History

While You Worked in Your Business, the Chamber Worked for You!

As a member of the Yorkton Chamber in 2022, you viewed the membership as an investment in your business. As a Chamber member, you were able to work on your business while the Chamber looked after the bigger concerns facing businesses in Yorkton and area.  The Chamber Board and Staff are proud of the work they did in 2022 for the betterment of the community.  Below is a summary of the 2022 highlights.

Advocacy:  Informing the various orders of government of policies or legislation having an impact on the business community:

• In early January, as the omicron variant of covid was spreading, the Yorkton Chamber commended the government of SK for not enacting additional health measures that would adversely affect the business community
• A letter of support for the provider of a small modular reactor (SMR) to Sask Power was sent to the Minister of the Environment
• The Business Development committee engaged in a telephone conversation with Hon. Jeremy Harrison, Minister of Trade & Export Development to discuss the labour shortage in the area
• The Policy committee met with City Council twice this year to discuss issues and opportunities facing the business community
• The Bus Dev committee met with reps from the Parkland College; CTTS Division; SH High School; and the Apprenticeship Program to discuss how the education system and apprenticeship programs could address the labour shortage in the region
• Met with Staff Sgt Burton Jones to discuss how the RCMP can work with the business community
• Continued to support the coalition of Chambers, led by the Saskatoon Chamber, requesting that the Government of SK review the current property tax system and address its weaknesses
• Policy committee has been working with the city on a downtown parking review
• The Policy committee met with 3 local MLAs – Greg Ottenbreit, Terry Dennis and Warren Kaeding – to discuss a number of topics relevant to the area’s business community
• The Bus Dev committee has met several times with the Parkland College to discuss College programming and the needs of the business community
• Mike Stackhouse, Chamber Past President and Juanita Polegi, ED attended the Sask Chamber’s President’s Invitational Dinner.  Mike was at the table with the Deputy Minister of Highways; while Juanita sat with the Deputy Minister of Advanced Education
• Numerous letters sent to provincial ministries reacting to policies affecting the local business community

Education & “Linking”: Providing members with the opportunities to grow their businesses through enhanced learning and linking with other businesses

• Following the Chamber’s AGM, members had the opportunity to ask questions of a panel of Directors about the purpose and work of the Chamber
• Chamber Business Lunches on topics such as: upcoming tax changes; update from the Opposition Leader; update on the YQR Airport; update from Ottawa from our local Member of Parliament; and the impact of the expanded PST
• 23^rd Annual Business Dinner where Guest Speaker Murad Al-Katib encouraged entrepreneurism and pointed out the great potential for economic growth in both Saskatchewan and Yorkton
• Celebrate Success Business Awards where business excellence was celebrated and awards were presented in 14 categories

Let the Chamber Work for Your Business in 2023