201404

April 2014

“Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.�

Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce April 2014

Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce

Social Media www.facebook.com/princealbertchamber

Get in Touch Tel: 306-764-6222 Email: admin.pachamber@sasktel.net

A Message from the CEO Merle Lacert

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Hello Members: I am sure all of us are eagerly awaiting spring weather to set in. With the spring season comes renewal and the renewal of budgets. We have seen new budgets from all levels of governments: Federal, Provincial and Municipal.

All three budgets had a reoccurring theme of modestly and moderate spending to address the various deficits that affect many regions. The Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce did present our 2014 tax recommendation to the City of Prince Albert. Although we have not seen any uptake regarding our recommendations, we will continue all efforts to stress the importance of completing efforts to increase the competitiveness of our community.

Our full 2014 recommendations are included in this newsletter for your perusal.

As our region is still grappling with various challenges from Healthcare to infrastructure to labour shortages, the Chamber will once again look to establish priorities that the Chamber will look to champion and collaborate on. Some examples of these efforts include: continuing our partnership with the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division to establish a Prince Albert Industry Education Council. This initiative will look to strengthen the engagement and supports to assist kids in expanding their awareness of skills and trades and assist then in defining career paths at an earlier age. This would be accomplished through experiential learning, combined with mentoring and support from business or industry. Other interests will include defining capital priorities for our region, such as supporting the need to define plans for a new hospital to serve our region, to advocating for the creation of an infrastructure plan that will identify the infrastructure priorities for our region. I am sure we are all aware of the struggles we recently faced in regards to our Diefenbaker Bridge; however, our infrastructure deficit is larger than a single bridge. An infrastructure growth plan would need to identify strategies, solutions and timelines to address the critical network of highway interchanges and crossings that our region will require to ensure we are connected and able to facilitate the growth that is expected.

We are also proudly looking to celebrate our local successes with our upcoming Samuel McLeod Business Awards, where 33 business finalists are competing for a total of 12 business category awards. I encourage everyone to come join us and take time to celebrate our regions successes.

I encourage all members to check out our events calendar and to join us at our upcoming events. As always, I encourage all members to contact the Chamber with any questions or feedback. We appreciate all feedback, as it assists in our awareness or confirmation on our efforts.

Sincerely Merle Lacert

Executive Officers Chairman Mike Mitchell Tyrone Pest Control First Vice Chairman Larry Fladager 2nd Vice Chair Shelley L. Cannon Wilcox and Chovin Law Office Secretary/Treasurer Gord Jahn MNP Board Appointed George Vass Prince Albert & District Community Futures Board Appointed Jayne Remenda Prince Albert Tourism

Elected Board Members Darwin Zurakowski Sask. Rivers School Division Greg Breeze Affinity Insurance Robert Bratvold Sask. Rivers School Division Bruce Vance P.A. Raider Hockey Club Shayne Lazarowich

Prince Albert Multicultural Council

Ian Litzenberger Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy Meghan Mayer Salon Six

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2014 Compensation Institute successful The 2014 CI was held in Regina March 24 & 25. Thank you to everyone who attended the 17 th Annual Event.

2014 Safe Employer and Safe Worker Awards 2014 Safe Employer and Safe Worker Awards were presented on March 25 during Compensation Institute. Workplace peers and colleagues nominate the recipients of these awards and a committee for each category then adjudicates the nominations.

Committee members include representation from the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board, the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, the Saskatchewan Safety Council, and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering.

2014 Safe Employer Award The WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Employer award is given to an employer who shows leadership in health and safety.

The 2014 Safe Employer winner is Cenovus Energy. The two finalists for the 2014 Safe Employer Award were LK Auto, Regina and The Canadian Salt Company, Belle Plaine.

Visit worksafesask.ca to view past Safe Employer winners and learn more about the Safe Employer award.

2014 Safe Worker Award The WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker award is given to a worker who helps create a safer workplace by identifying hazards and introducing new safety initiatives.

The 2014 WorkSafe Saskatchewan Safe Worker award winner is Calvin Greenstien, from Novozymes BioAg. The two finalists for the 2014 Safe Worker Award were -------------------- Shane Kivol of Mosaic Potash, and Debra Bowman, of Kerrobert Integrated Health Care.

Visit worksafesask.ca to view past Safe Worker winners and learn more about the Safe Worker award.

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2014 Tax Recommendations From reviewing the 2014 General Fund Budget, the Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce is encouraged to see evidence of the due diligence that occurred this year, in regards to limiting increases and it efforts to implement some decreases.

In regards to this critical planning, the Chamber continued to advocate for the creation of short & long term strategic plans. These critical plans are needed to guide our city into the future. Some of these plans may exist and if so, we encouraged the City of Prince Albert to share them with the community, in the hopes of collectively promoting our great community, not only on what it is, but what it will become. Significant examples of such plans would be; Capital, Infrastructure, Housing, Healthcare, and other Core Services.

Taxation Policy We continued to encourage the City of Prince Albert to collaborate with business to create a Taxation policy that is equitable, and encompasses three main taxation principles; Timely 2. Transparent 3. Competitive Of these three (3) principles, the Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce believes that in order to achieve strong growth of our commercial sector that the City of Prince Albert must focus on improving our taxation competitiveness.

Competitiveness can be achieved or increased through a broad base of strategies and measures. These include: Tax Ratios- The Canada West Foundation acknowledges the ideal ratio being 1.43, compared against Prince Albert’s ratio of approximately 3.0. This means that Business pays three dollars in tax to every one dollar that residents pay. The commercial sector also utilizes less city services than other taxation classes.

A competitive Tax Ratio will create a more attractive business and investment environment for the City of Prince Albert. A competitive tax ratio would greatly assist in driving growth and would result in expanding our tax base over time.

Taxation Balance We encourage the City of Prince Albert to incorporate a healthier balance in regards to the taxation burden placed upon the commercial sector, for the purpose of funding the Municipal Roadways Tax. The massive volume of roadway improvements, places an extreme burden on the commercial sector.

Prince Albert’s Roadway Maintenance budget equates to 1% of the total budget.

Prince Albert’s dedicated Municipal Roadways Tax accounts for just over 6% of the total 2014 General Fund budget. The volume of planned paving improvements combined with the funding structure of a flat tax for residents and ad valorem or valuation for commercial, results in a tax model that places an extreme burden on the commercial sector. Suggestions that could assist the City in achieving a balanced funding model for the Municipal Roadways.

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Tax are: Reform the current Municipal Roadways tax funding model to one that does not place a disproportionate burden on the commercial sector.

Dedicate a larger portion of roadway work to the general fund budget, which would then be applied through the mill rate.

Continue to increase the due diligence that administration and Council have been completing in regards to funding projects and operations, thereby decreasing the amount of funding needed through taxation. Measures such as these would reduce the current in-balance that exists, and would result in a sustainable taxation model that is better balanced.

Efficiencies: We recommended comparing current expenditures against the return on investments or the cost of providing a service. Some governments have found it more efficient to procure versus produce; a relevant example from the City of Prince Albert has been the shift in focus from developing land or saleable lots, to working with developers to produce these saleable lots. We support continued efforts to review other business cases, where it may be advantageous to procure versus produce.

We support continued efforts to reduce the cost of this municipal government through initiatives such as the efforts to reduce electrical and gasoline costs for the city.

Increasing alternate revenues Appropriate user fees for city facilities- The chamber supports efforts to reduce the required subsidy’s on some of the city’s public facilities.

The Chamber encouraged the city to review opportunities to utilize provincial or federal grants that can assist the city in completing various projects or assessments. If a good fit, things such as P3’s or pursuing grants such as the Community Airport Partnership, can assist Prince Albert to achieve more with less of a financial burden.

Overall the Chamber recommended that the City of Prince Albert maintain a competitive awareness to look for opportunities where a business decision can also result in increasing the overall competitiveness of the City’s taxation model. As an example, the City has been exploring the option of creating a new taxation class of “Country Residential” – the basis of this initiative is to lower the applied mill rate for this class, in order to grow the base over time. We encouraged the City to apply this same concept in regards to growing our commercial base. IE Tax Ratios The Chamber wishes to stress the critical importance of business in building and sustaining a community. It is customers that create jobs, and that all tax revenues result from business transactions.

That is why it is so critically important to ensure a healthy and vibrant business sector exists to support our community as we grow.

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Samuel McLeod Legacy Brunch

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Samuel McLeod Legacy Brunch

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CMC Luncheon

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PRINCE ALBERT

RAIDERS

Enter for your chance to win a $100,000 small business grant Explain the biggest challenge your business faces today and how a $100,000 grant would help you Ctrl & Click the Logo to Enter overcome it. Our panel of business experts will review every entry, and if the most compelling is yours, you'll win a $100,000 business grant from TELUS. Plus, your company will be profiled in the pages of the Report on Business.

The $100K is for the national grand prize winner, and there are prizes for the finalists as well as a regional winner from Saskatchewan/Manitoba.

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32 business finalists competing for one of twelve category awards.

Join us as we celebrate business excellence in our community. This gala evening includes a pre-awards Champagne Reception, Awards Show and a Scrumptious Dinner.

Bring your family & friends to make it a evening to remember!

You have worked all so hard. It is time to celebrate your success.

S P O N S O R S

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WHITROW STOBBS & ASSOCIATES Professional Accountants

April 2014

RELIABLE ADVICE & SOLUTIONS 144 12th St. East Prince Albert Phone: 306.764.2773 ...ACCOUNTING...TAXATION...CORPORATE SERVICES...

Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce

 Financial

Statements  Corporate

Tax  Audits

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Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors As a proud member of the Prince Albert community, our team of chartered accountants and business advisors continue to grow to meet your unique needs.

National in scope and local in focus, we take the time to understand your challenges and deliver personalized solutions that help you achieve your goals.

Our diverse services include: 

Assurance

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Consulting

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Corporate Finance

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Corporate Recovery & Insolvency



Enterprise Risks

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Investigative & Forensic Services

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Succession

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Tax & Specialty Tax

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Valuation & Litigation Support

For more information contact a local MNP advisor at 306.764.6873 April 2014

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Dr. S. Khan Medical Prof. Group Kachurs Golf Course Paris Jewelers

Congratulations Renewed Chamber Members for April                

Abrametz & Eggum Affinity Credit Union – Prince Albert Branch Anderson Motors Asiil Enterprises Ltd. Associated Engineering Sask Ltd. Canadian Red Cross Society DMD Entertainment Farm Credit Canada First General Services Frank Dunn Trailer Services Glenmor Inc. Hesje Cabinets RM of Buckland No. 491 Merit Contractors Association Molson Canada Neighborhood Caterers (Shellbrook)

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P.E. Advertising Paris Jewelers Prakash Consulting Ltd. Prince Albert Family Church Pronto Airways Ramada Prince Albert S.H.A.R.E. S.O.S. Electrical Sask Party - Sask Rivers Sasktel St. Joseph Parish Sylken Confectionary The Cooperators The Mann Art Gallery Unitech Office Solutions

Your continued support of the Chamber movement makes it possible for us to achieve on your behalf, and we want you to know we appreciate you as members!

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Calendar of Events April 2014 Sun

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Prince Albert Prince Albert CosCosmopolitan mopolitan Home & Home & Leisure Leisure Show & Sale Show & Sale

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13 Prince Albert Cosmopolitan Home & Leisure Show & Sale

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Samuel McLeod Business Awards April 17th 2014

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Small Business Coffee Networking Group

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The Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan is the #1 plan in Canada!

For employee benefits, covering over 25,000 small businesses across the country.

ALL types of businesses are eligible for the program no industry exclusions! Call 306-922-4414 today to find out how much money your business can save!

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Prince Albert & District Chamber of Commerce 3700 — 2nd Avenue West Prince Albert, SK S6W 1A2

Chamber Staff Merle Lacert CEO Danica Jesse Executive Assistant

T: 306.764.6222 F: 306.922.4727 www.princealbertchamber.com

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