The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce welcomes our members and invited guests to a Business After 5 Mixer hosted by the Bear Paw Golf Couse on Thursday, July 25, 2024 from 5:00-7:00 PM.

PLEASE NOTE!: We are monitoring the weather and if the forecast is less than favourable for Thursday, we may postpone the Mixer to August 1.

The Bear Paw Golf Course is located at 6325 100 Street at South Bear Creek near the ball diamonds and dog park. Join us for an evening of networking, appetizers, refreshments and door prizes as well as finding out more about the host. Attendees are asked to proceed past the Bear Paw parking lot and into the WILD RV Site Area to park to allow for customer parking nearer the course.

If you are not currently a Chamber member but would like to attend one of our Business Mixers, please contact the office at (780) 532-5340 or email info@gpchamber.com.

There is no cost to attend but registration is requested for catering and capacity purposes.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Your Region, Your Voice presents a unique and exclusive opportunity for members of our Chamber of Commerce to engage directly with our region’s elected representatives. Join us as they come together on stage, ready to field your questions in real time. This isn't your typical scripted event; it's all about fostering community bonds and sparking candid discussions. Seize this chance to voice your business or industry concerns, empowering our Chamber to advocate more effectively on your behalf. Together we'll unite community leaders around the pressing issues facing us today. 

Invited to participate in the moderated question and answer session are:

• Chris Warkentin, MP, Grande Prairie – Mackenzie - tentative
• Nolan Dyck, MLA, Grande Prairie - confirmed
• Ron Wiebe, MLA, Grande Prairie - Wapiti - confirmed
• Hon. Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks & MLA, Central Peace – Notley - confirmed
• Martin Long, MLA, West Yellowhead - tentative
• Jackie Clayton, Mayor, City of Grande Prairie - confirmed
• Bob Marshall, Reeve, County of Grande Prairie - confirmed
• Tyler Olsen, Reeve, MD of Greenview - confirmed

* The number of government officials in attendance will depend upon their availability 

Sponsorship opportunities are also available below.

Please contact our office by email info@gpchamber.com or phone 780-532-5340.

NOMINATIONS for our 2024 Grande Prairie Chamber Business Awards of Distinction are open!

Click on the boxes below to either nominate a business OR SELF-nominate YOUR business for up to THREE of our award categories. 

DEADLINE AUGUST 16!

Here are the criteria for 2024.

For more information, please contact Tom Pura, Communications and Public Relations by email tom@gpchamber.com.

Watch our Events Calendar, our web page https://www.grandeprairiechamber.com/sbw/ and this newsletter for updates on Small Business Week 2024 presented by the County of Grande Prairie.

Events will include:

• Women in Business Lunch - October 22
• Lunch with Rotary - October 23
• Grande Prairie Chamber Awards of Distinction - October 24
• Business Showcase - October 30

Planning is now taking place and sponsorship opportunities are available for our events and our awards. Please contact our office by phone at 780-532-5340 or email info@gpchamber.com.

2024 Chamber Member Golf Scramble presented by Pomeroy Lodging

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE for this year's Chamber Golf Scramble!

CONTACT JANICE IN OUR OFFICE IF STILL INTERESTED!

Exclusive event - Chamber Members and invited guests only.

Your registration Includes:

• 18 Holes of Golf
• Texas Scramble - a format for ANY skill level!
• Shared Golf Cart
• Lunch & Dinner
• Prizes, Fun and Laughs

Cost: $185 + GST per Player

Date: August 15, 2024

Location: Dunes Golf and Winter Club

Registration starts at 8:00 AM, shot gun start at 10:00 AM

Breakfast will be available for purchase in the clubhouse.

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS SEEN ON OUR EVENT PAGE:

https://www.grandeprairiechamber.com/canwest-chamber-golf-classic/

If you would like to donate prizes to our event, please click on the box below and fill out the form to donate either a team prize or an individual prize and arrange for delivery or pickup.

Prizes can be in the form of gift cards, gift baskets, promotional items, etc. If they are for team prizes, preferably in groups of four. If they are for hole prizes or proxy game prizes, then individual items. 

Please have donations arranged by Friday, August 9.

All donations will be recognized and acknowledged during the event. 

Join us for the LARGEST economic development conference in northern Alberta!

Growing the North offers attendees valuable information on local, provincial, national, and international issues affecting residents of the Peace Region which includes Northwestern Alberta and Northeastern British Columbia. The conference endeavours to present a mix of informative speakers representing a variety of topics and industries; and an excellent platform for important networking with municipal leaders and business people from many communities. Today's connections are tomorrow's opportunities!

Since its inception in 2010, Growing the North has been helping municipal leaders and entrepreneurs explore economic development opportunities and examine innovation.

The 16th annual Growing the North Conference is scheduled for February 18-20, 2025 in the TARA Centre at Evergreen Park in the County of Grande Prairie.

If you are interested in presenting to hundreds of municipal and business leaders, please fill out and submit the form below. For questions, please contact our Speaker Coordinator, Holly Sorgen by phone 780-518-3586 or email Holly.sorgen@albertacf.com.

THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS OF INTEREST IS SEPTEMBER 15, 2024.

SUMMER HIRING EVENT!

Are you seeking full-time or part-time employment? Join Lifemark and Northwestern Polytechnic as we host dozens of local employers from around the Peace Region hiring for a wide variety of roles. This is your chance to meet local recruiters, share your resume and make your first impression count!

The event will be hosted at NWP-Grande Prairie Campus on July 24^th from 11AM-3PM.

If you are a business owner or recruiter seeking to fill positions and meet jobseekers, don't miss your chance! Please reach out to TalentInSight@Lifemark.ca to register for more information regarding eligibility to register.

What skills are your business hiring for this summer?

Are you recruiting talent outside of Alberta?

The Alberta Chambers network has partnered with industry partners and the Government of Alberta to better understand what talent your business needs to grow and succeed.

Your participation will help inform critical government workforce strategies for the Alberta Talent Development Taskforce.  

The survey will take ~4 minutes to complete and is open until 5:00 P.M. on July 26.

Share your perspective today!

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Provincial Priorities Survey. The Alberta Chambers of Commerce/Alberta Perspectives platform received 513 responses from the province – and the results are available here.

We appreciate your time and energy in contributing to this critical survey!

Here's What You Told Us

When the Provincial Priorities annual research first explored the priorities of Alberta businesses and the public, their views were closely aligned. Over the years, some of those priorities have shifted.

Key Highlights

• 71% of businesses feel positive about the province's long term future, compared to 56% among the public. The gap has steadily increased since 2019, and in 2024 businesses are feeling 15% more positive than the public.
• While health care is cited most frequently by both groups as a top concern, inflation continues to be a major public concern. The percentage of business citing it as the most important issue has seen a 16% drop over two years. 
• 89% of businesses and 93% of the general public say that inflation has somewhat or greatly impacted them. Among the public, those who say inflation is greatly impacting them is up 9% over 2023, with the cost of living as the most impacted. 
• Reducing taxes has emerged as the most important priority for the public (54%), increasing by 17% over the last five years. Reducing taxes ranked in the top 5 priorities for business (46%).

 Your Feedback Will...

• Inform our policy and advocacy process as we share your voice with stakeholders and government. 
• Broaden and deepen the evidence that the ACC and local chambers can bring forward to articulate the perspectives of the province’s business community.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE.

Thank you for your continued participation in Alberta Perspectives!

$44M Investment in SMEs to Cut Emissions and Fuel Economic Growth

Alberta is investing $44 million in 21 small and medium-sized businesses through Emissions Reduction Alberta's Emerging Innovators Challenge to develop technologies that aim to cut emissions and reduce energy costs. These projects are expected to create over 875 jobs and add $238 million to Alberta’s GDP by 2027, with a goal to reduce emissions by 206,000 tonnes annually.

View Projects

Learn More

New Surveillance Teams Combat Rural Crime

Alberta's government has invested $4.3 million to bolster rural crime reduction with new surveillance teams led by Alberta Sheriffs, now operational in both northern and southern Alberta. These teams, working alongside local police, focus on criminal surveillance, agricultural theft prevention, and intelligence sharing, enhancing safety in rural communities. The initiative includes collaboration with the RCMP and expansion of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit and the RAPID Response initiative.

Learn More

Alberta-BC MOU to Enhance Direct Wine Sales



Alberta and British Columbia have reached an agreement facilitating direct wine sales between the provinces. The deal includes a memorandum of understanding to ease purchasing and ensure fair tax contributions from liquor sales. A bilateral working group will oversee the electronic access arrangements, with a review after one year to evaluate the agreement’s impact.

Learn More

NRC and NRCan Grants for Zero-Emission Industrial Heating

The National Research Council (NRC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are offering grants to promote zero-emission technologies in industrial process heating. Eligible projects can range from renewable energy integration to advanced electrification solutions. The challenge is split into two phases: Phase 1 focuses on proving feasibility (TRL 1-4) with grants up to $200,000, and Phase 2 supports prototype development (TRL 5-9) with grants up to $1,500,000. The application period runs from July 18 to September 5, 2024. For more details on submission guidelines and evaluation criteria, please refer to the official grant instructions.

Learn more

Benefits With Chamber Membership

Being a member of your local chamber gives you exclusive access to value added perks, which saves you money on key business expenses!

CLICK HERE FOR VALUE-ADDED BENEFIT PROGRAMS

CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA

Productivity Performance and Skills Gaps: How skills shortages are impacting Canadian productivity

Wednesday, September 11

11:00 AM-12:00 PM

Join us for an exclusive first look at The Conference Board of Canada and the Future Skills Centre's groundbreaking research, exploring the impact of skills shortages on Canada's productivity.

Gain practical insights as we delve into findings that reveal how skills shortages affect related industries and significantly impact overall productivity.

After the presentation, engage in a question and discussion session with the project’s lead researcher. Connect with like-minded professionals and share your perspective.

Attendees will learn:

• How Canada's productivity growth is significantly constrained by skills shortages
• How important the relationship between skills shortages and productivity is
• What actions or policies could be implemented to address productivity issues

Agenda

• Introductions
• Presentation of findings
• Question and discussion period
• Closing remarks

Register today

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY

Upcoming live webinars on employment standards

Employment standards legislation sets out the rights and obligations of employers and employees in Alberta. These include the minimum standards that employers must provide to their employees.

Upcoming webinar (including live Q&A) scheduled for the following topic:

• Employment Standards in Alberta - Construction Overview: Thursday, August 22 (1:30 p.m.)

For more information, or to register for the session, please visit alberta.ca/employment-standards-webinars.aspx. To request a presentation for your company or organization, please email EOP.Presentations@gov.ab.ca.

ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES

Send Your Kids to an AHS Career Exploration Day 

AHS is hosting Healthcare Career Exploration Days for incoming Grade 9, 10, 11 and 12 students. Spots are available in:

• Grande Prairie: Aug. 22 and 23

The cost to attend is $40 per day, and scholarships are available. In alignment with the spirit of reconciliation and the calls to action, AHS will waive registration fees for Indigenous students. To learn more visit AHS Healthcare Career Exploration Camps.

Master Short-Form Video Content

Learn about TikTok and how it can help scale up your brand. Join us on Thursday, August 15, from 11am-12pm to learn about short-form video content and the magic of TikTok, the world's fastest-growing social media platform. Discover how to increase your online presence with branded content. Unlock a new channel for your business today.

Learn More

Discover Your Audience Online

Reach your online audience by learning Search Engine Optimization (SEO) basics. Explore strategies to enhance your website’s search rankings, grasp the critical connection between content and SEO, and establish a strong base for your Google Business Profile. Optimize your online presence and guide your audience to effortlessly discover your business online.

Read Now

Free Marketing Support

Calling Alberta small business owners! Expand your online presence with the Digital Economy Program. Get free one-on-one digital marketing support to boost brand awareness, drive customer conversions, and improve website rankings.

Apply by August 16 to take your business to new heights.

Learn More

GrowthCon 2024 - Edmonton

Early Bird until Wed, July 31 - The 4 Pillars of Business

This session is designed for owners and leaders of small to mid-sized companies. Dive into a one-day conference that explores the key pillars of Operations, Finance, Wellness, and Marketing taught by top industry experts.

Register Now

Book Your FREE 30-Minute Strategy Session with the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce Digital Service Squad!

• Craft a tailored strategy to make your brand shine.
• Unleash the power of captivating content that speaks to your audience.
• Get hands-on tips and tricks for seamless campaign implementation.

Here's How:

1. Reserve Your Spot using the link below to book your FREE 30 minute Strategy Session
2. Discuss your goals, challenges, and vision with our seasoned experts.
3. Craft Your Campaign!

Limited spots available, so secure your session now! 

Immigration as a Key Economic Driver: Highlights from the IOM Roundtable 

We recently hosted a roundtable with a delegation from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that included Director General Amy Pope and Deputy Director General for Operations Ugochi Daniels.

Members of the Canadian Chamber Network, as well as representatives from Canadian employers and industry associations, joined us in-person and virtually to share their unique perspectives on how we can better align immigration with Canada’s current labour market and economic realities.  

Read the Blog

Interview with Perrin Beatty: The World Is on the Brink. Canada Is Not Ready. 

Earlier this week, our President and CEO, Perrin Beatty, spoke with National Post about economic security and Canada’s trade relationship with the United States.

“So essentially, we have less than a year to strengthen our relationship with the United States and persuade Americans that we should not pull the threads on USMCA, that it’s in the interest in both of our countries,” says Perrin. 

Read the Article

#ICYMI Register for Our 2024 Women in Business Summit Series! 

Join us during Gender Equality Week this September for three impactful 90-minute sessions designed to bridge gaps in representation and compensation for women in management and leadership roles. 

You will walk away with valuable insights and practical tools to drive meaningful change in accelerating gender equality. 



Attend all three sessions and earn a certificate of participation. 

Learn More

Register Now