Glance
Chamberata Chamberata
A Message from Your General Manager
“THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTYOFTHEIRDREAMS”
EleanorRoosevelt
NEWYEAR,NEWOPPORTUNITIES
As the new year begins, we’re thrilled to share the exciting opportunities and events the Brandon Chamber of CommercehasinstoreforJanuaryandbeyond
First up, mark your calendars for The Future of Agriculture Luncheon on January 16th, featuring Dr Santosh Kumar from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada A leading researcher with over 15 premium wheat varieties to his credit, Dr. Kumar will share cutting-edge insights into the advancements shaping Western Canada’s agriculture industry.Ticketsarestillavailable don’tmissout!
Laterthismonth,BrandonhostsAgDaysfromJanuary21st to 23rd at the Keystone Centre With the theme Produced onthePrairies,thiseventisacelebrationofouragricultural heritage and innovation Featuring over 550 exhibitors, Ag Days is a must-attend for anyone in the agri-business sector
Meanwhile, our committees are hard at work advancing initiatives to support our members and the broader Brandon business community. The Business Development Committee is preparing for an upcoming tour of Behlen Industries to learn more about their challenges and opportunitiesinthemanufacturingsector
TheGovernmentRelationsCommitteehasturneditsfocus to municipal and provincial budgets, identifying key areas for advocacy and ensuring that the priorities of our businesscommunityareeffectivelyrepresented.
At the same time, the Workforce Alignment Committee is preparing to support the upcoming Brandon Career Symposium in March, an event aimed at bridging the gap between local job seekers and the evolving needs of businesses in our region Together, these committees play a vital role in shaping the Chamber’s efforts to promote growth,innovation,andcollaborationin2025
Looking to network? Don’t miss our Business AfterFiveeventatT-BirdsFood,FunandGames, offering a chance to connect with fellow Chamber members in a relaxed setting Registeronlinetoattendthisfreeevent
Just a quick reminder: Pro-rated membership pricing kicks off on February 1st, making it the perfecttimetojoin!Knowsomeonewho’sbeen considering membership? Refer them, and whentheybecomeanewmember,you’llearna marketingcreditasourthanks
As we move into this new year, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your continued support Together, with your partnershipandthededicationofourteam,we areexcitedtobuildonthesuccessesofthepast year. Here's to a bright and prosperous year ahead!
Events Lineup
THEFUTUREOFAGRICULTURELUNCHEON
JAN16, 2024|11:00AM-1:00PM|VICTORIAINN TICKETSONSALE,REGISTRATIONREQUIRED
BUSINESSAFTERFIVE
JAN23,2025|5:00PM-7:00PM|T-BIRDS FREEEVENT,REGISTRATIONREQUIRED
FIRSTFRIDAYCOFFEE
FEB,7,2025|9:00-10:00AM|1043ROSSERAVE FREEEVENT,NOREGISTRATIONREQUIRED
WOMENOFWESTMAN-TICKETSONSALE
MARCH5,2025|ALLDAYEVENT|KEYSTONE TICKETSONSALENOW
ANNUALAWARDSGALA-SAVETHEDATE
MAY1,2025|KEYSTONECENTRE MOREDETAILSTBA*
2025 - 2026 EVENT LINE-UP
JANUARY2025
10th:FirstFridayCoffee
16th:TheFutureofAgricultureLuncheon
23rd:BusinessAfterFiveatT-Birds
FEBRUARY2025
6th:Chamber101
7th:FirstFridayCoffee
20th:EmpoweringYouthRetentionLuncheon
TBA:BusinessAfterFive
MARCH2025
5th:WomenofWestmanConference
6th:Chamber101
7th:FirstFridayCoffee
20th:BuildingBridgesandCommunityLuncheon
APRIL2025
3rd:Chamber101
4th:FirstFridayCoffee
17th:StateoftheCityLuncheon
TBA:BusinessAfterFive
MAY2025
TBA:AnnualAwardsGala
8th:Chamber101
9th:FirstFridayCoffee
15th:StateoftheProvinceLuncheon
JUNE2025
5th:StateoftheChamberLuncheon
6th:FirstFridayCoffee
TBA:ChamberBBQ
TBA:ChamberGolfTournament
SEPTEMBER2025
5th:FirstFridayCoffee
10th:AnnualGeneralMeeting
18th:StateoftheProvinceLuncheon
TBA:BusinessAfterFive
OCTOBER2025
3rd:FirstFridayCoffee
TBA:Chamber101
16th:SmallBusinessLuncheon
NOVEMBER2025
7th:FirstFridayCoffee
TBA:Chamber101
20th:EconomicOutlookLuncheon
DECEMBER2025
5th:FirstFridayCoffee
TBA:Chamber101
11th:HolidayHappyHour
Besuretocheckoureventcalendarregularlyfordetailsandtoregister. Don’tmissout reserveyourspottoday!
HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR
EVENTRECAP
On December 11th, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce hosted its first-ever Holiday Happy Hour, a reception designed to celebrate the holiday season and show appreciation for our members Held at the Keystone Centre, the event wasahugesuccess,drawingover200attendees.
Special thanks to our event sponsors, Sentinel Safety Services and Acres of Hope for embodying the spirit of community and care this holiday season Their support made the event’s warm and welcomingatmospherepossible
AFESTIVEFIRST
The new format for the Chamber’s holiday celebration created an opportunity for casual networking and holiday fun. Guests enjoyed deliciousappetizersandacashbar,whiletakingin the festive atmosphere of beautifully arranged Christmas décor. Mini golf and a dedicated members’ lounge, both sponsored by Pinnacle, addedarefinedtouchtotheevening
Trident Event Group brought extra sparkle to the celebration with a 360-photo experience, and a photo booth, capturing memorable moments throughoutthenight.
The Leadership Brandon Cohort also joined the celebration as part of their December session, connectingwithChambermemberswhileenjoying thefestivities
FROMTHECHAMBER
The Chamber is thrilled with the success of its inaugural Holiday Happy Hour and grateful to its sponsors for their generous support, which made this special evening possible. Events like these highlight the Chamber’s commitment to fostering connectionandappreciationamongitsmembers
A huge thank you to the Keystone Centre for providing the beautiful event space, catering and creatingawelcomingatmosphere
Welookforwardtomoreopportunitiestogather, celebrate,andgrowinthecomingnewyear!
advocacyrecap
STATEOFTHEPROVINCE
On December 4th, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce attended the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Province event, where Premier Wab Kinew delivered a keynote address The Premier emphasized several key priorities for Manitoba, including “boots on the ground” in Washington, leveraging the province’s natural resources,anddevelopinganeconomicdevelopment strategyforManitoba
MANITOBACHAMBERNETWORKADVOCACY
WealsojoinedtheManitobaChamberNetworkforan annual Chamber Advocacy Day on Wednesday, December4,tosharepriorities,ideas,andchallenges facingManitoba’sbusinesscommunity.
ChamberAdvocacyDayservesasanopportunityfor Manitoba’s local chambers of commerce to meet withCabinetMinistersandMembersoftheLegislative Assembly, to advocate on behalf of business, and to discuss issues that are important in their regions. With this initiative, we provide an opportunity for chamberstoadvancelocalissuesthatareimportant tothemandtheircommunitiesinaninformalsetting, as we help to facilitate conversations with decisionmakersattheprovinciallevel
This year’s meetings at the Manitoba Legislature fostered discussions on many different issues, including infrastructure plans and capital investments; immigration and credential recognition; an economic development strategy for Manitoba focused on productivity; labour force challenges and the importance of a robust child care system; and addressing the out-migration of youth by promoting the Manitoba Advantage and positioning our province as a place where young peoplecanbuildsuccessfulcareers
MOVINGFORWARD
The Chamber remains committed to advocating for Brandon’s interests and addressing regional challenges to support our community’s growth andsuccess.
Women of Westman
CALLFORSPONSORS
TheWomenofWestmanConference(WOW)isanannualevent toinspire,connect,andempower womenintheWestmanregion FormerlyknownastheSuperwomanConference,WOW offersa dynamicexperiencefeaturingkeynotespeakers,paneldiscussions,workshops,andnetworking opportunities.
Wehaveavarietyofsponsorship opportunitiesavailable,including boothspaces,manyoptionsfor businessrecognition,andparticipation inourEmpowerHerTote.Getinvolved andshowcaseyoursupportforthis inspiringevent!
Formoreinformationonsponsorship opportunities,contactMacaylaat events@brandonchamber.ca.
CheckoutthebrandedWomenofWestman merchandise!ToensuredeliverybyMarch5th, pleaseplaceyourorderbyFebruary14th
SHOPNOW
Jessica Saler | 204-578-2772 | jessicasaler@brhcfoundation.ca brhcfoundation.ca/thriveconference May 8, 2025 | Keystone Centre, Brandon
Support the BRHC Foundation’s Thrive Conference, a revitalizing half-day event dedicated to supporting, inspiring, and providing practical tools to our regional healthcare workers. Contact Jessica to learn more about the sponsorship packages and see how you can support our local healthcare workers!
TheManitobaAccessibilityFundwillfundproposedprojectsuptoamaximumof $50,000,includingupto10percentforadministration.
ApplicationsmustsupportTheAccessibilityforManitobansActandthestandards listedabovebyaddressingatleastoneofthreeManitobaAccessibilityFund objectives.SelectoneormoreofthethreeManitobaAccessibilityFundobjectivesthat theprojectwilladdress:
1Raiseawarenessaboutthepreventionandremovalofbarriers. . Developtools,resourcesandtrainingtosupportcompliancewithTheAccessibility forManitobansActstandards.
3.
2. Removebarrierstoinformationandcommunicationselectronically,inprintandin person
ApplicationscloseFebruary14,2025
InformationabouttheMAFgrantprogramfor2025/2026andhowtoapplyis availableonlineatAccessibilityMBca PleasecontactMAF@govmbcaifyouhave additionalquestions
Forselectedapplicants,theCityofBrandonwillprovidecommunityendorsementssupportingemployers inthemanufacturing,construction,andhealthcaresectors,andtheProvinceofManitobawillevaluate andnominatecandidateswhomeetprovincialrequirements Finalapprovalofanapplicant’s admissibilitytoCanadawillbedeterminedbythefederalgovernment
Informationcanbefoundateconomicdevelopmentbrandoncom EmployersinBrandoninterestedin discussingtheBMPNPprogramareinvitedtoemailimmigration@brandon.catoarrangeameeting
Chamberata Chamberata
BoardofDirectors
LOISRUSTON|PRESIDENT YWCAWestman
JENNIFERLUDWIG|VICEPRESIDENT SuperThriftyDrugsCanadaLtd
EMELIOBROWN |SECRETARY-TREASURER IntritechMarketing
MATTBERG
LivingstoneOutdoor&Livingstone LandscapingLtd
TILDAFORTIER GreenstoneBuildingProducts
MEREDYTHLEECH LeechGroup
BRENTMILLER VictoriaInn
ROBSTARKELL West-CanHRSolutions
CHRISFINLEY Mazergroup
KARINGRIFFIN AlternativeGroup
AMBERWHITE AnytimeFitness
CHARLESTWEED TweediaSocialMedia Agency
ENVERNAIDOO WestmanImmigrant Services
ChamberStaff
OLIVIABOYCE
GeneralManager
gm@brandonchamberca
GODSPOWERUTAWURE
MembershipCoordinator members@brandonchamberca
MACAYLALYONS
Events&MarketingCoordinator events@brandonchamberca
FREDERICRAMSAY
Office&MarketingCoordinator info@brandonchamberca
WeacknowledgethatBrandonislocatedonTreaty2territory, traditionallandsoftheCree,Oji-Cree,Dakota, Anishinaabe/Ojibwepeoples,andthehomelandoftheRed RiverMétisNation.Wehonorthehistories,cultures,and contributionsofIndigenouspeoplestoourcommunity.
SETTING THE PACE FOR A GREATER BRANDON SINCE 1883
TheBrandonChamberofCommerceisanindependent, membershipfunded,non-profitorganizationthatrepresents Brandonbusinessfromthegrassrootslevel.
OurmissionistoencouragegrowthintheBrandoncommunityby fosteringaprogressivebusinessenvironment,favourableto enhancingexistingandattractingnewbusiness.