March 2015 Inside this issue: GM’s Report Member Spotlight New Members Events Review Ask the Expert Workforce Development
CHAMBER at a glance
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a publication of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Framework for Policy Development
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ast June at the President’s In the last few months, through the Changeover luncheon, I talked diligent work of our general manager, we about the Chamber’s priorities for have gotten our framework together and the upcoming year. At that time, I have developed a list of priorities. The discussed that it was the goal of the Brandon Chamber will be taking a policy executive to build a framework for policy to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce development as we felt this was the next annual meeting on May 1-3, 2015, being step in our evolution for advocacy. In held in Brandon, that deals with hog September, upon attendance at the supply. The goal of this policy will be to Canadian Chamber of Commerce annual provide the basis of advocacy to the meeting, the importance of policy Provincial Government - develop rules development was made quite clear. The that allow new barns to be constructed Canadian Chamber actively develops and to allow expansion of existing hog policies on barns with issues of acceptable, but “advocating a policy importance to economically Canadian feasible standards that pushes the city business, that are based to look at a prioritizes the upon scientific policies based evidence not on permanent solution ” upon political importance and hyperbole. Due ability to effect to the well change and advocates these well publicized decrease of hog supply, and developed policies to the federal the importance to our local economy of government. In the 2014 federal budget, the jobs provided by Maple Leaf Foods in it was communicated to the membership Brandon and Hylife Foods in Neepawa, that the Canadian Chamber’s top 10 we determined this was an important policies were all taken into account in issue for us to tackle. the determination of the federal budget because of these lobbying efforts. On a more local level, we are in the process of developing formal stances
Todd Birkhan, Chamber President and advocating plans on a number of issues as well. In 2011, we had our first high water event that, although Brandon stayed mostly dry, has had a lasting effect. At the time, Brandon became paralyzed as water washed up against a temporary dyke along 18th street. Businesses in the flood plain were evacuated, and the Brandon economy felt the effects, feeling that we were closed for business for an extended period of time. In 2014, we had a second high water event that limited access to Brandon. By this time, the permanent dyke built along 18th street played a crucial role in maintaining access to Brandon reducing the prospect of Brandon actually flooding. Yet, what was apparent when First Street was closed was that the local economy slowed to a trickle when reduced to the (Continued on page 6)
FROM THE GM DESK
GM REPORT
There is Power in Partnership
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n almost any kind of project or initiative, collaborating with others provides access to a broader range of resources, expertise and can be a catalyst for new ideas and innovation. The concept of collaboration is one that the Chamber embraces; the Chamber has been built on a network of partnerships and it can be said that the Chamber has been in the business of partnering and connecting people together since our inception.
of Manitoba (HRMAM) we are now in the process of planning an HR conference for late spring/early fall. Through further partnerships, Chamber members also benefited from discounted pricing at several additional workshops.
actively working with our elected officials is often more effective. To strengthen our relationship Events – The Brandon Chamber was with the city pleased to recently partner with WTC Win- council, for example, our board directors nipeg to host our second all day conference have been paired with city councillors to on business opportunities in the Bakken. discuss issues and open lines of communiThe Mayoral Candidate’s Debate, held in cation. In partnership with government, the Today, we remain committed to relationthe fall, was another event the Chamber private sector, public institutions and other ship and partnership building, and have provided in collaboration, this time with stakeholders can make our city, province identified it as one our priorities in our cur- local media partners. Of course, all our and country a great place to live, play, work rent strategic plan. We embrace this with events are sponsored by our membership, and do business in. our committees, advocacy, events, memand that partnership is vital for success. bership engagement and all aspects of the As a membership based organization, we Manitoba Chamber/Canadian Chamber– Chamber. are well versed in the collaborative power The Chamber Network is a great illustration of the collective. By being able to leverage Chamber Committees – Our Chamber com- of the power of collaboration. By working the diverse set of skills, knowledge and remittees are a great example of collaboratogether, we have a much bigger impact sources of not only our membership, but tion. Our advocacy committees are repre- and can advocate with a stronger voice on other community stakeholders, we can sented by a diverse group of dedicated indi- important issues that impact communities work together to be more efficient and viduals who work as a team to discuss isall across the country. more effective – ultimately providing you sues of concern and create action to admore events, stronger advocacy, increased dress those concerns. With the addition of Elected officials - As business advocates, we connections and further benefits for your raise issues of concern and make governour Ag and Workforce Development commembership! mittees we have enlisted and engaged with ment accountable, but we also believe proa new set of stakeholders, who bring a new set of skills, experiences and connections. Economic Development – The ultimate goal at the Chamber is to help create a positive economic environment for business to thrive and grow. The Chamber continuously works with various stakeholders in our advocacy efforts, and we are optimistic about renewed discussions for a broad community driven partnership. Workshop Forums – Over the last year, we have put greater focus on partnering to provide valuable professional development opportunities, particularly around key areas identified by members. In partnership with Economic Development Brandon and Entrepreneurship Manitoba, we have been able to offer low cost workshops on providing feedback and leveraging social media. With the help of Human Resource Management
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www.brandonchamber.ca
MEMBERSHIP ZONE
member
SPOTLIGHT The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Telexperts to our membership! Can you provide a description of your business services? We offer a full range of voice products (phone systems) from Mitel and Toshiba as well as data networking solutions and cloud services. We custom design every phone system to handle each clients unique requirements and provide unlimited training and 24 x 7 support. How long have you been in Business? 30 years. What are your business goals? Telexperts' goal is to provide the best mix of product, service and support that is available in the marketplace. We look forward to establishing long-term partnerships with you, our customer, supporting your company with the innovative and serviceoriented programs for which Telexperts is known.
How large is your business? We have installed over 3000 phone systems throughout Manitoba. Our clients range in size from 3 and 4 person medical or dental offices to large manufacturing companies such as New Flyer and Magellan Aerospace each with over 1000 phones. We have many clients in Brandon including Meighen Haddad, Canad Inn, and Trails West to name a few. What are your business hours? 8:30am-5:00pm Monday to Friday, evenings and weekends as needed, with 24/7 emergency service Where are you located? 400 B-1011 Rosser Avenue, downtown Brandon
Telexperts can be reached by phone at (204) 717-8400
Do you have a motto? The Telexperts advantage = Service + Experience
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Anytime Fitness 3000J Victoria Avenue Brandon, MB P: 204-717-7100 E: brandonmb@anytimefitness.com W: www.anytimefitness.com
Andrew Agencies 2533 Victoria Avenue Brandon MB P: 204-748-4842 E: chriskennedy@andrewagencies.com W: www.andrewagencies.com
SKIN Clinics 1031 Rosser Avenue Brandon MB P: 204-717-7546 E: jason@skinclinics.ca W: www.skinclinics.ca
March 2015
NEW! MEMBERSHIP REFERRAL PROGRAM Dine out on the Chamber by making a connection! Help us extend the value of the Chamber to other businesses in the area. By relating your success to your peers, colleagues and clients, you help spread the word about the Chamber’s services and benefits, and expand the network for all members.
What’s in it for you? Earn gift cards from of our members and have lunch Our Delicious Sponsors
on us!
Simply contact a business that would benefit from Chamber membership,
Tell the Chamber after making your connection and receive a gift card when the new members signs up. For more details email members@brandonchamber.ca or call 204-571-5344
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EVENTS
True North/WPG Jets Luncheon January 22, 2015
Bakken 2.0 Business Development Conference, Luncheon & Expo February 19, 2015
Chief operating officer, John Olfert of True North Sports and Entertainment spoke about the challenges and rewards bringing the NHL back to the province. The importance of building relationships in business was a key undertone of the presentation.
Building on the 2014 conference, this business development event took a deeper dive into how to tap into the opportunities in the oil sector. Attendees from Westman, Winnipeg, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, Ontario, & even Nigeria heard about the growth, demands and tools to fill the need in the Bakken region, which by all counts continues to grow. Speakers included:
Thank you to luncheon sponsor:
Social Media Workshop January 28, 2015 The Brandon Chamber of Commerce teamed up with Entrepreneurship Manitoba and Economic Development Brandon to bring a workshop that educated members on how to build and nurture an online community with content building tips, including free resources and the importance of authenticity of posts. The event was sold out!
State of the Industry Panelists: Bill Whitelaw of JuneWarren Nickel's Energy Group, Jason Rose of the Canada Office, Pennsylvania Dept of Community & Economic Development, Keith Lowdon of the Petroleum Branch, Province of Manitoba talked about geology, technology and economics as driving growth in the Bakken; Clark Grue of Rainmaker Global Business Development who spoke about entering the supply chain; Dean Bangsund who gave an outlook with the North Dakota State University 2014-2019 Oil Impacts Study that highlighted the long-term jobs required; Jeff Zarling of DAWA Solutions Group informed the audience that there was little evidence of a slow down in Williston; Our Keynote Luncheon Speaker Tom Rolfstad, the former Economic Development Director, City of Williston suggested there is room to drill approximately 80K wells supporting families for at least 3 generations; Afternoon panelists: Pete Nilsen of Middle Market Resources, Corey Stormoen of Resirkulere, and Rob Malo of Cadorath who gave tips and insight to compete in the industry; and Derek Earl of World Trade Centre Winnipeg who spoke of next steps for market entry. During the event, ACC president Mark Frison announced the introduction of high-end oilfield safety certification into the curriculum. The event wrapped with a networking reception. Thank you to our sponsors:
Friday Coffee @ the Chamber Members heard from special guests: Brandon City Mayor and Council, Brandon School Division Chair and Trustees, as well as the MB Liberal leader Rana Bokhari. This event is sponsored by:
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www.brandonchamber.ca
EVENTS
Sponsorship is limited, get your space by calling Hailey 204-517-5344
SEMINAR Winning in the New Media Economy advertiser seminar is designed to help you capture the opportunities that exist in the face of adversity Participants will learn: The business basics litmus test. The new media and traditional media mix. How to succeed without discounting. The roles of intrusive media versus passive media. The keys to unlocking advertising ROI. The Share of Market formula. How your customers define ‘value’.
Join us for Friday Coffee! 10:00am 10:00am--11:00am | Chamber Office
Friday Coffees promote the exchange of ideas and discussion. Open to all employees of member businesses, the Coffees are a great place to practice your networking skills in a casual setting.
Thursday March 12th 2015 8:30 to 11:00 am The Keystone Centre Facilitated by Wayne Ens Tickets are $95 per person or $75 for Brandon Chamber members For tickets please call 204.726.8888 or visit www.starfm.ca Presented by:
March 2015
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President’s Message (Cont’d from page 1)
single access route. With increased emphasis on Brandon being a regional hub, being somewhat closed and having people explore other options to meet their service and retail needs may have a lasting effect. As we headed into a winter with saturated land and staring into the face of another high water event in the future, it has become evident that high water events have become normal occurrences, not isolated to a one-in-three-hundred-year event. From this, we are in the works on a policy that states the city needs to endeavour on the feasibility of providing permanent protection for First Street.
still knocked into a long term repair once again. A wise man once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again with the expectation of a different result; our current plan to deal with high water at the golf course seems similar. Because of this, the chamber is in the process of crafting and advocating a policy that pushes the city to look at a permanent solution for the golf course, either dyke the course or move it to higher ground.
Finally, as I wrote about in a Chamber at a Glance article a couple of months ago, the Chamber is keenly interested in working The high water events have also effectively towards a paradigm shift with the planning destroyed our local golf course twice. In process in Brandon. Consistent application 2011, the damage was extreme; repair was of rules, timely processing of applications a long term project. In 2014, the course and an overall change in focus towards was finally approaching decent condition helping those who are building, rather than when the water came over the dykes again. getting in their way is important to make Although the damage wasn’t quite as Brandon appear open for business. severe this go around, the golf course was Because of the importance of this for
economic development, we have embarked down this road for development of a policy in this area as well. The development of policies that take issues- determined through solicitation of our membership, gaining an understandingdeveloped through research and reaching out to stakeholder groups and coming up with solution based positions can be effective tools for change. With each policy we intend to have a plan for advocating, as without this, policies can simply become good ideas with no influence. We look forward to the upcoming year and reaching to our membership for ideas and information as we grow in our advocacy.
Todd Birkhan President Todd can be reached at president@brandonchamber.ca
@BdnChamber 6
www.brandonchamber.ca
ASK THE EXPERT: UNDERREPRESENTED WORKFORCE
Meeting the Growing Needs of Employers In a time when a shortage of quality employees is front of mind for the business sector, Career Connections has strived to be ahead of the curve in meeting the ever growing need. Career Connections is a local non-profit organization with a mandate to find and secure quality and enriching employment opportunities for people with intellectual and physical challenges. Operating under the guidance of a Board of Directors and an Executive Director, the group has consistently maintained an over 80 percent success rate in placing employees with local businesses, a statistic that positions them as one of the greatest success stories in all of Canada when it comes to ensuring their clients as well as the employers needs are met.
Statistically speaking people with disabilities make up an ever growing portion of the labour market but are disproportionately represented in the unemployment sector often due to the stigma attached to hiring people with disabilities; this is where Career Connections hopes to calm some of the uncertainty around that observation. “Our organization has evolved over the past number of years to focus our resources and strategies on serving business in the community as well as our clients and it is beginning to payoff. Through membership in entities like the Brandon Chamber of Commerce we have been able to better position our organization to find success in the Brandon market”.
Career Connections generally manages the labour requirements of approximately 75To find this success, comprehensive services 100 clients at any given time and has been are offered to clientele which include placing people with organizations needing opportunities for on-the-job training as well quality employees for over twenty years. as acting as a liaison between the employer Winmill added that for an organization like and employee to ensure successful theirs to not become stagnant they must outcomes are met on both ends of the continue to evolve to serve the market in relationship. Through direct contact with new and innovative ways. “We have a lot of the employer, Career Connections staff is excitement building at Career Connections able to be proactive in assessing needs that and we are looking forward to sharing that may arise, as well as offering solutions in with local employers”. various situations. For more information about Career Finding the right career path can be difficult Connections, call Wade at (204) 728-9594. for many; a full service workplace assessment team utilizes hands on work samples to ensure clients are ready for employment, and seeking opportunities in the field of their choice. “We have identified many key areas in the Westman labour market where our clients have been very successful” says Wade Winmill Director of Marketing and Business Development for the organization. “Often one of the greatest strengths of our clientele is their eagerness to prove themselves in the workplace, and Westman businesses are beginning to see the benefit of hiring people with disabilities” added Winmill.
March 2015
Tuesday, March 17th, 2015
Faced with labour shortage? Looking for a diverse workforce? We may have the solution!
Set up your recruitment display from 9am -9pm at the Shoppers Mall and connect with aboriginal job seekers to enhance your business and find your next full, part-time or casual employee. Visit the Chamber Events Webpage
Last day for tickets March 12th
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Chamber at a Glance is published six times per year by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce 1043 Rosser Avenue | Brandon, MB R7A 0L5 Phone: (204) 571-5340 | Fax: (204) 571-5347
info@brandonchamber.ca www.brandonchamber.ca
EDITING & DESIGN Brandon Chamber of Commerce
PRINTING Leech Printing Ltd.
2014-2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Todd Birkhan—President BDO Canada LLP
Jordan Ludwig—Vice President
Looking for ways to improve the Essential Skills for your workforce... Workplace Education Manitoba (WEM) has worked with hundreds of clients throughout Manitoba to assist them with their training and development needs regarding Essential Skills in the workplace. What are Essential Skills? The 9 essential skills are the foundational skills you use to carry out your work tasks and they’re the building blocks you use to learn new ones. They include reading, document use, numeracy, writing, oral communication, working with others, thinking, digital technology, and continuous learning.
Brandon Business Interiors
Terry Burgess—Secretary/Treasurer RBC Royal Bank
Craig Senchuk—Past President AGRI-TREND Business Management
Frank Arndt myITsource.ca/MTS Connect - Corral Centre
Daniel A. Burns Burns Maendel Consulting Engineers Ltd.
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Greg Crisanti Tim Hortons
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How much will it cost? We’ll share the cost! Funding from our provincial and federal government partners allows us to share a portion of your training costs. Together, we can design and deliver the training edge that’s missing in your workplace. How do I find out more information? Simply contact the local Brandon WEST Centre at west.brandon@wem.mb.ca or by phone at (204) 726-6023.
Meighen Haddad LLP
Bonnie Nay-Draper Entrepreneurship Manitoba
Carla Milne MNP LLP
Lyndsay Murray Murray Auto Centre Brandon
Tyler Rice Powell Construction Ltd.
Jason Thorpe Thorpe Construction Ltd.
CHAMBER STAFF Carolynn Cancade General Manager
CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS In April, the Election Committee will be accepting nominations to stand for the election to the Board of Directors. Put your name forth and make a difference in the business community. Forms will be in the mail. For more information contact: Carolynn Cancade, General Manager 204-571-5342 | gm@brandonchamber.ca
The Chamber is the voice of business. Make your voice heard.
Becky Farguson Office Coordinator
Hailey Williamson Membership & Marketing Coordinator
Allison Reville Events & Communications Coordinator
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Who we are: The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is an independent, membership funded, non-profit organization that represents Brandon business from the grassroots level.
Our Mission: To encourage growth in the Brandon community by fostering a progressive business environment favorable to enhancing existing and attracting new business.
www.brandonchamber.ca