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The
Alberta Government raised the provincial minimum wage to $12.20 per hour on October 1, 2016. It has also reaffirmed its intention to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018.
Given the tremendous response we received on our first two surveys, the Alberta Chambers of Commerce and our network is conducting a third phase survey to identify the impacts to business as a result of the most recent increase and the anticipated impacts of a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2018.
The Government recognizes the ability of the chamber network to connect with members of the business community, and has asked us to provide and update on impacts to date and expected impacts of further changes to the minimum wage.
The input of our members is invaluable. The Alberta Chambers of Commerce collectively received over 2400 responses to Phase I and Phase ll of our Minimum Wage Survey. Our goal is to maintain this level of participation and we need your help to do it.
It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete the survey. The survey will close on Friday, December 16, 2016. Click
here to complete the survey.
We appreciate the participation of all of our members and thank you in advance for your help in conducting Phase IIl of the survey.
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As Canada faces an extended period of slow growth, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomes the focus on immigration and skilled workers recently announced by Finance Minister Morneau. Improved visa processing times for low-risk, high-skill talent and new work permit exemptions for people spending less than 30 days a year in Canada are both long-standing recommendations of the Chamber, and their implementation will help make Canadian businesses more competitive. The Canadian Chamber also welcomes the new trade and transport investments planned to start in 2017 - 2018. Economic growth is generated by competitive businesses that can easily get their goods to international markets, so the announcement on investments in trade infrastructure is welcome news.
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One of the biggest reasons employers do not train their employee's is cost. What would you
say if the government was willing to pick up 2/3rds of the bill?! Being Human Services has a Management Training Series that will help you and your employee's "Be Better... and Do Better"and the best part is that you will only need to pay 1/3rd of the cost!!! This 8 part series consists of one half-day class per month hosted at Being Human Services. You have the option to enroll into all 8 classes for a discounted price or pick and choose which classes will work best for you and your group:
Increasing Productivity and Performance through Positivity
Styles and Strategies for Dealing with Conflict
Four Sure-Fire Relationship Skills for Work and Life
Using MBTI to Understand and Appreciate Workplace Differences
Becoming an Employer of Choice-Human Resource Skills Essentials
Click here
for full schedule and to register.
Click here
to find out if you're eligible for the Canada Job Grant.
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The nomination process for Medicine Hat College's (MHC) Business Person of the Year Award is now open until Friday, January 27, 2017. The criteria focuses on finding an individual who resides or operates a business in southern Alberta; demonstrates a strong character and integrity through their success; has positively impacted the lives of others, including but not limited to: mentoring, supporting local programs, supporting local events and charities and sitting on boards; as well as displays substantiated experience as an established future-focused business. The Business Person of the Year will be receive their award and have an opportunity to speak at the Connecting Students to Business Dinner on March 30, 2017. For event details and to purchase your tickets visit the MHC website. Click here to fill out the online application form to be nominated for the Business Person of the Year.
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Historically, Chrome has not explicitly labelled HTTP connections as non-secure. Beginning in January 2017 (Chrome 56), Chrome will mark HTTP pages that collect passwords or credit cards as non-secure, as part of a long-term plan to mark all HTTP sites as non-secure.
Read more...
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The Short-Term Employment Forecast (STEF) was released by the Government of Alberta in November 2016 and provides a three-year overview of occupations expected to be in-demand during that period. This forecast helps bridge the gap between what is happening now in Alberta's economy and the government's 10-year, long-term labour forecast, the Occupational Demand and Supply Outlook 2015-2025. The long-term forecast examines which occupations are expected to grow and also the growth in the supply of labour. The STEF does not show potential labour shortages; it only examines occupations expected to be in demand. The forecast examines 450 occupations and ranks them in categories of high, moderately high, medium, and low demand. The goal is to provide a forecast considered more immediate than existing long-range forecasts.
Read more...
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On November 9th, the WCB Review Panel released their
Working Together: Progress Report. This report describes the major activities the Panel has undertaken since it was established in March 2016, and summarizes the input received. This report is only one milestone in the overall review, and is only intended to reflect key themes of what has been heard from stakeholders so far. The Panel has spent several months gathering the views of workers, employers, unions, industry associations, health professionals and other interested Albertans about the current strengths in the workers' compensation system and where they see opportunities for improvement. The panel is still welcoming input and ideas from Albertans, and will continue to receive submissions until January 3, 2017. In the coming weeks the Panel will be engaging with key stakeholders to help examine various areas in more detail, and to discuss possible ways to improve the system for the future. These discussions will help inform the Panel as they work towards producing their report and recommendations for the Government of Alberta in spring 2017.
Read More..
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The Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomes the signing of the historic Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and Europe, the first of a new generation of trade agreements. CETA goes far beyond traditional trade agreements and it enshrines environmental and social protections for signatory countries. Once the agreement is in effect, Canadian and European businesses will immediately profit from lower tariffs and enhanced access to larger markets. CETA eliminates or reduces tariff and non-tariff barriers, making Canadian goods, technologies and services more competitive in the lucrative EU market. The benefits of the agreement will reach businesses of all sizes in a wide range of sectors. The added economic activity and greater choice will also be beneficial to those companies' workers and their families, and to consumers. Overall, the agreement could inject over $12 billion of new revenue into the Canadian economy, boosting bilateral trade by 20 percent, according to a joint Canada-EU study.
Read more...
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The Government of Canada acknowledges the independent audit findings that both Visa and MasterCard have met their respective commitments to reduce credit card interchange fees, which include reductions of interchange fees for small and medium-sized enterprises and charities. In order to ensure that there is, in fact, adequate competition and transparency for Canadian businesses and consumers when it comes to the fees they incur when using credit cards, the Government will conduct a further assessment of the fees charged by credit card networks and review the effects of the fee reductions. The Government's continued oversight of the financial services sector aims to ensure that it remains stable and competitive, and that it meets the needs of consumers and businesses. Read the Finance Minister's Statement
here. Read the
Canadian Chamber of Commerce policy on Credit Card Merchant Fees
here.
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Today's global economy is characterized by accelerating disruption, deepening integration and increasing complexity. To succeed in such a tough environment, Canada needs to develop a society imbued with an innovation mindset and with the skills to match. In a new report entitled Generation Innovation, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce outlines recommendations for businesses, governments and post-secondary institutions to follow to lay a path to creating a workforce equipped for innovation and entrepreneurship that can not only adapt, but lead in a changing economy. Individually, no single group can shape national talent development to deliver the best ecosystem for innovation.
But through collaboration, businesses, governments and academia can create a variety of sustained talent development models necessary for Canada to not only compete but lead internationally. Find out more by clicking
here
to read the report.
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The new
Apprentice Training Award
is a $1,000 financial award for registered apprentices who are unemployed in their trade and attending second, third or fourth period technical training at an approved technical training provider in Alberta, on or after August 1st, 2016. To be eligible, an apprentice must:
- be registered in the Alberta apprenticeship program,
- be registered in a second, third or fourth period technical training class on or after August 1, 2016,
- be unemployed in their trade for at least 30 consecutive days immediately prior to the start of technical training, and
- not be a previous Apprentice Training Award recipient for the same training period.
Watch for further details in January 2017.
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In this edition of 5 Minutes for Business, Hendrik Brakel, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director, Economic, Financial and Tax Policy, analyzes the jaw-dropping results of the U.S. presidential election and asks the questions, what comes next and what does it mean for Canadian business?
Read
5 Minutes for Business to find out what needs to be top of mind for the Canadian government, diplomats and businesses moving forward.
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Avara Landscaping
is a Medicine Hat based full service landscape, hardscape, and lawn care company that strives for excellence in the design, installation and maintenance of custom creative landscaping, hard caping and lighting environments as well as outdoor drainage, lawn care and land maintenance, leaf removal and snow removal. Our team is committed to providing the service you demand, while bringing passion and art to every project. If it's a hardscaped patio with natural stone pavers, fire pits, stone benches, retaining walls or a secret garden, we'll make it happen. Whether you have a high end residential property or commercial property, our landscaping design services and lawn maintenance services will keep your property well manicured and looking its best.
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Historically, Medicine Hat's below-market natural gas prices have drawn industry to the city. It is still an advantage that needs to be exploited if the city is to grow and realize its full potential.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Medicine Hat realized that it had access to seemingly limitless natural gas that it could offer to industry at a low cost.
That offer was taken up, first by a booming manufacturing industry, and later by the petrochemical sector. Over time, inexpensive and abundant natural gas attracted a cluster of large petrochemical companies which are still in operation today.
Today, Medicine Hat is home to a nationally significant petrochemicals cluster. Here you will find Canada's largest nitrogen production facility, the only dedicated thermal carbon black manufacturer in the world, and one of two Alberta-based methanol plants (Alberta produces 95 per cent of Canada's methanol).
It's worth asking, how these industries landed in Medicine Hat. More importantly, how can we encourage more industry to locate in the city?
Read More..
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