Dear Chamber Members, I hope this message finds you well. As the General Manager of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, I am thrilled to kick off our Chamber Year with an exciting and highly anticipated event: a Leader’s Debate featuring the PC leader Heather Stefanson, NDP leader Wab Kinew, and the leader of the Liberal party, Dougald Lamont This event presents a unique opportunity for our community to engage with and hear from the leaders of our province's major political parties Advocacy is a core pillar of our chamber's mission, and hosting this Leader’s Debate aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing valuable opportunities to our community By bringing together these prominent political figures, we aim to facilitate meaningful discussions on important issues that impact our businesses and community as a whole. Here are some reasons why we are particularly excited about this event:
1. Promoting Civic Engagement: The leaders debate serves as a platform for our community members to actively participate in the political process. It allows them to gain insights into each party's vision and policies, empowering them to make informed decisions when casting their votes
2. Fostering Dialogue: The debate will create a space for open and constructive dialogue between the leaders and our community It is an opportunity for them to address concerns, share their perspectives, and engage in meaningful discussions on topics that matter to our businesses and residents
3. Showcasing Brandon: By hosting this high-profile event, we are putting Brandon in the spotlight It highlights our city as a vibrant and engaged community that plays a significant role in shaping the political landscape of our province.
4. Networking Opportunities: The leaders debate will bring together a diverse audience, including business owners, professionals, and community leaders. This event presents an excellent networking opportunity for our members to connect with like-minded
individuals, establish new partnerships, and expand their professional networks.
5. Member Driven Questions: Our questions for this debate came directly from our membership We believe in the importance of representing our members' interests and concerns, which is why we invited them to submit questions covering a wide range of topics These questions were then carefully reviewed and built upon by our Government Relations Committee to ensure they reflect the diverse perspectives and priorities of our membership By involving our members in the question selection process, we are excited to ask questions that truly represent their interests and address the issues that matter most to them. This approach ensures that our provincial leaders will be directly addressing the concerns and priorities of our chamber's membership.
As we embark on this exciting events season, I encourage you to mark your calendars for the Leaders Debate and spread the word among your colleagues and friends. Your active participation and support are crucial in making this event a success. In the coming months, we will continue to advocate for our members and provide valuable opportunities to strengthen our business community Stay tuned for more updates on upcoming events, educational programs, and initiatives aimed at enhancing the growth and success of our members Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce Together, we can make a positive impact on our community and foster a thriving business environment
Warm regards, Connor Ketchen General Manager Brandon Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 2015, North Forge Technology Exchange is a not-for-profit business incubator accelerator and innovation partner for Manitoba. They fuel Manitoba's innovation economy by providing founders with expert growth coaches, mentor, entrepreneurs-in-residence and more
We have helped over 300 companies to build and scale their businesses from ideation to Series A funding, creating over 1,300 jobs
Awards North Forge Has Received:
StartUp Canada Canadian Entrepreneur Support Award 2016
StartUp Canada Prairies Entrepreneur Support Awards 2016
StartUp Canada National Community of the Year Award 2018
North Forge was a finalist for the Workplace Culture Award at the Winnipeg Chamber Spirit of Winnipeg Awards in 2022.
First incubator accelerator to provide micro-credentials.
First incubator accelerator to adopt an online platform for reporting sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination through REES.
We have recently expanded our Fabrication Lab Space in Winnipeg to add another 2,500 sq ft of space! This expansion will house a storefront for our makers, a coworking area, a coffee bar, a Design Room, and much more! In the past year, we have launched 3 new programs to support entrepreneurs Global Entrepreneurship Initiative is a remarkable program consisting of 32 on-demand webinars and extensive resources accessible through a portal designed to support and educate innovative entrepreneurs who wish to start a business in Canada While the program is open to everyone, the primary focus is on women entrepreneurs in tech, advanced manufacturing or STEM We are committed to providing a safe and culturally inclusive environment for women!
WiLab™ was built to empower and inspire women who aspire to build a startup. WiLab will provide women entrepreneurs with top-of-the-line resources and a team of expert mentors ready to guide and support you every step of the way. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this is the perfect place to turn your ideas into reality.
Advanced Manufacturing Lab (AMLab™) Designed to empower start-ups with the essential resources needed to transform their innovative concepts into reality, AMLab is committed to guiding founders through every step of their product's journey – from the initial spark of an idea to successful commercialization. Teaming up with the North Forge Founders Program, we're here to equip participants with the knowledge and experience required to navigate the intricate manufacturing landscape while sidestepping those costly pitfalls that can stall the growth of even the most brilliant ventures
What are your future goals?
We are dedicated to continuing to support the innovative entrepreneurial community in Manitoba and across Canada
As our Global Entrepreneurship Initiative continues to grow we are hoping to bring a number of international tech-enabled startups to Manitoba
Stay tuned for the announcement of an intellectual property program coming in the Fall of 2023!
World Financial Group - Brian Burrows
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As a first step, look at your activities and identify where the tool can help them. This is less about the industry in which you operate and more about the tasks people in your business complete.
AI is here to stay and it will impact every facet of society—small and medium businesses included. Take time to learn about ChatGPT and consider the ways it could help your business in the future.
CHATGPT: WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS PIERRE CLÉROUX VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN PASTRIKOS DIRECTOR ET AL ,Now it's time to narrow down what data you hope to generate with the tool. ChatGPT provides better responses when there's a lot of information on the Web for what you ' re searching for.
It’s not too early to start talking about this with your employees. They can help you identify activities in your business where ChatGPT could help in the future.
EconomicReconciliationisaprocessofaddressing the historic and ongoing economic harms against Indigenous peoples in Canada. It involves working towards creating a more equitable and inclusive economythatrecognizesandsupportsIndigenous peoples' right to self-determination, lands, resources,andcultures.
SupportingIndigenouspeoples'self-determinationineconomicdevelopment EnsuringthatIndigenouspeopleshaveaccesstoeducation&trainingtoparticipate intheeconomy
SupportingIndigenous-ledeconomicdevelopmentinitiatives
PromotingIndigenouspeoples'accesstojobs,economicopportunities,andbusiness Recognizing&respectingIndigenouslandandresourcerights
taking actiontosupporteconomicreconciliation,businessescanplayakeyrolein creatingamoreequitableandjustsocietythatbenefitseveryone. BUSINESS
It is important for us at the Brandon Chamber of Commerce to talk about reconciliation because it is a critical issue facing Canada's Indigenous peoples and businesses today. By engaging in conversations and
It’s no secret that businesses are currently facing many challenges, but did you know that digital adoption can help solve many of these? It can help boost productivity, resolve operational issues, increase sales, and create superior customer experiences. The data obtained from digital technologies can also be used to gain critical insights, engage customers more effectively and boost employee efficiency.
This is why the Government of Canada launched the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), which helps SMEs speed up their digital adoption to increase their competitiveness and productivity
The program offers two options:
(If your revenues are less than $500K)
Grow Your Business Online helps consumer-facing businesses take advantage of e-commerce opportunities by providing micro-grants of up to $2,400 This money helps entrepreneurs adopt digital technologies and access advisors who can provide guidance on how to adopt e-commerce
For more information, visit: https://www bdc ca/en/canada-digital-adoption-program
(If your revenues are between $500K and $100MM)
Eligible businesses can receive a 0% loan of up to $100,000 to implement their digital adoption plan. This loan can cover the purchase (or upgrade) of IT equipment, staff training, material and support services related to technology, in addition to advisory services. CDAP even covers 90% of the costs of hiring a digital advisor who will help you build a digital plan tailored to your business (up to $15k ).
During the development of your digital adoption plan, an advisor will assess your current digital capabilities and help you build a roadmap that will steer your technology investments for the future. This plan will also identify technologies that are best suited to your business needs. You will be able to select a digital advisor from a list provided by CDAP, which includes experts from BDC’s advisory services
For more information, please call your BDC Account Manager
Trent Clayton at trent clayton@bdc ca or visit https://www bdc ca/en/canada-digital-adoption-program
1 Loan amount is based on size of business: Business with revenues between $500,000 and less than $5M can request a loan between $25,000 and $50,000, Businesses with revenues $5M and more can request a loan between $25,000 and $100,000 Loan only available upon completion of an approved digital adoption plan In addition to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's (ISED) approval process, applicants must meet BDC’s credit worthiness and eligibility criteria to get a 0% interest loan Five-year term loan with the possibility to postpone principal payments for 12 months at the start of the loan
