Monday, March 20th was the first day of spring, and the weather has been a constant topic of conversation It is cold, colder than normal, colder than the last 100+ March’s on record. Gross.
But what we know is that warmer weather is inevitable. The sun is stronger, the days longer. We are headed for a Manitoba summer. Hallelujah.
This also signals the upcoming conclusion to my tenure as president, and as I reflect on the previous ten months, I am abundantly grateful for the opportunity to serve my community in this role. I have had the pleasure of some fortuity as your president. Case in point, my appointment to the Premier’s Economic Advisory Committee on Competitiveness (PEACC) was admittedly, a surprise to me When they called to see if I was interested my first question was, ‘did you mean to call me?’ And I can also admit to feeling very out of place at the first meeting But what I have come to learn, is that confidence, is a choice So, as I sat with my pages of notes from our board and members, I reminded myself that I was invited there, and that I had a job to do, for Brandon, for the Chamber, for the members. So, I chose, confidence. And by our last meeting, the chair hugged me good-bye, and I was thanked for my participation, input, and for consistently bringing attention to rural Manitoba. Phew.
The PEACC’s final meeting to present our recommendations to Premier Stefanson and Deputy Premier Cullen, was in early March. It was well received, and some of the recommendations were reflected in the budget, specifically the tax reform Raising the basic personal tax amount and adjusting the tax brackets and rates to close the gap between Manitoba and other prairie
provinces, was a key suggestion from our committee We also strongly and unanimously recommended the abolition of the payroll tax, and the budget does include increased exemption thresholds and a commitment to take further action in years to come. From a layperson perspective I would deduce that the government must find a way to replace the revenue the payroll tax provides. From the many meetings of this committee, and with our MLAs and other government officials, I did not get the impression that they won’t abolish it, but rather that they are working to responsibly consider how to abolish it. Optimistic.
The complete set of recommendations purpose is to advise cabinet, and as such is deemed confidential However, I can tell you that we broke it down into the eight areas –Tax Reform, Healthcare, Community Wellness and Housing, Education, Immigration and Labour, Infrastructure, Manitoba Hydro, Rural and Northern Development and Quality of Life Brandon and our area are represented in the document and the premier did comment that some of the items can be actioned in year, which is good news. Thank you to the Premier for the invitation to participate. Grateful.
If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started. Cicero
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter and I hope to see you at our annual gala and 140th birthday celebration on April 13th.
Stay well
Tanya LaBuick, Brandon Chamber President
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
UCT & Manitoba rooms, Keystone Centre
Thank you to our Title Sponsor
State of the Province Chamber Luncheon 11:30am-1:00pm | Thursday, April 20th, 2023
Keystone | Registration Required
The Brandon Chamber will welcome Manitoba's 24th Premier, the Honourable Heather Stefanson, for her State of the Province Address. Manitoba's business community will hear from Premier Stefanson on her vision for our province.
Sponsored by
The Manitoba government has introduced amendments to the Builders’ Liens Act to reduce unnecessary slowdowns on construction projects caused by delays in payments, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma announced today.
“The window for major construction is often limited by seasonal challenges, so greater efficiency in project remuneration is important to the flow of work performed and to project owners, contractors and Manitoba workers,” said Teitsma “These amendments would establish specific payment obligations to owners, contractors and subcontractors in the construction industry, specifying a timely payment structure based on the progress of the work, the achievement of project milestones and the project’s conclusion.”
The minister said the Builders’ Liens Amendment Act (Prompt Payment) has been developed in response to concerns expressed by construction industry stakeholders about delayed payments causing problems throughout project payment chains. While existing legislation secures claimants’ rights to funds and ensures the funds are kept within the construction pyramid and flow appropriately, there is currently no remedy for late payments
A prompt payment framework would enhance the regulatory and economic competitiveness of the province and assist the industry by:
ensuring orderly and timely construction projects by avoiding the disruptive effects of non-payments through supply chains; avoiding increased construction costs that result from bidders adding contingency amounts to allow for the risk of late payments, ensuring better value; reducing the risk of disruptions to construction projects while ensuring subcontractors and suppliers can pay bills and workers; and establishing an adjudication framework to resolve prompt payment disputes in a timely manner
Though delayed payments are not unique to the construction sector, the minister said this industry is especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of delayed payments due to its tiered payment structure. At each tier of the contract chain, contractors and subcontractors must finance payrolls, materials and other expenses in advance of being paid, the minister noted, adding that delayed payments at multiple tiers can compound severe financial consequences for subcontractors.
Accounting for approximately eight per cent of Manitoba’s employment, the construction industry is a significant contributor to the province’s economic stability The minister noted most Manitoba construction contractors are small or medium-sized companies with limited cash flow and limited access to credit, so delayed payments limit their ability to invest in their businesses and hire apprentices.
The current John Howard Society of Brandon looks very different from 5 years ago. Our legacy mission statement is repairing the harm done by crime. We now approach this monumental task at all phases of criminality cycle. We work with youth at risk providing skills and tools to navigate life better and with less conflict with Youth Anger Management. We do the same for adults after their first brushes with the criminal justice system with our restorative justice program. Our Food Rescue Store addresses food security and reduces one of the conditions that results in crime – hunger, especially hunger experienced by children and families. We work in BCC to prepare individuals for release and decrease their chances of reoffending. Once released our Men’s Resource Centre and the post incarceration support group provides a prosocial resting place for people escaping the constant struggle of life on the streets and providing programming to assist in a less bumpy reintegration.
Our restorative justice mediators have been asked to speak internationally repeatedly on the topic – and based on that our formal expansion in to civil mediation. The expansion of our anger management programming in to the work place to address the increasing level of stress and conflict that business owners are experiencing.
What are some future goals for your organization?
Expansion into civil mediation (contested and uncontested)
Expansion of anger management in to the workplace
Building Brandon’s Transitional Housing project to provide people with a place to develop skills and prepare themselves for re-entry into market housing.
Time is running out to take advantage of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot to assist with filling labour shortages
Staffing challenges continue to dominate discussions throughout Brandon. While the conversation is not new, the magnitude of impacted businesses and depth of need within the workplace has ballooned. Employers know far too well the economic and human toll chronic labour shortages are placing on their businesses. The upside (if there is one) of current labour woes is that employers are upping their game when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees.
An exciting tool many local employers have embraced over the past three years is the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot often referred to as RNIP Brandon is one of only 11 communities in Canada to have access to an employer friendly immigration stream to fill local vacancies
What sets RNIP apart from other immigration streams is:
Brandon determines labour need, meaning employers do not have to undertake an expensive and lengthy labour market impact assessment, nor do the jobs they wish to fill have to be on Manitoba’s in demand occupation list before hiring foreign nationals or people in Canada on temporary status
Application fees, travel costs, relocation costs, accommodation and settlement costs are the responsibility of the RNIP applicant not the employer
Employers can find applicants that they would like hire to fill vacancies on their own or take advantage of the free Economic Development Brandon online RNIP job portal that currently has over 74,000 active employee profiles
Like any hiring process employees don’t always work out If an individual is hired
through RNIP and doesn’t work out, an employer is not obligated to retain the employee
Built into the RNIP program is an expedited path to permanent residence and eligibility for a temporary work permit not only for the person you wish to hire, but their immediate family members as well. These features make RNIP highly desirable to individuals wishing to make Canada their permanent home
Brandon has authorization from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to recommend individuals for permanent residence (meaning decision makers understand community needs and realities)
RNIP works for people living abroad or for people that are already in Canada with legal temporary status If you have an employee that has a valid temporary work permit or a study permit who would like to stay in Canada permanently, the program could also work for them
Employers have direct access to City of Brandon Economic Development staff and Brandon Economic Development Staff have immediate access to dedicated IRCC staff meaning we can provide timely assistance and guidance for employers and applicants as required
Brandon employers from many sectors of the economy including construction, communications, professional services, medical, agri-food, manufacturing, childcare, religious, retail, food services, accommodation, automotive have successfully used RNIP to fill employment vacancies If desired, the Economic Development Brandon team can connect you with an employer that has used RNIP so you can hear firsthand their experience with the program
As long as the job you are looking to fill is a minimum of 30 hours per week and is permanent and offers a wage that falls with the range posted on the Canada Job Bank for the position, RNIP may be an option for you The Economic Development team has purposefully designed the employer RNIP process to be as easy as possible If you are interested in RNIP as one of your staffing tools, please learn more by visiting www economicdevelopmentbrandon com/e mployer or by emailing immigration@brandon ca
Article submitted by Economic Development Brandon
