The City of Medicine Hat has sent out Assessment Request for Information (ARFI) forms to non-residential property owners, which must be submitted by July 3, 2018. Pursuant to Provincial Legislation, the July 1, 2018, market value of property will form the basis of the 2019 tax assessment and all properties must be assessed annually. Your assessment value is one of the factors used to calculate your property tax amount. The other factor is the tax rate (mill rate) which is set each year by our municipal council. Current information supplied by property owners assists in obtaining more accurate data and helps to reach a fair and equitable assessment. Read more

The City of Medicine Hat along with their contractors completed Phase 1 of the Airport Runway 03-21 and Taxiway A Rehabilitation Project in November 2017. Phase 1 included the replacement of the subsurface drainage system and airfield electrical system. Phase 2 of the project has begun with the rehabilitation of the airport's main runway and taxiway pavement surface. Project personnel have been working with the various stakeholders to minimize disruption to airport operations. Construction began on May 7, 2018 and will wrap up on May 31, 2018 at 10 p.m. Businesses inside the airport will remain open during the rehabilitation project. Read more

Farmers and ranchers are invited to share stories, educate and expand their markets as hosts for Alberta Open Farm Days on August 18 and 19. Producers and ag-tourism operators can sign up using an online registration form available here. The deadline for application forms is May 31, 2018. Last year's Open Farm Days included 101 host farms, more than 20,000 visits and $146,000 in on-farm sales. Alberta Open Farm Days is a partnership of Alberta Culture and Tourism, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies, the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance and Travel Alberta.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has released its Episode 8: Small Business Deduction - Defining Active Business podcast. This is the second part of a conversation on the small business deduction, this time discussing the difference between active business income and income from a specified investment business or personal services business. You can listen to the podcast on the Government of Canada website, iTunes of Google Play. If you have questions, feedback or suggestions for future topics related to the podcast, email the CRA at podcast@cra-arc.gc.ca.

With legal marijuana just around the corner, employers need to be aware of their rights and responsibilities. Organizations and HR professionals need to answer questions regarding acceptable level of use, required policies and procedures, and violation of rules. Adam Czarnecki, CPHR, will lead a discussion on the myths and realities of cannabis usage in the workplace, including types of cannabis products, medical marijuana, recreational uses, human rights vs privacy vs safety, and workplace readiness. To register click here.

In this edition of 5 Minutes for Business, Mark Agnew, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Director, International Policy, examines the looming threat of steel and aluminum tariffs being imposed by the United States. Despite receiving a temporary exemption - along with the European Union and Mexico - until June 1, Canada should be fully and permanently exempted from tariffs, quotas or other measures designed to reduce the cross-border flow of steel and aluminum products. Read more

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership has a new website and is now accepting applications for four programs. The Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion federal-provincial-territorial investment in agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector that began in April 2018. It is the successor of the 2013-18 Growing Forward 2 partnership. The Partnership features simplified and streamlined programs and services that are easier to access. The new website features information and the application process for programs and services. Read more

As part of the Alberta Jobs Plan, the Alberta Government launched the Community and Regional Economic Support (CARES) program in 2016 to promote growth in Alberta's communities and regions. Through Budget 2018 the CARES program has been extended to 2020. The next application intake for the program will be open on June 1 and close on June 30. Read more