While You Worked in Your Business, the Chamber Worked for You!
Membership in the Chamber of Commerce is an investment in your business. While you’re busy working to grow and expand your business, the Chamber is at work to make sure the business climate is the best it can be. As the “voice of business in Yorkton”, the Chamber has undertaken a number of advocacy efforts on behalf of the local business community and offered several educational and networking events.
Below is a summary of 2019’s highlights:
Advocacy – Informing the various orders of government when policies or legislation are having an impact on the business community:
- Met with City Council twice; Met with Cathay Wagantall, MP; Met twice with Hon. Greg Ottenbreit
- Letter to MP and Senate re: the need for the construction of the oil pipeline
- Letter to MP and Canadian Chamber of Commerce re: the need to resolve the trade disruption between Canada and China which is negatively impacting sales of canola and other agricultural products important to eastern Saskatchewan producers
- Letter to MP and Federal Government and Senate re: carbon tax on energy to dry grain,
- Letter to Mayor & Council re; supporting the need for a roundabout at Darlington and Mayhew
- Letter to Hon. Lori Carr re: funding to the Yorkton Regional Airport through the Community Airport Program
- Attended each City Council meeting to keep informed about the City
- Advocated for local businesses on a variety of issues
Education & Networking Events for Members – A number of events were held to enable businesses to network and learn:
- A highly successful first-ever Business Summit was held
- 21st Annual Chamber Business Dinner with John Gormley was also a big success
- Two Chamber on Tap events with guest speakers Wayne Rusnak and Dave Nussbaumer
- All Candidates’ Forum held for the Federal Election
- Profiled the young entrepreneurs from the YRHS enrolled in Junior Achievement
- Guest Speaker Roy Prevost shared ideas on creating customer service stars
- The RCMP and Fire Protective Services talked about their initiatives in the City
- Business Lunch Speakers included Hon. Donna Harpauer, Minister of Finance spoke about the Provincial Budget; The Mayor delivered his State of the City Address at the Chamber’s AGM; Ryan Meili, Leader of the Opposition and Trent Wotherspoon shared their visions for the province; Guest speakers from the Global Transportation Hub; Regina Airport Authority; Sask Health Authority; and SAMA
- Presentation of 4 Honourary Life Memberships
- Videos of members on YouTube and Facebook
- Recognition of 20 – 25 year Chamber members
- Met with Zagime First Nation; Visited Kahkewistahaw First Nation
- Met with new Parkland College CEO Mark Hoddenbagh
- Presented a Scholarship to a student enrolled in Business Admin at the College
- Began the Chamber Book Club
- Signed the Sask Health & Safety Leadership Charter