality, affordable child-care options that meet the needs of Alberta families. To make child care more accessible to Alberta families, Alberta's government is expanding the Space Creation Grant to include private child-care operators. Through the Canada-Alberta Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, $28 million is being allocated to support private operators with some of the costs associated with opening new child-care spaces. This expansion supports up to 22,500 new, licensed child-care spaces in high-need and high-demand communities across the province. Read the article here
Engaging with Albertans on a potential Alberta Pension Plan
The Alberta Pension Plan Engagement Panel, led by former provincial treasurer Jim Dinning, is inviting Albertans to discuss a report by the independent pension expert consultant LifeWorks, which describes how a provincial pension plan could work.
Public engagement started with an online survey when the LifeWorks report was released on Sept. 21 and the engagement panel will launch a series of telephone town hall sessions starting Oct. 16. Albertans can listen live to every session online by clicking on the link provided on the website, regardless of where they live. For details on how to participate, Albertans should visit AlbertaPensionPlan.ca. Read more here
UPS expands Women Exporters Program with Startup Canada
Startup Canada has partnered with UPS to bring the UPS Women Exporters Program to Canada. This program provides education and resources to help women entrepreneurs expand into new markets. Why women business owners? Because we've learned from governments and organizations around the world that women were less likely to engage in global trade. This gap creates a huge opportunity for women to grow and scale their businesses. More information here
Advocacy in Action
Small Business Week: Parliamentary secretary Yao
Parliamentary secretary for small business and northern development Tany Yao issued the following statement on Small Business Week, Oct. 15-21:
"Small business owners and workers are community builders, neighbours, friends and family members. They embody the Alberta spirit with their innovation, hard work and determination. About 96 per cent of businesses in the province are small businesses, creating jobs, fuelling economic growth and making our province a better place to live and work." Read the statement here
MHD Chamber of Commerce Staff attended the CCC AGM Conference last week
The purpose of the conference was to bring together Chamber of Commerce executives and community business leaders to discuss the economic and political issues affecting the prosperity of Canadian business, and set the policy agenda for the upcoming year. There were keynote speakers, policies debated, words from the ministers, and social evenings. We enjoyed our time connecting with other Chamber's across the country and taking part in healthy debate on the future of our federal advocacy efforts.Â
Supreme Court of Canada IAA decision
After many months of consideration, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has issued its decision on the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), which was introduced as Bill C-69 in 2018. The SCC decision sided with the provinces and found the Act unconstitutional. The ruling has important consequences, so read on. Read more online here
Next Level Events
Business Town Hall tomorrow evening
Register and attend the Business Town Hall, where there will be facilitated discussion with the mayor and members of Council. Questions are encouraged to be submitted beforehand by email to industry@medicinehatchamber.com, or by written submission at the time. This event will be held at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre.
Business Growth Trade Show
The Business Growth Trade Show is designed to showcase government-funded programs available to businesses and municipalities in Southeast Alberta. Business owners and municipalities are challenged to stay informed about all the government programs available to support them. We are providing a one-stop information event where Southeast Alberta businesses and municipalities can easily find relevant support and make in-person connections for program follow-up as needed. Check out https://www.apexalberta.ca/business-growth-tradeshow for more information.
Ticket Giveaway! Lou Doiron: Get a Grip Workshop
Experience a 4-hour hands-on working session with a small group of like-minded entrepreneurs that will deliver insights, tools and practices to transform your business.
Message us to be included in the ticket giveaway (Influencers and Community Builders only) and if you're interested as a member, reach out for a 50% off discount code to enter in while registering!
Employers' Roles and Responsibilities when Hiring Foreign Workers - online presentation
Workforce Consultants with the Government of Alberta are hosting a free 1.5 hour webinar. Presenters from the Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office and Employment Standards will discuss Employers' Roles and Responsibilities when Hiring Foreign Workers, and be available for questions. Happening October 18, 2023 from 1:30pm -3:00pm. To register, please visit: Employers' Roles and Responsibilities When Hiring Foreign Workers
Enriching Your Business
There's a reason Chambers Plan is Canada's #1 plan.
Contact JoAnne Letkeman,
Exclusive Chamber Group Advisor,
403-504-2166 ext 1.
Fueling the Business Community
• NEW MEMBERS •
We would like to welcome Empowered Earth Wellness Solutions and Parlay Shoe Trading Company to the Chamber Family!
We continually look forward to helping our members during their business journey and wish each the best in all future endeavors. We are extremely happy to have such amazing members, and are very glad that we can serve a part in that journey! Keep your eye out for more new member posts moving forward!
• BUSINESS ADVICE •
Advice from business owners to business owners, small, large, experienced, or new. Happy small business week!
"Do your own thing and put out the best quality you can."
- Joe, Country Crumbs
"Operating a small business take the right team, risk and difficult decisions. You cannot grow a successful business by doing it alone. Build your hive of support. Family and friends are great if you cannot yet afford employees."
- Amy Zuk-Olsen, Safety Buzz Campus
"As a small business owner you can feel like you have to be good at EVERYTHING. Marketing, accounting, legal matters, administrative, social media, managing people and then the thing your actually in business doing! When you have a small team it can be totally overwhelming. My advice is to hire whatever you possibly can that isn't in your skill set out. Although it costs, often times it actually helps you be more productive and abundant in the long run when you can focus on the things that your good at."
- Becky, Former Business Owner
Fill Up On Funding
Supporting women in STEM
Women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can now apply for the Women in STEM Scholarship. Supporting women in STEM | Aide aux femmes dans les STIM | alberta.ca
How to finance your company's growth projects
You've got big plans to expand your small business. Say you'd like to buy a new delivery truck, hire a sales representative or move into a bigger office. Your plans will cost money-so how will you pay for them? Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of paying for growth projects out of everyday cash, instead of using small business financing. Read more here
New provincial funding for seniors going towards Veiner projects
Keeping seniors independent and healthy is a priority for the Unison Veiner Centre.
This is why we were so happy to hear that the provincial government earmarked a portion of $2.1 million to expand seniors' services across the province, with Medicine Hat's Veiner Centre receiving $200,000. These much-needed funds are going towards several new and developing programs down at Veiner. It includes Seniors Supports, a program that helps older adults navigate housing, benefits, taxes and more; Thrive, which aims to address food insecurity for low-income seniors; and Veiner Vintage
Transport, a service providing transportation to our aging community to reduce isolation. All of these programs will help our local seniors remain in place longer, assist with their independence and improve their overall well-being. We're beyond pleased we can continue to help Medicine Hat in new and exciting ways. Unison, for Generations 50+, is an Albertan non-profit with a half-century of history serving the seniors of southern Alberta. https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=8907745BC52EE-BF9B-71AD-7653871E8D1AA38E
Purolator - Free Shipping Tuesdays!
Happy Small Business Month! Every Tuesday in October, you can ship one (1) free package (up to 5 kg) using Expedited ParcelTM and the promo code of the day. Save on reliable, on-time delivery services within Canada as a benefit of a chamber membership. Learn More
Crossword Puzzle
Crossword Puzzle Answers
Did you figure it out? Here are the answers for both of the crosswords last week! The October 2nd crossword puzzle and the October 10th crossword puzzle.
Remember that if you subscribe to our weekly email, you get access to the crossword puzzle! Anyone who sends us their answers will get their name put into our quarterly draw. The prize? Receive 5 promotional credits with us (for members) or credit towards a membership (for non-members)! Oh and bragging rights that you're a crossword master!
Other Events
October 16th-19th | Online: Rural Investor Education Series | Register
October 17th | (Free) Small Business Week Kick-Off: Solutions for Today's Business Challenges | Register
October 18th | Technology Out of the Hat | Register
October 18th | Thinking Big, Supporting Small: Fuelling Business Decisions with Data | Register
October 19th | Online: Digital Harvest -SEO Vocabulary | Register
October 24th | Webinar: Retail Holiday Shopping Report | Register
October 26th | 2023 CANIE Awards" Innovation & Entrepreneurs Foundation | Apply Now
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