Thank you for supporting the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce! Read on for information from our Chamber network.
Our Member Marketplace on Thursdays highlights our Chamber businesses. Email tom@gpchamber.com with your ads.
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The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting a City of Grande Prairie Municipal Election All-Candidates Forum on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 online via Zoom.
All candidates for Mayor and Councilor in the October 18 Municipal Election in the City of Grande Prairie are invited to take part.
The forum will begin at 6:00 PM. There is no cost to participate but registration is required to receive the Zoom link. You can also pre-submit general questions directed at all candidates to news@gpchamber.com.
The evening will include an introduction of candidates for Council, a question period, and closing statements, followed by introduction of candidates for Mayor, another question period, and their closing statements.
The forum will close at 9:00 PM.
The Chamber is also planning a County of Grande Prairie Municipal Election Forum for October 6 via Zoom.
More details to be announced.
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October 17-23.
Nominations for our Grande Prairie Chamber Awards of Distinction are now open until Friday, September 24, 2021.
You can either nominate YOUR OWN business OR nominate ANOTHER business for one of eight awards.
We will contact the nominated business directly to determine if they accept the nomination (if not SELF-nominated) and to follow up with them for supporting information. Tell us the name of the business, in what category you feel they are deserving, and why. If you’re not sure what category would be the best fit, nominate them anyway for being awesome and we will work with them to find the one that suits them best!
Events being planned include:
October 18 - Small Business Week Kickoff
October 19 - Women in Business Lunch
October 20 - Rotary Lunch
October 21 - Grande Prairie Awards of Distinction
For sponsorship information and registration inquiries, please contact
Cindy Simigan, Events and Community Partnerships, by email cindy@gpchamber.com or phone 780-532-5340.
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The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce has a Ribbon Cutting set for Wednesday, September 15 hosted by Broker Age General Insurance.
The location is 11725 105 Street, Grande Prairie.
The Ribbon Cutting ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 PM.
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Chamber Community Pulse Series RETURNS
The Grande Prairie area has a robust and diverse economy. The Community Pulse series is designed to provide updates and insights from a variety of the industries, sectors, and organizations that make up the fabric of our unique and incredible community. Join us for this weekly series, helping us to share valuable information about our region and the people who make it special.
This week's session on Wednesday, September 15 at 10:00 AM, we will hear an update from Jason Krips, President and CEO of the Alberta Forest Products Association.
There is no cost to participate but registration is required to receive the Zoom link.
FUTURE SESSION PRESENTERS:
September 22 - Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
September 29 - Municipal District of Greenview Economic Development
October 6 - County of Grande Prairie Economic Development
THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTING PARTNERS: City of Grande Prairie Economic Development, County of Grande Prairie Economic Development, Grande Prairie Regional Innovation Network and TC Energy; AND OUR SUPPORTING PARTNERS: Chambers Plan represented by local broker HUB International, Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region, GetintheLoop Grande Prairie, and Municipal District of Greenview.
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COVID-19 RAPID TESTING KITS FOR BUSINESSES
The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Chambers of Commerce to provide complimentary COVID-19 rapid testing kits to small and medium-sized businesses. By frequently testing employees, businesses can stop outbreaks before they happen, keeping employees and customers safe.
* A Chamber membership is NOT required.
Register for the Program
Please download the Alberta Rapid Screening Tests Business Application form, carefully read the form as well as the terms and conditions, and should you wish to proceed, complete the form in full and email to info@gpchamber.com with the email subject line: Rapid test program participant application
Once we have received your completed form we will review and return a signed copy for your records, along with instructions on how and when to pick up your testing kits.
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The Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association, Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, and GetintheLoop are pleased to announce an exciting new opportunity for tourism-based companies to promote their business. Apply now to receive six months free access to GetintheLoop’s premium Partnership Plan and expanded awareness across the Grande Prairie region.
Through this partnership, Grande Prairie Tourism and GetintheLoop will create a unique Discover GP “Loop”. It will be established to help bring together local businesses and new customers, on one established app. This will make it easier for local residents and visitors to connect with businesses online, by phone, or in-person. Local business offers will also be visible on the Grande Prairie Regional Tourism website and getintheloop.ca.
There are only 20 spots available, so fill out the application form today - it’s quick and easy. This project is also supported by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce and the Government of Canada Shop Local Fund.
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Contact our office for more information on the Partnership Plan:
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NEW CHAMBERS PLAN ADVISOR! |
Our Chamber is pleased to welcome Liam Moon as the new Chambers Plan employee benefits advisor for Grande Prairie and area! Liam can be reached through HUB International.
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The GPRC Business and Office Administration Department is looking to incorporate work-based learning in the classroom for students to develop the needed skills demanded by today’s employers. Work-based learning allows student teams to apply their learning to a real-world organization and collaborate with industry professionals to drive insights around course relevant topics. Current GPRC projects are hosted on Riipen, a technology platform that facilitates experiential learning opportunities.
The Accounting Information Systems class (BA2620) is currently recruiting two to three more regional businesses to participate in developing or updating their business continuity plan. A business continuity plan should be in place to ensure that an organization is prepared to deal with different types of uncontrollable events. Maintaining an up-to-date business continuity plan helps ensure that your organization has the needed resources and information in place if unforeseen events occur.
Does your organization have a formal business continuity plan? If yes, is this plan current? In this project, a team of student-consultants will use their knowledge to assist your organization in developing a business continuity plan. Upon completion of the project, you will receive a two - three page report with recommendations and a 15-minute virtual presentation.
For more information about the GPRC Business Continuity Project on Riipen, please visit the following link at https://app.riipen.com/courses/rVnx5Zzj/details. Please contact Abigail Head by September 20th if your organization would be interested in participating. I may be reached by phone at 780-539-2712 or by email at ahead@gprc.ab.ca.
Your interest in this project and participation is greatly appreciated.
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Our Product ScaleUp Program Pilot 2.0 offers successful Alberta applicants the opportunity to access nondilutive funding to subsidize the hiring of a critical employee.
• Qualified applicants represent high potential, high growth, small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
• The Program financially supports employees with expertise in developing, commercializing, and scaling digital technology.
• Supported SME’s must have technologies with strong product validation, proven product-market fit, and a robust commercialization strategy.
• Qualified SMEs may be eligible for up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funding over a maximum one-year term.
• Successful Applicants will receive access to a peer-to-peer networking and community platform, ongoing virtual product management training for the leadership team and Associate, and access to training materials throughout the term of the program.
• Application deadline is October 7, 2021.
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Engagement top priority for growing municipal partnerships
In a recent Alberta Chambers of Commerce (ACC) survey, business engagement topped the list of job creators' priorities for growing municipal partnerships. Ninety-six per cent of respondents identified engagement with the business community as a priority, with more than 50 per cent selecting this as their number one priority from a list of four.
The survey, which received 172 responses, asked respondents to rank their top three priorities for growing partnerships between their business community and municipality. It was conducted through the Alberta Perspectives research program as part of the ACC's 2021 municipal Vote Prosperity campaign, relating to campaign pillar two: growing business partnerships.
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Cyber Security and Business Survey
Your input will help inform the development of cyber security resources that will protect your business. Responses are confidential and personal information will not be shared.
The survey will take ~6 minutes to complete and will close on September 16, 2021, at 4:00pm MT
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More funding to increase health-care capacity
Up to $36 million in new funding will improve wages and create additional workforce capacity to allow more Albertans to receive care outside of hospitals and free up resources to treat COVID-19 patients during the fourth wave.
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$340 million for Alberta ranchers due to drought
Alberta ranchers can apply for up to $200 per head through a $340-million support program.
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Travel advisory reminder: New measures for fully vaccinated international travellers
As of September 7, the Government of Canada is allowing fully vaccinated foreign nationals meeting the conditions to enter Canada for discretionary (non-essential) purposes.
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Business Link Peerpreneur Sessions
Peerpreneur Sessions give entrepreneurs the chance to participate in live, peer-to-peer virtual group discussions facilitated by a Business Link Strategist. Over a 4-week period, each group will connect on a weekly basis to discuss their business challenges, exchange best practices, and learn how to best support each other.
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LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER! Sir Richard Branson to Share His Welcoming Remarks and Participate in Q&A with the Honourable Perrin Beatty
September 15 | Virtual
Fresh off his return from his trip to space, Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic, will share his experience and vision for space with participants at our upcoming Executive Summit: Our Future in Space Is Now.
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Join us for a panel discussion on the role of reputation and purpose in driving business growth
September 21 | 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET | Webinar
Across Canada and around the globe, the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 are transforming the relationships between business, society and government. Increased expectations around transparency, equity and values are shaping perceptions of businesses and their leaders. Performance still matters, but organizations are no longer judged on performance alone; the bottom line is no longer the bottom line.
Your organization's corporate purpose and your reputation are more important than ever before. From investors and employees to customers, partners and other stakeholders, your audience wants to know why you do what you do. They are making decisions about your business based on their perception of the kind of organization you are, the decisions you make and the values that drive them.
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How to Future-proof Your Small Business with an Online Course: Webinar with Thinkific
September 15 and 22 | 2:30 p.m. ET | Virtual
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we must show resilience in the face of adversity. How can you ensure you have a contingency plan in place to protect your business when you are hit with the unexpected?
Join Thinkific Partnerships Manager and Course Expert Sean Scott to hear about the proven blueprint for building and launching successful online courses alongside your business. You’ll learn:
- How to use online courses to enhance your service or product and protect your business from future disruptions
- How other entrepreneurs and small businesses successfully pivoted during the pandemic
- Thinkific's proven five-step blueprint to creating, launching and profiting from online courses
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Canadian Cannabis: A Growing Economic Sector at Home and Abroad
October 6 | 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET | Virtual
We are excited to be hosting the first Executive Summit geared specifically to the growing cannabis sector in Canada. From licensed producers to retailers to ancillary businesses, this event will feature experts from across the industry who will discuss the opportunities, impacts and challenges associated with business in the cannabis sector. Full agenda coming soon.
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Email info@gpchamber.com|Phone 780-532-5340 | Fax 780-532-2926
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